Stories From Pool Land…

It was said that the hangman Albert Pierrepoint could work could out how long the rope and how heavy any additional weights needed to be to ensure those he executed would die immediately just by looking at them. Some saw it as a grisly skill but Pierrepoint was a craftsman at his job and his only concern was that those he executed were dispatched as quickly and as painlessly as possible.

Last night another Yorkshireman with a similarly clinical eye was serving up an execution of a different kind as Darren ‘Dynamite’ Appleton was playing one of the local money players at Riley’s Pool Club in Victoria. Both players had put up a £1000 stake and both looked calm and confident before the game began, but as soon as the match got under way that was where any idea of parity ended.

They were playing tenball, which is basically nineball with an extra ball added, and it quickly became apparent that this was going to be a one-sided affair.

Rileys in Victoria is where most of the capital’s top US pool players congregate and if you’re a new face having a knock you’ll invariably have some local come over and ask if you want to play for a few quid. Even though there are several exceptionally good players (Imran Majid, Raj Hundall, Tony Drago) and a handful of other professional there, a fair section of the locals aren’t all that and most good snooker or English pool players would probably hold their own.

But you have to admire the chutzpah of several, though, who you sometimes feel simply want to gamble on a few games because they’re hoping they may nick a few quid or, more importantly, they may impress the really serious money players present.

For Appleton it’s an easy night’s work and in a little under two hours he’s demolished his opponent 14-2 in a composed but utterly relentless display of matchplay pool. In tenball where a piece of luck can sometimes bring you a frame or two and ensure even a mis-match can occaisionally to and fro this is a thoroughly comprehensive scoreline.

If it was a boxing match it would have been a void contest after the opening few rounds. If Pierrepoint had been doing the measuring he’d have declared the opponent would need no rope as he’d probably break his own neck.

After the game Appleton stays while his opponent’s friends, also locals at Victoria, come over and enquire about the score. The heaviness of the defeat surprises them and when discussing among themselves who beat their mate you overhear comments such as ‘It was some northerner…’ like they cannot comprehend how native geography have overcome one of Victoria’s money players.

Anyone with any knowledge of English eightball pool, of course, would realise that Appleton is a machine. In English eightball he won every event going except the world title and his reputation as a high stakes money player was second to none – to the point where he could no longer get games unless he was giving ridiculous odds or many frames start.

Since quitting UK eightball two years ago to play US pool on the bigger tables he’s earnt a solid reputation as an event player and as a money player, where he’s plied and learnt his trade in Europe, the US and in the Phillipines. Particularly in the latter place if you don’t know what you’re about you may as well just hand your wallet over and leave…

But last night again clearly demonstrated that ‘some northerner’ is mastering his new trade and you get the feeling he’ll be back in Victoria pretty soon. I’m counting the months until the money games dry up over here at US pool…