Tournament XI Draft

We're ready for the draft ahead of Tournament XI, the eleventh edition of the Tournament series. There's still plenty to hammer out for the 2021 season, as the league will be going into the offseason after today's draft. This year, we welcome two new expansion teams: the Apex Wonders and the Zenith Skywatchers. The draft will be 47 picks long. 

Prior to the draft, two trades were completed. In the first, the Westside Rockers flipped Slinks to the Tysini Hummingbirds in exchange for the 24th overall pick, a fourth-round selection. The other trade was a four-team deal centered on the Boston Swifts. They brought in Tigerette from the Commerce Tradewinds and the 15th overall pick from the Harrison Specters. Boston then sent Puff II to Harrison, as well as Patches to the Oceanside Waves in exchange for the 17th overall pick, which went to the Tradewinds. Overall, a maximum of 51 players will be playing in new teams this year. 

Without further hesitation, the UPCL Tournament XI Draft from Pepsi Arena in Lighton commences with...

The Apex Wonders holding the first overall selection after winning the draft lottery. The Wonders opened their draft by selecting Forest SC rookie Blair to be the foundation of their roster. A reserved player, Blair will likely have a style similar to the Pearl Surfers' Bright and Wings, whom he models his game after. It's a bold move for the Wonders to bring on a rookie first, with the hopes that veteran talent will fill out the roster later. 

The Zenith Skywatchers select former Todavía Stills veteran Bells with the second overall pick. While the Wonders went for a rookie right off the bat, the Skywatchers instead decide to collect a veteran presence. This will be Bells' third career team after a long spell with the Oceanside Waves before time with the Stills. Bells has only played at .500 or above in two of her 10 seasons in the league, which makes this a mildly risky choice for the Skywatchers. 

The Commerce Tradewinds hold the third overall pick, a compensatory selection to cover for Niki's retirement. The Tradewinds select former Southridge Defender Luigi with the pick. A journeyman, Luigi joins his third team in as many years. He had two good decent years with the North Modernistic Nighthawks, who now become a regional rival. Luigi should be able to fill a support role for the Tradewinds, who will play their first year without longtime captain Tigerette. 

The Southridge Defenders have the fourth overall pick, a compensatory selection after Lize's retirement. They used the pick on former Freedom Cascades enforcer Stripes. No stranger to moving around, Stripes joins her fifth team in her career after a three-year stint with the Cascades. Stripes has struggled throughout her career as a journeying player, but her valuable experience and gritty attitude should complement captain Bianca in a transitional year for the notoriously strong talent-developing team. 

The Stonebridge Wolves make the fifth overall pick, a compensatory selection for Kirstin's retirement. With the pick, the Wolves sign Songstresses rookie Lindsay, who aims to bring a very technical and crafty approach to the historically brutal team. Lindsay is a player that should soften the edge of the Wolves without sacrificing talent and expectations, and she's capable of a moment of magic here and there. 

The Royal Crowns end the first round with the sixth overall pick, a compensatory pick to replace the retiring Katelynn. The Crowns also went with a rookie, bringing in Songstresses rookie Kacey to fill out their otherwise strong squad. It's the second year in a row the Crowns have dipped into the rookie well after an impressive turn developing Sunshine last year. Kacey doesn't play with Sunshine's grit, but should provide a creative spark in her games for a team with its eyes on challenging for a top-10 finish. 

The second round begins with the Apex Wonders using the seventh overall pick to acquire former Pacific Volcanoes veteran Cowzart. Entering his seventh year in the league, Cowzart joins his fifth team. He's been a .500 player three times in the previous six years, including his career-best .565 mark as a rookie with the expansion Freedom Cascades. He's also a harsh cut from the Volcanoes -- the Wonders are likely betting on Cowzart regaining his form in an expansion environment, this time as a seasoned veteran. 

The Zenith Skywatchers used the eighth overall pick on former Capital City Sharpshooters veteran Paps. After a four-year stint with the Pronger Tridents, Paps has bounced around three teams in the last four years. He had a career-worst showing with the Sharpshooters, so this another gamble for the Skywatchers that the veteran will be able round into former. He's yet to finish any event in the finals, and has only two seasons of .500 or better player in his nine-year career. 

The Harrison Specters begin their rebuilding efforts with the ninth overall pick, which they used to select Forest SC rookie Bucco. Like Bandit a few years ago, Bucco comes to Forest SC out of the blue as the second adopted son of Roxy and Nikolai. Bucco is a bit tougher than fellow club rookie and first overall pick Blair, and that edge should mesh nicely with sisters Twinkie II and Puff II on the Specters roster. Expect this team to add a finesse player or two in the later rounds, but Bucco has plenty of potential in this position. 

Starting the third round, the Apex Wonders use the 10th overall pick on former Central Warriors veteran Mr. Snowman. Three of his four best years came with the Infinity Torpedoes, but Mr. Snowman simply didn't stick with the Warriors last year. He's now on his fifth team in his career, and without a better option, he could become the Wonders' captain unless they invest in leadership in the next two rounds. Mr. Snowman isn't likely to move the needle much unless he can regain the form he had four years ago. 

The Zenith Skywatchers select sophomore Omari Rashid with the 11th overall pick. Omari was released from the Web City Spiders after an uninspiring rookie year and overarching team struggles. He won only three of his 12 series after the Spiders used a top pick on him last year. Omari still brings vibrant positivity and an outgoing style to his play. He'll provide solid youth and upside for the Skywatchers as they appear set on establishing a lighthearted theme. 

The Harrison Specters end the third round with the 12th overall pick. The Specters select former Swordpoint Blades sophomore Esmeralda. As expected, the Specters supplement their high-energy and aggressive three players with a younger and more reserved Esmeralda, who struggled to escape the shadows of her five siblings last year. Make no mistake -- Esmeralda's rookie year with the Blades wasn't good, but she'll get a fresh start with this new team. 

The Apex Wonders make their fourth pick and the 13th overall to begin the fourth round. Here, the Wonders strike for captain material, bringing in longtime Westside Rocker enforcer Midnight. As tough as they come, Midnight provides the Wonders with a firm edge. Midnight also brings two A-tier medals on her resume, and she played 2018 with Cowzart when both were Rockers. That familiarity, as well as a shared Brute Force club background, should make Midnight a popular choice for team captain of this expansion side. 

The Zenith Skywatchers selected Blizzard with the 14th overall pick. Much like the Wonders, it appears the Skywatchers have found their choice for captain in the fourth round. Blizzard scored three total medals and the Players' Cup as league MVP in 2017 with the Everton Eagles, then struggled for the next three seasons. Rarely a bonafide star, Blizzard is nonetheless gifted as a leader away from the table. She'll command the respect of her teammates despite not having prior experience with them. 

The Boston Swifts get the 15th pick they acquired in trade from the Harrison Specters. Ironically enough, the Swifts will add former Specter Sydney S. to the squad in their first real rebuilding year. Over five years with the Specters, Sydney S. established herself as a reliable star, but the team's unraveling after Lexi's departure meant wholesale changes were afloat. Now, a de facto trade sees Sydney S. try to replace Puff II with the Swifts under new captain Sweetheart and trade acquisition Tigerette. 

The Swordpoint Blades have the 16th pick, and they select former Southridge Defenders captain Stephanie. While only a captain for one year, Stephanie's leadership chops cannot be questioned. She'll help fill the void left by former captain Snowball. Expect new captain Dreamy to strongly lean on Stephanie as the Blades look to return to their former glory of years gone by. She'll have to be more than just a good presence on the team though, as Stephanie's performance has declined ever since an excellent rookie year with the Defenders. 

The Commerce Tradewinds fill out their roster with the 17th pick, which was previously owned by the Boston Swifts and the Oceanside Waves. The bouncing pick landed on former Everton Eagles veteran Bear. More notably, Bear was the longtime captain of the Tradewinds' rival Whitewater Shores, and now joins the other side of the rivalry. Bear has gone over .500 in pool just once in nine seasons -- his success came from the Shores' cricket program. It's tough to say the Tradewinds have improved after a lackluster year, but Bear does provide some leadership to support new captain Taylor S. 

The Southridge Defenders hold the 18th pick. Once again, the Defenders shun their developmental roots and instead select a veteran, going with former Freedom Cascades star Roxy. They've acquired both former Cascades available in this draft, joining first-round pick Stripes. Roxy has broken even six times in 10 seasons in the league, making this a potential home-run pick for the Defenders. It's also a return to the Southeastern region for Roxy, who spent her first two UPCL years with local rivals. Roxy will especially provide valuable support for new captain Bianca as the team looks to shake off one bad season. 

The Southern Monarchs are next up with the 19th pick. For the second year running, the Monarchs have added a rookie, this time picking up Songstresses first-year Gabby. An especially young talent, Gabby appears very raw but also quite grounded. It remains to be seen how her talent will translate to the UPCL environment, and the Monarchs' rocky road with Molly last year leaves question marks. It'll be up to new captain Pounce to bring this team together, and they have one more pick to make. 

The Westside Rockers didn't tear it down to the studs as other teams did, as they'll look to start their rebuild on the fly with the 20th pick. The first of their two fourth-round selections is former Swordpoint Blades captain Snowball, a stunningly brilliant pick for this team. Captain Misty has long had to work with a squad not necessarily united under her, but now she brings in her best friend to the club. Snowball's success is well-documented too, although she's gone five years without a medal at any level. A change of scenery cannot be understated, and this seems like the perfect environment for all involved. 

The Freedom Cascades begin a mini-rebuild with the 21st overall pick. The Cascades bring in former Viewpoint Sound Meteors veteran Frosty. It's the third time Frosty has played for a former expansion team after also spending time with the rival Stonebridge Wolves. Frosty was excellent early in her career, but has only topped .500 once in the last seven years. Frosty should be a direct replacement for Stripes as a feisty and aggressive presence for captain Stinky. 

The Web City Spiders continue their hearty roster turnover with the 22nd overall pick. The Spiders selected former Modernistic Union member Kodiak. The Spiders have a history of giving overlooked players second chances, to mixed results. This time, they'll hope Kodiak is more like new teammate Waluigi and less like the departed Cubby. Kodiak was a near .500 player over three years with the Union, but wasn't able to medal. 

The Capital City Sharpshooters have a mini-rebuild going as well, using the 23rd overall pick to select Songstresses rookie Ellie. Long rumored to be looking to join UPCL, Ellie has finally made the jump and will land with one of the premier franchises. The Sharpshooters have only seven total medals, fourth-lowest among the original 29 teams in the league, but they've kept the same core three players throughout that time. Ellie's high-profile Songstresses club will make her a favorite for captain-in-waiting should the team struggle. 

The Westside Rockers are back on the clock to end the fourth round with the 24th pick. After going for a veteran four picks ago, the Rockers decided to take Songstresses rookie Carly this time. A positive personality with a fairly businesslike approach, Carly should help the Rockers further shed the aura of darkness they carried in their previous iterations. Carly's a bit older than most rookies in the league, but expectations won't be too high on a very talented team. 

The final round is here, with the Apex Wonders rounding out their roster with the 25th overall pick. The Wonders brought in their second rookie by selecting the Songstresses' Maren. On this roster, Maren has the potential to be the star. She'll challenge for a leadership role with Midnight, but it's likely Maren will be able to focus on playing hard and getting results in her rookie year. Her addition adds some questions for team chemistry. 

The Modernistic Union fill out their roster with the 26th overall pick, selecting former Terrace City Knights member Quincy. He'll be no stranger to the Urban region, as Quincy won both MVP and Rookie of the Year in 2018 before a sophomore slump that bled into his third professional season. Quincy joins the returning Sydney C. as former ROY winners on the Union roster, who will hope their blend of youth and veteran leadership will get them back on track in 2021. 

The Zenith Skywatchers finish their roster construction with the 27th overall pick, which sees them bring aboard more leadership in former Eastside Sharks captain Nightfur. While Nightfur never clicked with the Sharks, she had a long run as Royal Crowns captain. Easily the most intense player on the Skywatchers team, Nightfur will bring a no-holds-barred attitude despite slotting behind Blizzard on the captaincy chart. Unapologetic to her core, Nightfur is poised for a rebound year after an impressive and lengthy showing at the TYAT. 

