Heart of the Game Cutthroat 2017 - Round 2 Day 4

We're on to the fourth game day of the round. As mentioned yesterday, there will not be any games on Thursday. We'll try to play four series today, beginning with...

Shelley v. Chicky Phil v. Graham at Nissan Hall, Infinity. Graham had the first run in game 1, but Shelley followed up in defense of the highs very nicely with a five-ball run to pressure both of her opponents. Graham took out Chicky Phil easily, but Shelley would take the win many turns later after breaking the stalemate. Shelley had a strong performance in game 2 as well, taking the highs from the break, and then ripping a six-ball run-out on her second turn to beat Graham early with his weakened mediums before taking out Chicky Phil and the lows for her second win of the series. Shelley couldn't get anything on the break in game 3, allowing Chicky Phil to erupt for an eight-ball run as he claimed the lows. Graham fired back over four turns, taking out Shelley early and ultimately winning on a three-ball run-out for his first victory. Shelley put in a firm counterattack as she claimed the mediums in game 4. Graham soon followed up with the lows, leaving Chicky Phil to suffer an early exit on Shelley's next turn as she got lined up for the win. Graham countered a bit on his second turn, but Shelley took her third win of the series. Chicky Phil showed a very positive offense in game 5, challenging both players with his first turn in defense of the highs before winning on a three-ball run-out on his second turn, with Graham getting the point for second place. Chicky Phil scratched on the break in game 6, leaving Graham to claim the highs and Shelley to take the lows before he got another turn. Shelley knocked Chicky Phil out on her second turn, but she couldn't beat a crafty Graham, who took his second win of the series on his third turn. Shelley put up a good effort early in game 7, but she proved to be no match for Chicky Phil's game in defense of the lows. Graham weathered most of the storm and had a chance for a later counterattack, which failed, allowing Chicky Phil to strike Graham's 12 in for his second win. Chicky Phil popped out with a nine-ball run from the break in game 8, including some collateral damage. Graham took a pair of highs down to claim the lows, and Shelley went empty before Chicky Phil offed Graham and Shelley on consecutive shots for his third win of the series. Game 9 dragged on for quite awhile after Shelley initially claimed the lows. A scratch from Chicky Phil gave his opponents new strength, but they couldn't knock him out. Chicky Phil still fell first thanks to Shelley's double-pot of the 9 and the 13, but she missed on the 12, and Graham took his third win with a well-hit shot on the 4. Game 10 saw Graham take the mediums with a nice six-ball run at the start. Shelley quickly claimed the lows, and Chicky Phil made it a fairly even game after one turn each. Graham failed on his second turn, allowing Shelley to make a three-ball run-out for her fourth win, taking out Graham last. Shelley didn't have her brightest outing in game 11, allowing Graham and Chicky Phil to dominate the performance. Graham made a late push gain the lead, and Chicky Phil took Shelley out on a short run before Graham took his fourth victory with a three-ball run-out. Graham could have done a bit better with the highs early in game 12, but his lack of potency on offense left Chicky Phil and Shelley to pick up short runs to weaken him. Chicky Phil would prevail with a five-ball run-out in the end, bringing the series level at four wins apiece after he deflected the 6 off of his own 1 to end Shelley's mediums. Chicky Phil started well in game 13, but that was a short-lived joy for him, as Shelley countered with a short run and Graham took a seven-ball run in defense of the mediums. Shelley's 3 gave Graham trouble, and she made his last two balls before he had another chance. Shelley took the decisive win to get to the third round.

Cassandra v. Goldy v. Ice Cream at Intel Center, Diamond. Cassandra scratched on the break in game 1, allowing Goldy to pace the start with her highs, but Cassandra stormed back and won on a five-ball run-out on her third turn, beating Goldy for four shots before finishing her first win on Ice Cream's lows. Ice Cream again had a big role in setting the tone for game 2, but after Goldy knocked Cassandra from the game, Ice Cream couldn't make much of an attack. Goldy held on through some lean turns before potting Ice Cream's last two balls for her first win. Goldy started with a five-ball run from the break in game 3, a big push that helped her later in the game. Both Ice Cream and Cassandra countered on short runs on their first turns, but Goldy stepped up with a three-ball run-out to beat them both on her second turn, with Cassandra getting the point for second place. Game 4 saw a rough start from Goldy despite her taking mediums from the break. Cassandra quickly took the highs, but a second turn scratch brought Goldy back after Ice Cream had ousted her. Ice Cream still ended up with second place in the end, unable to hold off a four-ball run-out from Cassandra, whose redemptive performance late in the game earned her a second win. Goldy returned the attack well in game 5, wasting her first turn but letting a nine-ball run-out loose on her second turn. Ice Cream was the last one standing, but powerless to stop Goldy after she previously wiped out Cassandra in earning her third win of the series. Ice Cream can't seem to catch a break in this series, falling to a combined effort from Cassandra and Goldy this time. Cassandra had the better of the offense in defense of the lows, beating Ice Cream early and taking out Goldy at the end for her third win in six games. Goldy returned to form at the end of game 7, blasting a six-ball run-out after a fairly muddled start to the game for all three players. The critical shot was a double-pot of the 4 to the bottom left and the 5-9 combination to the top left, which set Goldy up for the winning shot on the 5, giving her a fourth win in the series. Goldy kept up the good work in game 8, challenging Cassandra directly at the end of this game. The two battled briefly, and then Goldy took her fifth win of the series, earning the right to advance to the third round.

Crystal v. Lorde v. Stripes at Ebay Center, Queens. Lorde had the first burst, a five-ball run, to claim the highs in game 1. Stripes and Crystal both made shorter runs in response, and Lorde then took out Stripes on a three-ball run before Crystal defended her last low and beat Lorde on a straight shot for her first win. Crystal had a very productive two turns unchallenged in defense of the lows in game 2. Lorde was the first to make a shot outside of Crystal's turns, and she took the mediums, leaving Stripes with the highs. Crystal would beat them both on a three-ball run-out on her third turn, with Stripes scraping out the extra point. Crystal came up with an ugly win in game 3, her third of the series. The players all lacked incisive shooting in this game, although Crystal did pick up a seven-ball run later in the game. This wiped out Stripes but also caused collateral damage. Lorde should have had the win, but frustration caused her to miss her shot, and Crystal held on long enough to win. Lorde made amends for her collapse in the last game by getting the win in game 4. She challenged Crystal's highs immediately with her own lows, and got some help from Stripes in the middle. Lorde then picked up her first win with a pair of shots, gifting Stripes the second-place point. Game 5 started slowly all around, although Stripes took highs and Crystal took lows with a five-ball run. Lorde challenged back as well, and the players remained fairly even until a scratch by Crystal at the end. Stripes would get the win, as Lorde took out Crystal and Stripes made a pair of shots for her first victory in the series. Lorde had a firm attack at the start of game 6, putting both of her opponents on edge. Crystal shot back on a big run to knock Lorde out of the game, but she couldn't get around Stripes' defensive posture, and Stripes would eventually make Crystal's last three balls to take her second win in the series. Game 7 saw another push from Stripes, but Crystal did most of the heavy lifting. The two players combined quite efficiently against Lorde, putting her out of the game quickly, but Crystal again struggled to get around Stripes, and the latter player held on to win on a four-ball run-out with collateral damage for her third win. Game 8 featured a decent start from Crystal and Lorde, but a slow finish after Lorde offed Crystal on her third turn. Lorde and Stripes did battle until a scratch by Lorde revived Crystal, who would take Lorde out to battle with Stripes herself. This led to a quicker finish in Crystal's favor for her fourth win of the series. Crystal put the series to rest after making three mediums from the break in game 9. Lorde hung around with those mediums longer than expected, but a scratch doomed her, as Crystal took over and won her fifth game of the series to advance to the third round.

Klaus v. Taylor Swift v. Isabella at McDonald's Hall, Atlantic. Taylor had a solid start in game 1, but facing two sophomore teammates will prove tough in this series. Isabella and Klaus focused on Taylor's lows, beating her down eventually, and Isabella picked up her first win in the series after Klaus flubbed a shot. Taylor again tried hard to keep up in game 2, but Klaus and Isabella remained focused on her lows this time. Klaus had the upper hand with the highs, and he used this advantage to take Taylor out a shot before offing Isabella for his first win. Taylor had a better effort in game 3, but she couldn't keep her highs on the table this time either. Klaus dealt her the death blow this time, but Isabella hung around long enough despite Klaus' late push to pick up her second win in the series with a tap-in on his 3. Isabella didn't get anything on the break in game 4, and it nearly cost her. Klaus had a five-ball run, and Taylor decimated the co-hosts with her four-ball run, but they held on. Klaus took a four-ball run to wipe Taylor out again, but Isabella bested Klaus with her shot to finish the game for her third win. Isabella ripped a collateral damage-filled eleven-ball run in game 5 on the first turn, and she tried to leave Klaus an easy shot but messed that up. Taylor poached a point instead, wedging herself between her opponents despite Isabella still earning her fourth win. Klaus had the better offense in game 6, although Isabella defended the mediums pretty well too. Klaus took the highs, and they both pounded away at Taylor's lows, beating her on Klaus' second turn. Klaus finished that turn as a four-ball run-out for his second win in the series. Isabella was denied again in game 7, as Klaus' bad break and Taylor's eight-ball run to take out Klaus sapped her momentum. Taylor beat her on the next turn for her first win in the lopsided series. Isabella finally clinched the series in game 8, as Taylor wasted her break, and Klaus and Isabella pummeled her for it. Klaus would finish second, being a good teammate to let Isabella take the series now.

That's all for today. Same thing tomorrow before a day off.

Heart of the Game Cutthroat 2017 - Round 2 Day 3

A minor change to the original plan will see no games played on Thursday. Saturday will be included to make up for that, ending the second round on that day. Today's action starts with...

Dani v. Blizzard v. Rosemary at Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound. Dani started on a six-ball run in game 1, taking the lows to defend. Blizzard took the highs on her first shot, but defended them better, beating Dani and Rosemary both with a three-ball run-out at the end. Rosemary took second place after Blizzard barely made her final ball for her first win. Blizzard essentially got away with a foul after playing well in game 2. A scratch by Dani spelled her own demise near the end, as Blizzard took her out but fouled against Rosemary, who was unable to counterattack, leaving Blizzard to earn her second win. Game 3 saw Rosemary strike first in defense of the highs, and Blizzard soon took the mediums to protect as well. The two of them combined to oust Dani rather quickly, but Blizzard took the momentum into a four-ball run-out, again beating Rosemary late for her third win in as many games. Blizzard opened with a six-ball run in game 4, taking the mediums to defend. Rosemary claimed the highs, but Dani had time to impact the game before Rosemary beat her on the second turn. Blizzard then topped Rosemary again for her fourth win of the series, confirming her reigning MVP status in the dominant series so far. Blizzard took a clean and perfect sweep in game 5, battling with Rosemary to get Dani out of the way before beating Rosemary with a pair of quick shots for her fifth win. Blizzard advances to the third round.

