Alex Pagulayan Shoots for Second World Pool Title

A major pool championship event is taking place on May 8-10 at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada featuring defending world pool champion Alex Pagulayan of the Philippines.

Filipino cue master Alex Pagulayan is set to defend his world pool title on May 8-10 at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Last year, Pagulayan won over Mika Imonen of Finland to capture the world pool championship title. He is the second Filipino to win the prestigious title after his friend Dyango Bustamante won the title in 1998.

‘It’s one of the tournaments I’m always looking forward to be part of. For me, winning this tournament is like is like winning the world championship’ said the 30 year old cue artist.

Another popular Filipino cue artist Dennis Orcollo will also compete in the event which offers a whopping $66,000 total cash prize including the champion’s purse of $20,000.00, according to a report by Manila Times.

The popular Filipino cue artist who is based in Canada is competing with the world’s top cue artists including Mika Imonen, Darren Appleton and Imran Majib of England, Tony Drago of Malta, Shane Van Boening and Johnny Archer of the United States. and Alain Martel of Canada.

Five-time champion Ralph Souquet of Germany is also seeing action along with Niles Feijen and Nick Van Den Berg of Netherlands, Ruslan Sukanov of Russia. Fu Jianbo of China, Raj Hundal of India and lone female bet Yu Ran Cha of Korea, the report added.

The Philippines is home to two other world-famous cue artists that include Efren Bata (The Magician) Reyes and Ronnie Alcano who were both once world champions.

Immonen Snares Predator Billiard Win

Chicago, IL - The Ice Man finished off another undefeated night after facing Filipino Champion Bustamante and USA Champ Charlie Williams at the conclusion of a week of challenges in Chicago. Palace Billiards hosted the event which featured Mika Immonen of Finland, who dominated the three shows featuring the trio of champions with only taking one loss during the week. Immonen, considered to be the current #1 player in the world, is continuing his superb play that began in the fall of 2008 and taking his streak into 2009.

The event was able to draw some strong local media attention with CBS Chicago covering the event as well as VIA Times from the Filipino media.

The event began with a trickshot show with Bustamante, Immonen, and Williams performing several artistic shots. “We’re no Mike Massey, but we have definitely got the shots down better and more brave than the first show.” laughed Williams. Next the pros took on challengers who lined up to try their luck against the world class billiard stars.

All the fans received gifts from Poison Cues for attending the event. Prizes and gifts included Poison shirts, hats, patches, towels and posters. The pros all signed pictures and memoribilia afterwards, so no one left empty handed.

The Blatt Billiards Predator 9-ball Tour kicked off its second stop with an astonishing 108 players at Comet Billiards in Parsippany, NJ, the weekend of February 28-March 1. Of them all, it was 2008 Player of the Year Mika Immonen taking home top honors in the open division, with Christian Smith winning the amateur event.

Ignacio Chavez and Tony Robles were on a collision course for one another, as Chavez defeated Frankie Hernandez 9-6 to earn a spot for the hot seat and Robles won a hard-fought set against the legendary George “Ginky” Sansouci 9-6. In the match against Chavez, Robles took the lead 4-2 early in the match but scratched on three routine shots, which ultimately cost him the set 9-6. Now all Robles could do was wait for the winner of Immonen and Jorge Rodriguez.

Immonen was on a mission on day two and was determined to make it to the finals from the west side. He started the second day by defeating Sean Morgan 9-2, Al Lapena 9-7, Frankie Hernandez 9-0, and Jorge Rodriguez 9-3 for the right to meet Robles in the semifinals. His break and patterns were in perfect form against Robles as he quickly won the match 9-3.

Immonen continued to break and run with consistency in the finals, while Chavez struggled to make a ball on the break. The Finn came with his full arsenal and put on a clinic in shot-making, position play, kicking, banking, and defense to easily win the match by a score of 11-4.

The Predator 9-Ball Tour also hosted a second-day BCD event with 29 players. Christian Smith took care of business in the top of the chart to earn his spot for the hot seat, where he defeated Raphael DaBreo 5-3. Guy Ianuzzi won six matches in a row to earn a spot against DaBreo in the semifinals but ran out of steam and succumbed 5-3. In the final race to 7, Smith started strong, and though DaBreo put up a great fight, Smith triumphed 7-5.
After the dust settled, it was Mezz Cues player rep Mika "The Iceman" Immonen (pictured right) coming up with the victory. Ignacio Chavez (left) and Tony Robles share the moment.

Results:

1st Mika Immonen $1,400
2nd Ignacio Chavez $1,000
3rd Tony Robles $ 700
4th Jorge Rodriguez $ 500
5th George Sansouci $ 325
6th Frankie Hernandez $ 325
7th Oscar Bonilla $ 225
8th Al Lapena $ 225
9th Rob Saez $ 135
10th Lionel Rivera $ 135
11th Shaun Wilkie $ 135
12th Sean Morgan $ 135
13th Mhet Vergara $ 100
14th Junior Sanchez $ 100
15th Justin Muller $ 100
16th Marc Vidal $ 100

Pagulayan targets back-to-back Masters crown

Former world champion Alex Pagulayan will try to become the first back-to-back champion of the PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters when the most prestigious invitational pool event holds its 17th edition on May 8 to 10 at the historic Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas , Nevada .

The 30-year-old Pagulayan ruled the event last year beating fellow former world titlist Mika Immonen of Finland in a pulsating final match.

“It’s one of the tournament I’m always looking forward to be part of," said Pagulayan, who is the only second Filipino to win the event after Francisco “Django" Bustamante in 1998 and 2001. “For me winning this tournament is like winning the world championship."

Pagulayan will be joined by compatriot and former world no.1 Dennis Orcollo in carrying the country’s flag in the competition that has a total of $66,000 at stake, including the champion’s purse of $20,000.

“It’s an honor to be chosen to play in that tournament, and I will do my best to win it and once again make our country proud," said Orcollo, who is coming off a solid year in 2008 when he won four major titles.

