Handsumm
Banned
Alright, bear with me, because I am dead tired, hung over, jet-lagged, I have a lot to say, and still can't believe what happened last night (will get to that in a bit).
First off, I have never been to Reno, and did not know what to expect. I showed up Thursday night late (~11:30), and met up with a couple local friends, Ton Thompson and Glenn Atwell, to watch the finals of the 9 -ball in which Warren Kiamco won (he defeated Rafael Martinez). After that, I was expecting there to be a lot of action in the practice rooms, but didn't seem to find any going on, so I busted a few racks and turned it in around 3:30 or so.
The next morning, I woke up late and raced down to see who I drew in the first round. Rick Dowden, didn't know the guy, but I knew I couldn't take anyone lightly. One of my main goals on this trip was to win the first match. Well, after being down 2-1, I took a time-out. I then came back and beat him 5-2.
My next match was against a player named Jeremy Smith. He played numerous safeties that kept me off my rhythm, and I lost 5-2.
That evening, I came up against a filipino player named Gene Peregrino. I watched his match before mine, and he looked SOLID! Anyways, after a couple early mistakes, I found myself watching him shoot at the winning 8-ball, with him being ahead 4-1. Well, he missed the shot, and I called timeout to see if I could conjure up the strength to make a match out of it at least. In this alternate breaks format, you can't really hold a player down after winning a rack, so a comeback is somewhat difficult. Well, I took care of my racks by breaking and running, and he couldn't seem to pocket a ball on his breaks which let me creep back in it 4-4. In the hill-hill game, he ran down to the 8 and I got ready to shake his hand when HE MISSED IT AGAIN!! I couldn't believe it. Everything that needed to happen, did. I carefully, and nervously, pocketed the remaining balls for the win. I was ecstatic. I accomplished two more of my goals with that win. Those were to play until Saturday, and beat a stronger player (whom I am not "supposed" to beat) who just happened to be a filipino, another bonus.
On Saturday, I lost to an older gentleman named Billy Schmidt. If I won that one I would have played Rodolfo Luat next. Oh well, the best part of the trip would come later that evening.
I was watching a match between a friend of mine *NAME REMOVED FOR PRIVACY PURPOSES* (who was playing out of his league with wins over top player like Edwin Montal) and Antonio "Ga-Ga" Gabica, when this beautiful female came up to hand him a drink. I whispered in his ear "sorry to interrupt your concentration, but WHO THE F*CK IS THAT?!!" He told me it was his sister! Cool, maybe I did have a chance. Well, she ended up inviting me to go out to dinner that night at some Brewery restaurant at the El Dorado. This lady had a red carpet in her pocket. Everything was taken care of. Valet was full, but not for us. There was a huge line at the restaurant, but not for us. Meals and drinks were expensive, but not for us, they were all taken care of! That was a relief, because I was down to like $50 for the trip!
So anyways, to skip all the unimportant shit, I found myself drunk, smiling, laughing, and making out with the hottest woman I have seen in my life! What a way to cap off the trip. Now I also have a place to stay (for free of course) when I go back in December! I won't say what happened when we left the club, but let's say I am a gentleman
I got to meet and talk with a lot of the top pros, who all seemed real nice and receptive to other players. I will definitely go back next year.
P.S. ...and I won't forget to bring my damn camera!!
First off, I have never been to Reno, and did not know what to expect. I showed up Thursday night late (~11:30), and met up with a couple local friends, Ton Thompson and Glenn Atwell, to watch the finals of the 9 -ball in which Warren Kiamco won (he defeated Rafael Martinez). After that, I was expecting there to be a lot of action in the practice rooms, but didn't seem to find any going on, so I busted a few racks and turned it in around 3:30 or so.
The next morning, I woke up late and raced down to see who I drew in the first round. Rick Dowden, didn't know the guy, but I knew I couldn't take anyone lightly. One of my main goals on this trip was to win the first match. Well, after being down 2-1, I took a time-out. I then came back and beat him 5-2.
My next match was against a player named Jeremy Smith. He played numerous safeties that kept me off my rhythm, and I lost 5-2.
That evening, I came up against a filipino player named Gene Peregrino. I watched his match before mine, and he looked SOLID! Anyways, after a couple early mistakes, I found myself watching him shoot at the winning 8-ball, with him being ahead 4-1. Well, he missed the shot, and I called timeout to see if I could conjure up the strength to make a match out of it at least. In this alternate breaks format, you can't really hold a player down after winning a rack, so a comeback is somewhat difficult. Well, I took care of my racks by breaking and running, and he couldn't seem to pocket a ball on his breaks which let me creep back in it 4-4. In the hill-hill game, he ran down to the 8 and I got ready to shake his hand when HE MISSED IT AGAIN!! I couldn't believe it. Everything that needed to happen, did. I carefully, and nervously, pocketed the remaining balls for the win. I was ecstatic. I accomplished two more of my goals with that win. Those were to play until Saturday, and beat a stronger player (whom I am not "supposed" to beat) who just happened to be a filipino, another bonus.
On Saturday, I lost to an older gentleman named Billy Schmidt. If I won that one I would have played Rodolfo Luat next. Oh well, the best part of the trip would come later that evening.
I was watching a match between a friend of mine *NAME REMOVED FOR PRIVACY PURPOSES* (who was playing out of his league with wins over top player like Edwin Montal) and Antonio "Ga-Ga" Gabica, when this beautiful female came up to hand him a drink. I whispered in his ear "sorry to interrupt your concentration, but WHO THE F*CK IS THAT?!!" He told me it was his sister! Cool, maybe I did have a chance. Well, she ended up inviting me to go out to dinner that night at some Brewery restaurant at the El Dorado. This lady had a red carpet in her pocket. Everything was taken care of. Valet was full, but not for us. There was a huge line at the restaurant, but not for us. Meals and drinks were expensive, but not for us, they were all taken care of! That was a relief, because I was down to like $50 for the trip!
So anyways, to skip all the unimportant shit, I found myself drunk, smiling, laughing, and making out with the hottest woman I have seen in my life! What a way to cap off the trip. Now I also have a place to stay (for free of course) when I go back in December! I won't say what happened when we left the club, but let's say I am a gentleman
I got to meet and talk with a lot of the top pros, who all seemed real nice and receptive to other players. I will definitely go back next year.
P.S. ...and I won't forget to bring my damn camera!!
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