Well I played a really good set of 9 ball today in a tournament, not perfect but it was just a day where I was getting out well. I was playing a guy and he missed a routine shot, I run 4 balls and I am out as he remarks how he should never miss and how he used to play snooker. The table we are on has 4 1/8 inch pockets so its no bargain. I break and run out the 2nd rack and feel pretty good about it.
I am getting out in the 3rd and scratch going from the 8 to the 9. 2-1 is the score, we have a safety battle and I get out 3-1. He makes a comment that its not over yet, I break and run out and make it 4-1, then I break and run out again to close out the set. I wanted to say its over now but chose not to be a smart ass, it just felt good to play well. Breaking and running 3 out of the 5 racks I ran was the best I have done in those short races to 5, I have had 2 before but not 3, I know some people here do it everyday but I am not that good.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
OTR Sponsors the Freezer in Galveston
Well we were happy to help Scott out in his trip to Galveston for the World Classic, he did okay in the tournament placing 13-16th in the 8 ball with losses to Orcollo and Archer hill-hill. He did beat Gabe Owen in a challenge match for the cash though and was wearing the OTR polo to show his support for us. Here is a picture of him with Christina De La Garza and also the video of that match.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Lots of Hours in Action
Well lately I have been in a ton of action as I have stated and in a few days time I won about $700 playing. I am getting a little worn down but battled hardened. I had a session with Preacher Ronn where we started out at $20 a game and when I got up 5 we jacked it to $50 a game. About 10 hours later we broke even at 7am in the morning! I do not look at it as breaking even, I took away some stuff from it. One thing I learned is to control the action which I knew but did not stand by. I know I am good for 4-5 hours usually but got tired and lazy. If you feel this way whether your up or not it might be best to quit winner and make a game for the next day or another time as to not let time overtake your ability from being fatigued.
I hope I can take a few days to just practice and perhaps not play anyone whether it is friendly or otherwise and do just drills. I am not much of a drill or practice guy but I need to do it. I have been making some simple mistakes when I beat a guy to the shot and that is not running the balls the way I should and instead of getting out I get 1 or 2 balls and that is just sickening to me. I have lost a few games against better movers who I beat to a shot and then do not get out then letting them back to the table and losing when you just need a few balls can be torture. Well I am now up over $5000 in wins for the year playing pool, hopefully I can add a couple more thousands to the tally before the year is over.
Here is a picture of me in action in a little roadhouse bar in Orange County NY.
I hope I can take a few days to just practice and perhaps not play anyone whether it is friendly or otherwise and do just drills. I am not much of a drill or practice guy but I need to do it. I have been making some simple mistakes when I beat a guy to the shot and that is not running the balls the way I should and instead of getting out I get 1 or 2 balls and that is just sickening to me. I have lost a few games against better movers who I beat to a shot and then do not get out then letting them back to the table and losing when you just need a few balls can be torture. Well I am now up over $5000 in wins for the year playing pool, hopefully I can add a couple more thousands to the tally before the year is over.
Here is a picture of me in action in a little roadhouse bar in Orange County NY.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Chopped Up a 9 Ball Tourney
Well yesterday I got a call from my friend Southern Jay and we decided to go play some pool. I tell him let's hit this small tournament at Groggy's which is in Mesa AZ, we have been there before and it is a tough tournament in a tough part of town. One time my girl stopped by to pick me up and she looked at me and said "Why would you play here in this dump?".
Jay said he would never go back there because the format of alternating breaks and snapped 9 balls. Jay would break and run out on his break and his opponent would break and drop the 9, the races are 5,4,3 depending on your in state AZ rating, we both go to 4. I beat a guy by snapping in 9 balls myself every time I had broke before and felt kind of bad as it was a cheap win but what can you do, some of us players agree they wont count on the snap.
We roll in and it does not look like there will be many players but then the count gets to 20 players so we have a decent little bar table 9 ball tourney. My first draw is Dave who is a big older guy and the highest rated player in the tourney, he has a crazy haircut like a mohawk. I break and scratch, he runs out, he breaks dry and I push out, he makes a great shot and runs out, the next thing I know he is up 3-1 in the race to 4, I put some stuff together with a 9 ball snap and nice run, to win hill-hill I broke and made 4 balls, the 9 ball hangs but I play a nice carom off the 3 ball for the win.
