ol’s Best Sites o P r fo g n rfi u S o G : WEB AWARDS
W W W . B I L L I A R D S D I G E S T. C O M
AUGUST 2010
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U.S. Open 10-Ball Champion Lee Vann Corteza stakes his claim as the next superstar $5.95 from the Philippines
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CONTENTS
Vol. 32, No. 9 A U G U S T
2 0 1 0
35
41
Features 30 UNITED IN PURPOSE The Smokin’ 8s win at the ACS Nationals meant something a little extra for Las Vegas squad. by Nicholas Leider
35 LVC: THE SLAYER Quietly confident and surpremely focused, Lee Vann Corteza has sights set on being the best.
44
by Ted Lerner
41 DJANGO! DJANGO! It was long overdue, but Francisco Bustamante got the world title that eluded him for years. by Nicholas Leider
44 DISCIPLINED DESIGN This year’s BD Web Awards pack a punch, so see who has mastered the not-somartial art of design. by Mer yl K. Evans
Columns
WEB AWARDS: Go Surfi
ng for Pool’s Best Sites
W W W . B I L L I A R D S D I G E S T. C O M
10 FROM THE PUBLISHER
With his recent victory at the U.S. Open 10-Ball as proof, Lee Vann Corteza is poised to join the game’s elite.
Livin’ on a Prayer. Mike Panozzo
64 TIPS & SHAFTS
Å
Mosconi’s advice? Don’t miss. George Fels
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On the Cover
AUGUST 2010
Photo by JP Parmentier
U.S. Open 10-Ball Champion Lee Vann Corteza stakes his claim as the next superstar $5.95 from the Philippines
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CONTENTS
Vol. 32, No. 9
A U G U S T
2 0 1 0
Departments
BD
The Premier Billiards Magazine since 1978
FOUNDER
PUBLISHER
MORT LUBY JR.
MIKE PANOZ ZO
MANAGING EDITOR
NICHOL AS LEIDER
6 YESTERYEAR Efren Reyes won the World 8-Ball in dominant fashion.
ART DIRECTOR
JENNY BR ADLE Y PRODUCTION COORDINATOR
8 BD NEWS
L AUR A VINCI
The BCA unveils BankShot; Rousseau resigns as WPBA president.
CONSULTING EDITOR
GEORGE F ELS
10 AD INDEX
CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Your guide to BD’s advertisers.
12 WINGSHOTS
ROBERT BYRNE MIK E SHAMOS SENIOR WRITER
MIK E GEF F NER
The ACS and VNEA nationals are venturing away from the Riviera. Also, You Make the Call and this month’s listings for Pool on TV.
15 STROKE OF GENIUS Oliver Ortmann keeps his run going with an interesting option.
50 CHRONICLES by Mike Shamos George Slosson played — and played well — for a really long time.
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
DAVID ALCIATORE R. A . DYER JAY HELF ERT BOB JE WE T T L ARRY SCHWART Z ANDY SEG AL NICK VARNER MARK WILSON N AT ION A L A DV E R T ISING RE P.
CARL A BONNER
54 TOURNAMENTS Donny Mills cashed in on the Seminole Pro Tour. Also, Sascha Tege topped the German Open, while Reyes conquered the Spanish Open.
58 TOUR SPOTTING Sam Monday closes in another crossroads in his pool career. Plus, Earl Strickland, Danny Harriman ran away from the competition.
PRESIDENT KEITH HAMILTON BUSINESS MANAGER
ACCOUNTING ASSOCIATE
NANCY DUDZINSK I
QUIAN A MAYS
61 FELT FORUM Peruse pool’s latest products.
63 MARKETPLACE Check out some great offers. LUBY PUBLISHING INC.
Practice Table Instruction 18 20 22 24 26 28
4
Quick Hits: Robles eyes cut shots along the rail. Plus, Drill Bits, Straight Talk and Rodney Morris is On the Spot. Andy Segal • Trick Shots Nick Varner • Strategies David Alciatore • Illustrated Principles Larry Schwartz • Solids & Stripes Bob Jewett • Tech Talk BILLIARDS DIGEST
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122 South Michigan Avenue, Suite 1506 Chicago, IL 60603 (312) 341-1110 FA X : (312) 341-1469 w w w.billiardsdigest.com email @ billiardsdigest.com BILLIARDS DIGEST (ISSN 0164-761X) is published monthly by Luby Publishing, Inc., 122 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 1506, Chicago, IL 60603 USA. Telephone 312-341-1110, Fax 312-341-1469. Periodicals postage paid at Chicago, IL and additional offices. SUBSCRIPTION RATES in the U.S. and possessions, one year (12 issues) for $48; two years, $80; three years, $115. CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Send new as well as old address. If possible, furnish label from recent issue. POSTMASTER: Send change of address to Billiards Digest, 122 S. Michigan Ave., Suite 1506, Chicago, IL 60603.
August 2010
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YESTERYEAR
Reyes Magic in 8-Ball + 10 YEARS AGO +
+ 15 YEARS AGO +
Five-time champ Ralf Souquet’s winning the 2000 World Pool Masters title shouldn’t be all that surprising. What was special about the final was how the he conquered Matchroom Sport’s longtime franchise. Souquet benefited from three consecutive missed 9 balls from fellow finalist Alex Lely of the Netherlands. With such a boost, you’d think Souquet would exercise his well-honed killer instinct, but he was anything but an icy assassin. “I was really nervous out there, even when he was missing,” Souquet said. “I thought about every shot three times and still made the wrong decision, which is something that doesn’t happen to me. I felt completely confused and didn’t know what to do.”
Chicago’s 8-ball ace Jeff Carter shot his way into the final of the 1995 World 8-Ball Championship, where he was matched up with Efren Reyes, who was coming off three consecutive wins at major events. Still, Carter felt he had an advantage on the Filipino, who had played in all of two 8-ball tournaments in his career. But Reyes raced to a 7-1 lead with Carter only missing one shot and coming up dry on his only break. Reyes then sealed the deal, 8-3, for his first world title in the discipline. “Everyone in the Philippines expects me to win,” Reyes said. “They don’t think anyone should ever beat me.” Luckily for the folks back home, nobody has beat Reyes all too often over the past 25 years.
REYES RULED THE RIVIERA WITH AN UNBEATEN RUN TO THE WORLD TITLE.
+ 25 YEARS AGO + Pool players can be called a lot of things, but a 1985 edition of China’s Sports News hurled an interesting accusation at those who dabble in the spherical science. The paper reported that “burgeouis decadence in the form of pool hustlers is back” in the city of Kunming. The article went on to describe how pool players were plaguing the city’s poolrooms, trying to separate hard-working folks from their money. Responding to the outbreak of grift, Kunming’s public security and cultural bureaus announced plans to crack down on gambling at pool halls, which were only recently reopened after being closed for years. If you had two words to describe pool players, how could you not choose “bourgeouis” and “decadent”?
Billiards Is Your Businees
Billiard Retailer Is Your Owner's Manual www.billiardretailer.com 6
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August 2010
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B bre a k i n g
News
BCA UNVEILS MARKETING ARM
BankShot reaches pricing deal with Coke; WPBA Board faces change in leadership.
ship with First Data, manufacturer rebates through Sysco Foodservices and Web services that will include design templates and low-cost hosting.
Las Vegas, Nev.
IN ITS boldest move since the inception of the annual BCA Expo, the Billiard Congress of America announced a new initiative that will establish partnerships with non-endemic companies, directly aid poolroom owners’ bottom lines, and could go a long way toward reconnecting the nation’s poolrooms with the trade association. The announcement, delivered by BCA CEO Rob Johnson, came during the opening session of the BCA International Billiard & Home Recreation Expo at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, July 14. Johnson announced several new programs, including a partnership with Coca-Cola that makes the beverage giant the “Official Soft Drink of Billiards,” while introducing BankShot Entertainment (BSE) as the new marketing and activation arm of the BCA. The formation of BankShot Entertainment was the culmination of more than 12 months of negotiations with Strike Ten Entertainment (STE), the marketing arm of the bowling industry. According to Johnson, the BCA board of directors had been in discussions with STE president Frank DeSocio to replicate the success that the bowling industry has had in securing national discounted pricing and services, as well as rebates, to help bowling centers, and in the process striking deals outside the industry that has allowed the group to create programs to drive traffic to bowling centers and pro shops and increase awareness of the sport. “The BCA’s mission is to enhance the success of our members and promote the game of billiard,” said Johnson. “We’re in a better position to do that now. Our members will directly realize cost savings as a result of this initiative, while others will benefit by the added industry marketing arising from the partnerships this program is going to create.” BSE will be managed by Johnson, DeSocio and Billiards Digest publisher Mike Panozzo. Johnson will oversee the program integration, DeSocio will develop and negotiate the national programs, and Panozzo will head sales efforts to market the program to the industry on a national level. In addition to the Coca-Cola partnership, which will offer BCA members who commit to exclusively our Coca-Cola products national account pricing, state-of-the-art equipment, national promotions and business building support, the BCA announced a credit card processing partner-
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ROUSSEAU RESIGNS AS WPBA PREZ Phoenix, Ariz.
WHEN JOHN Rousseau was elected president of the Women’s Professional Billiard Association Board of Directors in January, he promised to shake thing up. One certainty, in the wake of his July 1 resignation, is that he’s done just that. A staunch supporter of the WPBA Classic Tour and its players for a number of years, Rousseau was originally elected to the association’s Board of Directors in November 2009. Then in January of this year, Rousseau was elected WPBA president to replace Dawn Hopkins, who resigned due to personal obligations. But from the start, controversy followed the Phoenix resident. Promising big changes, which would then presumably lead to increased financial opportunities for the organization’s players, Rousseau clashed with individuals within the WPBA in perhaps the most challenging time in the Classic Tour’s 17-year history. With just two events on the schedule for the 2010 season, the women’s pro circuit struggled to find hosts to sponsor Classic Tour events. Rousseau, meanwhile, claims he had plans to reverse the ebbing tide. The catch? He wanted an additional year added to his term, which to end in October. “With what I had planned to do, I didn’t want to run for reelection in October,” he said. “I wanted to be guaranteed the time I needed.” Meanwhile, a contentious players meeting only heightened tensions within the WPBA. Players and board members reported an openly hostile environment, which eventually led to a private, players-only meeting. Rousseau remained president — until his July resignation. “Because of San Diego, they were fearful, I think, that there was going to be more unrest,” he said of his supporters within the women’s tour. Tamre Rogers, who will temporarily assume the role of acting president after being elected to the WPBA Board VP under Rousseau, was not immediately available for comment.
August 2010
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From the Publisher
ADVERTISER
INDEX COMPANY
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BILLIARDS DIGEST
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Mike Panozzo
LIVIN’ ON A PRAYER OU HAVE to admire Johnny Archer’s passion and dedication to the sport. He’s come a long way from the days when he was the up-and-coming young, impressionable star who followed the lead of his idols and mentors, guys like Nick Varner, Kim Davenport and Earl Strickland. Today, Archer, 41, is considered the elder statesman of America’s pool crop. And these days it’s the younger players following Archer’s lead. And lead the Georgia native has, most notably all but willing Team USA to victory at the Mosconi Cup in Las Vegas last December. His latest role? Norma Rae. Archer recently organized a group of pro players and announced the formation of the Association of Billiard Professionals (ABP). In all honesty, the ABP’s maiden press conference during the World Pool Masters in Las Vegas — videotaped and aired online — was borderline comical. Archer, flanked by fellow pros Rodney Morris and Stevie Moore, was ill-prepared for the big announcement, and the message quickly became diluted and confusing. Rhetoric ranged from control of points lists to health insurance. But when you cleared away the clutter, the bottom line was this: Promoters need to have their announced prize money on hand at the close of the tournament, and the payout must be immediate and complete. Doesn’t seem like the pros are asking for a lot, does it? The truth is the men pros have been fighting this battle for years. Unscrupulous promoters have “guaranteed” prize funds and instead paid out pennies on the dollar. Far too often players have limped out of town on the promise that their payouts would come soon. And far too many are still waiting. From the IPT’s Kevin Trudeau to the U.S. Open’s Barry Behrman to the World Pool Association and Filipino promoter Yen Makabenta, the pros have been lied to. Heck, even when the pros said “Enough!” and started their own as-
Y
sociation — the Professional Billiards Tour — they played and didn’t get paid. But the pros are now trying to make another stand, and who can blame them. Tournaments are sparse these days, and most players (Archer included) are struggling financially. Sponsorships have all but dried up, meaning most players have to come 100 percent out-of-pocket to attend a tournament. Travel, entry fee and expenses usually add up to $1,500-$2000 a crack. For them to get anything less than 100 percent of what’s been promised by a tournament promoter is beyond unethical. It’s just plain cruel. “Players are uneasy these days,” Archer noted in a recent conversation. “It’s tough on these guys getting to tournaments, and there’s been too much uncertainty.” And so Archer and his new group are trying to add stability to the process. They’re asking promoters to have prize money held in an escrow account, and they’ve asked the Billiard Congress of America to facilitate that part. Archer has been quick to point out that the new group is not interested in becoming a demanding adversary of the promoter. Rather, the ABP wants to work hand in hand with the promoters. Archer has always been a logical, even-keeled voice of reason within the player ranks. He’s never been one to hoist demands on promoters. He’s always willing to listen, and he’s always willing to find a common ground. Hopefully, promoters will see the ABP for what it is, and hopefully the ABP will keeps its mission simple and not try to re-invent the failed player associations that have preceded it. The test, of course, will come when the first promoter fails to spot the added money, or, worse yet, fails to pay off following an event. Only then will we find out if the newly formed ABP has any unity. Until then, I’m pulling for Archer and his boys to get what’s coming to them. And that’s respect and the promised payout.
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+ QUOTABLE+
“I just went wild. I was very happy.” FRANCISCO BUSTAMANTE ON MAKING THE 9 ON THE BREAK TO WIN THE WORLD 9-BALL TITLE (PG. 41).
AR- RIV-EDERCI
Dear
JeDaenaetrte
VNEA, ACS will stray from the Riviera for 2011 national championships.
F
OR MORE than 20 years, pool tournaments in Las Vegas have had one home — the Riviera Hotel & Casino. Sure, pool has staged the odd event at the Mirage, Caesars, the Sahara, the MGM, the Tropicana and a few others. But, by and large, if a player said he or she was going to a “national championship” in Las Vegas, that player was headed to the dueling ballrooms of the Riviera. Like clockwork each year, from April through August the nearly 100,000 square feet of ballroom space at the Strip’s venerable gaming establishment teems with pool tables (hundreds of them) and players (thousands of them). The American Poolplayers Association (APA) shows up with its Singles Championships in April, and May is packed from start to finish with the BCA Pool League (BCAPL) and the Valley National Eight-Ball Association (VNEA). The American CueSports Alliance (ACS) takes over in June, and the APA returns with its nearly 10,000player team event in August. And this same-time-next-year scenario has been playing out for two decades. The VNEA introduced the Riviera to pool in 1988 when it brought more than 1,000 players to Vegas for its annual National 8-Ball Championships. The APA followed by moving its team event from the Mirage to the Riv in 1992, and the Billiard Congress of America (which changed hands to the BCAPL in 2006) settled there in 1993. Over the years, the tournaments have drawn more than 300,000 players to the Riviera, and the groups have accounted for more than a half-million room nights at the hotel. Impact? Estimating an average room rate of $70 over that span, the housing impact is approximately 12
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$36 million. Further estimate that each player spent even $30 a day at the hotel during the 10-day tournaments (conservative, but many players lodge and eat elsewhere) and the Riviera tills rang up another $91 million. But now, after two decades of loyal patronage, several longtime pool tenants are moving out, leaving the Riviera with sizable holes in its occupancy rate. The VNEA, after 22 years at the Riv, is severing ties with the hotel and moving up the Strip to Bally’s in 2011. The ACS, the smallest of the four major amateur league groups, is also leaving the Riviera after spending its first five years there, opting to move to the Tropicana. And while the APA is slated into the Riviera in 2011 and the BCAPL through 2012, both are reportedly listening to offers from other Vegas properties who have long noticed pool’s economic impact at the Riviera. There are several reasons for this sudden shakeup in the pool landscape in Las Vegas. The Riviera has long been rumored to be in financial straits. Ironically, on July 12, while the billiard industry was holding its annual trade expo less than a mile away at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the Riviera’s parent company, Riviera Holdings Corp., filed for bankruptcy protection under Chapter 11. The filing will allow the hotel and casino to continue operating through the bankruptcy, but the property’s shaky future has played a role in the defections. “There were a number of factors that played into our decision to move,” said Gregg Elliott, VNEA’s Executive Director for more than 20 years. “We have great relationships at the Riv. We helped them realize the value of billiards. They 14
THE BLACK WIDOW ANSWERS YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT POOL LIFE, LOVE AND ETIQUETTE.
(Q)
The jump shot isn’t permitted in some games, but it’s allowed in 9-ball. In general, what are your thoughts on jump shots? Phil; Mt. Somers, New Zealand
(A)
I’m a little torn when it comes to this subject. I think jump shots do require real skill — not just jumping the cue ball, but to execute to the point of pocketing a ball and playing position, takes a ton of practice. I also think it’s super exciting for the general public to watch on TV, which is great for our sport’s popularity. On the other hand, from someone that is a true student of the game, I really love the art of kicking. There is so much to it and so much learned from it. And it’s also fascinating for an amateur to watch someone kick a ball in or kick safe, although they don’t always understand that it was intentional. Jumping has prohibited many players from improving their kicking skills as much as they would if there was no jumping. I see the good of both sides. But at the end of the day, our sport will not survive if we can’t keep the fans interested. And if we can skillfully keep them entertained and still enjoy the game we love, then I’m all for it!
SEE THE BLACK WIDOW AT JEANETTELEE.COM
August 2010
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numbers
BD IN BRIEF APA RECOGNIZES LEAGUE OPERATORS The American Poolplayers Association (APA) recognized five of their top franchisees with League Operator of the Year awards during the APA’s annual convention in Las Vegas. The winners, based on market size are: Level 1: Larry and Michelle Nicholson of Temple, Tex.; Level 2: Randy Jones of Des Moines of Iowa; Level 3: John and Kelly Croft of Peterborough, Ont., Canada; Level 4: Kim Ramsey of Raleigh, N.C.; and Level 5: Scott and Karen Racy of San Antonio, Tex. The APA also recognized Joel and Sandra Chue of Southeast Georgia as Rookies of the Year and Tracy Ahlstrom-Layton and Jace Layton of Seattle, Wash., as the Journeymen of the Year.
ACS ELECTS NEW BOARD At its recent annual general meeting in Las Vegas, the American CueSports Al-
# G A M E #
liance (ACS) elected new directors to the ACS board. James Augur was seated as the newly elected instructor director, and he was joined by other first-time directors Billy Gallego and David Whyte. The new board of directors also elected new officers: Mike Wilson, president; Sandra Chamberlain, vice president; Julie Ann Mitchell, secretary; and Ray Lambotte, treasurer. The directors praised outgoing president Cecil Messer for his guidance and service to the ACS in the top executive position over the past six years of operation.
WPA ANNOUNCES TWO NEW EVENTS World Pool-Billiard Association President Ian Anderson announced that two new WPA-ranking events will be scheduled for 2011. The Dubai (U.A.E.) Open will be held in the spring of next year, and the Emir Cup will be played later in the year in Doha, Qatar.
$2,500
Amount won by the Smokin’ 8s, the team featured in the recap of June’s ACS Nationals in Las Vegas (pg. 30).
$36,000
Amount won by Francisco Bustamante by conquering the World 9-Ball Championship (pg. 41).
12
Number of winning entries featured in this year’s Web Awards, recognizing the best online locales in billiards (pg. 44).
YOU MAKE THE CALL: GROUPTHINK With Mike Shamos
QUESTION: You’re the referee in a tournament game of 8-ball under World Standardized Rules. With the score tied, 6-6, in a race to 7, Player A has solids, but is so nervous that he has just pocketed the 11 ball. Neither you nor the opponent, Player B, noticed what happened. Player A came to his senses and sank the 3 on his next shot, leaving the position shown. No foul was ever called. Finally, Player B realizes what happened, realizes that Player A now has an easy runout, and says, “Groups have been reversed. You have to call a stalemate.” Player A says, “Nothing’s reversed. I have solids and I just sank a solid.” What happens now? ANSWER: First, scold yourself for not calling the foul. But since you didn’t, it’s too late for that. Regulation 10 is a special rule for 8-ball that is not in the 8-ball section of the rules. It states, “If the groups have been determined and the player mistakenly shoots at and pockets a ball of the opponent’s group, the foul must be called before he takes his next shot. Upon recognition by either player or the referee that the groups have been reversed, the rack will be halted and will be replayed with the original player executing the break shot.” Interesting rule, but there’s no stalemate here. Player A just sank a ball of his own group, so nothing has been reversed. If A gets caught the first time, it’s just a foul. If A sinks a second stripe in a row, it would be a stalemate. August 2010
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LEAGUES LEAVE RIV
CUE CRITIQUE: MIKE BENDER
- continued from pg. 12 -
Celebrating its 40th birthday, this cue has aged gracefully.
In 1970, Mike Bender expertly built 15spliced points in an ebony forearm. This cue has five high points of purple heart into holly with ivory dagger inlays and five low points of ivory nestled between the long points. The ebony butt sleeve’s Santa Fe inlay pattern features ivory-bordered purple-heart windows with silver and ebony dots and ivory mirror daggers. Purple heart and silver rosary rings appear in five places. The cue has an ivory joint and an Irish linen wrap.
