Revenge, almost everybody will tell you, is a dish best served cold. It's an expression dating as far back as the 19th century, and more recently, articulated in films like Kill Bill: Vol. 1, and as a Klingon proverb in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan. It's brought to bear here because the last time Jayson Shaw and Earl Strickland met over a pool table, during the Steinway Classic in August, Strickland, after being defeated by Shaw among the winners' side final four, got the best of him in the semifinals, after which Shaw snapped his jump cue in half. They met again on Sunday, November 10, during the Open portion of the Predator Tour.
Once again, they met among the winners' side final four, and once again (partaking of the aforementioned cold dish of revenge), Shaw was victorious. This time, though, Shaw got into the hot seat (Shane Van Boening had sent him to the semifinal match against Strickland in August), as Strickland moved west. The possibility of a Shaw/Strickland final was in the air, but failed to materialize. Shaw went on to win the event, downing Mhet Vergara in the finals. The $500-added Open event, run in conjunction with an Amateur event that started on Saturday, drew 16 entrants to the site of the former battle, Steinway Billiards in Astoria (Queens), NY.
As Shaw was busy with his revenge plate, chomping down on Strickland 7-5 in one of the winners' side semifinals, Vergara was dispatching Tony Robles to the loss side 7-3 in the other. Shaw then took the first of two against Vergara 7-3, and sat in the hot seat, thinking (maybe) of a second shot at Strickland for dessert.
Strickland and Robles moved west and ran into Sean Morgan and Frankie Hernandez, respectively. Morgan had gotten by Jeremy Sossei 7-5 and Jennifer Baretta 7-2 to reach Strickland. Hernandez had shut out Emily Duddy, and given up only a single rack to Michael Yednak.
Strickland advanced to the quarterfinals 7-2 over Morgan, as Hernandez was busy blanking Robles. Strickland battled to double hill against Hernandez in the quarterfinals, before prevailing for a shot at Vergara, one step away from a re-match against Shaw. Strickland got to double hill for a second straight time, but Vergara hung on to win it and make the re-match his. Shaw allowed him one rack less than he'd given up in the battle for the hot seat, to claim the event title.
