I did enjoy the trip and won all bets made during the trip outside of the casino of course and on pool,I think I won about $400 playing and another couple hundred on other bets for matches.My goal was to beat one good player during the tourney and I did,I beat another fellow New Yorker named Paul who was known for winning $19,000 on a bar table.We had a great match on the losers side,racing to 9 I got up 8-5 before I missed a thin cut on the 8 ball with the 9 and 10 balls hanging in the pockets,I knew it was going hill-hill.At hill to hill he breaks and scratches,the 3-10 is lined up fairly well,the one goes but the 2 ball does not so I play shape for a safe,get bad shape and play a bank,it shortened up but I got lucky and Paul was safe.Paul kicks at the ball instead of messing up the 3-10 combo,he hits it and almost makes a ball but it hangs,I make a shot on the 2 ball and get perfect on the 3-10 to take the win.Paul remarked later he should have messed up the 3-10 but he said I was running out so good he felt I would be out anyway and if he could get lucky and make a ball he could win so he went for it.I told Paul early in the tournament that the only thing I wanted to do was beat a good player,so he remarked "Well you got to beat a good player like you wanted.",Paul was a real gentleman and a hell of a player with a win over Nick DeLeon 10-0 and a hill-hill match with Jimmy Mendoza.
Scott Frost lost his first match but came through the losers side to win 11 matches and beat Dennis Orender,then Jimmy Mendoza,he met Mitch in the Finals and played awesome to take the win and $2700 or so in prize money.I hoped my jump cue came in handy for Scott and helped him on his way to the win.Scott was stunned that I only slept 4 hours in the 3 days there as he was rooming with me but I just cant sleep in those casinos,pool and gambling action is too much to resist I suppose.Congrats to Scott Frost and Mitch Ellerman for playing great as they always do and Jimmy and Dennis for putting on a hell of an event.I was glad to have George Teyechea and Lisa there to help commentate for me as I was in really bad shape because of lacking sleep,it was one fun long weekend with great pool.
I hope this year the DCT continues to grow and prosper and new members continue to join,I believe they are over 150 members.I think my presence there attracts people to play and also they enjoy getting viewed by people all over the world on my website too.Well I hope those of you who have tuned in enjoyed watching it and this year should be awesome and only will get better then the last.
Lenny the Lock
