Hohmann (right) was untouchable in the final, dominating Feijen, 11-5. With the men's field of 64 was cut in half at the China Open, Thorsten Hohmann seemed to be saving up a little bit extra through the first rounds of single elimination.

On his way to the semifinals, Hohmann escaped a pair of hill-hill matches (against Norway's Vegar Kristiansen and Japan's Toru Kuribayashi) and another 11-9 squeaker versus Fu Jian-Bo. But once he got to the final four, Hohmann played brilliantly, topping Taiwan's Lu Hui-chan in a one-sided final, 11-5, to face Niels Feijen in the final.

Unlike Hohmann, Feijen faced only one challenge — an 11-9 battle against England's Karl Boyes — on his way to the final. Other than Boyes, Feijen did not allow one opponent past five games, holding the likes of Shane Van Boening and Japan's Yukio Akakariyama to a few games while he sprinted to 11.

But the final was a reversal for Feijen, as Hohmann dominated from the start. The former world champion from Germany extended his lead, closing out the $40,000 title by an 11-5 count.

On the women's side, Taiwan's Tsai Pei-Chen survived a thrilling match against Karen Corr for the $25,000 title. Corr, who finished second at the Amway Cup just a few weeks ago, missed another major world title by one game. On her way to the final, Corr dominated Ga Young Kim, 9-5, and Kelly Fisher, 9-5. Tsai, meanwhile, edged Jasmin Ouschan, 9-6, and Fu Xiao-Fang, 9-8, on her way to the match-up with Corr.

Definitely considered an underdog, Tsai showed nerves of steel against Corr, cleaning up the case game for a second consecutive hill-hill victory.

Following a thrilling quarterfinal victory over Jeanette Lee at the Women's World 10-Ball Championships, Rubilen Amit caught fire to top Akimi Kajitani, 9-6, and Shin-Mei Liu, 10-4, for the first-ever women's title in the discipline of 10-ball.

That victory against Lee, where Amit trailed 8-6 in the race-to-9 quartfinal, appeared to be the turning point for the newly crowned Filipina champion. She was in prime form in the semifinal and final rounds, buoyed by support from the hometown crowd at the SM Mall in metro Manila.

The 48-player field was loaded with some of the best players in the world, including Kelly Fisher, Allison Fisher and Jasmin Ouschan. Amit collected $20,000 for the win, while Liu pocketed $9,000 for second.

Kelly Fisher (pictured) defeated Gerda Hofstatter, 9-7, in a big-time first-round match-up. Both divisions at the $225,000 China Open are underway in Shanghai. One-round of play is completed in both the 64-player men's and 32-player women's brackets.

In the women's brackets, which have eight players divided into four groups, a rash of upsets placed many of the world's top players within one loss of elimination. Both Jeanette Lee and Allison Fisher, who were in the same group, were unexpectedly sent to the one-loss side. Fisher dropped a hill-hill match against Han Fang, while Lee was handily beaten by Chang Shu Han.

In a match-up of WPBA stars, Kelly Fisher edged Gerda Hofstatter, 9-7, to advance, while Jasmin Ouschan, Ga Young Kim and Xiaoting Pan also managed to survive the first round.

In the men's event, which will pay out a hefty $150,000, many of the top seeds advanced without difficulty. Germans Ralf Souquet and Thorsten Hohmann moved into the second round, and Americans Shane Van Boening and Charlie Williams also advanced.

Philippine Open titlist Ricky Yang of Indonesia continued his recent success, edging countryman Rudy Susanto, 9-4. Jeffrey De Luna, who finished second to Yang in Manila, also won easily, beating Mateusz Sniegocki, 11-7.

Archer is a four-time world 9-ball champion, while Fisher has 53 WPBA titles. Well that didn’t take long!

Johnny Archer and Allison Fisher, the consensus male and female Player of the Decade for the ’90s, were decisively voted into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame in their first year of eligibility.

According to the United States Billiard Media Association, which has controlled Hall of Fame voting for the BCA over the past three years, both Archer and Fisher were named on more than 70 percent of the ballots. Archer was named on 31 of the 38 completed ballots (82%), while Fisher was named on 28 ballots (75%). Under USBMA guidelines, the top vote-getter automatically gains election into the Hall. A second player gains induction only if he or she is named on more than 70 percent of the ballots.

Archer, 40, was the dominant American pool player from the early 1990s until Shane Van Boening burst onto the scene in 2007. Archer won four world 9-ball championships, winning the World Pool-Billiard Association 9-Ball Championship in 1992 and ’97. Archer also won the Professional Billiard Tour World 9-Ball Championship in 1993 and ’95. The Georgia native was named Billiards Digest Player of the Year six times, the most of any male player since the magazine created the award in 1980. In addition to his 25 pro tour titles, Archer has won more than 40 regional events and has represented Team USA in the Mosconi Cup 12 times.

“It’s such an honor, it really is,” said Archer. “It makes me feel that what I’ve done in the game over all these years mattered. All that work, and travel, and practice and sweat. It mattered.”

Archer was especially excited to know that despite the BCA’s decision to suspend funding of a Hall of Fame banquet, a formal ceremony will be staged by the USBMA during the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship in Chesapeake, Va., October 22.

“I’m just thrilled to death that my father will get a chance to see me inducted,” Archer said. “It’s going to be such a great feeling being able to share that night with my family.”

Fisher, 41, continues to stake her claim as the greatest woman pool player of all time. A native of Sussex, England, Fisher joined the Women’s Professional Billiard Association Classic Tour in 1995, following a 12-year snooker career that saw her win 11 world titles. In just over 13 years in the U.S., Fisher was won 53 of the 115 Classic Tour events she’s entered, including 20 in a four-year stretch from 1996-1999. Additionally, Fisher has won three WPA world 9-ball championships, five Tournament of Champions titles and numerous foreign and special event titles. She was named Billiards Digest Player of the Year 11 times in a 12-year span (1996-2007).

“I’m a little surprised,” said Fisher, who learned of her election while competing in the World 10-Ball Championship in the Philippines. “I was afraid voters would think I was still too young to be elected.

“But it’s a great honor. I’ve had a great career here, and it’s nice to be recognized. I had a great snooker career as well, but was never really recognized for it. The Hall of Fame is something that validates your career forever. It’s really wonderful.”

The dominating resumes of both Archer and Fisher left other eligible candidates, including German star Ralf Souquet, who was also eligible for the first time in 2009, lagging far behind. (Candidates in the Greatest Player category must have turned 40 years old prior to January 1 of the year of their induction.) Souquet was one of four foreign players eligible because of their significant achievements in U.S.-based events. (Joining Souquet on the ballot were fellow German star Oliver Ortmann and Filipino stars Jose Parica and Francisco Bustamante.) Woman stars Belinda Bearden Calhoun, Vivian Villarreal and Mary Kenniston were also eligible, as was Kim Davenport, Steve Cook and Jimmy Mataya. Parica garnered the most support, being named on 25% of the ballots. Countryman Bustamante was cited on 18% of the ballots.

Archer and Fisher will be recognized by the BCA at the annual International Billiard and Home Recreation Expo in Las Vegas in June, before being formally inducted into the BCA Hall of Fame during ceremonies Oct. 22 at the Marriott Chesapeake Hotel, Chesapeake, Va.

Corr amassed a 25-5 record in her five round-robin matches. Corr amassed a 25-5 record in her five round-robin matches.

After three days of round-robin action in the Women's World 10-Ball Championship, the field has been halved, leaving just 24 players to contend for the first-ever women's world title in the discipline.

Karen Corr locked up the top seed overall, dominating her four opponents by a combined score of 25-5. Corr, along with the other top seven finishers from the group stage, will receive a bye in the first round of single-elimination play, which will kick off on Friday.

Other undefeated players after the group stage include WPBA stars Kelly and Allison Fisher and Japan's Miyuki Fuke.

Three rounds will be played on Friday, leaving just four women on Saturday to compete for the world title. While the top seeds are certainly more than capable of capturing the crown, plenty of lower seeds look poised to make things difficult.

Austrian sensation Jasmin Ouschan is locked in at the 12 seed. She will face Angeline Ticoalu of Indonesia for a spot in the final 16. Also, Yu Ram Cha of Korea is just one win away from a big-time match-up with Kelly Fisher.

Allison Fisher will be heavily favored to advance from group play. The first-ever Women's World 10-Ball Championship is about to kick off, with 48 of the world's best players gathered in the Philippines. At the SM Mall North Edsa in Manila, the round-robin stage of the first women's world event in the discipline of 10-ball is set to get underway.

The 48-player field has been divided into eight groups of six players. After a full round robin, the top three players from each group will advance to single-elimination play. With 24 players left, the top finisher from each group will get a bye into the round of 16.

With players from five continents represented, the WPA-sanctioned Women's World 10-Ball Championship is among the most talented fields in recent memory. Also, millions across Asia will be able to view the action, thanks to television coverage by both ESPN Star and ABS-CBN.

The first-ever National Championships Series 9-ball and 10-ball events are headed to Las Vegas. CueSports International, the promotions group led by BCA Pool League owner Mark Griffin, announced this week that the two national tournaments will be held alongside one another at the Golden Nugget.

The 9-ball championship will run from Sept. 3-5, with the 10-ball event going from Sept. 5-7. The NCS National Championship Series is in its first year of operation. The concept includes a series of qualifiers held across the country. The winners of these satellite events then have entry into the national tournament, where the payouts are $32,000 with a full field of 64 players.

In February, Brandon Shuff won the first NCS event, which was the National 8-Ball Championship. Shuff was originally scheduled to win all-expenses-paid entry into the World 8-Ball Championship. But, when the WPA event was postponed indefinitely, Shuff was awarded the cash equivalent.

Still, one of the main objectives of the NCS is to boost American participation in world championship events, whenever possible. Currently the world 9-ball and 8-ball tournaments are on hold, while some question whether or not this year's world 10-ball event — scheduled for October in Manila — is feasible.

For more information about the National Championship Series, the Golden Nugget and a list of all NCS qualifiers, visit the CSI Web site at www.playcsipool.com, or contact Holly Ryan at (702) 719-7665 or at holly@playcsipool.com.

Van Boening will face Rudi Susanto of Indonesia on Friday. While the No. 1 seed in the 64-player 2009 Philippine Open was upset, many other of the seeded players have advanced without incident.

