Dave’s Good Stuff

I played my third APA 8-ball tournament today at the Pool Room. I’ve posted the results down there in the low left. I’m honestly not sure how I feel about publishing how badly I suck like this, but maybe, on the off chance that someday I am considered a good player, I can look back on these and those to come and see proof of my progress.

First match was against a cute little redhead ranked at 2. She had this amazing knack of leaving me hooked. Her first win, I must have given her 3 ball-in-hands. Second rack, she broke and I ran it out. Third rack, I was on the 8 and she left me hooked again (easy to do, since she had 6 balls left). I sank the 8. It was the most amazing timed-massé-kick-double-bank-carem shot I’d ever seen… too bad it was in the wrong pocket.

Second match was against a friend named Josh. Typical games. He got the first win, and I took the next three. Nothing really spectacular about any of them.

Third match was against someone I’d never met before, but who turned out to be a really nice guy. Again, none of the matches were really that noteworthy. We’re both ranked 3, and we played like it. He was up 2, I came back to tie it at 2, and with the 8 jawed in pocket #3, I scratched in pocket #1 off a difficult shot which went in pocket #6, leaving him ball in hand on the 8. Bah.

See, I’ve got this silly notion in my head that I’m not a bad player. My top run is 17, I probably average about 6 per inning in 14:1, and have run more 8 and 9-ball racks than I can remember. I go to the local pool hall 4-5 times a week, sometimes I get up there every night a week. When I’m there, I’m there to play pool first, and socialize second. I’m just about as dedicated to improving my game as I am to anything, and most nights it shows. Get me up at a tournament, though, and more often than not I choke like a baby on a chicken bone. It’s kinda pathetic actually. I really need to get back into league to get used to playing under pressure again. I think that’s my problem.

Tomorrow night is sign-up for a Monday night BCA league. I would much rather play BCA, b/c luck plays a lesser role: 8 ball is spotted if it goes in on a break, no matter what sinks on a break you have your choice of solids or stripes, and slop does not count. I *think* I have a team, though I haven’t met most of them, and I’m not sure if they’ll be there tomorrow. If not, I hope another team is willing and able to take me.

My Handicap: 3
Matches:

1. 1-2 (opponent rank: 2) L
2. 3-1 (opponent rank: 3) W
3. 2-3 (opponent rank: 3) L

My Place: n/a
My Winnings: n/a