Well in case you're not on Facebook or following me on Twitter... I won my first APA match of the season!
Oh, and I took 3rd place in the Predator ABCD event over the weekend as well. (And, in case you're wondering, I'm still an SL5.)
3rd for me, a recreational hack, is a really good result.
And, yes, I'm as surprised as hell too.
And happy.
And $500 richer.
Cha-Ching!
It was a surprise since I was playing pretty "craptastic", as my good friend OMGWTF would say, pool for a quite a while. Luckily I got some good friends who play some damn good pool to help me out when I hit a bad slump. I got some good mental advice from Sarah, some shooting/deflection tips from Holden, safety play info from Caroline as well as my friend Eric, and a change to my stroke from "Cadillac" Lac. I also figured out something about the way I was aiming as well.
All of this sort of clicked for me in the last few weeks. I wasn't letting things, like table conditions and slow players, bother me as much, I was making smarter choices during matches by playing more safeties and I was pocketing balls more consistently and making fewer unforced errors. I felt pretty good, like my game was finally coming together.
Now let me first state that I did not go into this Predator event thinking I was gonna "snap it off". In fact the Monkey and I had already decided where we going to go have dinner after the tournament ON FRIDAY, Gyro's II by Madison Square Garden, expecting that by 7 or 8pm we'd both be knocked out of the event. It's also why ,when asked if we wanted to get into the calcutta, we said no. I could've bought myself for $10 but I thought I'd be wasting $10 so I didn't - and it paid $275 or something like that for 3rd place. Oh well.
The match format in this event was that the A's and B's would playing each other and the C's and D's would play each other, game being spotted if need be, and eventually the two divisions would met up near the end. I'm rated a C and would be playing other players more or less my own speed.
My first match was against Mike H. and before our match we had this little conversation (as well as I can remember it anyway).
Mike H: Hey, aren't you on that team "Monkey Steals the Peach"?
Me: Yeah.
Mike H: You guys beat us in the playoffs! I'm glad your team won the whole thing after beating us. You guys are really GOOD!
Me: Thanks.
Me (thinking): Oh man. Way to shark yourself dude.
I dunno, maybe it's me, but I'm not going to give the guy I'm playing any compliments and build his confidence before we start and I'm definitely not putting that "he's good" thought in my head before the match as well.
Mike H. jumps out to a 4-1 lead cause I'm missing shots. Easy shots. I'm like WTF? Then I realized that. I. Forgot. To. Aim. I mean really aim. Cause a lot of times I think I'm aiming when I'm really not. (Seriously.) I start to pick a pinpoint spot on the object ball, focus, pause, quiet my eyes, then shoot. I remind myself of this on the next few shots and it helps. I'm now stringing a few 4 and 5 ball runs and getting out the rack and making a comeback. I also get a little bit of help as Mike H. missed 3 different 9-ball combination's and, each time, left the 9-ball hanging in the jaws for me.
Final score: 7-4.
My next match was against Diana R. an up and coming female player in the NYC pool scene. She started off slowly and I took advantage of her early mistakes to get out to a bit of a lead. Once she warmed up I could see that she has a BIG STROKE which was both good, she moved the cue ball around easily, and bad, she was losing control of the cue ball. This loss of control of the CB caught up to her as she kept scratching during key points of the game - going from the 8 to the 9 ball for example. Too many mistakes on her part allowed me to eventually win the match.
Final score: 7-5?
Next up was...Matt? Mike? I can't remember his name, sorry. He beat the Monkey in her first match and the scouting report she gave me on him helped. He seemed nervous or something as he'd make a great shot but then follow that up with by missing an easy one. He'd get out a tough rack but then dog the out on an easy one. He was getting some early rolls in the match, he'd miss and hook me, he'd miss the shot but bump into another ball that would fall in, etc. I just laughed it off, played smart (no fliers!) and waited him out and hoped that the rolls would eventually even out. Which they did.
I won and, sorry, I can't remember the score either.
By now the Monkey and I are thinking "WTF?"
How am I -
1) still in this thing?
2) still on the winner's side?
3) going to be able to eat at Gyro's II before they close?
