Straight Pool Season Opener

I started my second Straight Pool League Season off with a BANG in early August! I had taken two great straight pool lessons from my new straight pool coach (who is AWESOME) and so I felt very confident going into my first match of the season against a guy who was new to the league. Since he was new and I didn't recognize his name, he obviously wouldn't know how to play, would not play well, and I would prolly win.

In my division (the middle division of the league), we race to 100 points.

I show up at the pool room and find the guy who I'm suppose to play. We chit-chat for a few minutes, he asks if I want to hit balls before we play, I answer with my usual response to that question, "nah, we can go ahead and lag now" and off we went.

On my way to the halfway mark (50 points) against this new guy who couldn't play, I am playing SO smart! I was so excited, too! Proud of myself... all that jazz.

I was at 50 and he was at 39. Then he had a run of 15. Going back and forth, I then have a run at 14 and we are sitting me: 78, him: 71.

He then gets one more nice run of 12 in and after a few innings he creeps further than me and wins the match 83-100.

I am SICK! I played so well up until 50, played so smart, and then he just started making more balls. He didn't know straight pool, but it didn't matter to him. So much for me thinking he wasn't going to win or didn't play well (lol).

Admittedly, a couple came in and they prolly affected our game a little. My opponent told the guy, "she's winning now, but it's close." I didn't think it was that close; wth? Then he added, "but I'm gonna win." I knew he was pontificating to save face to the guy that he was losing to a "girl," but he started to play better than I did once that couple came in and started to watch and talk about our match. :(

I was quite upset about losing. On the drive home, I called my straight pool buddy, Robert, and bitched onto his voicemail, all the while waving my hands in the air in disgust as I left a voicemail about my stupid match. Then the next day I wrote a sad email to my straight pool coach about how I lost. He was very happy, though, that I played smart:

"The important thing is, you played the game correctly."

But he knew I was still disappointed I had lost. He said it would be good motivation for me, but at the time I didn't hear the words, I was too sick about the match. :(

He also stated:

"There are guys on tour that have played where they are up 148 to nothing – and LOST! Straight pool is a game that it is NEVER over until that last ball is sunk.When you get out to a lead – protect it. In a lot of ways it's like one pocket – you play the score."

So, I started the season off 0-1. Ugh!