Archives for 9 Ball Billiard category
Posted on Aug 11, 2009 under 9 Ball Billiard, 9 Ball Challenge |
Chinese Taipei 9-ball stars Yang Ching-shun and Liu Shin-mei have advanced without much of a challenge into the quarterfinals of the World Games men’s and women’s 9-ball tournament, but the “Little Monster,” Kuo Po-cheng, was knocked out in a tense match. Billiards, and especially the 9-ball game, is popular in the host country, and local fans are hopeful the event will generate several medals for the Chinese Taipei World Games team. Yang, a two-time Asian Games champion and semifinalist at the 2002 9-ball World Championships shot his way past Ivica Putnik of Croatia 11-2 to reach the quarterfinals of the men’s 9-ball event Thursday. Nicknamed the “son of pool,” the Kaohsiung native won the 2001 World Games 9-ball gold medal, and after missing the 2005 tournament felt he could not pass up returning to the event staged in his hometown. He was joined there by Sweden’s Marcus Chamat, nicknamed Napoleon, who reached the semifinals of the 9-Ball World Championships in 2004. Chamat defeated Alejandro Carvajal of Chile 11-8. On the women’s side, Chinese Taipei’s Liu, the 1999 world 9-ball champion, advanced to the quarterfinals with a 9-4 win over Japan’s Akio Otani, despite not being at her best. Liu struggled to a 5-4 lead before winning the final four games. She will now face the “Duchess of Doom,” Great Britain’s Allison Fisher, in what has to be the marquee match-up of the quarterfinals. Fisher, who has won four 9-ball world championships and was nominated in June to be inducted into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame, set up the showdown with a 9-3 win over Aspra Indurjeeth Panchoo of South Africa. Also reaching the final eight of the women’s draw was 2008 world 9-ball champion Lin Yuan-chun of Chinese Taipei, who brushed aside compatriot Tsai Pei-chen 9-2. In later matches, Kuo, the 2005 9-ball World Championship runner-up, was locked in a struggle the diminutive “Little Monster” stayed with American No. 1 Shane van Boening for much of the match before stumbling on the last rack to lose 11-10. But “Hitman” and 2003 9-ball world champion Thorsten Hohmann had no problem advancing, defeating Chi Dung Luong of Vietnam 11-4. Although Kuo lost, another local favorite Wy Yu-lun got the local crowd going with an upset of second seed Ricky Walden of Great Britain. Walden was the only player ranked in the top 20 in snooker entered in the World Games tournament. After players complained Wednesday that the venue felt like a freezer, the temperature at the Chung Cheng Martial Arts Stadium rose from 20 degrees to a still chilly 22 degrees. But Yang later said the cool temperature bothered him far less than a bout of nerves early in his match.
Posted on Aug 11, 2009 under 9 Ball Billiard, 9 Ball Updates |
Filipina Amit is 9-Ball Pool World Champion
The 27 year old downed Liu, the 2006 Doha Asian Games gold medalist who reigned as world 9-ball queen in 1999 and 2004, with her superb shot-making to the delight of the appreciative weekend crowd.
The Philippines’ Rubilen Amit trounced two-time world titlist Liu Shin Mei of Chinese Taipei, 10-4 to rule the 2009 JBETpoker.net Women’s World 9-Ball Championship at The Block of the SM North Edsa in Quezon City. After she sank the final ball, Amit knelt in triumph, got up, hugged Liu and shook hands as confetti fell on them. She became the first 9-ball champion ever in the event, which was a recent addition to the sport. “Maraming salamat po, kayo ang ang nagpanalo sa akin (Thank you very much. I won because of you),” said Amit, who dedicated her triumph to her parents, patron Puyat Sports, and a certain “Tito Tolits” who recently passed away. The win by the pocket-sized Filipina earned her a whopping purse of $20,000 while Liu pocketed $9,000. She took the early initiative in the finals with a 6-3 lead. But Liu threatened, only to suffer a couple of miscues and allow the local favorite to take a 7-4 lead.
