USBA Officers President Jim Shovak East Islip, NY 516-238-6193 Secretary Tom Paley Fenton, MO 636-861-3437 Treasurer Merrill Hughes Huntington Station, NY 631-338-9698 Steve Andersen Wyoming, MI 616-530-8665 Ricardo Carranco Los Angeles, CA 323-490-8075 Victor Cuzzi Miami, FL 786-366-7293 Pedro Piedrabuena San Diego, CA 213-458-3950 Mazin Shooni Nashua, NH 248-910-4466 James Watson Bronx, NY 347 255-4330
26 PQB April/May
Pedro Piedrabuena Wins USBA National His fifth consecutive USBA National Title
Carom Cafe Hosted the USBA Nationals March 9 2015.
T
he 43-year old Pedro Piedrabuena took the American three-cushion title for the fifth time in a row and the eighth time overall. The billiard club owner from San Diego defeated Young Gull Lee in the final 40-27 in 27 innings. Miguel Torres was third after a victory against Sonny Cho (40-23 in 29). Piedrabuena, which was not among the best players in the preliminaries, where he lost against Chris Bartzos, was by far the best in the knockout stage. In the quarterfinals, he defeated the same Bartzos 40-21 in 22 (series 12), in the semifinals, he outplayed Miguel Torres 40-27 in 21 and in the finals Young Gull Lee in 29 innings. Miguel Torres (1.438), Chris Bartzos (0.938), Sonny Cho (1.141) and Hugo Patino (1.265) were the group winners in the semi-final groups. Second in the groups finished Pedro Piedrabuena (1.226), Michael Kang (1.080), Young Gull Lee (0.869) and Jamil Isreal (0.754). Young Gull Lee outplayed one of the contenders, Hugo Patino, in the quarterfinals (40-29 in 33). Michael Kang lost in the quarterfinals against Sonny Cho: 40-32 in 27. In the semifinal, Piedrabuena defeated Torres and Young Gull Lee beat Sonny Cho (40-19 in 40).
Young Gull Lee finishes runnerup Prize Fund 1st $4,100 3rd $2,100 5th $1,700 7th $1,300 9th $625 11th $625 13th $525 15th $525 Best Game High Run Total
2nd 4th 6th 8th 10th 12th 14th 16th $275 $275
$3,100 $1,900 $1,500 $1,100 $625 $625 $525 $525
$21,950
President’s Desk: Our Nationals is over with Pedro Piedrabuena winning for the fifth straight time. This year he was in the final match against Young Gull Lee from New York.
Pedro Piedrabuena
Young Gull Lee
It was nice to see another face in the crowd vying for the National Championship. Congratulations to both players for their accomplishments. Check details
Miguel Torrez
Sonny Cho
on the tournament/calendar page for the National Championship Tournament on our website: www.USBA.net The Verhoeven Open at Carom Café will be held from
Hugo Patino
Jamil Isreal
July 21-26 preceded by an International Women’s Tournament from July 18-20. Don’t miss it! The best in the entire world will be there. Paul Frankel (Professor-Q-Ball) and Mazin Shooni will be traveling to Philadelphia for the Allen Hopkins Super Billiard Expo
Michael Kang
Chris Bartzos
being held at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks from April 16-19th. Mazin Shooni (2006 US Champion) will be holding a special 3cushion clinic for youths 18 and under. There will be some challenge matches between four players: Mazin Shooni, Hugo Patino (2003 & 2009 US Champion) and top pool players Mike Dechaine and Shane Van Boening. Also Yura Ra will be holding a few small tournaments for all players. This is all great promotion for our game. Thanks to Mazin, Paul Frankel, Yura and our Treasurer, Merrill Hughes and Secretary, Tom Paley. April/May PQB 27
Billiards World in Shock, Kyung-Roul Kim Passed Away Story/Photo by Kozoom.com / Harry Van Nijlen
SEOUL - The international billiards world has lost one of its major Korean star players (February 22, 2015). Kyung-Roul Kim, who would of turn 35, has suddenly died. The best Korean billiard player of the last ten years leaves behind a wife and a young daughter. His death makes a sudden end to the life of one of the great three-cushion players in the world and a wonderful human being. Woojin Park, his coach at the major tournaments, said: ,,The Korean billiards world is in shock. Sung-Won Choi, the world champion, who was in Antwerp for the Supercup gala on Saturday night, was one of his best friends. He could not believe the sad news. Dani Sánchez, the Spanish champion, responded: ,, He was a great friend, a wonderful man, this is really so terrible.’’ Jean van Erp, the Dutch champion:. ,,What an incredible news, I’m dazed.’’ Nikos Polychronopoulos, the Greek champion: ,,How awful, such a wonderful person.’’
