Steve Mizerak Championships

Well this event didn't go near as expected. I was playing really well before this event started and was looking forward to a good finish. I won my first match very convincingly and was on my way to what I thought was going to be a good tournament. My second match I played John (Mr 400) Schmidt. He won the lag and broke n ran the first game. He broke dry the second and I ran out. I broke dry and watched him run four racks to go ahead 5-1. The seventh game was a dry break and a tough one ball that I left in the pocket for another run out for him. The eighth game he broke dry again and I ran out and broke and ran the ninth game to make it 6-3. I broke dry the tenth game and he ran out for the win. Blah! My next match was no easier by playing Thorsten ( The Hitman) Hohmann. I was able to get a few moore chances in this match and got the win 7-4. My fourth and final match was against Monster John Rouse. I was ahead 6-3 and watched the wheels fall off. Not by my mistakes but the good fortune of his breaks. I did have two very tough opportunties during the next four games but wasn't able to capitalize and lost hill to hill for a very dissapointing tournament. There is always next time. I did take a good lesson from this too. No matter how far ahead you are, it aint over till it's over.

2009 US Open Championships

The Open is over and we have only the second person to have won back to back Open Championships. Mika Immonen. Congrats is definetly in order. Well, maybe not, he is the one that knocked me out of the tournament. I guess I can get over it. Congratulations Mika. Enough about him lets talk more about me. I had the best finish of my four appearances. That would be a tied for 7th. I am very proud of this finish and am anticipating a better finish next year. I had three very close matches that could've very easily gone the other way. After my loss to Ralf I played Kieth Bennett where I was down by a score of 9-3 and as he said it, destiny took it's course. 9-4, 9-5, 9-6, 9-7, 9-8, 9-9. He did get to the hill first but it wasn't in his destiny as he called it. He broke and scratched where i proceeded to run that rack and break for the match. I broke the balls and had a very tough shot at the one. Looking back I definately should've played a safety but I didn't and I left him with a shot to win the match. He played the one and had a semi tough shot to pocket the two. He missed and I was in the process of runnin out when I was struck by the red light from someones camera. I stood up and took a moment to clear my mind and started to pocket the five ball. Again. It was there again. This time i had to tell her about it. So after I explained to her about her camera, I then prepared to shoot again but was to quick and missed it by four or five inches. He jumped to his feet like he had been resurrected and shouted "just like me" and what he meant was that I dogged it just like him. Well, I beg to differ. Anyway, he shot the five in and miscued on the six and completely hooked me with the eight ball. I kicked two rails, hit the six pretty full and left him a very difficult cut. He made the six very easily but was faced with another tough cut. Cue ball in the center of the table and the seven ball about ten inches off of the head rail about one and a half balls right of straight on. He over cuts the seven, cue ball hits right after the side pocket and then another two rail rails into the opposite side. Destiny! Stevie runs 7,8,9. Akagariyama. Japanese player that had just beat Huidji See, Niels Feijen, and Jeremy Sossei was my next opponent. We had a great match! Hill to hill he missed a long rail 30 degree cut on the seven ball in the corner on the foot side of the table. The seven hung in the corner with a pretty routine out on the 7,8,9. My next match with Imran Majid wasn't as close as the previous three. I won this match 11-3. It was an interesting first game. I won the lag and got very nice lay out on the break. I had made it to the four ball and gotten jacked up over the nine. I was cutting about a 30 degree cut into the side and hit the point and it ran up the rail into the corner. He threw his hands in the air and let out a yelp. I turned to him and said " Yeah, like you're not gonna get a roll this set." To tell you the truth I don't think he did. Karma? Who knows? I did play excellently well after missing the four ball. Then it was against Mika Immonen defending champion. Yes, that was definately one of the thoughts that went through my mind. Instead of just another person. He played the match really well and won 9-5. I missed a nine ball and a four ball cross side. So from here we are headed back to the Steve Mizerak Championships where I am defending champion. Blog to you soon. Thank you all for your continued support.

2009 US Open Championship Day 5

Well here we are at the 2009 US Open Championships and I have managed to win the first four matches. I won my first three matches by a combined score of 33-7 but last night was a bit closer. 11-10. I was playing Beau Runnigen from Minnesota and what a hellava match. He started very strong taking a 4-1 lead. I tied the match up at 4-4. He took the lead again 6-4 and stayed ahead till I tied it up at 8-8 and took the lead 10-8. The whole match I never got an open shot off the break and as I broke the 18 game I thought for just a moment I was about to and got kissed in the corner. He ran to the eight and missed while leaving me safe. I played safe and he got another roll. Trying to play safe he hung the cue ball in the corner and the eight in the middle of the table on the end rail. I played an ok safe considering what I was facing but wasn't good enough. He wins that game and breaks and runs the next rack and was on his way to doing the same in the 20th game but got jacked up over the seven ball shooting at the six and missed. I was faced with a semi tough shot and made it and ran the remainder of the rack to take the win. I play Ralf Souquet tonight at 10pm. You can watch the matches at accu-stats.com or watch brackets at azbilliards.com We are definetly in the hunt for a US Open title.

Galveston World Classic

If you havent heard, I'm here to tell ya. I won my third match against Glenn Atwell 11-4. I played really well and took an early 6-0 lead to win this match. I lost my 4th match to Shane Van Boening 11-9. I was leading 6-3 and shot at a low percentage combo safety. Now that I think about it. Combo safety? I had to much going on. Before I shot, I remember that I didn't make up my mind on the type of shot I wanted to shoot. I was stuck between the combo or the safety. So I shot at them both. Granite there are times were they're obvious . I just know now I should've chosen one or the other. Anyway, he made an incredible shot to win that game on the four ten combo and broke and ran the next two. 6-6 then 9-9, I made a position error and gave up ball in hand. He ran that rack and broke dry. I shot at the wrong safety. He played a safety, got ball in hand and ran out. I played Warren Kiamco my next match where I never really got it together. I missed two six balls and a ten ball. He also made mistakes but I wasnt able to capitilize. I finished 33rd in the eight ball and 17th in the ten ball. My next event will be a Seminole tour event Oct. 9-11. TTYL

Galveston World Classic

I won my first two matches in the 10 ball event. My first match was a forfeit from Brandon Shuff and my second was over Christian Johannsen from Norway by a score of 11-4. I played well and hope to keep it going. My next match is against Glen Atwell at 3pm.

Galveston World Classic

Well we lost out of the 8 ball a bit earlier than I had planned. 10 ball starts tomorrow night at 6 pm. I played Rafeal Martinez and didn't really get much of an opportunity. He won the lag and broke and ran 5 racks. In the sixth rack he made a mistake and I got a little anxious and hurried my shot and missed a very makeable three ball. So he wins that game and break n runs out to win the set. Let's hope the 10 ball goes better which I have a feeling it will. Thanks and wish me luck.

Galveston World Classic