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November Contents
On the Cover: Matchroom Sport's PartyPoker.net World Cup of Pool brought together dynamic duos from all over the world to vie for the top prize of $60,000, but it was the Chinese team who took home the championship. Li He-wen and Fu Jianbo won this event in 2007 and were more than happy to reclaim their title this year.
n o i t c Instru
For the full story, please visit page 22.
a Stick h t i W k? ople ou Bac Beat Pe lding Y
10 Ho What ’s knology ricks ric 12 T ld Dog, New T O ut l Worko oment o o P o r 14 P taying in the M crets S Se of Pro r a e Y int he 16 T e Checkoff Po eard Th eB ard With Th g oc Haz n i D k n m a o r B f 18 Secret A Pool page 30
Features
k d a Cue Stic n a rt o p s s a 20 A P n ation: Japa n ti s e D p of Pool u C d rl o W s Win ears for Li 22 China Y r u o F in le nd Tit Seco u and F ide y Buying Gu a d li o H ’s IP how a S rd 26 a li il B ta ral Atlan 30 Inaugu Success
2 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ November 2010
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V y ol on T 6 Po rtiser Director ve onth M 8 Ad e h t ers oufnity.com y a l P m tion ardCom Founda iation 17 Billi d Education ssoc ar layers A lp o 25 Billi o P erican p 36 Am Roundu
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Columns
32 Stripes d Rules Misunderstoo ws 33 IP Revie g up Nes Dressin Speed App k a re B News 34 Industry Puzzle 41 Sudoku rd Puzzle 48 Crosswo
Publisher Advertising Sales Director JR Calvert Bill Perry publisher@insidepoolmag.com sales@insidepoolmag.com Editor Feature Photo Credits Sally P. Timko JR Calvert, Carina Altomonte, editor@insidepoolmag.com Jeff Smith, Kenichi Uchigaki Graphic Artist Laura Luzier art@insidepoolmag.com Editorial Assistant Lea Andrews Video Designer Alvin Nelson
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4 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ November 2010
Instruction Staff Johnny Archer, Freddy Bentivegna, Shannon Daulton, Bob Henning, Jason Lynch, Matt Sherman, Tom Simpson Contributing Writers Fred Agnir, Lea Andrews, Oscar Dominguez, Matt Jackson, Rob Johnson, Matt Sherman, Ken Shuman, Jerry Tarantola Administrative Offices PO Box 972 Kittanning, PA 16201
Statement of Ownership, Management & Circulation (Required by 39 U.S.C. 3685) 1. Title of publication: InsidePOOL Magazine. 2. Publication No. 1547-3511. 3. Date of filing: 09-30-10. 4. Issue frequency: Monthly except June and August. 5. Number of issues published annually: Ten times per year. 6. Annual subscription price: $19.99. 7. Complete mailing address of known office of publication: PO Box 972, Kittanning, PA, 16201. 8. Complete mailing address of headquarters or general business offices of publisher: PO Box 972, Kittanning, PA, 16201. 9. Full names and complete mailing address of publisher and editor: Publisher: Sherrill “JR” Calvert, PO Box 972, Kittanning, PA, 16201. Editor: Sally P. Timko, PO Box 972, Kittanning, PA, 16201. 10. Owner: Sherrill “JR” Calvert, PO Box 972, Kittanning, PA, 16201. 11. Known bondholders, mortgages and other security holders owning or holding one percent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages or other securities: None. 12. The purpose, function and nonprofit status of this organization (authorized to mail at special rates in accordance with Section 424.12 DMM only) and the exempt status for Federal income tax purposes has not changed during the preceding 12 months. 13. Publication name: InsidePOOL Magazine. 14. Issue date for circulation below: July/August 2010. 15a(1). Total number of copies net press run: 4,600, 5,000. 15b(1). Paid and/or requested circulation: 2,644, 2,654. 15b(2). Paid in-county subscriptions: 0, 0. 15b(3). Sales through dealers and mailed through the USPS: 1,917, 2,346. 15c. Total paid and/or requested circulation: 4,600, 5,000. 15d(1). Free distribution by mail (samples, complimentary, and other free): 0, 0. 15d(2). Free or nominal rate in-county copies included on PS Form 3541: 0. 15d(3). Free or nominal rate copies mailed at other classes through the USPS: 0. 15d(4). Free distribution outside the mail (carriers or other means): 0, 0. 15e. Total free distribution: 0, 0. 15f. Total distribution: 4,600, 5,000. 15g. Copies not distributed: 0, 0. 15h. Total: 4,600, 5,000. 15i. Percent paid and/or requested circulation: 100%, 100%. 16. Publication of statement of ownership, required: November 2010. 17. I certify that the statements made by me above are correct and complete. Sherrill “JR” Calvert, owner POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to: InsidePOOL Magazine PO Box 972 Kittanning, PA 16201 PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.
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8 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ October 2010
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Instruction What’s Holding You Back? supposed to want to get better. However, not W e’re everybody is willing to pay the price. Some players merely pay lip service to getting better. They read magazines, watch videos, bang balls around, play a lot of pool. They may even buy training aids or take lessons. All this stuff does little good, though, if you don’t actually change. Players come to pool school and we shoot video of them executing standard shots. After six hours of working through all the particulars of stroke, stance, grip, bridge, and alignment, we watch
“Players are afraid to
miss, afraid to lose, afraid to look stupid at the table.”
that first video. They are astonished at the flaws and weaknesses they now see. Whatever they were doing earlier had been gradually developed over however many years they’ve played. They’ve done it a zillion times, so to the player it feels normal, natural, and pretty good. Meanwhile, the new stuff makes perfect sense, but feels awkward and unnatural. It might take some time before they trust it. Months or years later, when I run into them, I ask about their game. Some have done the work and have made dramatic gains. Others have fallen back into their comfort zone, playing like they always have. They haven’t changed much, and neither have their results. What’s different? Why do some players zoom forward while others may play at the same level for thirty years? My answer is this: Some players really want to get better. They are clear that if they don’t change, they’ll keep getting the same results—and they’re not happy about those results. They accept that change requires commitment. To raise your game, you have to make smart changes and commit to implementing them fully. You have to believe it will be worth going through whatever it takes. You have to want it. Pool, as you know, is really hard, really precise, really frustrating. We probably wouldn’t play it if it was easy. We thrive on the challenge, the precision, the beauty—and maybe the agony. Players that radically improve their game have taken action. They’ve accepted the need to change, and they’ve embraced the process. Sometimes your game goes down for a while. Gotta suck it up and trust what you’ve committed to. Work through it. Earn it.
10 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ November 2010
< by Tom Simpson
Great players became great by continually evolving their game, accepting the difficulties of change and growth. Making your changes stick requires belief, desire, and vigilance. So what’s holding you back? Are you playing with dignity? Are you playing well enough that you’re okay with your game? Good for you. If not, well, what are you waiting for? Let’s buzz through some aspects of play that are good candidates for radical improvement: •
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Skills – We have an infinite number of pool skills to build. Precision draw, follow, pocketing, position, speed control, and on and on. Work on your weakest skills. Fix your worst thing and your game comes up. Form – Your accuracy, consistency, and stamina improve as your form improves. You can always improve your bridges, grip, stance, and stroke. Seek a good instructor and get a solid video analysis of what you’re doing and how you’re doing it, along with clear, sensible suggestions about what you should change and why. Knowledge – You don’t know what you don’t know. There is no end to pool knowledge. Clarify and deepen your understanding of strategy, position play, ball behavior. Read the best books. If possible, go to a real pool school. Experience – Put in time at the table, fully engaged. Compete. Play stronger players. Watch winners win. Practice – Yeah, real practice is a highly efficient use of your time. Drills are tough for a reason. I tell players that 15 minutes of serious practice is as valuable to them as 3 or 4 hours of play. Confidence – Confidence is the flip side of fear. Players are afraid to miss, afraid to lose, afraid to look stupid at the table. Gain confidence by actually doing some of the work described here. Fearful players carry tension in their body, and, of course, tension makes you play worse. Winning – To radically improve, you’ll have to step up your belief in yourself and your abilities. If you, in your heart of hearts, don’t believe you deserve to win, you often will find a way to lose. Selfsabotage is not a helpful skill.
Do the work and give yourself permission to play better. To get what you’ve never had, you must do what you’ve never done.
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.
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< by Jason Lynch
Old Dog, New Tricks
I was in Las Vegas for the Third Annual W hen APA Ultimate Trickshot tournament, I learned
some fresh shots and saw a few old favorites revisited. I have chosen to highlight three of the shots that my competitors used in matches that were new to me. X
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The third shot was shot by current world champion Jamey Gray. Place the balls as shown with each of the object balls approximately a ball plus a chalk cube away from each other. Hit the cue toward the opposite side pocket and then move all the balls out of the way with your cue stick as the cue ball rolls toward the other side pocket to pocket the 8 ball. 3
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Whether these shots are new tricks or old hat to you, I hope you enjoy practicing them!
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Freeze the cue ball to an object ball and freeze both balls to the rail at the second diamond as shown. Place a blocking ball as shown on the adjacent rail. Aim your cue stick to Point X and stroke through with a slow deliberate stroke. The object ball will bank off the foot rail into the moving cue ball, and the cue ball will cut it into the corner on the fly.
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The first is a shot from the winner of the tournament, Tim Chin. This shot was kind of a brain-buster for me at first. I saw Tim shoot this against Tom “Dr. Cue” Rossman, and I have to admit that I was perplexed. I worked on this shot for about 30 minutes before I was confident with it.
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Instruction
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The next shot is from fellow trick shot artist Joe Bonge. Normally, this type of shot would be shot with a level cue stick and draw to transfer follow to the object ball from the cue ball. Joe put a poker chip at Point X to make the shot more difficult. Aim directly at the two-ball cluster and hit the cue ball with half a tip of bottom english. You will need to elevate the back of your cue approximately 10 degrees. Hit the cue with a medium stroke, and be sure to be smooth on your follow-through. 3
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12 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ November 2010
Jason Lynch grew up playing pool in Michigan. In his early twenties he started playing in the VNEA and placed as high as 16th in 8-ball and 9-ball. In 2005, he won the Michigan VNEA speed pool contest. He has also pocketed 11,100 and 12,011 balls in 24 hours as fundraisers for the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. In 2007 he had his best finish to date, placing sixth at the Artistic Pool U.S. Open and winning the stroke category. Jason is ranked 14th in the world by the WPA. His sponsors are Shelti Pool Tables, Seybert’s Billiard Supply, McDermott Cue, and Leisure Elements. Visit his website at www.michigankid.com. 1
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Instruction
Staying in the Moment you go into a pool match you bring your W hen entire physical, mental, and emotional package
with you. Any issues that affect your ability to control your mind, emotions, and attitude come into the match with you. All of your desires and fears and unfinished actions are present with you at the table. You cannot escape them. You can suppress, repress, or deny them, but whatever belongs to you will end up at the table with you. You are stepping into the spotlight and the intensity of that light can drive things to the surface. And that’s the stuff that can take you out of the moment. The human mind is curious and focused on survival. It wants to look at everything, even though most of what happens during a pool game, both internally and externally, is a distraction to the actual act of shooting pool. Staying focused, staying centered, and staying in the game are all fundamentally acts of discipline. You have to be able to turn your attention away from other things if you want to play well.
“ You have to be able to turn
your attention away from other things if you want to play well.”