The Harrison Specters' rebuild ends at the 28th overall pick, which was used to acquire former Oceanside Waves captain Snuggle. This could be a good move for the Specters -- Snuggle played with current Specters captain Twinkie II in 2014. Snuggle also had a long run as Waves captain, and the Specters will need all the leadership they can find after using their first two picks on a rookie and a sophomore. Snuggle will be tasked with helping this proud franchise execute a quick turnaround, but he won't have to be "the man." 

The Eastside Sharks have the 29th overall pick. While they won't reunite with Nightfur, who went two picks earlier, the Sharks take a flyer on former Harrison Specters veteran Rudolph. Another Brute Force product, Rudolph had a bad third year with the Specters and left as part of the team's near-full roster purge. Just a fourth-year player, Rudolph is automatically the most experienced player on a young team that sports three sophomores and third-year captain Taylor M. Expectations in the post-Graham era have been low, but the Sharks will look to grow together in the second year of the rebuild. 

The Swordpoint Blades complete their retooling with the 30th pick. It'll be another addition of a former captain, as the former Southern Monarchs veteran Mams joins the Blades. Mams previously captained the Viewpoint Sound Meteors, but she's topped .500 just once in the last four years. This is a low-risk move for the Blades, who will undoubtedly benefit from Mams' addition, as she appears to be an upgrade over Esmeralda. 

The Oceanside Waves complete their quickie rebuild with the 31st pick, which saw them pick up former Modernistic Union veteran Daisy. The Waves let two players go, but used a pick to bring in former Boston Swifts captain Patches. In Daisy, the Waves get a player that stuck with the Union for holding a decent average. She was .500 or better in two of her four career seasons but struggled in 2020. The expectation will be for Daisy to replace the production of the outgoing Josie, which is a modest bar to hurdle. 

The Southridge Defenders complete their rebuild with the 32nd overall pick, bringing in Songstresses rookie Ingrid. A spontaneous and slightly emotional player, Ingrid will bring thoughtfulness to the Defenders. She'll try to learn from the captain Bianca, as both will represent the more heady style of play. Joining the Defenders gives Ingrid an inside lane to success, as the team's developmental program is perhaps one of the best in the league. 

The Southern Monarchs fill out their roster by taking former Capital City Sharpshooters veteran Lorde with the 33rd overall pick. This is a value option this late in the draft, as Lorde has done reasonably well over five years in the league between the Sharpshooters and the Commerce Tradewinds. Never one to take the lead, Lorde will likely mentor incoming rookie Gabby and sophomore Molly in the 2021 season. It's questionable if Lorde will have enough of an impact to make the Monarchs playoff-worthy in an expanded league. 

The Viewpoint Sound Meteors hold the 34th overall pick and will select a former Oceanside Wave in Josie. This marks a stay in the Coastal region for Josie, who had a great rookie year before back-to-back struggles with the Waves. Now in her fourth year, Josie provides even more grit than the player she replaces, Frosty. Josie will need to turn that grit into results to stick with Hoot's squad for more than just a season. 

The Freedom Cascades finish retooling their roster with a rookie, bringing in Guild of Acting rookie Blake. A late addition to the player list, Blake is an older rookie that should bring fun and fire to the Cascades. She's more lighthearted than the veteran addition of Frosty. Captain Stinky will be tasked with uniting a varying group of personalities, but Blake's the kind of player that will step in and do her job well. 

The Terrace City Knights get their only pick of the day at 36th overall, and they used it to snag Guild of Acting rookie Anna. A mischievous player with real heart, it's questionable what she'll add to the team. However, the Knights have a deep roster that should allow her to ease into the role. Expect fellow GoA member Melissa to serve as Anna's mentor on the team as they look for a playoff spot. 

The Web City Spiders complete their roster with the 37th overall pick, taking former Stonebridge Wolves journeyman Wild Thing. It's a typical pick for the Spiders, who have been known to go big when they're not sure about skill. Wild Thing is far from decorated in his career, with this being his sixth team in nine seasons. The Spiders haven't gotten noticeably better either, as captain Jack may struggle to inspire a competitive campaign. 

The Capital City Sharpshooters fill things out with the 38th pick, bringing in Songstresses rookie Kelsea. The biggest "how did she last that long" pick so far, Kelsea is the second rookie to join the Sharpshooters after they took Ellie in the fourth round. Kelsea has much more potential and star-power, and is very likely the best player available on the board. With two rookies, the Sharpshooters have laid the foundation for a full-on rebuild if success eludes them this year. 

The Stonebridge Wolves have had a long wait to finish their roster, picking 39th and signing former Harrison Specters veteran Dewey. Tournament X didn't treat Dewey kindly at all, although it was an improvement on his third year. Entering his fifth season in the league, Dewey needs to find the form from his first two campaigns if he wants to stick with Juno and company. He should be a slight upgrade over Wild Thing, however. 

The Pacific Volcanoes need to make just one addition, using the 40th pick to acquire former Whitewater Shores veteran Smokey. Best known for his time as Diamond Gems captain, this is an excellent move for the Volcanoes as they deny the Shores from getting him back. Smokey is a boom-or-bust player -- he's never finished with a winning percentage between .400 and .500 in his 10-year career. An 8-ball specialist, Smokey is an upgrade on Cowzart and a tougher opponent to handle, giving the Volcanoes an edge they haven't seen since Midnight left. 

The Whitewater Shores complete their roster with 41st pick, taking the last rookie on the board in the Songstresses' Rachel. An older rookie, Rachel should mesh well with fellow club member Katharine. The Shores have never been one to take big risks. Shaggy's team can count on a solid baseline production from Rachel, and their team success from last year allows them to ease their rookie into action. 

The Infinity Torpedoes are on the clock with the 42nd pick. They'll re-draft Shelley, who they let go in free agency. Shelley has had moderate success with the Torpedoes over her last five seasons, taking a year off in 2017 as part of the Puyallup Exodus. An established veteran, Shelley won't harbor any resentful feelings to the team for letting her go. She'll need to be better than her .286 winning percentage last year, or else she'll go through the draft again in 2021. 

The Archtown Arrows have the 43rd overall pick, and they'll bring in a former Web City Spider in Cubby. Joining his sixth team in nine seasons, Cubby's never been one to enjoy consistency. That said, he's never been outright awful either, usually finishing above .450 in seven of his eight campaigns. This could be a surprisingly strong choice for the Arrows, who will let last year's trade acquisition Klaus walk away with the hopes that Cubby will do better. 

The Todavía Stills use the 44th pick to select a journeyman in Hughbert, who last played with the Tysini Hummingbirds. Hughbert has played for three teams in his four years in the league, reaching .500 only in his rookie year with the Southridge Defenders. After watching their castoff Bells go in the first round, the Stills took a big gamble with the fourth-to-last pick. Expectations for Hughbert won't be very high with the star-power on the team around him. 

The Everton Eagles only felt the need to make one adjustment for 2021, swapping out Bear for the 45th overall pick, which sees former Southern Monarchs captain Panda join the squad. A career Monarch, Panda spent all eight years of his career with the team and finished over .500 six times. His status as a former captain and a club-mate of current Eagles captain Goldy should allow him to adjust seamlessly to his new team, which leaves the Eagles geared up for another big year. 

Making the final true selection, the Midland Predators reacquire Rainmane with the 46th overall pick. A down year saw the Predators cut Rainmane loose in a close call, but they won't have to go on without the star as she rejoins the team. This will be her fifth year with the Predators after she joined them via trade prior to the 2017 expansion draft. Rainmane has struggled to meet the standard she established with the Web City Spiders, but she's a key piece for the team. 

The Central Warriors are left with former Archtown Arrows veteran Klaus at the 47th overall pick. Klaus was a one-time star with the Atlantic Pirates before failing to impress with the Arrows last year. Still one of the standout players with the club Outcast, Klaus will get a chance to reboot his career on a team with high expectations. His strong history makes him a natural fit under Twilight and company, and he has enough of a tough edge to hang with his fellow Warriors in 2021.

That's all for the UPCL Draft ahead of the Tournament XI/2021 campaign. The league will now deal with administrative duties to prepare for the season, which should start with Qualifiers in early January.

Ten-Year Anniversary Tournament - Finals Day 3

This is it for the celebration of TYAT, with the final three events to be decided in today's games. First up...

Slinks v. Panda. The blue cue gets the start today in Rotation. Southern's Panda escaped game 1 with an 8-7 win, as Harrison's Slinks had a three-ball run to tie it late but couldn't get the win. Panda owns a 1-0 series lead. The Monarchs' Panda took the early lead in game 2, but couldn't make it stick in the end. The Specters' Slinks bounced back late and won 8-6, tying the series at 1. Slinks opened up the offense in game 3 with a plethora of scoring over the first few turns. Panda tried to fight back, but a foul allowed Slinks to finish with an 8-1 win to go ahead 2-1 in the series. Panda turned it around with strong and mobile play in game 4. He beat Slinks with a three-ball run-out capped by an option off the 8 that collected the 12 at the bottom side for an 8-1 win to retie the series at 2. Things tightened up again in game 5, and this led to Panda replicating his 8-7 win from the opener despite Slinks' failed late push. Panda has retaken the series lead at 3-2. Slinks didn't stay down long, capitalizing on a bad break from Panda in game 6. Slinks would ultimately take an 8-2 win with a six-ball run-out, her surge helping her tie the series at 3. Slinks let up a little too quickly in game 7, and she wasn't able to sink a winning shot. Panda roared back and won 8-7 with a four-ball run-out to reclaim the series lead at 4-3. Slinks again held a late lead, only to watch it fade away with misses and bad play. Panda recovered just in time for the 8-7 win again, pushing his advantage to 5-3. Slinks, desperate to get back in the series, took too many risks and ended up with no rewards in game 9 as Panda claimed an 8-3 win to seal the series at 6-3. Slinks finally bounced back with a terrific game 10 showing, making an eight-ball run-out on her first turn for an 8-0 win to trim the series back to 6-4. Panda got creative at times in game 11, finding the winning shot on a banked 9-14 combination that got a little help from the caroming cue ball for an 8-5 win. Panda took the series 7-4 and owns the TYAT Rotation title.

Spice v. Dreamy. A fiery middle series uses the silver cue for 7-ball. Swordpoint's Dreamy eventually got a hold on a four-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead after a contentious start to game 1 versus Victoria's Spice. The Blades' Dreamy had a good break in game 2, but the Spurs' Spice fought back with a four-ball run-out this time, tying the series at 1. Spice scratched on the break in game 3, allowing Dreamy to make a four-ball run from ball-in-hand. Dreamy missed on the 6, and Spice converted a 6-7 combination to the bottom left to claim a 2-1 series lead. Spice had a four-ball run from the break in game 4, but couldn't do anything after that. A missed contact foul led to Dreamy's three-ball run-out for the win to retie the series at 2. Dreamy dominated game 5 with a four-ball run early and a pair at the end after Spice's counterattack came up short. Dreamy pulled ahead 3-2 in the series. A slow start in game 6 turned into a quick win as Spice cut the 2-7 combination to the top left to beat Dreamy, again evening the series at 3 games each. Spice was clever in game 7, finding a three-ball run-out to up the pace after another tense start. Dreamy had no chance to reply as Spice went ahead 4-3. Spice tried and failed to make the 3-7 combination in game 8, and a scratch on the play made it worse. Dreamy used the ball-in-hand to convert the same play at the bottom right for the win, tying the series again at 4. Dreamy's early three-ball run in game 9 ended with a foul for illegal contact, and that allowed Spice to make a pair of shots, including the 5-7 combination at the top left. Spice is on the verge of the title with a 5-4 series lead. Game 10 saw Spice make a three-ball run to start, but Dreamy's three-ball run-out, capped by a 6-7 combination at the bottom left, was good for the win to tie the series once more at 5. Game 11 was as tense as the rest of the series, but with far less offense. Eventually, Dreamy made the 7 to the bottom side after Spice couldn't get it at the top left. Dreamy won the series 6-5 to be named TYAT 7-ball Champion.

