October 2009 page 2
October 2009 page 3
Cover Photo by: Mike Fieldhammer
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Rackem is a monthly publication, dedicated to the advancement of the sport of pool and to promoting enthusiasm and encouragement among the players at all levels, regardless of their league affiliation, in addition to recognizing those businesses who support them all. Covering the midwest. Look for Rackem by the 10th of each month. The opinions expressed are those of the author or advertiser and do not necessarily reflect the views of Rackem or its staff. We reserve the right to edit or reject any material submitted for publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher. © 2009 Rackem
POOL ON TV
Places People Play 15Rack.com Denver, CO ACS Green Bay, WI All American Billiards Muskogee, OK Atlas Billiard Supply Skokie, IL Billiard Center Cape Girardeau, MO billiardcoach.com Billiards On Main Galesburg, IL Crown Cues Broken Arrow, OK Deadwood Shoot-out Deadwood, SD Diamond Billiard Products Fargo Billiards Fargo, ND J J’s Billiards Sioux Falls, SD League Central Kansas M-8 Pool Leagues Roseville, MN MN ACS Walker,MN Mendota Valley Twin Cities,MN Mueller Lincoln, NE Northern Lights Rugby, ND Old Busters Lounge Amarillo, TX Q-Spot Tulsa, OK Ray Ray’s Pockets Lawton, OK Red Shoes Billiards Alsip, IL sammspocket.com Sharky’s Sedalia, MO Shooter’s Olathe, KS Six Arrows Texas Open Harker Heights, TX Two Stooges Fridley, MN Varsity Club Oshkosh, WI
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Information &Columnists Bill Smith Billiard Coach Bob Jewett Melissa Little OTBnTV Live
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Pool On TV Samm Diep Tournament Trail Weekly Tournaments
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Classic 10-01-2009 9:00 am 2002 WPBA Classic SF #1 10-02-2009 9:00 am 2002 WPBA Classic SF #2 10-03-2009 10:00 am 2007 Texas Hold’Em SF #2 Jeanette Lee vs Johnny Archer 10-04-2009 8:00 am Mosconi vs. Moore 10-05-2009 9:00 am 2002 WPBA Classic Finals 10-06-2009 9:00 am 2002 WPBA Classic SF #1 10-07-2009 9:00 am 2002 WPBA Classic SF #2 10-08-2009 9:00 am 2002 WPBA Classic Finals 10-09-2009 9:00 am 2002 WPBA Classic SF #1 10-11-2009 8:00 am Mosconi vs. Moore 10-12-2009 9:00 am WPBA Classic SF #2 10-13-2009 9:00 am 2002 WPBA Classic Finals 10-14-2009 9:00 am 2002 WPBA Nationals SF #1 10-15-2009 9:00 am 2002 WPBA Nationals SF #2 10-16-2009 9:00 am 2002 WPBA Nationals Finals 10-17-2009 12:00 pm 1999 Women’s Tourn. of Champs 10-17-2009 1:00 pm 1999 Women’s Tourn. of Champs 10-17-2009 2:00 pm 1999 WPBA Classic Tour Finals 10-17-2009 3:00 pm 2003 Women’s Tourn. of Champs 10-17-2009 4:00 pm 2004 Women’s Trick Shot Magic Jeanette Lee vs Ewa Laurance 10-17-2009 5:00 pm 2004 WPBA Florida Classic Julie Kelly vs Jeanette Lee These times are Central Time.
10-04-2009 2:00 pm 2009 U.S. Open QF #4 10-04-2009 3:00 pm 2009 U.S. Open SF #1 10-04-2009 4:00 pm 2009 U.S. Open SF #2 10-11-2009 2:00 pm 2009 U.S. Open SF #2 10-11-2009 3:00 pm 2009 U.S. Open Final 10-25-2009 2:30 pm Colorado Classic SF #1 10-25-2009 3:30 pm Colorado Classic SF #2 10-25-2009 4:30 pm Colorado Classic Final 10-18-2009 8:00 am Moore vs. Lassiter 10-19-2009 9:00 am 2003 WPBA Classic Tour SF #1 10-20-2009 9:00 am 2003 WPBA Classic Tour SF #2 10-21-2009 9:00 am 2003 WPBA Classic Tour Finals 10-22-2009 9:00 am 2003 WPBA Classic Tour SF #2 10-23-2009 9:00 am 2003 WPBA Classic Tour SF #1 10-24-2009 10:00 am 2007 United States Pro Tour 10-25-2009 8:00 am Babe Cranfield vs. U.J. Puckett 10-26-2009 9:00 am 2003 WPBA Classic Tour Finals 10-27-2009 9:00 am 2003 WPBA Classic Tour SF #1 10-28-2009 9:00 am 2003 WPBA Classic Tour SF #2 10-29-2009 9:00 am 2003 WPBA Classic Tour Finals 10-30-2009 9:00 am 2003 WPBA Classic Tour SF #1 These schedules have been provided by ESPN. These are tentative dates and are subject to change
October 2009 page 4
Returning to pool? Here’s your come-back checklist!
© 2009 Mike Fieldhammer, BilliardCoach.com
Have you recently decided to dust off your cue after years of disuse? Did job and family responsibilities cause you to abandon your pool game? One of the great things about the game of billiards is that it is something you can enjoy your whole life. From young champions to super tough veterans, great pool can be played at any age. After a long lay-off, you must keep a few things in mind. Don’t be too hard on yourself if your elbow or other parts of the pool mechanism are rusty. Some things are like riding a bicycle, others are not. Don’t expect to play as well as you did years ago. Your memory is probably ‘rose-colored’ as you fondly recall running racks, and conveniently forget the missed shots and mistakes. Also, when you play someone today it is likely he plays better than the opponents of yore. In general, the level of play today is much higher than in the past. Equipment is different too. Today’s cloth is faster requiring not only a delicate touch, but also an unforgiving need for accuracy on spin. On heavy cloth a little unintentional side spin may not have hurt you, but on Simonis cloth of today your cue ball might catch a rail and hurdle two feet past your intended position. Pocket openings are generally tighter too, especially on 7 foot Diamond tables and many regulation 9 foot pool tables. These tighter pockets will accept fewer balls, particularly if you shoot too hard. Ever jaw up a ball that you shoot down a rail with speed and just catch the long rail a few inches before the pocket? Shoot softer and you’ll make more of these errant shots - at least until your stroke becomes more accurate. What if you have an accuracy problem? It could be related to the glasses that you have been wearing for many years. There is no doubt that keen vision is helpful to slicing in cut shots from 8 or 9 feet away. Check into a special pair of glasses just for shooting pool if your fashion pair doesn’t allow you to see through the lenses when you are in your pool stance. If you must, keep your head a bit higher over the cue stick so that you can see the shot through your glasses. Your old college pool cue might need some maintenance. Is it straight? Does the tip need some attention? You may not want to use that antique piece of chalk. Have a cue repair expert look over your cue. It may be just fine, but years in the closet may have made it unsuitable for competition. You might be better off with a house cue or a new cue all together. Get your groove back! Try some drills to ease back into the game. You wouldn’t want to go out and run a ten mile race without some training. Contact me for some good warm up drills to use before you throw yourself into a league match, tournament, or even a couple hour practice session with a friend. You’ll need some time to reacquaint your body to the proper pool stroke mechanics which is more easily Oct 24, 2009 done prior to a game. The pro ACS 8-Ball baseball and football players $500 Added have spring training and fall $35 entry (incl g.f.) - Handicapped training camps. Shouldn’t you 7’ Valley - Doors open 10 am do some conditioning before you Sign-up until 1pm dive back into your pool game? 156 E Main St - Galesburg, IL 309.342.7665
Billiards On Main
“Dead Stroke” vs. “In Stroke” By Samm Diep, PoolTipJar.com © August 2009
