how are ya'll doing in league ?

Celophanewrap

Call me Grace
Silver Member
I won my 8 ball match last night 5-2, beat someone that has always had my number before and finished with an 8 ball break, that felt good. I didn't expect to play 9 ball but I was thrown in and I got smoked. It's OK though, I'll play him again next time
 

justadub

Rattling corners nightly
Silver Member
I moved up to a 9 in 9ball a few weeks ago. 3-2 so far. One of my losses I just didn't play well, plain and simple. The other I played well, real well, just couldn't get any rolls and playing a 6 it ultimately cost me. I'd make a ball on the break and be hooked. Either kick and hit but leave him good or not hit it. He'd get ball in hand and run a bunch. That's the way it goes.

This week I played a good 5. It went the other way this week. I, again, played well (except for break, really struggled making a ball and getting good on the 1) and I got most of the rolls winning 75-18.

We've been playing double jeopardy for a few sessions and I was only playing guys my speed (so only playing once every 3-4 weeks) but as we're nearing LTC's and chance to qualify for Vegas I've been trying to get out vs the 5/6/7's and try them. Unless my break is working I feel it's going to be pretty hard for me to be useful to my team.

I feel like 8ball is a game where the better players have an advantage even with the handicapped races but 9ball, yeah, not so much. I think the 9ball is handicapped a bit more fairly. It's really good practice to take every shot seriously though and play safe unless you're sure you're gonna get out.

It's funny, but I prefer 8-ball and think I have a better chance against stronger players in 8 as opposed to 9. Perhaps its just my style of play, perhaps because there are more safety options, perhaps because I never seem to get on the right side of the next ball :p and I can choose multiple paths vs that next numerical ball.....

I enjoy playing both, but I think I'm better at 8.

We play on 9-footers, in 9-ball it seems like it's always tough getting back around the table, from one end to the other, successfully. At least for me. (Getting better at the multi-rail leaves, tho....work in progress.)
 

Celophanewrap

Call me Grace
Silver Member
8 ball starts tonight and ends with finals on Monday night.

9 ball starts next Fri and ends on the following Monday night.

I cancelled tonight's match since I now live 45inites away and we usually don't finish till.11:30 . Gotta be at cities at 9:30 am tomorrow.

Here are the results of my matches this.week

Sunday . Lost 9 ball 12-8 to another 5 . Beat the same guy in 8 ball 4-0

Tue. Lost 8 ball to another 5 by 4-1. O could not.do anything right

Wed. Won 9 ball bs another 5 by 13-7.. Left early due to work and.did not play 9 ball

All the best to you guys. Don't forget that the team that qualifies isn't always the best, it's usually the hottest and a great percentage of the game is mental, if you can get 7 BIH you should win
 

lorider

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I agree about 8ball being better for the stronger players.
What's funny is that my opponents win the flip then choose the game instead of breaking, and then they choose 8ball. Lol

I find its the opposite on my area. Better players usually choose 9 ball.

I always choose 8 ball because o am better at it than 9 ball. I usually win 2 or 3 racks o. 8 ball but I get blowed out ny them in 9 ball....I might win a rack or 2 if I get a lucky lol

But then again i am only a 5 and most guys are on a whole different level than me.

Last time I checked I had a 30% WI. Record so I guess I and doing too bad in. Masters
 

ElLeon

Headshot
Silver Member
My team won the Local Team Championships for 9-ball here in Seattle, WA. We are 1 of 3 teams who will be playing in Vegas for the Nationals.

Only one rank change the entire tournament, our 7 bumped to an 8, then proceeded to shoot the best match of his life, beating a 7 with a final ball count of 65 to 19 in a total of 14 innings, with 2 defensive shots. It was a work of art!

After inning #3 the score was 0-0. After the 4th inning the score was 20 to 10. By the 7th inning the score was something like 43 to 14.

It ended up being the deciding match of the semi-finals as our finals opponent turned out to be a fairly weak roster or they under performed (we didn't know any of them). So off to Vegas we go!!!

This will be my 3rd time in 6 years shooting APA, and the first time since forming my own team 3 years ago, which has validated my philosophy for forming and running a team. Couldn't be more proud of the team!!!
 

Celophanewrap

Call me Grace
Silver Member
8 ball starts tonight and ends with finals on Monday night.

9 ball starts next Fri and ends on the following Monday night.

I cancelled tonight's match since I now live 45inites away and we usually don't finish till.11:30 . Gotta be at cities at 9:30 am tomorrow.

Here are the results of my matches this.week

Sunday . Lost 9 ball 12-8 to another 5 . Beat the same guy in 8 ball 4-0

Tue. Lost 8 ball to another 5 by 4-1. O could not.do anything right

Wed. Won 9 ball bs another 5 by 13-7.. Left early due to work and.did not play 9 ball

How's it going? You guys still in it?
 

lorider

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
How's it going? You guys still in it?

No trip to Vegas I. 8 ball:(. Lost 8-7 last night in quarter finals..finals are tonight.

