Newsletter Volume 15 Issue 10A

2016 Winter Singles League Standings – Final

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th_billiards_2[1]Singles League Highlights: We have two more makeups to complete before the standings will be up to date. Marty has a make up with Micks and Ray has a make up with Gary. We had three matches completed and here are the results of those games: Week 2 Make up between Gary & Walter. This was a 25 game match with Gary squeaking out the match over Walter with a 14 to 11 win. Week 4 make up between Jimmy and Stephanie. It was all Jimmy with a 15-1 win in the match. The final make up was between Katie & Austin. This was a very satisfying win for Katie who was shooting well  for her week 5 make up. Katie takes a 15 to 10 win in another 25 game match over Austin. Four players took all 15 points in week 6. Gary Loverde, Walter Wnuk, Mike Bates and our current leader Jimmy Francisco.  Nice shooting by all. With St. Patrick’s Day on Thursday the 17th, the Doubles League has had to reschedule week 10. One match being played on Sunday the 20th and three matches to be completed on Monday the 21st. We will also have to reschedule matches for the 24th of March as Orleans has another scheduled event that will fill up the restaurant/bar and pool area with wall to wall people. Walter and Ray will co-ordinate with the teams to get this rescheduled and completed. I have to highlight two matches this week. Marty M, who has been struggling some, rebounded in week 6 against a pretty talented shooter, Nigel Musico. This turned into Marty’s first win with a 13 to 10 win. The other match was with the two ladies of the league squaring off against each other. Katie and Stephanie played one game short of the maximum possible, as Katie takes a 14 to 12 win. Great matches and shooting by all.


League 27 PictureTable 1: Stephanie M (12) vs (14) Katie M:

This match would go back and forth throughout the entire night and go a game short of the maximum possible that could be played. After Katie struck first in the 8 Ball Set, Stephanie show some sharpshooting abilities as she nailed back to back winners in games 2 & 3 and the race was on. All of a sudden, it was Katie showing some of her shooting skills as she nailed a winner in game 4. She wasn’t done either as she notched a 4 ball run to take game 5. Stephanie looked like she would take game 6, but when she made the 8 ball, the cue also found the bottom of the pocket. Katie had a three game run and was sitting on the hill. Stephanie again made some key shots and found a winner in game 7. Another missed opportunity by Katie left the door open in game 8 for Stephanie and again she nailed the winner. It was Stephanie finishing off the set, posting her third win in a row and a 5-4 win.

Stephanie got a raw deal as she ran a few balls but was unable to capitalize as the cue ball found the bottom of the pocket as she made the 9 ball and gave Katie cue in hand for the win. Katie did her own thing as she ran 4 balls and took the 2nd game in the 9 Ball Set. This set was played with both players notching back to back wins. Stephanie came right back nailing game 3 and then notched a 4-9 combo to take game even up the set at 2 each. Katie fired in a couple of shots to post the win in game 5 and then got into the combo act as well, nailed a 3-9 for the win. This gave Katie a 2 game lead sitting on the hill. Stephanie made quick work in game 7 as she lined up a 2-9 combo and cut the lead to one game.  Katie finished off game 8 and took a 1 point lead in the match.

Katie again got off to a very good start, posting a 3 ball run to win game 1 and 4 ball run to take game 2 to get started in the 10 Ball Set. For the second time in the match, Stephanie took advantage of some misses and created several great shots of her own to nailed wins in games 3, 4 & 5. She ran several balls in each of the three games and jumped into the lead by a game. Katie took some chances, attempting a three ball combo in game 6. She nailed a 1-4-10 for a very quick win to tie up the set. Stephanie was little time as she posted a 4 ball run to close out game 7 and get on the hill that evened up the match. Again, a few misses and some nice shooting gave Katie another chance at a combo. This combo was a 1-5-10 and without any doubts, it dropped into the center of the pocket to tie Stephanie on the hill. The two competitors battled in game 9 and it was Katie winning out to take the final set, 5-4. This was a very good match and both players played decently throughout each of the sets.

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8-9-10 Actual Ball ImagesTable 2: Austin H (08) vs (15) Gary L:

Gary has taken his first three matches and continues to play well. Austin started out hot in his first three weeks but has fallen off a bit and has lost his third straight match, but it was against a very good shooter. Gary opened the 8 Ball Set taking the first game with a nice long run. Austin answered right back as he also ran 4 and out to take game 2. Gary then seemed to get into a zone and with not only great shooting and position, he held off a good shooter with some nice safety play. Gary nailed games 3, 4 & 5 to jump on the hill as he shut down Austins offense with some nice leaves. Austin posted a 5 ball run in game 6 and cut into the lead some, trailing by two games. Gary wasn’t waiting around and closed out the set as he finished off a four ball run to win game 7 and a 5-2 set win.

