March 2012 Inside POOL Magazine

The

truest

playing cloth h a s a l w a y s been made

in B e l g i u m . . .

Do you know where your cloth comes from?

速

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

March

2012

Instruction

10 Beat People With a Stick

Gimme a Brake!

12 Pro Pool Workout

Short Split off the End Rail 14 Confessions of a Pool

Hustler

“Tennessee Tarzan” Goes to Vegas

Features

16 Victory for “The Striking

Viking”

Ewa Mataya Laurance Takes Tour’s First Stop 18 Welcome to the Jungle

Derby City Classic Action Never Stopped 24 ACS Midwest 8-Ball

Championships Explodes Iowa Hosts Expanded Event 26 Pagulayan Visits Hard

Times

“The Lion” Scores Second Consecutive Swanee Win

On the Cover: Shane Van Boening wowed at this year’s Derby City Classic, defending his Master of the Table crown and scooping the onepocket and 9-ball titles up as well. “The South Dakota Kid” was also runner-up to Canada’s John Morra in the 9-ball banks division.

For the full story, please visit page 18.

4 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ March 2012

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contents

Publisher JR Calvert publisher@insidepoolmag.com 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

26 18

Technical Consultant Tom Simpson Staff Videographer Alvin Nelson Feature Photo Credits JR Calvert, Cathy Vanover E-mail info@insidepoolmag.com

16

Website www.insidepoolmag.com Instructional Staff Johnny Archer, Shannon Daulton, Bob Henning, Robert LeBlanc, Tom Simpson Contributing Writers Fred Agnir, Paul Berg, Rob Johnson, Ken Shuman Toll Free 888-428-7665

Departments 8 8 38

Pool on TV Advertiser Directory APA Player of the Month

40 42 46

Northeast Southeast Central

Regional Roundup

6 InsidePOOL Magazine â—Š March 2012

Columns 28 32 34

36 42

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What’s New Food on Tour Stripes What Would You Do? Industry News SudoCue Puzzle Joint Caps Word Puzzle The Academy Awards

Administrative Offices PO Box 972, Kittanning, PA 16201 InsidePOOL Magazine Volume XII, Issue 3 (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.

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11

>

Instruction Gimme a Brake! it’s critical that we take speed off the cue ball.

S ometimes Thin cuts are often the culprit. If we could just slow that cue ball down, we could salvage position or get shorter position or avoid a scratch or a snooker or some other trouble …

< by Tom Simpson

the brakes in a hurry. This is useful when you’re playing on questionable equipment and are concerned the cue ball will roll off if you slow roll it. A drag draw shot gets there more quickly than a slow roll shot, but both shots could be traveling the same speed when they arrive at the object ball. Drag draw is a more difficult shot, but it’s less prone to table defects. Faster travel, less roll-off.

1. Thickness of hit. Pretty obvious, but the thinner you cut a ball, the more speed stays in the cue ball. The closer an object ball is to the pocket, the “bigger” the ball, meaning the more options you have for how thick or thin you may cut it. The thickest hit of all—straight-in—takes all of the forward speed out of the cue ball and can make it stop dead.

Another excellent use of draw is to magnify the effects of sidespin.

If you’re hoping to get a very large spin-induced throw effect on the object ball (to change its cut angle) or hoping to maximize the effects of sidespin off a cushion (to change the rebound angle), the less speed in the ball at the moment of impact with the OB or cushion, the greater the sidespin effects. Draw slows the cue ball, but the sidespin mostly remains. So when the slowed CB strikes the OB or cushion, it’s possible to have more sidespin relative to the amount of forward speed (a.k.a. quality of spin) than you could get with a rolling or stunned shot. A drag draw shot that’s barely moving when it hits its target will still have most of its sidespin. Results can be dramatic. This is very useful stuff.

2. Hitting cushions. Cushions remove speed from the ball. A good rule of thumb is that when you hit fairly straight into a rail, the ball will lose about half of its speed. That doesn’t mean it will lose all of its speed on the second rail, it simply means it will lose about half of whatever speed it has when it gets there. More rails can result in more consistent, predictable final position. This is why you will lose your money if you bet that stranger he can’t go eight cushions and land on your $100 bill. Tip: If you know your cue ball is going to stop near the rail, add a bit more speed and try to actually hit that rail. If you hit the cushion, you bounce out and are likely to have more options for the next shot.

Rotation or spin mostly stays in the cue ball after impact, continuing to turn the ball.

Here are six ways to slow your cue ball. You should have all of these in your arsenal.

3. Rolling into the cushion. This effect is typically trivial, but, as we’ll see, sometimes it can be huge. It matters what the cue ball is doing when it hits the rail. Yes, its forward speed is mostly reflected back out. However, the rotational behavior of the ball makes a big difference in the result. The reason is that rotation or spin mostly stays in the cue ball after impact, continuing to turn the ball, but now that cue ball has changed direction.

So, if you go into the cushion with draw, once the ball bounces, what was draw is now follow and the ball can actually speed up. To slow it down, roll the cue ball into the cushion. After the bounce, the forward roll is now acting as draw. The brakes are on.

This is why you sometimes see the cue ball loop out and back to the end rail on corner pocket hangers. The cause is the fact that a thick hit on the object ball took most of the speed out of the ball.

That leaves a whole lot of fast forward rotation, which after the bounce becomes powerful draw and sucks the ball back to the rail.

Pretty when it’s intentional. Pretty ugly when it’s not.

4. Using a secondary ball as a brake. Sometimes we can’t avoid banging our cue ball into some other ball after hitting our object ball, and sometimes that’s the very best thing we can do.

Trying to freeze against the secondary ball can be a terrific way to play safe. A secondary ball can also stop a speeding cue ball for you, if you can manage a full hit on it. Watch for these opportunities.

5. Drag draw. Drag draw is lots of backspin, dramatically slowing the cue ball by dragging on the cloth. Rapid backspin puts on 10 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ March 2012

’

6. Draw on thin cuts. All day long, we deal with the fact that as we cut thinner, we leave more speed in the cue ball. And as we cut thinner, we also have to have more speed in the cue ball to move the object ball far enough. Often the CB, on even the softest of shots, is going to wind up farther from our next shot than we’d like, or will be headed toward a pocket or some other trouble. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to put the brakes on as needed? Just realize that if you shoot that thin cut with draw, the draw will not affect the cut, but after hitting the OB, any draw still in the CB will be dragging and skidding on the cloth. More draw, more brakes. Practice this and expand your position options.

Still don’t have enough ways to put on the brakes? Gimme a break.

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.

May_June_Mock.indd 13

4/23/2010 9:58:26 AM

>

Instruction

< by Bob Henning

Short Split off the End Rail hort splits are a category of safety shots includ-

S ed in my latest book, Pro Safeties: The TOP 100 Safety Shots in Pool. In this kind of safety, the overall goal is to move the active ball to one long rail and the cue ball directly across the width of the table to the opposite long rail, hopefully hidden behind a blocker ball. These safeties are generally easy to execute and have a high rate of success. Unfortunately, they also usually leave a couple of potential kicking options for your opponent. That said, a simple short split is often a better option than attempting a more complicated, difficult-to-execute safety that also carries a higher risk of total failure.

A good short split is often overlooked by an intermediate player who attempts a more difficult “lockup” safety and fails. At worse, he misses the object ball, fails to contact a rail or scratches, and gives up ball in hand. At best, he leaves his opponent an open shot. This kind of an event is an unforced shot selection error based on a failure of judgment that would not have been made by a more advanced player. A player’s safety shot selection process can be improved by setting up and practicing the short split safeties.

themselves, rather than doing something simple and waiting patiently for a better opportunity to deliver a “knock-out punch.” Your opponent might get out of this simple safety, but you are at least keeping the pressure on him.

Let’s examine the table layout. If the 8 ball wasn’t sitting where it is, you could roll the cue ball up behind the 9 ball and bank the 7 ball up past the side pocket.

Since that’s not the case and you can’t see enough of the 7 ball to cut it into the corner, this safety is a viable option. You are hitting the cue ball slow and low with english, so there will be some curve on the way to the 7. Try aiming a half-ball hit and actually getting about a third-of-a-ball hit on this speed-sensitive shot. For a variation, move the cue ball to Point X. From there the cue ball will have less time to curve, so aim a little thinner.

A good 8-ball application for this shot is easy to imagine. Just have the 7 ball be your last solid and switch the position of the 9 and the 8 balls. You shoot the 7 as shown and leave the cue ball just a little closer to the end rail so that the 8 ball hides his view of the 9.

He might kick and hit it, but the odds are that he will leave you a better position.

8

Good luck and good shootin’!

7

9

Bob Henning

x

Second variation

The featured safety this month is the Short Split from an End Rail. As you can see in the graphic, there are only four balls on the table: the cue ball and three others. This is a common 9-ball end-game situation where some players would be tempted to try a challenging shot, with the result of putting pressure on 12 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ March 2012

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. Bob recently released a new book titled Pro Safeties: The TOP 100 Safety Shots in Pool.

>

Instruction

< by Robert LeBlanc

“Tennessee Tarzan” Goes to Vegas my good friend of 45 years, Mike “Tennessee R ecently Tarzan” Massey, and I have been battling it out playing

one-pocket every day. If you had seen our matches, you would’ve sworn we were playing for $1,000 a game with all the intensity at the table. I was trying my heart out to beat Mike because we had dinner and bragging rights at stake. The heat was on!

Though famous for his artistic pool skills, Mike plays all games well. We decided to play a race to 5. After four close games, the score was tied 2-2, with Mike breaking. He got down on the ball and executed a nearly perfect break, as shown in Diagram A. The cue ball stopped about an inch or two from the rail on my side of the table. Three balls came to rest about in the middle of the short rail—one ball was about two inches in front of his hole, with a ball right beside it, and I couldn’t hit either one of them.

The other ball was resting on the rail on the diamond by the side pocket. If the cue ball would have frozen to the rail, I would have been in a trap with no escape. But I’d seen a similar layout before, and it’s one of my favorite shots.

A game or so later, Mike needed two and left me near the end rail with all the balls around the spot. I needed seven, so I was trying to find anything to swing at to try to get back into the game. Finally I saw it (see Diagram B). I thought to myself, If I can make this combination or get a ball near my hole, I’ll be in the driver’s seat. I hit this ball with a drag stroke and 5 o’clock english. The cue ball crawled down the rail, nestled behind the ball, and I went seven and out. I won the match, dinner, bragging rights, and all.

Diagram B

My Pocket

14 12 9

13 2

5

4 10

Diagram A My Pocket

3

Diagram B results

My Pocket

3

14 5 4 15

6

12 14

7 9

1

5 13

8 11

12

10

9

13 2

3 2 4

I got down and banked the 3 ball behind the ball in front of Mike’s pocket and moved all of the balls in front of my pocket with the cue ball going two rails to rest on the end rail. This left Mike with a straight-in shot—only he couldn’t shoot at it. It was a sellout if he missed, and if he made it, he would only get one ball. I won that game because of that offensive shot. The most important part was that I controlled whitey, leaving him on the end rail.

