February 2011 Inside POOL Magazine Premium

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A u t h e n t i c. A c c u r a t e. A l w a y s.

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Contents

Instruction 10

Beat People With a Stick

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Tricknology

14

Pro Pool Workout

16

Get in Shape

18

Banking With The Beard

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Fresh From the Freezer

A Stunning Bank Idea

On the Cover:

Our 2010 Players of the Year issue features articles on pro players Jasmin Ouschan and Darren Appleton and amateur player Raymond Linares.

To read more about them, please visit pages 24-30.

My Cup Runneth Over

Make it Easy

One-Ball Wisdom

A Couple of Upper-Echelon Bank Shots

The Frosty Five-Railer

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Features 22

Deuel Domination

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Raymond Linares

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Jasmin Ouschan

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Darren Appleton

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Ouschan Outlasts WPBA Masters Field

“The Prince of Pool” Secures Turning Stone Classic

IP’s Amateur Player of the Year

IP’s Professional Female Player of the Year

IP’s Professional Male Player of the Year

Sets Tone for New Year

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Publisher JR Calvert publisher@insidepoolmag.com

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Contents

Departments 6 8 17

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Pool on TV Advertiser Directory Billiard Community.com Player of the Month Billiard Education Foundation Player of the Month APA Player of the Month

Regional Roundup

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Northeast Southeast Central Western

Columns

32 What’s New 34 Stripes

Strange Situations

35 Industry News 40 SudoCue Puzzle 48 Crossword Puzzle

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4 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ February 2011

Editor Sally P. Timko editor@insidepoolmag.com Graphic Artists Laura Luzier art@insidepoolmag.com Allen Hopkins Jr. Editorial Assistant Lea Andrews Advertising Sales Director Bill Perry sales@insidepoolmag.com Technical Consultant Tom Simpson Staff Videographer Alvin Nelson Feature Photo Credits JR Calvert, Michael Neumann E-mail info@insidepoolmag.com Website www.insidepoolmag.com Instructional Staff Johnny Archer, Freddy Bentivegna, Shannon Daulton, Bob Henning, Scott Frost, Jason Lynch, Matt Sherman, Tom Simpson Contributing Writers Fred Agnir, Lea Andrews, Jose Burgos, Sean Chaffin, Rob Johnson, Ken Shuman, Jerry Tarantola Toll Free 888-428-7665 Administrative Offices PO Box 972, Kittanning, PA 16201

InsidePOOL Magazine Volume XI, Issue 2 (ISSN1547-3511) is published monthly except June and August by Spheragon Publishing, PO Box 972, Kittanning, PA 16201. Single copy price: $3.95 in U.S.A., $5.95 in Canada. Subscription prices: $19.99/yr in the U.S.A., $28/yr in Canada, $39/yr international. Periodicals postage at Kittanning, PA, and additional mailing offices.

Submissions of manuscripts, illustrations, and/or photographs must be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. The publisher assumed no responsibility for unsolicited material. Reproduction of this magazine in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited.

POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to: InsidePOOL Magazine, PO Box 972, Kittanning, PA 16201.PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

POOL on TV

All times are Eastern Time Zone - check local listingstv for changes pool on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN CLASSIC All times are Eastern Standard Time

2000 WPBA Classic Tour 1-Sept 10:00 AM ESPNC 2001 WPBA Classic Tour 2-Sept 10:00 AM ESPNC 2001 WPBA Classic Tour 3-Sept 10:00 AM ESPNC 20012001 WPBA Classic Tour Tour February4-Sept 2 9:00 AMAM ESPNCESPNC WPBA Classic 10:00 20022001 WPBA Classic Tour Tour February9-Sept 16 9:00 AMAM ESPNCESPNC WPBA Classic 10:00 WPBA Masters March 2012-Sept 1:30 PMAM ESPN ESPNC 2001 WPBA Classic Tour 11:00 WPBA Masters March 20 2:30 PM ESPN 2009 WPBA U.S. Open 13-Sept 3:00 PM ESPN WPBA Masters March 20 3:30 PM ESPN 2009 WPBA U.S. Open 13-Sept 4:00 PM ESPN 2009 WPBA U.S. Open 13-Sept 5:00 PM ESPN 2001 WPBA Classic Tour 14-Sept 10:00 AM ESPNC Live Streams 2001 WPBA Classic Tour 15-Sept 10:00 AM ESPNC Lone Star Billiards Tour Crazy 8’s February 12-13 www.lonestarbilliardstour.com 2001 WPBA Classic Tour 16-Sept 10:00 AM ESPNC Great Southern Billiard Tour Classic Billiards February 12-13 www.greatsouthernbilliardtour.com 2001 WPBA Classic Tour 17-Sept 10:00 AM ESPNC Great Southern Billiard Tour Borderline Billiards February 19-20 www.greatsouthernbilliardtour.com 2001 WPBA Classic Tour 18-Sept 10:00 AM ESPNC Great Southern Billiard Tour Michael’s Billiards and Games February 26-27 www.greatsouthernbilliardtour.com Lone StarWPBA BilliardsClassic Tour Tour Houston’s March www.lonestarbilliardstour.com 2001 19-Sept 11:00 12-13 AM ESPNC Lone StarWPBA BilliardsClassic Tour Tour Q-Stix Billiards April www.lonestarbilliardstour.com 2001 21-Sept 10:009-10 AM ESPNC 2001 WPBA Classic Tour 22-Sept 10:00 AM ESPNC 2002 WPBA Classic Tour 23-Sept 10:00 AM ESPNC 2002 WPBA Classic Tour 24-Sept 10:00 AM ESPNC 2002 WPBA Classic Tour 25-Sept 10:00 AM ESPNC Please visit InsidePOOLmag.com for television schedules.

2007 Texas Hold ‘Em Billiards Championship 26-Sept 11:00 AM ESPNC 2009 WPBA U.S. Open 27-Sept 5:00 PM ESPN 2002 WPBA Classic Tour 30-Sept 10:00 AM ESPNC

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Advertiser Directory

To contact any of our advertisers, visit their website, send an e-mail, or give them a call.

American Poolplayers Association www.PoolPlayers.com

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Inside Front Cover

Baby’s Pro Shop www.BabysProShop.com

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Jim Murnak Cue Cases 40 www.JimMurnakCueCases.com

Banks That Don’t Go—But Do! 773-956-6280

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Billiard Community www.BilliardCommunity.com

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Power One-Pocket With Scott Frost www.OnTheRailTV.com

Billiard Education Foundation www.BilliardEducation.org

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Sterling Gaming, Inc. www.Sterling-Gaming.com

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London Bridge Billiard Products www.LondonBridgeBilliards.com

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Tiger Products www.TigerProducts.com

Castillo Leather Goods www.CastilloLeatherGoods.com

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Tom Simpson, Billiard Instruction www.PoolClinics.com

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Inside 4:12 PM

Back Cover

15, Back Cover

The LONDONÊBRIDGE is very easy to use and yet simple in design.

Its unique grommet design just pushes onto a break stick or house cue, and as well as giving fantastic rigidity allows every variation of bridge shot to be played. These great features are the very reasons why World Champions Allison Fisher and Daryl Peach have come on board to endorse this product. And you can improve your game too.

Why use what the pool room has to offer when you can carry your own LONDONÊBRIDGE in your cue case and get great results every time.

• Allows you to play shots on the rail • Allows play over clusters of balls (especially useful in straight pool) • Unique breakthrough rubber grommet for easy attachment to break stick or house cue • Gives fantastic rigidity during its many positional options

w w w . L O N D O N B R I D G E B I L L I A R D S . c o m 8 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ February 2011

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Instruction A Stunning Bank Idea pool balls successfully is thrilling. It gives you B anking confidence and credibility, and, of course, it spectates well. Everyone can relate to the difficulty—and mystery—of banking.

In general, bank shots are less forgiving than no-rail shots.

When balls travel farther to get to their pockets, you have to be more accurate. Along with all the factors of aiming, speed, and friction involved in typical cut shots, in banking we have additional factors with which to contend. Some are obvious, some are far from obvious.

Let’s look at what might be the least obvious of these concerns, one that’s probably smacked us all many times. Let’s focus on that all-important moment when the object ball strikes the cushion during a bank shot. The key item here, the thing most players don’t consider, is this: Exactly how is that ball moving when it contacts that rubber cushion? Is the object ball rolling, is it skidding (stunned), or is it just coming out of skid?

Yes, there are other factors, but this is an important one, and it’s under your control.

The general belief among players is the simplistic notion that “the harder you bank, the shorter it comes.” Players believe speed is the major factor in banking. Not quite. Speed appears to be the major factor because the behavior of the balls seems to support the notion. What’s not so obvious inside this is that the OB’s angle out of the rail is largely dependent upon whether the ball was rolling or skidding at the moment of cushion impact.

It would certainly be helpful if balls banked like mirrors (same angle in and out). We all know that’s not quite the case. However, I have some good news. Planning the behavior of the object ball at the moment of cushion impact can greatly simplify things. The good news is that, except for soft speeds, balls skidding into cushions come out at mirror angle! This is an extremely useful way to look at banking, as we can judge mirror angles fairly easily.

The reason players think “it’s all speed” is that when they use more speed, the OB is more likely to be skidding (stunned) into the rail. This yields a very predictable, consistent bank path, but it wasn’t necessarily due to the speed of the shot. Rather, the bank may have worked because the speed of the shot stunned the ball into the cushion.

If the ball is rolling when it gets to the cushion, much of that forward rolling action will still be acting on the ball after it bounces off the rail. Now the roll is pulling across the ball’s line of travel, causing its path to curve open. This angle-opening effect is strongest when the object ball has bounced at about 45 degrees, since the rolling energy of the ball now pulls perpendicularly, across the line of travel.

10 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ February 2011

< by Tom Simpson

Considering object ball stun or roll in banking can provide a convenient guideline to help you think more clearly and simply about banks. It’ll get you close. Unfortunately, it doesn’t accommodate the full physics reality of banking. Speed does matter. It just doesn’t matter as much as players think. Once you’re above the speed needed to skid that OB to the rail, more speed will not shorten the bank much more.

No need to clobber those banks.

Why does speed shorten bank angles? As the ball sinks into the cushion at an angle, the rubber compresses in that direction. As it rebounds, that compressed rubber forces the ball back out a little shorter, so yes, more speed results in more of this “rail crush” effect.

The effect maximizes at around a 30-degree approach to the cushion and hard speed. It’s real, but not as large as commonly believed.

Balls skidding into cushions come out at mirror angle!

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Rules of thumb: If your object ball is close to the rail, it may not have time to start rolling. Plan on it skidding into the cushion. If your OB is going to travel far to the rail, you’ll probably want to plan on it being rolling when it gets there. In between, you can—and should— decide whether you’ll be rolling or skidding, and plan your speed and ball paths accordingly. This approach to planning your paths will serve you well for most bank shots. When you shoot softly, banks open more. When you introduce sidespin, well, that’s another article.

Emphasizing the usefulness of understanding and controlling the rail impact moment, we’ve ignored various other aspects of banking, such as transferred spin, cushion-induced spin, and collision-induced spin. These, too, are real, and must be factored into your judgment.

Banking is an art, but a deeper understanding of the science can bring more beauty to your art. Bank on it.

Tom Simpson Tom Simpson is a Master Instructor in both the BCA and ACS Instructor Programs. He delivers his acclaimed 3-Day Weekend Intensive in 12 cities nationwide. As inventor of Elephant Practice Balls®, the Stroke Groover™, and the Ghostball Aim Trainer®, and authorized instructor for Secret Aiming Systems™, Tom’s innovations in training have helped thousands of players. Listen to an audio description of the Intensive, and read 35 instructional articles at www.NationalBilliardAcademy.com. Contact: Tom@PoolClinics.com.

< by Jason Lynch

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My Cup Runneth Over

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pool is a sport like no other. Each year, A rtistic more and more people are introduced to wing shots, massé shots, crazy props, and the colorful characters involved.

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These three are all shots for last year’s final match where Florian Kohler defeated Jeremiah Owens. The first is a fairly simple draw shot. The center ball in the cluster is on the intersection of the grid lines as shown. The one-two line and the two-three line of setup are at the point of the head and foot rails, respectively, to allow for throw. Be sure to follow through straight to draw the cue back to pocket that pesky 4-ball.

The last of the three shots is a succession of bank shots.

Players earn two points for each made. What is so hard about that, you may ask? Nothing—the key is consistency, and that is what the Artistic Cup is about. Consistency in the game of pool and in the way we conduct ourselves. The amateurs that play in the Artistic Cup every year are professionals, because they act as professionals.

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I have chosen three shots from that tournament for this month’s column. The event is a pro-am, where amateurs play side by side with players who have been on ESPN and have been in the sport for over a decade.

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One of the tournaments where a new player can get their proverbial feet wet is Dr. Cue’s Artistic Cup. Players are introduced to some of the trick shots from each of the Las Vegas league stops for the APA, BCA and the VNEA. Tom has a shorter version of the shot program that he uses for these events consisting of about 10 shots instead of the 40 that they will see if they come to the Cup.