We check the board and realize that if I win my next match I could leave and come back tomorrow. Losing would mean I'd have to continue to battle it out in the Loser's bracket, at least another 2 or 3 matches, and it was already 9pm...
which would mean there would be no chance what-so-ever of making it to Gyro's II before it closes.
In this epic battle to make it back to the next day, and for me to get that delicious Gyro sandwich, I matched up against a guy named Al. I've seen him around at various pool halls as he runs around with this group of Dominican pool players and gamblers. It was this same group from whom he was constantly swapping equipment with throughout our match - break cue here, pool cue there, swap the pool cue for another cue... I didn't think it was allowed, I think the rules are you play with the equipment you brought with you, but I didn't complain because it really didn't seem to be helping him anyway.
I'm not sure how I did it but I got out to a 6-2 lead. And then...
I developed the shanks.
Ball straight in the hole? I missed it. Several times.
I'm suddenly no longer able to run 2 balls. And. I. Have. No. Idea. Why. I go through my preshot routine. I check off all the steps on my list. I aim. I pause. I quiet eye. Nothing. Still missing.
So, of course, he makes a come back. It's suddenly and inexplicably Hill Hill. And it's his break.
He breaks and, luckily, doesn't make a ball.
I make the 1-ball but don't really have a pocket for the 2-ball. The 8-ball is hidden behind the 9-ball and are tied up and blocking one of the corner pocket so I can't play for a 2-9 combination. There's a bunch of other balls tied up as well so this is gonna be a tough rack to run out. So I do the smart thing - I played a safe.
And what a GREAT safe it is!
With the cue ball I nudge the 8 out of the way of the 9, hiding the cue ball directly behind the 9, with the 2 ball going to the middle of the table. With all the traffic caused by the other balls there's no easy kick for him to make contact with the 2 and he knows that if he misses this kick I'll get a great shot at making the 2-9 combo.
He does the smart thing: he nudges the 9 ball away from the pocket.
Only...it's not really that far from the pocket...and the 8 ball's still there on the bottom rail making the pocket a little bigger...and I can't currently make two balls in a row...and I can't "see" the runout...and DAMNIT! I PLAYED A GREAT SAFETY! I DESERVE TO BE REWARDED!
So I line the combo up.
Yep, I'm gonna take me a FLIER during a HILL-HILL match.
And I WHACK the HELL out of this combo.
And I MISS!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
But the 9-ball goes two rails...
bumps into a bunch of balls...
goes another two rails...
and slowly...
slowly...
craps it's way into the side pocket.
Yes, folks, I shitted in the 9-ball by taking a flier during a hill-hill match, locking up 5/6th place and now I get to leave and come back tomorrow. (Unfortunately, since it went hill-hill Gyro's II is closed.)
Hey, I do play in the APA - the Any Pocket Asshole - League. Shitting in the 9-ball...that's normal.
I get to the room early the next day, I was too excited and couldn't sleep, and I worked on all the shots that gave me trouble the day before - one being a long, straight shot with the cue ball a half inch off the rail. I also figured out what caused me to get the shanks and I made a mental note of it as well as the correction.
My first match of this day was against Ron M. whom I've played several times before. I think the last few times we've played I won and that was before all my recent changes and improvements. Needless to say I felt very comfortable and even a bit confident going into our match.
I get out to a 4-2 lead. Ron, smartly, takes his break, and comes back strong. He shooting a lot better and ties it up at 4-4. Great. Maybe I was too confident? Took him too lightly? It's a race to 3 now.
He's running out the next rack but gets a little straight on the 9-ball. It's a tough shot but makeable...only he overcuts it and hangs it up for me. I make it to go up 5-4.
Obviously, he's PISSED.
And he's already used his one 5 minute match break...
I can see him still thinking about that missed 9-ball during the next game and it's affecting the way he's playing. He comes to a similar 5-ball shot and tries to baby it in. Instead of going in, it hangs up. I run out from there. Now it's 6-4 me.
He's now officially on TILT.
Next rack he's slamming shots. He's making them but he's just letting the cue ball go. He misses the 5 ball with only the 5, 6 and 9 left on the table. It's a long shot straight shot on the 5 ball with the cue ball about a half inch off the rail.
Good thing I was practicing these before our match.
I make it and I make the next two balls as well to win the match 7-4.
