The Tournament is finally ready to begin with the first day being January 7, 2018. I expect the first round will last upwards of three months, with approximately 60 game days. First up...
Gillette Center, Swordpoint: Snowball v. Wings. A Rivalry series with the silver cue in 7-ball will be the debut series of this year's Tournament. Swordpoint's Snowball made the first four balls over two turns, but her three-ball run was met by a three-ball run-out from Central's Wings, who took a 1-0 series lead with the play. The Warriors' Wings tried to keep his momentum up for game 2, but after an early three-ball run, he had to settle for a tight battle. The Blades' Snowball prevailed in this one, a 6-7 combination to the top left earning her the equalizing win. Game 3 went very quickly, with Wings' four-ball run including the 2 and 4 double-potted to the right corners, followed by Snowball's three-ball run-out for the win and 2-1 series win. Snowball is the first player to win her way into the second round.
AT&T Hall, Oceanside: Snuggle v. Shaggy. The silver cue plays 7-ball in another Rivalry series. Oceanside's Snuggle dominated the pace in game 1, as Whitewater's Shaggy had trouble with control. An early error just affirmed Snuggle's control, which he held to earn a 1-0 series lead on his win. The Waves' Snuggle didn't ease up at all in game 2, potting a five-ball run-out after another scratch from the Shores' Shaggy. Snuggle's big run clinched the series for him at 2-0. Shaggy had a cleaner performance in game 3, but she still couldn't match the quality of even a reduced effort from Snuggle. His five-ball run and sweep-clinching finish a turn later made it 3-0, giving Snuggle passage to the second round.
HP Field Events Center, Midland: Americus v. Peach. We've got another 7-ball series, but the blue cue steps in now. Midland's Americus had the better of play early on, but a gritty finish to game 1 saw North Modernistic's Peach close out a win for a 1-0 lead in the series. Each player started slow and then picked it up with a three-ball run in game 2. It came down to the Nighthawks' Peach leaving the 7 short at the bottom right, an easy tap-in for the Predators' Americus, who tied the series at 1 with her win. Americus had a ball on the break but also a scratch, leaving Peach to work her way to the win on back-to-back three-ball runs. Peach's push gave her a 2-1 series win and a ride to the second round officially.
BMW RockDome, Westside: Midnight v. Mitchell. The red cue dips in for 7-ball now, with the first rookie appearance of the year as well. Westside's Midnight had a couple of errors in game 1, scratching and then a false start as she tried for the 7. Harrison's Mitchell wasted the first free possession, but tapped the 7 in for a win and 1-0 series lead when given a second chance after a dominant first game in his career. The Specters' Mitchell made game 2 a lot less painful, striking the 7 into the top side on the break to secure the series at 2-0, leaving the Rockers' Midnight without a chance to get even. Mitchell kept Midnight from the table again in game 3, winning on the break again with the 7 in the top left this time. Mitchell swept the series 3-0 to get to the second round.
Mercedes-Benz Forum, Harrison: Sydney Sierota v. Precious. Another 7-ball series with the red cue keeps the streak going. Harrison's Sydney had the better of play in an ugly game 1, and she got the win over Pronger's Precious with a bank of the 6 to the bottom side that sent the cue into the 7 at the bottom right for a 1-0 series lead. The Specters' Sydney still had a majority share in possession, but her late flailing opened the door for the Tridents' Precious to pot the 6 and 7 to grab the win, tying the series at 1. A five-ball run in game 3 did Sydney no good, as she missed a bank on the 7 that lined up a straight shot for Precious to win the game and take the series 2-1 on. Precious punches her ticket to the second round.
Samsung Arena, Whitewater: Marsell v. Bryant. The red cue stays up for Rotation in this series between veterans. Maplewood's Bryant jumped out to an early lead and extended it incrementally during the game, leaving Whitewater's Marsell frustrated and ineffective for most of the game. Bryant took the win 8-4 on a 12-15 combination to the top side for the 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Marsell replied with a big effort in game 2, making a five-ball run on his first turn. The Lumberjacks' Bryant answered with a three-ball run, but Marsell closed things down at 8-3 shortly after that, tying the series at 1. Bryant and Marsell had a tense start, with Marsell taking a lead on a four-ball run, but a pair of errors slowed him down, and Bryant recovered to win 8-4 over those free possessions, taking the series 2-1 as he advances to the second round.