Smokey v. Dominic v. Vladimir Vasilyev at Intel Center, Diamond. Dominic had a ten-ball run in game 1 to set the tone in defense of the lows, but his collateral damage would cost him when he failed to make the last high. Vladimir stepped up and won with a four-ball run-out, leaving Dominic to take second place. Vladimir took the lows after a nice run to open game 2, and while Dominic missed on his first turn, allowing Smokey to take the favored mediums, Dominic pulled back two turns later on a five-ball run-out for the win, offing Smokey first and Vladimir with the last three shots for his first win. Dominic had a strong start in game 3, coupled with a messy two-scratch performance from Vladimir. Smokey took Vladimir out of the game after the second turn, but Smokey couldn't top Dominic, who just got a narrow second win in the series. Dominic again set the tone in game 4 with the lows, and he worked with Smokey to take Vladimir out quickly, but Smokey would pick up the win on a three-ball run-out this time, ousting Vladimir before getting a lucky two-rail bank on the 2 to top Dominic for his first win. Smokey came up empty on the break in game 5, and Dominic took the mediums on his first turn. Vladimir then charged forward with a ten-ball run-out, including minor collateral damage before taking Smokey out with the final shot after previously wiping Dominic out. Vladimir has two wins in the series. Vladimir had a weak start in game 6, and the game played out in choppy form. Vladimir was able to knock Smokey out on his third turn, but he let Dominic have a chance at the end. Dominic missed, and Vladimir succeeded to pick up his third win of the series. Smokey pieced together a strong effort in defense of the lows in game 7. Vladimir started poorly, and Dominic attacked the highs. When Smokey piled on, Vladimir wilted, falling to Dominic, and then Smokey got the win on a four-ball run-out, his second victory of the series. Dominic found his footing again in game 8, a tight game that saw both of his opponents scratch to set up his four-ball run-out, with Smokey getting the second place for his defensive position next to Dominic's 1. Dominic has three wins in the series. Smokey had a big eight-ball run early in game 9, leaving both of his opponents in weak positions. Vladimir then claimed the highs to combat Smokey's lows, and Dominic's scratch further mixed things up. Smokey couldn't finish the job in the end, offing Dominic but falling late to Vladimir, who took his fourth win of the series. Vladimir set the tone with the highs in game 10 after Dominic had claimed the lows, but Dominic charged back late on a six-ball run-out, ousting Smokey and Vladimir on consecutive shots at the end for his fourth win. Vladimir attacked with a six-ball run early in game 11, giving himself the highs, and in an effort to gain a point, Smokey knocked Dominic from the game. Vladimir won with a three-ball run-out, sending himself through to the third round with his fifth win.

Delila v. Chimpy v. Cheddar at McDonald's Hall, Atlantic. Delila couldn't get much going in game 1, starting with a nice run but quickly falling to a five-ball run by Cheddar on her first turn. Chimpy and Cheddar dueled to close the game, with Cheddar poking in the final shot for her first win. Cheddar came up with a decent run in game 2, and Delila helped to weaken the lows quite a bit on one of her turns. Cheddar followed up with a three-ball run to oust Delila, and then Chimpy was beaten a turn later, after proving unable to counterattack against Cheddar, who picked up her second win of the series. Cheddar continued to dominate the series with a two-turn rout in game 3. Cheddar made a six-ball run from the break, feebly trying to extend the turn with collateral damage. Chimpy and Delila both missed their shots, and Cheddar wrapped up her third win with a five-ball run-out on her second turn, forcing her opponents to split the point. Cheddar continued her attack in game 4, getting a pair of balls from the break but also scratching on her second turn to mitigate her success. Chimpy carried much of the load in defense of the mediums, and he ousted Delila on his second turn after she had middling results. Cheddar held on long enough to get a three-ball run-out for the win, stealing her fourth win right out of Chimpy's hands. Cheddar couldn't get anything on the break in game 5 either, and this time, Chimpy made her pay for it. Cheddar would get a second turn, but Chimpy beat her on his turn before dropping the win to Delila, who made a cutting run at the end for her first win of the series. Cheddar tried to compete in game 6 as well, but a pair of collateral damage shots accelerated her decline as she fell to Chimpy. Delila held on again after a slow start, guarding her mediums long enough to grab the win, her second of the series. Delila couldn't hold up very well with the mediums in game 7, falling on Cheddar's first turn. Chimpy and Cheddar then battled for the rest of the game, with Chimpy getting the upper hand late to take his first win. Game 8 saw the players go deep with even results, until Chimpy offed Delila to make it a two-player battle. Chimpy twice missed shots for the win, and the second one allowed Cheddar to take her fifth win on a tap-in to advance to the third round.

Slinks v. Dusky v. Jason V. at BMW RockDome, Westside. Slinks had a six-ball run at the start of game 1 to put herself in a good position in defense of the mediums. Dusky defended the highs after this, and they combined to get Jason out of the game on their second turns, with Dusky pushing a four-ball run-out at the end for her first win of the series. Jason had the first attack, a four-ball run, early in game 2, but Dusky and Slinks combined again to weaken that. Dusky found herself out first, thanks to Jason, but Slinks charged back on a three-ball run-out to beat Jason for her first win. Slinks had a devastatingly effective six-ball run to weaken her opponents in game 3, but she ended up as the first player out, as Jason beat her with a three-ball run before Dusky squeezed Jason's 8 behind her own 11 at the top right. Dusky earned her second win with the bold play. Game 4 saw another hot start from Dusky, as she took the highs on a six-ball run, but Jason's choice to claim the mediums backfired badly. Slinks rode the lows to a four-ball run-out, wiping Jason out first before beating Dusky to get her second win of the series. Game 5 saw all three players have an impact. Slinks started well to get the highs, while Dusky controlled the middle of the game, and Jason closed it out on a four-ball run-out that put Slinks down just two shots before Dusky for his first win. Jason picked up where he left off in game 6, ripping an eight-ball run from the break. Dusky wasted her chance to salvage something from the game, as Slinks had a four-ball run to officially eliminate Dusky. Jason popped back with the last two shots for his second win to make it an even series in every way. Slinks and Jason were the only ones with a realistic shot at game 7, as Dusky lacked intensity in her shooting. Jason and Slinks battled closely, using Dusky's balls as set-up shots, and Slinks eventually beat Jason before taking out Dusky to earn her third win. Slinks had a solid start in game 8, but she had to fend off massive counterattacks from Jason and Dusky, as they kept the game level. Jason nearly took out Dusky on his second turn, but left it to Slinks, who offed Dusky first and then beat Jason with a tap-in to gain her fourth win. Slinks and Jason went at it again after getting Dusky out of the way in game 9. Jason had a chance to get the win, but he missed his shot, and Slinks took the victory instead, clinching the series in her fifth win.

That's all for today. The current plan is to play again tomorrow, but this was a tough day to get through and we'll have to see where things go.

Heart of the Game Cutthroat 2017 - Round 2 Day 2

We're back for another four series, beginning with...

Cowzart v. Katharine McPhee v. Leonette at BMW RockDome, Westside. Game 1 started very slowly, with only Katharine making a positive impact in the early turns. As the game progressed, Leonette got more comfortable, and her last two turns were three-ball runs to bump Cowzart and Katharine for her first win. Game 2 saw just as much poor play from the trio of players, with Leonette striking first to take the highs. Katharine had a stronger finish, winning on a four-ball run-out with Cowzart on the third shot and Leonette's last ball going down for the finale as Katharine earned her first win. Cowzart actually had his best performance in game 3, his first turn being a five-ball run and his next a three-ball run, but while he bested Katharine, Leonette made the final pair for her second win. Game 4 saw a huge seven-ball run from Cowzart, the effort completely taking out the highs. Katharine made a low to ensure she would get a point, and then took her second win when Cowzart failed to make her last three balls. Katharine went on an impressive attack in game 5, with an eight-ball run to protect the highs. She took out Cowzart on the next turn, and then beat Leonette on her third turn for her third win. Game 6 saw a more reserved start. Leonette established herself on the mediums, but Katharine and Cowzart kept things balanced. Cowzart nearly had Katharine bumped, but his scratch allowed her to get more permanent revenge on him. Leonette then beat Katharine in two turns for her third win in the two-player race. Cowzart started game 7 with a five-ball run, giving himself the highs. Katharine followed up the get the mediums, but Leonette hung on the longest, letting Cowzart bump Katharine out of the game before he took himself out two turns later on a tough cut attempt. Leonette now has four wins in the series. Katharine pulled even with Leonette after winning game 8, as Cowzart had a hot start but also another mental error late in the game after Leonette had been eliminated. Cowzart's mistake allowed Katharine to storm forward for the victory on a short run. Leonette and Katharine turned against each other quickly in game 9, paving a smooth path for Cowzart to take for his first win, as Leonette benched Katharine on a four-ball run before getting beat herself. Katharine had two piercing runs in game 10, each taking four balls, the first to establish herself with the mediums, and the second to beat Cowzart and Leonette for her fifth win to advance to the third round.

Charli XCX v. Sprinkles v. Melissa Benoist at Cisco Arena, Tysini. Charli got off to a great start in game 1 with a seven-ball run, and it took until Melissa's second turn for a player to claim a suit. Melissa took the mediums to fight Charli's lows, and she won, taking a late four-ball run-out for her first win of the series. Melissa had a good break in game 2, but it was her second turn, an eight-ball run-out, that really set her apart. Neither of her opponents could claim a suit on their only turns, so they split the point as Melissa took her second win of the series in dominant form. Melissa had another strong break in game 3, but couldn't support it with a big run despite plenty of shooting options to defend her highs. Charli and Sprinkles took the lows and mediums over time, and each player had one ball left when Melissa ousted Sprinkles. Charli had a chance to earn the win, but missed, and Melissa took it instead, her third victory so far. Charli finally put in a balanced challenge to beat Melissa in game 4. Charli used an early five-ball run to weaken her opponents, and then Melissa ousted Sprinkles before Charli took the win on a four-ball run-out with some collateral damage to clear the defense. The win was Charli's first. Game 5 saw Melissa return to form with a seven-ball run on her first turn. Neither Charli nor Sprinkles could claim a suit on their first chances, so Melissa took the lows off the board. Sprinkles missed again, allowing Charli to make a high to claim the mediums. Melissa beat her on the next turn for her fourth win in another dominant effort. Melissa didn't get the start she wanted in game 6, allowing Charli to claim the highs. Sprinkles soon took the mediums, but she would fall first again to Melissa, before Charli turned it around and cut Melissa's 1 into the top right for her second win. Charli and Melissa both stumbled a bit in game 7, and Charli and Sprinkles both had scratches. Melissa tried to beat them but they combined to take her out first, and Charli piled on by taking Sprinkles out for her third win of the series. Sprinkles knocked an eight-ball run on her first turn of game 8, which would have eliminated Charli were it not for her scratch. Charli and Melissa each made a couple of shots, but Sprinkles produced a three-ball run-out to secure her first win in the end. Game 9 brought a bit more messy play and a couple of scratches to slow the progress. Melissa went on the attack at the end of the game, earning the win with a three-ball run-out that gifted one more point to Charli. Melissa will play on in the third round.