I have one more chance in 9 ball ltc's next week....albeit a slight chance. This team sucks and i honestly can't comprehend how we even qualified for ltc's. I play on 2 other teams that are stronger but yet we could never qualify due to people had other conflicts every time a qualifier was held....go figure .

One of my other teams had league last night at a other pool hall and I got there in time to pls the last 8 ball...already played the 9 ball portion last week.

I took mu frustration on getting put out of cities on a 6 they put again me.

Hw wins the lag and breaks and runs 5 balls. My 1st shot is a safety. Kept playing safety after safety winning the 1st 2 racks. 3 rack after I played a safe he must room a flier at warp speed out of frustration...it was plainly visible on his face . Amy way he wins this rack . I keep playing safties the rest of the match and win 4-1 in a 4-5 race.

He is a new player to our area ...dont know where he is from but not a bad 6...several better in our area.

It was plain to see hs was not used to some one playing a chit load of safties on him ...especially a lowly 5 .:grin-square:
 

drv4

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Had LTC 9 ball here in Austin. I went 5-1 on the weekend as a 6, and avenged my only loss (I had two teams qualify). We lost the finals, it was 40-40 going into the last match and our 7 lost to a strong 6. Oh well, maybe next weekend in 8 ball as again two of my teams qualified.
 

Celophanewrap

Call me Grace
Silver Member
Hw wins the lag and breaks and runs 5 balls. My 1st shot is a safety. Kept playing safety after safety winning the 1st 2 racks. 3 rack after I played a safe he must room a flier at warp speed out of frustration...it was plainly visible on his face . Amy way he wins this rack . I keep playing safties the rest of the match and win 4-1 in a 4-5 race.

It was plain to see hs was not used to some one playing a chit load of safties on him ...especially a lowly 5 .:grin-square:

So you're his new favorite person then? :grin-square:

Sorry about your 8 ball team. Given my personal preference I'd rather play Las Vegas 9 Ball.
It's all about the hot team, not necessarily the best team. You guys have a good weekend and you'll be ordering beer and Margaritas pool side at the Westgate in a couple of months. :cool:
 

justadub

Rattling corners nightly
Silver Member
Neither of my teams were even qualified for states, but three teams from our Division did qualify for Vegas, one in 8-ball and two in 9-ball.

Very cool stuff for us. We hadn't had a team from our Division go to Vegas since the mid-00's until last year one team made it. They are the team going from 8-ball this year, back to back years for them. It's good to see the people that I'm playing with regularly getting a chance to go. Great bunch of friends, I'm thrilled for them all.

Now I just gotta get one of my teams there!
 

ElLeon

Headshot
Silver Member
Neither of my teams were even qualified for states, but three teams from our Division did qualify for Vegas, one in 8-ball and two in 9-ball.

Very cool stuff for us. We hadn't had a team from our Division go to Vegas since the mid-00's until last year one team made it. They are the team going from 8-ball this year, back to back years for them. It's good to see the people that I'm playing with regularly getting a chance to go. Great bunch of friends, I'm thrilled for them all.

Now I just gotta get one of my teams there!

Wow, that's a big turn-around in representation! Was there a big change in team strategies like not trying to under-cut regularly, or just new blood?

Our division has placed a team in Vegas almost every year, but we are in a very small affluent area (Microsoft/Google/Amazon/Expedia/T-Mobile/Verizon corporate offices) that no other division ever wants to travel to, so we tend to show up at Tri-Cup/LTC with the one team that barely eeked out 1st place over the others (1st through 8th place may only be separated by 5-10 points in 8-ball and about 30 points in 9-ball) and wreck fools who just think we are the rich *****s from the sissy division.

We went in 2010, two teams (including us) went in 9-ball in 2011, and now 3 out of the past 4 years with some representation including my third year this year.
 

justadub

Rattling corners nightly
Silver Member
Wow, that's a big turn-around in representation! Was there a big change in team strategies like not trying to under-cut regularly, or just new blood?

Our division has placed a team in Vegas almost every year, but we are in a very small affluent area (Microsoft/Google/Amazon/Expedia/T-Mobile/Verizon corporate offices) that no other division ever wants to travel to, so we tend to show up at Tri-Cup/LTC with the one team that barely eeked out 1st place over the others (1st through 8th place may only be separated by 5-10 points in 8-ball and about 30 points in 9-ball) and wreck fools who just think we are the rich *****s from the sissy division.

We went in 2010, two teams (including us) went in 9-ball in 2011, and now 3 out of the past 4 years with some representation including my third year this year.

Well, to hear the conspiracy theorists :p the LO would keep the Skill Levels lower on the teams from his part of the state. (We have between 12 and 15 different divisions across 2/3rds of the state of Maine in one territory.)

Personally, I think that's a bunch of hooey.

Pretty sure an infusion of fresh players in our area has helped, our divisions are 25-40% bigger than they were in those days. The level of competition has probably risen, especially in the mid-level players, but as I wasn't playing then, I couldn't be sure.