The crowd started to cheer loudly after Amit went ahead at 8-4 and louder when she sank a magical, double-rail shot on the No. 5 to reach the hill. It was all Amit in what proved to be the tournament’s final rack. It was Amit’s first international victory since falling short in the 2007 Amway World Women’s 9-Ball Championship in Chinese Taipei where she finished second.
“I didn’t expect to win. I only realized I won when I sank the final ball,” said Amit, a three-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist including a pair in the 2005 Manila Games. More importantly, Amit joined the ranks of countrymen Efren “Bata” Reyes, Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan and Ronnie Alcano, who have won world titles in 9-ball and 8-ball. Reyes, adored by many because of his skills and humble demeanor, won the 9-ball title in 1999 and 8-ball in 2004, Alcano the 9-ball and 8-ball titles in 2006 and 2007, respectively, and Pagulayan the 9-ball plum in 2004. “It feels great being in that company,” said Amit, who is now 2-1 in her head-to-head duel with Liu. Earlier, Amit broke out of a close game by hitting the shots that mattered most to overcome a tough Akimi Kajitani of Japan, 9-6, in the semifinals. Amit made it this far by trouncing a heavily favored Jeanette “The Black Widow” Lee of the United States in a nerve-wracking 9-8 hill-hill quarterfinal victory. Before that, the Cebu-born, Taguig-based Amit downed Julie Kelly of Ireland, 8-4, and Tan Hsiang Ling of Chinese Taipei, 8-3, in the first two rounds of the knockout phase also Friday. It was her eighth straight triumph since opening her campaign with a 1-5 setback to world No. 1 Kelly Fisher of England, who was booted out in the quarters by Liu in another hill-hill win, 9-8.
GOODNEWSPILIPINAS
Posted on Aug 01, 2009 under 9 Ball Billiard |
Antonio Gabica came back from a shattering defeat to assure the Philippines of its first gold medal, forging an all-Filipino final with Jeffrey de Luna in the billiards 9-ball event in the 15th Doha Asian Games late Monday night. Gabica, who lost the gold in the 8-ball final, blasted Korean Jeoung Young Hwa, 11-5, in the semis to seal the title duel for the 9-ball gold with De Luna who earlier routed Taiwan’s Yang Ching Shun, 11-7, hours after he snatched a thrilling hill-hill duel over Yukio Akagariyama of Japan, 11-10, in the quarters.
The gold medal showdown further underscored the domination by the Filipinos in the sport after the triumphs of Bata Reyes and Django Bustamante in the inaugural World Cup, the win by Reyes in the IPT World 8-ball Open, and Ronnie Alcano’s recent win in the World 9-Ball Championship. It could also fuel the RP bets’ gold medal rush at the finish of the quadrennial meet. Rookie Joan Tipon put one over Athens Olympics silver medalist Worapoj Petchkoom in their tightly fought duel that was decided via tiebreak in the bantamweight division to join compatriot Violito Payla in the finals. Tipon fought back from three points down, blew a two-point lead, then prevailed in the end of the thrilling contest that ended in 13-all and needed a countback to give the Filipino fighter a passage to the final. “It was a hard-fought victory,” said Tipon. “I dedicate this victory to my country and my family. I will give my best to win (the gold).” The victory over the Athens Olympics silver medalist thus broke the Thais’ domination of the Filipinos in the sport and Tipon’s win avenged the defeat suffered earlier by fellow rookie Godfrey Castro, who bowed to a stylish Suban Pannon via RSC (referee stopped contest) in the third round in their semifinal showdown in the lightflyweight division. Castro settled for the bronze. Mamiit later teamed up with fellow Fil-Am Eric Taino and pulled off a pulsating three-setter over Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin and Murad Inoyatov to advance to the semifinals of the men’s doubles. Two wushu experts advanced to the quarterfinals of the sanshou division. World champion Rene Catalan defeated Hudarayov Utkir of Kyrgyzstan, 5-0,5-0, and Mark Eddiva outclassed Fedoseev Aleksey also of Kyrgyzstan, 5-0, 5-0.