A total of 16 of the finest players from around the world will be competing in the event, which will be staged over three days during the annual BCAPL National 8 Ball Championships.

Besides Pagulayan and Orcollo, the other players seeing action are Immonen, World 10 Ball Champion Darren Appleton and Imran Majid of England, Tony Drago of Malta, Shane Van Boening and Johnny Archer of the United States and Alain Martel of Canada.

Also in the field are five-time champion Ralf Souquet of Germany, Niels Feijen and Nick van den Berg of the Netherlands , Ruslan Chinakov of Russia , Fu Jianbo of China , Raj Hundal of India and lone female bet Yu Ran Cha of Korea.

Pagulayan, Orcollo banner 2009 World Pool Masters field

Former world 9-ball champion Alex “The Lion" Pagulayan and former World No. 1 Dennis Orcollo will banner the field in the 2009 PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters on May 8-10 in Las Vegas.

According to the event’s promoter, Matchroom Sport, the prestigious event will be held at the historic Riviera Hotel and Casino with 16 of the world’s top cuemasters vying for the $20,000 champion’s purse.

Pagulayan will seek to defend the Masters title which he won last year over another ex-world titlist, Mika Immonen of Finland.

Orcollo will try to sustain the top form he has shown in 2008 - a year highlighted by at least six months atop the rankings 1 on wins in four international competitions and a spate of other strong finishes - in the single-elimination tournament.

The Filipino pool stars will contend with the likes of Immonen, five-time Masters champion Ralf Souquet, reigning World 10 Ball Champion Darren Appleton, Challenge of Champions winner and 2007 World Cup titlist Fu Jian-bo of China and 2005 World Pool Masters victor Raj Hundal, now representing India.

Also in the roster are multi-titled Niels Feijen of Holland, Tony Drago of Malta, Nick van den Berg of Holland, Imran Majid of England, Shane Van Boening and Johnny Archer of the US, Alain Martel of Canada, the rising star of the women’s game, 21-year-old Yu Ram Cha of Korea, and teenage sensation Ruslan Chinakhov of Russia.

Pool hero Orcollo vows comeback in 2009

Former world No. 1 player Dennis Orcollo, the major awardee for billiards in 2008 by the Philippine Sportswriters Association, is hell-bent on regaining his lofty ratings in 2009.

Honored during last Friday’s San Miguel Corp.-PSA Awards Night at the Manila Pavilion Hotel, the 30-year-old Orcollo said he was grateful to the association for recognizing his achievements last year and vowing to try his best in 2009.

“Being ranked No. 1 definitely added to my self-confidence,” once said Orcollo, a lightly regarded pool player from Bislig, Surigao del Norte, before he made the big league and joined a handful of true billiards greats.

Orcollo is not out of place with the likes of Hall of Famer Efren “Bata” Reyes, Ronnie Alcano, Francisco “Django” Bustamante and Alex Pagulayan. Undoubtedly one of the most dynamic shooters on the tour, Orcollo is a mainstay of the Negros Billiard Stable of sports patron Jonathan Sy.

Said Orcollo in an interview: “I know that people are watching me and I have to live up to my being world No. 1.”

In 2008, Orcollo won four international titles and finished remarkably well in several others. He started the year with a bang by winning the San Miguel Beer-Quezon City 9-Ball Championship. The following week, Orcollo beat some 200 world-class players in the Japan 9-Ball in Tokyo, including Japanese idol Ryoki Aoiki, whom he humbled in a one-sided finals, 9-2.

The Filipino hero later crushed veteran campaigner Niels Feijen of the Netherlands, 13-5, during their championship showdown at the inaugural Qatar World 9-Ball Open Championship in Doha. Orcollo capped the year by bagging a leg of the Guinness 9-Ball Tour in Guangzhou, China, last September.

However, Orcollo could only earn a semifinal berth in the Guinness Grand Finals held in Jakarta in October. The Grand Finals was won by Taiwan’s battle-scarred Yang Ching-shun.

During the 2008 Party Poker.net World Cup of Pool played in Rotterdam, Holland, Orcollo teamed up with veteran internationalist Francisco “Django” Bustamante and settled for a share of third place with the 2007 winners Fu Jian Bo and Li He Wen of China.

Earlier in the semifinals, the Orcollo-Bustamante tandem, considered by pool experts as the pre-tournament favorite, unexpectedly lost to the American pair of Rodney Morris of Hawaii and Shane “The South Dakota Kid” Van Boening, who eventually emerged champions.

But the soft-spoken Orcollo offered no excuse after the shock defeat. Instead, he showed true grit and character by blaming himself by saying, “I’m very disappointed that we weren’t able to fulfill our mission of winning the World Cup, and I blame myself for it.”

In gaining the nod of the PSA, Orcollo’s achievements in 2008 stood clearly above the rest. But other than that, it was a bleak year for the controversy-wracked Philippine billiards.

To illustrate. Philippine Olympic Committee president and former Tarlac Rep. Jose “Peping” Cojuangco recently directed the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines, headed by chair Yen Makabenta and president Ernesto Fajardo, to conduct their much delayed election.

Unhappy with the way their sport was being handled by BSCP officials, the country’s world-ranked players, led by Reyes, Pagulayan, Bustamante, Alcano and Orcollo, renounced their membership in the BSCP and formed the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines.

Members of the Philippine women’s team also complained against the unkind treatment they had suffered at the hands of billiards officials. They said they were unceremoniously removed from the national team and their allowance from the Philippine Sports Commission cut off despite giving honor to the country. They claimed they were being punished by the BSCP for joining tournaments organized by the breakaway BMPAP.

 

- Manolo Iñigo, Philippine Daily Inquirer

$25,000 Added Joss Tour’s Billiard Extravaganza won by Souquet

Ralf Souquet Wins Joss Tour $25,000 Added Turning Stone Classic XII

The Joss NE 9-Ball Tour’s Turning Stone Classic XII started off with a full field of 128 players. Including noteable players from around the world such as Ralf Souquet, Mika “The Iceman” Immonen, Dennis Hatch, Shawn “Big Bubba” Putnam, Johnny Archer, Steve Moore, Karen Corr, Corey Deuel, Allison Fisher and Louis Ulrich just to name a few. It has been an action packed event as spectators watched some terrific matches among some of the greatest players in the sport of billiards as the face off for their chance at the $25,000 Added event prize fund.

