Pool lessons

[Zues126]

Thanks RD. I am proud of myself for how far I've come, but disappointed I haven't done everything I've set out to do. It is just something I have to do. Doesn't matter if it doesn't make sense to others or if no one understands why it's so important, but you'll just have to take my word for it. It is something I have to do. Almost like my life's work.

[CAUTION- TOURNAMENT UPDATE- FEEL FREE TO SKIP THIS PART] Just got back from this tournament. I didn't place in the money, tied for 17th out of 96. But I feel pretty good overall about how I did. It was double elimination, and sometimes who you draw and a little bit of luck plays a big role in the outcome. So here's how it went down.

I got a bye first round, but then I had to play the winner of two top players. No easy first match. I ended up playing a former professional from Texas. He got me down 3-0 (going to 9), then I tied it up at 6-6. I got a bad break and he ran two racks to get me down 8-6. This was a grind, a late night match. This was now 2AM and they were shouting at everyone to hurry, they had to close, wrap it up, etc. I ran two racks back to go 8-8. The last game I got a shot and ran that one too, a little dicey but I got across the finish line.

My next match was against another well known top player. Not elite, but a top national player that is just on the cusp. He had me down 2-0 and then I caught a gear and won 9 out of the next 10 games to win 9-3. At this point I'm feeling good, I've beat two champions that are both favorites to me on paper.

The next match was a tough blow. I lost. My opponent is a very solid player and he played a great set on me, so he definitely deserved the win. It was just tough. He got a couple of early breaks to get the first few opportunities and then capitalized on it to build up a 4-0 lead. I blew a critical chance and went down 5-0. From there I tried hard to rally and won 3 in a row to close the gap to 5-3. But I just wobbled one time too many, and while I'd been putting some heat on him my slips gave him just enough opportunity and encouragement to fight through. He ended up winning 9-4 but it was much closer than the score looked because I was very close to flipping it around there until the very end.

Finally I played this morning against a good player I hadn't seen before. This guy played stupendously, I was surprised I didn't know him. He also got a little luck and a lot of early opportunities, but he was playing just stellar and was playing near perfect. Before I know it I was down 3-0, 4-1, 5-2. At 5-2 I broke and a ball knocked the cue ball into the pocket so I lost my turn, he ran two more racks to get to 7-2. And then it happened! I FINALLY got some chances at the table, and I charged at him! I won the next 5 racks to get to 7-7! He broke dry and I had a shot with really tricky position. I played a brilliant shot and got a horrible break and scratched in a way that was really unfortunate. That cost me the rack. Finally at 8-7 I had one last chance to tie it up. I made a gutsy run but got tripped up on the last two balls. I had to play defense and left him two back to back hail mary shots to win. He calmly made both shots and my jaw was on the floor. Great shooting. Seriously. I lose 9-7.

Well, I just got curious so I looked him up on google. Shoot, I DO know who this guy is! He's some prodigy champion from Germany! I watched him play some 10K gambling match in January giving up a handicap to one of our strong national players and running him over for the cash. This guy is a flat out monster. But I watched that match on a stream (wasn't there in person) and didn't get a good look at him. I didn't place him when we played our match this morning. Hahaha. They had one live streaming table at this event and they usually reserve it for the best match of the bunch to sell pay-per-views. This morning when I played this guy they put me on the streaming table. I was confused, I mean, there were national champions playing on my left and right. Now I know. No one wanted to watch me, they wanted to see this German guy.

So now I'm wondering if I would've played better or worse if I'd have known him. Honestly I don't know that I could've played much better, I played a great set overall. I like to think I could've done one pip better through inspiration, but whatever, it is what it is.



This tournament is the beginning of my new run at pool greatness. I have been dedicated to pool my entire life, but 3 years ago at BD I had to put it on hold. The emotional distress, fighting financially, fighting for my children, being there for my kids, navigating through the legal settlement, and of course not having a house with a pool table in it. Pretty much put me out of commission.

Now I have the house, the pool table. Now it is the beginning of phase one. Phase two starts in April 2019. That is when I am done paying my ex the maintenance payments. By then my goals are the following:

-Great physical shape
-Striking the balls well
-Pool bankroll and time off budgeted for me to play 10+ events annually with professional level competition

I will be turning 40 in 2 years, my work should be going smoother, my kids are doing well, I want to be ready to make my last run at pool and give it 5-10 years of my absolute, absolute, absolute best.

So between now and then it's ramp up. Working out. Practicing daily. Competing whenever possible against more difficult competition for larger sums (out of my comfort zone). And most of all, locking that vision in my mind and using it as a compass to steer every move until I get there. I've got more plans than I've mentioned, but this is already way too long.

The match I lost last night was devastating. It was a huge, huge loss in the sense that I went from having a legit chance to make a deep run to being most of the way to elimination, and in the sense that I feel I had a good chance that set once I came back. That loss REALLY hurt. I regret in particular one shot I missed. I could've made that 7 ball. It may not have been enough, but I will never know. Because I hung it up. And I suffered from it. But the point is I realized that was the first loss in years that I have really suffered from. And that isn't good. That just means I haven't been competing enough. That ends today.

OK, calming down now.

In other news, I got some very good news from work while I was out. There was some concern on my team about the goals for September through end of year. Well, turns out they did a mid-year adjustment and reduced the goals based on actual business opportunities (versus projected). This is the second time this year. And this is very good news, it means I can keep my job and pay my bills. Always nice. And it gives me a lot of hope that I will be able to stay here. Things have been very up in the air, but my optimism that 2018 will be ok and I can stay for the count is slightly better. So yay.

I get my kids back tomorrow. Good times. Back to reality. Op, there goes gravity. Mom's spaghetti. You know.

Take care gang.