Site News
Topic: *Industry News* 2012

Chieh-Yu Chou is the 2012 Amway Cup World 9-Ball Open Champion; pockets $20,000
by Marlon Bernardino

Manila, Philippines---ONCE again, Chieh Yu Chou, has proven the Taiwanese expertise in billiard sports after winning the recently-concluded 2012 AMWAY eSpring Women’s World 9-Ball Open Championship Sunday at the Cue Master Pool Club in Taipei, Taiwan.

Chou defeated Jasmin Ouschan of Austria, 11-9, in the finals to went home the top prize of $20,000 top prize. Ouschan satisfied $10,000 for her effort.

This is the second time for Chou to rule the Women's World 9-Ball Open after she dominated the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) sanctioned event two years ago.

Chou seize a 5-0 lead in the race-to-11, Chinese Taipei Billiards Federation (CTBF) event. However, Ouschan was only waiting her turn. She fought back in her usual take-no-prisoners style to tie the match at 9-9 until Chou won the last two racks.

Chou will be joining fellow Taiwanese Ko Pin-yi and 2012 World 9-ball kingpin Chang Jung-lin in the Perry Mariano's Bugsy Promotions outfit.

"Next month (April) darating si Chieh Yu Chou sa bansa at sasama na sa training sa Bugsy Promotions. Kasama niya sina Ko Pin-yi at Chang Jung-lin na lalahok sa Mayor Antonio Calixto International 10-ball Cup sa April 26 to 29 sa Cuneta Astrodome sa Pasay City," said sportsman/businessman Perry Mariano, long-time benefactor of Dennis "Robocop" Orcollo and Carlo "The Black Tiger" Biado.

"Maganda ang performance ng mga Taiwanese kasi nakita ko y'ung dedikasyon nila sa larong bilyar. Focus talaga sila sa practice," he added.

Earlier, Chou defeated Kelly Fisher of Great Britain, 9-7, in the quarter-final and Player of the Year Siming Chen of China, 9-1, in the semi-final matches to arranged a titular showdown with Ouschan, who brought downed Ga Young Kim of Korea and XiaoTing Pan of China by the same score, 9-7, respectively.

Reigning Southeast Asian Games double gold medallist Iris "Figther" Ranola received $700 for sharing 17th to 24th place while 2009 Women's World 10-ball ruler Rubilen "Bingkay" Amit received $500 for tying 25th to 32nd place.

AGIPI Billiard Masters, Final Stage, Schiltigheim (FRANCE)

Follow the best 3-Cushion players LIVE on Kozoom. The Live video coverage will start on Friday, Mar 22nd at 5PM. If you don't have your Premium Pass yet, you can register here - www.kozoom.com/en/billiard-carom/premium-pass/

Gloucester To Host PTC Events

The South West Snooker Academy in Gloucester will stage all four domestic Players Tour Championship events next season.

The provisional dates for the UK events in Gloucester are:

July 18-19 ( amateur pre-qualifier )
July 20-22 ( Last 128 )

August 8-9 ( amateur pre-qualifier )
August 10-12 ( Last 128 )

September 5-6 ( amateur pre-qualifier )
September 7-9 ( Last 128 )

November 10-11 ( amateur pre-qualifier)
November 12-14 ( Last 128 )

A spokesman for World Snooker said: "The South West Snooker Academy hosted two PTC events this season and it proved an excellent venue with a high standard of playing conditions and facilities for players.

"We recognise the need to have access for spectators at PTC events and the SWSA provides this option. Alongside the SWSA team we look forward to four top class PTC events in Gloucester next season, to be contested by players from all around the world."

Paul Mount, Chairman of the South West Snooker Academy, added: "We're delighted to be selected as the venue for the 2012 PTC events. As a World Snooker Centre of Excellence we're very proud to provide the highest standard of playing conditions and facilities anywhere in the world.

"We look forward to welcoming players from all over the World to the 2012 PTC events. It is set to be a very exciting season for snooker and there are now some wonderful opportunities for young players and amateurs to develop their game and progress towards the Professional Tour.

"At South West Snooker Academy we take great pride in assisting the development of players and the sport from junior level through to professional status.

"With our coaching and residential packages in place we are structured to enable a player from anywhere in the world to use the South West Snooker Academy to progress their career.

"It is also a pleasure to be able to offer spectator facilities for all the PTC events. The public greatly enjoyed the events we hosted last season and we look forward to welcoming the fans back to the South West Snooker Academy again."

