Houston, We Have Action

I normally don't hang around the pool room late at night anymore and watch all the action. There can be several reasons for this:

• I usually head to my hotel and rest to get a good night's sleep.
• The match-ups aren't that exciting (lol)
  
• The gambling matches are at another poolroom than the tourney poolroom, so I don't go.
• Or the tournament I am attending is a ladies-only event and no gambling matches are taking place.

Because the hotel at the Houston Open was literally walking distance from the pool room and because my tourney (the women's tourney) didn't start until Sunday, I was able to watch many great action matches at this event.

I must say that watching all these action matches made the weekend that much more enjoyable! It was awesome. :)

I will only chit-chat about a few key matches - there were three 9foot tables in one room but it was still tough to keep track of all the different action matches, plus, I would focus on one match at a time each night to stay in the game.

Because this is gambling, I will refrain from using real names of the players and use my own made-up, crazy nicknames, kind of like what my counterpart (OMGWTF) does.

500 Benji's, 1 Pocket
On Friday night, Tall Skinny Guy played Hyper Guy. They played $500 a game, even 1-pocket. Yes, I said $500 A GAME. I was in hog heaven to see this match up! Both of these guys play super awesome and are very knowledgeable at 1 pocket and I was in for a treat! Hyper Guy won the first game and I thought he was going to run with the match, but Skinny Guy was playing well also this night and got it back to even the very next game. Eventually it goes back and forth and back and forth... and neither player is up over two games after about 5 hours. They might have played about 12 games or so the entire 5 hours. In the end, Tall Skinny Guy is up one game (and $500) and Hyper Guy quits after he gets upset after a shot he goofed up.

4 a head, 2K, 1 Pocket
On Saturday night, several matches were going on, but the one that caught my eye was the rematch of the Tall Skinny Guy and Hyper Guy. I sat with a few friends who also know 1 pocket well and we would talk about the shots as Hyper Guy creeped ahead in the newly matched up game: 4-ahead for $2,000. In the end, Hyper Guy would win the set. A lot of great shots were made again between these two players and it was such a joy to watch.

1 Benji, 1 Ball, 1 Pocket
Another interesting match-up occurred after that game finished. Gloved One woofed at Cool Cat and Cool Cat bit and went to get his cue. The Gloved One wanted to play 1 ball / 1 pocket. I didn't know what the game was but after a few games were played, I was smitten with the strategy of it! They played $100 a game. This meant, in reality, $100 A BALL! That's pretty much what 1 ball / 1 pocket is - making one ball in your pocket and then you start over. I really enjoyed watching the strategies and learned a lot while I watched for 3-4 hours. The Gloved One was known for his great banking ability so Cool Cat would have his work cut out for him, but Cool Cat plays phenomenal 1 pocket so it wasn't a bad match-up at all.

They started play near 2am and the Gloved One was up right away and was ahead maybe 4 games at the most the first couple of hours. Eventually, the pool room thinned out and by 5am, only 6 peeps were left, and that included the two players, lol. Cool Cat started to cut the score down and next thing you know, it's even. I have stayed this long because I have part of the action. The pool room at this point starts to get super, super cold and I swear I was literally shaking (who brings a sweater to Southeast Texas at the beginning of Oct?!). I figured Gloved One would quit when it got even, but he did not and then he won the next game to go up again. It went back and forth with each player getting up one or two but then Cool Cat stayed ahead a few games. I finally couldn't keep my eyes open any longer and was freezing to death and so I dragged my tired a$$ to the hotel. The rain puddles made for an interesting walk in the dark, LOL. I would find out later that by 7am, Cool Cat won about $600 (I got half) and the match finally ended.

1 Benji, 1 Pocket
On Sunday night after I finished my tourney, I sat with a few friends to catch up and then noticed Cool Cat playing Crown Truck. They were playing, I believe, $50 a game... and Cool Cat gets all the breaks but is giving up 10-4 to Crown Truck. When I walk up to grab my front row seat, I found out Crown Truck is down about $250. Crown Truck wants to adjust because it's tough for him to win. Cool Cat says no and they play another game but then Crown Truck loses again and quits. After some talking, Cool Cat hesitantly offers 10-3. Now at this point, all I can think of is "Holy $hit! 10-3!" Sounds almost impossible, right? I mean, almost anyone that knows a little something about 1-pocket can get three balls, right?

Well, Cool Cat and Crown Truck actually go back and forth for a while with the new spot. It was the most amazing display of 1 pocket I had seen in a long time! Even at times Cool Cat OWED balls and still won. If you can imagine, Cool Cat was able to shoot at his hole (because he needed many balls) and not leave shots for (what I would guess) 95% of the time to his opponent. Crown Truck didn't get many chances at his hole and therefore wasn't able to make balls. He did play good safes and not leave an out every time for Cool Cat which obviously showed he did know 1 pocket well. After a while of Cool Cat staying ahead, eventually Crown Truck won a few games and by the time closing time came, Cool Cat only won $50 to $100.

Misc Tid Bit Rules:

• At one point Sunday night, Hyper Guy's brother asks High & Mighty about scotch double rules. Hyper's Bro doesn't like the answer, tho - 'who breaks in the scotch doubles' should have been decided before the game starts (isn't that obvious?).
  
• Found out that if you make your ball and your opponent's ball in 1 pocket at the same time it goes to the shooter.
  

Each of the four matches were not only enjoyable to watch and learn, but the guys were hysterical. They would make comments to the crowd or their friends or hell, to themselves! I laughed a lot along with the players. Even though money was on the line, it was still a fun time as everyone was getting along and making jokes. It was awesome.

It was so exhilarating to watch all the 1 pocket games. As I have said before, I want to some day be the best female one pocket player in Texas, so this weekend of watching steller 1 pocket action/play will forever be memorable.

Until Next Time...