Our Monday team finished 2nd in the league, placing us in the 'A' division for team at this years GP4 City Tournament. After singles events on Wed/Thurs, we had our first team match on Thursday evening (9:30) with a bye in the first round. Our league used a 16-game, 4 person format...but the A and Master team divisions were using a 32-game format.
Thursday we played agains the a pretty good team, one that we could definitely beat. We were a little off at the beginning, falling behind about 35 balls after 12 games. With only 4 games left, we fought back and tied up the match. After 31 out of 32 games, nothing was settled and the winner of the last game gets the match. Our opponent made a tough 8 ball up the rail to win the match.
Friday evening, our first loser bracket match went pretty well...a couple of us were shooting well to keep the match close. Then we pulled away to get up enough with 2 games left. We played right away again, and ended up down 10 with 3 games left. My teammates pulled out a couple nice wins to give me a winner take all match in the last game.
We already had a safety game in progress after my teammate won, then my opponent placed the cueball really close to his ball for a straight in shot. Told him I was going to call a ref, but he changed his mind...wish I would have called him over anyhow. Seconds later, my opponent tries for the bank on his last ball, makes it and appears to foul as the cue ball appears to stop when it hits the tip of his stick.
After I told him I thought it was a foul, he immediately offered my ball-in-hand...even though he didn't think he fouled. A rerack was also suggested, but I told him to just shoot the long 8 ball he left himself. He missed, then I nearly messed it up...but made a tough 8 ball to win. It was after midnight, and our reward was an 8:30am match the next morning.
Won a couple matches in the morning before we lost our afternoon match. Matches were scheduled 2 hours apart for 32-games, we were expected to shoot on 4 tables for the first part of the match since Singles was scheduled later on Saturday.
Only issue I had was the format the 32-games were played...it would be much simplier and faster if two games with the same opponent were played back to back instead. This tournament always runs short where there is a requirement to play on 3 or 4 tables to speed up play, but I think 30-minutes per match could be saved if back-to-back play was incorporated.
Overall, great tournament for our team in finishing 5th-6th in the A division out of a 32 team bracket. Next year my Monday and Wednesday teams will be combining into a single team, which should surely result in lots of fun!
Showing posts with label Pool. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pool. Show all posts
Mar 17, 2013
Jan 3, 2013
Obama Billiards Photo
On Flickr, the official White House photographer (Pete Souza) uploaded the best photos of 2012 to their Flickr Stream. The entire set of photos can be seen here:
Flickr: Year in Photographs 2012 by Pete Souza
Of course, from the thumbnails..this one caught my eye!
Here is the caption: May 19, 2012
"Following the conclusion of the G8 Summit, the President plays a game of pool in the Holly Cabin at Camp David."
Here are a couple other cool photos from the collection of Flickr..
July 26, 2012
"A view from behind the President's chair during a Cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room."
Oct. 26, 2012
"The President pretends to be caught in Spider-Man's web as he greets the Nicholas Tamarin, 3, just outside the Oval Office. Spider-Man had been trick-or-treating for an early Halloween with his father, White House aide Nate Tamarin in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. I can never commit to calling any picture my favorite, but the President told me that this was HIS favorite picture of the year when he saw it hanging in the West Wing a couple of weeks later."
Nov. 15, 2012
"The President had just met with the U.S. Olympics gymnastics team, who because of a previous commitment had missed the ceremony earlier in the year with the entire U.S. Olympic team. The President suggested to McKayla Maroney that they recreate her 'not impressed' photograph before they departed."
Flickr: Year in Photographs 2012 by Pete Souza
Of course, from the thumbnails..this one caught my eye!
Here is the caption: May 19, 2012
"Following the conclusion of the G8 Summit, the President plays a game of pool in the Holly Cabin at Camp David."
Here are a couple other cool photos from the collection of Flickr..
July 26, 2012
"A view from behind the President's chair during a Cabinet meeting in the Cabinet Room."
Oct. 26, 2012
"The President pretends to be caught in Spider-Man's web as he greets the Nicholas Tamarin, 3, just outside the Oval Office. Spider-Man had been trick-or-treating for an early Halloween with his father, White House aide Nate Tamarin in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. I can never commit to calling any picture my favorite, but the President told me that this was HIS favorite picture of the year when he saw it hanging in the West Wing a couple of weeks later."
Nov. 15, 2012
"The President had just met with the U.S. Olympics gymnastics team, who because of a previous commitment had missed the ceremony earlier in the year with the entire U.S. Olympic team. The President suggested to McKayla Maroney that they recreate her 'not impressed' photograph before they departed."
Jun 13, 2012
Uneventful Position Round
After starting out the spring league 6-12, we have managed to finish very strong with 27-3 record the last 5 weeks. We have been stuck in 3rd the last 3 weeks as the top 3 teams have all shot well...only losing a couple rounds.
We are still 7 rounds behind 2nd, and 13 rounds ahead of 4th...so we will definitely get 3rd place in the league no matter what. Last season our 70% winning percentage was enough to take the league, this season the teams seem to be stacked a little better.
Probably gonna shoot some pool in the summer session...not sure though.
We are still 7 rounds behind 2nd, and 13 rounds ahead of 4th...so we will definitely get 3rd place in the league no matter what. Last season our 70% winning percentage was enough to take the league, this season the teams seem to be stacked a little better.
Probably gonna shoot some pool in the summer session...not sure though.
Apr 30, 2012
Feb 19, 2012
Cruise Ship Pool Table: Radiance Of The Seas
My wife and I, along with a couple friends just returned from a cruise on the Liberty of the Seas cruise ship from Royal Caribbean. This looks like a tough table to shoot on, but would be a blast for sure!