Ralf Souquet, fresh of a EuroTour win and runner-up finish at the Predator International 10-Ball Championship, easily moved passed Austrian sensation Jasmine Ouschan, 9-1, in the first round. But the steely German was upset in his next match, where he faced Mario Tolentino. The unheralded Filipino topped Souquet, 9-6, in one of the more shocking results from the first two rounds of play.

American Shane Van Boening, the fifth seed, faced little opposition in his first two matched. The 2007 Player of the Year dominated Korea's Jeong Young Hwa, 9-2, on Thursday. He will next face Indonesian cueist Rudi Susanto.

Gabe Owen, meanwhile, escaped a close call in the opening round. He topped Toh Lian Han of Singapore, 9-8, then coasted past Brit Jonni Fulcher, 9-3. Owen will face 2008 Player of the Year Kelly Fisher in third-round action on Friday.

Cha will be aiming at a top finish in the Women's World 10-Ball Championship. (Photo by Anne Craig-WPBA) Over the next two weeks, the Philippine Open and Women's World 10-Ball Championship will distribute $160,000 in prizes. The two major tournaments — both held in Manila, Philippines — are attracting top-flight talent from around the globe.

First up, the Philippine Open will kick off on Wednesday, May 27, with 64 players drawn into a double-elimination bracket. While some top Filipino players like Dennis Orcollo, Francisco Bustamante and Alex Pagulayan are not in the field, the host country has a group of rising stars, including Jerico Benares, Demosthenes Pulpul and Jeffrey De Luna. Mika Immonen, Ralf Souquet and recent World Pool Masters champion Darren Appleton top the list of European favorites.

The 10-ball event will run through Sunday, with the format switching to single elimination once four players remain. More information can be found at www.rayasports.com .

Next up, it's the women's turn. From June 2-6, the Women's World 10-Ball Championship will gather 48 of the best female cueists in the world for a shot at the $75,000 prize fund. The WPA-sponsored event, produced by Dragon Promotions, will also feature 40 hours of TV coverage by ESPN Star, a leading sports station in Asia. ESPN Star will air a combination of 20 hours of live coverage as well as 20 hours of taped matches.

With the coverage from Filipino network ABS-CBN, the Women's World 10-Ball Championship will air in 40 countries across Asia.

Among the early favorites, Iris Ranola will be the host country's top contender. In the last year, the 2008 WPBA Rookie of the Year has become more and more comfortable with the international spotlight. Ranola will join WPBA stars like Kelly Fisher, Allison Fisher and Monica Webb. Yu Ram Cha, who recently upset Shane Van Boening at the Predator International 10-Ball Championship, will also be a player to watch.

The five-day tournament will wrap up on June 6, with the champion earning $20,000. For more information, visit www.dragonpromotions.com.

Orcollo (pictured) took the Predator 10-Ball Championship by keeping Souquet in his chair. LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- The final of the Predator International 10-Ball Championship matched the WPA's top-ranked player in Ralf Souquet against arguably the most feared money player in the world in Dennis Orcollo of the Philippines.

And in this match up of two of the world's best, Orcollo came out on top. The diminutive Filipino stormed to a convincing 8-3 win for the $20,000 first prize.

But entering the match, Orcollo was hardly considered a favorite. Souquet turned in an absolutely sublime performance in his semifinal match against Alex Pagualayan. The German broke and ran five of his seven racks; the other two wins following dry breaks from Pagulayan. Despite Souquet being known as a deliberate player, he was in total rhythm with the 30-second shot clock being implemented in the final two rounds. He rolled through difficult racks with measured confidence and perfect execution.

Orcollo, meanwhile, struggled a bit in his semifinal match against countryman Warren Kiamco. Both players had difficulty gauging the speed of the main TV table. But Orcollo took advantage of Kiamco's difficulties on the break, winning four racks when his opponent broke.

While Souquet sprinted through racks in the semifinal, he could not get out of the starting blocks in the final. Orcollo collected the first three racks in the race to 8. With a three game lead, Orcollo gave Souquet two chances to climb back into the match, but the form that carried him in the semifinal had abandoned him in the title match.

Orcollo extended his lead to 5-2, climbed on the hill, 7-3, and broke and ran for the title-clincher.

Orcollo pulled away from Williams late in their Friday night match for a 11-6 victory. LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- With five Filipinos among the 32 players that advanced to single-elimination play at the Predator International 10-Ball Championship, nobody would have been surprised if one advanced to the semifinals. With the contingent from across the Pacific playing fantastic pool, maybe even two would push through to the final four. But three?

That's exactly what happened on Friday night inside the Riviera Hotel & Casino, as Dennis Orcollo, Alex Pagulayan and Warren Kiamco nearly turned the International 10-Ball event into a decidedly national affair.

Breaking up the Filipino monopoly, Ralf Souquet turned in a dominant performance against Johnny Archer on the featured TV table. The steely German, after some early breaking woes, found the key to pocketing balls on the break. From that point on, Souquet ran away from Archer, eventually closing out the match, 11-3.

Pagulayan, meanwhile, locked up with young Englishman Karl Boyes in a tightly contested match. The two split the first 18 racks, before Pagulayan was able to take the final two racks for an 11-9 victory.

Orcollo, who lost to Shane Van Boening in the final of this event in 2007, has been consistently brilliant in single-elimination. He has strung together a trio of 11-6 wins over reigning champion Tony Drago, Rodolfo Luat and Charlie Williams.

The semifinal matches will kick off on Saturday morning at 11 a.m. MST. Orcollo and Kiamco will square off, while the stoic Souquet takes on the more animated Pagulayan.

Souquet (pictured) dominated Stevie Moore, 11-3, on Friday afternoon. LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- Friday is moving day at the Predator International 10-Ball Championship. The day opened with 32 players drawn into a single-elimination bracket; it will end with just four.

The casualties from Friday's first round of play include defending champion Tony Drago, who lost to Dennis Orcollo of the Philippines. The lighting-quick Drago, who played at a sublime level late in last year's event, couldn't keep up with the dimunitive Filipino and he was eliminated by a count of 11-6.

As a reward, Orcollo will have the tough task of dealing with countryman Rodolfo Luat in the round of 16, which is scheduled for 6 p.m. MST. Germany will also have two stars battling for a spot in Friday evening's quarterfinals. Oliver Ortmann topped Mika Immonen, 11-7, on the TV table, while Souquet easily dispatched American Stevie Moore, 11-3.

While seven Americans remain in contention, at least one will exit in the next round. Johnny Archer will square off with Shawn Putnam. Both men advanced with relative ease, as Putnam cruised past Allison Fisher, 11-5, and Archer dropped Manuel Gama, 11-4.

Visit www.predator10ball.com for more information and live scoring updates.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- Just two years ago, Shane Van Boening snapped off the Predator International 10-Ball Championship, his first major title en route to a masterful season that ended with the young American winning Player of the Year honors.

This year, however, Van Boening will not be making a late run inside the Riviera Hotel & Casino. In one of the more stunning upsets in the 112-player event, Korea's Yu Ram Cha sent Van Boening out of the tournament in 33rd place, thanks to a thrilling 10-8 win on Thursday evening. Cha, who won the WPBA's Most Improved Player award in 2008, eked into single-elimination play with a pair of dramatic wins - topping Jeanette Lee, 10-9, before besting Van Boening.

With just 32 players remaining, the tournament will be single elimination for the next five rounds, with a champion to be crowned on Saturday afternoon.

Friday morning, the first set of matches in the round of 32 got underway. On the main TV table, Oliver Ortmann and Mika Immonen headline eight high-profile matches. Other notable matches include Corey Deuel facing Daryl Peach, Jasmin Ouschan versus Englishman Karl Boyes, and Charlie Williams squaring off with Roberto Gomez of the Philippines.

Visit www.predator10ball.com for real-time scoring and a live Internet broadcast of the Ortmann-Immonen match.

Cha & Fisher Chance to Qualify for Final 32

 

 

By Sally Lee

 

Yu Ram Cha defeated France's Reda Belhaj 10-2 and then edged out famed Black Widow Jeanette Lee 10-8 to advance with only 48 players left. Allison Fisher defeated Spanish Woman's champ Amalia Matas 10-2 and will face Dan Heidrich to qualify.  Ozone Billiards presents the 112 top players from around the globe along with top sponsor JBETpoker.net on the Dragon Promotions production at the Riviera Hotel & Casino May 11-16,2009 during the BCAPL's National 8-Ball Championships. The 9th Annual Predator International 10-Ball Championship features live scoring of the entire event on www.Predator10ball.com .  

 

Jasmin Ouschan will try to eliminate some more men at the event

   

 

Cha looked slightly nervous against Jeanette Lee, but was able to come away with the win. The last time the two faced off Lee won 9-8. This marked the first time Cha had beaten her, and just days earlier Cha defeated Allison Fisher for the first time in the BCAPL Grand Masters.

 

"I felt pressure playing her, because I really want to play Shane again", explained Cha.

 

Well now she will get her chance. The Van Boening/Cha re-match will be at 8:30pm tonight.

 

Allison Fisher looks to have the easiest route to the final 32 of the women as she faces relatively unknown Dan Heidrich of NY. Heidrich's claim to fame thus far has been his 7-0 comeback behind win against World 14.1 Champion Niels Feijen. Fisher is picked to be the match favorite.

 

Vivian Villarreal will have to get over Matt Tetrault in order to face Rodney Morris to qualify. Jasmin Ouschan took care of Dan Louie 10-6 but will have to face Kenichi Uchigaki of Japan next. Ouschan lost to a Japanese player earlier in the event, and if she wins will have to face Spain's carlos Cabello who earlier defeated Ralf Souquet. Kelly Fisher will have to hurdle Ramil Gallego of the Philippines and then face top USA pro Charlie Williams to qualify. The rest of the women field have been eliminated.

 

If a women's pro makes it through, it will mark the first time in the 9 year history of the event a woman would have finished in the prize money and in the top quarter of the field.

 

JBETpoker.net is offering bonus money to the top woman's finisher of $1000 and $500 for the second highest in addition to the regular prize money.

