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Tag: Bar Billiards

Bar Billiards – Inter-Counties 4-Pin 2025 in Surrey

Nathan had one of his good ideas that a group of bar billiards players should go to the 3rd Inter-County 4-pin bar billiards challenge. He collected some of the best Norwich players and as a tactical masterstroke I also invited myself to the event. Suffolk couldn’t make the event, so there were five teams in the competition with some experienced and quality players. Also, it was an honour to know that one person outside of Norwich (who are mostly bored hearing about this blog) knew about this blog 🙂

The venue was held at the Inn on the Green in Ockley. We’d gone down the night before and I’ll finish the write-up of those pubs soon enough. Nathan and I also thought it was a marvellous idea to see how many underground stations we could name at 03:15, but I’ve never been convinced that we’re very sensible if I’m honest.

Firstly, let’s deal with the beers. There were a few keg and cask choices, perhaps the best was the reliable Steady Rolling Man from DEYA.

And Guinness, it’s good to have a energy drink in the afternoon.

Before I get to the bar billiards, let’s deal with the most important element, which was lunch. Others had their meals in the evening, but I couldn’t be waiting for that long and so I went for the sausages and chips at lunch. Decadent, rich and meaty.

OK, right, food and drink out of the way.

My two teammates, Nathan and Fraser, we were Norfolk ‘A’. The other Norwich team had Pete, Zak and Oscar on, playing as Norfolk ‘B’. Nathan agreed to sacrifice doing very well by having me on the team which was very honourable of him. Norfolk ‘B’ managed to arrive at the event late, but Norfolk ‘A’ were very conscientious and punctual.

Nathan excitedly waiting for the balls to drop.

And Nathan in action. It’s like looking at a young John Higgins.

The prizes were on show all day to tempt us. This was kind as there was no entrance charge for the event, the organisers were very generous.

The final game which Nathan stormed. There will be some videos going up on YouTube as Pete had cameras going on both the tables which were used in the competition.

And here are the final results. I was slightly surprised to do this well (I did think that I’d lose every match which has been known), although my first match was against Oscar “I’m better at coaching than playing” Gerdes so that was an easy victory. In fairness, he beat me when we happened to play again, which transpired to be his own victory of the day. I think he exhausted himself with the second battle against me.

Nathan did the best out of all the Norwich players, but he secretly knew that he would although he was disappointed that he didn’t average 2,000 points in each game. Fraser had bought two brownies to eat after winning a match, but he just had to eat the second one at the end of the day. His average score was higher than mine though….

So, what this meant was that Norfolk ‘A’ managed to come third…. This surprised and delighted our team. I’m not saying that Fraser didn’t love his trophy, but Nathan and I were positively clinging onto ours on the journey home so we could pretend we’re really good at this (actually, Fraser was driving, so it was probably best that he wasn’t clinging onto his trophy). I definitely heard a yelp of genuine pain when Nathan briefly couldn’t find his trophy.

After all the games, here was the award ceremony with Oscar still buzzing with the excitement of it all. He’s thinking of putting his fifth place award up in his pub. I was surprised that the venue didn’t give Oscar an award for finishing a keg of Steady Rolling Man on his own, but perhaps next year.

Oscar collecting the awards for his team as they’d cleared off home. Zak had performed brilliantly during the day despite being, er, tired.

Oscar took over the videoing after Pete had gone home. Oscar had just had a half hour conversation whilst in the venue’s conservatory which did a marvellous job of echoing the noise around the pub so that at least one of the two tables was shaking.

The six Norwich players. So very brave, especially for Pete who had a very painful handshake when his finger nearly fell off. Zak is standing at the back as he needed to be propped up.

The Birchanger stop on the way home as Oscar was craving KFC. We probably can’t go back to these services since he managed to get the napkin container stuck on his hand, but Fraser, Nathan and I didn’t say anything in case we got some free chicken from him in the car. I’m pleased to say that we did. Thanks to Fraser for his very professional driving, even though he’s been put off going to Leicester for ever.