Now I can't do any worse than 3rd place!
I play John A next who went through the A/B bracket undefeated and somewhat unchallenged. Since he's an A I get two games on the wire going to 7. He's definitely a good, young, up and coming player. I wasn't intimidated, hell I'm guaranteed 3rd and all this is just gravy, but I was...worried. I just didn't wanna get blown out of the water.
John's seems to be struggling with the table conditions and is not at his best. He's making mistakes, really silly mistakes, and giving me chances. With every chance I got, and in trying to ignore the fact that I'm playing a much better player, I kept telling myself "It's my turn. It's what I can do at the table during my turn." And somehow, and I still don't know how, I get to the hill first. 6-5.
In the next rack John's running out but gets funny on the 8 ball. He plays a decent safety, leaving me no real shot to make the 8 ball. I try to play a safe back but hit everything too hard. Nerves? Maybe. He makes a good shot on the 8 ball and makes the easy 9 to win the game. Now it's 6-6.
Hmm...not sure how I got a shot but I come to the table with a look at the 3 ball. There's not really a pocket for it so I try to play a safety. I "just miss it" by a hair where I would've hidden the cue ball behind a pack of balls and John would've had to kick at the 3 ball. Instead I left him a look where he could make the 3 ball, which he does. And then , under all the pressure of a hill-hill match, he smartly weaves his way around a very tough 9 ball rack to win the game and the match.
My next match - eh. Unspectacular play by me and some extremely good play from a very under handicapped Jose C. Jose also has my "kryptonite" as he plays at a very slow place. I get crushed 7-1 with the 1 being a "gimme" - a 9 ball that Jose hung up. I think I was out of gas by this time and maybe, just maybe, a little too happy that I've already finished in 3rd.
In the finals I heard, since I had to run to make it to my APA match, it was hill-hill as well with John A. pulling out the win. Congrats John.
Anyway, this is my highest finish ever in an event that paid cash money. I'm now even listed on AZBilliards!
Here's some pics of me shooting in it taken by "T.O." Allison Fischer for the NYC Grind.
Okay, with form like this how the hell do I even make a damn ball?
It's Rack Your Own and I still manage to slug rack myself...
Oh, and I took 3rd place in the Predator ABCD event over the weekend as well. (And, in case you're wondering, I'm still an SL5.)
3rd for me, a recreational hack, is a really good result.
And, yes, I'm as surprised as hell too.
And happy.
And $500 richer.
Cha-Ching!
It was a surprise since I was playing pretty "craptastic", as my good friend OMGWTF would say, pool for a quite a while. Luckily I got some good friends who play some damn good pool to help me out when I hit a bad slump. I got some good mental advice from Sarah, some shooting/deflection tips from Holden, safety play info from Caroline as well as my friend Eric, and a change to my stroke from "Cadillac" Lac. I also figured out something about the way I was aiming as well.
All of this sort of clicked for me in the last few weeks. I wasn't letting things, like table conditions and slow players, bother me as much, I was making smarter choices during matches by playing more safeties and I was pocketing balls more consistently and making fewer unforced errors. I felt pretty good, like my game was finally coming together.
Now let me first state that I did not go into this Predator event thinking I was gonna "snap it off". In fact the Monkey and I had already decided where we going to go have dinner after the tournament ON FRIDAY, Gyro's II by Madison Square Garden, expecting that by 7 or 8pm we'd both be knocked out of the event. It's also why ,when asked if we wanted to get into the calcutta, we said no. I could've bought myself for $10 but I thought I'd be wasting $10 so I didn't - and it paid $275 or something like that for 3rd place. Oh well.
The match format in this event was that the A's and B's would playing each other and the C's and D's would play each other, game being spotted if need be, and eventually the two divisions would met up near the end. I'm rated a C and would be playing other players more or less my own speed.
My first match was against Mike H. and before our match we had this little conversation (as well as I can remember it anyway).
Mike H: Hey, aren't you on that team "Monkey Steals the Peach"?
Me: Yeah.
Mike H: You guys beat us in the playoffs! I'm glad your team won the whole thing after beating us. You guys are really GOOD!
Me: Thanks.
Me (thinking): Oh man. Way to shark yourself dude.
