I’ve played in 3 tournaments since the last time I posted. I wanted to put some of the things I’ve been working on to the test. There was some up and downs, some new things to work on and a few lessons learned.
The first tournament was July 11th at one of My favorite rooms, Raxx Bar & Grill in West Hempstead, NY. It was the Mezz Tour where professionals and amateurs are together in the same field and the entry fees are based on your skill level. (I, of course, pay the least.)
In the first round I drew George “Ginky” San Souci, one of NYC’s best players and a local legend.
The tournament is an alternating break format and I won the flip so I had the first break. Here’s how the match went:
I break. Don’t make a ball. Ginky runs out.
Ginky breaks. Makes a ball. Runs out.
I break. Don’t make a ball. Ginky runs out.
Ginky breaks. Makes a ball. Runs out.
I break. Don’t make a ball. Ginky runs out.
It’s 5-0 before I get my first good look at a makeable shot.
I, of course, miss it.
Badly.
By like a whole entire diamond.
Ugh.
At 6-0 he gives me a gift by taking a risky shot on the 9-ball and hangs it up so that I could avoid the dreaded donut. Final score: 7-1.
Now people might say that this is why I shouldn’t play in professional events – that I’m way outclassed - and yes, it’s true, I am outclassed, but let me just say that watching Ginky shoot, the performance he put on as he blitzed me, was worth every penny of my entry fee.
His stroke was so silky smooth and effortless that he just made the game look so easy. It was actually pretty enjoyable getting crushed as it was just one of the most amazing pool performances I've ever seen and a great free lesson in stroke mechanics - which is one of the things I’ve been working on to improve my game.
I didn’t win my next match which was against another C player - I had a brain fart on a kick when the match was hill-hill. I knew I was going to scratch but rather than listen to myself, get up from the shot and come up with a new plan, I went with my initial thought and scratched. My opponent ran out from there with ball in hand.
Two and done.
(By the way Ginky would eventually win this tournament.)
The second event I played in was back at Raxx on August 8th and was another Mezz Tour event.
My first round match was another beat down by another Open/Pro player, Rob Pole. I squeaked by my girlfriend, the Action Monkey, in my second match and was gifted a win with a forfeit in my 3rd match. Now, in my 4th match, I find myself up against Matt Krah.
Matt Krah, who has won a few of these Mezz Tour stops before, versus me, a hack who’s gotten annihilated by the last two Open/Pro caliber players he’s faced.
I’m hanging tough this time around. I think I got loose and comfortable, having some opportunities to actually shoot, during my match against the Monkey.
At 2-1 with Matt Krah leading, I break and run a rack on him! It was a little tricky and it wasn’t a textbook out but I’ll take it. It’s not something I do every day and never in a tournament against a high caliber player.
So it's tied at 2-2 and I got Matt Krah shaking in his shoes. (Ha!)
In the next rack Matt misses a tough but makeable 7-ball. (He was frozen to the rail.) I run out and I’m actually AHEAD 3-2.
Wow. I’m actually WINNING.
The next rack Matt runs out to the 9-ball, it’s a pretty easy cut shot, but the ball skids on him and he misses it.
(This is why I never give anyone “courtesy” 9-ball.)
I’m left with a tough shot on the 9-ball but it’s makeable.
Only... I kept thinking to myself “Man, if I make this I’m going to be up 4-2 on MATT Frigging KRAH!”
I, of course, miss it by a diamond.
And that was that.
I never got it back together after that miss. Matt also realized I was a hack - who else but a hack would miss it that badly? - and upped his game a gear. Final score: 7-3
It's not all bad news doh - due to the forfeit I won highest finishing C/D player and got $50! I “cashed” in a Pro-Am event!
(That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.)
Tired of being annihilated by Open/Pro players I headed to the Predator Tour stop on August 14th at Mr. Cue Billiards somewhere in the far reaches of Long Island.
The Predator Tour is structured differently than the Mezz Tour. This tour doesn't mix Pro/Open players with the amateurs. It also splits the field between C/D players and A/B players. I will only play people more or less my own speed unless I make it deep into the tournament.
First match I played a D player and spotted him one game on 7. Right off, I could tell that this was his first tournament because he was NERVOUS. He also told me he hasn't slept which I easily figured out by the number of Red Bull's he was drinking.
Nervous, hopped up on Red Bull... I beat him 7-1.