Once in a while, and always unexpectedly, I experience being in “dead stroke.” If you’re unfamiliar with this term, the most accurate definition I have found is from the BilliardsForum.info website. It defines dead stroke as: Similar to playing on autopilot where a player is at peak playing level and is playing without any conscious effort or thought. Dead stroke is a sustained period of play where the specific player is in stroke. In simple terms, Samm Diep dead stroke is where a player is performing so flawlessly that he or she just cannot miss. To a player who is experiencing dead stroke, the game seems effortless. Let’s break it down. Have you ever broke and ran without even attempting to play position but getting your cue ball perfectly in line for each shot? Something comes over you; almost like you’re having an outer-body experience and you could feel the contact point with little to no effort. You just knew the ball was going into the hole, without even trying. “You cannot miss” and “the game seems effortless.” These are both things that we would love to experience all the time, right? Well, not necessarily. The part of this definition that concerns me is, “similar to playing on autopilot.” This means that we enter a zone where something else takes over and we’re practically unconscious. Don’t get me wrong, its fun when it happens and I try to take full advantage of it when I experience it. However, one of my least favorite things about experiencing dead stroke is that after it’s over, I don’t remember a thing. I can’t remember the super runs I made or how it felt when I made them. The other thing I find myself doing is getting careless. When you feel like you can make anything from anywhere, you forget that you should still try to play position. I find myself making the shots but getting into much more trouble. Some instructors may disagree with this theory, but I believe there is a difference between “Dead Stroke” and simply being “In Stroke.” You see, when you’re in stroke, you’re well-prepared both mentally and physically. You are properly trained. You feel confident and decisive, yet you are not “playing without any conscious effort or thought.” You’re fully aware of your actions and executive each one deliberately. Being in stroke is being in control. To me, that’s the difference between the two. Being in dead stroke is a “sustained period” that may come and continued on page 17
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October 2009 page 5
National Championship Series Sambajon and Butera Down to the Wire at NCS 9-Ball National Championship Finals At the NCS 9-Ball National Championship finals, spectators witnessed the finesse and knowledge of top veteran players, Santos Sambajon and Sal Butera. Both men played the extended finals race to 15 in A class form. On the tough pro cut 9’ Diamond table and with the alternate break format, initially the match was tied up. However starting with game 9,
Butera started making his move when given ball in hand after Sambajon scratched on the break and in quick fashion, Sambajon saw himself down 9-6. With a combination of well executed safes and patience Sambajon fended off Butera, who as a spectator said earlier was playing all day as if giving a clinic. The next 30 minutes saw the match tied up 10-10. Butera, also known for his laid back and patience at the table, calmly waited for his opportunity. It came when the next break by Sambajon came up dry allowing Butera to run out. The next came when Butera broke and ran out to now give himself a two game advantage making it 12-10. In game 23, Butera pushed to a jump. Sambajon chose his option and handed the table back to Butera. The cue ball close to one short rail on one end and the one ball near the other short rail but close to the corner pocket. Butera had one big challange, the wall of other balls between whitey and the one. Due to a couple of other balls obstructing the potential kick path, Butera had no choice but to jump almost the entire length of the table and over two balls in the middle in order to keep Sambajon in his chair. Poise, stroke, bang, the cue ball flew through the air and landed dead pocketing the one in the corner and getting perfect on the two. The crowd of 70-80 spectators went wild. Butera, after taking a moment to compose himself from the shot and crowd response, ran out to make it 13-10. Sambajon was now facing needing 5 to Butera’s 2. But Sambajon has been in this rodeo before and knows how to keep focus and bear down just waiting for his opening chance. Perfect shape, well played safes and few misses by Sambajon slowly allowed him to edge up on Butera. Soon the match was hill-hill. Butera broke but scratched in the side leaving the final rack wide open. Sambajon meticulously played perfect shape on the entire rack until his shot on the 8-Ball did not come up on the table as high as he played leaving himself a deep back cut to a corner pocket. With the cue ball and 9-ball only about an inch apart as well, this shot is one that tests any player. Taking a close examination, Sambajon also had to impart high inside to avoid a potential scratch at the other end of the table. He made this under pressure tough shot and to a standing ovation by the crown, Sambajon won 15-14. Both players will receive paid entry to the 2010 U.S Open 10-Ball Championship at the Riviera Hotel and Casino where 96 players from around the US and world will vie for approximately . Sambajon also won $3800 in cash, the #308 cue from OB Cues and custom engraved rack
commemorating his win by DELTA-13 and a custom engraved and made solid crystal trophy. 1st Santos Sambajon (IL) $3800 + Entry 2010 US Open 10-Ball 2nd Sal Butera (CA) $2500 + Entry to 2010 US Open 10-Ball 3rd Adam Kielar (PA) $1700 4th John Kucharo (IA) $1100 5-6 Jui Lung Chen (TX) $750 / Denis Strickland (TX) $750 7-8 Justin Whitehead (AZ) $400 / Todd Marsh (WA) $400 Parica First NCS 10-Ball National Champion In front of over 300 spectators both on-line and on-site, Jose Parica defeated Shaun Wilkie in the NCS 10-Ball National Championship finals at the Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Produced by CueSports International (CSI) with Bad Boy Billiards Productions, the 4th event in the new NCS series had a small but talent loaded field, including such notible players as Harry Platis, Jon Kucharo, 14 year phenom and Junior National Champion Brendan Crockett, Sal Butera, Adam Kielar and Denis Strickland to name a few as well as Parica and Maryland top player Wilkie. Parica, who found himself early in the tournament on the left side of the bracket battled back to meet Wilkie in the final single extended race to 13. The semis finals saw Parica playing Bill Anderson from McKinney, Texas. Anderson, who started competing again in 2008 after years away from the sport, found Parica too dominant a force and settled for 3rd. The final match was also all Parica, as Wilkie faced the lethal combination of dry breaks and an in-form Parica. Thus, the leader of the U.S Pinoy invasion handily added another title to his long list of pool accomplishments. Both Wilkie and Parica will join the top two finishers of the NCS 9-Ball
National Championship, Santos Sambajon Jr. and Sal Butera receiving a paid entry to the 2010 U.S Open 10-Ball Championship scheduled next May at the Riviera Hotel and Casino. As the winner of the inaugural NCS 10-Ball event, Parica also received $3000 in cash, a #308 model cue designed by Danny Janes exclusively for NCS sponsor OB Cues, a custom engraved DELTA-13 Elite rack and a custom solid crystal trophy.
The NCS (National Championship Series) is a division of CueSports International. CSI is also the parent company of the BCA Pool League, the newly launched USA Pool League. CSI also produces the U.S Bar Table Championships and the Jay Swanson Memorial in addition to the U.S Open 10-Ball Championship. For more information about CSI and the NCS, please call (702) 719-7665 or email holly@playcsipool.com.