Diagram A results My Pocket 7 4

3

8 15

12 14

9

Robert LeBlanc Robert “Cotton” LeBlanc is a well-known pool player and was a roadman for almost 40 years, traveling the country playing virtually all of the pool legends and champions—and making friends with them. Highly skilled himself, he is the author of the best-selling book Confessions of a Pool Hustler, which chronicles his life and hundreds of stories about being on the road. Visit his website at www.confessionsofapoolhustler.com.

6 5

10

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1 11 13

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14 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ March 2012

“ for

“Viking

Striking

the

Ewa�Mataya�Laurance

E

Takes�Tour’s�First�Stop

wa Mataya Laurance laid claim to first place at the Women’s Professional Billiard Association’s first stop of the 2012 season, besting fellow Hall of Famer Allison Fisher in the finals. The WPBA Masters was hosted by the Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort in Mount Pleasant, MI, where a full field of fine females gathered to vie for the prestigious title.

The WPBA’s format matches up 32 unseeded players in the initial round, with the winners advancing to the second round to play the top 16 seeds. After Jessica Barnes dealt a first-round defeat to Ireland’s Val Finnie 9-6, she went on to face Laurance, who’d had a bye in the first round. Laurance sent Barnes to the one-loss side with a decisive 9-5 victory.

by InsidePOOL Staff

pion Brittany Bryant to the one-loss side 9-6. That made Kim the first undefeated player into Sunday’s televised semifinal matches.

Defending champion Jasmin Ouschan of Austria defeated Great Britain’s Kelly Fisher 9-8, but then she lost a tough 9-7 battle to BCA Hall of Famer Allison Fisher 9-7.

Fisher, who had previously bested Jeanette Lee 9-6, was the other undefeated player to reach Sunday’s televised semifinal round.

K. Fisher then handed Lee a 9-4 loss, leaving “The Black Widow” tied for seventh place with Eleanor Callado, who was eliminated by Laurance 9-3.

Friday afternoon saw Laurance confronted by Joanne Ashton, who took their match to the hill before the Canadian was turned away 9-8. The next day another hill-hill match followed for Laurance, but this time it was her turn to experience the brutal bracket after the number-oneranked Ga Young Kim eked out a 9-8 victory over her.

“Striking

Kim continued on to take another 9-8 squeaker win over Helena Thornfeldt, who’d sent national junior cham-

Fisher and Thornfeldt were the first to complete their match; with the score knotted 5-5, Fisher pulled

16 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ March 2012

Viking” Heads off Defending Champion

In the final two crowd-pleasing matches of the evening, Laurance faced off against Ouschan, while K. Fisher took on Sweden’s Helena Thornfeldt.

In the Laurance versus Ouschan match, Ouschan took first blood, but then Laurance fought back to a 5-2 lead. A missed 6 ball by Laurance put Ouschan back at the table for a run-out, followed by a 9 on the snap and another break and run to tie it up 5-5. From there the score knotted again at 6-6 before Laurance pulled ahead and took down the defending champ 9-6.

Epic Battle of the Hall of Famers

In Sunday’s first televised semifinal match, Laurance proved she would be a formidable contender when she defeated the number-one-ranked Ga Young Kim 7-6 for her place in the title bout.

The other semifinal was a battle of the Fishers: Kelly Fisher versus Allison Fisher. A. Fisher pulled out all the stops and defeated K. Fisher 7-4 to head to the finals against Laurance.

In the abbreviated race-to-7 final match, BCA and WPBA Hall of Famer and former Grand Ledge, Michigan, resident Laurance took an early 2-1 lead over fellow BCA Hall of Famer, the number-two-ranked Allison Fisher. Laurance then extended her lead to 3-1, 4-1, and 5-1. It was at this point that Fisher mounted a comeback.

The score was 5-2, 5-3, 5-4, and then suddenly it was tied 5-5—a race to 2, with Fisher breaking. Laurance dug deep and pulled out the next two games for a 7-5 victory and $10,000 payday in the first WPBA event of 2012.

1st 2nd 3rd

5th

7th

9th

13th

17th

results:

away for a 9-5 victory and an appearance in Sunday’s semis. Thornfeldt settled for fifth place.

Ewa Mataya Laurance Allison Fisher Ga Young Kim Kelly Fisher Helena Thornfeldt Jasmin Ouschan Jeanette Lee Eleanor Callado Liz Ford Dawn Hopkins Monica Webb Brittany Bryant Karen Corr Line Kjorsvik Jennifer Barretta Gerda Hofstatter Emilyn Callado Susan Williams Joanne Ashton Teruko Cucculelli Tamara Peeters Jennifer Chen Jessica Barnes Nicole Keeney

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M

any have heard that the Derby City Classic has changed. Through a grueling January 20-28, the ghosts of the Executive West in Louisville still stalked the halls, but a breath of fresh air was found in Elizabeth, IN, where the legendary Jack Binion picked up his stakes and became a new kind of farrier. For the 14th annual All-Around Championships at the Horseshoe Casino, all the bells and whistles were intact.

While it was business as usual for the first repeat Master of the Table since Efren Reyes entrenched his reign, Shane Van Boening ran into one road block early and witnessed the Filipino contingent hang on to 18 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ March 2012

something in rotation and straight pool. The smoke in the halls was less palpable, but the shooters still have bite. Even one Atlanta stud managed to swim across the river and make noise, leaving some ash and dust on the page.

For true fans, everything kicks off with 9-ball banks on a Friday, tied together nicely on the first night by a slightly miraculous ring game that Scott Frost had to pull himself together for to triumph against six other steady hands. Occasionally the tortoise becomes the hare in a game he’s not well known for.

All three of the main events—banks, one-pocket, and 9-ball—offer a buy-back system rather than traditional double elimination. When one is on his first barrel, things can be free and easy, but it is performance on a second chance that defines the king at any given moment.

A classic core of veterans marched far in the opening event, including Glen “Piggy Banks” Rogers out of Chicago and John Brumback from Kentucky. Young John Morra out of Toronto never had a mindset of defeat, even as Van Boening bore down on him through the field. In a two-set finale filled with controversy, the budding Canadian overcame America’s greatest hope and claimed his first truly major title. Morra’s own estimation of bank pool is informed by the legacy of his parents Anita and Mario, both champions in their own right.

“

“I liked banks from when I was really young, when I was like thirteen,” Morra said after the cloud of 404 players had settled on one gold lining. “I’m just practicing a lot, playing in local

Right�now�I'm� trying�to�focus�on� sponsorship.

tournaments, weekly tournaments. Right now I’m trying to focus on sponsorship. I’m lucky to have CPA of East Toronto, John and Kelly Croft sponsoring me. I have bizz24. ca, that’s a local billiards supply company,” Morra said of his current and next moves.

The Straight Pool Challenge was the epitome of the antediluvian meeting the world after the ark. As early as the first Saturday morning of the event, luminaries like Grady “The Professor” Mathews, Danny DiLiberto, Freddy “The Beard” Bentivegna, and Brumback were offering their lessons with Kamui chalk and the price of counterculture.

The Bank Shot Calculator laid its claim to be the best mobile device pool application invented. Hundreds swarmed, including two-time Derby Banks champ Brumback, to watch it transform the art of banking into a science by reducing the aim point down to the width of a piece of chalk.

Maryland’s Brandon Shuff applied the lastminute lessons towards an impressive third place in the Master of the Table contest, while 14.1 was already taking hold.

Bob Jewett began the tradition in 2006, but the reins were handed over last year mainly to Dennis Walsh and Bill Maropoulos. Walsh was kind enough to provide details on the convocation of sponsors who pooled together $8,500 in added money, while 28 internationally renowned and undercover players mingled in a timeless dance. Each player was given 12 official tries with a simulated opening break ball of their choice, freeing the offensive side of game in the preliminary rounds.

Great pairings were everywhere in the New Orleans room. Whether it was defending banks champ Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan with Dennis Orcollo laughing and chattering away, or the relentless self-flogging of John “Mr. 400” Schmidt coloring the efforts of youngsters like Adam “GQ” Smith, each day brought new intrigue. After awards were given for high runs each day, imagination ceased to be the game. To truly bedazzle, the final eight were forced to face off with defense becoming a premium initially, as the game has always been played. Schmidt and the legendary Johnny Archer provided the American hopes, but as straight stasis goes, Europeans made the greatest impression in the most basic of games. Of course one Pinoy wasn’t satisfied without a share of a crown, but as the sands of time become a tide of stones, Efren “The Magician” Reyes or Jose “The Iron Man” Parica were not on the list.

John Morra

Valets and housekeepers alike can appreciate straight pool, but “The Killer Pixie” showed his star sign by the concluding SatMarch 2012 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 19

urday. While stalwart contenders and reigning U.S. Open 9Ball champions like English Darren Appleton and Finnish Mika Immonen fell by the wayside, Ralf Souquet showed he was both a leader and a surgeon. Both Pagulayan and Souquet made deep runs in 9-ball and were worn out by the end of Derby proceedings, and through minimal fault of the organizers, the final could not be played. From the total $13,100 prize fund the two split the top two spots and a solid share of $2,150 apiece.

“We had forty-six paid entries this year, up from our last year high,” Walsh summed up. “That means we had five hundred fifty-two filmed attempts for high runs by some of the best players around.” Because of some complications with scheduling the Accu-Stats table, professional attorney Walsh shouldered the blame. “We hope to do better next year and bring you more straight pool. Thanks for your support and I am sorry I did not get you the finals.”

Already an unstoppable force in rotation games, Van Boening’s heart has definitely taken flight in one-hole. His Master of the Table title was basically cemented with a victory over long-hidden gem Joey Gray, but the list of finishers directly behind them showed how fabulous the field was. Appleton and Reyes wound up tied for third, while Brumback and Shuff continued their solid performances in a tie for fifth. With such a stacked field, magi of the felt could be found all the way out to the lower paydays, and while the strength of Louisville and Chicago still has representatives, the true flavor of worldwide billiards stretched from Florida to Holland. Old steady hands like David Grossman and Robb Saez found themselves finishing alongside Nevel and Shawn Putnam as south met north in round-nine exits, while Mosconi stalwarts Niels “The Terminator” Feijen and Earl Strickland found themselves ousted a match deeper alongside Bernie Pettipiece.

Ralf Souquet

Van Boening’s encore in 9-ball solidified his grip on eminence, but one last stalwart of the Philippines got to close the show, all while a past Derby hero gave the weary Atlanta crew something to hope for. A solar storm in the midst of the event and riots in Oakland had no chance of stopping the rotation disciplines.

Spartanburg, SC-born Stevie Moore is no stranger to the limelight. One of Atlanta’s finest products during recent years, Moore found a way to impact the game by making the finals in both the Classic’s last division and in the Fat Boy 10-Ball challenge to bring the house down and wrap up all the luck of the Horseshoe.

