Div B Mid-Season Report 4/11

A recap on what's happened so far and some insight on what's going to happen for the rest of the season. Here is a group by group recap of SScam so far.

Group A

About half of the sets played in this group there is still a lot of action to play out here. The early story is Hope who has gotten off to one of the best starts by anyone through 2 games anyways walking through with only a 17-1 games w/l record. Amy is also off to a good start with 2 wins as well go along with one loss. No one is really out of it at all yet as Fahd and Brice are both sitting with a set win and Tim and Kris don't have a win yet but have only lost one each. Anything could really happen here and I'll be looking for Tim and Fahd to make strong second half pushes to challenge in this group.

Two key sets to watch:

ticooksey vs baby_merta - Last season Amy was able to squeak into the playoffs just barely on a tiebreaker with only 2 wins. He's got that again this time with two sets left to play and will be looking for a little insurance. Right now Tim is not looking so hot after a big loss to Hope where he didn't win one game. Definitely thought Tim was one of the favs in this group from the start though so I look to see a bounce back performance. This would help Tim get back on track but Amy is also looking to punch his ticket to the playoffs.

eat_pinaples vs showstopper.1985 - Well it would be hard to not feature Hope somewhere in here as she's almost presented herself as unbeatable in this group. The only remaining challenge that I see would be Fahd even if that is probably even a long shot. Fahd so far has managed to hand Amy his only loss while also losing a set to Brice which is a head scratcher. This probably isn't the most important set for Fahd but it does give him an opportunity to test himself against one of the top players in the division. Hope has been great so far and I expect her to continue so if Fahd doesn't challenge you can just sit back and watch her shoot.

Group B

Well it's supposed to be midseason but this group actually only has 3 total sets left to play so a lot has been decided already. Jon has actually clinched the group already with a big win over Derek who is also sitting with 3 wins with one set to play. Moon has returned to form after a poor previous season and she's also sitting with 3 wins with all sets played. Bryan needs to win his last set against Bubba while a loss for Bubba would take him out of the race at the same time.

Two key sets to watch:

FreeJackpot vs ss_lawbubba_ss - Now this set was actually already played out all the way and unfortunately there were 3 tape errors that have forced a replay of those last 3 games. Bubba was clutch the first time around coming back to win from a 2-4 deficit but will Bryan allow that to happen again. Definitely an unfortunate turn of events for Bubba who had picked up his biggest win to date in the competition but the cam settings are important and he'll have to do it all again.

sicc.stoned vs ss_lawbubba_ss - Well no big surprise with Bubba appearing in 3 of those 3 remaining sets that he shows up in both sets to watch. Derek has had another strong season with his only loss coming to Jon. He doesn't have a chance to win the group now but a high playoff seeding is still what's on the line here. For Bubba he's still no officially eliminated and he'll be looking to stay alive here. Also he's the kind of guy to play out all his sets and try till the end so look for Bubba to bring a strong effort here.

Group C

In this group about half the sets have been played and so far we have two clear front runners in Thomas and Scott. Thomas has already gotten into playoff position with a 3-0 record with some impressive wins against Will and Jenni. Scott has also taken out Will and Jenni and only lost two games while doing so and he looks to be the favourite in the group as expected. Will is sort of still alive as he sits in 2nd with 7 points with all of his sets played after a bit of a disappointing season for him. Jenna has the best chance to pass Will for the final playoff spot but all of her remaining sets are tough. Jenni and Gary are still alive but would both need wins in their final sets and some extra luck to make it.

Two key sets to watch:

sicc.sk1llz vs astro61200 - This one tops the list for obvious reasons. Both players undefeated so far and one of the two will lose that distinction after this. Thomas has been fairly surprising in his return to sscam with 3 quick set wins to start off the competition. Scott still needs a win to secure his playoff position and if he doesn't get it in this match he'll surely get it somewhere. Scott's last appearance in div B was as a finalist and while Thomas has shown some good stuff I don't see him at that level. If he manages to win though, tops in the group is on the line.

SuPeRSwEEt13 vs HoT_CaNdy_69 - A battle of girly rares is definitely always something that we like to watch. For the second season in a row Jenni is in the unfamiliar position of being out of the playoffs in this competition and this is a must win and by a lot to have any chance. Jenna is looking to make some noise in the competition for the first time and her best chance at picking up a second win comes in this match. Would go a long way towards helping her make her first playoffs and she might be catching Jenni at a good time because the results just haven't been there lately.

Group D

Another group here where most of the sets have been played already and the contenders have emerged. Prakash has only gotten stronger after his surprise playoff appearance last season storming out to a 4-0 record, he looks to be the favourite to win the group at this point. Both Shelle and Kerry are sitting in second place with 6 points apiece. Shelle does have the inside edge in that race as she did manage to pick up a huge win against Kerry already. Adam is definitely still alive as he'll like his chances in his final 2 sets. The great unknown in this group is JJ as he is replacing Musti and he has a fresh slate with 5 sets to play. He has a chance to change the shape of the group and look for him to contend in his sets.

Two key sets to watch:

shelle4461 vs dr_papsmear_at_your_cervix - This should be a pretty interesting set to watch as Shelle is having yet another solid season where she's playing meaningful games at the end trying to get into the playoffs. Shelle has the luxury of not necessarily having to win this set as she has two of them remaining but she'd definitely like to win this for a little security. Adam has dug himself into a bit of a hole with what might be considered a couple unexpected losses. He still has a strong chance to make the playoffs but he'll need to bring a strong level of play to knock off Shelle.

xl_bankqueen_lx vs jj.pwnz - Kerry is once again making things come down to the wire with her playoff qualification as she's in need of a win in her final set. It's hard to say how this one will play out because JJ hasn't done anything in this competition yet. JJ hasn't really shown a whole lot of success in any of the competitions he's been participating in lately so a win here might be a bit of a surprise but really Kerry hasn't been putting up her normal quality of play either.

Group E (by Nigel)

Group E has arguably gone to form with Naveen and Brad leading the way, although Sacha could still have a big say in things. Brad, fresh from winning a UIC Swiss tourney with an impressive 5-0 score, has won 3 out of 4, losing in a 5-4 thriller to group leader Naveen. Surprisingly, Dawn has stuttered in this season's competition; maybe her mind is on playing in EC, who knows, but 2 close 4-5 defeats have put her out of the reckoning. Nicki has tried hard to stay in contention, beating Dawn, but her 1-3 record spells curtains. Maria stands at 2-2, defeating the 2 ladies, but will be hard pushed to take anything off Naveen.

Two key sets to watch:

noobsquad_wolverine vs sa_c_h_a - The key match still to come is Naveen v Sacha where a close encounter will decide who takes top spot. With Brad likely to defeat a dispirited Dawn to go 4-1 and Naveen being favourite against Maria, this fixture is the biggy! Naveen is a consistently good player, calm and good sporting, whilst Sacha can be eratic – as his 7-2 loss against Brad showed – and a bit hot-headed but on his day can be as good as anyone in Division B. I think Naveen will edge this close battle and take top spot in the group.