Bill Johnson (3rd), Gary Elias (2nd), Jamil Isreal (1st)
Kyung-Roul Kim was the first Korean who entered the international top after the Sang-Chun Lee era. He was the forerunner of the new generation like Sung-Won Choi, Dong-Koong Kang Jae Ho Cho Choong-Bok Lee (also known as the Big Five) and the young, current Asian champion HaengJik Kim. He won the World Cup in Antalya, 2010, exactly five years before his death in the final against Dick Jaspers. Twice he was second at a World Cup, in Trabzon, 2011 after Eddy Merckx and Suwon, 2008 after Dick Jaspers. Twice he was second on the renowned Agipi Masters, once behind Choi (2010), once behind Blomdahl (2012). He ruled from 2005 in his own country and was the Asian champion one time. His last years were less successful, because Kyung-Roul Kim was very busy in business. He owned six billiard clubs, recently he sold three of them. The billiards world lives on in shock. RIP, dear friend Kyung-Roul Kim.
Olegario Conzale 2nd and Felipe Razon 1st
National Qualifier Snookers Pool & Pub, Livonia, MI February 14-15, 2015:
National Qualifier Chris’s Billiards, Chicago, IL February 14-15, 2015:
A USBA National Qualifier was held on February 14-15, 2015 at Snookers Pool & Pub in Livonia, Michigan. Jamil Isreal and Gary Elias qualified for the Nationals in the 8player field with Bill Johnson coming in 3rd place.
A USBA National Qualifier was held on February 14-15, 2015 at Chris’s Billiards in Chicago, Illinois. Felipe Razon qualified for the Nationals in the 6-player field with Olegario Gonzalez coming in 2nd place.
28 PQB April/May
Drop-ins and Holdups
by Robert Byrne Contributing Writer • from Byrne’s “Advanced Techniques in Pool & Billiards” with permission Diagram 130 When the first ball is close to a rail you have another option, and that is hitting the rail first as shown at the left of Diagram 130. From the angle given, I would find it much easier to predict the path of the cueball with a rail-first hit. The last shot at the right of Diagram 130, is for the advanced player and is a creation of San Francisco’s Bud Harris. The two white balls are frozen to the rail. Bud’s idea is to elevate the cue and shoot into the side rail so that the cueball jumps over the red, as indicated by dotted line. Right English is used to bring the cueball across the table at the proper angle. While the shot is fancy enough to be used as a trick shot, it is perfectly practical under game conditions and is not as hard as it looks.
Upcoming USBA Tournaments April 16-19 Professor-Q-Ball presents at the Allen Hopkins Super Billiard Expo a special 3-Cushion events. See ad on page 25 and 31 April 24th-26th, Mike Kelley Memorial- 3-Cushion Billiard Tournament, Marshalltown, IA, $110 Entry for USBA members-Round Robin format, For more info text or call John @ 641-751-4696
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May 1-3 2nd Annual Parker Hess Memorial USBA “Endorsed” B/C 3-Cushion Billiard Tournament Ashland Elks Lodge # 944 Oregon, Entry Fee: $75.00 Tournament Directors: Mark Williams, 541-941-1291 Tom Thomsen 509-240-2027 May 29-31 Rushville Illinois Open Rushville Billiard Club, 217 440-0069 Rushville, IL-5 tables-Entry fee $135 July 21-26 The Verhoven Open Carom Café Flushing Queens, NY preceded by an International Women’s Tournament from July 18-20.
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30 PQB April/May
April/May PQB 31