DENO ANDREWS: I’ve always had a special appreciation of Bender’s work. Besides making notoriously well-built cues, his real strength is in his design work. This cue is elegant, well proportioned and uses a very pleasing color palette. The inlay patterns on the butt are nicely scaled and spaced. The long and short points in the forearm are sharp and contrast nicely against each other. Everything about the cue is just great, though I would’ve liked a leather wrap. The cue just misses the “monster” mark, but it’s really an outstanding piece. DICK ABBOTT: Bender cues display a distinctive style and this cue typifies that style. The ebony and purple heart accented with holly and ivory create a balanced appearance. The Santa Fe windows with mirrored daggers in the butt sleeve are tasteful and not overdone, although by today’s standards they could be more refined. Also, the black-with-white-speck Irish linen wrap has to go. This is a very nice cue but not a monster.
JIM STADUM: The points are sharp and very even. The overall design has a nice flow and is pleasing to the eye. Great choice of materials — ebony, ivory, purple heart and silver almost always look good together. The silver ring work appears to be executed perfectly and compliments the cue. The only thing I would change is the wrap. An exotic black leather wrap would look good. Again, a very elegant cue, but not quite a monster for me. CONCLUSION: While this cue was well received, it failed to earn the tag of monster. CueZilla.com offers expert critique of custom cues from the perspectives of the cuemaker, historian, collector and dealer. The goal is to determine whether or not a cue is a “monster.” Visit CueZilla. com to read review and join the discussion.
AU G U S T
POOL ON TV
FOR COMPLETE LISTINGS, SEE THE TV SCHEDULE AT WWW.BILLIARDSDIGEST.COM
All times EST; check local listings
2000 TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS Aug. 2: 3 p.m........................................ESPN Classic
2001 BCA OPEN 9-BALL Aug. 11: 3 p.m. ....................................ESPN Classic
ON ESPN CLASSIC: Aug. 1: Lassiter vs. Murphy .........................11 a.m.
14
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Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug. Aug.
1: Fats vs. Lassiter ......................... 11:30 2: Lassiter vs. Balsis. ............................ 9 9: Cranfield vs. Puckett ......................... 9 15: Lassiter vs. Crane ........................... 8 16: Moore vs. Balsis .............................. 9 22: Balsis vs. Crane ............................... 8 23: Puckett vs. Cranfield. ..................... 9 30: Mosconi vs. Moore .......................... 9
a.m. a.m. a.m. a.m. a.m. a.m. a.m. a.m.
added the second ballroom because of us. But there have been a lot of cutbacks at the hotel, and they removed or changed many of the areas and amenities that our players liked. In the end, the time was right for a change.” According to Elliott, the 100,000member league association found a nice fit at Bally’s, with ample space to house its 250 pool tables. “One of the issues is attrition,” said ACS’s John Lewis, referring to a room-night commitment the associations make to the hotels. “We never had to worry about not reaching our commitment until recently.” While the associations customarily get rebates for room nights, they can also get penalized if their commitment isn’t met. “We get a ‘convention rate,’ but the hotels undercut you by offering lower rates online,” added Lewis. “So the players book online and we lose the credit. We need to convince the players that it’s in all of our best interest to patronize the host hotel.” To circumvent the problem, Lewis said the ACS will add the cost of a room night to players’ entry fees in 2011 at the Tropicana, and the players will receive a voucher for a room with each entry. “We’re staying at the Riv through 2012,” said BCAPL president Mark Griffin. “And they’re pushing for a new contract. There aren’t that many places that can offer the ballroom space needed [the BCAPL places 250 tables and uses up virtually all of the Riviera’s 94,000 square feet of ballroom space] and the room rate that pool players can live with.” “Room rates are the biggest issue for us as well,” said Renee Lyle, president of the APA. “That and size. We use 270 tables and it’s starting to get pretty tight. “We’re watching what’s going on, like everyone else. But there is a lot of upheaval in moving. There is a certain level of comfort and familiarity when you’ve been at the same place for so many years.”
August 2010
7/22/10 10:43:53 AM
STROKE OF GENIUS Recounting the greatest shots in pool history V ide o pr ov ide d by Ac cu - St at s
PLAYER: Oliver Ortmann EVENT: 2009 Predator World 14.1 Straight Pool Championship DATE: August 24, 2009
O NOBODY’S surprise, Oliver Ortmann was a force at the 2009 World Straight Pool Championship. On his way to a 5-0 record in group play, the two-time world 14.1 champ ran 100-and-out on a pair of opponents. But New Jersey’s Steve Lipsky presented a bit of a problem for the German. Facing a 56-41 deficit, Lipsky attempted to lock Ortmann up behind the stack, only to leave a small angle on the 1 ball. Ortmann sank the long cut on that ball, but then he received a bit of bad fortune on his next attempt. Hitting a dead combination, he easily sank the 8 in the bottom right corner pocket, but the cue ball kissed off the 12 and into the position shown in the diagram. Nestled up between the 11 ball and the long rail, the cue ball
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Watch Ortmann’s tricky carom at BILLIARDSDIGEST.COM
wasn’t exactly in an ideal location to continue his run. Any attempt from such a situation was a long shot, at best. Even AccuStats commentators Danny DiLiberto and Jonathan Bender agreed that Ortmann had little hope of escaping the result of a tough roll. Within seconds, though, Ortmann called his shot. He was going to carom the 11 ball off the 14 and into the side pocket. Jacking up his cue and aiming just below center on the cue ball, Ortmann popped the cue ball into the 11 with a punch stroke. While the cue ball drew back off the long rail and out toward the center of the table, the 11 ricocheted off the 14, just past the 15, and straight into the side pocket. Showing his creative approach to problem solving, Ortmann wasted no time making the most of this tricky carom. He kept control of the table and ran 40 more balls in just less than 13 minutes for an impressive 100-41 victory.
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CUE & EH?
JOHNNY ARCHER IN MAY, ARCHER ANNOUNCED THE FORMATION OF THE ASSOCIATION OF BILLIARD PROFESSIONALS, A NEW PLAYERS ORGANIZATION, IN HOPES OF BETTER REPRESENTING THE INTERESTS OF TOP PLAYERS.
CALENDAR International Challenge & Tournament of Champions
KWIKFIRE TOUR
National Team Championships Aug. 19-28 Riviera Casino & Hotel Las Vegas, Nev. (800) 634-3420
Oct. 5-6 Mohegan Sun Casino Hotel Uncasville, Conn. (888) 226-7711
Aug. 14-15 Rock Hill, S.C. (803) 324-7557
APA
ARIZONA WOMEN’S TOUR Bullshooters Aug. 28-29 Phoenix, Ariz. (602) 441-2447
BAY AREA AMATEUR TOUR Wally’s
Why is there a need for the ABP? We want to know what to expect. We haven’t been stable in a long time. There’s been so much uncertainty in tournaments, it’s just time to do something. And I don’t think it’s anybody’s fault. It’s just a lack of effort from everyone, including [the players]. But if everybody does their part, I think this will be great for the game. What’s been the reaction from promoters and other players? Right now, I think the players are just waiting. When I talk to them, they seem excited, but I think they are just waiting to see what happens next. ... The few promoters I’ve talked to definitely seem like they want to work with us. And we want to be easy to work with. We want promoters to know we will sit down and talk.
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Nov. 29-Dec. 6 Peppermill Resort Casino Reno, Nev. (800) 648-6992
INDUSTRY EVENTS Atlanta Billiard Show
Sept. 25 Lakeland, Fla. (863) 688-4460
Sept. 30-Oct. 3 Gwinnett Center Duluth, Ga. www.atlantabilliardshow.com
CWPT
INTERNATIONAL EVENTS
Le Skratch Billiards
Women’s World 9-Ball Championship
Sept. 11-12 Brossard, Quebec (450) 466-7903
DESERT CLASSIC TOUR Pockets
Aug. 23-29 Shenyang, China www.wpa-pool.com
World Cup of Pool
Sept. 18-19 Tucson, Ariz. (520) 571-9421
Sept. 7-12 SM City North Mall Manila, Philippines www.matchroomsport.com
EUROTOUR
China Open
Dynamic Finland Open
Sept. 19-26 Shanghai, China www.wpa-pool.com
Aug. 25-29 Vantaa, Finland www.eurotouronline.eu
FAST EDDIE’S TOUR Fast Eddie’s Aug. 21-22 Odessa, Texas (432) 550-0190
U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship Oct. 16-23 Chesapeake Conference Center Chesapeake, Va. (757) 499-8900
Fast Eddie’s
WPA Women’s World 10-Ball Championship
Sept. 18-19 San Antonio, Texas (210) 545-1086
Oct. 24-Nov. 1 Manila, Philippines www.rayasports.com
FLAMINGO TOUR
Mosconi Cup
Amy’s Pockets
What are a few short-term goals for the new association? Right now, we’re discussing something where we’re going to have bank account between the BCA and [the ABP]. We want to have the monies in this joint account before tournaments. Right now, we’re looking at how we can work together with the BCA. Another thing, we’d like to be in control of the points list. That’s one thing I believe we can handle ourselves. So right now, we’re just looking to see how we can cooperate.
Reno Open
Oct. 9 Stuart, Fla. (772) 232-9966
GREAT SOUTHERN TOUR Fast Eddie’s Sports Bar Sept. 11-12 Goldsboro, N.C. (919) 759-0071
Dec. 9-12 York Hall London, England www.matchroomsport.com
J. PECHAUER SE OPEN Southside Billiard Club Sept. 18-19 Savannah, Ga. (912) 925-5398
Greentop Billiards
JOSS NORTHEAST TOUR
Sept. 25-26 Rocky Mount, N.C. (252) 454-0152
Turning Stone Classic XV
INDEPENDENT EVENTS
Aug. 19-22 Turning Stone Casino Verona, N.Y. (518) 356-7163
Internat’l Speed Pool Challenge & Trick Shot Magic
JPNEWT
Sept. 1-2 ESPN Zone Las Vegas, Nev. (860) 379-8414
Silver Dollar Saloon
Burrkat Billiards Sept. 4-5 Monroe, N.C. (704) 226-9650
LONE STAR TOUR Q-Stix Billiards Aug. 14-15 Houston, Texas www.lonestarbilliardstour.com
Crazy 8’s Aug. 28-29 Lewisville, Texas www.lonestarbilliardstour.com
MEZZ PRO-AM TOUR Skyline Billiards Aug. 28-29 Brooklyn, N.Y. (718) 627-3407
Main Line Billiards Club Sept. 12 Frazer, Pa. (610) 647-8805
Drexeline Billiards Sept. 19 Drexel Hill, Pa. (610) 259-9144
NWPA Golden Fleece Sept. 18-19 Kenmore, Wash. www.nwpatour.com
OB CUES LADIES 9-BALL Rusty’s Billiards Sept. 11-12 Arlington, Texas (817) 468-9191
PREDATOR 9-BALL Empire State Championship Raxx Pool Room Sept. 4-5 West Hempstead, N.Y. (516) 538-9896
Master Billiards Sept. 11-12 Sunnyside, N.Y. (718) 706-6789
USBA Tacoma Elks Lodge #174 Aug. 20-22 Tacoma Elks, Wash. www.usba.net
Cosmo’s Billiards
Chris’s Billiards
Sept. 11-12 Scranton, Pa. (570) 207-7665
Sept. 10-12 Chicago, Ill. www.usba.net
August 2010
7/22/10 12:32:40 PM
I NSST TRRUUCCT TI O I ONNAAL LSS IN
Practice Table
PLAYING A LEGEND LIKE CISERO MURPHY? KEEP YOUR COOL (PG. 19).
INSIDE
22 STRATEGIES +
26 SOLIDS & STRIPES +
Lining up a bank? Know when you’re headed for a double-kiss. By NICK VARNER
It’s not always your best bet to go for a tricky runout. By LARRY SCHWARTZ
20 TRICK SHOTS +
24 ILLUSTRATED PRINCIPLES +
28 TECH TALK +
Try jumping with one hand. By ANDY SEGAL
A system for two-rail kicks. By DAVID ALCIATORE
18 QUIC QUICK CK HITS HITTS + Bite-sized bits to upgrade your game. By BD STAFF
Here’s a guide for a cue ball going four rails. By BOB JEWETT
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INSTRUCTIONALS
Bite-sized bits of top-notch instruction
BD HOUSE PRO: TONY ROBLES
OpeningShot
ALONG THE RAIL
with Wilson
Q)
We just had our league playoffs to see who goes to Vegas. In the match to see who would win the trip, I lost hill-hill. It’s weeks and I still feel terrible and I don’t want to practice or play. How can I forget about such a terrible feeling? T. Donovon; Newmarket, Ont.
A)
True competition means putting your best effort on the line, with the risk you will fall short of your goal. Some players mistakenly attach some amount of their selfworth to the outcome of a match. When the pain of losing is greater than the joy of winning, you have misplaced the purpose of playing the sport. Ask yourself why you like the challenge of competition. Fearing failure doesn’t allow you the chance to fully enjoy the fun of relentless effort directed toward a positive outcome. Playing with “reckless abandon” doesn’t mean a sloppy effort; rather, it means not limiting yourself with overwhelming fear. You’ve finished so close, so think back on those shots that would have changed the outcome of your match. Begin training so that those shots will be second nature next time. Turn your past disappointment into a positive. Also, it never hurts to remember that the best players in the world have fallen short more times than any other players!
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LAWRENCE LUSTIG
Mark
ACK WHEN I first
players practice, they often make the started writing mistake of being too hard on themselves. this column, I Don’t start practicing cuts along the rail spent a few weeks disfrom the other side of the table. Instead, cussing a shot that is a start from a foot away, like the shot in common problem for the diagrams. Back up only when you many amateur players: can make a shot 20 times in a row. the cut shot along a rail. Similarly, the angle of the cut is also For a variety of reasons, people often important. Don’t start with an absolutely grow intimidated by this shot where the paper thin cut. Start from 45 degrees and object ball is frozen to a rail. But as I’ve gently increase the difficulty as you get said before, whenever you have a shot comfortable with each angle. that worries you, practice it until you are • Center’s Best. Some players will try confident you can make it — and make it to use English with shots of a certain anoften. So if you’re tentative when facing gle. In this situation, stick with simple. a cut shot along the rail, here are a few Introducing left or right English will inpractice tips that will help you conquer crease the amount of variables involved your fear: in the shot. The same can be said for fol• Visualize the Aiming Point. The low or draw. When you’re practicing this ghost-ball system is one of the easiest shot on your own, work on hitting the and most effective ways to aim a shot. I cue ball at its exact center. Only when started using ghost ball when I was a kid you have mastered pocketing this shot and I still use it today. When you’re at with center-ball can you even think of the practice table, use this little method introducing English. of seeing the shot. Line up the shot on the 1 ball in Diagram 1. Instead of just imagining where the cue ball needs to be at impact with the 1 to send it into the corner pocket, actually place Diagram 1 the 8 ball against the rail. Now you can clearly see where you should aim. Once you have that image in your mind, pull the 8 ball away and go for it. • Practice ProgresDiagram 2 sively. When I watch
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Drill Bits-
SIX POCKETS + WHY DO IT + Eddie Taylor used this exercise in his demonstrations because frozen-rail banks can be tricky. + HOW TO DO IT + Place the 8 ball against the long rail at the second diamond. Try to pocket it into each of the six pockets with as few strokes as possible, taking ball in hand after every attempt. If you struggle with the left corner pockets, start by banking the 8 into the side and near corner pockets only. Track your best score to measure your progress. [Bob Jewett]
SUFFERING FROM a post-World War II slump in sales, the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company decided to build the “poolroom of the future” as a way of showcasing the sport as a family-friendly endeavor. Located in Springfield, Ill., the Cue & Cushion was a 14-table poolhall that ditched the booze for banana splits and the deep fryer for a deli counter. The Cue & Cushion opened its doors on Aug. 1, 1947. While the room created an initial buzz, it couldn’t bottle that excitement into long-term success. Just 15 months after opening, the C&C closed its doors for good. Still, the room was the first — and far from the last — high-profile attempt at divorcing the poolhall from that tired, old stereotype as a den of iniquity.
High Anxiety? THERE ISN’T a pool player alive who never gets nervous. If you want to conquer those pesky jitters, identify why exactly you’re nervous. Here are a few possibilities and how to deal with ‘em: Afraid of a player? It’s a cliché, but constantly remind yourself to play the table and not your opponent. Afraid of your emotions? Before the match, tell yourself that things will not be perfect. Challenge yourself to limit any reaction — good or bad — so you can stay on an even keel. Afraid of a specific shot? Everybody can get psyched out by a certain shot. If you are not confident and comfortable, get out of your stance. Breathe deeply, chalk your cue and try again.
“ ”
The whole game is memory. The longer you play, the more information you collect. — Mike Sigel
STRAIGHT
TALK GURU GEORGE FELS HELPS YOU RUN 100 THERE’S MORE to rhythm than spending about the same length of time on each shot and taking the same number of practice strokes each time. For instance, let’s assume you chalk up after every shot, as you’re supposed to. Inspect your own game, and see if you don’t sometimes rush to put the chalk cube down to get into your stance and shoot, especially when things are going right. That’s an improper approach, because it’s a departure from what you usually do, and an indication that you’re not thinking things through.
MATCHROOM SPORT
Family Friendly
On the Spot RODNEY MORRIS TALKS ABOUT HOW A CHANGE OF SCENERY UPPED HIS GAME + You moved to Hawaii in January. What, if anything, has changed about your game since the move? I’ve been playing every day. I’ve lost 20 pounds since I’ve moved there, and I can tell I don’t get too worn out after a long day. This is the best I’ve felt in 10 years. I’m comfortable and I’m poised [to win a major title]. I just hope it happens soon. + What makes you so dangerous when everything is going right? I think I have a well-rounded game. My kicking, safety game [and] shotmaking have all been pretty good lately. In matches where I struggle, I’m not getting the break down. I always believe if I can get more opportunities at the table then the other guy, I’ll be in good shape.
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+ TRICK SHOTS + BY Andy Segal
REUSE AND RECYCLE
Try to modify classic shots to come up with something new.
O HOW do you come up with all of those trick shots?” is a common question I get when competing or performing at an event. To be honest, most new shots created today are built from older concepts. The pros are always modifying old shots to fit their style — or to make them a little more flashy for TV. I’ve found one way to add some excitement to a normal jump shot is to do it one-handed. Take the shot shown in Diagram 1 as an example. The bottom half (sending the cue ball over the 1, 2 and 3 balls) requires you to jump the cue ball over the line of blocking balls, and make the 8 ball in corner pocket. To execute this successfully, hold the jump cue like you would a dart, between your thumb and index finger. Keep the cue stick out in front of you, with the butt of the jump cue pointing directly at your nose. Jab your arm and wrist forward like you are throwing a dart — just don’t let go of the cue stick! Most players will have trouble with a one-handed jump to start out, so begin by hitting the cue ball rather lightly. Try jumping over a pencil. Once you have that mastered, start jumping over a shaft, then a row of chalk, and finally a line of balls. For each increment, you will need to hit the cue ball harder and harder. Now, I have always been able to shoot with my left hand. So after I mastered the one-handed jump shot, it was only natural for me
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to try it lefty. After some practice, I was able to do it with consistency and I created the full shot shown in Diagram 1. Here, I hit the bottom shot with my right hand and the top shot with my left. After a few competitions, though, most players were able to hit that shot, so I decided to make it a little harder. Instead of jumping one ball righty and then the other lefty, I decided to try both at the same time.
This approach is illustrated in Diagram 2. Here, both cue balls are together with a barrier in front of them (normally I use the butt end of a cue stick). The object of this shot is to jump both cue balls over the barrier simultaneously, one with the right hand and one with the left hand, and have both balls go into the corner pocket. The rack is added against the short cushion, because the two balls sometimes collide and may otherwise miss the pocket. Using the same technique as before, hold the jump cues like darts and keep both directly in front of you. Because you have two cues, the Diagram 1 Diagram butts can’t both point at your nose. In this case, I usually have the butts pointing just below my eyes. It takes a lot of practice, but if you can jump each ball on its own, you should eventually be able to jump both at the same time. The shot shown in Diagram 3 is a much more difficult variation that requires you to jump both balls simultaneousDiagram 2 ly with two jump cues. The catch is that you need to do it one-handed, holding both cues with the same hand. The second set of balls is a repeat of the first part, but done lefty. The difficulty of this shot preDiagram 3 vents a detailed explanation of how to perform it, but I wanted to throw this shot in so you could get a sneak preview before you see it performed on TV.
August 2010
7/20/10 5:22:15 PM
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+ S TR ATEG IE S + BY Nick Varner
NO MORE KISSES
When banking, be sure to get the cue ball out of the way.