After all, playing pool is really quite simple. All you’re really doing is hitting a ball with the end of a stick. Anything that’s not directly related to that is a distraction. Any interaction with your opponent is a distraction. Any argument, upset, joke, or concern that captures your attention is irrelevant to the act of moving balls around on a table. Any thought about winning or losing is a distraction. Anything you do to handle the pressure of the moment is, in itself, a distraction. One of the ways a player can avoid the glare of the present moment is to hide behind his style. In this scenario he presents not himself, but a string of moves he has collected over time. This can include the mannerisms he uses to walk around the table, the way he sits in the chair and even the banter that rolls off his lips. There is such a thing as authentic style, of course, and all great players have discovered and show theirs—but not at the expense of substance. Real style comes from showing your true self. Fake style comes from hiding yourself. Real style shows because the player is present. Fake style shows because an audience is present and the player is performing. 14 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ November 2010
< by Bob Henning
Attention on technique is another way a player can protect himself from the pressure of the present. Instead of playing out on the edge, he moves back one tiny notch and plays the match by keeping his focus on technique. Instead of being there as he does what he does, he is there watching how he is doing it. He’s not exactly in the stands with the spectators, but he isn’t fully in the arena, either. He’s trying to redo something that worked before and that takes him out of the moment. You can learn to mentally and emotionally stay in the moment when the pressure of competition is encouraging you to turn away. Working on this ability requires the same type of dedication as working on position play or any other area of performance. You have to work on it on a regular basis. You have to put some attention on it every day for a specific amount of time and then do it again tomorrow. It’s like a nutritional program. The advantage doesn’t come from the vitamin pill you popped today; it comes from the ongoing conditioning built over a long span of time. You can learn to stay in the moment while at the table by focusing on the physical aspects of the game. Move your attention away from the mental and put it on the physical components of the shot process. Feel your bridge hand as it touches down on the cloth. Feel the weave of the cloth as your hand slides into position. Feel the cue stick as it slides through your fingers. Listen to the sound of the ball dropping into the pocket. One of the best things you can do is to train yourself to keep your shot selection as simple as possible. Refrain from trying, or even thinking about, low percentage or super-difficult shots. Don’t allow your attention to go there. Considering such shots has a tendency to push you into a mental mode and as soon as you start thinking too much you’re out of the moment. The very act of thinking includes projecting ideas into the future and comparing pictures from the past. If you overdo it, you can get stuck there.
Good luck and good shootin’!
Bob Henning Bob Henning is the author of The Pro Book, widely considered to be the most advanced training resource for competitive pool players. It brings the latest techniques of the top coaches and trainers of all sports into pool. It is intended for those who wish to prepare physically, mentally, and psychologically for pool competition. Bob is also the author of “The Pro Book Video Series,” a complete, on-the-table training system, and he also released The Advanced Pro Book and The Stroke Zone: The Pool Player’s Guide to Dead Stroke. In addition, he has authored Cornbread Red, a biography of the colorful Billy Burge.
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Instruction
< by Matt Sherman
The Checkoff Point a pro secret you can apply to any billiards H ere’s shot—zoned concentration. Consider Nick “The Kentucky Colonel” Varner, rightly named in 1992 to the BCA Hall of Fame. Nick holds eight world championship titles, including the one for 1989, the year he also won the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships, and he has won a total of 11 of 22 pro tour events he entered!
In straight pool, Nick has run over 330 balls in one inning, over three hours at the table without a miss, requiring peak, sustained concentration. In competition, Nick exhibits nervous excitement like the rest of us, but his stroke is both relaxed and keenly focused. When I asked him, Nick told me his key stroke thought: “My hand knows what to do, so I try to let it shoot on its own.” Distractions can impair performance, including conscious thought. Nick commits to his target, speed, and spin, then watches the results as his body takes over. Pro concentration revolves around the checkoff point, the transition between the end of shot planning and the beginning of body performance, after the last practice stroke to initiate the final stroke. There is keen awareness, yet the mind is calm. Yesterday I practiced stroking a cue stick away from the table. I could not say whether I pulled, pushed, or tossed the
“ This isn’t about chanting
‘Om’ or burning incense.
”
stick through its arc. It was a good stroke on its own, as natural to me as walking or breathing. When your checkoff point has that high of a trust level, jerked and mis-hit shots vanish. How do you know when you are checked off and ready to shoot? Listen to your body. Let it lead and you might be surprised as your body shoots while your mind is still planning the shot yet the balls sink in the pockets. At the checkoff point, past negative experience creates distracting self-talk when ideally there are no conscious instructions given, negative or positive. In the zone you might tune out for an entire rack, let alone one checkoff point.
16 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ November 2010
You can check off shots the pro way, and here’s how. Break a rack of balls open, then shoot watching your body play as if your mind is a casual observer. Do not consciously assume your stance, plan your stroke, or call to yourself angles, direction, speed, etc. Just play pool and silence both negative and positive self-talk. That exercise is just the warm-up, however. After a few “mindless” shots up to perhaps a full rack, return to your usual (good) routine. Consciously plan speed, stroke, and shape before you bend to shoot. Assume the stance and take practice strokes as normal. Relax your eyes on the target point for the cue ball, trusting that your hand and body might perhaps do something different from the shot you’ve consciously planned. If you still don’t start the final stroke, you might say to yourself, “Hand, do your thing!” Stroke then watch for results without judging them as good or bad. The more you trust this process, the more amazing your strategy and tactics become without conscious effort. Your body might adjust to change your grip or even your choice of english or spin. If you really let go on a conscious level at the checkoff point, you might even sink bank shots—when you weren’t planning bank shots! This isn’t about chanting “Om” or burning incense. The pool mind and experience that make even slop fall when you play strong can be honed to create strong play more often. Thus the famous pool expression, “The more I practice (the pro checkoff point) the luckier I get!” Next month, discover what quality vocal music, firefighting, and basketball have in common with great pool.
Matt Sherman Matt “Quick Draw” Sherman has appeared dozens of times in major print media and popular TV channels promoting billiards and entertainment. He has taught hundreds of students and has directed pool leagues, pool tournaments, pool fundraisers, and pool adult ed courses. Sherman directs the University of Florida’s leagues, which have produced six national champions, and is the Guide to Pool & Billiards at About.com, one of the world’s most popular websites. He is the author of Picture Yourself Shooting Pool, available at Amazon.com as a book/DVD combo and also as an electronic book.
Featured Member Q. When did you start playing pool?
A. I started playing pool competitively about three years ago. I would go to local tournaments and played all night for my $5 or $10 entry fee. Every time I went into a pool hall I had about 4 or 5 different guys trying to tell me how to shoot, and I was normally too stubborn to listen to them. Plus they would all tell me contradicting methods and I started to get aggravated. I met a guy named Brad Edwards who shot really well and knew how to teach me and not just tell me how to stroke a ball. He pointed out all the weak aspects of my game and told me if I wanted to get any better I’d have to change them. We still shoot together, and he still isn’t shy to give helpful criticism. I’ve also been lucky enough to live in an area where I can find pros like Tony Crosby, Mike Davis, and Donny Mills playing right up the street from my apartment. They’re always gracious enough to spread some words of pool wisdom.
Q. What is your favorite game?
A. Although I wish I had the patience and finesse to play one-pocket like a pro, I just don’t know enough of the moves. My favorite game to play is 9-ball. It just seems like the most objective of all the games I know how to play, and it requires almost perfect speed and position on every ball. If I don’t get favorable position or see that I can’t easily afford favorable position on my next ball, then I like to get creative in maneuvering the cue ball. If my creativity pays off, then great, but if it doesn’t, then at least I know what not to do. Either way I learn something new on nearly every shot.
Q. What do you like about BilliardCommunity.com?
A. Billiardcommunity.com is like the Facebook for pool players. It’s a really great way to network all things pool. I planned a trip to Gainesville, but before I went I found some people on Billiardcommunity.com from Gainesville to tell me where all the nice pool halls were. For somebody who loves pool as much as I do it’s definitely a great site to be a part of.
Heather Morvay
Send Heather a friend request today at BilliardCommunity.com.
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Instruction
A Pool Secret from Doc Hazard
< by Freddy Bentivegna
I was hanging around at the Congress Bowl W hen in North Miami in the ‘60s, there were a lot of
good players frequenting the place. One of the notables was a player from New York named Doc Hazard. He played straight pool exclusively, and he played it well. Very capable to run a hundred balls. Whether or not he was a doctor of anything medical was never confirmed, but he was definitely a doctor of pool science. He had all sorts of little gimmicks designed to help make a ball or get position. Most were too obtuse to try to explain here, but there was one thing he showed me that I thought had real merit. I couldn’t explain why it worked then, and I still can’t today, but for some reason or other it does seem to work. Try it out and see for yourself. It’s a solution to the pool problem of what do you do in order to get a maximum deflection off of the object ball when the shot is almost straight in? Doc’s solution was to “knuckle down or elbow up,” depending on which side you were cutting the ball to.
Elbow up
with a large magnifying glass. He was very good at it, too, and could pick out dead ones from almost anywhere. Danny, who was living in Florida then and had spent a lot of time around the Doc, ran into him in the Florida State Championship. Danny noticed that the Doc was using a gigantic magnifying glass in his matches, much larger than what he had been using at the Congress Bowl. When confronted by Danny and asked why he was using such a large piece, the Doc deadpanned, “Bigger match, bigger glass.” Knuckle down
This explanation is for right-handers only. Reverse everything for lefties. When you are cutting the ball slightly to the right, and you need to move the cue ball as much as possible off the face of the object ball (maximum carom), the key is to make a bridge with the third finger “knuckled down” into the palm of your left hand. Hard stroke, center ball, of course. When the cut is favored to the left, to achieve the desired result, make a normal bridge but turn the left elbow over and point it “up” as much as possible. Hard stroke, center ball. The Doc was a very eccentric guy, and Danny DiLiberto has a couple of amusing stories he likes to tell about him. He had a habit of inspecting the rack for kisses and combinations 18 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ November 2010
Doc was also an extremely slow player. Aggravatingly slow, and when the Old Doc passed on to the Big Poolroom in the Sky, Danny related the Doc’s demise to one of the Doc’s old opponents, Richie Florence. When Danny told Richie that the Doc was officially gone, Richie remarked, “Yeah? How long did it take?”
Freddy Bentivegna Chicago-born Freddy “The Beard” Bentivegna has been in the mainstream and the underbelly of pool for over 50 years. In 2005 Freddy was elected on the first ballot into the Bank Pool Hall of Fame. He has written two books and two popular DVDs on his specialty, bank pool. He is widely regarded as one of the premier experts on the game and science of banks.
TM
Play Play Video Video
WARNING:
XF
Xtremely Fun
The new Power Cue may cause addictive behavior due to the sensation of XTREME FUN during use.
www.pneupowercues.com
&
A Passport A Cue Stick Destination: Japan A
t the 2010 U.S. Open 10-Ball Championships I ran into an old friend who frequented the Los Angeles area and was a longtime friend of my dad’s—Kenichi Uchigaki of Tokyo, Japan. As we chatted and caught up with our friend, he offered the idea of us visiting his country and doing a “challenge match” tour the next time we went to Asia. We left it at that for the time being, as we had no immediate plans to visit Asia.
