went to an 8ball tournament last night. my first time going to it. so, i was a little nervous, not knowing anyone and being in a pool room i hadn't been to before. i totally looked out of place. i did know one guy, but he doesn't know my name and i don't like him too much anyway.
it was best 2 out of 3 on the winner's side and one race on the loser's side. 9foot tables, too. $5 entry. 15 people entered.
i won the first match 2-1... luckily the guy couldn't play or he would have beat me. he was fun, though, and kept making me laugh so that was cool. it helped me relax in a place i normally wouldn't have relaxed so soon in. i surprised myself i was smiling; it was kind of surprising to me. anyhow, i had chances in my next match, but dogged it and the guy (mike) beat me 0-2. i played bad. i need to really bare down for the matches when i play in corpus next week at the bca state championship (that's why i went to this weekly 8ball tourney, to get some "live" practice in).
then it was race to 1 on the losers side. yikes! i played some guy first who looked like he could play and he was running out on me but had one tough ball in his run that he proceeded to miss. so, i came to the table and started to run out well until i couldn't t decide which ball would be my key ball (the ball before the 8ball). i think i made the wrong choice, because i ended up not getting good shape on the key ball after all and had to set up a bank on the 8, but luckily i was confident when i stroked it and made it in the side.
i then had to play a guy that couldn't play very well and so i knew i would be okay when i couldn't run out. after his miss, i did run out. i then played the guy i knew, but didn't like. he plays real hard against everyone, so i was a little 'worried' knowing i had to play him. but, he tried to run out and had one ball left that he didn't get on and he missed it. i got ball in hand and called "safety", instead of trying the difficult run (tips from Play Your Best 8Ball!) and hooked him. he kicked and hit his ball, but his solid was still in my way again, so i called "safety" again and made a ball but hooked him. he kicked at it and hit it, but he scratched. so, his ball is now not in my way anymore. i shoot the first shot and he leans forward, "was that a safety?" (trying to be funny), i smiled and said, "not this time." i was running out well and although i almost scratched, i nailed a controlled shot and the stripe nicely went into the side pocket to set up perfect for the key ball and i won. my patience won and i was happy; he wasn't.
i then had to play the guy who was running the tournament. he says, "the loser of this match gets $10." not listening, i think i have to win to make $10. lol. anyhow, as we are playing, the guy who is sitting to play in 3rd place has to leave, so he gets his $$. now i and the guy i am playing... we now each know we will automatically be playing for 1st/2nd whoever wins our race to 1 because we were playing for fourth place. i miss a cut shot while i'm trying to run out and he then misses his 7 ball, which then ties up a solid and the 8ball. i see i have a run, but will have to bank the 8ball and i go for the run. i make all the balls and down to the 8 bank, but i don't feel comfortable and i miss it. it almost even goes in the other pocket, but stops before falling. this makes him have to get on the other side of some balls because the 8 is blocking his pocket now. he is a straight shooter and i see the end of the road coming until he misses a shot and scratches! wow. so, he gives me the 8ball sitting in the pocket. so, the guy who i play for 1st/2nd (mike again) asks if i want to split the pot. he says if he wins, he can't play next week. i said, "then you'll let me win and i should play you." lol. it would be 70/40 but he offered 60/50. i wanted to play to get practice in for corpus, but i also knew beating him TWO races of best 2 out of 3 would be tough, plus i could make $10 extra and also get home earlier. :) so, i took the offer and now he can play next week, but i cannot (which works out perfect b/c i will be in corpus). they offered me to come back and i said i would to get ready for vegas.
playing 8ball on 9-foot tables was interesting, that's for sure, and the cloth was real fast. but, i enjoyed the emotions of the night and it will be good for my big 8ball tournament coming up.
i paid $5 and won $45. the house matches the pot - 15 players, $150 total. :) i was home by 11pm. i got lucky, but i feel pretty good for some of my smart moves, but still need to bare down.
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