Flakeandrun
Well-known member
Had a bit of a crazy realization about how much luck is involved in this game. I played in a tournament over this weekend and had a really great time. I played pretty well on the first day, double elimination round… I lost 5-3 in the first game, before winning the next game 5-3. Both strong amateur players.
My next game was against Zhu Xi He… (formerly ranked 43 in the world - think his current FR is 774). Needless to say, I didn’t fancy my chances...
He was 2-0 up, and just watching him at the table was awesome. He was so imposing. That would have been awesome enough for me as an experience, just to play him. I had a bit of luck go my way, as he bottled some tough shots, and I came out of it winning 5-3! (I actually think he was a little sick as he had an awful cough)
Then, in the single elimination round, I played another great player (Shen Dong Hua think his FR is above 700 still - a lot of Chinese don’t keep up with this since Covid restrictions) he had won a few games in the recent China open, and owns his own pool hall here. He beat me 8-2 and played a phenomenal game that was way above my speed. He was super friendly and we chatted for a while after.
Knocked out, but feeling pretty happy with myself, I was content to be done with the tournament. But then I ended up getting a text later on in the evening saying that I’d been ‘wildcarded’ to finals day! It started at 11am... but I’d dropped my cue off at the store I play at on my way to the bar… so after a few texts, the store owner dropped my cue to my half-cut ass at 1am! Felt pretty lucky it all worked out
I woke up hungover, and went to the finals day, and had a good start winning my first game against a strong amateur player. Not really feeling in gear though. My next game was against Shen Dong Hua again… the guy who beat me in the single elimination round on the Saturday… he made pretty short work of me, and I only managed one rack from him in this game. I missed an opportunity to go 1-1 on a hard cut into the middle, and he dominated from that point.
My final match, I felt really in gear right from the start. I was going rack for rack until 3-3. Had a nice break and run and we both played some tight safety. But after that point, I had a total brain fade... He played a push out after his break, but I had been organizing some things in my bag around my chair. I didn’t notice he’d tied the 1 ball up at the top of the table. So… I played what I thought was an absolutely fire 2-9 bank combo. Thought I won the rack… then he pointed at the 1 ball... We shared a laugh about how he just watched me line it up and fire away, and how it was a great shot, and then he cleaned the table… he broke and ran the next frame. Shook his hand trying to smile away that I was feeling like an utter idiot inside. Then stayed and watched some far better players than me battle it out. Learned a lot watching.
So yeah, an absolute rollercoaster of a weekend. Luck went my way on the table, and off of it. Luck also didn’t go my way, drawing a guy who already had my number in the finals, and being naive about the level of attention I need to pay in competition. I won’t blame adhd either, as I was organizing some things that I should have organized before the match even began. I definitely felt that my temperament is getting better, with all the time I spent In the chair playing Shen Dong Hua. Just enjoyed watching him put on a show.
It was also a nice first run out for the Larry Vigas cue I picked up from a forum member in Taiwan (Thanks @DeanHan ). I stuck a medium Longoni Fuji tip on it, and it played really nicely. It’s truly beautiful! Probably well above my speed great work @63Kcode - phenomenal stick!
My next game was against Zhu Xi He… (formerly ranked 43 in the world - think his current FR is 774). Needless to say, I didn’t fancy my chances...
He was 2-0 up, and just watching him at the table was awesome. He was so imposing. That would have been awesome enough for me as an experience, just to play him. I had a bit of luck go my way, as he bottled some tough shots, and I came out of it winning 5-3! (I actually think he was a little sick as he had an awful cough)Then, in the single elimination round, I played another great player (Shen Dong Hua think his FR is above 700 still - a lot of Chinese don’t keep up with this since Covid restrictions) he had won a few games in the recent China open, and owns his own pool hall here. He beat me 8-2 and played a phenomenal game that was way above my speed. He was super friendly and we chatted for a while after.
Knocked out, but feeling pretty happy with myself, I was content to be done with the tournament. But then I ended up getting a text later on in the evening saying that I’d been ‘wildcarded’ to finals day! It started at 11am... but I’d dropped my cue off at the store I play at on my way to the bar… so after a few texts, the store owner dropped my cue to my half-cut ass at 1am! Felt pretty lucky it all worked out
I woke up hungover, and went to the finals day, and had a good start winning my first game against a strong amateur player. Not really feeling in gear though. My next game was against Shen Dong Hua again… the guy who beat me in the single elimination round on the Saturday… he made pretty short work of me, and I only managed one rack from him in this game. I missed an opportunity to go 1-1 on a hard cut into the middle, and he dominated from that point.
My final match, I felt really in gear right from the start. I was going rack for rack until 3-3. Had a nice break and run and we both played some tight safety. But after that point, I had a total brain fade... He played a push out after his break, but I had been organizing some things in my bag around my chair. I didn’t notice he’d tied the 1 ball up at the top of the table. So… I played what I thought was an absolutely fire 2-9 bank combo. Thought I won the rack… then he pointed at the 1 ball... We shared a laugh about how he just watched me line it up and fire away, and how it was a great shot, and then he cleaned the table… he broke and ran the next frame. Shook his hand trying to smile away that I was feeling like an utter idiot inside. Then stayed and watched some far better players than me battle it out. Learned a lot watching.
So yeah, an absolute rollercoaster of a weekend. Luck went my way on the table, and off of it. Luck also didn’t go my way, drawing a guy who already had my number in the finals, and being naive about the level of attention I need to pay in competition. I won’t blame adhd either, as I was organizing some things that I should have organized before the match even began. I definitely felt that my temperament is getting better, with all the time I spent In the chair playing Shen Dong Hua. Just enjoyed watching him put on a show.
It was also a nice first run out for the Larry Vigas cue I picked up from a forum member in Taiwan (Thanks @DeanHan ). I stuck a medium Longoni Fuji tip on it, and it played really nicely. It’s truly beautiful! Probably well above my speed
great work @63Kcode - phenomenal stick!
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the table in picture is when I was in Taiwan, not the tournament.