ECENTLY A student at one of A my clinics asked a question about bank shots. His question was how to avoid kisses on banks, and how do you know if it will kiss or not? Personally, it took a lot of trial and error on my part to figure out which balls will kiss and how to avoid trying these banks. One rule to know is that you must cut the object ball enough to the right or left so the cue ball has a chance to get out of the way before the double kiss. In Diagram 1, you can see that if you contact the object ball too close to the center (see the orange shaded F area) the cue ball can’t get out of the way and will double kiss. Notice in Diagram 2, the first shot is a bank cross-corner on the 1 ball, which is located at the first diamond. The cue ball is lined up as shown at the 1 ball. If you try and play this shot straight along line 1, you will contact the 1 ball too fully, and the cue ball will double kiss the 1. However, you can pocket the 1 ball into pocket A from this angle by cutting the 1 slightly more to the left. You will need to experiment to get the feel for how much more to the left. But E look back at Diagram 1, and notice how narrow the double-kiss zone is. It doesn’t take much adjustment right or left to get out of the kiss on the object ball. Now, in Diagram 2, if the cue ball is above line 1 as shown, the bank shot becomes easier because you have to cut the 1 ball more to make it. Therefore, you are much farther away from the double-kiss area. If you do double-kiss the shot, the bank wouldn’t have had a chance to go anyway. Should the cue ball sit a little below line 1, the shot becomes impossible because you can’t escape the double kiss. The next example has the 2 ball at the
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But you can make the 2 ball crosscorner without double-kissing. Again, if the cue ball is up above line 2, the bank becomes easier because now you are farther from the double-kiss zone. You have a lot more room for error. Also, with 1 the cue ball below line 2, the bank e L in shot becomes much more difficult, if not impossible. Now let’s look at a long-rail bank that comes up fairly frequently. Line 3 represents a tough angle to pocket the 3 ball into the bot2 e tom corner pocket. Like the first L in two shots, the angle for this shot is very close to the double-kiss area C on the 3. However close, you can still make this shot; you just don’t have much room for error. On all three of these banks, should you contact the object ball too close to the center, a double kiss will come up. And if you cut the obLine 3 ject ball too much, you will miss the bank shot long. There’s a fine line between the right contact point and one that will lead to a double kiss, so you will have to practice a bit to get comfortable with these shots. Remember that not all Diagram 2 tables bank identical — and on some tables, the three bank shots might be imposmiddle diamond and the sible. But as a general rule, Diagram 1 cue ball on a line toward the all three banks shots are diamond below the side pocket. Notice tough but can be made. how much wider line 2 is compared to It will take some practice to get comline 1. On this shot, you can aim down fortable and have a good feel for these line 2 and the shot won’t double-kiss. bank shots. Learning to aim close withHowever, it also won’t go into pocket out double-kissing the bank shot takes A. It will go long, hitting the short rail practice. somewhere around a half or full diaRemember, the double-kiss zone in mond from the corner pocket. To pockDiagram 1 is pretty small. It’s not a huge et the 2 ball, you must cut it to the right area. But when you get close to straightslightly or aim the cue ball slightly to on for all three shots, there’s not much the left. Again, this will bring you danroom to pocket the shot and get out of gerously close to the double-kiss zone. the double kiss. B
August 2010
7/13/10 10:13:10 AM
Free Protected Territories National Handicap System State of the Art Online Stats National Office Support Regional & National Championships
Apply to be e a USA Pool League Territory Manager
For more information visit www.playusapool.com. To apply to be a USAPL Manager email marke@playcsipool.com or call (702) 719-7665
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+ I L L U S T R AT E D P R I N C I P L E S + BY David Alciatore Ph.D.
SYSTEMATIC SUCCESS Here’s an introduction to the Plus System for two-rail kicks.
[Note: Supporting narrated video (NV) demonstrations, high-speed video (HSV) clips, and technical proofs (TP) can be accessed and viewed online at billiards.colostate.edu. The reference numbers used in the article help you locate the resources on the Web site. You might want to view the resources on a CD-ROM or DVD. Details can be found at dr-dave-billiards.com.] HIS IS my eighth article based on the “The Video Encyclopedia of Pool Shots (VEPS),” an instructional DVD series I recently created with past BD columnist and good friend Tom Ross. In the last few months we’ve looked at several one-rail kicking systems from the fourth DVD: “VEPS IV — Banks, Kicks and Advanced Shots.” Over the next three months, we’ll look at the Plus System that can be used to aim two-rail kick shots off the short rail. The Plus System is based on the modified short-rail diamond numbers shown in Diagram 1. The far corner pocket diamond is labeled 1, and the count increases by 1 every half diamond. Thus, the first half diamond is labeled 2, the first full diamond is labeled 3, and so on. You can also simply remember that the three visible diamonds on the short rail are designated 3, 5 and 7. The Plus System predicts that the amount the line of the cue ball (CB) will shift uptable along the long rail is equal to the diamond through which you are aiming on the short rail. To illustrate, in the diagram, the CB is aimed through diamond 3; therefore, the line of action of the CB should shift three diamonds up the long rail as shown. The system applies only for a rolling CB with running English. The Plus System is sometimes also called the Plus Two System. In my research, I wasn’t able to find a consistent (if any) reason for the name, but here are several plausible explanations: 1) The first diamond is labeled 3, which is 1 “plus” 2.
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Diagram 1
Diagram 2
2) A typical kick in and out of a corner pocket, as shown in Diagram 2, shifts up-table by two diamonds. The “plus two” shift is created by aiming through the half diamond past the corner pocket, which is labeled 2. 3) A one-diamond shift on the short rail (e.g., from the first diamond labeled 3 to the second diamond labeled 5) adds a two-diamond shift on the long rail. Unfortunately, things aren’t always so simple, and you’ll find that the system needs some tweaking as you move from table to table. To this end, Diagram 3 illustrates an important reference shot that can be used to calibrate the amount of spin and speed you need for the sys-
tem on a particular table. The goal is to find the right combination of spin and speed, such that aiming through diamond 5 on the short rail from the third diamond on the long rail results in the line of the CB shifting five diamonds up-table directly to the corner pocket. Note that with the Plus System, the corner-pocket diamond is taken to be centered in the pocket as shown in the diagram (see my May ’10 article for more info). As shown in Diagram 4, increasing the shot speed tends to result in the CB going long, which means past the target (see the red path in the diagram). The extra speed causes a delay in the CB’s
August 2010
7/13/10 10:32:27 AM
post-rebound curve off the first rail, resulting in contact on the second rail farther up-table. Increasing the amount of English instead makes the CB come up short (see the blue path in the diagram). This is because the extra English lengthens (widens) the angle off the first rail, thus causing the CB to hit the second rail farther down-table (closer to the first rail). As indicated earlier, every table will play differently. This is why it is important to calibrate the system by practicing the reference shot in Diagram 3. If the CB comes up short, you need to adjust by either increasing shot speed or decreasing the amount of English. If the CB goes long, you can either decrease speed or increase English. You should try different combinations of speed and English that work on a particular table, and then you can settle on a combination that feels the most comfortable to you as your baseline. This benchmark is an important reference when adjustments to the system are needed, as we’ll see next month. All kick and bank systems are affected by speed and English. If you want to use any system effectively, it is essential to practice it on a particular table. Having reference shots like the one described here can help you quickly adjust to almost any table. So what are you doing still reading? Get to a table and practice! I hope you enjoy and benefit from my series of articles highlighting shots from the “Video Encyclopedia of Pool Shots.” Next month, we’ll look at how to make adjustments to the Plus System at its extremes. David Alciatore is author of the book, DVD and CD-ROM, “The
Diagram 3
Diagram 4
Illustrated Principles of Pool and Billiards;” the DVD Series, “The Video Encyclopedia of Pool Shots;” and the DVD, “High-speed Video Magic.”
August 2010
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+ SOLIDS
&
STRIPES
+ BY Larry Schwartz
INCONVENIENT TRUTH
Players who swing for the fences are also prone to striking out.
FTER RECENTLY watching the 2010 BCAPL National 8-Ball Championships in Las Vegas, it occurred to me that a lot of the players could use a refresher course in 8-ball strategy. Why? Because anyone who is consistently successful in the game of 8-ball knows that the last thing you want to do is rush to judgment, look for any way to run out, and force the action. I saw some of the greatest shot-makers in the world commit this common error. Players attempted to run out every single time they stepped up to shoot. If you know me, you know that I subscribe to the school of thought that advocates not even attempting a runout if you’re not 100 percent sure that you can complete it. The inconvenient truth is that you may need to use some selfrestraint and shoot a safe shot, even when your instincts are telling you that running out is the way to win. Jimmy Mataya expressed this truth in the pithy expression: “You have to know when to go, know when to slow” (sung to the tune of Kenny Rogers’ “The Gambler”). If you don’t follow this advice and fall into the trap that many of the entrants in the BCAPL tournament did, you are as good as dead — or at least out of the tournament. The bright side is that if you follow this advice, you can win fairly consistently against a player who’s a better shot-maker than you but who doesn’t “know when to slow.” You just have to think defensively, and then be able to map out the table before you make your first move. If you see that the table is open, but you also notice that some of the balls don’t have clear paths to pockets, don’t force the situation by attempting the runout. It’s OK to pocket a stripe or solid, then follow it up with a safe to snooker your opponent.
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It shouldn’t be too difficult to find a safe shot either, because you have all or most of your balls on the table. Diagram 1 shows a layout in which it’s very difficult to run out the solids because of the precarious position of the 6 ball. The correct strategy here is to declare solids by pocketing the 3 ball in the corner and then play safe off of the 5 ball. The key to the safety is to hit the left side of the 5 as thinly and as lightly as possible, which should freeze the cue
In Diagram 2, I’ve shown another situation that arises quite often in 8-ball. The circumstances are as follows: Your opponent was shooting solids, but he failed to pocket his final object ball (the 2 ball) before the 8. If you’re an average shot-maker, you should never lose in a setup like this. You have no moderately easy shot, except possibly the 13 ball in the side pocket. However, the 13 is no gimme, and if you miss it, it will very likely cost you the game. Your main objective here is to avoid shooting any shot that isn’t Diagram 1 practically a lock, especially one which will cost you the game if you miss. With all your balls on the table, there are literally hundreds of ways to play safe — or even play a shot, which will still leave you safe if you miss. The latter of these two scenarios is what you should do in this situation. If you ignore this advice and go straight for the runout by starting with the 13 in the Diagram 2 side, you’re betting the whole game on one shot. Instead, start with a much tougher shot which is an absolute “free shot.” (Remember, a free shot is one that, if you miss, will leave your opponent without a reasonable game-winning approach.) Instead, shoot the 10 ball softly toward and hopefully ball and the 5 ball together (while still in the top left corner pocket. If you make sending the cue ball into the rail after it, you win now. Miss it and you win contact). This will force your opponent later. The shot carries little risk of losing to kick at one of his balls. If he makes the game. a good hit but fails to pocket a ball, the To sum up, it’s sometimes best not to game reverts to your turn. If he fails to pocket a ball. If a safety or a more chalmake a good hit, you not only have the lenging shot helps guarantee that your next shot, but you also have ball in hand. opponent will not win on his next turn, Either way, you again hold the power bethen take the safety or free shot. Leave cause you have the choice to run out or the runout for when all of your balls play another safe shot. have pockets to go to. Good luck.
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+ TECH TALK + BY Bob Jewett
THE RIGHT TRACK
Set the right course when you’re kicking four cushions.
N MY last three columns, I covered the basics of diamond systems — how to use the spots around the table to send the cue ball off cushions to hit a target — and a particular system called the “corner-5.” By last month’s installment, we had covered the numbering of the first four cushions involved, where “cushion 0” is the place on the cushion that the cue ball is “coming from.” Now it’s time to consider where the cue ball contacts cushion No. 4, the fourth cushion it actually hits. The path of the cue ball off the third cushion is referred to as the “return” or the “track.” This concept is from threecushion billiards, where many shots involve banking the cue ball three or more rails to hit the object balls. The best discussion of the path of the cue ball toward the fourth cushion is in Robert Byrne’s “New Standard Book of Pool and Billiards.” Diagram 1 is how Byrne illustrates basic tracks. Let’s first consider Track 2. If you shoot from the corner (cue-ball origin 5 in this system) and shoot diagonally toward 3, the cue ball will go toward 2 (5 minus 3) on the third rail. From there, it should follow Track 2 and go to the corner opposite your starting point. If you needed to hit a ball that’s almost in the pocket (on a pool table), that’s the track you would seek. To hit balls at other points, you need to try for other tracks. For example, if you needed to hit a ball on the short rail a diamond from the corner pocket, you would want perhaps Track 3.2. If the table is working exactly according to the system, you would then shoot to a first-rail number of 1.8 (5 minus 3.2). Usually, though, a table will not work precisely according to the system, and you will have to adjust the numbers to match the equipment. The system was developed for carom tables that generally play “longer” than pool tables. That is, the cue ball will come off the third
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Diagram 1
cushion more parallel to the rail on a carom table, while on a pool table, it will tend to bounce off the cushion closer to perpendicular. Practically, this means that the tracks are shifted on each table, and you will have to learn how much the table is playing “short” or “long.” The best shot to use as a test for the return in the corner-5 system is the one illustrated: Shoot from one corner and see what it takes to get to the other corner. For example, if the table is playing “one diamond short” you would have to shoot from the corner to 2 on the opposite rail to get to 3 on the third rail and then go on to the opposite corner pocket. Usually there’s little variation between tables in where the cue ball hits the third cushion. That is, if you shoot from 5 to 2, the cue ball will go toward 3 for a wide variety of conditions. This is because if the first cushion plays a little short, and the cue ball bounces out straighter than average, a similar bounce on the second cushion will tend to compensate for the effect and you end up at the same place on the third rail.
Going from the third cushion to the fourth is not compensated in the same way, and that’s why you need to calibrate the tracks for your particular conditions. On most pool tables, except with brand new cloth, the tracks go about one diamond short of the standard tracks. You may want to re-number the tracks in your personal system to match how your table usually plays. A second factor that you need to consider is “track shifts.” Where the cue ball goes after hitting the third cushion at a particular point is fairly constant for this system, but it does change a little. There are three different cue-ball origins in Diagram 2 — all going to the same position on the third cushion. It’s perfectly reasonable that the different incoming angles to cushion 3 would produce different outbound angles and therefore different tracks. As it turns out, this does happen but not as much as you might expect. To figure out how much adjustment you need to make according to where the cue ball starts, begin by making some measurements. Try the shots in Diagram 2 and note where the cue ball
August 2010
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“returns” relative to the track you get when you shoot with the cue ball starting from 5 (the corner). This will give you something like, “half a track for a two-diamond change in starting position,” which would be a quarter track shift per count change away from the corner. See what it is on your table. For a lot more information on track shifts, see the discussion in Byrne’s book. All of the remarks above apply to using standard running English and a medium speed. If you vary from this, the angles will change. Again, the third-rail landing point will not change much, but the track on to the fourth cushion can change a lot. I find that a medium speed gives the longest and most consistent tracks. What’s medium speed? If you play a three cushion kick along Track 3.5, the cue ball should continue on to about the middle of the table after hitting a total of five cushions. For faster speeds, the cue ball tends to bounce straighter off the cushions because it doesn’t have time to slide, and for softer shots, the cue ball seems to
0
1
2
Diagram 2
3
4
5
6
7
2.5
3
3.5
4
4.5
6
7
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3
slide less off the last cushion and therefore come in shorter. Any system is nearly useless if you don’t practice it. If you want to make the corner-5 part of your game, learn the track shifts on your table, then see how they change as you change the speed of the shot. Try draw instead of follow. For a really advanced study, see how the
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system changes when you use either no sidespin or some reverse side on the shot. I think you will find that your percentage of good hits will drop when you add the funny stuff, but you will eventually find yourself in positions where you have to do something strange to avoid blockers. Learn the variations and ways to bend the system.
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2 010 A C S N AT I O N A L S
The Smokin’ 8s took home the women’s 8-ball title in honor of a teammate. Story by Nicholas Leider
OMETIMES IT’S not about what you’re playing, it’s about what you’re playing for. Just ask the Smokin’ 8s, the Las Vegas-based squad who conquered the women’s open 8-ball division at this year’s American CueSports Association Nationals. Sure, accepting a national title and the praises that go along with it are nice. But these five women had more on their mind — namely, their former captain, Marielle Calizo, who suffered a stroke on May 7, just a month before the ACS invaded the Riviera for the team’s second year in the competition. While Calizo, just 33 years old, continued to fight temporary paralysis related to the stroke, she was able to stop into the Riveria Casino & Hotel to see her team in action. The visit allowed the team to remain focused, with captain Sondra Friestad reminding everyone of the ultimate goal. “She came down and was able to watch a couple of matches,” Friestad said. “It really helped us focus. We knew we could do it for her. “I looked at the girls and I said, ‘This is our year. We have the absolute best team we could’ve put together. We just need to do this for Marielle.’” But the on-table action didn’t necessarily follow the intended script. After a third-place finish at the 2009 ACS Nationals, Smokin’ 8s entered this year’s event as a favorite, but the squad was bounced to the one-loss side after a handful of victories. A few long days and six wins later, though, the team found itself in the finals opposite I Had a Plan, another team from Las Vegas. Needing to win two matches against their familiar foes, the women from Smokin’ 8s had a bit of an advantage when the 8-ball finals kicked off. They were also making a deep run in
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Sondra Friestad (2nd from right) and Smokin’ 8s were all smiles as 8-ball champs.
the open 9-ball division, advancing to that final without a loss, where they met ACS powerhouse Which Witch is Which? As a nice warm-up for the 8-ball final, the Smokin’ 8s acclimated themselves to the pressure of a national final with a pair of sets against Which Witch. They won the first rather easily, 10-3, which left them just a set from the 9-ball title. But the scored was flipped in the do-ordie race to 10, with Which Witch taking home the title. But once again, now primed for the 8-ball final against I Had a Plan, Smokin’ 8s turned what could have been a confidence-rattling loss into a positive. “We knew if we didn’t bare down and focus, we could give it up,” Friestad said of the team’s outlook after the 9-ball final. “We’d come this far, we just had to
go out there and do it.” Needing to win two matches for the title, the Smokin’ 8s came out, well, smoking hot. They cruised to victory in the opening set, 10-3, setting the stage for a decisive rematch. Again, I Had a Plan had no answer for the Smokin’ 8s, who captured the title with a second uneventful 10-4 victory. “We were very excited,” Friestad said. “It felt really neat to be national champions, especially on behalf of Marielle.” So for the Smokin’ 8s, who began each day in their 8-ball conquest with a prayer, the final achievement was nice, but it paled in comparison with the person to whom it was dedicated. “Marielle is just a great competitor,” Friestad said. “Her attitude has been phenomenal — and we never could’ve done it without her.”
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7/20/10 5:20:58 PM
2010 ACS NATIONALS RESULTS
DUSTIN GUNIA
JEFF HEATH
K. CHAMBERLAIN SHAWN MODELO
ARLAND WHITE
MARY RAYNER
DUSTIN GUNIA & JESSICA FRIDERES
Men’s 9-Ball Singles
Women’s Open 8-Ball Singles
Men’s Senior 8-Ball Singles
Artistic Pool Shootout No. 2
1. Dustin Gunia $1,500 2. Glenn Atwell $1,000 3. Damien Michaud $700 4. Cesar Infantas $520 5. Ray McDonald, Larry Wilson $400
1. Kristine Chamberlain $1,500 2. Christy Goldsmith $1,000 3. Tina Scott $600 4. Corrine Johnson $400 Sportsman: 1. Debra McDonald; $250 2. Beth Tully $155
1. Patrick Mowdy $1,200 2. Victor Tyynismaa $860 3. Michael Navarre $600 4. William Mason $450 Sportsman: 1. Buddy Wirt $300 2. Tom Fankhauser $200
1. Willie Adamek $200 2. Harry Kernodle $125
Women’s 9-Ball Singles
Men’s Standard 8-Ball Singles:
Women’s Senior 8-Ball Singles
1. Kassandra Bein $1,000 2. Debra Aarens $765 3. Janine Knight $550 4. Jessica Frideres $350
Men’s Masters 8-Ball Singles 1. Jeff Heath $2,000 2. Larry Wilson $1,500 3. Zack Willis $1,000 4. Joey Gray $700 Sportsman: 1. Jerrod Frideres $400; 2. Jim Carmona $230
Women’s Masters 8-Ball Singles 1. Beth Fondell $2,000 2. Kit Dennis $1,450 3. Andrea Saenz-Maes $935 4. Sherry Warren $500 Sportsman: 1. Janine Robinson $250; 2. Pamela Fletcher $150
Men’s Open 8-Ball Singles 1. Ray Skenandore $2,500 2. Ed Mataya $2,000 3. Trey Jankowski $1,500; 4. Pat Schumacher $1,055 5. (tie) Maurice Runnels, Jack Davis $750 Sportsman: 1. Michael Hogan $400 2. Barry Peddle $200
1. Robert White $1,500 2. John Pawluk $1,000 3. Chris Kent $770 4. Eloy Barros $550 Sportsman: 1. Rob Klie $250 2. Ken Waldrum $150
Women’s Standard 8-Ball Singles 1. Mary Rayner $1,200 2. Jean Renee Hendricks $900 3. Maria Davis $650 4. Dot Cyr $440 Sportsman: 1. Donnia Antuna $250 2. Tracy Langley $150
Super Senior 8-Ball Singles 1. Milton Strack $1,200 2. Jonathan Hahn $800 3. Mark Grooms $560 4. Don Harp $375 Sportsman: 1. Madison Adkins; $300 2. Dexter Gondo $200
Master Scotch Doubles 1. Jessica Frideres/ Dustin Gunia $1,000 2. Beth Fondell/ Jerrod Frideres $600
Men’s Standard 8-Ball Teams 1. Tuesday - Rich $2,000 2. Newie Bullets $1,425 3. MFS 1 $1,000 4. Footers Rack Attack $700
Men’s Open 8-Ball Teams 1. American Legion #313 $3,500 2. Badd Company $2,000 3. Malarkey’s $1,200 4. Blue Jays $800
Open Scotch Doubles 1. Samantha Patton/ Madison Adkins $1,500 2. Mary Rayner/Brian Bird $1,000 3. Jennifer Hawthorne/ Ryan Keeney $800
1. Shawn Modelo $1,000 2. Kim Anderson $700 3. Jill Nagel $430; 4. Milianne Chin $225. Sportsman: 1. Suellen Romesburg $200 2. Lee White $100.