 

Players or fans wanting info please email world10ballchampionships@gmail.com or call 1-407-782-4978 www.dragonpromotions.com

Ouschan & Villarreal Strike First Blood at Predator International 10-Ball Championship

Photo courtesy Sandor's Album

photo courtesy WPBA

Photo courtesy www.9ballpool.co.uk

Though the Asian countries such as the Philippines and Taiwan have has a mystique of seemingly near invulnerable players, it is actually the talent of the Europeans and Americans who have had the biggest wins of the recent years. Currently at this year's Predator International 10-Ball Championship, the list of western World Champions, US Open Champions, and other big title winners is staggering!

photo courtesy BilliardsDigest.com

 Photo courtesy Matchroom Sport

 The Black Widow will be hungry for some wins against the men

Women's World 10-Ball Championship Supported by Philippines Sporting Associations

 

 

Manila, Philippines-  The Women's World 10-Ball Championship will be sanctioned by the BSCP and the BMPAP, two of the leading governing bodies of billiards in the Philippines. The event will take place at SM Mall North Edsa in Manila on June 2-6,2009. Dragon Promotions will also be assisted by its local partner Bugsy Promotions, one of the top management groups in the Philippines representing players such as Ronnie Alcano and Dennis Orcullo.

Two time World 9-Ball Champion Ga Young Kim (Korea), World #1 Monica Webb (USA), 2008 Player of the Year Kelly Fisher (England), Japanese Champion Akimi Kajitani and World Games Gold Medalist Jasmin Ouschan (Austria) are just some of the all stars of female talent attending the event. Filipina talents Rubilen Amit(2007 World Championship runner -up) and Iris Ranola (2nd Place US Open) will be the top two hot local favorites.

 

The Powerhouses of Philippines Pool: (L to R) Aristeo Puyat of BSCP & Puyat Sports, Jonathan Sy of Negros Stables, Verna Mariano & Perry Mariano of Bugsy Promotions, and Charlie Williams of Dragon Promotions all enjoy a casual celebration dinner of the inaugural Women's World 10-Ball Championship

 

"We are delighted to have Dragon Promotions join us in the Philippines and help cultivate the growth of our national sport." said Aristeo "Putch" Puyat, newly elected Chairman of the BSCP and Head of Puyat Sports. " We welcome the women from around the world and will treat them as our royal guests. Women's pool in the Philippines has been non-existent in terms of events, so The Women's World 10-Ball Championship also gives our female players a chance to play and shine in their country and to the world."

 

The historic event is considered to be the biggest women's sporting event of the year for the Philippines, and will have massive media attention including 25 hours of live coverage on ABS-CBN, the leading TV channel of the Philippines. 48 women from around the globe will attend the event vying for $20,000 (1M) 1st place prize out of the $75,000 (3.75M) purse available. SM Mall North Edsa and JBETPOKER.net are some of the primary sponsors of the event.

 

"It has been a pleasure working with Cindy Lee and Charlie Williams these past several months. Bugsy Promotions has been very busy trying to manage so many players and help build billiards credibility here, and so an organization like Dragon Promotions really takes our efforts to another level. It is great to have such a strong partnership with two good companies on the same page with the right goals", says Cerefino "Perry" Mariano, VP of Bugsy Promotions and Co-Founder of the BMPAP.

 

"Billiards, the sport of the Philippines. The sport of the people."

 

Bugsy Promotions was founded in 2002 by Perry and Verna Mariano. What started as an effort to help a handful of talented but struggling players became a army of talent. Bugsy promotes and produces events such as the Villards Cup Tour which consists of monthly pro events for the Filipino players, Quezon City Philippines vs The World, and The Billiards Idol Tour which young upcoming Filipino players can come out and make a name for themselves.  Today Bugsy Promotions manages over thirty players including BCA Open Champion Dennis Orcllo, World 9-Ball & 8-Ball Champion Ronnie Alcano, and World 9-Ball Finalist Roberto Gomez.

 

Dragon Promotions is one of the leading producers of billiard programming in the world today. Dragon produces over 40 events a year airing on networks in the Philippines, USA, Korea, India, and Europe such as ABS-CBN, ESPN, MBC ESPN, XTM, XPORTS, and Euro Sport. Events include The Women's World 10-Ball Championship, The World 14.1 Championship, The Predator International 10-Ball Championship, King & Queen of Carom, Empress Cup, Pro Pool Schools, Women's Trickshot Challenge, World Junior 10-Ball Championships, Korea vs USA, and many more.  Dragon also manages some of the world's best players including Mika Immonen, Jeanette Lee, Shanelle Loraine, Mike Davis, Yu Ram Cha,  Raj Hundal, , Rodney Morris,  Charlie Williams, and many more. 
Visit www.dragonpromotions.com  or www.dragonpromotions.co.kr

The World Pool Masters title is Appleton's second big win in six months. Despite being the reigning world 10-ball champion, Darren Appleton might not have been the first choice to win the World Pool Masters.

It's not in doubt that the Englishman is among the world's top players, but just two nights before Matchroom Sport's big-money event, he had lost a race-to-100 match a few nights to Dennis Hatch, all the while struggling to find his top form.

But at the World Pool Masters, everything clicked for Appleton. And with 16 world-class players drawn into a single-elimination bracket, he had no time to tinker with his stroke. Instead, he came out firing, posting an easy 8-3 win over Raj Hundal.

Appleton then matched up with five-time Masters winner Ralf Souquet. While Souquet struggled with the break, Appleton managed to hold a small throughout the match, earning a difficult hill-hill victory. Another tight match, this time an 8-6 against Mika Immonen, and Appleton was in the final.

Facing Nick Van den Berg, who had just won the 9-ball division at the European Pool Championships, Appleton faced an uphill battle from the start. Ceding the first three racks, he then collected the next six racks for an 6-3 lead. On the hill, 7-4, Appleton pocketed a 4-9 combination for the title.

"This gives me a lot more belief that I can go on and keep winning titles," he said. "My target has been to get in the Mosconi Cup and winning this puts me in the mix."

Hatch extended his lead late in the final night of play. With thousands of pool players heading to Las Vegas in mid-May for the BCA Pool League's National Championships, there was no doubt that action matches were not going to be in short supply. And to kick things off, Darren Appleton and Dennis Hatch put up $10,000 a piece in a three-day 10-ball match, produced and webcast by The Action Report.

Handicapping the race-to-100 set proved to be a bit tricky. Darren Appleton entered the match as the reigning 10-ball world champion. The Brit has been plenty busy, playing in a slew events in the U.S. Hatch, meanwhile, has been in top form in recent months. He has obliterated the Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour, winning five events in 2009, while finishing second at February's talent-rich Turning Stone Classic XII.

Held May 4-6 at Pool Sharks in Sin City, the match started with a hot-shooting Appleton grabbing a 7-3 lead. He maintained a small advantage early in the first night of competition. But Hatch, never accused of slow playing, slipped into a rhythm and collected 10 straight racks. He continued to ride a jack-hammer break to a first-day lead of 35-26.

Appleton continued to struggle on the second day, convinced he had some bugs in his usually impeccable stroke fundamentals. While both players searched to get comfortable at the table, Hatch maintained his lead, closing out the second night with a 70-63 lead.

A final-day comeback was certainly possible, with Appleton sitting just a quick hot streak from tying the match. But Hatch turned turned the third night into a victory lap, pulling out to a nearly insurmountable lead. He eventually ended the set, 100-83.

The action continues at Pool Sharks, with The Action Report airing a match between U.S. Open champion Rodney Morris and Chris Bartrum, one of the most seasoned road players in the country.

Beginning May 8, the two will play a 15-ahead set of 10-ball, with Bartram getting the wild 8. Again, the stakes are $10,000 per man, with the winner walking away with $20K.

Go to www.theactionreport.com for more information or to order the pay-per-view broadcast.

How does the largest and most recognizable amateur pool league system get even larger and more recognizable?

Easy. They sign the game's most recognizable face and name to help spread the word.

The American Poolplayers Association has inked pool diva Jeanette Lee to a four-year deal through which the Black Widow will become the face of the 260,000-member organization. The deal was announced today in Las Vegas at the APA's annual League Operator's Convention.

"Jeanette's the most recognizable pool player in the world," said APA public relations manager Jason Bowman. "Our potential customers are the people who don't play pool, and she's the player who can best help us market to that group."

According to Bowman, Lee will serve as official spokesperson for the APA and APA Pool Leagues, and will appear in ads, commercials and on point of purchase materials. Lee will also make a predetermined number of appearances on behalf of the Lake Saint Louis, Mo.-based league association.

"The APA is a perfect fit for me," said Lee. "The amateurs love me and I love them.
And we have some cool ideas for programs that will bring the game to more people."

Details of the agreement were not disclosed, but it was confirmed that Lee's compensation package includes incentives based on APA member growth.

On Saturday, April 18, Edwin Reyes, a prominent figure in Philippine pool, was killed inside his home in Manila.

Superintendent Gerardo Ratuita, deputy chief of the Quezon City Police District’s Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit, reported that two men arrived at the home of Reyes on a motorcycle. One man entered Reyes' apartment, claiming he was there to deliver a pool cue. When he asked for Reyes to sign for the package, the alleged gunman shot Reyes twice at close range, according to Ratuita.

According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the two men escaped while neighbors rushed Reyes to the Quirino Memorial Medical Center, where he died an hour later.

Reyes, no relation to Efren Reyes, was the spokesman for the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP), an organization embroiled in a power struggle with the Billiard and Snooker Congress of the Philippines, the current governing body of pool in the country.

Police have yet to determine the motive for the killing, and there was no evidence to suggest the murder has any connection to Reyes’ role with the BMPAP.

Morris (right) will battle Chris Bartrum for $20K on May 8. With thousands of league players heading out to Las Vegas in May for a host of national championships, The Action Report has set up a pair of top-flight action matches.

First, scheduled for May 4-6, 10-ball world champion Darren Appleton will face American Dennis Hatch, who recently finished second at the Turning Stone Classic.

The two will face off in a race-to-100 match in 10-ball. The players will play Monday, May 4, until one player reaches 35 wins. They will return the next night to play until one reaches 70 total victories, and finish the race to 100 on Wednesday, May 6.

Just two nights later, U.S. Open champion Rodney Morris will square off with Chris Bartrum, one of the most seasoned road players in the country. The two will play 10-ball until one player is 15 games ahead, with Bartrum receiving a ball spot, which means that when Bartrum pockets either the 8 or 9 ball in a called pocket he wins that particular game.

For more information or to order the pay-per-view broadcasts, go to www.theactionreport.com.

Sigel will be the featured guest at Comet Billiards. (Photo by David Thomson-mediumpool.com) This Friday night, Hall of Famer Mike Sigel will be the special guest of the free Webcast of the $3,000 10-Ball Jackpot.

Streaming coverage from the Accu-Stats Arena at Comet Billiards in Parsippany, N.J., will be available at www.accu-stats.com. The show is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. (EST).