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5–6
Jose Parica (CA) $3000 + Entry 2010 US Open 10-Ball Shaun Wilke (MD) $1900 + Entry to 2010 US Open 10-Ball Bill Anderson (TX) $1200 Denis Strickland (TX) $800 Todd Marsh (WA) $500 / Jon Kucharo (IA) $500
October 2009 page 6
Jacobson Triumphs in Minneapolis By MBC Staff The Minneapolis Billiard Club hosted its 3rd Annual Fall Classic 3 Cushion Tournament September 18-20, 2009. Eighteen players filled the open tournament’s three preliminary flights of six players. Each flight would be a round robin format of 20 point games with the top 2 players making the finals. Two Verhoevens covered in Simonis Delsa Blue cloth set the stage for three days of carom action. Sunday’s final flight would feature matches to 25. Special guests at this year’s tournament included former American champion George Ashby, billiard author Bob Byrne, and USBA Secretary Jim Shovak. Players traveled from six states to compete. Flight A. Halfway through the flight it looked possible that Byrne, Fred Lamers, and Shovak could all end up with 4-1 records as each had a single loss to one another. Shovak’s loss was with the fewest points so he’d be the odd man out. Then an interesting series of events began. First, Shovak defeated Gary Eake to indeed finish at 4-1. Second, Bernard Kapinos played his best game to earn his first victory to leave Lamers at 3-2. This put Shovak into the finals and it looked like Lamers would be the odd man out. Next up was Byrne who needed at least 18 points to wrap up the second spot. His previous game was a tournament best 1.250 so his chances of advancing looked good. This was not to be—Craig Gullett played his best game and made the Hall of Famer Byrne the odd man out. Shovak won the flight at 4-1 and Lamers finished second at 3-2. Flight B. Ashby cruised confidently to a 5-0 record to sweep the flight. Steve Gullett, Pat Preziuso, and Carl Nelson fought for second place with the outcome not decided until Nelson topped Preziuso while holding him below 15 points. Nelson advanced to the finals with a record of 3-2. Flight C. John Jacobson, the inaugural champ from 2007, won his flight with a record of 4-1. Second place turned into a battle between Brad Vollmers, Bob Jacobson, and Tim Gardner. Gardner earned the second spot with his victory over John Jacobson to also finish 4-1. Finals. Midway through the finals bracket,
Ashby was undefeated and Shovak, Lamers, and John Jacobson each had a single loss. Shovak’s loss came at the hands of Lamers who ran out with a tournament high run of 11. John Jacobson defeated both Shovak and Lamers to remain with only a single loss. Lamers handed Ashby his first loss with the finals high game of 1.136. Ashby then beat Shovak which set up the final match between Ashby and John Jacobson. The winner would take first and the loser third since Lamers had second wrapped up based on points. Lamers, the strongest player in his home club, finished runner up for the third straight year. He was runner up to Lupe Cruz in 2008 and John Jacobson in 2007. The final match was a tightly fought contest with Jacobson prevailing 25-20 over Ashby. Congratulations to John Jacobson for becoming the first repeat winner of the Minneapolis Billiard Club Fall Classic! MBC thanks sponsors David Levine, Rene duCret, Mickey Campbell, Troy Thoennes of All About the Game Room, and Craig Gullett. The club also thanks Goerge Bisonnette for preparing and delivering Saturday night’s feast;
The total prize fund of $3,900 ($1,800 entry + $2,100 added) paid as follows: 1st Place 2nd Place 3rd Place 4th Place 5th Place 6th Place High Run Out of the Money High Average Out of the Money Schuler cue raffle winner
$1,250 $900 $600 $425 $300 $225 $100 $100
John Jacobson Fred Lamers George Ashby Tim Gardner Jim Shovak Carl Nelson Bob Byrne Bob Jacobson Jamie Sibley
(Above) From Left to Right: Tim Gardner, John Jacobson, Carl Nelson, Fred Lamers, Jim Shovak, and George Ashby. (Below) John Jacobson.
Bob Jacobson for tournament assistance; and Jim Larson of Billiards Unlimited for use of his club. Most of all, we thank the players for making the tournament a success and a fun event for all. Full tournament charts with scores and averages and more than 200 photographs from the tournament are available at the MBC website. http://www.minneapolisbilliardclub. com The Fourth Annual tournament in the fall of 2010 should be just as exciting.
The 3 Slate System
October 2009 page 7
By Bill Smith “Mr3Cushion”, Old School Pool.net
BEFORE WE EMBARK together on this new billiards odyssey, I’d like to clarify two points, 1) The systems, concepts and methods you will read in my column are identical to those I apply in tournament play or anywhere else, I never teach anything I don’t use myself. 2) The instructions you’ve been receiving in other publication are normally about how to score on a shot-by-shot basis, generally have been uniformly excellent, and my instructions should be extremely helpful to you too, but they’re based on a different concept. That concept is fairly simple, at least in writing. I believe that the correct primary focus, in advanced three-cushion billiards play, is the positioning of the first object ball. In other words, when I execute a shot, my main concern is to cut, drive, or carry that first ball to a high-percentage scoring zone (a corner), or a high-percentage scoring lane, (along either long rail). Least favorable is the center of the table, where the target becomes smaller. The correct secondary focus of a shot is to see the angle into the first cushion I need to score, along with the proper stroke and speed. Third, I determine whether to play a shot short or long, whether I want to /score off the right or left side of the second object ball, and perhaps whether I can drive that second ball into a high-percentage zone, or lane. Now to the system at hand, which I call The Three-Slate System. As you probably know, a billiard table is divided equally into three slates, Diagram 1 : shows you a visualization of these three sections. In Diagram 2, your first object ball lies in the Slate 1 section, here we try to cut that ball into an area between the fourth and fifth diamonds on the opposite long rail, banking it cross corner into a high-percentage scoring zone (in all these diagrams the cue ball path is or should be, obvious). You must cut 1/8 of that first object
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ball, using 4 o’clock English if the shot lies on the other side of the table), and a short stroke; remember, you’re cutting the object ball thin here, and a long stroke will impart too much speed to the cue ball. In Diagram 3, your first object ball is located in Slate 2a. Cut the first ball into the opposite corner, long rail first, with enough speed to bring it back to the other long cushion. Hit it 1 /3 full, with 3 o’clock English, and a normal stroke (that is, your follow-through is the same length as your bridge). In Diagram 4, the first object ball lies in the Slate 2b section, here instead of cutting the ball, we drive it to the short rail, between the first and second diamonds from the opposite corner. As diagrammed, that ball’s route should take it to the opposite long rail, short rail and back to our high-percentage scoring lane. That ball should be hit half-full, with 3 o’clock English, use a bit more speed than usual, to drive the first ball properly. Finally, Diagram 5 shows you an object ball, lying in the Slate 3 section, this time drive that ball to the short cushion, between the first and second diamonds from the near corner. This is similar to a straight-back bank shot in pool, a two-thirds full hit will send it back to the opposite corner, then to the Slate 2b section and once again, a high-percentage scoring lane. Use minimum 1 o’clock English this time, with a (quick short stroke ) to keep your cue ball from going forward and to long. Bill Smith has been one of the top players in the country for all of his 40 year career as a professional 3 Cushion player. He has been making Ultimate Billiards in Fort Pierce, FL his classroom every Saturday working with students of different levels and abilities. For more info and to schedule your lesson, please visit www.ultimate-billiards.com