My next opponent is Andy who is from the Philippines and you can tell he plays very well. He is only going to 3 games, he runs out the first rack with ease, I miss a routine shot in the next rack and he is up 2-0. I get it back to 2-2, he misses a shot and leaves me dead hooked with only 3 balls on the table. I kick at the ball and leave him a tough shot and he gets out and I lose the match 3-2. Now I have to go through the losers side.
I play a bunch of players in the losers side and one of them was my buddy Jay whom I beat 4-1, then a nice lady who I see around named Claudia and win that 4-1 also. I play Dave again and he is saying I am trying to rack him which pisses me off because I am getting them as tight as I can with the equipment we are using, crappy wood racks and beat up bar tables are not easy to rack on. I win that match 4-1 also with two 9 ball combos. I play Layton next who is a nice guy who does not get out and play match, we both do not play great and he dogged some balls, I win again 4-1.
Now I am in the finals with Andy, I think we are even players on the small track but I have to spot him a game and he goes to 3. I play well and he missed a routine out and I capitalized to take the set after some nice safety play and shots. Guess what the score was?, 4-1 again! Well me and Andy are both tired and decide to split as we both were in the side pot. Jay did well in action when I knocked him out of the tourney beating a guy who beat him in the tourney for a quick race to 5 for $50. All in all it was a good night out and I was happy with my play.
I have been doing very well in the bar table tournaments, mainly 8 ball, cashing in 4 out of 5 of them. I will most likely play tomorrow in Preacher Ronn's Monthly One Pocket at Kolby's, I really love one pocket and it is a good tournament. Last month I did beat Preacher Ronn 2-0 so that was a victory within itself as he plays hard, he actually took 4th this year in the One Pocket State Championship that took place last weekend. Well wish me luck, I need it!
Jay said he would never go back there because the format of alternating breaks and snapped 9 balls. Jay would break and run out on his break and his opponent would break and drop the 9, the races are 5,4,3 depending on your in state AZ rating, we both go to 4. I beat a guy by snapping in 9 balls myself every time I had broke before and felt kind of bad as it was a cheap win but what can you do, some of us players agree they wont count on the snap.
We roll in and it does not look like there will be many players but then the count gets to 20 players so we have a decent little bar table 9 ball tourney. My first draw is Dave who is a big older guy and the highest rated player in the tourney, he has a crazy haircut like a mohawk. I break and scratch, he runs out, he breaks dry and I push out, he makes a great shot and runs out, the next thing I know he is up 3-1 in the race to 4, I put some stuff together with a 9 ball snap and nice run, to win hill-hill I broke and made 4 balls, the 9 ball hangs but I play a nice carom off the 3 ball for the win.
My next opponent is Andy who is from the Philippines and you can tell he plays very well. He is only going to 3 games, he runs out the first rack with ease, I miss a routine shot in the next rack and he is up 2-0. I get it back to 2-2, he misses a shot and leaves me dead hooked with only 3 balls on the table. I kick at the ball and leave him a tough shot and he gets out and I lose the match 3-2. Now I have to go through the losers side.
I play a bunch of players in the losers side and one of them was my buddy Jay whom I beat 4-1, then a nice lady who I see around named Claudia and win that 4-1 also. I play Dave again and he is saying I am trying to rack him which pisses me off because I am getting them as tight as I can with the equipment we are using, crappy wood racks and beat up bar tables are not easy to rack on. I win that match 4-1 also with two 9 ball combos. I play Layton next who is a nice guy who does not get out and play match, we both do not play great and he dogged some balls, I win again 4-1.
Now I am in the finals with Andy, I think we are even players on the small track but I have to spot him a game and he goes to 3. I play well and he missed a routine out and I capitalized to take the set after some nice safety play and shots. Guess what the score was?, 4-1 again! Well me and Andy are both tired and decide to split as we both were in the side pot. Jay did well in action when I knocked him out of the tourney beating a guy who beat him in the tourney for a quick race to 5 for $50. All in all it was a good night out and I was happy with my play.
I have been doing very well in the bar table tournaments, mainly 8 ball, cashing in 4 out of 5 of them. I will most likely play tomorrow in Preacher Ronn's Monthly One Pocket at Kolby's, I really love one pocket and it is a good tournament. Last month I did beat Preacher Ronn 2-0 so that was a victory within itself as he plays hard, he actually took 4th this year in the One Pocket State Championship that took place last weekend. Well wish me luck, I need it!