The two finalists waited patiently for Julian Robertson and crew to finish their preparations under the scalding live stream lights. Moore erupted with an orbit around the table when the cheers erupted for him, while Van Boening quietly lifted his cue and went to work. Morra may have spoiled his party, but the difference between second-place All-Around and first was as vast as an ocean.

Van Boening opened with a soft break but progressed to his power while Moore found opportunities to keep the final set close. Muscle memory was not enough to hold back America’s finest, however, and the tide turned in the pivotal fifth rack, where Van Boening escaped a two-way shot on the 1 ball by Moore and sagaciously crafted an out, keyed by

Darren Appleton 20 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ March 2012

Francisco Bustamante the use of the bridge to reach a shot on the 5 ball. From there he never looked back, as Moore only mustered one more win in a devastating 7-3 defeat that entrenched Van Boening’s position.

With a name like Moore, it was obvious the Derby was not quite over Saturday night. The 10-ball challenge had some sweet money and even more saccharine names filling a limited field. American hope continued to roll for the 2007 banks champion as he rattled off victories over Filipino legends, toppling Pagulayan in the semifinal despite an initial 11-3 deficit with a 15-12 triumph. The great islands found their hero in the form of Francisco Bustamante, who stopped Morra in the other singleelimination semifinal with a spellbinding performance that featured almost perfect rotation pool. The great “Django” had more of the same for “The Blade” in the last match of the tournament itself.

Mike Dechaine

There was no excited lap around the table for Moore to begin this one, as the sobering reality of Bustamante’s grim demeanor and absolute comfort with the cue ball left him in the electric chair for the bulk of the match. “My break was better in the beginning,” Bustamante allowed during a brief pause in the match, but from a 13-3 lead, the 15-5 conclusion seemed like relief for both men. “The circus show is over!” Moore excitedly told the crowd, while Bustamante peeped enthusiastically, “See you next year!” For the folks upstairs, the last tango was just beginning.

Derby is a unique place for action away from the tournament matches. This year was typified by fright and false bravado, but a few movers and shakers kept the place rocking. At the outset, a conglomeration of southeastern cats tried to topple some old dogs anchored by the Windy City and found their cause outmaneuvered throughout. The steady presence of Sylver Ochoa and Daniel Smith kept the new blood pumping, while greats like Cliff Joyner lurked and picked their spots. Justin Hall emerged to try Morra in some 11-ball banks, and whether the rack looked like a Christmas tree or a rocket is up for debate, but who shot the straightest and firmest was the answer all were interested.

Jeanette Lee mixed it up as promising young men and women were everywhere. Previous “St. Louis” Louie Roberts award winner Fred “Scooter” Goodman seemed to clean up the best, while the biggest waves were made by boisterous Tony Coleman of Benton Harbor, MI, who staked his claim to the award this year. When bets were hard to come by, Coleman even stirred up the notoriously bored Jeremy Jones into wild propositions and odds. His good humor and wicked smile deserve a lifetime of free entries in their own right.

Stevie Moore March 2012 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 21

Mika Immonen

None of this merriment is possible without the tireless work of Greg Sullivan, his daughter Julie, Chad Scharlow, and the Diamond Billiard Products staff. Diamond Billiards intends to keep the magic going in Tunica with a brand-new Southern Classic this year, with dates set for July 20-28 as a partnership with Harrah’s has been struck to expand all-around challenges while adding possibly 80 bar boxes to bring the amateurs back into the mix. The sharks are ready to hook anyone, and the shirts that ask “What would Efren do?” are echoes of the past. What Shane Van Boening does next is the question on everyone’s mind, because his stellar performance this year will be hard to top.

All-Around Results: 1st 2nd 3rd

Niels Feijen

Shane Van Boening John Morra Brandon Shuff

9-Ball Banks Results: One-Pocket Results: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th

7th

12th

21st

John Morra Shane Van Boening Brandon Shuff John Brumback Alvis Fitch Danny Smith Charlie Bryant Lee Vann Corteza Truman Hogue Michael Hughes Jonathan Pinegar Francisco Bustamante Louis D’Marco Niels Feijen Alex Pagulayan Efren Reyes Glenn Rogers Robb Saez Earl Strickland Louis Ulrich Jay Copeland Gary Lutman Mike Medley Jason Miller

$10,000 $5,000 $2,500 $1,225 $800

$600

$450

22 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ March 2012

1st 2nd 3rd

5th

7th

10th

14th

23rd

Shane Van Boening Joey Gray Darren Appleton Efren Reyes John Brumback Brandon Shuff Niels Feijen Bernie Pettipiece Earl Strickland Dave Grossman Shawn Putnam Larry Nevel Robb Saez Louis D’Marco Mitch Ellerman Shannon Murphy Joshua Oneal Richie Richeson Ike Runnels John Schmidt Ralf Souquet Brian White Charlie Bryant Chip Compton

$12,000 $6,000 $2,575 $1,850 $1,350 $950

$650

$450

$20,000 $3,000 $2,000

9-Ball Results: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th

6th

10th

14th

22nd

Shane Van Boening Stevie Moore Mike Dechaine Dennis Orcollo Alex Pagulayan Chris Bartram Shawn Putnam Robb Saez Ralf Souquet Darren Appleton Jay Copeland Niels Feijen Mika Immonen Johnny Archer Francisco Bustamante Lee Vann Corteza Alvis Fitch Warren Kiamco Joshua Oneal Efren Reyes Ryan Stone John Brumback $550 Manny Chau Bruce Choyce

$16,000 $8,000 $4,000 $2,500 $1,800

$1,300

$850

Videos Derby City Classic

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

Shaun Wilkie qualifying in the 14.1 Challenge at the Derby City Classic John Schmidt qualifying in the 14.1 Challenge at the Derby City Classic Mika Immonen qualifying in the 14.1 Challenge at the Derby City Classic Steve A vs Matt Reese in Action at the Derby City Classic Robert Frost vs John Maki in Action at the Derby City Classic Strong Arm John in One Pocket Action at the Derby City Classic Ralf Souquet vs Darren Appleton in the 14.1 Challenge at the Derby City Classic Niels Feijen vs Darren Appleton in the 14.1 Challenge at the Derby City Classic Richie Richeson vs Scott Rabon in One Pocket Action at the Derby City Classic Sylver Ochoa vs Sean Morgan in One Pocket Action at the Derby City Classic John Schmidt vs Johnny Archer 14.1 Challenge at the Derby City Classic Scooter with Deathball in a Late Night Action Match at the Derby City Classic Ralf Souquet vs Mika Immonen at the Derby City Classic 14.1 Challenge Live Streaming at the 2012 Derby City Classic

Mike Peiffer, Anthony Asher

Ronnie Martin, Jim Gessay

ith over 500 players, 112 teams, and a venue that drew accolades from every attendee, the 2012 Lucasi Hybrid Cues ACS Midwest 8-Ball Championships at the Riverside Casino and Resort in Riverside, IA, enjoyed another attendance expansion in a warm environment amongst the winter plains of the Midwest The $10,400-added championships, held January 19-22 and produced by the American CueSports Alliance (ACS), offered competition in six primary events and three secondary events: men’s and women’s advanced 8-ball singles, men’s and women’s open 8-ball singles, men’s and women’s four-person 8-ball teams, scotch doubles 8-ball, and separate handicapped men’s and women’s 9-ball singles.

In the 20-player men’s advanced 8-ball singles, young Chad Behnke (Farley, IA) followed up on his recent Iowa ACS Men’s Advanced title with a 6-0 thrashing of once-defeated Alan Schares (Independence, IA) in the finals to secure the ACS Midwest title.

Alan Schares, Chad Behnke

In the 7-player women’s advanced 8-ball singles, multi-time national champion and 2010 ACS Midwest champion Jessica Frideres (Ft. Dodge, IA) regained her crown after a runner-up finish to Chicago’s Amy Latzko in 2011 by outpointing Connie O’Heron (Wausau, WI) 5-2 in this 2012 finals.

In the 155-player men’s open 8-ball singles, the undefeated Mike Peiffer (Washington, IA) recovered from the final’s first set 0-4 trouncing by 17-year old Anthony Asher (St. Joseph, MO) to regain the momentum in the deciding set to claim the title by a 4-2 margin.

In the 64-player women’s open 8-ball singles, Simone Huskey (Silvis, IL) dominated the division, capping off her title with a 3-0 final win over Georgia Countryman (Braidwood, IL).

In the men’s 8-ball teams, undefeated “Freewheelers” (IL) [Dan Hayes (Captain-Advanced), Tony Sifuentez, Dave Reimer, and John

ACS Midwest 8-Ball Championships Iowa Hosts Expanded Event

by InsidePOOL Staff

Jerry Dietz, Dawn Spencer

24 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ March 2012

Connie O’Heron, Jessica Frideres

Georgia Countryman, Simone Huskey, Maria Lara

Shari Rice, Sheree Houseman

Empty Pockets

Stukel] captured the hot seat over the 80-team field despite having to race to 11 each match (teams with no advanced players raced to 9). The finals against “Hot Shots” (IA) [Todd Davis (Captain-Open), Abe Palmer, Jerry Udelhofen, and Laurence Henderson] proved a challenge for “Freewheelers,” as “Hot Shots” prevailed in the first set 9-6. But “Freewheelers” avenged the loss in the second set to gain the title by an 11-5 margin.

In the women’s 8-ball teams, “Empty Pockets” (IL) [Linda Cruz (Captain--Advanced), Joan Livingston, Kay Reimer, and Sue Wiechec] spotted most teams two games to dispatch the 32-team field, including some narrow escapes, but the one-set finals against “Just The Tip” [Patty Anderson (Captain-Open), Stacy McNamara, Jolyn Cox, and Debbie Melroy] was anticlimactic, as “Empty Pockets” dominated by a 9-3 score to claim the championship.

The team of Dawn Spencer and Jerry Dietz (IA), captured the scotch doubles 8-ball event over a field of 18 teams by dispatching

Freewheelers

the pairing of Dawn Huser/Jason Miller (IL) in the finals 3-1. Open player Jim Gessay of Hartland, WI, outpointed a 128-player field in the men’s 9-ball singles for the top spot, including taking advantage of a two-game spot from advanced player Ron Martin (East Moline, IL) by a 4-4 margin in the finals for the crown. Sheree Houseman (Muscatine, IA) bested a field of 20 for the women’s 9-ball singles honors, besting Shari Rice (Omaha, NE) in the finals 3-2. “Transformers” (IL) [Frank DeCastecker (Captain-Advanced), Jerry French, Mike Christopher, and Ted Cole] captured the men’s second chance team division over “Krug’z Guerillas” (IA) [Jody McCormick (Captain), Jeff Nguyen (Advanced), Devin Barclay, James Miller, and Marc Wells], while “No Balls Just Racks” (MO) [Paula Reeder (Captain-Advanced), Jennifer Fugman, Tawni Lewis, Courtney Cadwell, Pam Brown, and Mindy Spiker] outpaced “Lucky Dawgs” (IL) [Kelly McBride (CaptainOpen), Simone Huskey, Cathy Harness, and Heidi French] in the finals of the women’s second chance team division.

