For you APA'ers - good win last night - kinda long

42NateBaller

42NateBaller

AKA "Drambuie Dave"
Silver Member
I played a new to APA, but not pool, SL4 last night. This guy is about two SLs lower than what he should be. I've played against him in two other leagues (BCA/ACS), and he's the same SL as me. I'm a SL6 in APA. Before I go into the story, my opponent is a first class guy; no sharking, gracious in winning and defeat.

The setup is that my team is 1 pt out of first with 6 weeks left, so every point counts. We played in the 3rd match. My team lost the 1st match, but won the 2nd, so it's 1-1 going into the 3rd. The top 3 teams are averaging a little more than 3 wins per week.

I lost the first game which put even more pressure on me. I came back with a rack & run in the 2nd.

I was breaking and running in the 3rd, but missed my final ball before the 8. I had to squeeze by one of his balls down the long rail and play mine softly off the rail and into that corner pocket. Rattled it. :( Then he ran out. Now he's on the hill, and I have to win 4 straight racks.

In the 4th game, he was breaking and running, but missed with 2 balls plus the 8 left. I got out, but not pretty. Missed a couple shots, but never left him a good enough shot to get out.

After the 4th game, he never got a shot on an 8-ball or even got close to a finish. I felt really good about winning the final 4 racks when he was on the hill. I finished each of the last 3 games with fairly difficult outs in traffic. I think I left him with 5 or more balls on the table each time in those final 3 racks.

Man that felt good! :D
 
Good job I know how ya feel

I'm an sl5 and have been playing all real good this session. Played against a 6 last night who is really cocky and loud before a match always starts. I took him 4-2 for another good week (it always amazing how they can get so humble and polite after they lose.) I have won the last three weeks in a row pitted against a 6 and would not be suprised if I move up next week. I am 6 for 7 now this session and have only played sl5's and up which has me at third on our top gun list and should move into second if not first when they get posted on Friday.
 
Its always nice to come back when the opponent is "on the hill" ;-)

42NateBaller said:
I played a new to APA, but not pool, SL4 last night. This guy is about two SLs lower than what he should be. I've played against him in two other leagues (BCA/ACS), and he's the same SL as me. I'm a SL6 in APA. Before I go into the story, my opponent is a first class guy; no sharking, gracious in winning and defeat.

The setup is that my team is 1 pt out of first with 6 weeks left, so every point counts. We played in the 3rd match. My team lost the 1st match, but won the 2nd, so it's 1-1 going into the 3rd. The top 3 teams are averaging a little more than 3 wins per week.

I lost the first game which put even more pressure on me. I came back with a rack & run in the 2nd.

I was breaking and running in the 3rd, but missed my final ball before the 8. I had to squeeze by one of his balls down the long rail and play mine softly off the rail and into that corner pocket. Rattled it. :( Then he ran out. Now he's on the hill, and I have to win 4 straight racks.

In the 4th game, he was breaking and running, but missed with 2 balls plus the 8 left. I got out, but not pretty. Missed a couple shots, but never left him a good enough shot to get out.

After the 4th game, he never got a shot on an 8-ball or even got close to a finish. I felt really good about winning the final 4 racks when he was on the hill. I finished each of the last 3 games with fairly difficult outs in traffic. I think I left him with 5 or more balls on the table each time in those final 3 racks.

Man that felt good! :D
Click to expand...
:) the one question I have is this you have 6 weeks left? here in Atlanta we are down to 2 weeks left before divisionals ! :confused:
 
Mr Lucky,

For whatever reason, our final session match is 5/21, with divisional playoffs on 6/4, and Vegas Cup on 6/9-10. I don't know if it's because we have a 12 team 20 week session that started 1/8. The summer session begins 6/11. Pretty tight scheduling if you ask me.

Take care,
 
42NateBaller said:
I played a new to APA, but not pool, SL4 last night. This guy is about two SLs lower than what he should be. I've played against him in two other leagues (BCA/ACS), and he's the same SL as me. I'm a SL6 in APA. Before I go into the story, my opponent is a first class guy; no sharking, gracious in winning and defeat.

The setup is that my team is 1 pt out of first with 6 weeks left, so every point counts. We played in the 3rd match. My team lost the 1st match, but won the 2nd, so it's 1-1 going into the 3rd. The top 3 teams are averaging a little more than 3 wins per week.

I lost the first game which put even more pressure on me. I came back with a rack & run in the 2nd.

I was breaking and running in the 3rd, but missed my final ball before the 8. I had to squeeze by one of his balls down the long rail and play mine softly off the rail and into that corner pocket. Rattled it. :( Then he ran out. Now he's on the hill, and I have to win 4 straight racks.

In the 4th game, he was breaking and running, but missed with 2 balls plus the 8 left. I got out, but not pretty. Missed a couple shots, but never left him a good enough shot to get out.

After the 4th game, he never got a shot on an 8-ball or even got close to a finish. I felt really good about winning the final 4 racks when he was on the hill. I finished each of the last 3 games with fairly difficult outs in traffic. I think I left him with 5 or more balls on the table each time in those final 3 racks.

Man that felt good! :D
Click to expand...

This could easily be a description of one of my APA matches on any given week. I'm also a 6, and by your description, we play 8-ball on a similar level. Anyway, I know exactly what you mean about that zone you get in where you might not be playing error-free pool, and you're not stringing break-and-runs, but you are beating the other player to the out (like beating a player to the shot, but instead of any offensive shot, it's a clear opportunity for an out), and you're capitalizing on your opportunities. You break, you out-manouever your opponent, and then you strike, and you don't come up short on your outs. Leaves your opponent feeling suffocated. Those matches are the ones that leave me really hungry for more next week.

Congrats!

-Andrew
 
i love those kind of nights. i dont know whats better, shutting an oponent out or winning multiple games on the wire.
 
Thanks all for the kind words.

This is why I like "match play" leagues better than the "play everybody one or two games" leagues. Win the match = 1 point. Lose the match = missed opportunity for your team that you can't get back. Sometimes you have to grind out a win in difficult circumstances.

Andrew - you were right, as I got closer and closer to Hill-Hill, my opponent got tighter and tighter; fidgeting in his chair, negative talk, rolling his eyes. This is according to my team mates. They also said that I had my "game face" on. Even the few jokes and comments that people made didn't seem to phase me. Honestly, I didn't even notice them.

Take care,
 
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