Ralf Souquet sent anyone that stepped up to face him to the left side of the chart as he played to win his share of the $25,000 added prize fund. He begin his trek to the finals by defeating Pierre Sauve 9-0 in round one and proceeded to follow suit sending the following to the one loss side of the chart Ernesto Dominguez 9-3; Matt Krah 9-4; Jeremy Sossei 9-6 Louis Ulrich 9-6; Shane Van Boeining 9-4; Mika”The Iceman” Immonen 9-1. Souquet went undefeated to the finals where he matched up against Joss Tour Regular Dennis Hatch in the Finals. Souquet defeated Hatch 13-7 in the finals which was single elmination race to 13.

Hatch worked his way thru some tough competition to make his way to the finals he defeated Sean Martin 9-0; Jamie Mangini 9-3; Karen Corr 9-8; Pete Tascarella Sr. 9-5; before being sent to the one loss side by Shane Van Boening 9-7. Once on the one loss side Hatch defeated Steve Moore 9-3; Daryl Peach 9-2; Mario Morra 9-4; Shawn “Big Bubba” Putnam 9-8. Sending him to the semi finals where he would face Mika “The Iceman” Immonen. Hatch defeated Immonen 9-7.

Place

1st Ralf Souquet
2nd Dennis Hatch
3rd Mika Immonen
4th Shawn Putnam
5th Shane Van Boening
6th Mario Morra
7th Daryl Peach
8th Charlie Bryant
9th Louis Ulrich
10th Steve Moore
11th Thorten Hohmann
12th Oscar Dominguez
13th Allison Fisher
14th Matt Tetreault
15th Dave Fernandez
16th Johnny Archer

Snookering a double world champ

Terrence Voon shoots pool table with Taiwan's double world champion.

Whilst interviewing Taiwan's double world champion Wu Chia-ching at Klassic Cuesports, someone thought it might be worth a laugh if I played a few rounds of 9-Ball with him.

He was right: It was funny pitting a casual pub player against one of the world's best. But the experience wasn't just humourous - it was humiliating.

Wu, for the record, was here in Singapore as a sparring partner for the national team, a move that has sparked considerable hysteria in Taiwan, where speculation is mounting that he may become the Republic's latest foreign import.

But while he may been frustrated by all the media hoopla back home, the 20-year-old remains a consummate professional on the table, even against a rank amateur like yours truly.

"Go easy on me," he joked, as he lined up to break the first rack.

Two minutes later, I was racking up again, without having gone to the table yet.

Wu was showing exactly why he is known as "The Little Genius" by his peers. His stroking movement was incredibly consistent and he reads the table in a flash, knowing quickly how best to untangle the puzzle of balls and numbers on the table.

His positioning is also impeccable, always within an inch or two of the desired 'sweet spot'.

If pool is all about physics then this man is a Nobel laureate.

When it was finally my turn to take to the table, I missed. But the cue ball spun behind the black, hiding from the pink that was a full table length away. A safety shot, albeit an unintended one.

No problem, said Wu. With just the right amount of top-spin, he promptly bounced the cue ball off two rails to hit the pink - and 'snookered' me in the process.

And when the centre pocket swallowed up my cue ball on the next shot, I knew that the gig was up.

The final score was 0-3 in favour of the world champion. No surprise there.

Maybe 8-Ball would be a better bet, I suggested.

Fat chance. Wu allowed me to break, and my response was to propel the cue ball out of the table, narrowly missing a member of the Singapore national team who had been smirking the entire time.

Wu politely retrieved the errant ball, and proceeded to clear the deck. 10 minutes and two games later, I had truly been beaten black, blue and yellow.

Throughout the entire experience, he never even smiled once - that was how serious the guy took the game.

Mercifully though, it was soon time for me to go, with my proverbial tail firmly between my legs.

And as I turned to leave, Wu had already returned to the table, potting shot after shot with that same unsmiling look of intense concentration.

For this world champion, there is no such thing as playing pool 'for fun'.

Feijen Pulls a Double

Niels Feijen has duplicated the feat accomplished last year by Ralf Souquet by winning two consecutive Eurotour events. He has followed up his win at the Spain Open with another victory at the French Open and, if our math is correct, now stands at the top of the Eurotour rankings. As great a story as this is (the consecutive wins) it was not even the biggest news of the event. Feijen was unfortunate enough to face a true youngster in the finals, and it is the performance of 15-year old Mario He that grabbed most of the attention this week.

Mario He is a young man to be watched. This week he defeated none other than Ralf Souquet (9-7), Jonni Fulcher (9-7), Christian Reimering (9-8) and Radoslaw Babica (9-2) before succumbing to Feiujen 9-4. Still, the week belongs to Feijen. And Feijen had his own tough road to ride. This week he took down Thomasz Kaplan (9-7), Mark Gray (9-4), Daryl Peach (9-7),  and Markus Juva (9-6) on his way to the glory.

 

-AZB

Billiards Events Set for Vegas

World Pool Masters and International 10-Ball Championships Set to Rock the Riviera

The BCA Pool League is proud to announce the return of two of the most prestigious professional events to the Riviera Hotel and Casino May 2009. The 17th Party Poker.net World Pool Masters and the 9th Annual Predator 10-Ball Championship will be in the Royale Pavilion once again along side the BCAPL National 8-Ball Championships.

The World Pool Masters, one of the most revered invitational events with a limited field of 16 players is produced by Matchroom Sport and will take center stage first at the Royale Pavilion May 8-10. A large supplier of sports programming worldwide, Matchroom Sport also produces other well regarded events such as the Mosconi Cup and the World Cup of Pool in addition to Darts, Fishing, Pokes, Snooker, Boxing, Tenpin and Bowls.