Pool Player Excuses Towel 95

$7.

gives your favorite pool player an easy out with six excuses for why that ball didn’t drop!

Made of lint-free flour sack material

(22” x 13” with hanging loop)

10% of all sales go to Helping Every Animal Live Inc. (HEAL)

www.PoolPlayerExcuses.com March 2012 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 25

Pagulayan Visits Hard Times

F

“The Lion” Scores Second Consecutive Swanee Win

or the second year in a row, fan favorite Alex Pagulayan took first place at the annual Jay Swanson Memorial 9-Ball Tournament, besting hometown hero Oscar Dominguez in the finals. Named for beloved southern California player Jay Swanson, “The Swanee” was hosted

by Hard Times Billiards in Bellflower, CA, the weekend of February 4-5 and was produced by CueSports International (CSI) and sponsored by Hard Times Billiards, CSI, and the Magic Ball Rack.

Steeped in tradition, the event is a virtual who’s who of West Coast U.S. and Pacific Rim players and can be counted on to draw a full field of 192 heavy hitters. It is no small feat to cash in this

26 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ March 2012

by InsidePOOL Staff event, but this year “The Lion” defended his title, surviving top players such as including former Swanee champions Dave Hemmah (1996), Mitch Ellerman (2009), Amar Kang (2006), and the only other two-time winner, Ismael “Morro” Paez (1999, 2001).

On his way to the finals, Pagulayan took out 2012 U.S. Mosconi Cup team member “Rocket” Rodney Morris and “Mad Max” Eberle, who has finished in the top three of the Swanee field three years (2005, 2011, and 2012). It was Eberle who initially knocked Pagulayan to the one-loss side in the seventh round of the winners’ bracket. But Pagulayn survived and came back to heap re-

venge upon Eberle in the semifinals, sending him to the bleachers late Sunday night 7-2.

After two days and 16 rounds, the 192-player field came down to two players. In the middle of the night, surrounded by a room full of dedicated spectators, the single race-to-11 finals was between Oscar “The Big O” Dominguez and Pagulayan. Dominguez’s road to the hot seat included the takedown of Nick Spano, Corey Harper, Jim Hennessy, Brendan Crockett, Santos Sambajon Jr., Morris, and Eberle.

In what can only be described as one of the most unique finals of any

1st Alex Pagulayan 2nd Oscar Dominguez 3rd Max Eberle 4th Rodney Morris 5th Fach Garcia

Amar Kang 7th Ismael Paez

Santos Sambajon Jr. 9th John Schmidt

$3,000 $1,500 $1,000 $750 $535 $400 $300

Francisco Bustamante

Efren Reyes

Danny Petralba 13th Beau Runningen $200

Bernardo Chavez

Nick Spano

Steve Eakins

Photo courtesy of Cathy Vanover

RESULTS

results:

tournament, Pagulayan’s repeat win almost did not take place. He dominated the match early and jumped to a 10-3 lead, but then, in the next rack he pocketed a tough but makeable back-cut shot on the 9 ball for the match win. In a split second it became evident that the cue ball would also drop, giving Dominguez the game instead of Pagulayan the win.

Pagulayan leapt into the air just as whitey rolled into the corner pocket.

When he landed, he sprained his calf and faced the rest of the match limping and having to adjust his stance to avoid further pain. Using strategic safety play, Dominguez patiently took the score from 10-4 to 10-9. During those five games Pagulayan did have another opportunity to seal the deal but in a case of déjà vu again scratched on a pocketed 9 ball. The cue ball caught the tip of one pocket and ricocheted into another.

At hill-hill, the winning game came down to a moment of luck or redemption, depending on the perspective.

Dominguez again executed a strong safety, leaving Pagulayan in the unenviable position of having to kick at the 1

Oscar Dominguez

ball for legal contact. Using sonic speed, Pagulayan sent the cue ball off a long rail and hit the 1. The rock careened off the opposite long rail into the pack of balls that housed the 9, which then gently rolled into a side pocket. This time the cue ball stayed securely on the table, and “The Lion” was able to roar two years in a row.

Stream Your next Production With

Contact Inside Pool Video at 888-428-7665 or info@insidepoolmag.com.

What’s New

Hustler Series New from Tiger Products, Inc., the Hustler Series cues are made from a bacote and maple combination with four solid prongs with a complementing combination of natural maple, black, and maple veneers around the prongs. These cues, which are proudly made in the USA, come with your choice of a black collar or a wood-to-wood joint and can include a solid black Irish linen wrap. The standard shaft is the Ultra-X high-performance shaft (Pro-X or Ultra-X LD shafts are optional with an added charge). Radial Tiger joint protectors are included, and each cue is packaged in a black soft velvet case. Weights are from 18.5-20.5 ounces. The suggested retail price is $399. For more information, please call 800-584-4375, or visit www.tigerproducts.com.

Super Slippy Tip Tool The multi-functional Super Slippy Tip Tool features a tip trimmer, tip burnisher, tip dimpler, and two tip shapers for either a dime or nickel radius. It is made from durable brass, and its attractive design is complemented with a stylish leather case.

The Super Slippy Tip Tool comes with instructions for use. Priced at $29.95. To purchase, please visit www.cuesight.com, or call 800-660-2572.

Balabushka Performance Chalk In their time-honored tradition of excellence, Balabushka Cues is pleased to present their new Performance Chalk.

This chalk adheres to your cue tip, making frequent chalking a thing of the past, and it grips the cue ball, allowing for superior ball control. Also, Performance Chalk produces little dusty residue, keeping the table, balls, and your hands cleaner. A three-piece box of Performance Chalk retails for $8. To order, please visit www.balabushkacues.com to find an authorized dealer.

28 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ March 2012

Aramith Power Ball Cleaner Designed specifically for residential use, the Aramith Power Ball Cleaner is built to clean and polish the surface of phenolic billiard balls, restoring them to like-new condition. This cleaner was engineered by the Saluc team in Belgium to effectively polish each ball in your set. The high-tech microfiber cloth and the powered circular motion create an ideal polishing effect for removing chalk marks, spots, stains, and sticky residue. Priced at $119, this cleaner is to be used with Aramith Ball Cleaner or Aramith Ball Restorer. Please visit www.saluc.com for ordering information.

Simonis X-1® This patented Simonis X-1® chalk dust removal tool keeps your Simonis cloth playing better longer. The unique structure of the tool lifts the chalk dust out of the cloth, and the low-profile design gets under the rails as well.

Keep your playfield in top shape with the totally unique Simonis X-1®! Retails for $89.99. To order, please visit www.simonis-X1.com, or call 800-SIMONIS.

Hillbilly on the Hill Professional pool player Charlie “Hillbilly” Bryant has taken his instructional book series in a whole new direction by also videotaping and posting the lessons to his website, which are available to the public as a rental service that can be viewed on a computer or device.

The first video covers Bryant’s breaking technique, with following videos to over something for everyone, from amateur to advanced skill levels. For more information on the instructional videos or to submit requests for future topics, visit www.hillbillyonthehill.com.

Beat People With a Stick

Kamui Chalk #1.21 Kamui Chalk consists of fine particles that maximize friction and provide a larger sweet spot to generate more spin on the cue ball. The all-new Kamui Chalk #1.21 is designed for more consistent playability, offering improved longevity with a harder compound to give the player more confidence with a pre-chalking routine. Additionally, Kamui Chalk reduces compound transfer to the cue ball. To try out Kamui Chalk #1.21, visit Booth #132 at the Super Billiards Expo. To find your closest dealer, please contact www.kamuitips.com, or call 877-GO-KAMUI.

This new book offers 113 one-page instructional columns for players. Representing 13 years of master instructor Tom Simpson’s work, the book is based upon nearly 20 years of teaching pool and almost 3,000 students. The information within is new, not a rehash of old ideas. Beat People With a Stick is an integral component of the course materials in Tom’s acclaimed Weekend Intensives. For more information, please visit www.poolclinics.com/book.html, or call 614-975-8337. Easy PayPal purchasing is available.

McDermott G407 One of McDermott’s top-selling cues, the G407 features a unique no-wrap birdseye maple handle with intricate turquoise inlays and cocobolo “crown” ring. This model comes standard with McDermott’s high-performance G-Core shaft and offers an American cherry stained forearm and sleeve and exotic paduk, German brass, and paduk index rings. The suggested retail price is $460. For more information or to see the entire G-Series line, please visit www.mcdermottcue.com, or call 800-666-2283.

OB-129 OB Cues’ OB-129 cocobolo and birdseye cue is new for 2012. Built by OB Cues in Plano, TX, this cue features a proprietary centralized balance system, which means that weight has been placed in specific locations throughout the butt of the cue to create an evenly balanced cue with feedback that is both crisp and lively. The custom feel in this production cue really has to be felt to be appreciated. The suggested retail price is $495. To order, please visit www.obcues.com, or call toll free 877-399-9901 or international at 972-578-9100.

Bank Shot Calculator 2.0 This version of the popular app incorporates the new “advanced bank shot,” which accounts for all of the factors that measurably change the rebound angle of a bank shot. The app accounts for shot angle, shot speed, and applied english varied between a hard, medium, or soft stroke defined as 3.5, 2.5, and 1.5 times table length, respectively. Additionally, the app accounts for skidding of the cue and object balls within the three shot speeds, scaled for each table size. Lastly, the app now includes a blue bull’s-eye on the long rail to identify the starting point of the shot line.

Cue Extension Pro This cue extension by J & J America easily attaches to almost any cue with its adjustable opening. It is lightweight and can fit into the long pouch of most cue cases. The Cue Extension Pro can extend cues by approximately 12 inches when in normal position and 17 inches when in telescope position. The suggested retail price is $55, but the special promotional price is $42. For purchasing information, please call J & J America at 562-229-9688, or visit www.jjcue.com.

March 2012 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 29

Fury TP Series Pool Cue Model TP-3 Fury brings a new level of performance and appearance with the TP series. This model features a combination of Rengas and Canadian maple blended into a classic six-point design. This cue has white phenolic collars, a radial pin joint, and an Irish linen wrap.

The shaft is made from hand-selected hard-rock Canadian maple, features a 12.75-millimenter Tiger Everest tip, and includes joint protectors. Only $875, this cue is available at www.cuesight.com or by calling 800-660-2572.

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 animal-themed 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.

Aramith Tips Classic in its conception with nine layers of high-quality pig skin, the Aramith laminated tip is characterized by a special leather treatment made at Saluc’s factory in Belgium. This treatment allows the tip to hold the chalk better and achieve an improved grip on the cue ball, providing more spin and increased cue ball control.

These tips are available in soft, medium, and hard quality and come in 12, 13, and 14 millimeters. The suggested retail price is $21.95. For ordering information, please log onto www.saluc.com.