The 20-year-old Cojuangco, who had 8 penalties Sunday, cleared her round Monday but Toni Leviste and Juan Ramon Lanza had 4 each and the Philippines wound up with 28 penalties to finish in sixth. Paola Zobel didn’t count with 31 and 20 penalties in the two-day event.
Posted on Jul 30, 2009 under 9 Ball Billiard, 9 Ball Challenge |
Iris Ranola Captures Oklahoma Women’s State 9-Ball Championship
The OB Cues Ladies Tour and Magoo’s in Tulsa, OK hosted the Second Annual Oklahoma State Women’s 9-Ball Championship on July 25th & 26th. Thirty-five women were in attendance for the event, with 15 ladies competing for the 2010 US Open qualifier. The diverse field that arrived to play proved very tough when the doors opened Saturday morning, as this event is the only OB Cues stop that allows WPBA professionals to participate. Notable players on hand were WPBA Pros Iris Ranola, Janet Atwell, and Heather Pulford, 2009 OB Cues Ladies Tour Champion Lisa Marr, 2009 BCA Women’s Open Champion Cristina De La Garza, 2009 BCA Grand Master Runner-up Julia Gabriel, 2008 BCA Grand Master Runner-Up Bonnie Plowman, and former WPBA professional Julie (Mason) Comitini. There were some key matches early in the event, knocking many tough opponents to the B-side of the bracket earlier than expected and from there, knocking several out of the main event on Saturday evening.
Twelve players returned for the main event on Sunday, with four players remaining undefeated: Theresa Wilson, Janet Atwell, Julie Comitini, and Iris Ranola. The first round of the B-side eliminated Laura McDermott, Tara Williams, Shayla Neris, and Natalie Starr in a tie for 9th. Lisa Marr and Kathy McMinn finished a respectable 7th. The 5th place matches pitted the four remaining qualifier contenders against each other, each vying to remain in the running for the spot in the 2010 US Open. Heather Pulford and Julie Comitini were able to keep their qualifier dreams alive, while Theresa Wilson and Ginny Keeler had to settle for a paycheck and a 5th place finish. After all was said and done, Julie Comitini took the 4th place finish and Heather Pulford walked away with the spot for the 2010 US Open event and a chance to improve her standing in the tournament. On the winner’s side, Iris Ranola was matched against fellow professional Janet Atwell. Iris came out on top in a hill-hill match and had to wait for the 3rd place match to see whom she would face in the finals. Janet came out on top against Heather 7-4. Congratulations to Heather Pulford for her 3rd place finish and we wish her good luck next year in the 2010 US Open. In a repeat of the hot seat match, Iris and Janet would face each other once again to see who would be crowned the 2009 Oklahoma State 9-Ball Champion. Before the finals match could begin, two cues donated by OB Cues were raffled to support the event. The lucky winners were regular OB Cue Tour members, Tara Williams and Sandy Rodermund.
-WBPA WOMEN’S PROFESSIONAL BILLIARD ASSOCIATION
Posted on Jul 28, 2009 under 9 Ball Billiard |
Rising pool star the 19-year-old Banares, who beat twice former World 9-ball champ Thorsten Hohmann of German last year will spearheaded the Filipino campaign cue in the event dubbed as”Showdown @ Megamall” with the champion receiving the top prize money US$20,000 and a slot for this year’s World Ten ball.
” Basta maglalaro lamang tayo. Ibibigay ko ang aking best,” said Banares, during the press conference yesterday hosted by Raya Sports president and BSCP chairman Yen Makabenta.
Also includes in yesterday’s pressconference are BSCP officials Jun Diokno, Edgar Acaba and Emanuel Argonza, Filipino cue artists Marlon Manalo, Jeffrey de Luna, Demosthenes Pulpul and 15-year-old Jonas Magpantay.
The second, third and fourth placers gets US$10,000, and US$ 5,000, respectively. Prizes will be awarded up to 32nd place according to the organizing committee Raya Sports headed by Yen Makabenta in close cooperation with the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) led by long-time billiards patron Sebastian “Baste” Chua, also the president of the famous Star Billiards Center in this jointly event sanctioned by WPA, Asian Pocket Billiard Union (APBU) and BSCP.