A few months later, though, my dad and I were invited to the China Open. Realizing we would be in Asia, we communicated with Kenichi about the idea of going to Japan first and following up with his challenge match plan. Kenichi loved it, and in no time he began working on it. The trip was scheduled so we could play two tournaments in Japan at the same time to maximize our pool playing and opportunities to make money. From calling poolrooms and setting up scheduled matches to promoting the road trip on his website (prochoicepool.com), Kenichi went above and beyond in preparation for the arrival of my dad and me. The trip lasted 12 days. We started in Tokyo and moved east, towards the location of the Hokuriku Open, a major event in Kanazawa, Japan. On September 1 we left LAX for Narita International Airport in Tokyo, excited and hopeful for a new adventure. When we arrived into Tokyo the next day, Kenichi met us at the airport, from where we took several trains and buses to his home in the Shibuya district of Tokyo. The Shibuya area is famous in Japan as the fashion district of Tokyo. Here you can find women in all the latest trends and fashions, a completely new experience in itself. Once we arrived at his beautiful and peaceful home, he asked what we wanted to do. Immediately we agreed to start our “challenge matches” early. And so the journey began … Our very first hour in Japan, we went to the poolroom where Kenichi had made phone calls announcing to several pros in the area we were coming. The people welcomed us with open arms and were extremely polite and excellent hosts. After playing several matches we noticed a trend among the Japanese players that was unknown to me before. Win or lose, the players bow to each other as a sign of respect. The pride and respect they show for each other and the game was something that really impressed me. Overall, the players from the start showed us nothing but class, and it was a great honor to be able to compete with them. On the second and third days of our twelve-day journey, we played a fairly large local event called the Kanto Open in Tokyo; however, there was nothing local about it. The competition was filled with world-class professionals. Che Wei Fu, Li Lo Wen, Ramil Gallego, Antonio Lining, Naoyuki Oi, and Kunihiko Takahashi were just some of the heavy hitters in the event. This single-elimination 10-ball event was a 10,000 YEN (approximately $122 USD) entry with a $3,000 USD first prize that eventually went to the winner, Ramil Gallego. The tournaments in Japan are run very professionally with a strict vest, tie/bowtie, and dress pants dress code. The players are in Japanese events are treated with much respect, and it was a nice touch of professionalism for the dress code to be enforced. After a 9th-place finish for my 20 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ November 2010
The Dominguez Duo Take a Trip to Asia by Oscar Dominguez photos courtesy Kenichi Uchigaki
dad and 25th-place finish for me, we chalked the event up to experience and continued on with our Japan tour. From September 5-9, we did scheduled “challenge matches.” Basically, we had three options for competitors to select from: a race to 5 for 3000 Yen, race to 7 in 9-ball for 5000 Yen, or a race to 7 in 10-ball for 10,000 Yen. We traveled from poolroom to poolroom from Tokyo to Niigata to Kanazawa. After going to poolrooms all over Japan, we saw many great players. The dedication and talent they put into the game is impressive. Eventually our journey led us to the final stop of our Japan tour to the Hokuriku Open in Kanazawa Japan September 11-12. The Hokuriku Open is a major Asian pool tournament that brings out some of Asia’s best. The 270-player field was played in four different poolrooms, with each room playing down to four players for the final round of sixteen. My father Ernesto made a great run to end up in fifth place. My tournament ended in 17th as an 18-year-old pro from Osaka beat me in a hill-hill match. Again, the Japanese ran a very smooth and professional event, and it was a very enjoyable experience nonetheless. From taking the bullet trains to buses to trains and subways, we traveled extensively with our good friend and tour guide Kenichi Uchigaki. He took us to all the best local eateries, and we had Japanese cuisine as locals experience it—which was, by the way, amazing! Most importantly, Kenichi taught us the way of Japanese life. We met old and new friends who welcomed this father-and-son duo with open arms. I am so grateful to Kenichi and all our friends who made this opportunity possible and gave my dad and me an unforgettable experience.
November 2010 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 21
s in
C
hina, represented by Fu Jianbo and Li Hewen, won their second PartyPoker.net World Cup of Pool crown September 12 as they dismantled the Philippines by a 10-5 scoreline and silenced a huge home crowd at the Robinsons Place Mall in Manila. It was the second time that the deadly Chinese duo have now lifted this prestigious crown—they defeated Finland in a hill-hill thriller in Rotterdam in 2007—and they never let up from the opening rack as the home team felt the pressure and never really got going. Over the week of the tournament, the sheer quality of their play throughout shone through, and in Fu Jianbo China has one of the most exciting players in the world. Li Hewen though is as reliable as any player, and to win the World Cup twice in four years cements their world-class credentials. “We are very happy with the victory, but we just got the luck we needed from the Philippines team,” said a reflective Fu Jianbo. “They made a few mistakes and we took advantage of that. The Philippines team literally gave us the match because they made a lot more mistakes than we did. It was very pressured, though, because it was a big proFilipino crowd.
22 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ November 2010
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The international event was held over the course of six days and featured teams from 31 different nations. Though a European pairing has never won the title yet, 15 teams tried, with 13 from Asia, 2 from North America, 1 from Australia, and 1 from the Middle East.
Defending Champs Ousted
Defending champions and hometown favourites Efren Reyes and Francisco Bustamante (Philippines A) were as shocked as their fans when they were eliminated in the second round by Indonesia 8-6. But for Ricky Yang and Mohammad Zulfikri, it was a great night as they went right into the lion’s den and performed well in front of an allFilipino crowd in excess of 2,000. “We played good at the beginning, but we missed a couple of positions and we could do nothing,” said a disappointed Bustamante. “They are good players, but we would expect to beat them easily, but as I said, we missed a couple of balls. Dennis and Roberto have a chance to win, and I hope they do as they’re the only Filipinos left.” That upset deposited Indonesia into the quarterfinals against China, who had just defeated the Italian team, composed of Bruno Muratore and Fabio Petroni, 8-5. As Bustamante predicted, Philippines B, comprising Orcollo and Gomez, went on to an easy 8-4 victory over Spain’s David Alcaide and Francisco Sanchez. Though champions in 2008, the American pairing of Johnny Archer and Rodney Morris were ousted in the second round by
Poland in a last-frame decider. Radoslaw Babica and Mariusz Skoneczny were the heroes as they blew a 7-4 lead against a determined USA but got the better of Morris and Archer in a magnificent final rack.
Chinese on Track for Title Number Two
Germany was still on course for their second consecutive PartyPoker.net World Cup of Pool final as they laboured to a 9-7 win over the French team of Francois Cottance and Stephan Cohen. Ralf Souquet and Oliver Ortmann started as overwhelming favourites against France following highly impressive wins over Hong Kong and Russia, but struggled throughout as the dogged Frenchmen stayed with them. In the end, though, they had a little bit too much going for them and could look forward to a semifinal match up against China. “Part of being a team is getting confidence from the other player,” Ortmann commented after the match, “and that’s what helped this time. Ralf helped me a lot and that’s why we won. We knew France would play better than yesterday—they couldn’t play worse. We were the favourites but we know both players from the Euro Tour. Everyone expected us to win and it’s tough to be the favourites.” Earlier, the Chinese duo looked the business in dismantling Ricky Yang and Mohammad Zulfikri of Indonesia. Zulfikri and Yang are both quality players but they were on the rack from the off as the Chinese put them under severe pressure. China went into a 3-0 lead and the writing was on the wall, but Indonesia fought hard and won the
next three to level the match. That was to be their last significant contribution to the contest, as China came with all sorts of shots to win the next six games and seal victory. “That was a great win for us, and we are feeling good about our game,” said Fu.
Earlier in the evening, Taiwan looked all business as they disposed of the plucky Polish pair of Babica and Skoneczny by 9-5. Trailing 3-0 and then 5-2, the Poles got back to 5-4 at one point, but the quality of the Taiwanese play was too much in the end.
Taiwan, represented by Chang Jung-lin and Ko Pin-yi, held off brave Poland for a deserved victory while Orcollo and Gomez set the 2,000-plus crowd on fire with a 9-1 win over Mika Immonen and Markus Juva of Finland. With assembled experts divided on who would win, it was the home nation’s remaining representatives who got off to a blistering 4-0 start. They broke and ran out the next three, making the game look easy. A couple more missed by Immonen sealed the deal for a 9-1 Philippines win, much to the delight of the crowd at the mall and many more watching around the country on Solar Sports. “We played a great game, and it was our best performance, but maybe we can play better tomorrow,” said Gomez after the match. “We have Taiwan tomorrow but for us we do not see who the opponent is. If we play the same as this then we can beat anybody and everybody but Taiwan are a really tough team.”
be epic battles that saw Teams China and Philippines B advance to the final match. Fu Jianbo and Li Hewendefeated Germany in an exciting encounter before Orcollo and Gomez blew the roof off the venue with a marvellous 9-8 win over the dangerous Taiwan. The Taiwanese pair of Chang Jung-lin and Ko Pin-yi looked very relaxed throughout the match as the hyped-up up Filipino pair fought to stay with them. It was always close, and at 8-all, Ko broke in the last and downed three balls. The lowest numbered ball, the blue 2 was available, but Chang, taking an eternity, missed the tough pot. The crowd went wild, and Orcollo started jumping up and down like a madman out of control. They managed to compose them-
China Edge Germany as Pinoys KO Taiwan Looming in Semi Show- Taiwan in Thriller down Both semifinal matches turned out to
November 2010 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 23
selves and with the massive crowd willing down every shot, they cleared the table to book a place in the final. “I have never been that nervous in my life, and my whole body was shaking’” said Orcollo. In the second semifinal, 9-7 was the scoreline for Fu Jianbo and Li Hewen, but full credit must to Souquet and Ortmann, who looked to be on the receiving end of a thumping but fought their way back into the match and had chances to win. After winning the opening rack, the Germans got the worse of the exchanges and the Chinese pair established a 6-1 lead in the race to nine encounter. But a dry break from China in the eighth rack gave Germany a chance, and within half an hour the Germans were all square and in the ascendancy. Li Hewen missed the 4 ball in the next, and Germany took the lead for the first time since the opener. Souquet and Ortmann had played outstanding stuff to get back in the game and they nearly made a golden break in the next to reach the hill. When Souquet missed a very tough pot on the 1 ball, China did the necessary to get to 7-7 and then ran out the next to reach the hill. The winning run out nearly broke down but Fu Jianbo, who must be one of the greatest shot-makers in the game, potted an outstanding 8 ball down the rail to seal it.
Team Philippines B Takes the Title
For the Philippines side of Orcollo and Gomez, the final match was an anticlimax
after their heroic 9-8 defeat of Taiwan in the semis, and perhaps they were mentally drained by their efforts. Either way, China took the opening rack to settle their nerves but the Philippines levelled it when their opponents made a mess of the 8 and 9 balls. Every Filipino pot and Chinese miss was greeted with deafening cheers. It’s hard to underestimate the pressure the players were under, and it showed in a shocking third rack as the four struggled to pot a ball between them as the crowd started to get agitated. Every single player missed shots they would normally have made. Gomez’s mistake, when he missed the 9 ball into the side pocket, was the most crucial, though, and Fu Jianbo downed the 9 ball for a 2-1 lead. The next rack went to China to increase their lead, and they took the next to go to 4-1, which silenced the huge home crowd. Orcollo made a huge error in the next when his attempt to snooker the Chinese fell woefully short. Fu Jianbo, normally the most reliable of potters, missed an easy 9 ball, but Gomez could only play a less-than-watertight safety and Li Hewen played a magnificent cut shot to give his side a 5-1 lead. The Philippines desperately needed a break to stop the runaway train, and they got it when Li scratched pushing out. They tried
“
for the three-foul rule, but Fu went off three rails for the great escape. Gomez left a poor snooker that Li potted with a kick shot, and it was soon 6-1. It soon became 7-1 as the dynamic Chinese pair ran out from the break. The Philippines finally got a shot at the 1 ball in the ninth as Li hashed up a 1-4 combo. Orcollo, though, missed a tough long cut on the 5 ball, and China took another rack. China reached the hill as a weak shot from Orcollo left an open table. Philippines finally won another rack to reduce arrears to 9-2, and they then broke and ran the next two to get the crowd going. It was all too much of a mountain, and though they got to five racks, it was the mighty Fu Jianbo who rolled home the final 9 ball of the tournament for Chinese glory. As well as the title, magnificent trophy, and gold medals, the duo also took the US $60,000 top prize. “It was a great performance from us, and playing with Fu gives us so much confidence,” said Li Hewen. “To win the World Cup again is an incredible experience and fantastic for Chinese pool, and we can’t wait to come back next year and try to defend our title,” he added.
To win the World Cup again is an incredible experience and fantastic for Chinese pool, and we can’t wait to come back next year and try to defend our title.
“
24 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ November 2010
Billiard EducationJunior Foundation Player Profile Name: Liz Lovely
Are you right- or left-handed? Right-handed
Hometown: Dayton, Ohio
Sponsors: Lucasi
Birthdate: January 2, 1992
Favorite band/music: The Black Keys, Jimi Hendrix, all kinds
Nickname: The Tiny Terror School: University of Cincinnati Grade: Freshman Favorite Subject in School: Science Started playing pool: Age 12 Titles: 2009 & 2010 BEF Junior National Champion, 19 and under girls’ division; 2006 BCA Junior National Champion,14 and under girls’ division; Three-time junior VNEA Champion Other notable awards: Points winner for WPBA Great Lakes Classic 2009, 2010 BEF “Aiming for Higher Education” Scholarship award recipient, 2009 & 2010 WPA World Junior 9-Ball Championships U.S. representative What kind of cue do you use? Lucasi
Hobbies: Pool, playing piano, video games, shopping, swimming Memorable pool moment: Winning my first junior event at the VNEA when I was 13 Favorite food: Burritos from Chipotle Mexican Grill Fictional hero: Harry Potter Real world hero: Bob Marley Fondest childhood memory: Going on vacations with my whole family to South Carolina Goals: I want to finish college and get my business degree. I want to take a few years off once I complete school and play pool on the tour. Eventually I want to open my own music shop in a city while continuing to play pool throughout my life in a competitive manner.