Sigel will bring his spirited personality as Pat Fleming hosts amateurs and masters alike in the Game Show 9-Ball event, which features contestants taking part in a do-or-die race to 1. Festivities also include the Accu-Stats 10-Ball Jackpot.

Tickets are $5 and are drawn for a chance at the rack. As no one has run out yet, the accumulating prize fund is near $3,000; that's $300 for every ball made on the break, and a runout will earn all of it.

For those of you within traveling distance of Comet Billiards, Sigel is available for one-on-one lessons and group sessions during his visit through April 15. For more info, please contact Pat Fleming at 800-828-0397.

Webb was on fire in the TV rounds, beating Jeanette Lee and Ga Young Kim. (Photo by Anne Craig-WPBA) Monica Webb went years without winning a WPBA event. Now, with a win at the 2009 Classic Tour debut, she's collected two titles in the span of five months.

For nearly a decade on the WPBA Classic Tour, Webb was the best player never to win a tournament. She had an impressively consistent record, advancing to the quarterfinals, if not the semifinal round, at seemingly every stop.

In November 2008, though, that all changed in the span of a few hours. At last season's finale, the WPBA Tour Championships, Webb broke through to her first final, where she pulled off a thrilling comeback against Kelly Fisher for her first WPBA victory.

Still riding high, months after what she freely admits as the greatest night of her life, Webb went unbeaten at the San Diego Classic — held at the Viejas Casino in Alpine, Calif., April 1-5.

Surviving a second-round scare from Kim White, 9-8, Webb advanced into the single-elimination, 16-player bracket with a 9-2 win over Line Kjorsvik. She then sent Tiffany Nelson-Crain packing, 9-4, to meet Korean sensation Yu Ram Cha in the quarterfinal round. Webb edged Cha, 9-7, then dominated Jeanette Lee, 7-1, to earn her second consecutive trip to the final.

Her opponent was Ga Young Kim, who survived an early upset to Arizona's Holly Sholes in the second round. Kim won three straight on the one-loss side to make the final 16. She then beat 2008 Rookie of the Year Iris Ranola, 9-3, 2008 Player of the Year Kelly Fisher, 9-6, and Gerda Hofstatter, 7-5.

In the final, Kim jumped out to an early 4-1 lead, but Webb took the next four games for a 5-4 lead. Kim tied the match at five apiece, but broke dry in the 11th game. Webb cleared that rack to get on the hill, then broke and ran the next for the 7-5 win.

With the WPBA resetting the points rankings at the start of each season, Webb grabbed the top spot with the win.

Five months away from the 2009 World 14.1 Straight Pool Championship, CueSports International has posted a dozen qualifiers for its NCS 14.1 Continuous National Championship.

Two spots in the World Championship event will be at stake at the second NCS National Championship. (The 8-ball event wrapped up in February.)

The first qualifier will be played at Pool Sharks in Las Vegas, on April 18-19. Qualifying events are scheduled across the country, all offering at least one spot in the NCS National Championship, set for July 31-Aug. 2 at Comet Billiards in Parsippany, N.J. Winners of qualifying events receive entry into and paid airfare to the National Championship.

Visit www.playcsipool.com for more information and a complete calendar of qualifiers.

Last year's No. 1 Kelly Fisher has sights set on defending the top spot. (Photo by Anne Craig-WPBA) On Thursday morning, the 2009 WPBA Classic Tour will officially be underway. In the Viejas Casino, which is hosting the women's professional tour for the 13th time, early round play will begin at 10 a.m. (Pacific Standard Time)

Kelly Fisher, who has collected three titles at the San Diego Classic, will look to begin 2009 the way she ended 2008, as the No. 1 ranked player on the women's professional tour.

With all players beginning the year at zero points — the WPBA switched to a single-season ranking system in 2008 — the player who wins in San Diego will be the new No. 1.

And although there are arguably seven or eight top contenders on the Classic Tour, Allison Fisher and Kelly Fisher have to be the favorites. Following Kelly's run of three straight titles at the Viejas from 2005-2007, Allison took last year's event, with a victory over Gerda Hofstatter in the final.

"I couldn’t wish for a better place to start the year off," she said. "I am looking forward to returning and trying to defend my title.”

A new addition to the Classic Tour, non-televised matches will be available for viewing over the Internet, thanks to live streaming coverage by AZBilliards and the WPBA. Visit www.wpba.com for more information.

Schmidt (right) cleared an open table after a miss by Deuel. The 2009 Diamond Open Pro Players 10-Ball Championship, held alongside the Allen Hopkins Super Billiards Expo, turned into a rebuttal to the supposed European take-over of professional pool.

Some of the Continent's finest, like Ralf Souquet, Thorsten Hohmann and Mika Immonen, littered the 47-player fiend. But the U.S. was the only country represented in the final four.

And John Schmidt was the last American standing. After a loss to Corey Deuel on Saturday night, Schmidt battled his way through Souquet, Charlie Bryant and Oscar Dominguez for a rematch with Deuel in the final.

Schmidt opened the race-to-13 set in perfect form, taking an early 4-1 lead. But Deuel fought back to tie the match at seven games apiece. From there, the two traded racks until it was 10-10.

Deuel get on the hill, 12-10, but couldn't close out the match. Schmidt took two do-or-die racks to force a case game for the $20,000 title.

After Schmidt came up dry on the break, Deuel appeared on his way to running out but fell a little out of line on the 5 ball. His cut on the orange ball rattled in the jaws of the pocket.

From there, Schmidt cleaned up the final few balls to claim the title — his second big win in 2009 after winning the one-pocket division at the Derby City Classic.

Diamond Open Pro Players 10-Ball Championship
March 19-22 — King of Prussia, Pa.
1. John Schmidt $20,000
2. Corey Deuel $7,000
3. Oscar Dominguez $5,000
4. Charlie Bryant $4,000
5. Ralf Souquet, Thorsten Hohmann $3,500
7. Al Lapena, Dominick Jentsch

Pagulayan (right) roared past Mika Immonen in the 2008 WPM final. (Photo by J.P. Parmentier-kozoom.com) Matchroom Sport has announced the draw and schedule for the 2009 World Pool Masters has released. And as it happens, the competition will begin this year as it ended in '08 — with Alex Pagulayan at the table.

The energetic Filipino certainly earned his nickname at the 2008 WPM, when the Lion roared back from a 6-3 deficit against Mika Immonen to take the title, 8-6. This year's event — scheduled for May 8-10 at the Riviera Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas — will debut with Pagulayan taking on Nick Van den Berg of the Netherlands.

Other big-time matchups include reigning 14.1 world champ Niels Feijen battling Mosconi Cup teammate Tony Drago, and England's Darren Appleton squaring off against Raj Hundal, who now represents India.

The 16-player, single-elimination event features races to 8, with winner breaks.


Fri., May 8, 7:00 p.m. (local time)
Match 1 - Alex Pagulayan (Philippines) v. Nick Van den Berg (Holland)
Match 2 - Johnny Archer (U.S.) v. Imran Majid (England)
Match 3 - Shane Van Boening (U.S.) v. Yu Ram Cha (Korea)

Sat., May 9, 2:00 p.m.
Match 4 - Niels Feijen (Holland) v. Tony Drago (Malta)
Match 5 - Ralf Souquet (Germany) v. Ruslan Chinakhov (Russia)
Match 6 - Darren Appleton (England) v. Raj Hundal (India)

Sat., May 9, 7:00 p.m.
Match 7 - Dennis Orcollo (Philippines) v. Alain Martel (Canada)
Match 8 - Mika Immonen (Finland) v. Fu Jianbo (China)
Match 9 - Quarterfinal 1 (Winners of matches 1 and 2)

Sunday, May 10, 2:00 p.m.
Match 10 - Quarterfinal 2 (Winners of matches 3 and 4)
Match 11 - Quarterfinal 3 (Winners of matches 5 and 6)
Match 12 - Quarterfinal 4 (Winners of matches 7 and 8)

Sunday, May 10, 2:00 p.m.
Match 13 - Semifinal 1 (Winners of quarterfinals 1 and 2)
Match 14 - Semifinal 2 (Winners of quarterfinals 3 and 4)
Match 15 - Final

Blomdahl took home the title last year, including more than $44,000 in prize money. (Photo by J.P. Parmentier-kozoom.com) The AGIPI Billiard Masters began in November of last year with 20 of the world's greatest three-cushion players matching up in preliminary round-robin groups. This weekend, the remaining eight players will battle for the AGIPI title and a portion of the $167,000 prize fund.

The players have been drawn into a single-elimination bracket, with quarterfinal play set to kick off at 6 p.m. (local time, five hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time) at the AGIPI Auditorium in Strassburg, France.

The weekend's schedule is as follows (all times local):
Quarterfinal: Thurs., March 12 at 6:00: Forthomme-Bury
Quarterfinal: Thurs., March 12 at 9:00: Merckx-Jaspers
Quarterfinal: Fri., March 13 at 5:00: Caudron-Kasidokostas
Quarterfinal: Fri. 13/03 at 10:15: Sayginer-Blomdahl
Semifinal 1: Sat., March 14 at 6:30
Semifinal 2: Sat., March 14 at 10:30
FINAL: Sun., March 15 at 6:00

All matches will be broadcast live on www.agipibilliardmasters.com.

According to a March 3 press release, the Billiard Congress of America will be accepting nominations for seven available spots on the organization's Board of Directors.

Six of the seats are designated for manufacturers and distributors, with the remaining vacancy open to a room operator.

According to the release:
Candidates interested in running or those wishing to nominate a candidate should contact Robin Dahlen, BCA managing director, at robin@bca-pool.com to let the BCA know of your intentions by 5:00 p.m. (EST), Wednesday, April 1, 2009.

Those who are nominated will receive a Candidate Data Form via e-mail no later than the next business day. The form is also available for download as a PDF file on the BCA Web site at: http://www.bca.affiniscape.com/associations/7744/files/BCA_CandidateDataForm_20
09BODElection.pdf.

For more information on the vacancies on the BCA Board of Directors, visit www.bca-pool.com.

Ignacio Chavez breezed through a triple-digit field at this past weekend's Predator 9-Ball Tour event in Parsippany, N.J. After snapping off the debut event of the New York-area tour, Chavez stood just one set away from his second consecutive win on the Predator 9-Ball Tour. The only problem? Mika Immonen looked to be in dead stroke while making a run through the one-loss side.