Shaggy v. Sierra v. Smudge at Samsung Arena, Whitewater. Shaggy had an empty break in game 1, allowing Sierra to claim the mediums at first. Smudge followed with the lows, playing recklessly at times. Shaggy and Sierra brawled a bit, with Sierra knocking her out, and Sierra's defense held Smudge off long enough for Sierra to win on a three-ball run-out for her first game. Shaggy had more of the offense in game 2, creating two particularly crafty runs. The latter of these two runs gave her the win, as she made five in a row to oust Smudge and then Sierra for her first win of the series. Game 3 saw some interesting strategy as Shaggy and Sierra each had big runs early in the game in defense of the mediums and lows. Smudge had to hold on with the highs, and she struck late, taking out Sierra before banking Shaggy's 6 to the bottom side for her first win. Game 4 saw a lot of balance as each player had one good run. Sierra made a late push that fell short, and she would finish last after Smudge used her 9 to knock her out. Smudge's 9 also sank seconds later, gifting Shaggy her second win. Shaggy had to play smart after big attacks by Smudge (five-ball run) and Sierra (supplementary attack). A scratch by Sierra gave Shaggy new life, and she let Smudge oust Sierra before beating Smudge herself for her third win in five games. Shaggy continued to let her two daughters take each other out, as Sierra offed Smudge in game 6, and Shaggy then beat Sierra head-to-head despite losing a bit of her power from previous efforts. Shaggy has four wins, using her experience to beat her hot-headed children. Shaggy had a decent run from the break in game 7, and Sierra had a shorter run herself following that, but Smudge didn't let either of them return to the table, clobbering a seven-ball run-out for the win, her second of the series. Shaggy got them back in a scratch-filled finale to the series in game 8. The scratches were from Sierra and Smudge, allowing Shaggy to remain strong as she bested Smudge first and Sierra later on for her fifth win to advance to the third round.

Sally v. Stephanie Livilotti v. Twinkie III at Starbucks Arena, Archtown. Game 1 saw Stephanie do a six-ball run on her first turn, leaving the highs decimated. Twinkie III shot back a bit, but Sally still played for her second turn. Stephanie then offed her, and beat Twinkie III a turn later for her first win. In game 2, Twinkie III claimed the lows early and Sally flubbed her first shot. Sally wouldn't shoot again, as Stephanie took the mediums with a nice run and Twinkie III offed the host. Stephanie held a huge advantage late and made it stand after Twinkie III removed Stephanie's defensive measures. Stephanie has two wins. Game 3 saw Twinkie III take the lows, and Sally grabbed the highs, leaving Stephanie at a disadvantage. She fired back a bit, but Sally would take her out on her second turn, and Sally beat Twinkie III after some jockeying around the top side, earning her first win in the process. Sally had nothing on the game 4 break, allowing Twinkie III to claim the highs. Stephanie failed on her first shot, but nothing would have stopped Sally's nine-ball run-out, a dominant display with just a little collateral damage that earned her a second win. Sally pieced together another long run in game 5, making a six-ball run on her second turn to off Stephanie and damage Twinkie III's highs. Twinkie III tried to make a response, but missed on the 2, and Sally made the last two shots for her third win. Sally got through two turns unchallenged in defense of the highs in game 6. Twinkie III then took mediums, leaving Stephanie with lows. Stephanie made a good attack with a three-ball run to bump Twinkie III from the game, but she missed her last shot, and Sally stepped in for a pair of shots to pick up her fourth win. Sally had a four-ball run to lead off in game 7, and Stephanie followed up with a five-ball run, both moves combining to weaken the mediums of Twinkie III. She managed to get two turns before Sally offed her, but Stephanie pulled back and got the win, her third of the series. Stephanie couldn't make a ball on the game 8 break, but Sally also came up short, allowing Twinkie III to develop a small run to take the highs. Stephanie then followed on a five-ball run to claim the mediums, and Sally launched a counterattack. In the end, Stephanie got the win on a three-ball run-out, taking out Sally and then Twinkie III for her fourth win. Twinkie III went on quite the rally in two turns in game 9, pummeling both opponents and knocking Sally from the game before beating Stephanie a turn later for her first win after hanging around but getting some unlucky breaks earlier. Game 10 finally saw Sally settle the series with a six-ball run-out, taking out Twinkie III before offing Stephanie for her fifth win to get to the third round.

That's all for Friday and Saturday. We'll take tomorrow off, and then return for a full week of action starting Monday.

Heart of the Game Cutthroat 2017 - Round 2 Day 1

We're starting the second round, with our 60 series winners from the previous round as well as the toughest 21 runners up. We begin with...

Twilight v. Frosty v. Ted at Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central. Ted struck first in game 1, taking the highs, but Twilight countered with a strong run to protect the lows. Both of them would fall short, as Frosty took out Ted and played defense before her four-ball run-out to beat Twilight for her first win. Ted got a quick dose of revenge in game 2, pulling in a nine-ball run with collateral damage to leave both opponents weak. Frosty went with the altruistic method and failed, while Twilight earned a point for being selfish and bumping Frosty. Ted still got the win, his first of the series. Ted had a lackluster start to game 3, claiming the lows but failing to do much more. Twilight made a small impact to take the mediums, leaving Frosty with the highs, which she damaged a bit on her own. Ted then used his second turn for a six-ball run-out, beating Frosty on a 6-1-13 combination before potting the 6 of Twilight for his second win. Ted made another early push in game 4, and Frosty had some good work in defense of the mediums, but a scratch by Ted set the stage for Twilight's success. Twilight defended the highs at the end with a four-ball run-out, double-potting on the second shot before putting Frosty's last ball away at the end for her first win. Twilight had an adventurous game 5, which saw Frosty and Ted both scratch to turn a rough start into an easy finish. Twilight cruised after Frosty's scratch, and she picked up her second win at the end with a pair of nice shots. Frosty cranked a six-ball run on her first turn of game 6, a dominant performance that saw her take a commanding lead. Ted soon claimed the lows, leaving Twilight with just the 15, but she made it work, earning her third win on a four-ball run-out that sat Ted down before Frosty. Twilight looked to be on a successful path as the protector of the highs in game 7, as Frosty and Ted both had rough performances early on. Ted particularly found himself in trouble as the first one out, but Twilight was surprised to see Frosty string the turn into a six-ball run-out for her second win of the series. Frosty had control of game 8 for most of the playing time, although she did have a scratch that hurt Ted more than herself. Ted was the first one out again as Frosty embarked on a four-ball run-out for her third win of the series. Twilight made an aggressive play while defending the mediums in game 9, working a five-ball run to spook her opponents. Ted followed up on a four-ball run-out, but the last ball to fall was his own, not Twilight's, as he gave the host her fourth win and settled for second for himself. Twilight had to hold on tight in game 10, as her highs were at a disadvantage initially, but she played good defense to turn Frosty and Ted against each other. Frosty was the last one standing, but she couldn't pick up the win, and Twilight is on to the third round now.

Debby Ryan v. Salmo v. Bells at GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge. Salmo had the first positive attack in game 1, claiming the low set for himself. Bells had a more potent five-ball run after that in defense of the mediums before the play slowed down. Debby would take out Salmo near the end, before Bells bested Debby for her first win. Game 2 went slightly differently, as Debby claimed the highs and Salmo took the lows on their first turns. Both moves left Bells with a weak medium set, a factor exploited perfectly by Debby as she assembled a five-ball run-out with collateral damage and a two-rail kick for her first win of the series to the delight of her home fans, while Salmo took second. Debby started a great attack in game 3 with a five-ball run to protect the lows while decimating the highs. Bells ended up with those highs, but she weathered it well, knocking Salmo from the game and nearly beating Debby before the host got revenge for her second win of the series. Salmo and Debby got into a bit of a fight in game 4, allowing Bells to protect her highs much more easily than she should be allowed to. Debby did turn against Bells late, but Bells knocked Salmo out first and then Debby for her second win in a rather easy process. Bells scratched on the break in game 5, and Debby wasted her first turn as well, leaving Salmo to pick up the mediums. He had a reasonable amount of early success, but Bells and Debby dragged him down, with Debby bumping him and then Bells out of the way for her third win in the series. Bells had the mediums in game 6, but had too many options on her first turn. Salmo stepped up and claimed the highs on his first turn, and he battled well, pushing Debby's lows to the edge. Debby held on again, an admirable effort that saw her oust Bells. Salmo had a chance to win but played a casual shot and missed, allowing Debby to cut his 11 in for her fourth win. Salmo just kept the series going in game 7, taking his first win after a five-ball run on his first turn and a pair of shots at the end to counter Debby's fierce four-ball run. Debby did get second place for her efforts this time. Salmo started well with a five-ball run in game 8, establishing himself with the lows. Debby shot back to take the highs, leaving Bells with a weak mediums set. Bells didn't help her own cause when she scratched, and this gave Salmo a bit more time to assemble his attack. Debby put Bells out of the game, but she couldn't catch up with Salmo, who took his second win of the series. Debby launched a fierce attack against the medium set in game 9, while a fatigued Bells provided her own unique brand of support. Salmo shot back against Debby's highs, but he couldn't break her down, and Debby won the game and the series in the end.