Equally exciting, the Predator 10-Ball Championship produced by Dragon Promotions will move into the pavilion May 11-16. The tournament boasts a roster of the top pool talent from across the globe. Last year’s winner Tony Drago of Malta, considered one of the fastest players in the world, will have an opportunity to defend his 2008 title. Once again he will have to face players such as Shane Van Boening, Mika Immonen, Johnny Archer, Francisco Bustamante, John Schmidt, Efren Reyes and the 2008 World Pool Masters winner Alex Pagulayan just to name a few of the illustrious names who will be in attendance. Watch for links on the BCA Pool League web site at Playbca.com for more information and tickets to the professional events. For more information about Matchroom Sport and the World Pool Masters please visit Matchroomsport.com and for the Predator 10-Ball Championship visit Dragonpromotions.com.
CueSports International (CSI) … more choices for players
of all abilities –

BCA Pool League (BCAPL), playBCA.com, National
Championship Series (NCS), playCSIpool.com, & U.S.
Bar Table Championships.

World Pool Masters and International 10-Ball Championships Set to Rock the Riviera

The BCA Pool League is proud to announce the return of two of the most prestigious professional events to the Riviera Hotel and Casino May 2009. The 17th Party Poker.net World Pool Masters and the 9th Annual Predator 10-Ball Championship will be in the Royale Pavilion once again along side the BCAPL National 8-Ball Championships.

The World Pool Masters, one of the most revered invitational events with a limited field of 16 players is produced by Matchroom Sport and will take center stage first at the Royale Pavilion May 8-10. A large supplier of sports programming worldwide, Matchroom Sport also produces other well regarded events such as the Mosconi Cup and the World Cup of Pool in addition to Darts, Fishing, Pokes, Snooker, Boxing, Tenpin and Bowls.

Equally exciting, the Predator 10-Ball Championship produced by Dragon Promotions will move into the pavilion May 11-16. The tournament boasts a roster of the top pool talent from across the globe. Last year’s winner Tony Drago of Malta, considered one of the fastest players in the world, will have an opportunity to defend his 2008 title. Once again he will have to face players such as Shane Van Boening, Mika Immonen, Johnny Archer, Francisco Bustamante, John Schmidt, Efren Reyes and the 2008 World Pool Masters winner Alex Pagulayan just to name a few of the illustrious names who will be in attendance.

 

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Storms Rock Derby City Billiard Event

The 9-ball division of the Eleventh Annual Derby City Classic began Wednesday, boasting a field of 341 fine players from around the world. Defending champion Ralf Souquet has recovered from his runner-up finish last night in the Fatboy 10-Ball Challenge, while other players such as Johnny Archer, Mika Immonen, Marcus Chamat, Efren Reyes, Thorsten Hohmann, and Jeanette Lee are lining up to take his 2008 title.

The 9-ball matches were scheduled to begin at 12 p.m. but because of the inclement weather, this was postponed until 3:30 p.m. to allow for poor travel conditions.

In the one-pocket division, the field will be narrowed to approximately 20 players returning Thursday. Defending champion Gabe Owen has taken an early exit, and Efren Reyes, for the second year in a row, has not made it to the finals, having been defeated by David Vaughn and Jeremy Jones. Still alive are Johnathan Pinegar, Shane Van Boening, and Jones, among others. The one-pocket finals are scheduled for 9 p.m. Thursday.

There was a 16-player banks mini tournament Tuesday night that was won by Shannon Murphy of Cincinnati, OH. Kevin Nicholas of Louisville, KY, came in second, and third place was shared by Mark Jarvis of Northern Indiana and Butch Wolf of Cincinnati, OH.

The Accu-Stats Gameshow was held Wednesday evening. It was a single-elimination, 16-player race to 1. The format was 9-ball, with the incoming player following the break having the decision which player pushes. Accu-Stats added $2,000 to the pot, with the winner taking home the entire amount. Some of the big names invited to play were Efren Reyes, Shane Van Boening, Mika Immonen, and Ralf Souquet. In the semifinal matches, John Schmidt bested Francisco Bustamante while Jose Parica ousted Johnny Archer to meet in the finals. In an entertaining final game, Schmidt defeated Parica to take first place in this unique event.

In today’s Straight Pool Challenge update, today’s highs are as follows: Thorsten Hohmann, 100; Johnny Archer, 83; Yannick Beaufils, 71. The current leader board is as follows: John Schmidt, 154; Corey Deuel, 153; Huidji See, 114; Darren Appleton, 114; Danny Harriman, 114; Thorsten Hohmann, 100; Beau Runningen, 100; Charlie Williams, 85.

Philippines to host 2009 World Cup of Pool

2009 World Cup of Pool will be staged in the Philippines for the first time in the tournament's history.

A press conference was held at the Sports Plus Cafe, Eastwood, Philippines, earlier this week to announce the event, which will now be in its fourth year.

The first competition was staged in Newport, Wales with the next two in Rotterdam, Holland, but this will be the first time it will have been held outside of Europe.

Featuring 32 two-player teams from around the globe, The World Cup of Pool, sponsored by PartyGaming, has become one of the most important dates in the sport's calendar and this year's version will be hosted from September 1 to 6 in Manila.

"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.

"Obviously Las Vegas is a great place for pool as well with their heritage but the passion that the people have for the game in the Philippines, and the importance of what it means to everyone, always makes it a pleasure to come here."

The prestigious competition, which features 32 two-player teams from around the world, but two sides for the host nation, has never been won by the same country twice.

Filipino legends Efren Reyes and Francisco Bustamante won the inaugural tournament in 2006, China's He-wen Li and Jian-bo Fu claimed the trophy in 2007 before Americans Shane Van Boening and Rodney Morris triumphed last year.

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.

"Matchroom Sport and our Filipino partners Solar Sports are also eager to have one younger team representing the real new wave of players coming through in the Philippines at the moment.

"Due to the great number of qualified Filipino players, it's going to be tough when we select the teams because there are always people who feel they should be in.

"But our job is to select the right teams for the people and the right teams that are most likely to take the title for the Philippines.

