My first league night

8

8up

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Got there early and shot a few games with my daughter. Anxiety level was high. I asked a few questions and got on a team. I was explained that I would start as a SL-4 to start. I played another New guy in 8-ball and won the first one, won the second one as he scratched on the 8 and I won the third. I won my first match.

I learned a few things. 1. The pockets there are smaller than on my table. 2 .Even though my rails are brand new they don't have half the bounce these diamonds have. 3.My new cloth isn't as fast as there worn cloth. 4. Just because the guy your playing has a $1000 cue doesn't mean he can beat you.

I played 9-ball against a SL-7 and he won the break. He then made the 9 on the break and then took 2 shots to finish the next rack. I have never really played 9-ball. So 2 racks in and I haven't even got a shot and I was in a bit of panic. Game 3 he gave me a shot and I ran a few balls and got the break. Then someone explained how the scoring worked and told me I only needed 31 points to his 55. I did get one more break and did get to 31 before he made 55. So I won my first 9-ball match as well. He was a far better player than myself. He had better ball control, made a couple of shots I wouldn't have even thought to try.

I did see and hear some grumbling or bickering but thats life.

Did I mention I had FUN :D
 
APA 9 ball is the toughest handicapped system I have ever played.

Combined with the no push rules, it is really a crapshoot from the break.

Wish you success if you play him again with a closer or no spot.
 
Did I mis-read your post? 8-ball and 9-ball League in one night? Wow. Talk about jumping in with both feet!

Congrats. Glad that you're having fun. That is the point, after all. Winning (twice) is a bonus.
 
8up said:
I learned a few things. 1. The pockets there are smaller than on my table. 2 .Even though my rails are brand new they don't have half the bounce these diamonds have. 3.My new cloth isn't as fast as there worn cloth. 4. Just because the guy your playing has a $1000 cue doesn't mean he can beat you.

Did I mention I had FUN :D
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I hope not because my cue cost $1049.50 :rotflmao:

Keep that fun part going, that is the purpose: to have fun. When it gets to where it isn't it is time to quit.
 
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Yea 8-ball and 9-ball in one night. You only get one set so I wanted to get my moneys worth for the 50 mile round trip. I started to take an extra 8-ball set as we were short a player. But the wife wanted me to run an errand when I left and I was told there was really no benefit other than playing because we were not going to regionals. So I split and figured I would read up and try to figure out the system. Yes I had fun.
 
8up said:
Got there early and shot a few games with my daughter. Anxiety level was high. I asked a few questions and got on a team. I was explained that I would start as a SL-4 to start. I played another New guy in 8-ball and won the first one, won the second one as he scratched on the 8 and I won the third. I won my first match.

I learned a few things. 1. The pockets there are smaller than on my table. 2 .Even though my rails are brand new they don't have half the bounce these diamonds have. 3.My new cloth isn't as fast as there worn cloth. 4. Just because the guy your playing has a $1000 cue doesn't mean he can beat you.

I played 9-ball against a SL-7 and he won the break. He then made the 9 on the break and then took 2 shots to finish the next rack. I have never really played 9-ball. So 2 racks in and I haven't even got a shot and I was in a bit of panic. Game 3 he gave me a shot and I ran a few balls and got the break. Then someone explained how the scoring worked and told me I only needed 31 points to his 55. I did get one more break and did get to 31 before he made 55. So I won my first 9-ball match as well. He was a far better player than myself. He had better ball control, made a couple of shots I wouldn't have even thought to try.

I did see and hear some grumbling or bickering but thats life.

Did I mention I had FUN :D
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Props to you for not sandbagging to maintain or lower your S/L.

Keep up the good play and continue to have fun.

Steve

ps I'm guessing that you not be a S/L 4 next week. :)
 
sde said:
Props to you for not sandbagging to maintain or lower your S/L.

Keep up the good play and continue to have fun.

Steve

ps I'm guessing that you not be a S/L 4 next week. :)
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Once I get to the point I can't win at all it might not be any fun. Until then I will play. Then it will be back to the basement unless I figue out a way to go regionals. I don't really understand how you get there or how the team thing works. I haven't seen anything about singles.

Sandbagging isn't going to happen from me. I play to full out, I can bang the balls at home.
 
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8up said:
Once I get to the point I can't win at all it might not be any fun. Until then I will play. Then it will be back to the basement unless I figue out a way to go regionals. I don't really understand how you get there or how the team thing works. I haven't seen anything about singles.

Sandbagging isn't going to happen from me. I play to full out, I can bang the balls at home.
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Just as in any other enterprise, you will keep getting promotions until you reached your level of incompetence. There you will languish unless you take active steps to matchup again. I am a languisher. :banghead:
 
8up said:
Once I get to the point I can't win at all it might not be any fun. Until then I will play. Then it will be back to the basement unless I figue out a way to go regionals. I don't really understand how you get there or how the team thing works. I haven't seen anything about singles.

Sandbagging isn't going to happen from me. I play to full out, I can bang the balls at home.
Click to expand...

You shouldn't ever get to the point where you can't win at all. But you'll get to the point where you can't avoid all of the embarrassing losses any more (occasionally losing to players with absolutely no aptitude for the game), and it's a little difficult for many to accept, myself included. I eventually quit APA mostly because I was tired of playing handicapped pool in general, and tired of playing 90% of my matches against players who weren't good enough players that I felt like I was improving at all by playing them. But for several years it was a lot of fun, and I think it will be for you too, given your apparent attitude toward it.

-Andrew
 
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