July 2009 page 2
July 2009 page 3
Cover Photo by Don Akerlow
The Pool Players Voice Classic
Stroke Staff Publisher/Editor Don “Cheese” Akerlow Marketing Director Mary Akerlow Layouts & Design Felicia Reynolds Sunshine Ross Don Akerlow Mary Akerlow Distribution Sheila Papke
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Stroke is a monthly publication, dedicated to the advancement of the sport of pool and to promoting enthusiasm and encouragement among the players at all levels, regardless of their league affiliation, in addition to recognizing those businesses who support them all. Covering the Eastcoast and adjoining states. The opinions expressed are those of the author or advertiser and do not necessarily reflect the views of Rackem or its staff. We reserve the right to edit or reject any material submitted for publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the written permission of the Publisher. © 2009 Stroke
07-01-2009 10:00 am 2004 Wheelchair Billiards 07-02-2009 10:00 am 1998 WPBA Classic Tour 07-03-2009 10:00 am 1998 WPBA Classic Tour 07-06-2009 10:00 am 1998 WPBA Classic Tour Finals 07-07-2009 10:00 am 1998 WPBA Classic Tour 07-08-2009 10:00 am 1998 WPBA Classic Tour 07-09-2009 10:00 am 1998 WPBA Classic Tour Finals 07-10-2009 10:00 am 1998 WPBA Classic Tour 07-11-2009 11:00 am ‘05 Nwpa Nat’l Wheelchair 9-Ball Aragon vs Deklerk 07-13-2009 10:00 am 1998 WPBA Classic Tour 07-14-2009 10:00 am 1998 WPBA Classic Tour Finals 07-15-2009 10:00 am 1998 WPBA Classic Tour Finals 07-16-2009 10:00 am 1998 WPBA Classic Tour 07-17-2009 10:00 am 1998 WPBA Classic Tour 07-20-2009 10:00 am 1998 WPBA Classic Tour 07-21-2009 10:00 am 1998 WPBA Classic Tour 07-22-2009 10:00 am 1998 WPBA Classic Tour Finals 07-25-2009 11:00 am 1999 WPBA Classic Tour Finals 07-28-2009 10:00 am 1999 WPBA Classic Tour 07-29-2009 10:00 am 1999 WPBA Classic Tour 07-30-2009 10:00 am 1999 WPBA Classic Tour Finals
07-05-2009 4:30 pm US Open 9-Ball Championship 07-11-2009 3:00 pm WPBA Championship Semi #1 07-11-2009 4:00 pm WPBA Championship Semi #2 07-11-2009 5:00 pm WPBA Championship 07-12-2009 3:00 pm 2009 Great Lakes Classic SF #1 07-12-2009 4:00 pm 2009 Great Lakes Classic SF #2 07-12-2009 5:00 pm 2009 Great Lakes Classic Finals 07-31-2009 10:00 am 1999 WPBA Classic Tour 08-01-2009 11:00 am 1999 WPBA Classic Tour 08-03-2009 10:00 am 1999 WPBA Classic Tour Finals 08-04-2009 10:00 am 1999 WPBA Classic Tour 08-05-2009 10:00 am 1999 WPBA Classic Tour 08-06-2009 10:00 am 1999 WPBA Classic Tour Finals 08-07-2009 10:00 am 1999 WPBA Classic Tour 08-08-2009 11:00 am 1999 WPBA Classic Tour 08-10-2009 10:00 am 1999 WPBA Classic Tour Finals 08-11-2009 10:00 am 2000 WPBA Classic Tour 08-12-2009 10:00 am 2000 WPBA Classic Tour 08-13-2009 10:00 am 2000 WPBA Classic Tour Finals 08-14-2009 10:00 am 2000 WPBA Classic Tour
All times are Eastern Standard Time - These schedules have been provided by ESPN. These are tentative dates and are subject to change
Pool On The Net from Lincoln, NE Jr VNEA Nationals on www.OTBnTV.com
July 2009 Volume 1 Number 5 Read Stroke Online at: www.strokemagazine.net
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Pool Wars
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Ultimate Billiards
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Columnists Mike Fieldhammer
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Samm Diep
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July 2009 page 4
Schau & Ritter Reel’m in at Hammerheads
Hammerheads Billiards lounge hosted the latest $1700 Added KF Cue Tour event. The event drew a total of 83 players over the weekend with Saturday kicking off with 31 players for the $1000 added open. The open event always attracts some of the best players from the state and this weekend was no different with notable names Julio Aquino, Justin Hall, Donnie Mills, Hunter Lombardo, Josh Degler, Richard Broumpton just to mention a few. On the day John Gabriel from Tulsa was proving to be the man to beat by breezing through to the hotseat with wins over Room Owner Dan Lavoie 7-6, Josh Lewis 7-1, Louis Altes 7-3, Richard Broumpton 7-4 and a win 7-3 win over Schau would give him the hotseat. On the one loss side Josh Lewis was the man on a mission with wins over Rocky Mcelroy 7-3, Tony Crosby 7-6, Neil Fujiwara, 7-6, Josh Degler 7-6 before running into Richard Broumpton who would take him down 7-1, this was followed up with a 7-1 win over Justin Hall before Broumpton would take his 2nd loss on the day to Schau and end up 3rd. The final would be a rematch for Schau having taken his only loss to Gabriel, Schau would not make the same mistake twice playing some very strong pool and making Gabriel pay for mistakes that he had not been making all day. Schau would wrap this match up with a comfortable 9-4 win. 1st $700 Rich Schau 2nd $500 John Gabriel 3rd $300 Richard Broumpton 4th $200 Justin Hall 5/6 $100 Han Berber/Josh Lewis 7/8 $75 Donnie Mills/Josh Gegler Sundays $700 Added Amateur event would see 52 players which included 6 ladies and 2 juniors taking advantage reduced entry fees to encourage them out to play. This event is heating up with several players still in contention for the player of the year award.
G-Jays Billiards and Nightlife 8 Dynamo Bar Boxes Open 7 days a week Proud Host of the APA Leagues 10451 Asheville Hwy - Inman, SC
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Mark Wathen, Albert Howe and Mike Delawder currently occupy the top three positions which would remain the same after this event with Delawder making slight ground. Mark Ritter playing in his first KF Amateur event would prove to be to tough on the day going through the field undefeated with wins over Wesley White, Stephanie Micthell, Mike Delawder, and Jeff Mabry. He would then take the hotseat with a 7-5 win over Bobby Moore. On the one loss side room owner Dan Lavoie was looking strong even with a two rack handicap he would string 6 matches in a row with wins over Ryan Bunker 6-0, Julio del Pozo 6-1, Dan Whitten 6-2, Mike Delawder 6-0, Jason Richko 5-3, Grover 6-3 and then a semi final win over Bobby Moore 6-3. The final would see Ritter getting 2 games on the wire to 9. The 2 games were quickly turned into 5 with Lavoie not seeing much of the table. Ritter would move into a 7-2 lead before LaVoie was give a chance to rally back and put some racks on his side score now 7-4 and just when it looked like he might pull one more back a missed 6-9 combination would be all Ritter would need to stop the rot and take the last 2 racks for a 9-4 win. The KF cue tour would like to thank Hammerheads pool room for hosting another first class event, KF cues for providing superb craftsmanship cues for each event and all our other sponsors which can be viewed at www. kfcuetour.com along with rankings and photo gallery. Our next event is a $1000 Added 2 day Amateur only at TJ’s Billiards, New Port Richey, Florida, on July 11th/12th for more info visit www.kfcuetour.com. 1st $520 Mark Ritter 2nd $400 Dan Lavoie 3rd $300 Bobby Moore 4th $300 Grover 5/6 $100 Jeff Mabry/Jason Richko 7/8 $70 Ivan Ambrosio/Mike Delawder 9/12 $50 Stephanie Mitchell/Dan Whitten/Mark Wathen,/Albert Howe Taz Naravane finished top Junior.