The full provisional calendar for the 2012/13 season World Snooker Tour is available at www.worldsnooker.com

Q School Deadline This Friday

The deadline for entering Q School, World Snooker's qualifying school for the professional tour, falls this Friday at 5pm.

All amateur players who want to chase their dream and earn the chance to play against the top pros for millions of pounds in prize money should get their entries in immediately. To enter go to www.worldsnooker.com and click 'Online Entries' on the home page under 'New This Month'.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: "All Q School entries must be in by this Friday at 5pm. So if you have ever dreamed of being a professional snooker player and competing on the professional circuit, get your entry in NOW!

"Take a look at the calendar for next season and you'll see that snooker is becoming a global sport in a way never witnessed before. We've got tournaments happening all around the world, and there are more in the pipeline. Prize money is growing dramatically and is set to go over £7 million next season. The best players are earning fortunes for playing the game that they love. If you've got the talent and the dedication then you could be one of them.

"And this time it's a TWO-YEAR tour card for all 12 players who qualify through Q School. That takes a lot of pressure off players in their first year and gives them time to climb the rankings.

"Another great thing about Q School is that you don't have to play for a whole year...all you need to be ready for is three weeks in Sheffield in May. You'll be playing under professional conditions, and if you play well for just one of those weeks you could find yourself on the pro tour.

"It's open to everyone, giving a fantastic opportunity to all players. Now it's up to you to take that opportunity."

Just to re-cap on the key reasons for playing in Q School:

- It's a TWO YEAR TOUR CARD to all 12 players who qualify from Q School. The event starts on May 13.

- Prize money is increasing rapidly and is set to go over £7 million next season.

- It will be played under professional conditions at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield - the perfect preparation for the main tour.

- There will be three separate events, so that's three bites of the cherry. And you don't need to win an event, just get to the semi-finals and you've got the two-year tour card!

- The new Q School ranking list sees players earning one point for every frame won. During the main tour season, should any of the tournament draws fall short then the field will be topped up with the highest ranked players from the Q-School list.

Check out our new Q School page on Facebook where you can watch videos and share comments about the event. Just go to www.facebook.com/worldsnookerQschool

DON'T FORGET, THE FINAL DEADLINE IS MARCH 23, GET YOUR ENTRY IN NOW!

For full terms and conditions and more details about Q School go to www.worldsnookerqschool.com

Gospel Trick Shot RACK Team to Tour Philippines

World Pool and Billiard Champions Mike "Tennessee Tarzan" Massey and Tom "Dr. Cue" Rossman, along with Steve "The Pastor of Pool" Lillis will be touring as the GTS RACK Team on their "RACK Up A Victory" world tour which stops in the Philippines from June 11 through July 3, 2012. Dozens of dazzling billiard shows will be held in Manila, Bacolod, and Cebu at various venues including shopping malls, basketball courts, and other arenas.

Mike Massey has won 23 major titles around the world in many billiard disciplines and is considered by many to be the greatest artistic pool trick shot artist of all time. Mike is also a member of the prestigious Billiard Congress of America (BCA) Hall of Fame which also claims as members Pilipino legends Efren "Bata" Reyes and Francisco "Django" Bustamante.

Tom "Dr. Cue" Rossman has also won numerous major titles in artistic pool and trick shots and is considered by many as the founding father of the modern artistic pool worldwide movement. Tom's unique style has entertained and amazed audiences around the world for years with his magnetic blend of billiard artistry and "twist of humor".

Steve Lillis is the President and Founder of Gospel Trick Shot Ministries, Inc. and has trained a number of world class players in artistic pool and trick shots. His unique style of presenting life lessons with a spiritual twist while executing difficult trick shots has earned him the title of "The Pastor of Pool".

Together Mike, Tom, and Steve have performed dozens of shows together for the past decade and are very close friends. They come to the Philippines with their special blend of talent and skills on the pool table to share what they have learned in life both on and off the pool table. Come and be amazed, entertained, and inspired by three of the top pool players and showmen in the world today!

                            Best Victories, Always! Mike, Tom, and Steve
    
RACK Up A VICTORY In Your GAME and LIFE!

iPool S&C Launches Tiger Pro/Am Series

iPool Support & Consulting joins forces with Tiger Products to bring the Tiger Pro/Am Series to Central Europe. This 9-ball series will debut in Sindelfingen, Germany with the Die Drei Open on April 21st and 22nd followed by the Zurich Championships at Billiardino in Zurich, Switzerland on July 1st.