Next match was played on one of the front tables which was 1) very cramped and 2) had a lot of foot traffic. It was really a bit too distracting trying to play pool on this table as people just kept crossing your line of sight.
Not that it would've matter - this was just one of those matches that I had no chance of winning.
No, not because I was outclassed again - it was that the Pool God's weren't going to allow it.
For example…
In the first rack of the game I run out from like the 2 or 3 ball. I got an easy 9, about a diamond away from the pocket, and I'm dead straight on it. I can't miss it.
I miscue.
And miss it.
The entire match pretty much goes this way.
I lose 7-5.
The next match I'm put in the middle of the room and drew another C player. He looked pretty good when he was warming up and I thought it was going to be a good close match but without the distracts of the front table and with some rolls finally going my way, the Pool God's were making amends, I beat him 7-2.
In my 4th match of the day I’m playing Diana “Snookie” Rojas – one of the leading C players on the Predator Tour.
I started off a little lucky – I broke and made the 1 ball and had an easy 2-9 combo. I won the next two games too and was quickly up 3-0.
I was feeling like I was playing pretty well, I was a little lucky and I was focused so I really thought I had a good chance of winning this match – and that’s when the guy on the next table just started to act up and distract the hell out of me.
No idea what the guy was on but he was on something. No way a normal person acts this way.
He’d miss and started to do some weird ass Kung Fu moves before sitting down.
He kept fidgeting in his chair as he waited for his turn.
He was talking loudly to his opponent, to himself was even singing every once in a while.
Earlier in the day I saw him take his shirt off down to his wife beater only to put it back on. He also removed his belt at one point too only to put it back on again.
And with my mind now on his antics rather than the table I was done. I made mistake after mistake and got punished for it – she plays too good to give her so many opportunities at the table.
Final score 7-5.
Ugh.
Overall, over the 3 tournaments, I’m happy with my performances. I really have to work on my “wall” so that I can ignore the things around me and focus on making the balls.
Ignore the fact that I might go up 4-2 against a pro.
Ignore the antics of the players on the other tables around me.
The little things I've been working on seem to be helping my game and I feel good about how things are coming along - I just have to stay focused and relaxed.
I think I'm going to try and play with headphones on and see if that helps me to focus and to block out distractions.
That's it for now.
The first tournament was July 11th at one of My favorite rooms, Raxx Bar & Grill in West Hempstead, NY. It was the Mezz Tour where professionals and amateurs are together in the same field and the entry fees are based on your skill level. (I, of course, pay the least.)
In the first round I drew George “Ginky” San Souci, one of NYC’s best players and a local legend.
The tournament is an alternating break format and I won the flip so I had the first break. Here’s how the match went:
I break. Don’t make a ball. Ginky runs out.
Ginky breaks. Makes a ball. Runs out.
I break. Don’t make a ball. Ginky runs out.
Ginky breaks. Makes a ball. Runs out.
I break. Don’t make a ball. Ginky runs out.
It’s 5-0 before I get my first good look at a makeable shot.
I, of course, miss it.
Badly.
By like a whole entire diamond.
Ugh.
At 6-0 he gives me a gift by taking a risky shot on the 9-ball and hangs it up so that I could avoid the dreaded donut. Final score: 7-1.
Now people might say that this is why I shouldn’t play in professional events – that I’m way outclassed - and yes, it’s true, I am outclassed, but let me just say that watching Ginky shoot, the performance he put on as he blitzed me, was worth every penny of my entry fee.
His stroke was so silky smooth and effortless that he just made the game look so easy. It was actually pretty enjoyable getting crushed as it was just one of the most amazing pool performances I've ever seen and a great free lesson in stroke mechanics - which is one of the things I’ve been working on to improve my game.
I didn’t win my next match which was against another C player - I had a brain fart on a kick when the match was hill-hill. I knew I was going to scratch but rather than listen to myself, get up from the shot and come up with a new plan, I went with my initial thought and scratched. My opponent ran out from there with ball in hand.
Two and done.
(By the way Ginky would eventually win this tournament.)
The second event I played in was back at Raxx on August 8th and was another Mezz Tour event.
My first round match was another beat down by another Open/Pro player, Rob Pole. I squeaked by my girlfriend, the Action Monkey, in my second match and was gifted a win with a forfeit in my 3rd match. Now, in my 4th match, I find myself up against Matt Krah.