U.S. Open 10-Ball
CueSports International (CSI) announces the launch of the U.S Open 10-Ball Championship. The event will be held in the pro arena at the Riviera Hotel and Casino during the BCAPL National 8-Ball Championships May 14-22, 2010. The new open tournament will be played on 9’ Diamond Pro-Am tables and have a guaranteed minimum $25,000 added. More information and details about the new event will be available in soon via both the CSI and BCAPL websites. Additionally, CSI is connecting the new U.S Open 10-Ball Championship with the National Championship Series (NCS). The top 2 finishers at the NCS 9-Ball National Championship and the NCS 10-Ball National Championship will receive paid entry to the 2010 U.S Open 10-Ball event. The two NCS national tournaments are scheduled September 3-7, 2009 at The Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV. The NCS is open to men, women, amateur and professional players who are either a U.S Citizen or legal permanent resident. To participate in the NCS on the national level a player must play in a sanctioned area qualifier in a host pool room. For the current list of NCS qualifiers visit the NCS calendar under the events tab at the CSI website: www.playcsipool.com. For more information about CueSports International, the NCS or the BCAPL visit the www.playcsipool.com or www.playbca.com CueSports International is dedicated to broadening opportunity to players of all ability. CSI is the parent company of the BCA Pool League, the National Championship Series, the USA Pool League and produces independent events such as the U.S Bar Table Championships, the Jay Swanson Memorial, the Shootout at the Sands and starting May 2010 the U.S Open 10-Ball Championship.
Pool Wars by: Jay Helfert
Except from “Promoting and Directing (Pt. 1)”
The first year at Tahoe I was a referee, but in 1983 I became Richie’s tournament director. The tourney only got bigger with more players and more money. Once again I put together a souvenir program which was a slick looking publication. This was the year the young wunderkind Earl Strickland beat the mighty Steve Mizerak in the finals. During the final match he made a jump shot, which had to be a first on national television. Earl won $33,000 plus a new car! These successful events allowed Richie to branch out to other Caesar properties; putting on tournaments at Caesars Boardwalk in Atlantic City (also won by Sigel) and Caesars Palace in Las Vegas (a second win for Earl). I directed all these events along with Barry Behrman, who assisted me in Atlantic City. Richie was on a good run and things were looking up for professional pool. It all came crashing down at Caesars Palace in 1985. Everything looked good during the course of the event, and it came down to Dallas West, Terry Bell and Earl on the final day. Once again the matches were being televised by ESPN, and the players were required to sign television releases prior to the taping. This is where things got sticky. They refused to sign the releases on the grounds that they were not being paid residuals for reruns of the shows. At that time it was ESPN’s custom to rerun shows multiple times. In fact they still do it today. Signing television releases is normally a formality and the players were getting some very bad advice. The rumor was that Bill Cayton of “Big Fights” wanted to break Richie’s grip on men’s pro pool, and this was a way for him to do that. Cayton was the promoter of the Legends of Pool (also on ESPN), featuring all the old time greats. If he got Richie out of the way he could get the current champions under contract as well. ESPN went ahead and taped the matches in the hopes that the players would relent and sign the necessary releases. They never did and the shows never aired. That was the end of RDF Productions, Richie’s pool promotion company He never staged another tournament and pool lost its best promoter. The players had essentially shot themselves in the foot. It wasn’t going to be the last time either. At nearly every juncture in professional pool the players have made decisions which have proved costly to their bottom line. I attribute it to bad advice and some piss poor decision-making by the top players. Someone should have told them that repeated airings of televised matches was the surest way to stardom for any pool player. Look what it’s done for Allison Fisher and the other stars of the WPBA.
Ladies 9-Ball
July 2009 page 5
The 4th Saturday of June brought the Ladies to the 1st Ladies Only Open 9 Ball event at Ultimate Billiards in Fort Pierce, FL. The event was a $250 added, double elimination, $50 Entry event. Despite the small field of 12 ladies there were some tough battles. Sandy Hamor from the Melbourne Fl. area came out of semiretirement to show she hasn't lost her touch finishing third. Amy Poulter who is always a threat at any Ladies or Mens event proved once again that she came to play. After suffering a second round defeat to fourth place finisher Cassidy Mulligan, Amy went on to win 5 consecutive (L-R) 2nd Amy Poulter, Owner Gary Gilsinan, 1st Jeannie Seaver matches on the left side to face off in the finals with Jeannie Seaver. In this true double elimination format Amy won the first round 7-5. Amy continued her charge to the finsh line only to run out of gas as Jeannie won the second set 5-3. We would like to thank local room owners for showing their support, Amy of Amy's Billiards and Margie, Owner of Hollywood Billiards. The total prize fund was $730 including the $250 added. Payouts to the top 4 finishers were: 1st $325 Jeannie Seaver 2nd $200 Amy Poulter 3rd $135 Sandy Hamor 4th $70 Cassidy Mulligan Ultimate Billiards is hosting the last open qualifier in the Florida area for the WPBA Colorado Classic. This Florida Ladies Regional Tour Qualifier sanctioned by the WPBA will be held August 15, 2009. This event is a qualifier for the Colorado Classic to be held September 16-20 2009 at the Sky Ute Resort in Ignacio, CO. For more info check www.wpba.com Also, hosted in August for the Ladies are two NCS Qualifiers for a $32,000 National Event. Nine Ball Qualifier is August 16th and the 10 Ball Qualifier is August 22nd. Entry fee is $60 for both events. For more info on these or other Ladies events in Florida, please visit www.ultimate-billiards.com or call Gary or Bill at 772.464.7665.
Attention Ladies!
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Monthly Ladies 9 Ball Tournament
$250 Added
$50 Entry Race to 7 Games Double Elimination 4th Saturday every Month!
