I got here three days ago and spent most of the time so far with my delightful daughter. When she saw me for the first time (after nearly four months) she jumped on me and squeezed me tightly around the neck and wouldn't let go. I have to tell you that made my whole trip worthwhile :smile:.
Yesterday I made it over Robinson's Galleria Mall to watch the Women's World Ten Ball. First I took the MRT, part of the Manila area subway system, and the line to get tickets is a mile long. Being a senior citizen I sneak in the back way (I'm a smart rat!). Once on the train (only 15 pesos to ride - .35 cts.) it is jam packed and no one can even get in the door when the train finally leaves the station. Can you spell sardine? But it so beats taking a taxi, which is far more expensive (maybe 300P) and will always get bogged down in the most horrific traffic you've ever seen.
Once getting off at the designated stop, I have to walk, and walk some more, negotiating long up and down staircases en route to my destination, maybe a kilometer away. This is par for the course when traveling in Manila. I always lose weight here, as I'm walking literally miles every day! And that's a good thing.
At the ENORMOUS mall I walk deep in the bowels before finding POOL! In a back atrium the TV table is set up with seating for perhaps 150-200 people tops. No matter, as fans line every possible viewing area, including balconies four levels high! I visit with my commentary buddies, Biboy Soriano, Anthony ? and Bob Guerrera and they fill me in on what's up. This is the last day of qualifying in groups and then the field of 48 is cut to 24 for elimination play. I will say this this the folks at Dragon know how to stage a "SHOW." And imo that's a good thing! They are producing Pool for television and do a damn good job of making it exciting for the masses. That is why these women are big stars in Asia!
The first match is Xa-Ting Pan against Lyndall Hurley from Australia, what looks like a mismatch on paper. They are playing on a Yalin table, a nice looking copy of a Gold Crown V. The pockets look fairly soft and both players run out almost every open rack! They are actually playing quite good, as this is Ten Ball, not 9-Ball. It goes 4-4 before Pan takes charge and runs out the last two racks, both not easy. She can absolutely play; solid, steady and unflappable. I like how she looks under pressure, very composed and focused. The Chinese (and Taiwanese) have a Zen quality to their play that puts them above the pack for the most part. Just like the Koreans in women's golf, the Chinese women have become dominant in women's pool, and I can see why. Only a handful of foreign women (the Fishers, Jasmin etc.) can challenge them for the titles over here.
I was disappointed to see not one American woman over here. I'm reminded how far the state of American pool has sunken too. Yes, there are reasons, but this is a World Championship and we have ZERO representatives.
After the match, I head over to the Metro Club, the premier card room in Manila and the site of a major tournament starting tomorrow. Again another long walk and getting directions here is a crap shoot. I am pointed in one direction after another and finally find my way to the correct location, albeit on the other side of a busy thoroughfare. I inquire about getting to the other side and am pointed to an over-crossing far down the road. I notice one small break in the center median where the more intrepid are crossing the road. They wait for a small opening in traffic and make their dash, first to the median and then to the other side. I will join them. Scary but also exhilirating! I love to challenge my aging body to see if I can still run and jump. I'm happy to say that yes I can and make it across without a scratch.
Once inside the Metro Club I'm somewhat disappointed to see a relatively small, dark and dismal card room. I'm so used to the plush card casinos in Los Angeles and Vegas. But there are games and the money is flowing. I put my name on the board and soon find myself in a 10 and 20p game, with a 1,000p buy-in. It's like playing penny ante poker and after quickly losing my 1,000p buy-in (about $25) I quit. I NEED to play in something a bit higher. I wait my turn chatting with a gorgeous waitress, and I do mean gorgeous! I discover she is engaged to an American from Arkansas. Smart guy!
After a while they call me for the 25-50P game, with buy-ins up to 5,000p, a little more to my liking. They are playing fast and I pick up some good hands right away. They try to bluff me with big bets (1,000p and up), but the money still seems small to me and I refuse to fold hands like top pair. I'm winning nearly 10,000p in the first thirty minutes before they see I am one American who is hard to bluff (the only foreigner at the table). I got my training years ago sitting at tables in L.A. full of Vietnamese players, and they were all very strong players. Not so here, as I'm guessing only two or three guys at my table understand the odds and correct play. The rest simply try to out bet you.
I eat a luscious steak dinner served to me by Ms. Philippines herself. OMG she's so lovely! The total meal is about $10 and I give her a 50p tip. She is thrilled to get such a big tip! The game slows down, but not before I watch several players buy and buy more chips, pouring thousands of pesos into this game. The house is taking a big cut from each pot but this game is still beatable. I quit after a few hours ready to return to my hotel. I cash out 6,500 to the good (about $160), a nice score over here.
That's when I notice THE POOL TABLE hidden in a corner of the room. A game is in progress, some strange form of Eight Ball. Turns out that Rey-Rey, an excellent player who looks like a clone of Alex (turns out he's Efren's nephew) is spotting the other guy the side pockets to the full table. Rey-Rey must make ALL his balls in the side and the other guy can use all the pockets. I've never seen a game like this, a huge handicap. To be continued!