The TOP 100 Pro Safeties This new book is the definitive work on safety play. These are the top 100 safeties used by top professionals today. Each one is illustrated in a real-game situation and completely explained, named, and categorized. Secrets are revealed! It is easy to use and fits most cue case pockets. You have mastered any safety when you can recognize the general layout, know the strategic aspects of the shot, and confidently execute it in a match. Learning TOP 100 Pro Safeties presented in this book, will give you that mastery. Go to the web at www.BebobPublishing.com or phone 1-888-33-BEBOB. 30 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ March 2012

Wave Cases Sterling Gaming, Inc., unveils two brand-new Wave case color combinations: black/red and black/yellow. These cases are available in 2 x 3 for $130, 3 x 4 for $150, and 4 x 8 for $180. These are limited-edition cases, so get yours today. Wave cases are available at www.cuesight.com or by calling 800-660-2572.

Food on Tour

$-$ $

Bahama Breeze

$ $ 320 Goddard Boulevard Feed your island spirit with a visit to Bahama Breeze, which features seafood, chicken, and steak recipes inspired by the Caribbean islands. The atmosphere is casual, the portions are large, and the service is friendly.

New items on the menu include a shrimp and lobster quesadilla, chicken with cilantro crema, and a strawberry mojito.

Hours: Sun-Thurs: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 a.m.

Fri-Sat: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. | Phone: 610-491-9822 | www.bahamabreeze.com

King of Prussia, Pennsylvania Angelo’s Pizza

$-$ $ 212 W. Beidler Road If you’re in the mood for traditional local fare, try the Philly cheese steak at Angelo’s Pizza. Open for dine-in and carry-out, Angelo’s offers customary pizzas, steak sandwiches, hoagies, and “fun food” such as chicken tenders and mozzarella sticks.

Hours: Mon-Thurs: 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Fri-Sat: 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. | Phone: 610-265-4148 | www.angelospizzakop.com

Creed’s

$ $ $ 499 N. Gulph Road This independently owned restaurant features a warm, comfortable atmosphere and excellent service. The menu focuses on fresh fish and steaks, and they offer an evolving wine list as well. Stop by during happy hour for half-priced oysters, or try the bar’s simple yet satisfying fare. Friday and Saturday nights also feature live entertainment and a late bar menu.

Editor’s Choice Maggiano’s Little Italy

Hours: Lunch Mon-Fri: 11:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Dinner Mon-Sat: 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. | Phone: 610-2652550 | www.creedskop.com $ $-$ $ $

160 N. Gulph Road, Suite 205 Dine on Italian-American fare while enjoying the old-fashioned feel of Little Italy. Specialties of the house include baked ziti with sausage, pepperoni and arugula flatbread, chicken parmesan, and, of course, lasagna.

Portions are massive, so bring a friend—and a doggie bag!

Hours: Mon-Thurs: 11:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Fri-Sat: 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. Sun: Noon – 10:00 p.m. | Phone: 610-992-3333 | www.maggianos.com

Legal Sea Foods

Editor’s Choice

$ $-$ $ $

690 W. Dekalb Pike

Their slogan is “If it isn’t fresh, it isn’t Legal!” Hang out at the oyster bar, have a seat in their casual dining room, or visit their take-out window for seafood and creamy soups. Their award-winning New England clam chowder has been served at every presidential inauguration since 1981. The menu offers salads, sandwiches, the freshest of seafood, dessert, and gluten-free offerings. The lobster roll is a perfect choice for a quick bite.

Hours: Mon-Thurs: 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Fri-Sat: 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. Sun: 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. | Phone: 610-265-5566 | www.legalseafoods.com

Molly Maguire’s Irish Restaurant and Pub

$ $

197 Bridge Street, Phoenixville

One of the finest authentic Irish pubs in the Philadelphia area, Molly Maguire’s offers exceptional Irish cuisine, tempting desserts, a full bar with craft beers, daily happy hour specials, and live entertainment. Traditional menu items include steak and Guinness pie, Irish stew, and bangers and mash. Their menu also showcases an artisan sandwich for everyone, from their burgers to their crab melts. Don’t forget to try their Irish soda bread pudding with an Irish coffee for dessert.

Hours: Mon-Sun: 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 a.m. | Phone: 610-933-9550 | www.mollymaguiresphoenixville.com 32 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ March 2012

Price Range: $

Under $10

$ $

$10-$20

$ $ $

$20-$30

$ $ $ $

$30 and up

California Pizza Kitchen

$ $

470 Mall Boulevard

Editor’s Choice

As the name of the restaurant suggests, pizza is the specialty of the house. Over 30 different types of designer pizzas are listed on their menu, and you can also make your own. The most popular is the barbecue chicken pizza, but the variety ranges from pear and gorgonzola to California club to basic pepperoni. Additionally, California Pizza Kitchen offers a variety of fresh pastas, salads, soups, and sandwiches, as well as a gluten-free menu.

Hours: Mon-Sat: 11:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. Sun: 11:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. | Phone: 610-337-1500 | www.cpk.com

The Cheesecake Factory

$-$ $

640 W. Dekalb Pike

The Cheesecake Factory is famous for its generous portions of over 200 menu items made from scratch daily.

Their vast menu offers something for everyone, from soup and sandwiches to fresh fish, steak, and pasta.

However, they also offer 50 varieties of cheesecake and other desserts, so make sure to leave room for dessert.

Hours: Mon-Thurs: 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. Fri-Sat: 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 a.m. Sun: 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. | Phone: 610-337-2200 | www.thecheesecakefactory.com

Seasons 52

$ $-$ $ $ 160 N. Gulph Road, Suite 101 Seasons 52 is a fresh grill and wine bar that invites you to focus on a seasonally inspired menu based on the appeal of a farmer’s market. Natural cooking techniques such as wood-fire grilling, brick-oven cooking, and caramelizing vegetables are employed to bring out the best flavors, and nothing on the menu is over 475 calories. Enjoy sophisticated and organic soups, flatbreads, salads, sandwiches, and a range of main dishes without guilt.

Ruth’s Chris Steak House

$ $ $

220 N. Gulph Road

For a prime steak in a warm, comfortable atmosphere, try Ruth’s Chris Steak House.

Feast on traditional steak house fare, such as filets, ribeyes, T-bones, and lobster. For something lighter, their happy hour is from 4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. and includes a half-priced bar menu and drink specials.

Hours: Mon-Thurs: 4:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Fri-Sat: 4:30 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. Sun: 4:00 p.m.

– 9:00 p.m. | Phone: 610-992-1818 | www.ruthschris.com

Hours: Lunch: Mon-Thurs: 11:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Dinner: Mon-Thurs: 4:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Fri-Sat: 11:30 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. Sun: 11:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. | Phone: 610-992-1152 | www.seasons52.com

Sullivan’s Steakhouse

$ $ $-$ $ $ $

700 W. Dekalb Pike This vibrant American steak house features fine steaks, seafood, hand-shaken martinis, and live music. Steaks are aged a minimum of 28 days, and the seafood, which includes ahi tuna and Australian lobster tails, is of the highest quality. An extensive menu of salads, starters, and sides complements the main dish, and don’t forget the house-made desserts.

Editor’s Choice

Hours: Lunch Tues-Fri: 11:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Dinner Tues-Sat: 5:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m. Sun-Mon: 3:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. | Phone: 610-878-9025 | www.sullivansteakhouse.com

Kabuki Japanese

$-$ $

180 E. Dekalb Pike Rice-papered windows and a sushi bar add to the charm of Kabuki, which ranks as the area’s top stop for Japanese food. The menu features not only sushi rolls but tofu, tempura, sashimi, and a smoked salmon sushi. For dessert, indulge with red bean ice cream.

Hours: Mon-Fri: Lunch 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Dinner: 4:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Sat: 11:30 a.m. – 11:00 p.m. Sun: 12:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. | Phone: 610-878-9203

Rock Bottom Brewery

$-$ $

1001 King of Prussia Plaza

For lively and casual dining with fresh, handcrafted beers brewed on its premises, visit Rock Bottom Brewery. The menu features traditional American pub food such as starters, salads, burgers, pizzas, wraps, chicken, and steaks. As for the beer, half a dozen unique brews are available, from lagers to IPAs to dark beers.

Hours: Sun-Thurs: 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Fri-Sat: 11:00 a.m. – 10:30 p.m. | Phone: 610-230-2739 | www.rockbottom.com March 2012 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 33

>

Stripes

What Would You Do? < by Ken Shuman month you get to be the tournament official. I’m goT his ing to present situations dealing with several issues, some of which are not directly involved with the play on the table, and ask what you would do if you had to make a decision. Following each situation will be the existing rule(s) and their source. Cover up that section before reading the situation, and then you can compare your decision to the actual rule.

What would you do if: 1.

Player A wants you to clean the balls during the match.

Once your match begins, you accept all provided equipment as standard and legal. After a match has begun, only a referee or event official may declare the equipment defective or unsuitable for play (BCAPL rule 1.2).

After the tournament or a particular match has been started, the player has no right to question the quality or legality of any equipment provided by the tournament organizer unless supported by the referee or the tournament director (WSR page 25, “acceptance of equipment”).

2.

Player A says Player B has taken an unauthorized second time-out.

If you leave the playing area when not authorized to do so, you will forfeit one game for every two-minute period you fail to return to the match. The two-minute period begins once a referee has determined you are not present when you should be (BCAPL rule 1.11).

’

Should a player leave the playing area without the permission of the referee, it will be treated like unsportsmanlike conduct (WSR page 28, “remaining in player’s chair”).

This month you get to be the tournament official.

3.

Player A wants you to put Player B on a shot clock.

You may call a referee if you believe your opponent is deliberately or consistently playing at an abnormally slow pace. If, after a reasonable period of observation, the referee judges that slow play is occurring, they will warn the offending player(s). After the warning, if the referee judges that the pace of play remains abnormally slow they will place the match on a 45-second shot clock (BCAPL rule 1.16.3).

A shot clock may be requested at anytime during a match by a tournament official or either player involved in that match. The tournament director or other appointed official decides whether to use a shot clock or not (WSR page 27, “shot clock”).

4.

Player A says his opponent did not call his shot as required.

If you are not certain what shot your opponent is attempting, it is your responsibility to ask. You must ask before your opponent is down on the shot. With the exception of shots defined as not obvious, if you do not ask and a dispute arises as to whether the shot was obvious, the referee is the sole judge. If you do not call a shot defined as not obvious and you pocket any ball such a shot,

34 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ March 2012

your inning ends and the incoming player must accept the table in position (BCAPL rules 1.17.2 and 1.17.6).

5. Player A asks you to check the legality of his opponent’s break cue, and after examination you determine it is illegal.

Your cues must meet BCAPL specifications. If no shot has been taken with the illegal cue, it is not a foul but the cue must be removed from play. If the illegal cue was used, it is a foul and the cue must be removed from play (BCAPL rule 1.4 and Applied Ruling 1.4.2 pg. 70).

The equipment must meet existing WPA specifications. Using equipment inappropriately is penalized under unsportsmanlike conduct (WSR rules 1.3 and 6.16h).

6. Player A just won a game and tells you the match score should now be 6-5 in his favor. Player B says it should now be 5-5. The beads indicate 5-4 in Player B’s favor when you arrive at the table.