Order online at jayhelfert.com
July 25th
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July 2009 page 6
2009 ACS Nationals
Cream Rises to the Top at the ACS Nationals in Las Vegas! The American CueSports Alliance (ACS) celebrated its fifth annual National Championships at the Riviera Casino in Las Vegas with its most positive event to date. The vast smorgasbord of divisions and events in which competitors of all skill levels could compete was mind-boggling…with the Valley Cougar tables provided by High Country Promotions packed with play on most days of the May 31-June 6 spectacle! New names sprinkled the lesser-skilled “Standard” lists of winners, while many of the traditional champions in the higher-skilled levels added to their legends. Top national amateurs such as Tina Larsen (Palatine, IL) and Jessica Frideres (Ft. Dodge, IA) continued to showcase their skill Open Scotch Doubles sets with multi-win performances, 1st T Bordelon-Perser/D Cantu (LA) with Tina anchoring the Chicago-based teams of Red Shoes (1st place – Women’s 9-Ball Teams) and Just Put Together (1st place – Women’s Open 8-Ball Teams) and teaming with Ike Runnels (1st place – Master Scotch Doubles 8-Ball); while Jessica took down singles honors in capturing the National Speed Pool Challenge, Women’s 9-Ball and Women’s Master 8-Ball singles titles! Madison Adkins (Winchester, KY) recovered from an earlier-round loss in the Super Seniors 8-Ball [aged 65+] to “rookie” Roy Skenandore (Oneida, WI) to defend his 2008 title with a double-dip of Super Senior 8-Ball Skenandore in the finals! Debbie Snook (Boone, 1st Madison Adkins (KY) CO) – a former BCA Nationals Open champion – added to her laurels by capturing the ACS Women’s Seniors 8-Ball. Former ACS Nationals open singles and team winner Dustin Gunia (Omaha, NE) contented himself with a title in the 5th Annual ACS National Artistic Pool Championship – Shootout #1. Las Vegas Cue Club (NV) and Dick’s Picks (NV) again dominated Men’s Master 9-Ball Teams top two places, withDick’s Picks also adding the Men’s Open 8-Ball Team Championship to its evergrowing resume. In the NWPA-sanctioned Las Vegas 9-Ball Open Wheelchair event, Aaron Aragon (Lake Elsinore, CA) improved upon his 2008 runner-up showing to claim the 2009 title, while Team Canada took its third title in four years of the Can-Am Snooker Challenge – easily eclipsing Team USA by Women’s 9-Ball Singles a 16-4 margin. 2nd Leslee Davis (FL) But new champions abounded as well. Minnesota’s renowned Beau Runningen (Falcon Heights, MN) took the Men’s 9-Ball Singles crown, and placed runner-up to Gene Albrecht (Eau Claire, WI) in the Men’s Masters 8-Ball Singles division. 16-year old Skyler Woodward (Ledbetter, KY) had no problems tackling the adults to claim the Men’s Open 8-Ball Singles crown. Kimberly Benson (Sparks, NV) made an admirable showing to take off her first national championship as well – the Women’s Open 8-Ball Singles. Other first-time national titlists included Jarret White (Barrie, ON) [Men’s Standard 8-Ball Singles], Amy
Encinias (Las Vegas, NV) [Women’s Standard 8-Ball Singles], Arland White (Wallaceburg, ON) [Men’s Senior 8-Ball Singles – aged 55+], Teresa Bordelon-Perser & Derrick Cantu (LA) [Open Scotch Doubles 8-Ball], ZANG!! (Alberta, CANADA) [Men’s Standard 8-Ball Teams], Dream Catchers (TX) [Women’s Standard 8-Ball Teams], Malarkey’s (WA) [Men’s Open 9-Ball Teams], Jerrod Frideres (Ft. Dodge, IA) [5thAnnual ACS National Artistic Pool Championship – Shootout #2], and Jason Kane (New York, NY) in the National Speed Pool Challenge – whose performance makes Jason eligible for consideration of invitation to the 2009 ESPN International Speed Pool Challenge! The ACS added $20,000 to the purse to host the UPA-sanctioned 2009 Diamond World Summit Men’s Open 8-Ball Singles of Pool Professional 1st Skyler Woodward (KY) 9-Ball Championships. Mike Dechaine (Waterville, ME) placed 3rd in the Men’s 9-Ball Singles at the 2008 ACS Nationals, and he returned to Vegas in the World Summit as a force with which to be reckoned in the pro ranks in 2009 on the 9-foot tables. Dechaine glided undefeated through the field, turning back the likes of Larry Gunninger, Stevie Moore, Walter Glass, Roberto Gomez and Women’s Open 8-Ball Rodney Morris in the winner’s bracket finals. 2nd Meredith Swoope (VA) Sitting in the hot seat, Dechaine observed as Germany’s former World 9-Ball and 14.1 Champion Thorsten Hohmann emerged as his challenger in the finals. Having to defeat Dechaine in two sets for the title, Hohmann displayed his usual precision mastery to take set #1 by a 13-7 margin. An obviously dejected Dechaine took the break between sets to gather himself and came out more competitive in the penultimate set to close out Hohmann 13-11 for Mike’s first professional crown! The ACS would like to thank its many members, fans, vendors, sponsors (Valley Recreation Products, McDermott Handcrafted Cues, Men’s Senior 8-Ball Singles Instroke Cases, 2nd Buddy Wirt (VA) Ivan Simonis Cloth, Aramith Balls, Delta-13 Rack, Quick-Clean, and Diamond Tables) ACS board of directors, tournament directors Gary & Shannon Benson and their staff, the Riviera Casino and especially volunteers Janet Ybarra, Betty Harris, Connie Lackey, Julie Ann Mitchell, Ray Lambotte, Dan Taylor, Joseph Mejia, Jyri Kari, Hugh Brown, Odie Willet, Gibbi Tkatch, Shannon Lynde, W.C. Dixon, Yvonne Williams, Ginger Clark, Sandra Walsh, Mike Brunswick, Cathy Koepke, Tara Men’s Senior 8-Ball Singles Kimble, Chris Wilder, Tom & Marty Rossman, 3rd James Kimmerly (KY) Darrin Brown & Frank Alvarez of the UPA, Paul Smith and the excellent crew of ACS Referees headed by Cecil Messer, David Merrill, Jeff Phythian and Ron Zech. The ACS looks forwarded to continuing to build its ranks in 2009/2010 through its twelve state associations and championships and its independent leagues, and to welcoming players to its $10,000 added 2010 Midwest 8-Ball Championships, January 21-24 in Iowa City, IA, and to the 2010 ACS Nationals in Las Vegas, NV!
Bridges-Basic Tools for the Pool Player
© 2009 Mike Fieldhammer, BilliardCoach.com
When a youngster and helping my father in the garage, he’d ask me to fetch various tools for the job at hand. “Get me a channel-lock pliers”, “I need a seveneighths deep well socket”, “Darn it! Get me a rag right now! No, not your t-shirt!” I learned quickly that having the right tool makes the job much easier. Dad scolded me once for trying to tap in a nail with the back side of a crescent wrench. In pool games, forming the best bridge or guide for your cue stick is just as important. A variety of bridge styles will offer a player the best tool for a particular pool shot. Develop proficiency of the following bridges: 1. Loop or Closed Bridge 2. Open Bridge 3. Pro Rail Bridge 4. Open Hand Rail Bridge 5. Elevated Open Bridge 6. Mechanical Bridge 7. Misc. Specialty Bridges (nip draw, extreme stretch shot, free hand masse, opposite handed bridge, over the pocket, jump shot, half table/ half rail, etc.) The open bridge should be the first bridge a player learns. This bridge is formed by pressing the thumb against the index finger knuckle with the thumb arched upwards or elegantly folded down resting on the longest bone in the index finger. A sharp “V” should be formed between the knuckles of the index finger and thumb. As with most bridges, the thick part of the hand near the wrist should be on the table for a solid foundation. Any fingertips that can be pressed to the table should be used to further fortify the bridge. This bridge is a favorite tool amongst highly skilled players—it puts no parts of the bridge hand in the way of aiming down the length of the shaft and it encourages smooth cue action. The loop or closed bridge should be integrated into a player’s arsenal for power shots or heavy spin shots. The loop bridge is created by forming an enclosure around the cue shaft with the index finger and thumb. Care must be taken so that the loop guides the cue snuggly but doesn’t hamper the cue’s movement. The security of the index finger wrapping around the cue aids in preventing the shaft from slipping off the cue ball or being jarred out of the players open bridge on impact. In near full power shots, the shaft may even come off an open bridge and strike a player in the chin. Fear or flinching isn’t conducive to producing a good pool stroke. The pro rail bridge is very useful when the cue ball is 4 to 12 inches from the cushion. The cue is laid directly on the rail and the index finger of the bridge hand arches over the shaft. The shaft is pressed laterally into the top side of the thumb and the tip of the middle finger which form a straight guide for the shaft. This bridge is advantageous because it keeps the cue stick as level as possible and minimizes (continued on page 10)