Yesterday I made it over Robinson's Galleria Mall to watch the Women's World Ten Ball. First I took the MRT, part of the Manila area subway system, and the line to get tickets is a mile long. Being a senior citizen I sneak in the back way (I'm a smart rat!). Once on the train (only 15 pesos to ride - .35 cts.) it is jam packed and no one can even get in the door when the train finally leaves the station. Can you spell sardine? But it so beats taking a taxi, which is far more expensive (maybe 300P) and will always get bogged down in the most horrific traffic you've ever seen.
Once getting off at the designated stop, I have to walk, and walk some more, negotiating long up and down staircases en route to my destination, maybe a kilometer away. This is par for the course when traveling in Manila. I always lose weight here, as I'm walking literally miles every day! And that's a good thing.
At the ENORMOUS mall I walk deep in the bowels before finding POOL! In a back atrium the TV table is set up with seating for perhaps 150-200 people tops. No matter, as fans line every possible viewing area, including balconies four levels high! I visit with my commentary buddies, Biboy Soriano, Anthony ? and Bob Guerrera and they fill me in on what's up. This is the last day of qualifying in groups and then the field of 48 is cut to 24 for elimination play. I will say this this the folks at Dragon know how to stage a "SHOW." And imo that's a good thing! They are producing Pool for television and do a damn good job of making it exciting for the masses. That is why these women are big stars in Asia!
The first match is Xa-Ting Pan against Lyndall Hurley from Australia, what looks like a mismatch on paper. They are playing on a Yalin table, a nice looking copy of a Gold Crown V. The pockets look fairly soft and both players run out almost every open rack! They are actually playing quite good, as this is Ten Ball, not 9-Ball. It goes 4-4 before Pan takes charge and runs out the last two racks, both not easy. She can absolutely play; solid, steady and unflappable. I like how she looks under pressure, very composed and focused. The Chinese (and Taiwanese) have a Zen quality to their play that puts them above the pack for the most part. Just like the Koreans in women's golf, the Chinese women have become dominant in women's pool, and I can see why. Only a handful of foreign women (the Fishers, Jasmin etc.) can challenge them for the titles over here.
I was disappointed to see not one American woman over here. I'm reminded how far the state of American pool has sunken too. Yes, there are reasons, but this is a World Championship and we have ZERO representatives.
After the match, I head over to the Metro Club, the premier card room in Manila and the site of a major tournament starting tomorrow. Again another long walk and getting directions here is a crap shoot. I am pointed in one direction after another and finally find my way to the correct location, albeit on the other side of a busy thoroughfare. I inquire about getting to the other side and am pointed to an over-crossing far down the road. I notice one small break in the center median where the more intrepid are crossing the road. They wait for a small opening in traffic and make their dash, first to the median and then to the other side. I will join them. Scary but also exhilirating! I love to challenge my aging body to see if I can still run and jump. I'm happy to say that yes I can and make it across without a scratch.
Once inside the Metro Club I'm somewhat disappointed to see a relatively small, dark and dismal card room. I'm so used to the plush card casinos in Los Angeles and Vegas. But there are games and the money is flowing. I put my name on the board and soon find myself in a 10 and 20p game, with a 1,000p buy-in. It's like playing penny ante poker and after quickly losing my 1,000p buy-in (about $25) I quit. I NEED to play in something a bit higher. I wait my turn chatting with a gorgeous waitress, and I do mean gorgeous! I discover she is engaged to an American from Arkansas. Smart guy!
After a while they call me for the 25-50P game, with buy-ins up to 5,000p, a little more to my liking. They are playing fast and I pick up some good hands right away. They try to bluff me with big bets (1,000p and up), but the money still seems small to me and I refuse to fold hands like top pair. I'm winning nearly 10,000p in the first thirty minutes before they see I am one American who is hard to bluff (the only foreigner at the table). I got my training years ago sitting at tables in L.A. full of Vietnamese players, and they were all very strong players. Not so here, as I'm guessing only two or three guys at my table understand the odds and correct play. The rest simply try to out bet you.
I eat a luscious steak dinner served to me by Ms. Philippines herself. OMG she's so lovely! The total meal is about $10 and I give her a 50p tip. She is thrilled to get such a big tip! The game slows down, but not before I watch several players buy and buy more chips, pouring thousands of pesos into this game. The house is taking a big cut from each pot but this game is still beatable. I quit after a few hours ready to return to my hotel. I cash out 6,500 to the good (about $160), a nice score over here.
That's when I notice THE POOL TABLE hidden in a corner of the room. A game is in progress, some strange form of Eight Ball. Turns out that Rey-Rey, an excellent player who looks like a clone of Alex (turns out he's Efren's nephew) is spotting the other guy the side pockets to the full table. Rey-Rey must make ALL his balls in the side and the other guy can use all the pockets. I've never seen a game like this, a huge handicap. To be continued!
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