Austin got to the score sheet first in the 9 Ball Set as he again showed some nice shooting skills. He nailed four balls to take the game. Gary didn’t slow down much from the previous set and fired in game winners in #2 and #3 to take the lead in the set. Austin again rebounded with some nice shot making and took game 4 to even up the set at 2 each. Gary again showed his skills as he nailed back to back wins again, to take 5 & 6 and get on the hill with a 2 game lead. Austin got another chance and posted some very nice position play to finish off game 7, but still trailed by a game. Again, a few misses by Austin, gave Gary more chances to close out the set, and proceeded to do just that. Gary nailed the win in game 8 and closed out with a 5-3 win, taking a 5 point lead in the match.

For the second time to start a set, Austin again got on the sheet first in the 10 Ball Set. It almost looked like a mirror from the previous set as Gary came right back with back to back wins. Gary nailed a five ball run in game 2 and got a few misses by Austin to post the win in game 3. Austin hadn’t put back to back wins yet in the match, but got his chance in this set. Austin nailed four and out in game 4 and with a few misses by Gary got another chance in game 5, to take a game lead in the set. Too many misses by Austin with too many easy starts gave Gary the momentum as he took the final three games with some very nice shooting. It was a tough match as Austin seemed to be off just enough, and Gary continues to hone his skills on the table. Gary takes the final set 5-3 and the match. Gary has now won all four matches that he has played with two make ups still to be played.

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Pool SharksTable 3: Walter W (15) vs (04) Micks M:

Walter has been shooting well and at this time has climbed into 2nd place. Walter got off to a very good start as he opened the 8 Ball Set with a break and run out to keep Micks off the table to start the match. This kept Micks cold and off the table more often than on. Walter continued to shoot well,  posting some very nice runs as he took the next three games to get on the hill. Micks got an opening in game 5, posting a 3 ball run to get out and on the sheet. It was over in game 6 as Walter finished the game  took the set with a 5-1 win.

It didn’t go much better in the 9 Ball Set for Micks as Walter continued to shoot very well. He had several 5 ball runs as he maneuvered his way through the racks with some nice precise position to go along with his sharp shooting. Walter nailed the opening four games to make it 5 straight and get on the hill for the second time in a row holding off his opponent from getting on the score sheet. Again, Micks found a few mistakes by Walter and the door was opened again. He got a good starting position in game 5 and made it count with the win. It was Walter again, not letting Micks get any momentum and finished off the set taking game 6 for a 5-1 win. This gave Walter an 8 point lead in the match.

Walter got things going in the 10 Ball Set with an opening 4-10 combo win in game 1. He followed that with a 4 ball run to close out game 2. Micks has been a bit quiet but played well in game 3 to post a win. It looked like the momentum had changed some as Micks broke in game 4 and nailed the 10 ball into the pocket for the instant win. Walter didn’t relax too much and notched the win in game 5. He followed that with a long run to win game 6 and contained Micks with some tough leaves in game 7. He got a chance to finish the set with a 4-10 combo, draining it to take the win and the set 5-2. A valiant effort by Micks and very nice shooting by Walter.

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Eight Ball on FireTable 4: Nigel M (10) vs (13) Marty M:

I posted this as one of the two highlighted matches of the night. Marty has been struggling some, but seemed to put it all together in week 6 and pulled out his first victory of the season even after losing the first set. Nigel has been playing decent, and started the 8 Ball Set posting the opening win. Nigel made a four ball run to close it out. Marty nailed a win in game 2 as he took posted a very nice run. This set went back and forth, Nigel nailing the win in game 3 and Marty keeping pace with the win in game 4. The players again exchanged the next two games to remain even after 6 games played. Then Nigel seemed to pour it on, making some fantastic shots and continued to get the position needed to finish games. He promptly nailed the win in games 7 & 8 to take the first set with a 5-3 win.

Marty opened the 9 Ball Set with back to back wins. He nailed a game winner in one and then posted a 7-9 combo to take game 2. Nigel took game 3 as he posted a decent run to only be a game behind. This set would find Nigel trying to catch up but always a game back. Marty ran four balls in game 4 as he continued to keep some of his opening momentum. Nigel again got to a game back as he nailed a 3 ball run to take game 6. That would be as close as Nigel would get as Marty took advantage of a few breaks, some nice starting positions and some nice shot making. Marty nailed back to back wins to take the set 5-3 and the match was all tied up at 8 each.

This set up the final set as the players have played very evenly up to this point. Nigel started the 10 Ball Set with a win in game one after a very nice run to finish. Then it went back and forth, with Marty posting the win in game 2. Nigel got one more win, taking game 3 and then the momentum swung back into Marty’s corner. Marty started with the win in game 4 as he punished Nigel’s misses with wins. Marty seemed to cruise with wins in four straight to take the set 5-2 and the match by three points. This was a very close match and both players played well enough to win.  Nice shooting by both players.

