Source: Marlon Bernardino, ABS-CBN News
MANILA, Philippines – Efren "Bata" Reyes’ amazing run in the 2011 US Open 10-Ball Championship came to an end as he suffered back-to-back losses at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on Friday (Saturday in Manila).
Reyes, former World Pool-Billiards Association (WPA) 9-Ball and 8-Ball champion, lost to Jonathan Pinegar of the US in the fifth round of the winners' bracket.
This was followed by another loss to David Alcaide of Spain in a do-or-die match in the losers’ bracket.
The ‘Lion’ exits
After 3 straight wins in the losers’ bracket against Matt Krah, Jesse Engel and Corey Harper of the US, Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan suffered a loss against 2008 World Ten-Ball kingpin Darren Appleton of Great Britain.
Pagulayan, a former WPA 9-Ball champion, Reyes and fellow Filipinos Jose "Amang" Parica and Jun Almoite were all eliminated.
Source: Rey Joble, GMA News
Compatriots and bosom buddies Thorsten Hohmann and Ralf Souquet battled it out in a classic finale of the Philippine Open Pool men’s championship on Monday at the SM Megamall.
The two German former world champions, who were seeking their first-ever championship on Philippine soil, pushed each other to the limit up to the 21st and final rack.
In the end, Hohmann got the better of the match and claimed this year’s championship in a nail-bitter of an encounter, 11-10.
So the player who wasn’t supposed to join in this WPA event wound up victorious and capped an interesting story here.
Unlike in their first match in the quarterfinals where Hohmann was beaten soundly by Souqet, 2-9, the younger yet more determined player, who is now based in Jacksonville, Florida, dictated the tempo early. He led 4-1 and was about to break the game wide open.
Until Souquet turned the match into a see-saw battle and set up an exciting windup.
Souquet won four of the next five racks to level the score for the first time, 5-all, capped by a spectacular long bank shot that pocketed the 1 and 10 balls.
Source: Marlon Bernardino, ABS-CBN News
MANILA, Philippines – Filipino billiards player Jerico Banares showed reigning World 10-Ball champion Mika Immonen the exit door in the Philippine Open Pool Championships with a 7-9 upset of the Finnish player on Saturday.
“Medyo binuwenas ako, magaganda rin 'yung break niya kaso hindi bumebenta,” said Banares shortly after their game at the SM Megamall.
A scratch off the break in the 16th rack, proved to be costly for Immonen as Banares immediately took advantage by running out the remaining balls en route to his win.
It was Immonen’s second loss in the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) event.
Immonen suffered a 6-9 defeat in the hands of Chinese player, Li Wen Lo, during the first day of the competition.
Alcano vs Al Yousuf
Meanwhile, double world champion Ronnie Alcano also got eliminated after suffering a 9-4 beating from Kuwait’s Abdullah Al Yousuf.
Al Yousuf quickly piled a 5-0 lead before Alcano got his groove to take the next 3 racks.
The Kuwaiti bet bounced back to push his lead to 6-3 before both players were given a short break.
After the break, Al Yousuf got 2 of the next 3 racks.
Alcano survived on the 12th rack by engaging the Kuwaiti to a battle of safeties. He eventually cleaned up the table to trail 8-4.
He, however, scratched off the break in the next rack, allowing Al Yousuf to run out the remaining balls for the 9-4 win.
Prior to his defeat to Yousuf, the former World 9-Ball and World 8-Ball champion Alcano lost to Korea’s Hwang Yong, 4-9.
Manalo, De Luna
Two other notable Filipino players – Jeff de Luna and Marlon Manalo – also got the boot in the tournament.
De Luna lost his match to Nguyen Puc Long of Vietnam, 6-9, while Manalo dropped a 3-9 loss to fellow Filipino Carlo Biado.
Source: Jonas Terrado, Manila Bulletin
MANILA, Philippines – Former world double champion Ronnie Alcano was supposed to play the role of a teacher and not his unheralded Korean rival.
To his surprise and to everybody’s amazement, it was Hwang Yong who made the clutch shots, enough to power him to a 9-7 win over the Filipino hotshot in the second day of the 2011 Philippine Open Pool Championships on Friday at the Megatrade Hall of SM Megamall.
With the loss, Alcano, the former 2006 World 9-Ball and 2007 World 8-Ball champion, was thrown into the loser’s bracket where he needs to win twice in a row to stay in contention.
"Naunahan niya ako tsaka maganda ang tira ng bata kaya na-surprise din ako," said Alcano, who played Yong for the first time.
Alcano trailed 6-2 halfway into the match but won five of the next six racks to forged a 7-all deadlock before falling in the end.
He will face either Abdullah Al-Yousif or Chan Keng Kwang of Singapore in the loser's bracket.
Another upset also marred Friday's action when unknown Jundel Mazon beat Marlon Manalo, 9-4, to forge a match with compatriot Antonio Lining in the winner's bracket.