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The second of these shots is from the follow portion of that match. Balls 1 through 3 are two ball-widths from the long rail on the table. Balls 4, 5, and 6 are in the pocket and adjustable. Cue ball position is in the indicated box. Hit the cue ball to hit the 4 ball with extremely thin english, one and a half to two tips of top right, to allow the cue ball to move along the rail to pocket the 7 ball without disturbing the blocking balls.

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Instruction

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Jason Lynch Jason Lynch grew up playing pool in Michigan. In his early twenties he started playing in the VNEA and placed as high as 16th in 8-ball and 9-ball. In 2005, he won the Michigan VNEA speed pool contest. He has also pocketed 11,100 and 12,011 balls in 24 hours as fundraisers for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. In 2007 he had his best finish to date, placing sixth at the Artistic Pool U.S. Open and winning the stroke category. Jason is ranked 14th in the world by the WPA. His sponsors are Shelti Pool Tables, Seybert’s Billiard Supply, McDermott Cue, and Leisure Elements. Visit his website at www.michigankid.com.

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Instruction

< by Bob Henning

Make it Easy its essence, pool is very easy. It demands great techI nnique and precision, of course, but the actual mechanics

of the sport are simple. Setting the issue of strategy aside for the moment, we’re basically just knocking one ball into another with two main objectives in mind, a cue ball target and an object ball target. (How the cue ball actually gets to the cue ball target is a necessary, but secondary, concern.) How simply we can accomplish the two main objectives, over and over, is really what determines our overall proficiency.

There are several reasons why an advanced player sees a specific table layout differently than a less developed player.

First, he simply knows more shots, so he has more options at hand. Secondly, he has worked out more situations in practice and competition, so he has a better idea of how a particular shot will probably turn out. Thirdly, this knowledge helps him to choose the most simple and controllable course of action at every turn. Lastly, this knowledge and ability simplifies his thinking processes and stabilizes his emotional state. He has more confidence and less confusion.

If you want to be a champion, you will have to do a better job at handling your mind and body than your competitors.

’

I was at a tournament recently where this was clearly pointed out again. I was watching a match on the featured table where a very good player named Mark was in control and definitely playing in the zone. He was breaking well and had already run out three or four racks and played safe in a couple more. I didn’t realize how calmly and quietly the action was unfolding until another player next to me remarked, “He sure makes it look easy, doesn’t he?” At that point, I realized that Mark had not shot one difficult shot in all the time I had been watching. All of the movement of the cue ball was natural and easy. He did not attempt a single long straight-in power-draw shot or a super-thin cut into the corner pocket from eight feet away. He never jacked up to try to draw a cue ball that was only an inch off the rail. He never did a single thing to cause himself anguish or concern. It was easy shot after easy shot. If the shot was not easy, he played safe.

It reminded me of a conversation I had once with Nick Varner. We were joking around at the Super Billiards Expo and I said to him, “Come on, Nick, I don’t need eight world champi14 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ February 2011

onships like you. I just want one. Tell me how to do it.” He just cracked a sly smile and said, “Don’t miss.”

I thought about that a lot in the days that followed, realizing that I had heard the phrase before from others and had treated it like a brainless platitude. But I had respect for Nick and knew he wasn’t just pulling my chain, so I gave it better look. I discovered that the phrase can be expounded into this one: Do not shoot a shot that you are going to miss … if you’re going to miss it, don’t shoot it. Shoot something else instead. Always shoot the shot that you WILL make.

The truth is, however, that for most players, it’s not unusual to shoot shots that they’re going to miss, even when they know they’re going to miss before they pull the trigger. This is a real phenomenon that is common to many players, and I wish there was a simple remedy to eliminate it. All I can say is that it has something to do with commitment and discipline. There’s a great story about famed football coach Vince Lombardi that can shed some light on this subject. He was evaluating a couple of new quarterbacks during a scrimmage when one of them threw a pass that was intercepted. Lombardi realized that the player knew it was going to be intercepted before he released the ball.

When confronted, the rookie admitted his guilt and Lombardi handled it with one single, strong statement: “You do that one more time, and you’re out of here!”

And that’s exactly what happens in a pool competition. Only the top two players in any tournament get to stay in it until the very end. All of the others get eliminated along the way. It’s safe to say that if you want to be a champion, you will have to do a better job at handling your mind and body than your competitors. Make it look easy!

Good luck and good shootin’!

Bob Henning Bob Henning is the author of The Pro Book, widely considered to be the most advanced training resource for competitive pool players. It brings the latest techniques of the top coaches and trainers of all sports into pool. It is intended for those who wish to prepare physically, mentally, and psychologically for pool competition. Bob is also the author of “The Pro Book Video Series,” a complete, on-the-table training system, and he also released The Advanced Pro Book and The Stroke Zone: The Pool Player’s Guide to Dead Stroke. In addition, he has authored Cornbread Red, a biography of the colorful Billy Burge.

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Instruction

< by Matt Sherman

One-Ball Wisdom S

ahead of the string to pocket the 1 ball behind the string. Experiment with speed, english, and placement along the head string.

Diagram A

ome love one, some love two. I love one, and that is you.” – Anonymous

The expert billiardist loves the same cue ball that jilts the novice. Your true love is based on devotion to cue ball practice.

Consider the top Asian pros, dominant in men’s and women’s tournaments worldwide. Cue ball masters with a love for carom games, rotation pool, and straight pool, all of which demand passionate cue ball positioning.

And if I had a young child starting in pool today, I’d have them use only the cue ball for their first few months of play— it’s what some of today’s best did in their youth. You too can fall in love with “whitey” the next time you practice or warm up on league night. Take a few minutes to stroke a cue ball only around the table, the equivalent of swings in the baseball batter’s box or practice strokes in golf. Key “love” dynamics include:

• Deep feelings. Feel no jarring impact. The cue ball hit shouldn’t transmit vibration or abruptness to your stroking arm (on most shots). Glide all the way through the cue ball.

Bangers anticipate impact and ruin their stroke. You love that cue ball, but stroke like it isn’t really there.

• Listen for your love. On a quality center-ball shot, straight down the aim line, a different sound is made than when stance and/or stroke is misaligned off center.

• Love softly and gently. Listen for a barely audible soft hit.

The pro hits a cue ball far softer than the thuds you hear in a televised match that uses high microphone amplification.

Another reason to shut the TV off and learn by watching live ringside.

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Diagram B seems basic yet saves you (and your loved one) countless times. What stroke and spin should kick one rail at the 2 ball hanger? I recommend as little sidespin as you can manage to hold the angle. And a great way to gauge a kick before taking your stance is to bisect the angle using a cue stick as shown.

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Diagram B

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Fall in love again and play carom on your own or with a pal.

Simply set a cue ball with two other balls on the cloth where you wish. Each player’s inning continues/points are scored as the cue ball touches both object balls on each shot. Just like a loving couple, things get easier when huddled nearby and challenging when separated by distance.

Other fast and fun carom-filled games include 3-ball, where competitors work to clear a rack of three balls in four strokes or less, and Bobble Ball, where the curiously rolling egg-shaped Bobble Ball must be kicked at between every two 9-ball regular shots. See BobbleBall.com for more.

Diagram A is nice when you’re required to shoot beyond the head string but want a short route to return to the head of the table. Stroke with right english. Since sidespin can be overcome by forward ball speed—english can’t shorten or widen angles much for a ball with too much forward momentum—a rather soft stroke can bring the cue ball all the way from the legal kick

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Finally, friends and lovers, don’t underestimate the confidence builder of stroking a cue ball cross corner into a pocket at a range of speeds from super fast to ultra slow. Observe whether you split the pocket precisely on each try. When you feel ready, try for a straight shot using sidespin with a near-level cue stick. Warm your stroke.

Lock in your stance.

If you are dead certain you can shoot straight to split a pocket even with english, that means you’ll never miss a cut shot if your aim is solid on the target ball.

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Matt Sherman Get in shape for pool with Matt "Quick Draw" Sherman, who appears frequently in print and on television promoting billiards and entertainment. His popular site is billiards.about.com, and his Picture Yourself Shooting Pool book and DVD are available at Amazon.com and other outlets worldwide.

Featured Member - Nicole Christie Where are you from: Providence, RI Age: 22 Favorite game: 9-ball Q: What made you start playing pool?

A: My parents own a billiards store in Providence, RI, called D & L Billiards, so I have been playing pool since I was a little girl. When I was in high school I used to go around to the different pool halls with my dad and play in the local tournaments. Pool was something that brought my dad and me closer and allowed us to spend time together. Then three years ago, with the help of my father, I started the “Rack ‘EM Up” New England 9-Ball Tour. We now travel to different pool halls throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts with players from all over the New England area showing up at the stops. It is a fun and competitive environment where any skill level has a chance to win prizes and money.

Q: Why should people check out billiard community?

A: Billiard Community is a great site that allows people, with a common interest in pool, from all over the United States and the world to interact. It is an awesome way to meet connections and find friends in new places. Sign on today and friend me and the “Rack ‘EM Up” tour so you can find out where the action is.

Send Nicole a friend request today at BilliardCommunity.com.

Because100,000 your local

friends pool room www.BilliardCommunity.com

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Instruction

< by Freddy Bentivegna

A Couple of UpperEchelon Bank Shots

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Cole Dickson’s Heartbreaker

a five-star shot from the great one-pocket H ere’s champion Cliff Joyner. Cliff rarely misses this dou-

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ble-tough shot, which is an incredible feat in and of itself, since the margin of error on this beauty is near absolute zero.

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Diagram 1

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Cliff Joyner’s Carolina Express

The original legendary pool gunfighter Cole Dickson loved to shoot out of this one-pocket trap in Diagram 2 using this difficult trick bank. The mechanics of this amazing shot are: First, elevate the cue about 30 degrees. Next, hit slightly below center using no side english. Your intention is for the cue ball to leave the table slightly. By leaving the table, cloth friction is at a minimum on the cue ball, and strong collision-induced spin kicks in on contact, turning the object ball back to the pocket when it contacts the cushion. Use a firm speed.

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The shot in Diagram 1 begins with the cue ball and object ball exactly one ball space off the rail. The difficulty lies in cutting the ball away from the cushion a bit to give the cue ball a carom angle to escape a kiss coming back and then overcoming the negative angle with transferred spin.

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Getting enough positive action on the object ball to be able to send it back to the pocket is a challenge. The “gaff” on this shot (and I use that term loosely, since even knowing exactly what to do is still no guarantee that you will make this extreme bank), is to use two to three tips of right-hand english on the equator of the cue ball with the cue stick elevated about 30 degrees.

The cue ball leaves the table momentarily, eliminating friction from the cloth, so however much english you use is fully applied to the object ball. The slight bounce also helps the cue ball carom to the rail and out of the way of the object ball coming back down the long rail. Make sure you use a firm speed.

This bank belongs at the finale of a master banker’s test.

It is one of the most difficult banks to execute even for top players.

18 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ February 2011

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Everything in Diagram 3 is basically the same in this shortened version of the previous shot. You can pick up the object ball off the short rail, even if it is only an inch off the rail—but not if it is frozen to it—and bank it into the opposite pocket. The trick is the same: Elevate 30 degrees and use a firm speed.

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Freddy Bentivegna Chicago-born Freddy “The Beard” Bentivegna has been in the mainstream and the underbelly of pool for over 50 years. In 2005 Freddy was elected on the first ballot into the Bank Pool Hall of Fame. He has written two books and two popular DVDs on his specialty, bank pool. He is widely regarded as one of the premier experts on the game and science of banks.

TM

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WARNING:

XF

Xtremely Fun

The Pneu Power Cue may cause addictive behavior due to the sensation of XTREME FUN during use.

www.pneupowercues.com

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Play Video Play Video Play Video Play Video Instruction < by Scott Frost

The Frosty Five-Railer I

’m back and better than ever! It’s been a few years since I’ve written instruction articles for InsidePOOL. I’ve always said I wouldn’t write any articles unless I have something that means a lot to me, and boy, do I have that. The year of 2011 is going to be a great one!

I want to show and tell my sincere passion for the game of one-pocket. I truly hope I personally can make this game grow. I would love to see people of all ages playing this game more and more.

I have come out with a one-pocket DVD called “Power One-Pocket.” This project was much more grueling and difficult than I ever imagined it would be.

Our video team and I expected two or three weeks to complete it, and was I ever wrong.

Because we wanted a poolroom atmosphere, we had to wait until closing time at 4 a.m. to shoot at Kolby’s Corner Pocket. We shot for an hour until the sun came up and then stopped because the cameras would have picked up the sunlight. Our three-week project was turning into a three-month one!

After the shoot was done, the editor, who had all the footage, left the country because of an expired visa, so we had to hire a new editor and redo the footage from scratch. Finally, after eight months, the project was completed. You could say it might have been a blessing in disguise, as the new editor that Lenny had hired was efficient and on the ball—no pun intended.

I’m now going to explain and show one of a hundred shots from this DVD. It’s something that I envisioned while playing a little one-pocket tournament.