Smartassbitch vs sa_c_h_a - Of the remaining sets, Dawn will want to restore some pride and give Sacha a really close run for his money. This English lady can play when her mindset is focused and if she catches Sacha not at his best, she could foil his chances of finishing in the top 2. However, with a record of 0-3 and bottom place, the question will be if Dawn can be bothered since there's little to play for but pride. Sacha should be too strong for her and if it goes to form, a win for him will help seal qualification.

Group F

Another group with about half of the sets played so far with a lot left to play out. So far Sterlo and Dorie have managed to get themselves back into the playoff picture after a season where both of them missed out. Sitting in 3rd with two wins is Joe and he has no losses to go along with those wins so he's probably still the favourite to win this group. Niks and Jan still have an outside chance to make the playoffs but they really need to win the rest of their sets. Rahul's drop off in play has left him on the outside looking in and he'd need Joe to disappear from the face of the earth to have any chance here.

Two key sets to watch:

doriebarnes84 vs joredon - Maybe it shouldn't be a huge surprise that Dorie is in this position again as it was only earlier this year that she had the top seed in div B. She's got 3 wins already with a chance to grab a 4th. That chance might not be the best one in the world as it comes up against one of last season's semi finalists in Joe. Joe so far has dealt Sterlo his only loss and took care of business against Rahul and his form is solid. Dorie is definitely also showing good things that we haven't seen in a while. If Dorie brings her best game she could challenge and even win here.

ll_pool_hustler_ll vs gangstapower - Jan is sitting on the verge of elimination here as he's started the competition out with a 2 losses. It's been a while now since he was in the playoffs all that time ago. Still he shows up every season and plays while also keeping active in the league. He's definitely getting better and this will be a chance to show those improvements against a pretty strong player in Niks. Niks is going to be challenged here to make the playoffs and will need to grab a win here to stay on track. After his 0-9 loss to Dorie it's hard to know what to expect from Niks so expect a close one here.

Group G

Here is yet another group with about half the sets played and so far nothing has really been determined so far with 3 players sitting at 2 wins and none yet at 3. Nigel and Chad are in the best shape so far and they'll have to play one another before all is said and done while Ravi only has one set to play and it will be a tough one against Jason. Jason also is not in bad position because he has not played a set so far and therefore has no losses to his name. He's been a playoff player in each of the past couple seasons so look for him to make his move before the final deadline. Praveen has taken over Drew's stats as a replacement and as a newcomer might have a tough time winning two more sets but his chances are still alive.

Two key sets to watch:

en_dk vs hustle - Nigel is off to an ideal start so far handling Rich with a big win and getting past another playoff contender in Ravi for a 2-0 record. On the other side Chad had high hopes going into this and those hopes can remain high but a win here is key so that he can grab his third win and focus on a good seed for the playoffs. Chad has been a div A player in seasons past so his skill level is probably higher than that of Nigel but Nigel has been known to rise to the occasion before in sets so this could be tight.

JasSuperStud vs winmyheart_143 - Well so far in this competition for Ravi it's been a rollercoaster as he had two early losses but now he's managed to come back and level his record at 2-2. Unfortunately for him the only thing standing in the way of a 3rd win is Jason who really is a good player. Jason so far hasn't been able to find time for any sets and is only alive on an exemption. Based on seasons past I think he'll be able to put a late charge together in this group and a win against Ravi will be an important way to start.

Div A Mid-Season Report 4/11

A recap on what's happened so far and some insight on what's going to happen for the rest of the season. Here is a group by group recap of SScam so far.

Group A (by Dante)

Well Tyson is undefeated with strong wins over Eddie, Timmy, and wait, Sid? Just kidding, he beat Vain. Tyson seems like he wants to win something. Maybe this guy is just either streaky or lucky, cause the few times I've played him, he isn't terrible, but not a Div A Title player either. But, with these statistics he's putting out, maybe he does have what it take to jump in and give lessons. Sid appeared in as a replacement, giving him one loss to Tyson, but won't stop him from making the playoffs. Jeremy has a nice win over Andy, but their both in the same boat here, having Sid and Tyson left to play in their remaining two sets. Jeremy may have some trouble with Tyson, would be a nice matchup. If Jer loses to Tyson, just kiss the playoffs goodbye. Andy has a controlled game, and should run over tyson, leaving Sid with a nice set to play with.

Two key sets to watch:

overachieving vs Hawkeyestriker - Sid really needs to win this, since he already has one loss from getting in as a replacement. He needs to keep his eyes sharp, hit his shots on cue, and don't choke. Just complete your runs and you'll be in the clear here. Andy so far is sitting at a nice 2-1 record but this set should be important to him as well either to get into the playoffs or to improve his seeding.

oh.tyson vs pro.jeremy - With Tyson 3-0 right now, it's not looking good for Jer. However, I know Jeremy can play great, and I think he's a better player than Tyson. It all comes down to who is playing their best. This is probably Jer's only chance at getting into the playoffs, so he needs to win this.

Group B

In Group B there have been about half the sets played so far with a few contenders emerging early. Trav is sitting at 3-0 in first place although he's got his two toughest sets remaining. Joining him in being undefeated so far is Steve who is looking like he's possibly returned to good form after 2 good wins. Gary is looking to prove his playoff trip was no fluke and so far so good as he has two more chances to grab his 3rd win sitting at 2-1. Luiz definitely has the ability to change the shape of this group the most as he has only played one set and really he's got the skills to make some noise. On the outside but not 100% out yet Irfan and Ryan have both hit 3 losses already but if the group ends up not being so active one of them could sneak in.

Two key sets to watch:

trav_the_king vs mvp_n00b - Nothing really important here except deciding who gets the higher seed and places higher in the group. Other than being a pretty great match up, this doesn't really dignify much in my opinion. Trav and Steve have the playoffs in grasp

xlx_chex_xlx vs GaRy_Is_My_NaMe_PoOl_Is_My_GaMe - Gary is looking to make it back into the playoffs for a second season in a row this might be his best chance here against Luiz. Luiz so far has only played one set with that being a loss to Irfan. He's going to need to come through with 3/4 wins to have a chance at making playoffs and that means that he's going to have to go through Gary to get there. If this set gets played then Luiz will have the upper hand but Gary has a way to muck things up and make his sets close.

Group C

So far there's been a lot of action played in this group but at the same time there is still a lot up for grabs. Alexx has the early lead in the group with 3 early wins with only Stu left to play against. Speaking of Stu, he hasn't played a set thus far but has been given an exemption to finish out his sets so unfortunately no such luck for those hoping for a replacement. Stu will still be the favourite here until he loses a set. The other two players with inside track on a playoff spot are Stephen and Cal who both sit with 2-1 records. There could easily be 4 players who qualify in this group while Jason isn't out of it yet he's got a tall task with two must win sets remaining.

