Diamond Eight Billiards Open

Posted at 7:03 PM, May 25, 2008 to Online pool

I won the Diamond Eight Billiards Open!!! I started out rather poor, as did the other competitors, trying to adjust to the lively rails on the Gandy tables. Stacy and Stefan Mendrick had home table advantage, but it was tempered from not being the usual table they play on. I practiced on the table I ended up playing on, so I was able to get a few shots down. I made a break with decent prop/novelty and follow disciplines. Stefan started coming back in the stroke and jump disciplines, but I was able to make just enough shots to stay ahead and ended up beating him by four points in the end. Stacy came in an admirable third place, her highest finish in a tournament. She also did a great job as tournament director to make sure everything ran smoothly.

It was tough waking up so early for a 3 hour drive there, play, and drive 3 hours back. But that’s no excuse for my not-so-great performance. I did make Draw #4 which I had honed before the tournament though. The Gandy tables apparently have rubber shimmed pockets so balls tend to rattle out if you hit the facing too hard, so I had to adjust the Over and Under shot and move the object ball closer to the rail. I was lucky I was able to straighten my stroke out and make it on my first attempt. I even made Draw #1, which I always have trouble with. Draw #5 didn’t go for me though.

If any of you get to the area, Diamond Eight Billiards is a nice pool hall to visit. There are 11 9-foot Gandys and a billiard (carom) table, along with 8 or so 7-footers.