“We are excited to have two of the finest pool halls in Europe for our first events. I could not think of a better kick-off!” says Marco Tschudi of iPool S&C.

Each event will be open to a 96 player field with a minimum of 1000.- added. The main event will begin on Saturday with the preliminary round-robin stage followed by the single knock out for the final 32 players. The Die Drei Open will also feature a second chance tournament on Sunday for all players not advancing to the final 16. The Die Drei Open will be the first tournament in Germany to utilize Billard-Net, the online platform that combines all the needs of players, promoters and tournament directors.

“We are very lucky to be supported by some of the best companies in the industry, Tiger Products and Simonis Cloth. We hope to work with these companies over the next few years to develop more opportunities for players in this region and throughout Europe,” says Cristina De La Garza of iPool S&C.

The third event of the series will be a women’s event that will also take place at Billiardino in Zurich and details will be announced soon. Registration for the Die Drei Open is now available everyone at www.ipoolsnc.blogspot.com/p/contact.html.

For more information about the Die Drei Open and all events of the Tiger Pro/Am Series please visit ipoolsnc.blogspot.com.

Thanks to all of the sponsors of the Tiger Pro/Am Series:
Tiger Products www.tigerproducts.com
Simonis Cloth, The Cloth of Champions ® www.simoniscloth.com
Die Drei – Billard, Dart and more… www.billard-diedrei.de
Billiardino Zurich-West www.billiardino.ch

Supporters:
Billard-Net www.billard-net.ch
SwissPool www.swisspool.ch    

European Blackball Pool Championships Available as Live Web Stream

The 2012 EBA European Blackball Pool Championships are upon us, and will once again feature live and exclusive streaming courtesy of Cuesport TV, a dedicated Internet video provider.

Having found its permanent home at the renowned Spa in Bridlington, this year’s European Championship will feature more than five hundred players from ten European Nations, who will compete for titles in both individual and team events.

The live action begins on Tuesday the 27th of March, and will run for five full days, with the curtain coming down on Saturday the 31st. The programme promises five days of great action, with pool players of the highest calibre facing off across the baize.

Some of the players featuring in this year’s event will be renowned pool legend Andy Lucas, England team representatives Aidan Finch, John Chambers, Ian Ali and Jack Whelan, as well as the rejuvenated Jimmy Carney and other fantastic players from around the British Isles, including former World Masters Champion Scott Ross, and Welsh International Phil Hoskins.

The Ladies’ Event will be hotly contested by the likes of Kim Carney, Leanne Evans, Kirsty Davies, Nicky Correa and Yvonne Ewing.

A few well-known names will contest the Team Event, with England and Scotland expected to feature strongly, and other nations such as Northern Ireland and Catalonia will be expecting to do more than make up the numbers.

The high-quality, exclusive live stream is available from Cuesport TV, for the introductory price of just £2.99 (approximately $5.00). To sign up for the event in advance and get the benefit of this offer, please follow this link: www.cuesport.tv/Events/signin.aspx?eventID=777

Cuesport TV are delighted to once again be associated with the EBA European Championships, now for the third time, and have made videos of previous events free-to-view in honor of the on-going agreement and affiliation with this high-profile pool championship. These videos can be found at the main CuesportTV website, at: www.cuesport.tv

Premier League Line-Up Takes Shape

There are just two more places up for grabs in this year’s PartyPoker.com Premier League, with eight of the ten spots taken by snooker’s top stars.

Over the past three weeks, Mark Allen, Stephen Lee and Ding Junhui have guaranteed their places in the prestigious event by winning the Haikou World Open, Betfair Players Tour Championship Grand Finals and Championship League respectively.

Now there are just two more titles up for grabs this season – the Bank of Beijing China Open and Betfred.com World Championship. The winners of those events will join the PartyPoker.com Premier League line-up.

In the event that a player wins more than one of the qualifying events, the additional spot(s) will be filled by invited player(s).

The line-up as it stands is:

Defending Champion: Ronnie O'Sullivan
UK Champion: Judd Trump
Masters Champion: Neil Robertson
Shanghai Masters Champion: Mark Selby
Australian Goldfields Open Champion: Stuart Bingham
Championship League Winner: Ding Junhui
Haikou World Open Champion: Mark Allen
PTC Grand Final Champion: Stephen Lee
China Open Champion: 1st April
World Champion: 7th May

Matchroom Sport Chairman Barry Hearn said: “The qualifying criteria we now have in place for the Premier League adds an extra bit of spice to each event as players strive to ensure their place in one of snooker’s longest running and most prestigious tournaments. Congratulations go to Mark Allen, Stephen Lee and Ding Junhui for taking their place in the line-up.