"We have to make sure we have the biggest names and the biggest personalities playing while the best players as well. I'm really glad that the Philippines will have two teams as host nation because to have only had one team would have been very difficult to pick."

Solar Sports CEO Peter Chanliong added: "The World Cup of Pool has a format that's very exciting and we're hoping the Philippines will enjoy the home-court advantage and pull it off again to prove we're the best in the world."

The defending champions - Shane Van Boening and Rodney Morris - will make up the USA pairing but the rest of the sides will be selected nearer the competition.

There is a huge incentive for all teams as the champions win $60,000, the runners-up take home $30,000, the beaten semi-finalists collect $16,000 and the quarter finalists receive $10,000.

Each match will be filmed for television and then produced by Matchroom Sport into 31 1-hour programmes, which will then be broadcast on stations around the world.

Pool Player’s Novel Sets Love Story Against the World of Pool

BILLERICA, Mass.– The novel, Right on Cue, by pool aficionado Thomas McGonagle, tells the story of Johnny Jordan and Flo Stevens, two young players struggling to make their name in the gritty world of high stakes pool.

In Right on Cue, by McGonagle, a young pool player named Johnny learns that his birth father is a professional pool player, and he sets out to find him with unexpected results. Along the way, Johnny meets up with a down-on-her-luck fellow player, and while helping her out financially, discovers that he is falling in love. But when Johnny meets his real father and discovers he’s a hustler, he wants no part of that kind of life.  Things soon change, though, and as Johnny’s father begins to teach him the fine art of the game, Johnny could find himself a winner at pool—and at love.

McGonagle has spent 43 years playing pool and writing about the game, and he has designed his novel to have a real authenticity and behind-the-scenes feel. Right on Cue suggests that honesty is the best policy and that games are best played on the pool table and not in real life. McGonagle has filled Right on Cue with pool facts and lore, aiming for his novel to be as educational about pool as it is purely entertaining.

For more information or to request a free review copy, members of the press can contact the author at rmcgonagle@ut.edu. Right on Cue is available for sale online at Amazon.com, BookSurge.com, and through additional wholesale and retail channels worldwide.

Indian Pool Star Raj Hundal Joins Dragon Promotions

Chicago, Illinois-  Raj Hundal of India has signed on with global events producer Dragon Promotions to be exclusively represented as one of pool's rising stars. Hundal, known as The Hitman, has in a short time proven to the pool world he is a force to be reckoned with. He first turned heads in 2005 when he defeated #1 seed Yang Ching Shun of Taiwan at the World 9-Ball Championship, and then shocked the field as the dark horse winner of the 2005 World Pool Masters taking down veteran Rodney Morris (USA) in the finals. In 2008 Hundal played his first full year on the US Pro Tour circuit starting out the year unranked and ending the year ranked #6.

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

Dragon Promotions will be expanding into India in 2009 with events and goal of promoting the growth of billiards there. DP has been highly successful in other markets such as Korea and the United States in producing international billiard events, and has garnered the confidence of industry sponsors such as Brunswick who is investing substantially into India and Asia. Hundal is also 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! 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. If anyone can do it, it's Dragon Promotions and I am looking forward to helping the sport grow there as much as I can." said Hundal.

"Raj by far is the most established and most successful Indian player in billards history. His credentials of wins against top players and international coverage is significant, and on top of that he works hard off the table as well. It was a no brainer to bring him on board with us." explained Cindy Lee, CEO of Dragon Promotions.

Hundal will join an elite group of selected players managed by DP that include Mika Immonen of Finland, Rodney Morris of USA, Yu Ram Cha of Korea, Shanelle Loraine of Guam, and top American stars Jeanette Lee, Mike Davis, and Charlie Williams.

Kelly Fisher is the AZB female Player of the Year!

Kelly Fisher has been chosen the AZBilliards female Player of the Year for 2008. Ms. Fisher had a simply stellar 2008, claiming victories at both the WPBA US Open and the WPBA Pacific Coast Classic and runner-up honors at The WPBA Great Lakes Classic and the WPBA Nationals. In fact, Fisher was in the top ten at ALL of the WPBA events for 2008. In addition to the above-mentioned first and second-place finishes she also garnered two fifth-place finishes (GenerationPool.com and WPBA San Diego) and a 9th at the Carolina Classic.

Many fans had expected Fisher to earn this honor earlier than she did. When she came over from England in 2005 and became a WPBA pro she came with a lot of credentials. She was six times the World Snooker Champion and seven times the European Snooker Champion. This was the Fisher who was going to unseat the other Fisher, the Queen Allison who had so long dominated the WPBA winners list.

But while Kelly had her shining moments, even winning the West Coast Classic that first year, she fell short of the goals that many had put out for her. The next year she also enjoyed a single WPBA victory lap – again for the San Diego Classic. But 2007 became the year that she really blossomed. That year she won the Great Lakes event, the San Diego Classic (again) had two second-place WPBA finishes and a third. It was evident to all that she had begun to find her gear.

That gear drove her to the top in 2008 and she wears the crown well. In addition to her ‘table job’, she is also President of KwikFire Cues and is involved in the future of the game by sponsoring the KwikFire Kids, 13-year old Jonathan Castillo from New Jersey and 10-year old Taylor Reynolds from Maine. Ms. Fisher’s outgoing personality and willingness to promote the game led WPBA pro Sarah Rousey to comment: “ She’s one of the nicest, most approachable people you could ever meet. She is always willing to share her knowledge with everyone and help anyone out.”  AZBilliards agrees with that assessment and we heartily congratulate Kelly Fisher for being our female Player of the Year for 2009!

 

- AZB

Ralf Souquet is the Player of the Year!

Ralf Souquet has been chosen the AZBilliards male Player of the Year for 2008 and he completed quite a turnaround from 2007 in order to earn the honor. In 2007 he had only one win (the Mosconi Cup) during the entire calendar period and pocketed only $43,000. But in 2008 he won ten titles and cashed checks totaling more than $170,000 to literally walk away from the rest of the field on the money list and with nearly double the victories of our second-place choice, Mika Immonen. 