Other Filipinos in the inaugural Philippine Open Pool Championship are Acaba, Alan Cuartero, Arnel Bautista, Resty Labastida, Jestoni Magadia, Archie Padal, Elvis Calasang, Oliver Villafuerte, Leonardo Didal, Elmer kalaquian, Luis Saberdo, Marvin Tapia, Mario Tolentino and Cebuano star Antonio Gabica, the Doha Asiad gold medallist.
The event which features some of the world best that includes World Ten Ball champion Darren Appleton of Great Britain, WPA world No.1 player Ralf Souquet of Germany, two-time World Junior champion Ko Pin Yi of Chinese-Taipei, current US open champion and former world champion Mika Immonen of Finland, current US No. 1 Shane Van Boening and Billiards Congress of America (BCA) Open 9-Ball women’s champion Jasmin Ouschan of Austria, Karen Corr and Julie Kelly of Ireland and Kelly Fisher of Great Britain.
Jericho Bañares of Antipolo City is the new Philippine junior pool champion, the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines announced in a press statement issued on Monday. Bañares bagged the 2nd BSCP Junior Pool Championship title with a 13-8 win over John Carlo Cerna of Pasay City in the finals of the tournament held Sunday night at the Star Billiards Center in Quezon City.
Posted on Jun 30, 2009 under 9 Ball Billiard |
OBJECT OF THE GAME
Nine Ball is played with nine object balls numbered one through nine and a cue ball. On each shot the first ball the cue ball contacts must be the lowest-numbered ball on the table, but the balls need not be pocketed in order. If a player pockets any ball on a legal shot, he remains at the table for another shot, and continues until he misses, fouls, or wins the game by pocketing the 9-ball. After a miss, the incoming player must shoot from the position left by the previous player, but after any foul the incoming player may start with the cue ball anywhere on the table. Players are not required to call a shot. A match ends when one of the players has won the required number of games.
RACKING THE BALLS
The object balls are racked in a diamond shape, with the one ball at the top of the diamond and on the foot spot, the nine ball in the center of the diamond, and the other balls in random order, racked as tightly as possible. The game begins with cue ball in hand behind the head string.
LEGAL BREAK SHOT
The rules governing the break shot are the same as for other shots except:
1. The breaker must strike the 1-ball first and either pocket a ball or drive at least four numbered balls to the rail.
2. If the cue ball is pocketed or driven off the table, or the requirements of the opening break are not met, it is a foul, and the incoming player has the cue ball in hand anywhere on the table.
3. If on the break shot, the breaker causes an object ball to jump off the table, it is a foul and the incoming player has cue ball in hand anywhere on the table. The object ball is not respotted (exception: if the object ball is the 9-ball, it is respotted).
CONTINUING PLAY
On the shot immediately following a legal break, the shooter may play a “push shot.” (SEE PUSH SHOT). If the breaker pockets one or more balls on a legal break, he continues to shoot until he misses, fouls, or wins the game. If the player misses or fouls, the other player begins his inning and shoots until he misses, fouls or wins. The game ends when the nine ball is pocketed on a legal shot, or the game is forfeited for a serious infraction of the rules.
PUSH OUT
The player who shoots the shot immediately after a legal break may play a push out in an attempt to move the cue ball into a better position for the option that follows. On a push out, the cue ball is not required to contact any object ball nor any rail, but all other foul rules still apply. The player must announce his intention of playing a push out does not count and remains pocketed except the 9-ball. Following a legal push out, the incoming player is permitted to shoot from the position or to pass the shot back to the player who pushed out. A push out is to considered to be a foul as long as no rule (except rules for BAD HITS and NO RAIL) is violated. An illegal push out is penalized according to the type of foul committed. After a player scratches on the break shot, the incoming player cannot play a push out.