Two key sets to watch:

zl_stu_lz vs x_i_am_me_x - Well this is a highlight for obvious reasons. We have a player who somewhat surprised by racing out to 3 early wins against one of the consistent standards of good pool in Stu. Alexx does have the early lead in this group but Stu remains the favourite and this set will be key for Stu to maintain that position. On the other hand this gives Alexx a chance to improve his seeding for the playoffs and give himself a better playoff matchup.

x_majik.shots_x vs british_pool_wizard - These two players were sort of expected to finish towards the bottom of the group mainly because of long layoffs without too many results to back up their past reputations. This will possibly be a matchup with playoff implications and probably a must win for both. The loser of this set will only have Stu left with a chance to salvage their seasons. Cal has the inside track with two wins in this group already but Jason will be looking to even things up with his second win here.

Group D (by Petey)

Here's a group with 5 players where any of them can be at the top. So far Nick, Nish and Dan have been able to reel off 2 wins and find themselves at the top. Nick however only has one set left, that against Craig, while both Nish and Dan have two left, where they should be able to win at least one. Both Jon and Craig could easily sit one two, but neither of them have played more than one set, and while Jon might be able to make a push, it's hard to see Craig taking this seriously, especially with his recent YPPC performance. Regardless, Nish and Dan are both in a position where they should be able to finish 1-2, and Nick in third barring a massive Craig/Jon comeback. With most of the matches that have yet to be played by Jon and Craig, the two biggest matches will be for Nish and Dan, against Jon. Unlike Craig, you know Jon will do his best to complete all his sets, but like Craig, Jon is a great player who can easily beat both Nish and Dan. If one of Nish and Dan beat Jon, the other will have to follow suit or their #1 aspirations fall. Seeing as how Dan has already lost to Craig, and Nish may very well grab archives over him. Dan will need to beat Jon to lock in first place.

Two key sets to watch:

nick_ownzz vs Oh My God! - If this happens, it's a must win for Nick, so he may very well just be hoping to pick up archives. A loss here will put Nick in a position where he prays the rest of those sets aren't completed, but a win almost guarantees him a spot, pending Jon winning 3/4 of his remaining sets.

_Cue vs leafed_leafs - With 4 players having the same win %, and three sharing 6 points, this match here is massive. If Jon wins, you may as well start the comeback train leaving Nish in the same position that Nick is now. Should Nish win he pretty much guarantees himself a spot in the playoffs, especially a big win, while Jon is left reeling behind hoping for a miracle.

Group E

Not a whole lot to talk about here yet. This group happens to star a two time former champ in Chris and he's doing his thing yet again so far with a 3-0 record as expected. Scotty is the other player who is holding things down so far as he's managed to grab two blowout wins to leave him in a great position to qualify for the playoffs. There really isn't too much to worry about yet for any of the other players as everyone else who remains has only one set played with the result being a loss. Any of these players has a chance to raise their level of play to make a run at the playoffs.

xlx_s_p_g_xlx vs _Brimstone_ - This will be a pretty important set for both players as Scotty is looking to strengthen his position while TJ is looking to get back on track in the group. So far Scotty's wins haven't been a huge challenge as he's put up big numbers in his two wins. The key in this set is that TJ needs to stay in the game. As long as he can keep things close he'll be a tough challenge but he does have a tendency to not be the strongest player from behind. Not a must win for TJ but would go a long way towards getting season back on track.

_Brimstone_ vs l2ack.em_up - These are the two players who have the strongest pedigree and therefore best chance to turn around their 0-1 records. Chris still isn't far removed from his impressive group stage and he still has time in this season to turn things around. This set will be more important for Chris because he still has the other Chris left to play and a loss here would all but end his season. On the other side TJ is probably the more skilled player on a normal day but he's going to need to take this challenge seriously.

Group F

This group has more than half the sets played so far and nothing has really gone according to script which will set up a thrilling finish. The old man Pascal is showing some top form lately running out to a 4-0 start with some great set wins including over Brent and Kenny.. he has pretty much clinched first place. Brent had a bit of a shaky season managing to pull of a must win victory against Kenny in his final set he's sitting ok with 3 wins and all his sets complete. Kenny and Matt look like they're the guys in the running for top 3 and they both might end up qualifying with one receiving a wildcard. Trey is still alive with only one loss so far but for him to grab 3/4 set wins might be a minor miracle.

Two key sets to watch:

the_pool_professor vs R_ook - Well really not many sets left in this group so had to pick one that's actually already in progress. Right now Kenny leads 2-0 so JT is in an early hole already. This set is very important for Kenny and it's good that he's gotten out to a good start because a loss here could take him out of the playoffs. JT is no slouch even though his results from last season and this season might say otherwise. Coming back against Kenny isn't easy but JT can get hot and Kenny could get cold. Either way hopefully JT will finish out this set and have a chance to play spoiler.

ImThatGood vs UN_NATURAL - Two players who weren't exactly predicted to do well in this group happen to be two of the players fighting to grab the final playoff spot in this group. Matt has been the surprise of the competition as it's only taken him 2 seasons to find his footing in div A and the former div B champ is just one set win away from the playoffs. Trey has only lost one set so far which keeps him alive but if he really has any chance this is one he'll need to win. The remaining sets in this group won't get any easier for him so this will be an important place to start.

Group G (by Petey)

In this group you have the two favourites leading the way with third almost already decided. Ant leads the way to no surprise with Ben in close pursuit making their match a quite tasty one. Mike is sitting as the only other player with a win and he should be able to take out DJ who is kinda not even playing pool anymore, and David as well. Mina hasn't had much heavenly smiles fall his way as he sits 0-2 with a 3rd loss to Ant waiting. For David, he picked a bad place to start playing against Ben and Ant, but is certainly capable of challenging Mike for that third playoff spot. While Ben vs Ant will be a great match, both will make playoffs with ease so it really makes no difference how that goes, especially since the best players dont always get the best seeds in these comps.

Two key sets to watch:

l3_lvl_x vs mike_the_champion - Well, pretty simple. The winner here should have no issue finishing third as one has already beaten Mina, and the other is capable of following suit. Mike has a much better chance at beating Ben then Dave did so a loss for Dave here will do nothing but seal his playoff hopes. A loss for Mike however will put him in a sticky situation as he'll need to beat both Ben and DJ to guarantee a spot, but with Mikes better win/loss, this set is much more important for Dave.

x_ant_x vs fhm_champion - While it doesn't matter as much, having the higher seed will more often than not make your route to the finals easier, and the winner here will no doubt finish first as long as they finish up their sets. Ant did have a little bit of trouble in his match with Mike, so while Ant is the on paper favourite, betting on the side of Ben isn't all that dumb. This set will go down to the wire with whoever winning gaining that better single digit number, woohoo.