Solaris v. Snowball v. Pounce at Nissan Hall, Infinity. Snowball opened game 1 with a six-ball run to protect the mediums, but a five-ball run by Pounce took Snowball out of the game. Solaris protected the highs, but he couldn't pull back into the series, and Pounce made his last two shots for his first win. Solaris put up a better defense of the highs in game 2, and Snowball took the lows, with both players going after Pounce pretty hard. Pounce would be the first player out, thanks to Solaris, who beat Snowball on the next turn for his first win in a so-far competitive series. Snowball only needed two big turns to win in game 3, with a six-ball run to weaken her opponents. Solaris did the dirty work in taking out Pounce, and then Snowball had a four-ball run-out with collateral damage to get her first win. Pounce had the best of play in a tight game 4, as he took highs from the start and ended up beating both Solaris and Snowball on his final turn to get the win after his defense held up. The win was Pounce's second of the series. Snowball had the better start in game 5, taking the highs, but Solaris followed up well with the lows on a counterattack after her five-ball run. Pounce didn't get much done, but he set up a successful three-ball run-out for Solaris to use in his second win of the series, despite not getting a point in the game. Snowball started game 6 on a five-ball run, decimating the highs that would become Pounce's suit. Snowball took him on her second turn, and then played strong defense against a cavalier Solaris, whose collateral damage play cost him later as Snowball earned her second win of the series. Pounce had an improved and renewed attack in game 7, although Snowball did quite a bit of damage on a five-ball run that left Solaris out of the game after his failed first turn. Snowball and Pounce danced around each other for a few turns until Pounce made his four-ball run-out for his third win to beat his sister. Pounce had a positive effort on turns one and three of game 8, with a five-ball run and a four-ball run to finally knock Solaris from his unproductive game. Snowball then got the better of her brother, winning on a three-ball run-out after his collateral damage play didn't work out right. Snowball picked up her third win of the series. Game 9 saw a renewed effort by Pounce to lead the attack, as he defended the lows. Snowball played along for a bit, but she launched a five-ball run that took Pounce of the game and damaged Solaris. The host Solaris replied on a three-ball run-out for his third win to bring the series level once again. Solaris had an acceptable start to game 10, but an early scratch harmed him. Snowball attacked to earn the highs, and Pounce leveled Solaris with a seven-ball run that included a bit of collateral damage. Pounce was a shot away from winning, but he missed on Snowball's last ball, and she made a pair of shots to score her fourth win instead. Snowball attacked again in game 11, clearly motivated to advance, and she did so with a six-ball run-out, staying loyal to her brother as she gave him another second place at the end of the game.

Twinkie I v. Jasmine v. Bandit at Verizon Field Events Center, Pacific. Twinkie I impressed her home fans in game 1, slicing with a five-ball run early on to decimate the highs. Bandit took them when the time came, but didn't do much in defense of them. Bandit did send Jasmine packing on his second turn, but Twinkie I booted Bandit on her third turn for her first win. Bandit and Jasmine quickly combined against Twinkie I in game 2, crippling her mediums and limiting her to just two turns. Jasmine had a late push to try to beat Bandit, but she fell short, and Bandit made his last two shots for his first win. Bandit had a rough start to game 3, and Twinkie I soon took the lows to make things a bit tougher. Bandit did claim the mediums on his second turn before a scratch, but it was his third turn that gave him his second win on an eight-ball run-out. Bandit beat Jasmine on the seventh shot, and finished against Twinkie I. Bandit had the makings of a huge run to start game 4, but he missed the fourth shot, and Twinkie I claimed the mediums. The game remained close for much of the play, and Jasmine even had a lead, but Twinkie I's four-ball run-out took out Jasmine before Bandit as she won her second game. Jasmine and Twinkie I got into quite the quarrel in game 5, which almost allowed Bandit to ride the mediums to victory. Instead, Jasmine's second turn was a seven-ball run-out, with pure intent to put Twinkie I at the rear of the shooting order, which she did, to earn her first win. Jasmine continued her spat with Twinkie I in game 6, attacking and knocking her from the game on Jasmine's second turn. This time, she was unable to complete the run against Bandit, and he countered with a four-ball run-out against the lows for his third win. Jasmine's war with Twinkie I reached an irrational level in game 7, as she knocked out Bandit but had no good shot on Twinkie I's pair of balls, opting to scratch instead. Twinkie I knocked her out first, and then beat Bandit for her third win in the series. Jasmine didn't have as much of an impact in game 8 as she defended the mediums. Bandit did a lot of the work in defense of his highs, although Jasmine did deal the last blow to Twinkie I's performance. Bandit picked up the win two shots later, his fourth of the series. Bandit had a chance to finish off game 9 on his third turn, but he scratched. Lucky for him, Jasmine and Twinkie I couldn't do anything with their revivals, and he won with a four-ball run-out with collateral damage to advance on his fifth win.

That's all for today. We plan on doing four series a day for the rest of the round.

Heart of the Game Cutthroat 2017 - Round 1 Day 14 + Runners-Up Qualifying

We've only got three regular series today, and then some variety of pool for runners-up qualifying to determine which non-winners advance to the second round alongside the 60 series victors. First up, we have...

Quincy v. Delila v. Diddley at Audi Hall, Terrace City. Delila started well in defense of the highs in game 1, and she held that position for most of the game until Quincy bumped Diddley to take a late lead. Quincy's lead didn't hold up, as Delila eventually made his last two balls for her first win. Delila tried to establish herself with a solid break in game 2, but Quincy took the highs first. Quincy played well, although everything was even after Delila's second turn. This didn't last long, as Quincy stormed forward with a five-ball run-out, leaving Delila for last to gift her the extra point. Game 3 saw Delila and Diddley coordinate themselves better, with Delila taking Quincy out on her second turn after targeting the mediums. This was part of a four-ball run, and Diddley had no answer for it, allowing Delila to take the win on a three-ball run-out, her second win of the series. Diddley finally put up a strong performance in game 4, protecting the mediums on his first five-ball run. Quincy eliminated Delila on a seven-ball run, but Quincy couldn't find an angle on Diddley's last ball, and Diddley made a pair on his last turn for his first win. Diddley scratched on the break in game 5, gifting possession to Quincy, who promptly made a five-ball run. Delila messed up on her turn, and Diddley made a small counterattack, claiming mediums, which would be the first suit out on Quincy's five-ball run-out for his second win. Quincy had a good start to game 6, but in defending the mediums, he had too many options to choose from. Delila had a better first turn, and she followed it up by targeting Quincy's mediums on her four-ball run-out, saving Diddley's 2 for the last ball to pot in her third win. Game 7 started pretty slowly on all sides, and Delila's second turn saw her take mediums. Diddley followed with the lows, but Quincy had the most success, scoring a four-ball run-out on his third turn for the win, his third of the series. Quincy thought he could succeed with the lows in game 8, but Delila and Diddley went back to targeting him, and Diddley bumped him from the game on a five-ball run. Delila still got the best of Diddley, beating him a couple of turns later with a pair of straight shots for her fourth win. Delila had a good start in game 9, establishing herself with the mediums. Diddley took the highs at Delila's expense, but it was a burst from Quincy that endangered them both. Delila did some collateral damage on her second turn, which backfired, and Diddley nearly knocked himself out before Quincy offed both of them for his fourth win. Quincy ripped a six-ball run from the break in game 10, hurting both opposing suits. Delila countered on a six-ball run that sat Quincy on the bench, but she couldn't off Diddley for the series, and he made a pair of shots for his second win. Diddley had a rough go of things in game 11, starting fine as he defended the mediums, and helped by a Quincy scratch on his second turn. Delila wanted the series more, but Quincy destroyed Diddley on a four-ball run after his scratch. Delila countered with the final pair of shots to avenge her club-mate, taking her fifth win to advance. Quincy will likely play again today as he finished with 15 points, while Diddley is out with 10.

Jake v. Twinkie I v. Whiskers at Kraft Forum, Royal. Twinkie I had the first two turns all to herself as she defended the mediums, and she put them to good use, putting Whiskers' lows in a weak position. Jake provided the counterattack at the end with a four-ball run-out to beat both of them, with Twinkie I getting the second place point. Jake had a bit better play at the start, while Twinkie I found herself a bit weaker in game 2. Whiskers had more of an impact on play with a five-ball run that included some collateral damage, but she was again the first out on Twinkie I's last turn, which potted the final pair of balls for her first win. Whiskers looked like the most dangerous player in game 3, twice going on big runs. The latter of those two iced Jake out of the game, and then she took Twinkie I down despite the latter's strong defensive presence. Whiskers joins her opponents at one win each. Game 4 showed more balance between the players as Whiskers took the highs early and Twinkie I followed up with the mediums before her scratch. They both worked to keep Jake weak, although he still made a number of shots against both of them before Twinkie I could take him out on a three-ball run-out that saw Whiskers fall last. Whiskers launched forward with a seven-ball run in game 5, and it left Jake and Twinkie I deeply disadvantaged. Jake decided to take the mediums when he could, but Twinkie I got the glory on a six-ball run-out for her third win of the series, and she gifted Jake the second place point. Twinkie I wasted no time from the break in game 6, pummeling a seven-ball run. Jake followed with a three-ball run to claim the mediums, while Whiskers knocked him out with a three-ball run of her own, but she would fall in turn as Twinkie I banked the 12 to the bottom right for her fourth win of the series. Twinkie I continued her trend of starting hot in game 7 with a five-ball run, but Whiskers had other things in mind, making a six-ball run-out that again put Jake out first before also beating Twinkie I in Whiskers' second win of the series. Whiskers flubbed the break in game 8, and Twinkie I couldn't do much to bust the cluster, allowing Jake to take the lows unchallenged. He didn't do much at first, but a late five-ball run-out saw him earn his second win, as he took out Whiskers' highs and Twinkie I's mediums on consecutive shots at the end. Twinkie I had multiple runs in defense of the mediums in game 9, quickly ousting Whiskers on the second one to face Jake directly. She didn't expect the challenge Jake provided, as he got past her and used his defense to sculpt a strong offense, winning as he banked the 7 off the 5 and into the bottom side for his third win. Twinkie I finally found her breakthrough in game 10, allowing Whiskers and Jake to damage each other as well as herself before she initiated a four-ball run-out on her final turn, sitting Jake before Whiskers as she clinched the series with her fifth win.