FOULS
When a player commits a foul, he must relinquish his run at the table and no balls pocketed on the foul shot are respotted (exception: if a pocketed ball is the 9-ball, it is respotted). The incoming player is awarded ball in hand; prior to his first shot he may place the cue ball anywhere on the table. If a player commits several fouls on one shot, they are counted as only one foul.
BAD HIT
If the first object ball contacted by the cue ball is not the lowest numbered ball on the table, the shot is foul.
NO RAIL
If no object ball is pocketed, failure to drive the cue ball or any numbered ball to a rail after the cue ball contacts the object ball on is a foul.
IN HAND
When the cue ball is in hand, the player may place the cue ball anywhere on the bed of the table, except in contact with an object ball. He may continue to adjust the position of the cue ball until he takes a shot.
OBJECT BALLS JUMPED OFF THE TABLE
An unpocketed ball is considered to be driven off the table if it comes to rest other than on the bed of the table. It is a foul to drive an object ball off the table. The jumped object ball(s) is not respotted (exception: if the object ball is the 9-ball, it is respotted) and play continues.
JUMP AND MASSE SHOT FOUL
If a match is not refereed, it will be considered a cue ball foul if during an attempt to jump, curve or masse the cue ball over or around an impeding numbered ball, the impeding ball moves (regardless of whether it was moved by a hand, cue stick follow-through or bridge).
THREE CONSECUTIVE FOULS
If a player fouls three consecutive times on three successive shots without making an intervening legal shot, he loses the game. The three fouls must occur in one game. The warning must be given between the second and third fouls. A player’s inning begins when it is legal for him to take a shot and ends at the end of a shot on which he misses, fouls or wins, or when he fouls between shots.
END OF GAME
A game starts as soon as the cue ball crosses over the head string on the opening break. The 1-ball must be legally contacted on the break shot. The game ends at the end of a legal shot which pockets the 9-ball; or when a player forfeits the game as the result of a foul.
Posted on Jun 25, 2009 under 9 Ball Billiard |
Massey, Peach & Osborne Win in Croydon - CueSport
Got back monday morning from the GB9 Southern Masters at the weekend. 128 players in Britain’s official professional 9-ball tour and what a weekend it was!
We were of course at the event in our capacity as official streaming media partners of the GB 9 Ball Tour and we recorded 14 matches and a few interviews from the weekend which will be available later this week.
The first thing I must offer is my greatest respect to the organisers as they faced their biggest challenge yet when 4 of the tables for the tournament were deemed unplayable.
With 128 players in three divisions the GB9 Tour is built around a 16 table format. This meant that the 12 table contingency plan had to be adopted. This meant a change to match times and every player had to be called to give them a new start time. A phenomenol amount of work carried out by both Lee Rigby and Shirley Ang to make sure the event could still run smoothly.
This did mean that the finals of the pro and challenge cups finished very late on Saturday/Sunday. But all was worth it with two very high quality final matches.
In the Challenge event, incidentally our choice for ‘Player Focus’ during the weekend, Damian Massey beat Adam Benn Smith in a match where he was 5-1 down and came back to lift his first GB9 Tour title with an 11-7 victory. Fully deserved from a man that has always had the game and has won numerous small open events. This now means a possible step-up for Damian to the Pro Cup in 2010.
In the Pro Event - our video coverage is mainly from this event - local boy Damian Overton came up against 2007 World 9-ball Champion Daryl Peach. A high quality match that ended up going hill-hill with Daryl to break after having won the earlier lag. Daryl prevailed and won his second GB9 Pro title. Both players were on top form and it was shame for Damian, as one of the most likeable characters on tour, that he couldn’t lift his first ever tournament title. Overton who by his own admission struggled in 2008 and thought he may not keep his pro tour spot has now moved up to number 4 in the Professional rankings.
The Main Event
Last year we only covered the main event finals in Solihull and Croydon and cncentrated mainly on the Pro Cup, this year, where possible, we will also be offering some match coverage from the sunday.
We picked up our action with a last 32 match between UK number 1 Imran Majid and a newcomer to the tour Kevin Hew. Kevin is no newcomer to the game of 9-ball though having won a number of events on the old UK 9-ball tour. In a match I thought would have been a touch closer Imran Majid booked a last 16 spot with a 9-4 win.