Ford Forum, Pronger: Zach v. Charli XCX. The blue cue returns to the table in the east for some 8-ball action. Tysini's Charli erupted for a six-ball run on her first turn, but Pronger's Zach countered with a five-ball run and enough defense to hold her off. Zach would win a couple of turns later, taking a 1-0 lead in the series. Game 2 remained competitive, with the Hummingbirds' Charli ripping a four-ball run on her first turn. The Tridents' Zach answered with a six-ball run that was almost more, but Charli fought him off with a four-ball run-out to win the game and tie the series. Game 3 saw Charli go on a five-ball run from the break, but Zach countered on his second turn with a six-ball run to stall her. Charli couldn't get favorable positioning, and Zach made his last ball and the 8 a turn after that for the 2-1 series win. Zach heads on to the second round.
Starbucks Arena, Archtown: Sleepy B. v. Josie. The blue cue gets another look in an 8-ball Rivalry series. Archtown's Sleepy B. had an empty break, but an early miss from Oceanside's Josie sparked Sleepy B. to a five-ball run, an attack Josie could not recover from. Sleepy B. cruised to the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Arrows' Sleepy B. managed a five-ball from the break in game 2, but the Waves' Josie kept it close over the next few turns. Sleepy B. did get a chance to win when Josie rattled the 1 out of the bottom right, but she couldn't connect on the 8, and Josie took the win with a pair of straight shots to tie the series at 1. Josie managed a five-ball run from the break, but almost wasted it as Sleepy B. rallied back on a six-ball run. Josie held her off long enough to pot the final two shots for the win and 2-1 series win, giving the rookie a trip to the second round.
UPS Hall, Maplewood: Whiskers v. Cowzart. The red cue is back in play with 7-ball again in this Rivalry between players on new league teams. Maplewood's Whiskers had a glimmering debut with her new team, winning game 1 on the break as the 7 in the bottom left, as well as the 6 in the top right and 4 in the bottom right, prevent Cowzart from getting a shot in his first game for Westside. The Lumberjacks' Whiskers put the 7 a bit too close to the bottom right in game 2, as it hung on the edge for the Rockers' Cowzart to pot as the cue deflected off the 1 perfectly. Cowzart's designed trick play reties the series at 1 game apiece. Whiskers did enough in game 3 to set Cowzart off track late, wasting his five-ball run as Whiskers drilled a cut on the 7 to the top right to win the series 2-1 for her advancement to the second round.
Nissan Hall, Infinity: Mr. Snowman v. Bells. Another Rivalry match pits veterans against each other in 15-ball with the blue cue. Todavía's Bells struggled a lot in game 1, but despite her many early errors, it was Infinity's Mr. Snowman who failed late, allowing Bells to double-pot the 14 and 15 in the bottom side and bottom right for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Bells didn't improve her early play at all in game 2, but the Torpedoes' Mr. Snowman dropped off quite a bit. He still had four of the last five balls, but not the one that mattered, as Bells took another late win for a 2-0 lead in the series. Bells had a decent effort in game 3, the cleanest of the series, but her late three-ball run was overwhelmed by a four-ball run-out from Mr. Snowman to make it a 2-1 series in the end. Bells heads to the second round.
Capital City SuperCenter, Capital City: Chris v. Strut. The red cue does yet another 7-ball series this time. Capital City's Chris had a lively break, but his success faltered with a scratch on a contact play for the 3. Golden's Strut used the ball-in-hand to spark a four-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Pilots' Strut didn't have much on his game 2 break, allowing the Sharpshooters' Chris to take a three-ball run. Strut fired back with a three-ball run, but he missed on the 7, and Chris put it down in the bottom left for the win to tie the series at 1. Chris dominated in game 3, taking the first two and last four balls to get the win, with the finish a sublime double-kiss that just corrected the course of the 7 enough to drain it at the top side. Chris takes the series 2-1 to get to the second round.
Google Hall, Modernistic: Ms. Puppy v. Hoot. The last series today is a Rivalry in 9-ball with the silver cue. Modernistic's Ms. Puppy couldn't string her shots together in game 1, leaving Viewpoint Sound's Hoot to take two separate three-ball runs sandwiched around a scratch. Hoot won the game on the latter run with simple cuts for a 1-0 series lead. The Union's Ms. Puppy had better fortunes in game 2, keeping the Meteors' Hoot to the perimeter with bad angles before making the 5-9 combination herself on her second try at the bottom right, tying the series at 1. Hoot had all the makings of a good rally at the end of game 3, but he missed the 9 on a five-ball run and Ms. Puppy tapped it in for the 2-1 series win to put herself in the second round.
That's all for day one of the Tournament. I want to have at least 12 series a day in Rounds 1 and 2, with more as time permits. The estimate at the start of this post may be excessive.
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