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Join now! www.BilliardEducation.org
Buying Guide 01 Simonis X-1™
Looking for something unique for the pool player on your holiday list? Then the new Simonis X-1™ cloth conditioner and chalk removal tool is for you! The X-1™ is the coolest thing to come onto the billiard scene in years and its patent-pending design is like nothing else. Keep your Simonis cloth playing truer longer with the Simonis X-1™! To order, please visit www.simonis-X1.com, or call 800-SIMONIS.
02
G-Core and I-Shafts
Give the gift of accuracy and performance this year! McDermott G-Core and I-Shafts fit all major joint styles and come standard on 2010 G-Series Cues. The perfect gift for any player looking to take their game to the next level. 2010 G-Core shafts come standard on 2010 McDermott G-Series cues with a retail price of $245-$690. I-2 Shaft comes standard on G-Series cues over $700. The G-Core shaft is available from only $149, and McDermott I-Shafts start at $249. For more information, please go to www.mcdermottcue.com, or call 800-666-2283.
03
Super Slippy Tip Tool
This multi-functioning tip tool features a tip trimmer, tip burnisher, tip dimpler, and two tip shapers for either a dime or nickel radius. Made from durable brass, the Super Slippy Tip Tool includes instructions for use. Its attractive design is complemented with a stylish leather case. To order, please contact CueSight at 800-660-2572, or visit www.cuesight.com.
04 PRO-X® Low-Deflection Shaft
Tiger Product’s low-deflection shaft offers you better spin, control, solid feel, and power. The standard for this shaft is a gradual taper, quarter-inch Juma® ferrule, and 11.75 millimeter Onyx-LTD® tip with red fiber backing. The suggested retail price is $249. For more information, please call Tiger Products toll free at 800-584-4375, ask your local dealer, or visit www.tigerproducts.com.
05 Ultra LD-X® Low-Deflection Shaft
The difference between Tiger Product’s original Ultra-X and the Ultra LD-X® is the front-end construction. The LD has balsa wood inside of it, making the front end much lighter, but the new Ultra LD-X® has more cue ball control, more spin with less squirt on extreme english. It still has the original ULTRA-X shaft solid feel and power. The standard for this shaft is a 15-inch pro taper, quarter-inch Saber-T® ferrule, and 12.75 millimeter Sniper tip with red fiber backing. The suggested retail price is $229. To order, please call Tiger Products at 800-584-4375, ask your local dealer, or visit www.tigerproducts.com.
26 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ November 2010
06
07 French Quarter Danny
This 314-page action-packed book is about a talented young pool player growing up in New Orleans’ French Quarter and includes dramatic, true-to-life events that take place during Hurricane Katrina. This fast-paced novel is a unique perspective of life on the Gulf Coast and is filled with colorful characters that will captivate your interest. To order, please contact Bebob Publishing at 888-33-BEBOB, or log onto w w w.bebobpublishing.com. Retail price is $19.95.
Cue-It-Up
Cue-It-Up is the perfect stocking stuffer. The original light-weight portable cue stick holder is available in red, black, blue, purple, pink, pearl white, and marble green. There is a reversible 8-ball design on one side that can switch to 9-ball with ease. Players can customize their cue holder with a choice of 12 cue-it-up skins. For ordering information, please log onto www.billiardbush.com.
08
09
THE LONDON BRIDGE
The London Bridge is a unique new product that enables pool players to play shots close to the side rail, over clusters of balls, catering for every shot variation that comes up during a game. The most significant feature of the London Bridge is the rubber grommet that allows a house cue to be inserted into it, giving extremely good rigidity while making shots. It is endorsed by world champions Allison Fisher and Daryl Peach, who stress that all players should carry their own London Bridge in their case so that they are not at the mercy of what is available hanging on the side of the table. For ordering information, please log
Billiard and Golf Game
Everyone who sees this wants to play it! The game is played by racking balls in a certain way, then keeping score by the number of "strokes" it takes to run the rack. Each "hole" is rated from par 3 to par 5. Up to four players can play at a time. The scoreboard is quite heavy and durable, weighing about 5 pounds. It measures a large 16 inches by 28 inches and is almost 1/2-inch thick. The dry-erase surface is simply wiped clean for the next game. "Billiard and Golf" comes with a white board marker and Velcro to attach the pen wherever is handy. To order, please contact CueSight at 800-660-2572, or log onto www.cuesight.com.
Ulti-Mate Cue Tip Tool
onto www.LondonBridgeBilliards.com.
10
Atlas Billiard Supplies’ Ulti-Mate Cue Tip Tool is five tools in one! Sharp metal teeth tap chalk into the cue tip and can be used to scuff a badly glazed cue tip. The shaper on the back shapes and scuffs the cue tip to a dime radius. The one on the front shapes and scuff the cue tip to a nickel radius. This tool also trims cue tip sides to within .01 inch of flush with the ferrule. It burnishes, hardens, and polishes cue tip sides exactly flush with the ferrule. To order, please call 800-CUESTIK, or log onto www.cuestik.com.
11 JC Cues
J&J America has just released a series of custom-made cues, the JC Cues. These cues are constructed of solid ebony, with 96 pieces of bone inlays on the forearm and cue butt (making a total of 114 inlays when counted with the joint protectors). Each cue features silver rings, a 3/8 by 11 big pin joint, two maple shafts, and custom-made joint protectors with matching inlays. The suggested retail price for these cues ranges from $400-$1,200. To order, please call J&J America at 562-229-9688, or log onto www.jjcue.com. November 2010 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 27
Buying Guide
12
Pool Player Excuses Towel
13
This whimsical towel gives your favorite pool player an easy out with six excuses for why that ball didn’t drop. Adorned with 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 $11.95, with 10% of the profits donated to the Humane Society. For ordering information, please visit www.poolplayerexcuses.com..
14 Vincitore Leather Cases
Prodigy Cue
These new Vincitore fashionable leather cases from J&J America feature high-quality materials. The exterior is made of genuine leather, and the interior tubes offer fine lining to protect the cues. The cases also have two large pouches, a jump cue pocket, carrying handles, and a shoulder strap with a pad for your convenience and comfort. These cases can hold either two butts and four shafts or three butts and six shafts. The suggested retail price ranges from $150$300. For ordering information, please call J&J America at 562-229-9688, or visit www.jjcue.com.
McDermott has the perfect gift for your up-and-coming pool prodigy: professional quality cues designed especially for children. These 32-inch, 42-inch, and 52-inch two-piece Prodigy cues are perfect for kids of all ages and heights. Prodigy cues start at $39.00 and are a great stocking-stuffer for any child showing an interest in billiards. For a great parent/child gift, McDermott also offers a 58-inch adult Prodigy cue with inlays that match the child's cue. Prodigy cues are also ideal for home owners with pool tables with stubborn obstacles in smaller rooms. The 32-inch cue comes with a free one by one Prodigy box case. For ordering information, please visit www.mcdermottcue.com/prodigy_kid_pool_cues.php, or call 800-666-2283.
15
16 Pneu Power Cue
Break Speed
Turn your cell phone into a break speed measuring device with this new app! Break Speed uses sound to determine how fast the cue ball is traveling on the break. Using the tip hit and rack hit sounds, the application is able to automatically calculate speed. Break Speed provides measurements to within a hundredth of a mile per hour, with results available in seconds. Break Speed is currently available for iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Mobile phones. Visit MyBreakSpeed.com or your phone’s app store for more information. 28 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ November 2010
Xtreme Billiards Gear, LLC, introduces the world's first pneumatically powered, point-and-shoot billiard cue. Throw away the rule book and create your own "Xtreme" cue sport games. These unique and collectible billiard cues are individually crafted from aircraft-grade aluminum and finished with a high-gloss, black anodizing process. Fully adjustable from break-shot power down to the finer, touch-shot power, the Pneu Power Cue adds an exciting new layer of fun to the world of cue sports. Gadget lovers on your list will thank you for years to come. The Pneu Power Cue is produced in very limited quantities and retails for $229. To order, please visit www.pneupowercues.com. Ask about deals on two or more.
17
The Stroke Groover
Another simple, inexpensive billiard training breakthrough from Master Instructor Tom Simpson. Practice the optimum pool stroke. Feel it clearly in your body. Groove your swing in minutes. Pool table not necessary. Watch a video demo at StrokeGroover.com. To order, please contact the National Billiard Academy, visit www.PoolClinics.com, or call 614-9758337.
Inaugural
Atlanta by Matt Sherman photos courtesy of Jeff Smith
D
Billiard
Show
a Success
awn Hopkins’ first Atlanta Billiard Show, held October 1-3 at Georgia’s Gwinett Center, was met with acclaim from vendors and players alike. This show was the first of its kind held in Atlanta, an ideal location that 85% of America’s population may reach in two and a half hours or less by airline. Vendors displayed their wares adjacent to a practice area, two amateur tournament arenas, and a complete pro tournament arena featuring gorgeous Diamond tables and extensive VIP and bleacher seating. The venue was quality, with the sparkling and sizable Gwinett Center easily absorbing the pool events and a major convention for radio host Dave Ramsey on the same weekend. Hotel stays in Atlanta can be costly, but the Duluth location on the city outskirts was superb. Organizer and promoter Dawn Hopkins secured deep discounts and a variety of attractive and economical lodging and dining options waited nearby. There was plenty of action for all levels of pool shooters and their family and friends who came to cheer their play. The Ultimate Trick Shot Tour held their Southeast Classic and ESPN filmed the WPBA Atlanta Classic (scheduled to air November 14). A who’s who of the best players and personalities jousted from Ewa Laurance and Allison Fisher to Jennifer Barretta, Vivian “The Texas Tornado” Villareal, Karen Corr, Ga Young Kim, Gerda Hofstatter, Kelly Fisher, and more.
On Sunday, Atlanta’s own Monica “The Assassin” Webb was the local favorite, going hill-hill before defeating Kim Shaw in a tense semifinal round, only to face hill-hill again, this time against Austria’s Jasmin Ouschan. The finals were also a nail-biter. Both players were nearly flawless, snapping in multiple balls off the break and running tables before Webb rattled the last 3 ball. Ouschan ran out then accepted her new Georgia peach-topped trophy, teary-eyed and exhausted following her recent tournament tour of Asia. A men’s open amateur event won by Nick Vita, a senior amateur taken by Billy Tyler, and a women’s amateur won by Shelly Harrison were held. Also, there were two junior events (Skyler Woodward and Nick Evans won the 18-and-under and 14-and-under divisions, respectively). A thrilling “Bobble Ball” tournament featured $3,000 in prize money from Olhausen Billiards and no entry fee, and 16 pros and 64 amateurs quickly signed on to play and to learn this new cue sport with Steve Lillis. InsidePOOL’s Jason Lynch placed high on the pro side, showing his mastery with unusual caroms and billiards, working the egg-shaped bobble ball between every other 9-ball shot taken. In the main hall, a range of exhibitors displayed some of their finest cue creations, pool gadgets, training aids, and table accessories. Players were put through their paces inside a CueTrack™ stroke trainer with inventors Tony Mattina and Randy Morris at the CueTrack booth, whose table doubled for performances throughout the weekend from the Gospel Trick Shot Show.
