My latest adventures in competition had me driving to Drexeline Billiards Club in Drexel Hill, PA for the first stop of the newly formed Mezz Pro-Am Tour.
Before I begin I just want to say something to the people of Drexeline Billiards and to anyone who plans on having a tour stop there:
It would be nice if you’d let everyone know that you’re located in the back of the building as there is no easily visible sign or any indicators from the road whatsoever to let you know you’ve reached your destination. I drove around for an additional 15 minutes until I finally saw the sign. You know the one that’s attached to the side of the building and is only visible from the other side of the highway.
The Mezz Pro-Am 9-Ball Tour is run by Jose Burgos, formerly of the Blaze Pro-Am Tour. You can say that, basically, the Mezz Tour is replacing the Blaze Tour. The Blaze Tour was one of the better one day Pro-Am tours in the Northeast area. All the same rules for the Blaze apply, like alternating breaks and races to 7, as well as Jose Burgos Open Book policy on how he calculates the payouts.
(How I wish some of the other tours in this area would adopt this policy as there’s some fishy accounting going on – I swear.)
Anyway, since I couldn’t find the place and I got to the room late I didn’t really warm up. My match was called almost as soon as I got there. I played another guy named Jay, easy to remember!, and it was a good match. I had plenty of opportunities to win but just didn’t capitalize enough on his mistakes – partly due to a lack of focus.
I’m always a bit distracted at these events as I like to look around and see who’s playing in the event, who’s playing whom, how the room is, etc. I usually take care of this before my match starts but since I showed up late…
I also noticed another thing that I do, and it was pointed out to me as well, which causes me to lose a lot - If there’s that 50/50 ish shot, even if it’s 30/70, I’m usually going to go for it. It’s like if I’m at the black jack table…and you can take a card or stand…fuggit, I’m taking a card.
(If any of you have seen the way I play roulette this would all make sense.)
So in a safety battle I’m the guy that’s gonna blink first and, yeah, I have to stop doing that as it ends up costing me matches.
Case in point: I end up losing 7-5. (I sold out as 5-5.)
Next match I was put in the back of the room where the tables are way too close together. If I can’t comfortably shoot the cue ball when it’s frozen to the rail then you shouldn’t be using these tables for the tournament. My ass shouldn't be resting on the table next to me, where another tournament match is going on, just so that I have enough room to shoot a shot. Just my opinion.
I played a pretty good player (whose name I’ve already forgotten…Bobby? Billy? Brian? Ugh). I had some nice outs but the tables being too close together and a more interesting match happening next to me (distracted again) messed up my focused and I got drilled like 7-3.
Bobby/Billy/Brian said he needed to go and since I drove all this way from Brooklyn he forfeited the match to me.
So I got another match! And went the ever elusive 3 and out.
I played…oh forget it. I’m not even going to try. It was an older gentleman with an old school style and big ass windshields for glasses. Let’s call him O.G. Man, did O.G. play good. He played like a guy who’s been around the game for the last 50 years. He’s probably not strong enough to compete with the younger, stronger and more talented players in the event but against a lower level player like myself…he showed me how it’s done. Kicks, banks, safeties and his cue ball control…all very good. I didn’t have a chance. Lost 7-3 again I think.
I do have to say that while didn’t draw a pro or someone super strong I did learn a lot and I did seem to have more fun playing in an Open event. Everyone played “right” and watching someone like O.G. and how he maneuvered the cue ball around the table – it was a thing of beauty. It just fun to watch the game played at a really high level and to have a front row seat for it just makes it just that much better.
I do feel like I’m getting my competition legs back under me and I’m getting more comfortable playing in events again. I’ve got to stop selling out and I have to definitely work on my wall so I can focus and block out the distractions but a few more events and I should have that worked out.
Just got to remember to call the room before hand and make sure there’s signs there so I can get there early enough to warm up.
Congrats to Joey Testa, Ignacio Chavez and Victor Nau for their great performance.
