OOAK Table Tennis Forum

Just got back from playing the Open, U-2000 and U-1800. Turnout was really low, because of the small size of the groups they let two people advance from each round robin so everybody got more matches.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with my progress. Yes, there was progress. Plus, most importantly, I enjoyed playing the short pip blocking/hitting style with my backhand. With a little more practice, I think I'll be ready to move back up into the 1700s. Read on:

In the U-2000, I won my group. I beat a guy rated just over 1700 3-1. My hitting was working well and I hit just enough forehand loops. I beat the lowest rated guy (just under 1500) 3-0. He was tricky, so the games were tight, but I found some serves that ate him up and I got some nice hits with the pips to get the win. In the quarterfinal round, I played a 1700-level long pips blocker. He's an older guy who's pretty crafty with the long pips. I lost the first two games, but in the third I started getting a feel for the game and won at deuce after being down 9-10. Won the fourth game 11-8, then the fifth was another dogfight that I lost 11-9, barely missing a couple of loops on the last two points. Not a bad loss at all. This guy ended up losing in five games, 11-9 in the fifth, to a 1980 level player in the semifinals, and was beating a lot of people on the day.

In the Open, my first match was against an 1850 level player who had just finished pulling off an upset to win the U-2000. This guy destroyed me before, when I had long and medium pips. He still beat me 3-0, but the match was much closer this time, two of the games I lost were 11-9. After the match, he said that I was much tougher with the short pips, which was nice to hear from an independent source. Lost to another low 1700 rated player in that group. I played like a dog in one game, but the other two were 14-12 and 11-9 that I lost, so I could have easily won with a point here or there.

In the U-180, I won my first match thanks to the help of my biggest comeback ever. I won the first game 13-11. In the second, I was down 1-9. Got a couple of points, then she was ahead of me 4-10. From that point on, I went on a tear and ran off 8 straight points to win 12-10! You can imagine how excited I was after that comeback. She got up on me 9-5 in the third game, I came back again to get it to deuce but then she held me off 12-10. In the fourth, I took control early and won 11-7 to win the match. Against the other guy in my group, rated in the mid-1400s, I got thrashed. No way this guy was a mid-1400 level player; afterwards, I had someone tell me he beats 1700 and 1800 level guys at his club. He went on to beat the girl, so I got to advance as the second place finisher. In the quarterfinals, I had another awesome match with a guy in the low 1700s. He won the first 11-9. I won the second 11-9. He won the third 11-5. I came back with an 11-5 win in the fourth. The fifth was a dogfight the whole way. He was up 10-8, I got it to deuce. He got the advantage, I got it back to deuce. He got the advantage again, I had a hit with my pips that clipped the net and went barely long to lose 13-11 in the fifth.

I feel good about the results overall. I've made a LOT of progress in the past month, and I feel it's a style I can win with against 1700-1800 level players very soon. Had those two five-game matches gone my way that I lost so close, it would have been an awesome day. I'll have to settle for a moral victory, as my rating might actually slide a bit. But I know some big wins are coming. I just need to pick my spots better for my attack and I'll be winning more of those tight ones!

_________________
"The greatest teacher, failure is"
USATT Rating: 1725
Blade: Stiga Cybershape Carbon
FH Rubber: Butterfly Tenergy 19 2.1
BH Rubber: Dr Neubauer ABS3 1.5

good to see you are back on winning track!

_________________
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Hey Dwruck, cool report. Hate those narrow ones on the short end and realy don't like runing into under-rated ringers. Sounds like you will be ready for the 1700-1800 crowd real soon.

_________________
Goof-off chopping bat
Gambler All Rosewood
Aurus Soft / Gambler GXL .6 sponge

Status - Out of Business Janitor/Babysitter

That's what I'm hoping. It's funny, I'm happy with my results even though I'm probably going to lose more ratings points thanks to that ringer. The thing is, I saw progress in my game. I was competitive with everybody in the 1700-1800 range, winning a few, losing a few pretty narrowly. With just a little bit of improvement I feel like I'll be a solid player at that level, then I can continue to push on to see how far I can get.

This is going to be my equipment setup for quite a while now, no more fiddling about with different setups. I need to devote myself to taking this as far as I can.

_________________
"The greatest teacher, failure is"
USATT Rating: 1725
Blade: Stiga Cybershape Carbon
FH Rubber: Butterfly Tenergy 19 2.1
BH Rubber: Dr Neubauer ABS3 1.5

Atta boy, Doug! This tournament definitely has to be a confidence builder for you. You have the right attitude, buddy--keep it up. I can already see you in my rear view mirror! And dang...I hate playing against short pips..!! Keep up the good work!

_________________
USATT rating - 1999

Blade - Rendler Smart FH - Hurricane 8 hard black BH - Grass DTechs OX red
Blade - BBC 9/10/9 FH - Hurricane 8 black BH - Dragon Talon OX red
Blade - Hallmark Aurora FH - Hurricane 8 black BH - Joola Badman OX red

I expect Dwruck will be chewing up and spitting out the 1700 + crowd like sunflower seeds pretty soon.

_________________
Goof-off chopping bat
Gambler All Rosewood
Aurus Soft / Gambler GXL .6 sponge

Status - Out of Business Janitor/Babysitter

Thanks guys! Der, I love that analogy, that's hilarious. I hope you're right, starting at the Killerspin tourney on the 27th-28th.

_________________
"The greatest teacher, failure is"
USATT Rating: 1725
Blade: Stiga Cybershape Carbon
FH Rubber: Butterfly Tenergy 19 2.1
BH Rubber: Dr Neubauer ABS3 1.5

I was going to say "Chewing up the Melon, spitting out the rhines" (Watermelon) or "Dwruck will be ready to eat the USATT 1700-1800 crowd for breakfast and belch loudly"

Edit: I setttled on the sunflower seed one, because when you eat sunflower seeds, you do it in a relaxed and casual manner, you eject the useless shells without much resistance, chew and savor the flavor, and not expend a lot of energy doing so.

The connotations of the sunflower seeds seemed stronger and appealed to me more than the others.

I hope you take it to 'em in Chicago and make them fear the rooster.

_________________
Goof-off chopping bat
Gambler All Rosewood
Aurus Soft / Gambler GXL .6 sponge

Status - Out of Business Janitor/Babysitter

Here they come to snuff the rooster...you know he ain't gonna die.

The only thing that might hold me back is that I have no time for practice between now and then, so I'm pretty much heading into that tournament armed only with the experience from Rockford and almost two weeks off. I could either be well rested, rusty, or both. Of course, I think all the snow we've had to clean up will keep the well rested part from happening. That and all the holiday running around.

_________________
"The greatest teacher, failure is"
USATT Rating: 1725
Blade: Stiga Cybershape Carbon
FH Rubber: Butterfly Tenergy 19 2.1
BH Rubber: Dr Neubauer ABS3 1.5

See you at Kspin.

_________________
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Hey Bogey, we should try to meet, at the least to say "hi". When are you getting in and playing? My first event is the U-2000 at 12:30 on the 27th. I'll probably get down there early to catch some of the pros in the morning, though.

_________________
"The greatest teacher, failure is"
USATT Rating: 1725
Blade: Stiga Cybershape Carbon
FH Rubber: Butterfly Tenergy 19 2.1
BH Rubber: Dr Neubauer ABS3 1.5