30 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ November 2010
Matt McPhail
Jasmin Ouchan
The quality of cue makers and vendors was high. Gorgeous and unique custom cues were displayed for sale, and legend Danny Janes was on hand to share from his more than 45 years of custom cue experience. Vendor sales were the most brisk opening night and again near the close of the event. Jason Lynch gave free trick and jump shot lessons before squaring off to laughter against Tony Mattina to play the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Double Shatter Shot.â&#x20AC;? Its premise is simple. Two brave players straddle opposite corner pockets and on the count of three fire two balls at top speed to collide at the tableâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s center spot. On a perfect stroke from both shooters, the balls rebound back into the corner pockets. But imperfect strokes can shatter lights above the table or the thumbs of the players! After several tries, more laughs and danger followed as Jason decided to surprise Tony by shooting on the count of 2 instead of 3! Many of the exhibitors expressed an eagerness to return to Georgia next year. Good attendance despite a lack of initial publicity was one reason why. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were so pleased to open the doors Friday night to a rush of enthusiastic players. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve actually had a larger turnout this weekend than we had anticipated,â&#x20AC;? said Hopkins. Her flair for organizing 17 past Super Billiards Expos helped ensure a good time for all attendees in Duluth. Hopkins ended the weekend with thanks to family and volunteers for their support and a moving on-camera dedication to her father who passed in September. She hopes to bring a second annual event to Atlanta next year. London Bridge Ad.pdf
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Stripes
Misunderstood Rules < by months ago the 2011 edition of Billiards: The OfS everal ficial Rules and Records Book was published by the Billiard Congress of America (BCA). If you were to ask today’s professional players to describe what rules they generally use, a majority of them would probably say they play according to BCA rules. So here we have our first example of how easily things can be misunderstood. The book itself is often misunderstood as to what it actually represents. There are no “BCA” rules! Their publication is simply the source for the world standardized rules of pool. By world standardized rules, we mean that the rules contained in this book are sanctioned by the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA), the world governing body of pool. The BCA is authorized to publish it because they are the North American representative of the WPA. Now that we have that cleared up, let’s go over a few of the world standardized rules that are still frequently misunderstood. In some of the text below, only part of the rule pertinent to our discussion will be quoted as necessary. These are from the 2011 edition. Rule 1.5, Cue Ball in Hand, states: “Players may use any part of the cue stick to move the cue ball, including the tip, but not with a forward stroke motion.” In other words, it is legal to use the side or edge of the tip to help position the cue ball. The restriction on forward stroke motion is only relevant to the tip’s contacting surface. Otherwise, it’s legal. Rule 3.2, Eight Ball Rack, requires “the apex ball be on the foot spot and the 8 ball as the first ball directly below the apex ball. One from each group of seven will be on the two lower corners of the triangle. The other balls are placed without purposeful or intentional pattern.” There is absolutely no requirement for the 1 ball to be the apex ball or for there to be an alternating solid/ stripe pattern of the other balls. But I’d bet that most 8-ball players still put the one in front and try to arrange the solids/stripes so they don’t have clusters in the triangle. Rules 2.3 (9 Ball) and 9.3 (10 Ball), Legal Break Shot. Both rules are identical and state: “(b) if no ball is pocketed, at least four object balls must be driven to one or more rails, or the shot is a foul.” There are no “do-overs” or options following an illegal break shot. The foul penalty is cue ball in hand anywhere for the opponent. It doesn’t matter if the cue ball never even hit the rack, because the game began when the cue ball was struck by the cue tip on the opening break shot. Rule 6.12, Cue Stick on the Table, states: “If the shooter uses his cue stick in order to align a shot by placing it on the table without having a hand on the cue stick, it is a foul.” The key words here are in order to align a shot. I can’t tell you how many times players attempt to call this foul when their opponent simply places their cue on the table to get a bridge or tie their shoe or something similar that has nothing to do with aligning a shot. It’s not a foul in those situations because it doesn’t violate the intent of the rule.
32 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ November 2010
Ken Shuman
Page 28, Instructions for Referees: Coaching. “It is permitted for a player to receive advice from a coach during a match. This should not be on a continuous shot-by-shot basis that changes the nature of the match. A time out can be used to get coaching help. The coach should not approach the table.” In 2007, rule 2.23 prohibited any form of outside assistance. The coaching rule was added in 2008, and the outside assistance provision was subsequently deleted. The Dead Rail. Okay, there really was never an official term called “dead rail,” but bear with me. This obsolete rule pertained only to playing a legal safety in straight pool and last appeared as rule 6.7(2) in the 2005 edition. It read: “When an object ball is not frozen to a cushion, but is within a ball’s width of a cushion, a player
“ There are no ‘do-overs’
or options following an illegal break shot.”
is permitted only two consecutive legal safeties on that ball using only the near rail. If such safety play is employed, that object ball is then considered frozen to the rail on the player’s next inning, and the frozen ball requirements apply if the player chooses to make the first cue ball contact with that object ball on the third shot.” Today, there are no limits in 14.1 on how many consecutive times you can play a legal safety on the same ball. I hope you have a better understanding now. But there should be no misunderstanding about my appreciation for your interest in “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.
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IP Reviews Dressing Up Nes by InsidePool Staff
Pool players share lots of loves—the sound of a ball hitting the back of a pocket, the feel of a perfect break, and, of course, ball in hand. And at the other end of the spectrum, there’s cheap chalk, the sound of a miscue, and actors pretending to be pool players. With Borana Andoni’s original short film, Dressing Up Nes, the pool community gets the rare opportunity to enjoy a bit of fiction that’s played out by actual players. Alongside up-and-comer Neslihan Gurel, Andoni co-stars as a version of herself, a confident, fashion-conscious New York City pool player. Former Turkish professional Gurel plays the newcomer to the scene, the girl who thinks she should be noticed for her game and not for her looks. The two women, who in reality are good friends, clash at the start of the film over their differing opinions about what it means to be a female player and decide to hash it out on the table, which is where anyone’s claim that the beauties are more looks than talent can be laid to rest. The title of the film lets you in on where the story is going, but here are a few things to look—and listen—for along the way. Much of the music, including the haunting melody playing the
Break Speed
Can Your Smartphone Really Measure Your Break Speed? A new smartphone app claims to be “better than a radar gun for under $5” at reporting break speeds—a bold claim considering that the radar gun has been the unwritten standard for pool players worldwide since, well, forever. As a pool player we’ve heard our share of bold claims, so we did what any red-blooded pool player would do—we took it to the tables. Break Speed uses sound to determine the speed of the break shot. According to the developer’s website: Speed calculation requires distance and time (hence, we say “55 miles per hour”). Break Speed calculates the distance automatically when you select your table and cue ball position. Time is calculated by listening to your break shot very carefully to find the exact moments in time where the cue tip hits the cue ball and where the cue ball hits the rack. They also claim that their automatic break recognition (similar to voice recognition) works with loud music and can differentiate your break from your neighbor’s.
backdrop to Gurel’s voice-over, was composed and performed by Andoni herself, who is an accomplished pianist. Producer Jim Murnak makes a cameo appearance as an inquiring mind at the end of the ladies’ match, and you can hear his voice belting out a bluesy tune while Gurel is alone at her apartment. And of course, there’s Turkish transplant Ma Cherie, Gurel’s golden retriever, who seems to be adjusting to life in the Big Apple just fine. Dressing Up Nes, released in September, is available for viewing at www.go4pool.com. important e-mails. The app and the radar gun reported very similar speeds, with the main difference being that Break Speed provides two places past the decimal point, while the radar gun provided whole numbers only. They were similar, except for one unfortunate player. His previous two were in the 22 MPH range, but his third attempt appeared like a much harder break. The radar gun registered a mere 17 MPH, leaving the player just standing there stunned, looking to the onlookers for support. We looked down at our phones, which reported the truth: 24.32 MPH. We took the app on the road to test the claims of loud music, hooting and hollering, and Break Speed performed as advertised— in some cases even better. Aside from one attempt at a table next to an ear-shattering live band, the app never failed to provide a proper speed. Even our attempts to capture speeds from 30 feet away appeared to produce valid results. Having nothing to compare against, we couldn’t put Break Speed’s accuracy claims to the test, so we went to the developers. It turns out that most phones are capable of recording audio at CDquality rates, which means that the time between audio samples (the time component of the speed calculations) is so small that it can’t even be measured in milliseconds. This results in speeds that are within only a few hundredths of a MPH.
Using the app starts by tapping the screen to start a countdown timer with plenty of time to break. At this point, you may commence pounding your cue ball into oblivion. When the dust settles, tap the screen again, and your speed will be reported with large bold text in your choice of MPH or KPH with options to break again or view your results. Special buttons allow you to brag about your efforts on Facebook and Twitter.
In the end, we must agree that Break Speed is a considerable step above a radar gun for studying your break, working out the kinks in your mechanics, and using the extra precision to improve your speed consistency when power isn’t what you’re looking for. We also like the portability aspect, allowing the user to capture speeds during competitive play. We do wish there was a feature to track the history of your breaks and maybe even a graph, but the developers have promised that this is in the works and is coming as soon as it is ready.
We took the app to a break speed competition where a radar gun was being employed to do some real-world comparisons. We quietly stood back, staring at our phones and pretending to read
Break Speed is available for iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Mobile devices and sells for $4.99 with free upgrades for life. November 2010 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 33
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SmartPhonesAreGettingIntotheGame (And they know how fast you break!)
A new application is available that turns a cell phone into a break speed measurement device. The application, named Break Speed, uses sound to determine how fast the cue ball is traveling on the break. The first step in using the application is to set the cue ball’s breaking position and to select the size of the pool table. Once set, a recorder is started and the application saves the audio of the break shot. Using the tip hit and rack hit sounds, the application is able to automatically calculate speed. Break Speed provides measurements to within a hundredth of a mile per hour. Results are available in seconds! The average pool player typically breaks around 17 miles per hour. Many professional players break at 24 mph or faster (anything over 20 mph is good). Maintaining a square hit on the rack, breaking faster generally results in a better spread and more balls pocketed on the break. Using the feedback from Break Speed, players can determine whether a slight adjustment in stance, grip, or stroke helps or hurts their break speed. Developing a killer break is a matter of figuring out what works best for each player, and Break Speed makes it simple to do. Break Speed is currently available for iPhone, Android, BlackBerry, and Windows Mobile phones. Visit MyBreakSpeed.com or your phone’s app store for more information.
Ozone Billiards Signs on as New Viking Tour Title Sponsor “The basic operations, format and added monies of the tour events will remain the same for the players. However, our room owners and sponsors will see added benefits as a result of this change,” stated Mike Janis, the tour’s founder. Janis added “The change in the title sponsorship will now allow us to give our sponsors increased advertising and sales opportunities, along with allowing us to be more flexible in the sponsors we accept, as we can now offer sponsorship to additional products and cue brands. The room owners will see reduced rates in tournament fees as a result of Ozone Billiards’ sponsorship.” Shawn Gargano, founder of Ozone Billiards, stated “We are excited to be the new title sponsor of these events. As a former co-sponsor of the tour we have experienced the benefits of being associated with the tour and were very happy with the advertising results we received. The Viking Cue 9-Ball Tour, now the Ozone Bil34 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ November 2010
liards Tour, has demonstrated that it is the one of the premier tours in the industry. We were pleased to be asked to be the new title sponsor. This title sponsorship helps reaffirm Ozone Billiards’ continued commitment to the sport of billiards and its many players. We are looking forward to a very exciting season.”
CSI Inks Deal with Mueller Recreational Products Two pool and billiard industry leaders, Mueller Recreational Products and CueSports International (CSI), are proud to announce they have inked an exclusive five-year deal to provide the best in cue sport products at the lowest possible prices to BCA Pool League and USA Pool League members and all CSI affiliates. A family-owned company based in Lincoln, NE, Mueller has a 55year history of providing a wide array of billiard and dart supplies worldwide. In the Mueller / CSI agreement, BCAPL and USAPL league members will be able to benefit by having the Mueller extensive catalogue of products offered at exclusive pricing. The CSI online member’s only store, Rackem’ Rewards, will be replaced and managed by the Mueller team. “We are excited to work with Mueller. They have a unique placement in the sport as they provide the largest and most complete list of billiard products in the industry. The volume of products Mueller sells ensures the best possible pricing for our membership,” said CSI CEO Mark Griffin.
