Billiards at The Break

Trafton B.

November 3, 2010 - 5:03 PM

One of the major benefits of being a senior - and of taking full course loads every term of your college career - is that you have the freedom to take fun electives. I've already finished my Beginning & Intermediate Photoshop classes as well as Grant Proposal Writing. All I have left to finish those courses is dot my T's and cross my I's on the final assignments. Thankfully, however, I still have Billiards I to look forward to every Monday and Wednesday morning.

Deep in the bottom level of the West side of the Erb Memorial Union you'll find "The Break Pool Hall." It's a favorite haven for many UO students looking for a place to hang out with friends and it has everything might need to kill some time between classes; eleven full-size pool tables, one Snooker table, a ping-pong table, high def television and plenty of chairs for lounging. If I'm not mistaken there are a few old-fashioned barbershop chairs. Don't exactly know why but it add character to the place for sure. Then, just in case you need to satisfy your java fix for the day, there's always the Buzz Café next door.

As I've mentioned previously, Winston and I are in The Break twice a week at 9:00 AM for class. A normal class period will consist of Dave, our teacher, showing us a new skill, such as adding different types of English, lining shots up kick shots off the rail, or aiming for combo shots. Then we'll practice two or three different drills for about fifteen or twenty minutes before playing an actual game with your partner.

Up until last week we'd been playing games of standard 8-Ball. We tried playing a couple ad-hoc tournament during class but 8-Ball isn't always a very fast game, especially if you're playing with a bunch of rookies like us. Last week we graduated to 9-Ball, however, which is much quicker.

Personally, I prefer 9-Ball. It's more technical but it allows for more creativity than 8-Ball. You don't have to call your shots so sometimes you can get lucky by hitting a random ball in. The only real rule is that you have to hit the ball with the lowest number first, and whoever hits the 9-ball in fist wins. Maybe it's just me, but I like to try combo the 9-ball in whenever I have the chance. It's always worth a shot.

The Break has 8-Ball and 9-Ball tournaments just about every term in addition to the class tournaments we have. Every Tuesday from 4 - 5 PM The Break has "Happy Hour" where students can play for free. Also, just a quick fun fact, The Break is our campus Lost-and-Found, so if you ever misplace anything you know where to find it.

I'm almost disappointed in myself for not taking Billiards before my senior year, but better late than never I always say. My roommates and I are already planning our schedules for winter term around Billiards II. Fingers crossed that everyone can set aside the same time to meet for billiards at The Break.