This was a rather lovely weekend and the plan is to go back next year assuming that we’re actually invited back. Everyone was very friendly, the food and drink was excellent and Nathan and I want another trophy for our new trophy cabinets we’re building this week now that we’ve got something to put in them.

Very many thanks to the organisers and all of the other players, but big thanks to Nathan for planning this!

September 22, 2025
Bar Billiards Table Treks – Venue 2 : Cottage

And the second in the series (the first was the Artichoke).

August 3, 2025
Bar Billiards Table Treks – Venue 1 : Artichoke

I’m not normally one for video, as it reminds me that my hairline is receding faster than is entirely ideal, but a few months ago Zak and I had a really rather good idea that we’d play at every bar billiards table in Norwich. The twist is that we’re only filming the first game at each venue, because Zak famously takes a while to warm up. It’s like giving myself a tiny glimmer of hope before he inevitably demolishes me. Zak has been my official bar billiards trainer since 2023 and I will one day be able to see some of the shots that he can pull off, let alone actually play them.

Pete has heroically taken on the role of cameraman for the series, and he’s done a marvellous job filming the first instalment. The next one will be along soon, assuming I can handle more video evidence of my sub-optimal playing technique. And just to be clear, it’s not meant to be a competitive series unless, of course, I happen to win. In which case, it very much is.

July 20, 2025
Bar Billiards – Out of Retirement

I had decided this year not to play in the Norwich bar billiards league, but just to loiter around a couple of games and go to the international events in Sudbury. I’ve decided international games are really the future for my natural bar billiards talents where I continue to aspire just not to come last. However, sometimes, a hero is needed and as the Serengeti team captain Roy couldn’t find one, I agreed to play for the team once again. I got to the White Lion a little early to calm my nerves and I went with the landlord Oscar recommended Racing Pigeons from Electric Bear Brewing Company of Bath. As an aside, many things from Bath are a bit exceptional and this was a decent hazy, light, stone fruit packed little number. Anyway, pint in hand, nerves only partially frayed, I was ready.

The draw was completed and I always hope to not be drawn third or fourth as that means the food might be brought out and my game play is heavily impacted. First is handy, it gets the game out of the way although last isn’t great as it might be the deciding game and I might crack with the pressure of it all.

Right, we’re off. We were playing the team from the Artichoke and my opponent was playing her first league match, which is something that’s usually a curse as beginner’s luck and all that.

I’ll take that, but I must admit to feeling the pressure a little and had a fair few rather sub-optimal shots for a while. I always think that playing first is a bit like doing karaoke sober, although to be fair, I’ve never done karaoke but I’ve listened to other people screeching. There’s a choice between grinding in the 10 and 20 shots to try and build up a steady score, or going for some of the bigger shots. I went for a few bigger shots, but only a couple came off, so I reverted to my more normal boring play. But, there’s a job to do, it’s not meant to be pretty.

Then watching the next few games and I’d note that this is a sub-optimal shot to have to play. The Serengeti lost the second and third singles games, but there was then a flurry of excitement as the team won the next five matches.

And the main event is now here. This year things have changed so players pay £2 each for the food which is provided, but that seemed more than agreeable to me as Oscar does provide a generous spread. Fortunately it was sufficiently generous for me to get two plate fulls (and I would add that I didn’t take these two plates at once) so I was suitably surprised and delighted.

Incidentally, I did ask John, the Artichoke’s captain, if his team wanted to have a go at the food first. However, I think he knew that I hoped he would say no, which meant I was the ready volunteer to test matters.

The two team captains, John and Roy. Both really wonderful welcoming people and a credit to the league.

The pressure was off at this point so I got a Black Stag from Peak Ales, a coffee and chocolate stout with some liquorice evident in the taste.

After the five wins in a row, it was time for Guy and I to see what we could do in the final game, although the pressure was now off us. The father and son team of John and Jack were just too strong for Guy and I, but their win was well deserved. The end result was 6-3 to the Serengeti, but there were several close games and it could have gone either way. We did miss Emma shouting about “it’s a timed game” which normally pierces the air like a bar billiards air-raid siren but we did miss her! I’m intending to go back into retirement now, just turning up to a few games to watch and to see if there’s any food going spare….