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Billiard Congress of America Inks Deal with Coca-Cola The Billiard Congress of America (BCA) announced it has finalized an unprecedented national partnership with Coca-Cola that provides poolroom members of the association with national account pricing on the Coca-Cola family of products. In addition to preferred pricing, members of the Billiard Congress of America committing to exclusively pour Coca-Cola product receive free state-of-the-art equipment, national promotions, and business-building support. “We are thrilled that the recognized global leader in the beverage industry has committed to being the ‘Official Soft Drink of Billiards,’” said Billiard Congress of America CEO Rob Johnson. “A partnership with Coca-Cola enables the Billiard Congress of America to better fulfill our mission of ‘enhancing the success of our members and promoting the game of billiards.’ Poolroom operators will realize bottom-line savings and outstanding support and partnership from Coca-Cola, while the entire industry is going to benefit from Coca-Cola’s commitment to promoting the game of billiards.” “This is a very exciting opportunity for The Coca-Cola Company. Providing superior customer service, beverage category expertise, and leadership results will be our commitment to the poolroom operators and the billiard industry,” said Coca-Cola Enterprise Account Executive Ed Naudin. “Growing the entire beverage category and driving beverage profitability with relevant programming will be critical to our future and long-term success.” More Benefits Than Just Coca-Cola Other new membership benefits and direct savings available to BCA room operator members include a First Data merchant credit card discount program, Sysco Foodservices rebate program, and a website development and hosting service. First Data is offering BCA room operator members exceptional rates and service for credit card processing. At a rate of cost plus 5 cents, Billiard Congress of America members taking advantage of the program are directly improving their bottom line. “We have provided more than fifty analyses of merchant card statements from poolroom operators, and in every instance our First Data program provides more than
four hundred and fifty dollars in annual savings to our poolroom operators,” said Johnson. “These programs are aimed at providing real, tangible savings.” BCA room operator members who purchase products through Sysco Foodservices are eligible to receive rebates, or FREE money, on many of the products they are regularly purchasing. For as low as $380 a year, Billiard Congress of America room operator members receive a website template and yearly hosting fees. The website template is designed with the most critical features important to a poolroom, including event listing and calendar, video and photo gallery, couponing, custom forms, custom pages, and an e-mail list manager. Poolroom operators interested in learning more about the Coca-Cola, First Data, Sysco Foodservices, and BCA Web Services member benefits program are encouraged to contact Billy Yinger at 1-800-343-1329, ext. 8432. More information can also be found at bca-pool.com.
McDermott Cues Partners with the Diamond A Tour JACCS (Junior and Amateur Association for Canadian Cue Sports) is a new association that was initially created to look after all junior events. With the introduction of the new Diamond A Tour, JACCS has transitioned the association to include not only juniors, but female and male amateur players as well. “The Diamond A Tour is dedicated to the grassroots of our sport, and we are extremely pleased that Diamond Tables have agreed to be our title sponsor,” quoted JACCS President Tasha Cochrane. JACCS would also like to welcome McDermott Cues as its newest sponsor. McDermott has donated $3,000 in product to the new Diamond A Tour in Canada. With their generosity, JACCS will be able to provide the junior champions of each event with their own cue. Also, JACCS will be adding a McDermott Anniversary cue to its JACCS Super Raffle. “This is a very exciting opportunity for McDermott Cue. Increasing the participation of billiards at the junior level is critical for the success of our industry,” said McDermott Cue Promotional Director Jayme Cernicka. “We are proud to sponsor JACCS and the Diamond A Tour to provide players with the superior product value that McDermott Cue represents.”
APA Player of the Month Graf from Round Lake, IL, is the APA Player of the Month for S teve November. Steve has been instrumental in the growth of his local
APA League, which is run by APA League Operators Robin and George Kwiatkowski and Kevin Scott. When the league operators took over the league about a year ago, they had 10 teams—they’re now approaching 30. As a division representative and captain of four teams, Steve is always providing feedback to the league operators on how they can provide quality service to the members. “Steve repeatedly tells us how much he loves the APA,” Scott said. “We are deeply appreciative to know that Steve is there to help.” Recently, Steve, a skill level 7, volunteered as a referee for both the APA National Singles Championships in April and the APA National Team Championships in August. At the Team Championships, Steve was voted Referee of the Year by players competing in the tournament. “We are extremely proud of Steve for his accomplishment,” Scott said. “It is just another example of his devotion to the APA and his commitment to the fine representation he provides our league anywhere he goes.”
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Regional Roundup McCarthy Manhandles Tri-State Opposition Tri-State Tour / Edison, NJ by InsidePOOL Staff
Ryan McCarthy made a bid from the one-loss side of the chart after a first-round loss to take top honors at the September 12 stop of the Tri-State Tour. The $750-added 9-ball event was hosted by Sandcastle Billiards in Ken DeBroske, Ryan McCarthy, Scott Abromowitz Edison, NJ, and attracted a field of 18 players. On the winners’ side final four, Ken DeBroske was making his own play, defeating Andrew Cleary 7-4 to reach the hot seat match. His opponent there was Scott Abramowitz, who had just sent Tony Iggy to the west side of the chart 6-5. DeBroske was in fine form and handled Abramowitz easily 6-3 to await a finals challenge. McCarthy, after his first-round loss to Jason Egeln 6-4, won four matches in a row to earn a rematch against Egeln in the quarterfinal match. Egeln had just eliminated Iggy in fifth place 6-2, while McCarthy’s previous match had seen him oust Cleary 7-5 to tie with Iggy. McCarthy kept the drive going and sent Egeln home 6-4. Another 6-4 victory for McCarthy followed, this time over Abramowitz, who took third place. The final match was a race to 8, and though both players Results: fought hard, McCarthy was Ryan McCarthy $410 able to keep his momen- 1st Ken DeBroske $200 tum going to surge ahead 2nd Scott Abramowitz $100 over DeBroske and win the 3rd match 8-5.
Dagotdot and Sossei Prevail at Reverend Clarence Keaton Memorial Ozone Billiards Predator Tour / Queens, NY by Alison M. Fischer, NYCgrind.com
Ozone Billiards Predator Tour promoter Tony Robles spearheaded the $1,000-added First Annual Reverend Clarence Keaton Me- Andrew Kane, Arturo Reyes, Daniel Dagotdot morial Tournament the weekend of September 11-12. The well-loved Reverend Clarence Keaton, known as “The Rev” by many players, Tony Robles, Sean Morgan, Jeremy Sossei Keaton lost his battle against cancer last year. The first annual event held in his honor saw Daniel Dagotdot and Jeremy Sossei win their respective divisions over the 70 players who came out to memorialize “The Rev’s” influence on NYC pool. Dagotdot went from a B player to an A in the amateur event, scoring victories over Tony Liang 7-5, Ed Culhane 7-4, John Alicea 7-4, Alex Gilvarg 7-4, Steve Wright 7-2, and ultimately Andrew Kane 7-4. Andrew Kane bounced back with a “W” over Arturo 38 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ November 2010
Reyes 7-5, giving him the rematch opportunity. In the final match, Dagotdot capped off an impressive tournament with a dominant performance, winning his first Ozone Billiards Predator Tour 7-2. Kicking off late Saturday afternoon, the Open/Pro 10ball event featured top-level talent such as Hunter Lombardo, Holden Chin, Jeremy Sossei, George Sansouci, Mike Miller, Sean Morgan and Zion Zvi. Top NY female player “Snooky” Diana Rojas showed a lot of heart to tangle with the big boys in this event as well. Tony Robles brought his “A” game to the pro division, determined to honor his late friend “The Rev.” He defeated Phil Davis 8-5, Sossei 8-6, Hunter Lombardo 8-6, and “Alaska” Sean Morgan 8-3, earning a spot in the finals undefeated. Meanwhile, Morgan had been turning heads with gritty play, defeating Zion 8-4, Mike Wong 8-7, and Jerry Tarantola 8-6 before being eliminated by Sossei 8-7. Young gun Sossei opened up with an 8-6 win over Diana Rojas before Robles bested him 8-6. However, Sossei dug deep to grind back from the oneloss side to eventually meet Robles in the finals for a rematch. Sossei’s road to the finals led him through Zvi 8-6, Mike Miller 8-2, Tarantola 8-6, and George SanSouci 8-7. Sossei followed the semifinals up with another hill-hill match in the finals to capture top honors in the First Annual Clarence Keaton Memorial.
Amateur Results: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 7th 9th
Daniel Dagotdot Andrew Kane Arturo Reyes Steve Wright Patrick Meyers Alex Gilvarg Luis Novas Stewart Warnock Alberto Estevez Willie Santiago Mike Hertz Juan Guzman
$1,000 $600 $400 $300 $200 $150 $100
Open/Pro Results: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
Jeremy Sossei Tony Robles Sean Morgan George SanSouci
$800 $500 $345 $200
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< Heras and SanSouci Take Predator Wins Ozone Billiards Predator Tour / Edison, NJ by Jerry Tarantola, NYCgrind.com
A field of 24 players came out to battle at Sandcastle Billiards in Edison, NJ, September 18-19 for the fifteenth stop of the Ozone Bil- George SanSouci, Ed Liddawi, Tony Robles liards Predator Tour’s 2010 season. This event featured both the amateur 9-ball division, won by Brenda Heras, and the open/pro 10ball division, won by Pat Dibuono, Brenda Heras, Daniel Dagotdot George SanSouci. Six strong aspiring female players clearly all wanted to make a statement, and one of them did. Heras delivered a breakthrough performance by not only going further than any other woman but also any other man. On that weekend, Heras earned the honor of becoming the first woman player to ever win a Predator Tour event.
Brothers led the top half of the bracket, scoring victories over Tony Long 7-5, Lou Patrikios 7-2, and Steve Shaw 7-6. He then dealt Nagle his only loss of the event 7-5 to reach the hot seat match. There his opponent was Matt Krah, who won over Michael Praseutsy 7-3, Bill Smith Jr. 7-2, and Shaun Dobson 7-4. The hot seat match was all Brothers, who won the match easily to the tune of 7-1. Sent to the one-loss side, Krah was faced with Nagle, who had just eliminated Smith 7-3 and Tony Long 7-5. It was a close match, but Nagle edged out Krah 7-5 to reach the finals against Brothers. In this grudge match, Nagle had to best Krah twice to take the title. The first set saw Nagle take the lead early on and cruise to an easy 7-4 victory. The second set was a repeat of the first, Results: with Nagle again pulling 1st Bruce Nagle $750 away and handily winning 2nd Josh Brothers $400 the event 7-4. 3rd Matt Krah $150 4th Tony Long $100 5th Bill Smith Jr. $70 Shaun Dobson
Her road to the finals included wins over Soner Bulut 7-2, Daniel Dagodot 7-2, and Noel Bensurto 7-4 before Pat Dibuono sent her west 7-3. Heras came back to the finals with a buzzworthy 7-2 win over the previous week’s Predator Tour winner, Dagotdot. Dibuono’s undefeated run to the finals included wins over Ramilo Tanglau 7-4, Gail Glazebrook 7-1, Roger Hanas 7-6, and ultimately Heras in the hot seat Amateur Results: match. 1st Brenda Heras $600 Pat Dibuono $400 After rolling over Da- 2nd Daniel Dagotdot $255 gotdot in the semifinals, 3rd Alberto Lopez $155 Heras continued her mo- 4th mentum going into her 5th Roger Hanos $100 rematch with Dibuono Noel Bensurto in the finals. In the finals, Heras’ play was dominant, Open/Pro Results: as she won 7-3. 1st George SanSouci $500 Tony Robles $300 In the open/pro divi- 2nd sion,“Ginky”bounced back 3rd Mustafa Dikilitas $110 from a first-round 8-2 loss to Jeremy Sossei to win the event. SanSouci defeated Matt Krah 8-4, Neslihan Gurel 8-1, Jeremy Sossei 8-5, and Mustafa Dikilitas 8-5. In the finals SanSouci bested tour director Tony Robles hill-hill for the win.
Nagle Double-Dips Brothers on Mezz Tour Mezz Pro-Am Tour / Drexel Hill, PA by Jose Burgos
Bruce Nagle double-dipped Josh Brothers at the October 3 installment of the Mezz Pro-Am Tour Bruce Nagle, Josh Brothers to become the champion. The $1,000-added event was hosted by Drexeline Billiards in Drexel Hill, PA, where a strong field came out to play.
Dressing Up Nes “I just watched the movie and i liked it. It was a fun movie that made me smile. It was a nicely done and creative short film. My favorite part was when Borana bent down holding Nes' jeans, stroked her arm and smiled big at the camera......she did it so naturally, which is what makes it look so good in front of the camera...... my second favorite part was looking at the transformation Nes went through as she did about 7 spins on the runway outside her door..... she has got a real nice .......smile?”