Citrus v. Shiny. The competition closes for the year with Lighton Prestige teammates battling in 13-ball with the purple cue. Citrus was all out on offense to start game 1, but bad positioning and a scratch slowed her down. Shiny fought back and blended offense with defense for the win and 1-0 series lead. Shiny made a solid on the game 2 break, but elected to switch suits to stripes. This worked out well, as she got a hard-fought win as Citrus tried desperately to play defense at the end. Shiny's lead is up to 2-0. Citrus finally outclassed Shiny on offense in game 3, but Citrus' bank of the 8 to the top right ended with the cue ball also falling at the bottom side. This gifted the win to Shiny, who now holds a 3-0 series lead. Citrus held a lead again in game 4, but Shiny's persistent pressure and smart offense, combined with Citrus twice committing overfills, changed the trajectory of the game. Shiny eventually won with a pair at the end to get a 4-0 series lead. Shiny probably didn't deserve to win game 5, but Citrus' inability to make the 8 at the end meant she didn't either. Shiny fought back with a three-ball run-out to go up 5-0 in the series, giving her half a dozen chances to claim the title. Citrus took the first step on the longest comeback road in game 6, just outlasting Shiny, who had mildly good positioning but nothing to start a run with. Citrus closed with the 8 in the top right to get on the board in a 5-1 series. Shiny nearly pulled off a deep run in game 7, but a rattle at the bottom right and a scratch on the next turn sent her skidding. Citrus recovered just enough, grabbing a three-ball run-out for the win to trim the series to 5-2. Shiny ended the counterattack in game 8, as Citrus made a pair of solids on the break but struggled after that. Shiny took her time and then pounced on a three-ball run-out for the win and 6-2 series lead. Shiny had to be patient in game 9, but she was able to outpace Citrus again. Shiny sent the 8 to the bottom left for the win and stretched her lead to 7-2. Shiny popped a pair of solids on the break and had clearly better positioning throughout game 10, giving Citrus no chance to snag this result. Shiny's win pushed her to an 8-2 series lead. Shiny finished off game 11 as well, with Citrus narrowly missing her chance on the 8 at the bottom right. Shiny won the series 9-2 and claimed the 13-ball title. 

With that, the 2020 campaign is done. We'll have one more post this year, which regards next year's draft, scheduled for tomorrow. After that, the next three or so weeks will be mostly preseason and administrative duties as well as rest for the players, some of whom have gone full speed for nearly 10 months straight.

Ten-Year Anniversary Tournament - Finals Day 2

The finals continue today with another three series to be settled. First up...

Dusky v. Chimpy. The Accuracy final will be determined with the purple cue. Archtown's Dusky stayed composed in game 1, while Westside's Chimpy missed on his last shot. Dusky won 1-2 and took a 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Chimpy collapsed late in game 2, missing his last shot in regulation and failing on the overtime break. The Arrows' Dusky was able to overcome her scratch for a 1-2 win and 2-0 series lead. Chimpy faltered early in game 3, but managed to drag Dusky down at the end to force overtime. Dusky missed on the overtime break, and Chimpy took a 2-3 win to cut the series to 2-1. Dusky bounced right back in game 4, leading the whole way as Chimpy couldn't capitalize on Dusky's slip-ups. Dusky won 3-4 and pushed her series lead to 3-1. Chimpy continued to lose pace in game 5, falling apart completely near the end. Dusky didn't have to be good, but held on to a 2-5 win this time for the 4-1 series lead. Chimpy continued his undeniable skid in game 6, as Dusky faltered multiple times but hung in there for a 3-5 win to propel her to edge of the title with a 5-1 series lead. Dusky claimed the title in game 7, playing nearly perfect until both players missed late. Chimpy had a chance to force overtime, but scratched as he sank the last ball, which gave Dusky the 1-2 win to seal the series at 6-1. Dusky had her chances to collect game 8 as well, but two misses in overtime allowed Chimpy to pick up a 3-4 win that cut the series down to 6-2. Chimpy salvaged another result from game 9 in overtime, as Dusky couldn't cash in on one opportunity and then missed over halfway through the extra rack to give Chimpy a 2-3 win that cut the series to 6-3. Chimpy unraveled again on offense in game 10, and Dusky got back on track with a 2-5 win, stretching her advantage to 7-3. Dusky let another game slip away as scratches and misses piled up in a 3-4 loss to Chimpy in game 11. Dusky settled for a 7-4 series win, doubling up her 2017 championship with the TYAT Accuracy title.

Lionel v. Spirit. On to 10-ball, where the green cue gets its only finals appearance. Lighton's Spirit had a scratch late in game 1, and that led to North Modernistic's Lionel making a five-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Spirit made a six-ball run in game 2, but twice failed on late shots. The Nighthawks' Lionel made his second attempt at the 10 in the top left to go up 2-0 in the series. Spirit made a four-ball run in game 3, but it ended with an illegally potted ball. Lionel made no mistakes on the final pair, claiming another win for the 3-0 series lead. Spirit failed a jump shot on the 3 in game 4, leading to Lionel's five-ball run. Spirit had a chance late but couldn't corral the 9, and Lionel closed out with another win to move ahead 4-0. Spirit was as close as ever to victory in game 5, but she sank the 10 in an uncalled pocket. It was spotted on the dot, and Lionel sank it to the bottom left to stay perfect with a 5-0 series lead. Despite the huge lead, Lionel stayed cautious late in game 6. It didn't pay off, as Spirit ended up making the final pair to get on the board in a series she trails 5-1. A back-and-forth game 7 saw Lionel foul late, only for Spirit to flub her look at 9. Lionel locked in on the final pair and secured the series at 6-1 with the win. Spirit fought back in game 8, while Lionel was willing to let stuff go at this stage. Spirit cruised to victory on a four-ball run-out, trimming the series back to 6-2. Spirit had a pair of scratches in game 9 and couldn't get her play cleaner. Lionel finished with a three-ball run-out and moved ahead 7-2 in the series. Spirit found a path to victory in a challenging game 10, using a three-ball run-out to beat an uninspired effort from Lionel, who still has a 7-3 series lead. Spirit tacked on one more result with a four-ball run-out to win game 11. Lionel ended with a 7-4 series win and became the TYAT 10-ball Champion.

Briana v. Nightfur. The red cue gets the finale today, its last series of the year coming in 12-ball. Queens' Briana started with a four-ball run on solids in game 1. Her positioning was good, and she easily beat Royal's Nightfur for the 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Briana gave away a wild-card ball in game 2, but the Crowns' Nightfur was too slow to take advantage of it. Briana won at the top side and went up 2-0 in the series. Briana went back to instant pressure with a five-ball run off the break in game 3. Nightfur had a wild-card ball to work with but couldn't ignite her offense before Briana closed another win for the 3-0 series lead. Briana yielded another wild-card ball on the break in game 4, and she couldn't escape trouble this time. Nightfur kept her out of position until she could make a three-ball run-out of her own for the win to get on the board in a 3-1 series. Nightfur thought her defense would buy her more than one turn in game 5, but Briana finished a three-ball run-out with a jump to sink the 9 at the top side. Briana's gutsy play rewarded her with a 4-1 series lead. Briana had two overfills and gave away two wild-card balls in game 6, which was far from her peak performance. Nightfur cashed in a four-ball run-out for the win, getting back to a 4-2 deficit. Nightfur took stripes on the break in game 7, and Briana gave away a wild-card ball later, but that just cleared the latter's path. Briana made the final pair cleanly for the win, stretching her series lead up to 5-2. Briana gave away a wild-card ball on the break and chose to play solids, but couldn't spark a run. Nightfur later gave away a wild-card ball too, but her offense was faster and yielded a quick win to pull back to a 5-3 series deficit. Nightfur needed a massive effort in game 9 to stay in the hunt, and she nearly got it with a four-ball run, but her last shot sank Briana's final ball. Briana clinched the series at 6-3. Nightfur made a good effort in game 10, picking up stripes on the first turn. Briana tried to get an edge later, but Nightfur made a four-ball run-out for the win to fight back to a 6-4 deficit. Nightfur got one more jab in with a game 11 win, going all-out as Briana eased off the offense. Briana settled for a 6-5 series win to become the 12-ball Champion at TYAT despite only a bracket finalist position in Tournament X. 

The 2020 competitive season closes tomorrow with the final three series of TYAT.

Ten-Year Anniversary Tournament - Finals Day 1

We've arrived at the Finals round of TYAT play. We'll play three series a day over the next three days to determine each event champion. These series will be a whopping 11 games long each. First up...

Smokey v. Princess. The red cue gets the start today in 8-ball. Neither player had much control in game 1, but Diamond's Smokey eventually buried a four-ball run-out to beat Tysini's Princess for the 1-0 series lead. The Gems' Smokey was much better to start game 2 with a six-ball run. The Hummingbirds' Princess made a five-ball run later, but Smokey won with the 8 in the top left to go up 2-0. Princess found herself in trouble in game 3, following up a four-ball run with a critical miss on the 7. Smokey had made a four-ball run and easily tapped the 8 into the top right on the next turn to stretch his series lead to 3-0. Smokey made a five-ball run off the break in game 4, but Princess appeared to better him with a six-ball run. Smokey then posted a three-ball run-out for the win, moving ahead 4-0 in the series. Princess finally got on the board in game 5, slowing down the pace of the offense into her comfort zone while Smokey struggled overall. Princess got the win, but Smokey remains ahead 4-1. Princess opened game 6 with a five-ball run, but a scratch and cautious play ruined her effort. Smokey bounced back at the end on a six-ball run-out for the win to restore his series lead at 5-1. Princess took her first steps on the comeback trail in game 7, rattling off an impressive seven-ball run-out after a slow start. Smokey's series lead now stands at 5-2. Smokey wasted no time in establishing himself in game 8 with a four-ball run, and he followed it up with a four-ball run-out for the win on the next turn. Smokey sealed the series at 6-2 over Princess. Game 9 saw Princess dictate the pace for the most part, keeping things fairly slow. At the end, both players had a burst of offense, and Smokey corralled the 8 at the top left for the win and 7-2 series lead. Smokey continued just fine in game 10, as Princess had an early run but couldn't sink the 8 on her one chance. Smokey made a four-ball run-out for this win, pushing his advantage to 8-2. Princess tried to be cool with a shot in game 11, but she collected the 8 prematurely to the bottom left to gift Smokey one more win. Smokey took a 9-2 series win to claim the title as TYAT 8-ball Champion.

Nightfur v. Shadow. The highlight series today comes in 9-ball with the blue cue. Web City's Shadow appeared good with a four-ball run early in game 1, but Royal's Nightfur replied with a five-ball run-out for the win. Nightfur leads the series 1-0. The Crowns' Nightfur muddied the start of game 2 a bit, but the Spiders' Shadow found clarity on a five-ball run-out for the win. This tied the series at 1. There was a choppy cadence to the play in game 3, but it didn't bother Shadow, who sank the 9 at the top left after Nightfur failed to convert. Shadow pulled ahead 2-1 in the series. Shadow plucked a three-ball run-out at the end of game 4 after a sloppy sequence where he and Nightfur both scratched. Shadow's win pushed him ahead 3-1. Nightfur lost control in game 5, missing the 5 painfully wide of the top right after Shadow took a risky gamble of a shot. Shadow then followed up with a three-ball run-out to gain the win and 4-1 series lead. Nightfur had a good burst in the middle of game 6, but she missed on the 6. Shadow stepped in with another three-ball run-out for the win to push his advantage to 5-1. Nightfur won game 7 without taking a shot, as Shadow made the 9 to the bottom left on the break but scratched in the top right. Shadow remains ahead 5-2. Nightfur had good plays early in game 8, but missed contact on the 5 was all it took for her to fall apart. Shadow used the ball-in-hand to ignite a five-ball run-out for the win to clinch the series at 6-2. Nightfur made a three-ball run early in game 9, but had to settle for contact on the 3. That lined up a 3-9 combination for Shadow at the bottom left, and his conversion stretched his series lead to 7-2. Shadow had another surge of offense to end game 10, making a four-ball run-out with precision to beat Nightfur and take an 8-2 lead. Shadow had plenty of offense in game 11, but Nightfur picked off the 9 at the bottom right to salvage one more result. Shadow turned his silver medal from 2014 into a TYAT 9-ball Championship by an 8-3 margin.