Ray Ray’s Pockets 613 SW Sheridan Rd Lawton OK, 73505
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Saturday September 26th @ noon
$25 entry - Race to 7 winner’s side - Race to 5 loser’s side Alternating Breaks - Played on 7ft diamonds - Finals 9ft diamond Check us out @rayrayspockets.com or call 580-248-6162
October 2009 page 8
Bar Maids On Top
All Female Team Takes First Fall, winter, and early spring are typically considered the poolplaying seasons in most pool halls. However, at Sharky’s Billiards in Sedalia, MO, players heat up the tables all summer long. Wednesday nights found teams playing Scotch Doubles 8 ball, while Thursday nights were taken over by Team Trios playing 9 ball. Scotch Doubles teams consisted of an “A” player and a “B” player and encouraged coaching throughout. Instead of each player having a handicap, the team itself, earned a handicap. Both players had to be committed to the season, as substitutions were allowed for extenuating circumstances only. Teams for 9 Ball Trios could be made up of any skill level and each person earned a handicap. Both sessions ran for 14 weeks. The race was close but in the end it was the Scotch Doubles team In The Nic Of Time (pictured above), consisting of Josh Blaylock and Nicole Stock both of Sedalia, MO, who took first after fourteen weeks of play. They ended the session with a match record of 9 wins, 5 losses; 130 games, and 1740.87 points. Coming in second was the Grumpy Ole Men, made
up of Joe Southard (Ionia, MO), Herb Shull, and Willie Schrader, Jr., both of Sedalia. Their ending record was also 9 match wins, 5 losses; but they only won 122 games and ended with a score of 1707.39. Third place team was The Homeboys, Charley Case of Marshall, MO, and Robert Cranmer of Sedalia, MO. With 9 match wins also, they won 116 games and scored 1707.39 points. For the first time in Sharky’s history a team consisting of all females took first place in league play. After fourteen weeks of play the Bar Maids (pictured below), made up of Audra Dean, Heather Naylor, Caron Schrader, and Mellody Allee, all of Sedalia, took first in Team Trios 9 Ball. They ended the session with 11 match wins, 3 losses, and took 39 rounds in the process. Coming in second was the Hawks with a record of 9 wins, 5 losses; 33 rounds and 173 games. The Hawks team of Bobby Eastep, Nate Degraff, Jimmy Phillips, and Willie Schrader, Jr., all of Sedalia, squeezed by the (Bar Maids continued on page 17)
Turner Captures Queen B’s
October 2009 page 9
Queen B’s in Lebanon, MO hosted a tournament, September 26-27, 2009. Evelyn Dysart was the tournament director. 55 great players were in attendance and $2,000 was added to the pot. In the hot seat match Marty Caylor defeated Kenny Turner 9-8, while Mitch Cravens defeated Matt Hays 9-8 on the one loss side. The semi final match saw Kenny Turner defeat Mitch Cravens for his chance to meet Marty Caylor in the finals. Kenny would have to defeat Marty twice to take home the $900 first place prize money. He won the first set 9-5 and the second set 9-8. Congratulations Kenny! 1st $900 Kenny Turner, Branson, Mo (pictured on left) 2nd $600 Marty Caylor, Parsons, KS (pictured on right) 3rd $400 Mitch Cravens, Springfield, Mo 4th $300 Matt Hays, Springfield, Mo 5-6 $200 Darren Everett, Ozark, Mo Jimmy Eberhart, Wood River, Il 7-8 $100 Martin Warren, Rolla, Mo Brandon Spitler, Kimberling City, Mo 9-12 $75 Denny Bays, Waynesville, Mo Chuck Raulston, Poplar Bluff, Mo Johnny Neels, Hillsboro, Mo Lloyd Moreland, Camdenton, Mo
Hillbilly & Hayes Top the Field Charlie Bryant Leaves Another Brand on the Lone Star Billiards Tour Charlie “Hillbilly” Bryant cleaned up at Bradley’s N Billiards in San Antonio, Texas at the eighth stop on the 09 Lone Star Billiards Tour event held September 25th-27th. Hillbilly dealt two striking blows to Jui Lung Chen, sending him to the loser’s side, then sending him home with second place in the final match by a score of 9-6. This is his third consecutive victory on the Lone Star Billiards Tour which houses some of the best players around including Sparky Ferrell, James Davis Jr. “Bastrop Jr.”, Sylver Ochoa, and many, many, more. This event, like all events on tour was $1,000-added and drew 61 entrants to compete for a first prize of $1900. Winners’ side final four played out with Hillbilly sending Fred “Scooter” Goodman west 9-4, as Chen was sending Sam Manaole over 9-2. In the first of their two meetings, battling for the hot seat, Hillbilly prevailed over Chen 9-5, and then awaited his return. Meanwhile, west on the Lone Star bracket, Bobby Gonzalez was working his way back to meet up with Goodman. He shotdown James Garcia and Robert Almarez 7-4 from among the event’s final 12. Zaid Thweib defeated Sylver Ochoa 7-3, and Frank Ferrer to 7-4, met up with Manaole. It ended up a Goodman and Manaole showdown to advance to the quarterfinals; Goodman with a 7-4 win over Gonzalez, and Manaole with a 7-3 victory over Thweib. Manaole emerged victorious over Goodman 7-4 who fought an awesome battle after a very early tournament loss. Chen didn’t waste any time with Sam Manaoli running through him like a hot knife through butter 7-1. But things took a turn when it became a Bryant-Chen showdown for the big cash. Hillbilly took it to him 9-6 and added another notch to his Lone Star Cowboy belt with a total of 5 wins this year. A concurrent ladies’ event, which drew 10 entrants, saw Helen Hayes defeat Yvette Reyes 5-3 in the finals to take home the first place prize
9th 13th
$60 $40
of $150. Reyes picked up $50 for her second place finish. Cristina Delagarza finished third. Congratulations to Ken Lewis who won our Anthrax 2 Cue raffle sponsored by Poison Cues! We would like to thank Bradley’s and our tour sponsors Poison Cues, Delta 13, and Cue Reach for all of their support. The next stop will be November 6th-7th at Casper’s Billiards in beautiful San Leon, Texas. For tour and travel info visit: www. lonestarbilliardstour.com. We look forward to seeing you on the Lone Star Tour Trail!!! Place Playername Prize Money 1st $900 Charlie Bryant 2nd $500 Jui Lung Chen 3rd $350 Shane Manaole 4th $250 Fred Goodman 5th $210 Bobby Gonzales, Zuid Thweib 7th $80 Robert Almarez, Frank Ferrer Jr. Sylver Ochoa, Justin Rios, James Garcia, Lanny Hennin Ismail Ramirez, Dave Parker, Andy Jethwa, Jacob Jiminez
October 2009 page 10
Shooting Star Classic Crowns Champs Photos by Mike Fieldhammer, BilliardCoach.com
By Staff.