NEW GROUPS

Group H

TOyBOy2Die4u - You may not know who Kazi is but that's only because you haven't been around long enough. Kazi is back in the competition for the first time in a long time. While he falls into the category of former great player who hasn't necessarily played much lately he should not be taken lightly. Kazi was a finalist in this competition just last year in one of the earlier seasons so he's shown he can be good. He might have a hard time in this group with all the great players he'll have to play against but it wouldn't be the biggest surprise to see him squeak into playoffs.

gators.rape - Scott is coming of his first sscam season where he had any kind of success. It wasn't exactly the kind of success that would really meet his potential but finally making the playoffs was a solid step. Scott still hasn't managed to break through and compete against the stronger players in this competition and that will be a key storyline in this group because there is no easy path to the playoffs here. He'll need to not only take care of business but also knock off one of the stronger players in the group to advance.

AzN_PrIdE_LuVa - Pita is back after a very successful season where he grabbed a very high seed in the div A playoffs. He's been playing a ton of competitions lately and has had success in most of them. He's established himself as a player who can compete against anyone and a lot of the time the only person who can beat him is himself. Definitely some big challenges in this group and he won't be the favourite to repeat as a group winner like last season. Should qualify for the playoffs again but will need to bring his top game.

aka_hero - Well I'm glad to see Kevin back in the competition. Not so sure about the rest of his group though. Kevin is instantly a contender to win any cam competition he enters and this one is no different. While there are challenges in this group Kevin will be the clear favourite and there is an opportunity to go 5-0 and get one of those high seeds for the playoffs. He should win this group and has a strong chance to repeat his finals performance from last year and could even go all the way.

ll_eskimo_ownage_ll - One of the more underrated/overrated players around yahoo pool these days and its hard to say which one is more true. Petey definitely plays a lot of pool and has a front row seat to view one of the best teams around in all inters so one thing is for sure... that he knows what he's doing out there. Petey has the ability to shoot very well and control the cue just as well as anyone at times but really the big thing is consistency. Consistency will be the key here to compete in 9 game sets so while Petey won't be overwhelmed by his competition here his bright spots probably won't happen enough to come away with more than one or two set wins tops.

adambuddy - Adam is a wildcard in this group especially after his performance from last season. Adam only played 3 of his sets finishing 3-0 and getting into the playoffs only to not play and be dq'ed. Definitely leaving a little bit to be desired. This group is a little more challenging this time around but Adam is no stranger to top competition and he should manage a playoff spot and could even be the guy to knock off Kevin. You never truly know what you're getting with Adam but his top game does compete with the best.

Pecking Order - 1.Kevin 2.Pita 3.Adam 4.Scott 5.Kazi 6.Petey

Group I

safdarbandali - Safdar is back in the competition after a couple seasons off. The man has a great track record in this competition in past seasons being a playoff player 3 seperate times with one run all the way to the semi-finals and an appearance in the prize trny. Hasn't really been seen in cam competitions much lately but he's been working on his game just the same and has been making a lot of noise in inters. He's the kind of player who will find a way into the playoffs and look to do his damage there.

ovvnage - The only thing standing in the way of Dante and the playoffs are eligibility requirements. No joke whatsoever as he missed out on playoffs last season because he decided to reset his stats midseason. On top of staying eligible he's also going to need to play some good pool as there are some good challenges in this group. You can say that Dante is definitely in the top 4 here but top 3 requires at least one strong performance against one of the better players in the group. Dante has been back playing sets for a while now and should be in a position to use his strong overall game to squeak in here.

p00l_charlie - Introducing the first ever SScam champion we have pool Charlie back in the competition for the first time since 2009. If he'd gotten in at the start of the competition I might have mentioned the possibility of a little rust but he's gone on to prove in 8brcam that he's definitely not too far off a very high level of play where he might be ready to win titles again. Having Charlie back in the competition definitely spices things up and it would be a shocker to not see him in this playoffs as he'll probably win this group.

sergio_zarate_7 - Sergio is probably back for his last chance in div A after coming off two consecutive poor seasons he's got this chance to prove himself. Sergio has always been an average player in div A but lately he just hasn't been able to win even one set against any of the players in his group. There might be a couple opportunities for set wins in this group but this one is probably even more challenging than the one he didn't win in last season. He's definitely an old school shooter with an outside chance at catching fire but he's the long shot.

pud'n - Shan is another pleasant surprise to have around in the competition as he returns for the first time in a while. Shan has always been a really strong player with my earliest memories being some great play for SS on inter teams a long time ago. Never really known Shan to be a great set player and although he does have an 8brcam div B title to his name that was a while ago and he's never put up great results against the top players. He definitely has a chance to do better than the projection here but his only chance at a set win might be against Sergio.

joosed_up - Yet another player from pfn inters who has decided to make an attempt to make some noise in this competition. The others before him all made noise last season so Brian is definitely another to look out for. He's definitely made a name for himself through solid results over the years and most recently he's won MCC and made a little noise in 8brcam's playoffs. Should challenge to win the group here with Charlie and he shouldn't have too much trouble making the playoffs.

Pecking order - 1.Charlie 2.Brian 3.Safdar 4.Dante 5.Shan 6.Sergio

SSCam Season 4/11 Group Preds Div B

Here we are back again with new groups and of course new predictions. Last season div B gained a significant amount of depth and once again it is developing into a well rounded field where skills are required to win. Last season Kevin was a first time champion and while he won't be back to defend there's quite a few players back to challenge for the title. Best of luck to everyone in their sets and thanks for making this the biggest start in sscam's history!

Remember to stay active in lg to stay eligible to play sets.

Predictions were done by Sacha, Joe(joredon), Kevin(dark_tranquillity), Nick(nick_ownzz) and myself.

Group A (Sacha)

baby_merta - Last season Amy went 2-3 , that's not a bad score .That shows you can do sometin on yahoo pool . His game is pretty solid when he really want to play and care of his shot. Don't play too fast, don't forget to make some safeties and I think you can have a chance to win few sets.

ticooksey - Tim is a first time player in sscam and the expectations are pretty high. He's a player who is back from a little time off pool not too long ago and apparently the rust is not affecting him. He's had some very strong play in the lg so far that almost ended having him wind up in div A the first go around. Tim has an all-around game that no one in this group can match and I expect him to be one of the contenders to win the whole thing.

showstopper.1984 - Fahd is a very good cue banker. In some bt8q tourney he can run you as hell and you will not understand what happened. Regular game are different, you can't just use full force and try to run table everytime. By the way your skill and your determination will I think make you first of your group.

mvp_raven - All know Brice...he plalys a lot of cam comp and for a long time .You usually go in playoff easily but I think you have too much pressure sometimes and can't play ur A game when you need it for take the win. I will qualify your last season like you didn't want to play really and gave set to your opponents easily. I hope this season we will see the good runner and good shooter you usually show to us.

kalsonlong - Kris have has more than 3k game in SS and have fifty fifty game win/lost . It's simple you can be a very solid player but you can be a pretty bad player who miss easy shot depend of days (no offence @ bad player) .You a good shooter but sometime you complety forgot cue control and in a comp like SScam its very important each shot to try the best as possible to control the cue . You have some good safetiers in your group and you should also to think about safeties and not just "easy " safeties if you want to grab some win.

eat_pinaples - There is one of the more skilled girl I know who is playing cam comp. That's not easy for girl to be good without haters say it's their boyfriend who are playing for her. Last season Hope was in a pretty hard group in div A where she won just one set. I played you in playoff few seasons ago and I was impressed by your spin and good shots you can do but when you start to lose some games you completely don't care anymore for the game and let opponents run a table you should had ran. Forget it's a set play for fun and I see you third of this group.

