Oh yeah, we won the Captains Championship last Saturday which means we get to go to Vegas again in August, but I really doubt it will happen so we'll take the cash
For those unfamiliar with the format. 4 total players per team, 3 of them play each round and you can pick and choose those 3 for each round, we had 3 total players so no options available. Skill levels capped at 15 with only one high level player, these are based on 8B skill levels, I am a 9 in 9B and a 7 in 8B so 7 was my SL for cap purposes. We had a 7 and 2 4's. When you match up with the other team you flip a coin, winner gets the option of putting up first or passing it to the other team. When you put up - you put up your entire line-up for the three players so you definitely want to defer if you win. There is a low, mid, and high tier. Since we had 2 4's we got to choose which one was in the "low" tier. So when the other team put up first we could strategize and determine how we should play those two against their low and mid. Once the lineup is determined you play that person for the entire match.
Low's go first, mid's second, high last. Start with 8B then rotate games. Winner's team breaks. If your low player wins then your mid player breaks and the game is 9B, if the mid player loses the high player racks and it goes back to 8B, etc. The races are based on SL caps. 15 to 15 was a race to 5, 15-14 was a 5-4 race, etc. In a 5-5 race that goes to the hill each player gets to play 3 times.
Going into it we knew we had a good team but in reality, that doesn't matter too much so although we were ready, there's always that little doubt in my head.
The first team we played was the other "top" team I was worried about. We jumped out to a 4-1 lead (race to 5) and they came back and got us. The captain of that team happens to be a good friend who is also on my 9B and Masters team. We've been in APA for almost 2 years together and have never played each other (he's an 8 and I'm a 9). I won the first one and he took the last two.
The next team we played we beat 5-2. I snapped an 8 on the break (which doesn't happen often with me) and my second game I played 2 killer safes and then kicked at a ball and got safe then ran out.
The third set we played the first team again. My friend got the first game and then when I was talking to his teammate outside I mentioned he had me 3-1 for the day and he said it's going to be 4-1, I won the next game and then thanked his friend for motivating me. I'm pretty sure I had the thinnest cut I have ever had on the 9B. Damn near 90 degrees from an inch away from the spot and CB was 1/4"-1/2" away from OB. I had to hit so hard the CB went around the table 1.5 times and rested right in front of the opposite corner pocket while the 9B trickled into the pocket. I went to shake his hand and he pulled way because the CB was still rolling and it was headed towards the corner, as soon as I looked I knew it wasn't falling so I turned and shook his hand and looked, CB just tapped the tit on the corner and stopped :grin: At that point we were 4-2, I went outside for a few minutes and my teammate won.
After that win we were guaranteed a spot to Vegas, we're now playing for 1st, 2nd, or 3rd.
The next match I think we won 5-1? Guy I played dropped the 8 early in game 1, the second game (9B) he tried playing a safe and it leaked out and I ran out.
The last match we won 5-2. I broke dry, he ran down to his last ball and hooked himself. I ran out. Had a lucky bump on my last object ball but if it didn't fall he didn't have a shot so who knows. The second time I played him, we played a few safes early then I had a killer run going but when I pocketed the 7 in the upper left corner the CB rolled like it was going down hill and just trickled into the opposite side, the 8 was on the rail 10" from where I scratched and the 9 was in the middle of the table for the other side. The table rolls so fast I should've used less right and come down-table so I could play the 8 back up-table in the opposite corner of the 7 but the area for a leave was small and I didn't want to over shoot it with the fast table
My teammate won the next game for the match and 1st place
The good thing about this tournament is that I didn't have to carry the team, it was truly a team effort. We all lost and we all won. It was a good time and I hope we get to go to Vegas with this team.
EDIT: Crap, that was a lot of typing.