You won’t find any guidance in the rule books about scoring disputes. Gather as much information as you can from any sources you deem necessary to determine the correct score. If unable to confirm Player A’s claim, you must rely on the beads and proceed with the score 5-5.

7. Players A and B were scheduled to play their match at 3 p.m. It is now almost 3:30 and you discover neither player has shown up.

Sorry, no rule book will guide you when facing a double forfeit.

But help is available thanks to a procedure developed a few years ago by Ric Jones of Bad Boys Billiard Productions. Until someone comes up with a better method, this seems like the fairest and simplest way to resolve the problem:

The tournament director will flip a coin to determine the match winner. If the match was on the winner’s side, the player who won the flip will be advanced one round and will then forfeit their next match, sending them to the one-loss side. The player who lost the flip will go to the one-loss side immediately. If the match was on the one-loss side, the winner of the flip will be advanced one round and will then forfeit their next match, eliminating them from the event.

The loser of the flip is eliminated immediately.

If you have other thoughts on how to handle a double-forfeit situation, please e-mail me your suggestions. I hope you enjoyed putting on the stripes!

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

2012 American Mosconi Cup Ranking Announced

Having lost the last two Mosconi Cups, America will be looking to get back on track at the York Hall this December, and with that Matchroom Sport announces the selection criteria and qualifying events for the 2012 American team.

The American Mosconi Cup ranking will consist, currently, of five events, all taking place within the USA. In addition to the calendar of events, other tournaments currently in the planning stages may be added to the list, provided they carry the correct credentials.

Only players finishing in the last 32 of each event will be allocated points, and at the conclusion, after the 2012 U.S. Open, the top two players will automatically gain entry to the Mosconi Cup side. The remaining three players will be Matchroom Sport wildcard picks, although the rankings will play a part in this.

The Events 1. Turning Stone Classic Summer Event in Verona, NY, December 15-18 2. The Players Championship in Valley Forge, PA, March 8-11 3. U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship in Las Vegas, NV, May 14-19 4. Turning Stone Classic Summer Event in Verona, NY, in August 5. The U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships in Virginia Beach, VA, October 20-27

The Points Allocation

The points allocation for these will apply to players finishing in the top 32 or equivalent and will be the same as that used on the BCA points list.

The basis of this will be:

1st 140

2nd 120

3rd 100

4th 80

5/6th 70

7/8th 60

9/12th 50

13/16th 40

17/24th 35

25/32nd 30

Each event’s points allocation will be weighted based on the field (+/- 64 players), the prize fund (+/- $50,000 to $100,000) and the number of players participating in the current top 20 of the BCA points list (+/- 12-16 players).

Billiard Cloth Manufacturer Returns to UK Ownership

Twenty years after it was bought by U.S.-based Milliken and Company, the Stroud textile business Milliken Woollen Speciality Products has returned to British ownership.

The business has been christened WSP Textiles Ltd., with three senior members of the management team joining a new board of directors.

The acquisition was arranged by Vespa Capital LLP, a private equity firm that helps management teams acquire and develop the businesses they manage.

Commenting on the investment in WSP Textiles, Nigel Hammond of Vespa Capital said, “We are delighted to be investing in a world-class, UK-based manufacturer and look forward to supporting the management team in delivering 36 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ March 2012

their investment plans. We believe the number of people playing tennis, billiards, and snooker will increase around the world, particularly in Asia, and this will underpin the company’s growth prospects.”

The original company has made cloth since the 13th century and the WSP acronym recognises the founding mill owners, Winterbotham, Strachan, and Playne.

Today the Strachan brand dominates the snooker market. Playne’s tennis ball cloth can be found on Dunlop, Wilson, Head, and Babolat tennis balls used at many tournaments, including Wimbledon and the French Open. SuperPro tournament billiard cloth has used in major tours and tournaments all over the world, including the Seminole Pro Tour in the USA and the German National Championships. It is also endorsed by world champion players such as Daryl Peach and John Schmidt.

WSP Textiles is re-branding the tournament-quality pool table cloth Strachan SuperPro, and it continues to be available in a range of eight colors.

Charlotte-based Sterling Gaming has the distribution rights for SuperPro, a nap-free worsted billiard cloth manufactured for the American pool market.

Commenting on the acquisition, Scott Taylor, Sterling’s president, said, “We have been given the good news that the new owners plan to invest in their UK operations, where billiard cloth has been made for several centuries.

“SuperPro offers pool players responsive ball-control characteristics, plus the Spillguard treatment, which protects the cloth from liquid spills and stains, and quality and continuity of supply has been assured by the new owners.”

Billiard Education Foundation Scholarship Opportunities for High School Seniors

The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) is now accepting applications for the 2012 scholarship awards. The objective of the BEF Academic Scholarship Program is to grant scholarships to high school seniors who have benefited from the sport of billiards and are pursuing a college education.

The BEF Academic Scholarship Program is divided into two categories: Excellence in Education scholarship (a single $2,000 award) and Aiming for Higher Education scholarships (three individual scholarships at $1,000 each). Each applicant will be considered in both categories; only one completed application is required and must be postmarked no later than Monday, April 2. Applications can be downloaded at the BEF website: www.BilliardEducation.org.

Students must adhere to the following scholarship criteria: 1. Hold a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA (on a 4.0 scale).

2. Have an ACT score of at least 23 or SAT combined score (critical reading + math) of 1050 or higher.

3. Submit a 500- to 1000-word essay on how billiards has been an integral part of their life.

4. Be accepted to an accredited undergraduate academic program by June 1.

5. Attend an accredited undergraduate institution and carry at least 12 hours per semester.

The final application must also include a letter from the applicant outlining academic achievements, leadership and/or community service work, a description of the applicant’s background and career objectives, and personal and professional (academic) goals. Applicants must also submit an official high school transcript and SAT/ACT scores.

The Billiard Education Foundation has awarded over $200,000 in scholarships since 1993. Said BEF Executive Director Laura Smith, “The BEF is proud to help young adults who have benefitted from billiards to offset their education expenses and become our future leaders.”

> Scott Johns

S

cott Johns from Atlantic Beach, FL, is a Navy Hospital Corpsman. His basic training took place in the Great Lakes. Shortly after graduation, Scott moved across the street for Hospital Corps School, where he learned the basics of medical training. This training took about nine months to complete. He then spent the next eight months of training in Camp Lejeune, NC. Scott was then stationed in Blount Island Command in Jacksonville, FL, and recently reached the end of his tour there and moved to Beaufort, SC.

Scott has been an APA member on and off for about seven years.

While playing in the APA, he met several other military members. He’s currently a skill level 7 in 8-ball and a skill level 6 in 9-ball. “I was introduced to APA at Bankshot Billiards in Ocala, Florida,” Johns said. “I was invited to join a team after playing in a nine-ball tournament there.”

Scott has not yet been deployed. He reached deployable status in November, but he already has plenty of experience playing on military pool tables.

“What I most enjoy about APA is the competition. I love a good challenge,” explained Johns. “I think that the ranking system allows all levels of players to have a truly enjoyable experience. It is fair and allows for the development of skills.”

38 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ March 2012

> >>

Regional Roundup Brothers Busts Mezz Finale Mezz Pro-Am Tour / Drexel Hill, PA

by InsidePOOL Staff

Josh Brothers wreaked revenge on Pam Cimarelli in the finals of the Mezz Pro-Am Tour’s season finale to take Bob Maidhof, Pam Cimarelli, Matt Krah, top honors and the Josh Brothers $1,750 first-place prize. The event was held at Drexeline Billiards in Drexel Hill, PA, January 14-15, where a strong field of 55 came out to play.

Brothers led the top half of the bracket, scoring victories over Mark Stewart 8-4, Chris Riley 8-2, Matt Krah 8-6, and Eddie Abraham 8-3. Cimarelli took charge of the bottom half, with wins over Rob Humski 8-0, Desiree Rivera 8-0, Derek Schwager 8-3, Joey Testa 8-7, and Rob Hart 8-4. The two collided in the hot seat match, which went back and forth until finally Cimarelli came away with a hill-hill victory.

Krah awaited Brothers on the one-loss side, having just sent Bob Maidhof home in fourth place. But their semifinal bout was one-sided, as Brothers Results: emerged the 7-3 victor.

1st Josh Brothers $1,750 In the double-elimina2nd Pam Cimarelli $1,000 tion final match, Broth3rd Matt Krah $350 ers had to best Cimarelli 4th Bob Maidhof $250 twice to take the title. He 5th Rob Hart $150 pulled off an 8-5 win in

Eddie Abraham the first set, and it was all 7th Michael Wong $100 Brothers again in the sec Joey Testa ond as he easily won 8-2 9th Adam Kielar $70 to take the Mezz Pro-Am

Shaun Wilkie championship.

Tim Murray

Angelo Inness

Palone Mangles Mackin on Tri-State Tour Tri-State Tour / Staten Island, NY

by InsidePOOL Staff

Joe Palone enjoyed an undefeated run through the field at the Tri-State Tour’s January 28 stop to take the title over Randy Mackin in the finals. The $750-added stop attracted 41 A-D players to Port Richmond Billiards in Randy Mackin, Joe Palone, Rick Shellhouse Staten Island, NY.

Palone and Mackin first met in the hot seat match after wins over Rhio Anne Flores 7-2 and Tony Ignomirello 6-3, respectively.

40 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ March 2012

The winners’ side final match went double-hill, with Palone eking out a 7-6 victory and sending Mackin to the left side of the bracket.

Flores foundered on the one-loss side and was sent home in fifth place by Rajesh Vannala 7-4. Tying with her was Ignomirello, who was eliminated by Rick Shellhouse in a lopsided 6-1 match.

Shellhouse went on to play Vannala in the quarterfinal match, narrowly winning 8-6.

Eager to earn revenge over Palone in the finals, Mackin soundly defeated Shellhouse in the semis 6-2. In his second meeting with Palone, though, Mackin found it difficult to keep up, and Palone soon skated to the winner’s circle 7-3.

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

7th

Joe Palone Randy Mackin Rick Shellhouse Rajesh Vannala Rhio Anne Flores Tony Ignomirello Gary Murgia Ben Castaneros

$650 $440 $270 $160 $105 $80

Morris Victorious at Tri-State Tour Tri-State Tour / Brooklyn, NY

by InsidePOOL Staff

Vincent Morris scored an unblemished victory over Mel McCullen in the finals of the Tri-State Tour’s February 4 event, going through the field without a loss to claim first place. The $1,000-added tournament drew 41 C-D players to Gotham City Billiards in Brooklyn, NY.

Mel McCullen, Vincent Morris, Dennis Kennedy

McCullen and Morris matched up first in the winners’ side final four, where Morris dealt him his first loss 6-3. In the other winners’ side match, Dennis Kennedy eked out a hill-hill, 6-5 win over David Danchak. In the hot seat match, it was Morris who took the match over Kennedy 6-4.