Master Scotch Doubles 1. Jessica Frideres/ Dustin Gunia $1,000 2. Beth Fondell/Jerrod Frideres $600 3. Debra Aarens/Walter Glass $400
Men’s Open 9-Ball Teams,Sportsman
Women’s Open 8-Ball Teams 1. Smokin’ 8s $1,750 2. I Had a Plan $1,200 3. Which Witch is Which $800 4. Diamonds in the Rough $500
Women’s Open 9-Ball Teams, Sportsman 1. Northern 9ilaterz $300 2. Pajama Mama’s $200
Women’s Open 8-Ball Teams, Sportsman 1. Grand Larsen E $400 2. Devil’s Spit $300
Men’s Standard 8-Ball Teams, Sportsman
1. Liquid Plumbers $500 2. Sharks $300
1. Roadhouse $500 2. T.P.Q. $300 3. Bubba’s Friends $250
Men’s Open 8-Ball Teams, Sportsman
Women’s Standard 8-Ball Teams, Sportsman
1. Squires Fryars $400 2. Gator Done $300 3. (tie) Patos, Q’s Vegas Team $200
1. On Cue $300 2. Felt on Table $200 3. (tie) Shut Up N Shoot Chalked N Dangerous $150
Men’s Masters 9-Ball Teams: 1. Fort McMurray $2,000 2. Smokies Bob $1,000
Artistic Pool Shootout No. 1 1. Harry Kernodle $200 2. Jason Kane $125
Speed Pool Challenge Men: 1. Jerrod Frideres $100 2. Edward Mataya $50 Women: 1. Christy Goldsmith $75 2. Stacey Lantz $50
Men’s Open 9-Ball Teams 1. Malarkey’s $2,000 2. Mike’s Team/Silver Cue $1,300 3. Wizards of Awe $800 4. Brass Bell $525
Women’s Standard 8-Ball Teams 1. Flawless $1,200 2. Footers $800 3. Finish Line $500 4. Ready Room Killer B’s $325
Women’s Open 9-Ball Teams 1. Which Witch is Which $1,000 2. Smokin’ 8s $750 3. Grand Larsen E $500 4. Knaw Kaw Min $350
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BOUNCING BACK
After a shutout loss, One Ball Short laughed last in the women’s team division. Story by BD Staff
UCK-WISE, MAYBE it wasn’t the smartest idea to name their team after an incident that involved not only a loss, but a heartbreaking one at that. But One Ball Short has shown very little of the misfortune that gave the Cleveland quartet its name a few years back. The four women, who got together in 2004 as a team looking to hit up a few tournaments in Canton, were on their way to victory in their first tournament together. But an ill-timed carom sank a ball for their opponents, which turned out to title-clincher. So, from that point forward, “One Ball Short” was a reference back to that unlucky incident. But fortunately for the squad — consisting of Andrea Hess, Michelle Horay, Lynn Phillips and Jayne Penney — the highlights have outnumbered the heartbreaks since that first incident. Most recently, the team snapped off the women’s intermediate team division at the 2010 VNEA International Pool Championships. And the key to this year’s victory for One Ball Short was maturity — referring not so much to the individual team members, but instead to the ages of their children. Last year, the foursome advanced to Las Vegas for the Valley National Eight-Ball Association’s national competition and finished third. Not a bad result, but not exactly what they had in mind. “Honestly, last year was a little harder because we all have kids,” Andrea Hess said. “One year, we didn’t go because Michelle had a child, Lynn adopted a child, we all had one year olds at home. It’s pretty tough to find time to practice!” But this year, with the little ones a year older and team’s domestic situ-
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IT’S TOUGH TO ACT LIKE YOU DIDN’T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THE GAME! OUR ONLY PEP TALK WAS KNOWING WE WEREN’T GOING TO PLAY LIKE THAT AGAIN. — ANDRE A HESS ations a little more stable, One Ball Short made the most of its opportunity at the VNEA’s annual championships — held May 27-June 5 at the Riviera Casino & Hotel in Las Vegas. Among 22 teams in the intermediate division, the squad replicated its success of five years prior, when it won the women’s open division. But the 2010 trek to the national title had a bit of a detour. In the final bracket of eight teams, One Ball Short was bounced to the one-loss side by fellow Ohioans O’Malley Hines without winning a single game. “We were mad at ourselves, but we
just had to laugh,” Hess said. “When we played so bad, it’s tough to think you are decent pool players and go to the table and act like you didn’t know anything about the game!” But when it may have been time for an inspirational speech, the five women had been playing together for more than 6 years, so they knew one another well enough to the Knute Rockne impression wouldn’t do much good. “Our only pep talk was knowing we were never going to have to play like that again!” joked Hess. At that point, One Ball Short rebounded with a string of victories on the losers side that eventually led them into the finals. They again faced O’Malley Hines, where they needed to win a pair of sets against the previously unbeaten squad. In the second go-around with the team that blanked them just a few rounds prior, the women of One Ball Short eked out a pair of close victories — both going down to the final game — to seal its championship run. “At that point, it was shock more than anything,” Hess said. “We knew we could win, but I don’t think we really thought about winning until it had happened.” And for the adrenaline-fueled party to celebrate the group’s second VNEA national championship? Maybe not so much. “We couldn’t spend as much time in Vegas as we used to,” Hess said. “We all had to catch our flights the next day, so we didn’t even make it to the awards banquet that night. I think we were all in bed by midnight!” With an extra $4,000 in their pockets and the allure of the Vegas Strip at arm’s reach, maybe an early night was the right decision. Just call it a sign of maturity.
August 2010
7/22/10 9:58:23 AM
2010 VNEA INTERNATIONAL POOL CHAMPIONSHIPS RESULTS
PREFERABLY ON TOP
WINNING STROKE
Men’s Regular Singles 9-Ball
Women’s Master Singles 9-Ball
1. Jason McPherson $3,200 2. Larry Romero $2,500 3. Glen Collins $1,700 4. Brad Hutchins $1,100 5. (tie) Steve Barrette, Justin Thursby $800
1. Jana Montour $900 2. Lana Tauscher $600 3. Brenda Schilling $400 4. Beth Fondell $250
METRO
LOGISTICALLY CHALLENGED
Men’s Master Singles 8-Ball
Master Scotch Doubles
1. Dustin Gunia $2,700 2. Russ Whittle $1,800 3. Chris Mitchell $1,400 4. Francisco Pizarro $1,050
1. Kayla Jones/ Harvey Shognosh $500 2. Beth Fondell/John Fondell $200
8-Ball Open Master Team 1. Metro $9,000 2. Team Showsports $5,200 3. Team Spain Ola $3,000 4. The Machine $2,000
Men’s Master Singles 9-Ball
Women’s Classic Singles 9-Ball
1. Francisco Pizarro $1,000 2. Dustin Gunia $800 3. Jason Mousseau $600 4. Mario Parayno $400
1. Dawn Spencer $580 2. Charlene Pinelli $400 3. Virgie Catanach $200 4. Vicki Saienga $100
Sportswomen Singles 8-Ball
Men’s Classic Singles 9-Ball
1. Inmaculada Rebuerda $330 2. Debbie Arens $230 3. (tie) Liz Grote, Tammy Jacobs $130.
1. Dave Cote $1,000 2. Bobby Hibbits $600 3. Dave Mitchell $400 4. Juan Padron $300
Open Super Senior Singles 9-Ball
Sportsmen Singles 8-Ball
1. Tom Kidman $1,000 2. Mike Muhlbradt $900 3. Dwaine Bowman $800 4. Gary Bascome $600
1. Jeff Maurer $500 2. Barry Phillips $400 3. (tie) George Price, Rand Wojciekowski $300
Women’s Classic Singles 8-Ball
Sportswomen Singles 9-Ball
Women’s Regular Singles 8-Ball
Men’s Regular Singles 8-Ball 1. Alfredo Correia $6,500 2. Will Shaffer $4,000 3. Andre Cardinal $2,800 4. Barry Kitchener $2,200 5. (tie) Chad Folken, D.J. McGinley $1,800 7. (tie) Bob Fergason, Josh Lewis $1,500
1. Christine Snody $200 2. Megan Rushmore $100 3. (tie) Thelma Allen, Patty Comstock $50
Sportsmen Singles 9-Ball 1. John Maki $400 2. Jose Garcia $300 3. (tie) Tommy Chavis, Sylvain Gingras $200
Women’s Regular Singles 9-Ball 1. Heather Lavin $1,000 2. Terry Kelley $600 3. Jacqui Schroeder $400 4. Julie Luedtke $260
Women’s Intermediate Singles 9-Ball
1. Jacqui Schroeder $2,100 2. Rita Fortin $1,460 3. Elissenda Fernandez $1,000 4. Jen Polik $800 5. (tie) Donna Sasges, Tara Vreeland $600 7. (tie) Julie Leudtke, Christina Schneider $600
Women’s Intermediate Singles 8-Ball 1. Angie Voorhees $1,300 2. Cheryl Holm $1,000 3. Amber Harrison $750 4. Nicole Scott $600
Men’s Intermediate Singles 8-Ball
8-Ball Open Regular Team 1. Winning Stroke $10,000 2. Les Demons $7,000 3. H20 Dead Money $6,000 4. Boonies No Chance $5,000
8-Ball Open Intermediate Team 1. Smee ‘N Goan $5,500 2. Clean Slate $4,000 3. Rackem-N-Watch $2,500 4. Quebec All In $1,500
1. Renee Young $1,100 2. Vicki McCoy $800 3. Vicki Saienga $650 4. Cathy Hellwitz $450
Sportsmen’s Team
Men’s Classic Singles 8-Ball 1. Roger Anderson $1,500 2. Harold Rigdon Jr. $1,000 3. Dave Cote $700 4. Ron Trost $500
Classic Master/Intermediate Singles 8-Ball 1. Don Branson $400 2. Don Brunelle $300 3. Terry Young $200 4. Mike Zygmunt $100
1. Sunvalley Rookies $1,000 2. Hot Zone $800 3. Wooden Nickels $600 4. Give Guys & A Doll $500
8-Ball Women’s Master Team 1. Logistically Challenged $4,200 2. Get Outtha Way $2,200 3. Shoot to Thrill $1,200 4. Helm MS Cues $900
8-Ball Women’s Regular Team
Open Seniors 8-Ball 1. Joe DeGuara $2,100 2. David Cole $1,600 3. Zeno Rawley $1,200 4. Glen Pickelsimer $800
1. Preferably On Top $4,000 2. Joseph’s Chalk Talk $2,500 3. Eagles 3 $1,500 4. Getchasome $1,000
Regular Scotch Doubles
8-Ball Women’s Intermediate Team
1. Jackie Schroeder/ Shannon Schroeder $1,000 2. Jenny Shafer/ Mike Tedder $800
1. One Ball Short $4,000 2. Omalley’s Hines $2,000 3. Da Bomb Squad $1,500 4. White Class $1,000
Women’s Master Singles 8-Ball
Intermediate Scotch Doubles
Sportswomen’s Team
1. Jessica Frideres $2,000 2. Beth Fondell $1,500 3. Jana Montour $1,000 4. Tina Larsen $700
1. Rhonda Selinger/ Cory Wood $550 2. Nancy Peterson/ Travis Letsche $325
1. Almost Scorpion $500 2. Team Top Shots $350 3. The Beavers $250 4. Two Water Snappers $150
1. Nicole Scott $675 2. Laurie Hawkins $500 3. Stephanie Goens $325 4. Stephanie Rhodes $200
1. Carlos Ariza $2,200 2. David Merlero $1,675 3. Danny Gohul $1,200 4. Dave Fial $800
Men’s Intermediate Singles 9-Ball 1. Carlos Ariza $1,100 2. Ivan Belmonte $850 3. Andy Morris $600 4. Sebastian Laramee $450
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Next in Line
RNER
Corteza roared at May’s U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship. PHOTO BY JP PARMENTIER
FRESH OFF THE BIGGEST TITLE OF HIS CAREER, LEE VANN CORTEZA POSITIONS HIMSELF AS A LEADER OF THE PHILIPPINES NEXT GENERATION.
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T’S A quiet Thursday evening in midJune at the Asia Poker Club and Pool Room in the Malate section of hot and rainy Manila, and for Lee Vann Corteza that’s just as well. On one of the two Brunswick Metro tables, Francisco Bustamante plays with a local pro. 10-ball, race to 16 — with the local getting the 9-ball handicap — for $400. Various mid-level and oldtime pros wait on the sidelines casually watching, chain-smoking cigarettes and occasionally checking their cell phones for a text message or call from a stake horse so they can get some more action going. Corteza fiddles with his phone too, waiting for a call from his manager. “I think he’s asleep,” Corteza says smil-
ing. “I guess no action for me tonight.” The friendly, soft-spoken 31-year-old budding superstar clearly doesn’t mind the lack of activity. Anyway, the last few nights he had engaged in some of the highest stakes 10-ball action the Philippines has seen in some time. $20,000 a set, race to 21 against the other Filipino star with whom Corteza shares the mythical title of “Money Game King,” Dennis Orcollo, who was backed by none other than boxing great Manny Pacquiao. Corteza and Orcollo went back and forth for two days of serious action, eventually breaking even. It looks like it’ll be a rare easy night for Corteza, so he descends the escalator with his driver and a friend, two
floors to the swanky Chinese hot pot restaurant, where they dive into a huge buffet of meats, seafood and vegetables. Corteza orders a beer to wash down the succulent spread. He’s the picture of relaxation and cool. And well he should be. Corteza’s life is firing on all cylinders. Just two weeks earlier, Corteza returned from the U.S. riding the wave of his most successful stint yet in America. He first won the Mezz 10-Ball Open in Los Angeles. Then, two weeks later, he captured the most important title of his still-young career, the inaugural U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship in Las Vegas, topping a world-class field of 128 players. In addition, his manager is committed to sendAugust 2010
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TED LERNER
Next in Line: Lee Vann Corteza
Corteza’s recently added forearm tattoos are clues into his dual nature.
ing him anywhere in the world, so long as it’s against the best in the world. Oh, yeah, on top of all this, he has a lively 3-month-old baby girl waiting for him at home. Corteza’s is a hard-fought success that’s more than 15 years in the making. In the last year especially, he had been knocking on the door, logging the needed miles and putting in the extra time, achieving better finishes in the toughest events. His recent upsurge started in the latter part of 2009, with a fourth-place finish at the U.S. Open and runner-up performance at the World 10Ball Championship. But he had to wait until the summer of 2010 for his arrival among the world’s elite. It’s a lofty perch that has players and hard-core fans alike stopping to take notice. People are starting to see that under Corteza’s humble veneer and boyish smile lies a deadly serious and focused professional with a noticeable swagger that oozes confidence. This is a man who has something inside him that doesn’t allow him to flinch under pressure. And, as evidenced by the five hill-hill victories during his U.S. Open 10-Ball title run, the guy clearly knows how to close out a match. Corteza is not a man of many words,
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but his choice of body art perhaps speaks volumes about him and the personality he brings into competition: two large tattoos of angels, which he recently had put on each forearm. “This one is a bad angel,” he says showing the menacing figure on his left arm accompanied by his nickname “Slayer.” He then shows the right arm. “And this one is the good angel.” It’s a friendlier figure, accompanied by the name of his 3-year-old son. He seems to have a difficult time explaining the reason he had the work done three months ago. Then, with that sheepish smile of his, he offers this: “All people have split personalities. Sometimes I’m good. Sometimes I’m bad. Before we start the match, I’m a good person. At the table, I’m a bad person. There’s no mercy.” OMBING THROUGH his past for clues as to the hows and whys of Corteza’s C pool brilliance does not reveal the usual circumstances of deprivation and want common to most other Philippine pool greats. Corteza, the eldest of five boys, was born in 1979 on the outskirts of the large southern Philippine city of Davao
into a fairly middle-class family. His father held a coveted civil service job as an engineer for the Bureau of Lands. An early clue into the boy’s future personality emerged somewhat prophetically when it came time to name the Corteza couple’s first baby. His parents had been big fans of Lee Van Cleef, the crag-faced actor who starred, often as a cool and calculating villain, in some of the biggest westerns and action movies in the 1950s and ’60s. Cleef’s rugged looks and swagger made him a dashing yet mysterious figure to his legions of fans. These traits could easily describe Lee Vann on and off the table today. His dad naturally wanted his eldest son to follow in his footsteps and become an engineer with a safe government job. But, at 13 years old, Corteza headed in the completely opposite direction. “I never played pool before, but my friend kept bugging me to go to the local poolhall,” Corteza recalled. “The owner hated us because we didn’t know how to play. My first time, I ripped the cloth on the table trying to do a draw shot. The owner said, ‘OK, the two of you are banned.’ That was OK. We just went to another poolhall.” Despite the inauspicious start to his lifelong journey, Corteza became absolutely hooked. Luckily for him, his newfound passion found little opposition from his conservative Catholic parents. “I always [told] my mom we’re going to a poolhall,” Corteza said. “So long as I did my school assignments first, she [was] OK.” Part of Corteza’s obvious pool lineage stems from the same thing that makes all the Filipino players so solid: Growing up, he only played 15-ball rotation. Up until the advent of 9-ball and now 10-ball, rotation has always been the game of choice in Philippine poolhalls. And it’s not just the extra traffic on the table that has helped elevate players’ games. It’s the conditions they play in. Provincial poolhalls, such as those found where Corteza grew up in, are always open air, in searing tropical humidity, often with old, raggedy cloth and cockeyed pockets. Learning the game in these conditions turns strong players into supermen.
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It wasn’t long before Corteza began to play and win in small money games in his town. A year after first picking up a cue, he went to Davao City proper. “That’s where all the best players were,” he said. “I heard they had a tournament. So I entered in the C class, the lowest class. And I won the first tournament I entered.” Corteza’s game caught the eye of Ben Carusos, at the time the head of the Davao Billiard Association. “Even at his young age, Lee Vann was very educated and passionate when it [came] to cue sports,” said Carusos, who now lives and works in Japan. “He’s self-made. He was always watching other players and copying them. He always had this confidence about him. Even if he plays money matches against a better player, he thinks he’s the better player.” Carusos knew the Manila scene well — and knew that he and his newly discovered talent could earn some fast money in the big city, where nobody had ever seen Corteza play. (Carusos even kept a house in Manila solely to house provincial players whom nobody knew.) “He said to me, ‘I will bring you to Manila,’” Corteza said. “So I said OK. I told my mother there was a tournament in Manila. She said, ‘How long will you be gone?’ I said a week.” Convinced her 16-year-old son would soon return home, Corteza’s mother relented. The youngster, accompanied by Carusos, journeyed by boat for a day and a half to Manila. “He took me to some lower-level poolhalls,” Corteza said. “These are dangerous places. Guys drinking and carrying knives.” But they won plenty of easy money. The two also went to the university areas, where Corteza would dress like a student and clean out the real students of their pocket money. That one-week trip turned into two years in Manila. During that time, Corteza ate, breathed and slept pool, practicing 10 hours a day, playing non-stop money games. Corteza became so immersed in the game that he never once contacted his parents back home — not even a phone call. Then, after two years, he went back to Davao. “I played all the best players in Davao and I beat them all,” Corteza said. The real action in the latter part of the 1990s was back in Manila, in places such as the legendary Farmer’s Plaza
poolhall, where greats like Efren Reyes, Bustamante, Rodolfo Luat and dozens of other top talents gathered nightly for huge money games. After hanging around the scene for a few years, Corteza found a new stake horse who put him up against players just outside the realm of Bustamante and Reyes. “I started playing the best players like [Antonio] Lining, [Warren] Kiamco, Snooky Villanueva,” Corteza said. “And I won a lot at that time.” But Corteza wanted more out of pool than just winning money games. His talent caught the eye of the national association, which gave Corteza a coveted spot on the Philippines’ team to the Asian Games in 1998. He again played
A local promotional company signed Corteza, along with several other rising players such as Orcollo, Marlon Manalo and Antonio Gabica. The players received a signing bonus and a coveted monthly salary. But the company never promoted any tournaments and wouldn’t allow its players to play in other events. Within months, the other players bolted to other managers. Corteza, afraid of being sued and with a misplaced sense of loyalty, wanted to honor the contract. Stuck in no man’s land, he missed out on big events. Finally, with the help of a lawyer, he got out of the contract after a year of relative inactivity. With the World Pool Championship having come to the Philippines in 2006
“All people have split personalities. Sometimes I’m good. Sometimes I’m bad. Before we start the match, I’m a good person. At the table, I’m a bad person. There’s no mercy.” for Team Philippines in the 1999 South East Asian Games and won gold in 8-ball and 9-ball. For the next few years, Corteza’s career continued on a steady trajectory upward. Longtime pool patron Aristeo Puyat briefly managed him and helped Corteza get entries into the 2002 and 2003 World Pool Championships, where he placed 33rd and 17th, respectively. “I was a good player then, but I [didn’t] have enough experience in big tournaments,” Corteza admitted. He would prove himself in grand style in 2004 when he captured the Manila leg of the prestigious San Miguel Asian 9-Ball Tour. Playing in front of the home crowd, and with a live audience of millions watching around Asia, Corteza took down heroes Reyes and Bustamante for the title. For Corteza, the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. The Philippines was no longer just about Reyes and Bustamante and Jose Parica and Luat. There were hordes of other talents waiting to burst out and claim their stake on the international scene. Corteza was among the leaders of this wave. But the rush to superstardom got derailed.
and the burgeoning International Pool Tour promising hefty paydays, Corteza was in danger of missing out on the fun. Although he had won the All Japan Open in 2006, he still had no proper backing to finance the type of career of which he felt he was worthy. Early in 2007, desperate for help in getting his career back on track, Corteza contacted businessman Jonathan Sy, who at the time was managing nearly two dozen pool players. “He called me up,” said Sy, a successful sugar trader from the island of Negros. “He needed help because his career wasn’t going anywhere. He needed the right backing. And I needed a marquee player.” Sy recalled backing Luat, his best player at the time, countless times against Corteza in money games and having little to show for it. “I’d always been impressed with Lee Vann’s game,” Sy said. “I backed Luat versus him so many times in money games, and I think Luat only won once. I was impressed by his shot-making. I said to myself, ‘If this guy gets the right backing, he can go places. He’ll make the people of the Philippines proud.’” August 2010
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SAM GRAY
Next in Line: Lee Vann Corteza
Corteza has impressed in America with deep runs at Derby (above) and the U.S. Open.