And, as another aside, I’ve really enjoyed this whole league thing and there are a record number of teams in the league this year. It’s a way that people can be brought together and hopefully there will be more people engaged and interested with the process, with maybe even more teams next year. Pete has a Youtube bar billiards channel going at https://www.youtube.com/@NorwichBarBilliards and there’s a chance, if he isn’t scared off by editing several hours of me missing 50 shots in a row, then Zak (my official bar billiards trainer and spiritual tormentor when he’s in good form which is nearly always) and I might just embark on a tour of every table in the league. The goal? For me to finally beat him somewhere, anywhere even if I have to tilt the table slightly in my favour. But that’s a saga for another post. Watch this space.

May 8, 2025
Bar Billiards World Championships in Sudbury – 2025 Edition

Does bar billiards get any more decadent than this? A couple of weeks ago, it was the world championships in Sudbury. If I’m being honest, I’m not always the best prepared at this, and was for a while reliant on young Oscar, the landlord of the excellent White Lion, to use his reserve cue. But, I managed to acquire my own cue in a fit of organisation, albeit still requiring Oscar to bring that one along anyway. He’s a bit like Alex Higgins in many ways is Oscar, I’m more like Terry Griffiths in terms of playing style. Many thanks to John and Pete, both from the new Artichoke team, for working out how to get me to the event and that was hugely appreciated. I’m fully engaged in pre-match gossip and that got me in the right frame of mind to start the day off. Yes, that was a cleverly worked in pun there.

Very regal. There are nine tables at the world championships and this year there were 81 entrants in the competition, which is growing in popularity every year. There were players from a few Norwich teams who were taking part in the event to add some extra excitement to proceedings. Even Oscar reminding me at the start that my hairline is receding in a way which isn’t ideal at all didn’t diminish my day’s aspiration and target to just not come last of the 81 players taking part. I had set my expectations quite low in that regard as it’s best to be realistic.

The first round of the competition involved groups of three and I was selected to play against Nancy and Lee. The anticipation was palpable, the air thick with the scent of polished wood and the faint clinking of anticipation from the players who had started. Anyway, with the tension racked up, I promptly lost my first match to Nancy so that was bloody sub-optimal, but she deserved the victory. To my slight surprise, I managed to beat Lee which meant that I came second place in the group as Nancy also beat Lee. Also, note the racked up pun in that paragraph. This was also when I heard that Dave Brewer, one of the leading lights of bar billiards in Norfolk, had managed to lose both his first round matches. I thought that if talent of that quality wasn’t winning then the standard must be high.

The intricacies of the tournament structure then came into play, with the highest-scoring second-place finishers granted passage to the coveted main event. I had someone explain it to me twice before I understood it, but it’s a well thought through system which lets everyone have several games during the day. I then went on to referee several other games including one where Lee H from one of the Norwich teams was playing (who reminds me of Judd Trump, but he won’t read this, so I can write anything there) and I managed to get distracted for the first time when refereeing but the players managed to forgive me. They showed commendable sportsmanship which was handy, although my little lapse was relatively minor. Lee H also hasn’t forgotten a little error I made in a game last year in the team tournament, but he added that Pete (the formidable Danish talent and I can only compare him to Kurt Maflin who I know is Norwegian, but I don’t know any Danish snooker players) from his team had done the same in the singles, so that made me feel slightly less incompetent. It was then time for a rest before the next stage. For the snooker lovers, they’ll hopefully acknowledge that quality pun even though it isn’t relevant to bar billiards…

The next stage was another group of three people and I somehow managed to come second in that group, but with a high enough score to make the next round. A quick shout out to the ebullient Pete B from Norwich as well, he’s creating some videos which are phenomenally well made and really show bar billiards in a positive light. I was fascinated by the processes he has to get the score onto the videos, it would all be beyond me, but it’s skilfully done. I might one day appear in one of his videos!

