UK universities pool - not great

Played the UK universities pool singles competition yesterday down at Derby, as Sheffield's sole representative (not due to being in a different class to everyone else at uni, mainly because nobody else could be arsed). After a torts cancellation (need not have got up for 9 then... arse) I can make it down to Derby nice and early. Yes, got as far as Derby nice and early, took a while to find McLusky's (which is a nice enough venue, despite extortionate drinks prices as is the par for these places - luckily they had 2 for 1 on bottles), after walking through Derby city centre from the rail to bus station... I say city centre, there's a few shops and that's it. If they need a new nuclear weapon calibration site, I suggest there. Grab a bus in the direction of Spondon - driver doesn't know where the place is, although the bus should go straight past it. Eventually I see Spondon Snooker Club, figure that's a good place to try. Is the right place, thankfully, and I'm there for my match a good 5 hours early or so (taking into account they're naturally running late). Register, grab a coke (1 pound/half...) and find the Warwick boys for a chinwag. Dibben's doing some of his project, Charles is busy losing in the first round, and the rest of the B team are about, as is Richie Vegas. A few quid shoved in the quiz machines later, and I eventually kick off my prelim match for the right to get into the last 128. Playing Abdur from Cambridge, lose 3-1. Take the first with a little good fortune, lose the second after jawing a difficult black after a bad positional shot on the last colour, outplayed in the third and then lose the fourth after being caught in two minds whether to play a pot or safety and get neither, leaving him enough room to cut in a black which I thought I'd cover anyway. The guy then beats last year's England B captain (I think, Matt O'Keeffe from Durham anyway) 3-0 before losing to UK number 6 (outright, not students) Neil Raybone. I wasn't going far even if I won then... Raybone eventually gets through to Mark Jones (who dumped out seed Ricky Taylor earlier) and wins 3-2 in a good match.

Incidentally, during my match some guy from Middlesex starts effing and jeffing good and proper, clearly because he doesn't know world rules. If we're talking poker, it's a Hellmuth 20 minute job. Had to take a tactical time out to let the guy calm down.

Shove some more money in the quizzie, down some cheap beers and watch the Warwick kids. Only one who has any luck is "shit the bed" Dibben, who reaches the quarters in the junior section despite good efforts from all. Unfortunately, I nearly fucked over his chances good and proper. After Vegas is the last to complete, Craig gives me a lift back to Derby station (at which I had to wait 90 mins for the last Sheffield train, then get a surprisingly cheap cab back). I grab my cue and bag, check I've not missed the last train and signal them off (I could have gone back to Leam with them). At least I think that's my cue... shit that's Dibben's cue. Give them a bell, don't know what to do. Can they turn back? No, they're at Leicester by now. Luckily some guys from Birmingham were about as they missed their last train, and leave it with them. While John's cue is (hopefully) safely in his possession, mine's in Craig's car and will likely be on Ebay within days.

All in all, a bit of a pisser of a day, but it was a laugh. Didn't help my bank balance though :-)