The Shooting Star Hotel & Casino hosted the first annual Shooting Star Classic 8-ball tournament September 4-7, 2009 in Mahnomen, Minnesota. The hotel’s 15,000 square foot event center had recently presented such acts as LeAnn Rimes, Jay Leno, and Styx. On this Labor Day weekend, it accommodated several hundred pool players and fans, competing in 6 pool tournaments on 34 pro-cut 7’ Diamond pool tables. Tournament directors and promoters, Samm Diep and Mike Fieldhammer, along with the casino took a risk on hosting a new tournament in the upper Midwest over the last long weekend of the summer. “Historically, summertime in Minnesota is a tournament snooze-fest—even the most avid pool player likes to get outside a few months out of the year,” said Fieldhammer, “Tournament attendance has been suffering in the past several years and we wanted to give the tournament scene a shot in the arm.” Their risk paid off. More than 250 players arrived for their chance at over $18,000 in total prize money. $5,000 was added by the Shooting Star Casino. “Being competitors ourselves, we wanted to put on a first class event that players will
Scotch Doubles
look forward to for years to come. We went to great lengths to keep the event fun and professional, yet affordable,” said Diep. The tournament offered quality equipment with affordable greens fees, generous payouts, reasonable room rates at a top notch hotel/ casino, on time matches and sensible match times, and live streaming from a feature table. SCOTCH DOUBLES The inaugural event kicked off Friday night with a 64-player Scotch Doubles event. All were welcome to play and they did. Scotch teams saw the likes of former touring professional Jimmy Wetch and multiple Master’s Team champion Mario Parayno as partners. Minnesota’s dynamic duo Beau Runningen/Tony Hilla versus the Iowa/ Nebraska pairing of Jerrod Frideres/Dustin Gunia chopped the total $1,380 prize and hit the road. 1st $690 2nd $690 3rd $380
Runningen/Hilla Minneapolis, MN Frideres/Gunia Fort Dodge, IA Steinhaus/Sherman Clearwater, MN
4th $230
Calleja/Moua Deer Park, WI
MEN’S OPEN The 128-player Men’s Open field was underway by noon on Saturday and saw a 12 player waitlist, most of who either got in or played in the Masters division. Some notable players were Midwest up-and-comers Matt Berg and Chase Plumley, Chicago’s secret weapon Shannon Schroeder, and Canadian names Andrew Thomas, Joe Kluka, and Blair Lawson. Taking advantage of the Labor Day long weekend, the Men’s Open division wrapped up Monday afternoon. Brad Krystofiak of Cambridge, Minnesota soared through the full field without losing a match. In fact, the only to get more than two games on him was runnerup Cullen Newton, in the final match of the tournament. The modest Krystofiak hesitated to comment on his stellar finish claiming, “I’m 75 percent happy with my performance.” Krystofiak felt nervous in his semi-final match but loosened up to claim his first title. He attributes the win to his new pool table and return to competition. 1st $1,400 2nd $1,000 3rd $700 4th $500
Brad Krystofiak Cambridge, MN Cullen Newton Fridley, MN Charlie Garza Albert Lea, MN Ron Latterell Sauk Rapids, MN
WOMEN’S OPEN The Women’s Open concluded with a double-set finals resulting in favor of the hot-seat winner. Of the 24 players, Natalie Plumley cruised through the open ladies field to meet up with Joan Jacobs in the finals. Jacobs narrowly escaped a hill-hill battle with Fargo’s Sam Matuska before meeting Plumley in the finals pit for a four hour grudge match. Jacobs dished out a 4-0 victory in the first set but slightly over stroked the key
October 2009 page 11
Shooting Star Classic Crowns Champs
ball at hill-hill, coming just shy of the prize. Plumley was elated for the victory. 1st $900 2nd $600 3rd $380 4th $180 Schofield,
Natalie Plumley Owatonna, MN Joan Jacobs Devils Lake, ND Sam Matuska Fargo, ND Veronica Lyons WI
MEN’S MASTERS The Men’s Masters division was drew 45 players, and was no cake walk with the likes of Wetch, Runningen, Lee Heuwagen, as well as the famous Wisconsinite Gene Albrecht. After cruising through the A-side and defeating Felix Beardy for the driver’s seat, Demetrius Jelatis would face him again in the finals. Beardy was ready to retaliate, taking the first set 5-2. After a quick break, a refreshed Jelatis would return to flip the score in his favor and claim the Men’s Masters title. “Although I didn’t get to play Jimmy or Lee, this is the first tournament I’ve played in 15 years of competing in Minnesota that both
Brad Krystofiak
of them were in the field. It was an honor to play along side players like that and so many others I've looked up to for years,” said Jelatis. 1st $1,400 2nd $1,000 3rd $700 4th $380
Demetrius Jelatis Brooklyn Park, MN Felix Beardy Winnipeg, MB Jerrod Spence Winnipeg, MB Marc Oelslager Fargo, ND
WOMEN’S MASTERS Though the field was smallest of 12, it included players from seven states and two countries. Of the six women to return on day two, Chicago prevailed, taking the gold and bronze. Kristen Castaldo of Oak Brook, Illinois captured third place while her road partner Jacqui Herrera-Schroeder met Jeri Bouvette for a rematch in the finals. The single-set finals saw a repeat 5-3 score in Herrera-Schroeder’s favor, crowning her the new Women’s Masters champ.
Demetrius Jelatis
1st $900 Jacqui Herrera-Schroeder Streamwood, IL 2nd $600 Jeri Bouvette East Grand Forks, MN 3rd $400 Kristen Castaldo Oak Brook, IL 4th $200 Kelly Haffner St. Joe, MN All four singles champions received custom Delta-13 Elite racks engraved with the event name, date, and “CHAMPION” along with their prize money and a large commemorative tournament check. Even the second chance winner Pat Powers won $300 and a Delta-13 rack for carving through the field of 32 players. With support from their sponsors, the Shooting Star Classic was able to provide coin-free play the entire weekend for only a $10 greens fee. Event Sponsors: Shooting Star Casino, SammsPocket.com, BilliardCoach.com, Tiger Products, Delta-13 Rack, Peters Billiards, PoolDawg.com, Predator Group, and Simonis Cloth. Visit ShootingStarClassic.com for complete results, tournament details, online brackets, photo gallery, and match videos.
Jacqui Herrera-Schroeder
Natalie Plumley
October 2009 page 12
Little Wooden Shed In August, Gene and I climbed the ladders and put a new roof on the little wooden shed, so it will stay dry, inside. We worked into the night, but we got the roof done before it rained. The new roof works great and looks good. Also in August, two young men we sponsor, Jamey Gray and Tim Chin, were 2 of the 12 top trick shot artists who competed in the Ultimate Trick Shot Challenge, in Las Vegas. Andy Segal took 1st place, followed by Jamey Gray in 2nd and Tim Chin in 3rd. Crown Cues is proud to sponsor such talented young men as Tim and Jamey. We took to the roads again in September! Thanks to an invitation from Dwight Sisson (BigDogatLarge) and a welcome from Tom Gedris of Triple Cross Cues, we took our cues to show at the US Open Qualifier at Pockets, in Tallahassee, Florida on the 18th and 19th. We saw some super talent and some intense competition. Mike Davis took 4th place and Han Barber took 3rd place. Aaron Bolling and Stoney Stone went head to head for 1st place. Their match started off tight, but Stoney stayed focused and drove ahead to claim a 1st place victory, with Aaron taking 2nd place. During the tournament, Blackjack David Sapolis was secluded to one side of the room, while he was pocketing 10,000 balls to raise money for The United Way of The Big Bend. Toward the end of the second day, the management decided to open up that side of the room to business, and interference became a huge problem for him. People continued getting in his way. I don’t know many people who would have been
able to continue without getting angry, but he did a fine job. Finally, after he perservered as long as he could, he unscrewed his cue and left. Before he left, he did manage to pocket 8400+ balls for the cause. Before we left town on Sunday, Aaron Bolling took us to the usual hangout at Snookers and we also went to check out the new smokefree pool hall, Geo’s, on Mahan Drive. They are planning a big shindig for their grand opening event on October 2nd. We hope their place does well. On our way back home, we decided to go through Mobile, Alabama, where we found a really nice pool hall on the I-65 Service Road South, called Bumpers Billiards. We stopped in to play for a while and found a couple of large rooms with some well-cared for tables, some big tv screens and a very comfortable atmosphere. In Meridian, Mississippi, we returned to Sneaky Pete’s on Poplar Springs Dr., where we stopped for a while in July. They recently acquired and recovered an old, United barbox table, which was VERY nice to play on!! Now, we know why we played so much better when we were younger... it wasn’t the difference in our skill, it was the TABLES!! Our games on (continued on page 17)
J J’s Billiards 309 S Elmwood - Sioux Fall, SD
605-335-7637
9-BALL - SEPT 19TH
$30 entry - Race to 7 Play Starts at Noon - Handicap A-B-C For info contact Gary or Matt 605-335-7637
October 2009 page 13
Limited Banks
“What is the best excuse you have given for missing a shot, losing a game OR the best excuse you have heard? OR all of the above?”