Mazon, a 34-year-old native of Marinduque, overcame a 3-0 deficit by racking up eight straight games for the win.
Lining, on the other hand, drubbed Indonesian Muhammad Zulfikri, 9-1, to set up a meeting with Mazon.
At presstime, Dennis Orcollo, who beat fellow Filipino Demosthenes Pulpul, 9-7, the other night, is battling compatriot Allan Cuartero.
Source: Olmin Leyba, Philippine Star
MANILA, Philippines - A free-for-all battle is expected as the world’s top cuemasters, including local aces led by Dennis Orcullo, slug it out for the crown in the Philippine Open Pool Championships beginning today at the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.
Fresh from capturing the world 8-ball title and the Derby City Classic 9-ball crown, Orcullo seeks to add a 10-ball diadem to his trophy room in the 64-man main draw of the $175,000 event.
A slew of tough foreign rivals are out to foil the pool whiz from Bislig, Surigao del Sur, headed by 2009 World 10-ball king Mika Immonen of Finland and 2008 World Ten Ball champ Darren Appleton of Great Britain, who both have won major pool events here.
Out to provide more fierce challenge are former double world champions Ralf Souquet of Germany and Ronnie Alcano of the Philippines, former US Open titlist Shane van Boening of the United States, and defending Phl Open champ Ricky Yang of Malaysia.
“It will be really, really hard because all the top players are here,” said Orcullo, one of three gold medalists for Team Phl in last year’s Asian Games in Guangzhou, China.
Immonen, a familiar face to Filipino fans, feels good about his chances for the $30,000 champion’s purse in the double-elims format tournament, a ranking event of the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA).
“I’m coming off a win in the Masters 10-ball Championship in Virginia and I feel I’m in top form. I’ll give it a good shot, especially since I have a very good record here (Philippines), having won four major tournaments,” Immonen said.
Souquet, for his part, looks for his breakthrough win in Manila. “I still haven’t won a tournament in the Philippines so yeah it’s on top of my list,” said the German ace who finished runner-up four times in previous outings in the country.
Also carrying the Phl flag are Antonio Lining, Jeff de Luna, Marlon Manalo, Lee Van Corteza Roberto Gomez and Ramil Gallego, among others. Interestingly absent is reigning world 9-ball champ and current world No. 1 Django Bustamante, who backed out at the last minute.
Gillian Go, Geona Christine Gregorio and Reggie Ann Biagcong will represent the Phl against a tough 32-player field led by World 10-Ball champ Jasmin Ouschan of Austria, defending World 9-Ball titlist Fu Xiao-Fang of China, and former Amway World 9-Ball champion and 2006 Asian Games 8-Ball women’s pool champion Lin Yuan Chun of Chinese Taipei.
The Philippine Open is organized and promoted by Raya Sports in cooperation with the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP). TV5 will broadcast the games via a block time slot in IBC-13, 2-7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 12-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and 2-7 p.m. on Monday.
Source: Rey Joble, GMA News
For two straight nights, Yoni Rachmanto of Indonesia was knocking on the door of the main draw of the Philippine Open Pool Championship.
On early Monday morning, he finally got what he wanted.
Rachmanto drubbed Filipino Jephtah Palencia, 9-5, in a marathon finals encounter that lasted for over two hours at the Star Billiards Center. The two players disputed Qualifier No. 8 before the clock strikes 11 p.m. Sunday. The match ended past 1 a.m. on Monday.
But for Rachmanto, it was worth the wait.
Denied of an opportunity to make it to Stage 2 late Saturday night by his compatriot, Mohamad Zulfikri, Rachmanto was able to vent his ire on the Filipino cue artist, who couldn’t pounce on several lapses of his Indonesian rival.
Perhaps, the worst among the miscues made by Palencia was when he missed the No. 10 ball of the 12th rack at the height of his rally. That missed shot was costly as it pushed the Indonesian on the brink of wrapping up the match, 8-4.
Still, Palencia was given another chance when Rachmanto missed an easy shot on No.4 at the corner. The Filipino was able to clean up the table for an 8-5 count in favor of the Indonesian.
Off a dry break in the 14th, Palencia saw another opportunity when Rachmanto was called for a foul. The Filipino player was able to develop some sort of a momentum when he scratched while taking on No.4. The Indonesian finished it off for the final tally.
Action in the Philippine Open Pool Championships resumes Monday at the Star Billiards Center as players from the men and women’s division dispute the last two seats of the qualifying stage.
Qualifiers No. 9 and 10 are up for grabs in the morning and afternoon matches of the men’s category while the third and fourth spots are on the line for the lady players
Source: Marlon Bernardino, ABS-CBN News
MANILA, Philippines -- It was the Filipinos’ turn to put on a show on the second day of the Philippine Open Pool Championships qualifying stage.
Roberto Gomez and Jundel Mazon took turns in beating their respective finals opponents handily to advance to the main draw of this event late Friday night at the Star Billiards Center.