Pecking order - 1.Tim 2.Fahd 3.Hope 4.Amy 5.Brice 6.Kris

Group B (Joe)

rubiiiiiiii - Moonie is coming back from a rough last season were she didn't get a single win in her group. Definately not what I expected from her playoff appearance two seasons ago. Well, sorry Moonie it looks like your group got even tougher. She's been doing great in inters, so I think she might have to battle with Jon and/or Bryan for a playoff spot. Again, this is definately one of the tougher groups of the division, so I think she'll go 2-3 in her group.

FreeJackpot - Bryan's in Division B this season after a disappointing last season were he went 1-3 in his Division A group, he had 3 very tough opponents: Gary, Matt, and Craig. Bryan should make playoffs, and it looks like his only competition is Derek. I see him going 4-1 in his group. Bryan, consistency is key!!!

Keepsmokin - Welcome to sscam Chris. It's really hard to predict how Chris will do in this group. I haven't seen him play much, but I'm sure everybody has seen him hosting in All Mixed Up. 387 tournaments in less than 2 months??? I think the page is glitching, or he's definately drinking powerthirst before he hosts in amu. I've seen him beat Moonie and Bryan before, but one game doesn't mean you're a better player than someone. Chris should get a couple of wins.

sicc.stoned - Derek is back, and he's ready to get these sets out of the way to get ready for playoffs again. Cleary he's one of the best in Division B; last season he dominated his group 5-0 and made it to quater-finals. You will see him in playoffs again thats for sure. He might have to try against Bryan, but it looks like an easy 5-0 for his group again.

ss_lawbubba_ss - Bubba is back and determined to make playoffs this year. Last season he finished 2-3 in a tough group with impressive wins against Joe and Nigel. Bubba hasn't been playing much here lately, and it really doesn't help that his group has gotten harder this season. Good luck to you, Bubba, but I don't see you cashing in a win in this group.

roasted_live_eva - Haven't seen much of this player, but from what I've seen in 8brcam looks like Jon is going to be tough. He made it to semi-finals in Division B last season in 8brcam, but from my perspective this sscam group looks a little tougher. If he plays in sscam like he did in 8br than he should have no problem reaching playoffs. Jon and Bryan will definately be the set to watch in this group. If he brings his A-game, then I see him entering playoffs 3-2 with losses.

Pecking order - 1.Derek 2.Bryan 3.Jon 4.Moon 5.Chris 6.Bubba

Group C (Jon)

chill_l3abe - Jenni is one of the many players looking for a shot at redemption in this sscam season. She has been a player who has been in the div b playoffs most seasons but unfortunately missed out last season on a tiebreak. When she's on her game she's shown that she can be a very good shooter and while she's still mostly just a runner that is the game that has served her well so far. This is definitely a challenging group and she's going to have to defeat one or two good players to advance here.

xlgazlx - Gary is one of the first time competitors in this sscam season. I know he used to be more active in ss a long time ago but it's so long ago that I don't remember much about how he plays. So far he's doing fairly well in lg with close to 60% wins but the more telling stat is the other cam comp info I was able to dig up. In EC cam Gary had a good season defeating pretty good players and was able to manage a trip into the playoffs. This group is of a similar skill level so I wouldn't be surprised to see him have success again.

astro61200 - Here we have yet another walk of shame player who has abandoned the tough div A grind to chase down potential glory in div B. Scott's last time in div B ended up with him being one of the finalists and he even had a couple playoff appearances in div A over the last few seasons. Scott is one of the standout favourites to win the whole competition as his skill level will be advanced compared to most of the div B field. Having Scott in this group will be a learning experience for everyone else and an example of what it takes to get it done in this comp.

MrsBoogie - Jenna is in the competition again for the 3rd season and will definitely be looking to improve upon her past experiences. Last season she had no victories and its going to be a challenge to pick up wins in this group once again. There really are no glaring weaknesses in this group so it will be important to play every set to give every opportunity to pick up some points. I have a hard time believing Jenna can make playoffs here but winning a set or two would be a nice step forward.

sicc.sk1llz - Thomas is back after a few seasons out of the competition. He seems to be in and out of pool... rocking ids that claim sicc skillz but for the most part that is false advertising. He's definitely a player with a lot of experience that should know how to play but he's never really put together any accomplishments of note. So far through a fairly small sample size in lg he's won more games than he's lost so he shouldn't be a pushover. Remains to be seen where his level of play is at right now but should finish towards bottom of group

binder.william - Will is coming off one of the best seasons in the competition where he grabbed the 5 seed in the playoffs. Unfortunately he was not able to live up to those lofty expectations and crashed out of the playoffs in his first match. Will has been playing well in the lg winning lots of trnys and getting experience and wins in against some top players in the league. In the playoffs he was exposed as a one dimensional player only going for runs all the time and he's going to need to work on his weaknesses and figure out away to slow down and play more under control. In group play he's still one of the better players and we should see him in the playoffs again.

Pecking order - 1.Scott 2.Will 3.Jenni 4.Gary 5.Thomas 6.Jenna

Group D (Joe)

dr_papsmear_at_your_cervix - Adam is arguably one of the best in this group. He shouldn't have a problem beating anybody besides Musti, unless he gets mad and forfeits the set. Don't expect a "gg" unless he wins. He should make playoffs, but it's way to early to predict.

ss_x_prakash_x - If you don't know him this is Prakash or ActiveKC from last season. This guy loves the sport of ypool and has outstanding sportsmanship. He won a playoff spot last year after finishing 2-2 in his group with wins against Chrissie and Maria. He lost a very close first round of playoffs vs. Naveen with a score of 10-8. He has a tougher group this season, so he'll definately have to step it up and beat either Kerry or Adam to gain a chance for playoffs.

xl_bankqueen_lx - Kerry is back this season, and she's determined to make it further in the playoffs this time around. She finished her group last year 3-2 with impressive wins against Dorie and Rich. She lost 1st of playoffs against Eba last season, but it's time for a brand new season and she's ready to go. She should make playoffs this season again.

shelle4461 - Expectedly, here's Shelle. I think she's been in every season of sscam to date! Just like last season this group is going to be tough for her again. She might just have a chance for playoffs if she can manage to get a win out of Prakash, Kerry, or Adam. Be prepared for a longgg set.

no1truckwitt - Introducing Graeme, I haven't seen him play on cam or under pressure, so it's extremely hard to predict how well he's going to do. He wins around a quater of the tournaments he registers for in straightshots, so he won't be an easy win for any of his opponents. This group looks pretty hard, therefore I have to predict him last with a group record of 1-4.

n0_0b - Don't judge a book by its cover, because Musti definately is not a noob. He won his group last season with a record of 4-1, and he made it to semi-finals where he lost to DJ. He's definately the favorite in this group. He might have to "try" against adam, but looks like it's going to be an easy 5-0 for Musti. Good luck in playoffs.

