Proper play

I played for the first time in a long time. I attempted to go three other times, but the tables weren’t clear. Always hearing the words: Three people in front, or it’s probably going to be an hour wait… Dammit….. Just give me one game. I got so frustrated that, I started asking the bartenders when people would show up, so that way I could undercut my competition.

I played for three hours, it was awesome. The smell of chalk and the crack of a cue on a cueball are special things. In fact, there is nothing more satisfying than hearing a ball smack the back of a corner pocket, right where it belongs.

In Southeast Asia, I played a lot. Almost daily, I’d find a table and get roasted by a local. Nothing like a proper session. It takes at least 5 games and 7 Red Horses to get me on my game. You play a Filipino on his turf and you’ll get destroyed. I once played this crazy Filipino for two days straight. He won every match. It is hard, they know the tables. They know every bumper like the back of their hand. It’s so humid there and the tables are all as crooked as my uncle’s back. Tables will pull balls in crazy directions. It would take a good few days to familiarize yourself with the table. If you find a nice table, you stayed in that area. Never rush, when you find yourself a decent table.

In Hoi An, I used to play this Israeli dude every day. That bastard would always beat me… He was a position player, very defensive. He would make the shots he needed to make but nothing else. Any shot he would give you, would be absolute shit. I think I got lucky one time.

Pool is a gentleman’s game. No cheating, no shenanigans, just skill and knowing where to place the ball. When all is said and done, a proper handshake is how you end it.