By: Bob Jewett
Bob Jewett
San Francisco Billiard Academy www.sfbilliards.com
A lot of learning to play pool is finding your own limits, but you also need to know the limits of the equipment you are playing on. You may have plenty of draw on new cloth with a standard cue ball, but go to a table with old, sticky cloth and an over-sized bar ball, and your draw will evaporate. Banks in particular can vary a lot from table to table and sometimes from day to day depending on the humidity. Here are two shots you can use to test the cushions. Each one tests the limit for a particular bank. Bank 1 In Bank 1, the object 1 ball is on the spot, so it is exactly between the first diamond on the banking rail and the third diamond on the shooting rail. The simple mirror system for banking says that shot is not on, but if you hit the object ball full and hard with a little left English, the ball will bank cross corner on a "standard" table. When trying the shot, make sure that the two balls are exactly on the line between the two Bank 2 diamonds as illustrated. Also, check whether you hit the one ball full by whether the cue P ball moves to the left or right after the shot. Unless you do the test accurately, you can't learn much about the table. Once you have tested the cushion like this, you will be prepared for similar shots that may come up in a game. They will rarely be exactly on line, but your test will give you a clue about how to correct them. The same rule (3-to-1) works for cross-side shots as well. Bank 2 is particularly useful at the game of one pocket. It is a two-rail bank of a ball on the foot spot. On many tables, this shot is just barely possible if you can just miss the corner pocket. Note the black target I've placed on the table. If you shoot the object ball towards that target, you should hit on solid cushion on the second rail. On your table, that target may be in a slightly different place. On tables with brand new cloth, Bank 2 is easy because the cue ball slides and hooks off the first cushion if you shoot at moderate speed. You may even be able to move the one ball a ball or two to the "hard" side. On tables with sticky rails, this shot is difficult or impossible because there is no slide off the first cushion and the cue ball goes wide. On tables like that, find how many ball-diameters you have to move the object ball to the “easy” side of the spot to allow you to make the ball. It is possible to help the angle by getting some “hold-up” side spin on the object ball. In this case, right English on the cue ball will get a little left on the object ball which will help the angle on the second cushion. Shots like these are useful both as rules of thumb for standard equipment and as tests to measure an unknown table against that standard. If you have some of your own, email them to me and you may see them in a future column. REJ
Melissa Little
Answer: There are so many answers for this question I’m not sure where to start. Everyone has an excuse for missing but when players become verbal it can be quite humorous. The best excuse that I have ever heard was a friend of mine (john Sandifer) told me that he played in a tournament in South Carolina and when his opponent missed a 9-ball the guys excuse was that his hair was in the way- the problem was that the guy was nearly bald with maybe a handful of hairs on his head. John proceeded to giggle and thinking to himself, ”what hair”? Believe me there are plenty of excuses why players miss shots, I have heard them all- “did you see that guy walked in front of my shot”, “I miss-cued”, “the ball squirted”, or even “my hair got in the way”. But in reality those are all excuses and if players can honestly ask themselves why they missed then those excuses will eventually diminish. Usually the real answer is the player did not approach the shot right, or did not chalk their pool cue, or mentally they were not ready to pull the trigger. The moral of the story is to learn from your mistakes and stop making excuses for misses! If you have a question for “viper” please e-mail them to otbnews@ aol.com
October 2009 page 14
Galveston World Classic Women's 9-Ball With a purported first place prize of $10,000, the Women’s 9-Ball event drew all the big names in women’s professional pool but the field was light with only 29 women. There were players like Allison Fisher, Gerda Hofstatter, Monica Webb, Megan Smith, Yu Ram Cha, Iris Ranola, and Vivian Villarreal. The field was also scattered with some of the best players from the regional women’s tours,Angel Paglia, Cristina DeLaGarza and Susan Williams to name a few. The finals saw Allison Fisher on the point and Yu Ram Cha who made her way through the one loss side of the bracket. Cha was sent to the one loss side in the second round with a loss to Allison Fisher. From there she faced and defeated 7 opponents to once again meet Allison. Although Yu Ram worked her way through the one loss side her opponents gave her very little trouble. She seemed to be an unstoppable force. This was a double elimination tournament, Yu Ram would have to defeat Allison twice to win the event. The advantage was in Cha’s favor since she had been playing consistently and had the momentum behind her. The first set started off with a bang for Yu Ram when she jumped out ahead 4-0. From there she gave Fisher little opportunity at the table and won the first set 9-5. Set two started with a 2-0 lead for Cha with Fisher fighting for her life at the table with a lot of safety play between the two. Yu Ram was up 5-0, the tournament was about to finish very early Wednesday morning. It wasn’t long before she finished the set and the match taking home the $6,000 first place prize. 1st Yu Ram Cha 2nd Allison Fisher 3rd Line Kjorsvik 4th Vivian Villarreal
Galveston World Classic continued next page
One Pocket
October 2009 page 15 This One Pocket Division with 88 entrants, had 2 Double Elimination preliminary brackets, each advancing 4 players to the 8 player Final bracket, a race to 3 with a first place prize of $15,000. The final bracket consisted of Efren Reyes vs Jeffery Heath, Shannon Daulton vs Brandon Shuff, and on the one loss side Isaac Runnels vs John Macias, and Sylver Ochoa vs Cliff Joyner. From the first round Reyes, Daulton, Macias and Joyner advanced. The first round matches were played on Sunday and Monday, round two and three on Monday and Tuesday with the semi-final and final matches being played on Thursday. Round two has Reyes and Daulton facing off with Daulton coming out on top on the winner side and Maciam and Shuff with Macias advancing, plus Joyner and Heath with Joyner moving on to round 3 from the one loss side. Joyner and Macias faced off to see who would advance and face Reyes for a chance to meet Shannon Daulton in the finals. It was Reyes who would prevail over Joyner without losing a game. The finals were set to begin at 9 pm Thursday evening, double elimination so Reyes would have to beat Daulton twice to go home with first place. The first set went to Reyes but it was a hard fought set with the set tied at 2, Daulton missed calculated his position and Reyes went on to win. Set two was not to be Daulton’s either. Reyes was just too tough when the opportunities presented themselves and he finished the set and the match early Friday morning. 1st Efren Reyes 2nd Shannon Daulton 3rd Cliff Joyner 4th John Macias
8-Ball
