[POOL] Last Week's Results

[John Valdes]

Last Tue was a good night for Team Moe.  We played Nice Shot, 7
Bucks, Bob Daun's team.

I played first against new player Frank in a 2:6.  Our match was a
battle.  I was missing my shots in the first game, but luckily I
couldn't have left Frank with worse shots if I was actually picked up
the cueball and placed it in a bad spot for him with my hand.  While
that kept him at bay for a number of shots, ultimately he got to the 8
and sank it to win the first game.  My shooting improved, and I found
myself shooting on the 8 in the 3rd game after losing the 2nd.  Frank
on a coach from Bob left me with a high probability scratch bank in
order to make the 8 which was hanging on the edge of a side pocket.
Fortunately, the cueball was resting on the same rail as the pocket,
next to a diamond which made lining up the bank easy, which I made
w/o scratching to win the 3rd game.  The next 2 games were likewise
close with Frank coming out on top to take the match to the hill game.
My aim had continued to improve and I took the early lead, with Frank
oddly opting for defensive shots rather than sinking some of his
balls.  I took advantage of the extra opportunities at the table, and
in the end make a nice cut on the 8 to win the game and match, 2:5.

While I was still battling Frank, Tami started the 2nd match on the
extra table against Mike in a 2:2.  Tami was looking to break her
losing streak and got to work on Mike, winning the first game.  After
much back-and-forth in the second game, with Tami and Mike both making
tough, long shots and missing not-so tough shots, Mike got to the 8
first, but with Tami's one remaining ball partially blocking the
nearest, corner pocket.  Thinking he couldn't squeeze the 8 past
Tami's ball into that pocket, Mike opted to try a bank, intending to
send the 8 across the table to the opposite corner.  Instead, he
missed his cut on the 8, and sent it right past Tami's ball and into
the near corner pocket--the wrong corner pocket--giving Tami the game
and match, 2:0.

Martino played Bob for the 3rd match in a 1:5, which seemed unfair to
Martino...  Martino tried a new strategy for the night; rather than
waiting to eat till after his match, Martino opted for food first so
as not to play on an empty stomach.  The strategy seems to have
worked!  After winning the lag, Bob didn't break and run, but gave
Martino a few turns at the table in the first game, which he used to
sink of number of his balls.  Not enough to win the game though.  Bob
won the first, then the second, then the third game, without giving
Martino many more chances to shoot.  It was more of the same in the
fourth game; Bob got to and sank the 8, and as Martino turned away
from the table to put his cue down so he could rack, the cueball
continued rolling, and rolling, all the way to the opposite corner
pocket, where it dropped for a scratch, giving the game and match to
Martino, 1:3.

Simon played next in the 4th match against Jim, a 1:4.  Although he
hadn't played in a few weeks, Simon didn't seem to be cold at all.
Making some good shot choices and executing, Simon took care of Jim in
one game, winning the match 1:0.

Paul played the 5th match against Dick in a 2:3.  This was another
tough battle.  Dick was on his game and took the first two games
before Paul rallied to win the third to take the match to the final,
decisive game.  Unfortunately, Dick was shooting too well and got to
the 8 before Paul; he sank it to hand Paul our only defeat of the
night, 1:3.

So we won 4 and only lost 1 agaist a very tough team; great job Moe!

After having warmed up against Dick, Paul decided to take it "easy"
and played sole makeup match against Ron Shepard from X-Cue-Ses, a 1:8.
Figuring his only chance to shoot in the match would be an opening
break, Paul won the lag to start the match.  Unfortunately, he failed
to sink the 8 on the break and didn't break and run, so Ron got to
shoot in the first game.  Those who have played Ron know that once Ron
starts shooting, you just sit and watch...  Oddly, Ron appeared to be
having an off night as he actually missed a shot giving Paul another
turn at the table.  Unfortunately, an "off" night for Ron would be any
of our's best night, so after Paul missed a shot, Ron ran out to take
the first game.  Ron proceeded to break and run in the second game,
until the cueball took an unexpected carom across the table and into a
pocket, giving ball-in-hand to Paul.  Paul put it use, sinking many of
his balls, and on a miss, leaving Ron with nothing to shoot at.  After
an unsolicited coach from teammate Bobby Crews, Ron tried a 3-rail
bank to hit one of his balls but missed, giving Paul ball-in-hand
again.  Paul didn't squander the rare opportunity, using it to sink
the rest of his balls and the 8 for a win over Ron, 1:1!  Awesome!

We're halfway through the session now, so tonight we begin the 2nd
pass against each team, starting with Retarded Monkeys.

John