Next stop: Atlantic City Billiards on Feb. 21st!
Before I begin I just want to say something to the people of Drexeline Billiards and to anyone who plans on having a tour stop there:
It would be nice if you’d let everyone know that you’re located in the back of the building as there is no easily visible sign or any indicators from the road whatsoever to let you know you’ve reached your destination. I drove around for an additional 15 minutes until I finally saw the sign. You know the one that’s attached to the side of the building and is only visible from the other side of the highway.
The Mezz Pro-Am 9-Ball Tour is run by Jose Burgos, formerly of the Blaze Pro-Am Tour. You can say that, basically, the Mezz Tour is replacing the Blaze Tour. The Blaze Tour was one of the better one day Pro-Am tours in the Northeast area. All the same rules for the Blaze apply, like alternating breaks and races to 7, as well as Jose Burgos Open Book policy on how he calculates the payouts.
(How I wish some of the other tours in this area would adopt this policy as there’s some fishy accounting going on – I swear.)
Anyway, since I couldn’t find the place and I got to the room late I didn’t really warm up. My match was called almost as soon as I got there. I played another guy named Jay, easy to remember!, and it was a good match. I had plenty of opportunities to win but just didn’t capitalize enough on his mistakes – partly due to a lack of focus.
I’m always a bit distracted at these events as I like to look around and see who’s playing in the event, who’s playing whom, how the room is, etc. I usually take care of this before my match starts but since I showed up late…
I also noticed another thing that I do, and it was pointed out to me as well, which causes me to lose a lot - If there’s that 50/50 ish shot, even if it’s 30/70, I’m usually going to go for it. It’s like if I’m at the black jack table…and you can take a card or stand…fuggit, I’m taking a card.
(If any of you have seen the way I play roulette this would all make sense.)
So in a safety battle I’m the guy that’s gonna blink first and, yeah, I have to stop doing that as it ends up costing me matches.
Case in point: I end up losing 7-5. (I sold out as 5-5.)
Next match I was put in the back of the room where the tables are way too close together. If I can’t comfortably shoot the cue ball when it’s frozen to the rail then you shouldn’t be using these tables for the tournament. My ass shouldn't be resting on the table next to me, where another tournament match is going on, just so that I have enough room to shoot a shot. Just my opinion.
I played a pretty good player (whose name I’ve already forgotten…Bobby? Billy? Brian? Ugh). I had some nice outs but the tables being too close together and a more interesting match happening next to me (distracted again) messed up my focused and I got drilled like 7-3.
Bobby/Billy/Brian said he needed to go and since I drove all this way from Brooklyn he forfeited the match to me.
So I got another match! And went the ever elusive 3 and out.
I played…oh forget it. I’m not even going to try. It was an older gentleman with an old school style and big ass windshields for glasses. Let’s call him O.G. Man, did O.G. play good. He played like a guy who’s been around the game for the last 50 years. He’s probably not strong enough to compete with the younger, stronger and more talented players in the event but against a lower level player like myself…he showed me how it’s done. Kicks, banks, safeties and his cue ball control…all very good. I didn’t have a chance. Lost 7-3 again I think.
I do have to say that while didn’t draw a pro or someone super strong I did learn a lot and I did seem to have more fun playing in an Open event. Everyone played “right” and watching someone like O.G. and how he maneuvered the cue ball around the table – it was a thing of beauty. It just fun to watch the game played at a really high level and to have a front row seat for it just makes it just that much better.
I do feel like I’m getting my competition legs back under me and I’m getting more comfortable playing in events again. I’ve got to stop selling out and I have to definitely work on my wall so I can focus and block out the distractions but a few more events and I should have that worked out.
Just got to remember to call the room before hand and make sure there’s signs there so I can get there early enough to warm up.
Congrats to Joey Testa, Ignacio Chavez and Victor Nau for their great performance.
Next stop: Atlantic City Billiards on Feb. 21st!