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league27-100pxshTable 5: Mike B (15) vs (10) Todd C:

This was another good match, as both Todd and Mike have had their struggles in the previous weeks. This was another 25 game match as both players took advantage of misses and mistakes throughout the match. Mike struck first in the 8 Ball Set as he nailed back to back wins. A 5 ball and 4 ball run in the first two games. Todd nailed 4 balls and the eight ball to take game 3. Mike took game 4 to regain a two game lead and continued to shoot well. Todd would get the next game to again cut it to one game. Todd scratched on the break and Mike ran his entire group and the 8 ball for an 8 ball run and a two game lead in the set. Todd could not stop a charging Mike and watched his final chance disappear as Mike notched game 7 to take the first set 5-2.

The next set would not go very easy for either player as they went back and forth til the end. Todd got things stated in the 9 Ball Set as he nailed a 2-9 combo to take game 1. Mike didn’t let up and came right back with some long runs in games 2 & 3 and the race to the set end was on. As Mike nailed his two in a row, Todd answered the call with his own back to back wins. Mike replied again with back to back wins. Mike nailed 4 and out in game 6 and finished up 3 balls to take game 7, and get on the hill. Todd got his chance to hit the hill and took game 8 to even up the set at 4 each. Mike got an opening in game 9 and closed out the set with the win to take the set, 5-4. This gave Mike a 4 point lead in the match.

Todd again got on the score sheet first for the second set in a row to start the 10 Ball Set. This time he relied on a carom shot, using the 2 ball to bump in the 10 ball to take game 1. Mike nailed a game winner in game 2 and made his own carom shot using the 6 ball to notch game 3. Todd all of a sudden got hot, and with each miss by Mike, Todd got some nice starting positions. Todd posted a 4 ball finish in game 4, took game 5 with another nice run. This gave him a two game lead. Todd hit the hill as he nailed the game winner in game 6 for three wins in a row. It is hard to stop a good shooter if he gets in any kind of groove. Mike made a nice run in game 7 and tied up the set posting the win in game 8. Todd was still looking to take the set and keep it close. Mike wasn’t going to let that happen as he again found a good starting shot and finished off game 9 for a 5-4 set win. Mike takes the match by 4 points. This was a very good match between two very accomplished shooters. Good effort and shooting by both.

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Table 6: Ray R (02) vs (15) Jimmy F:Pool Hall

This could have been a closer match if Ray had shown up. Missed shots coupled by some excellent shooting by Jimmy spelled doom for Ray all the way. Jimmy got on the sheet first in the 8 Ball Set as he notched (5) and out. He cleaned up 6 balls to take game 2. Ray didn’t get too many chances in the set as each time he missed, Jimmy either got out or left his tough shots to try and get started. Ray got a chance in game 3 and put a win on his sheet. That was the end of that as Jimmy continued to punish Ray for his misses. Jimmy took the next three games with some nice runs, that included a 5 ball run in game 5. He made three fantastic shots in that game which include a thin cut shot with a perfect ball path that opened up a three ball cluster of his group to finish the game. Jimmy takes the set with a 5-1 win.

Jimmy continued to shoot very well, and Ray continued to struggle. Even when Ray was trying to hold Jimmy down with safety play, it didn’t seem to work. Jimmy ran several long runs en-rout to a 4-0 lead in the 9 Ball Set. Jimmy didn’t make very many mistakes, but one in game 5 gave Ray his only win of the set. Ray’s break in game 6, seemed to perfectly position the 1 ball in a nice alignment for a combination. Jimmy didn’t miss and the set was over 5-1. 

The 10 Ball Set was a complete bust for Ray as he was unable to not able to capitalized on very many shots. After Jimmy opened the set with a game one winner, he nailed a long 2-10 combo shot in game 2 to take a 2-0 lead. Jimmy never slowed down and had several long runs throughout the set, sweeping of the set. It was a 6 game run and a 13 point set win. With this win by Jimmy in week 6 and his (15) point make up win earlier in the week, Jimmy vaulted to the top of the leader board sporting a 4 point lead over 2nd place Walter. Nice shooting by Jimmy and a not so valiant effort but a crummy performance by Ray.

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 Tips & Tricks: “Billiard University (BU) – Part V: Stun Shots” ILLUSTRATED PRINCIPLES David Alciatore, PhD (“Dr. Dave”)

This month’s topic is the stun-shot drill from Exam I.

To read more, follow the link below.

http://billiards.colostate.edu/bd_articles/2013/dec13.pdf

 

 

 

 

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