Return of the Mojo

Maybe it's the new set of balls. (The old set were cratered like the surface of the Moon, and gave a lot of bad 'kicks'.)

Maybe it's the suddenly much-improved music selection. (There used to be a pretty narrow playlist on the boss's computer - with a long sequence of early Bob Marley recordings being the only real pool-playing music.... and sudden random outbreaks of crappy boy-band schmaltz anthems or droningly repetitive techno trance dance offal likely to completely spoil the mood at any moment. But last night, we had a superb run of heavy rock I'd never heard in there before: Guns'n'Roses, Aerosmith, Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath. And AC/DC. Superb! Now, that is pool-playing music!!)

Maybe it was the rare evening of alcoholic moderation which had preceded the session.

Or maybe it's just the fact that I have had so many late nights recently that I have re-programmed my body-clock such that my brain is now at its most alert and focused between 12 midnight and 1.30am.

Whatever it was, suddenly my pool mojo is back!

Much as I love The Pool Bar as a drinking den, it has not been kind to my game. The table has deteriorated rapidly over the past few months (although Luke, the owner, promises that he is finally going to get it refurbished some time later this week): it's now behaving so eccentrically that it undermines your judgement of the angles, and makes it almost completely impossible to play anything slow. My confidence has taken a pounding from a long losing record. There are too many players who are just too good for me in there. And I simply haven't been playing well: my technique's been getting shaky - I haven't even managed to give many people a good game in weeks, and victories have been very, very few.

Last night, I really was planning on a much-needed 'early' night. But I was walking home after dinner, and The Pool Bar was on the way. I couldn't resist putting my head around the door, just to say 'hi', just to see who might be in there. As it happened, two English buddies, MA and DS, were in there. Both very tough opponents. I think MA is, in fact, on his day, the best pool player I've seen in China..... probably a little better even than The Chairman (he certainly has a stronger technique and greater consistency; but may perhaps lack the uncanny, seemingly unconsidered positional genius of Chairman Tony, the notorious Chairmanizing 'luck'). I have still to set up a 'challenge match' between them to determine the issue.

In such company, I was hesitant about putting my name up on the board, but..... heck, I'm never one to duck a challenge. And the night was still young (well, not yet quite midnight!!).

MA was not quite at his best. He gave me a few chances that he does not normally give. But I played well. I won. I beat his mate DS as well. Then I beat MA again. Unbelievable! OK, then they both beat me. But I was still playing well. I was beginning to think the magic might be fading, though. I was well after 1am now. They both decided they ought to call it quits for the night. I thought I'd stay just a little bit longer, to offer a game to one of the best Chinese players in there. Now, he had looked to be on white-hot form. But, somehow or other, I managed to beat him too. Twice.

Last night, it all just started coming together for me. I was relaxed and confident, striking the balls smoothly, judging the angles well, raising my game when under pressure. In all the games I won, I had been substantially behind, and fought my way back into contention. In most of them I had to pull off a 3- or 4-ball clearance (on one occasion, I think, a 5-ball clearance) to win.

Good times.

Of course, I worry that it is a bad omen for the Madame X situation.....