Not much to add today but a few snippets. First, early on in the tournament Howard (the TD) told me how much he enjoyed my write ups of tournaments. Now, whether this was simply true or sucking up, well played either way! I also went to a dinner with most of the staff one night at the steak house across the way. Good stuff!
I continued my awful showing in the main this year by losing again in the first round which allowed me to rebuy immediately which allowed me to lose again immediately. If I didn't have match recordings I'd have already quit backgammon this year thinking I was a fish. It was cheap to rebuy in the main, half I think of the original entry, and this year you got to keep your side pool. A no brainer to re-enter.
The Super Jackpot (Masters) events are another story. There I'm finding some luck. I had what I'd call a smooth draw this year and ended up in the finals v. Ed. I've played Ed a lot this year already and liked my chances. Overall I'd call it a poor showing having played a 4.2 in the finals of an event. I made some really big unacceptable and unexplainable errors in the match but the one that cost me the match and was so shortsighted I wondered if maybe my contacts had dropped out when I played it was this:
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| XGID=-bDFBBa-A----------aacbda-:3:1:1:42:8:2:0:15:10 | ||||
 to play 42 | ||||
is Ed O'Laughlin| 1. | XG Roller+ | 8/4 2/Off | eq: +0.881 | |||
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| 2. | XG Roller+ | 8/6* 6/2 | eq: +0.816 (-0.065) | |||
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eXtreme Gammon Version: 2.10, MET: Kazaross XG2
This donkey play cost me 2% match winning chances. It wasn't anywhere near the biggest faux pas I made this match but it was the sickest because it opened the only door that I can see Ed turning this game around. I had plenty of time over the board to think. We have an 8 cube, this could be the last game, I have a monstrous lead. I should have taken 3x the normal amount of time on every decision to make sure just because I could. What I thought when making the play was along the lines of 'If I hit he could come in with an ace and kill some checkers if he doesn't hop out immediately. If I hit he won't be able to make his board as quickly. Okay, let's hit!' Idiot. As you can see in the match file I found a way to lose.
I never felt I was in this match after that even though it reached dmp. After Ed won the opening roll, I doubled, he took, I offered a hedge. I was also a lot shorter on time than Ed was. I don't like hedging at dmp unless I get odds but the odds were already built in, less time remaining and I had lost the opening roll making Ed a theoretical half percent favorite. I didn't play a very clean dmp game either. I feel like I deserve to lose the way I played.
Here are all(?) 3 of my recorded matches from Vegas.
Super Jackpot round of 8 match, Stick (3.3 ... 2.7) v. Raphael (14.5)
Super Jackpot semis match, Stick (3.7) v. Joe Russell (4.2)
Super Jackpot finals match, Stick (4.2) v. Ed O'Laughlin (4.7)
I stuck around after the tournament and decided to get a hot shave. The only place the Flamingo recommended was all the way down at Mandalay Bay. What the hell I figured, I never really get a close enough shave so I thought maybe a professional could offer some insights.
I got there about 15 minutes early and my person wasn't available yet. I wandered the halls of the mall part of Mandalay Bay and ran across...Pete Rose!? Looking back it's obviously no surprise but at the time I was like wtf. Pete often signs autographs in Vegas and MB is where he does it. He recently even opened a sports bar and grill on the strip. He was in whatever the store was called and there wasn't a soul around. It was kind of depressing.
Pete is an idiot. He has proven that over the years. Still, baseball wise, as a player, he was the cream of the crop. He's my all time favorite player and I have hundreds if not thousands of Pete Rose baseball cards. I didn't want his autograph not only because I already have a couple of those but the cost has risen from my first PR autograph ($8) to what I'm told $100 now. He is such an autograph whore that it's hardly worth anything either. It was sad to see him there, totally fat, out of shape, and to think that that used to be Charlie Hustle. I thought about going in and having a conversation with him but I'm sure that too would have cost a couple hundred. Anyway, back to the shave!
I'd never had a hot shave before. It took about 75 minutes, cost $85 I think including tip, and was somewhat of a disappointment. They didn't do any better than I do myself with the problem areas of my face. They told me the hair is so coarse there over time it needs to be softened and here's how to do it. They told me a couple things I should be doing to make sure I'm shaving 'correctly' and that was that. In case any of you want these basic shaving tips it's shave either in or directly after the shower so your pores are open, always shave with the grain first and then if you want to do it a 2nd or 3rd time you can go against the grain or sideways, and of course after rinse with cold water to close your pores and use some aftershave etc...
That's all I have to add that I can think of. Be on the lookout for my video of my match against Raphael where I'll try to put my thoughts at the time into words and share my over the board thinking. It was fascinating to me at least this kind of match and how I should take care to give myself the best chance of winning.
Oh, ps, suck it Ben. I win the bet!
Stick