Stephanie Livilotti v. Daisy v. Shawn at GE Stadium Events Center, Southridge. Game 1 went painfully slow, as Daisy claimed the mediums, but every player had a scratch. Stephanie was the first player out, leading to a two-versus-two battle on the table between Shawn and Daisy, with Shawn eventually winning the game. Shawn had a good performance in game 2 with a five-ball run, but he got no reward for the deep effort, as his scratch turned the tide against him. Daisy would oust him on a short run late in the game, only to fall to a pair of well-placed shots by Stephanie in her first win. Daisy couldn't escape the second place trap in game 3, putting in another good effort with her five-ball run after Stephanie's empty break, but Shawn shot back with a seven-ball run-out to beat them both for his second win. Game 4 saw a stronger effort from Daisy and Stephanie to keep Shawn at bay, leaving him with a weakened mediums set as they split the lows and the highs. Eventually, Stephanie turned on Daisy for a three-ball run, but the play failed long-term, as Shawn made Stephanie's last ball for his third win. Shawn played well on his two turns in game 5, as did the other players on their first turns, but Shawn bumped Stephanie from the game on his second turn. He couldn't best Daisy, who poked his last ball in for her first win of the series. Game 6 saw Shawn open with a six-ball run, followed closely by Stephanie's five-ball run that gave Daisy an early exit from the game. Shawn battled from here, but couldn't break Stephanie's defenses, as she won her second game of the series. Daisy and Stephanie led a more coordinated effort to keep Shawn on the bench in game 7. He did claim the lows first, but it didn't last long, as he was out on Stephanie's third turn of the game. Daisy fired back to make the last two of Stephanie's balls for her second win in the series. Daisy and Stephanie tried to keep up the attack in game 8, with Stephanie claiming the mediums early, but Shawn protected the highs well, and won on a four-ball run after Stephanie weakened Daisy with a four-ball run of her own. Daisy was out first, and Stephanie followed three shots later as Shawn earned his fourth win. Daisy made a questionable decision to protect the highs in game 9, and it led to a confused effort for both Shawn and Stephanie, but Daisy went on a four-ball run to bump Shawn's lows, and she just missed beating Stephanie, who made Daisy's 11 for her third win. Stephanie started and ended game 10 with a six-ball run on her first and third turns, decimating the lows that Shawn ended up with before closing him out alongside Daisy on the final shots of the dominant game in her fourth win. Shawn had a nice run early in game 11, claiming the highs. Daisy made a questionable play for the health of the series by double-potting and a low and a medium, as she claimed the mediums. Daisy was the first player out of the game, but Shawn's late four-ball run ended with a scratch to bring her back to life, and Daisy went on a five-ball run-out for her third win of the series, while Shawn earned one more point. Daisy continued to be unpredictable in attack in game 12, taking mediums as her protected suit to battle Shawn's lows and Stephanie's highs. Shawn nearly had the game on a five-ball run, but he couldn't connect a sixth shot, leading to a very close finish that ultimately saw Daisy pick up her fourth win over Shawn and Stephanie. Game 13 saw a frenzy of action, especially as Shawn and Stephanie fought with each other to get a handle on the game. This nearly allowed Daisy to win, as she knocked out Shawn but couldn't get a position on Stephanie, the eventual winner and series winner. Both Daisy and Shawn qualify with 17 points apiece after the epic series, while Stephanie is through with the win.

Twelve players will compete for the final spot, as the top 20 runners up are automatically admitted. The players competing scored 15 points but failed to win their series, and will now play one rack of speed pool, with the fastest time advancing.

Players                                                      Time

Juno		01:53.25
Wild Thing		01:45.00
Jennifer Livilotti		02:03.89
Prism		01:37.74
Patches		01:30.86
Ms. Kitty		01:38.45
Mitchell		02:11.35
Bear		02:06.22
Gabe		01:37.42
Shiny		02:17.40
Easter		01:46.99
Quincy		01:44.76

Heart of the Game Cutthroat 2017 - Round 1 Day 13

We'll be doing four series today as we inch closer to the end of the round. We begin with...

Pedey v. Stripes v. Anton at Intel Center, Diamond. Pedey had a positive start in game 1, making a ball on the break and claiming the lows to defend. Anton had the next best turn, going on a short run that Pedey answered with a three-ball run to bump Stripes from the game. Anton tried to counter, but Pedey had good positioning and got the win, his first. In game 2, Anton erupted with a nine-ball run that saw him commit some collateral damage, but it would be Stripes with the glory in the end, as she knocked out Pedey on her first turn before taking Anton down on the second turn for her first win. Anton played well again in game 3, although Pedey delivered the first four-ball run on his second turn to knock Stripes from the game. Anton countered to put Pedey on the brink, but he held on to get the win, his second of the series. Game 4 saw a similar pattern, as Anton attacked the highs viciously, and Stripes claimed lows to leave Pedey with the damaged suit. Pedey found himself out by the end of the second turn, but Stripes and Anton battled for quite awhile before Stripes made two in a row at the end for her second win. Stripes scratched twice in game 5, ruining her momentum early on and allowing Pedey to take the highs and Anton to claim the lows. Stripes then countered with an eight-ball run, erasing Pedey from the game, but Anton made Stripes' 6 for his first win of the series. Anton crashed the party a bit in game 6, blasting a nine-ball run from the break as he defended the highs. Stripes, in an effort to preserve a point, made one of his balls and kept going until she had the win on a five-ball run-out, her third victory of the series. Stripes went on the longest run of the tournament, a twelve-ball run-out from the break of game 7, to pick up her fourth win. Stripes' run was so long due to two incidental moments of collateral damage, which ended up being harmless when she wrapped up the win to split the extra point between her opponents. Stripes continued her dominant stretch with runs of five and six balls on her first two turns in game 8, both featuring collateral damage. Anton steadied himself to earn a point and keep Pedey from the table for the third straight game, but Stripes collected her clinching win a few turns later to advance to the second round.

A. Charlton v. Missy v. Cheddar at Amazon Field Exhibition Hall, Golden. Game 1 showed balance between the players, as Missy took the highs early, while Cheddar put in a strong first turn. A. Charlton played from the weak mediums but ousted Missy before getting beat by Cheddar at the end as the latter player won her first game. Game 2 followed a similar pattern, with a clear improvement by Cheddar in her decisive shooting in defense of the highs. She worked a five-ball run-out at the end after a prior run, taking out Charlton and then Missy this time in her second win. Offense was a bit slower to come by in game 3, although Charlton did burst into action with a seven-ball run on her second turn to bump Missy from the game. Cheddar tried to make a counterattack, but it fell short, and Charlton had her first win of the series. In game 4, Charlton saw a disturbing trend as Cheddar and Missy claimed the lows and highs and attacked a vulnerable medium set readily. Charlton tried to fight back, but scratched on her second shot of the turn, and Cheddar took her out on a three-ball run. Missy followed with a three-ball run before the game stagnated. When the action returned, it was on Cheddar's three-ball run-out for her third win of the series. Missy made a very unfortunate accidental play, taking out her last high ball as she tried to attack against Charlton's highs. Cheddar stepped in to protect her lows from here, weathering an early storm from Charlton before going on a three-ball run-out to win for the fourth time in five games. Charlton set the tone again in game 6, with a good start to help her protect the highs. Missy pounded the lows to take the mediums, but Cheddar found herself in the battle right up to the end, where Charlton took her out a shot before Missy on her closing three-ball run-out for her second win. Game 7 saw another coordinated attack against Cheddar as Charlton took the mediums and Missy took the highs to leave Cheddar with the weakened lows. Cheddar was out in two turns, and then Charlton played defense until she could open up her attack with a three-ball run-out to beat Missy for her third win. Game 8 saw a questionable play by Missy, who took the weakened highs after Charlton claimed the lows, leaving Cheddar in a strong spot with the healthy mediums. Cheddar and Charlton battled a bit, with Cheddar getting the knockout, and while Missy got close to beating Cheddar, she ultimately fell short, allowing Cheddar to clinch the series with her fifth win, eliminating both other competitors from secondary qualifying.

Gradley v. Watermelon v. Wario at Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston. Watermelon started with a five-ball run in game 1, imposing her will on the game. Wario soon followed up, but he also scratched, and he and Gradley got into a fierce battle, paving the way for Watermelon to take them both out with a three-ball run-out for her first win. Wario went on a deep run on his second turn of game 2, eliminating Gradley to escalate their feud as the series progresses, only to fall victim to Watermelon who recovered from an earlier scratch to win on a bank shot. The win was Watermelon's second. Game 3 saw a change of pace from Wario, who attacked more decisively and earned quite the win. Watermelon was the first to fall as Gradley wiped her out in hopes of creating a big finishing run, but that run fell short, gifting Wario his first win. Wario ripped a seven-ball run in game 4, the first of three big plays in the game. The second was Watermelon's second turn, in which she claimed the mediums to knock out Gradley, and the third was Wario's finish, a three-ball run-out with collateral damage to earn his second win of the series. Watermelon did a lot right with a six-ball run to claim the lows in game 5, but Gradley was a touch better with a seven-ball run-out to bump Watermelon and Wario on consecutive shots. Gradley finished his first win with a tough bank of the 13 to the top side. Gradley and Wario exchanged five-ball runs in game 6, both of which hurt Watermelon, while Wario did a little extra damage to Gradley. Watermelon did enough to hurt Wario that Gradley finished off the game with a three-ball run-out for his second win, bringing all players level in that category. Wario made a pretty firm attack at the start of game 7 to defend the lows, and Watermelon took the mediums, leaving Gradley at a disadvantage. Gradley held on for awhile, but he had an unproductive game until Watermelon knocked him out on a six-ball run. Wario and Watermelon tangled in a fierce battle, which Watermelon ultimately won for her third victory. Wario again established himself with the lows, electing to spread his damage over the mediums and highs. He didn't deter Gradley from taking the mediums, and he had a good turn as well. Watermelon struggled to protect the highs, and fell victim to a four-ball run by Wario on his second turn. Wario left Gradley well defended, but Gradley used his own 8 in a bank-combination to sink the 2 to the top side, then struck the 1 to the bottom left and the 3 on a tap-in to the top left for his third win. Wario jumped right back into the mix with his third win in game 9, battling hard to protect the lows. He made quick work of Watermelon in this game, and then bested Gradley head-to-head to get the victory. Wario had a bad break in game 10 of the series, leading to a painfully slow game for all involved. Gradley worsened the issue with an early scratch, leading to a deadlock that only broke when Wario took Watermelon out of the game. Gradley and Wario still struggled to produce offense, but Gradley's numbers advantage helped him send Wario's mediums out of the game for his fourth win. Game 11 went a bit rough at the start for Wario and Gradley, and Watermelon probably would have been in the clear were it not for a scratch that ruined her performance. Gradley took her out on the next shot, and beat Wario on the next turn for his fifth and series-clinching win. Wario qualifies at 16 points, in good position to keep playing, while Watermelon is out with 10.