After a tough 7-5 loss to Robb Saez, Immonen dominated the one-loss side with wins over Randy Schwager, 7-3, Mhet Vergara 7-2. He returned Sunday morning and kept cruising, beating Sean Morgan, 9-2, Al Lapena, 9-7, Frankie Hernandez, 9-0, and Jorge Rodriguez, 9-3.

In the semifinal, Immonen faced tour founder Tony Robles. Again, the reigning U.S. Open champ jumped out to an early lead over Robles, eventually closing the set, 9-3.

In the final, Immonen consistently ranout from the break, while Chavez struggled to make a ball on the break. Whenever he was able to drop something on the break, he usually could get a clean look at the 1 ball.

Immonen cruised to an 11-4 win, worth a tidy profit of $1,400.

Predator 9-Ball Tour
Comet Billiards — Parsippany, N.J.
1. Mika Immonen $1,400
2. Ignacio Chavez $1,000
3. Tony Robles $700
4. Jorge Rodriguez $500
5. (tie) George Sansouci, Frankie Hernandez $325
7. (tie) Oscar Bonilla, Al Lapena $225

Darren Appleton, who reigned for six years as English 8-ball's No. 1 player, clearly knows his way around the small table.

At the 2009 U.S. Bar Table Championships — held through Sunday at the Sands Regency Casino Hotel in Reno, Nev. — Appleton is showing his mastery in various disciplines.

The reigning World 10-Ball Champion, Appleton snapped off the 10-ball bar table title by defeating Glen Atwell. Going undefeated through the field, Appleton defeated Shane Van Boening, Mark Tadd and Stan Tourangeau to win the $4,100 title.

Not only that, but Appleton has already assured himself of a spot in the 9-ball final. He topped reigning 8-ball champ Mitch Ellerman to secure the hot-seat.

While the 9-ball event wraps up, the 8-ball field will continue to battle until a winner is determined on Sunday, March 1.

The Action Report is offering streaming coverage of both the 9-ball and 8-ball events. For more information, visit www.theactionreport.com.

Souquet captured his first title of the year at the Turning Stone Casino. (Photo by Sam Gray) It's never easy to snap off a 128-player professional tournament, but over the weekend Ralf Souquet made it look pretty elementary. At the Turning Stone Classic XII, Souquet rolled through the winners bracket before topping New York's Dennis Hatch in the final, 13-7.

In his eight straight victories, Souquet had only two that could be considered close — a pair of 9-6 matches against Jeremy Sossei and Louis Ulrich. As he closed in on the hot-seat, the Kaiser only got better, as he dominated Shane Van Boening, 9-4, and Mika Immonen, 9-1.

Hatch, meanwhile, bounced back from a 9-7 loss to Van Boening. He won five straight — including tight matches with Van Boening and Immonen — to advance to the final of the Joss Northeast Tour's big-money bi-annual event.

Not that this should come as a surprise, considering Hatch won five straight events on Mike Zuglan's Joss tour.

But in the final, Souquet was in complete control. The steely German extended his lead in the race-to-13, closing out the set, 13-7.

The pending lawsuit between the Billiard Congress of America and CueSports International, operator of the BCA Pool League, has been settled.

In a joint release, the BCA and CSI announced that the two organizations agreed that the "BCA Pool League" moniker can still be used, while any other reference to the BCA is barred. According to the release, neither party admitted to any wrongdoing.

Also, the release states, "The parties have agreed that CSI may continue to use the service marks 'BCA Pool League' and 'BCAPL' in conjunction with pool leagues operated by it. Further, the parties agreed that CSI will not have the right to utilize the name and service marks 'Billiard Congress of America,' 'BCA' or any of BCA’s other marks."

The BCA and CSI have also agreed to keep all other terms of the settlement agreement confidential.

This weekend 64 women are gathering at The Parlor in Bellevue, Wash., for the WPBA's Regional Tour Championship. The players will be vying for invitations to every Classic Tour event in 2009. And, thanks to a number of pool Web sites, the tournament will be streamed live over the Internet free of charge.

The stream will be available by going to www.wpba.com, www.azbilliards.com and www.nwpatour.com, as well as many of our WPBA Regional Tour Web sites. The broadcast for the RTC, which is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 21–22, will also include exclusive player interviews, commentary and a chat room for questions and answers. Streaming will begin one match per round starting at 9 a.m. (PST) on Saturday and run through approximately 7 p.m. that evening. It will then pick up the action again at 9 a.m. Sunday and run through the finals match.

For more information, log onto www.wpba.com.

Ozone Billiards has recently reached an agreement to become the presenting sponsor for the Association of College Unions International’s 2009 National Collegiate 9-Ball Championship.

By sponsoring this event, Ozone Billiards is helping billiard players from more than 600 colleges and universities participate in regional and national tournaments. Students will have a chance to become tournament champions and possibly to receive one of the five different scholarships.

“Once we heard that ACUI needed a sponsor, we felt it was our responsibility to support them as one of the leaders in the billiards industry,” Ozone Billiards President Shawn Gargano stated. “We believe that these young adults are not only the future for billiards, but also the future of our country. Through our sponsorship, we are able to foster in them a passion for billiards while helping them to continue their education.”

During the last two weekends in February, ACUI will hold regional recreation tournaments featuring 9-ball billiards in 14 locations throughout the United States. Participants in the national tournament must first compete in these qualifying events. Specific dates and details about eligibility and registration can be found at www.acui.org/programs/student.

ACUI collegiate championship tournaments are designed to contribute to the complete development of students and professionals. ACUI further promotes its core value of community through its recreation and leisure activities program. To learn more about the ACUI visit, www.acui.org.

For more information about Ozone Billiards, one of the largest retailers of billiard supplies in the United States, visit www.ozonebilliards.com.

The Billiard Congress of America has launched registration for the 26th edition of the International Billiard & Home Recreation Expo scheduled for June 25-27, 2009, at the Sands Convention Center in Las Vegas.

Registrants can take advantage of three easy ways to register for the 2009 BCA Expo:

• Go to www.bcaexpo.com, click on the red registration button and follow the simple online registration process.

• Go to www.bcaexpo.com, click on Attendee Registration, download the registration form and fax it to (708) 226-1310 or mail it to William T. Glasgow, 10729 163rd Place, Orland Park, IL 60467.

• Call the BCA to request a registration form at 303.243.5070, extension 23.
Further, the BCA has extended the window for its members to receive free registration for the BCA Expo until April 30, 2009.

The BCA has also enhanced www.bcaexpo.com in an effort to provide attendees and exhibitors a single source for information on the 2009 BCA Expo and facilitate a smooth planning process. In addition to general information such as attendee registration details, exhibitor marketing options, schedule of events, seminar details and hotel information, www.bcaexpo.com has been improved to provide additional useful information including:

• FAQs with answers to commonly asked operational, marketing and administrative questions surrounding the Expo.

• Interactive Floor Plan offering a real-time view of the exhibit hall, including exhibitor contact information, listing of their products and services and Web site.

• Marketing Tool Box with tips and links for exhibitors to maximize the return on their Expo investment.

For more information, visit www.bca-pool.com or call (866) 852-0999.

Drago will look to defend his 10-ball title beginning May 12. (Photo by J.P. Parmentier-kozoom.com) When thousands of amateur pool players invade the Riviera Casino and Hotel in May for the BCA Pool League's National 8-Ball Championships, they will have a chance to get a little inspiration by watching some of the best players in the world.

For the second straight year, both the World Pool Masters and International 10-Ball Championships will be held during the amateur event. The Predator-sponsored 10-ball event, which was won by Malta's Tony Drago last year, is scheduled for May 12-17, while the World Pool Masters is expected to be held May 8-10.

The PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters is a 16-player single-elimination contest, which Alex Pagulayan won last year with a win over Mika Immonen in the final.

Visit www.playbca.com for more information. Tickets for both events should be made available shortly.

The Predator 9-Ball Tour is set to launch it’s 2009 season.  The first stop of the New York-area tour’s second season is scheduled for this weekend, Feb. 7-8, at Raxx Pool Room in West Hempstead, N.Y.

New to the Predator Tour this year will be the addition of a second-day amateur event, hosted on the Sunday of each open event. This amateur tournament will be limited to 32 players.
 
Any player that played in the open event on Saturday has first dibs to play in Sunday's amateur event. The entry fee is $20 for players who competed in the open tournament, and $45 for players who did not. Also, those who play in the open event and the B-C-D event will receive 10 bonus points toward the the year-end rankings. 
 
The list of host rooms for the 2009 season are:
Eastside Billiards — New York, N.Y.
Amsterdam Billiards — New York, N.Y.
Gallery Billiards — Allentown, Pa.
Mr. Cue Billiards — Lindenhurst, N.Y.
Paradise Billiards — Sunnyside, N.Y.
BQE Billiard Cafe — Jackson Heights, N.Y.
Castle Billiards — East Rutherford, N.J.
Raxx Pool Room — West Hempstead, N.Y.
Comet Billiards — Parsippany, N.J.
Cuebar — Bayside, N.Y.

“We are extremely excited to have these new rooms added to the tour and hope the efforts of the tour and the room’s support help continue the life and prosperity of the game of pool,” tour founder Tony Robles said.

Visit the official site at www.predator9balltour.com to view the 2009 schedule and rankings.
 
Entry Fees:
$100 Open/Pro
$75 A/A+
$60 B/B+
$50 C/D
$40 Juniors

Registration:
Annual $25 fee

Format:
- 64 player fields
- Double elimination
- Races to 9 (shorter races depending on the stop, number of players and host room)
- Final is one race to 11
- Rack your own
- Alternate breaks
- No soft breaks
- Collared shirt required
- Doors open at 10 a.m.
- Registration closes at noon
- Matches start at 12:30 or 1 p.m. depending on how quickly the field fills

Van Boening took home $16,000 for his victory in the Horseshoe Casino in Elizabeth, Ind. Nothing is easy by the final day of the Derby City Classic, and Shane Van Boening's late charge to winning the 9-ball division was no exception. The 25-year-old topped Johnny Archer, Ralf Souquet and Lee Vann Corteza on Saturday to snap off the 2009 DCC 9-ball event.

The unique format of Derby City, where each player has one buy-back and each round is a blind draw, often results in some strange late-round situations. This year's 9-ball division, however, was unexpectedly efficient. By Saturday afternoon, only eight players remained, all of whom already exercised the buy-back option. This effectively turned the competition into an eight-man single-elimination bracket.

Van Boening, who dropped a tough 7-5 set to Archer in the previous round, drew his Mosconi Cup teammate again. This time Van Boening flipped the score on Archer, knocking him from the competition.