Goldy v. Shiny. We end with a battle of mother and daughter in 15-ball using the silver cue. Everton's Goldy had more offense early in game 1 and managed to bring it home on a 9-15 combination to the top left after Lighton's Shiny stalled out on offense. Goldy leads the series 1-0. Both players made mistakes after four-ball runs in game 2, but it was a late scratch that doomed the Eagles' Goldy. The Prestige's Shiny used the ball-in-hand to make the last pair for the win to tie the series at 1. Goldy and Shiny combined for a messy start to game 3, featuring multiple fouls on both sides. Goldy eventually shook loose and won on a five-ball run-out to regain the series lead at 2-1. Shiny looked unstoppable at the end of game 4, finishing with a massive seven-ball run-out for the win over Goldy to retie the series at 2. Shiny found the early finish in game 5, slamming a shot into the 4 that picked up the 15 at the bottom left for the win. Shiny leads Goldy for the first time by a 3-2 margin. Goldy fired back in game 6 with an even better finish. Goldy sent the 1-15 combination to the top left and collected the 8 at the bottom left on the double-pot that allowed her to retie the series at 3 versus Shiny. Fouls sucked the life out of the offense in game 7, until Goldy worked a late four-ball run. Goldy missed a bank on the 15, and Shiny tapped it down at the bottom right to go ahead 4-3 in the series. Goldy found a five-ball run in the middle of game 8, but couldn't add a supporting run after it. Shiny eventually made the final pair for the win to go up 5-3 in the series. Shiny couldn't stop her good play in game 9, making three balls on the break. She added a five-ball run, and while Goldy had a chance to get the win, she couldn't line up a trick play. Shiny instead deflected off the 10 to make the 15 in the top left to secure the series at 6-3. Much like the series, game 10 started off fairly even on offense. Shiny then took over with a couple of runs around the midpoint before sinking the final pair for the win and 7-3 series lead over Goldy. Shiny didn't have her best in game 11, but she was able to cut the 15 into the top side for the 8-3 series win. Shiny, the 2010 silver medalist, now has the TYAT 15-ball Championship to her name. 

There's just two more days of action in TYAT Finals, which will continue tomorrow.

Ten-Year Anniversary Tournament - Semifinals Day 4

The last day of the Semifinals is here, with just three series to play. Leading off...

Chimpy v. Zach. The silver cue starts the day in Accuracy. Westside's Chimpy started excellently in game 1, playing a perfect 0-3 win over Pronger's Zach for the 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Chimpy made only one mistake in game 2, scratching on the break. The Tridents' Zach had a couple of early misses and faded late in a 1-3 loss as Chimpy moved ahead 2-0 in the series. Chimpy made a ball on the break in game 3, but his offense faltered late. Zach wasn't sharp, but he was good enough for a 2-3 win to cut the series to 2-1. Game 4 brought the heat on both sides, as Zach stayed perfect and Chimpy nearly did the same. Zach grabbed a 0-1 win and tied the series at 2. Game 5 was as tight as any so far, with Zach cutting in a ball to force overtime at the end. Zach missed on his third shot in the extra rack, allowing Chimpy to take a 1-2 win while regaining the series lead at 3-2. Zach completely fell out of form in game 6, as Chimpy failed to seal things up early. Zach's downward spiral led to Chimpy winning 2-7 to move to a 4-2 series lead. Zach had a slow start in game 7, and that wound up costing him a chance later as he never pulled even in the game. Chimpy fought off the danger for a 2-3 win to clinch the series at 5-2. Zach had a lead for most of game 8, but couldn't bring it home in the end. Chimpy gained the lead late and locked in a 2-3 win to go up 6-2 in the series. Chimpy had no mercy in game 9, doing some unspeakably difficult shots well to beat Zach 1-2 for a 7-2 series win. Chimpy cruises into the Accuracy finals versus the Archtown Arrows' Dusky.

Nightfur v. Victoria. Today's middle series is 9-ball with the purple cue. Pearl's Victoria wasted too many chances for offense in game 1, allowing Royal's Nightfur to get a win with less than her best. Nightfur leads the series 1-0. Game 2 saw the Crowns' Nightfur scratch on the break. The Surfers' Victoria faltered from ball-in-hand, and Nightfur made a 2-9 combination to the top left for the win and 2-0 series lead. Still with some cracks in her play, Victoria picked off a 5-9 combination to the top left to win game 3 after Nightfur was shaky on offense. Victoria's win cut the series to 2-1. Victoria made a pair on the break in game 4, but Nightfur replied with a four-ball run-out capped by a deflection off the 5 to make the 9 at the top left. Nightfur pushed her series lead to 3-1. Nightfur made a ball on the break, but her bounce off the 4 to tap in the 9 at the bottom left overwhelmed Victoria, who missed a similar play on the 3 earlier in game 5. Nightfur's up to a 4-1 series lead now. Nightfur worked a four-ball run in game 6, but couldn't bring it home. Victoria then executed a 5-9 combination at the bottom left for an early win to cut the deficit to 4-2. Both players made a pair early in game 7, but Victoria scratched on her last shot of the turn. Nightfur took over and made a five-ball run-out for the win, sealing the series at 5-2. Nightfur eased up on offense a bit in game 8, causing things to go slower. Victoria sped it up at the end on a four-ball run-out for the win to trim the series to 5-3. Victoria couldn't get a handle on the offense in game 9, and Nightfur took it with a four-ball run-out to finish with a 6-3 series win. Nightfur will meet Shadow in the 9-ball finals.

Dreamy v. Leonette. The action wraps up with 7-ball and the green cue. A bit of a slow start in game 1 led to Pacific's Leonette hammering in a five-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead over Swordpoint's Dreamy. The Volcanoes' Leonette started game 2 with a four-ball run and finished on a three-ball run-out after the Blades' Dreamy missed her only shot. Leonette's dominant surge gave her a 2-0 series lead. Leonette had a four-ball run in game 3 after a shaky start, but her miss on the 7 allowed Dreamy to cut it to the bottom side. Leonette's series lead shrunk to 2-1. Leonette had a scratch after she made the 6 in game 4, a costly play overall. Dreamy took the 7 at the top right from ball-in-hand, and that helped her tie the series at 2. Leonette had a chance to make a run in game 5, but missed on the 4. Dreamy then ignited a four-ball run-out, her win giving her the series lead for the first time at 3-2. Leonette didn't look that good early in game 6, but she made the last five balls over two turns as Dreamy lost her grip on the offense. Leonette's return to form in the win tied the series at 3. Dreamy had a three-ball run late in game 7, but it looked like it got away from her on the 6. Leonette then missed the 7, and Dreamy sent it to the top side for the win to regain the series lead at 4-3. Leonette flubbed a ball-in-hand play in game 8, and that would be it for her run, as Dreamy made a four-ball run-out capped by a 4-7 kick combination to the bottom side. Dreamy secured the series at 5-3. Dreamy won on another four-ball run-out in game 9, the final shot clipping off the 6 and caroming into the 7 to sink it at the bottom side. Dreamy won the series 6-3 and is set to face the Victoria Spurs' Spice in the 7-ball finals. 

We're three days away from the end of the TYAT, as well as the 2020 UPCL calendar year of playing events. Right now, the 2021 UPCL Draft is scheduled for Thursday, December 10, immediately following the conclusion of the TYAT. Qualifiers for 2021 are likely to begin in January.

Ten-Year Anniversary Tournament - Semifinals Day 3

We're back with the last full day of the Semifinals. Leading off...

Briana v. Spirit. The silver cue starts the day with 12-ball. Queens' Briana made an impact on a four-ball run in the middle of game 1. Lighton's Spirit couldn't form a response, and Briana took the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Briana gave up two wild-card balls in game 2, but her offense was aggressive enough to overcome it after the Prestige's Spirit missed on her last ball. Briana won at the bottom right to go up 2-0. Briana picked up stripes to start game 3 and had a smooth turn of offense again, winning with a three-ball run-out. Spirit received a chance to tie with a wild-card ball, but couldn't make a shot. Briana leads the series 3-0. Briana made a pair of solids on the break in game 4, but Spirit answered on a four-ball run. Spirit would scratch later, then recover on a three-ball run-out for the win to cut the series to 3-1. Spirit started well in game 5, but couldn't quite make her last ball before the end. Briana kept close and challenged with a short run before taking her last shot at the top right for the win. Briana holds a 4-1 series lead. Briana had a three-ball run cut short by an illegal contact call, and Spirit used that as a springboard to make three balls over her last two turns. Spirit collected the win and trimmed the series back to 4-2. Spirit was weighed down with overfills in game 7, which partially bailed out Briana's untimely scratch in the middle. At the end, Briana's positioning was better as she made a pair for the win to clinch the series at 5-2. Briana gave away a wild-card ball in game 8, and Spirit's play was too strong to be denied. Spirit took the shots she saw and got the win, cutting Briana's series lead down to 5-3. Briana received a wild-card ball in game 9, but she had to give it back after a scratch, and Spirit moved along after that to earn the win. Briana took the series 5-4 to set a date with the Royal Crowns' Nightfur in the 12-ball finals.

Citrus v. Jake. In 13-ball, the purple cue will hold court. Lighton's Citrus made one of each on the game 1 break, and chose to play stripes. It could have gone either way, but Royal's Jake missed contact on the 8 and Citrus won with a pair for the 1-0 series lead. Game 2 was a mess for both players, although the Crowns' Jake can blame his scratches for his problems. Jake also committed a stick foul that allowed the Prestige's Citrus to make the final pair for a 2-0 series lead. Citrus had a decent start in game 3, but it was Jake stepping up on a six-ball run-out that turned the tides. Citrus' series lead is down to 2-1. Game 4 brought the pace, as Jake began with a three-ball run. Citrus answered with a four-ball run, but Jake made a four-ball run-out for the win to tie the series at 2. Jake kept a high pace in game 5, winning in only three turns with the help of a pair of three-ball runs and a total lack of offense from Citrus. Jake has pulled ahead 3-2 in the series. Jake kept up his attack to start game 6, but his positioning on stripes faltered as Citrus kept things close this time. Citrus then took over in the middle and made the 8 at the top left a turn later for the win to retie the series at 3. Citrus stayed strong on solids in game 7, and she was savvy enough to leave Jake with poor positioning at the end. Citrus made the final pair from ball-in-hand after Jake fouled out of frustration. Citrus retook the series lead at 4-3. Jake had two scratches on his final stripe, denying him a chance to legally sink the 8. Citrus took advantage of that and rallied late to get the win, sealing the series at 5-3. Jake got one back in game 9, chipping his way to victory in a slow battle. Citrus still advanced on a 5-4 series win to take on Lighton Prestige teammate Shiny in the 13-ball finals.

Panda v. Ms. Kitty. Coastal rivals tangle with the green cue in Rotation. Southern's Panda had much more of the offense in game 1 and worked his way to an 8-2 win over Pacific's Ms. Kitty without much trouble. Panda leads the series 1-0. The Monarchs' Panda couldn't get a grip on his offense in game 2, while the Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty kept things relatively clean. Ms. Kitty marched to an 8-4 win to tie the series at 1. Ms. Kitty had a massive four-ball run to start game 3, and that would be her margin of victory as well. Panda covered the initial damage, but Ms. Kitty won 8-4 to go up 2-1 in the series. A much closer start in game 4 gave way as Ms. Kitty grabbed the lead. Panda pushed back with a four-ball run, but that ended in a scratch, and Ms. Kitty took an 8-6 win for the 3-1 series lead. Panda had a four-ball run early in game 5, and he went unchallenged in an 8-2 win to shrink Ms. Kitty's series lead to 3-2. Panda began game 6 with a massive run to take a huge lead, but Ms. Kitty worked a six-ball run before a scratch cut her off. Panda made the 14 from ball-in-hand for the 8-6 win, tying the series at 3 games apiece. Panda needed only three turns to win game 7, highlighted by a four-ball run in the middle and pairs on the first and third turns. Panda beat Ms. Kitty 8-1 to pull ahead 4-3 in the series. Panda didn't have the same pace in game 8, but he wasn't really challenged by a downtrodden Ms. Kitty. Panda walked away with an 8-3 win, securing the series in his favor at 5-3. Ms. Kitty had nothing left for game 9, and Panda was slow but steady in an 8-1 win to complete a 6-3 series win. Panda heads to the Rotation finals versus the Harrison Specters' Slinks.