Would definitely be fun though...we actually joke about a pool table being on our cruise ship! :)
Would definitely be fun though...we actually joke about a pool table being on our cruise ship! :)
Dec 5, 2011
Best Books On 8 Ball
Since Christmas is getting near and many of you either enjoy pool or may be buying a gift for a pool player. I thought I'd give you favorite pool related books to help improve yourself or your competition.
A Mind for Pool: How to Master the Mental Game by Philip B. Capelle
This is a great analysis of the mental side of pool with lots of information on the competitive side of pool: how to gear up, dealing with slumps and streaks, etc. Just as important, Philip emphasizes that pool should be enjoyable, whatever one's manner of enjoyment might be, from very leisurely to ultra-serious. To sum it up, "There is so much to love about pool that it is simply foolish to waste any time on the negatives."
Play Your Best Pool by Philip B. Capelle
When I initially read it, I found some useful ideas but was disappointed that I didn't find more. A week after buying the book I entered played a big regional tournament. I didn't do as well as I would have liked but couldn't understand why. That night I went home and looked through this book again. Suddenly it was like a totally different book. After having played in the tournament I realized what this book really teaches you: How to think about pool and your playing. If you are into playing pool seriously, you need this book.
Byrne's New Standard Book of Pool and Billiards by Robert Byrne
Any serious pool player has read this book. It's informative, fun, gives you exercises to use that will improve your game. Thorough book, very easy to read, from the way you setup your stance to the way you hold your cue...this book has it all. It's also a great gift idea for that hard to buy person who (either occasionally or regularly) plays pool.
The 99 Critical Shots in Pool: Everything You Need to Know to Learn and Master the Game by Raymond Martin
Using a little imagination and three principles I learned a long time ago from the 99 Critical Shots, I was able to make a really slick shot, instead of playing a safety.
However, this is NOT a book of trick shots. It is a book of fundamental principles, many of which I doubt you can learn on your own (at least, I couldn't have). In fact, the book does an excellent job of emphasizing that pool is not about trick shots, but about controlling your position.
Pleasures of Small Motions: Mastering the Mental Game of Pocket Billiards by Robert T. Fancher
After you hone your basic shotmaking skills, pool is almost entirely a mental game. There are precious few books on the topic of the mental side of pool and billiards (I know of only three), and this is by far the best of them. The author is a sports psychologist (and pool player), and he explodes a lot of the "mental myths" of pool, including undoing some bad advice written by pool pros and wanna-be pros who meant well but didn't know what they were talking about psychologically speaking. The prose is also a nice read, especially for a nonfiction book. I can especially recommend this volume for intermediate players who are having a hard time dealing with league or tournament competition pressure. Fancher may give you some mental tools to quit being a "Count Choke-ula".
The Illustrated Principles of Pool and Billiards by David G. Alciatore
I would say outright the easiest billiards book I have came across. It goes from the basics to the strong techniques. A step by step program to improve your game. My game has increased dramatically using the simple guidelines in this book.
A Mind for Pool: How to Master the Mental Game by Philip B. Capelle
This is a great analysis of the mental side of pool with lots of information on the competitive side of pool: how to gear up, dealing with slumps and streaks, etc. Just as important, Philip emphasizes that pool should be enjoyable, whatever one's manner of enjoyment might be, from very leisurely to ultra-serious. To sum it up, "There is so much to love about pool that it is simply foolish to waste any time on the negatives."
Play Your Best Pool by Philip B. Capelle
When I initially read it, I found some useful ideas but was disappointed that I didn't find more. A week after buying the book I entered played a big regional tournament. I didn't do as well as I would have liked but couldn't understand why. That night I went home and looked through this book again. Suddenly it was like a totally different book. After having played in the tournament I realized what this book really teaches you: How to think about pool and your playing. If you are into playing pool seriously, you need this book.
Byrne's New Standard Book of Pool and Billiards by Robert Byrne
Any serious pool player has read this book. It's informative, fun, gives you exercises to use that will improve your game. Thorough book, very easy to read, from the way you setup your stance to the way you hold your cue...this book has it all. It's also a great gift idea for that hard to buy person who (either occasionally or regularly) plays pool.
The 99 Critical Shots in Pool: Everything You Need to Know to Learn and Master the Game by Raymond Martin
Using a little imagination and three principles I learned a long time ago from the 99 Critical Shots, I was able to make a really slick shot, instead of playing a safety.
However, this is NOT a book of trick shots. It is a book of fundamental principles, many of which I doubt you can learn on your own (at least, I couldn't have). In fact, the book does an excellent job of emphasizing that pool is not about trick shots, but about controlling your position.
Pleasures of Small Motions: Mastering the Mental Game of Pocket Billiards by Robert T. Fancher
After you hone your basic shotmaking skills, pool is almost entirely a mental game. There are precious few books on the topic of the mental side of pool and billiards (I know of only three), and this is by far the best of them. The author is a sports psychologist (and pool player), and he explodes a lot of the "mental myths" of pool, including undoing some bad advice written by pool pros and wanna-be pros who meant well but didn't know what they were talking about psychologically speaking. The prose is also a nice read, especially for a nonfiction book. I can especially recommend this volume for intermediate players who are having a hard time dealing with league or tournament competition pressure. Fancher may give you some mental tools to quit being a "Count Choke-ula".
The Illustrated Principles of Pool and Billiards by David G. Alciatore
I would say outright the easiest billiards book I have came across. It goes from the basics to the strong techniques. A step by step program to improve your game. My game has increased dramatically using the simple guidelines in this book.
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