I dunno, maybe it's me, but I'm not going to give the guy I'm playing any compliments and build his confidence before we start and I'm definitely not putting that "he's good" thought in my head before the match as well.
Mike H. jumps out to a 4-1 lead cause I'm missing shots. Easy shots. I'm like WTF? Then I realized that. I. Forgot. To. Aim. I mean really aim. Cause a lot of times I think I'm aiming when I'm really not. (Seriously.) I start to pick a pinpoint spot on the object ball, focus, pause, quiet my eyes, then shoot. I remind myself of this on the next few shots and it helps. I'm now stringing a few 4 and 5 ball runs and getting out the rack and making a comeback. I also get a little bit of help as Mike H. missed 3 different 9-ball combination's and, each time, left the 9-ball hanging in the jaws for me.
Final score: 7-4.
My next match was against Diana R. an up and coming female player in the NYC pool scene. She started off slowly and I took advantage of her early mistakes to get out to a bit of a lead. Once she warmed up I could see that she has a BIG STROKE which was both good, she moved the cue ball around easily, and bad, she was losing control of the cue ball. This loss of control of the CB caught up to her as she kept scratching during key points of the game - going from the 8 to the 9 ball for example. Too many mistakes on her part allowed me to eventually win the match.
Final score: 7-5?
Next up was...Matt? Mike? I can't remember his name, sorry. He beat the Monkey in her first match and the scouting report she gave me on him helped. He seemed nervous or something as he'd make a great shot but then follow that up with by missing an easy one. He'd get out a tough rack but then dog the out on an easy one. He was getting some early rolls in the match, he'd miss and hook me, he'd miss the shot but bump into another ball that would fall in, etc. I just laughed it off, played smart (no fliers!) and waited him out and hoped that the rolls would eventually even out. Which they did.
I won and, sorry, I can't remember the score either.
By now the Monkey and I are thinking "WTF?"
How am I -
1) still in this thing?
2) still on the winner's side?
3) going to be able to eat at Gyro's II before they close?
We check the board and realize that if I win my next match I could leave and come back tomorrow. Losing would mean I'd have to continue to battle it out in the Loser's bracket, at least another 2 or 3 matches, and it was already 9pm...
which would mean there would be no chance what-so-ever of making it to Gyro's II before it closes.
In this epic battle to make it back to the next day, and for me to get that delicious Gyro sandwich, I matched up against a guy named Al. I've seen him around at various pool halls as he runs around with this group of Dominican pool players and gamblers. It was this same group from whom he was constantly swapping equipment with throughout our match - break cue here, pool cue there, swap the pool cue for another cue... I didn't think it was allowed, I think the rules are you play with the equipment you brought with you, but I didn't complain because it really didn't seem to be helping him anyway.
I'm not sure how I did it but I got out to a 6-2 lead. And then...
I developed the shanks.
Ball straight in the hole? I missed it. Several times.
I'm suddenly no longer able to run 2 balls. And. I. Have. No. Idea. Why. I go through my preshot routine. I check off all the steps on my list. I aim. I pause. I quiet eye. Nothing. Still missing.
So, of course, he makes a come back. It's suddenly and inexplicably Hill Hill. And it's his break.
He breaks and, luckily, doesn't make a ball.
I make the 1-ball but don't really have a pocket for the 2-ball. The 8-ball is hidden behind the 9-ball and are tied up and blocking one of the corner pocket so I can't play for a 2-9 combination. There's a bunch of other balls tied up as well so this is gonna be a tough rack to run out. So I do the smart thing - I played a safe.
And what a GREAT safe it is!
With the cue ball I nudge the 8 out of the way of the 9, hiding the cue ball directly behind the 9, with the 2 ball going to the middle of the table. With all the traffic caused by the other balls there's no easy kick for him to make contact with the 2 and he knows that if he misses this kick I'll get a great shot at making the 2-9 combo.
He does the smart thing: he nudges the 9 ball away from the pocket.
Only...it's not really that far from the pocket...and the 8 ball's still there on the bottom rail making the pocket a little bigger...and I can't currently make two balls in a row...and I can't "see" the runout...and DAMNIT! I PLAYED A GREAT SAFETY! I DESERVE TO BE REWARDED!
So I line the combo up.
