Gambling Details

I mentioned I had gambled earlier in January and wanted to provide more details, just in case you wondered how it went, since I didn't say how the night ended up in my previous blog entry.  I mostly talked about one aspect - dealing with negativity.

Per our contract, my opponent and I (a guy) were suppose to play $300 sets, 6 ahead, 9-ball on a 9-foot table. 

However, I didn't come to the pool room this particular night to gamble.  Since I was so unprepared and hadn't even thought I would be gambling, I knew my chances would be better on the Diamond bar table.

He finally agreed to play on the Diamond bar table and he came up with the wager:  $25 a game.  I said yes.

Long story short, we broke even after about 2 1/2 hours.

If you don't want the details, go ahead and stop reading now, lol.

I had just finished eating with friends before I walked in the poolroom, so my tummy was full.  I could tell I was also a little dehydrated, so I drank a lot of water, as we played.

I could feel my heart racing from the blood focusing on digesting my food, and me drinking a lot of water.

But, I played well.

Well, I played good.

HOWEVER - I'm the first to admit I got a lot of rolls.

We went back and forth for many many games and I never even got above 2 ahead in an hour.  Nor did he, though.

He played real good safes, but I also kick well.

It was actually a joy to play!  I LOVE me some Diamond bar tables and I play good on them because I know their speed (fast).

I noticed I was taking my time and REALLY focusing on 3-ball shape.  He prolly thought I took too long walking around the table, actually, but honestly, it's helps me to look ahead where I need to be on that bright blue, lovely canvas.  :)

I made a few really great outs (the one I wrote about before), and with some rolls, I found myself ahead by 4 after about an hour and a half.  I honestly thought he was going to quit when he got down $100, but he kept on.

I also though he should quit because I was getting so many rolls in this match up.  It would have been different another day and I thought he should stop playing.  I asked when we got to even again did he want to quit and he said no.  So, we kept playing.

I was too hot to play anymore and recognized that I needed to quit.

It was also VERY smokey in the room.

There were a lot of factors that led me to wanting to quit, even though I was playing well and enjoying playing on the Diamond bar table.

At one point, he played a good safe on the 9-ball (trying to freeze the cueball to it and the rail) and my safe back was not good and I sold out.  Afterwards, he told me how I should have played safe back.  I was thinking, "Are you kidding me?  Giving me advice?"  lol.

At one point later in the night, he got up two games, and I got nervous about it, but I got it back to even.  You see, I could tell I was losing focus, tired, and too hot to play.  I needed to quit soon at even, or else I would find MYSELF down $100 because I was getting tired and may not be able to get back to even.

I finally told him when we got back to even again I had to quit.

I hadn't really gambled that long in many months (well, I hardly ever gamble anyway), and so it was a tester for sure.

I am glad I got good play in, though!  It felt great!