Shadow v. Waluigi. The red cue is here for 9-ball between two players representing the same team. In game 1, Waluigi won with a pair after Shadow wasn't able to sustain his early pace. Waluigi leads the series 1-0. Shadow had a four-ball run late in game 2, but couldn't make it stick as he missed contact on the 9. Waluigi took the last shot from ball-in-hand, his win giving him a 2-0 series lead. Waluigi nearly made the 1-9 combination to the top left in game 3, but Shadow was able to work a deflection play instead, and he narrowly missed scratching to hold onto the win. Waluigi's series lead is down to 2-1. Shadow looked much more in form in game 4, breaking out with a four-ball run-out after Waluigi couldn't take control on offense. Shadow's late surge helped him tie the series at 2. A return to shaky form arose in game 5, as neither Shadow nor Waluigi was totally comfortable. At the end, Shadow picked off the 9 to the top right to pull ahead 3-2 in the series. Shadow immediately extended his lead in game 6, making the 8 and the 9 to the top left on the break to shock Waluigi. Shadow's lead is now 4-2. A quick back-and-forth in game 7 saw Shadow make an early pair and a late pair, propelling him past Waluigi one more time. Shadow clinched the series at 5-2 with this fast win. It wasn't the most elegant effort, but Shadow found a triple-pot that he followed with a scratch, and then a three-ball run-out on his next turn when Waluigi wasted the ball-in-hand play. Shadow's series lead is up to 6-2. Shadow didn't have the best offense in game 9, but he capitalized on jittery play from Waluigi in the end. Shadow made the 9 to the top left for the win, completing a 7-2 series win to get into the 9-ball finals.

Dewey v. Lionel. The blue cue ends the day with 10-ball. North Modernistic's Lionel had a three-ball run-out in game 1, taking a close win over Oceanside's Dewey for the 1-0 series lead. The Nighthawks' Lionel had a failed jump shot late in a choppy game 2, and that gave the Waves' Dewey possession. Dewey ended that turn with a bank of the 10 to the bottom left for the win to tie the series at 1. Dewey had a bit of an edge on offense in game 3, but his three-ball run ended with a scratch. Lionel took over and made the last pair of balls for the win, restoring his series lead at 2-1. Dewey nearly won on a 6-10 combination in game 4, but it rattled out of the top left after he had slammed a bank of the 5 to the bottom side. Lionel stepped up and sank a 6-8-10 combination at the top left for the win and 3-1 series lead. Lionel didn't corral much offense in game 5, as Dewey made a four-ball run-out with a double-pot of the 3 to the bottom left and the 10 to the top side. Dewey's miracle finish cut the deficit back to 3-2. Dewey nearly won game 6 quickly with a 2-10 bank combination, but that left the 10 at the top left. Lionel never got a clear look for an early finish, while Dewey came around and made a 4-10 combination for the win to retie the series at 3. Dewey kept rolling in game 7, pummeling a few shots in a tense battle with Lionel. At the end, Lionel rattled the 10 out of the top right and Dewey tapped it down for the win and 4-3 series lead. Dewey had a little offense in game 8, but neither player really claimed control. It was a bank of the 10 to the bottom side for Lionel that decided the game, retying the series at 4. Dewey put everything he could into game 9, but he missed the 10 at the end. Lionel sank it to the top right for the win, and Lionel walked off with a 5-4 series win to earn the right to oppose the Lighton Prestige's Spirit in the 10-ball finals. 

We'll end the Semifinals tomorrow before playing the Finals from Monday to Wednesday.

Ten-Year Anniversary Tournament - Semifinals Day 2

The second day of the Semifinals is here, beginning with...

Nightfur v. Shiny. The two favorites for TYAT MVP clash in 15-ball with the silver cue. Lighton's Shiny capitalized on the 15 being close to the top left by making a 5-7-15 combination there after Royal's Nightfur committed an error. Shiny leads the series 1-0. The Prestige's Shiny maintained a majority of the offense in game 2, although she still needed the Crowns' Nightfur to miss the 15 at the end. Nightfur whiffed at the top right, and Shiny tapped it down for the 2-0 series lead. Nightfur had a chance to win game 3 after Shiny missed the 14 to end a run. Nightfur made it, but left the 15 short at the top side, and Shiny tapped it down to extend her series lead to 3-0. Fortune favored Shiny after a bad break in game 4, as Nightfur only chipped in modestly on offense. Shiny then threw a shot at the 9 which sent the 15 caroming to the bottom right for the win and 4-0 series lead. Shiny was merciless in game 5, as Nightfur made a late four-ball run but couldn't sink either of the last two balls. Shiny made sure her early four-ball run wasn't wasted as she got the win to clinch the series at 5-0. Nightfur finally got on the board in game 6 with a three-ball run-out to beat Shiny after a rather shaky effort on both sides. Shiny's series lead remains firm at 5-1. Nightfur got a little more redemption in game 7, making the 15 on her second attempt as Shiny has clearly gone into a reserved mode of play. Nightfur had a six-ball run in game 8, but couldn't get the 10 to fall at the top left. Shiny made it and a 13-15 combination at the bottom left to get the win, pushing her series lead up to 6-2. Shiny picked off the 15 at the end of a competitive game 9 as well, ending the series with a 7-2 win over Nightfur. Shiny will face her mother, Everton Eagles captain Goldy, in the 15-ball finals.

Princess v. Spirit. Elite talents meet in 10-ball with the purple cue. Both players showed respect for each other, especially as Tysini's Princess overcooked a shot on the 9 late in game 1. Lighton's Spirit then made the final pair for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Hummingbirds' Princess worked a four-ball run in game 2 as well, but missed the 6 at the bottom left. The Prestige's Spirit replied with a three-ball run-out for the win and 2-0 series lead. Princess made a three-ball run in game 3 but had a conundrum on the 7, which she sent wide of the bottom right. Spirit made it, then banked the 8 to the top right and cut the 10 to the top left for the win, extending her lead to 3-0. Princess stopped the bleeding in game 4 with a quick finish. Spirit was out of sorts on her shots, and Princess put the 3 in the top side before a well-timed 4-10 combination to the bottom left got her a win. Spirit's lead is down to 3-1. Spirit shot right back in game 5 with a 3-10 combination to the top left, the early finish pushing her to a 4-1 series lead after Princess sputtered early. Princess had a little offense in game 6, but couldn't do anything about how it ended. Spirit roared forward with a six-ball run-out for the win, which helped her secure the series at 5-1. Spirit stayed dominant in game 7, mashing a five-ball run early on. Princess made the 6, but scratched on the same play, and Spirit answered with a three-ball run-out to go ahead 6-1. Princess made a five-ball run in game 8, but again tried to do too much on the 7. Spirit took over from here and won with a four-ball run-out, stretching her advantage to 7-1. Spirit had full control by the end of game 9, smashing a six-ball run-out to finish off her 8-1 series win over Princess. Spirit has punched her ticket to the 10-ball finals.

Sweetheart v. Slinks. In Rotation, the green cue gets its turn today. Boston's Sweetheart made a five-ball run off a ball-in-hand play in game 1, but it wasn't enough. Harrison's Slinks replied with a pair and some defense, then made a four-ball run-out for the 8-7 win and 1-0 series lead. The Specters' Slinks made a four-ball run early in game 2, then had to take her time before grabbing the 8-5 win over the Swifts' Sweetheart. Slinks' steady bursts of offense have her ahead 2-0 in the series. Slinks had some good plays early in game 3, but Sweetheart burst to life over two turns to gain the lead. Sweetheart won 8-4 with a two-rail bank of the 11 to the top side, helping her cut Slinks' series lead to 2-1. Sweetheart had a huge lead in game 5, but Slinks took over with a late four-ball run. Sweetheart got one back, but a failed jump allowed Slinks to poke the 13 to the bottom left for the 8-6 win and 3-1 series lead. Sweetheart again did reasonably well early on, only for Slinks to track her down with a five-ball run-out to close out game 5 with an 8-6 win. Slinks stretched her advantage to 4-1. Sweetheart had to scrap for offense late in game 6, as Slinks protected her lead effectively. Sweetheart pulled even, but Slinks won 8-7 in the end, sealing the series in her favor at 5-1. Sweetheart salvaged a result in game 7, outpacing Slinks near the end to pick up an 8-5 victory. Slinks remains ahead 5-2 in the series. Sweetheart smashed a five-ball run from the break in game 8, then made a three-ball run-out on her next turn for the quick 8-0 win. Slinks' series lead shrunk to 5-3. Sweetheart unleashed another massive play with a seven-ball run in game 9. It took her some time, but she beat Slinks 8-4 this time. Slinks still won the series 5-4, narrowly reaching the Rotation finals.

Shiny v. Dusky. The designated host gets a second series today, playing Accuracy with the red cue. Archtown's Dusky was in fine shape early in game 1, but faded near the end, and Web City's Shiny was merciless in picking up a 1-4 win. Shiny leads the series 1-0. The Spiders' Shiny quickly got into trouble after scratching on the break in game 2. The Arrows' Dusky faded late but held on for a 3-5 win to tie the series at 1. Shiny rounded back into form with an exclamation point, staying perfect in game 3 for the 0-2 win over Dusky. Shiny regained the series lead at 2-1. Shiny was alright in game 4, but couldn't avoid overtime, where she scratched on the break. Dusky took her lone shot easily to win 2-3, retying the series at 2. Shiny lost the last-shot advantage in game 5 after an early double-pot, and that would be costly with another empty overtime break. Dusky buried a shot and picked up a 1-2 win this time, going ahead 3-2 in the series. Dusky faltered in game 6, missing twice early on. Shiny had a scratch in the middle, but maintained the margin for a 1-2 win to retie the series again at 3. Overtime continued to haunt Shiny in game 7, as her break this time came close but failed to yield a ball. Dusky picked off her single shot for the 1-2 win, retaking the series lead at 4-3 on another close victory. Dusky made three balls on the break in game 8, but faltered multiple times down the stretch. Shiny had no such failures, going perfect again in a 0-3 win that tied the series at 4. Shiny came within a shot of victory twice in game 9, missing once to force overtime and again in the extra rack. Dusky stepped up on her second shot of overtime for the 3-4 win and 5-4 series win. Dusky will play in the Accuracy finals.

Spice v. Dusty. Reality club-mates battle in 7-ball with the blue cue to end the day. A slow start to game 1 gave way as Victoria's Spice buried a five-ball run-out for the win and 1-0 series lead over Golden's Dusty. The Spurs' Spice enjoyed her break in game 2, sending the 7 to the top side for an instant win and 2-0 series lead. Spice went empty on the break in game 3, but made a six-ball run on her second turn. The Pilots' Dusty interjected with a bank of the 7 to the bottom right for the win, cutting the series to 2-1. Dusty kept her offense up in game 4, making four balls over two turns, but that wasn't enough. Spice banked the 7 to the top left for the win and boosted her series lead to 3-1. Spice made three balls on the break in game 5, but couldn't get anything after that. Dusty won with a pair this time, pulling back to a 3-2 deficit in the series. Dusty applied pressure with her offense in game 6, but it was Spice fouling as she sank the 7 in the bottom right that tipped the game. Dusty got the free win to tie the series at 3 games each. A pivotal game 7 saw offense stagnate with many balls stuck along rails. Dusty had a short run but couldn't finish it off, as Spice won at the bottom left. Spice leads the series again at 4-3. Spice didn't want to play quietly in game 8, striking early and skidding her hand off the edge of a pocket. Shaking it off, Spice capitalized on Dusty's miss on the 5, with Spice burying a three-ball run-out for the win on the next turn. Spice clinched the series at 5-3. Dusty was determined in game 9, and that turned into a four-ball run-out for the win as she double-potted the 3 and the 7 to the side pockets. Spice won the series 5-4 to earn her place in the 7-ball finals. 

One more full day of Semifinals will go tomorrow before the round ends Sunday with approximately half as much play.

Ten-Year Anniversary Tournament - Semifinals Day 1

We're a week away from the end of the TYAT. Today's action is the start of the Semifinals, which will feature nine-game, one-event series for the first time in a UPCL event in many years. Leading off...