That score of 1,620 was a bit of a shock to me as well as I normally bank any break of more than 20. Thanks to Fraser who came to referee the game and also to Julian who came all the way from Norwich to supervise me in case of any bar billiarding drama. Incidentally as some gossip, Julian (who I compare to Joe Davis since for reasons unknown I seem to be doing some snooker analogies here) has played three games of bar billiards now in his lifetime, two of them in recent weeks and the other about 60 years ago or something. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the frame for next year’s competition, although I won’t tell him that leaning dramatically over the table to miss an easy shot doesn’t quite count as cardio.

Yes, I recorded the score. I’m like that…. Sometimes luck is just on your side though.

As an athlete of some measure (and walking 27 miles on Saturday is testament to how I can switch from one sporting activity to another), my completely unexpected continuation in the event meant that I had to rush to Aldi to buy some snacks. And another beer. Actually, on that point, they had three different real ales available, all from Mauldons and they were reasonably priced and well-kept.

Unfortunately, although I was close, I didn’t chalk up a victory against Pete M in a relatively low scoring game, but he deserved not only that victory but indeed he went on to win the plate. Note another pun there. I’m not normally one for puns, but I’m on a roll here. Actually, that pun reminds me that I was one of the players who didn’t bring any chalk, but I had remembered the cue so that’ll do.

This is a really marvellous event, it’s a fun day out and although there’s of course an element of competition, it’s informal and designed to be about having a good time. I was pleased to get as far as I did, so I’m looking forward to having quite a punchy world ranking later in the year. That’ll be going on this blog I can tell you. It’s the team championships later in the year at the same location and I hope to take part in that, although I’ll have to find some people willing to go along with me….. Thanks to all of the organisers for doing what they did, I very much enjoyed it and am very grateful for those who supported me, got me there and cheered me on during the day. And managing to just not come last was the icing on the bar billiarding cake. Did someone mention cake?

April 15, 2025
Bar Billiards Update – Have the Serengeti Topped the Table?

I may have to withdraw this post, but if the scores that we’ve heard are correct, the Serengeti have not only been promoted, but we’ve topped the second division of the Norwich bar billiards league. As I’ve told the team, if this is true, I’m submitting Roy’s name for the BBC Sports Personality of the Year for turning the team that came bottom in the league last year into the table topping group of players that we are today. I can’t wait to play the occasional match for them next year and I hope that the news of other results is true!

Keep an eye on the official league table at https://www.norwichbarbilliards.co.uk/League.

November 25, 2023
Bar Billiards Update – Serengeti are Promoted

I’m away for a few months and I’ve played my last game of the season for the Serengeti, but I need to make this update. The Serengeti won tonight and have been promoted, we’ve come either first or second in the league. For the team that came bottom of the league last year it’s a marvellous achievement and I look forwards to coming along to a game or two next year as I’ve been told I’m not allowed to leave the team 🙂

Oh, and the food photo that I requested, thanks Emma!

November 22, 2023
Bar Billiards Update – My Final Game of the Season…..

I have no idea how I got 3,600 people visiting my last bar billiards update about playing the Manes and getting through to the Plate Final. I assume that my two loyal readers were so excited by it that they kept visiting it on different computers. Actually, how on earth have that many people read it? Anyway, this bar billiarding week started for me on Tuesday when I turned up at the White Lion on Tuesday evening for my weekly training session with Zak and others. I’ve learned a lot of new shots from him and maybe one day I might actually be able to consistently play (or at least play it once) his signature break off shot.

The omens were good, I was undefeated on Tuesday evening playing four different players which included two in the top tier of the Norwich Bar Billiards league. If I was humble I wouldn’t have gone on and on about that. But I’m not and so I have. I was particularly impressed when Zak commented to me after a successful 200 shot that “that was the bravest shot I’ve ever seen you play”. It’s like a civil servant telling a Minister that he’s being brave, I thought that I’d better not be that reckless in an actual league game. It was my last Tuesday of playing for a while and I’ll miss it a lot, it was one of my favourite regular events. Playing in the league is good, but training nights are not far behind (they just don’t have the food).