July 2009 page 7
Booking A Winner
By Samm Diep, PoolTipJar.com © May 2009
There are enough variables to consider when competing in a tournament. The last thing you should have to worry about is whether or not you’re going to miss your flight. This was my seventh consecutive year attending the BCAPL Nationals in Las Vegas, Nevada and it never fails. Every year, I have witnessed player after player unexpectedly make it closer to the finals and stress about having to change their flight. This year was no exception. Samm Diep Most large tournaments have the day and time of the finals scheduled well in advance. If you book your travel arrangements to leave anytime prior to then, you are basically assuming you will not win. Understandably, we may have a better shot at some tournaments than others but if you’re planning to leave before the finals, you’re not even giving yourself a fair chance. Do not commit to attend a tournament unless you are able to commit to being there throughout the duration. The last thing you need to be thinking about during that clutch match is, “If I win this one, I’ll need to change my flight.” If that’s weighing on your mind, how likely are you to play your best? How will you feel if you change your flight and lose out of the tournament? Give yourself all the best chances to do well. Besides, what’s the worst that could happen? If you don’t make it to the finals, stick around and watch them. You may even learn something. Visit PoolTipJar.com “random smatterings of pool thoughts, articles, & news”. Take polls, view article archives, and read tournament and training updates. Samm Diep, “Cherry Bomb” - House Pro at Rack ‘Em Billiards (Aurora, CO) Author of “You Might Be A D Player If… (101 Classic Moves That All Pool Players Can Appreciate)” Player Representative for CB Custom Cues, Tiger Products, PoolDawg, IB Cue Cases, Predator SammsPocket.com (fun & unique products for pool players)
If it’s May in Las Vegas then it must be time for the 29th Annual VNEA International Championships. For the second year, OTBnTV Live was on hand at the Riviera Hotel and Casino to film “All the Action All the Time” during the VNEA Championships. The OTBnTV booth was set up in the “Finals Arena” with 8 pool tables and bleacher seating on 3 sides. This
was an ideal set up so that all the audience could have a great view of the playing area. Don “Cheese” Akerlow was joined in the booth by guest commentators Samm Diep and Mike Fieldhammer who added their knowledge and expertise to the coverage. OTBnTV streamed LIVE for 4 days during the event: the singles finals and the team finals. From our vantage point
we were able to focus in on all but two of the tables. The audience for the LIVE streaming was awesome. We had viewers from all over the world tune it and it was interesting to find out where people were watching from and what time of day it was in their part of the world. From May 21-30, 2009 there were 5,305 unique viewers that watched 4 days of the live
streaming and 7,117 viewers that have watched the VNEA after we stopped streaming until June 10th. And you can still log on and watch any of the videos that we recorded. We took 835 photos of pool players during VNEA Nationals. There were 34,882 views of photos from the event. This number is through May 30th and does not include any numbers since then.
Watch online at: http://www.rackemmag.com/2009VNEAChampionships.htm
The 29th Annual VNEA International Championships By Sam Diep On May 22nd to 30th, the Riviera Hotel and Casino hosted the 29th annual VNEA international championships, the “Greatest Amateur Pool League Association Available to the World!” This year saw rule enhancements, a new greens fee implemented, and tons of fun for all the players. No more dollars or tokens to carry around. Players were assessed a greens fee with their entry fees this year. This, along with the new rack-you-own format made for the smoothest run event of VNEA history. “This greens fee thing is the best thing we’ve ever done,” said Brian Elliott, Director of Marketing and Promotions. What can we look forward to for the 30th annual championships next year? “The 30th anniversary next year? We’ve got a lot of surprises
for that. We’re going to come out with both guns blaring next year,” said Elliott. 9-Ball Events Kick Off the Championships The 9-ball events kicked off on day one with nine divisions and over 500 players. A new “Classic” division was created this year for players ages 50-59. Players 60 and over remain in the seniors divisions. Regular 9-ball Singles In the regular divisions, Roger Chau and Angie Voorhees both went undefeated to claim the titles of Regular 9-ball champions. “I knew it would be a tough challenge and it was a good win for me mentally. It was one of those few times I kept my composure and positive thoughts,” said an elated Voorhees about her performance. VNEA (continued on page 11)
July 2009 page 10
Bridges
(continued from page 7)
the amount of the hand occluding the view while aiming down the shaft. Players discover that this bridge works well for break shots from the side rail and many other shots where the cue ball is too close to the rail to place a bridge hand fully on the table bed. If the cue ball is frozen to the rail or too close to use the previous bridge, a variation of the open bridge must be used. The “V” of the open bridge is re-created while keeping the hand as flat as possible to form the open hand rail bridge. A portion of the hand may have to be backed away from the table in some cases. On a table with narrow rails or if a long stroke is desired, just the front part of the fingers may remain on the table. The elevated open bridge is another twist on the basic open bridge. Simply lift the bridge from the wrist and balance the “V” at the appropriate height with the finger tips on the cloth. This will elevate your cue over interfering balls or clusters. Remember, use only as much elevation as is needed to clear the problem. Holding the cue stick at too steep an angle could risk unwanted curving action of the cue ball. The mechanical bridge and miscellaneous specialty bridges should be learned as time allows. They are the kinds of tools that you’ll thank yourself for having when the time is right, like a plunger when you’ve got company coming over, or a tire jack in the trunk when you’ve had a blow out. These bridges have their place in a well-rounded player’s toolbox. Have them organized and at your fingertips, and when a shot comes up, shoot it with confidence using the right bridge. Mike Fieldhammer - Professional Billiard Instructor www.billiardcoach.com / 612.802.0519 Mike is a full time tournament player and professional billiard instructor. He is available for private instruction or group clinics and events. Gift certificates are available.