With Gomez and Mazon already securing 2 more slots in the main draw, only 6 seats remained up for grabs in the qualifying event for men.
Four seats will be disputed by the lady competitors on April 3 and 4 in the hope of joining the 28 other players who are already assured of spots in the main draw.
Current and past world champions in men's and women's division are already waiting in the main draw slated April 7-11 at the SM Megamall in Mandaluyong City.
Among the world champions who are already in the main draw include Dennis Orcollo of the Philippines (World 8-Ball champion), Mika Immonen of Finland (World 10-Ball champion), former world champions Darren Appleton of Great Britain, Ronnie Alcano of the Philippines and Ralf Souquet of Germany and current women world titlists Jasmin Ouschan of Austria (World 10-Ball) and Fu Xiao-Fang of China (World 9-Ball).
Gomez, runner-up to Daryl Peach in the 2007 World Pool Championship, exacted revenge against a younger yet equally confident opponent who defeated him a day earlier. The more experienced Filipino dealt 17-year-old Chinese sensation Wan Chan a sound 9-2 beating in Qualifier 4 finals.
Mazon, on the other hand, nearly swept his opponent, Dominic Ting of Malaysia, 9-1, in a match that was literally one sided right from the start. The first 7 racks were easily secured by the Filipino player, who was poised to bring out the broom.
Gomez quickly raced to a 5-0 lead before his rival won the next two racks. But the Filipino player engaged his younger rival in a battle of safety exchanges, a ploy which worked in Gomez’s favor.
The Filipino cue artist came through with another big run, taking the next 3 racks to move onto the threshold of wrapping up the match. During the exchanges of safety shots in the 11th rack, Chan saw a golden opportunity when he sank a difficult shot on ball No.6.
The Chinese player was about to complete his run when disaster struck – he missed the last ball on the table, ball No. 10, in the corner. The young competitor couldn’t hide his disappointment upon missing the shot that could have given him a chance to come back.
Gomez needed to sink the last ball on the table to formally clinch the victory, but Chan quickly offered his hand and conceded the match.
“I lost to him Thursday because I took him lightly. I thought I could beat him easily because he’s still young. When I was given a chance to face him again, I tried to be more cautious and play smart. I don’t want to give him a chance to win,” said Gomez.
Mazon said his finals match against Ting was a one-sided affair. At one point, 4 balls went in 3 of the 6 pockets of the pool table when the Filipino unleashed his powerful break.
It was a strong signal for the Filipino’s entry to the main draw. He barely showed signs of fatigue after being pushed to the limit by a crack semifinals rival in Wang Ming of China. Instead, he preserved his energy for the tough grind and showed too much class against Ting.
The Filipino player raced to a 7-0 lead and allowed his rival to break the ball only 3 times. None of those breaks were successful for the Malaysian player, whose first point of the match came only in the 8th rack after Mazon was called for a foul while taking on the No. 5 ball. Ting cleaned up the remaining table, averting a possible sweep by the Pinoy cue artist.
A dry break on the 9th by Ting enabled Mazon to get back to the table, and the Pinoy cue artist wasted no time sinking one ball after another for an 8-1 lead.
Ting missed another easy shot on ball No. 6 in the 10th rack, and Mazon put an end to the match by cleaning the remaining balls.
Chinese-Taipei’s Chang Yu Lung and Fu Che-Wei flourished in the opening day of the qualifying stage of the Philippine Open Pool Championship, but Jundel Mazon and Roberto Gomez came through with equally impressive victories late Friday night at the Star Billiards Center and took the spotlight.
“My confidence level is so high. I believe I can beat him easily. If ever he will beat me it should come on a day where I will play really bad," said Mazon.
Source: GMA News
-- Rubilen Amit, the reigning titlist of the Women’s World 10-Ball event, is back in championship form.
A day after struggling at the start of her title retention bid, the Filipina pool sensation rediscovered her vicious form and scored an easy 6-1 triumph over compatriot Ana Tulauan Tuesday at the Nuvo City in Libis, Quezon City.
Amit capitalized on her inexperienced rival’s series of blunders to shatter a 1-all deadlock and come up with consecutive game close-outs in the next five racks. The win shoved the reigning champion closer to the Round-of-24.
Despite the victory, Amit admitted that she felt the pressure even after beating Angel Paglia, 6-3, on Monday in front of a big audience.
In that contest, the 29-year-old accountancy graduate from the University of Santo Tomas started strong, but made several miscues midway until the latter part of the match before pulling off a win.
"Even though I'm playing in a non-TV table, I'm still pressured. But then I'm more relaxed now than yesterday," said Amit, who prior to this tourney placed fifth in the China Open held three weeks ago in Shanghai.
Amit claimed the first rack, but Tulauan, a 22-year-old upstart from Manila who began to play competitive pool three years ago, tied the game in the next rack.
But the pressure of a big-time tournament took its toll on Tulauan. She missed several easy shots, allowing Amit to take advantage.