Pecking order - 1.Musti 2.Adam 3.Kerry 4.Prakash 5.Shelle 6.Graeme

Group E (Joe/Jon)

CatNapper_69 - Maria is back into sscam for a second go around. The first time was less than spectacular finishing with an 0-3 record. On the bright side we have seen Maria playing a little more in lg and what better way to improve than getting back on that horse. Honestly I don't see Maria doing that great again here but a set win would be great and the most important thing would be to play all sets to get that experience.

sampler_43 - Last time we saw Brad in sscam was the 3rd season of 2010 so it's been over a year. Brad has been back playing in the lg for around a month pretty consistently and he's definitely caught some attention for being a very solid player. Not sure if his safety game exists but he's got a strong enough run game to be a standout in div B and he'll challenge Sacha for 1st place in this group.

Sweet_Nicki - Another former sscam player that we haven't seen in quite a while with her last appearance being in season 4 of last year. Nicki has always been an above average player in the lg and that translates over to about the same level of play in cam comps. She's had a few playoff experiences in her time so winning sets won't be a big surprise. Nicki mostly runs but she does a fairly decent job at it and will be a player who will do a good job taking advantage of mistakes by others. This is a fairly challenging group and she'll be fighting with Naveen and Dawn for top 3.

n00bsquad_wolverine - Naveen is a great player and has great sportsmanship. He should make playoffs, but he'll definately have to try. He made playoffs last year and beat Prakash in a great set in first round, and he beat Will second round. His great run was halted when Musti beat him in third round. He's going to have a tougher season with the competition getting harder. I think he'll make playoffs with a 3-2 group record.

Smartassbitch - Dawn has won her fair share of tournaments in All Mixed Up, and i've watched her do a terrific job in UIC Swiss. Her getting to playoffs here in this tough group will be very impressive. She finished her group last season with a record of 1-4, but she wasn't in the easiest group. She's a really good player and definately shouldn't be underestimated.

dc_sacha@ymail.com - Sacha is ready to give it another go this season. Both of our sets in last season (groups and playoffs) were soooo sloppy it frustrated me. Obviously it frustated Sacha too, because he didn't finish either one of them and gave win. Sacha promised me he would finish all of his sets this season, and he would play me in playoffs again. I look forward to it bud. It shouldn't be any problem for Sacha to make playoffs in this group. The only competition he has in this group is Brad. It should be an interesting set. Sacha should make playoffs with a 4-1 group record.

Pecking order - 1.Sacha 2.Brad 3.Naveen 4.Dawn 5.Nicki 6.Maria

Group F (Kevin/Jon)

doriebarnes84 - Well the time has come for Dorie to receive another prediction. Last season I said it was time to show her true colours and it really wasn't a memorable one. It's hard to believe that one great season was just a fluke but two more seasons have come and gone without seeing Dorie in the playoffs at all. She's fortunate this season to be in one of the less overwhelming groups so there are definitely winning opportunities there but she really needs to show that she can do it again before it can be what we expect.

Top__Dawg__ - Sterlo is a consistent playoff maker, although last season he failed. He will have decent chances to make the playoffs, and I excepct a hard battle between Niks, Rahul and him for the 2nd and 3rd place.

ll_pool_hustler_ll - Jan has been improving his game lately, as it's reflected in his recent SS league stats. But, it's almost sure it won't be enough to make it to playoffs; he didn't have very good luck with group draw. If players don't complete all sets and some upsets happen, he may have a chance. Overall I see a 25% or less of probabilities to see him in Playoffs.

GangstaPower - Niks didn't perform well at all at group stages last season; He has the skill, he has the experience, but... he has one problem, he doesn't take much seriously the sets, so he lacks in an important factor: Focus. If he focuses on his games, I am pretty sure he will make it to playoffs but if don't he will struggle a lot in this tough group. Overall it will be probably a borderline situation making or not the playoffs.

TheGreatOne41 - Rahul is back for another kick at the can and he returns with a reason for optimism. He happens to be one of the returning players who was in the playoffs last season. Definitely a pretty big surprise to see Rahul in the playoffs last season but he did earn it by knocking off good players. Still remains to be seen what kind of consistency he can bring in his followup attempt but he's definitely done enough last season to think that he might be able to do it again. Should be in a battle with Niks and maybe Dorie for playoffs.

joredon - Joe did very well in last season; he achieved semifinals and although in group stages underperformed a bit, in Playoffs he brought a powerfull pool and displayed his good skills. He keeps playing constantly in SS, and although after finishing the season he seems to somehow lost the On Fire status, not playing very well, I think he has the quality to fight for the first place. At least he will make second place.

Pecking order - 1.Joe 2.Sterlo 3.Rahul 4.Niks 5.Dorie 6.Jan

Group G (Nick)

en_dk - Nigel, just an awesome IL coordinater/Referee, and even so his pool skills aren't too bad either. He definitely can shoot well at times, the only restraint on his game is his confidence in himself! Trust your stuff nigel, you've been around just as long as the rest of us and know the game. Good luck.

winmyheart_143 - Don't know too much about your interleague/cam skills. I know you've played in SS awhile and aren't too bad. Maybe a sleeper pick for the Division B playoffs?

I think it will be tough for ya to make playoffs here but then again, this is ypool where balls fly out of pockets, through rails, and through balls! Good luck!

hustle - Chad, my man. Good player when he wants to be. Can run, safety, the whole 9 yards.

After a couple attempts with varied success in div A he's testing out the easier field here. Should easily make playoffs out of this group in Division B!

WaCkY_1999 - Always a good man in my opinion. Last season he definitely returned to form by finally cracking into the playoffs with a couple good set wins. Well intentioned, decent pool skills, fun guy. Rich has good enough pool skills to get to the big dance in Division B. Good luck bro.

rip-d - Drew, made playoffs last season. Very decent player, and should top this group with Chad. Last season beat merta, lost to Kevin in round 2 of playoffs Definitely will make the next round here but will it be with a higher seed then chad?

PSYCHOJASON - Not too shabby of a player. Perfect fit for Division B and can do some damage in this group. Jason has consistently been a playoff player in this competition last few seasons but has still yet to make his breakthrough in the playoffs. Rich/Chad should give you a few problems but definitely one of the contenders in this group. Hopefully you'll come out on top!

