A Walk On The Other Side of The World

By Keith Shaner

Iwas fortunate enough to meet a player visiting our local area a while back, and not only is he a terrific player, but he is also a great person, and he was kind enough to agree to an interview and share some time with us. May I present to you Pijus Labutis.

KS: So, Pijus, tell us a little bit about yourself. What part of the world do you call home?

PL: I was born and lived all my life in Vilnius, Lithuania.

KS: How old are you now?

PL: Twenty-five.

KS: How long have you been playing pool?

PL: From twelve years old, so it’s been thirteen years, I have been playing pool. KS: Were there other sports that you enjoyed playing when you were younger?

PL: I played basketball for six years until I was twelve years old, and then I discovered pool.

KS: How did you get started playing?

PL: I don’t have any magic story here; I just went a few times to play with my father in the local club, and then I got thrilled about the excitement and adrenaline this game brings to you, and then I immediately wanted to learn more. My father wasn’t a player himself; it was just him who brought me to the pool hall to spend some son and father time.

KS: There’s a little magic in that story. Who were your early influences in the game?

PL: I would say probably from the pool scene, it was Niels Feijen, Efren, Bustamante, Ralf Souquet, Albin, and Shane. No particular player, just big stars of the game back in 2010. Also, I would mention snooker, which I was watching a lot on TV when I was a kid, and player like Ronnie, of course.

KS: When did you start to take the game seriously as a sport?

PL: Probably around 3 years after I took some coaching from few players, I started to travel around Europe and started to take it more and more seriously. I was around 15-16 years old then.

KS: When did you play in your first tournament?

PL: My first international tournament was probably Youth European Championship back in 2013 or 2014 in Germany.

KS: What has been your most significant win?

PL: My first high finish was back in 2015 when I finished 3rd in the World Youth nine-ball championship in Shanghai, China. Later on, I won 2 youth EC gold medals in 2019, and also I managed to win the Ljubljana Open tournament in Slovenia, Ljubljana, the same year. These past 2 years, I had a few nice titles like in Tallinn Open 2022 and Florida Pro Cup Series 2023. I also have a few nice finishes in, but no big major tournament win yet.

KS: Can you tell us a little bit about the pool and billiard community in Lithuania?

PL: The Pool community in Lithuania is pretty small. All over the country, there are 40-50 players who are participating in local tournaments. Only a few players travel internationally, but also rarely. At the moment, I am the only one who is an active tour player. There are a few youngsters who are growing up and possibly can be a strong competition in the next few years. There were a few changes in our federation in past years, and I hope that will be good for the sport. The overall Lithuanian pool scene was at its peak 5-6 years ago, but a lot of good players quit because of different personal reasons, and just a few kept playing.

KS: Do you have private clubs and public clubs?

We have both. Mostly it’s public clubs, but I practice in a private club with two tables.

KS: How is the pool youth scene? Are there training centers where young players can get proper instruction?

PL: As I mentioned before, there are a few good youngsters who are growing up and can become really good in the next few years. The biggest problem is that they have no particular place like a training center to practice in and not a lot of good players to compete with as well. We are all from different cities so it’s not so easy to travel all the time too. I grew up also same way, but I got my breakthrough only when I started to play internationally and compete with big guys more and more. I think that’s the only way to get better in a country like ours.

KS: You have played in several areas of the US in both major and regional events. What are some of the differences that you have seen between American players and players from Europe?

PL: Well, I would mention a few things here.

PL: First, I think a lot of medium-level American players are used to playing on Bar-box tables, which I would think is one of the reasons why the overall playing level in Europe is higher than in the U.S. ( in

Europe, bar-box tables are not so popular ). Also, I would say one of the reasons why the U.S. doesn’t have as many Top Tier players as Europe and Asia has is a lack of structure and discipline. But these things have definitely been changing past few years, and you can see that there are lots of super-talented and great young players in the U.S. who will have a big breakthrough in the next few years.

PL: Nevertheless, the skill level of U.S. players is not as high as in Europe. I think they are definitely more creative and innovative. Games like One Pocket, banks, etc., bring so much to your game, and it’s pretty sad these games are not popular at all in Europe. In my opinion, One Pocket is the game from which you can learn so much and sharpen different skills like kick shots, banks, speed control, carom shots, positional play, endurance, etc. So, every time I come to the U.S., I try to play One Pocket and Banks as much as I can, and I really see improvements in my game afterward.

