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Right, pretty much all set...

Postby Roland

I'll head on down to Gloucester tomorrow hopefully late morning if I can get away from work. Today was a bit mad and I stayed an hour late so that should mean I can get away an hour earlier on my half day off which should leave me enough time to at least get a feel of the Star tables and their terrifying middle pockets before the kicking out time of 5pm.

I'll keep you all updated of the progress, all of my 4-0 defeats in detail. I'll have laptop with me in players lounge so will no doubt be on here at various times along with some familiar names if they choose to join in the banter.

Still undecided whether to take my coffee machine. I'm there for 4 nights and I'm no fan of Nescafe in tubes. It just means getting up into the loft to find the box. Now can I be bothered...?

I've made sure the most important thing, my cue, is already in the car. I had a flashforward of being around Birmingham and suddenly remembering I'd forgotten to bring it. There's bound to be something else I forget though, so I'll have to wait and see what it is.

My first match 7pm tomorrow night.

Re: Right, pretty much all set...

Postby Wildey

Bourne wrote:Sonny
Remember
LOSING IS NOT AN OPTION
:hatoff:

losing to ALEX is a no option you wont live that down :evilgrin:

Re: Right, pretty much all set...

Postby Roland

What if he goes 3-0 ahead and I pull it back to 3-3 before getting a kick on frame ball and he clears to win?

Re: Right, pretty much all set...

Postby Wildey

Sonny wrote:What if he goes 3-0 ahead and I pull it back to 3-3 before getting a kick on frame ball and he clears to win?

just enjoy it mate its a proper event run professionally have you ever played at that level before ?

Re: Right, pretty much all set...

Postby Bourne

Sonny wrote:What if he goes 3-0 ahead and I pull it back to 3-3 before getting a kick on frame ball and he clears to win?

You commit suicide.

Re: Right, pretty much all set...

Postby Wildey

Bourne wrote:
Sonny wrote:What if he goes 3-0 ahead and I pull it back to 3-3 before getting a kick on frame ball and he clears to win?

You commit suicide.

buck me :?

Re: Right, pretty much all set...

Postby Monique

Bourne wrote:
Sonny wrote:What if he goes 3-0 ahead and I pull it back to 3-3 before getting a kick on frame ball and he clears to win?

You commit suicide.


Far too extreme! Just get drunk beyond recognition... that will do. ;)

Re: Right, pretty much all set...

Postby Wildey

Monique wrote:
Bourne wrote:
Sonny wrote:What if he goes 3-0 ahead and I pull it back to 3-3 before getting a kick on frame ball and he clears to win?

You commit suicide.


Far too extreme! Just get drunk beyond recognition... that will do. ;)

yes thats more like it ...

:happy:

Re: Right, pretty much all set...

Postby weewelshwitch

Monique wrote:
Bourne wrote:
Sonny wrote:What if he goes 3-0 ahead and I pull it back to 3-3 before getting a kick on frame ball and he clears to win?

You commit suicide.


Far too extreme! Just get drunk beyond recognition... that will do. ;)



I know your game Monique - you just want all the blackmail photos when they're rolling on the floor drunk!!! ha ha!! :john:

Re: Right, pretty much all set...

Postby Roland

If I get drunk I'll only say something stupid I'll regret so will leave it for late in the evening if at all :redneck:

Mind you when cousin comes along I'd imagine Friday night could see a few cider shandies consumed :D

The table Matt is on about was hilarious, if you hit any ball hard enough it would end up in the bottom corner pocket so we ended up playing ridiculous impossible shots for the laugh.

Re: Right, pretty much all set...

Postby Witz78

Matt_2745 wrote:He has played on the world's best table at the Graduate, he's ready for anything.


what ones that, the first table you come to when you go in there?

to be fair i thought all 3 tables in there were pretty poor

Re: Right, pretty much all set...

Postby Roland

Yeah it was the first table although Statman said they moved them around during the worlds so it may have been the one up top as you remember it. I remember playing one shot dead weight, arcing the white so it hit the object ball right of centre so it bent round an obstructing ball and into the pocket. It was one of the best shots I've ever played :redneck:

Re: Right, pretty much all set...