Corteza quickly made good by winning the 2007 Philippine National Championship, outlasting a fantastic field of homegrown talent. Sy then laid out a program for Corteza so his new star could get battle-hardened against the best players in the world. Corteza started showing up wherever there were big tournaments — Manila, Taipei, Tokyo, Las Vegas, Derby City, Chesapeake. The effort clearly paid off. Besides the Philippine national championship in ’07, Corteza won the Turning Stone Classic, was runner-up in the Guinness Tour Finale and finished seventh in the 2008 U.S. Open. But 2009 would be his breakout year. At the Derby City, he won the stacked 16-player 10-Ball Challenge and finished second in the main 9-ball division. Then came the performances at the U.S. Open (fourth) and World 10-
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Ball Championship (falling to the whitehot Mika Immonen in the final). On top of his 2010 titles, Corteza has reached a status where he’s a real threat to win each and every time out. Fans and players are beginning to see that this casual, boyish 31-year-old is, on the inside, ruthlessly serious about his game and has the unwavering confidence to walk the walk. “Lee Vann is very intense and focused at the table,” said Bill Stock, tournament director for the U.S. Open 10-Ball. “His appearance to most casual observers is that he is relaxed as he smiles a lot, but when he’s over the cue ball preparing to shoot he’s extremely focused. You can see it in his eyes.” Ralf Souquet, who knows a thing or two about confidence, says he sees it oozing out of Corteza. “He always looks
like he can’t miss and that’s why he is very hard to beat,” Souquet said. “His positive vibes at the table make it more difficult for opponents to play against him. He’ll be even tougher to beat in the future if he keeps staying on this path.” Success has not come without its detractors, though. Despite his laid-back appearance, there have been whispers, in the Philippines mostly, that Corteza is cocky and arrogant and takes his gift for granted. Those who know Corteza, though, insist this negative portrayal couldn’t be further from the truth. “Some people say he’s not disciplined, or he’s got a big head, or he thinks he’s so good,” Sy said. “They don’t know Lee Vann. He’s extremely disciplined with his pool game. He practices everyday, but he just doesn’t do it in public. He’s a bit of a loner and he’s a very quiet person. But he’s straight up and very loyal.” “When Lee Vann goes to pool halls, he just wants to play,” said Edgar Acaba, a veteran Filipino pro and good friend of Corteza’s. “He doesn’t like to hang out and talk. He just practices alone. Some players think he’s boastful and arrogant. He’s not; it’s just that he always moves with confidence.” Corteza has heard the rumors, but chalks it up to an affliction experienced in Philippine society by those who find themselves climbing the ladder of success. “The problem is sometimes people get jealous if you are doing good,” Corteza said. “In the Philippines, if you are on top, people try to pull you down. I don’t know why.” His keys to handling the inevitable negatives — both on and off the table — are staying positive, staying focused and never forgetting his roots. “If I miss, I laugh it off,” he said. “But deep in my heart, I want another chance to prove that I can make the shot. I think positive[ly]. I’m a very determined player.” With his game and life in the groove, this quiet star with the cool swagger rightfully expects more success in the coming months as he travels the globe. Ominously for others, he says he’s never been in a slump and expects to keep adding trophies to his mantle. “After winning the U.S. Open 10-Ball,” Corteza said, “I realized I made it. But then I realized I haven’t yet won the U.S. Open 9-Ball. “I’m still very hungry.”
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Enter Today! Every year, the BILLIARDS DIGEST ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN AWARDS recognize the design, construction and modernization of billiard rooms — both private and public. Does your new or remodeled poolroom dazzle, amaze and inspire people to play the game? If so, enter the 22nd Annual Billiards Digest Architecture & Design Awards!
CATEGORIES:
• Best New Billiard Room, Commercial • Best New Billiard Room, Home • Best Renovated Billiard Room, Commercial • Best Renovated Billiard Room, Home The competition is open to all commercial and home rooms completed after July 1, 2009. Winners will be featured in the November issue of Billiards Digest. Entering is easy. Simply complete an official entry form and submit it with your photography before the August 31, 2010, deadline. An entry form can be found on the following page or requested by calling 312-341-1110.
Questions? Call 312-341-1110 or E-mail nickl@billiardsdigest.com.
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ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN AWARDS OFFICIAL ENTRY FORM • DEADLINE: AUG. 31, 2010 Please print the information as you would like it to appear for publication.
Contact Name _________ _________________________________________ Name of Billiard Room ____________________________________ Address ________________________________________________ City ___________________________ State __ ZIP Code______ Telephone______________________Fax_____________________ E-mail _________________________________________________
Category (check all that apply) Rooms completed after July 1, 2009, are eligible.
Best New Billiard Room, Commercial Best New Billiard Room, Home
Please sign: I hereby grant permission to Billiards Digest to publish photographs and a description of the following store in conjunction with the annual Billiards Digest Architecture and Design Competition. I also grant permission for Billiards Digest to display this entry in any awards ceremony, display or promotional media created to honor competition winners or to promote participation in future contests. All photographs become the property of Billiards Digest. Also, Billiards Digest reserves the right to combine categories, if necessary, as well as create additional categories to best represent the entries received. Billiards Digest reserves the right to refuse any entry that the editors believe does not meet the minimum design standards of the competition. Name (print)____________________________
Best Renovated Billiard Room, Commercial
Signature ______________________________
Best Renovated Billiard Room, Home
Date___________________________________
If new building, total cost of construction (not including land costs): If renovation, total cost of renovation only: Architect name/firm: Room Owner: Interior Designer: Builder: Construction started (date): Construction ended (date): Project description: In roughly 500 words — on a separate sheet of paper — describe the unique characteristics of the store design, especially anything that is not apparent in the photographs. Explain why you chose the design you did.
Photography: You should submit five to eight pictures that show different views of the store. Professional photographs are recommended. Be sure to show design features that make the store unique. Depictions of people or animals are prohibited. If you are entering the Renovated c categories, you must have before and after shots. Submit only digital photographs with a resolution of at least 300 dpi or better at a printing size of atleast 6 inches wide.
SEND COMPLETED ENTRIES TO: BD Design Competition Attn: Nicholas Leider 122 S. Michigan Ave. Suite 1506 Chicago, IL 60603 EM: nickl@lubypublishing.com
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CHECKLIST: Completed and signed entry form Project description Photography
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PHOTOS BY ASHI FACHLER
WPA WORL D 9 - BAL L CHAMPIONSHIP
N THE hill, just a rack away from the World 9-Ball Championship, Francisco Bustamante unleashed his patently bonecrunching break on what would be the final rack of the event. The diamond exploded, with the 1, 4 and 8 balls quickly darting for darkness. As the other six balls slowed to a crawl, Bustamante surveyed the damage, locking his eyes onto the 9 ball just as it disappeared into the side pocket. It was almost over before he knew it. There would be no final runout for Bustamante. No time for him to pocket six or seven balls while coming to terms with the impending victory. Instead, his on-the-snap clincher produced the most spontaneous of celebrations. His fists raised, his cue dropped. And after a quick handshake with runner-up Kuo Po-Cheng, he enjoyed a victory lap around the stadium, handing out highfives and dancing to supporters’ chants of “Django! Django!” For Bustamante, who incredibly had been without a world title before his win in Doha, Qatar, it was not about how that title came to him, just as long as it was in his back pocket on his flight home to the Philippines. To hear Bustamante reflect on life before taking the World 9-Ball Championship, you’d hear a player at peace with his career and his legacy. He felt he had nothing left to prove. In his defense, the fact that he didn’t have a fullfledged, 100 percent fully “sanctioned” world title was less an indictment of Bustamante’s career and more an improbable fluke. Regardless, all the talk never got to the well-traveled veteran who has collected his fair share of accolades. “There was never any pressure to win,” he said. “I always say if the World Pool Championship is not for me, that’s OK. For me, I’m a world champion already. I’ve beat everyone and I’ve won a lot of international tournaments.” But that discussion is now pointless. All the near misses, all the what-ifs, all that is now in Bustamante’s rearview window — though his history with this particular title is certainly part of what brought him to 2010. The 2002 event, most likely the most memorable final in the World 9-Ball Championship’s 20-year history, brought Bustamante within two racks of victory, all while dealing with
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Bustamante rode his break to victory.
TIMING IS EVERYTHING After a string of near misses, Francisco Bustamante finally captured his first World 9-Ball Championship. Story by Nicholas Leider
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WPA WORL D 9 - BAL L CHAMPIONSHIP
Kuo (above) kept an eye on the final with a thrilling win over Archer.
unimaginable grief. Just three days before he faced Earl Strickland for the title in Cardiff, Wales, Bustamante received word from his wife in the Philippines that the couple’s 7-month-old daughter had died suddenly of a blood infection. Bustamante chose to continue to play, winning three matches to move into the final. But there, with a 15-13 lead in the race to 17, Bustamante would watch Strickland collect the final four racks for the comeback win. Five years later, at the 2007 World Pool Championship in Manila, Bustamante again looked to be in championship form, only to exit before it appeared to be his time. On the hill, 10-9, against Daryl Peach in the quarterfinal, Bustamante kicked at the 3 ball, which was tucked behind the 9. The cue ball rebounded off the short rail and appeared to hit the two balls simultaneously, with the 9 ball crawling down-table and into the corner
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pocket. The partisan crowd erupted into bedlam; Peach protested, arguing the cue ball hit the 9 ball first, resulting in a foul. After several minutes checking TV monitors showing replays of the shot from several angles, the referee ruled that the shot was, indeed, a foul. Peach took ball in hand and promptly cleared that rack and the next to eliminate Bustamante, 11-10. EACH WENT on to win the 2007 World Pool Championship, which, thanks in large part to the subsequent economic downturn, would be the last world title in the discipline of 9-ball until this year’s event — held July 2-5 with the Qatar Billiards & Snooker Federation playing host. With the prize fund trimmed down to $234,000 (from $368,000 in 2007), the
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2010 event — sanctioned by the World Pool-Billiard Association — still attracted a strong field of 128 players. In the group phase, players were set in 16 flights of eight. Through double-elimination brackets, the top four from each group advanced to the single-elimination round of 64. While the majority of favorites had no problems traversing the group stage, some notables made quick exits. Perhaps the most surprising contingent to struggle were the heavy hitters from the U.K. Defending champion Daryl Peach (albeit nearly three years after his victory) crashed out in 97th place, losing to both Qatar’s Israel Rota and Artem Koshevoy of the Ukraine by identical 9-8 scores. Peach was joined on the sidelines by Darren Appleton (97th) and recent 8-ball world titlist Karl Boyes (65th). The upsets continued into the knockout phase, with a host of past champions exiting after the round of 32. In a battle of Hall of Famers, Johnny Archer eliminated Efren Reyes, 11-10. Ralf Souquet, Mika Immonen, Dennis Orcollo and Lee Vann Corteza also took seats among the spectators. Bustamante, meanwhile, gathered momentum as the bracket narrowed. He trounced Oliver Ortmann, 11-2, before surviving a scare from Taiwan’s junior world champion Ko Pin-Yi, 11-8. He then outlasted countrymen Marlon Manalo, 11-6, and Francisco Felicilda (who currently lives in the U.A.E.), 11-5, to advance to the semifinals. With his win over Felicilda, Bustamante realized this year might just be his time. “When I won, I [told] myself, ‘Hey, I got a big chance to win this tournament,’” he said. “I was playing good.” In the semifinal, Bustamante faced yet another Filipino, this time squaring off against Antonio Lining, who was fresh off a third-place finish at last year’s World 10-Ball Championship. But like
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Manalo and Felicilda, Lining had no answer for his elder statesman, as Bustamante ran away from him for a 11-5 win and another shot at the elusive title. The other semifinal matched Archer, who breezed through three opponents after his hill-hill scare with Reyes, with Kuo, who edged Yang Ching Shun, 11-9, and 2006 champ Ronnie Alcano, 11-5. Archer held a small lead throughout the set, eventually taking the hill first at 10-9. But Archer’s bid to become the first American finalist since Strickland’s victory in 2002 came up a bit short. Kuo cleared an open table to knot the set at 10-10, and then took the decisive rack to move into the final. It was somewhat fitting that Bustamante finished his run against Kuo. As if he was passing his title as snakebitten contender to Taiwan’s “Little Monster” (Kuo stands all of 5 feet 2 inches). Much like Bustamante’s experience in 2002, Kuo made a stirring run to the final of the 2005 World Pool Championship, where he faced countryman Wu Chia-Ching. On the hill, 16-12, and with the break,
Kuo looked to be a lock for the title. But he broke dry, and 16-year-old Wu pulled off an astonishingly gutsy five-rack sprint to swipe the title from Kuo. But this year’s final would be very different. Kuo fell behind early, giving Bustamante a growing sense of inevitability. An errant shot from Kuo gave Bustamante a 3-2 lead, which he then turned into an 8-2 advantage. “When he missed at 6-2 … I wasn’t nervous anymore,” he said. “I was very relaxed and comfortable.” While Kuo made a brief challenge, narrowing the gap to 10-7, Bustamante took the next two racks to climb on the hill, 12-7. And with that, he uncorked that last monster break that sent the 9 ball away for good. “I just went wild,” Bustamante said of his reaction to the golden break. “All the Filipino fans there were congratulating me. I was very happy!” T 46, Bustamante is a half dozen years past the minimum age requirement for the BCA Hall of Fame. And as the
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years roll by, his candidacy looks more and more appealing; his resume looks more and more complete. And in a year like 2010, where there’s no absolute slam-dunk sure thing — like the no-doubt selections of Allison Fisher and Johnny Archer last year — a player like Bustamante will surely get a lot of attention. In fact, in the ensemble cast of this year’s eligible players, including Bustamante’s fellow Filipino Jose Parica and his good friend Ralf Souquet, the newly crowned World 9-Ball Champion did his best to scream “Look at me!” to the voting body. Chances are, whether it’s this year or the next or one after that, Bustamante will one day take his place in the Hall of Fame. And when it’s all said and done, his first world championship — the very same title that Bustamante never let define him — may be the one that stamps his ticket into the sport’s most hallowed grounds. “I’m always a happy guy, even if I never won a world championship,” he said. “I’m proud of myself.”
PHOTOS BY DUSTIN SENGER
BASIC TRAINING TRAINING: WILLIAMS WILLIAMS, MORRIS VISIT TROOPS
Moats (above, left) took on Morris, while Williams (below, left) gave a few pointers.
ON THEIR way to the World 9-Ball Championship in Doha, Qatar, American stars Rodney Morris and Charles Williams took some time for a little R&R with U.S. service members at Camp As Sayliyah. After entering the Army base, the professional pool players walked into a warehouse that seemed — on the exterior — much like any other desert tan facility. However, the building’s insides revealed something far removed from the expected piles of materiel and office spaces. Since 2004, the Top-Off Club has accommodated nearly 200,000 war fighters participating in a rest and recuperation program at Camp As Sayliyah, providing a fourday respite for troops serving in contingency operations across Southwest Asia. Eight pool tables — between a bowling alley and dart boards — are included in the desert oasis, where offduty service members can spend some time toiling in the cue arts. Army Specialist Jamie Scott of Oil City, Pa., took the opportuniy to get
a few tips from the pros, before he coaxed his sergeant, Michael Moats of Virginia Beach, Va., to play Morris. Moats had played regularly for 15 years, with a pool table in his parent’s house and then another in his apartment before enlisting in the Army. His 8-ball game against Morris lasted a few minutes. “It was fun to watch — that’s all I can say,” said Moats, shrugging off a rapid win by “The Rocket.” “I didn’t know when I first picked up the stick that I was going to be a professional pool player,” Morris said. “I was actually going to join the Air Force, like my grandfather.” Though Moats wasn’t the only hopeful to end up on the wrong side of a runout from Morris or Williams, both pros let the soldiers know what their service meant to them. “We appreciate everything they do for us,” said Morris. “We wouldn’t be able to do the things we’re doing, if they weren’t doing the things they do.” — Dustin Senger
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Best Player Site THORSTEN H OHMANN www.thorstenhohmann.com To those with a long memory, Hohmann’s blog indeed won in 2009. However, it was a separate entity from his newly redesigned personal site. His website emulates honor and discipline with its balanced use of colors and excellent contrast between content and design. Unlike its rivals, Hohmann’s site continues training in the ways of the web arts to keep it at the top of its game. While many of the sites visited have outdated content going back more than a year, Hohmann is sure to deliver the fresh material needed to keep his fans coming back. His content’s personal touch captivates readers so that you can’t help but call him “Toasti.” Besides that, who can resist his baby and childhood photos? His site includes videos, fan photos and even a link to his Facebook page. The site brings the blog into the fold to carry a consistent message, look and feel for Hohmann’s brand.
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e Gather here to honor the black belts of billiard-related websites. While the martial arts place high value on ethical conduct and selfdiscipline, we expect the winning websites to defend themselves by delivering superb content that’s a match for the needs of the industry and audience. Welcome to the ninth annual BD Web Awards. Like a black belt, the winning sites sparred with the best and blew away their competition, thanks to excellent form in design, navigation, usability and content. Keep in mind, winners from and get a break from the awards because they aren’t eligible this year. But we hope they continue applying good web arts design pr actices. Also, even if we were as quick as Bruce Lee, we’d still miss some kickin’ websites. Fight for your favorite billiard sites and drop us a line to tell us about them for next year. Time to get on with the show. Chop! Chop!
Runner-up Player Site K ATRINE J ENSEN www.katrinejensen.com This website’s strength comes from Jensen’s personal touch and authenticity. The way she talks to you throughout her site makes you feel like a guest in her home. Like Hohmann’s, Jensen’s site remains updated and she even blogs about the progress of her pregnancy. Getting around her site requires no brainpower, thanks to the consistent navigation. Overall, every page satisfies in delivering what you expect and more, which is all you can ask from a player’s online profile. The site misses top honors because it lacks contrast between the light-colored text and the white background. No fight should involve squinting. Also, while the truckload of photos is a knockout, the inconsistency in sizes can cause some problems. (One of the photos goes beyond the entire screen.) And with such a friendly site, captions on the photos would only be an improvement.
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WEB AWARDS
Best Vendor Site/ M anufacturer or Distributor B ASSFORD B ILLIARDS www.bassfordbilliards.com Vendors manufacture products while distributors sell directly to retailers and dealers rather than the public. However, consumers may stop by these sites to learn more about the products before going to a retailer. Bassford Billiards’ website design radiates class and modernity to match its branding to a T. The site delivers the elements expected in a manufacturer site without engulfing visitors as many of the manufacturer sites tend to do. Visitors can browse the online showroom to learn more about the tables along with the available colors, features and options. Each product comes with a sell sheet, an important distributor resource. An online product catalog can easily become a tedious experience. Bassford knows the ways of the web warrior by creating a breezy catalog-browsing experience. Although the site provides little information for dealers, it has instructions for those wishing to become an authorized dealer.
Runner-up Vendor Site/ Manufacturer or Distributor A. E. S CHMIDT B ILLIARD C O. www.aeschmidtbilliards.com A.E. Schmidt does a nice job of organizing its large catalog. Every product has its own page with multiple images. The manufacturer’s long and rich history dates back to 1850, which is shared an in-depth “About Us” section complete with videos and a pictorial tour. Although manufacturers do not typically sell to the public, the company sells products on its website. The FAQ section includes useful articles for consumers on how to buy a pool table, a room size and table chart and table maintenance tips. The site loses the championship in this category because the home page doesn’t come together in a cohesive way with the blocky look. The navigation offers no easy option for exploring other products, and menu changes lead to confusion. We also ran into a couple of errors and struggled to read some content because of less than stellar text formatting.
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Best Billiard Room/Club Site B USTER’S B ILLIARDS & B ACKROOM www.bustersbb.com We love touring the sites in this category because their designs reflect their diverse personalities. Buster’s Billiards & Backroom of Kentucky makes us want to leave our dojos behind and head straight to the Lexington Distillery District where it lives. Buster’s also thrives on social media with its regularly updated blog, Twitter account and Facebook page. It takes one step to find Buster’s location and hours. Want to know what’s coming up? Check the calendar for upcoming months or reflect on past events in its photo albums. The site has floor plans, tech specs and other information available in a passwordprotected area for those interested in booking Buster’s.
Runner-up Billiard Room/Club Site S OCIETY B ILLIARDS & B AR www.societybilliards.com Deciding on a runner up is harder than catching a fly with chopsticks, a la “The Karate Kid.” Society Billiards & Bar’s website captures the runner-up title with its story and slogan of “Pool with benefits.” The New York poolroom greets visitors with an elegant yet casual design to reflect its redesigned brand. While it disappoints us to see the leagues page showing “Coming Soon,” we let it go, especially since Society is open 365 days a year. Society also incorporates social media with Facebook getting the most action. It’s just too bad the Twitter account has fallen into a coma. Society needs more content (floorplans, party planning details, menus, lists of upcoming events) if it wants to challenge Buster’s. The photo slideshow also distracts visitors.
