Went to ICC 4 star tourney this weekend. 4 of us formed a formidable Goon Squad of our own with a plan.
We decided to get together, have a traditional Romanian meal, hold role call, and get the heck out of Dodge and on the road.
Members present were:
TTD Member "erm"
Der_Echte
erm's LP puncher friend
Hopefully soon to be new TTD member "Scoobie", I will name myself something else, Sergey.
We hit the road and fought through traffic, made it to Berkley TTC. Our plan was to have some fun in Friday night league, rent a motel, and get up a little later in AM, then hit the IIC TT tourney Sat AM.
We somehow made it early to Berkley TTC. That place used to have a really strong Friday night league with group one fielding 2150-2200+ as minimum last position player. Our timing was bad or good depending on perspective - bad since the top players were resting in preparation for the big tourney, or GOOD if we wanted to compete and win.
Player groups were 6 players.
On the top table, group one, Sergey, I am not Scoobie, but will call myself something else, finished position #1. Positions #2 and #3 were won by erm and his LP friend.
I embellished my sorry-azz 1774 USATT rating up to 1900 and got placed in Group 2 (Table Two for the Europeans reading this) There were a LOT of strond under-rated players in group 2. Of the other 5, I say 4 of them could really keep it on the table and extend rallies. TWO of them had advanced, consistent, fearless spin attacking games.
I somehow managed to avoid losing each match. I lost two games all night. One to #6 and #3 players. Those guys could bring it. TT Member "erm" had slapped a juicy sheet of Vega Pro on the FH side of my LISSOM blade. Oh yeah, I am using Lissom, because I drop kicked/punted to the sky one of my Kim Jung Hoon bats after missing an easy BH loop vs Scoobie I am not.
That night, I promised to use the LISSOM for a few months with a juicy rubber, like Karis + or something. erm beat me to the punch. I can say, such a setup has a better top end than you would think. Control is great and so is touch. I keep a few more balls on the table and that counts for a lot.
In the tourney, all my TT friends advanced and went far. Two of my friends me in the quarter finals of an event. I am not scoobie went on. All my friends did real well and gained, Sergey the most, likely re-rated upwards significantly. I got to cheer very loudly for him, got many chances to do so, since I got booted out of my first group.
California once again said Der_Echte better hit the training hall. I could not read the touch of either of the Indian cadets in my U2100 group. I had the shots, spin and power to trouble them and win, but ultimately, could not read the ball on their shots enough to be in the right position and time.
Events ran real late real early, despite all 20 tables being literally not used for matches for a full hour after the group stage of the first event... this was real puzzling. All day long, tables were mostly being used only 50-75% for matches, except for when an event actually started. 4 hours wait for knock-out single elimination stage was a norm that day. One player we saw, showed up at 0830 AM for the first event of the day, and as entries were too numerous, top 8 were seeded out of group stage for a bye. Good for them, but these had to wait until nearly 1700 PM to player their single elimination group of 32 matches... an 11 hr delay - yeah !!
The only good thing Der_Echte did was dominate his 3 player group in U1950. (player "D" defaulted due to some long wait). I was player B and really gave it to the two Indian young adults who were in my group. I had no problem reading their shots spun and smashed them out of the gym 3-0. One of them asked my if I had been 2000 rated before... haha, only in my dreams, I never made that rating yet. (only in leagues, but that doesn't count)
After a 4.5 hr wait, I played my U1950 round of 16 match ( I somehow got a bye in round of 32) and I had to meet up again with that chopper, lobber, slow topspinner Indian kid. Man, I could not consistently read his touch. He was consistent and had wheels and almost never missed, so credit him with his 1950 California rating (that will likely be 2150 after the tourney) but damn, his impact on half his shots was weird and very tough to read. I missed more shots than I wanted to. I was the only player that day who troubled that kid on topspins... he blocked a lot of them long and out and made a scowl. Kid was too good, so he deserved his wins, I deserved my losses, but damn, it really bites. That is the TT life and I would not trade it away.
I will likely make a small ratings gain. Whooptie-doo. Still, I lived up to what I said after I broke my KJH... that I would use LISSOM and still show improvement and trouble people like a trouble maker.
We all changed under-clothes and jerseys at the venue and hit the road again to go in search of chow... called TT-Monster for tech assistance and settled on a great Afghani place... a real good choice by everyone's consensus and the empty plates spoke loud.
Said our goodbyes to Monster after a couple hour chat, hit the road, got to erm's place, drove up to Sacramento, dropped off my two friends, then drove another 40 minutes to my place. I arrived at 0100 hrs Sunday AM... mission completed 12 hours too late according to Mrs. Der_Echte. I caused my own trouble
These TT missions are the stuff of legend and I would encourage all to do a few in their life... and talk about it on the TT forums.