KS: From a community perspective how is pool viewed in Europe by players and fans compared to how you see it treated in the US?

PL: Well, I think I pretty much answered this on the last question, but to add on, the community is definitely bigger in the U.S. I would think this is because, from a perspective of history - it is way richer in the U.S. than in Europe. It may also be because the U.S. has a lot of different kinds of leagues, which helps the diverse skill levels of players. Same about fans, I would say the fan community is way bigger in the U.S.

KS: Do you think that the common play on 7-footers here in the US has had an effect on the development of players here in the U.S.?

PL: I think that definitely, yes. Nowhere in the world are there so many 7ft tournaments as in the U.S. It’s definitely positive for the growth of the pool community, but not so good for the overall playing skill level in the U.S.

KS: What have been some of your favorite events to play in and why?

PL: I love Derby City Classic. I played in it only two times, but the atmosphere and format is so exciting and so different from any other tournament. I just love it. I think it is mostly because of One Pocket and Bank Pool events. Action rooms add some excitement to this, too [Laughs} Besides Derby, I love to play in all the Matchroomorganized events. The atmosphere is always so different and professional. I don’t think you get that same feeling playing in any other event.

KS: What do you think of what Matchroom has been able to do so far, and how do you see pool with them in the next 5 years or so?

PL: Well, all of us can see they are doing something that makes the sport grow bigger. There were a lot of different opinions in the process between different Matchroom events, but everyone now can see where they brought our sport - prize money got bigger, there are 3 or 4 times more major tournaments with big prize money, and pool is getting more and more televised. Of course, it was not only Matchroom but also other organizations, but I think Matchroom was one of the main players here. So, I really think they are good for the sport. In 5 years or so, I believe they will get pool close to Snooker for sure.

KS: How is 2023 developing for you compared to last year, and what kinds of goals have you set for yourself this year?

PL: 2023 I think was the best year for me so far. I had a few nice runs in the tournaments but am not concentrating on the results. I changed my mindset and concentrate more on my mental game and mental preparation now. I have some small goals which I try to achieve in every tournament, and always try to enjoy and concentrate to the process.

KS: Who are some of the current players that you enjoy watching and playing against? Do you still enjoy watching pool?

PL: My idol for a long time was Wu Jiaqing. I just love his style of playing. Overall, I like watching a lot of these days pro players because they have become so good that they make pool look so easy. Besides rotation pool, I really admire Tony Chohan’s One Pocket game, and he is definitely one of a kind in my eyes.

KS: I know you travel frequently, how difficult is it to get quality practice time?

PL: It is never easy. When I get some table time between tournaments, I only try to stay sharp for the next tournaments and only maybe improve things like breaks, kicks, and banks. I don’t try to change or improve anything from my technical side. I think while you are on the road, it is most difficult to stay mentally and physically sharp.

KS: What are some things you enjoy away from the table when you travel?

PL: I love to explore every new city I get to. When I have free time between matches or before/after the tournament, I just go for a run or a nice walk in or out of the city and get to know it just by exploring it. I also love to try different food in new places, I think that is a great way to feel the culture of different countries/areas.

KS: When you are home what do you do to relax and recharge?

PL: I am rarely at home these days [laughs], But when I find myself at home, I like to spend my time not sitting at home but doing something active - running, long walks, going to the gym, spending time with friends and family. The city I live in is pretty small, but there are definitely a bunch of different activities you can get yourself busy with.

KS: As a close, I would like to get your opinion on this thought.

KS: As pool is on an upswing and seems to be growing, especially at the youth level, I think we are still missing an important facet. I would like to see more marketing of players to the public rather than just the games and events. Some of the players have been doing it themselves, and Matchroom seems to be slowly edging into it. I just think giving fans a view of a player on a personal level helps them connect to the players in a way that will draw more casual fans.

PL: I agree with your thought, and I think that is a great way for people to get to know players and a little bit more of their casual side.

KS: Thank you, Pijus. You are certainly one of the players I hope the world gets to know well. A big thank you for taking the time to let us get a glimpse of your thoughts and perspectives on the game as a player and learn a little more about you, the person.