In a dull, stuffy, pool hall where we drank gallons of coffee that tasted like watered-down mud, ate cold pizza and chocolate bars, and played non-stop for twelve hours at a time. But there has been one improvement – it’s illegal to smoke inside now. It used to be unbearable, and trying to shoot pool through a haze of smoke was like driving through fog.
It was playoff time again. It seems every time I turn around, we’re in playoffs. Four times a year, and if we’re lucky, we advance to the regional championships in June. 
It was difficult to get photos, because pool players tend to get a little testy when flashes go off just when they’re trying to shoot. But what would be the point of taking pictures if nobody is at the tables?
The hall is kept relatively dark, too, with the brightest lights being just above the tables. If I had a fancy camera, I’m sure it wouldn’t be a problem, but this one … well, let’s just say it’s not exactly top of the line.
This is the best I could do under the circumstances.
In the end, we lost in the final. My ranking went up at the worst possible time, and I got slaughtered in every one of my matches. Needless to say, it should go back down today – a little too late. Oh well, there’s another playoff in May.
I think playing on a pool team sounds like such fun. I like playing pool. Even though I’m not very good at it, it’s still fun!
I used to love playing pool when I was a teenager. I’m with Kacey, playing on a team sounds fun!
I’m curious. You said your ‘rating’ went up at an inopportune time. Is there a ‘handicap’ process in pool like bowling? I always managed to set my average way over the top of my head on the first night of a season and couldn’t live up to it for the rest of the year. I was always a drag on my team. 🙁
But good on you for playing on a team. It does sound like fun. Haven’t played in year, but used to keep up my end in the pool room of Below the Salt in Terre Haute back in the 70s, even though I wasn’t old enough to be there ‘legally’.
Jan, in the APA (American Poolplayers Association), and the Canadian branch (CPA), there is a ranking system in place to equalize all skill levels. For instance, I’m now a 4. If I play a player ranked as a 2, I have to win 4 games before he/she wins 2. It’s meant to make it possible for even beginner players to win against the best in the league. If someone has an off night or a night where the pool gods are smiling on them, the system doesn’t work, but most of the time, it’s pretty fair.