Van Boening then drew Ralf Souquet, who has won the Derby 9-ball title an incredible three times in the last six years. But this time, the German couldn't keep up, and Van Boening earned a spot in the final with a 7-3 victory.

The other semifinal featured Filipino champion Corteza against Adam Smith, who improved on a surprise 10th-place finish in last year's event. Smith kept pace with Corteza, who also won $10,000 in the Fatboy 10-ball Challenge, but the Filipino pulled away late for a 7-5 win.

Up 5-3 in the race-to-7 final, Corteza bobbled a ball in the corner pocket. Van Boening charged back to climb on the hill, 6-5, but would be joined by his opponent in the next game. In the final rack, Van Boening missed on the 2 ball, but Corteza answered with a scratch. From there, Van Boening easily cleaned up the case game for the title.

Brumback won the $20,000 Master of the Table award. (Photo by David Thomson/mediumpool.com) ELIZABETH, Ind. -- John Brumback has been awarded the 2009 Derby City Classic Master of the Table. The banks champion led the points race for the $20,000 first prize from wire to wire - but just barely.

In the closest finish possible, Brumback edged Tennessee's Johnathan Pinegar by a half of a point. Brumback ended his DCC with 175.5 points, while Pinegar accumulated 175 points through the three events.

Brumback, a self-professed part-time player who spends a few months getting geared up for the annual jamboree, was near speechless after being announced as the all-around champion in front of a packed Accu-Stats arena.

"I've dreamed of being the all-around champion for a long time," he said. "I know I'd been close to it before, but to actually win it ... It really hasn't sunk in yet."

After winning the banks division, Brumback played consistently excellent pool in both the one-pocket and 9-ball events. He finished the 9-ball event tied for 9th place.

When Brumback was eliminated from the 9-ball division, Pinegar had received a bye into the next round after a grinding victory over Thorsten Hohmann. He lost to Michigan's Adam Smith, in a match that turned out to be for much more than a berth in the next 9-ball draw.

Though the final point totals were unknown until all the round's matches were completed, Pinegar fell short of the title by a half of a point.

Saturday night will see the conclusion of the straight-pool and 9-ball events. Currently, the semifinal matches in the 9-ball event are being played. Shane Van Boening is taking on Ralf Souquet, and Adam Smith is up against Lee Vann Corteza of the Philippines.

The 14.1 event, sponsored by BD columnist Bob Jewett, will wrap up with a Danny Harriman-Darren Appleton final. Appleton, the world 10-ball champion, won last year's event, the first time he played competitive straight pool. Harriman, meanwhile, is considered to be one of the best 14.1 players in the United States.

Pinegar is the favorite to win the 2009 Master of the Table award. (Photo by David Thomson/mediumpool.com) ELIZABETH, Ind. -- The Derby City Classic is renowned for its long hours and unpredictability. But in the 9-ball division at this year's event, the final rounds will march along according to an easy plan. All eight of the remaining players are on one loss, meaning it's effectively a single-elimination race from here on out.

All three players who entered Saturday afternoon's late afternoon matches holding a buy-back option lost their matches - Shane Van Boening lost to Johnny Archer, Darren Appleton beat the previously undefeated Rodolfo Luat, and Lee Vann Corteza upended Ralf Souquet.

After the draw, the four matches are:
- Archer vs. Van Boening
- Luat vs. Souquet
- Adam Smith vs. Johnathan Pinegar
- Darren Appleton vs. Corteza

Dependent on the 9-ball event, Bob Jewett's $10,000-added Straight Pool Challenge will wrap up, once Appleton is available to switch disciplines. 14.1 specialist Danny Harriman will face the 10-ball world champ for the title.

As the action winds down at the Horseshoe Casino in Elizabeth, Ind., Accu-Stats has plenty of previously recorded matches available for download. Visit www.accu-stats.com for more information.

Brumback (right) dropped a 7-5 heartbreaker to Adam Smith. (Photo by David Thomson/mediumpool.com) ELIZABETH, Ky. -- More than a week after the 9-ball banks division got rolling at the 2009 Derby City Classic, the race for the $25,000 Master of the Table is down to three players.

Kentucky native John Brumback currently holds the points lead for the all-around championship with 175.5. The 45-year-old began his bid for the lucrative title by winning the 9-ball banks division, where he beat Filipino Rodolfo Luat in back-to-back sets in the final. Following a strong performance in the one-pocket division, Brumback was just knocked out of the 9-ball event in 10th place.

Sitting in second in points is Johnathan Pinegar, who is also known by the name of Hennessee. The 31-year-old pro finished third in banks and fifth in one-pocket. He currently has 130 points, though this does not include what he has earned in a spectacular showing in the 9-ball event. On Saturday afternoon, Pinegar dropped a tough match to Thorsten Hohmann. The German star cleaned up the case game after Pinegar scratched on the break.

Redemption wasn't far off, though, as he drew Hohmann in the next round. On the Accu-Stats TV table, Pinegar earned a tough 7-5 win, which carried even more significance after Brumback's elimination. After the win, a pumped-up Pinegar drew the bye, with just nine players remaining in the competition.

Currently, four matches are being played, with Shane Van Boening and Johnny Archer on the featured table. The other matches are Adam Smith vs. John Morra, Ralf Souquet vs. Lee Vann Corteza, and Darren Appleton vs. Luat.

Souquet, Luat and Van Boening are the only players who still hold their buy-back options, meaning they will have to lose two matches to be eliminated from competition.

Luat, an elder statesman of the Filipino contingent, is the only other player capable of winning the Master of the Table. Luat, who accumulated 100 points in the one-pocket and banks events, will need some help if he hopes to take home the all-around award. He has a shot at the title if he makes a deep run in the 9-ball event and Pinegar loses his next match.

The one-pocket division wrapped up Friday evening, with John Schmidt defeating Scott Frost, 3-1. Overcoming some tight nerves in the final, Schmidt strung together the final three games to beat Frost. Although widely regarded as one of the best American straight-pool players, "Mr. 400" Schmidt has plenty of experience with the game of one-pocket.

"I've played a lot of one-pocket over the years, and it's the game I've won the most money playing," he said. "But people don't think of me as a one-pocket player, so it's kind of like my little secret."

Frost (right) needs a pair of victories over Schmidt in the 1P final. (Photo by David Thomson/mediumpool.com) ELIZABETH, Ind. -- What start as a 334-player event is down to two. At the 2009 Derby City Classic, Scott Frost and John Schmidt will square off in the final of the one-pocket division.

The two are scheduled to play on the TV table in the Horseshoe Casino in Elizabeth, Ind., tonight at 6:30 p.m. While Frost has lost once, Schmidt remains undefeated, meaning he still has his buy-back. For Frost to win the title, he will need to defeat the 2006 U.S. Open champion twice.

Accu-Stats Video Productions will broadcast the one-pocket final on a pay-per-view basis on its Web site, www.accu-stats.com. Accu-Stats also has a backlog of matches from the 2009 Derby City Classic, which can be purchased for $3.95 each and viewed for seven days.

In the 9-ball division, the sixth round of play is currently underway, with a cavalcade of top names still in the running for the first major title of the year, including Francisco Bustamante, Shane Van Boening and Ralf Souquet.

More information on the 2009 Derby City Classic can be found at www.dcctickets.com.

With a top-10 finish in one-pocket, Brumback will be in the race for Master of the Table. (Photo by David Thomson) ELIZABETH, Ind -- As the 2009 Derby City Classic heads into its final weekend, the one-pocket field has dwindled to single digits, while the 9-ball division is hovering around 125 players.

The one-pocket tournament is down to six players - Jeremy Jones, Scott Frost, Jose Parica, John Pinegar, John Schmidt and Robert Melrose. Of the remaining players, only Schmidt and Parica still hold their buy-back options, meaning they have to lose two matches to be eliminated. Melrose, a previously unknown player among the massive Derby City field, has been the biggest surprise in the one-pocket division.

The early action on Friday will be primarily in the 9-ball division, with a sprinkling of the final rounds of the straight-pool challenge.

While there is certainly plenty to be settled in the race for the all-around "Master of the Table" title, two names are poised to make a run at the big-money points race. 9-Ball banks champ John Brumback, a part-time player from Owenton, Ky., posted a top-ten finish in one-pocket and is still alive in 9-ball.

Also, Pinegar, who finished third in banks, is guaranteed a top-six finish in one-pocket. Pinegar is also unbeaten in 9-ball.

Van Boening (right) and Morris topped England for the 2008 title. (Photo courtesy Matchroom Sport) The migration of big-time pool tournaments to the Philippines continues. Following the World 9-Ball and 10-Ball Championships, the World Cup of Pool will be held in Manila in 2009.

Matchroom Sport, which began the two-person team event in 2006, has announced that this year's version, scheduled for September 1 to 6, will be the first held outside of Europe.

"We're really looking forward to a great tournament because the World Cup of Pool is a special event and to bring it here to the Philippines is really exciting," said Matchroom Sport director Eddie Hearn.

"When Matchroom Sport wants to stage a major pool tournament the Philippines is always the first place we look to come. In terms of number one venues, this has to be our first choice."

The Filipino tandem of Efren Reyes and Francisco Bustamante conquered the inaugural World Cup in 2006, defeating the American duo of Rodney Morris and Earl Strickland. China won the title in 2007, with the American squad of Morris and Shane Van Boening winning it last October.

Hearn hinted that, with the Philippines being given two teams as hosts, the successful pairing of Reyes and Bustamante could be reunited for 2009.

"The Filipino people would want to see Efren and Django play together and it's very important that we make the choice that makes the people happy," explained Hearn.

Van Boening topped Reyes in a late-night match that drew plenty of interest. (Photo by Professor-Q-Ball) Entering the final rounds of the 9-ball banks division at the 2009 Derby City Classic, Rodolfo Luat looked to be in perfect shape to snap off his first DCC title. Not only was Luat unbeaten, meaning he had the ability to buy back into the event after a loss, but the Filipino also drew a bye when just three players remained.

Johnathan "Hennessee" Pinegar and John Brumback were left to face off, with the winner earning a shot at Luat. Brumback ousted Pinegar, 3-2, to advance to the banks final for the third time in six years. Brumback finished second in this event in both 2004 and 2005.

Needing to double dip Luat for the title, Brumback took the first set, 3-2, then eased to a second set win, 3-1.