Amit, who is now 2-0 in Group A, is the only unbeaten Filipina player.
Iris Ranola, one of the country’s best bets, suffered a stinging 4-6 setback at the hands of Spanish player Amalia Matas.
Ranola fell behind most of the way. She dropped the first two racks and found herself teetering on the brink of defeat, 2-5.
Ranola made a last-ditch stand to try to win via the backdoor after claiming the next two racks and threatened to within 4-5, but Matas was able to close it out in the 10th rack to hand the former National Pool champion her first loss after three games.
Ranola fell to 2-1 for second spot behind Korean Yu Ram Cha, who won her second straight match when she came back from three racks down to beat Miyuki Fuke of Japan, 6-5.
Cha, one of the attractions of this event, trailed 2-5, but came back strong in the next three racks to set up an exciting windup.
The charming Korean cue artist pounced on Fuke’s miscues in the down-the-wire encounter and held steadier in the stretch to complete the come-from-behind win.
Fil-American Shanelle Loraine of Guam, also an instant attraction in this event, suffered her third straight defeat Tuesday. She lost to Tamara Radermakers of the Netherlands, 6-3.
But Ga Young Kim, one of the top-rated lady players, failed to join Amit and Cha in the list of unbeaten players when she lost, 5-6, to Han Yu of China. It was her first defeat after three matches.
It was actually the second match of the day for Kim, who beat American Julie Kelly, 6-3, in an afternoon match in Libis. She proceeded to Robinsons Galeria in Ortigas for her match with Yu.
Yu, who is already assured of a spot in the Round-of-24 with her 4-0 record, was trailing 3-5, but came back to win the final three racks and beat Kim.
Source: Philippine Star
MANILA, Philippines - Rubilen Amit, who has gotten used to playing against the country’s top male players, yesterday said she’s all set and ready to defend her title in the 2010 Yalin Women’s World 10-Ball Championship.
“I’m ready,” said the 28-year-old winner of last year’s event.
This year, she’s back to defend the crown in the weeklong event that begins today at the Robinsons Galleria in Ortigas. But it’s not going to be easy because of the presence of the world’s best.
Amit won last year’s crown at the expense of two-time champion Liu Shin-Min of Taipei, and rode the momentum of that victory to win the International Mixed Doubles Classic with Efren “Bata” Reyes.
Amit said her chance to play, train and compete with her male counterparts, including the best the country could offer, has helped her cope with the pressure of playing against the best women players.
And this coming week she will once again have the chance to shine.
After this tournament, the double-gold winner in the 2008 Southeast Asian Games in Laos will get ready for the 16th Asian Games scheduled Nov. 12-27 in Guangzhou, China.
The world No. 3 female player will face the challenge of 47 others vying in the $75,000 event.
Already in town for the event are world No. 1 Allison Fisher of England, Jasmin Ouschan of Austria, Ga Young Kim of Korea, former world No.1 Karen Corr of Ireland, reigning Amway World open ruler Yu Ram Cha of Korea, reigning China open winner Tsai Pei Chen of Taiwan and all-Japan champion Han Yu of China.
“It’s going to be a wide-open race for the title and I think everybody has a chance,” said Amit.
The event, which offers $20,000 (roughly P860,000 to the winner), will be aired live over the ABS-CBN and ESPN Star Sports.
“It will be the biggest sporting event for women in the Philippines in 2010,” said Cindy Lee, CEO of the organizing Dragon Promotions.
The event, sponsored by BCN Balls, Leqi Cloth, Crown Plaza Galleria Ortigas, Magic 89.9, The Philippine STAR, Nuvo City, Robinsons Galleria in cooperation with Puyat Sports and Star Billiards Center, is sanctioned by the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA).
In winning last year’s title, Amit joined the elite group of Filipino world champions that include Efren “Bata” Reyes, Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan, Ronato “Volcano” Alcano, and Francisco “Django” Bustamante.
The qualifying round of this year’s event started last Oct. 23 at the Star Billiards in Manila.
Meanwhile, Warren Kiamco lost to Corey Deuel in a thrilling quarterfinal clash, 12-14 and bowed out in the US Open 9-ball Championship won by Darren Appleton in Virginia Saturday.
Appleton, who defeated two-time champion Mika Immonen, 11-9, for the hot seat, beat Deuel, 14-12, to complete a run of nine straight matches to capture the crown.
Source: GMA News
-- Filipino ace Dennis Orcullo breezed through the quarterfinal round after an easy 8-1 decision over India’s Raj Hundal in the World Pool Masters at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Orcullo, who earned a Round of 16 spot after a 9-7 win over Sweden’s Marcus Chamat, capitalized on Hundal’s numerous mistakes to complete the one-sided win.
Even Hundal’s safety game failed to stop the sharp-shooting Filipino, who will next face John Morra of Canada in the quarterfinals.
Morra arranged a quarterfinal round meeting with Orcullo after dispatching American John Schmidt, 8-4.