Anyway, the game last night was against Cottagecore and we’re doing very well in the league and so a victory should have meant promotion, although not guaranteed it just yet. They’re one of the friendliest teams in the league I think, but I was horrified to be drawn third in the singles. This is a dreadful draw position as it’s when the food comes out. I’m delighted that Chay, who did very well to recover after our football on Monday evening, timed it perfectly. The Cottagecore kindly allowed us to have a break for food just before I played, meaning I was well nourished before the food came out. I couldn’t possibly play knowing that the food had just come out and I couldn’t have any.

Butter chicken and rice, very delicious! Thanks to Chay for preparing it and Oscar for paying for it.

My gameplay in the singles match was acceptable, but my specialist Zak trained shots didn’t come off and so I resorted to grinding some points in as my usual strategy. I will admit an element of luck here as it went to the end game and I managed to miss the final shot. Fortunately for me, their player knocked over the 200 pin and so I stormed to a victory that wasn’t entirely deserved if I’m being honest. But, a win is a win and I drank to that.

I was playing with the iron nerved Guy in doubles and if we won then that would be enough for us to win the entire game. Guy and I both lost points by knocking pins over, which is rare for us (very rare for him), and the quality of the other team was high so we were once again forced into an end game. Fortunately for us, the 200 pin was knocked over again on the final shot and so we got a victory. But they all count!

Here’s Roy in the above photo celebrating after the team’s victory. Incidentally, the brilliantly talented Guy nearly threw away a 1,600 lead and I’ve never seen him look so stressed. But only briefly, his man of steel look appeared back again nearly immediately. Emma did some shouting as well to add to the excitement, it can all get quite exciting this bar billiards thing.

Roy has excitedly (I may be exaggerating with that word) signed me up for next season, or at least the bit of it that I might be about. I’m going to attend whatever games I can, not least as there’s food available. And, I’m very grateful for having played this season as I’ve been travelling in previous years so haven’t been able to commit to joining a team. It meant a huge amount for Emma to invite me into the team and for Roy to find a space for me, that was so very kind as I was so very much looking forward to playing. I’ve surprised myself with my win rate (which I’ve rarely mentioned), but that’s the joy of having the cool and calm captaincy of Roy.

“You’ve brought us to the brink of greatness this season @Julian. Now we have to finish the job alone.”

Andrew posted this on our group WhatsApp this morning and I mentioned that it would appear on the blog. Last year the Serengeti came last in the league, won one match and got kicked out of the cup, whereas this year we’re heading for promotion and maybe even victory in the Plate final which is being held in December. If the team now lose their last two league matches and Plate final without me, then I’m going to decide that I was a critical factor in the transformation. If they win without me, I’ll accept it might not have been me 🙂

Or as Wes posted this morning:

“”He joined. He played. He won some frames. He left.” Not all heroes wear capes, etc.”

I like the direct line. And David, who has been trying hard all year to be less irritating, added:

“Don’t forget “he ate some food.””

🙂

Anyway, that’s the end of that for the year for me and I’m very excited to hear how the team gets on and delighted to have been part of things this year. And Roy will be delighted that I’ve decided to stick with the Serengeti next year, although that’s inevitable since no-one else will have me. Back to matters of relevance, I’ve met lots of new people, eaten a lot of food, played brilliantly and aspire to be as a good as Zak by the end of next year. If anyone is interesting in joining a team then they should definitely consider it, there’s a Facebook group for the league and I’m sure if someone posted they were interested that some team might pick them up. And thanks to everyone in the Serengeti for putting up with me and for Roy making clear that I was good enough!

November 9, 2023
Bar Billiards Update – Victory Against the Manes and Now Progression to the Plate Final

My first update in a little while on the bar billiards front, but we haven’t played many games recently. This was our league match a couple of weeks ago, where I was present but not playing. We managed to beat the Manes 6-3.

Today we played the Vikings, a first division team based in South Walsham, in the semi-final of the Plate. They transpired to be a marvellous opposition, not taking it too seriously and I think it was a rather entertaining evening. Here’s the food, I went for the moreish chickpea curry on the left and was delighted to see not many others did, so I accidentally had six portions and there was still plenty left for others. Thanks to Oscar for funding this and Chay for preparing it. There are few better pubs in Norfolk than the White Lion under Oscar’s management.

