FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ROUND ROCK, TEXAS
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Amazin’ 9-ball action with Pistol Perez & friends.
By Mike “Tiger”
Aerosmith had a song called “Amazing” with the line “Life is a journey, not a destination”, but I would betcha they have never been to the Saturday evening Pistol Perez 9-ball tournament in Round Rock at Skinny Bob’s billiards. If you love 9-ball like I do, it is hard to have more fun with my pants on than coming there on Saturday night at 8:00pm. That is one of the reasons it is about the fastest growing 9-ball tournament in town. But if you don’t let Pistol (Veronica) Perez know you are coming early, you may not be able to play because it fills up fast. Last week, she had 35 players and I got tied for 9th which is pretty darn good for an old guy that never practices. If I can do it, anybody can. It only costs $12 to enter, it is double-elimination, and it is a race to 4 on the winner side and race to 3 on the one-lose side. You get to connect with some really good players and some fine people here. Many folks have become my Facebook friends. You might get to kick up some cue chalk dust with “Junior” (James Davis Jr.), arguably one of the best players in town. Or how about local sweetheart Nicole McDaniel? She makes one outstanding tough shot after another and keeps racking up those W’s and is hard to beat in more ways than one.
The waitresses have been there for a long time and call people by their name. We all love Katie, Robin, Genafur and make me feel welcome. Lupe has been behind the bar forever and always has a funny thing or two to say, just keeps a grinning and keeps on spinning those long necks.
Holy 9-ball combo Batman! Erik won first last week, that must have been a sweet prize. I saw a picture of Rod on FB smiling with about 240 dollars in his hand; he won the 9-ball Break pot. Yes, there is a chance of winning a little dough, but I would play even if there wasn’t. The nice thing is Veronica has a generous pay-out, keeps ya coming back for sure.
They have got the new fancy juke box that you can connect with your playlist. They have long-standing hard working staff that keeps the place in good shape and serves ice cold ones. They know everyone like a family member. It is not like the family that fights all the time. We help each other out. Steve P. gave me some tips on jumping after our last match and I see others helping each other out on shots all the time.
I get reminded by both FB post and group text to let Pistol know if I am coming. Her tournament page on FB now has 310 “likes”. The Pistol greets everyone with a smile and a hug, and it is genuine, not just some part of her game. Pistol gets no reward for running the tournament except the satisfaction of knowing she is bringing people with a common love for the game together. Well, she does get a few Bud Lite’s and some Roses from time to time. Pistol runs a tight ship and works hard to keep the action moving. Its tough work and she has to stay til after 1:30am and help clean up. You know who the boss is but as a player, you want to make her proud of you.
I really like the alternate break format and rack for your opponent. It makes it a friendly atmosphere and when you only have a race to 3 on the one-loss side, it gives more people a chance else someone could easily get a few lucky rolls and run out a rack or two, and you could lose with only being at the table one time.
Skinny Bob’s is the home of the Texas State Open 9-Ball Championship, which for 40 years has attracted players from all over because of the exciting action. For example, Chris Baggett, from Port Lavaca, playing his first Texas Open last year and who had never used a measle ball before made a great come-from behind run of 9 in a row against local favorite John Palmore. John was up 6-0 when Chris found his stroke and played some interesting shots I had never seen before to come from behind and send John to the one-loss side.
On Labor Day weekend each year, 128 elite players from around the world are competing for over $10,000 in Open Division prizes at the longest running 9-ball tournament in US history. Sunday, the Women’s’ Classic 9-ball event began, more on that later. We get to play Pistol’s tournament on the same tables so it is a great practice for the locals who have their eye on the Bob Vanover trophy with the names of all the past winners.
In the State Open, they are providing players with the Magic Ball Rack which is a diamond-shaped, thin vinyl template that has holes where you place the Aramith Belgium Super Pro tournament billiard balls and get a perfect rack every time. The table has 2 dots marked on the cloth for the top and the bottom alignment holes, then just place the ball on a hole, and it self-centers itself for a perfect rack. In 2010, they used a metal triangle rack called the Delta-13. Players have always complained about the racking process – it takes too much time and players can tilt the rack for an advantage. On TV, they have a surrogate racking specialist, but here the loser racks for the winner. It is required to drive 4 balls to a rail on the break, else it is a foul.
Jacob Warriner played a great match against Austin native and former U.S. Open champion Jeremy Jones in 2012, and drew left-hand shooting Gordon Vanderveer from Dallas in 2013 on table 12. GV up 4-1 and makes the 4b on break. GV plays safe on 1b. JW grabs his jump cue, but puts it back. JW takes a long time looking at every option: Jumping, 2-rail bank with cue, but finally decides to play an intentional foul to tie up the 2b with the 9b. Unfortunately it backfires on him. With ball in hand, GV is able to position the cue ball for a 2-ball/9-ball kiss combo and JW goes to get a tournament official to watch the shot. GV makes the tough shot under pressure. In the next games after several safety’s, GV scratches on the 6b and JW runs out. JW wins the next 2 games and comes up empty on the break, down 6-4. More safety’s and JW has to kick at the 1b and lets GV at the table who plays a 2-5 combo to side pocket but the 6-7b looks tied-up so they bang the 2b around the table a while. GV winds up making the 6b but misses the 7b down the rail, and JW misses the 9b on an easy cut shot and is visibly upset with himself. He is giving this match away with 9b misses. GV wins 9-4.
I hope to see you there next time.
