Houston Open 2009

I hadn't been to the famous Houston Open in several years for various reasons - mainly because the women's event is only played on Sunday and the pool room is 5-6 hours from my house so I turn into a big baby about the long drive. I don't mind going to Legend's Billiards in League City for two-day women's tourneys, but the one-day tourneys on a Sunday that are far from my house can be tough for those that have to be at work early Monday. This year I happened to take of on Monday for my Mother's/Daughter weekend that we had to postpone, so I slyly just kept the day off and went down to the Open. :)

I am very glad I went, too. It was a very fun weekend. I started off by driving down with Zaid who needed a road partner on the way down. Ironically, my friend Viet My needed a road partner on the way back so it was perfect.

Me, driving

Zaid, always on the phone

My lap - Mickey D's for lunch! (safety hazard, I know)

Even more perfect was that the hotel was right behind the pool room so I didn't need a car all weekend. Furthermore, several restaurants were within walking distance but that wasn't necessary anyway though as it is secretly known that Legend's Billiards has the BEST pizza's! As a matter of fact, after dropping Zaid off in North Houston, fighting traffic in his car (he would pick it up Saturday) to drive to South Houston, and then checking in to the hotel, my first order of business was to immediately get my arse to the pool room to grab a drink with Shayla and order a pizza! Ahh.... Good times!

Eventually, Yvette, Barbara, Frank, and Grady showed up to join us. Shayla was hitting balls most of the evening but in the middle of some down time, I grabbed her cue and hit some balls. She has an OB Cue with an OB-2 shaft. I immediately fell in love with it and wished I had one to play with that weekend! Many drinks later, watching the one pocket action in the middle room, and after some fun pics, it was time to walk my arse back to the hotel to rest my weary eyes. I ran into many friends who showed up at Legend's Friday night to ensure they signed up for the big tournament and it was fun to just hang out.

Shayla, Me and Yvette

Me and Frank Jr - sometimes the blurry photos are the
funniest! Like this one! LOL

Here is the non blurry version:

On Saturday, the first thing I did when arriving at the pool room was to order another pizza. :) I mostly vegged, watched the men's event, caught up with a lot of friends, and watched gambling into the night. It meant so much that so many people asked how my Mom was doing. I was able to spend quality time with the author Carl Miller, Belinda Lee from Houston, Dennis and Lanney, and Bill Tippit who was a great friend to the late Dan Freeman. I also ran into the ever-friendly Sarah Rousey who actually had her eyes open for this pic!

Sarah Rousey and I

Sunday morning I was super exhausted, but nothing a GREAT pizza from Legend's couldn't help with! Viet and I bought together a few of the lady players in the auction and then they called my non-bye first match. I would play my dear friend, future teammate, and co-commentator, Ash (Ashley). We were on the table that everyone had to walk by but it didn't bother either of us. I was freezing though as it was super cold - I was afraid I was going to turn into a popsicle! - but was able to ask someone to get my sweater so I was able to warm up during the match thankfully. I didn't know how I was staying down (b/c I was so tired) but I was able to for some reason. I am not sure how I won, because she was playing well but I was able to get out a few times and was ahead. While on the hill, I had about three chances to win and didn't close out the match. She said something about that to me but I already knew it - it was pretty obvious I should have won that game, lol. I also knew that wouldn't happen the next game - 'I would persevere,' I told myself. lol. And I did. I think 7-4 or 7-5.

My straight pool coach texted me and reminded me to stay down and so that was a nice surprise to hear some positive thoughts from him - I didn't get the message until after that match so I carried it with me to my next opponent.

I then had to play the ever formidable player Michelle Ram. She made a few mistakes in the beginning and I was able to capitalize while I waw also playing well. I was ahead 5-3 and she took a break. When she came back, the tides turned and I lost focus at the same time. I didn't shoot an 8 hard enough and missed shape on the 9, then missed the 9. She got that game and also started to play better. I didn't make a couple tough 9s she left me and she came back to beat me 7-5. I know that felt good for her and was glad she started to play better.

I then played Kim Pierce next. The one-loss side is a race to 5 so it can be over rather quickly if one isn't paying attention... which I found myself in that exact situation! I was down 3-1 then 4-2 and told myself, "This is the Houston Open, wake up and focus, Melinda." I then beared down and started to stay down better and I won the set 5-4! I was shocked! Then I played Michelle Abernathy who wasn't playing her game well - she said afterwards she is in a rut, which means when she comes out of it, she will be playing even better - can't wait to see. I think I won 5-2.

I then played Terry Petrosino next. It was on the same table as when I had played Kim earlier and ironically, I went through the same non-focus in the beginning of the match and had to bear down from down 4-2 (again) to start to play well. I did start to play better and I tied it up 4-4 and I felt great. I had a chance to safety Terry with ball-in-hand but instead, the tricky shot led to a straight-in shot, not a safety. Opps. Eeek! Can't do that against Terry. She ran out beautifully that rack. She is a great player with excellent fundamentals. She would go on to get 2nd place!

I placed 9th and was very pleasantly surprised to get an envelope with money in it from the awesome tournament director, Mindy! I got $30 and appreciate the Houston Open even more because they pay deep for the women.

Mindy and Ted put on such a great tournament. I hope to return next year. Of course, I will be at Legend's in November for the OB Ladies Tour stop, too. Can't wait to hug Mindy and have pizza's!

Tournament One-word Description: Surprised

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...