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| OHCC LIVING | SEPTEMBER 2023 | 47 On July 13 three determined beginners, graduates of our four "Basic Pool" classes, came together to apply those lessons to the game of 8-Ball. Under the tutelage of Cal Roe and Janice Pelcher, it soon became evident that Charlene Kramer, Nancy Stock, and Sherilan Stewart had not been practicing! As the games progressed, however, so did their skills. ey began to make bank shots and lay snookers, accompanied by much cheering and laughter. Aer the two-hour session, it was fun to see how these strangers were now talking about other subjects like friends do. On July 27 we held an exciting 8-Ball tournament. e cash prizes were $60 for 1st, $30 for 2nd, and $15 each for 3rd and 4th. e cost to enter the tournament: zero! e 12 contestants played in two 6-person round-robin pools, so every player played five games. e top two finishers in each pool were to advance to the semi-finals. e le pool contained Gary Webb, Leo Beeloo, Don Williams, Dan Wilkinson, Cal Roe, and Charlie Payne. Leo Beeloo dominated, winning all five of his matches. (No other player in the entire tournament won more than three matches.) Cal Roe and Charlie Payne tied for second with three wins each. You would not normally advance with a record of 3-2, but Leo won so many matches that 3-2 was enough. Charlie beat Cal in a playoff match, so Charlie and Leo advanced to the semi- finals. Each was guaranteed at least $15. e right pool consisted of Keith Bogost, DD Smith, Nancy Stout, Fred Ganoe, Bob O'Hara, and David Key. In a contrasting result, one player won zero matches while all five of the other players won exactly three matches each! How do you conduct a five-way playoff ? We decided to borrow an idea from soccer shootouts and had each player attempt a single spot shot. Keith and David were the only two who made their shots, so they both advanced. In the semifinals, Charlie defeated Keith, and David beat Leo. Aer two and one half hours, Charlie squeaked out a very close victory over David in the finals. e tournament was filled with action, laughter, and the camaraderie of players who shared a common passion for the game of pool. And for cash prizes! Won't you join them next time? ~ Charlie Payne Billiards Mahjongg Club Here we are in our second month as a Club, and we have over 50 members! I have to say that it warms my heart to see MahJongg players show up on Saturday aernoon knowing that they will be playing with people who they may not have known, each with varied skill levels. Players are already meeting other players, making new friends and establishing groups to play on their own regular schedule. We (the Board members) have been having fun, meeting new people and re-acquainting with others. Players have connected with the Club for a variety of reasons. We are seeing some who have lost touch with their group during the Covid years and miss the game. e Club provides a means for them to rejoin the MahJongg community in OHCC. Some residents who no longer drive or have mobility issues have found the Saturday aernoon "open play" a welcoming experience. Others who are new to the community have been using this time to meet residents that share their interest. Some want a refresher on the game rules. And of course, there is a continual stream of residents who want a class on the basics. As we enter into this Clubhouse room reservation period for clubs, we are very interested to hear from all MahJongg players. e Board is reviewing the survey responses filled out during the Open House to help determine the club's room requirements. We intend to continue our drop-in time slots. Chinese MahJongg is currently played Monday aernoons and American MahJongg on Saturday aernoons. We hope that many of you attended the open house and made suggestions, if not send your thoughts on this topic via the social club website. e OHCC MahJongg Club website provides a means of entering your suggestions; add your name to American MahJongg player's substitute list; review FAQs regarding the National MahJongg League (NJML) rules and more. Once we have a calendar for 2024, it will be posted on our website. We have listed some resources that we have and some that we need. At this time, we are seeking obsolete NJML cards to use in a special event next year. If you have some to contribute, leave them at the front desk in the MahJongg envelope. Please take a look at the website for club information. ~ Dawn Edwards

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