I won all 5 games played, winning the ahead set in about 3.5 hrs. The bet was 5 ahead for 4k per man. He was spotting me 9-8 each game. He had 2 other guys in with him, I was solo.
I only had 2 days to prepare. The game came about as I just sold my car and the buyer paid me with paper cash. I messaged him on Wed and said "let's play a big set before I get responsible and deposit the cash into my bank acct". We set the game for Friday, his only day off.
Wed I called an old buddy of mine that's the only person I know who has a 9' Diamond at home. I went to his house, and it was a red label (I thought it was blue before going). It played awesome though. I loved it. Funny, he told me the Diamond installer fell of the truck and broke his arm in front of his house, and had to get another installer. This was around 2010. I played with him a few hours.
The next day I went to another room that had a tight GC, and played my friend and foe Rachel. Neither game was for money, but I needed to get into one pocket stroke. I played her about 5 hrs. Also did a lot of running balls into one pocket drills there, and banking practice. I finished there about 11pm, and drove to the room the match would be played at. I was hiding because I didn't want my opponent to see me play before the match.
I stayed there until about 1am, hitting balls on the actual table, and brushing up on my break. Also figuring out the rack on that table, the spot was worn so it was tricky. I spent time figuring out the corner 5 diamond system on that table incase I had to kick 3 rails from my pocket to his, and also to the long rail to get behind a ball by his hole. Also a lot of banks to get used to it. I was super happy with the table. Best Diamond blue label I ever played on. This room for some reason the Diamonds just play great.
I couldn't sleep well when I got home. When I woke up I was shaking, and worried about the match. I had a lot of support in my corner and some buddies that came to watch. I won every game, but I was nervous and shaking the whole time. I played super tight, and the strategy worked. Even though I was not feeling great mentally, I feel my game play was above average for me. So the nerves didn't affect the pocketing. The scores were roughly from memory 8 to minus 2, 8 to 3, 8-5, 8-4, and the last game 8-2.
The last game he scratched when I had 6 and he had 1. All the balls were in play and open to his hole. I had BIH and a close shot near the line, leading to position on another ball near my side pocket. I was shaking and nervous that if I missed the shot, he could run out. So I went for a ball that was on the spot instead. I pocketed it to get on hill and match point, then knocked all his balls up table in the subsequent innings. After the match a couple of the guys said I went for the wrong shot, and should have went for the easy 2 ball out. I said no way, I was nervous and shaking and all I was thinking was if I miss he can get out from the position. For ME in that situation it was 100% the right shot. They didn't agree, but I stand by it. I ended up winning that game 8-2 about 20 min later. Oh, the table was ordered from Diamond with the one pocket cut. I can't remember if 4 1/8" or 4 1/4".
I was cold and hard the whole match, really focusing and taking it seriously. I didn't want to give him a single inch. After I sunk the match ball all my emotions came out. I was almost in tears when the ball sunk. I had to sit down I was really shaking bad a good 20 minutes after. I think it was not only the nerves, but a lack of sleep that really pushed me.
My opponent and I talked a good bit a couple hours later, and he thanked me for the game. He had never played near that high, and he said he also had similar emotions and shakiness to me while he was playing. We sort of connected on that level.
We'll probably do it again sometime in the future.
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