The Open 8 Ball Division saw the same top guns players that had participated in the One Pocket and 9-Ball Divisions. Once again it was a division with two double elimination preliminary brackets advancing four players to the final eight player bracket in a race to 9 for $15,500 first place prize. The final eight players in this division were Ronnie Alcano, Larry Nevel, Roberto Gomez and Goh Takami on the winners side and Nick Varner, Lee Van Corteza, Dennis Orcollo and Johnny Archer on the one loss side. Play started on Wednesday on the winner side and Friday for the one loss side. Saturday saw matches between Alcano and Gomez (winners side) and Varner and Archer (one loss side). Johnny Archer and Roberto Gomez battled it out in the semi-final match to determine who would face Ronnie Alcano on the point. Archer won the match 9-2 and would face Alcano in the finals. Both Alcano and Archer fought hard to get ahead but after 8 racks the score was 4-4. Alcano then jumped ahead making the score 8-4. Archer won the next game but it was not enough. He gave Alcano ball in hand in the 14th rack and that was all it took. Alcano finished the match undefeated and took home the 1st place prize money of $15,500. 1st Ronnie Alcano 2nd Johnny Archer 3rd Roberto Gomez 4th Nick Varner
10-Ball
The 10-Ball Division had 2 Double Elimination preliminary brackets, each advancing 4 players to the 8 player Final bracket, race to 11, with first place receiving $25,000. The field of 75 was filled with top guns like, Johnny Archer, Efren Reyes, Francisco Bustamante, Shane Van Boening, Mika Immonen, Alex Pagulayan, Gabe Owen, Nick Varner, Rafael Martinez and the list went on and on. The match ups for the final 8 started Friday at 6pm with Johnny Archer vs Mike Deschaine and at 9 pm Shane Van Boening vs Mike Immonen. The one loss side Efren Reyes vs Warren Kiamco and Alex Pagulayan vs Francisco Bustamante started at Noon on Saturday. The winners side saw Immonen and Dechaine advancing while the one loss side was narrowing down the contestants. Immonen was on the point and Dechaine and Kiamco were battling for the chance to face Immonen in the finals. Kiamco was sent to the one loss side after the first round of play by Dennie Strickland. From there he fought his way back to be battling it out with Dechaine. In the finals it would be Warren Kiamco against Mika Immonen, double elimination, race to 11 the first set and race to 9 the second. The first set start off fairly even with the two tied at 3 when Kiamco shot out in front 9-3, Immonen won 2 more games 9-5. Kiamco got to the hill first 10-5 and finished the set out with an 11-5 victory. On to the race to 9 second set, again the set was tied at 3 and again at 5 and 7. Finally Immonen would pull out the win and take home the first place $25,000 while Kiamco settled for $12,000. 1st Mika Immonen 2nd Warren Kiamco 3rd Mike Dechaine 4th Francisco Bustamante
October 2009 page 16
Segal Wins The 2009 ESPN ZONE BILLIARDS SHOOTOUT was held September 17 in Las Vegas. Andy Segal defeated Sebastian Giumelli for the TRICK SHOT MAGIC title and the lion’s share of the $30,000 purse. ESPN Zone Las Vegas was host to the event which was taped for three 1-hour telecasts on ESPN November 22. The Tenth Annual TRICK SHOT MAGIC featured a stellar international cast vying for the most coveted title in Artistic Pool. The matches required each player to execute 10 Artistic shots in a challenge format. Players challenged their opponents with shots of their choice, with each player forced to make the shot to score a point. In the event of a tied score, the tiebreaker was an 8-rail bank shot onto the face of a $100 bill. The player who came closest to the center of the bill won the match.
Salvas Speed
The 2009 ESPN ZONE BILLIARDS SHOOTOUT was held September 16 in Las Vegas. Luc Salvas defeated Dave Pearson for the INTERNATIONAL SPEED POOL CHALLENGE crown and the $25,000 purse. ESPN Zone Las Vegas was host to the event, which was taped for three 1-hour telecasts on ESPN November 15.. The Fourth Annual INTERNATIONAL SPEED POOL CHALLENGE drew an international lineup battling for the $25,000 winner-takeall prize. The action in Speed Pool is fast and furious (the speed of light compared to 9-ball) with two sets, twelve racks in each set, the first set Straight Pool and the second set 8-Ball. Players routinely run racks of fifteen balls in about 1-minute and the player with the lowest accumulated time for twelve racks wins the match.
October 2009 page 17
Call First - All Tournaments are subject to change without notice DATE CITY LOCATION PHONE EVENT / RULES ENTRY ADDED Wednesdays Wright City, MO Dano’s Hillbilly Heaven (636) 745-8020 8-Ball - pays top 3 places $10 $100 Oshkosh, WI Varsity Club (920) 651-0806 9-Ball Beginners $8 Thursdays Oshkosh, WI Varsity Club (920) 651-0806 9-Ball Intermediate $10 Fridays Cape Girardeau, MO Billiard Center (573) 335-9955 9-Ball Handicap Call $200 Galesburg, IL Billiards On Main (309) 342-7665 8 Ball on 7’ Valleys $10 $$$ w/full field Tulsa, OK Q-Spot Billiards (918) 779-6204 8-Ball 7 & under $5 Oshkosh, WI Varsity Club (920) 651-0806 9-Ball Open - Break Pot $15 $5/player Guar. Saturdays Midwest City, OK Jamaica Joe’s (405) 736-0590 9-Ball 8 & under Call Tulsa, OK Q-Spot Billiards (918) 779-6204 9-Ball 7 & under $10 (incl. g.f.) Sundays Fridley, MN Two Stooges (763) 574-1399 9-Ball Open on 7’ DE Race to 5 $15 (incl g.f.) $75 w/16
Little Wooden Shed (continued from page 12)
that table took us back to when we were young. Even with the smaller pockets, it played so beautifully! We’d have brought it home with us, if we could! They also have a newlycovered 9 footer in the back. They are looking for a larger place to grow, but for now, they’re stuck in a nice little corner... just some nice folks who treat you as if you belong to the neighborhood. As we were cruising through Memphis, Tennessee on Hwy 78, we stopped at The Rack, which is a 24/7 pool hall... ring the bell and walk in. We didn’t have time to play, but it looked very nice, with a good number of tables and a nice lady named Pat, who invited us to come back, anytime. Now that we are back home, we are planning to stay here for a while and get a second wind. We’ve traveled a lot, this year, but we’ve had some great times, met some fine people and found some excellent places to play. Gene is currently working hard in the little wooden shed, preparing for the holiday rush that is coming, soon. If you did not get to meet us on the road, this year, we hope to meet you, next year.
Bar Maids
TIME 7:30 PM Call Call 7 PM 7 PM 9 PM Call 7:30 PM 9 PM 6:30 PM
(continued from page 8)
NoNames who placed third by 14 games. The NoNames team ended the session with 9 wins, 5 losses; 33 rounds and 159 games. Players for the NoNames were Jimmy Koeller, Sedalia; Frank Parratt, Clinton; Nicole Stock, Sedalia, Brent Haile, Blairstown; and Gary Wallut, Deep Water. With the end of the summer league, Fall 5 Person Team 8 Ball leagues are starting on both Wednesday and Thursday nights. Sharky’s Utter Chaos Tournament will be held October 31st, and is one of the most fun tournaments of the year. Races are to 7 in the winners bracket and 5 in the losers bracket. Breaker chooses the game from 7 ball to 10 ball up to three games in the same match. It is a fitting tournament for Halloween! November 21st will the Powder Puff Power 7 Ball Tournament for females only. For complete information go to www.sharkysbilliards.com.
Dead Stroke...
continued from page 5 go without warning. Being in stroke is managing your own actions and not being on autopilot. It means that even when the conditions are not ideal and your opponent is driving you bonkers, you maintain your sense of awareness and grind through it. You aren’t oblivious to it. You trust in your stroke and force yourself to stay down and follow through, no matter how uncomfortable you may feel. Most importantly, you’re living and experiencing each shot. Don’t be on autopilot. Be in control.