Now playing at www.go4pool.com
November 2010 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 39
< Upcoming Northeast Tournaments 11/6-7
Ozone Billiards Predator Tour
Castle Billiards
East Rutherford, NJ
201-933-6007 $1,000
Open
11/6-7
Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour
Hippo’s House of Billiards
Yorkville, NY
315-768-0218 $1,500/$500 Open/Amateurs
11/6-7
Maryland State 10-Ball Open
Champion Billiards Sports Café Frederick, MD
301-846-0089 $3,000
Open
11/7
Mezz Pro-Am Tour
Primetime Billiards
South Amboy, NJ
732-721-6555 $1,000
Open
11/13
Blaze ABCD Tour
One Shot Billiards
Somerset, NJ
732-249-4555 $1,000
A-D players
11/13
Mezz Pro-Am Women’s Tour
Rockaway Billiards
Rockaway, NJ
973-625-5777 $1,000
Ladies
11/13-14 Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour
Snookers Billiards, Bar, and Grill Providence, RI
401-351-7665 $5,000
Open
11/14
Mezz Pro-Am Tour
Rockaway Billiards
Rockaway, NJ
973-625-5777 $1,000
Open
11/20
Blaze ABCD Tour
One Shot Billiards
Somerset, NJ
732-249-4555 $1,000
A-D players
11/20-21 Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour
Bison Billiards
Williamsville, NY
716-632-0281 $1,500/$500 Open/Amateurs
11/21
Mezz Pro-Am Tour
One Shot Billiards
Somerset, NJ
732-249-4555 $1,000
Open
11/27
Mezz Pro-Am Women’s Tour
Skyline Billiards
Brooklyn, NY
718-627-3407 $1,000
Ladies
11/28
Mezz Pro-Am Tour
Skyline Billiards
Brooklyn, NY
718-627-3407 $1,000
Open
12/4-5
Eastside Billiards Manhattan Classic Eastside Billiards
New York City, NY
212-831-7665 $3,000
Open
12/5
Mezz Pro-Am Tour
One Shot Billiards
Somerset, NJ
732-249-4555 $1,000
Open
12/11-12 Ozone Billiards Predator Finale
Raxx Pool Room
West Hempstead, NY 516-538-9896 $3,000
Open
12/12
Primetime Billiards
South Amboy, NJ
732-721-6555 $1,000
Open
Mezz Pro-Am Tour
12/16-19 Turning Stone Classic XVI
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http://bankingwiththebeard.com/?cat=6 40 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ November 2010
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Regional Roundup Strickland Sticks it Out for Jacoby Victory Jacoby Custom Cues Carolinas Tour / Mooresville, NC by Lea Andrews
Five-time U.S. Open champion Earl Strickland has had more than his share of Jacoby Custom Cues Carolinas Tour wins, and he got another one the weekend of September 11-12. Though B.J. Ussery made him work for it, Strickland went undefeated through the field at the $1,000-added event, which was held at 150 n Out in Mooresville, NC. After getting past Chris Turner 7-5, Strickland moved on to the hot seat match against Jeff Abernathy, who’d sent Ussery west 7-4. Abernathy managed just two games against Strickland, though, and he moved over to the semifinals. Earl Strickland
On the left side of the bracket, Ron Park put John Burdick in seventh 7-4 to face Turner, while Lee Steelman did the same to Danny Owensby 7-5 to meet up with Ussery. Both Park and Steelman landed in fifth, though, as they fell 7-5 and 7-2, respectively. In the quarterfinal match, Ussery ousted Turner 7-4 to advance to a semifinal rematch with Abernathy, and he eked out his revenge 7-5.
gathered at Fast Eddie’s in Goldsboro, NC, for the $1,500-added event, which was sponsored by Nick Varner Cues and Cases and Andy Gilbert Custom Cues. AA-ranked Monday breezed by A-ranked Larry Faulk 11-6 to reach the hot seat match against recent winner Steve Page, who’d sent another past winner, A-ranked Tony Morrison, west 9-2. Monday claimed the hot seat 11-7, leaving Page to try fight his way back from the semifinals. On the one-loss side, Chris Vollmar got past fellow A-players Chris Adams 9-1 and Montez Lloyd 9-8 to face Faulk, while AAranked Michael “Bulldawg” Fuller, who’d taken a third-round hit from Adams, notched up his own solid string of wins. Fuller took care of B-ranked Dillon Whaley 11-4 to meet up with A-ranked Greg Taylor, whom he ousted 11-3 to face Morrison. Their faceoff landed Morrison in fifth 11-4, while Fuller advanced to the quarterfinals against Faulk, who’d edged out Vollmar 9-8. Another hill-hill match ensued for Faulk, but he was on the wrong end of this one, and he finished in fourth 11-8, while Fuller moved on to Page in the semifinals. On a roll, Fuller held Page to seven games to earn the right to face Monday in the alternate break, true double-elimination Results: final match. 1st Sam Monday $1,000 The first set was un- 2nd Michael Fuller $500 deniably Fuller’s—he ran 3rd Steve Page $300 out nearly every time he 4th Larry Faulk $200 broke and took advan- 5th Tony Morrison $125 tage whenever Monday Chris Vollmar scratched on the break 7th Greg Taylor $75 to push the second set Montez Lloyd 11-1. Monday gained 9th Dillon Whaley $50 control, though, and he Mike Frowein got ahead and stayed Darrin Blitch there to earn a decisive Chris Adams 11-4 win.
SudoCue Puzzle
When this SudoCue is solved, the letters in “Double Hit” will appear in each row, column, and box—but only once, and not in any particular order. Answer available online at www.InsidePOOLmag.com.
Strickland won the first game of the single race-to-11 final match, but it was his only lead until much later. Up 9-7, Ussery broke and ran to the 7 ball, but when he left it hanging, Strickland made it 9-8, and two consecutive break and runs gave him the lead 10-9. Strickland’s fumble on the 2 ball allowed Ussery to make it hill-hill with a 3-9 combination in the next rack, but when he missed the 3 ball in Results: the final rack, Strickland 1st Earl Strickland $1,000 pocketed what was left 2nd B.J. Ussery $375 to earn his win 11-10. 3rd Jeff Abernathy $75
Monday Massacres Great Southern Field Great Southern Billiards Tour / Goldsboro, NC by Lea Andrews
Shannon Daulton, Sam Monday, Mike Fuller, Dustin Whiley
Sam Monday, who last won a Great Southern Billiards Tour Event in November, nabbed his second event this season the weekend of September 11-12. Monday and 52 other competitors
Courtesy of Sandy Brown November 2010 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 41
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Ussery On Top of Great Southern Event Great Southern Billiard Tour / Rocky Mount, NC by Lea Andrews
North Carolina dominant force B.J. Ussery, who had somehow managed to avoid the finals of a Great Southern Billiard Tour Shannon Daulton, B.J. Ussery, Steven event before the weekend Page, Aubrey Wiggins of September 25-26, came back from a late loss to Steven Page to get to the finals and earn his first win on the tour. Ussery was the last man standing of the original field of 41 that gathered at Greentop Billiards in Rocky Mount, NC, for the $1,500-added event, which was sponsored by Nick Varner Cues and Cases and Andy Gilbert Custom Cues. AA-ranked Ussery remained unscathed through the winners’ side final four, where he rode an 11-5 win over B-ranked Roy Musser to reach the hot seat match against recent winner Steven Page, who’d sent A-ranked Glenn Russell west 9-6. Page earned his spot in the finals 9-7, pushing Ussery over to the other side for the semifinal match.
On the left side of the bracket, AA-ranked Michael “Bulldawg” Fuller, who’d fallen to Russell 9-9, took care of B-ranked Ken Hendricks 11-2 and A-ranked Chris Vollmar 11-5 before suffering an unlikely 7-1 loss to Musser. Meanwhile, local favorite “Pokey,” one of Page’s earlier victims, ousted B-ranked Shane Ward 9-4 and A-ranked Cary Dunn 9-8 to face two-time runner-up Russell, whom he dropped into fifth 9-3 to meet up with Musser in the quarterfinals. A swift 9-1 victory over Musser left Pokey with just one match left between him and a rematch with Page, but unfortunately for Pokey, that match was against Ussery. The three games Pokey marked up were only enough to put him in third, while Ussery moved on to Page. In the true double-elimination final match, Ussery pushed the second set 11-6, and by this time, it was well into the wee hours of Monday morn- Amateur Results: ing. Seasoned player 1st B.J. Ussery $1,000 Ussery took the late 2nd Steven Page $500 hour in stride, stretch3rd “Pokey” $300 ing out his lead in the 4th Roy Musser $200 second set to take his 5th Glenn Russell $100 first tour win decisively Michael Fuller 11-3. 7th Cary Dunn $75 Chris Vollmar
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42 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ November 2010
< Bennett Takes Jacoby Finale Jacoby Custom Cues Carolina Tour / Fuquay-Varina, NC by Lea Andrews
Keith Bennett dominated the Jacoby Custom Cues Carolina Tour last season, and though he shared the spotlight with some of the Carolinas’ other heavy hitters throughout this season, all eyes Keith Bennett were back on him at the October 2-3 finale. The site of Bennett’s third victory of the year was On The Snap Billiards in Fuquay-Varina, NC, where a talented field gathered for the $1,000-added event. Bennett forced his way into the hot seat match with a shutout win over B.J. Ussery, who topped four events this season. Two other past winners, Michael “Bulldawg” Fuller and Sam Monday, battled for the other spot, and it went to Fuller 7-5. Against Bennett, though, Fuller marked up just five games himself, and he moved over to the semifinals.
They split the first four racks, but when the match changed from 8-ball to 9-ball, Fields found her rhythm, sweeping the next three games for the 5-2 win.
Results: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th
Chris Fields Shelly Harrison Jamie Toennies Niki Rasmussen Sabra MacArthur Beahn Kelly Cavanaugh
$300 $225 $125 $100 $50 $50
The semifinal round was a grudge match between Fields and Jamie Toennies, who had delivered Fields to the left side of the chart earlier with a 5-2 win. Fields showed she was ready to play, winning the first two games of 8-ball. Toennies struck back, taking the following game. But Fields was not to be vanquished. The game changed to 9-ball, and Fields swung the momentum back her way, snagging the next three games and the match with a score of 5-1. The stage was set for the final round between Fields and hot seat winner Shelly Harrison. The first match went hill-hill, with Fields forcing the second set. A couple of errors on Harrison’s part led to a lopsided 5-2 victory for Fields in the second set, with Fields collecting her first TBAAT title.
On the left side of the bracket, Cary Dunn got past Delton Howard 7-4 but then fell 7-4 to Ussery, landing in fifth. Meanwhile, Chris Turner suffered the same fate, ousting Peaches Fuller 7-4 only to run into Monday, who held him to two games. In the quarterfinal match, Monday took care of Ussery 7-4 to advance to a semifinal rematch with Fuller, but in a replay of their earlier match, Monday finished in third 7-5. The single race-to-11 final match began evenly enough, with Fuller tying the score at one and three apiece. But after that, it was all Bennett, Results: who notched up the fi$1,000 nal eight racks to earn 1st Keith Bennett 2nd Michael Fuller $450 his victory 11-3. 3rd Sam Monday $100
Fields Tops Tiger Bay Area Amateur Field Tiger Bay Area Amateur Tour / Lakeland, FL by InsidePOOL Staff
Chris Fields dominated the 20-player, $400-added tournament held at Wally’s in Lakeland, FL, September 25. It was her first Tiger Bay Area Amateur Tour (BAAT) win Shelly Harrison, Stephanie Mitchell, Chris Fields since joining in July, and it launched her into tenth place overall for the 2010 season.
"You Might Be A D Player If ... (101 Classic Moves That All Pool Players Can Appreciate)" by Samm Diep. Ask for it where you buy your billiard books.
After eliminating Jessica Barnes and Sabra MacArthur Beahn, Niki Rasmussen went on to face Fields in the quarterfinal match.
November 2010 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 43
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Putnam Claims 55th Tour Win Ozone-Olhausen Billiards Classic Tour / Atlanta, GA by InsidePOOL Staff
Shawn Putnam won his fifty-fifth stop on the Ozone-Olhausen Billiards Classic Tour during their September 30-October 3 event, John Maikke, Rick Sweet, Shawn Putnam with Paul Song, Adam Towery, David Eytcheson, and Jason Stemen also taking titles. The $5,000-guaranteed event was hosted by Mr. Cues II in Atlanta, GA, and hosted 208 entrants during the four days of pool. The one-pocket event kicked off with 36 players competing in a race-to-3, single-elimination format. Song took the win after defeating Craig Riley 3-1, David Shadden 3-0, Brian White 3-2, Horace Godwin 3-2, and Paul Turner 3-1 in the finals. The 10-ball division, offering a single-elimination, race-to-4 format, kicked off with 64 players. This event also boasted a $10 economy-buster entry fee. Towery claimed the first-place prize in this event. He began his bid for the win in the top half of the bracket and defeated Bo Bellew 4-1, Fred Ruttinger 4-0, Daniel Turpin 4-1, Jason Stemen 4-3, Frank Quattlebaum 4-2, and Horace Godwin 4-3 in the finals.