I basically made this shot up—I’ve never seen anyone even think about shooting this shot, let alone pick up on it. It’s a crazy shot, but I swear if it comes up in a big game then I’m shooting it! I named it the Frosty FiveRailer.

The way to approach this shot is the same as if you are shooting any five-railer, except you are drawing the cue ball four rails. Aim as low and right on the cue ball as you can.

20 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ January 2011

1

1

1

1

2 3

1

1

My pocket

1

4 6

7

8

5

You’re going to notice that you will come close to kissing this ball in two spots up table. That’s why, by using extreme right english and draw, you can play with the shot and find the right places to avoid the kiss. Depending on the cloth and rails, each table will react differently. The faster the table is, the easier this shot is to execute.

10

14

15

13

9

11

12

This shot is amazing to watch when executed correctly, especially in action. You can win a game from this position, and when practiced a lot, you can get a feel for what the cue ball and the object ball are doing. When it is hit the correct way, you will fall in love with it.

The Frosty Five-Railer will definitely take some practice, but that’s all the fun in it. I’m going to cover basic shots, running the balls, and many other things for InsidePOOL and in my DVD. If you ever see me in public, please don’t hesitate to ask me any questions. Thanks so much and enjoy!

Scott Frost Scott “The Freezer” Frost was born in Des Moines, IA, in July 1975. After living there 25 years he relocated to Phoenix, AZ, where he currently resides. His favorite pool game is one-pocket, but he has been known to play a mean game of 9-ball as well. His resume includes championships in the Legends of One-Pocket, U.S. Open One-Pocket, Carolina State One-Pocket, Arizona State One-Pocket, and Derby City Classic one-pocket division. In 9-ball Frost has been the Music City Open champion, a five-time Arizona State 9-ball champion, and a two-time Arizona Desert Classic Tour Championship winner. His new one-pocket DVD, entitled "Power One-Pocket," is a full-length instructional DVD for beginning through advanced players and is available at ontherailtv.com for $39.95.

Billiard EducationJunior Foundation Player Profile Brittany Bryant Hometown: Guelph, Ontario Birthdate: May 8,1991 Favorite Subject in School: Math Started playing pool: Age 13 Titles: Canadian women’s 9-ball, 8-ball, and mixed junior champion Two-time WPA world junior 9-ball champion What kind of cue do you use?

Playing cue: Roy Mason custom cue Break cue: Mickleson custom cue

Hobbies: Pool, pool, and more pool!

Memorable pool moment: When I was 17 I played Allison Fisher for the first time and went hill-hill. I can still remember how happy I was.

Favorite food: McDonald’s breakfast Real world hero: My mom Fondest childhood memory: Going fishing with my grandfather when I was little.

Goals: Just to be the best I can be

Are you right- or left-handed? Righthanded Sponsors: Olhausen Billiards, Hainworth Cloth, and Hot Shot Billiards Favorite band/music: All kinds

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Join now! www.BilliardEducation.org

DeuelDomination “The Prince of Pool” Secures

Turning Stone Classic

by InsidePOOL Staff

C

orey “The Prince of Pool” Deuel cut through a world-class field at the Turning Stone Classic XVI to outlast Stevie Moore in the final match 13-11 and earn the title.

Mike Dechaine

to the one-loss side by a narrow 9-7 margin. Archer’s next opponent was Karen Corr, formerly a frequent participant on the Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour.

The four-day event was hosted by the Turning Stone Resort and Casino in Verona, NY, in association with the Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour, December 16-19. With a $25,000-added prize purse, first place paid out an impressive $8,000, drawing a full field of 64 players from all over the world.

Corr had suffered a firstround loss to Dave Grau 9-4 but fought her way through the brutal bracket, eliminating John Giles 9-5, Richard Wong 9-5, Dave Deferio 9-0, Shane Morros 9-7, and Earl Herring 9-7. In her match with Archer she took a commanding 6-3, only to watch as Archer clawed his way back into the match and win hill-hill.

Many of the players participating had just made it back from the 2010 PartyCasino.net Mosconi Cup in East London, England. Defending champion Johnny Archer was going strong until he reached the winners’ side final 16, where he faced off against fellow Mosconi Cup teammate Deuel, who sent him

Other Mosconi players included Shane Van Boening, who made it to the final eight players on the winners’ side before being delivered west by Mike “Fireball” Dechaine 9-6, where he was quickly eliminated by Tom D’Alfonso 9-5. In the fourth round Rodney Morris suffered a hill-hill defeat by pal Raj Hundal

Dennis Hatch

22 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ January 2011

and tried his luck on the oneloss side, where he was speedily dispatched by Shaun “Get Some” Wilkie in another hill-hill bout.

Dennis Hatch, still in pursuit of the elusive Turning Stone title, reached the final four unscathed but then ran into a determined Deuel, who dealt him a 9-7 blow.

Though Hatch won his next match, which was against former U.S. Open champion Gabe Owen 9-2, he couldn’t stand up to Dechaine, who had been delivered to the west side 9-1 by Moore.

Dechaine won over Hatch with a convincing 9-1 score and moved on to the semifinals, a rematch for him against Moore.

Florida’s Hunter Lombardo outplayed Earl Strickland in their double-hill match to advance, sending Strickland home with seventh place. Tying with Strickland was D’Alfonso, who was ousted 9-2 by Owen. Owen,

Results:

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

7th

9th

13th

17th

though, ran into Hatch in the next round and was turned away in fifth place 9-2, while Lombardo was eliminated as well by Dechaine 9-5.

Dechaine continued his streak, keeping control of the quarterfinal match against

Hatch and winning that 9-4—Hatch was denied again a chance at the title. But Dechaine found a worthy opponent in Moore and also found himself going home with third place after Moore won their match 9-6 and returned to the A-side of the bracket to face Deuel again.

The final match was an extended race to 13, and though Deuel got an early toehold, Moore was always only a couple of racks away from the lead. At 10-5 Deuel, Moore dug deep and won the next six racks in a row to take the lead. But Deuel won the next

Corey Deuel Stevie Moore Mike Dechaine Dennis Hatch Hunter Lombardo Gabe Owen Earl Strickland Tom D’Alfonso Shawn Putnam Raj Hundal Shane Van Boening Johnny Archer Brian Bretky Mike Zuglan Beau Runningen Shaun Wilkie Karen Corr Charlie Williams Jarrod Clowery Max Eberle Justin Bergman Gary Lutman Mike Davis Rodney Morris

$8,000 $5,000 $3,600 $2,600 $2,000 $1,600 $1,200

$850

$550

game to even the score at 1111. Moore ran out to the 9 ball in the next rack but missed the 9 ball, a fatal error. Deuel pocketed the 9 and then broke and ran the final rack to win the title 13-11.

January 2011 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 23

Raymond

Linares

a

IP’s Amateur Player of the Year

t noon on July 17, 2010, Raymond Linares decided on Subway for lunch, but his girlfriend wanted Chinese. After he paid for her food, the cashier handed him two fortune cookies. When he opened the first one a little while later, he learned that he would soon witness a miracle. The second one informed him, “You have all the makings of a winner.” Later that evening Linares became the 2010 Association of College Unions International Collegiate 9-Ball champion and he was officially on his way to being the player he’d wanted to be for so long.

The Beginning of the Love Affair

Linares was just a young boy in his hometown of Miami when his father introduced him to pool. “I remember the first time I ever saw a pool table,” he said. “I walked into some little bar with him and it was kind of dimly lit and I looked up and I saw these bright tables and I could hear the clicking of the balls. He took me over to the table and I hit a ball into the side pocket and that was it. That was the beginning of the love affair.”

24 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ February 2011

The affair was sporadic until he saw a rerun of Tony Robles’ BCA 9-Ball Championships win and heard him mention two books that changed his life and his pool game: Steve Mizerak’s The Complete Book of Pool and Ray Martin’s 99 Critical Shots in Pool. “That same day I was at Barnes and Noble buying those two books.”

Linares began practicing intensely and after graduating from the small tournaments, he moved on to the bigger league. As a regular competitor on the Seminole Pro Tour, Linares often found himself facing off with top players. “When I play Corey [Deuel] or those guys … all I think about is, ‘This is where I’m supposed to be. This is where I envision my game being at when I’m playing my best … This is what pool’s supposed to be.’ I try to think less about who I’m playing and more, ‘OK, I need to get out here, I need to run out.’”

He counts among one of his biggest successes the first time he cashed on the Seminole Tour. Down

by Lea Andrews

4-2 against David Grossman, Linares took a break, came back, and didn’t allow Grossman another 10 ball.

“That was like a validation,” said Linares. “You put in enough time, and you’re going to get there.”

Pool Revolutionized

Recently Linares has been working with three-cushion player Robert Reiford using Reiford’s soonto-be-published kicking system. “It’s different,” said Linares of the system, which only a handful of people close to Reiford have learned. “There’s nothing like it right now … So many systems talk about ‘Kick here, kick here …’ but really those variables of the environment you’re playing in, the equipment, the balls, all these different things go into effect, and basically if all those things don’t line up perfect for the system, the system’s going to fail.” Linares added, “I’ve prided myself on studying pool and this thing is just … it’s a whole other level and personally, I think it’s going to revolutionize pool.”

ACUI Championships

Linares had already begun working with Reiford when he competed in the ACUI Championships, but at that point, his game had yet to see a big change. “We understood the importance of not trying to rewrite the system, rewrite my approach too drastically, because it would be kind of tough,” said Linares, a film major at Miami-Dade College. “I had been preparing so intensely, still mostly on my old model … like playing in tournaments, cheap action matches I could get into that were tough that would really put me under duress and get me in stroke … playing against the ghost, doing all the things I’d done before to get prepared for a big event.” Although he’d been working with Reiford on his mental game and had gone into the tournament with a lot of confidence, some equipment issues in the first round led to a rough start. “I was letting it bother me and I was a little nervous, and I lost my first match hill-hill.”

After his loss, Linares made a phone call to his friend David Uwate, with whom he shares such a close relationship that the two have been dubbed “The Wonder Twins.”

To Linares’ surprise, Uwate, who’d won the event in 1992, laughed when he heard of the first-round loss. “Destiny,” he said simply. When Linares asked for clarification, Uwate explained, “You’re just supposed to end up winning the same way I did.”

On Day Two, the fortune cookie certainly seemed to solidify a

destined win, although that wasn’t exactly how Linares saw it. “It was strange, even after I lost my first match, it was one of those things-I just felt like the tournament was mine, not that it was pre-destined, I just felt like I was never in danger of not winning.”

U.S. Amateur Championships

Through a local qualifier just a couple of months later, Linares earned a spot in the U.S. Amateur Championship, which is a mixed 8-ball and 9-ball event put on annually by the American Poolplayers Association (APA). “I hadn’t played eight-ball in two years,” said Linares. “At the qualifier I struggled a lot.”

But in the time between the qualifier in September and the championship in November, Linares played so much 8-ball, learning the strategy and seeing patterns, that he taught himself to like it. In addition, he’d been working even more closely with Reiford, learning the technical aspects of the game at a deeper level as well as improving his mental game. “Going into that tournament, I felt like I was ready … I felt like I was just a caged lion just waiting to get put in the ring. And that’s a good feeling, to go into it wanting to attack and wanting to play.”

Though a fortune cookie didn’t tell him so, just as in the ACUI Championships, the possibility of losing never entered his mind. “I really had quite a bit of confidence just because of the way I was playing,” he said. “At this tournament I played as well as I’ve ever played, in some spots, in tournament play.”

Several past champions were in attendance, and though Uwate, who had come to watch, tried to give him the lowdown on his opponents, Linares politely refused.

“That’s a distraction. I don’t want to hear about anybody,” he confided.

“I’m just here to play my game, and if I do that, I will definitely do really well.” He played his game in the single race-to-11 final match against 2000 champion David Rowell, finishing up his undefeated three-day weekend 11-7 and earning himself a sizable trophy and paid entry, travel expenses, and lodging for the 2011 U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships.

Winter Hiatus

In between now and then, his game will likely undergo even more of an overhaul after he spends the winter months immersed in Reiford’s system and far from competition. Come March, though, when the Seminole Tour starts its new season, he’ll be back on the scene, ready to continue his competitive journey towards being a top player.

“I approach pool and a lot of the things I want to be successful at the same way. I know that I have to really dedicate myself in order to succeed.”

For Linares, who describes himself as “hardcore” when it comes to his passions, wanting something and getting it are not so very different. “It’s like dropping a pebble in a pond,” he remarked. “It’s going to get to the bottom sooner or later.”

February 2011 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 25

Jasmin

Ouschan

w

IP’s Female Pro Player of the Year

photos courtesy of Michael Neuman

by Sean Chaffin

ith a banner 2010, Jasmin Ouschan continued a meteoric rise on the billiards scene. Topping off her year was a victory at the Women’s World 10-Ball Championship in Manila, Philippines. She remains ranked number one by the Women’s Professional Billiards Association and number three by the World Pool-Billiards Association— and looks for more top finishes in 2011.