810 W 56 Hwy - Olathe, KS 913-780-5740
Cue Sales & Repair
21-Valley Bar Tables 3-Diamond 9’ 1-Gabriel Billiard
4-Diamond Bar Tables 9-Brunswick Gold Crowns 1-Antique Billiard
Fri & Sat Pool Tournaments
Call First - All Tournaments are subject to change without notice
October 2009 page 18
DATE Oct 1-4 Oct 1-4 Oct 2-4
CITY Olathe, KS Olathe, KS Great Falls, MT
LOCATION Shooters Shooters 8 Ball In
Oct 3 Oct 9-11 Oct 9-11 Oct 9-11 Oct 10 Oct 10 Oct 10-11 Oct 16-18 Oct 17 Oct 17 Oct 18 Oct 17 Oct 24 Oct 24 Oct 24-25 Oct 24-25 Oct 24-25 Oct 31 Oct 31 Nov 4-8 Nov 7 Nov 7-8 Nov 7-8 Nov 14 Nov 14 Nov 20-22 Nov 21 Nov 21 Nov 21 Nov 22 Nov 21-22 Nov 21-22 Dec 3-6 Dec 3-6 Dec 5 Dec 10-13 Dec 12 Dec 12 Dec 12-13 Dec 19 Dec 20 Dec 31 Mar 11-12 Mar 12-14 Apr 15-16 Apr 16-18
Alsip, IL Cape Girardeau, MO Cape Girardeau, MO Blue Springs, MO Saint Robert, MO Amarillo, TX Waco, TX Grand Portage, MN Alsip, IL Cape Girardeau, MO Cape Girardeau, MO Blue Springs, MO Iron Mountain, MI Galesburg, IL Deadwood, SD Arlington, TX Amarillo, TX Alsip, IL Sedalia, MO Harker Hgts, TX Mission, KS San Leon, TX Midwest City, OK Alsip, IL Amarillo, TX Tower, MN Kansas City, MO Sedalia, MO Cape Girardeau, MO Cape Girardeau, MO Houston, TX League City, TX Tulsa, OK Tulsa, OK Galesburg, IL Rugby, ND Alsip, IL Amarillo, TX Houston, TX Cape Girardeau, MO Cape Girardeau, MO Sedalia, MO Walker, MN Walker, MN Walker, MN Walker, MN
Red Shoes Billiards Billiard Center Billiard Center Twin Stroke Bar & Grill Q’s Billiards Old Busters Lounge Fast Eddie’s Grand Portage Casino Red Shoes Billiards Billiard Center Billiard Center Side Pockets Best Shot Billiards Billiards On Main Deadwood Pavilion Rusty’s Billiards Fast Eddie’s Red Shoes Billiards Sharkey’s Billiards E-Center Clarette Club Casper’s Jamaica Joe’s Red Shoes Billiards Old Busters Lounge Fortune Bay Casino Side Pockets Sharkey’s Billiards Billiard Center Billiard Center Parker’s Legends Billiards Magoo’s Magoo’s Billiards On Main Rugby Armory Red Shoes Billiards Old Busters Lounge Bogie’s Billiards Billiard Center Billiard Center Sharkey’s Billiards Northern Lights Northern Lights Northern Lights Northern Lights
PHONE (913) 780-7850 (913) 780-7850 (406) 761-9169
EVENT / RULES Midwest 9-Ball Tour-1 Pocket Midwest 9-Ball Tour-9-Ball 8-Ball Wild West Shootout
ENTRY $60 $55-$65 $25
(708) 388-3700 (573) 335-9955 (573) 335-9955 (816) 224-6188 (573) 336-9400 (806) 379-8100 (254) 399-9300 (218) 335-7665 (708) 388-3700 (573) 335-9955 (573) 335-9955 (816) 224-5454 (906) 776-9411 (309) 342-7665 (605) 578-2000 (817) 468-9191 (806) 355-2540 (708) 388-3700 (660) 826-5855 (317) 440-1143 (913) 384-0986 (281) 559-1400 (405) 736-0590 (708) 388-3700 (806) 379-8100 (218) 335-7665 (816) 455-9900 (660) 826-5855 (573) 335-9955 (573) 335-9955 (281) 870-0120 (281) 332-7716 (918) 663-3364 (918) 663-3364 (309) 342-7665 (701) 776-5846 (708) 388-3700 (806) 379-8100 (281) 821-4544 (573) 335-9955 (573) 335-9955 (660) 826-5855 (507) 210-7558 (507) 210-7558 (507) 210-7558 (507) 210-7558
9-Ball $75 (incl g.f.) $500 w/full field Call Midwest 9-Ball Tour Open $50 $5000 w/128 Noon 10-Ball Ring Game-Limit 16 $200 $200 7PM 5 Person Team 8-Ball $150/Team 8 PM 9-Ball $40+$10 g.f. $200 w/32 Call 8-Ball $5 $300 8 PM Fast Eddie’s 9-Ball Tour Call Call Call Six Arrows Amateur 8-Ball $65/$55 $4,000 Guar 8 PM One Pocket $75 (incl g.f.) $500 w/full field Call 8-Ball Handicap Call $200 Noon 9-Ball Handicap Call $500 Noon KC Rated 9-Ball Tour $30+$10 g.f. $300 w/32 2 PM 8-Ball $25 Noon 8-Ball ACS Handicapped $35 (incl g.f.) $500 10 AM 9-Ball Deadwood Shootout $40 $5,000 5 PM OB Cues Ladies Tour Call $2,000 10 AM Fast Eddie’s 9-Ball Tour Call Call Call Bank Pool $75 (incl g.f.) $500 w/full field Call Halloween Utter Chaos Rotation Call Call Texas State BCAPL 9-Ball Varies $3,000 Call KC Rated 9-Ball Tour $30+$10 g.f. $300 w/32 Noon 9-Ball Big Table Open II - Wmn $40 $1,000 Noon 9-Ball Bar Table $50 $2,500 Guar. 11 AM Straight Pool $75 (incl g.f.) $500 w/full field Call 8-Ball $5 $300 8 PM Six Arrows Amateur 8-Ball $65/$55 $6,000 Guar 8 PM KC Rated 9-Ball Tour $30+$10 g.f. $300 w/32 2 PM Powder Puff Power 8-Ball Call Call 8-Ball Handicap Call $200 Noon 9-Ball Handicap Call $500 Noon Lone Star Tour - Women $40 $1,000 Noon OB Cues Ladies 9-Ball Tour Call $2,000 10 AM Midwest 9-Ball-1 Pocket $60 $1,000 8 PM Midwest 9-Ball-9-Ball $55-$65 $2,500 11 AM 8-Ball ACS Handicapped $35 (incl g.f.) $500 10 AM Northern Lights Shootout $75 M/$45 W $3000 1st Guar 5 PM One Pocket $75 (incl g.f.) $500 w/full field Call 8-Ball $5 $300 8 PM Lone Star Tour-Women FINALE $40 $1,000 + Noon 8-Ball Handicap Call $200 Noon 9-Ball Handicap Call $500 Noon 14.1 Continuous Call Call 9-Ball Singles MN State ACS $50-70 $2000 7 PM 8-Ball Singles MN State ACS $50-85 $10000 7 PM 8-Ball Mx Sc Db MN State ACS $60/team $2000 7 PM 8-Ball Teams MN State ACS $150-250 $10000 7 PM
Watch it on www.OTBnTV.com
ADDED $1000 $4000 $6500 Guar
TIME 8 PM 8 PM 7:00PM
October 2009 page 19