Both players made errors in their game and Morra had to rely on his luck to slowly pull away, 5-1, and complete the win.
Joining Orcullo and Morra in the quarterfinals is five-time World Pool Masters champion Ralf Souquet of Germany after squeezing out an 8-6 victory against Ricky Yang of Indonesia.
Souquet awaits the winner of the Round of 16 match between Filipino bet Roberto Gomez and Jayson Shaw of Scotland for his Last 8 opponent.
Other Round of 16 matches will have Naoyuki Oi of Japan battling American Charlie Williams, England’s Daryl Peach taking on Japanese Toru Korubiyashi while Thorsten Hohman meets Oliver Ortman in an all-German contest.
A total of $100,000 in cash prizes are at stake with the champion earning the $20,000 top purse.
Source: Marlon Bernardino, ABS-CBN News
-- Former World No. 1 Francisco “Django” Bustamante ruled the inaugural event of the World Professional Billiard League (WPBL) called the Super Series of Billiards at the Mc Phillips Station Casino in Winnipeg, Canada over the weekend.
Bustamante beat Johnny “The Scorpion” Archer of the United States, 5-2, in the finals.
Other invited players in the round-robin format event were Nick Varner, Shane Van Boening, Corey Deuel, Charlie Williams, John Schmidt and Erik Hjorleifson.
The format of the league was set up so that each player of the WPBL played the same amount of games as the other players in the round robin event.
The Top 4 players played races after the round robin. After the super series was over, each player was awarded points that they would carry through the season. Bustamante tallied 60 points.
“Magandang balita ito sa Philippine Billiards. Ang pagkapanalo ni Lee Vann (Corteza) sa Los Angeles at pagkapanalo naman ni Django (Bustamante) sa Canada. Hope maganda ang magiging resulta ng ating top Filipino pool players sa Las Vegas events this weekend,” said RP billiards godfather Aristeo “Putch” Puyat.
Bustamante is one of Puyat’s top players.
The Super Series of Billiards title is Bustamante’s third major title this year.
In March, he beat countryman Efren “Bata” Reyes to win the 23rd Annual Japan Open - Open Division in Tokyo, Japan.
He also won the Asia vs Europe Challenge Match in Brunei last January as part of Team Asia.
Team Asia, which was also composed of Reyes, Hui Chan Lu, Ko Pin-yi of Taiwan and Teo Che Soon, edged Team Europe.
Source: Philippine Star
-- Lee Vann Corteza got back at American Rodney Morris, 11-7, to capture the Annual Hard Times-Mezz Cues 10-Ball Open crown at the Hard Times Billiards in Bellflower, Los Angeles, California Monday.
Corteza, who dropped an 8-9 setback to Morris in the sixth round of the winners’ side bracket, dominated early and took an 8-4 lead before cruising to the victory, his first major title in the year worth $4,000.
On his way to the race-to-11, winner’s break final, Corteza, the reigning national open champion, held off another American Max Eberle, 9-7.
With her earlier loss to Morris, Corteza worked his way back in contention in the losers’ side, beating Steve Chaplin, 9-0, Ismael Paez, 9-1, Stevie Moore, 9-1, and Corey Harper, 9-1.
He also subdued compatriot Warren Kiamco, 9-7, Oscar Dominguez, 9-5, and Max Eberle, 9-7, to arrange the title showdown with Morris.
Other Filipinos who saw action in the event were pool legend Efren “Bata” Reyes, Roberto Gomez, Ramon Mistica, Ambrosio Almoite, George Pagulayan, Jaynard Orque and Kiamco.
Meanwhile, Corteza will head the crack RP contingent in the Party Poker World Pool Masters slated May 12-16 and the inaugural US Open 10-Ball Championships on May 17-22 at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Source: Marlon Bernardino, ABS-CBN News
-- Francisco “Django” Bustamante defeated compatriot Efren “Bata” Reyes, bagging the top prize of the 23rd Japan 9-Ball Open in Tokyo on Sunday.
Bustamante edged Reyes, 9-7, in the all-Filipino final to capture his 2nd Japan 9-Ball Open title. He first won the Japan Open title in 2002.
He captured the top prize of 1.5 million yen (more than P750,000) after clinching his first major title this year.
En route to the final, Bustamante beat fellow Filipino Jeffrey “The Bull” de Luna in the semifinal round while Reyes subdued Japanese Toru Kuribayashi in the other Final 4 match.
“Once again, congratulations Django (Bustamante). You have made every Filipino proud of your triumph,” RP billiards godfather Putch Puyat said of the top player of Puyat Sports.
Other Filipinos who joined the Japan 9-Ball Open were Antonio “Nickoy” Lining, Ramil “Bebeng” Gallego, Frennie Reyes (son of Efren “Bata” Reyes), Warren “Warrior” Kiamco, Roel Esquillo, Renemar David , Cresencio Bariton, Dondon Razalan , Elmer Haya, Lauro Bongay, Valeriano Pajuay, Ronie Aying and Mark Aristotle Mendoza, the 2010 All Kansai 9-Ball Open champion.
