Tuesday, July 31, 2007

 

UK Open, Northants Open, Scholten, and other bits

I've been a bit slack with this, so time for an update.

Before the UK Open, I decided to play in a couple of smaller opens for match practise. The aim was to win a few games at each one, just to build my confidence.

The first was the Broken Cross Open in Macclesfield on 27th May. A few 'names' were there. I never seem to do well in these kind of things, and I didn't feel comfortable from the moment I started. I managed to scrape through my 1st Round 3-2, despite playing very poorly for the most part. I didn't have as much luck in the 2nd Round, as apart from stringing a 12 dart leg together I was terrible again, and lost 3-2.

My confidence wasn't great at this point, so I wasn't expecting too much from the Northants Open the week after. I was drawn in the last slot of 128, and had a bye in the 1st Round, so I had a long wait with no practise board before my first game. Normally this would affect me, as I need at least a good half an hour before I play. So I was expecting to play like an idiot when my first game came around. While I didn't set the place on fire, I was steady enough and won 3-1. I managed to win in the last 32 3-0, and then probably my tougest game came in the last 16. I went 1-0 down to a guy who was playing very well, when all of a sudden I caught some sort of diesese that turned me into a good player! I went 12,13,15 darts to win the match 3-1. I won the quarter final very easily 3-0, which put me into the stage semi-final. This created a problem, as all players on stage had to wear black trousers, and I was wearing jeans. I borrowed a pair about 2 sizes 2 big, and didn't look or feel quite right! I played in the first semi, against a guy who I think was called Wayne (unfortunately I didn't manage to catch the names of the players I played). For the first 3 legs he was the better player, and was probably slightly unlucky not to be 3-0 up, however I managed to hold my throw with the darts. In the 4th leg, he seems to go a little bit, while I managed to improve. I don't remember how many darts each leg were, but I took the next 3 legs to win the match 4-2. I then went on to play Mick Reed in the final. He's played in the BDO World Championships a couple of times, the most recent in 2004. I had played him once before in the 1st Round of the Lincolnshire Open about 5 years ago. I was 2-0 down and a mile behind in the 3rd leg, when I just relaxed and started throwing after giving up. A few missed doubles from him later and I end up beating him 3-2. I started well with the throw, and then broke him in the 2nd leg. I slacked of a bit for a couple of legs and he pulled it back to 2-2. Then I got control back, and won 3 legs on the trot to win the match 5-2, and become Northants Eagle Open Champion for 2007, and pocket £750 in the process!

Then it was on to the UK Open. I obviously felt pretty good going into it, and fancied my chances of at least getting through to Day 2. Justin Henshaw was my Preliminary Round opponent, a qualifier from Hampshire. I won the bull, and despite a sloppy leg I went 1-0 up. He tied up the 2nd leg easily, but then I started running over him. I won the next 3 legs to make it 4-1, before he held throw. I then won 2 more, and at 6-2 was attracting the attention of the camera's and Helen Chamberlain who were ready to interview me as the first winner of the night (no one else had won more than 5 legs at this point). While thinking of what the hell I was going to say in the interview, I seemed to forget that I still needed 2 legs to win the match, and also seemed to forget how to hit trebles. Justin came right back at me, and won 4 legs in a row to make it 6-6. I was now thinking the worst, and wasn't sure exactly how I was going to win. So this was a perfect time to hit a 12 dart leg, with a 140 finish! This killed Justin off, and I won the 14th leg to win the match 8-6.

I had about an hour and a half before my game against Simon Craven, so I sat down for about half an hour then went upstairs to practise again. Again I won the bull, and I started off brilliantly. 2-0 up, and Simon wasn't able to hit a thing. Unfortunately I caught it, and lost a sloppy 3rd leg, which seemed to liven up Simon and he won the next 3 and once again I was struggling. It then swopped round again, and I won 3 legs on the trot to go 5-4 up. Simon levelled at 5-5, the the 2 keys legs. I missed 4 darts at a double in the 11th leg, and another 2 in the 12th to be 7-5 down. A 13 darter with the throw kept me in it at 7-6, but in the 14th I was always chasing, and with me hoping for a chance to take the match to a decider, Simon took out double 11 with his last dart to beat me 8-6.

I was reasonably happy with how I played in Bolton. When I was on, I was playing good enough to give anyone a run for their money. However, there were too many slack patches in both games where I couldn't hit a thing.