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Best Online Retail Site OZONE B ILLIARDS www.ozonebilliards.com Almost every site in this category knocks you out with “too many choices” syndrome. Online retailers face a bigger challenge in building a Zen site when they sell many products. Although Ozone Billiards carries many weapons in its menu and navigation arsenal, the center of the home page provides a quick overview of the company with top picks and brands. Another problem with this category is feeling like you’re under attack by flying keywords instead of nunchuks. These sites add every keyword known to billiards to make nice with the search engines forgetting about the human element. Every product contains a description and review. Once you dive into a product, you don’t feel trapped. The breadcrumb navigation acts as your sensei. We also like Ozone’s “About Us” page with its great story about how the family entered the business — all backed by a family photo. Other sites in this category overlook this important piece for building trust and credibility. This element also connects customers with the faces behind the store. You never go far to find help with customer service, and contact information shows up clearly on every page. Retail sites need to include shipping information, privacy policies, return policies and security information or else visitors will not turn into paying customers. Ozone earns the title of samurai for having all of these elements.
Runner-up Online Retail Site M R . B ILLIARD www.mrbilliard.com Mr. Billiard greets you with simple navigation, while pushing the catalog and categories to the side out of your way. The center of the page wisely offers fewer choices than what the other sites in this category do. Mr. Billiard also includes a tour of the showroom, factory and warehouse. With a little stretching of the design beyond the little box and updated content, Mr. Billiard could be a top contender.
Best Storefront Retail Site POOL TABLES P LUS www.pooltablesflorida.com Most websites in this category appear cursed with navigation overkill and not staying up to speed on the latest in the web arts. Also, storefront sites must list location, hours and contact information, while enticing customers to visit them at the store. Pool Tables Plus limits navigation choices and finds inner balance with blacks and whites with splashes of color coming from the photos. Go ahead and browse the pool tables. You will not lose your way because of the website’s well-planned architecture. The Florida family-owned business excels in providing a professional website experience with a mom-and-pop touch. Pool Tables Plus does more than sell pool tables, game room equipment and furniture as the services page lists its services. If we were closer, we’d ask them to move our billiard table for us.
Runner-up Storefront Retail Site B ILLIARD B ARN www.buckhornbilliards.com Arizona’s Billiard Barn lives up to its name with that barnyard feeling as soon as you arrive on its website. The design uses various shades of brown with a dash of green for a cool and calm look that makes you just want to go play pool in a cornfield. The site has almost everything expected in a storefront site, including specials. You can pick up tips on what to look for in a table and learn about the differences between U.S. made tables and imports. We’d like to know about the people behind the store. Seeing some friendly faces and a name or two may compel locals to stop by and meet them. The text formatting could stand improvement for easier scanning. The problem with using too much italic is that it’s a hard style to read online. Also, when clicking a gorgeous table, we expect to go to another page with more details. Instead, the site produces a larger image in a popup window and nothing else.
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WEB AWARDS
CUES for you r BLOG Best Blog POOL STUDENT’S B LOG www.poolstudent.com Blogs must master the three C’s to earn a black belt: content, consistency and captivation. The tough match for top honors in this category went long — and we enjoyed every minute. Many of the contestants in the blog tournament use templates, and that’s perfectly OK. What matters is that readers can find everything without working hard, read content without pain and benefit from the content. Pool Student’s Blog uses a clean, simple design with all the key features in sight, without having to scroll down. The navigation sits in a good spot for quick finding. The design puts the spotlight on the content. The organized sidebar lists items from most important to least important. It only takes one smooth move to learn about the person behind the blog. Meet John Biddle, who started the blog “to focus on pool in a more disciplined and organized fashion and share what I have learned about getting better.” You can learn from this great sensei of the web arts.
Runner-up Blog POOL C UE N EWS AND R EVIEW, V 2.0 www.poolcuenews.com p Pool Cue News, affectionately known as PCN, is a master of piping fresh blog entries interjecting puns, passion and pool. The blog has cool moves with its Threat-o-Meter — measuring the state of the billiards industry — and “snappy answers to stupid questions,” aka SATSQ. This organized blog utilizes a design that allows work It has the right amount of visitors to find things without work. categories and lists of other blogs and sites where you can waste your time. We also give the PCN guy (self-nicknamed Maximus Snarkinous) points for honesty when he says that clicking links to buy something will contribute to a “get the PCN guy out of his mom’s basement” fund.
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L
ook hard enough, and you can find a blog on just about any topic imaginable. So it’s not surprising that pool, with a few million serious players in the U.S. alone, has its fair share of online narratives. If you’re passionate about the game, starting a billiards-related site can be a fun way to express yourself and deepen your relationship with the game and the people involved with it. But before you get started, here are a few things to keep in mind while blogging on all things billiards: STAY FOCUSED. Do you want to speak about your development as a league player? Want to investigate what makes players like Johnny Archer and Nick Varner so great? Whatever topic you want to cover, define it clearly. Keep focused on that single subject and examine its every nook and cranny. MAKE FRIENDS. Networking with other billiard bloggers is a great way to share audiences and ideas. PoolSynergy, a collection of like-minded posters, is a perfect example of blogs that all work together to grow. STICK TO A SCHEDULE. People will be more likely to come back if you have a consistent schedule for updates. You may not have millions of followers (yet), so it’s important that visitors will know when you’ll have fresh content up for consumption. PULL NO PUNCHES. One key to producing compelling content is honesty. You have to be honest with yourself and your potential readers. No matter what topic you’re covering, open up and put yourself out there for the world (wide web) to see. EXPERT OPINIONS. Want to freshen up your site? Don’t be afraid to bring in outsiders to provide new and/ or different opinions. Even a simple question-and-answer session can be a great change of pace to keep readers on their toes. - N.L.
August 2010
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CHRONICLES
THE STUDENT PRINCE
A LOOK AT THE INCREDIBLY LONG PLAYING CAREER OF G.F. SLOSSON.
Y THE time you read this, the Hall of Fame entrants for 2010 will have been announced. The focus in recent years has been on inducting living players shortly after they become eligible. There’s nothing wrong with that — it’s much easier to vote for a candidate that you actually know or at least have watched at the table — but the result is that some very deserving players from long ago never get elected or even nominated. Through the efforts of BD’s esteemed publisher, Mike Panozzo, the procedures for Hall of Fame induction have been overhauled, and there is now a Veterans’ Committee whose job is to propose worthy players who may have been forgotten or overlooked. I’m not on that committee, so I have no qualms about making my choices known in print. By far the most deserving player not yet in the Hall of Fame is Maurice Daly, who could enter in either the Greatest Player or Meritorious Service categories. I’ve done a biography of him in the past (Chronicles, May 1998) and I feel confident he’ll make it soon. This year I got to thinking about other old-timers and found I can’t get George Slosson (Fig. 1) out of my head. Yes, I know that his name is probably not on the tip of your tongue, and may never have been anywhere else on your tongue, either. But that’s why I’m here — to bring billiard history to life in these pages. So I’ll explain why I’m obsessed with the man. First is the length of his playing career, which has never been surpassed. Born in DeKalb, N.Y., in 1854, Slosson was already giving exhibitions by age 8, standing on a soapbox in order to reach the table. At 10, he was the champion of Ogdensburg, N.Y., apparently having grown enough to keep one foot on the floor while shooting. Slosson was still playing well in 1949,
By Mike Shamos
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IMAGES COURTESY OF THE BILLIARD ARCHIVE, EXCEPT WHEN NOTED.
B
Fig. 1 (left): Slosson was 20 in 1874 when he played in the national straight-rail tournament; Fig. 2: Maurice Daly, a frequent competitor, was five years older than Slosson.
so if we only count from his first title, his career lasted 86 years. He lived through the development of every major form of billiards played in the U.S. If you thought Willie Hoppe had a good run, his lasted “only” 52 years. It’s impossible to tell the story of someone who played for so long in one article, so this month’s space will only take us through 1888. Slosson become New York State champion at 17 and attended Brown’s Commercial College in Watertown, N.Y. He doesn’t seem to have taken to his studies, since he was caught drawing billiard diagrams in his notebook instead of writing course notes. Nevertheless, he Fig. 3: Schaefer Sr. was a year younger than Slosson and faced him many times in competition.
was diligent in his pursuit of billiard knowledge, which earned him the nickname “The Student.” Records of Slosson’s match and tournament play are very extensive. His first public match after Ogdensburg was at age 16 at the Opera House in Springfield, Mass. The game was American four-ball on a 10-foot table. This was a very free-wheeling game, popular from 1850 to 1880, in which a player could receive points for pocketing balls, making caroms and even scratching off another ball. Scoring on each shot was additive, so if you made a carom and sank a ball you would get points for both. In this way, it was possible (but very rare) to gain up to 13 points on a single stroke. In early 1871, while Slosson was still 16, he faced Maurice Daly (Fig. 2), who was five years older, in a four-ball tournament in Rochester, N.Y. Slosson went undefeated at 6-0, won the first prize of $200 and got an additional $25 for his high run of 342. Daly came in second at 4-2. The table was an 11-foot model, which seems odd, but the standard sizes
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Fig. 4: The “rail nurse” resulted repetitive position shots and huge runs that killed the game of straight-rail.
back then were 6-by-12, 5 ½-by-11 and one of 10 players in the very first U.S. 5-by-10. championship pool tournament, held in Later in 1871, Slosson lost to Byron New York in April 1878. Canadian CyGillett in a match for $250 in Elmira, rille Dion went undefeated. Slosson won N.Y., notable for the fact that Dudley exactly half of his games and finished Kavanagh, the first American billiard fifth, just out of the money. The money? champion, acted as referee. Slosson First prize was $250; fourth was worth was certainly meeting the right people $50 (about $6,000 and $1,200 today). while still a teenager, though. He kept Slosson does not appear to have entered playing four-ball until 1876. He beat the pocket lists after that event. He was John Bessunger in a 2,000-point match destined for greater rewards in caroms in 1873, running 534. The contest only — world titles. Fig. 5: The key to the rail nurse is “turntook 110 minutes and foretold the end When straight-rail became too easy in ing the corner” — going from a long rail of four-ball, since scoring had become 1879, the question is what would replace to a short rail and vice versa. too easy. The game was very popular, it. The chief problem was the rail nurse, though, and it held on for a few more major factor in straight-rail and even a repetitive position near a cushion from years. In 1876, Slosson beat William participated, unwittingly, in the game’s which the balls could be herded repeatSexton, in another $250, 2,000-point death. In 1879, he met Schaefer for the edly around the table, moving only an match in Chicago. But that was it for title and a stake of $1,000 in Chicago. inch or so at a time (Fig. 4). What keeps American four-ball. Schaefer massacred him, 1,000-44 in the run going is the ability to “turn the The game that replaced four-ball was three innings. The game was over in 65 corner,” that is, move the position from three-ball, later known as straight-rail. minutes. Schaefer’s world record high a long rail to a short rail and vice versa It was played on a pocketless table alrun of 690 destroyed straight-rail as a (Fig. 5). It was Schaefer’s mastery of the most always 10 feet long. The first world professional test. It may seem that Slosrail nurse that killed off straight-rail. championship, won by Frenchman Alson was humiliated, but he flourished One way to curb it was to make turning bert Garnier, was held in New York in very quickly when new games were inthe corner impossible. Several proposals 1873. After that, professional players troduced to replace straight-rail. were entertained, but the winner evengravitated away from four-ball and conIn 1874, Slosson bought a cue in Loutually became known as the “Chamcentrated on three-ball, at least until the isville for 50 cents. He used it for the pion’s Game” because only champions end of the decade. rest of his professional career. He once ever mastered it. The idea was to draw Slosson did not play in the first world estimated that he had retipped it at least lines in the corners as shown in Fig. 6 three-ball tournament. However, a few 500 times and replaced the leather grip from the second diamond on the long months later, he faced Jacob Schaefer, 40 times. rails to the first diamond on the short one year his junior, (Fig. 3), in a threeAlthough devoted to caroms, Slosrails. When both object balls lie in any ball match in Indianapolis. Slosson won, son was an accomplished “pooler,” as of the four triangular spaces, the player 500-321. Thus, before the age of 20, he pocket players were then called. He was is allowed only one shot before having to had met or played against the drive at least one of the balls major lights of American bilout of the space (possibly to liards. And that was just the return). This clearly breaks beginning. up the rail nurse, because the Daly came in second in nurse cannot be continued the first world straight-rail when the player gets to a tritournament in 1873. But five angular space along the rail. months later he lost to SlosThe Champion’s Game was son in Chicago, 600-593, for sometimes called “triangular $500. Daly made the mistake balkline.” of giving a spot of 100 points. The Champion’s Game was If he had given only 92, he first played in 1879 in Sloswould have won. For the rest son’s room on West 23rd of the 1870s, Slosson was a Fig. 6: “Triangular balkline” was introduced to stop the rail nurse. Street in New York City. It August 2010
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CHRONICLES was a very brief but successful experiment. Slosson and Sexton played to 100 points, with Sexton winning, 100-76. However, by November 1879 the Champion’s Game replaced straight-rail as the world title carom game. The first Champion’s Game tournament was held at Tammany Hall in New York with eight top players, including Schaefer, Slosson, Sexton, Daly and Garnier. Slosson tied with Sexton at 6-1 but lost in a playoff, 500-478. Slosson had the best average of the field. In early 1880, Schaefer took the title from Sexton in a challenge match. In June 1880, Slosson got a shot at Schaefer and won his first world championship, also at Tammany Hall, 500-470. He successfully defended against Schaefer in Oc-
tober at the same venue by almost the same score. Former four-ball champion Dudley Kavanagh was the referee for that one. Tammany Hall (Fig. 7), on 14th Street at the time, was the headquarters of the New York Democratic political machine. It also contained a large auditorium that was big enough for political conventions and billiard tournaments. Several world titles were decided there. It moved to its present 17th Street location in 1928. In November, Slosson traveled to France to face Maurice Vignaux (Fig. 8), the best player in Europe, at the Champion’s Game. Their 3,000-point match still remains controversial today. The contest lasted five nights, 600 points per night. In the last block, Slosson was
Fig. 7: Tammany Hall, shown at its original location, hosted championship matches.
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leading by 212 points with Vignaux at the table. Vignaux barely missed a massé when he got kissed out. The French referee called “no count.” Slosson stepped to the table and raised his cue to shoot, when a spectator yelled out something to Vignaux in French. Vignaux then grabbed Slosson’s cue to keep him from shooting and the referee said, “Don’t play.” The crowd became unruly, insisting that Vignaux had made the point. After five minutes of argument, during which the audience threatened to riot, the referee reversed his call and allowed Vignaux to continue shooting, resulting in his taking the match, 3,000-2,961. Slosson declared he would never play Vignaux in Paris again, and although he praised the Frenchman’s skill, he accused him of being an imitator and said he was forced to practice in secret to keep Vignaux from learning his techniques. Business is business, though, and the pair agreed on a rematch in Paris in February 1882, this time with a different referee. The outcome was reversed, with Slosson the victor, 3,0002,553, and he regained the title. The Champion’s Game was not destined to last long. Its last professional match was in 1885, with Schaefer beating Slosson. Schaefer destroyed the Champion’s Game much as he had done with straight-rail, using a very clever maneuver. He figured out a way to reverse the rail nurse and send the balls back in the opposite direction. Once he got the position on a long rail, he could nurse the balls close to the triangular balkline, reverse them and head them back toward the other balkline. He could repeat the procedure to produce frequent runs over 200. With such skill from Schaefer, the outcome of his games became a foregone conclusion and after five years the Champion’s Game was also dead. Back in the 1870s, when it became clear that the days of straight-rail were numbered, a totally different game was introduced that had its own builtin limitations and that did not require drawing lines on the table. Cushion caroms, sometimes referred to as onecushion, is straight-rail played with the requirement that the cue ball must make a carom by contacting at least one cushion and then an object ball. The usual way of doing this was to bank the cue
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ball or first hit an object ball, then one or more cushions, followed by another object ball. However, the way the rule was phrased, making a carom without hitting a cushion did not end the shot. If the cue ball then went on to hit either object ball after hitting a cushion, even if it had already hit that object ball before, the shot still counted. This is illustrated in Fig. 9. The cue ball hits both object balls, then cushions at “a” and “b” before contacting the red ball at “c” for the second time. Professionals didn’t really turn to cushion caroms until straight-rail was finished in 1879. When 10 major players held a championship tournament at Tammany Hall in 1881, Slosson came in third after Joseph Dion (Cyrille’s brother) and Schaefer. At this time, tables larger than 10-foot were no longer used, and occasionally title games were even played on 9-foot carom tables. In 1883, the cushion caroms crown had changed hands a few times and a championship match was held between Sexton and Slosson in Chicago. Slosson won in a four-hour game, 500-483, to gain another world title. The day after the match, Slosson wrote a letter to Hugh Collender, of BrunswickBalke-Collender, which had sponsored the championship. He resigned the title and returned the trophy, stating that he actually detested cushion caroms, that he had won 75 percent of his matches, that in good conscience didn’t think the game was good for billiards, and as a room owner he didn’t want to encourage his patrons to play it. We’ll see later that Slosson often made pronouncements of this kind but later changed his mind. By 1886 he was not only playing cushion caroms again, but winning more titles. The rules had been changed so that making a carom without having hit a cushion caused the shot to be a miss
regardless of whether another ball was contacted after a cushion contact (which is the present rule). Slosson beat Schaefer, his principal rival, in November 1886 in St. Louis. In a rematch in December in Chicago, however, Schaefer turned the tables, 500-430. Slosson claimed that he lost because he had been unnerved by an earlier incident that had nothing to do with Schaefer or billiards at all. It seems that Slosson, who lived in Chicago, had recently bought some furniture. A balance of $105 was unpaid and the company filed legal papers against Slosson, alleging that he had concealed the property so it could not be repossessed. Slosson was so unFig. 8: The Slosson-Vignaux match was well covered in France. nerved (he claimed) that he lost to Schaefer and within a Finally, in 1888 in Saratoga, N.Y., Slosfew days brought a lawsuit against the son once again proved his supremacy secretary of the furniture company for at cushion caroms by defeating both perjury, stating that the filing was false, Sexton and Daly in a triangular tilt. he had never been billed and he had This was for prize money, but with no never hidden the furniture. I can’t find title at stake. The tournament was not a record of the outcome but, of course, sanctioned, and the purse was put up this would provide no basis for appealnot by Brunswick but by hotel-keepers ing his loss to Schaefer. in Saratoga who wanted to attract sumSlosson seems to have gotten over the mer visitors. Slosson never played in a affair since he was able to beat Schaefer cushion caroms tournament after that. the following April, setting a new record He didn’t like the game, despite being its for high average in a 500-point game. best player, so I suppose he didn’t regret the fact that the next tournament, held at the Hub in Boston, offered an unusual prize for high run — a black silk hat. By the end of the 1880s, champion Slosson was still in his mid-30s and had 60 more years of playing ahead of him. His greatest accomplishments were still ahead of him, but that story will have to wait until next month. Mike Shamos is curator of The Billiard Archive, a non-profit foundation set up to Fig. 9: It used to be legal to make the carom a second time after hitting a cushion. preserve billiard history. August 2010
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TOURNAMENTS
FLORIDA’S OWN
Mills tops Archer in hill-hill final for Seminole title; Tege, Reyes conquer Europe.
Seminole Pro Tour Capone’s Billiards June 12-13; Spring Hill, Fla.