We have had some players go in Singles and/or Scotch Doubles over the years, so it's not like we weren't ever represented in Vegas. It had just been a while since a team had gone, and now this year we'll have 50% of the 6 teams going!
 

ElLeon

Headshot
Silver Member
There are always those conspiracies... There are always grumblings about teams that may have a division rep or known friend on a team who's ranks never seem to change for that team as they constantly place 1st in their division.

But the reality is that you don't focus in on the teams in that division who are always loosing. Are they "family" or "fun" teams who don't really care about winning? Are all the rosters poached of talent or just a weak region?

There is plausible deniability for the LO to have a "ringer" team. Heck, we made it to vegas with a strong roster that had 1 rank change during the tournament, and that was the only rank change in over a year. Plus it was the 7 bumping to an 8, not our 3's who have been killing it in the standings for the past 12 months.

And I know for a FACT that we aren't one of her favorite teams (completely due to my me). :)
 

jojopiff

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Playing in APA LTC's for 9ball this weekend. I've never been on a 9ball team and honestly never took this team serious as this is my wife, best friend, his wife, and other friends on the team. Just a good time with great people. Well, now, we're in a position to go to Vegas. I don't believe our team is built to win but if everyone has a good day then it's possible I suppose. I don't want to make any tactical errors though.

Everyone will play at some point (except the 9 if need be). Do you run a 9 vs anything but an 8/9?

I need some input on some 9ball strategy. Our team consists of
9 - average
5 - above average
4 - strong
4 - semi-strong
4 - average
4 - below average
3 - average
2 - strong

First team we play has 55554432.

I know there's no magic answer but any tips would be appreciated.
 

lorider

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Playing in APA LTC's for 9ball this weekend. I've never been on a 9ball team and honestly never took this team serious as this is my wife, best friend, his wife, and other friends on the team. Just a good time with great people. Well, now, we're in a position to go to Vegas. I don't believe our team is built to win but if everyone has a good day then it's possible I suppose. I don't want to make any tactical errors though.

Everyone will play at some point (except the 9 if need be). Do you run a 9 vs anything but an 8/9?

I need some input on some 9ball strategy. Our team consists of
9 - average
5 - above average
4 - strong
4 - semi-strong
4 - average
4 - below average
3 - average
2 - strong

First team we play has 55554432.

I know there's no magic answer but any tips would be appreciated.

Well if I was your opponent I would throw 4-5's and a 3.

If i your team I would counter with 3-4's ...9 and 2. Good luck to your team

We.have 9 ball ltc's this weekend also. We only.have 5..."me" ..4.4.4.and possibly another 4 who has not shown up all session due to back problems. Quite honestly I do t think we have a chance in hell and really don't know how we qualified lol.

The 4 who has back problems and our girl are decent 4's
Another one could be if he did not try efren type shots all the time. The last one oughta be a 2.....not exaggerating at all.
 

GideonF

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I play in an in house league, which averages 10-12 teams. BCA rules, handicapped based on points (a win is 10 points, loser gets one point per pocketed ball). It is a trophy league and a great group of people.

Last night won the championship. It was particularly satisfying, because we were playing in the our 4th finals of the last 5 sessions, but had never won it before.

Gideon<----winning feels better than losing


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

jojopiff

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Didn't play 9ball only 8ball last night. Played a 6 and won 5-1. Played ok. Missed a couple balls that I shouldn't.

The thing that annoyed me most was rack 1 and I played a defense and got ball in hand. Had 3 balls on the table with 1 tied up with his but nothing real conducive to a good breakout. I, instead, banked my ball at the pocket and hung it. I was trying to freeze to his ball (as one of my other balls woulda been available to me) but left a little gap. He banked that ball in and then banked the 8 ball in but scratched. I'm happy I won the game/match but I grade myself on how I play and I can't make that mistake there.

Another game I missed a breakout on my only bad ball on my first shot, I overspun it. Lazy effort. I ended up having to play 5-6 safes with my opponent having 7 balls on the table. That was good practice. I ended up with ball in hand and 5 balls on the table but dogged my last ball and lost that game.

My last 2 games I ran and with good ball control and nice outs.
 

nine_ball6970

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Monday played two NAPA matches. Won my 10 ball match 6-5 (6-6 race) and lost my 9 ball match 6-4 (8-4 race). Didn't play very well in either match.

Tuesday played one NAPA match. Won 8 ball 6-4 (6-6 race). He was up 4-2 then I came back and won the next 4. I had a break and run to get on the hill then almost broke and ran again but played poor shape on my 6th ball and tried to get fancy on last ball and hung it up.

Wednesday shot a 5-0 in BCA 8 ball league. I thought I would enjoy playing bar table 8 ball but not having very much fun. My overall record is 37-13 in that league with zero break and runs all season. I usually second ball break medium speed to try and keep some clusters as I rarely make a ball breaking from anywhere or I scratch. Rather make it tougher for my opponent to run out in their first attempt at the table. Most try and screw up then I clean up.

Knocking on the door of Grandmaster status which is 110 in NAPA. Currently a 109 in 8 ball. Let's hope I don't choke and win my next match. Ha
 
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