Beginnings

From an early age growing up in Klagenfurt, Austria, billiards was always a part of life for Ouschan. Her parents owned a restaurant and billiard club, and her first steps were on a child’s pool table at home. She says her parents even changed her diapers on the pool table.

“From the first moment, it was a passion and I spent pretty much all my free time 26 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ February 2011

on the table,” she reported. “At the age of six I was finally big enough for the real pool table, and I started right away.”

Growing up, Ouschan enjoyed sports and movies, and she attended a school for athletes. She continued to compete in pool and turned pro after her final exam in high school in 2004.

“I always knew I want to be a professional billiard athlete. I made sure I finished school with good grades because that was very important to me,” she said. “I do what I love for a living, which makes me very happy, and I consider myself a lucky person to do that. But being a professional athlete is not easy and you do have a lot of risk. You never know how you will do, and even when you have a good performance you don’t know if it is enough.”

Ouschan still loves sports, including cycling, tennis, and squash. She travels 200 days a year for tournaments and other commitments but is deeply committed to training, which includes two billiard sessions per day, one fitness session, and mental training and preparation—an average of about six or seven hours. It is her focus and ambition that make her one of the best, says long-time trainer and manager Michael Neumann.

“I think Jasmin is such a great competitor because she combines a really solid technical base with a kind of greediness. In other words, you could also say that she has a good combination of being a talent but being also a hard worker,” he explained.

“After working together for more than fifteen years, we developed a lot of things which are new in the billiard

world. Taking billiards as a sport, we brought a lot of fitness, muscle, and coordination aspects into the sport. We also work on a kind of mental fitness.

We consider much more than just the training on the table, really being on the table maybe only thirty-five percent.”

Gold Medal Year

Ouschan began her season in February, taking 32nd in the World Team Championships in Germany before adding a couple of top-ten finishes to her résumé for a stellar March.

At the Amway Cup in Taiwan, Ouschan took ninth ($1,000) and then another ninth at the WPBA San Diego Classics ($2,050). At the European Championships in Zagreb, Croatia, Ouschan really got on a roll, even topping a great 2009 at the event where she earned two gold medals and one silver. A total of 64 women from 24 different countries were on hand to compete. Ouschan dominated the event, becoming the first person to win gold medals in all four competitions: 8-ball, 9-ball, 10-ball, and straight pool.

In May, she took 32nd at the World Pool Masters in Las Vegas and then 17th at the Euro Tour event in St. Johann, Austria. In July, she won 17th at the Austria Open ($1,166) in her home country.

In July, her string of top finishes picked up again, beginning in Norman, OK, at the WPBA U.S. Open. Ouschan ripped through the first five rounds of play before bowing out to Vivian Villareal in the round of 16. She finished fifth ($3,000), looking forward to the 9-Ball World Championships in China in August but finishing a disappointing 33rd.

In September’s World Cup of Pool in the Philippines, Ouschan took 17th ($1,500) representing Austria and then 17th at the China Open in Shanghai.

After the Open, Ouschan expressed disappointment in her play and looked to regroup at upcoming events in the U.S.

“The bad result at the Nine-Ball World Championship and at the China Open makes me feel really disappointed,” Ouschan said. “I have to find the strength now to look forward and leave this bad stuff behind. I still have three important events coming up in the U.S. within the next two weeks and I hope I can find my way back into my game.”

And regroup she did—reeling off two victories and a second-place finish

in October alone. First she competed in the WPBA Classic in Georgia. Only 64 women qualified to compete in the inaugural event, and Ouschan opened with three straight wins. She went on to defeat Allison Fisher in the quarterfinals, Kelly Fisher in the semifinals, and Monica Webb in a close match in the finals 7-6. The title earned her a cool $10,750.

“After the unsuccessful five weeks in Asia I cannot describe how happy I am about this victory in Atlanta. I came to this event not feeling great about my game, but I certainly gave everything I could. This takes a lot of pressure off my shoulders and gives me a lot of energy for the upcoming challenges.”

Next up was the invitational Tournament of Champions at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut. Her shot making was solid again, and she grabbed second place. At the Straight Pool World Championships in New Jersey she took 17th, and the best was yet to come.

As October came to a close, Ouschan was off to the Philippines for the 10-Ball World Championships. It was a memorable trip, facing some of the best players in women’s billiards.

Ouschan dispatched Keiko Yukawa in her first match, then followed with wins over Karen Corr, Kelly Fisher, and Ga Young Kim in the finals 10-6. It was a great win for Ouschan, who was thrilled with the accomplishment and the $20,000 first-place prize.

“I still can’t believe it—I came close to winning it before and now I finally won,” she said afterward through tears of joy. “But to win it here in the billiards’ capital of the world before my best fans, this is really special.”

Ouschan capped off her year in December with a 17th-place finish ($1,225) at the WPBA Tour Championship in Niagara Falls, N.Y. And in 2011, Ouschan plans to ramp up her game even more, defending her titles and hopefully adding more.

“A big goal in 2011 is to defend my European championship titles and my world championship title in ten-ball,” she averred. “The Nine-Ball Women’s World Championship is also a very important event to me in 2011. My trainer and I also agreed on focusing even more on the Asian events in the new season.”

February 2011 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 27

Appleton Darren

d

IP’s Male Pro Player of the Year

arren Appleton’s 2010 lived up to his nickname: “Dynamite.” After making history by winning the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships, Appleton capped an already-impressive year by helping Team Europe win the Mosconi Cup and earned the Cup’s Most Valuable Player award.

Beginnings

Appleton grew up in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, England. Pool became a love at a young age. At 16 he was winning matches and tournaments across the country. He turned pro at English 8-ball at 19, winning three major events that first year, and was quickly ranked number one in the world. In 1996, at 21, he was playing full time, eventually converting to the more lucrative American game and leaving English 8-ball behind in 2006.

“Pool’s given me a great life so far,” he said. “The last fourteen years I haven’t worked a day in my life. Since

28 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ February 2011

by Sean Chaffin

age twenty-one I have played something I love. I love the sport and want to make it better any way I can.”

In 2011 Appleton plans to be based in the U.S. as he plays more of the American tournament scene.

“Darren is very focused at the table. He doesn’t let his mind wander from what he is doing like a lot of players,” friend and professional player Karl Boyes says. “I think what makes Darren a great pool player is the love he has for the game. He is the most passionate guy in pool. He lives it, breathes it, eats it.”

Matchroom Sport’s Luke Riches, also a friend, says Appleton is always improving his game.

“What Darren has achieved in pool in five years is nothing short of phenomenal. He’s got a ton of heart and attitude and has a never-say-die attitude that carries him through.

He’s always learning as a player, which is a tremendous asset,” he said.

“I’d say he is a real asset to pool and the fans can relate to him because he is one of them—down to earth and a true people’s champion.”

As for how Appleton got his volatile nickname?

“I used to be bad loser,” he explained. “I would sometimes break a cue or throw my case across the room or kick something. On the table I was a pretty quick player when I was younger. A fellow pool player and poolroom owner just started calling me ‘Dynamite,’ and so it stuck.”

An Explosive Year

After what he considered a disappointing year in 2009, Appleton thundered to several top finishes in 2010, amassing $118,000 in prize money. The British pro had earned $129,000 in 2008 but dropped to $80,000 in 2009. Appleton reversed

that trend in 2010 and did so in style.

January began as a bit of a disappointment with his team taking second in the Asia versus Europe Challenge Match. With more than 40 countries competing in the World Team Championships in Germany, Appleton along with Boyes, Mark Gray, Imran Majid, and Daryl Peach took first for Britain in February, besting the Philippines in the finals 4-1. Appleton easily bested the previously unbeaten Dennis Orcollo in his finals match. Appleton’s play was described as “perfect,” earning him $15,000.

Then in Reno, Appleton took second in the U.S. Bar Table Championships Open 8-Ball division, pocketing $3,800 after losing to Earl Strickland in the final match.

Appleton continued his string of high finishes in April, taking home fourth and $7,000 at the World 8-Ball Championship at the United Arab Emirates. He took 17th at the World Pool Masters in April ($1,500) and ninth at the U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship in May in Las Vegas ($2,000).

While the first half of 2010 went well, Appleton went on a thundering pace in the second half.

In August, he played near-perfect pool before ultimately finishing third ($6,000) in the Guinness World Series of Pool in Indonesia. In October he took third place at the Sarajevo Open ($1,405).

Later in October, Appleton made history in Virginia when he won the 35th Annual U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships, the first English player to win the title. Appleton cruised undefeated through the 256-player field, including wins

over Corey Deuel, David Alcaide, Efren Reyes, Jayson Shaw, Ronnie Alcano, Zion Zvi, and Ronald Tutien.

The hot seat match was the toughest—against two-time defending champion Mika Immonen, looking for a trifecta. A seesaw battle, Appleton finished Immonen off 11-9. He pocketed the 7 and 8, and the defending champion conceded the 9. Appleton faced Deuel in the finals, where he pulled away to 8-4 after a few mistakes by Deuel and stellar shooting, but Deuel rallied to 14-13. Needing one more rack for victory, Appleton broke and proceeded to run the table and then fell to the floor in exhilaration.

“I feel on top of the world right now,” he said after the victory. “Life couldn’t be much better for me. I’ve been in good form over the last few months but had no luck at critical times. I prepared mentally great for the Open, and it all clicked.”

cember. Appleton was confident in Team Europe heading into London.

The team hoped to make up for a loss the previous year in Las Vegas. Team Europe came out victorious with Appleton a dominant force throughout, earning the MVP Award for brilliant shot-making in the pressure-packed event. His record of two singles and two doubles points and only one defeat couldn’t be matched.

“It’s really difficult to get into the European team, as there are that many great players. It’s really hard to make the team but hopefully winning the MVP gives me a chance of getting in next year’s event as well.”

“You can’t win the Mosconi Cup without playing like a team, and the lads have been amazing,” Appleton told Matchroom Sport after the win. “I played really well, but a massive part of it has been down to the crowd and it was very easy to feed off the crowd—the bigger the crowd, the better I play.

“To achieve this so early in my American pool career is a little overwhelming, to be honest, and I’m still pinching myself,” he said. “I hope 2011 will be even better.”

And with a fantastic year behind him, Appleton only hopes to build on his already-impressive résumé.

In November, Appleton’s success continued at the 2010 Steve Mizerak Championship in Hollywood, FL. After an impressive run through the tournament of 71 competitors, he found himself in the semis against Earl Strickland.

The classic match-up featured both players making amazing shots and safety plays. In the end, Strickland came out ahead with Appleton taking third ($8,000).

Appleton found himself a champion again in early December, this time in Spain at the Eurotour Costa Blanca Open. In the finals, Appleton found himself against Francisco DiazPizarro. Despite the crowd cheering on Pizarro, Dynamite took the title ($6,673) with an 8-6 win.

Fresh off another victory, the Mosconi Cup loomed in late-De-

February 2011 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 29

photo courtesy of Michael Neumann

J

asmin Ouschan won the Women’s Professional Billiard Association’s first event of the season, sweeping through the 48-player field at the inaugural WPBA Masters tournament to defeat Karen Corr in the finals in a close 7-6 victory. The event was hosted by the Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort in Mount Pleasant, MI, January 6-9.

With the new year came a new format: Instead of a 64-player field, there are 48 players. After the first 32 kick off the first round, the top 16 seeds come into play in the second.

The winners of the first round advance to play the top seeds, while the remaining 16 cool their heels and await an opponent—the losers of the second round. Instead of a redraw at the final sixteen players, the field will narrow to four—two on the winners’ side and two on the one-loss sidebefore redrawing into the semifinal matches.

uschan O

Outlasts WPBA Masters Field Sets Tone For New Year

30 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ February 2011

by InsidePOOL Staff

Kelly Fisher

The new format prevented any major upsets until later rounds. Monica Webb met up with Ouschan in the fourth round and sent her spinning into the one-loss side of the chart with a 9-1 routing. She then advanced to the final four and met Kelly Fisher, who had just come off of a lopsided victory over Allison Fisher 9-3. Fisher turned Webb away and delivered her to the west side 9-5 to advance to the semifinal matches.

Escaping from a hill-hill match against Line Kjorsvik 9-8, Corr advanced to the winners’ side final four with a 9-4 victory over Tamara Rademakers. She faced off against Ga Young Kim, fresh off a narrow 9-7 win over Ewa Laurance. It was yet another nail-biter for Corr, but she survived to play another day, sending Kim west 9-8.

Ouschan recovered well on the left side, eliminating first Kim White and then Jeanette Lee, both 9-3. Then she ran into Kim, and the two players fought to make it into the semifinals. It was very close, but Ouschan edged Kim out 9-7.

Webb only had one match to win to earn her way into the semifinals, and she ousted Rademakers convincingly 9-2 to do so. On Sunday she went up against the undefeated Corr in the first semifinal match, and quickly the score seesawed to 2-all in the short race to 7. Despite the crowd’s hopes of a close battle, it was all Corr as Webb was forced to sit in her chair and watch “The Irish Invader” run out time and again. The final score was 7-2 in Corr’s favor.

