I had a problem last weekend of leading 6-2 in a race to 7 and blew it. I had beaten this gal 7-0 the prior tournament, so I guess I must have relaxed, although I didn't think I did. She plays well and she is one player I took under my wing several years ago and showed her a lot of safeties...which of course she used on me to win. 
I came out of the gate strong. When I led 6-2, I don't remember what started turning the tide, but there are 3 games I do remember.
One was I rolled a little deep on the 8, (about a 75 degree back cut) but it was a simple matter of potting the shot and I would get natural shape on the 9 in the same pocket. While I was down on the shot, I noticed a huge black smudge on the cueball (from when it hit a pocket when she launched it off the table on the break) and thought I should probably get the ref to remove it and then I thought, "Nah, I can make this anyway." Of course I hung it, then the ref cleaned it and she got out.
I did take a break when it was 6-5 after she slopped a 9 ball in 3 rails on a flyer.
When it was hill-hill, I couldn't believe she didn't get out because she came at the 8 at the wrong angle and all she had to do was slow roll with a slough stroke to stay on the right side of the 9, or draw over one rail and back, but she elected to play safe on the 8.
The 8 ended up in the middle of the table, with the cueball 10 degrees off from the side pocket shot, with whitey going the wrong way, away from the 9. So I tried to pound the ball with outside english and go 3 rails, but it came up short, so I had a horrendous back cut long rail bank. The smart thing was to play safe, but I guess I was on tilt by then and decided to take the winning shot. I also thought if I just banked it to the middle of the rail, she would probably have either an easy safe or make the bank.
I double kissed and she made a good shot under pressure to take the set. Do you ever let them get away like that?
I came out of the gate strong. When I led 6-2, I don't remember what started turning the tide, but there are 3 games I do remember.
One was I rolled a little deep on the 8, (about a 75 degree back cut) but it was a simple matter of potting the shot and I would get natural shape on the 9 in the same pocket. While I was down on the shot, I noticed a huge black smudge on the cueball (from when it hit a pocket when she launched it off the table on the break) and thought I should probably get the ref to remove it and then I thought, "Nah, I can make this anyway." Of course I hung it, then the ref cleaned it and she got out.
I did take a break when it was 6-5 after she slopped a 9 ball in 3 rails on a flyer.
When it was hill-hill, I couldn't believe she didn't get out because she came at the 8 at the wrong angle and all she had to do was slow roll with a slough stroke to stay on the right side of the 9, or draw over one rail and back, but she elected to play safe on the 8.
The 8 ended up in the middle of the table, with the cueball 10 degrees off from the side pocket shot, with whitey going the wrong way, away from the 9. So I tried to pound the ball with outside english and go 3 rails, but it came up short, so I had a horrendous back cut long rail bank. The smart thing was to play safe, but I guess I was on tilt by then and decided to take the winning shot. I also thought if I just banked it to the middle of the rail, she would probably have either an easy safe or make the bank.
I double kissed and she made a good shot under pressure to take the set. Do you ever let them get away like that?
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