Nikolai v. Hannah v. Spirit at Toyota Arena, Freedom. Nikolai started with a commanding run in game 1, but Hannah quickly answered against his highs, and she defended the mediums well. Spirit couldn't do much and found herself as the first player out as Nikolai ended on a five-ball run-out in his first win, giving Hannah the second place point. Spirit struck first in game 2, electing to protect the lows, while Nikolai went back to the highs and had one good run to take out Hannah during a six-shot stretch. Spirit held on and used good defense to stop the aggression of Nikolai, then countered him on two turns for her first win. Hannah struck first in game 3, taking the highs to defend this time. Nikolai and Spirit had some sloppy play figuring out the rest, but Nikolai ended up protecting the mediums, and he did it well with a six-ball run that ousted Spirit a turn later. Hannah tried to counter that, but he positioned himself well, and beat her with a pair of shots for his second win. Hannah figured it out in game 4 with a strong performance, defending the mediums. Nikolai ended up with the highs, and he did a lot of damage to both of his opponents, but Hannah charged back on a five-ball run-out to oust Spirit and Nikolai on consecutive shots in her first win. Hannah and Spirit ran a concerted effort to weaken Nikolai after he started strong in game 5, getting him down to just one ball. He played well from here, countering Hannah's run with a four-ball run-out that saw Hannah eliminated first and Spirit following on the last shot as the host earned his third win. Spirit pummeled a nine-ball run from the break, but she faded toward the end of that run. Hannah poked in one of Spirit's lows to protect the 8, the last remaining medium, and Hannah did fine until a late scratch. Nikolai was revived and immediately stormed to a five-ball run-out from the kitchen for his fourth win, gifting the second place point to Spirit for her early run. Nikolai struggled again at the start of game 7, allowing Spirit to make a big push at first, but Nikolai got back into the game late, winning on a five-ball run-out that saw him sit Hannah down two shots before icing off Spirit. Nikolai's quick romp to the series sees him alone through to the second round.

That's all for today. Tomorrow, we'll have the final three series and probably the play-ins for the secondary qualifying should any be necessary.

Heart of the Game Cutthroat 2017 - Round 1 Day 12

We've got three more days in this round. Today, we'll play five series, beginning with...

Noelle v. Jason N. v. Jason V. at Nestle's Warriors Hall, Central. Game 1 went pretty well for all of the players, with Noelle making a late push with a four-ball run to defend her highs, beating Jason N. but leaving Jason V. to make the last shot in his first win. Noelle had a more comprehensive attack in game 2 after Jason V. scratched on his first turn. Noelle took the mediums and inflicted damage against both Jasons, with Jason N. also striking on his first turn. Jason V. had a short run, and then Noelle won with a six-ball run-out on her second turn for her first win. Jason V. had to make a play in a slow game 3, and he did so on his third turn with a three-ball run-out, poking in his own 7 before taking Jason N.'s 14 and Noelle's 2 for his second win of the series. Jason V. again struck big in game 4, with a seven-ball run leaving Noelle and Jason N. in a position of weakness, but Noelle turned things around rather quickly with a four-ball run-out of her own, allowing Jason N. to earn his first point by making his 1 last. Noelle had an awkward performance in game 5, as she and Jason N. combined to knock Jason V. out early. Jason N. then had a scratch many turns later, and Jason V. knocked him out before eventually besting Noelle for his third win in the prolonged game. Noelle had to battle quite a bit to protect her highs in game 6, as Jason N. attacked mildly and Jason V. had a more dogged pursuit. Jason N. was again out quickly, continuing a rough series, while Jason V. had a late challenge just fall short as Noelle took her third win of the series. Jason N. finally had a breakthrough with a five-ball run-out in game 7, as he defended the mediums well after a scratch ruined Noelle's positive start. He took Noelle out of the game first, and then Jason V. in a surprising sequence of shots. Jason V. came back with a vengeance in another slow-moving game 8. Noelle had the lows and Jason N. took the mediums by his second turn, but it was the last two turns that set Jason V. apart with three-ball runs, the latter ousting Noelle and then Jason N. as Jason V. won his fourth game. Jason N. kept the series going with his performance in game 9. Jason V. had a big attack that brought everyone level late in the game, but Jason N. would take Jason V. and Noelle out a turn later for his second win. Jason N. made an attempt at extending the series again with a nice six-ball run to open the game, but Noelle's missed shot on her turn and Jason V.'s six-ball run-out helped the latter clinch the series with his fifth win in game 10. Both Noelle and Jason N. will fall short of further qualifying.

Kirstin v. Shadow v. Strawberry at Chevrolet Center, Everton. Game 1 was a bit of a disjointed mess, as Strawberry claimed the lows first, only to suffer a fierce attack from Kirstin before the game went cold. With one ball left each, Shadow finally broke through, taking out Kirstin and then Strawberry for his first win. Kirstin struck first in game 2, rallying with a five-ball run to decimate the highs. Shadow stepped up to claim the mediums, leaving Strawberry at the disadvantage, which she couldn't overcome. Shadow then won on a five-ball run-out, smartly using collateral damage to best Kirstin for his second win. Kirstin and Shadow let their Northeastern bitterness get the better of them in game 3, as they both decimated each other, allowing Strawberry to off Shadow on one turn and Kirstin on the next for her first win. Kirstin had a nice four-ball run on her second turn of game 4, inadvertently taking Shadow out of the mix. Strawberry nearly had a nice response, but she stalled with a pair, and Kirstin took a pair in turn to score her first win of the series. Shadow returned to form on his second turn of game 5, obliterating the delicate balance of power with a seven-ball run-out that saw him oust Kirstin on the sixth and Strawberry on the seventh shot for his third win of the series. Shadow didn't do too poorly at the start of game 6, but his lows were in bad positions, and he quickly found himself victimized by Strawberry and her mediums. Kirstin countered well, defending the highs until she could produce an attack to take Strawberry out for her second win. Kirstin attacked brilliantly with a five-ball run from the break, and then she had a three-ball run on her second turn. Strawberry made sure to claim a suit with a four-ball run, leaving Shadow on the outside again, but Kirstin made the last two shots she needed to for the game 7 win, her third of the series. Shadow bounced back quickly in game 8, using a five-ball run to establish himself. Strawberry then knocked Kirstin from the game rather unexpectedly, and Shadow dueled with Strawberry until he scratched. Kirstin weakened Shadow but couldn't knock him out, and Strawberry also made an effort, but Shadow won his fourth game with a three-ball run-out. Kirstin had an impressive performance in game 9, weathering an early storm from Shadow as he defended the highs. Strawberry was the first to fall thanks to an attack by Shadow, but Kirstin held on to grab her fourth win of the series, again pulling level with Shadow in the all-important category. Strawberry made a decent push in the middle of game 10, including knocking out Shadow, only to watch as Kirstin put herself on level terms with Strawberry at one ball each. Strawberry missed Kirstin's 9, allowing Kirstin to take the series with a tap-in on the 3 for her fifth win. Shadow and Strawberry will both be denied entry to the secondary qualifying.

Cubby v. Lorde v. Max at FedEx Forum, Eastside. Lorde had the best start in game 1, going on a nice run to claim the mediums for herself. Max took the highs as his suit to protect, and that worked out well, as Cubby was weakened early, and a late stall allowed Max to make a four-ball run-out for the win, gifting Lorde the second place point. Lorde again did a lot of the work, protecting the mediums in game 2, as she had an early five-ball run. It wouldn't matter much at the end, as Cubby's second turn was a four-ball run-out that took Max out at the start before downing Lorde at the end for Cubby's first win. Lorde finally got rewarded for her positive shooting, beginning game 3 with a six-ball run and ending it after a couple of scratches replenished the table with her four-ball run-out that saw Cubby downed a shot before Max in her first win. Lorde thought she had a good thing with her seven-ball run from the break of game 4, but Max ousted her in a five-ball run, and then Cubby picked up the win with the last two shots against Max two turns later. Cubby earned his second win of the series for hanging in long enough to steal the game. Max did well to select the highs on his second turn of game 5, as he would pick up the win on his second turn when he had a six-ball run-out, beating Cubby on the third shot before taking Lorde out at the end of it for his second win. Cubby thought the lows would work out pretty well in game 6, but Max and Lorde soon proved that theory wrong with a fierce attack that saw Cubby out of the game first. Max had the next good surge, but Lorde defended well until she could use collateral damage to launch her four-ball run-out for her second win, bringing all of the players level again. Lorde finally took the lead in the series with her third win in game 7. She started with a six-ball run, and then watched as Max and Cubby exchanged knockouts negated by scratches. Lorde then handled Max after he took out Cubby for her third win. Max had a five-ball run in game 8, allowing him to take lows, and he went unchallenged for a whole turn before Cubby took the mediums. Lorde made a point to target Cubby, taking him out within two turns as she protected a damaged highs set, and then she got around Max for her fourth win of the series, a bit of a stolen victory this time. Lorde didn't have the same quality of play in game 9, falling off the pace rapidly. Cubby accelerated her decline, while Max put her out to battle with Cubby directly. This didn't go well for him, as Cubby took a sloppy win after blasting in the 7 and kicking the 9 erratically to the top left for his third win. Lorde did what she needed to in game 10, working with the highs to beat Max's mediums and Cubby's lows. Max was the first to fall in the game, early in the four-ball run-out Lorde executed with some collateral damage to beat Cubby as well for her fifth win. Neither Cubby nor Max will advance with Lorde.

Isabella v. Cassie v. Americus at McDonald's Hall, Atlantic. Isabella had a blistering attack on her first turn in game 1, and managed to make Americus pay for choosing the lows on her second turn. The game hit a slowdown from here, but once Cassie took out Americus, Isabella's path to her first win got clearer and she finished on a pair of clean shots. Americus had the first successful attack in game 2, claiming the highs. Isabella took the mediums on her turn, but she couldn't produce much offense before Americus knocked her out. Cassie then had a few chances to take out Americus before finally striking her rival's 15 to the top right for her first win. Isabella made a good defense of her mediums in game 3 despite being the last player to receive a suit. She quickly attacked Americus' highs, and beat her in two turns, also ending Cassie on the latter turn with a four-ball run-out for her second win. Isabella had a masterful six-ball run to open game 4, and Cassie followed it up with a four-ball run to prevent Americus from taking a shot in this game. Cassie would get the win with a pair of shots on the next turn, her second win of the series. Isabella and Cassie continued their two-player fight for the top in game 5, quickly disturbing the lows as Cassie took the mediums and Isabella played with the highs. Americus hung around for awhile until Isabella cranked a five-ball run-out for her third win of the series. Americus made an interesting play to protect the highs in game 6, despite a stronger position for the mediums at the time. Isabella received the mediums, and launched an attack to weaken Americus significantly. Cassie finished her off, and then just got around Isabella at the end for her third win, continuing the even exchange between the two front runners. Isabella took full advantage of a bad break by Cassie to lead off game 7, taking a four-ball run on her first turn. Americus followed up by claiming the highs, leaving the weakened mediums with Cassie, who couldn't impact the game on her second turn. Isabella charged forward on a five-ball run-out for her fourth win, denying Cassie the second place point as she took her out on the fourth shot before finishing Americus' game. Americus finally impacted the series with her game 8 win, as she went unchallenged for two turns before Cassie picked up the mediums, leaving Isabella vulnerable with the lows. Isabella made a small counterattack to leave Cassie in a bad spot, and Americus finished them both off with a three-ball run-out, giving Cassie the extra point. Isabella pulled away from the pack in game 9, working with Americus to pin Cassie's lows early on before taking her out with a six-ball run-out that also wiped Americus' lows off the table. This was probably enough to prevent Cassie from secondary qualifying, while Americus wasn't even close to joining Isabella in the second round.

