United States - The National Nertz Association set the stage Monday night for a big Nertz-Night double header that would kick off their annual Summer Classic (Online) Nertz Tournament. This prestigious tournament started off with the two-time online champion cruising into the semifinals. Sara Paseka and Taylor Curtis were the only players to make it to the 1st Round A Bracket match. Steven Wingfield and Hal Hammons confirmed their game times days in advance but reluctantly missed out on a shot at taking down Sara, the champ. Since Hal and Steven did not show, Sara and Taylor had the choice of either accepting the "Byes" and advancing automatically or playing their scheduled match for the glory of victory. Being hardcore Nertz players, they opted to play anyway. This was also a chance for these ladies to improve their stat lines. Sara took full advantage, raising her PPG and PPH averages by the end of the match. The victory took five hands as Sara along with Taylor both cruised into the next round of the tournament unscathed.
A Bracket Box Score>>>
As the second act of the double header approached, one may have guessed that this next match would end up the same way as the first. One would have been wrong. This match, from start to finish, was a total slug fest. Jill Younker-Sny, Lacey Dellinger, and Aaron Bartholomew scrapped it out for thirteen hands. The match lasted a little over 30 minutes, and was a showcase of Nertz talent and heart.
Saowanee Suesat was also scheduled in this 1st Round B Bracket match but never showed. He missed out on an epic game of Nertz. Aaron began the game with a full table set hoping to secure a comfortable lead, but Lacey returned the favor with her own full table set in hand #2. At the end of 2, Each player was then the proud owner of negative score. Aaron swung back with a 18-point Nertz in the 3rd with Jill also gaining some ground. Soon after, Lacey landed two hard blows and took the lead when she made back-to-back Nertz calls in the fourth and fifth hands. About this time, Jill experienced a bit of trouble as she lost her connection for the majority of that fifth hand. Though, she rebounded quickly and banged out a 14-point Nertz in the sixth hand.
Lacey and Aaron exchanged leads with a Nertz call each in the seventh and eighth hands. At the end of eight, the score was 52 - Aaron, 41 - Lacey, and 21 - Jill... they were only half way the 100 point victory line... AFTER EIGHT! This was going to be a gritty fight to the finish and they all knew it. It was time to let the fists fly and Jill made the first swing with a 19-point Nertz to get herself back in the pack. Lacey landed another solid cut with a game high 24-point Nertz call in the tenth.
B Bracket Box Score>>>
Tournament Bracket and Stat Tracker>>>
With Lacey only 4 points off his lead, Aaron made a statement in the eleventh and called a quick Nertz. At this moment, Aaron had 89 points and was a hand away from winning it. Then Aaron and Lacey both were totally blindsided in hand 12 when Jill made a timely and unbelievable full table set! Amazingly, with that Nertz call, Jill had taken the lead. The thirteenth and final hand went down to the wire when Aaron called Nertz but ended up only 2 points shy of Jill. The only online tournament veteran in this match, Jill, had done it, and finished with 102 points.
Jill proved that timing and perseverance are everything in Nertz by calling Nertz only three times out of 13 hands. Lacey had the most Nertz calls with 5 and Aaron was just behind her with 4. It was an amazing game with a great ending. These three players will be fun to watch in NNA matches to come.
Both Jill and Aaron will go on to the face the 1st and 2nd place finishers of tomorrow's D Bracket match between Christmas Wishart, Meg Holko, Cathy Anderson, and Amanda Crosby.
Taylor and Sara will be facing the 1st and 2nd place finishers of tomorrow's C Bracket match between Katie Sheridan, Nate Nelson, Natasha Rene Stafford, and Brock Ellis.
The action in this Summer Classic may be boiling hot by next week's match ups. Stay tuned...
No comments:
Post a Comment