Last night we played Duke’s out of the bar of the same name on Avenue C. We lost 5-0 in a sad performance. Ah well, there’s always next week!
1: Dr Pain (6) vs Ray (3). Pain made short work of game 1, but as Ray warmed up in game 2, he was looking like a 4 or better. He pulled himself out of a snooker position to roll the 3 down the wall and pocket it … but he missed the 8 after. Pain went on the defensive; he clawed back to the 8. A miss – and Ray took the duck. Game 3 went to Ray when Pain scratched at the 8, after a brilliant run and an hour spent chasing the 5.
2: Tim (3) spent some time vasillating on who we should put up, but ended up going with himself.
They played Eric “Downtown”, a 3. Game 1 went quickly, but the wrong way … Tim gave up bih late to give Eric a run and a win. Not one to go down easy (!), Tim says he made some great shots to win the 2nd and stay alive. And he played a sharp game 3 – got to the 8 first, missed one, got another shot at it, sank it … and scratched. Tough one.
3: Vik (3) vs Emily (3). Vik was looking good, with a nice lead … but he scratched late in game 1 and Emily used the bih to get to the 8, and the win. The 2nd was a mess, with scratches all around and a huge mess o’ balls in the NW corner. It sorted itself eventually, and Vik took the win with a sweet long 8-ball bank! Emily used some timely coaches to take the lead in the 3rd; when she missed her 8 shot Vik had a chance, but scratched. Match to Emily.
4: Jay (5) vs gCue (4). ALternating scratches right off the bat made for an auspicious start. 
Jay was rockin’ it, but Cue got a reprieve when he missed a tough 8 cut. gCue tried to run it out, but stalled and the game went to Jay. And it was a race to 3. The D was fierce and the innings many, but Cue fought his way to a lead in game 2. He mad a nice side-pocket cut to seal the deal. Jay, incensed, sank a million off the break and kept running. gCue had few chances to outwit his opponent, but alas it was not to be. Could he come back in game 4? Tink: It is difficult to say, Matty, being that Jay’s camo pants are blending into the environment, making the lower half of his body as difficult as his pants to see. Still, Aki, Jay took the 4th and was well on his was to closing the match off the break. But wait! Jay blew up and gCue rallied to keep the match alive! Tink: You’re right Matty. Like I said after gCue’s win, Jay’z nostrils are flaring like a bull’s and is looking at roger like he is a small spanish man with a red sash and an leather wineskin. gCue had an excellent dhot at the first won match of the night … but he missed the 8 and Jay cleaned up. 
5: Andre (3) vs Tink (2). Tink started at a deficit, but skillfully shot her way back into the game, snookering Andre’s 8 shot. She definitely rattled him, as he missed his next 2 8-ball shots. Tink had a win in her sights … but she scratched pocketing the 14 and Andy put the 8 away. She was shooting to the left all of game 2, and was a bit behind, but she did manage hold on and block him enough to force Andre to scratch the 8. Scratch this, baby! Tink took charge in game 3, opening up a big lead while Come On Eileen played on the jukebox. Andre kept chipping away at it, until he was in the lead, and when Aki opened up a shot on 8 for him he took it. Last game then. Tink was getting pretty cranky, and there was little gCue or I could do to help (try though we did to cheer her up). Tink lost the last one, and the match.
Quote of the night, from Tink: “We might have had a full team here tonight, but no one was HERE tonight.”