The other semifinal match featured Ouschan going up

esults: R

Monica Webb

against Fisher, the other undefeated player among the four.

An unexpected scratch by Fisher gave Ouschan the first rack, and the Austrian ran with that momentum until she reached a 4-0 lead. But Fisher dug deep and fought her way back into the match, and soon the score was knotted at the hill 6-all. Despite that, though, it was Ouschan who advanced to the finals against Corr with a 7-6 win.

A cloud of tension surrounded the final match. Corr broke and ran out the first two racks to make her presence known.

Ouschan countered by taking the next two—one after a miss

by Corr on a 3-9 combo and one after Corr scratched on the 7 ball.

They split the next two games, and then Corr took another tworack lead after a couple of errors

by Ouschan, making it 5-3. An-

other error by both players led to the score moving to 6-4 in Corr’s favor.

At that point, though, Ouschan bore down. When Corr scratched on her next break, Ouschan swiftly dished up to draw within a game. She then broke and ran out to make it a hill-hill encounter. In the final rack, Ouschan smashed the rack and pocketed three balls on the break. Coolly she ran out to the 8 ball, which paused in the jaws of the pocket before dropping, causing the crowd to gasp collectively. Ouschan pocketed the 9 ball and collapsed onto the floor in sheer relief, winning the match 7-6 and the title.

esults:

R

1st 2nd 3rd

5th

7th

9th

13th

Jasmin Ouschan Karen Corr Kelly Fisher Monica Webb Tamara Rademakers Ga Young Kim Ewa Laurance Jeanette Lee Sarah Rousey Julie Kelly Kim White Allison Fisher Helena Thornfeldt Jennifer Barretta Line Kjorsvik Nicole Keeney

February 2011 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 31

What’sNEW Fury TP Series Pool Cue Model TP-1

Fury brings new level of performance and appearance with the TP series. This model is made of Canadian maple and features pearlescent inlays of set against a white background in both the forearm and buttsleeve. This cue has black phenolic collars, a radial pin joint, and an Irish linen wrap. The shaft is made from hand-selected hard rock Canadian maple and features a 12.75millimeter Tiger Everest tip and includes joint protectors. The suggested retail price for this cue is $885. To order, please log onto www.cuesight.com.

PRO-X® Low-Deflection Shaft

Tiger Product’s low-deflection shaft offers you better spin, control, solid feel, and power. The standard for this shaft is a gradual taper, quarter-inch Juma® ferrule, and 11.75 millimeter Onyx-LTD® tip with red fiber backing. The suggested retail price is $249. For more information, please call Tiger Products toll free at 800-584-4375, ask your local dealer, or visit www.tigerproducts.com.

London Bridge

The London Bridge is a unique new product that enables pool players to play shots close to the side rail, over clusters of balls, catering for every shot variation that comes up during a game. The most significant feature of the London Bridge is the rubber grommet that allows a house cue to be inserted into it, giving extremely good rigidity while making shots. It is endorsed by world champions Allison Fisher and Daryl Peach, who stress that all players should carry their own London Bridge in their case so that they are not at the mercy of what is available hanging on the side of the table. For ordering information, please log onto www.LondonBridgeBilliards.com.

32 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ February 2011

Pool Player Excuses Towel

This whimsical towel gives your favorite pool player an easy out with six excuses for why that ball didn’t drop. Adorned with original animalthemed cartoons, this 22-inch by 13-inch towel is made of lint-free flour sack material and has a hanging loop on the back. Retail price is $7.95, with 10% of the profits donated to H.E.A.L. Inc (Helping Every Animal Live). To order, please visit www.poolplayerexcuses.com.

Ulti-Mate Cue Tip Tool

Atlas Billiard Supplies’ Ulti-Mate Cue Tip Tool is five tools in one!

Sharp metal teeth tap chalk into the cue tip and can be used to scuff a badly glazed cue tip. The shaper on the back shapes and scuffs the cue tip to a dime radius. The one on the front shapes and scuff the cue tip to a nickel radius. This tool also trims cue tip sides to within .01 inch of flush with the ferrule. It burnishes, hardens, and polishes cue tip sides exactly flush with the ferrule. To order, please call 800-CUESTIK, or log onto www.cuestik.com.

McDermott G-Core and I-Shafts

Give the gift of accuracy and performance this year! McDermott G-Core and I-Shafts fit all major joint styles and come standard on 2010 G-Series cues. The perfect gift for any player looking to take their game to the next level. 2010 G-Core shafts come standard on 2010 McDermott G-Series cues priced at $245-$690. The I-2 Shaft comes standard on G-Series cues over $700. The G-Core shaft is available from only $149. McDermott I-Shafts start at $249. For ordering information, please log onto www.mcdermottcue.com, or call 800-666-2283.

Cut Shot

The new manual Reflections on the Cut Shot is a workbook that teaches the most frequent, yet most difficult, shot in pool to learn—the cut shot. This manual will teach you real visual aids to help line up the aim point for cut shots.

You no longer have to imagine what isn't there, such as ghost balls or imaginary lines, and you don't need any expensive gadgets. For whatever discipline of pool you play—8-ball, 9-ball, straight pool, one-pocket—this manual illustrates the most common cut shots that consistently come up and makes them as easy as connecting the dots. The manual retails for $25 and is only available online.

To order, please visit www.thecutshot.com.

February 2011 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 33

>

Stripes

Strange Situations < by month I’d like to share with you some of the more T his unusual issues I’ve encountered during my officiating career. Every one of these situations actually occurred during a tournament game. Some are simply uncommon and some are just strange. Perhaps a few will be familiar to you. Nevertheless, they all required an explanation and a defensible ruling. The situation will be described first, followed by the ruling and the basis for that ruling. I hope you find them interesting and informative.

Situation: The 12 ball is frozen to the cushion. Player A is preparing to shoot the 12 along the cushions and across the mouth of the side pocket. Before shooting, Player A uses his hand to push on the tips of the cushions by the side pocket.

’

Ruling: Foul on Player A. Player A has attempted to alter the provided equipment. Once a match has started players have no right to do so without a referee’s permission. Note that the foul occurred the moment the attempt to alter was made, regardless of whether the shot was taken or not.

Situation: Player A has to stretch a few extra inches to reach a shot but doesn’t want to use a bridge. Instead, he partially unscrews his cue to lengthen it and shoot.

Every one of these situations actually occurred during a tournament game.

Ken Shuman

Situation: Player A shoots and the intended object ball comes to rest within the mouth of the pocket but without contacting a cushion. The edge of the object ball is past the nose (point) of one or both cushions. Neither the cue ball nor any other ball contacts a cushion or is pocketed.

Ruling: Foul for no cushion after contact. The edge of a ball coming to rest past the nose of a cushion does not constitute contact with that cushion.

Situation: Player A fouls but the cue ball is still on the table.

Player B approaches the table and accidentally picks up an object ball, mistaking it for the cue ball. No other ball is disturbed.

Ruling: If playing cue ball fouls only, no foul on Player B. The object ball is restored and Player B continues with ball in hand. If playing all ball fouls, it’s a foul on Player B.

Situation: Player A, with cue ball in hand, drops the cue ball into a pocket or accidentally knocks the cue ball into a pocket before executing a stroke.

Ruling: Player A still has cue ball in hand. No foul because the cue ball remains “in hand” until a shot is taken.

Situation: Player A breaks in a game of 9-ball. He makes the 9 on the break and scratches. Player B, thinking he lost the game and not realizing Player A scratched, gathers the balls to the foot of the table in preparation for racking the next game.

Ruling: Loss of game for Player B. Disturbing the position of the table in an act that presumes the game is over before its normal conclusion results in loss of game.

For more information on these situations and similar scenarios, I recommend you take a look at “Applied Rulings” in the 2010-2011 edition of The Official Rules of the BCA Pool League. You’ll like it.

Ruling: Foul on Player A. The equipment (cue) is not being used in the manner in which it was intended.

Situation: Player A unscrews the extended butt from his three-piece jump/break cue and places it in a pocket. He misses the jump shot and sits down, forgetting the butt portion is still in the pocket. Player B doesn’t see it and shoots into that pocket and the object ball rebounds from the pocket back on to the table.

Ruling: Foul on Player A. Other than chalk, players are responsible for equipment they leave at the table. It is a foul if anything left at the table directly interferes with an opponent’s shot.

Situation: Player A shoots and the object ball rebounds from the pocket. Neither the cue ball nor any other ball contacts a cushion or goes in a pocket.

Ruling: Legal shot. An object ball that rebounds from a pocket is considered to have contacted a cushion.

34 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ February 2011

Ken Shuman Ken Shuman of Sacramento, CA, is one of the country’s premier tournament directors. He is an accomplished professional referee and is considered an expert on the rules of play. Ken has officiated at World Championship events in the USA and the Philippines.

He directs some of the major tournaments, including the Derby City Classic, the U.S. Bar Table Championship, CSI’s National Championship Series, the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship, and the U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship. Contact Ken at shucue@yahoo.com.

>

Industry

>

News News

Wade Crane Passes Away

The pool world mourned the loss of Wade Crane when he was in a fatal single-vehicle accident on Interstate 40 in Knoxville, TN, December 26.

The 66-year-old Crane, of Acworth, GA, was killed when his 2000 Volkwagen crossed three lanes of traffic and hit two retaining walls in I-40 close to the West Hills Mall exit Sunday morning at 9:30 a.m. It is believed that Crane was afflicted with a medical condition that was undiagnosed that caused the crash.

Also playing under the name “Billy Johnson,” Crane was an accomplished 8- and 9-ball player and had at least one world title under his belt. He grew up in Robbinsville, NC, a small town with a population of approximately 700. When his father was killed in an automobile accident, he went to live with his grandmother.

At 12 Crane got a job in Cooper’s, a five-table pool room, where his passion for billiards caught fire. When Robbinsville became too small for him, he moved to Chicago to live with his brother and became active in the pool scene there. From Chicago Crane went to Atlanta and assumed the moniker “Billy Johnson” and opened up his own pool room. He married his wife, Linda, and then the couple moved to Robbinsville, and Crane quit playing pool for a time.

In the mid-80s Crane returned to pool and earned a perfect Accu-Stats score in a match against Buddy Hall in the finals of the Last Call for 9-Ball tournament. He also accumulated several titles, including the 1985 Florida State Championship, 1985 Busch World Open Championship, and 1986 Shenandoah Open title. Crane also worked for Pool and Billiards Magazine for 15 years as a columnist.

On January 25, 2011, at the Derby City Classic, Crane was inducted into the One-Pocket Hall of Fame posthumously with the Lifetime Pool in Action Award to commemorate his legacy.

Rademakers Makes the Grade

Tamara Rademakers has been officially announced as the first female professional American pool player to be included on the Cue King Promotions roster for 2011. Miss Rademakers, from Geleen, Netherlands is ranked fifteenth on the Women’s Professional Billiards Association (WBPA) circuit and is highly regarded as one of the brightest talents on the women’s tour.

“We are scouting for youthful and exciting pool billiard prospects of the future and Tamara certainly fits into this category. It’s been a long and industrious road to find the right female profession-

al player who can carry the Cue King Promotions name to an ever-growing and popular division of American pool. Tamara is beyond doubt the right women to be an ambassador of Cue King Promotions,” explains newly appointed chief executive Trevor Haythorne.

The deal was completed by CKP’s Head of Marketing Rachel Adams, who acts solely as a consultant to the UK-based sports agency. Rademakers signed a two-year deal with an option for extension for both parties.

New Planet Pool Tour Announced

Mike Ricciardella and JAB Productions are proud to announce the return of the Planet Pool Tour. The Planet Pool Tour is a two-day open tournament with staggered entry fees. Events will take place in the Northeast region.

“I am happy to work with Jose Burgos, who runs the best oneday tournaments in this region. We hope to offer a highly competitive tournament and great prizes for pros and amateurs alike. We will also give each player a free raffle ticket for a Mezz cue and Mezz case at the grand finale tournament, along with prizes for the top five point leaders of the year,” explained Ricciardella.

Jose said, “I am honored to join forces with Mike Ricciardella.

We believe there are a lot of great players in the Maryland, Virginia, and Washington areas to again make the Planet Pool Tour one of the premier tours in the region.”

Along with the Planet Pool Open Tour, there will also be a women’s tour.

“With so many great female players in the Northeast region, this is a great opportunity to provide a competitive tour for them to participate in. We will feature great prizes at each stop, as well as hold a grand finale tournament with added monies. Prizes will also be awarded for the top three female players. I am very excited be able to provide an opportunity for our local female players to sharpen their competitive edge,” said Burgos.

The official launch of the Planet Pool Tour will be February 12-13 at Champion Billiards Sports Café in Frederick, MD. For more information, please call tournament director Jose Burgos at 267257-8006. Visit the official Planet Pool Tour website, planetpooltour. com, for more information.

February 2011 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 35

APA Player of the Month Howard Van Benthuysen Van Benthuysen from Lindenhurst, NY, joined the APA H oward in June 2000. He’s been a division representative and on the board of governors in the Suffolk County APA since 2003. He also serves as a referee at local tournaments.