Katharine McPhee v. Cleo v. Bandit at Samsung Arena, Whitewater. Katharine had a short run to lead off game 1 and protect the lows, but Cleo erupted on a seven-ball run that left both of her opponents rattled. Neither Bandit nor Katharine could do much against Cleo, and she won with a three-ball run-out that included a little collateral damage, taking Bandit out on the last shot. Cleo didn't dominate in the same way in game 2, instead opting to take the highs and play an even game. Bandit took the lows, and had a mid-game scratch that turned things in favor of Katharine, who would win as she took out Bandit and Cleo on consecutive turns for her first win. Game 3 saw each player get good offense, with Katharine making a four-ball run, followed by a three-ball run from Cleo, and Bandit's four-ball run-out that sat them both down as he won first game. Bandit never let his opponents shoot in game 4, cranking a ten-ball run-out after sinking two balls on the break and protecting the highs in his perfect game for his second win. Bandit had a much more difficult time in game 5, and for most of the frame, it appeared to be Cleo's game to lose. She went unchallenged for two turns before Bandit claimed the lows, and it was a few more turns before Bandit ousted Katharine. Bandit did well on defense, biding his time until he could put Cleo away for his third win. Cleo again saw two unchallenged turns in game 6, before Bandit finally laid claim to the mediums. This proved to be a smart choice, as Cleo's next run went three balls, leaving just his 8 on the table as Katharine was eliminated again. Bandit went to a defensive posture again, frustrating Cleo, until the shot of the tournament. Bandit, facing three of Cleo's balls, dropped them all on one shot, cutting the 15 to the top side and using the deflection to pot the 8-11-14 combination to the bottom right, with the cue spinning into the 11 and bumping it in as well for his fourth win. The beautiful triple pot is likely one of the best shots of the year. Bandit didn't get anything from the break in game 7, and Katharine and Cleo worked together to keep him down, pinning him with the one-ball highs. He still rallied for a four-ball run, and while Cleo flubbed her chance to get a win, Katharine double-potted the 12 and 6 to the top side and top left for her second win of the series. Katharine and Cleo both attacked the highs on their first turns in game 8, with Katharine showing a bit more success in defense of the lows. Bandit still charged with an eight-ball run, wiping Cleo out and leaving Katharine weaker, but Katharine picked up her third win by putting his 12 in the top side. Katharine found herself out a couple of times in game 9 after her mediums were targeted by Bandit on his first turn. Bandit defended the highs well, and Cleo's two scratches were mostly to keep the series going. Katharine turned things around on her third life, knocking Cleo from the game and playing defense before beating Bandit on the next turn for her fourth win. Cleo didn't want to let the series go quite yet, so she blasted a nine-ball run on her first turn in game 10, wiping Katharine's lows from the game. Defending the mediums, Cleo nearly saw disaster as Bandit launched a counterattack, but he couldn't sink her 8, and she poked his 12 behind it for her second win. Katharine and Cleo kept their attack against Bandit strong in game 11, to such an effective point that his mediums were the first out. Katharine then turned on Cleo after an earlier seven-ball run and beat her on the last shot to take the series with her fifth win. Cleo is out of qualifying, but Bandit actually scored better than Katharine and should make the second round as well.

That's all for today. We'll do four series in a shorter set tomorrow.

Heart of the Game Cutthroat 2017 - Round 1 Day 11

We may not end up with five series today after a slow start to the action. We'll see what can be done as we begin with...

Acorn v. Sage v. Twinkie III at Pepsi Arena, Lighton. Sage had a good run to claim the lows as her suit in game 1, and Twinkie III followed up by claiming the highs and eliminating Acorn's mediums. Sage couldn't get anything going on her second, leading to a five-ball run-out by Twinkie III for her first win. Game 2 featured choppier runs from all of the players. Sage took highs first, followed by Acorn with the lows, but it was Twinkie III who did a lot of damage in defense of the mediums. It didn't hold up, as Sage took out Twinkie III one shot before beating Acorn to earn her first win. The balanced start to game 3 didn't last all that long, as Twinkie III found herself in a good position with the lows. She broke free on her second turn for a five-ball run-out, taking Sage out on the fourth shot before ending with Acorn to earn her second win. Acorn had a couple of chances to go on deep runs in game 4 to defend his highs, but both unraveled early. The first did see him bench Sage, while the second left Twinkie III with a relatively easy cut on his last ball for her third win, despite the visitor not quite playing at her best. Game 5 saw a different approach from Twinkie III, who had to defend a troubled medium set. Acorn and Sage had targeted her early, but she struck back with a decent run on her second turn. Acorn had a chance to pick up the win late, but missed his kick on the 9, and Sage took over, ousting Acorn and then Twinkie III for her second win. Sage had an incredible start to game 6 with an eight-ball run, and she added one more ball on her second turn, but her inability to finish off the lows cost her late in the game. Twinkie III originally claimed the lows, and then scratched to give Acorn his second turn, where he weakened Sage dramatically. Sage knocked Acorn back out of the game, but left Twinkie III's 5 standing, and Twinkie III made Sage's 10 to earn her fourth win against all odds. Sage started in game 7 with a four-ball run to protect the mediums, and Acorn took the highs on a short run as well. Twinkie III wiped Sage out on a five-ball run on her second turn of the game, but Acorn made the last shot to beat Twinkie III for his first win. Game 8 saw Twinkie III establish herself with the lows quite well, but she had some worries when Acorn launched a six-ball run on his second turn. Twinkie III put the scare down with a three-ball run-out, beating Sage and then Acorn to clinch the series on her fifth win. Both of her opponents failed to qualify for further play.

Vincent Sullivan v. Easter v. Ted at Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound. Ted's mediums were not looking good after a strong break by Vincent gave him lows, and Easter took highs early. Easter had a scratch that gave Ted life, and he held on long enough to beat Vincent after the latter had taken Easter out of the game. Ted picked up his first win. Easter and Ted had some words in game 2, as Ted was in a vulnerable position after his second turn. Ted's threats were no concern for Easter, who wiped him out on a five-ball run before picking off Vincent on her next turn, taking her first win in her usual confident form. Game 3 started with another big Easter run, this time with her going eight in a row before falling. Ted was the first to claim a suit, picking the mediums before ending Vincent's game on the tail end of his four-ball run. Easter needed two turns to take out Ted, but she did it for her second win. Easter had total control with a five-ball run on her second turn of game 4, as she took the highs to protect. Vincent made some progress, but his third turn was empty, and Ted took him out first to secure one point before claiming his second win as he completed a four-ball run-out. Easter had the best start to game 5, but she also featured in the worst play of the game, scratching early on to bring both of her opponents to full strength. Vincent and Ted combined to take her out, with Ted dealing the last blow, and he then took out Vincent a couple of turns later for his third win against the rookie with a lack of finishing. Ted had a good start in game 6, taking a six-ball run to leave both Vincent and Easter weaker. Vincent eventually betrayed Easter, and Ted finished her off, but Vincent scratched to bring her back in the game. Ted then won with the last two shots, taking Vincent out before Easter, who beat on a bank of the 13 to the bottom side for his fourth win. Easter had the big opening run in game 7, going on a five-ball binge. Vincent followed this up by taking the medium set after Easter claimed the highs, leaving Ted in a vulnerable spot with the lows. Ted struck back well, and his second turn saw a three-ball run that wiped Vincent out of the game, but Easter had just enough defense on her last high to prevent Ted from winning, and Easter ended up taking her third win instead. Easter ripped a six-ball run to open game 8 in great form as she defended the highs. Ted screwed up on his first turn and didn't get a second chance when Vincent knocked him out on a three-ball run. Easter and Vincent tangled from here, with Easter prevailing for her fourth win of the series to pull even in wins with Ted. Vincent had a nice opening run in game 9 to get himself established with the highs, but Ted went on a seven-ball run to take him out, while also giving himself a huge advantage head-to-head with Easter. She tried to stay in the battle, but Ted had her beat in two turns as her defensive strategy failed. Ted advances with five wins, while Easter qualifies on the edge at 15 points, and Vincent is out with just 4 points.

Misty v. Shaggy v. Rainmane at BMW RockDome, Westside. Game 1 went painfully slowly after Misty's scratch on the break. Shaggy had the early lead, and held it for most of the game as she defended highs, but after Misty took herself out, Rainmane had no trouble making Shaggy's last two balls for her first win. Shaggy looked a lot more decisive in game 2 with her shooting, claiming highs on her first turn. Misty challenged with the medium set, but she found herself in trouble after Rainmane's second turn. Shaggy spared Misty, winning on a five-ball run-out that saw her down Rainmane first. Shaggy gathered her first win of the series. Misty took over the pace of play in game 3 after an early scratch from Shaggy disrupted her performance. Rainmane did get the healthier lows, leaving Shaggy with the mediums, but Shaggy and Misty combined to push Rainmane back. Shaggy had knocked her out, but scratched on the play, leaving Misty to bank Rainmane's 3 to the top left before banking Shaggy's 10 to the bottom right for her first win. Shaggy ended up taking the lows after a nice start to game 4, but Rainmane quickly claimed the mediums and attacked Misty's highs. Shaggy's protection of her mother allowed Rainmane to keep all of her balls on the table for quite awhile, but Misty put her own last ball in danger to make a play on Rainmane. Shaggy followed up with a four-ball run-out, taking Misty out first to grab the win, her second. Misty wouldn't take game 5, as she and Shaggy combined to quickly dispatch Rainmane's lows. Shaggy did the work, completing the effort on a five-ball run that left Misty in a tough position. The two exchanged shots for awhile, but Misty forced Shaggy to score her third win of the series. Shaggy returned the favor after Misty dispatched Rainmane on her second turn in game 6, with the two of them taking highs and lows to wipe out Rainmane's mediums. Misty did a three-ball run to get set to take Shaggy out, and then beat her on the next turn for her second win. Misty found herself in a precarious position with the mediums in game 7, as Rainmane attacked them fiercely in defense of her highs. Rainmane didn't last long, as Misty and Shaggy beat her in two turns, and then Shaggy picked up the win a couple of turns later with the significant advantage over Misty. It was Shaggy's fourth win of the series. Shaggy put the series at an end in game 8, as Rainmane wiped Misty out on a seven-ball run and Shaggy countered with a four-ball run-out to pick up her fifth win of the series. Both Misty and Rainmane will fail to qualify for future action.