More than 400 cue artists from all over the world competed in the annual event.
Aside from Bustamante, other Filipinos who ruled the Japan 9-ball Open are Gallego (2009), Dennis “Robocop” Orcollo (2008), Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan (2007), Lining (2006) and Reyes (2005).
Bustamante’s 2010 Japan Open win comes after his victory at the 2009 All Japan 9-Ball Championship last November.
He prevailed over Lining, 11-7, in Amagasaki-shi, Hyogo and took home 2 million yen (more than P1 million).
Source: Philippine Star
-- Former world 9-Ball pool champion Efren “Bata” Reyes has been tapped as player-coach of the national team competing in the Asian Games in November in Guangzhou, China.
National head coach Boyet Asonto said that as player-coach, Reyes will help in the series of tryouts to be conducted by the Billiards and Snooker Council of the Philippines to determine composition of the national squads for the quadrennial meet.
Reyes, however, has been seeded into the RP men’s English Billiards squad along with Rey Grandea, according to Asonto during the Scoop sa Kamayan session at Kamayan-Padre Faura on Friday.
Tryouts for the men’s 9-ball singles, 8-ball singles, carom cushion singles and snooker singles and the women’s 9-ball singles, 8-ball singles snooker 6 red balls singles and snooker 6 red balls team will be held as soon as the BSCP’s request for the reopening of the venue inside the Philippine Sports Medicine building is approved.
Reyes, meanwhile, stressed no one will be seeded in the teams, both in the men’s and women’s sides.
“We have so many good players today, so to be fair to everybody, we will conduct tryouts,” said Reyes in Filipino.
Reyes added that he will also go through the elims in other events.
Others who graced the forum were national training pool members and former national players Iris Ranola and Mary Ann Basas.
Also seeded in the women’s English billiards squad are Rubilen Amit and Ranola with Basas being a cinch in the 6 red balls singles.
A total of seven players will compose the men’s squad, while six will make up the women’s team.
Reyes said competitions in the women’s side will be tougher than the men’s because of the presence of equally talented players from Korea, China, Taipei and Japan.
“It will be tough for our women’s team but for the men’s squad, we only have the Taiwanese to contend with,” Reyes, who will be flying to Japan next week for a three-week playing and teaching stints.
Source: GMA News
-- Great Britain frustrated the Philippines’ bid to win the first World Team Championship, posting a relatively easy 4-1 triumph in their championship showdown Sunday in Hannover, Germany (early Monday in Manila).
The Filipinos, among the foremost pool players in the world, actually got the head-start against the British as the pair of Dennis Orcollo and Warren Kiamco trampled Karl Boyles and 2007 world pool champ Darryl Peach in the opening 8-ball doubles, 6-1.
However, the British bets quickly equalized via Darren Appleton and Mark Gray’s 6-1 triumph over Ronnie Alcano and Marlon Manalo in the second 8-ball doubles then completely turned the tables around with a sweep of the next three sets.
Gray took only 45 minutes in disposing of Antonio Lining, 8-2, in the 9-ball singles before Boyes outclassed Lee Van Corteza in a closely-fought 9-ball singles duel, fighting back from a 6-7 deficit to eke out an 8-7 win.
Appleton, the 2009 World Pool Masters titlist, secured the title for Britain with a dominating 7-1 conquest of former world no. 1 Orcollo in the 10-ball competitions.
It was a sorry loss for the Filipinos, who looked quite invincible after winning all their previous assignments prior to the finale. The RP pool aces defeated Great Britain II, 4-0, and the Czech Republic, 4-1, in the first and second round then waylaid Norway (4-2 in the Last 16), Poland (4-2 in the quarterfinals) and Russia (4-1) to book a spot in the finals.
In contrast, the British had to go through the loser’s bracket after dropping a 2-4 loss to Sweden in the second round. Team Great Britain, though, drubbed Korea, 4-2, and Israel II, 4-0, in the loser’s side to advance into the knockout Last 16 stage and posted wins over Germany (4-0, Last 16), China (4-3, quarterfinals), and Greece (4-2, semis) for a finals slot.
Source: Marlon Bernardino, ABS-CBN News
-- Ronato “Ronnie” Alcano, known in the pool world as the “Volcano,” led Team Philippines into the finals of the World Team Pool Cup Championship in Hannover, Germany.
The Calamba, Laguna native won his crucial battle against Russian Ruslan Chinahov, 7-1, at Hall 13 of the Hannover Exhibition Grounds.
The former World 9-ball and 8-ball champion helped the Nationals score a 4-1 victory over Russia by defeating Chinahov in the semifinals of the 1st 10-ball game late Saturday.
This paved the way for the Philippine team to secure a berth in the finals where they will face Great Britain on Sunday (Manila time).
Bannered by reigning World 9-ball champion Daryl Peach and former World 10-ball champion Darren Appleton, Great Britain eliminated Greece, 4-2, in the other semifinal duel.