Brothers Tops Field
Blaze 9 Ball Tour made its way to Drexeline Billiards in Drexel Hill Pa, Sunday June 14, 2009. A Strong field of 38 players came out to play, players like Josh Brothers, Shaun Wilkie, Matt Krah, Joey Testa, Scott Tollefson, Caroline Pao, Raphael Saldana, Keith Christman, and Rob Pole. Leading the top half of the bracket was Josh Brothers. Playing for the hot seat was Matt Krah VS Josh Brothers this was a one way match with Josh Brothers winning easily 7-3 and sending Matt Krah to the one lost side. Waiting for Matt Krah on the one lost side was Shaun Wilkie, this also was a one sided match with Shaun Wilkie winning 7-2 to get to the finals. In the finals it was Shaun Wilkie VS Josh Brothers, Shaun Wilkie Winner Josh Brothers,Owner Bob Maidhof,Runner Up Shaun Wilkie has to beat Josh Brothers twice to win the event. But this day belonged to Josh Brothers as he easily beat Shaun Wilkie 7-3 to win the match and the event. 1st $1150 Josh Brother 2nd $650 Shaun Wilke 3rd $370 Matt Krah 4th $220 Joey Testa 5/6 $120 Raphael Saldana/Keith Christman 7/8 $70 Rob Pole/Abdellatif Chamseddine
Chau Pulls It Off
Blaze 9 Ball Tour made its way to Rileys Concord Billiards in Boothwyn PA, Sunday June 29, 2009. A field of 29 players came out to play. Players: Manny Chau, Josh Brothers, Matt Krah, Rob Pole, Marc Vidal, Ernie Natiello, and Erin McManus. Leading the top half of the bracket was Josh Brothers with wins over Tim Dlugosz 7-0, Marc Vidal 7-4, Matt Krah 7-5, and Ernie Natiello 7-3. Leading the bottom half of the bracket was Manny Chau with wins over Randy Jaragske 7-2, Sam Quinzi 7-0 and Rob Pole 7-5. Playing for the hot Winner Manny Chau,Owner Chris Riley, Runner up Josh Brothers seat was Manny Chau VS Josh Brothers this was a one sided match with Manny Chau running away with the match 7-0, sending Josh Brothers to the one lost side. Waiting for Josh Brothers on the one lost side was Jerry Calderon, Josh took control of this match from the start and never looked back winning easily In the finals it was Josh Brothers Vs Manny Chau, Josh Brothers has to beat Manny Chau twice to win the event. The first set was a great one that went hill hill with Josh Brothers pulling out the win 7-6. In the second set it was Manny Chau pulling away late in the match to win the set 7-4 and the event. 1st $758 Manny Chau 2nd $400 Josh Brothers 3rd $295 Jerry Calderon 4th $150 Robert Pole 5/6 $100 Ernie Natiello/Matt Krah
July 2009 page 11
2009 VNEA International Championships (continued from page 9)
Intermediate 9-ball Singles The intermediate division was implemented five years ago. This year, Alberta’s Len Heckbert and Indiana’s Danielle Sergent will both be joining the ranks of the masters for their victories. The top 8 finishers from the men’s and top 4 players from the women’s will return as masters next year. Masters 9-ball Singles The master 9-ball divisions saw a familiar face in the men’s division, Jason Kirkwood, no stranger to the winners’ circle. Kirkwood defeated Ben Zimmer of Ohio in a thrilling two-set finals for the title. The ladies’ welcomed new masters 9-ball champion, Pearl Ortiz from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Classic & Seniors 9-ball Singles The classic and seniors divisions also introduced some new faces. New men’s classic 9-ball champ, Bob Talford from Michigan was a VNEA virgin before this year. Men’s Masters 9-Ball Singles 2nd Ben Zimmer (OH) Canadian player, Fluff Lindsay defeated Midwest player Dawn Spencer in the finals to be crowned the new women’s classic 9-ball champion. And, in the open seniors was another Midwest player, Paul Datte from Wisconsin. 8-Ball Singles and Scotch Doubles Crown New Champs Scotch doubles chemistry either works or it doesn’t. Sometimes, a high finish in the scotch tournament can foreshadow a player’s event performance. Oftentimes, a scotch doubles Charlie will not be the only piece of hardware the partner receives. Regular Scotch Doubles This year, Michigan players Michelle West and Mike Zygmunt took down the regular scotch division. This would be the first of West’s two trophies for the trip. Intermediate Scotch Doubles It was no surprise when Sandra Badger and David Carson from Alberta, Canada won the intermediate scotch division. Badger brought home three gold’s and a fourth place cougar, one from each event she competed in. Masters Scotch Doubles Jessica Frideres from Iowa and Dustin Gunia from Nebraska pulled through a trying finals match against a strong Indiana team. Frideres and Gunia have a winning history in scotch tournaments together. This team also brought home an armful of prizes. A couple rule changes implemented this year included: you must rack for yourself when you are breaking and a scratch on the 8 ball (so long as it is not pocketed) is no longer a loss of game, it’s simply ball in hand. Men’s Regular 8-ball Singles / 602 entries W o m e n ’ s R e g u l a r 8- b a l l Singles / 168 entries Billy Pinion of Michigan and Laura Hargen of Iowa both went undefeated to become the new 8-ball singles champions. In the finals, Pinion defeated Markus Mutschler from Germany 5-3 after winning a safety battle in the last rack to close out the set. Pinion conserves his energy throughout the week by renting a scooter. Hargen soared through the 168-player women’s field, taking the finals 4-1. She’s returning to nationals after a ten year break to Women’s Masters 9-Ball Singles raise her kids. Hargen also took fourth in 2nd Shelley Hudson (OH)
the scotch doubles event with her husband Scott. Men’s Intermediate 8-ball Singles / 66 entries Wo m e n ’s I n t e r m e d i a t e 8-ball Singles / 36 entries