ONE OF Florida’s top players for the better part of the last decade, Donny Mills shouldn’t be able to sneak up on any professionals who visit the Sunshine State. But for many pool fans, the Clearwater resident may not have been the first player to come to mind when thinking of the shortlist of players in the Southeast. Not until last fall’s U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship, that is. In Chesapeake, Va., Mills rolled through the winners bracket, thanks in large part to a break shot that routinely dropped balls and squatted the cue ball in the center of the table. On his way through the 218-player bracket, he looked primed to pull off an upset not seen since fellow Floridian Tommy Kennedy knocked off the 1992 Open. But his dream run ended in a bit of a nightmare. In the hot-seat match versus Ralf Souquet, Mills turned a 9-4 deficit into a 10-9 lead, just one rack away from a spot in the final. But he broke dry and Souquet cleared the next two racks for the hill-hill win. In the left-side final, Mills again faced a case game against Mika Immonen. But he lost control of the cue ball, sending it off the long rail and into the side pocket. The Finn superstar cleared the open table to eliminate Mills in third place. Since that run, he has remained rather quiet on the tournament scene, with only two fourth-place finishes on the Poison Pool Tour to his credit for 2010. (An aversion to flying usually limits Mills to regional events, with the U.S. Open being the one international event on his calendar.) But when the Seminole Pro Tour rolled into Capone’s in Spring Hill, Fla., the sturdy shooter who looks more the part of an NFL tight end than semi-
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Mills (above) edged Archer in the final for his first Seminole Tour title in two years.
professional pool player had no problem regaining the form that led him through the U.S. Open. Among a field of 49 players at June’s event, Mills began his march through the winners side with a come-from-behind 7-5 victory over Rodney Morris, himself fresh of winning the Seminole Tour’s first California excursion two weeks prior. Mills then blanked David Ross, 7-0, edged Julio Aquino, 7-5, and trounced Seminole regular Stevie Moore, 7-2. With just four unbeaten players remaining, Mills matched up with Johnny Archer, while the other winners-side semifinal saw Robb Saez face Shawn Putnam. Mills just managed to nudge past the Hall of Famer, capturing the
case game for a 7-6 victory. Saez, meanwhile, had an easier time in his set with Putnam, ceding just two racks on his way to the hot-seat match. Mills then finished his trek to the final with an 8-3 win over Saez. On the one-loss side, Archer ousted Seminole top-10 fi xtures Justin Hall and Stevie Moore to face Saez in the third-place match. While Saez mounted a strong challenge, Archer eventually pulled away for an 8-5 victory — and a second shot at Mills. The single-set race-to-9 final began just as the first Archer-Mills set ended — with very little separating the two. Archer faltered on an uncomplicated 9-ball in the fifth rack to give Mills a 3-2 advantage, but the two were back
August 2010
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WPBA RANKINGS
TOTAL POINTS
SAN DIEGO CLASSIC
WPBA TOUR PACIFIC COAST CHAMPIONSHIP CLASSIC
ALPINE, CALIF. March 2010 $89,100
HOLLYWOOD, FLA. Nov. 2009 $98,000
9 (8000)
1 (20000)
COLORADO CLASSIC
WPBA U.S. OPEN
GREAT LAKES CLASSIC
IGNACIO, COLO. Sept. 2009 $89,100
NORMAN, OKLA. Aug. 2009 $98,000
MICHIGAN CITY, IND. June 2009 $89,100
TOTAL MONEY 2010
1 (20000)
9 (8000)
9 (7000)
1 (20000)
$2,050
LINCOLN CITY, ORE. Oct. 2009 $89,100
1
Jasmin Ouschan
83000
2
Ga Young Kim
75000
5 (9000)
9 (7000)
5 (9000)
1 (20000)
1 (20000)
5 (10000)
$3,000
Xiaoting Pan
75000
3 (12000)
2 (15000)
2 (15000)
3 (12000)
5 (9000)
3 (12000)
$5,100
4
Karen Corr
68000
3 (12000)
5 (10000)
3 (12000)
9 (8000)
2 (15000)
3 (11000)
$5,100
5
Kelly Fisher
66000
5 (10000)
3 (12000)
9 (8000)
2 (14000)
9 (7000)
2 (15000)
$3,000
6
Allison Fisher
60000
9 (8000)
5 (10000)
3 (12000)
9 (8000)
3 (12000)
5 (10000)
$2,050
7
Gerda Hofstatter
59000
1 (20000)
17 (5000)
5 (10000)
17 (5000)
3 (12000)
9 (7000)
$12,700
8
Vivian Villarreal
52000
17 (5000)
5 (10000)
9 (7000)
5 (10000)
5 (10000)
5 (10000)
$1,500
9
Jeanette Lee
46000
5 (9000)
3 (11000)
-
3 (11000)
9 (8000)
9 (7000)
$3,000
10
Line Kjorsvik
40000
9 (8000)
9 (7000)
5 (10000)
25 (3000)
9 (7000)
17 (5000)
$2,050
11
Tracie Hines
38000
17 (5000)
5 (10000)
33 (2000)
9 (7000)
9 (7000)
9 (7000)
$1,500
12
Kim Shaw
36000
25 (3000)
17 (5000)
9 (7000)
5 (9000)
17 (5000)
9 (7000)
$1,050
Kyoko Sone
36000
9 (7000)
9 (8000)
25 (3000)
9 (8000)
9 (7000)
25 (3000)
$2,050
14
Monica Webb
35000
9 (7000)
17 (5000)
25 (3000)
17 (5000)
5 (10000)
17 (5000)
$2,050
15
Helena Thornfeldt
32000
17 (5000)
33 (2000)
17 (5000)
17 (5000)
5 (10000)
17 (5000)
$1,500
16
Melissa Little
31500
9 (7000)
9 (7000)
17 (5000)
9 (7000)
49 (500)
17 (5000)
$2,050
17
Sarah Rousey
30500
5 (9000)
49 (500)
9 (7000)
9 (8000)
25 (3000)
25 (3000)
$3,000
18
Yu Ram Cha
29000
-
-
17 (5000)
5 (9000)
17 (5000)
5 (10000)
-
19
Laura Smith
26000
17 (5000)
9 (7000)
33 (2000)
25 (3000)
33 (2000)
9 (7000)
$1,500
20
Kim White
24000
17 (5000)
25 (3000)
33 (2000)
17 (5000)
9 (7000)
33 (2000)
$1,500
WPBA rankings reflect a continuous six-tournament cycle.
TEGE TOPS BOYES FOR SURPRISE EUROTOUR TITLE EuroTour Dynamic German Open Axxon Hotel June 10-12; Brandenburg, Germany
IT WASN’T much of a surprise that a player from the host nation took the title at the EuroTour’s German Open. What was worthy of a second look was just who won the title. Oliver Ortmann? Didn’t advance into the final 32. Former No. 1 Ralf Souquet? Good guess, but he was eliminated in 17th
BETHAN L. SAGE
even at 6-6, 7-7 and then at double-hill, 8-8. Unlike his heartbreaking losses at the U.S. Open, though, Mills took this case game and finished on the right side of a second hill-hill set against Archer. For his first Seminole Pro title since 2008, Mills pocketed $3,000 for the victory, while Archer settled for $2,300 for second.
place. Thomas Engert? Bounced out in the round of 16. How about Sascha Tege? The 31-year-old from Berlin, ranked 110th on the European professional tour when play began, won a series of tight matches to take his first EuroTour title, the biggest win of his career to date. Played at the Axxon Hotel in Bradenburg, the German Open was the second year for the featured game of 10ball. From the usually large bracket, the final 32 players featured plenty of top names, including eight of the top 10 ranked players. But Tege, who had never advanced past the quarterfinals at a EuroTour event, proved to Tege (right) clinched his first EuroTour title in Brandenburg. August 2010
Aug10 Tourneys2.indd 55
BILLIARDS DIGEST
55
8/11/10 10:35:29 AM
TOTAL POINTS
OCTOBER 2008 TOURNAMENT FACTOR: 1.20 PLACE (POINTS)
U.S. OPEN 9-BALL OCTOBER 2008 TOURNAMENT FACTOR: 1.14 PLACE (POINTS)
PREDATOR INT’L 10-BALL
GALVESTON WORLD 10-BALL
MAY 2009 TOURNAMENT FACTOR: 1.10 PLACE (POINTS)
SEPTEMBER 2009 TOURNAMENT FACTOR: 1.01 PLACE (POINTS)
1
Mika Immonen
910
17 (39)
5 (78)
1 (160)
17 (36)
1 (141)
2
Lee Vann Corteza
640
5 (72)
-
7 (68)
33 (28)
25 (30)
3
Ralf Souquet
562
33 (28)
9 (54)
17 (40)
2 (132)
-
4
Franc. Bustamante
559
2 (132)
-
9 (51)
-
4 (80)
5
Johnny Archer
545
25 (33)
65 (15)
4 (91)
5 (72)
5 (71)
6
Shane Van Boening
498
5 (72)
9 (54)
17 (40)
33 (28)
5 (71)
7
Darren Appleton
489
9 (50)
1 (168)
25 (34)
17 (36)
-
8
Charlie Williams
482
17 (39)
5 (78)
25 (34)
5 (72)
33 (25) 2 (121)
9
Warren Kiamco
468
65 (17)
-
3 (103)
3 (99)
10
Dennis Orcollo
457
-
-
-
1 (154)
25 (30)
11
Rodney Morris
398
33 (28)
-
5 (74)
9 (50)
25 (30)
12
Corey Deuel
358
49 (22)
33 (27)
5 (74)
9 (50)
9 (51)
13
Ronnie Alcano
351
-
-
2 (137)
-
13 (40)
14
Tony Drago
328
1 (154)
33 (27)
-
17 (36)
-
15
Niels Feijen
323
9 (50)
3 (120)
65 (17)
49 (22)
-
16
Imran Majid
321
33 (28)
33 (27)
25 (34)
5 (72)
-
17
Daryl Peach
317
9 (50)
17 (42)
9 (51)
17 (36)
-
18
Thorsten Hohmann
312
25 (33)
65 (15)
7 (68)
17 (36)
-
19
Marcus Chamat
311
3 (99)
17 (42)
33 (29)
-
-
20
Mike Dechaine
274
17 (39)
-
25 (34)
-
3 (101)
21
Karl Boyes
269
25 (33)
-
-
5 (72)
-
22
David Alcaide
268
49 (22)
17 (42)
-
9 (50)
-
23
Kuo Po-Cheng
265
-
65 (15)
-
-
-
24
Stevie Moore
260
65 (17)
33 (27)
33 (29)
17 (36)
17 (35)
be the last man standing. In the final 32, he edged Croatia’s Carlo Dalmatin, 8-5. Next up was Spain’s David Alcaide, who fell by the same count. In the quarterfinals, Tege edged Italy’s Bruno Muratore, 8-5, to meet Raj Hundal, who had outlasted Spain’s Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, 8-7. The other semifinal matched Fabio Petroni and recent 8-ball world champ Karl Boyes, who had just ousted countryman Mark Gray. Boyes pounded Petroni, 8-1, while Tege narrowly escaped elimination with a hill-hill victory over Hundal. While the final appeared to be somewhat of a mismatch, with Boyes among the hottest players in the world, Tege proved resilient once more. In the single-set race to 8, the German jumped out to a small lead, eventually closing out the championship, 8-6. With the win, Tege jumped up to 80th in the EuroTour rankings, while Boyes improved five spots going from 10th to fifth. Souquet, ranked No. 1 for the better part of the last two seasons, dropped to eighth, with Daryl Peach assuming the top spot.
56
MAY 2007 FACTOR: 1.01 PLACE (POINTS)
WORLD 10-BALL CHAMPS.
BILLIARDS DIGEST
Aug10 Tourneys2.indd 56
ASHI FACHLER
POWER INDEX BD
PREDATOR 10-BALL
During a brief European layover, Reyes topped a strong field at the Spanish Open.
REIGN IN SPAIN: EFREN WINS IN VIGO Spanish Open IFEVI Exhibition Centre June 21-23; Vigo, Spain
AS A bit of a pit stop for players on their way to the World 9-Ball Championship in Doha, Qatar (see story, pg. 40), the
Spanish Open 9-Ball Championship attracted plenty of big names to northern coastal town of Vigo. Tops on the player list, no doubt, was Efren Reyes, in the middle of an around-the-world journey that sent him to Las Vegas, Spain and the Middle East before the 55-year-old legend made his way back to the Philippines. Jetlagged or not, Reyes made the most
August 2010
7/20/10 6:53:12 PM
U.S. OPEN 9-BALL OCTOBER 2009 TOURNAMENT FACTOR: 1.12 PLACE (POINTS)
WORLD 10-BALL CHAMPS.
WORLD POOL MASTERS
OCTOBER 2009 TOURNAMENT FACTOR: 1.2 PLACE (POINTS)
MAY 2010 TOURNAMENT FACTOR: 1.05 PLACE (POINTS)
U.S. OPEN 10-BALL MAY 2010 TOURNAMENT FACTOR: 1.1 PLACE (POINTS)
WORLD 9-BALL CHMPS. JULY 2010 TOURNAMENT FACTOR: 1.25 PLACE (POINTS)
1 (157)
1 (168)
33 (26)
5 (77)
33 (28)
4 (90)
2 (144)
33 (26)
1 (140)
33 (28)
2 (134)
17 (39)
5 (68)
17 (39)
33 (28)
-
-
33 (26)
4 (88)
1 (175)
9 (56)
33 (27)
17 (34)
25 (33)
3 (113)
9 (56)
97 (0)
33 (26)
3 (110)
17 (41)
25 (34)
5 (78)
17 (34)
9 (55)
97 (0)
13 (45)
33 (27)
5 (68)
7 (66)
33 (28)
-
5 (78)
-
17 (39)
-
-
9 (54)
1 (147)
13 (44)
33 (28)
5 (78)
-
9 (47)
7 (66)
65 (19)
17 (39)
33 (27)
49 (21)
49 (22)
65 (19)
65 (17)
33 (27)
49 (21)
33 (28)
5 (81)
-
-
33 (26)
13 (44)
17 (41)
25 (34)
33 (27)
17 (34)
-
65 (19)
9 (56)
17 (39)
33 (26)
33 (28)
97 (0)
65 (17)
9 (54)
9 (47)
65 (17)
97 (0)
49 (22)
17 (39)
9 (47)
25 (33)
65 (19) 33 (28)
97 (0)
9 (54)
17 (34)
33 (28)
13 (45)
-
-
9 (55)
-
7 (67)
33 (27)
17 (34)
65 (17)
65 (19)
-
3 (108)
49 (21)
97 (0)
33 (28)
-
33 (27)
17 (34)
17 (39)
2 (150)
7 (67)
65 (15)
17 (34)
-
-
of his European layover with an undefeated run through a talented 64player field for another title in what is proving to be a resurgent year for the Hall of Famer. After pocketing an astounding $47,875 at January’s Derby City Classic, the most by a single player in that event’s 12-year run, Reyes finished second at March’s Japan Open, falling in the final to Francisco Bustamante. Still, outside of those performances, the “Magician” has kept appearances to a minimum. But at the Spanish Open in June, Reyes was as dangerous as ever. He opened play with a pair of 9-3 victories over Spain’s Amalia Matas Heredia and Carlos Cabello Ariza. Next up, in the quarterfinals, he outlasted former world 9-ball champ Daryl Peach, 9-6. With a 9-7 win over Bustamante in the semis, Reyes found a spot in the final. Keeping pace in the 32-player singleelimination bracket, the Netherlands’ Niels Feijen opened the knockout phase by coasting past Spain’s Francisco Diaz, 9-3. He then faced Germany’s Ralph Eckert, who jumped out to a 7-4
lead on the Hollander. But Feijen responded by taking the next five racks (in an alternate-break format) for a 9-7 win and a spot in the quarterfinals. Facing American young gun Oscar Dominguez, Feijen once again gained momentum as the match progressed, this time taking five straight games for a 9-4 win. Against Rodney Morris in the semifinals, he took an early lead and held on for a 9-6 victory. Undoubtedly the superior breaker of the finalists, Feijen took a quick 3-0 lead over Reyes in the race-to-11 set. Reyes stayed within striking distance of Feijen, closing the gap to 5-3. Reyes then fluked in a ball while kicking at the 1, which rolled into position for an easy 1-9 combo. He continued to play near-perfect pool, turning the deficit into a 9-6 advantage. Feijen made a brief comeback to close within a game at 9-8, but Reyes was too much. On the hill, 10-8, Reyes forced Feijen into a difficult kick at the 1 ball, which resulted in the cue ball falling into the corner pocket. With ball in hand, Reyes easily cleared the remaining balls for the title.
TOP
Finishers
WORLD 9-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP Doha, Qatar + July 2-5 1. Francisco Bustamante $36,000 2. Kuo Po-Cheng $18,000 3. (tie) Antonio Lining, Johnny Archer $10,000 5. (tie) Ronnie Alcano, Sandor Tot, Oliver Medinilla, Francisco Felicilda $6,000 9. (tie) Craig Osbourne, Christian Reimering, Dimitri Jungo, Yang Ching-Shun, Marlon Manalo, Jason Klatt, Hayato Hijikata, Raymond Faraon $4,000 17. (tie) Masaki Tanaka, Ibrahim Bin Amir, Venancio Tanio, Ko Pin-Yi, Nick van den Berg, Bruno Muratore, Tony Drago, Phuc Long Nguyen, Lee Chenman, Shane Van Boening, Jeffrey De Luna, Nitiwat Kanjansari, Scott Higgins, Toru Kuribayashi, Mateusz Sniegocki, Dang Jin-Hu $2,500
SEMINOLE PRO TOUR Spring Hill, Fla. + June 12-13 1. Donnie Mills $3,000 2. Johnny Archer $2,000 3. Robb Saez $1,500 4. Stevie Moore $1,000 5. (tie) Shawn Putnam, Justin Hall $800
EUROTOUR Brandenburg, Germany. + June 10-12 1. Sascha Tege $6,142 2. Karl Boyes $4,053 3. (tie) Fabio Petroni, Raj Hundal $2,457 5. (tie) Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, Bruno Muratore, Marcus Chamat, Chris Melling $1,818
SPANISH OPEN Vigo, Spain + June 21-23 1. Efren Reyes $7,432 2. Niels Feijen $4,954 3. (tie) Rodney Morris, Francisco Bustamante $2,477 5. (tie) Oscar Dominguez, David Pascasi, Ciprian Cindac, Daryl Peach $1,486
August 2010
Aug10 Tourneys2.indd 57
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57
7/20/10 6:53:45 PM
BD’S MONTHLY WRAP OF REGIONAL TOUR ACTION
AT THE June stop on the Great Southern Billiard Tour, Josh O’Neal went out the way he started — with a win over Russ Edwards. In the first round of the 40player, $1,500-added event, O’Neal sent Edwards left with a 10-5 win. Edwards, though, was far from finished after the early setback. He rolled through six straight matches on the one-loss side to find a spot in the money. From there, Edwards eliminated another four opponents for a spot in the left-side final. Pushed to the limit by Mike Laney, Edwards took the case game for a seat in the final. The only problem was O’Neal, who capped his run through the winners side with a 10-1 victory over Laney to take the hot-seat. In the true double-elimination final Edwards couldn’t keep pace with O’Neal. By a final tally of 10-3, O’Neal nabbed his first GSBT title and the accompanying $1,000 prize.
Strickland Strolls to Win in Raleigh ASHI FACHLER
O’Neal No. 1
Great Southern Billiard Tour Murfreesboro Billiard Club June 26-27 + Murfreesboro, Tenn. 1st: Josh O’Neal $1,000 2nd: Russ Edwards $500 3rd: Mike Laney $300 4th: Daniel McKenney $200
Jacoby Carolina Tour Brown’s Billiards June 26-27 + Raleigh, N.C. 1st: Earl Strickland $1,000 2nd: Keith Bennett $475 3rd: Sam Monday $200 4th: Delton Howard $75
to work on the opposite side of the bracket, finally topping Delton Howard, 7-4, for the second spot in the hot-seat match. But Bennett had no answer for Strickland, as the “Pearl” advanced to the final by a 7-5 scoreline. On the left side, Sam Monday rebounded from an earlier loss Strickland took home a little green in Raleigh. to Howard with a pair of 7-2 vicTHE HEADLINER in just about any tories over Brian Simpson and Ussery. event on American soil, Earl Strickland Monday then eliminated Howard, 7-4, was certainly the biggest star at June’s before losing to Bennett in the thirdstop on the Jacoby Carolina Tour. One place match. of a compact 15-player field, the Hall of In the single-set, race-to-11 final, Famer went unbeaten for his first 2010 Strickland was absolutely untouchable title on the regional circuit. from the start. He collected the first six Facing B.J. Ussery, winner of the last racks, clearing a pair from the break, two tour events, in the right-side semion his way to an insurmountable lead. final, Strickand escaped with a hillBennett managed to stay within shouthill victory and a spot in the hot-seat ing distance, but Strickland eventually match. Keith Bennett, meanwhile, went closed out the set, 11-7.
SAM GRAY
Harriman Runs Wild for Back-to-Back Maryland Titles The 2010 event was no different, boasting a 35-player field with top 14.1 talent such as Thorsten Hohmann, Mike Sigel and reigning champ Danny Harriman. In the round-robin stage, where players were divided into seven flights of five, all the big names advanced, minus Sigel who withdrew from the competition after two early losses to locals Brian Deska and Jeff Kerr. When play switched to singleelimination, though, nobody Kennedy (right) captured his fourth straight title. could keep pace with Harriman. ATTRACTING A rather impressive field In the semifinal race to 125, the St. Louis of East Coast talent, the Maryland State resident fell behind Hohmann, 59-6, only 14.1 Championship has quitely become a to run 119-and-out on the 2006 world rather strong regional event over the past champ. In the other semifinal, native son few years. Shaun Wilkie edged Maine’s Mike De-
58
BILLIARDS DIGEST
Aug10 T-Spotting.indd 58
Maryland 14.1 Champ. Big Daddy’s Billiards June 19-20 + Glen Burnie, Md. 1st: Danny Harriman $3,500 2nd: Shaun Wilkie $2,500 3rd (tie): Thorsten Hohmann, Mike Dechaine $1,300 5th (tie): Dave Daya, Mike Davis, Gerda Hofstatter, Zion Zvi $700
chaine for his spot in the 150-point final. Like Harriman’s semifinal, he fell behind early, watching Wilkie extend his lead to 94-37. Following an extensive exchange of safeties, Wilkie tried and missed a combination. Harriman again closed the door quickly, this time running 113-andout to take the $3,500 top prize and his second straight Maryland state title.