“For those players not yet qualified for the Premier League, it’s an extra motivation to win either the China Open or World Championship.”

Now entering its 27th season, the PartyPoker.com Premier League Snooker returns on 16th August of this year with a brand new format.

There will be a total of ten players, placed into two groups of five. The five players in each group play each other once with the top two in each group going forward to the semi-finals.

Each of the ten league fixtures features two matches - one match from each group - and each league match is over six frames. Players score two points for a win and one for a draw.

If two players are tied on points, their league position will be determined by most frames won and if they are still tied, the result of the match between the two players will determine their position.

In the play-offs, the winner of Group A faces the runner-up of Group B in the semi-finals, and vice-versa over the best of nine frames with the final being best of 13.

As in previous years, there is a 25 second shot clock with each player having two 25-second extensions in each frame and all matches will be played using the current 'miss' rule.

The overall winner of the event will receive £50,000, with the runner-up to pocket £25,000 and the two losing semi-finalists £12,500. During the group phase, players will receive £1,000 for every frame won and £1,000 for every century breaks. There's also a £5,000 prize for the highest break made during the tournament and a £25,000 bonus for a 147.

Venues and ticket details will be announced shortly.

DJANGO BEATS YANG; TEAM PHILIPPINES SERIES TIED 3-3 AGAINST TEAM ASIA IN PBB
by Marlon Bernardino

FRANCISCO "Django" Bustamante couldn't afford to lose. So the top player of sportsman/businessman Aristeo "Putch" Puyat made sure to win his important game.

The 2010 WPA World 9-ball champion clustered four straight racks to beat Taiwanese Yang Ching-shun, 9-3, to win the Philippine Bigtime Billiards (PBB) Face-Off Series late Saturday (March 24) at the Pagcor Airport Casino in Parañaque City.

The win was worth $5,000 for Bustamante while Yang settled for $2,500 in the winner's break format, dubbed as Philippines versus Asia, jointly organized by the Mega Sports World and BRKHRD Corp and aired live over Solar Sports, Sky Channel 70 and Destiny Channel 34, and also aired worldwide through the Internet, live streaming at www.megasportsworld.com and www.philippinebigtimebilliards.com. The win allowed Team Philippines series tied 3-3 against Team Asia.

"The ball rolls in my favor," said the 48-year-old pool legend who took a 5-2 to 5-3 lead and never looked back.

The PBB Face Off series backed up by Sorsogon Province Sports Patron Philip Escudero, Malungai Life Oil, Mandarin Sky Sea Food Restaurant, Servo Marketing, Hermes Sports Bar, Golden Leaf Restaurant, Bugsy Promotions, Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP), Airport Casino Filipino and The Philippine Star resumes with a match pitting Chang Yu Long of Chinese-Taipei against Ronato "Volcano" Alcano on March 31, Liu Hai Tao of China versus Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan on April 14, Liu then face Dennis "Robocop" Orcollo on April 21 and Fong Pang Chao of Chinese-Taipei opposite Lee Vann "The Slayer" Corteza on April 28.

Cuemakers International 9-Ball Championship 2012

Some of the finest cuemakers from all over the USA and Canada met in Philadelphia at the Super Billiards Expo for the 2012 Cuemakers International 9-Ball Championship.

The event was the first annual Cuemakers 9-Ball Championship and was held as a charity benefit for the Galilean Childrens Home in Liberty, Kentucky. The Galilean Childrens Home has helped thousands of special needs children for a few decades now. All entry fees and donations went directly to help the Childrens Home. Some cuemakers paid much more than the $30 donation/entry fee and others who were unable to play came by and donated their entry fee just to help the Children. When all was said and done the cuemakers tournament raised over a $1000 for the Childrens Home.

The players field was filled with Cuemakers from both the American Cuemakers Association and the International Cuemakers Association as well as some independent cuemakers. The tournament was played in a true single elimination format. When it was all over Chris Hightower of Hightower Custom Cues took home the title of International 9-Ball Champion of Cuemakers 2012. His route to the title was not an easy one with wins over Canadian cuemakers Charlie McKay and Roy Mason. Then he squeaked by well known California cuemaker Jerry McWorter and went on to win the finals against Michigan cuemaker John LaLonde.