How rather lovely. But, it’s not all about the food! Well, it is mostly, but it’s also about having fun and tonight had an upbeat atmosphere.

And we managed to overcome the Vikings, winning 6-3. It’s a team effort, but since this is my blog, I will mention that I won both my games. There were some close games which added somewhat to proceedings, but as we were 3-1 down when I went to play my singles game it didn’t look good to start off with. Huge thanks to Zac for his impeccable training every Tuesday night at the White Lion (even though plays for another team), some of the shots that he has taught me proved to be useful. I won’t call out individuals as it’s a team effort (other than me, but I’ve explained the reasoning for that), but Guy’s 400 in his doubles game was something special on the final shot. Also, I was impressed to see Julian watching a little bit of one of the games, I think he’s getting into this 🙂

We now play the formidable and friendly International Brigade in the final at a neutral venue. Due to another project I’m engaged with, it might mean that I can’t make the final, but I’m doing all I can to be there as I’d love to see this journey through. Thanks once again to Emma for inviting me into the league (what a talent spotter she is!) and for our marvellous captain Roy for accepting me, it’s all been rather exciting 🙂 Here’s hoping for success for us in the final!

October 18, 2023
Bar Billiards – Well That Was Bloody Stressful

First of all, it’s been too hot today, but now I’ve mentioned that I won’t repeat it for a while at least. I arrived early at bar billiards such was my enthusiasm for the whole project, indeed so early I was the first player to arrive.

Thanks to Chay and Eli for ensuring the food came out just before I started the break on my singles game, meaning I was well fed before playing. Not that it mattered, I was hammered in my singles game 1,480 to 590. However, the Serengeti managed to be ahead 4-2 after the singles despite my little defeat, but the games were close and the opponents were great company. And we had plenty of food, so what more could we want?

Our captain Roy in action.

Anyway, Wes and I were drawn last to play doubles, so all our team had to do was to win one game (there are three doubles games) and all the pressure was off us. What happened? Our team lost their two doubles games, meaning that it was 4-4 and Wes and I had to play the final game. I won’t reveal our strictly confidential tactics here, but we were playing some fine players and we came up with a strategy which we thought might work. To cut a long story short, the bar dropped (signalling the end part of the game), the other player’s team member missed the final red which meant one thing.

That one thing is that I had to play the final shot (in bar billiards, there’s a second part to the game if the score is within 200 with a white ball remaining, or 400 with a red ball remaining). The final shot into the middle pocket and if I missed our team would lose 5-4. If I got the ball in, we would win 5-4. This is not an easy shot, it’s one that I really hate playing and the stress of trying to make this shot was not inconsiderable. I know I’m trying to build slight drama, but it’s a sub-optimal shot to have to play as the final one of the night when it decides who gets the points.

Going back a bit, I signed up to bar billiards because I was told there was beer, food and exciting company. I didn’t sign up to be any good at bar billiards, I just knew I’d merrily turn up to everything the captain organised to make up the numbers and I could be relied upon to gossip quite a lot about stuff. That was my skill-set (primarily the gossiping), not being competent about potting balls on a table with a stick. I didn’t expect to be in these stressful situations with 20 people watching, I was sold on the food and gossip if I’m being honest. There was definitely no mention of having to play shots like this under extreme duress.

But, what happened?

Did I pot that final shot?

Yes, of course I did 🙂 I was very grateful to the Tuesday night players from various teams who I’ve been practising with recently. Maybe I’m finally taking this seriously. Well, not too seriously.

It means the Serengeti won 5-4 against the Disasterfarians in what was one of the most fun games so far of the season. And thanks for the hugs and emotional responses from both teams, it was much appreciated and even Julian S sitting in the other room of the White Lion was startled by the cries in the room following the shot. To celebrate, I went to the King’s Head with Emma and Julian despite having squash in the morning. I mean, what could possibly go wrong?

September 6, 2023