In the last 16 our attention turned to the Predator World 10-ball Champion, Tony Drago, who was playing against Challenge Tour winner Damian Massey. A very close and entertaining match ended up with Drago winning 9-7 to get into the 1/4 finals.
In the 1/4 finals we focused our attention on Karl Boyes versus Craig Osborne. Craig missed the first event in Solihull as he was in New York taking a holiday but bounced back in this event showing some true class. He bested Karl 9-5 to book his third GB9 semi-final place. The quarter-finals threw up some very interesting matches the most notable was challenge tour player, Martin Chapman, beating Daryl Peach 9-4. The other big shock was Scott Higgin beating Raj Hundal 9-7. The other match featured Majid and Drago, Majid won it 9-7.
So to the semi-finals where we picked UK number 1, Imran Majid against Martin Chapman. Chapman never really got going and failed to show the class he had produced against Daryl Peach in the previous round and ended up losing 9-3 to the man that was defending this title. In the other match Craig Osborne went further than before by booking a birth in the final with a 9-4 victory over Scott Higgins.
The Final
Rarely have we had a GB9 Tour final that has been heavily one-sided, this was also no exception to that rule. One of the most entertaining finals ever saw Craig ‘Shotgun’ Osborne lift his first GB9 Tour title 11-10. Fully deserved and he looks like he is brimming with confidence for the 2009 season. Unfortunate for Imran after he had also had his car towed away earlier in the day due to a parking infringement!
Roll on the next event in May!
Posted on Jun 25, 2009 under 9 Ball Billiard |
9-ball is played using the 1-ball through the 9-ball and the cue ball. The object of the game is to shot at the lowest number ball on the table. You win the game by
making the 9-ball. The balls are racked in a diamond shape. The 1-ball is always placed in the front of the rack and the 9-ball always goes in the middle. The two
players can lag and the winner of the lag decides who goes first. The winner of each game breaks. On the break you must hit the 1-ball first. If you scratch on the break
then the other player gets ball in hand and can place the ball anywhere on the table. Lag means that the player shoots a ball from behind the header towards the footer.
The object is to get the ball to hit the rail and stop as close as possible to the rail. The next person does the same thing. The person who is closest to the rail gets to go
first. When it is your turn you are not require to call your shot. You are allowed to make a ball that is not the lowest ball on the table as long as you make contact with
the lowest ball first. If you fail to make a shot then it is the other players turn. After the break the player shoots next can call a “push out” in order to move the cue ball
into a better position. The cue ball does not have to may contact with an object ball or touch a rail. You must call a push out before you attempt the shot or it is a normal
shot. If a ball other than the 9-ball is made on a push out it remains pocketed. If there is a scratch on the break than a push out is not allowed.
Steps:
1 — First, set the 9 balls on the table inside a diamond shaped rack: the 1-ball should be on the foot spot and the 9-ball in the middle of the diamond.
2 — Then,choose the player who will open the game by tossing dice, drawing cards, etc. The chosen player has to hit 1-ball with the cue ball.
3 — Afterwards, the player can call “push out” and to shoot only to move the cue ball to a better position.The game continues normally: on each shot, the cue ball has to contact the ball of the lowest number,
4 — Each player who’s made a legal shot continues playing.
5 –Lastly, the first player who pockets the 9-ball legally wins the game.
Posted on Mar 28, 2009 under 9 Ball Billiard |
How billiards came to America has not been positively established. There are tales that it was brought to St. Augustine by the Spaniards in the 1580s but research has failed to reveal any trace of the game there. More likely it was brought over by Dutch and English settlers. A number of American cabinetmakers in the 1700s turned out exquisite billiard tables, although in small quantities. Nevertheless, the game did spread throughout the Colonies. Even George Washington was reported to have won a match in 1748. By 1830, despite primitive equipment, public rooms devoted entirely to billiards appeared. The most famous of them was Bassford’s, a New York room that catered to stockbrokers. Here a number of American versions of billiards were developed, including Pin Pool, played with small wooden targets like miniature bowling pins, and Fifteen-Ball Pool, described later.