Yep, I'm gonna take me a FLIER during a HILL-HILL match.
And I WHACK the HELL out of this combo.
And I MISS!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
But the 9-ball goes two rails...
bumps into a bunch of balls...
goes another two rails...
and slowly...
slowly...
craps it's way into the side pocket.
Yes, folks, I shitted in the 9-ball by taking a flier during a hill-hill match, locking up 5/6th place and now I get to leave and come back tomorrow. (Unfortunately, since it went hill-hill Gyro's II is closed.)
Hey, I do play in the APA - the Any Pocket Asshole - League. Shitting in the 9-ball...that's normal.
I get to the room early the next day, I was too excited and couldn't sleep, and I worked on all the shots that gave me trouble the day before - one being a long, straight shot with the cue ball a half inch off the rail. I also figured out what caused me to get the shanks and I made a mental note of it as well as the correction.
My first match of this day was against Ron M. whom I've played several times before. I think the last few times we've played I won and that was before all my recent changes and improvements. Needless to say I felt very comfortable and even a bit confident going into our match.
I get out to a 4-2 lead. Ron, smartly, takes his break, and comes back strong. He shooting a lot better and ties it up at 4-4. Great. Maybe I was too confident? Took him too lightly? It's a race to 3 now.
He's running out the next rack but gets a little straight on the 9-ball. It's a tough shot but makeable...only he overcuts it and hangs it up for me. I make it to go up 5-4.
Obviously, he's PISSED.
And he's already used his one 5 minute match break...
I can see him still thinking about that missed 9-ball during the next game and it's affecting the way he's playing. He comes to a similar 5-ball shot and tries to baby it in. Instead of going in, it hangs up. I run out from there. Now it's 6-4 me.
He's now officially on TILT.
Next rack he's slamming shots. He's making them but he's just letting the cue ball go. He misses the 5 ball with only the 5, 6 and 9 left on the table. It's a long shot straight shot on the 5 ball with the cue ball about a half inch off the rail.
Good thing I was practicing these before our match.
I make it and I make the next two balls as well to win the match 7-4.
Now I can't do any worse than 3rd place!
I play John A next who went through the A/B bracket undefeated and somewhat unchallenged. Since he's an A I get two games on the wire going to 7. He's definitely a good, young, up and coming player. I wasn't intimidated, hell I'm guaranteed 3rd and all this is just gravy, but I was...worried. I just didn't wanna get blown out of the water.
John's seems to be struggling with the table conditions and is not at his best. He's making mistakes, really silly mistakes, and giving me chances. With every chance I got, and in trying to ignore the fact that I'm playing a much better player, I kept telling myself "It's my turn. It's what I can do at the table during my turn." And somehow, and I still don't know how, I get to the hill first. 6-5.
In the next rack John's running out but gets funny on the 8 ball. He plays a decent safety, leaving me no real shot to make the 8 ball. I try to play a safe back but hit everything too hard. Nerves? Maybe. He makes a good shot on the 8 ball and makes the easy 9 to win the game. Now it's 6-6.
Hmm...not sure how I got a shot but I come to the table with a look at the 3 ball. There's not really a pocket for it so I try to play a safety. I "just miss it" by a hair where I would've hidden the cue ball behind a pack of balls and John would've had to kick at the 3 ball. Instead I left him a look where he could make the 3 ball, which he does. And then , under all the pressure of a hill-hill match, he smartly weaves his way around a very tough 9 ball rack to win the game and the match.
My next match - eh. Unspectacular play by me and some extremely good play from a very under handicapped Jose C. Jose also has my "kryptonite" as he plays at a very slow place. I get crushed 7-1 with the 1 being a "gimme" - a 9 ball that Jose hung up. I think I was out of gas by this time and maybe, just maybe, a little too happy that I've already finished in 3rd.
In the finals I heard, since I had to run to make it to my APA match, it was hill-hill as well with John A. pulling out the win. Congrats John.
Anyway, this is my highest finish ever in an event that paid cash money. I'm now even listed on AZBilliards!
Here's some pics of me shooting in it taken by "T.O." Allison Fischer for the NYC Grind.
Okay, with form like this how the hell do I even make a damn ball?
It's Rack Your Own and I still manage to slug rack myself...
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