Souquet began his year with a win in the tough 9-Ball division of the Derby City Classic. When we interviewed Ralf after that win he said he was looking forward to a great year. His personal life had been fulfilled with his marriage to Illy and he said he just felt very good about the way his year was shaping up. He was quite correct in his assessment.

Within 90 days of that interview Souquet had won three more events and a World Championship. He won the Weert Open 10-Ball, then the Paris Open and the Gema Open and followed these with his Damas World 8-Ball World Championship title that he took down in Fujairah, UAE. 

Souquet also took the top slot at both the Interpool 9-Ball and 10-Ball events, the Eurotour Swiss Open, the Eurotour Netherlands Open and finished the year with an overwhelming 12-6 victory in the Mosconi Cup. Here he capped a fantastic year the same way that he began it, with a tribute to his wife. When the players gathered for an after-victory celebration they all spoke of their inspiration and motives for winning. Souquet gave a tearful soliloquy to Illy in which he said that it was her support that always lifted him to the top. 

Consistency was the keyword for Souquet in 2008. Out of 27 events that he played in he had 24 top-ten finishes, a simply stunning 90% of all the events in which he held a cue. But there is more to Ralf than his wizardry with a pool cue. Ralf Souquet is a champion in every sense of the word. He is outwardly serene even when the rolls do not go his way. He is always the gentleman and sportsman. He trains for his sport both physically and mentally and he does not leave success to chance. In short, Souquet earns his way on this pool world and does not wait for anything to come his way. He creates his own opportunities and pursues the podium finish with every move that he makes. Souquet is a thinking man’s player.

Possibly one of the most impressive things about Ralf Souquet is that he was not a natural-baron talent. He had to work hard to attain and hone his skills. He was not a child prodigy who claimed World Championship as a lad. He has had years where the winner’s circle eluded his efforts. But his tenacity, his absolute refusal to ever give up, has always pulled him through. Ralf Souquet learned and earned his skills.  He is proof positive that a firm work ethic can overcome all obstacles and, with Illy, a pleasant reminder that love can lead the heart and soul to new heights. No matter how much Ralf Souquet is to be admired as a player he is equally to be admired as a man. Souquet brings the total package to the table, no matter where in the world that table sits.

 

- AzB

Immonen's Secrets Revealed in Mastering Pool Instructional DVDs

Peterborough, Canada - The world's hottest player Mika "Iceman" Immonen has unveiled his latest achievement, Mastering Pool. Intrinsic Media has teamed up with the current US Open and Mosconi Cup Champion to produce Mastering Pool, a 3-part pocket billiard instructional series. The DVD series is packed with tips, techniques and systems, 3D animated diagrams, and expert commentary by Immonen himself all of which easily making MASTERING POOL one of the most comprehensive billiards guides on the market today. Mastering Pool also has a comprehensive website with video samples of the DVDs at http://www.mastering-pool.com

"Mika's one of the greatest players I've ever seen. He has a great all around game and very versatile knowledge on the game. I definitely could not pick anyone better than him to come out with an instructional video." said fellow tour pro Rodney 'Rocket" Morris, current World Cup Champion and former US Open Champion.

"The guy breaks like King Kong, shoots like the Terminator, and kicks like Bruce Lee. And he's one of the most physically and mentally fit players alive. " says Raj Hundal, World Pool Masters Champion and the most winningest Indian player in history.

MASTERING POOL is divided into three DVDs starting with "beginner level", than "intermediate level", and finally "advance level". Each DVD has several special features with superior graphics and expert filming from several angles.

Immonen personally demonstrates all shots and scenarios so the viewer can see what a world class player would do in each situation. Immonen also commentates along with a narrator on his own personal thinking process during the shots.

"I've seen numerous tapes and DVDs of pool training, but Mastering Pool is by far the best production I've ever seen. It's definitely elevated the standard of quality and filming for instructional videos." commented Charlie Williams, renowned TV billiard producer and world class pro player.

MASTERING POOL is available online at http://www.mastering-pool.com/purchase.html and can be purchased at selected distributors such as www.seyberts.com

" Working with Intrinsic Media on MASTERING POOL was a terrific team effort. Intrinsic was very professional and the quality of the DVDs I feel are superb. I couldn't ask to be involved in anything better than this and my hopes of how it turned out were well surpassed. I feel very privileged to have been a part of MASTERING POOL"- said Mika Immonen.

Mika Immonen is one of the world's premier professional players. Immonen is known for his athletic rigourous training off the table as well as intense training on the table. Immonen made his big impact in the pool world in 2001 when he won the World 9-Ball Championship and has since been ranked in the top 5 in the world.

More recently in 2008, Immonen has won the US Open, Mosconi Cup, All Japan Championships, and Philippines vs The World . The Finnish Iceman who resides in New York City, is truly an international star with a wide array of foreign sponsors including Mezz Cues of Japan, Cafe Puro of Philippines, and Mastering Pool based in Canada. Immonen is managed by Dragon Promotions USA and Korea.

The Finnisher: Mika Triumphs in Osaka

The Mika Immonen Redemption World Tour kept rolling along — this time at the All-Japan Championships in Osaka. Entering this year's event, Immonen had made the final match four times in ten years, walking away in second place each time.

But this year is different for the Finn. In October, Immonen dominated Ronnie Alcano in the final of the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship, ridding himself of the memory of a 11-0 loss to Corey Deuel in the final of the 2001 Open.

This past weekend, Immonen conquered a talented 128-player field at the All-Japan Championships for his first win in five tries. On the final day, Immonen topped two of Japan's finest — Satoshi Kawabata and Naoyuki Oi — to book yet another trip to the final.

"Well, here we go again," Immonen cracked after his 11-3 win over Oi.

Meanwhile, his opponent in the U.S. Open final was charting his course through the other side of the bracket. Alcano topped Efren Reyes in the quarterfinals, then edged Antonio Gabica in a hill-hill semifinal, 11-10.

