Rafael Martinez at Hard Times

[TorranceChris]

I played Rafael on the loser's side and lost 9-2. So I came home and watched an utube of one of his matches and happened on to the following link of Rafael vs. Bustamante.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y42HVhCtNY8

In this match, he was absolutely mesmerizing and in his zone. I'm not necessarily a huge fan of his big stroke, but in this vid, he was absolutely on his game. Even Bustamante was smiling in Game 16 when Rafael got out of a hook with a bit of a lucky carom (or was it?). Bustamante applauded at the end of this match along with the crowd, and Rafael sighed as if he knew he had put on a clinic. I will definitely keep this in my archive!

If you want to check out the Hard Times tournament today. Here's the link

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/hard-times-10-ball-open

Loser's bracket start at 11AM and winner's side at 1PM I believe. Alex, Hemmah, Oscar, Efren, Tourangeau, among others were still on the winner's side.

 

[Island Drive]

I played Rafael on the loser's side and lost 9-2. So I came home and watched an utube of one of his matches and happened on to the following link of Rafael vs. Bustamante.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y42HVhCtNY8

In this match, he was absolutely mesmerizing and in his zone. I'm not necessarily a huge fan of his big stroke, but in this vid, he was absolutely on his game. Even Bustamante was smiling in Game 16 when Rafael got out of a hook with a bit of a lucky carom (or was it?). Bustamante applauded at the end of this match along with the crowd, and Rafael sighed as if he knew he had put on a clinic. I will definitely keep this in my archive!

If you want to check out the Hard Times tournament today. Here's the link

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/hard-times-10-ball-open

Loser's bracket start at 11AM and winner's side at 1PM I believe. Alex, Hemmah, Oscar, Efren, Tourangeau, among others were still on the winner's side.

When the PBT Camel series was in full swing, & Paul Potier of Canada was in his prime, he said Rafa was the most dangerous player to draw.

 

[JB Cases]

I played Rafael on the loser's side and lost 9-2. So I came home and watched an utube of one of his matches and happened on to the following link of Rafael vs. Bustamante.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y42HVhCtNY8

In this match, he was absolutely mesmerizing and in his zone. I'm not necessarily a huge fan of his big stroke, but in this vid, he was absolutely on his game. Even Bustamante was smiling in Game 16 when Rafael got out of a hook with a bit of a lucky carom (or was it?). Bustamante applauded at the end of this match along with the crowd, and Rafael sighed as if he knew he had put on a clinic. I will definitely keep this in my archive!

If you want to check out the Hard Times tournament today. Here's the link

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/hard-times-10-ball-open

Loser's bracket start at 11AM and winner's side at 1PM I believe. Alex, Hemmah, Oscar, Efren, Tourangeau, among others were still on the winner's side.

We (meaning Instroke) sponsored that event and I had a front row seat. Rafael was on fire. After the match Busty asked me what he did wrong and I said you dogged the lag (referring to an old joke).

Ralf Souquet also got steamrolled that tournament by Rafael but he learned a very important shot from Rafael.

In their match Rafael pushed to a kick. The object ball was near the end rail and the kick was simple top stop sending the object ball towards the side pocket and safe if it didn't go in the side.

Ralf, not being accustomed to people pushing to a kick shot handed it back without much consideration.

IIRC Rafael made the shot and ran out.

For a three week period there Rafael won two decent sized events and came in second in another I think. He is a real monster pool player.