The intermediate divisions both saw double-set finals, crowning Chad DeBruyckere of Eau Claire, Wisconsin and Sandy Badger from Alberta, Canada as the new champs. Both players displayed Women’s Intermediate 8-Ball Singles determination and vengeance in 2nd Amy Roche (FL) their finals matches. DeBruyckere had a long road to the finals. He lost the first match of the tournament to his teammate and won nine back-to-back matches for the gold, only giving up two games in the two-set race-to-six finals. The modest DeBruyckere attributes his outstanding play to coming to Vegas and watching better players. In the finals, Badger ran nearly every rack that was open, and some that were not. “Finally!” said Badger about her win. Her secret to success, “I just tell myself to keep calm and not be nervous.” Men’s Masters 8-ball Singles / 47 entries Women’s Masters 8-ball Singles / 29 entries Canadian players represented in the Masters finals. It was déjà vu for Jason Kirkwood and a new young star, Kayla Jones from Ontario, Canada for the women. In the finals, Kirkwood found himself behind 3-0 against Canadian snooker champ Mike Aboudaher before running a rack. Ahead 3-1, Aboudaher attempted a slow-roller in the side pocket that rolled off on him. From there, Kirkwood came back firing. “I just tried to stay focused and somehow I found a way to pull through every time,” he said. Kirkwood concluded the set with a break and run claim the title. In the end both players one missed one shot a piece. On the neighboring table, Jessica Frideres had a chance for a rematch against Jones. Frideres was ahead 4-2 before a critical ball-in-hand on a jump shot led to a turnaround. In a very close finals match, the barely-of-age Jones pulled through for the victory. Men’s C l a ssic 8-ball Singles / 69 entries
W o m e n ’ s C l a ssic 8-ball Singles / 30
Senior’s 8-Ball Singles 2nd Tony Shelley (SC)
entries
Seniors 8-ball Singles / 84 entries The new classic division separated players age 50-59 from the seniors division. This year’s classic and seniors prizes went to: Harold Rigdon, Jr. from Illinois, Shelly Reiter from Wyoming, and Glen Pickelsimer from Virginia. The singles events concluded with an opening ceremony at the Suds & Chips Mixer where the top four finishers in each event were presented with their “Charlie” and brought on stage for an awards presentation. This year, over 30 states and 11 countries were represented. Players are also dazzled each year with a parade of flags, fireworks, complimentary beer and snacks, and live musical entertainment. One of two free Valley pool tables was also given away at the mixer. Anyone who was entered to compete in any event was eligible to win. The second (VNEA continued on page 13)
July 2009 page 12
2009 ACS Nationals
Men’s 9-Ball Singles 1st Beau Runningen (MN) $1,500 2nd Don Harp (CA) $1,000 3rd Kelly Hatmaker (CO) $690 4th Gene Albrecht (WI) $500 Women’s 9-Ball Singles 1st Jessica Frideres (IA) $1,000 2nd Leslee Davis (FL) $700 3rd Barbara Allen (AZ) $425 4th Gina Knight (IL) $300 Men’s Masters 8-Ball Singles 1st Gene Albrecht (WI) $2,000 2nd Beau Runningen (MN) $1,500 3rd Yi Fei Mei (CA) $1,000 4th Isaac Runnels (IL) $700 Men’s Masters 8-Ball Singles – Sportsman Division 1st Jeff Crawford (CO) $400 2nd Ron Allen (NV) $230 Women’s Masters 8-Ball Singles 1st Jessica Frideres (IA) $2,000 2nd Debra Carmona (NV) $1,200 3rd Beth Fondell (MN) $800 4th Tina Larsen (IL) $500 Women’s Masters 8-Ball Singles – Sportsman Division 1st Samantha Diepp (CO) $200 2nd Stacey Lantz (FL) $110 Men’s Open 8-Ball Singles 1st Skyler Woodward (KY) $3,000 2nd Rocky Phipps (NV) $2,000 3rd Jimmy Moore (NV) $1,500 4th Lynn Wechsler (NV) $1,000 Men’s Open 8-Ball Singles – Sportsman Division 1st Scott Thurston (WA) $400 2nd Kelly Hatmaker (CO) $200 3-4 Greg Cairns (AB) $100 James Blackman (AB) Women’s Open 8-Ball Singles 1st Kimberly Benson (NV) $1,500 2nd Meredith Swoope (VA) $1,000 3rd Teresa Perser (LA) $600 4th Leslee Davis (FL) $400 Women’s Open 8-Ball Singles – Sportsman Division 1st Rhonda Wright (LA) $200 2nd Natasha Green (LA) $100 3-4 Christy Goldsmith (NV) $65 Jodi Hirning (AZ) Men’s Standard 8-Ball Singles 1st Jarret White (ON) $1,500 2nd Blake Holmes (AB) $1,095 3rd Bruce Barrette (NV) $700 4th Jason Nichols (IL) $500 Men’s Standard 8-Ball Singles – Sportsman Division 1st Dave Field (AB) $400 2nd Elloy Barros (CO) $200 3-4 Dan Clark (AB) $100 Carl Oliver (ON) Women’s Standard 8-Ball Singles 1st Amy Encinias (NV) $1,200 2nd Heidi French (IL) $800 3rd Dianne Thompson (TX) $500 4th Kim Blecha (NE) $300 Women’s Standard 8-Ball Singles – Sportsman Division 1st Renee Hendricks (MN) $200 2nd Vera Ball (BC) $140 3-4 Tina Miles (VA) $90 Wendi Dunn (AZ) Men’s Senior 8-Ball Singles 1st Arland White (ON) $1,100
2nd Buddy Wirt (VA) $800 3rd James Kimmerly (KY) $550 4th Joseph Gibson (CO) $375 Men’s Senior 8-Ball Singles – Sportsman Division 1st Richard Arensdorf (KY) $400 2nd Mark Czerwinski (IL) $200 3-4 Phillip Jones (NF) $100 Bill Becker (IL) Women’s Senior 8-Ball Singles 1st Debbie Snook (CO) $1,200 2nd Linda Segraves (WA) $800 3rd Esmeralda Felan (TX) $500 4th Clare Marsh (NE) $300 Women’s Senior 8-Ball Singles – Sportsman Division 1st Linda Brandt (ON) $200 2nd Suellen Romesburg (PA) $120 3-4 Patsy Munson (AZ) $70 Mary Lynn Breitenbach (IL) Super Senior 8-Ball Singles 1st Madison Adkins (KY) $1,000 2nd Roy Skenandore (WI) $700 3rd Don Harp (CA) $500 4th Gary Trant (TX) $350 Super Senior 8-Ball Singles – Sportsman Division 1st Guy Sturino (VA) $200 2nd Dick Wetzel (NM) $150 3-4 Jack Ely (FL) $115 Glen Gares (NM) Master Scotch Doubles 1st T Larsen/ I Runnels (IL) $1,000 2nd B Fondell/ J Frideres (NE) $700 3rd B Hamilton/D Bowman (IL) $500 4th J Nogiec/ H Nogiec (NV) $300 Open Scotch Doubles 1st T Bordelon-Perser/ D Cantu (LA) $1,500 2nd C Marsh/ M Hunt (NE) $1,000 3rd C Swearingen/D Faulkner (TX) $800 4th S Huskey/R O’Meara Sr.(IL) $600 Men’s Open 8-Ball Teams 1st Dick’s Pick (NV) $3,500 2nd Team Canada Eh! (AB) $2,200 3rd Stick It In The Hole (IL) $1,500 4th Malarkeys (WA) $900 Men’s Open 8-Ball Teams – Sportsman Division 1st American Legion (KY) $500 2nd Knuckleheads (VA) $300 3-4 Rock Paper Scissors (CA) $200 Brass Bell (VA) Women’s Open 8-Ball Teams 1st Just Put Together (IL) $2,000 2nd Which Witch Is Which (NE) $1,225 3rd Sin City Putters (NV) $800 4th Which Witch Wracks (NE) $500 Women’s Open 8-Ball Teams – Sportsman Division 1st Cue T’s (IL) $300 2nd Just Us Girls (LA) $200 3-4 Got Felt (OK) $100 Jodi Hirning (AZ) Men’s Standard 8-Ball Teams 1st Zang !!! (AB) $2,000 2nd Who’s Up (ON) $1,450 3rd Wild Wreck (AB) $1,000 4th The Predators (AB) $600 Men’s Standard 8-Ball Teams – Sportsman Division 1st Alibi’s Aces (VA) $500 2nd Steel Curtain (NY) $300 3-4 Drink More (VA) $100 Gitt-R-Done (BC)