Goatee v. Leonardo v. Nibbles at BMW RockDome, Westside. This series started with another sloppy game 1, in which Goatee had control until a scratch saw her become the first player out. The scratch revived Nibbles, who eventually got around Leonardo to take his first win. The original play through of game 2 began on Friday, but was postponed due to quality of play concerns. On Saturday, Nibbles initiated the replay with a successful effort, picking lows early. Goatee found herself in a precarious position but still nearly won the game, falling short with her three-ball run. Nibbles then ousted her and Leonardo on consecutive shots for his second win. Nibbles had a seven-ball run to open game 3, and Leonardo took Goatee out on his first shot on his turn, which became a six-ball run-out that also knocked out Nibbles in the quick battle. Leonardo scored his first win. Leonardo had a healthy start to game 4, but a scratch gave Nibbles and Goatee a ball back each. Nibbles blasted a six-ball run on his first turn, damaging Leonardo drastically, and while Leonardo knocked out Goatee on a late three-ball run, he couldn't beat Nibbles, who picked up his third win with an easy cut on the 14 to the top right. Nibbles had the best attack of game 5 with a seven-ball run to protect his lows on his second turn, but he left too much for Goatee, who won with a four-ball run-out that saw her take out Leonardo on the second shot with an 8-13 combination, and then Nibbles two shots later with good positioning. Goatee's win was her first of the series. Nibbles had a nice four-ball run on his second turn of game 6, protecting his mediums. This helped set up a close finish, as Leonardo's narrow miss and Goatee's short run left things level for Nibbles, who beat Leonardo and Goatee on consecutive shots for his fourth win. Leonardo had a big seven-ball run, including collateral damage, on his first turn of game 7, but it took Goatee out of the game and left Nibbles too weak to counterattack. Leonardo won with a pair of shots against Nibbles on his next turn, creating his second win of the series. Nibbles had a brilliant game 8 performance, taking the mediums to defend against Leonardo and the highs. Goatee played an even game, favoring neither player, and Nibbles prevailed in the end, taking Goatee out first and then Leonardo to secure the series with his fifth win. Neither of his opponents will enter secondary qualification.

Sweetheart v. Briana Livilotti v. Goldy at Coca-Cola Field Exhibition Center, Boston. Game 1 started a bit slowly, as Briana had highs to herself for two turns before Sweetheart claimed the lows. Goldy picked up steam later on, knocking Sweetheart out with a five-ball run before narrowly missing on Briana's 12 twice. Briana potted Goldy's 6 on her second try for her first win. Briana wasted no time in attack in game 2, using a nine-ball run with collateral damage to destroy the low set as she defended the highs. Goldy did well to claim the mediums, a formality enabling her to get a point when Briana ended the game on the next turn with a bank of the 9 to the top right for her second win. Briana attacked with three balls on the break, one of each suit, to spark an eight-ball run in game 3. Sweetheart was able to take and defend the highs, and after Briana scratched on her second turn, Sweetheart knocked her out and followed up on Goldy for her first win. Sweetheart dominated the early parts of game 4 as she protected the highs, but Goldy and Briana each scratched to keep the other one in the game, and this allowed Goldy to last long enough to pick off Sweetheart's last three balls for her first win. Goldy didn't set the tone in game 5, but she protected the lows against Sweetheart and the mediums to lead to a tight finish after Sweetheart took out Briana. Sweetheart couldn't take them both, and Goldy's last shot narrowly won her a second game. Sweetheart can thank a scratch for derailing her effort in game 6, as it gave Goldy a little more leverage with which to protect her highs. Briana again found herself as the first player out, and Goldy then beat Sweetheart after the latter failed on a trick shot attempt. Goldy has three wins in the series now. Sweetheart cranked an eight-ball run at the start of game 7, an epic performance that wiped the highs off the table. Briana made sure that was Goldy's problem as she executed a four-ball run, and then battled with Sweetheart toward the end of the game. Sweetheart got the upper hand and won for her second victory of the series. Sweetheart had a good start to game 8, and while Briana missed her chance to make a quick impact, Goldy's selection of the high set failed her when Sweetheart attacked on her second turn. Goldy hung around awhile, but Briana knocked her out on a later run before Sweetheart scooped up her third win of the series. Game 9 featured a nice pair of four-ball runs from Briana and Goldy, which helped to leave Sweetheart in deep trouble. Briana would off Sweetheart after her short run, but Briana didn't finish off Goldy, and Goldy shot back to take her fourth win of the series. Goldy took highs after a great break in game 10, and Sweetheart countered by taking lows later after a scratch from Briana, which would ultimately be her downfall. Sweetheart wiped her out, and then battled with Goldy, who had a brilliant play to pot the 12 off the cue with a carom and then using collateral damage to get to Sweetheart's last ball. Goldy stayed alive to pick up her fifth win, advancing to the second round. Sweetheart's 13 points aren't enough to advance, nor are Briana's 9.

Graham v. Jack v. Rosalina at FedEx Forum, Eastside. Jack had a solid four-ball run to set the tone in game 1, as he defended the highs, and he went unchallenged until a massive five-ball run-out by Graham. Jack had failed to put Graham away, and he responded with a knockout on Rosalina shot before dispatching Jack in his first win. Jack again played a bit too casually at the end of game 2, but with Graham out thanks to a four-ball run by Rosalina, it was Rosalina reaping the benefits of Jack's poor finishing ability. Rosalina needed two chances to pot his 2 at the top left, but she took the win. Graham had a good game 3 performance, picking his highs later in the process but defending them well. Jack and Rosalina had trouble stringing offense together, but they had mutually assured destruction at the top right pocket to keep them focused on Graham. It didn't matter, as Graham took them both out with a three-ball run-out, with Rosalina gaining the point for being finished off second. Graham has two wins now. Graham hogged game 4 all to himself, blasting a ten-ball run-out from the break, including a brilliant fifth shot that somehow pushed the 10 to the top left to keep the burst going. Rosalina and Jack split a point for the game, while Graham pulls away with his third win. Rosalina started the game on a four-ball run, putting pressure on Jack, who missed on his first turn. Graham took the highs to combat Rosalina's lows, and Graham found himself first out as Jack mounted a short run near the end of the game. He failed to complete the effort, and Rosalina took out Jack with a pair of tap-ins for her second win in five games. Jack and Graham made a big effort, spearheaded by Jack's six-ball run to start game 6, but Rosalina countered with a six-ball run to knock Graham from the game before Jack ousted her on a tap-in for his first win of the series. Game 7 saw another concerted effort from Graham and Jack to pin Rosalina, but she managed to get the lows as an isolated suit. Rosalina's second turn saw her bench Jack, and she battled closely to the finish with Graham, with Rosalina prevailing for her third win of the series. Graham and Rosalina had a spirited duel in game 8 as well, with Rosalina taking the lows and Graham taking the highs on his first turn. Jack played quite a role with two scratches, stretching the game until Graham picked them both off with a three-ball run-out for his fourth win of the series. Graham went on a six-ball run to lead off game 9, and Jack followed up attacking against Graham's highs, with Rosalina getting one good turn in before Graham offed her. Jack still got the upper hand on Graham to earn his second win of the series. Graham didn't have much to work with early in game 10, but his second turn saw an explosion with an eight-ball run-out, ousting Rosalina before hurtling through the last three balls for Jack. Graham clinched the series with his fifth win, and denied both of his opponents an opportunity to qualify further as they finish at 11.5 points each.

Mams v. Gal Gadot v. Bianca at Volkswagen Stadium Events Center, Viewpoint Sound. Gal did a lot of the work in game 1 on both of her turns, but it was Bianca who prevailed with a five-ball run-out in the end, taking Gal out a shot before ousting Mams, who had little impact on the game. Bianca took her first win of the series. Mams and Bianca had much more involvement early in game 2 this time, especially with a deep run by Mams to protect her highs. Gal didn't get much out of her only turn, and Mams iced the game with a pair of shots after a four-ball run by Bianca left everyone with one ball on the table. Mams earned her first win, while Gal got a point in second place. Gal picked up the pace a bit in game 3 with her defense of the mediums, with plenty of pushback by Bianca to disrupt the effort. Mams couldn't produce much on her second turn, and Gal ripped a five-ball run-out for her first win, sparing the point to Mams. Gal drew first in game 4, taking the mediums again, and she ended up working together loosely with Mams to take out Bianca first again, as her highs couldn't hold up. Gal tried to turn on Mams earlier, but Mams still took her second win easily. Bianca, tired of being walked over in this series, attacked in game 5. Mams had an empty break and Gal scratched on her first and what would be only turn in the game, opening the door for an eleven-ball run-out with collateral damage for Bianca to pick up her second win and force her opponents to split a point. Mams had a strong run early in game 6, taking the mediums to protect. Gal followed up with the highs, and the game remained even until Gal scratched, negating her knockout on Bianca. Mams betrayed Gal shortly after that, and then beat Bianca a turn later for her third win of the series. Game 7 went by in three turns, as Mams opened with a five-ball run and chose to protect the lows. Bianca fired back with a five-ball run that knocked Gal from the game without having taken a turn, and left Mams with just one ball. Mams shot straight back on a four-ball run-out, jamming the 14 off the 2 and into the bottom right for her fourth win. Mams didn't get very much at the start of game 8, allowing Bianca to step in and claim the highs. Gal attacked both of them while defending the lows, and then a four-ball run from Bianca on her next turn took Mams out. Gal tried to organize a run, but she couldn't do it, and Bianca took her third win of the series. Bianca had a nice run on her second turn of game 9, but the seven-ball streak didn't help her at all as she took out Gal and left Mams with two easy shots to earn her fifth win of the series. Mams advances to the second round, while Gal and Bianca will be sitting out the rest of the tournament.

We'll be back with five series on Monday.