Blaikie's Blog

Big Numbers!

So does practice help? In which setting does it help?

I do not know the real answer to this.

However, this weekend was a good one. Friday night at the East Gaf, after a recruiting session with Tom. I got some good practice in. The night started with a friendly warm up game with the White Hawk himself, Tom. Tom pulled a few hundred points ahead, and was sitting on an out when I decided I should try and concentrate... T80. First I have hit in a while. First I have ever hit during practice, or at least that I can remember. I have hit a few in league, but not in a good practice game.

The T80 left me looking at a double 15, which I proceed to take out with my second dart. There were many good shooters on the prowl Friday night... Mikey D, Roger, Pual R, Rufus, Neil, Matt Malone and Jenny(who beat Neil, list written in no particular order). Later in the night I faced off against Matt Malone, the best shooter in the bar that night. First game, SS/DF singles 501, I some how pulled it off. First time I have played Matt one on one and I beat him. For some reason I tend to do that with big shooters. I think it is because they underestimate me and I sneak one by them. Second game I played against Matt he was sitting in a commanding position and I was on 154, T18, T20, single 20. Damn! Still I had a shot at the Double 10 and did not hit it. Unfortunately we could not play a rubber match and Matt left shortly after.

Saturday, playing down at the Ace Bar during the day with Steven's Point born, San Franciscan loving, New York hater, old friend, Matt C., I hit another T80 in a practice game against him. That was two in two days. Not bad for me. It was nice because the set up was not ideal, but we made the most of it while putting back a few Miller High life's. It was also the first bar I ever played a league match at way back in C. Not the best set up, but a interesting Lower East Side bar (LES for the natives) .

Sunday, after being lazy all day I finally picked up my darts in the evening and started shooting on Home Board 213. While the lovely smell of stuffed scallops, rice pilaf and spinach was being cooked up by Jenny, I hit a C6! Matt C. who was over for dinner was witness.

So all in all, it was a good weekend getting back into the groove of things.

I am now going to start keeping track of the actual number of T80-T71's and C6, R9's I have hit.

T80- 4(2 in league and 2 recently in practice) If anyone remember me hitting a T80 against them, let me know!
T71- 2(both in league)
C6- 2 (both in practice)
R9- Hit them, but no official count.

Luck of the Draw

During the off season there are quite a bit of Luck of the Draw tournaments around New York City and the surrounding areas, such as Hoboken. I am not sure the value in the luck of the draw for improving skills, some studies show that tournaments and even league do not make much of a difference in a players skill. I happen to disagree.

Below is a shirt I won playing at Stout's Luck of the Draw a few weeks back on top of the cash winnings(ok I have played some darts this summer). I played with Vance Sutherland and we took out Tony Roman and John Wood in the finals, although no one was playing their best darts.

Actually, I think Mark the manager, gave it to me because I drink their quite a bit. I like Stout even though it is huge and can be over powering at times with the people going to Penn Station. All the bartenders are quite nice and the beer selection top notch. Also, two former teammates work there and it is nice to catch up.

A few weeks after that at Amsterdam billiards Luck of the Draw took second place, which paid some money. Played with my buddy Craig Knobbs. Craig was the first A player I played against in a tournament back when I was a C player. I remember shooting my heart out, shooting some of my best darts at the time and still loosing all the games. But it was a great experience and further entrenched me in the game, thanks Craig!

In the finals at Amsterdam we drew Vance, same guy I won with a few weeks prior and his partner, a C shooter. Not surprisingly Vance and company won the finals match, both Craig and I were not bringing our normal A games. But hats off to Vance and his feather weight darts.

I need to take the tournaments serious and challenge my self to play better. Sometimes it is hard for me to find my grove. Looking forward to the season starting in about a month.

Summer Vacation From Darts

No post since the end of the dart season due to being busy at work and staying away from the board a little.

Have spent some good times with friends and family recently. A couple weeks ago went to the Manu Chao concert in Prospect Park, part of the Celebrate Brooklyn fundraiser.

The concert was a blast, wish I had come more pictures. Only one of my cousin Kyle and I after dancing for hours. Note: Kyle's ticket was generously given to him by Jenny.

Check out the clip below... It is not the concert in Brooklyn, but it is a good recording. (you should pause the music on the left first)