Women’s Standard 8-Ball Teams 1st Dream Catchers (TX) $1,200 2nd Mohawk Chicks Handling Sticks (ON) $800 3rd Hard To Handle (TX) $500 4th Finish Line (IL) $300 Women’s Standard 8-Ball Teams – Sportsman Division 1st All Bust No Balls (VA) $300 2nd Ready Room (VA) $200 3-4 Shark Shooters (ON) $100 Shut Up N Shoot (IL) Men’s Masters 9-Ball Teams 1st Las Vegas Cue Club (NV) $2,000 2nd Dick’s Pick (NV) $1,000 3rd Stick It In The Hole (IL) $500 4th Sexual Chocolate (CO) $400 Women’s Open 9-Ball Teams 1st Red Shoes (IL) $1,200 2nd Knaw Kaw Min (WA) $725 3rd DVPL Crew (CA) $500 4th Lucky 7’s (IL) $300 Women’s Open 9-Ball Teams – Sportsman Division 1st Look At The Tip (OK) $300 2nd Northern Niners (AZ) $200 3-4 43rd Avenue Mixers (AZ) $100 Home Wreckers (ON) Men’s Open 9-Ball Teams 1st Malarkey’s (WA) $1,500 2nd Am Legion #313 (KY) $1,025 3rd Just Put Together (LA) $700 4th No Whining (IL) $400 Men’s Open 9-Ball Teams – Sportsman Division 1st Hot Shots (FL) $500 2nd Wrecking Crew III (LA) $300 3-4 Footers Strokers (VA) $100 Marty’s Bud Boyz (IL) NWPA-sanctioned “Las Vegas Open” 9-Ball Wheelchair Championship 1st Aaron Aragon (CA) $650 2nd John Reynolds (OK) $500 3rd Ken Miller (FL) $350 4th Charles Interrante Jr. (PA) $250 5th Annual ACS National Artistic Pool Championship Open Shootout #1 1st Dustin Gunia (NE) $300 2nd Daniel Penn (LA) $200 3rd Jim Kimmerly (KY) $100 4th Jason Kane (NY) $100 Open Shootout #2 1st Jerrod Frideres (IA) $300 2nd Raymond McDonald (KY) $200 3rd Dustin Gunia (NE) $100 4th Jason Kane (NY) $100
Speed Pool Challenge - Men: 1st Jason Kane (NY) $300 2nd Jerrod Frideres (IA) $190 3rd Dustin Gunia (NE) $130 4th Tony Sifuentez (IL) $90 Women: 1st Jessica Frideres (IA) $175 2nd Debra Carmona (NV) $100 3rd Stacey Lantz (FL) $65 4th Kassandra Werner (IL) $40 4th Annual Can-Am Snooker Challenge Team Canada (Pat McCarthy, Eriks Malderis, John Morra and Odie Willet) defeated Team USA (Tom Kollins, Ajeya Prabhakar, Jeff Szafransky and Cheang Chii Yoo) 16-4 Open ‘6 Reds” Snooker 1st Yi Fei-Mei (CA) $375 2nd Rainer Kambach (England) $175 Div I/II “6 Reds” Snooker 1st Jim Dyce (ON) $150 2nd Stacey Lantz (FL) $50 2009 World Summit of Pool Pro 9-Ball Championship $20,000 added to total purse by ACS – Sanctioned by the UPA 1st Mike Dechaine (USA) $6.000 2nd Thorsten Hohmann (Ger) $4,600 3rd Rodney Morris (USA) $3,500 4th Steve Moore (USA) $2,500 5-6 Keith Bennet (USA) $1,600 Roberto Gomez (Phi) 7-8 John Morra (Canada) $1,250 Jon Kucharo (USA) 9-12 Walter Glass (USA) $675 Ralph Eckert (Ger) Max Eberle (USA) Dean Goddard (USA) Scotch Doubles Best Dressed: Cheryl Rudd & Ron Morgan (ON) Men’s Best Dressed Team: Beer 32 Bombers (Bullhead City, AZ) Women’s Best Dressed Team: Pit Stop (El Paso, TX) League Operators of the Year: Tom Fankhauser – Decatur Area Pool League (Decatur, IL) Billy Huff – Beaumont Pool League (Beaumont, TX) Lyle Townsend – South Florida ACS Pool League (Port Charlotte, FL) Mike Wilson – Southern Amusement Pool League (Norfolk, VA) Terri Zech – Fox Valley ACS (Aurora, IL) Referee of the Year: Gibbi Tkatch (Valley Village, CA)
Complete Results available at www.americancuesports.com
Scoreboard Type: C/D Class Date: 6/20/2009 Room: Sandcastle Billiards Player Name Class Points 1st Borana Andoni C+ 95 2nd Nicholas Chan C+ 80 3rd George Osipovitch C+ 65 4th Michael Aro C+ 50 5-6 Alex Berszinn C+ 40 Allen Wong C+ 40 7-8 Burton Madaio C 30 T.J. Smithers C+ 30 9-12 Paul Everton C+ 25 Kyle Bubet C 25 Peter Brennan C+ 25 Jonathan Laino D 25
29th Annual VNEA Int’l Championships Men’s Regular 9-ball Singles / 290 entries 1st Roger Chau (ON) $3,200 2nd Jani Saukkonen (FIN) $2,700 3rd Bob Winter (CO) $1,700 4th Guadalupe Rosas (MI) $1,100
Women’s Intermediate 8-ball Singles/36 entries 1st Sandra Badger (AL) $1,200 2nd Amy Roche (FL) $900 3rd Penny Prahl (IL) $650 4th Jodi Lavan (AL) $550
Women’s Regular 9-ball Singles / 47 entries 1st Angie Voorhees (IL) $900 2nd Marie-France Blanchette (QB) $600 3rd Marissa Hallet (NM) $400 4th Maria Juana (WI) $200
Men’s Masters 8-ball Singles / 47 entries 1st Jason Kirkwood (IL) $3,100 2nd Mike Aboudaher (AL) $2,100 3rd Johnny Baptiste (MAN) $1,600 4th Sam Kirby (IN) $1,400
Men’s Intermediate 9-ball Singles/45 entries 1st Len Heckbert (AL) $1,175 2nd Jason Mousseau (MAN) $950 3rd Paris Comas (Spain) $650 4th Louis Stuart Altes (FL) $450
Women’s Masters 8-ball Singles / 29 entries 1st Kayla Jones (ON) $2,100 2nd Jessica Frideres (IA) $1,480 3rd Pearl Ortiz (NM) $900 4th Tina Larsen (IN) $800
Women’s Intermediate 9-ball Singles/15 entries 1st Danielle Sergent (IN) $600 2nd Cathy Hansen (MT) $400 3rd Bev Bieber (SD) $300 4th Sandra Badger (AL) $200
Men’s Classic 8-ball Singles / 69 entries 1st Harold Rigdon, Jr. (IL) 2nd Roger Anderson (ID) 3rd Dave Cote (ON) 4th Mark Lachecki (MN)
Men’s Masters 9-ball Singles / 39 entries 1st Jason Kirkwood (IL) $1,200 2nd Ben Zimmer (OH) $900 3rd Glenn Atwell (OR) $725 4th Ryan Cobb (NE) $525
Women’s Classic 8-ball Singles / 30 entries 1st Shelly Reiter (WY) $1,100 2nd Sally Reagle (KS) $775 3rd Sandy Neal (IA) $625 4th Donna Hensel (MN) $450
Women’s Masters 9-ball Singles / 19 entries 1st Pearl Ortiz (NM) $800 2nd Shelley D. Hudson (OH) $500 3rd Tina Larsen (IN) $350 4th Sammi Jo Hood (NM) $250
Seniors 8-ball Singles / 84 entries 1st Glen Pickelsimer (VA) 2nd Tony Shelley (SC) 3rd Rich Haines (WY) 4th Zeno Rawley (FL)
$2,200 $1,700 $1,100 $700
Men’s Classic 9-ball Singles / 28 entries 1st Bob Talford (MI) 2nd Louie Salazar (CO) 3rd David Griffin (OK) 4th Brett Neher (OK)
Men’s / Mixed Regular Teams / 388 teams 1st Five Faces of Death (MAN) 2nd Rainbow Bar Underdogs (MI) 3rd Duck’s Terminators (MN) 4th Pitcher’s Seyberts (WI)
$10,000 $7,000 $6,000 $5,000
Women’s Classic 9-ball Singles / 15 entries 1st Fluff Lindsay (SAS) $550 2nd Dawn Spencer (IA) $390 3rd Shannon Tonjes (MI) $190 4th Shelly Reiter (WY) $70
Women’s Regular Teams / 80 teams 1st Minnesota Wild (MN) 2nd Knuckle Knockers (SD) 3rd Fab Four (ON) 4th The Replacements (IN)
$5,000 $3,000 $2,000 $1,000
Open Seniors 9-ball Singles / 52 entries 1st Paul Datte (WI) 2nd Danny Jensen (KS) 3rd Mike Roque (IN) 4th Tony Shelley (SC)
$1,000 $800 $700 $500
Men’s / Mixed Intermediate Teams / 32 teams 1st Opportunity Knocks (OR) $5,300 2nd Jagers Yound Guns (MI) $3,200 3rd Indy Dawgs (IN) $2,400 4th DSAB Gamblers (GER) $1,400
