9 ball influence at Cebu

9 ball influence at Cebu

Some parents will never tolerate having their children play billiards. Count Renato Cumayas out.

Cumayas and the rest of his clan were at SM City Cebu yesterday to cheer on his youngest son, Jerson, who went on to claim the elementary division title of the Manny Villar Cup-Sun.Star Super Balita 9-Ball Challenge over Joshua Ababon.

Cumayas, an elementary school teacher, negates the bad image that billiards has among some parents and said only the parents can be made accountable for the bad image of billiards—of the sport being a quicksand that takes kids away from school.

“That is why it is very disappointing when we hear stories that kids had to leave school just so they could pursue a billiards career. How the parents could allow such, is more disappointing,” said Renato, who even introduced billiards to Jerson, to get him away from his peers.

Cumayas, who is also at the forefront of his son’s blossoming career, believes that his son, or anybody for that matter, can still be good in billiards and be good in school.

“I see to it that I monitor him. He needs to balance his schoolwork and studies. That makes me a strict parent, I guess. But it is for his own good,” said Cumayas.

After seeing the potential in his son, Cumayas brought a billiards table, where they worked on his kid’s skills.

“That table is off-limits except a few minutes after school and after my work and during weekends,” Cumayas added.

Cumayas feels that it will be a waste if kids could not continue school just because of billiards. “It is all up to the parents to guide their children. If we were able to do it, then everyone else can,” he said.

Jerson has been training for two years and since competitions for young boys are scarce, he plays older players, until such time when nobody wants to compete against the diminutive sixth grader from Tayud Elementary School.

They signed up right away after hearing of the Superbalita Challenge and hit paydirt when Jerson won the elementary division title.

“All his hard work and discipline finally paid off,” said Renato of Jerson, who is also a chess champion in the Lilo-an District.

Up next for the little boy is the high school title though the father is in no rush for the young pool champion.

One of the reasons that red flags are raised about kids playing billiards is their skipping school that’s why it was a breath of fresh air when Cumayas as well as
highschool winner Junmark Alegado became testaments that billiards should not be a hindrance from getting schooled.

Alegado, the 2006 Superbalita elementary champion, studies at the University of the Visayas in Toledo City.
Like Jerson, Alegado is “feared” in any pool hall in his city.

Alegado, who won, 9-3 over University of Cebu’s Elihil Pepito in the secondary finals yesterday, assured his parents and his school that education comes first.

“I always play billiards, but I never take for granted my education. It always comes first,” said the 15-year-old, who proudly announced that he never flunked a single subject because of billiards

With his good performance in school, Alegado has given his school a good reason to trust him and gave him the certification to join this year’s competition.

Alegado won the 2006 elementary division, but failed to compete last year, when the school thought it was a bad idea to allow a student to play billiards.

“I plan to be a better player and be a world champion and if not have a career someday,” Alegado said. Credits S.StarCebu

Amateur 9-Ball Classic Continues

Great Southern Billiard Tour whittles field down to 32

Thirty-two of the original 61 players who started the day are moving into Sunday play in the Great Southern Billiard Tour’s Choo Choo Amateur 9-Ball Classic. The tournament, which is taking place at Diamond Billiard Club in Chattanooga, TN, features some of the most recognizable amateurs in the south to include Landon Shuffett, Mike Laney, Danny Smith and Bill Bailey. However, as play on Saturday came to a close, some of those names found themselves on the wrong side of the tournament chart or out of the tournament.

Mike Laney was one who could not navigate the tough field, getting knocked out of the tournament early Saturday evening. Other top players finding the way difficult going are Russ Edwards, Danny Smith, and Bill Bailey. Top names still fighting in the winners’ bracket are Landon Shuffett, Diamond Billiard Club proprietor Davey Crockett Jr., Josh O’Neal, and Arlo Walsman.

Play will begin again on Sunday at 12:00pm with 1-loss bracket action. Some of the feature matchups going into day 2 of this $1500 added tournament are Josh O’Neal vs. Landon Shuffett, Arlo Walsman vs. Matt Reed and Daniel McKinney vs. Jimmy Dickerson, all on the winners side. Top names still alive on the one-loss side include Bill Bailey, Smith, David Rice, Russ Edwards, Nicholas Hickerson and Jason Jahop.
Thirty-two of the original 61 players who started the day are moving into Sunday play in the Great Southern Billiard Tour’s Choo Choo Amateur 9-Ball Classic.