Monday, August 24, 2009
One Pocket Weekend
Well OTR decided to sponsor Scott Frost in the AZ State One Pocket Championship at Kolby's this weekend. The tourney drew 36 players I believe and some good talent out of Cali came to play. Scott was not who he normally is, seeming to be too relaxed and not killing the other guys like he usually does. He took 3rd losing twice to Mitch Ellerman who went on to win 5-2 against Mike Pankoff. I really like Mikes game and his style, really plays the game well. Mitch played very well also and it is nice to see a young guy like himself who is a real good guy win it. I cannot deny I was rooting for Scott in this as I took him against the field when it got down to about 7 or 8 players left and he was on the losers side but no one is invincible. I do think Scott played poorly both times he lost and even in other matches where he won but I am sure he knows this. I do hope that he does well in Galveston and takes down the $25,000 first place prize, that would be awesome for him.
As for me my action this weekend was limited, I played one guy 10-6 and won 3 games in a row and he quit. I played a tourney that was an 8 and under and cashed coming in 4th place along with splitting the side pots. Got to beat Jude aka badcompany in the tourney 5-2 which is always nice since the last 2 times in tournament play he beat me badly but I am still 3-0 gambling with him. I was hoping we could match up for some $50 a game one pocket but he did not have his cue and its understandable not to play without your weapon, I have done it and it really can be a handicap. I backed Bobby E in some one pocket action at $50 a game and he broke even, if that kid develops some patience he will be a very good one pocket player. All in all it was a fun weekend with some great one pocket played, the DCT put on a good tourney and I am really shocked more players did not come out and play for this, last year had a dozen more players in it.
As for me my action this weekend was limited, I played one guy 10-6 and won 3 games in a row and he quit. I played a tourney that was an 8 and under and cashed coming in 4th place along with splitting the side pots. Got to beat Jude aka badcompany in the tourney 5-2 which is always nice since the last 2 times in tournament play he beat me badly but I am still 3-0 gambling with him. I was hoping we could match up for some $50 a game one pocket but he did not have his cue and its understandable not to play without your weapon, I have done it and it really can be a handicap. I backed Bobby E in some one pocket action at $50 a game and he broke even, if that kid develops some patience he will be a very good one pocket player. All in all it was a fun weekend with some great one pocket played, the DCT put on a good tourney and I am really shocked more players did not come out and play for this, last year had a dozen more players in it.
Friday, August 14, 2009
My New Player
Well this just came in the mail from Crown Cues! I cant wait to put it through its paces tonight and see how it plays but I am sure it plays great. The cue is made from one piece of curly maple so it and flows perfectly. This is my first cue with a joint that matches the ring work, always wanted that and think it is a nice touch. Let me know what you think. The maker Gene La Viness did and awesome job on this and is highly recommended, customer service is top notch along with workmanship. The pics do not do it justice IMO. Go to www.crowncues.biz ! I had to sell my Huebler before being able to get this one and keep it and I am so happy I did.
Report on the Game
Well the game with the guy I was meeting up with at Kolby's went pretty good. I did not play well and the first set went hill-hill and the second set I won 5-2. I did end up playing later against another guy who has been jumping in action throwing his money around. I gave up 9-6 playing one pocket and finished up 3 games and then we played some $10 a rack 9 ball with me giving the 8. I am not much of a 9 baller and hate to give up ball weight. He is up 3-4 games most of the time but I make a run back and get up 3 games but I have to eat so we take a break.
He gets a bit impatient so I offer to stake numerous players in the room against him in various games. We agree on me putting this kid in against him who has not been playing very long but plays decent some even 9 ball. The kid and him are even for hours but the guy gets up about 6 games and I pull the kid out, he is tired and worn out, not a big deal as I am up decent for the night and I will put the kid in against him next time when he is fresh. So far for the year I am over $4000 in wins and at about $800 in losses, not too bad really at all. I am glad I am keeping track this year as I have been curious as to how I do each year and it sure beat guessing.
He gets a bit impatient so I offer to stake numerous players in the room against him in various games. We agree on me putting this kid in against him who has not been playing very long but plays decent some even 9 ball. The kid and him are even for hours but the guy gets up about 6 games and I pull the kid out, he is tired and worn out, not a big deal as I am up decent for the night and I will put the kid in against him next time when he is fresh. So far for the year I am over $4000 in wins and at about $800 in losses, not too bad really at all. I am glad I am keeping track this year as I have been curious as to how I do each year and it sure beat guessing.
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