Hi all,
This past weekend I played in a 64-player double elimination tournament.
My first draw happened to be one of the strongest players in the field. The match was a race to 9 with me getting 2 games on the wire. The first 6 games, I got 2 chances at the table and both of them were kicking out of a safety. I made 3 rail kick shots, however, managed to leave him with a pretty easy run out afterwords. The balls were rolling his way thus far. He was fortunate to have won 3 games by 1-9 and 2-9 combos setup after his monstrous break. So as it stands, Im down 6-2 and only got to shoot twice...can't beat myself up too bad. On his 7th break, he loses control of the cueball and it flies off the table. A friend pulled me over to the side and told me to take my time and run them out. I managed to muster up all the concentration and focus I had and did exactly that. The next 3 games I won, but they were hard fought games...nothing came easy like lining up a combo or an easy runout. I played great safeties and break-out shots to win these games. My next break I hit them hard and spread them out real good but failed to make a ball. He ran out (7-6). He broke and failed to make a ball...I ran out. (7-7). I broke, made the 9 on the break and the cueball was kicked in by the 7 and into the side pocket. The 9 ball was spotted back up for a dead wired 1-9 combo..ARGGHHH! (8-7) He breaks and doesn't make a ball...I run out. (8-8). I break, make a ball then run to the 4 where I played safe. He kicked and hit the 5 but left me with a makeable shot in the side. I proceeded to pocket the 5, 6, and 7 balls each time getting out of line on the next shot. The 8 ball was a few mm's of the rail above the side pocket. The cueball was about 2 diamonds away at a slight angle. The 9 ball was at the head rail between the 1st and 2nd diamonds. I could have put some mustard on the cueball and tried to bring it cross table and back up for the 9. Instead I held up the cueball and ensured I made the 8. I left myself with a difficult but makeable 9 ball. I focused, got down, everything felt right, then pulled the trigger. the cut on the 9 was very thin and on the correct path....however it hangs up right in the jaws as I didn't hit it hard enough. He wins!
I probably played the best pool in my life and didn't make many mistakes and still lost. I know he is the better player, however, I played much stronger than he did this match. He managed to get alot of fortunate rolls and easy combinations to win his games.
My next match was more of the same. This time I was spotting him 4 games on the wire going to 9. This guy was drunk and couldn't even hold his stick straight but somehow managed to piss in crazy shots. Before I know it, Im down 0-7. I played perfect pool again, getting out when Im suppose to and playing safe when I knew I couldn't. I won the next 7 games putting a couple 2-packs on him and playing smart. He won the next game with a 3-9 4 rail combo. He breaks, doesn't make a ball...I run out. I break, run to the 8. The 8 was below the side pocket and off the rail by a hair. The 9ball was above the opposite side pocket. I opted to play safe by sending the 8 ball towards the head rail and tucking the cueball behind the 9. I executed this shot perfectly. He was hooked and hooked good. He gets mad and 1 strokes the cueball toward the rail...it pops off the rail and goes airborn 3-5 feet in the air and lands directly on the 8 ball. The cueball then travels 3 rails and hangs up in the corner pocket leaving me hooked behind the cushion! I play a 2 rail kick, made contact with the 8 but scratched. He doesn't even run out...he takes ball in hand and fires the 8 towards the 9...we all know the outcome...match over.
I lost both matches hill-hill and I played perfect pool (by my standards). My question is, has this happened to anyone else before? And if so, how do you not get frustrated? Im not a sore loser and I never complain about it but this just put me over the edge. Thanks for listening to my rant.
pip9ball
This past weekend I played in a 64-player double elimination tournament.
My first draw happened to be one of the strongest players in the field. The match was a race to 9 with me getting 2 games on the wire. The first 6 games, I got 2 chances at the table and both of them were kicking out of a safety. I made 3 rail kick shots, however, managed to leave him with a pretty easy run out afterwords. The balls were rolling his way thus far. He was fortunate to have won 3 games by 1-9 and 2-9 combos setup after his monstrous break. So as it stands, Im down 6-2 and only got to shoot twice...can't beat myself up too bad. On his 7th break, he loses control of the cueball and it flies off the table. A friend pulled me over to the side and told me to take my time and run them out. I managed to muster up all the concentration and focus I had and did exactly that. The next 3 games I won, but they were hard fought games...nothing came easy like lining up a combo or an easy runout. I played great safeties and break-out shots to win these games. My next break I hit them hard and spread them out real good but failed to make a ball. He ran out (7-6). He broke and failed to make a ball...I ran out. (7-7). I broke, made the 9 on the break and the cueball was kicked in by the 7 and into the side pocket. The 9 ball was spotted back up for a dead wired 1-9 combo..ARGGHHH! (8-7) He breaks and doesn't make a ball...I run out. (8-8). I break, make a ball then run to the 4 where I played safe. He kicked and hit the 5 but left me with a makeable shot in the side. I proceeded to pocket the 5, 6, and 7 balls each time getting out of line on the next shot. The 8 ball was a few mm's of the rail above the side pocket. The cueball was about 2 diamonds away at a slight angle. The 9 ball was at the head rail between the 1st and 2nd diamonds. I could have put some mustard on the cueball and tried to bring it cross table and back up for the 9. Instead I held up the cueball and ensured I made the 8. I left myself with a difficult but makeable 9 ball. I focused, got down, everything felt right, then pulled the trigger. the cut on the 9 was very thin and on the correct path....however it hangs up right in the jaws as I didn't hit it hard enough. He wins!
I probably played the best pool in my life and didn't make many mistakes and still lost. I know he is the better player, however, I played much stronger than he did this match. He managed to get alot of fortunate rolls and easy combinations to win his games.
My next match was more of the same. This time I was spotting him 4 games on the wire going to 9. This guy was drunk and couldn't even hold his stick straight but somehow managed to piss in crazy shots. Before I know it, Im down 0-7. I played perfect pool again, getting out when Im suppose to and playing safe when I knew I couldn't. I won the next 7 games putting a couple 2-packs on him and playing smart. He won the next game with a 3-9 4 rail combo. He breaks, doesn't make a ball...I run out. I break, run to the 8. The 8 was below the side pocket and off the rail by a hair. The 9ball was above the opposite side pocket. I opted to play safe by sending the 8 ball towards the head rail and tucking the cueball behind the 9. I executed this shot perfectly. He was hooked and hooked good. He gets mad and 1 strokes the cueball toward the rail...it pops off the rail and goes airborn 3-5 feet in the air and lands directly on the 8 ball. The cueball then travels 3 rails and hangs up in the corner pocket leaving me hooked behind the cushion! I play a 2 rail kick, made contact with the 8 but scratched. He doesn't even run out...he takes ball in hand and fires the 8 towards the 9...we all know the outcome...match over.
I lost both matches hill-hill and I played perfect pool (by my standards). My question is, has this happened to anyone else before? And if so, how do you not get frustrated? Im not a sore loser and I never complain about it but this just put me over the edge. Thanks for listening to my rant.
pip9ball