Regular Scotch Doubles 1st M. West & M. Zygmunt (MI) 2nd H. Kuss & C. Kennedy (MN) 3rd J. Shafer & M. Tedder (KS) 4th L. Hargen & S. Hargen (IA)
$1,000 $700 $475 $475
Women’s Intermediate Teams / 23 teams 1st Phoenix 1 (SD) 2nd Top Shots Just 4 Fun (WN) 3rd One Ball Short (OH) 4th Whichwitch Is Which (NE)
$4,100 $2,100 $1,500 $1,000
Intermediate Scotch Doubles 1st S. Badger & D. Carson (AL) $600 2nd M. Jensen & C. Debruyckere (WI) $400 3rd J. Lavan & N. Darius (AL) $200 4th A. Sinclair & J. Raghoo (ON) $200
Men’s / Mixed Masters Teams / 13 teams 1st Metro Masters (MN) 2nd Progressive Shooters (CO) 3rd Phase This! (MN) 4th 4 Lumps and a Star (ON)
$9,000 $5,500 $3,500 $2,500
Masters Scotch Doubles 1st J. Frideres & D. Gunia (IA) $600 2nd T. Larsen & K. Brisbon (IN) $350 3rd K. Spangenburg & R. Downey( IA) $100 4th A. Jackson & R. Cunningham (MN) $100
Women’s Masters Teams / 8 teams 1st H2O Kisita (AL) $4,400 2nd Logistically Challenged (MN) $2,400 3rd Wilson’s Who’s Up Next? (WI) $1,300 4th Those Hookers From Canada (ON) $1,100
$900 $600 $400 $300
Men’s Regular 8-ball Singles / 602 entries 1st Bill Pinion (MI) $6,500 2nd Markus Mutschler (GER) $4,000 3rd David Rothall (AUS) $2,800 4th Tony Gong (IL) $2,200 Women’s Regular 8-ball Singles / 168 entries 1st Laura Hargen (IA) $2,800 2nd Lucie Normand (QB) $1,400 3rd Jodi Burnau (IN) $1,200 4th Michelle West (MI) $900 Men’s Intermediate 8-ball Singles / 66 entries 1st Chad DeBruyckere (WI) $2,300 2nd Richard Idrovo (IL) $1,800 3rd Antonio Benvenuto (GER) $1,350 4th Daniel Karlsson (Spain) $1,000
$1,800 $1,300 $800 $600
Visit www.vnea.com for complete results Read the August Issue for the results of the VNEA Junior Nationals Championship from Lincoln, Nebraska Watch the Video on Demand at www.otbntv.com
(continued from page 11)
July 2009 page 13
table is awarded at the awards banquet on the final night. 8-Ball Teams Wrap Up with Minnesota and Texas in the Lead Keeping with the theme, we saw more double set finals action in the team events. The Minnesota and Texas teams dominated the divisions. Top finishing singles help their team make it to the finals. Men’s / Mixed Regular Teams / 388 teams Women’s Regular Teams / 80 teams Men’s Regular 8-Ball Singles Men’s team “Faces of Death” from 1st Bill Pinion (MI) Canada and the women’s team of “Minnesota Wild” celebrated victories in the regular team divisions. On the men’s/mixed side, Faces finished with four close matches that all came down to the final games. In a two-set finals, Faces validated the Michigan’s team name of “Rainbow Bar Underdogs.” On the other side of the pit, the Wild ladies from Minnesota went undefeated. They didn’t take any heat from the South Dakota “Knuckle Knockers” in the finals. Men’s / Mixed Intermediate Teams / 32 teams Women’s Intermediate Teams / 23 teams In the intermediate team division, “Opportunity Knocks” for Portland and “Phoenix 1” wins for South Dakota. Opportunity was still knocking even after the Portland team had to make a last minute roster sub when their fifth player had a medical emergency en route to Vegas. The finals match against Michigan’s “Jagers Yound Guns” was so impressive, it could’ve been the masters finals. Meanwhile, Phoenix 1 defeated Wisconsin’s “Top Senior’s 8-Ball Singles Shots Just 4 Fun” in the 1st Glen Pickelsimer (VA) finals. Men’s / Mixed Masters Teams / 13 teams Women’s Masters Teams / 8 teams It was a near double-repeat for Minnesota in the masters team finals. The men of “Metro Masters” claim their second consecutive masters team title after a repeat in the BCAPL masters team tournament just two weeks earlier. Colorado’s “Progressive Shooters” gave them a run for their money with a barn-burning, 25 game match in the first set of the finals. The Minnesota ladies of “Logistically Challenged” tried to do the same but came up just short against fellow veterans “H2O Kisita” from Canada. www.pooldawg.com
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EVENT / RULES 2008-2009 Invitational GSBT NCS 9-Ball Qualifier 10 Ball Season Finale Viking Open NCS 9-Ball Qualifier-Women Viking Amateur JPNEWT NCS 14.1 Continuous Qualifier NCS 14.1 Continuous Qualifier NCS 9-Ball Qualifier NCS 10-Ball Qualifier NCS 9-Ball Qualifier NCS 10-Ball Qualifier Ladies 9-Ball - Race to 7 KF Cues 9-Ball Tour GSBT NCS 14.1 Continuous Qualifier NCS 14-1 Nat’l Championship NCS 9-Ball Qualifier NCS 10-Ball Qualifier NCS 9-Ball Qualifier NCS 10-Ball Qualifier NCS 9-Ball Qualifier 9-Ball Race to 9 SE Open Season Champ. Jacoby Carolina Tour NCS 10-Ball Qualifier NCS 9-Ball Qualifier NCS 10-Ball Qualifier NCS 9-Ball Qualifier NCS 10-Ball Qualifier Bob & Brad Martin Mem. Open Bob & Brad Martin Mem. Ama NCS 10-Ball Qualifier Seminole Pro Tour Shootout at the Sands NCS 9-Ball Qualifier NCS 9-Ball Qualifier-Women Tiger Bay Area Amateur NCS 10-Ball Qualifier Predator 9-Ball Tour NE 9-Ball Series NCS 9-Ball Qualifier NCS 10-Ball Qualifier Ladies 9-Ball - Race to 7 Jacoby Carolina Tour GSBT KF Cues Tour East Coast Pool Tour NCS 9-Ball Championship NCS 10-Ball Championship Viking Cue 9-Ball Tour KF Cues 9-Ball Tour Women’s Florida State Jacoby Carolina Tour Seminole Pro Tour Predator 9-Ball Tour Tiger Bay Area Amatuer
Watch the VNEA International Championships
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ENTRY ADDED Call Call Call $1500 Guar. $60 Call $20+$10 g.f. Call $60 $1500 $60 Call $50 $1000 Call $60 $60 $500 w/32 $60 Call $60 Call Call Call Call Call $50 $250 Call Call $1500 $60 Call Call $60 Call $60 Call $60 $60 $60 Call $65 $10,000 purse $100 $2000 Call $1000 $60 TBA $60 $60 $60 $60 $80 $1000 $50 $300 $60 $500 w/32 Call $6000 Varies $15,000 $60 Call $60 Call Call $500 $60 $1000 w/64 Call $1000 Call $2500 $60 Call $60 Call $50 $250 Call $1000 Call $6500 Guar. Call $2500 Call Call Call Call Call $2500 Call $2500 Call Call Call $1000 Call $6500 Call $1000 Call $500
Coming in August
Call First - All Tournaments are subject to change without notice
July 2009 page 14
TIME 10 AM Call 11AM 11 AM 1 PM 11AM 1 PM Call Call Call 11AM 11AM Call Call Call Call Call Call Call 11AM 11AM Call Call 11AM Noon Call 1 PM Call 11AM 11AM 11AM 11AM 12:30 PM 12:30 PM Call Call Call 11AM 11AM Call Call Call Call 11AM 11AM Call 1 PM 6 PM Call Call Call Call Call Call Call 1PM Call Call Call
July2009 page 15