Kiwi v. Goldy: The silver cue gets the starting nod in 15-ball. Everton's Goldy got strong quickly in game 1, following up her six-ball run with a four-ball run-out to defeat Modernistic's Kiwi. Goldy leads the series 1-0. The Eagles' Goldy wasn't as smooth in game 2, although she did make five of the last six balls. The Union's Kiwi was there to snipe the 15 at the top left for the win, tying the series at 1. Goldy found a groove with a five-ball run in game 3, but Kiwi immediately answered on a five-ball run-out to grab the win. Kiwi is ahead 2-1 in the series now. Goldy had no lack of confidence in game 4, controlling most of the offense as she got the early win on a 3-13-15 combination deflected off the 5 and into the bottom left. This erased Kiwi's lead as the series is tied at 2. The choppiest game yet was game 5. Neither player dominated the offense with a run, but it was Goldy who picked off the final pair after Kiwi stumbled. Goldy pulled ahead 3-2 in the series. Kiwi needed a big run to finish off game 6 and she fell short, missing on the 12. Goldy then buried a three-ball run-out in response, cashing in again to push her lead to 4-2. Kiwi fought off the danger in game 7, as Goldy had a few threatening moves. Kiwi then slammed the door on a four-ball run-out to pull back to a 4-3 series deficit. Kiwi came close to victory in game 8, pushing a lot of late offense but ultimately missing on the 15. Goldy put it away at the top right for the win to seal the series at 5-3. Kiwi salvaged a result in game 9 by pushing the offense strongly even in the end. Goldy eased up and Kiwi made a three-ball run-out. Goldy's 5-4 series win puts her in the 15-ball finals.

Smokey v. Twinkie III. Recent teammates battle in 8-ball with the purple cue. A somewhat sloppy finish to game 1 saw Whitewater's Twinkie III snag the win over Diamond's Smokey. Twinkie III holds a 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Twinkie III had a good start, but needed the Gems' Smokey to fall off the pace at the end. This occurred, as Smokey lost his momentum and Twinkie III poked the 8 to the bottom left for the win and 2-0 series lead. Twinkie III continued to control the early offense, but she slipped near the end of game 3 with a miss on the 8. Smokey fired back on a four-ball run-out to get on the board as he now trails only 2-1. Game 4 saw Twinkie III again jump out to a lead on solids, but her late offense was sparse. Smokey packed it in with a seven-ball run-out this time, including a crafty jump shot that helped him tie the series at 2. Smokey continued to improve, taking the lead on offense earlier in game 5. Twinkie III failed to make a response, and Smokey got the win on a three-ball run-out for the 3-2 series lead. Smokey scratched on the break in game 6, but that didn't stop him from making it a competitive game. Twinkie III nearly had a push at the end, but she rattled the 3 out, and Smokey made a pair for the win and 4-2 series lead. Twinkie III had a decent start to game 7, but faltered near the end as Smokey added pressure. Smokey closed it out with a win, clinching the series at 5-2. Twinkie III tried to make her way through game 8 on jump shots and a late run, but she fell short before Smokey buried the 8 to the bottom right to stretch his lead to 6-2. Smokey attacked with a five-ball run early in game 7, then followed up with another run at the end to beat Twinkie III. Smokey won the series 7-2 and will face the winner of the next set in the 8-ball finals.

Ruby v. Princess. The premier meeting of the day is in 8-ball with the green cue. Tysini's Princess had a back-and-forth game 1 with Todavía's Ruby, which saw Ruby come quite close to the win. Princess then made the final pair for the 1-0 series lead instead. The Stills' Ruby had most of the early offense in game 2, but couldn't make it stand as the Hummingbirds' Princess came all the way back on a seven-ball run-out. Princess put herself ahead 2-0 in the series. On her second turn of game 3, Princess made a six-ball run. Ruby answered with a seven-ball run, but missed the 8, and Princess won with a pair to go up 3-0. Princess didn't find any real offense in game 4, falling behind early to Ruby and never catching up. Ruby's win got her on the board, but she's behind 3-1 in the series. Ruby could have had game 5 easily, but scratches for both players slowed down the finish. Princess bounced back better with a three-ball run-out for the win and 4-1 series lead. Game 6 was another close battle, which saw Ruby prevail with a three-ball run after Princess suffered a scratch she couldn't recover from. Ruby's pulled back to a 4-2 deficit. Ruby thought her turn should have continued after a phantom contact knocked one of her balls in. Princess got down to the 8 quickly but couldn't convert until the end, when Ruby missed it at the bottom right. Princess secured the series at 5-2 after game 7. Ruby played on thin margins in game 8, getting the last four balls down over two turns as Princess sputtered too slowly to the finish. Ruby's win cut Princess' series lead to 5-3. Ruby got one more jab in with a win in game 9, but it was Princess who advanced on a 5-4 series win. Princess will meet the Diamond Gems' Smokey in the 8-ball finals.

Shiny v. Kitty. In 13-ball, the red cue gets its turn. Lighton's Shiny had a small lead initially in game 1, and Midland's Kitty couldn't challenge her late. Shiny took a tight win for a 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Shiny started hot in game 2 but had to weather a late push from the Predators' Kitty, which ended with a scratch. Shiny then made a three-ball run-out for the win and 2-0 series lead. Shiny was good to start game 3, but an overfill and bad positioning torpedoed her. Kitty bounced back with a three-ball run-out for the win, cutting the deficit to 2-1. Kitty made a couple of stripes on the game 4 break and barely slowed down later. Shiny had some plays to make, but couldn't get positioning as Kitty won on a three-ball run-out to tie the series at 2. Kitty had an explosive break, and her first shot after that put the players on level terms. Shiny rode through on stripes and didn't have too much trouble in earning this win for a 3-2 series lead. Shiny faltered in positioning late in game 6, unable to find clear looks on her last two balls while Kitty worked her offense much faster. Kitty's push to the win retied the series at 3. Kitty was the one caught out of position in game 7, as Shiny was much more clever on stripes this time. Shiny won with a three-ball run-out and reclaimed the series lead at 4-3. Shiny appeared to have the edge throughout game 8, but she missed on the 8 near the end. Kitty responded with a perfect three-ball run-out for the win, tying the series once more at 4 games each. Kitty overfilled on the game 9 break, and that would cost her positioning. Shiny had no such trouble and eventually chipped her way to the win and 5-4 series win. Shiny will play in the 13-ball finals.

Goatee v. Nightfur. The designated visitor gets to split her doubleheader over two days as she plays 12-ball with the blue cue here. Westside's Goatee bullied her way to better positioning in game 1, and Royal's Nightfur couldn't counter it in the end. Goatee kicked the 13 to the top side for the win and 1-0 series lead. Both players had good positioning in game 2 and chose not to interfere with each other too much. This aided the Rockers' Goatee, who was able to outpace the Crowns' Nightfur at the end to extend her series lead to 2-0. Nightfur was solid to start game 3, but a five-ball run by Goatee pulled her far enough ahead to easily earn the win. Goatee's series lead is up to 3-0. Goatee didn't get much going in her favor in game 4, and Nightfur took over on offense with a four-ball run-out. Goatee's series lead is down to 3-1. Nightfur had everything lined up but couldn't close out in game 5, and Goatee instead picked up the slack. Nightfur's late foul allowed Goatee to make her final pair for a 4-1 series lead. Goatee couldn't bring it home in game 6, as too many errors weighed her down early. Nightfur wasn't clean with the win, but good enough to win to get back to a 4-2 deficit. Nightfur yielded a wild-card ball in game 7, but her offense was dominant after that, while Goatee couldn't get off the launchpad. Nightfur pulled closer but remains behind 4-3. Nightfur was strong again in game 8, and that allowed her to compete closely with Goatee. In the end, Nightfur had just enough offense for another win, tying the series at 4. Nightfur kept the offense up and got Goatee to take herself out of position late in game 9. Nightfur then made a pair for the win, completing the comeback in a 5-4 series win. Nightfur will play in the 12-ball finals. 

The Semifinals should return to a normal starting time tomorrow.

Ten-Year Anniversary Tournament - Quarterfinals Day 5

The last day of the Quarterfinals round is here, featuring eight series instead of seven. We lead off with...

Ruby v. Briana. The green cue will open the day in 8-ball. Todavía's Ruby kept things simple in game 1 and outpaced Queens' Briana pretty easily. Ruby made a four-ball run-out at the end for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Flames' Briana had a scratch after a four-ball run in game 2, but she still had time to beat the Stills' Ruby, who couldn't quite kick the 8 to the top right. Briana's win tied the series at 1. Ruby got back on track quickly in game 3, and she put the 8 into a crowd of Briana's balls to slow the opponent. Ruby then got away later on a four-ball run-out for the win to restore her series lead at 2-1. Briana struck first on solids in game 4, but Ruby went reckless on a six-ball run that also saw her pot two for Briana. In the end, Ruby had an easy pair for the win to extend her series lead to 3-1. Ruby again made a six-ball run in game 5, but this time Briana fired back with a six-ball run-out on the next turn. Briana's response kept her in the series, trailing 3-2. Ruby took her time to get going on offense in game 6, but she found a three-ball run-out after a scratch cut short her previous attack. Briana failed to keep pace, and Ruby's win clinched the series for her at 4-2. Briana didn't get much going in game 7, and she illegally sank the 8 to gift another win to Ruby, who took the series 5-2. Ruby is set to face the Tysini Hummingbirds' Princess in the semifinals.

Missy v. Victoria. In 9-ball, the red cue gets an appearance. Pearl's Victoria made a stand after Capital City's Missy made a three-ball run early. Victoria got the win with a bank of the 9 to the bottom right for the 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Victoria lost traction in game 2, and the Sharpshooters' Missy improved. Missy would get this win with a play on the 6 that caromed to take the 9 at the bottom right to tie the series at 1. Missy had the better attack in game 3, but couldn't bring it home in the end. Victoria instead made the final pair with ease, earning the win to retake the series lead at 2-1. Missy made a push with a three-ball run in game 4, but missed on the 7. Victoria then potted a three-ball run-out capped with a bank on the 9 to the bottom side to go ahead 3-1. Missy made a three-ball run in game 5, but again couldn't find a path to the 9. Victoria took care of it with a pair at the end to seal the series at 4-1. Missy stopped her skid in game 6, as Victoria missed contact on the 2. Missy used the ball-in-hand for a 2-9 combination to the bottom left to cut the series to 4-2. Victoria made the last five balls over two turns in a relatively dominant win in game 7. Victoria beat Missy 5-2 in the series to get to the semifinals versus the Royal Crowns' Nightfur.

Princess v. Nightfur. Tough legends compete in 10-ball with the blue cue. Royal's Nightfur had the better play for most of game 1, but Tysini's Princess struck the final pair to recover from two scratches earlier. Princess leads the series 1-0. The relative lack of pace in the series so far hasn't stopped the Hummingbirds' Princess, who picked up another win in game 2 as the Crowns' Nightfur failed to string shots together. Princess is up 2-0. Nightfur finally loosened up in game 3, rallying to a five-ball run-out capped by an 8-10 combination at the top right after Princess couldn't take control. Princess remains ahead 2-1 in the series. Regression struck for Nightfur in game 4, as she couldn't keep her offense up. Princess cleaned up the 10 to the bottom left in the end, stretching her series lead to 3-1. Nightfur bounced back late in game 5, ripping a six-ball run-out to stun Princess again. Nightfur's deficit now rests at 3-2. Nightfur loaded up another burst on a four-ball run, but missed the 7-10 combination attempt. Princess rattled off a three-ball run-out for the win to secure the series at 4-2 after game 6. Princess kept the offense strong in game 7, and won on a four-ball run-out to complete a 5-2 series win over Nightfur. Princess will head to the semifinals.