After Howard suffered a stroke in 1997, doctors told him he would never walk again or have use of his left arm. After many years of therapy, he was able to regain many of his abilities and began playing pool as a pastime and for therapy. Howard joined the league as a skill level 4 and dropped to a skill level 3, but he consistently improved his game. He’s now a skill level 5 in both 8-ball and 9-ball. Howard currently plays on two 8-ball and one 9-ball team.

“Howard is a good leader to all of the players in the three divisions he represents,” said Jerry Bayer, Suffolk County APA league operator. “Howard will help anyone with anything at anytime.”

In addition to pool, Howard spends time helping his community.

While his two children are serving in the military overseas, Howard is very active with the Jacob’s Light Foundation, which assists troops overseas. He also enjoys trucks, cars, and sailing on his 25-foot sailboat.

The latest Cue Tattoo creation by Castillo Leather Goods!

Aztec Calendar Wrap

Sandra & Joel Chue Southeast GA

John & Kelly Croft Peterborough, ON

Jace Layton & Tracy Ahlstrom - Layton Seattle, WA

Marc Lancaster/Kim Ramsey Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, NC

Vicki Catalano Asheville, NC

KT Thompson Charlotte, NC

Karen & Scott Racy San Antonio, TX

Randy Jones Des Moines, IA

Preston & Lisa Granger Lafayette, LA

They were poolplayers just like you.

Now they make a living running an APA Pool League.

Do you have what it takes?

For more information on becoming an APA League Operator, visit apafranchise.com.

> >>

Regional Roundup

Warnock and Wilkie Capture Predator Finale Ozone Billiards Predator Tour / West Hempstead, NY

by Jerry Tarantola, NYCgrind.com

Alongside the amateur event, the pro/open Event also drew a gritty field of some of the toughest players in the region. Legendary straight pool player Earl Herring was impressive with standout wins, defeating Mike Miller 8-4, Bill Dunsmore 8-5, and Tony Robles 8-7 before Wilkie defeated him 8-3.

In a feature match, Tony Robles was lined up against regional standout Manny Chau. Robles had defeated Chau earlier 8-4, but Chau bounced back with wins over Zion Zvi 8-5, Joey Korsiak 8-3, and Jeremy Sossei 8-4. In their rematch, Chau controlled the set and bested Robles 8-5 to set up a semifinal match against Herring.

Chau was ahead 4-0 at the beginning, but the cool and confident Herring staged a comeback. However, Chau fought back and won the match 8-5. Wilkie, who won this event last year, was determined to defend his championship and came out swinging against Chau. In the end, “Get Some” defended his victory by a score of 9-7.

Culhane’s Come-From-Behind Victory Tri-State Tour / Edison, NJ Stewart Warnock

by InsidePOOL Staff

Shaun Wilkie

Stewart Warnock and Shaun Wilkie took top honors in their respective divisions at the Ozone Billiards Predator Tour finale, held December 11-12. The $3,000-added event attracted 94 players to Raxx Pool Room in West Hempstead, NY, to participate in the two-day event that took place on the weekend of December 11-12, 2010.

“The Scottish Lion” went through the winners’ side in the open division undefeated, with wins over Steven Wright 7-3, Phil Davis 7-5, Tim Cahill 7-3, Brian Hunter 7-5, Derek Schwager 7-6, Barry Banks 7-4, and Tony Conzensa 7-5. Tony Conzensa also went through the win- Open Results: ners’ side in impressive 1st Stewart Warnock $1,400 fashion. Tony defeated 2nd Tony Conzensa $900 Mike Davie 7-2, Andrew 3rd Tim Cahill $650 Kane, 7-3, Henry Lau 4th Harry Lau $500 7-3, Michael Hertz 7-6, 5th Troy Deocharran $325 and Troy Deocharran Barry Banks 7-6 before Warnock sent 7th Richard Ng $250 him west 7-5 in the hot Rob Omen seat match. Conzensa 9th Derek Schwager $175 Wilfredo Albay bounced back with a Ricky Ragoonan clutch 7-5 win over Ca- Michael Hertz hill to earn a rematch $125 against Warnock in the 13th Borana Andoni

Mark Pantovic finals.

The final match was a close contest but in the end, after coming so close all year long, Warnock saved the best for last by defeating Conzensa 7-5 to earn his first win on the Predator Tour.

Brian Hunter Erin McManus

Pro/Open Results: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

Shaun Wilkie Manny Chau Earl Herring Tony Robles Jeremy Sossei Rob Pole

38 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ February 2011

$1,000 $750 $500 $325 $100

Sixteen 9-ball players braved the wintry conditions to reach the Tri-State Tour’s December 26 stop, held at Sandcastle Billiards in Edison, NJ, during a blizzard.

Brian Capp, Ed Culhane, Mike Strassberg Coming through the one-loss side was Ed Culhane, who bested the undefeated Brian Capp in the finals to take the title.

After a close 8-6 win over Rick Shellhouse, Capp advanced to the hot seat match. His opponent was Mike Strassberg, who had just notched a 6-4 victory over George Osipovitch. Capp was able to handle Strassberg quite easily and sent him to the one-loss side 9-5 to await his final opponent.

A 7-2 win over Mike Davie and then a 7-4 score over Christian Smith put Culhane in the final four on the west side. Meeting him there was a determined Osipovitch, and their match went all the way to the hill before Culhane triumphed, eliminating Osipovitch 7-6. Richard Ng tied with Osipovitch for fifth place after being ousted by Shellhouse in another hill-hill match 6-5.

Culhane forged ahead in the quarterfinal match, sending Shellhouse home with a strong 7-2 win and going on to face Strassberg. Both players wanted to move on to the final match to challenge Capp, but Culhane wanted it more, edging out Strassberg 9-7 and relegating him to third place. The final match saw Culhane ride him Results: momentum through to Ed Culhane $410 the finish, winning over 1st 2nd Brian Capp $220 Capp 9-5.

3rd

Mike Strassberg

$110

<

Trobiano Takes Tri-State Win Tri-State Tour / East Rutherford, NJ

by InsidePOOL Staff

Room owner John Trobiano triumphed at the January 8 stop of the Tri-State Tour to win the title over Gary Murgia in the final match. The $500-added 10-ball event garnered 37 players to Castle Billiards in East Rutherford, NJ.

Trobiano had to come through the one-loss side, eliminating players such as Guy Iannuzzi hill-hill and Ted Lapadula 7-5 to reach the final four on the west side. On the right side of the chart, Murgia bested Ed Culhane in a double-hill match as Ricardo Mejia dealt a 7-5 loss to Jason Egeln. Murgia and Mejia met in the hot seat match, where Murgia emerged victorious with a convincing 7-4 win.

Another close match for Trobiano as he eliminated Egeln 7-5 to advance to the quarterfinal match against Jake Schwartz, who had just ousted Ed Culhane 7-4. He dispatched Schwartz 7-4 to meet up with Mejia and got through that match as well, this time 7-5. Trobiano was able to ride his momentum through the final match as he defeated Murgia in the race-to-9 finals 9-5.

Manny Chau

The true double-elimination final match began evenly enough, but when Sossei missed a chance to tie it up at six games apiece, Chau took control, finishing up his undefeated weekend with a strong 9-6 win.

Results: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

Manny Chau Jeremy Sossei Mike Zuglan Lenny Savata Angelo Inness Mike Badstuebner

$900 $650 $450 $300 $125

Results: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

7th

John Trobiano Gary Murgia Ricardo Mejia Jake Schwartz Jason Egeln Ed Culhane Ted Lapadula Mike Zimny

$550 $350 $220 $140 $100 $70

Chau Undefeated at Joss Event Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour / Levittown, NY

by Lea Andrews

On the one-loss side, Angelo Inness got past Holden Chin 9-3 to meet up with Zuglan, while Mike “Fingers” Badstuebner notched his own 9-3 win over Scott Murphy to face Savata. But both Inness and Badstuebner landed in fifth place as Zuglan and Savata advanced to the quarterfinals 9-6 and 9-4, respectively. Looking for the rematch against Sossei in the semifinals, Zuglan notched the final game in his hill-hill match against Savata, but he fell short against Sossei, who advanced to his own rematch in the finals 9-3.

Many tried, but no man managed to take down Manny Chau on his way to an undefeated victory at the first Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour stop of 2011. The $1,500-added event was held January 8-9 at Cue Nine in Levittown, NY.

Play Video Play Video

Chau rode a strong 9-3 win over Lenny Savata into the hot seat match against Jeremy Sossei, who’d managed to edge out tour director Mike Zuglan 9-8. Sossei came up three games shy against Chau, though, moving over to semifinals 9-6.

Play Video Play Video February 2011 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 39

< >Upcoming Northeast Tournaments 2/5

Tri-State Tour

Castle Billiards

East Rutherford, NJ 201-933-6007 $500

B-D players

2/12-13 Planet Pool Tour

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2/13

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Jackson Heights, NY 718-779-4348 $1,000

A-D players

2/19

Tri-State Tour

Gotham City Billiards

Brooklyn, NY

718-714-1002 $1,000

C-D players

2/19-20 Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour

Main Street Billiards

Amsterdam, NY

518-705-1173 $1,500/$500 Open/Amateurs

2/26

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Sandcastle Billiards

Edison, NJ

732-632-9277 $750

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3/5

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East Rutherford, NJ 201-933-6007 $500

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3/10-13 Super Billiards Expo

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609-652-6116 TBA

Open

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Trick Shot Billiards

Clifton Park, NY

518-383-8771 $1,500/$500 Open/Amateurs

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Cue Nine Billiards

Levittown, NY

516-796-4600 $1,000

A-D players

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Sandcastle Billiards

Edison, NJ

3/26-27 Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour

Salt City Billiards

North Syracuse, NY 315-454-8643 $1,500/$500 Open/Amateurs

4/2

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Castle Billiards

East Rutherford, NJ 201-933-6007 $500

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Raxx Pool Room

West Hempstead, NY 516-538-9896 $1,500/$500 Open/Amateurs

4/9

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A-D players

Gotham City Billiards

Brooklyn, NY

718-714-1002 $1,250

4/16-17 Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour

Golden Cue Billiards

Albany, NY

518-459-9442 $1,500/$500 Open/Amateurs

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4/23

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732-632-9277 $1,000

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4/30

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New York, NY

212-831-7665 $1,000

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732-632-9277 $750

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5/14

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East Rutherford, NJ 201-933-6007 $500

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5/21

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Jackson Heights, NY 718-779-4348 $1,000

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5/21-22 New England 9-Ball Series Finale Boston Billiard Club

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603-943-5630 TBA

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5/28-29 Tri-State Tour

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212-496-8180 $1,000

B-D players

Amsterdam Billiards and Bar

SudoCue Puzzle When this SudoCue is solved, the letters in “Bank $hots” will appear in each row, column, and box—but only once, and not in any particular order. Answer available online at www.InsidePOOLmag.com.

Courtesy of Sandy Brown 40 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ February 2011

> >>

Regional Roundup Champion Earns First Great Southern Win Great Southern Billiard Tour / Rocky Mount, NC

by Lea Andrews

Despite a strong push by fellow A-player Danny Mastermaker, Sidney Champion held his ground to take his first top-place finish on the Great Southern Billiard Tour. The $1,500-added event drew 37 players to Greentop Billiards in Rocky Mount, NC, the weekend of December 11-12.

Champion sent past winner Tony Morrison west 9-6 to reach the hot seat match against Mastermaker, who’d come out on top of a weighted race against AA-ranked Sam Monday 9-9. Champion claimed the hot seat as his own with a decisive 9-5 victory, sending Mastermaker over to the semifinals.

On the left side of the bracket, Michael Fuller, who’d fallen earlier to Monday 11-6, had the unfortunate luck of running into his father, A-ranked Peaches Fuller, though he was lucky enough to be the one to advance 11-1 and move on to an 11-4 win over Younger Chapman to meet up with Morrison. Facing Monday was A-ranked David Trest, who’d had lopsided wins over Vernon Rogers 9-3 and Scott Howard 9-0, but Monday put an end to his streak 11-6, planting him in fifth and moving on to the quarterfinals against Fuller, who’d had his own 11-6 win over Morrison. Fuller wasn’t able to avenge his earlier loss, though, and he finished in fourth 11-7, allowing Monday to move on to his own rematch with Mastermaker, but it was a repeat of their earlier match, and Monday ended his run in third 9-9.

In yet another rematch that followed in the true doubleelimination final match, Mastermaker was able to level the playing field by pushResults: ing the second set 9-6.

Sidney Champion $800 But Champion, who re- 1st cently suffered a work- 2nd Danny Mastermaker $500 Sam Monday $350 related back injury, was 3rd Michael Fuller $250 looser in the second set, 4th 5th

Tony Morrison

$100 and he sailed to his first

David Trest GSBT win 9-2.