ROUND ROCK, TEXAS
==============================================================================
Amazin’ 9-ball action with Pistol Perez & friends.
By Mike “Tiger”
Aerosmith had a song called “Amazing” with the line “Life is a journey, not a destination”, but I would betcha they have never been to the Saturday evening Pistol Perez 9-ball tournament in Round Rock at Skinny Bob’s billiards. If you love 9-ball like I do, it is hard to have more fun with my pants on than coming there on Saturday night at 8:00pm. That is one of the reasons it is about the fastest growing 9-ball tournament in town. But if you don’t let Pistol (Veronica) Perez know you are coming early, you may not be able to play because it fills up fast. Last week, she had 35 players and I got tied for 9th which is pretty darn good for an old guy that never practices. If I can do it, anybody can. It only costs $12 to enter, it is double-elimination, and it is a race to 4 on the winner side and race to 3 on the one-lose side. You get to connect with some really good players and some fine people here. Many folks have become my Facebook friends. You might get to kick up some cue chalk dust with “Junior” (James Davis Jr.), arguably one of the best players in town. Or how about local sweetheart Nicole McDaniel? She makes one outstanding tough shot after another and keeps racking up those W’s and is hard to beat in more ways than one.
The waitresses have been there for a long time and call people by their name. We all love Katie, Robin, Genafur and make me feel welcome. Lupe has been behind the bar forever and always has a funny thing or two to say, just keeps a grinning and keeps on spinning those long necks.
Holy 9-ball combo Batman! Erik won first last week, that must have been a sweet prize. I saw a picture of Rod on FB smiling with about 240 dollars in his hand; he won the 9-ball Break pot. Yes, there is a chance of winning a little dough, but I would play even if there wasn’t. The nice thing is Veronica has a generous pay-out, keeps ya coming back for sure.
They have got the new fancy juke box that you can connect with your playlist. They have long-standing hard working staff that keeps the place in good shape and serves ice cold ones. They know everyone like a family member. It is not like the family that fights all the time. We help each other out. Steve P. gave me some tips on jumping after our last match and I see others helping each other out on shots all the time.
I get reminded by both FB post and group text to let Pistol know if I am coming. Her tournament page on FB now has 310 “likes”. The Pistol greets everyone with a smile and a hug, and it is genuine, not just some part of her game. Pistol gets no reward for running the tournament except the satisfaction of knowing she is bringing people with a common love for the game together. Well, she does get a few Bud Lite’s and some Roses from time to time. Pistol runs a tight ship and works hard to keep the action moving. Its tough work and she has to stay til after 1:30am and help clean up. You know who the boss is but as a player, you want to make her proud of you.
I really like the alternate break format and rack for your opponent. It makes it a friendly atmosphere and when you only have a race to 3 on the one-loss side, it gives more people a chance else someone could easily get a few lucky rolls and run out a rack or two, and you could lose with only being at the table one time.
Skinny Bob’s is the home of the Texas State Open 9-Ball Championship, which for 40 years has attracted players from all over because of the exciting action. For example, Chris Baggett, from Port Lavaca, playing his first Texas Open last year and who had never used a measle ball before made a great come-from behind run of 9 in a row against local favorite John Palmore. John was up 6-0 when Chris found his stroke and played some interesting shots I had never seen before to come from behind and send John to the one-loss side.
On Labor Day weekend each year, 128 elite players from around the world are competing for over $10,000 in Open Division prizes at the longest running 9-ball tournament in US history. Sunday, the Women’s’ Classic 9-ball event began, more on that later. We get to play Pistol’s tournament on the same tables so it is a great practice for the locals who have their eye on the Bob Vanover trophy with the names of all the past winners.
In the State Open, they are providing players with the Magic Ball Rack which is a diamond-shaped, thin vinyl template that has holes where you place the Aramith Belgium Super Pro tournament billiard balls and get a perfect rack every time. The table has 2 dots marked on the cloth for the top and the bottom alignment holes, then just place the ball on a hole, and it self-centers itself for a perfect rack. In 2010, they used a metal triangle rack called the Delta-13. Players have always complained about the racking process – it takes too much time and players can tilt the rack for an advantage. On TV, they have a surrogate racking specialist, but here the loser racks for the winner. It is required to drive 4 balls to a rail on the break, else it is a foul.
Jacob Warriner played a great match against Austin native and former U.S. Open champion Jeremy Jones in 2012, and drew left-hand shooting Gordon Vanderveer from Dallas in 2013 on table 12. GV up 4-1 and makes the 4b on break. GV plays safe on 1b. JW grabs his jump cue, but puts it back. JW takes a long time looking at every option: Jumping, 2-rail bank with cue, but finally decides to play an intentional foul to tie up the 2b with the 9b. Unfortunately it backfires on him. With ball in hand, GV is able to position the cue ball for a 2-ball/9-ball kiss combo and JW goes to get a tournament official to watch the shot. GV makes the tough shot under pressure. In the next games after several safety’s, GV scratches on the 6b and JW runs out. JW wins the next 2 games and comes up empty on the break, down 6-4. More safety’s and JW has to kick at the 1b and lets GV at the table who plays a 2-5 combo to side pocket but the 6-7b looks tied-up so they bang the 2b around the table a while. GV winds up making the 6b but misses the 7b down the rail, and JW misses the 9b on an easy cut shot and is visibly upset with himself. He is giving this match away with 9b misses. GV wins 9-4.
I hope to see you there next time.
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