Matt Krah, who has won a few of these Mezz Tour stops before, versus me, a hack who’s gotten annihilated by the last two Open/Pro caliber players he’s faced.
I’m hanging tough this time around. I think I got loose and comfortable, having some opportunities to actually shoot, during my match against the Monkey.
At 2-1 with Matt Krah leading, I break and run a rack on him! It was a little tricky and it wasn’t a textbook out but I’ll take it. It’s not something I do every day and never in a tournament against a high caliber player.
So it's tied at 2-2 and I got Matt Krah shaking in his shoes. (Ha!)
In the next rack Matt misses a tough but makeable 7-ball. (He was frozen to the rail.) I run out and I’m actually AHEAD 3-2.
Wow. I’m actually WINNING.
The next rack Matt runs out to the 9-ball, it’s a pretty easy cut shot, but the ball skids on him and he misses it.
(This is why I never give anyone “courtesy” 9-ball.)
I’m left with a tough shot on the 9-ball but it’s makeable.
Only... I kept thinking to myself “Man, if I make this I’m going to be up 4-2 on MATT Frigging KRAH!”
I, of course, miss it by a diamond.
And that was that.
I never got it back together after that miss. Matt also realized I was a hack - who else but a hack would miss it that badly? - and upped his game a gear. Final score: 7-3
It's not all bad news doh - due to the forfeit I won highest finishing C/D player and got $50! I “cashed” in a Pro-Am event!
(That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.)
Tired of being annihilated by Open/Pro players I headed to the Predator Tour stop on August 14th at Mr. Cue Billiards somewhere in the far reaches of Long Island.
The Predator Tour is structured differently than the Mezz Tour. This tour doesn't mix Pro/Open players with the amateurs. It also splits the field between C/D players and A/B players. I will only play people more or less my own speed unless I make it deep into the tournament.
First match I played a D player and spotted him one game on 7. Right off, I could tell that this was his first tournament because he was NERVOUS. He also told me he hasn't slept which I easily figured out by the number of Red Bull's he was drinking.
Nervous, hopped up on Red Bull... I beat him 7-1.
Next match was played on one of the front tables which was 1) very cramped and 2) had a lot of foot traffic. It was really a bit too distracting trying to play pool on this table as people just kept crossing your line of sight.
Not that it would've matter - this was just one of those matches that I had no chance of winning.
No, not because I was outclassed again - it was that the Pool God's weren't going to allow it.
For example…
In the first rack of the game I run out from like the 2 or 3 ball. I got an easy 9, about a diamond away from the pocket, and I'm dead straight on it. I can't miss it.
I miscue.
And miss it.
The entire match pretty much goes this way.
I lose 7-5.
The next match I'm put in the middle of the room and drew another C player. He looked pretty good when he was warming up and I thought it was going to be a good close match but without the distracts of the front table and with some rolls finally going my way, the Pool God's were making amends, I beat him 7-2.
In my 4th match of the day I’m playing Diana “Snookie” Rojas – one of the leading C players on the Predator Tour.
I started off a little lucky – I broke and made the 1 ball and had an easy 2-9 combo. I won the next two games too and was quickly up 3-0.
I was feeling like I was playing pretty well, I was a little lucky and I was focused so I really thought I had a good chance of winning this match – and that’s when the guy on the next table just started to act up and distract the hell out of me.
No idea what the guy was on but he was on something. No way a normal person acts this way.
He’d miss and started to do some weird ass Kung Fu moves before sitting down.
He kept fidgeting in his chair as he waited for his turn.
He was talking loudly to his opponent, to himself was even singing every once in a while.
Earlier in the day I saw him take his shirt off down to his wife beater only to put it back on. He also removed his belt at one point too only to put it back on again.
And with my mind now on his antics rather than the table I was done. I made mistake after mistake and got punished for it – she plays too good to give her so many opportunities at the table.
Final score 7-5.
Ugh.
Overall, over the 3 tournaments, I’m happy with my performances. I really have to work on my “wall” so that I can ignore the things around me and focus on making the balls.
Ignore the fact that I might go up 4-2 against a pro.
Ignore the antics of the players on the other tables around me.
The little things I've been working on seem to be helping my game and I feel good about how things are coming along - I just have to stay focused and relaxed.
I think I'm going to try and play with headphones on and see if that helps me to focus and to block out distractions.
That's it for now.