Landon Shuffet will compete to Arlo Walsman at the finals. But Arlo Walsman won in the Great Southern Billiard Tour Choo Choo Amateur 9 Ball Classic

Thirty-two of the original 61 players who started the day are moving into Sunday play in the Great Southern Billiard Tour’s Choo Choo Amateur 9-Ball Classic.

Players are using the GSBT’s newly implemented, and popular, handicapping format. Players who are rated an “AA” have to go to 10 games, “A” players have to go to 9, and “B” players have to go to 7 in an alternate break race. This format levels the playing fields for multiple skill levels in the amateur ranks.

Appleton got his Masters Crown at first.

Darren Appleton, the reigning World 9 Ball Champion became the third ever Englishman to win the PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters title following a fighting 8-4 win over Holland’s Nick van den Berg at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas.

The 33 year-old, who converted to big table pool in recent years, following an outstanding career at English 8 Ball, beat Raj Hundal, Ralf Souquet and Mika Immonen en route to the final.

As well as the title and magnificent trophy, Appleton takes a cheque for $20,000 while Van Den Berg earned half that amount.

“It’s unbelievable to win the World Pool Masters,” said Appleton. “It has been my goal to win a Matchroom event and to win this is like winning another world title.

“After the 9-ball victory I put a lot of expectation on myself and hopefully this will help me get in the World Cup of Pool and the Mosconi Cup. We all want to play in Matchroom tournaments and this hasn’t done me any harm.”

“This gives me a lot more belief that I can go on and keep winning titles. My target has been to get in the Mosconi Cup and winning this puts me in the mix. It is every pool players dream to play in the Mosconi Cup.”

Appleton won the lag but delivered an illegal break as the requisite number of balls failed to travel past the headstring. Both players had visits but it was the Dutchman who took the rack.

Van den Berg, whose break had served him so well throughout the tournament came up with a dry break but his opponent missed a routine 6-ball but then made up for it with a fine 6-8 combination to level the score at 1-1.

Appleton produced a legal break and a fine long pot on the red 3 set himself up to run out the rack which he did to lead 2-1. That became 3-1 as he produced one of the best breaks of the tournament as four balls disappeared.

Van den Berg had a chance after Appleton missed the red 3 into the centre pocket, but he over- screwed and scratched potting the 4 ball and with ball-in-hand, Appleton moved 4-1 in front.

A scratch from Darren Appleton gave ball in hand to van den Berg and the score quickly moved to 4-2. In the next a fluke from Appleton gave him a three-rack advantage after a fortunate 4-6 combination helped him.

Appleton had a dry break in the eighth and the rack wasn’t a long one as van den Berg closed the gap to two thanks to a 1-9 carom. After serving him well, Van den Berg was beginning to struggle with his break. An illegal one helped Appleton inch closer to the title as he moved into a 6-3 lead in the race to 8.

Fortune went with van den Berg in the tenth rack as Appleton made an illegal break and then failed with a 2-7-9 combination. The Dutchman avoided scratching by millimetres after he potted the 6-ball and saw the cue ball hanging on the edge. He went on to win the rack to reduce the deficit to 4-6.

Appleton moved to the hill after another breaking error from van den Berg - this time a dry break,

and he clinched the title thanks to a 4-9 combination in the 12th rack to win by an 8-4 margin.

“I probably didn’t play as well in the final as I did in the semi-final,” added Appleton. “I didn’t break as well as I had done and neither did Nick - he had three dry breaks in the final.

“Nick recently won the European Championship so I had him as the favourite and had broken the best to get to the final.

“He’s a great guy and we’re very good friends so we both tried to enjoy the final and was just a shame someone had to lose.

“He was on a great run so to beat him in the final is a dream come true especially with the three other players that I defeated.”

Predator Tour Season Opener (Ignacio Chavez wins)

Blatt Billiards Predator 9-Ball Tour opened up the 2009 season the venue at Raxx Pool Room in West Hempstead, New York with 70 players going for the top prize. Players from the top attendance included Jeremy Sossei, Oscar Bonilla, Ignacio Chavez, Fran Crimi, Empire State Champion Marc “Spain” Vidal, Liz Ford, Sean “Alaska” Morgan, Bobby Blackmore & Tony Robles.