The 9-ball division offered a format of double elimination and a race to 9 on both sides of the chart, as well as an economy buster entry fee of $20 and a full chart of 64 entrants. Shawn “Big Bubba” Putnam claimed his fiftyfifth tour win, beginning his race to first in the bottom of the chart. He made his way across the bracket in the winners’ side, taking the win in the first set of the double-elimination finals. Putnam defeated Dana Aft 9-2, Frank Carcioppola 9-3, Jamie Lowery 9-4, Paul Song 9-7, Jeff Crawford 9-7, and John Maikke 9-6 in the match for the hot seat. Maikke came back from the semifinals only to be defeated by Putnam 9-5 in the finals.
Open-Pocket Results: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
Paul Song Paul Turner Bobby Brown Horace Godwin
$675 $225 $115
10-Ball Results: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
Adam Towery Horace Godwin Dana Aft Frank Quattlebaum
$750 $300 $115 $115
9-Ball Results: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 7th 9th
Shawn Putnam John Maikke Jeff Crawford Paul Song Amy Chen Bobby Brown Andy Stewart Horace Godwin Mike Clay Steve Cox Raul Aviles Brian White
$1,350 $800 $520 $310 $150 $80 $50
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Regional Roundup Bastrop and Pierce Rule Round Lone Star Billiard Tour / Round Rock, TX
Lampert Back in the Winner’s Circle OB Cues Ladies’ Tour / Arlington, TX
by InsidePOOL Staff
by InsidePOOL Staff
Skinny Bob’s Billiards in Round Rock, TX, successfully hosted its first $1,450 added Lone Star Billiard Tour stop September 1112. Austin area heavyhitters James “Bastrop” Davis Sr., David Henson, and J.P. Lopez along with Houston’s Ernesto Bayaua, David Gutierrez, and Jason Bacon all converged on this elite Texas pool room to compete in the 44-player, open 9-ball field.
Liz Kirkman, Kim Pierce
Saturday’s play ended early and brought back the final 12 on Sunday to battle for over $6,500 in cash. The final four winners’ side pitted Henson and Cesar Garcia, while the bottom paired Gutierrez and Bryan Sanders. On the one-loss side, Ray Tull defeated John Newsome, Lopez bested Patrick Hill, Doug Young eliminated Bayaua, and Davis Sr. beat Adrian Lloyd. On the winners’ side, Henson overcame Garcia 9-5, and it was Sanders over GutierOpen Results: rez 9-4. Henson secured James Davis Sr. $700 the hot seat over Sand- 1st David Henson $450 ers, 9-6. Davis Sr. plowed 2nd Bryan Sanders $350 through the one-loss side 3rd Cesar Garcia $220 and won nine consecu- 4th 5th J.P. Lopez $120 tive matches, which inDavid Gutierrez cluded two over Henson Ray Tull $80 in the finals 9-6, 7-2, and 7th Doug Young secured his first tour win. 9th Patrick Hill $50 John Newsome In the ladies’ 9-ball Ernesto Bayaua event, Kim Pierce domi- Adrian Lloyd nated the 16-player field David Henson, James Davis Sr.
with wins over Diana Cardona 7-1, Nancy French 7-6, and Julia Rapp 7-0. She secured the hot seat over Liz Kirkman and bested her once more in the final match 7-1. Pierce finished the event undefeated for her first Lone Star Tour victory.
Ladies’ Results: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th
Kim Pierce Liz Kirkman Kim Sanders Julia Rapp
$270 $180 $90 $50
One-Pocket Results: 1st 2nd
David Gutierrez David Henson
Amanda Lampert returned to her winning ways to take her first OB Cues Ladies’ Tour victory of the season over Heather Pulford. The seventh stop was held September 11-12 at Rusty’s Billiards in Arlington, TX, and hosted 38 participants.
Heather Pulford, Amanda Lampert
Last season’s most improved player of the year, Melinda Bailey, most likely had the toughest bracket of the event. She began with a match against Orietta Strickland and then defeated points leader Jennifer Kraber 7-3. Her next match was against her best friend, Lampert. Bailey was down 6-3 in the race to 7 but dug deep and made it a hill-hill affair; however, Lampert went on to secure the win. Bailey then went on to eliminate Strickland 7-5 and Michelle Cortez 7-2 before facing Pulford, who eliminated Bailey 7-5, sending her home in fourth place. Lisa Marr, after suffering an unexpected whitewash from Pulford, finished in third place. But she is still in the running for the 2010 tour champion with Kraber. The finals match between Lampert and Pulford seemed like old times. These two have been pitted against each other many times before. Heather, formerly from Austin, TX, last year moved to the Bay Area, and it Results: was a pleasant surprise 750 to the players and fans to 1st Amanda Lampert $550 see her smiling face and 2nd Heather Pulford $400 superb playing skills once 3rd Lisa Marr $270 again. Pulford would have 4th Melinda Bailey 5th Jennifer Kraber $150 to defeat Lampert twice if Michelle Cortez she was going to take first $100 place. Lampert missed 7th Orietta Strickland Rebecca Riley some critical shots in the $60 first set, and Pulford was 9th Monica Anderson Michelle Prince able to reach the hill 6-3 Tracie Voelkering as a result. But Lampert Ashley Nandrasy came on strong to make 13th Julie Stephenson $30 it a hill-hill battle. When Tara Williams Pulford came up short on Corina Campbell the 7 ball in the final rack, Janea Taylor Lampert ran out for first place.
$450 $250
November 2010 ◊ InsidePOOLmag.com 45
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Jethwa Joins Winner’s Circle Lone Star Billiards Tour / Houston, TX by InsidePOOL Staff
The first Lone Star Billiards Tour event held at the brandnew Houston’s Billiard Saloon drew Texas’ cream of the crop, including Charlie Bryant, David Gutierrez, Doug Young, Brian Rosenbaum, Andy Jethwa, Andy Jethwa Ernesto Bayaua, Marc “Mighty Mouse” Garza and junior champion brothers J.C. and Joey Torres. There were 51 entrants in all, with 11 women, who turned out to play for almost $4,000 in cash. Jethwa Shaun Inscoe, Derrick Cantu, Glenn Thompson, ended up in the winRobert Porsey ner’s circle for the first time on the tour, while Ming Ng continued her dominance over the ladies’ field. Saturday’s play whittled the field down to 12 for Sunday. Winners’ side final eight match-ups included an all-Louisiana shootout between Robert Dorsey and Derrick Cantu, Grady Cooper versus Jethwa, Brent Thomas versus Bryant, and Gutierrez versus Rosenbaum. On the west side, it was Sonny Bosshamer, Yoko Joe, Young, and Garza. The winners’ side yielded Dorsey going on to face Jethwa, and Bryant matching up with Gutierrez. Cantu triumphed on the one-loss side to face Garza, while Thomas went up against Rosenbaum. Ultimately, east side action saw Jethwa and Bryant face off for the hot seat. Jethwa played perfectly and defeated Bryant 9-3, while Dorsey and Gutierrez bested Rosenbaum and Garza, respectively. Gutierrez then eliminated Dorsey 7-2 and Bryant 7-5 to meet Jethwa in the final. The first set went to Gutierrez 9-6, but the second set was game for game. In the final hill-hill rack, the players traded shots on a 6 ball safety until Gutierr- Ladies’ Results: ez made a crucial mistake 1st Ming Ng $230 that left Jethwa out. 2nd Terry Petrosino $135 3rd Robyn Petrosino $90 The ladies’ event 4th Courtney Peters $50 drew 11 top Texas wom-
en, including Terry Pet- Open Results: rosino, Ng, Courtney Peters, Ricki Casper, Te- 1st Andy Jethwa resa Garland, and Austin 2nd David Gutierrez favorite Jasmine Bartz. It 3rd Charlie Bryant 4th Robert Dorsey was a mother-daughter 5th Brian Rosenbaum hot seat match between Marc Garza Robyn Petrosino and 7th Brent Thomas mother Terry, with Terry Derrick Cantu advancing 7-2. After she 9th Sonny Bosshamer suffered an initial final Doug Young four blow by T. Petrosino Yoko Joe 7-4, Ng fought back with Grady Cooper wins over Casper, Peters, R. Petrosino, and finally T. Petrosino for the win.
$700 $500 $300 $200 $100 $80 $45
Gelo Gets First on Lucasi Tour Lucasi Hybrid All-American Tour / Dubuque, IA by InsidePOOL Staff
Shawn Gelo went undefeated October 2 to win the first stop of the 2010-2011 Lucasi Hybrid All-American Tour, besting Doric Shawn Gelo, Bill Kramer Smith in the final match. The $500-added event featured a 21-player field in a double-elimination 8-ball format on 7-foot Valley bar boxes. Gelo rolled to the hot seat with an A-side semifinals win over Butch Duggon 5-2 and an A-side finals win over Ron Pluym 5-5. Pluym won his A-side semifinals match over Shane Kelly 6-3 prior to his loss to Gelo, and Pluym then awaited his opponent in the B-side finals. In the B-side round of eight, Spike Aiardo and Smith eliminated Trevor Blum 5-1 and John Gorsch 4-2, respectively, at seventh place. The B-side quarterfinals showcased Airdo and Smith continuing their hot hands by dispatching Butch Duggon and Kelly at fifth place by respective 5-3 and 4-1 scores. In the B-side semifinals, the spot was too much for Airdo, as he lost out to Smith 4-2 for a fourth-place finish. Smith then played his best match and ousted Pluym 5-1. The Results: tournament finals only 1st Shawn Gelo $400 lasted one set, as the 2nd Doric Smith $225 undefeated Gelo over3rd Ron Pluym $120 whelmed Smith 5-1 to 4th Spike Aiardo $75 claim the title. 5th Butch Duggon $50 Shane Kelly
Upcoming Central Tournaments 11/3-7
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Members
11/6-7
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Houston, TX
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Amateurs
11/26-28 Glass City Open Team Champs
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Toledo, OH
314-631-6500 $12,500 Teams
12/11-12 Lone Star Billiards Tour
Bogies Billiards and Games
Houston, TX
281-821-4544 $3,000
46 InsidePOOL Magazine ◊ November 2010
Open
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Regional Roundup Diep Strikes Again in Arizona Arizona Women’s Billiard Tour / Phoenix, AZ by InsidePOOL Staff
Though Diep wasn’t in top form in the first round, being sent to the one-loss side by Mello 7-5, it didn’t take long for her game to heat up. She tore through the west side of the chart, eliminating Susan Wilbur, Susan Williams, Salena Holland, and Edwidge Cavanna. This set up a rematch with Mello, who had just been defeated in the hot seat match by a very determined Sara Miller. However, because of work obligations Mello forfeited out of the tournament. The holder of the hot seat, BullShooters’ own Miller, earned her perch by taking down Pat Schultz, Barbara “Barracuda” Lee, Ashea Erdahl, and Mello. The final match between Miller and Diep was a single race to 9. In this match, Diep continued her run-out ways by jumping out to a 6-1 lead before Miller managed to mount something of a comeback by winning three of the next five racks The last of Miller’s hopes were dashed in the thirteenth rack, though, when she scratched, giving Diep ball in hand with the 9 ball hanging in the corner pocket.
Samm Diep
Samm “Cherry Bomb” Diep dropped the bomb on the Arizona Women’s Billiard Tour’s September 25-26 event, coming back from a first-round loss to Susan Mello to take the event off. The $300added event was hosted by BullShooters Billiards in Phoenix, AZ.
This tournament win marked Diep’s second on the AWBT this season and propelled her to second place in the point standings, right behind leader Susan Williams.
Results: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 7th
Samm Diep Sara Miller Susan Mello Sunny Griffin Ashea Erdahl Edwidge Cavanna Kathleen Lawless Salena Holland
$220 $150 $90 $60 $40 $30
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