The Best Pool

I hope to always be a student of this game.

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I hope to continue improving every single day.

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I hope to never take a break from pool and always be able utter the words, “I’m playing the best pool of my life.”

Hit me with your best shot!

Because, think about it, if you’re always learning and constantly improving, then it can only get better and you will always play the best pool of your life. Of course we’ll have bad days and distractions, but there are so many beautiful things I love about this game. And, particularly when I’m reaping the benefits from my hard work, it’s absolutely artistic.

I am not afraid to speak the following words:

I feel ready for Tampa.

I attribute much of my current confidence and comfort at the table to my dear other-half, Mike, who since I have arrived have arranged and helped coordinate various matches and practice sessions with many of his teammates, former teammates, and fellow master-level players. Win, lose, or draw, I welcomed the challenges and have kept up with all of them. I am not afraid to play anyone this weekend.

Since I arrived in the state of Minnesota 19 days ago, I have matched up with (either in $20 sets or for bragging-rights practice sessions) 9 different players and I’ve played tournament or league matches against at least 25 different players. To prepare, not only have I been playing against all levels of players, but I have also been playing against all ‘types’ of players as well.

14.1 on Sunday

Sunday was packed with volunteering as a guest instructor at the Shooter’s Juniors League and teaching a pool lesson afterward. Since Shooter’s is such a trek from Mike’s house, I decided to make a day of it and head in earlier for the drop-in straight pool league (that I had just learned about last weekend).

It would be an even race to 125 balls against Dennis. He started the league about six years ago and I had no idea what to expect. I just hoped he would give me some chances. We played on the Goldcrown in the back corner, away from everyone. It was so nice and peaceful. There was a Sunday afternoon football game on the TV at our table but neither of us cared. Dennis was a perfect gentleman and spoke only the words, “safety” or “13 ball” or whatever non-obvious shot he was going for. It was quite enjoyable.

I must admit though, it was a little odd not having to mark my score after each inning, or track safeties, fouls, and misses. “How accurate could the handicapping be?” I wondered. Nonetheless, I just chipped away at my 125, 10, 12, and 14 balls at a time. After all those innings and break shots, I only missed two break shots but I did get some unlucky rolls on some nice break shots early on. You know, the kind where you Ginsu a ball in the corner, blast open the rack, keep the cue ball by the foot rail with a multitude of shot options, but just at the last second, that final ball rolls in and manages to freeze right up against the cue ball leaving you absolutely nothing to shoot at? Your appetizing selection of ducks turns into a super delicate safety off the only ball you could hit. Yeah, you know what I’m talking about. That happened to me twice.

In the second to last rack, as Dennis was racking for me, he said, “You have 12.” On that note, I blasted open the rack with perfect speed and only had two balls touching each other. Everything went and so they did. I completed that rack but forgot about the slightly slower rail to get on my break ball. Perhaps i was a little too greedy. I really could’ve just stopped it in the rack and broke from the kitchen, but I was in stroke and felt good about my decision. Oh well, I made the ball, number 27, and played a nasty safety. He missed and I ran my last four balls to win. Final score: 125 to 52

I got too straight on my final break shot

Tournament Last Night

Last night’s return to Shooter’s for the Monday night 9-ball tournament was bitter-sweet, more sweet than bitter. I only won one match in the tournament but hardly got a chance in the two matches that I lost so I don’t feel to badly about that. It’s winner-break format so that game on the wire may not even help depending on my opponent. However, in the match that I won, I nearly ran the set out. I broke and ran, missed the 1 ball and he ran out, he broke and scratched, I ran that rack, and I broke and ran. The end.

The tournament was brief for me, but afterward, I played some pretty sweet pool. I am SOOOO happy about that. After the tournament last week, I lost three sets to this kid that shoots straight but has a pretty wild cue ball. I played like poop in the tourney and thought matching up with him would get the taste out of my mouth. It didn’t.

This week, however, he was matched up with someone else and I just practiced some after I was knocked out. When I noticed he was playing alone I asked if he wanted to play. He came out ahead in his previous session so he agreed to play and wanted to play in “the pit” with the feature tables that are cut pretty tight and roll just slightly differently. I was a little reluctant but agreed to hit some balls and try out a set or two on this table. Well, as it turned out, this was the perfect equipment to play him on.

He pots balls great but he’s a complete ‘feel’ player. He rarely takes the time to ensure he’s on the correct side of the ball to play the easiest pattern. Then, when he does have a tricky out that requires some thought, he gets out of his rhythm, over-thinks the shot, and usually misses it. Don’t get me wrong, when things are going right, he gets out. He shoots very straight and doesn’t miss very often. The one thing that I definitely appreciated about him was that my break was killin’ it last night. I was squatting the rock and making the same ball every single time. Never once did he try to crap-rack me or change the position or the rack. He’s an honest, respectful, upstanding kid and I really appreciate that.

Back to the match, I won four sets to five and gave up a total of five games: 5-1, 5-0, 5-3, and 5-1

I ran some nice racks and when he would get careless and I stayed smooth and took advantage of his mistakes. I felt completely in control the entire time and was very confident and comfortable at the table. One more practice session tonight before we head out tomorrow morning. YAY! The tournament starts Friday evening and we’re getting in a couple days early so I can get acclimated. At this time tomorrow, we’ll be en route to Tampa. YAY!!!

The new chalk I started a couple weeks ago is all broken in now just how I like it.

the perfect piece of chalk

Now, I just peel off the label and put it back in my chalk holder. Voila!

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