3rd place in AZ - 1 spot away from the Qualifier
Well, I cheated on my beloved OB Cues Tour this weekend with a trip to Kolby’s Corner Pocket Billiards in Tempe, AZ for an AWBT stop. Having much smaller turnouts, Saturday morning’s festivities didn’t begin until noon-ish.
Nicole and I arrived early Friday morning where we were greeted by my Phoenix friend John. He brought us to his beautiful home for a couple hours of pool, rest, and television before feeding us and taking us to our hotel which is conveniently located in the same parking lot as Kolby’s and within minutes of the airport. We got checked in and took a couple well-needed naps before putting our cues together and getting to work.
We practiced alone, then played one nice set, a lop-sided mediocre set, and a fantastic set where we both played some pro-level pool overall. I think we both felt pretty good going into Saturday.
Saturday morning began with a breakfast of champions at 8:59a.m. (just before they shut down the 6-9a.m. complimentary continental breakfast) consisting of eggs from a bag, mystery-meat sausage, salsa, fruit cocktail, and a peach yogurt (I saved the blueberry one for later). Mmmm…
As soon as the doors opened at 10a.m., Nicole and I jumped on tables. I was still feeling pretty good about the way I was hitting the ball.
After getting a bye in the first round and waiting for about two hours, my first match was against Jeri Engh, whom I know from hanging out in Minnesota (although she never seems to remember me whenever I see her). She won the lag. I played decent and she missed several balls and gave me many opportunities. I decided I did not want to give up one single game. I won, 7-0.
A pretty neat thing they do on this tour is make little name tags for every player (you get a printed, laminated one if you show regularly). It hangs over these homemade score beads. This photo was taken pre-my-second-match. I had forgotten to take one before the first match and after winning 7-0, I thought it might be impolite to whip out my camera for a photo op.
They also have these laminated cards that say “BREAK” on one side and “REF” on the other side. I never really figured out what those were for. I’m sure they have some use in mind. Very creative though.
I won my next match against Terry, 7-2. I played MUCH better that match. Since there were only 25 players, I was done for the night. For the first time, I would be returning for a Sunday match on the winner’s side. YAY!
Returning on Sunday as one of the final four on the winner’s side felt so good. I can’t even tell you how happy I was. Even though I had already surpassed a personal record, I vowed I would not be content. I drew a friend from the OB Tour, Michelle. It was a close match for the first half until I took a break and snapped out of it. I loosened up and finished winning 7-4. I’d never seen her play before. She plays really well.
We did, however, have a super high-tech rack on our table that I’d never seen before. Does this method really work??? Looks like they could use a DELTA-13.
Nicole ended up winning her match too so I was super excited that we would be matching up for the driver’s seat.
In my match with Nicole, neither one of us started off playing very well. We both gave each other opportunities and it was no where near the match we played on Friday night. The one most regretful moment of the match, of the entire tournament, came when I was ahead 4-3 and missed a crucial 9 ball. Well, they’re all crucial, but this was on detrimental.
Ugh… I made the most beautiful, steady run to get to the 7 ball and found myself nearly straight in with the cue ball nearly a ball’s width off the rail. I could’ve played to shoot the 9 ball in the other corner, but I didn’t like where it was sitting. It was missable. I was in nearly dead-stroke, so I jacked up, cheated the pocket, loaded up with right-hand spin, and punched that puppy around the 9 ball, almost scratching, for nearly perfect shape.
And then, the most mortifying thing happened. With all that adrenaline pumping, I got down and just spun that sucker right into the rail. I didn’t even need to spin it. I don’t even know why I spun it. I just did exactly what I rarely do and tell my students all the time not to; I shot it before I was ready.
That made it 4-4 and it would be the last game I would win in that set. What a heart breaker… 
My next match against Nina Tagley (who would go one to win the tournament) was a brutal one. I lost 7-5 and I honestly don’t even know how I got those 5 games. I played horribly. I felt like I had absolutely no control over my muscles. Perhaps I was disheartened my recent fatal error. I don’t know but it was embarrassing and disappointing.
Overall, I guess I can almost be proud of my overall performance, but I just wish I had made one less mistake, and I can tell you exactly which one. Next stop: Jacksonville Florida for the 3rd Annual US Amateur Open.
The biggest complaint from this weekend (other than dogging that 9 ball) probably have to be……. THE HEAT! (of course) OMG! My moisturizer had separated just from leaving my bag in the car on the drive to John’s place from the airport. My ears were sweating from my earphones (that’s an interesting experience), including my elbow pits and other areas too embarrassing to mention. How do people live in that town?
Anyway, I’m glad to be home, even if it is for only 9 days, well, 7 now.
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