Once on the west side of the chart, Danchak quickly fell to Randy Mackin 6-3, tying for fifth place with Meshak Daniel, who was ousted

by McCullen 7-3. However, Mackin soon followed after McCullen eliminated him in fourth place 7-4 in the quarterfinals.

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

7th

Vincent Morris Mel McCullen Dennis Kennedy Randy Mackin David Danchak Meshak Daniel Steve Wade Tyronnie Harlee

$635 $420 $260 $150 $100 $75

McCullen kept the stream alive in the semifinal match against Kennedy, trumping him 6-3 to earn another chance at Morris.

In the finals, though, Morris was the dominant force as he swept ahead to claim the match 6-3.

E 1 2 OR / F !

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> >>

Regional Roundup Ussery Undefeated on Great Southern Tour Great Southern Billiard Tour / Raleigh, NC

by InsidePOOL Staff

An undefeated B. J. Ussery won top honors at the January 14-15 stop of the Great Southern Billiard Tour, as he Shannon Daulton, B. J. Ussery, Dave Huffman, breezed through the Inky Huffman, Mike Fuller field to best Mike Fuller in the final match. The $1,500-added amateur 9-ball event drew 42 players to Brown’s Billiards in Raleigh, NC.

Ussery’s run wasn’t without its challenges, though. After sending Younger Chapman to the one-loss side 11-5, he went on to face Fuller, who had just bested Brad Shearer 11-5, for the first time in the event in the hot seat match. Their first meeting in the tournament went hillhill, with Ussery eking out the 11-10 win.

Once on the west side of the chart, Chapman and Shearer soon found themselves tied for fifth place courtesy of James Blackburn 7-8 and Brian White 11-6, respectively. White went on to topple Blackburn in the quarterfinal match 11-6 and advance to the semifinals.

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

7th

B. J. Ussery Mike Fuller Brian White James Blackburn Younger Chapman Brad Shearer Vernon Rogers Larry Kressel

$1,000 $500 $300 $200 $155 $90

In a narrow 11-9 decision, it was Fuller who won and earned a rematch with Ussery in the finals. It was another close call, but Fuller still could not get past Ussery, who took the title 11-9.

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

Duggan Digs Lucasi Victory Lucasi Hybrid Cues All-American Tour / Virginia Beach, VA

by InsidePOOL Staff

Joey Glover, Bill Duggan, Eric Moore

Bill Duggan managed an undefeated run through the field at the January 14 stop of the Lucasi Hybrid Cues AllAmerican Tour, eking out a 5-4 hill-hill thriller in the finals over Eric Moore. The stop was hosted by Inland Reef in Virginia Beach, VA, where the $1,000-added

9-ball scratch tournament on 7-foot Valley bar boxes drew 26 players.

On the A-side, Duggan bested Bill Mason 5-3, while Moore defeated Dave Perry. Duggan then took the hot seat with a 5-1 effort over Moore.

On the B-side, both Joe Hughes and Vern Steinke were relegated to seventh place by Ray Reyna 5-2 and Joey Glover 5-2, respectively.

Reyna and Mason were eliminated in the next round by Dave Perry 5-4 and Glover 5-4, respectively. Glover then ousted Perry at fourth place by a score of 5-4, Results: but Glover settled at third Bill Duggan $400 place in the next round 1st 2nd Eric Moore

$300 with a loss to Moore in the $175 B-side finals. The tourna- 3rd Joey Glover $75 ment finals almost went 4th Dave Perry 5th

Bill Mason

$50 two sets, but Duggan Ray Reyna hung on to victory by a $40 5-4 margin over Moore in 7th Joe Hughes

Vern Steinke the first set for the title.

Conway Jr. Fells Mitchelltree for Great Southern Title Great Southern Billiard Tour / Virginia Beach, VA

by InsidePOOL Staff

After suffering a first-round loss to Dwight Cherry 9-4, Mike Conway Jr. rallied to roar back and Mike Conway Jr., Shannon Daulton, John Mitchelltree win the next ten matches in a row to reach the finals against John Mitchelltree, whom he bested in the double-elimination final match. Conway Jr. joined 59 other players at Q-Master Billiards in Virginia Beach, VA, the weekend of February 4-5 for the $1,500-added amateur event.

Cherry went unchallenged through to the winners’ side final four, where Virginia State champ Chris Futrell knocked him to the one-loss side 11-7. Mitchelltree disposed of Cheryl Pritchard 9-5 and advanced to meet Futrell in the hot seat match, where he eked out a 9-10 victory.

Courtesy of Sandy Brown 42 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ March 2012

Making his move through the west side, Conway Jr. ran into Cherry and ousted him in fifth place 9-7. Justin Spires tied with Cherry after Pritchard eliminated him 6-6. But Pritchard fell to Conway Jr. in the next round 9-3, endResults: ing up in fourth place.

1st Mike Conway Jr. $1,000 2nd John Mitchelltree $600

Conway Jr.’s next vic3rd Chris Futrell $400 tim was Futrell after their 4th Cheryl Pritchard $300 semifinal match ended 5th Dwight Cherry $200 with Conway Jr. advanc Justin Squires ing 9-10. The double7th Dave Bollman $90 elimination final match

Jimmy Byrd against Mitchelltree was 9th Tim Colvin $50 an uphill battle, but Con Saul McClinton way Jr. met it head on,

John Hernandez winning the first set 9-2

Carey Dunn and the second 9-7.

<

Bowen and Deuel Take Poison Season Opener Poison Tour / Palm Harbor, FL

by InsidePOOL Staff

more, while Crosby took down Roberts to leave them in a fifth-place tie.

Jason Bowen and Corey Deuel outstroked the competition at the opening event of the Poison Tour’s 2012 season January 28. Stoker’s Billiards in Palm Harbor, FL, was the host Corey Deuel, Tania Del Rio, Mike Davis location, where the $1,000-added amateur event kicked off with 56 players.

In the quarterfinals, Crosby defeated Altes 6-1, but Davis ended the run for Crosby with a 6-3 win to $60 earn a revenge match with Deuel. The final was a tight affair, with both players trading racks, but Deuel came out on top with a 7-5 win and the first 10-ball title on the Poison Tour.

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

7th

Corey Deuel Mike Davis Tony Crosby Louis Altes Trevor Braymore James Roberts Jose Del Rio Jason Richko

$600 $400 $300 $180 $100

Room owner Jose Del Rio looked strong in the event as he made his way to the hot seat match with wins over table mechanic Wes Burden 7-4, Jeannie Seaver 7-5, Sascha Kauper 7-4, and Bowen 7-5. Mike Monosky notched scores over John Donnelly 7-5, Sherry Sandaler 7-5, Julio Del Pozo 7-4, Dan Whitten 7-2, and Art Seaman 7-5 to reach Del Rio. Monosky toughed it out for a 7-5 win.

Jason Richko, who had taken a 7-6 loss to Art Seaman, went on to win six Mike Monosky, Tony Crosby, Jason Bowen straight wins to before a hard-fought match against Bowen sent him home in fourth place. Bowen then took down Del Rio to reach the final and Monosky. There it was all Bowen, as he cruised through the set with a 7-2 win to set up a one-rack sudden death shoot-out. This is always a nervy affair, and this one was no different as Monosky ran the balls to the 6 and missed. Bowen held his nerve and ran the last four balls to take his first Poison Tour title.

The $1,000-added open changed to 10-ball this season and kicked off with a 32-man field. Deuel was the man to beat as he made his way to the hot seat with wins over Carrie Moxley 7-3, Richard Knight 7-5, Tim Parisian Amateur Results: 7-4, and Tony Crosby 7-1.

1st Jason Bowen $600 A hot seat victory over 2nd Mike Monosky $450 Mike Davis 7-5 put Deuel 3rd Jose Del Rio $350 in the king’s seat, while 4th

Jason Richko

$250 Davis went to the one5th Dan Whitten $140 loss side.

Art Seaman 7th Nick Applebee $80

On the west side,

Jon Souders Trevor Braymore ousted 9th Jeannie Sever $50 Jason Richko 5-2, and Del

Mike Destefano Rio was eliminated by

Dan Marchini James Roberts 5-0. Louis

Sascha Kauper Altes then bested Bray-

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3/10-11

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Myrtle Beach, SC

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3/17-18

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44 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ March 2012

> >>

Regional Roundup Rice Rocks Lucasi Tour Lucasi Hybrid Cues All-American Tour / Cedar Rapids, IA

by InsidePOOL Staff

Scott Hargens, Craig Rice

Craig Rice double-dipped Scott Hargens in the finals of the January 14 stop of the Lucasi Hybrid Cues All-American Tour, earning revenge to claim the title. The stop was hosted by 2nd Avenue Corner Pocket in Cedar Rapids, IA, where

the $500-added 9-ball handicapped tourney drew 20 players.

In the A-side semifinals, Hargens took down Rice 7-1, while Anthony Garcia clipped Scott Kitto 7-7. Hargens then took the hot seat over Garcia by a 7-5 margin.

Rice recovered from his loss to eliminate D.J. Wolrab 7-4, relegating Wolrab to fifth place, while Randy Tollefson upset Kitto 5-4, tying Kitto with Wolrab. Rice then clipped Tollefson at fourth place by a 7-4 score. Rice continued his hot hand with another hill-hill win over Garcia 7-6, eliminating Garcia Results: at third place. Rice then 1st Craig Rice $370 sought to avenge his earli2nd Scott Hargens $250 er loss to Hargens, and he 3rd Anthony Garcia $150 did so in a decisive man4th Randy Tollefson $100 ner, upending Hargens in 5th D.J. Wolrab $70 two 7-5 sets for the title.

Scott Kitto

Mooney, Pearce, and Kraber Capture Lone Star Wins Lone Star Billiards Tour / Temple, TX

by InsidePOOL Staff

Future Cues in Temple, TX, hosted the largest Lone Star Billiards Tour event to date February 4-5, drawing 133 players. Tom Mooney topped the 59 opendivision players, Jason Pearce defeated a field of 96 amateur players, and Jennifer Kraber bested the Tom Mooney, Joey Barnes other 23 ladies. In all, the event boasted almost $8,000 in prize money.

The open winners’ side final eight saw Joey Barnes defeat Chase Rudder 7-6, Brent Thomas oust David Henson 7-3, Tom Mooney best

Kevin Guimond 7-4, and Sam Martinez pass Travis Gunn 7-5. One more round passed and pitted Joey Barnes versus Mooney for the hot seat match.

At 6-5 in Mooney’s favor, Barnes missed a crucial 7 ball, and that sewed up the hot seat for Mooney.

The one-loss side saw Brian Hickman eliminate Guimond 7-4, Gunn best Corey Dordek 7-1, Rudder defeat Ronnie Felder 7-6, and Pearce oust

Jason Pearce

Henson 7-6. When the smoke cleared it was Thomas against Rudder in the quarterfinals. Thomas squeezed by Rudder to clench the oneloss side bracket but fell to a replenished Barnes in the semifinals.

Mooney made quick work of Barnes in the final match, capturing his first Lone Star Tour title.