Taylor S. v. Briana. The silver cue's lone outing today is in 12-ball. Queens' Briana came close to the win in game 1, but Commerce's Taylor S. was a step ahead and found victory for a 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Taylor S. didn't have the cleanest finish in game 2, but she still did better than the Flames' Briana, who had multiple errors that held her back. Taylor S. holds a 2-0 series lead. Both players had four-ball runs in game 3, but it was Briana who missed on her last ball to end hers. Taylor S. then put her last shot in the top left for the win, extending her advantage to 3-0. Taylor S. came close to the win in game 4, but fouled twice after a three-ball run. Briana took over in the end to make her final pair for the win, staying alive in a series she trails 3-1. Taylor S. got sidelined by a pair of scratches in game 5, allowing Briana a little more time to make a choppy push for the win. Briana converted at the top left for the win, getting back to a 3-2 deficit. Taylor S. led for almost all of game 6, but couldn't find her positioning to close it out. Briana countered with a four-ball run-out, kicking the 5 to the top side for the win that tied the series at 3. Briana pulled off the remarkable comeback in a tense game 7, just beating Taylor S. to the finish. Briana's 4-3 reverse-sweep puts her in the semifinals versus the Lighton Prestige's Spirit.

Gabe v. Spice. The purple cue's round ends with 7-ball. Maplewood's Gabe set the tone in game 1 by putting the 7 in the top side on the break for a 1-0 series lead over Victoria's Spice. Game 2 was a much slower battle. The Spurs' Spice scratched late, but the Lumberjacks' Gabe rattled the 7 out of the top left, and Spice cleaned it up to get the win. The series is tied at 1. Game 3 was defined by a brutal missed contact by Gabe, who slipped right by the 5. Spice used the ball-in-hand play to make a three-ball run-out for the win and 2-1 series lead. A high-energy game 4 saw Gabe get a pair, but Spice bounced back just in time at the end to nab another win, pulling out to a 3-1 series lead. Spice had a plan in mind to navigate game 5, but couldn't quite execute it right. Gabe responded with a clean three-ball run-out for the win to trim the series to 3-2. Gabe got onto level terms in game 6, tying the series at 3 as he sank the 7 to the top side and the 3 to the bottom left on the break to erase the rest of Spice's lead. Gabe had a four-ball run in game 7, but he couldn't finish it off, missing the 7 at the bottom side. Spice tapped it in and took the series 4-3, earning her place in the semifinals.

Shiny v. Watermelon. The green cue is back in action for 13-ball. Lighton's Shiny had just a little more pace on her play, beating Pearl's Watermelon to the 8 at the top left in a close finish. Shiny leads the series 1-0. The Surfers' Watermelon couldn't quite assemble her positioning right in game 2, allowing the Prestige's Shiny to find her way to a win in the end. Shiny's series lead is now 2-0. Shiny looked to have something going late in game 3, only for one of her approach shots to tag the 8 prematurely into the top left. This gifted Watermelon a win to make it a 2-1 series. Watermelon couldn't sort out her positioning at all in game 4, allowing Shiny an easy path to victory. Shiny restored her series lead at 3-1. Watermelon put up a strong fight to close out game 5, but didn't have enough offense to keep up with Shiny, who picked off the 8 at the bottom left for the win. Shiny clinched the series at 4-1. Shiny couldn't quite finish off game 6, allowing Watermelon to make her final pair of shots for a win. Shiny remains ahead 4-2. Shiny stepped up in game 7, bringing about a quick finish with a five-ball run-out. Shiny beat Watermelon 5-2 in the series and will next face the Midland Predators' Kitty in the semifinals.

Easter v. Spirit. Longtime stars battle in 10-ball with the red cue. Todavía's Easter enjoyed her offense early in game 1, but a bad kick on the 3 opened things up for Lighton's Spirit to sink the 3-10 combination at the top left. Spirit's poaching netted her a 1-0 series lead. The Stills' Easter ripped a five-ball run in the middle of game 2, but her miss on the 8 allowed the Prestige's Spirit to make the last pair. Spirit's up to a 2-0 series lead. Easter came very close to the win in game 3 with five of the last seven balls belonging to her. Spirit poached again with a strike on the 10 at the bottom right to extend her series lead to 3-0. Spirit wasn't able to get a chance to strike late in game 4, as Easter toughed through a tweaked wrist to pick up a four-ball run-out. Spirit's series lead shrunk to 3-1. Spirit was able to corral enough offense in game 5 to get the win, closing out the series at 4-1 as Easter struggled through. Easter had everything she needed to win game 6, but left the 10 short at the bottom right. Spirit tapped it down and pushed on to a 5-1 lead. Easter got a rare disqualification in game 7 for violent conduct after swiping her cue at the cue ball to breakup a scratch that subsequently disrupted the table layout. Spirit took the series 6-1 and will play the Tysini Hummingbirds' Princess in the semifinals.

Dusty v. Sage. The round ends with the blue cue in hand for 7-ball. Victoria's Sage picked up a five-ball run-out quickly in game 1 to grab the win and 1-0 series lead over Golden's Dusty. The Spurs' Sage enjoyed her game 2 offense a bit less, as it was choppy and unsuccessful. The Pilots' Dusty swiped the final pair here, tying the series at 1 with her win. A slow start in game 3 turned around after Sage committed an error. Dusty then rattled off a six-ball run-out for the win, going ahead 2-1 in the series. Dusty couldn't piece together a run in game 4, while Sage also had some struggles early on. Sage corrected things by making the final pair without trouble, retying the series at 2 games each. Dusty kept herself in game 5 by not scratching on her first miss on the 5, but momentum shifted slowly to Sage, who eventually made the final pair for the win and 3-2 series lead. Sage tried and failed on a 3-7 combination to the bottom left in game 6, and Dusty cleaned up the same play for the win, tying the series once more at 3. Dusty posted a four-ball run in game 7, but it was Sage's scratch on the 6 that allowed Dusty to take the 7 for free. Dusty won the series 4-3 and will play versus the Spurs' Spice in the semifinals. 

Tomorrow, we'll start up the Semifinals, featuring nine-game series over the next four days.

Ten-Year Anniversary Tournament - Quarterfinals Day 4

We've got another standard day of action here. Leading off...

Chimpy v. Kiwi. The first series of the day uses the silver cue in 15-ball. Westside's Chimpy had a five-ball run halted by an error early in game 1. Modernistic's Kiwi kept pace, but missed the 15 late, and Chimpy put it away at the top right for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Rockers' Chimpy had another nice batch of shots in game 2, but couldn't gain traction late. The Union's Kiwi made the last five balls over two turns for the win to tie the series at 1. Kiwi didn't let Chimpy get a shot in game 3. Kiwi got a ball on the break and then slammed a 1-15 combination deflected off the 7 to fall in the top right as part of a double-pot that put her ahead 2-1 in the series. Chimpy bounced back with no trouble in game 4, as Kiwi took her fair share of offense but struggled with errors. Chimpy then made a four-ball run-out for the win to retie the series at 2. Hitting the ball hard simply stopped working in game 5, leading to a longer battle. Chimpy prevailed narrowly at the end, as Kiwi failed to adjust her playing style. Chimpy is ahead 3-2 in the series. Chimpy had a good portion of the offense in game 6, but his miss on the 12 was catastrophic to his chances. Kiwi responded on a three-ball run-out for the win, pulling even at 3 games each. Kiwi kept her campaign alive in game 7, as Chimpy fouled in the middle of the rack. Kiwi then rattled off a seven-ball run-out capped by a double-kissed 13-15 combination to the bottom left. Kiwi won the series 4-3 and will play in the semifinals.

Noelle v. Leonette. We've got 7-ball in today's second set, with the purple cue active. There was nothing pretty about game 1, as both players missed many shots and each had a fail on the 7. Pacific's Leonette made it on her second try for the 1-0 series lead over Central's Noelle. The Volcanoes' Leonette stumbled a bit in game 2, as the Warriors' Noelle made a three-ball run and added the final pair for the win. Noelle tied the series at 1. Game 3 saw Noelle take an error for illegal contact, which Leonette quickly turned into a 3-7 combination at the top left. Leonette regained the series lead at 2-1. Leonette opened game 4 on a five-ball run, then buried the 7 on a bank to the bottom right that Noelle herself missed on the previous shot. Leonette is up to a 3-1 series lead. Leonette lost her control in game 5, allowing Noelle to fill the void on offense a bit. Noelle wasn't fast, but she got the win to cut the series back to 3-2. Noelle's game 6 break yielded an immediate win as the 7 fell in the bottom right. This tied the series at 3 and gave Noelle way more momentum than Leonette. Noelle thought she took the series on the game 7 break, but after a double-pot that included the 7, the cue fell in the top side to cause an instant loss. Leonette was gifted the win for a 4-3 series win and trip to the semifinals.

Goldy v. Lionel. Back in 15-ball, the green cue gets a turn. Commerce's Lionel put up a good fight in game 1, but two late errors allowed Everton's Goldy to get a rather cheap win for her 1-0 series lead. The Tradewinds' Lionel was better in game 2 with a late four-ball run, but he missed his chance on the 15. The Eagles' Goldy made it on her second try to get the win, going ahead 2-0 in the series. Lionel had a four-ball run late in game 3, but missed the 15 again at the end. Goldy converted to the bottom right, supporting her early five-ball run well as she staked a 3-0 series lead. Goldy ended game 4 early after making the 1 and the 2. She then slammed the 3 into the 15, which deflected off the 4 and into the top left, while the 9 and the 13 fell for a triple-pot at the bottom left. Goldy sealed the series at 4-0 with the trick play. Lionel's best chance at a win came in game 5, but he overpowered his tap-in and the cue followed for a scratch that gifted the choppy result to Goldy. This put Goldy up 5-0 in the series. With the competition drained from the series, neither player had a great run. Goldy got the game 6 win in the end with a three-ball run-out, pushing her lead over Lionel to 6-0. Both players had three-ball runs in game 7, then Goldy followed up with a remarkable cut of the 7 off the 15 to sink the former at the top left. The 13 also went in the top left, and the 15 fell in the bottom side on a triple-pot that secured a 7-0 series sweep over Lionel. Goldy will face the Modernistic Union's Kiwi in the semifinals.

Twinkie II v. Dreamy. Another 7-ball series features the red cue. Harrison's Twinkie II made a ball on the game 1 break, but Swordpoint's Dreamy answered with a six-ball run-out for the win. Dreamy leads the series 1-0. The Blades' Dreamy nearly had the win in game 2, but scratched as the 7 fell on the break, gifting the win to the Specters' Twinkie II to tie the series at 1. Twinkie II didn't get anything from her break in game 3, and that helped Dreamy, who converted a 1-7 combination to the top left on her only shot. Dreamy's heady play restored her series lead at 2-1. Game 4 oddly went the distance, with Dreamy a little less sharp, but Twinkie II also unable to capitalize. Dreamy picked up the 7 at the bottom left for the win and 3-1 series lead. A slow start to game 5 gave way when Twinkie II roared to life on a massive run for the win. Twinkie II trimmed Dreamy's series lead to 3-2. Twinkie II had a lot of ideas but not enough conversions in game 6, as Dreamy secured the series at 4-2 on a five-ball run-out for the win. Twinkie II got one more back with a strike on the 7 after Dreamy's early offense wasn't enough in game 7. Dreamy still won the series 4-3 and will face club-mate and Pacific Volcanoes veteran Leonette in the semifinals.

Acorn v. Goatee. Prime club-mates tangle in 12-ball with the blue cue. Lighton's Acorn quickly gave away a wild-card ball in game 1, but Westside's Goatee returned the favor late. Both players were on their last ball when Acorn struck at the bottom side for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Prestige's Acorn looked to be in more trouble in game 2, but his perfect defense at the bottom right stopped the Rockers' Goatee at the end. Acorn then made a pair for the win and 2-0 series lead. In game 3, Goatee found good positioning and a defensive mark at the top side to stall Acorn out. Goatee then struck her last three balls over two turns for the win to get on the board in the 2-1 series. Both players exchanged wild-card balls in game 4, but Acorn put his back on the table with a scratch. Goatee operated well after that, making a pair for the win to tie the series at 2. Goatee again gave away a wild-card ball in game 5, and Acorn made her pay for it this time. Acorn rallied with a brilliant five-ball run-out to get the win, regaining the series lead at 3-2. Goatee didn't want to go down in game 6, battling with a four-ball run to stay in it. Both players were on their last ball at the end, but Goatee baited Acorn into missed contact before she converted at the top right for the win. The series is tied again at 3. Goatee had to hold on to stay in game 7, as Acorn played defense and came close to a win. At the end, Goatee got one chance and converted to the bottom side to take the 4-3 series win that sends her to a meeting with Nightfur in the semifinals.