Day one had its share of surprising matches and stand out players. Tony Robles the owner of the tour started out strong with wins over Thomas Wan 8-4 & Marc Vidal 8-3 but trouble against Jeremy Sossei, losing 8-5. Robles fought back through the one-loss side until he ran into Oscar Bonilla, losing 9-7 and finishing 7th/8th.

While Liz Ford started the Predator tour season in winning fashion and smooth. Liz won highest finishing female, easily finishing 3 rounds higher than any of the other ten females in this event. But this wasn’t enough for the WPBA pro as she fought hard at the end of day one defeating Pete Tascarella Sr. 7-4 to return for day two action to play Pete Tascarella Jr., the son in the family of cue makers. Pete Jr. couldn’t tame Miss Ford either and lost to her 9-6. Liz continued to play strong against Jeremy Sossei keeping it close in the beginning, but Jeremy took control of the match at 3-3 and never looked back. Ford lost 9-4 to Sossei, finishing 9th–12th.

Other standout players included John Alicea, who continues to push and test many of the tours top players. On day one, John scored big wins over Victor Nau 8-4 and Jeremy Sossei 9-5. Day two saw John struggle and lose to Mhet Vergara 9-2 and Oscar Bonilla 9-5 leaving Alicea to settle for 5th/6th. Our other 5th/6th finisher was Jerry Tarantola who came out swinging on day one. With his monster break on his side, Tarantola easily defeated Jonathan Trager 8-0, Caroline Pao 8-3, and Pete Tascarella Jr. 8-2. Tarantola looked good playing Bobby Blackmore on day two with a 9-7 win but hit a wall name Ignacio Chavez, losing 9-2. Tarantola seemed to lose his steam and became another Sossei victim finishing with a 9-5 loss.

Mhet Vergara had his best Predator 9-Ball tournament ever staying undefeated on day one with wins over “the other” Allison Fischer, Andrew Kane, Chris Laz, and Lionel Rivera . On day two, Vergara continued to have success with a close call against Holden Chin winning 9-8 & John Alicea 9-2. Vergara then took on Ignacio Chavez for the hot seat. Ignacio played incredible pool this tournament with convincing wins over Dave Danchak 8-3, Steve Wright 8-5, Sean “Alaska” Morgan 8-5, Mike Fingers 9-2, & Jerry Tarantola 9-2. In the hot seat match, Chavez was the clear winner defeating Vergara 9-4.

First DCT event in 2009 was a ball – 8-Ball (Desert Classic Tour)

That is undaunted by the things like a national economic crisis and rising gas prices, Forty-Nine proud pool players from all the across Arizona, plus to the other parts unknown places, descended upon Kolby’s Corner Pocket in Tempe in to the first stop on the 2009 Arizona Desert Classic Tour.

To The first DCT event of the season featured the 8-Ball on 9-ft. Brunswick Gold Crown tables with tough, 11.05-rated pockets. It wasn’t your typical bar room 8-ball banger’s cup o’ tea. No sir, the event was for serious pool players, only.

Despite to the absence of Scott Frost, who was out of the action due for being the recipient of a severe wound as result of a bite from a poisonous spider, the field was full of talent players. Along with many of Arizona’s top cue slingers, several sharpshooters from neighboring states came to take a shot and try at this weekend’s prize money, plus get a fast start in the DCT’s annual points race.

In addition to the well-known big dogs on other hand, many lesser-known and lesser-established players came to out take advantage of a staggered entry fee system that was introduced by the DCT from this year. Through this new system, A-players (AZ 10’s) pay $70, B-players (AZ 8’s and 9’s) pay $50, and C-players (AZ 7’s and below) pay $35, to play. The new entry system is, of course, meant to entice lower-rated players to come out and cut teeth of their own while swimming in a “pool” full of sharks. And apparently, it worked.

The Adroitly organized and presented by Dennis Orender and Jimmy Mendoza of the DCT, this tournament went off without a hitch. Excellent equipment, facilities and services were provided by Jimmy Jo Langston and his superb crew at Kolby’s, making the weekend relaxing and enjoyable for players and fans, alike.

As the chaff was separated from the wheat, these are the players who made it to the “dough.”

1st Leil Gay
2nd Gus Briseno
3rd Bryan Begay
4th Brett Huth
5-6th Dennis Orender, Tres Kane
7-8th Bernie Pettipiece, George Teyechea

The next stop will be March 21- 22 at Bull Shooters in Phoenix. The game will again be 8-Ball, but this time it will be played on bar tables.

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