In a slightly different setting, two of the biggest stars at the Horseshoe Casino matched up in late-night action on Monday evening and into Tuesday morning. Shane Van Boening proved that his winning last year's Louie Roberts Award (given to the player involved in the most action throughout the event) was no fluke.

Van Boening took on Efren Reyes in a race-to-23 10-ball match with the winner walking away with $20,000. While the Filipino legend held a small lead for much of the set, Van Boening managed to pull ahead late for a 23-19 win.

While action is nothing new to the DCC, the Fatboy 10-Ball Challenge is a first-time event. The $10,000-added tournament attracted 16 of the best players in the world, including Van Boening, Corey Deuel and Francisco Bustamante. But in the end, Lee Van Corteza would walk away with the $10,000 first prize.

In the semifinal, Van Corteza outlasted U.S. Open champ Immonen, 15-10, while Ralf Souquet topped Bustamante, 15-7. In the final, Van Corteza lead throughout, eventually closing out the set, 15-11.

 Poison Challenge Matches at Pressure Billiards & Palace Billiards with Bustamante, Williams & Immonen

Chicago, IL - Poison Cues Challenge Match Series will tour at two locations in the Chicago area featuring  Francisco Bustamante (PHI), Charlie Williams(USA), and 2008 Player of the Year Mika Immonen(FIN). The first event on February 4,2009 at Pressure Billiards in Chicago and then on February 7 at Palace Billiards in Villa Park. The three champions will entertain fans with trickshots, pool tips, challenges, and finale with pro round robin matches. Dragon Promotions will be producing these series of showdown matches sponsored by Poison Billiards.

The stars of the event begin with Finland's Mika Immonen, in most fan and media opinion the world's current greatest player and winner of the 2008 US Open, All Japan Championships, and Mosconi Cup. Next is USA's Charlie Williams, currently ranked #5 in the USA and winner of last year's Lucasi 10-Ball Classic. Finally, Filipino legend Francisco Bustamante, 2008 World All Around Champion, rounds out the trio. This will be the first time all three professionals have teamed up together for a tour, and a first for the Midwest.

"Chicago is my hometown, and I've been here my entire life. Even though our billiard productions take me around the world during the year, it's nice to be able to bring something like this home. These exhibitions are important and a way billiards can stay alive in a tough economy." explained Cindy Lee, CEO of Dragon Promotions.

                         

"We're really excited about the pros coming here. Our league players and everyday customers have never seen players of this caliber before. The clinic will help our players learn more and get more enjoyment out of playing, not to mention a lifetime of memories mingling with Bustamante, Immonen and Williams,"  said Wahib Merchant, Owner of Pressure.

Palace Billiards will host the second installment of Chicago's Poison Challenge at 7:30pm on Feb 7 in Villa Park, an area just minutes outside Chicago. Palace earlier in the day will be hosting the very prestigious and successful Predator Pro Pool School program developed by Dragon Promotions featuring Immonen, Bustamante, and Williams. The school continues through Sunday with students spending a total of 15 hours face to face with the champions, learning the secrets of professional pool.  Palace Billiards info can be found at www.myspace.com/palacebilliards  

Poison Billiards, an international billiards industry leader, is a high-performance recreation pool cue producer focused on bringing cutting-edge designs, with Predator engineering for best-in-class playability, to billiards players worldwide. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, USA, Poison Billiards is a division of The Predator Group whose core brands also include Predator Cues and Uni-Loc^®. For more information regarding The Predator Group, visit www.thepredatorgroup.com. For information on Poison Billiards visit www.poisonbilliards.com.

Dragon Promotions is one of the leading producers of billiard programming in the world today. Dragon produces over 40 events a year airing on networks in USA, Korea, India, and Europe such as ESPN, MBC ESPN, XTM, XPORTS, and Euro Sport. Events include The World 14.1 Championship, The Predator International 10-Ball Championship, King & Queen of Carom, Empress Cup, Pro Pool Schools, Women's Trickshot Challenge, World Junior 10-Ball Championships, Korea vs USA, and many more.  Dragon also manages some of the world's best players including Raj Hundal, Shanelle Loraine, Rodney Morris,  Charlie Williams, Jeanette Lee, Mika Immonen, Mike Davis, Yu Ram Cha and many more. 
Visit www.dragonpromotions.com  or www.dragonpromotions.co.kr

Luat is just a few rounds from his first title at the Derby City Classic. The 9-ball banks division at the 2009 Derby City Classic started with a typically swollen player list, this year topping out at 398 players. But after a few days of play, only four are left standing.

The final quartet — Rudolfo Luat, Shannon Daulton, Johnathan Pinegar and John Brumback — will begin play on Tuesday morning at the Horseshoe Casino in Elizabeth, Ind.

Of the final four, only Luat holds the option to buy back into the event. All the main tournaments at Derby City feature the buy-back format, allowing players one opportunity to pay a reduced entry fee after a loss.

The one-pocket division, which kicked off on Sunday, will also continue play at 11 a.m. (EST).

For those looking for a glimpse of the madness that is Derby City, both Accu-Stats Video Productions (www.accu-stats.com) and The Action Report (www.theactionreport.com) have live video coverage available over the Internet.

As the 2009 Derby City Classic kicks off at its new digs at the Horseshoe Casino in New Albany, Ind., Accu-Stats will make select tournament matches available on a pay-per-view basis.

The 11th annual Derby City Classic, which kicked off on Friday, Jan. 23, and runs through Saturday, Jan. 31, is one of the greatest spectacles in pool. Hundreds of players from around the world congregate in the Louisville-area for huge tournaments in 9-ball, banks, one-pocket and straight pool.

The Accu-Stats team offer the PPV Internet coverage for $9.95 per day. Multi-day packages are also available.

Visit www.accu-stats.com/liveppv.html for complete details.

Gray (right) dismantled Peach in the final, 11-6. (Photo by Lawrence Lustig/Matchroom Sport) Mark Gray, fresh off his victory as a part of Team Europe at the 2008 Mosconi Cup, kept up his hot shooting by winning the GB9 Midlands Classic, held Jan. 9-11 at Riley's American Pool and Snooker in Solihull, United Kingdom.

In the final of the GB 9-Ball Tour, Gray faced Daryl Peach, his teammate at the Mosconi Cup. Both Peach and Gray hail from the same region of the country and are good friends off the table and even teamed up for a second-place finish at last year's World Cup of Pool.

But this match was a one-sided affair, and Gray played fantastic pool on his way to an 11-6 final victory.

For more information on the tour, visit www.gb9balltour.com and www.pro9.co.uk.

Morris will give each new team a free lesson. (Photo courtest Matchroom Sport) One of America's top professional pool players, Rodney Morris will try his hand as an amateur league system owner. "The Rocket" has purchased the Phoenix-area UPA Amateur League, which is currently in its first season.

Along with his fiance Sheina Olivera, Morris will begin the first full season of the UPA Amateur League in February. As a top player working with amateurs, Morris hopes the new venture will increase the interaction between pro and amateur.

"It's an opportunity to help grow the sport and rejuvenate the pool scene out West," Morris said. "I believe this is a good way for the amateurs to get linked up with the pros, so I encourage other top pros to purchase franchises in their area and help grow the sport and interact with the amateurs more."

Players interested in joining a team should contact one of the following rooms in the Phoenix area:

Bullshooters
3337 W. Peoria Ave.
Phoenix, Ariz.
(602) 441-2447

Kitty's
2836 N. 36th St. #1
Phoenix, Ariz.
(602) 957-9786

For more information regarding playing in the Phoenix area, please call Sheina Olivera at 623-203-3999.

Holmes (right) double-dipped Kimbelton for the win. (Photo by Tony Fox) Despite ice storms and freezing temperatures across the Midwest, the 2008 BCAPL Springfield Shootout attracted 73 singles and 42 teams to the Holiday Inn in Springfield, Ohio. Held Jan. 8-11, the event was produced with hopes of giving players the opportunity to compete in a major-style BCAPL tournament without traveling across the country.

Three divisions — open men's singles, women's singles and open teams — vied for over $10,000 in cash. In the men's open tournament, Dayton's Lucas Hawkins not only upset the more experienced Shayne Morrow, but scorched the field without losing a set. In the women’s bracket, West Virginia's Christina Holmes double-dipped Beth Kimbelton to take the title.
 
In the team competition, Toledo's Still Smokin’ seemed unstoppable, beating a few favorites as they swept to the hot seat.
 
Meanwhile, Sportsmen's Timmons rallied through the losers bracket to converge with Still Smokin’ in the final. Sportsmen's Timmons easily won the first set, but Still Smokin'  took the second set to hill-hill, which resulted in each team putting up their best player to lag for the break in a nail-biting case game. Sportsmen's Timmons’ Dee Adkins then defeated Tim Roberts for the title.
 
Stay tuned to www.centralohiobca.com or www.playusapool.com for info and schedules.

Men’s Singles:
1. Lucas Hawkins $800
2. C.R. Henderson $500
3. Shane Morrow $330
4. Will Weiss $200

Women’s Singles
1. Christine Holmes $200
2. Beth Kimbelton $100
3. Sonya Allen $60

Teams
1. Sportsman's Timmons $1800
2. Still Smokin' $1100
3. No Chance $750

Van Boening was surprisingly kept from making the finals in either divisions. (Photo courtesy Jerry Forsyth) Coming from as far away as Colorado and Texas, 214 pool players entered the Olympia Open II, which was held Jan 1-4 at the Olympia Resort in Oconomowoc, Wisc. A total of six divisions — two 9-ball and four 8-ball divisions — attracted the large crowd of hopefuls, all with their eyes set on the $10,400-added prize fund.

Iowa's Chad Vilmont and Jesse Bowman secured the top end of the open 9-ball and 8-ball fields, respectively. Rico Torres captured the lower division 9-ball, and Shannon Lupton won the "B" division 8-Ball.

Chris De La Garza had an impressive start to the new year, winning the women's 8-ball crown, while also conquering the 70-player "A" division 8-ball.

Expectations ran high for BCAPL player representative Shane Van Boening, who placed third in the 9-ball and fourth in 8ball. But, let's face it, Chad Vilmont, Jason Kirkwood, Chris Bartrum and Jesse Bowman are among the strongest players in the Midwest.

Bowman deserves special credit for his performance, winning the open 8-ball division and taking second in the 9-ball flight.

For more information on BCAPL events, please visit www.playbca.com for a full schedule.