Just like at the U.S. Open final, Immonen jumped out to an early lead, winning the first three racks. After gifting Alcano the fourth rack, he then went on an offensive tear, collecting racks until he made a mistake in the 12th game — with a 10-1 lead. Alcano missed the 8 in the next rack, and Immonen closed out the 11-2 win.

"I can't believe I got wins in both events I've wanted to win so long in the same year," Immonen said after the win.

In the women's division, Xiaoting Pan braved a 75-player field to win her third All-Japan title. She barely escaped her semifinal match against Chihiro Kawahara, recent winner of the Asia 10-Ball Championships. Kawahara miscued in the case game, giving Pan an open table for an 8-7 win.

Taiwan's Chieh Yu Chou awaited Pan in the final. Pan's international experience offered her a huge advantage, and the WPBA No. 3 coasted to a 9-2 win in the final.

 

- Billiard Digest

Mighty Mika Invincible at All Japan! Pan Wins for Third Time

Osaka, Japan- Finland's mighty Mika Immonen has won the 41st All Japan Championships, prolonging a winning streak that started out in October and hasn't stopped yet. Asia has been considered, in the new millennium, the continent with the strongest players. At this year's event, the field was truly littered with Asia's best inicluding names such as Taiwan's World Champion Chia Ching Wu, Po Cheng Kuo, China's He-wen Li and Challenge of Champions Winner Jianbo Fu, Japan's former World 9-Ball Champion Kunihiko Takahashi, and Korean Champions Young Hwa Jeong and Seung Woo Ryu. Throw in western counterparts World 9-Ball and 14.1 Champ Thorsten Hohmann (GER), World 9-ball and 8-Ball Champ Ralf Souquet (GER), and USA top pros Rodney Morris, Charlie Williams, and Max Eberle. Then add in arguably the toughest country, the Phillippines, with Efren Reyes, Francisco Bustamente, Alex Pagualyan, Ronnie Alcano, Dennis Orcollo, Marlon Manalo, Antonio Gabica, Warren Kiamco, Ramil Gallego, Lee Van Corteza, and Antonio Lining. In this 128 man super elite field, even the hottest pool player in the world could easily settle for a top 10 finish and be happy. That is why Mika Immonen is the world's strongest player.

The Ice Man started the final day of the event with a close 11-9 win over Japan's #1 Satoshi Kawabata, whom was Japan's favorite for a win. Immonen won despite the crowd support for Kawabata. Next he took on Japan's last and final hope, Naoyuki Oi currently ranked #3. Oi had no answer for Mika's tremendous break and offense and succumbed 11-3 with a smile on his face and a shrug of helplessness. This put Mika in the finals waiting and fighting his own inner demons of finishing 2nd place a record four times at the All Japan.

Mika looked up with a smile and said aloud, "Well, here we are again!" referring to his 5th trip the finals at the All Japan in 10 years.

On the top brackets, Ronnie Alcano defeated fellow Filipino World Champion Efren Reyes while Antonio Gabica escaped 11-10 against Alex Pagulayan. The semi-finals with Alcano and Gabica saw the match see-saw as neither was able to gain a significant lead. Gabica reached the hill first at 10-9 and made a perfect break making two balls on the break but hooking himself with no shot on the 2-ball. He pushed to a kick which Alcano gave back. Gabica played a near perfect 2 rail kick and played the ball up table leaving Alcano a long off angle shot with cue ball near frozen to the rail. Alcano fired in the table length shot and then came short on the 3ball. With a possible bankshot or natural safe, the crowd gasped at a razor thin cut shot on the 3 ball that sent the cueball zigzagging 3 rails. Making the shot was hard, but now Alcano faced his third tricky shot with another backrail frozen cueball shot on the four ball. Again Alcano came with it! Then, he got too straight on the 6 ball and had to play it leaving a funny angled cut shot on the 7-ball, but Alcano didn't hesitate on the shot and ran out. At 10-10, Alcano made a ball on the break and started off again with a tough one ball cut shot which he made with extreme inside english creating position for the 3 ball. By the time he reached the 6 ball, which again was too straight, he again faced the same off angle cut shot on the 7ball with the cueball near the siderail. He again held his nerve with his smooth styled stroke but after making the 8-ball he drifted too far down and left himself a backward cut on the 9-ball which would naturally be a scratch in the side. Laughing aloud with a smile, he chalked his cue and smoothly finessed stroked the cueball and avoided the side pocket scratch with draw while the 9 ball slid into the back of the corner pocket for the win, ending with Alcano's heavy sigh of relief.

On the ladies side, Xiao Ting Pan cruised undefeated to the finals for her third time here. In a field of women that would rival the WPBA in talent and skill, the Taiwanese and Chinese were dominant in the 75 player field. Japan's Chihiro Kawahara , recent winner in Korea at the Asia 10-Ball Championships, was Japan's highest finishing female and in the semi-finals had given Pan a hard time with the score at 8-7. With an open table run, Kawahara miscued and fouled giving Pan a sigh of relief and the win without going through the headache of a hill hill match. The finals had Taiwan's Chieh Yu Chou against Pan. Pan's experience in winning this event, as well as international wins, was too much for the inexperienced #2 Taiwanese player and Pan crushed her 9-2 for her third All Japan Championship title. Taiwan's top bet Yuan Chun Lin, the reigning World 9-Ball Champ, was eliminated to 9th place by Korea's Yun Mi Lim.

The men's finals would be a re-match of the US Open Championship match, and also Alcano and Immonen's 3rd match against each other in 30 days. Alcano could easily be considered the hottest Filipino player with a multitude of consistent finishes including runner-up at the 2007 US Open, 2nd in 2008 World 8-Ball Championships, 2nd in 2008 US Open, and now again in the finals. Immonen of course is the definition of hot with wins at the US Open, IPT Challenge, 2nd in Asia 10-Ball Championships, and now the finals of the All Japan.

"I hope Mika wins. He's gotten 2nd place so many times here." answered one Japanese pro when asked who was the crowd pulling for.