August 2010
7/20/10 5:19:45 PM
PRESENTED BY
Crossroads: Monday Ponders Place in Pool World JACOBY CAROLINA TOUR
POOL PLAYERS, outside In the mid-’90s he moved to the absolute top-tier of proWinston-Salem, and pursued fessionals, can get to feeling an apprenticeship in plumblike Wile E. Coyote in that ing, which occurred partly besplit-second when he realizes cause a plumbing company he’s been had by the Roadsat between his apartment runner. They travel — someand the poolhall. times hundreds of miles — Then, between 2002 to to get to places where they 2005, both of his parents might win just enough money passed away. “During that to get them home. Most of time, I was doing stupid them will make a few personthings, hanging with the al and professional mistakes wrong people,” he said. along the way. Some of them He survived those troubled will end up playing the game times and sharpened his as if what they got is the best Monday sits as a top Carolina player with broader aspirations. game along the way. Longthat they can do. At that point, they’ll down, giving his pool career the attentime friend, occasional employer and pause to admire the view, which is usution it demands to sustain him as he landlord Allan Tripp said, “Sam is a betally a prelude to one of those Wile E. moves into his 40s? ter cash player than he is a tournament Coyote moments. Born in 1971 in Mount Airy, N.C., he player,” but as the first decade of the So goes Sam Monday, who’s been attained some success as a pitcher on 21st century moved on, Monday began making a name for himself on a numhis high school baseball team. But aspicashing regularly on the regional pool ber of pool tours in the Southeast U.S., rations of playing professionally ended tours. More often than not, though, it including the Seminole, Jacoby Carolina in 1990, when an automobile accident was the money games that kept him goand Great Southern Billiard Tours. The permanently sidelined his career. He ing. To a certain extent, that’s still true, Ayden, N.C., resident has been at it for then settled in at home, attending Surwhich brings him to the latest of his about 15 years now. He has collected a rey Community College. many crossroads. handful of top finishes this year. In June, “That’s when I started playing pool,” “My weakness,” he said, “is not pracMonday chalked up a GSBT victory, dehe said. “There was a poolroom called ticing enough, not being able to adapt feating road buddy Keith Bennett. He’s Family Billiards right across the street, to a table as quickly as I should. I’m not been at the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championand I learned to play really well in a consistent.” ship for 12 of the 15 years he’s been short amount of time. After about a year “He’s got a gift,” said Tripp. “If you playing, getting into the money only once of school, I quit and started playing pool took Earl [Strickland] out of the picture (finishing tied for 65th in 2008). His bigfull-time.” and could get Sam to practice every gest payday was a 37th place finish at It was a different world back in the night of the week for two hours, there’d the IPT North American Open in 2006, ’90s, and a lot of the money he was be nobody in this state who could beat when he brought home $10,000. earning was gambling money. But the him.” At 39 years of age, Monday has some dynamics of that system changed drastiSo here he stands, at another crossdecisions to make — and soon. Will he cally with the proliferation of cell phones roads, trying to choose a path into his commit himself to a serious attempt up and Internet connections. A good payfuture, and avoid that Wile E. Coyote mothe professional ladder, or commit himday in Town A led to word beating him to ment. Many of his friends and fellow playself, instead, to what is now an occaTown B, where nobody would play him. ers have two words of advice for him. sional career as a plumber? Will he let “Exactly,” he said, “Everything started “Beep, beep.” — Skip Maloney pool become a weekend hobby, or bear going downhill for pool players then.”
Aug10 T-Spotting.indd 59
7/20/10 5:19:59 PM
TOUR RANKINGS (AS OF 7/6/10)
Sylver Ochoa has an angle on the Lone Star Tour’s top spot.
AREA: Tampa Bay, Fla. TOUR DIRECTOR:
Stephanie Mitchell CONTACT: baat@live.com WEB: www.baattour.com
1. Kelly Cavanaugh 410 2. Jessica Barnes 360 3. Rachel Delaney 320 4. Niki Rasmussen 320 5. Kim Caso 270 6. Bethann Ryno 270 7. Michell Monk 260 8. Barbara Ellis 235 9. Margie Soash 230 10. Keva Hevener 230
AREA: Fla., N.C., Ga., N.Y. TOUR DIRECTOR: Gerry Mayen WEB: www.seminolesports
management.com CONTACT: (954) 985-5700
AREA: Ariz. DIRECTOR: Dennis Orender CONTACT: info@desertclassic
CONTACT: lee.rigby@
gb9balltour.com WEB: www.gb9balltour.com 1. Mark Gray 84 2. Daryl Peach 81 3. Adam B. Smith 71 4. Karl Boyes 66 5. Damian Massey 64 6. Scott Higgins 61 7. James Kay 58 8. Michael Valentine 54 9. Steve Petty 54 10. Craig Osbourne 52
tour.com WEB: www.desertclassic
tour.com 1. Dennis Orender 430 2. Gus Briseno 390 3. Tres Kane 345 4. Pete Lhotka 295 5. Nick Deleon 290 6. Tony Confalone 265 7. Bernie Pettipiece 250 8. Scott Frost 200 9. Mike Pankof 200 10. Susan Williams 190
Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour AREA: Maine, N.Y., N.J., R.I. TOUR DIRECTOR: Mike Zuglan WEB: www.joss9balltour.com
EuroTour AREA: Europe TOUR DIRECTOR: Gre Leenders CONTACT: info@eurotour.nu WEB: www.eurotour.nu
1. Dennis Hatch 1,425 2. Dave Grau 850 3. Shane Winters 585 4. Bucky Souvanthong 555 5. Chris Orme 540 6. Chance Chin 465 7. Mike Zuglan 410 8. Ron Casanzio 360 9. Nelson Oliveira 270 10. Bruce Carroll 265
1. Daryl Peach 2,390 2. Niels Feijen 2,340 3. Mateusz Sniegocki 2,260 4. Imran Majid 2,160 5. Karl Boyes 2,150 6. Mark Gray 2,150 7. Marcus Chamat 2,145 8. Ralf Souquet 2,090 9. Darren Appleton 2,085 10. Oliver Ortmann 1,990
Lone Star Tour AREA: Texas DIRECTOR: Kim White WEB: www.lonestar
Flamingo Billiards Tour
billiardstour.com
AREA: Fla. DIRECTOR: Mimi McAndrews CONTACT: info@flamingobilliards
GB 9-Ball Tour AREA: Great Britain
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BILLIARDS DIGEST
Aug10 TSRanks.indd 60
2. Kevin Guimond 310 3. Frankie Hernandez 380 4. George San Souci 280 5. Alberto Estevez 270 6. Matthew Harricharan 270 7. Oscar Bonilla 260 8. Alex Gonzalez 240 9. Duane Toney 240 10. Stuart Warnock 240
Seminole Pro Tour
Desert Classic Tour
tour.com WEB: www.flamingobilliards tour.com 1. Helene Caukin 400 2. Niki Rasmussen 340 3. Jessica Barnes 310 4. Melissa Durkin 280 5. Mimi McAndrews 260 6. Kelly Cavanaugh 240 7. Stephanie Mitchell 230 8. Barbara Ellis 230 9. Margie Soash 200 10. Keva Hevener 200
ASHI FACHLER
Bay Area Amateur Tour
MEN’S DIVISION
1. James Davis Jr. 675 2. Charlie Bryant 650 3. Sylver Ochoa 600 4. Ernesto Bayaua 550 5. David Parker 350 6. Danny Lee 300 7. Andy Jethwa 275 8. Jeremy Jones 250 9. Danny Tam 250 10. Barry Strickland 250 WOMEN’S DIVISION
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Kyu Yi 900 Courtney Peters 775 Terry Petrosino 700 Belinda Lee 525 Loretta Lundgren 510 Ricky Casper 500 Heather Bryant 450
8. Kim Pierce 375 9. Ming Ng 300 10. Michelle Cortez 300
OB Cues Ladies 9-Ball AREA: Texas, Okla. TOUR DIRECTOR: Julie Stephenson CONTACT: julies@hartnett
1. Stevie Moore 380 2. Johnny Archer 285 3. Corey Deuel 275 4. Hunter Lombardo 230 5. Mike Davis 220 6. Rodney Morris 210 7. Shawn Putnam 200 8. Keith Bennett 185 9. Gabe Owen 180 10. Tommy Kennedy 180
group.com WEB: www.obcuestour.com
Tri-State Tour
1. Lisa Marr 580 2. Jennifer Kraber 560 3. Tara Williams 415 4. Ashley Nandrasy 365 5. Orietta Strickland 330 6. Amanda Lampert 300 7. Angela Garza 180 8. Melinda Bailey 180 9. Helen Laiche 170 10. Julie Stephenson 165
AREA: N.Y., N.J., Conn. TOUR DIRECTOR: John Leyman CONTACT: jleyman@
Poison Pool Tour AREA: Fla. TOUR DIRECTOR: Natalie Crosby WEB: www.poisonpooltour.com AMATEUR DIVISION
1. Mike Delawder 575 2. George Saunders 505 3. Bill Stoll 480 4. Eddie Wheat 460 5. Wesley White 430 6. Jimmy Sandaler 400 7. Chip Dickerson 385 8. Dan Dennis 385 9. Louis Altes 385 10. Lincoln Seiffert 355 OPEN DIVISION
1. Tony Crosby 870 2. Mike Davis 720 3. Tommy Kennedy 700 4. Justin Hall 570 5. Louis Altes 470 6. Mike Delawder 440 7. Julio Aquino 355 8. Wesley White 340 9. Han Berber 330 10. Dave Ross 320
Predator 9-Ball Tour AREA: N.Y., N.J., Conn. TOUR DIRECTOR: Tony Robles WEB: www.predator9balltour.com
1. Tony Robles 440
thetristatetour.com WEB: www.thetristatetour.com A DIVISION
1. Daniel Cintron 490 2. Stuart Warnock 380 3. Jerry Tarantola 275 4. Wali Muhammed 145 5. Johnny Ortiz 140 6. Wilson Cruz 135 7. John Alicea 120 8. Michael Wong 120 9. Joseph Landi 115 10. Jason Hunt 100 WOMEN’S DIVISION
1. Sandie Patarino 670 2. Rhio Anne Flores 635 3. Borana Andoni 430 4. Yomaylin Feliz 380 5. Neslihan Gurel 245 6. Emily Duddy 230 7. Diana Rojas 210 8. Karen Freire 120 9. Naomi Fingerhut 115 10. Minnie Trobiano 110
USBA AREA: United States TOUR DIRECTOR: Jim Shovak CONTACT: jimshovak@usba.net WEB: www.usba.net
1. Pedro Piedrabuena 422 2. Mazin Shooni 378 3. Sonny Cho 315 4. Jae Hyung Cho 246 5. Miguel Torres 235 6. Hugo Patino 206 7. Javier Teran 205 8. Michael Kang 202 9. Min Jae Pak 196 10. George Ashby 141
August 2010
7/13/10 11:07:35 AM
F ELT F ORUM
1
TOP OF THE NEW LINE
FOUND IN TRANSLATION
In the recently translated “Billiards Manual,” the discipline of threecushion is analyzed and discussed in great depth. Supported by more than 800 graphic illustrations, the book can serve as a training guide for the novice, as well as a reference manual for the advanced player. It addresses all elementary components of the game, and also presents innovative solutions to difficult positions.
www.lithoshop.eu
Unveiling the new G-Series, McDermott Cues has a cue for every player. McDermott is launching its G-Series, featuring more than 100 new cues, including the Jim McDermott 2010 Cue of the Year. All cues are made in Menomonee Falls, Wis., drawing on cutting-edge technology, quality craftsmanship and breathtaking designs. Cues priced from $235 to $699 come standard with McDermott’s G-Core shaft; cues priced more than $700 come standard with the company’s high-performance I2 shaft. For more information: www.mcdermottcue.com (800) 666-2283
2
BET ON IT
From Mr. Billiard, the High Roller Texas Hold ‘em poker table can seat up to 10, so you can have everyone over for that friendly game of cards.
www.mrbilliard.com
3
TRICKS WITH A BITE
Florian Kohler may not be a household name in pool just yet, but you won’t soon forget him after this first installment of “Venom Trickshots.” Prepare yourself for more than 160 of the most advanced shots ever performed on a pool table. Quintuplet massé shots, a 24-foot two-rail jump shot and doubles play are only a few of the incredible displays that make “Venom Trickshots” one of the most innovative trick-shot collections ever assembled.
www.runoutmedia.com
August 2010
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WHEREVER YOU GO, YOU'LL FIND BILLIARDS DIGEST... Next to the finest in billiards play & products.
ALASKA
DELAWARE
MICHIGAN
SHOOTERS BILLIARD PARLOR 749 W. PARKS HWY. WASILLA, AK
FIRST STATE BILLIARDS 10 MAGGIE’S WAY DOVER, DE
ALL STATE DARTS & BILLIARDS 14349 TELEGRAPH RD. REDFORD, MI
MINNESOTA BILLIARDS 3020 MINNESOTA DRIVE #3 ANCHORAGE, AK
FLORIDA
SHARPS BILLIARDS 11888-2 KENAI SPUR HWY. KENAI, AK
ARIZONA VALENTINE SPAS 4490 N. STOCKTON HILL RD. KINGMAN, AZ
ARKANSAS
STARCADE BILLIARDS, INC. 34 EGLIN PARKWAY FORT WALTON BEACH, FL
CALIFORNIA
DOC’S BOHEMIAN CUE, INC. 8465 PLAZA BLVD. SPRING LAKE PARK, MN
NEVADA
KUE & KAROM BILLIARD SALES 1860 NORTHGATE BLVD. SARASOTA, FL
BILLIARD FACTORY OF NEVADA 7250 W. WASHINGTON #180 LAS VEGAS, NV
ILLINOIS
NEW JERSEY
CHRIS’S BILLIARDS 4637 N. MILWAUKEE AVE. CHICAGO, IL
SHORELINE BILLIARDS 1400 N. SHORELINE BLVD. STE# C-1 MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA
CITY POOL HALL 640 W. HUBBARD ST. CHICAGO, IL
OLHAUSEN GAME ROOMS INC. 5620-B KEARNY MESA. SAN DIEGO, CA
DIXIE BILLIARD EQUIPMENT 15407 S. CICERO AVE. OAK FOREST, IL
THE BROKEN RACK 6005 SHELLMOUND ST. EMERYVILLE, CA
INDIANA
DANNY K’S BILLIARDS 1096 MAIN ST. ORANGE, CA
MINNESOTA
CUE & BILLIARD SHOWCASE 3439 N. SHADELAND AVE. INDIANAPOLIS, IN
KENTUCKY
PHILA-AMERICAN SHUFFLEBOARD CO. 200 W. CLINTON AVE. OAKLYN, NJ ONE SHOT BILLIARDS 1713 ROUTE 27 SOUTH SOMERSET, NJ COMET BILLIARDS 233 LITTLETON RD. PARSIPPANY, NJ
TACONY PRO SHOP 6201 KEYSTONE ST. PHILADELPHIA, PA ROYAL BILLIARDS 2622 BETHLEHEM PIKE HATFIELD, PA
CHARLESTON BILLIARDS AND CUE CO. 7685 NORTHWOODS BLVD. CHARLESTON, SC
TEXAS A-TEX FAMILY FUN CENTER 8700 BURNET ROAD AUSTIN, TX
VIRGINIA
GOTHAM CITY BILLIARD CLUB 93 AVENUE U BROOKLYN, NY
THE PLAYING FIELD 7801 W. BROAD ST. RICHMOND, VA
AMSTERDAM BILLIARD CLUB 110 E. 11TH ST. NEW YORK, NY
OBELISK BILLIARD CLUB, INC. 14346 WARWICK BLVD. NEWPORT NEWS, VA
BAY RIDGE BILLIARDS 505 COVINGTON AVE. BROOKLYN, NY
NATIONAL BILLIARD ACADEMY 271 OLD MABRY PL. HILLSVILLE, VA
WASHINGTON
HARD TIMES BILLIARDS 17450 BELLFLOWER BLVD. BELLFLOWER, CA
CUE TIME 532 THREE SPRINGS RD. BOWLING GREEN, KY
COLORADO
LOUISIANA
BACKYARD OUTFITTERS 3098 I-70 BUSINESS LOOP GRAND JUNCTION, CO
STICKS BILLIARDS 3220 JOHNSTON ST. LAFAYETTE, LA
HIPPOS 5160 COMMERCIAL DRIVE EAST YORKVILLE, NY
CONNECTICUT
MAINE
BLUE CUBE BILLIARDS & LOUNGE 150 BOSTON POST RD. ORANGE, CT
SCHEMENGEE’S BILLIARDS 15 LINCOLN ST. LOEWISTON, ME
NORTH CAROLINA
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PENNSYLVANIA
NEW YORK
PLAZA ARCADE 5511 E SHELBIANA RD. PIKEVILLE, KY
BILLIARDS DIGEST
RACK ’EM BILLIARDS 40 N. RIVERSIDE AVE. MEDFORD, OR
DIAMOND’S BILLIARD 13184 MIDLOTHIAN TRPK. MIDLOTHIAN, VA
FAMILY BILLIARD 2807 GEARY BLVD. SAN FRANCISCO, CA
BOSTON BILLIARD CLUB 20 BACKUS AVE. DANBURY, CT
OREGON
SOUTH CAROLINA
JONES BROS. POOL TABLES 309 W. BROADWAY ST. NORTH LITTLE ROCK, AR
62
DORAL BILLIARDS 7800 NW 25TH ST. MIAMI, FL
Q-SPOT BILLIARDS 6149 E. 31ST ST. TULSA, OK
DOT’S CUE CLUB 2460 N. RALEIGH ST. ROCKY MOUNT, NC
MARYLAND
OKLAHOMA
CHARLIE’S PRO SHOP 2401-G NORTH POINT BLVD. BALTIMORE, MD
ONE BILLIARDS 1022 E. LANSING AVE. BROKEN ARROW, OK
SURE SHOT BILLIARDS & DARTS 5510 W. CLEARWATER AVE. KENNEWICK, WA
CANADA DOUBLE D COMPANY 4 MCGIVERN ST. WEST WALKERTON, ON
August 2010
7/20/10 7:02:36 PM
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August 2010
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From Publisher Mike Panozzo Tips &the Shafts George Fels
SWINGING AT STRIKES FEW issues back, I wrote a piece about the folly of selling my wife on pool via the pure beauty of Willie Mosconi’s play in an exhibition match. Shortly thereafter, a reader suggested that I devote an entire column to that play, and exactly why it was different from that of his peers. So you’d like to play the way he did? Well, as it happens, I can tell you how to do that. But given pool’s complexity, what I set down here is not going to convert you into a champion, any more than the immortal (and frequently insufferable) Ted Williams’ batting advice is going to turn you into major league baseball’s next .350 hitter. All Williams ever said about his prowess, for the record, was, “Swing at strikes.” Mosconi was similarly stingy with playing tips. He did offer the equally worthless advice, “Don’t miss,” as his friend and frequent second banana Jimmy Caras did, and he also counseled novices to “always play with better players” and “practice the circle drill.” All that would have disappointed the daylights out of me had I been the one asking for help, but that was pretty much as articulate as he ever got regarding instruction. Where would you begin, then, if your mission were to emulate the all-time champion? You’d logically start with new cloth; as for the balls, you’d want them not just new but extremely highly polished. Mosconi’s personal cue case also carried his personal set of balls. None of this is meant to denigrate the man’s genius in any way; those are simply the playing conditions on which he insisted. (Tight pockets don’t enter into this in any way whatsoever; the advent of Gold Crown tables slowed him down not one quark.) Logically enough, this meant he never had to hit anything very hard, not even his break shots. Any number of today’s top 14.1 players — which means the Europeans — favor drawing the cue ball all the way up to the head rail and back out again in breaking the balls open. In addition to horrifying the straight-pool purists in the gallery, this technique carries several pitfalls. There’s the possibility of scratching in either of the top pockets, and then there’s the near-certainty of creating mini-clusters along the three rails surrounding the rack area because the break shot was so drastically over-hit. Mosconi, by contrast, rarely drove more than six or seven balls out of the stack initially, and almost never opened the full pile with his first break. Where his game began to deviate from the rest was in picking off the loose balls before attempting a secondary break shot. The vast majority of today’s players go after the cluster(s) first, in an attempt to get all the balls open. But because Mosconi wasn’t sending any balls all that far from where they were originally racked, and he was extremely confident in his position play, he would usually reduce the table to the still-clustered balls, an open shot with which
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to separate them, and an “insurance” ball that he’d have available to shoot no matter where the newly-separated balls went. Further, while he virtually never broke the balls hard enough to send an object ball past a side pocket, he had no compunctions about turning around and shooting balls into the two top pockets. And when he’d cut a ball, say, to his right, and take off to his left to meet the cue ball, it almost looked like they were dancing the tango. As for the magic he’d create with his overall position sequences, I’ve already covered a lot of that. Mosconi would identify the four balls nearest the four corner pockets, and try to follow a route that connected those; there would always be balls on the table that could be categorized that way. The first exception to that pattern that he would permit himself was that he would strive to leave one ball, and only one, on the bottom rail until all the rest were open. (That way, in case a secondary break shot happened to leave his cue ball down there, he’d have welcome company.) Thus his cue ball seemed to be “circling” the remaining object balls, gradually closing in on his break shot for the next frame. Rarely did he play position for the ball next to the one he was calling; instead, he’d “leapfrog” to position for another shot two or three balls away, and the balls he had just passed over automatically became his ubiquitous insurance balls. The other deviation from his circular patterns was a diagonal path into the still-clustered balls, the move I privately labeled “Cutting Across Midtown.” And he always preferred the side of the rack for his break shots — I honestly cannot remember ever seeing him send such a shot into a side pocket, as Ralph Greenleaf was said to choose — just as he preferred to go off the balls rather than through them, although he certainly had the stroke for the latter. Because the champion rarely moved the balls very far in separating them, a great many of his runs seemed quite similar to one another — and, in fact, they were. His play was utterly predictable, and ironically that’s a great part of what made it such fun to watch. Within 15 or 20 minutes of watching, you could call his next six shots. And you could take your girlfriend, or kid, or anyone else uninitiated to pool to a Mosconi exhibition, and make the semi-promise, “Tonight you’re very likely going to see a guy make a hundred shots in a row.” There has been no competitor since for whom the same claim could be made with anywhere near the same certainty. What else do you need to be the next Willie Mosconi incarnation? You’ll only require perfect vision (he never wore glasses), a slip-stroke, a remarkable touch, an even more remarkable visualizing ability, and a white-heat hatred of losing. And that’s it! Go be Mosconi. And remember, swing at strikes.
August 2010
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