The week after it was down to Hayling Island. I was reasonably confident of getting some prize money from the weekend, and Saturday was my best (and realistcally only) chance. I had drawn John Quantock in the 1st Round, and while he is a decent player, I felt confident I could beat him. Unfortunately, I played like an idiot, and only managed to only win a couple of legs (one needing a 148 finish, which showed my problem). The Sunday was a much tougher draw, as I had world number 8 Roland Scholten. I won the bull, and with a 150 finish in the first leg I felt much better than the day before. I then took the next leg to win the 1st set. Roland took the 2nd set 2-1, while I managed to hold my throw twice to win the 3rd set 2-1. It was 1-1 in the forth set, and Roland hit a 180 to leave himself 32 with me back on 222. I hit 95, and Roland missed 3 darts at a double. With 127 left for the match, I hit treble 20, 17, and was smack bang in the middle of the bull to take my biggest scalp so far. Unfortunately my form in that match didn't transfer to my next game against Pete Allen. I was awful. I still should have won the 2nd set, missing 1 dart at Double 18 on 108 to take it. But my win against Roland still earnt me £75, so at least I made my target of making the money in 1 tournament.

Then it was off to Vegas. While the darts wasn't my main reason for going, I was determined to have a decent run in the qualifiers and play well. In the Players Championship before the qualifiers though, I had drawn Terry Jenkins. Despite losing 3 sets to 0, I was reasonably happy with how I played. I pushed him all the way in the last 2 sets, and was sat on a double in the deciding leg of both when he checked out.

In the 1st Qualifiers, I had drawn American Joe Da Vanti in the 1st Round, and I was content with how I played. I scored ok, and finished well to beat him 4-0. I was then up against Darren Webster in the next round. This was a superb game, with both of us playing very well. He won the bull, which was to be crucial, and the key leg was the 3rd in which I missed a couple of darts to break the throw. Every leg in the match went with the darts, and I lost 4-3.

The next day I had another American first up, Andrew Bennett. It's fair to say I wasn't happy at all during this game, and it showed. Both of us were terrible, and I was just the one who was less poor and won it 4-2. I then was up against Matt Clark in the 2nd Round. I did play better, and won the throw. I found myself 2-1 up, and needing 96 for the 4th leg hit the treble 20, but missed 2 darts at double 18. Again this would cost me, and I never recovered and went down 4-2.

The real reason for being in Vegas was the World Series of Poker Main Event. I struggled in the first 2 hour level, and was playing bad. After a starting stack of 20,000, I was down to about 8,000 and for some reason ended up all in with pocket 10's. The bad news was that I was up against pocket Jacks, but the good news was two 10's came on the flop to give me quads!! I tightened up a little bit, and got myself back to about 26,000, but just after Howard Lederer was knocked out (who was on my table), the table was broken up and I was moved to a new table that I hated. A few hands in and I got AK, and after I missed the flop the guy raised 10,000 into a 3,000 pot. I didn't know anything about him at the time but I'm pretty sure he had nothing, though it wasn't worth the risk. 10 minutes later after seeing the way he was playing I'd have gone all in, he was a maniac. Then just before the dinner break I get AK again and get called. Flop brings an ace and I raise 3/4 the pot, and the guy is calling me before I've even had chance to throw the chips in. Turn comes and the guy ends up convincing me he has two pair. He goes all in, and after alot of thinking I fold. He had AJ (no J on board), so I'm bluffed off AK for a third time in the day. That put me down to 13,000, and then after I'm moved table a while after lunch more bad play by me (involving AK again) I go as low as 6,000. Before I get moved yet again, I get pocket Jacks after someone had already raised. Big stack then pushes all in (other player got out the way) and he had Aces. No help flop or turn and as I'm about to get up from my seat the river is a Jack. The last level was at a new table. I didn't get any major hands, but I played pretty well to claw my way back to above my starting stack. Then on Day 2, just about half way through the day I'd got my self up to about 45,000, but I decided to make a stand against a guy who had raised my big blind every round but 3. I missed the flop but bet anyway and he called, and did the same again on the turn. I had to stop at the flop because I'd have ended up going out. Then I couldn't pick up a hand, and in the small blind with 1 limper and only 16,000 chips left (blinds and antes were costing 4,200 a round) I went all in with A 5. Limper called with pocket 7's and out I went. I was enjoyable though and I aim to have another crack next year!

Once back in rainy England, it was over to Blackpool for the World Darts Trophy qualifiers, then the Bobby Bourne Memorial Trophy. I hadn't thrown a darts for over 2 weeks, even in practise, so I was never comfortable. But I had hoped to at least play myself into a bit of form for the Bobby Bourne. I had drawn Colin Monk in the WDT playoff, and I was as bad as I feared I might be. I won the 2nd leg, but I was lucky to even do that and lost 5-1. The next day I had Jason Crawley in the 1st Round. I hoped I would play better, and I think I did. I took the first set against the darts, then gave the 2nd straight back to him. I was a leg up in the 3rd, but after he had took out 160 it killed me off. I struggled to hit trebles after that, and I ended up losing 3-1.

I now have a break until September when the UK Open Regionals start again. Hopefully once I pick up my practising again at the end of the month I can get some money on the board early!

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