Postby Witz78

Sonny wrote:Yeah it was the first table although Statman said they moved them around during the worlds so it may have been the one up top as you remember it. I remember playing one shot dead weight, arcing the white so it hit the object ball right of centre so it bent round an obstructing ball and into the pocket. It was one of the best shots I've ever played :redneck:


the first one and the one up the top were the worst ones.

the first one had the cloth at one end all loose and all baggy along the cushion i remember too

Re: Right, pretty much all set...

Postby Roland

yeah that's the one. You got down to play a shot and the cloth moved

Re: Right, pretty much all set...

Postby Wildey

Witz78 wrote:
Sonny wrote:Yeah it was the first table although Statman said they moved them around during the worlds so it may have been the one up top as you remember it. I remember playing one shot dead weight, arcing the white so it hit the object ball right of centre so it bent round an obstructing ball and into the pocket. It was one of the best shots I've ever played :redneck:


the first one and the one up the top were the worst ones.

the first one had the cloth at one end all loose and all baggy along the cushion i remember too

no baggy cloths tomorrow......it will be a culture shock lol

Re: Right, pretty much all set...

Postby Wildey

Sonny wrote:yeah that's the one. You got down to play a shot and the cloth moved

there was a green goast having a sleep lol

Re: Right, pretty much all set...

Postby Wildey

Sonny wrote:best spelling of ghost ever

atleast you knew what i meant <doh> <laugh>

Re: Right, pretty much all set...

Postby Roland

Cheers mate.

This sounds like it's going to be a right carnival. Can't wait to get down there!

Re: Right, pretty much all set...

Postby Roland

Well I arrived in Gloucester about half 2 which was a full half hour shorter than the Tomtom told me it would be. Roads were alright, there was a fire short of Sheffield in the central reservation which was pretty cool, driving through white smoke, couldn't see rubbish! But I had Scar Symmetry on the stereo blasting out for the whole journey so by the time I got here my ears were ringing and my throat was parched through all the singing along and fingers aching through tapping the steering wheel. :mosh2:

I got the hotel and presented a voucher I'd been told to print off by the confirmation email for my complimentary internet coverage which I assumed gave me free internet for the duration of my stay. When I showed reception they told me they'd never heard of it and the woman at the desk kept going into the back room to talk to somebody. Anyway, she told me the offer was a free 30 minutes but it was still £12 per day which would mean £48 to cover this stay. I said it was ridiculous and that I was here reporting for a website on the snooker and thinking I'd settle for £30 she came back and gave me free vouchers so I don't have to pay a penny. :D

Anyway, to the meat. I arrived at SWSA and it really stands out from a distance. When you get inside it's awesome. There's a reception area and a pool table out front, lots of vending machines, a shop and the lovely Janie gave me a guided tour of the premises which are pretty breath taking it has to be said. The main arena is superb, I don't know how many it holds but it is a purpose built snooker arena with commentary booth and I bet it's an awesome atmosphere to play in.

The players lounge is very swish, there's a bar and there's rooms everywhere you look with Star tables. Janie took me back down and I met Mark who joined us to look at the downstairs tables (my name on the door, playing table 2 tonight - unreal!) and we went and watched his Hannah play Jak Jones and on the other tables were some juniors who looked pretty bloody good and the fella from Poland who is mentioned somewhere around here as being sponsored by SWSA.

So I arranged to have a practice and got a 4pm slot. The first thing I did when I saw the table was to have a crack at some rail pots. Wow is all I can say! You have to be sooooo accurate it's not funny. The number of times the ball rattles in the jaws with a little popping trill sound is unreal! I did get a few in but I know I won't be taking any unneccesary risks later on when I play.

The middle bags weren't as bad as I was expecting to be honest. I mean they are definitely tough, no getting away from that but they are not impossible. Once again you have to be very accurate but pinks from spots shouldn't be a problem for example.

Monique got her guided tour and she came and spotted the balls for me. I was playing alright up till then, had a 40 break in the first proper little frame but as soon as she started spotting I felt the heat and the pressure and was missing all over the place. And then a couple more people came in and started watching and I was the only person playing and I went to the proverbial rubbish. So how I'll cope later on isn't looking great from that angle!

Anyway, must dash, need to freshen up and get ready and then head on back down. Looking forward to it! Hopefully I can pot some balls!