7th Younger Chapman $50

Scott Howard

Fisher Crowned Tour Champion Kwikfire Tour / Mooresville, NC

by InsidePOOL Staff

Kelly “Kwikfire” Fisher captured the title of Kwikfire Tour champion and her third title in a row when she bested Gerda Hofstatter in the finals of the December 12-13 event. Hosted by 150 ‘N Out Billiards in Mooresville, NC, the $1,940-added stop drew a field of 16.

Fisher went undefeated through the event to best Hofstatter 9-5 to win the title, but there was plenty of other excitement going on as well. After upsetting Belinda Calhoun and Lisa Davids early Sunday, Katie Cowan lost hill-hill to Hofst-

atter, earning a stellar third-place finish. With her strong showing throughout the year, Cowan finished fourth in the overall standings, behind three top professionals, capturing the highest ranking and coveted Kelly Fisher invitation into all of the 2011 WPBA Classic Tour events.

Earning a fourth-place finish was Davids, while Kristen Malone shared a notable fifth-place finish with Calhoun and ended the season with her highest finish to date. Holly Sholes and Cowan came into the event with hopes of securing the WPBA invitation, and Sholes looked promising early on with a win over Val Finnie. But then she lost a tough match to Hofstatter 9-5 and continued to struggle on the one-loss side after losing to a steady Lisa Cossette. This early departure put Sholes’ overall standings in jeopardy and left the door open for other players to overtake her. Davids saw the Results: Kelly Fisher $700 opportunity and, with 1st Gerda Hofstatter $470 her fourth-place finish, 2nd Katie Cowan $320 surpassed Sholes by 3rd Lisa Davids $220 20 points and nabbed 4th Belinda Calhoun $125 fifth place in the overall 5th

Kristen Malone standings.

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February 2011 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 41

< Morrison Undefeated at Great Southern Billiards Event Great Southern Billiard Tour / Sanford, NC

McGee Mangles Great Southern Competition Great Southern Billiard Tour / Conyers, GA

To earn his most recent Great Southern Billiards Tour win, A-ranked Tony Morrison had to get past a string of the best the South has to offer. Not one slowed him down in the slightest, though, and he went undefeated at the $1,500-added event, which drew 60 players to Speakeazy Billiards in Sanford, NC, the weekend of December 18-19.

Jared McGee was the last man standing after making an undefeated run at the Shannon Daulton, Jared McGee, Joseph Cole, first Great Southern Chris Holt Billiard Tour stop of the new year, hosted by Classic Billiards in Conyers, GA, for. The $1,500-added event was held January 8-9 and attracted a field of 36 players.

by Lea Andrews

To reach the hot seat match, Morrison first had to deal with AA-ranked Michael Fuller, whom he sent west 9-8 to meet up with recent Carolina Open winner Brian White. White, who’d just held the open runner-up, A-ranked Alex Olinger, to six games, could only mark up six of his own against Morrison.

On the other side of the bracket, a couple of White’s earlier victims, B-ranked Vernon Rogers and AA-ranked B.J. Ussery, were making the long trek towards the later rounds. Rogers ousted A players David Brown 7-8 and Delton Howard 7-6 to face Olinger, another A player, while Ussery took care of Shawn Ray 11-6 and AA-ranked Sam Monday 11-8 to face Fuller. Rogers and Ussery each kept their opponents three games shy of their goals, earning themselves spots in the quarterfinals 7-6 and 11-8, respectively. While both men were seeking a rematch with White in the semifinals, it was Ussery who earned it 11-5, leaving Rogers behind in fourth. In the semis, Ussery notched a strong 11-5 revenge win over White to nab the spot in the finals against Morrison.

Results:

But in the true double-elimination final match, Ussery’s bigwin streak came to halt.

Showing once again that he didn’t need the two-game spot he was given, Morrison finished up his undefeated weekend with a strong 9-4 victory.

1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

7th

9th

Tony Morrison B.J. Ussery Brian White Vernon Rogers Alex Olinger Michael Fuller Delton Howard Sam Monday David King David Brown Shawn Ray Ryan Stone

$1,000 $550 $350 $200 $105 $75 $45

by Lea Andrews

McGee got past fellow A-player Adam Towery 9-5 to reach the hot seat match against Joseph Cole, who’d edged out Claude Marrier 9-8. Holding Cole to three games, McGee claimed the hot seat while Cole moved over to the semifinals.

On the left side of the bracket, John Maikke cruised through B-players Faith Thompson 9-5 and Chris Holt 9-1 to meet up with Towery, while Jeff Hooks ousted A-ranked Aaron Frady 9-6 and AA-ranked Sam Monday 9-9 to reach Marrier. Hooks, who’d found himself on the west side after a 9-5 encounter with Towery, earned a quarterfinal rematch after taking care of Marrier 9-7. Towery, who’d just put Maikke in fifth 9-5, managed just five games against Hooks and landed in fourth, while Hooks had his revenge and a spot in the semifinals against Cole. But Cole was eager to get another crack at McGee, and he managed to mark up the last game in their hill-hill match to move on to the finals.

In the true double-elimination final match, McGee got out to a 5-1 lead, but Cole fought back, bringing the score to hill-hill.

In the final rack, the two Results: traded safeties on the 1 1st Jared McGee $750 ball, but when Cole hit it 2nd Joseph Cole $500 and scratched, the battle 3rd Jeff Hooks $300 and the tournament were 4th Adam Towery $200 over—McGee earned his 5th John Maikke $140 second tour win with a

Claude Marrier 1-9 combination.

7th Chris Holt $70

Sam Monday

Play Video Play Video 42 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ February 2011

Videos GSBT

o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Tony Morrison vs BJ Ussery in the Finals at SpeakEazy Billiards Brian White vs BJ Ussery at SpeakEazy Billiards Chris Vollmar vs David King at SpeakEazy Billiards Mike Fuller vs BJ Ussery at SpeakEazy Billiards Vernon Ringgold vs Chris Vollmar Part 1 at SpeakEazy Billiards Vernon Ringgold vs Chris Vollmar Part 2 at SpeakEazy Billiards Alex Olinger vs Brian White at SpeakEazy Billiards Sam Monday vs Ryan Stone at SpeakEazy Billiards Sam Monday vs Brian White at SpeakEazy Billiards Jeff Pruitt vs Kris Chavez at SpeakEazy Billiards Jackson Jefferies vs Chris Vollmar at SpeakEazy Billiards David King vs Jimmy Bollis at SpeakEazy Billiards Brian White vs BJ Ussery in the Semifinals at SpeakEazy Billiards Brian White vs Chris Hodges at SpeakEazy Billiards Brian White vs Tony Morrison at SpeakEazy Billiards Brad Shearer vs Jeff Bean at SpeakEazy Billiards Mike Basha vs Larry Faulk at SpeakEazy Billiards

Strickland Sticks it Out for Jacoby Victory Jacoby Custom Cues Carolinas Tour / Mooresville, NC

by Lea Andrews

to reach the hot seat match against recent winner Steve Page, who’d sent another past winner, A-ranked Tony Morrison, west 9-2. Monday claimed the hot seat 11-7, leaving Page to try fight his way back from the semifinals.

Five-time U.S. Strickland Sweeps Jacoby Event Davis Double-Dips Figueroa for Win On the one-loss side, Chris Vollmar got past fellow A-players champion Earl Jacoby Custom Cues Carolina Tour /Open Fuquay Varina, NC Chris Lucasi Hybrid All-American / Virginia Beach, VA Adams 9-1 and Montez LloydTour 9-8 to face Faulk, while AAStrickland has had

by InsidePOOL Staff

more than his share of Jacoby Custom

Earl Strickland Cues Carolinas Tour snapped off the January wins, and he got an8-9 installment of the Jaother one the weekcoby Custom Cues Caroend of September lina Tour, besting Michael 11-12. Though B.J. Fuller in the finals to take Ussery made him the $1,000 first-place work for it, Strickprize. The event was land went undefeathosted by On The Snap ed through the field Billiards in Fuquay Varina, at the $1,000-added NC. event, which was held at 150 n Out in

On the winners’ Mooresville, NC. side, Fuller was on a Earl Strickland headlong course to colAfter getting lide with Strickland as he defeated Chris Vollmar 8-4 in the final Earl Strickland past Chris Turner four. After Strickland bested Sidney Champion 8-5, the two met 7-5, Strickland to the hot all seat match against Jeff Abin the hot seatmoved match.on There it was Strickland, as he sent Fuller ernathy, who’d sent Ussery 7-4. Abernathy managed just to the west side with an 8-4west victory. two games against Strickland, though, and he moved over to the semifinals.

Champion rebounded on the left side to whitewash Chase Campbell 8-0 but fell soon thereafter to B.J. Ussery 8-4 in the On the leftBefore side of theUssery bracket, Park putVollmar John Burdick quarterfinals. that hadRon eliminated 8-3 to tie inwith seventh 7-4 to face Turner, while Lee Steelman did same Campbell for fifth place. But Ussery was edged the aside in the tosemifinal Danny Owensby 7-5 to meet up with Ussery.

Both Park match by Fuller in a double-hill match that sawand Fuller Steelman landed though, as Strickland. they fell 7-5 and 7-2, rehead to the finalsinforfifth, a rematch with spectively. In the quarterfinal match, Ussery ousted Turner 7-4 to advance a semifinal rematch Abernathy, he the ekedlag, In thetoextended single racewith to 11, Stricklandand won out his revenge broke, and ran 7-5. out. Fuller managed to take a 2-1 lead after get-

<

by InsidePOOL Staff ranked Michael “Bulldawg” Fuller, who’d taken a third-round hit from Adams, notched up his own solid string of wins. Fuller took Jack A-ranked Davis care of B-ranked Dillon Whaley 11-4 to meet up with d o u b l eTheir -dip ped Greg Taylor, whom he ousted 11-3 to face Morrison. faceGibert Figueroa off landed Morrison in fifth 11-4, while Fuller advanced to thein the finals of the quarterfinals against Faulk, who’d edged out Vollmar 9-8. Anoth8 stop er hill-hill match ensued for Faulk, but he wasJanuary on the wrong endof the Lucasi Hybrid of this one, and he finished in fourth 11-8, while Fuller moved Tour onGilbert to Page in the semifinals.

On a roll, Fuller All-American held Page to seven Figueroa, Jack Davis, Bernard Andico to alternate take thebreak, title. games to earn the right to face Monday in the Thedouble-elimination $1,000-added event featured a 33-player field in a doutrue ble-elimination 9-ball format on 7-foot Valley bar boxes and Results: final match. was hosted by Inland Reef.

1st Sam Monday $1,000

The first set was un- 2nd Michael Fuller $500

Figueroa fought way to the hot seat, including deniably Fuller’s—he ranhis3rd Steve Page $300an Aside semifinals win over Gil Erguiza 5-1 and an A-side finals out nearly every time he 4th Larry Faulk $200 defeat of Davis 5-4.

Davis had earlier defeated Steve Jeffries broke and took advan- 5th Tony Morrison $125 5-4 whenever in his semifinals tussle. tage Monday Chris Vollmar

scratched on the break 7th Greg Taylor $75 In the the second B-side set round of eight, Dave White eliminated to push Montez Lloyd Dave Ray 5-1 at seventh place, where Jackie 11-1. Monday gained 9th Dillon Whaley Duggan $50joined Ray because a loss Andico 5-3. Jeffries and control, though,ofand he to Bernard Mike Frowein Erguiza at the hands of White 5-1 got aheadwere andousted stayedat fifth place Darrin Blitch and Andico 5-2, respectively.

Andico continued his winning there to earn a decisive Chris Adams ways to end White’s 11-4 win.

Results: march at fourth place 1st Jack Davis

$550 SudoCue Puzzle by a 5-1 score. But When is solved, the $350 letters in “Double Hit” will in 2ndthis SudoCue Gilbert Figueroa Davis put up appear a stroneach box—but only and not in any particular 3rdrow, column, Bernardand Andico

$250 once, ger fight in the B-side order. available at www.InsidePOOLmag.com.

4thAnswer Dave Whiteonline

$175 finals to end Andico’s 5th Gil Erguiza $100 day at third place 5-4.

Steve Jeffries The finals went to two 7th Dave Ray $50 sets, as Davis asserted

Jackie Duggan his dominance over 9th Mike Lawson $30 the field to turn back

Joe Wood Figueroa 5-3, 5-3 to

Richie Price gain the title.

Rob McMillan

ting ball in hand in the third rack, but he scratched on the folStrickland the first game oftothe single final lowing break, won allowing Strickland clear therace-to-11 table. Strickland match, but it was his only lead until much later.

Up 9-7, Ussery then put together a three-pack and won the next game as well to broke ranAttothat the point 7 ball,he but when he and left it hanging, Strickmakeand it 6-2. scratched, Fuller ran out to win land made it 9-8, and two consecutive break and runs gave him another game. It was his theResults: lead 10-9. Strickland’s fumble on the 2 ball allowed Ussery to last, though—Strickland make with a 3-9 combination next rack, but when 1st it hill-hill Earl Strickland $1,000 in the won the next five racks in he2nd missed the 3 ball in Results:

Michael Fuller $400 a row to win the title 11-3. the final rack, Strickland 1st Earl Strickland $1,000 pocketed what was left 2nd B.J. UsseryTournaments $375 >Upcoming Southeast to earn his win 11-10.