Knowing the meaning of this title to Immonen, many people were more heart felt than usual in well wishing Immonen. Rodney Morris, Charlie Williams, and Yu Ram Cha , (Mika's fellow compatriots in Dragon Promotions) could all be seen giving fist bumps and words of encouragement before the match. His sponsor Kaz Miki of Mezz Cues gave Immonen a new break cue prototype that Immonen said he tried and gave him a boost of confidence.

Immonen jumped out to a 3-0 lead, looking strong and determined to overcome the close calls of the past. Then Immonen made his first error leaving Alcano an out to get on the board 3-1. Mika clearly looked irritated at his carelessness and could be seen reinforcing himself to bear down. Then Immonen went on an offensive tear giving Alcano no chance or open shots, with Mika breaking and running out and playing superb safeties. Almost as if he could sense the sweet taste of victory, Immonen finally made an error missing the 1 ball . By that time, Immonen had taken a 10-1 lead before Alcano had any real chance. Alcano made a great effort with a tricky out to add one more game and people wondered if there would be any real match. Alcano faced an easy 8-ball stop shot with the 9-ball sitting pretty next, but Alcano fired too hard and popped the 8-ball out. Immonen sensing the closeness of a finality to his goal, raised his eyebrows, seemingly to slowly realize this could be it. After making the final 9-ball, Immonen brought both hands together down in a pump, as if to forever push away the demons that haunted him in this event.

After a few moments, Immonen sat down in his chair and could be seen with his hands pinching away the tears from his eyes. After sitting frozen in his chair blocking the tears, Immonen gathered himself together to be embraced and congratulated by his friends and fans.

"I can't believe I got wins in both events I've wanted to win so long in the same year!" said the jubilant Immonen. When asked how did he prepare for the finals this time, Immonen answered, "I just went to my room and relaxed. I knew I was playing well and I shouldn't change anything. The key was just staying focused and not worry about anything else. At the very least i put myself in the best possible position to win by just getting to the finals."

"When Mika gets behind he knows how to come back. But when he gets out in front, he can whiz right by you better than anyone I ever seen." observed Rodney Morris.

"That guy (Mika) might be the greatest front runner ever. It's dangerous to let him lead, he shoots straighter than anyone I know." commented Alex Pagulayan.

Immonen will head next to Manila to participate in the Quezon City Invasion which will pit the World Team against Team Philippines. Immonen will partner up with Morris, Williams, Raj Hundal, and Thorsten Hohmann. The home team will consist of Reyes, Bustamante, Pagulayan, Orcullo, Alcano, Kiamco, Van Corteza, and Gomez. Immonen's hot streak will be a welcomed key force for the World Team. Immonen adds his win at the All Japan to his impressive list for 2008 including 2nd Place World Pool Masters, 5th Place World 10-Ball, 1st Place US Open, 1st Place IPT Challenge, 2nd Place Asia 10-Ball.

"Mika's playing his absolute best game right now. Even better than I've ever seen before, and as the level of play gets stronger, he still finds a way to rise up. I think it's safe to say right now he's the world's greatest player." said Charlie Williams.

Immonen Continues Fighting at All Japan: Cha, Morris, Williams Out

Osaka, Japan- The All Japan Championships is drawing to an end with one day left out of the six total. Mika Immonen (FIN) is the last man standing out of the four pros Dragon Promotions sent. But as Immonen has proved in the past, one is all you need.

Rodney Morris (USA) suffered a first round loss and had came back with dominating wins over three Japanese pros with scores 9-1, 9-3 and 9-1. Then to enter the final 32 money rounds, he faced China's #1 Jian-Bo Fu. Morris rocketed to a 8-2 lead and then finally gave Fu an opening. Fu took more advantage of this chance then Morris would have liked as he strung that game plus five more racks. The format included no racks, just stickers that indicated where to place the balls with a circle indentures that made every ball frozen. This meant the corner ball would go in near 100% of the time. Incredibly at 8-8, Fu managed to not make a ball and Rodney ran the game out for the 9-8 win. Unfortunately Morris lost the next match to Marlon Manalo (PHI) with Manalo running 8 racks in a row to win 11-7 leaving The Rocket in 17th place tie.

Charlie Williams (USA) once again went the furthest out of the Americans finishing in the top 16. Williams on the winners side was 4-4 with Japan's Hayato Hijikata, and then a skidding 5 ball derailed him back to his chair and Hijikata would break and run out the rest of the set with Williams never leaving his chair. The Korean Dragon bounced back though with a commanding 9-3 win over Ando Masaka (JPN) to enter the final 32 man board. Then Williams proceeded with a 11-9 win over Taiwan's Po Cheng Kuo, runner up and 3rd place at the 2006 and 2007 World 9-Ball Championships. Williams was then defeated 11-7 by Japan's Satoshi Kawabata.

Yu Ram Cha and Xiao Ting Pan had a tough match with both players giving away easy games. Pan led early at 4-1, but Cha came back and tied at 5-5. Pan made a error that left Cha the 7,8, and 9 ball but a miscue on the 8 ball cost her the game and a missed 2 ball in the next rack ended Cha's run on the winners side. The losers side had Cha defeat Japan's Takahashi 7-3 but afterwards Cha faced Japan #1 Miyuki Fuke. Fuke led at 4-1 but Cha came back and soon the score was 5-4 favor of Fuke, but a near straight in 9 ball miss gave Kuo an easy combo. Fuke would win 7-5.

"I'm very disappointed in my play this week. I haven't been able to concentrate," said Cha.

Other notable defeats out of the event are Thorsten Hohmann (GER), Yuan Chun Lin (TPE), Francisco Bustamante (PHI), Dennis Orcullo (PHI), Max Eberle (USA) , Ga Young Kim (KOR), and Ralf Souquet(GER).

Mika Immonen is keeping his word thus far with a strong run undefeated. Mika defeated Marlon Manalo in the final match of the round and will advance into tomorrow's quarter finals against Satoshi Kawabata (JPN). Immonen has been in this spot many times and is now only 3 matches away from the title.