Citrus v. Melissa. In 13-ball, the silver cue returns to play. Terrace City's Melissa took stripes early in game 1, but Lighton's Citrus did better on solids and eventually took the win with a sloppy finish. Citrus leads the series 1-0. The Prestige's Citrus took solids on the game 2 break and followed up late on a four-ball run. The Knights' Melissa had all the pieces for success but couldn't execute a run before Citrus tapped the 8 to the top left. Citrus is ahead 2-0. Citrus overfilled on the game 3 break, leading to Melissa making a four-ball run to spark her offense. Citrus lacked positioning, and Melissa cruised to the win, cutting Citrus' series lead to 2-1. Melissa nearly sank the 8 on the game 4 break, but also got a solid into the top left before the 8 blocked it. This turned into perfect defense, ruining Citrus' chance of a win. Melissa played smart to get the victory, tying the series at 2. Citrus got back on track early in game 5, dominating with solids. Melissa was too slow to catch up on positioning, and Citrus kicked the 8 to the bottom left on the winning shot. Citrus restored her series lead at 3-2. Citrus looked set to advance when she got onto the 8 in game 6, but she couldn't quite tuck it in. Melissa fired back with a three-ball run-out for the win, retying the series at 3. Melissa struck first on the break, but her play on solids left plenty to be desired. Citrus overcame a scratch to get the game 7 win for a 4-3 series win. Citrus will face the Royal Crowns' Jake in the semifinals.

Lionel v. Avril. The designated host gets a second series today, closing with 10-ball and the purple cue. North Modernistic's Lionel made a ball on the game 1 break and parlayed it into a six-ball run-out. He finished with the 4-7 combination to the top left with a deflection to clean up the 10 at the bottom left for the 1-0 series lead over Pronger's Avril in a masterclass performance. The Nighthawks' Lionel wasn't as successful in game 2, but the Tridents' Avril made sure he didn't wait around long. Avril's winning turn featured a double-pot and a 3-10 combination to the bottom left to tie the series at 1. Avril capitalized on an illegally potted ball by Lionel in game 3. Avril made a pair and a five-ball run on her next two turns to get the win, dominating again to go ahead 2-1 in the series. The offense dipped in game 4, but Avril still came away with the win on a four-ball run-out once she found her shot. She leads Lionel 3-1 in the series. Avril started with a six-ball run in game 5, but her play after that fell off a cliff. Lionel did just enough to grab a win, pulling back to a 3-2 deficit in the series. Lionel kept his intensity up in game 6, competing well. In the end, he nabbed a three-ball run-out to beat Avril, which in turn tied the series at 3. Avril had the early offense in game 7, but couldn't sustain it at the end when Lionel made the final pair for the win and 4-3 series win. Lionel salvaged one bid to the semifinals, where he'll meet the Oceanside Waves' Dewey. 

Tomorrow, we play eight series in a special extended session of TYAT action.

Ten-Year Anniversary Tournament - Quarterfinals Day 3

We're set to begin the middle day of the Quarterfinals round. First up...

Shaggy v. Ms. Kitty. Rotation will lead things off today, beginning with the red cue. Whitewater's Shaggy jumped out to an early lead in game 1 on a four-ball run. Pacific's Ms. Kitty put up a good fight, but Shaggy won 8-5 to take the 1-0 series lead. The Shores' Shaggy had a strong turn in game 2, taking the early lead again. The Volcanoes' Ms. Kitty lacked offense, and Shaggy finished on a four-ball run-out for the 8-2 win to go ahead 2-0 in the series. Ms. Kitty finally had her time to shine in game 3, making a nice run near the end to strengthen her lead. Ms. Kitty beat Shaggy 8-3, cutting the series to 2-1 in Shaggy's favor. Shaggy had a stressful game 4, watching her initial lead dissipate as Ms. Kitty applied late pressure. Shaggy then did just enough for an 8-6 win to push her series lead to 3-1. Shaggy never got off the starting blocks in game 5, her poor break leading to struggles. Ms. Kitty broke free eventually and took an 8-1 win to get back to a 3-2 deficit. Ms. Kitty hammered in some fantastic shots in game 6, working her way to an 8-0 shutout win over Shaggy to tie the series at 3. Shaggy had some positive offense in game 7, but it was nothing compared to the extended surge that lifted Ms. Kitty to an 8-5 win for the 4-3 series win. Ms. Kitty will meet the Southern Monarchs' Panda in the semifinals.

Blizzard v. Nightfur. In 9-ball, the blue cue gets a turn at the action. Royal's Nightfur had to wait a bit in game 1, but she won on a 7-9 combination to the bottom left after Everton's Blizzard didn't get much outside of the first turn. Nightfur leads the series 1-0. The Crowns' Nightfur wasn't as sharp in game 2, but it didn't hold her back, as the Eagles' Blizzard missed the 8 at the bottom left. Nightfur made the final pair for the win and 2-0 series lead. More good fortune helped Nightfur escape game 3 with a win, as Blizzard was unable to lock things down at the end after a good start. Nightfur cut the 9 to the top left to extend her series lead to 3-0. Game 4 came down to Blizzard making a mistake after a very poor start. Blizzard made the last five balls, but scratched as she banked the 9 to the bottom side, gifting the series-clinching win to Nightfur, who is up 4-0. Blizzard broke up the sweep attempt in game 5 by making a pair of shots at the end of a close battle versus Nightfur. The series lead still favors Nightfur 4-1. Nightfur had some offense late in game 6, but Blizzard was able to sink the 9 from ball-in-hand after a scratch. Blizzard's win shrunk Nightfur's series lead to 4-2. Blizzard made a four-ball run from the break, but it was Nightfur who closed out game 7 on a three-ball run-out. Nightfur won the series 5-2 and will play in the semifinals.

Twinkie III v. Taylor S. Moving along to 8-ball, where the silver cue checks in. Whitewater's Twinkie III was slow to start game 1, but she beat Eastside's Taylor S. with a four-ball run-out in the end. Twinkie III's surge put her ahead 1-0 in the series. The Sharks' Taylor S. made a five-ball run in game 2, but again stalled out after one burst of offense. The Shores' Twinkie III rallied late and took the win to go up 2-0. Taylor S. wasted another good start in game 3, a disturbing pattern for her that Twinkie III continues to exploit. Twinkie III won with a tough bank on the 8 to the top left to stretch her lead to 3-0. Taylor S. had a chance to make a comeback in game 4, making the last five balls but scratching as she sank the 8 at the bottom side. This gifted the win to Twinkie III, who clinched the series at 4-0. Twinkie III had plenty of offense in game 5, but couldn't get the 8 to fall at the bottom left. Taylor S. rallied with an eight-ball run-out and finished cleanly to get on the board in the 4-1 series. Both players started a little slow in game 6, but that changed with Taylor S. making a four-ball run. Twinkie III replied on a five-ball run-out for the win to go ahead 5-1 in the series. Twinkie III had little difficulty getting another win in game 7, making a late four-ball run and beating Taylor S. to the 8 at the end. Twinkie III dominated the series 6-1 to earn a semifinals appearance versus the Diamond Gems' Smokey.

Hoot v. Shiny. Club-mates tangle in 15-ball using the purple cue. Viewpoint Sound's Hoot wasn't able to corral the 15 late in a back-and-forth game 1. Instead, Lighton's Shiny sent it to the top right for the win and 1-0 series lead. The Meteors' Hoot had a five-ball run late in game 2, but it ended with him scratching as he sank the 15. This gifted the win to the Prestige's Shiny, who now has a 2-0 series lead. Shiny had a good start in game 3, but that all disappeared when she sank the 15 on illegal contact to give a game away to Hoot. Shiny's series lead is down to 2-1. Shiny wasn't down long, getting a four-ball run-out to win game 4 after a testy early battle with Hoot. Shiny is up to a 3-1 series lead. Hoot wasn't able to keep things clean at the end of game 5, and Shiny swooped in with a pair of three-ball runs to get the win, which secured the series in her favor at 4-1. Shiny kept the offense heavy in game 6, as Hoot could do little after the 8 went down. Shiny made the last seven balls over two turns for the win and 5-1 series lead. Shiny had to get unconventional in a frustrating and pointless game 7. Her blast on the 8 deflected the 15 to the bottom side for an accidental win that finished the series for her up 6-1 over Hoot. Shiny will take on Nightfur in a battle of this Tournament's top players.

Dewey v. Neopolitan. The green cue's lone series today comes in 10-ball. Tensions flared just a few shots into game 1 for the one-time regional rivals. Any semblance of actual pool was lost quickly, with Pearl's Neopolitan beating Oceanside's Dewey with a late pair for the 1-0 series lead. The Surfers' Neopolitan was good at the start of game 2, but lost control late. After a few failures, the Waves' Dewey got the win to tie the series at 1. Neopolitan again fell short of consistent quality in game 3, which allowed Dewey to poach this win with the final pair. Dewey is up 2-1 in the series. Neopolitan impressed with a six-ball run in game 4, only to drop off again late. Dewey picked up the final pair once more and pushed his series lead to 3-1. Dewey showed no mercy in game 5 after Neopolitan scratched on a 5-10 combination attempt. Dewey converted the same play to the bottom left to clinch the series at 4-1. Neopolitan got a game back for posterity in game 6, picking off a 7-10 combination at the top left as Dewey was out of sorts near the end. Dewey remains ahead 4-2 in the series. Neopolitan also grabbed game 7 at the end after Dewey struggled again. Dewey still comfortably won the series 4-3 to get into the semifinals.

Lionel v. Princess. Back to 8-ball, where the red cue makes its exit. Modernistic's Lionel had a good start in game 1, but a pair of scratches derailed his effort. Tysini's Princess picked up the slack and got the win for a 1-0 series lead. The Union's Lionel fired back with an opening five-ball run in game 2. The Hummingbirds' Princess failed to respond, and Lionel won on a three-ball run-out to tie the series at 1. Lionel kept the offense up with a six-ball run in game 3, but he missed the 8 on his first try and scratched as he sank it on the next turn. This gifted the win and 2-1 series lead to Princess. Lionel was not discouraged by the setback, and he kept the offense going strong in game 4. Princess didn't have much for herself, and Lionel didn't give anything away as he easily took the win to retie the series at 2. Lionel served up another freebie after Princess missed the 8 to end a four-ball run late in game 5. Lionel banked the 8 to the bottom right but scratched, and Princess' second free win restored her series lead at 3-2. The back-and-forth nature of the series continued, as Lionel grabbed this win despite a late push from Princess to make it close in game 6. Once more, the series is tied at 3. Lionel came very close on a comeback push in game 7, but Princess was the one who put the 8 away at the top side for the 4-3 series win. Princess will move into the semifinals.

Slinks v. Sunshine. Today's finale is in Rotation with the blue cue. Harrison's Slinks stood firm in game 1 despite a thorough challenge from Royal's Sunshine. Slinks held on for an 8-5 win with a three-ball run-out to put her ahead 1-0 in the series. The Crowns' Sunshine didn't stay down long, making a five-ball run to start game 2. The Specters' Slinks got one point but couldn't challenge as Sunshine won 8-1 to tie the series at 1. Sunshine was a little slow in game 3, and Slinks exploited that to get on the edge of victory. Sunshine fought back but Slinks ended with an 8-5 win to regain the series lead at 2-1. Slinks kept her scoring edge intact in game 4, picking up an 8-4 win this time as Sunshine came close but couldn't pull even. Slinks' series lead is up to 3-1. Sunshine kept himself in the fight in game 5, getting a bit of luck on his early attacks to build a lead. Slinks made a comeback effort but Sunshine won 8-4, trimming the series back to 3-2. Sunshine had all the early offense in game 6, but Slinks unleashed a seven-ball run-out to grab the 8-4 win this time. Slinks secured the series at 4-2 with the win. Slinks added another win for good measure in game 7, taking an 8-6 result after Sunshine put up a good fight. Slinks won the series 5-2 and will take on the Boston Swifts' Sweetheart in the semifinals. 

We've got one more standard day in the round before an extra-long sequence on Wednesday closes out the Quarterfinals.