This past weekend King Street Billiards in Fayetteville, N.C., and Comet Billiards in Parsippany, N.J., hosted National Championship Series (NCS) 8-Ball qualifiers. Three additional players earned the right to compete in the NCS 8-Ball Championship at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas, scheduled for February 13-15.

Jim Faircloth won the qualifier at King Street Billiards, while Greg Antonakos and Redgie Cutler won the qualifier spots at Comet Billiards. Faircloth is a regular on the Jacoby Carolina Tour, and Antonakos and Cutler both play on the Joss Northeast Tour and the Predator 9-Ball Tour.

The NCS 8-Ball Championship — open to men, women, amateur and professional players with a max field of 64 players — will have a prize fund of $32,000. The winner will secure a spot to represent the U.S. at the WPA World 8-Ball Championship, which is scheduled for April 5-11 in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.

Seven NCS qualifiers are scheduled for this upcoming weekend, January 10-11, in the following locations:
— The Rack in Livonia, Mich.
— Casper Billiards in San Leon, Texas
— The Pool Room in Duluth, Ga.
— Hawaiian Brian’s in Honolulu, Hawaii (This event is also the Aloha State 8-Ball Championship)
— Pool Sharks in Las Vegas, Nev.
— Champions Billiard Sports Café in Arlington, Va.
— Butera’s in Moorpark, Calif.

For more information about the NCS and the NCS 8-Ball qualifiers call (702) 719-7665, or visit the CueSports International Web site at www.playcsipool.com . A complete calendar of events is listed under the events tab on the home page.

CueSports International, in addition to the NCS, is the parent company of the BCA Pool Leagues and produces the U.S Bar Table Championship (scheduled February 23 – March 1 at the Sands Reno Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas) and the Jay Swanson Memorial Tournament (scheduled February 7-8 at Hollywood Billiards in Hollywood, Calif.).

Tour founder and director Tony Robles has 19 dates on the schedule for 2009. After an impressive first season, the Predator 9-Ball Tour, founded by professional Tony Robles, has announced the dates for the 2009 season. The New York-based tour will begin its second season with an increased number of sponsors, though Predator remains the title backer.

"We look forward to growing the tour even more in 2009, through our collaboration with Tony Robles, by bringing together billiards' top pros and generating a new level of excitement in the United States,” said Karim Belhaj, CEO of the Predator Group.

Blatt Billiards, the largest Predator cue dealer in the world, is a new sponsor that will provide support in 2009. Also, the Seminole Tribe of Florida will sponsor the Empire State Championship, a $6,500-added event set for Sept. 12-13.

“We want to give the players as much opportunity to play as possible," Robles said. "We must continue to do everything we can to keep the sport alive."


2009 Predator 9-Ball Tour Schedule:

February 7-8
Raxx Pool Room
West Hempstead, N.Y.
(516) 538-9896

February 28-March 1
Comet Billiards
Parsippany, N.J.
(973) 334-7429

March 28-29
Mr. Cue. Billiards
Lindenhurst, N.Y.
(631) 226-9486

April 11-12
Cue Bar
Bayside, NY
(718) 631-2646

April 18-19
Raxx Pool Room
West Hempstead, N.Y.
(516) 538-9896

May 23-24
Comet Billiards
Parsippany, N.J.
(973) 334-7429

May 30-31
Gallery Billiards
Allentown, Pa.
(610) 841-4828

June 6-7
Paradise Billiards
Sunnyside, N.Y.
(718) 707-0147
June 13-14
East Side Billiard Club
New York, N.Y.
(212) 831-7665

June 27-28
Cue Bar
Bayside, N.Y.
(718) 631.2646

July 25-26
Amsterdam Billiard Club
New York, N.Y.
(212) 995-0333

August 15-16
Comet Billiards
Parsippany, N.J.
(973) 334-7429

August 29-30
Castle Billiards
East Rutherford, N.J.
(201) 933-6007

September 5-6
Dr. Louis Pannullo Charity Event
Cue Bar
Bayside, N.Y.
(718) 631-2646

September 12-13
Seminole Tribe of Florida Empire State Championship
Raxx Pool Room
West Hempstead, N.Y.
(516) 538-9896

September 19-20
Comet Billiards
Parsippany, N.J.
(973) 334-7429

October 24-25
Cue Bar
Bayside, NY
(718) 631-2646

December 12-13
Predator 9-Ball Tour
Season Finale
Raxx Pool Room
West Hempstead, N.Y.
(516) 538-9896

Hundal became a recognized star after winning the 2005 World Pool Masters. (Photo courtesy Matchroom Sport) Raj Hundal has signed on with the Dragon Promotions to be exclusively represented by the growing event production firm as one of pool's rising stars.

Hundal, known as "The Hitman," has to be a force to be reckoned with. He first turned heads in 2005 when he defeated top-seeded Yang Ching-Shun of Taiwan at the World 9-Ball Championship. He then shocked the field at the 2005 World Pool Masters by taking down veteran Rodney Morris in the finals.

"Raj has an enormous amount of confidence in himself, and that's going to take him a long way in this game," commented Charlie Williams, founder of Dragon Promotions. "He never gets down on himself and he has a smooth, fast-paced game that fans enjoy watching. Plus, he has a ton of charm and a witty sense of humor that makes people from all over root for him."

Dragon Promotions will be expanding into India in 2009, with the goal of promoting the growth of billiards in the world's second most populous country. DP has been involved in other markets, such as Korea and the United States. Recently, DP reached an agreement with Brunswick Billiards, who will be a partner in the firm's expansion into India. Both of Hundal's parents were born in India, and he is confident of India's future and potential.

"Dragon Promotions is a great company that I would have loved to join regardless, but when I heard about the expansion into India it gave me a boost of electricity!" Hundal said. "My roots are in India and though I lived in London awhile, I've been to India enough to know the sport could become massive there."

Crimi received the award for her work in a number of areas within the pool industry. (Photo courtesy the WPBA) Each year the Billiard Congress of America recognizes an outstanding individual who has made significant contributions to the billiard industry with the presentation of the BCA President’s Award. This year the BCA has chosen to recognize Fran Crimi, BCA Instructor Program administrator and BCA senior delegate to the World-Pool Billiard Association.

Crimi, a former pro player and previous president of the WPBA, is responsible for the oversight and management of the BCA Instructor Program. Crimi works closely with each instructor to ensure that certification is maintained on a yearly basis. She has worked to make the BCA a place where instructors can go for advice and to obtain their credentials, as well as a resource where players can turn when they are looking for a legitimate and qualified instructor. In fact, Crimi herself is a BCA Master Instructor, which is the highest level of certification that can be obtained in the program.

In her role as a BCA senior delegate to the WPA, Crimi works closely with the BCA’s WPA Committee to provide input back to the world organization on various issues, including the player selection process for international events, rules and specifications issues, potential scenarios for hosting international events in North America and other timely topics paramount to the sport and industry. In this capacity, she also represents the BCA at all WPA Board of Directors meetings and at the bi-annual General Assembly.

Crimi recently played a significant role in the WPA World Junior 9-Ball Championships and WPA World 9-Ball Championships for Wheelchair Players hosted in Reno, Nev., the first week of December. Crimi, in partnership with the United States Pool Players Association, was responsible for several logistical items related to both events.

“Fran’s dedication of time, talent and resources to the BCA, her willingness to work cooperatively and her personal commitment to the betterment of the billiard industry make her the obvious choice for this award,” said Ivan Lee, chairman of the BCA Board of Directors. “Fran is a highly-respected and well-known member of the billiard community. Her experience as the former head of the WPBA and as a BCA Master Instructor make her the ideal liaison to the WPA and manager of the BCA Instructor Program. Fran was chosen for both of these roles because of her litany of credentials and strong work ethic. She is truly an integral member of the BCA team.”

At last year's WPBA Regional Tour Championship, Susan Mello strung together eight consecutive wins on the left side to snap off the coveted title, which included five paid entries into Classic Tour events.

The 2009 championship is set for Feb. 21–22, at The Parlor in Bellevue, Wash. Sixty-four women will descend upon The Parlor (named best new room of the 2006 by BD) with the hope of recreating Mello's feat.

The WPBA currently recognizes nine regional tours that offer qualifiers to the winners of certain tournaments. With a qualifier, a player is able to participate in a specific Classic Tour event. The Regional Tour Championship offers players the chance to win paid qualifiers into every event for 2009.

More information on the WPBA Classic Tour ca be found at www.wpba.com . For more information on The Parlor, visit www.parlorbilliards.com.

Just a few weeks after Monica Webb pocketed the final 9 ball of the WPBA's 2008 Classic Tour, the schedule for the upcoming year was released to the public. As of Dec. 22, the WPBA has six events scheduled, though some of the exact dates are listed as tentative.

As scheduled, the 2009 season will be one event short of the seven held in 2008, and down two events from the 2007 season. For more information on the WPBA, visit the Classic Tour's official site at www.wpba.com .

2009 WPBA Classic Tour Dates

San Diego Classic — April 1-5
Viejas Casino
Alpine, Calif.

Great Lakes Classic — June 17-21
Blue Chip Casino
Michigan City, Ind.

U.S. Open — July 29-Aug. 2
Riverwind Casino
Norman, Okla.

Carolina Classic — Sept. 9-13
American Tobacco Campus
Durham, N.C.

Pacific Coast Classic — Oct. 14-18
Chinook Winds Casino
Lincoln City, Ore.

WPBA Tour Championship — Nov. 11-15
Seminole Hard Rock Casino
Hollywood, Fla.

Recent BCA Hall of Fame inductee Pat Fleming and the team from Accu-Stats will ring in the New Year with a live Internet stream of an 8-ball tournament.

CueSports International's National Championship Series (NCS) 8-Ball qualifier — scheduled for Jan. 3-4 at Comet Billiards in Parsippany, N.J. — will be available for viewing through the Accu-Stats Web site (www.accu-stats.com).

Matches from the TV table will also be streamed live on the CueSports International (CSI) Web site (www.playcsipool.com).

The qualifier will kick off Jan. 3 with the doors opening at 11 a.m. The first round is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. One to two players from the event will win entries to the NCS 8-Ball Championship. The entry for the qualifier is $50 and the format is double-elimination 8-ball.

For more information about Comet Billiards visit their site at www.cometbilliards.com . For further details regarding the qualifier at Comet Billiards, the NCS or CSI please contact Holly Ryan at (702) 719-7665 or at holly@playcsipool.com.

Archer is scheduled to hold two pool clinics in the Grand Rapids area. (Photo courtesy Matchroom Sport)