He staggers around the table, cues up, then shoots. The first ball bangs into the pocket. But as he's about to take a shot at the second ball, it's as if the whole world starts swaying for him. He shoots, and the second ball misses by a mile. The crowd of spectators burst out laughing. "He's well gone," says a supporter. The whiff of beer is almost enough to peel the paint off the walls.

This is a really off-the-wall competition. A