Pecking order 1.Chad 2.Drew 3.Jason 4.Rich 5.Nigel 6.Ravi

SSCam Season 4/11 Group Preds Div A

It's time once again for a new sscam season, this one being the 4th of the year. First off would like to congratulate last season's winner Chris (mr_camtasia) for winning his second sscam div A title. This season is so far starting out bigger and hopefully better. The field is probably about as good as its ever been and this group stage should provide some great sets so best of luck to everyone. Remember to stay active in lg to remain eligible for sets.

Predictions were done by Ben Nick, Brent and myself.

Group A (Ben)

xl_vain_lx - Another fashioned runner, Mike typically likes to try and run if he can and usually succeeds in doing so. He has struggled in most competitions but I think he will do good in this one and have a chance to win most of his matches. His snooker game is good enough to help him do so

oh.tyson - Just coming back about a month ago or so.. Tyson is a decent player. He may struggle in this group, though, however. He knows the aspect of the game, but sometimes he leaves his opponents easy tables to finish, or gets beat in a snooker match. However, I think Tyson will be in most sets, but will fall short.

dope.skill - The Amazin Asian here folks. Timmy is a solid player, and especially a good runner, with an ok snooker game. I could see him if he got a few big wins and a little luck finishing as high as first, or second, but I think he will be battling vain for 3rd place and will fall just short. However, do not sleep on him he can hang in all these sets and possibly win them.

pro.jeremy - He has improved since being jeremybolt and since he started playing again. I think he has become a better overall player and runner. He's also a decent snooker player when he wants to be, but sometimes he tries to overrun and then messes up leaving his opponent an easy table to clean up. Jeremy has the skills to possibly finish first in this group, but I think he will lose two matches.

FastEddieTheEvilPsycho - Another dude from Michigan like Vain and me, I haven't seen Eddie play except in a few teamers, and from my take he looks like a runner who snookers as a last resort. He can finish most runs, but at times seems to cough up others, and I think he will win some sets but battle for the 5th spot with Tyson.

Hawkeyestriker - Overall, Andy probably is the best in this group. However, this group, like most, is tough and Andy will have to avoid that rhythm of bad luck in these sets if he wants to take first place in this group. He has been playing for a long time and is skilled at running and snookering. If Andy can play well during most sets I think he will fare well.

Pecking order - 1.Andy 2.Jeremy 3.Mike 4.Timmy 5.Eddie 6.Tyson

Group B (Ben)

haters - Lol My Jamaican buddy! Latty is a good player and can run tables and do some snookers too. He should be able to hang in most sets, but this is a hard ass group and I am going to have to put you at the bottom.

xlx_chex_xlx - This guy is pretty good snooker and runner with great cue control. First time in the competition since around this time last year where he was fairly successful. I see Chex doing well in this group, although its going be a real tough group, he has the skills to be at the top.

GaRy_Is_My_NaMe_PoOl_Is_My_GaMe - The SS captain. He Recruits about 24/7 so holla if you need a dolla. Anyways, Gary is a great runner, and since he cameback has been winning a lot of games for ss and is one of their best players. He has a chance to finish at the top of the group its up for grabs!

trav_the_king - Ok, Travis has really good running and banking skills and has really improved the past two years from when he used easy_lvloney LOL. He can also make nice safeties when he needs to, but usually tries to run and most times he does.

llvllasterllvllind - Well a straight up run breaker. He tries to run most everything, and then relies on his safety play from there. He can sometimes make nice run, and sometimes gets a little lucky bang to help lol. Overall he can finish high up on the ladder too its just going be difficult.

black_stallion010 - Another talented player Irfan is a smart player and handles the tables well, and has skills on all parts of the game. He also, like almost everyone in this group has a chance to take 1st place.

Pecking order - 1. Trav 2. Luiz 3.Irfan 4.Steve 5.Gary 6.Ryan

Group C (Nick)

x_i_am_me_x - Although I do not know too much about you Alexx, I see you played Division A ball in 8br cam making the playoffs. Decent record of 2-1-1 in group play beating Cam (nxs_skills). Did make the playoffs only to be sent home round 1 by a good player in PC. This will be a tough group for you having Stu and company leading the voting. Best of luck to you, maybe a wild card bid at best.

zl_stu_lz - Stu is most likely the favorite here having the most consistent play I've seen in ypool. Sometimes Stu can get into trouble with his runs early but when he figures it out he is deadly. If he can beat Stephen he shouldn't have to much trouble winning the group.

british_pool_wizard - I know basically nothing about you, but I do hear you used to be pretty good. Also that your an old schooler which is bad ass. Tough group to get through here, hopefully you can crack a playoff spot.

l1_stephen_1 - Another very consistent player. He's won a few comps in the past and I believe he has the skill to knock of Stu for first in this group. If there was one set to watch in this group it would be Stephen/Stu. Timm may give Stephen a run for his money but as far as I can see Stephen should take 2nd here. Good luck!

l3lack_jesus - Probably the biggest sleeper in this group. I haven't been around much in the last few months but before I had left few months back, Timm was Al2'in it up all day table 1. Has a good run game and knows when to do it. He definitely can knock off anyone in this group when he is on his game. If anyone were to snag 1st/2nd, it will be Timm. If not he still should make the playoffs.

x_majik.shots_x - I've seen you play a few times, I don't remember a whole lot about ya. If I were to do predictions again for you next season I hope I'd be able to say good things about this one :P. Good luck bro.

Pecking order - 1.Stu 2.Stephen 3.Timm 4.Alexx 5.Jason 6.Cal

Group D (Brent)

arse_kicker_oo1 - Aaron began playing Yahoo! Pool a couple years after the dinosaurs disappeared. With that sort of experience, its safe to say that he has an advantage. With that said, I personally thought he was always just an upper-average player and I'm sure he is still pretty good. He should struggle in this group, however.

nick_ownzz - Nick is one of those people who have also been around for years, but for some reason I haven't played him much. The only thing I can go off of is his recent 8brcam group stage in which he struggled a lot. Although that group was probably a little tougher than his group here, I expect him to struggle to make the playoffs.

leafed_leafs - Jon can be one of the hardest people to beat, or he can be one of the easiest people to beat. His last group stage in Sscam was pretty horrible in a mediocre group, he still managed to make playoffs, however. With that said, he has won the competition before and it would be foolish to predict him out of playoffs.

_Cue - Nish is similar to Jon in that his gameplay is somewhat streaky. Unfortunately, his id accurately describes his play most of the time. If he manages to tidy up the tables and not allow people to enter janitor mode, he should do well. I don't think we'll see Nish come playoff time, however.

Oh My God! - Craig will make the playoffs if he wants too. If he decides to act like a child and quit after he loses a game or something, it certainly wouldn't be surprising. With that said, he is the best player in the group and barring any foolishness, he should take first or second.

dwaechte - Similar to Nick, I don't think I've ever played Dan. However, I have seen Dan play and he is a pretty solid player. I think he has a strong enough ability to play both snookers and runners to find success in this group.