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November 2010 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 41

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February 2011 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 43

> >>

Regional Roundup Jethwa and Peters Capture Lone Star Championship Lone Star Billiards Tour / Houston, TX

by InsidePOOL Staff

Ming Ng, Courtney Peters

Ladies’ Results: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th

Courtney Peters Ming Ng Angela Martinez Terry Petrosino

$300 $220 $150 $80

The $3,000-added Lone Star Billiards Tour Championships were a huge success and wrapped up the 2010 season by crowning multiple winners.

The event was hosted

by Bogies Billiards and Sports Bar in Houston, TX, December 11-12, and players from all over the south competed for over $13,000 in prize money with a record number of entries totaling 111.

There were 72 entries in the open 9-ball division, and Saturday’s play reduced the field to 16 for Sunday. When the dust settled, it was T.J. Davis and Andy Jethwa who battled for the hot seat, while Sylver Ochoa was eliminated by Jason Brown 7-1 and Dennis Strickland eliminated Ernesto Bayaua 7-6. This pitted Brown against Escobedo on the one-loss side where Brown fell 7-5. Brown, who lost his second match, won nine consecutive matches and finished in fourth place. Davis, who lost his bid for the hot seat 9-7, was also eliminated by Escobedo 9-5.

In the finals, Jethwa defeated Escobedo 9-5 Jason Brown and secured his second tour win of 2010.

One-Pocket Results:

Jason Brown took the 18-player onepocket event by storm.

He defeated Derek Fontenot, Sonny Bosshamer, Denis Strickland, and won his bid for the hot seat against James Davis Sr., who was on a roll of his own. On the one loss side, Strickland eliminated David Henson but fell to Davis Sr., who in turn lost to Brown in the finals 3-1.

The ladies’ event had a field of 16 and was full of heated competition and a few surprises. Courtney Peters

1st 2nd 3rd 4th

Jason Brown James Davis Sr. Denis Strickland David Henson

$560 $420 $288 $144

Open Results: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th

7th

9th

13th

Andy Jethwa Raul Escobedo T.J. Davis Jason Brown David Henson Denis Strickland Sylver Ochoa Ernesto Bayaua Sonny Bosshamer Barry Strickland Victor Rojas Brian Sanders Brent Thomas Bobby Perez Roy Payton Brian Hickman

44 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ February 2011

$1,000 $700 $450 $320 $210 $175 $140

$90

Sylver Ochoa, Andy Jethwa, Raul Escobedo defeated Amanda Hill 7-2, Juniors’ Results: Kim Pierce 7-4, Terry Pet1st Joey Torres $60 rosino 7-3, and Ming Ng 7-6 2nd James Parvala $40 to secure the winners’ side.

3rd J.C. Torres $25 Angela Martinez upset 4th Johnny Lopez $15 Terry Petrosino 5-4 but was 5th Michael Fain $10 eliminated by Ng 5-3. The final match was a nail-biter that saw Ng miss a crucial 8 ball at 6-5 to tie the match. Peters then pocketed the 8 ball but ran into the 9 ball, which forced her into a bank shot. She fired the ball cross-side in to win 7-5.

Williams Wins Lucasi Title Lucasi Hybrid All-American Tour / Sedalia, MO

by InsidePOOL Staff

Doug Williams went undefeated on the twentieth stop of the 2010-2011 Lucasi Hybrid All-American Tour to win the title from Russ Pace in the finals. The event was Russ Pace, Doug Williams, Greg Mantei, showcased in Sedalia, Don Crump MO, December 10-11 at Sharky’s Billiards.

The weekend kicked off Friday night with the 99er double elimination 9-ball tournament. In a field of 16 players, Jim Helt dominated and won the tournament. Coming in second was Mark McCaleb and claiming third was Dean Foster. Just out of the money in fourth place was Greg Mantei.

The highlight of the tournament weekend was the $500-added 8-ball tournament on 7-foot bar boxes on Saturday, and the field of 26 was tough. Williams swept the winners’ bracket in races to six, winning over Jeff Paxton 6-4, Frank Summers 6-1, and Kevin Kares 6-0. In the fourth round he sent Greg Mantei west 6-4, and then bested Pace in the fifth round.

After a first-round loss, Don Crump battled through six more rounds of competitors to claim fourth place against Pace, who moved on to play Mantei for third. Pace swept the match 5-0 and then it was down to the final two. Coming up from the one-loss bracket, Pace had to double-dip Williams to claim the championship. Williams came out shooting and took the first three games in a row without missing a beat. Pace finally found his zone and came back to win the next five games. All Pace needed was one more victory to claim first place.

Results: Williams was not going $390 down without a fight, 1st Doug Williams $240 though, and he buckled 2nd Russ Pace $165 down and won the next 3rd Greg Mantei $125 three games, giving him 4th Don Crump 5th Mark McCaleb $60 the win and first place.

Cory Smith

<

Aiardo Aces Lucasi Event Lucasi Hybrid All-American Tour / Clinton, IA

Hargens Escapes Thompson for Lucasi Win Lucasi Hybrid All-American Tour / Davenport, IA

Christ Aiardo took down Pete Lewis in the finals to win the title at the December 11 stop of the Lucasi Hybrid All-American Tour. The $500-added Christ Aiardo, Pete Lewis, Jon Kucharo event was hosted by Legend’s Sports Bar in Clinton, IA, and featured a 25-player field in a double-elimination 8-ball format on 7-foot Valley bar boxes.

Scott Hargens narrowly escaped being double-dipped in the finals of the December 18 stop of the Lucasi Hybrid All-American Tour to take the title. The $500-added event was hosted by Sharky’s Billiards in Davenport, IA, and featured 44 players in a double-elimination 8-ball format on 7-foot bar boxes.

by InsidePOOL Staff

by InsidePOOL Staff

Aiardo took advantage of the spot to conquer former pro Jon “Straight as an Arrow” Kucharo 6-7 to take the hot seat. In the previous A-side semifinals, Aiardo and Kucharo had downed Anthony Garcia 6-4 and Greg Brewer 8-1, respectively.

In the B-side round of eight, Ron Pluym relegated Jason Totten to seventh place by a 7-2 score, and Totten was tied with Mason Parks after Parks was eliminated by Pete Lewis 6-3. Pluym fell to fifth place in the next round at the hands of Brewer by a 5-1 margin, but Lewis continued his momentum to oust Garcia 6-5, also at fifth place.

Lewis continued his hot hand to complete Brewer’s day at fourth place 6-3 and oust Kucharo at third place 6-7. The tournament finals between Aiardo and Lewis went only one set, as Aiardo turned back Lewis by a 6-4 margin for the title.

Results: 1st Christ Aiardo 2nd Pete Lewis 3rd Jon Kucharo 4th Greg Brewer 5th Anthony Garcia

Ron Pluym 7th Jason Totten Mason Parks

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On the B-side Mason Parks and Dan Hankins were relegated to a seventh-place finish at the hands of Mike Rohner 4-2 and Mark Nelson 6-2, respectively. In turn, Nelson and Rohner were dispatched at fifth place courtesy of Bowman 6-0 and Gross 4-3, respectively. Bowman then took care of Gross at fourth place 6-3.

In the B-side finals, Bowman came up short on the hill against Thompson 6-5. The tourResults: nament finals went two $500 sets, with once-defeated 1st Scott Hargens Thompson clipping un- 2nd Donnie Thompson $300 $200 defeated Hargens 6-5 in 3rd Jamey Bowman $130 the first set. But Hargens 4th Jason Gross $80 regained his dominating 5th Mark Nelson Mark Rohner form in the deciding set $45 to claim a 6-1 decision for 7th Mason Parks

Dan Hankins the title.

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February 2011 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 45

< Frank Takes off Canton Event Come and Take It if You Can / Canton, OH

by InsidePOOL Staff

Inclement weather deterred all but the hardiest of players in Canton, OH, the weekend of December 10-11, when 38 hopefuls

gathered at Fiddlestix Café to vie for top honors at the Mike Gulyassy Come and Take It if You Can tournament.

In the event’s format, touring players gave up two games. It was a race to five on the winners’ side and a race to three on the one-loss side. Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame member Earl Strickland was present, and though he got knocked out early, he was content to give exhibitions and do commentary for the live streaming provided by InsidePOOL.

Brian Frank, cousin of pro player Troy Frank, went undefeated through the field to take first place in the tournament. He defeated Benny Zimmer in the final Results: match, which was a race to $1,000 five. Rounding out the top 1st Brian Frank $475 four were Shane Morrow 2nd Benny Zimmer $275 in third place and Steve 3rd Shane Morrow 4th Steve Helline $200 Helline in fourth place.

5th Aaron Czetli $170 6th Kenny Greer $150

Brian Frank

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46 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ February 2011

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Videos Come and Take it if You Can

o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Brian Frank vs Ben Zimmer in Finals match Brian Frank vs Ben Zimmer in Hot Seat match Steve Helline vs Shane Morrow Steve Helline vs Brandon Krauss Shane Morrow vs. Kenny G Shane Morrow vs Mario recorded at Fiddlestix Billiard Cafe Mike Gulyassy vs Donny Blevins Earl Strickland vs. Pepsi Mark Earl Strickland Pool Trick Shot Exhibition Ben Zimmer vs. Steve Helline Ben Zimmer vs. Mike Gulyassy Ben Zimmer vs Shane Morrow Ben Zimmer vs Lee Knight Aaron Czetli vs. Shane Druckenbred Aaron Czetli vs Chris Szuter

> >>

Regional Roundup

>Upcoming Western Tournaments 2/5-6

WBCAPL 8-Ball Tournament Series

The Golden Fleece

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Teams

2/12-13 Jay Swanson Memorial Tournament

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Lakewood, CO

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Portland, OR

503-285-7177 $1,500

Open

Riviera Hotel and Casino

Las Vegas, NV

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February 2011 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 47

Across 2 February 26: Tell a ____ Tale Day. And they all lived happily ever after ...

7 February 7: Wave All Your ____ at Your Neighbor Day 9 February 21: ____ Day honors all of the men who have served in this most important office.

10 February 22. George ____ Birthday 12 February 14: National ____ Donor Day. You may save a life.

15 February 2: This rodent predicts the end of winter every year on February 2 at Gobbler’s Knob.

18 February 23: International Dog ____ Appreciation Day. Give man’s best friend a special treat on his day.

20 The Great ____ Pie Month and National Cherry Month are both celebrated in February.

26 February 1: National ____ Day. Think “Braveheart.”

27 February 16: Do a ____ a Favor Day. Everyone needs to be cheered up sometime, even Oscar.

28 February 18: National ____ Day. Most people get a charge out of this holiday.

29 February 9: ____ Day. Better make an appointment with your dentist!

30 February 25: ____ Patent Day honors Samuel Colt, who received a patent for this item in the United States in 1836.

31 February 12: ____ Lincoln’s Birthday Down 1 February 8: Kite ____ Day. Because nothing says kites like a snowstorm!

3 February 7: Send a ____ to a Friend Day. Hallmark prob- ably had something to do with the creation of this holiday.

4 Valentine’s Day is, appropriately enough, observed in Creative ____ Month.

5 February 3: The Day the ____ Died. Buddy Holly, Richie Valens, and “The Big Bopper” were killed on this day in 1959.

6 February 20: National Love Your ____ Day. Pamper your furry friends today! Or, if you don’t have one, consider adopting one and saving a life.

7 The third week of February is International ____ Week. Bat those eyelashes!

8 February 17: ____ Acts of Kindness Day. To follow up on the day before.

9 February 27: ____ Bear Day celebrates the world’s largest carnivore, which can grow up to nine feet tall when standing.

11 February 15: National ____ Day. Honoring the nos- talgic, gelatin-based candy.

13 February 28: Public ____ Day allows you to partici- pate in this holiday at the office, at church, at a park—wherever there are people present.

14 February 6: Lame ____ Day. A day set aside to rec- ognize people whose tenure in office has run out.

16 February 13: Get a Different ____ Day. If you don’t like the one you were given, take advantage of today!

17 This tart citrus fruit comes in ruby red and is celebrated in February.

18 ____ History Month celebrates the achievements and contributions of African- Americans.

19 February 5: National ____ Day. The only job where you can be wrong half the time and get paid all the time.

21 February 4: Create a ____ Day. This holiday sucks.

22 February 19: National Chocolate ____ Day. Cel- ebrating anything and everything with this variety of flavored chocolate.

23 February 10: ____ Day. Sometimes called a brolly or bumbershoot, this item is also the name of a popu- lar 2007 Rihanna song.

24 February 24: Embrace National ____ Chip Day with some guacamole and a handful of these corny snacks.

25 February 11: ____ T-Shirt Day. Honors the workers who participated in a General Motors strike in 1937.

48 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ February 2011

Holiday

Hijinks

Happy Canned Food Month!

This word challenge is filled with unusual holidays celebrated in the month of February.

Have fun with it!

Visit www.InsidePOOLmag.com for the answers to this puzzle.