The American billiard industry and the incredible rise in popularity of the game are due to Michael Phelan, the father of American billiards. Phelan emigrated from Ireland and in 1850 wrote the first American book on the game. He was influential in devising rules and setting standards of behavior. An inventor, he added diamonds to the table to assist in aiming, and developed new table and cushion designs. He was also the first American billiard columnist. On January 1, 1859, the first of his weekly articles appeared in Leslie’s Illustrated Weekly. A few months later, Phelan won a prize of $15,000 at Detroit in the first important stake match held in the United States. He was a tireless promoter of the game and created the manufacturing company of Phelan and Collender. In 1884 the company merged with its chief competitor, J.M. Brunswick & Balke, to form the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, which tightly controlled all aspects of the game until the 1950’s. Its successor, Brunswick Billiards, is still the largest American manufacturer.
The dominant American billiard game until the 1870s was American Four-Ball Billiards, usually played on a large (11- or 12-foot), four-pocket table with four balls-two white and red. It was a direct extension of English Billiards. Points were scored by pocketing balls, scratching the cue ball, or by making caroms on two or three balls. A “carom” is the act of hitting two object balls with the cue ball at one stroke. With so many balls, there were many different ways of scoring and it was possible to make up to 13 points on a single shot. American Four-Ball produced two offspring, both of which surpassed it in popularity by the late 1870s. One, simple caroms played with three balls on a pocket less table, is sometimes known as “Straight Rail,” the forerunner of all carom games. The other popular game was American Fifteen-Ball Pool, the predecessor of modern pocket billiards. The word “pool” means a collective bet, or ante. Many non-billiard games, such as poker, involve a pool but it was to pocket billiards that the name became attached. The term “poolroom” now means a place where pool is played, but in the 19th century a poolroom was a betting parlor for horse racing. Pool tables were installed so patrons could pass the time between races. The two became connected in the public mind, but the unsavory connotation of “pool-room” came from the betting that took place there, not from billiards.
Posted on Mar 24, 2009 under 9 Ball Billiard |
Geoff Dawson says Seventh Street NW across from Verizon Center needs more entertainment.
The Washington Capitals and Bono just aren’t enough, even when you factor in a new 500-seat Clyde’s restaurant and upscale bowling alley Lucky Strike, both of which opened last fall.
Dawson, the co-owner of Bedrock Management, is putting together a lease at 714 Seventh St. NW with Douglas Development for 5,000 square feet in a basement that will highlight the company’s standard offerings: pool, shuffleboard and board games.
It’s a sizable parcel in a high-rent strip that’s commanding more than $80 per square foot. Dawson, whose company owns Atomic Billiards, Buffalo Billiards, The Continental and Bedrock Billiards, says he doesn’t know which brand will go in there yet.
“It’s just our kind of space — quirky,” says Dawson, adding that he hopes the space below Comfort One Shoes and Ecco will be ready in six months. The shoe stores signed about four months ago and are expected to open this summer.
The strip along Seventh Street is saturated with retailers that have been competing to be near Urban Outfitters, Aveda and Ann Taylor Loft, among others.
Trendy restaurants such as Zengo at Seventh and H streets, which opened last fall, are moving in at a fast clip. Former Vidalia executive chef Peter Smith signed a lease at Seventh and Eye streets NW in March — after a year of negotiations — to open a modern American restaurant.
Not much is left in the area. There’s a 30,000-square-foot parcel of retail expected to become available at Seventh and H streets NW, now home to CVS and owned by Yeni Wong.
“The property doesn’t deliver for two years,” says Transwestern Commercial Services broker Bill Miller, whose company is soft marketing the space now.
CVS may stay in the space, says Miller, who’s negotiating with the retailer. Regardless, more than 20,000 square feet will be available at $100 a sqaure foot. “No one has gone, ‘You’re nuts,” Miller says. “We’re being patient.”