Pecking order - 1.Craig 2.Jon 3.Dan 4.Nick 5.Nish 6.Aaron

Group E (Jon)

xlx_s_p_g_xlx - Welcoming Scotty to the sscam field.. it's his first time in this competition but definitely not his first time playing sets. I know that I've seen him in the start of quite a few cam comps but searching through archives of other comps we haven't seen him in playoffs mostly because he doesn't complete his sets. So far in lg in a pretty small amount of games he's winning slightly more than he's losing although those are mostly teamer stats. He'll definitely have to play all his sets and bring his top game to have a chance at going through here.

_Brimstone_ - It's good to have TJ back in the competition after a couple times through without him. Definitely a very tough player to play against even though he does like to run mostly he's able to battle with safeties as he's a pretty strong all around player. This is really not the most challenging group and he should be a strong candidate to go through.

TlNO_NICA - Tino is back for possibly his last stand in div A as really the seasons haven't been very successful for him this year. Now we all know that Tino is more than capable of playing some great pool but maybe the focus isn't always there. This group isn't exactly overwhelming and there are definitely opportunities for Tino to show he belongs at this level.

mr_camtasia - Chris is the defending champ and he's looking to add his 3rd sscam title to his resume. He doesn't really have too much to worry about at this stage of the competition as he's looking like a strong candidate already to come up with a 5-0 campaign. Chris is definitely the man to beat in this competition but it's worth noting that there will be more worthy challengers to the throne this time around.

trumpsterized - Welcoming Mikey to the competition and it's possibly going to be a rude one with the div A challengers. I really did make an effort to research Mikey to find him in a cam comp and I had to go all the way back to 8brcam's div B last year where the effort was decent but no playoffs. He's definitely capable of playing well but it remains to be seen if he can put it together against this competition in a set. Not the most overpowering group so if he can put some strong play together a couple wins will be possible.

l2ack.em_up - Other Chris is back and he'll be happy to once again be sharing a group with champ Chris. I think Chris has a great chance to get back to the playoffs this season if he's on his game. This is definitely one of the more wide open groups and based on his previous performances he should be able to challenge TJ for second place.

Pecking Order - 1.Chris(mr) 2.TJ 3.Chris(l2ack) 4.Scotty 5.Tino 6. Mikey

Group F (Jon)

p.ascal - This wandering pool vagabond has been called past his prime on many occasions. Great to have him back in this competition because there's nothing like a race with Pascal. He's definitely always a tough set and if he brings his A game then look out. He's a pretty strong shooter and knows the ins and outs with power and rolls, doesn't often miss easy shots. Sometimes can go for a little too much and that's where he gets in trouble but if he's hitting his stride in a set he usually wins.

R_ook - JT has a pretty strong run of success in sscam ended last season, failing to qualify for the playoffs . The group he's in this season is probably even better than last time so he's going to need to bring his top level of play. He might be a little more skilled than Matt and Trey but those wins would only take him part of the way to playoffs. Needs to play to win in ever set and might have to settle for a wildcard.

the_pool_professor - Kenny is coming off a pretty shaky sscam group stage last season where a couple early losses had him on the verge of disaster. There's definitely the same kind of danger in his group again this time around with capable players to go up against in every set. He's definitely shown strings of shaky play but he's also shown an ability to tighten up his level of play. He should do very well in this group as he appears to one of the two top skilled players along with Brent.

ImThatGood - This is attempt number two for the former div B champ Matt. This guy has been playing a lot of pool everywhere from inters to other comps and has been putting up pretty good results. This particular group might be the toughest he'll have had to go up against so far from all comps. There are wins available so Matt is going to have to play his best against the weaker opponents in the group to have a chance at making playoffs. I think he'd be happy to improve on his one win from last season.

UN_NATURAL - I'm hoping that Trey didn't make a mistake by putting div A on his sscam application but here comes some heat. Trey's 5-0 domination of div B showed that he's ready to take on some better players and this will be a pretty tough test. We've definitely seen Trey win against good players before but the key will be putting a few of those wins together in the same comp. Not impossible to see him in the playoffs but he's the big underdog.

l3anger - The other favourite in this group Brent made a great run in the sscam playoffs to quarter-finals where he became a victim of the Chris train. The only two losses for Brent that season were to Chris so he'll be happy to see that obstacle not existing in the group stage. Brent is playing very well lately and he looks to be serious about trying to win it all and knock off anyone who gets in his way. Should be a comfortable playoff player again.

Pecking order - 1.Brent 2.Kenny 3.Pascal 4.JT 5.Matt 6.Trey

Group G (Jon)

loverboy_aireagle22003 - Another returnee to the competition we have Mina back in the game. Mina I think is a bit of an underrated player as his skills are most often no display in inter matches where he often displays some good clutch shooting. Haven't really heard too much from Mina in cam comps lately but in the few seasons where he had previously played he was a playoff contender. He's going to be fighting with David and Mike for the last playoff spot.

fhm_champion - Oh how it must be nice to have Ben's game with a deadly mixture of great shooting and ultimate patience to wait for openings. Ben accepted the challenge to take div A's final spot and enters a tough group with a few strong players. Definitely one of the stronger players in the competition and should even challenge Ant in a set if he manages to complete all his sets he'll be comfortably in playoffs.

PxYxRxO - Well I can't say that I don't feel a little bad for DJ being in this situation but it's definitely not all bad. It's not often that you get an opportunity to get schooled by some really good players. Honestly though DJ has nothing to lose here as there aren't huge expectations on him but he does have a great opportunity to go out there and try to upset one of these players. Definitely will be a good example of the consistency required to play at top level I think winning a set would be good two might be a stretch.

x_ant_x - Oh hello there. Worlds are colliding! Worlds are colliding! Just when you thought there were enough strong players we have another two time champ in the competition in Ant who won last year's season 4 as well as this year's season 1. As well as being a two time finalist in the other two seasons he played that is a prime example of how Ant tends to dominate this competition. Ben might challenge him in groups but that's it.

mike_the_champion - Mike is looking to come back from a disappointing previous season where he started out strong with a win but finished with only 3 sets played and 2 losses. Mike definitely has the game to compete at the highest level he just needs to keep his head high and go into sets with a winning mentality because he definitely is a playoff player if he can manage to play his best. Should fight with David and Mina for 3rd and a possible wildcard.

l3_lvl_x - Ever since David was given the challenge of playing in div A he's been a competition finalist and made the playoffs for the next two seasons. This particular group stage might be the ultimate test as there really aren't any easy wins available. David has suffered early playoff defeats in previous two seasons and wants to improve but here definitely must focus on these group stage sets to ensure he qualifies. One of the most improved players in div A is doing it with legit skill and he's got the inside track to 3rd place in group.

Pecking order - 1.Ant 2.Ben 3.David 4.Mina 5.Mike 6.DJ