First Money Tournament

[Hampe]

This saturday I played in my first money tournament in Bern, Switzerland. It was 130$ entry with 8 qualification games, top 32 advance to the next round for 4 games, then the top 16 for 4 games, then the top 8 in the final for 4 games, with the top 4 then playing a playoff.

We were only 3 guys on our pair instead of 4, and I might have been rushing things a little early on. I got off to a terrible start with a 138 and then 152, and during the second game my "coach" (our local pro-shop guy) who was watching pointed out to me that since we were only 3 guys I could take my time and didn't necessarily have to be up there ready to go when I was up. So I slowed things down a bit, stayed focused, and bounced back with a 193 avg. over the last 6 games (1453 total). I ended up missing the first cut by 31 pins (39th place out of 75), but I was still pretty happy that I hung in there and didn't lose my focus after such a terrible start.

I didn't have an official handicap at the start of the tournament so my handicap was determined by the first 6 games (60% of difference from 200)....which means even if I had played 193 for the whole 8 games instead of the last 6, I still would have barely missed the cut.

Overall, like I said, I was pretty pleased with my performance, especially considering I made some huge changes to my approach/delivery just two weeks ago. That was part of the reason I got off to a bad start....I missed a few single pin spares on the left side that I usually make, but I adjusted and started picking them up later on. It was a fun experience (just like any tournament usually is), and I already signed up for another money tournament here in Basel in 2 weeks.

[billf]

Glad to hear you had fun. When you start making the cuts, which will be next tournament, try not to think about the money. It just makes the bad leaves even worse. I try to think that for every screaming, dead on pocket split, I had also at some time struck on a light, not quite right shot. It all works out in the end and what you get is what you're suppose to get. I never want to think that a standing 8 pin cost me a match when in reality there were shots that picked up more than they had any right to.

Good luck in two weeks. The changes you made will feel better then. I predict top 5.

[ursus]

Your new approach and delivery will soon be paying big dividends. Best of luck in your next tournament.

[martinezsam2495]

Wow, a money tournament, I feel like that'll be a great challenge to take. When I get better I might join one, just not that high of a pot.
:x That would leave a dent on my already light wallet. :/
haha

[Hampe]

I try to think that for every screaming, dead on pocket split, I had also at some time struck on a light, not quite right shot. It all works out in the end and what you get is what you're suppose to get. Hehe...I know just what you mean. It's a little something I like to call bowling karma :)


Good luck in two weeks. The changes you made will feel better then. I predict top 5.Wow....thanks for the vote of confidence :). It will be tough...there are a lot of great bowlers already signed up, but I know that I have what it takes to finish that high (although I'd still be happy finishing in the top 10 or 20). The tourney will be at a different center than where my league plays, but I have put up good numbers at the other place before.

[martin]

good luck Hampe for your coming tourney..

[backahead]

@Hampe: 24 games to win? Please tell me thats not all in one day.

PS. Huge fan of Top Secret drum corp.

[JaMau24]

That is what you call a "learning experience". I can't stress enough how important it is that we all learn from situations like that. It is a very important phase to becoming successful. Now next tournament, you have already learned from this one, to take it slow, relax, and focus. Then you might learn something next tournament, to use in the following tournament. I also didn't do so hot my first tournament, but I learned from it and had a good time. Glad to hear you had a good time too.

[got_a_300]

Bowling in tournaments is just like regular bowling it is a
never ending learning experience you always learn a little
something new each and every time you go.

[Hampe]

So...this weekend I played the other tournament, and unfortunately I have to say, not very well. The qualification was 12 games, 4 series of 3 with a lane-switch every series. It was about 95 degrees out on Saturday, and the bowling alley was not air-conditioned (can't remember if they said it didn't have one or if it was broken), so that didn't make things any easier :). I got off to another slow start in the first game, did not do a good job at all of adjusting my line early on....I had 5 splits in the first 6 frames and ended with a pathetic 124. I wasn't too worried about it, since I didn't have a handicap at the start, my handicap was going to be based off the first 9 games. I was sparing very well (except for when I left splits), and finally started to find my line the last 2 games of the first series (178 and 201). I started to get a rhythym then and was really focused on the spares....the second series I shot a 579. After the first two series we had to move upstairs where it was even warmer to play the last 6 games, and I was already really sweaty and starting to get fatigued a bit. The 3rd series was my worst by far, I had a lot of trouble navigating the carry down, and with the combination of fatigue and frustration, my spare game started to take a real hit (ended up with a terrible 443). I was pretty unhappy with the series, but consoled myself with the fact that it still counted towards my handicap and wasn't necessarilly going to keep me from advancing. I just needed to play well in the 4th series.

Well, sadly, that didn't happen :)....as expected I might have been putting too much pressure on myself, plus I was tired from already playing 9 games in a hot bowling alley. I had a little trouble keeping my wrist locked and fingers under the ball, and just like in the 3rd series I had trouble figuring out the carry down on the lanes. Ended the first game with a 126, and didn't do much better in the 2nd with only a 163. At that point I was sure I was out of it, but I really didn't want my last and most important series to be my worst, so I buckled down and used every ounce of energy and concentration I had left on each throw and shot a 208 for the last game. I ended up 35th out of 60, and lucky for me the first cutoff was at 40 and not 30 :).

So I barely made the first cut, but put myself in a tough position to make the second cut (pin total was carried over from the quali). The 2nd round was only 4 games, and after those 4 only the top 20 advanced. I actually played pretty well those 4 games, I just had a few bad breaks at bad times, and made 1-2 bad throws that cost me some points. I ended with a 685 series, but the way I was playing (especially the spares) it really should have been a lot more. I missed the second cut by 75 pins, but moved from 35th up to 25th in the final standings. That also meant I cashed, and got 100 of the 140 start money back. So in the end, I didn't play as well as I hoped or expected, but I was pretty happy for the most part with how I spared (except for a few games when I started getting tired and losing concentration). I was also happy that I was able to pull it together and roll a 208 after 11 games....if I had shot a 180 or less that game I would have missed the first cut.

I also learned what I need to work on more, which is adjusting faster to new lanes/conditions. Looking at those 4 quali series, in the first games of those series I only averaged a 142 (ouch), the second games I averaged 167 (meh), and the third games 196.5 (more like it). Once I got adjusted to the lanes, I played well....I've just got to learn to make those adjustments faster. I also need to work on my endurance for the next time I have to play that many games. Not just physical but mental as well, I really started losing concentration/focus after 6-7 games.

@backahead: No...the quali was on saturday, and the 2 cutoff/final rounds were on sunday. After the second cutoff round, the top 4 played in a stepladder final.

[ursus]

Sounded like a good learning experience for you plus you got some cash back.

[Hampe]

I took a picture of my shirt when I got home......it gives a good idea of just how sweaty I got while playing (the shirt is normally black :)).

540

[billf]

Considering the conditions you did well. The heat and humidity affect the oil differently than an 'average' day. What adjustments to make and when seem to me to be the hardest part of this game. I use to wait way too long all the time until I heard Chris Barnes say it was better to make it too soon and leave a decent spare then to wait too long and leave a nasty split. Now I adjust about 5 frames before I would have before.

[Hampe]

Yea, the only good thing about playing in crazy conditions like that is that the rest of the field has to deal with it too :).

That's a good tip about changing early.....I'll have to remember that one.