Pearce captured the winners’ side of the amateur event over Steve Lindgren. Brent Thomas came on strong in the one-loss side, blasting through Jennifer Kraber, Kim Sanders, Open Results: Amber Stone 1st Tom Mooney $700 2nd

Joey Barnes

$440 Mooney, Brown, and Brent Thomas $275 Lindgren at the end. How- 3rd Chase Rudder $160 ever, Thomas fell short of 4th 5th

Travis Gunn

$100 Pearce in the final 5-2.

Sam Martinez

In the ladies’ division, Amber Stone defeated Kim Sanders 5-4, and Kraber bested Tabetha Lewis 5-0, pitting Stone against Kraber for the hot seat. One the one-loss side, Jenni Sherman defeated Anh Tran 4-1 but fell to Lewis 4-3. Also on the west side, Mary Gros defeated Monica Forest 4-2 but fell to Sanders 4-3. Sanders sewed up the one-loss side, ousting Lewis 4-3, while Kraber bested Stone for the hot seat 5-2. Sanders went on to eliminate Stone but fell to Kraber in the finals.

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

7th

9th

Jason Pearce Brent Thomas Steve Lindgren Eric Brown David Escobedo Tom Mooney James Smiser Ronnie Felder Brian Hickman Robert Hitchcock Conner Dennett Phil Sidari

$825 $545 $375 $275 $150 $100 $40

Ladies’ Results: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th

Jennifer Kraber Kim Sanders Amber Stone Tabetha Lewis

$300 $180 $95 $50

>Upcoming Central Tournaments 3/3

Lucasi Hybrid All-American Tour

2nd Avenue Corner Pocket

Cedar Rapids, IA

319-366-0979 $500

Amateurs

3/3-4 3/4

Lone Star Billiards Tour

Bogie’s Billiards and Games

Houston, TX

713-825-1411 $1,000

Open

Lucasi Hybrid All-American Tour

Tequila Bar

Columbus Junction, IA 319-461-6296 $1,000

Amateurs

3/8-11

BCAPL Midwest Regional Champs

Canterbury Park

Shakopee, MN

651-636-2022 $10,000

Members

3/10

Lucasi Hybrid All-American Tour

Legends Sports Bar

Clinton, IA

563-243-4266 $500

Amateurs

3/10-11 BCW Pechauer Tour

Master Z’s

Waukesha, WI

262-552-3615 $1,200

Open

3/17

Dale’s Weston Lanes

Wausau, WI

715-845-4129 $500

Amateurs

Miami, OK

Lucasi Hybrid All-American Tour

3/19-25 Oklahoma Black Gold BCAPL Champs Buffalo Run Casino

918-906-0839 $20,000

Members

3/22-25 Michigan State BCAPL Tournament

Soaring Eagle Casino and Resort Mount Pleasant, MI

517-663-5892 $5,500

Members

3/24

Sharky’s Billiards

Davenport, IA

563-359-7225 $500

Amateurs

Master Z’s

Waukesha, WI

262-552-3615 $700

A-C players

Lucasi Hybrid All-American Tour

3/24-25 BCW Pechauer Tour 46 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ March 2012

>Upcoming Northeast Tournaments 3/3

Tri-State Tour

Castle Billiards

East Rutherford, NJ

201-933-6007 $500

3/3-4

Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour

Snookers Billiards Bar and Grill

Providence, RI

401-351-7665 $2,500/$500 Open

A-D players

3/3-4

Predator Tour

Mr. Cue Billiards

Lindenhurst, NY

631-226-9486 $1,000

Open

3/8-11

Super Billiards Expo

Greater Philadelphia Expo Center

Oaks, PA

484-754-3976 TBA

Open

3/17-18 Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour

Trick Shot Billiards and Sports Pub

Clifton Park, NY

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

3/17-18 Predator Tour

Steinway Billiards

Astoria, NY

718-472-2124 $1,000

Open

3/17-18 PA State 9-Ball Championship Breakers Billiards and Lounge

Pittsburgh, PA

412-531-2250 $3,000

Top 30 excluded

3/18

Tri-State Tour

Gotham City Billiards

Brooklyn, NY

718-714-1002 $1,250

B-D players

3/24

Tri-State Tour

B-D players

Port Richmond Billiard Club

Staten Island, NY

718-727-0800 $750

3/24-25 Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour

Salt City Billiards

North Syracuse, NY

315-454-8643 $1,500/$500 Open

3/24-25 Predator Tour

Carom Café

Flushing, NY

718-358-5467 $1,000

3/31-4/1 Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour

Raxx Pool Room

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

4/1

Tri-State Tour

Carom Café Billiards

Flushing, NY

718-358-8585 $1,000

A-D players

4/7

Tri-State Tour

Castle Billiards

East Rutherford, NJ

201-933-6007 $500

A-D players

4/14

Tri-State Tour

A-D players

Open

Eastside Billiards

New York, NY

212-831-7665 $1,000

4/14-15 Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour

Golden Cue Billiards

Albany, NY

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

4/22

Tri-State Tour

Cue Bar

Bayside, NY

718-631-2646 $1,000

A-D players

4/28

Tri-State Tour

Gotham City Billiards

Brooklyn, NY

718-714-1002 $1,500

A-D players

>Upcoming Western Tournaments 3/3-4

Arizona Women’s Billiard Tour

BullShooters

Phoenix, AZ

602-441-2447

$300 + qual. Ladies

3/12-18

Western BCA Regional 8-Ball Tourn.

Chinook Winds Casino Resort

Lincoln City, OR

360-477-1867

$30,000

Members

3/24

Lucasi Hybrid All-American Tour

Greenfields Pool and Sports Bar Lakewood, CO

303-989-9820

$1,000

Amateurs

3/31-4/1 Western Women’s Charity Challenge

Rum Runner

Las Vegas, NV

602-312-8155

N/A

Ladies

4/13-15

Lucasi Hybrid All-American Tour

Nite Hawk

Portland, OR

503-285-7177

$1,500

Amateurs

4/14-15

Arizona Women’s Billiard Tour

Stinger’s Sports Bar

Glendale, AZ

623-937-9645

$300

Ladies

CUE LATHES & INLAY MACHINES Starting at $850. Also sold separately: 2 HR cue repair and building video - $50.

Point and inlay video - $50. Cue building book - $69.95. Lathe pins, concaved live centers, chucks, wrap motors, and other parts to convert your lathe for cue-making or repair. Tapered shaft and butt blanks.

WWW.CUESMITH.COM Phone: 770-684-7004 Ask for Chris, or write “Cue Man Billiards” 444 Flint Hill Road, Aragon, GA 30104

CUE LATHES Starting at $895 NEW ONLINE STORE NOW OPEN!

True Heart Billiards Cues 519-220-0298 www.Trueheartbilliardcues.ca STEVE WHETSTONE BCA – ACS – PBIA INSTRUCTOR TWO DAY INTENSIVE TRAINING www.bestpoolinstructor.com

The Cannon Break Cue

“Guaranteed To Improve your Break” or your money back Games, Inc. 55 Millville Avenue Hamilton, OH 45013 Dick Gahm (513) 484-8651

FACTORY DIRECT PRICING Repair Lathes - Tapering Machines Pantograph Inlay Machines CNC Machines – Lathe Accessories Leather Wrap Machines – UV Curing Booth UNIQUE PRODUCTS, INC. 3129 25th St. #215 Columbus, IN 47203 812-376-8887 www.uniqueinc.com NITTI CUES www.nitticues.com Original designs by K. F. Cues www.poolcues.com.tw

March 2012 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 47

cademy A The

Awards

See how much you know about the best films of 2011!

Across 2. Demian Bichir was nominated for Best Actor for his portrayal of an undocumented Mexican ____.

6. “The ____” was nominated for Best Picture and focuses on a star of silent films, which are coming to the end of their heyday.

7. Octavia Spencer’s spunky maid, ____, was famous for her pies in “The Help.”

8. This Best Picture nominee is about a young Parisian orphan who lives in a train station.

9. French actor Jean ____ earned a Best Actor nomination for his portrayal of silent film star George Valentin.

13. Redhead Jessica ____ was in seven movies in 2011 and was nominated for Best Supporting Actress for “The Help.”

14. Set in a Cuban nightclub, “____ and Rita” was nominated for Best Animated Feature Film.

15. As ____ Miller, Berenice Bejo plays a movie extra besotted with a silent film star.

17. This is the first Academy Award nomination for Gary ____, who is up for Best Actor.

20. “My Week With ____” showcases Michelle Williams as the legend- ary blonde actress.

21. Brad Pitt plays Oakland Athletics general manager Billy ____ in “Moneyball.”

23. Funny man Jack Black stars in the animated movie “Kung Fu ____ 2.”

24. Emma ____ convinces African- American maids to tell their stories in “The Help.”

25. Glenn ____ was nominated for Best Actress for her portrayal of an Irish waiter in “Albert Nobbs.”

27. Kenneth ____ took a break from Shakespeare to prefer a certain blonde bombshell.

28. In “Rango,” Johnny Depp plays a ____ stranded in the Mojave Desert.

29. ____ Davis steals the show in “The Help” as a maid who agrees to talk to a writer about her employers.

31. The rather controversial period piece “____,” set in Elizabethan times, was nominated for Best Costume.

Down 1. Woody Allen wrote and directed “____ in Paris,” starring Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams.

3. Max von Sydow’s character, The ____ , in “Extremely Loud” went with a young boy on a quest in The Big Apple.

4. For “The Adventures of ____,” famous composer John Williams earned his forty-seventh nomina- tion for Best Original Score.

5. Comedic actors are rarely nomi- nated, but ____ McCarthy earned her Best Supporting Actress nomination for her over-the-top performance in “Bridesmaids.”

8. “War ____” shows the horrors of World War I through the eyes of a cavalry animal.

9. “The Girl With the ____ Tattoo” was one of the films nominated for Best Cinematography.

10. ____ McTeer was nominated for her portrayal of painter Hubert Page in “Albert Nobbs.”

48 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ March 2012

11. Set in Hawaii, “The ____” revolves around a father who suddenly finds himself in the role of care giver to his two daughters.

12. ____ Mara first came to atten- tion in “The Social Network” as the girlfriend of Mark Zuckerberg.

13. As Matt King, George ____ plays a husband and father coping with newfound responsibilities.

16. In “Beginnings,” Christopher ____ plays a man who decides to live an openly gay life.

18. “The Tree of ___” focuses on a middle-aged man’s contemplat- ion of his own life.

19. Two movies nominated for Best Animated Feature Film revolve around felines: “Puss in Boots” and “A Cat in ____.”

21. Based on a true story, “Money ball” shows how statistics changed the Oakland A’s.

22. “Superbad” actor ____ Hill is up for Best Supporting Actor for his

role as assistant general manager in “Moneyball.”

26. Nick Nolte’s role as a recovering alcoholic in this movie earned him a Best Supporting Actor nomination.

30. Meryl Streep garnered her seven- teenth nomination with her leading role in “The ____ Lady.”

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