Alcano was unshaken by his loss in his previous outing where he teamed up with ex-snooker champion Marlon “Marvelous” Manalo. They lost in the 1st 8-ball Scotch doubles event, 3-6.
“Parang panggising 'yong talo namin ni Marlon sa 8-ball Scotch Doubles,” Alcano told Bugsy Promotions President Ceferino “Perry” Mariano over the phone.
“Hindi ka talaga puwedeng maging over confident sa ganito kalaking event. Kahit sino puwede kang talunin,” added Alcano, a former US Open 9-ball finalist.
“We expect a tough battle against Great Britain, but kumpiyansa ako na magbibigay ng magandang laban ang mga player natin,” Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) chairman Florentino “Yen” Makabenta said.
Mariano, founder of the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP), added: “Bagama't nakauna ang Russia sa atin ay tiwala akong makakabawi tayo at eventually ay matatalo din natin sila sa mga susunod na event. Gaya ng naunang nasabi ni Yen (Makabenta), malalim ang bench natin at puro malalakas ang kalibre ng mga player natin.”
Negros Billiards Stable (NBS) president and co-founder of BMPAP Jonathan “Bacolod” Sy also noted: “Lalo nating dagdagan ang panalangin natin. Malaking karangalan sa bayan ang hatid nilang tagumpay.”
After the Filipinos’ loss in the 1st 8-ball Scotch doubles event, the pair of Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Warren “Warrior” Kiamco and former world No. 1 Dennis “Robocop” Orcollo rebounded with a 6-4 win to level at 1-1 in the race-to-4 semifinal.
Two-time BSCP National Pool Championships ruler Lee Van “The Slayer” Corteza and Japan-based Antonio “Nikoy” Lining made it to 3-1 for the Philippines with similar 6-4 victories over Roman Pruchai and Egor Plishkin, respectively.
Alcano then stepped up by beating Chinahov for a 4-1 total output for Team Philippines. Orcollo was leading 2-0 against Konstantin Stepanov in the second 10-ball game but it was halted after Alcano triumphed in the 1st 10-ball game.
On the road to the finals, the undefeated Filipinos nipped England II (4-0), Czech Republic (4-1), Norway (4-2), Poland (4-2) and Russia (4-1).
Great Britain, on the other hand, downed Norway (5-1), lost to Sweden (4-2), blanked Israel (4-0) and Germany (4-0), and then edged China (4-3) and Greece (4-2).
The 48-nation tournament, the first of its kind and sanctioned by the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA), stakes a total purse of $400,000. It uses a point-system scoring patterned after the Davis Cup event in international tennis where the champion team gets the lion’s share of $100,000 in the race-to-4 affair.
Source: GMA News
-- The Philippines entered the quarterfinal phase of the biggest world pool team event – the 1st World Team Championships in Hannover, Germany.
The Filipinos, showing their dominance in the 8-Ball event after both pairs won their respective matches, earned a spot in the Last 8 after a 4-2 win over Norway.
The duo of double world champion Ronnie Alcano and former Asian snooker king Marlon Manalo nipped their rivals, 6-5, while the pair of Lee Van Corteza and Warren Kiamco scored a 6-3 win in the other match.
In 9-Ball, Alcano breezed to an 8-2 triumph over Vegar Kristiansen while Dennis Orcullo, one of Bugsy Promotions’ top bets by businessman-sports patron Perry Mariano, coasted to a 7-1 win over Tommy Wolf in the 10-Ball event to seal the Filipinos’ win.
The Philippines joined Poland, Russia, Great Britain, China, Switzerland, Greece and Germany II in the next round.
"Great Britain and China are our toughest rivals," Mariano told GMANews.TV. “Pero maganda ang tsansa natin. Pwede tayong mag-champion eh (But we have a good chance of winning the crown)."
In other results, Poland swept a Finland team led by reigning World 10-Ball champion and world’s No.1 player Mika Immonen, 4-0; Russia defeated Denmark, 4-2; Great Britain blanked host Germany beefed up by world champions Ralf Souquet and Thorsten Hohmann, 4-0; China crushed Serbia, 4-1; Switzerland ousted Japan, 4-1; Greece nipped the United States, 4-3; and Germany II edged Sweden, 4-3.
Source: Marlon Bernardino, ABS-CBN News
-- Team Philippines is set to battle Norway for a quarter-final berth when the first-ever World Team Cup Championship resumes late Thursday (Manila time) at the Hall 13 Hannover Exhibition Grounds in Hannover, Germany.
The Nationals, led by former World no.1 Dennis Orcollo, WPA 9-ball and 8-ball ruler Ronato Alcano, 2-time National Pool champion Lee Vann Corteza, former snooker champ Marlon Manalo, Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Warren Kiamco, and Japan-based Antonio Lining, got a much needed rest on Wednesday after posting back-to-back victories in the first two rounds over Great Britain II (4-0) and Czech Republic (4-1).
Team Norway, composed of Malvin Bjelland, Vegar Kristiansen, Mats Schjetne and Tommy Wolff, is coming off a win over Iran, 4-1.
They lost their preliminary round match to Great Britain, 5-1, then bounced back to contention by eliminating Aruba, 4-2, in the loser’s brackets.
“If Nationals play correctly, I’m pretty confident they can beat Norway. Huwag lamang silang magiging over confident,” said Bugsy Promotions President Ceferino “Perry” Mariano.
The RP squad is backed up by the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP), Raya Sports, Bugsy Promotions and Negros Billiards Stable (NBS).
“Mahalaga makauna agad sila, cumulative kasi ang score sa tatlong disciplines (9-ball, 8-ball Scotch doubles and 10-ball),” said NBS.
“It’s now win or go home,” said BSCP chairman Florentino “Yen” Makabenta.
The Nationals are now assured of $10,000 (roughly P470,000) for making it to the “Sweet 16”.
The 48-nation tournament, the first of its kind and sanctioned by the World Pool Billiard Association (WPA), has a total purse of $400,000 (roughly P19.2 million) and uses a point-system scoring patterned after the famous Davis Cup of international tennis. The champion team will get $100,000 (roughly P4.7 million).
Source: Marlon Bernardino, PhilBoxing
-- Efren “Bata” Reyes, perhaps the greatest billiard player of all time, continue put the Philippines on the global map.
This after the United States Billiard Media Association (USBMA) announced that the 55-year-old Filipino pool maestro has been named Player of the Decade, beating fellow former world champions Johnny “The Scorpion” Archer of the United States, Mika “The Iceman” Immonen of Finland and Ralf “Kaiser” Souquet of Germany in voting.
The Angeles City, Pampanga native Reyes, the top player of Puyat Sports, who had also been inducted into the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) Hall of Fame in 2003, amassed nearly $1.7 million in prize money according to the report of famous website Azbilliards yesterday, not included his latest feat in Indiana with a total earning of $47,500.
Reyes is fresh from winning his fifth straight Master of the Table Crown last Monday during the 12th Annual Derby City Classic at the Horseshoe Casino and Hotel in Indiana, United States.
“He (Efren) is an inspiration to the Filipinos,” said long-time benefactor/sportsman/businessman Aristeo “Putch” Puyat, acknowledge God Father of Philippine Billiards.
Reyes won more than 20 major men’s professional pool titles during the decade, starting with his $30,000 Camel Pro 8-Ball Championship win in 2000. Of his 22 major victories, the versatile Reyes won four one-pocket crowns, four 8-ball titles and 15 9-ball titles. He also won the Derby City All- Around title five times.
Reyes is also the first Filipino who won the prestigious World Pool (9-ball) Championships tiara in 1999 at Cardiff, Wales. He also took the World 8-ball title in 2004 in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.
He scored his biggest wins in the International Pool Tour (IPT), won two titles (2005 IPT King of the Hill and 2006 IPT North American Open) and pocketed $765,000.
In the distaff side, Allison Fisher of Great Britain was named Player of the Decade, defeating compatriot Karen Korr and Jasmin Osuchan of Austria for the coveted plum.
Source: Marlon Bernardino, ABS-CBN News
-- Filipino pool maestro Efren “Bata” Reyes continued to bring in the big bucks as he won this year’s Master of the Table Crown in the 12th Annual Derby City Classic in the United States.
It was the 5th Master of the Table Crown for Reyes, acknowledged one of the greatest players of all time. He topped the 1999, 2004, 2005 and 2007 editions.
Reyes was a finalist in the 9-Ball Banks and winner in the 9-Ball Competition. Such results were enough for him to pocket the All Around of The Master of the Table Crown at the Horseshoe Casino and Hotel in Indiana on Sunday.
Dubbed as “The Magician,” Reyes made some of his trademark shots to beat American Rodney “Rocket” Morris in the 9-Ball Competition finals.
He collected a total of $47,500 in prize money after 10 days of action. He won $20,000 for topping the All Around of The Master of the Table Crown, $16,000 for winning the 9-Ball Competition, $5,000 for settling a runner-up finish in the 9-Ball Banks, and another $6,500 for topping the Fat Boy 10-Ball Challenge.
Puyat Sports President Aristeo "Putch" Puyat said he is very happy with the impressive performance of Reyes, who is playing under the banner of Puyat Sports.
“Ang tagumpay ni Bata sa Indiana ay magandang simula para sa bilyar sa pagbubukas ng taong 2010,” he said.
Other Filipino cue artists who participated in the said annual affair are Francisco “Django” Bustamante, Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan, and veteran internationalists Rodolfo “Boy Samson” Luat. Bustamante was 3rd overall in the One Pocket division.
Filipino legend Jose “Amang” Parica, who was inducted into the One Pocket Hall of Fame, won the All Around of The Master of the Table Crown in 2002 while Bustamante won the same title in 2008.