Next years event will be held at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center during the Super Billiards Expo March 28th - 30th 2013. A special word appreciation needs to be given to Allen Hopkins Productions for donating the space to hold the event, Cue Man Billiard Products for donating the table rental fees, the International Cuemakers Association for donating the Award Plaques and most of all to the cuemakers for their generous donations and participation. Our cuemaking industry indeed has some generous quality individuals representing it.

If interested in sponsoring, donating to or playing in the 2013 event contact cueman@cuesmith.com for more information.

John LaLonde (left) and Chris Hightower (right)

Tickets Released For Crucible Snooker

World Snooker have released extra tickets for the first two rounds and the semi-finals of the Betfred.com World Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

All tickets allocated to the top 16 players which were not taken up have now been released on general sale.

The Betfred.com World Championship runs from April 21 to May 7 and will feature cue kings such as John Higgins, Judd Trump, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Mark Selby, Ding Junhui and Neil Robertson.

A spokesman for World Snooker said: "Any fans who missed out on getting the tickets they wanted for the first and second rounds, or semi-finals, should try again as there are now seats available for certain sessions.

"We have had unprecedented demand for tickets so far, with many sessions selling out very quickly, and we are looking forward to a fantastic staging of the world's greatest snooker tournament.

“For anyone who loves snooker but has never been to the Crucible before, it is a unique experience which must be witnessed.”

BOOK NOW by calling 0844 6565 147 or visiting sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

For fans who are looking for an extra special experience at the Crucible, there are also outstanding Premium and Hospitality packages available.

The Hospitality Package includes a ticket to a session of your choice to the final (subject to availability) plus a two-course meal with drinks, an appearance from a snooker legend and much more! Packages are priced at £200 per person per session, for further information call Frank Smith on 01277 359925 or email frank.smith@matchroom.com

The Premium Package allows fans to benefit from an exclusive bar area within the Crucible Theatre, a picnic box with complimentary drink on arrival and a goody bag with a commentary earpiece, a souvenir programme and a poster. The cost is just £40 per person per session (tickets should be purchased separately). The packages are expected to sell quickly so BOOK NOW by calling 0844 6565147.

TalkSPORT TO BROADCAST WORLD SNOOKER CHAMPIONSHIP DRAW LIVE ON AIR

talkSPORT will exclusively broadcast the draw for the Betfred.com World Snooker Championship live on Monday 16 April. The top snooker players in the world will find out live on air who they are due to face at the sport’s longest running and most famous tournament. The draw will take place at 1.30pm on the Hawksbee and Jacobs show, with reaction from World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn and last year’s finalist Judd Trump.

The World Championship dates back to 1927 and this year’s event runs from 21 April to 7 May at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, which has been the tournament venue since 1977. Millions of fans in over 100 countries around the world will watch the greatest snooker players battle for £1.1million prize money.

The field for this year’s tournament consists of the top 16 players in the world plus 16 qualifiers. Defending champion John Higgins will face contenders including Judd Trump, Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Selby, Neil Robertson and Ding Junhui.

Moz Dee, Programme Director, talkSPORT said: “The World Snooker Championship is an iconic, long running sporting event and it’s fantastic that talkSPORT are able to be a part of this year’s tournament. It’s great news for our listeners that Barry Hearn has agreed to broadcast the draw live and testament to the station’s dedication to 24 hour sport content.”

Barry Hearn, World Snooker Chairman, said: “The draw is the most exciting moment in the build-up to the Betfred.com World Championship as the top 16 find out which of the 16 qualifiers they will face in the first round at the Crucible. We’re delighted that talkSPORT are broadcasting the draw live for the first time and no doubt every fan who loves snooker will be tuning in to hear it unfold.”

Tickets for the Betfred.com World Championship are on sale - to book call 0844 6565 147 or visit sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

Legend Knowles Enters Q School

The deadline for entering Q School falls at 5pm tomorrow, and former World No 2 Tony Knowles has entered the event as believes he can still succeed on the pro tour.

The 56-year-old from Bolton will take his place along with over 100 other players at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield in May, for the event which will have 12 two-year tour cards up for grabs.

The four semi-finalists from each of three tournaments will be handed a place on the pro circuit for the next two seasons.

Knowles, who shot to fame in 1982 when he beat Steve Davis 10-1 in the first round of the World Championship and went on to win two ranking events in his 1980s prime, said: “The circuit is going in the right direction and the game is going world-wide. This is a great opportunity, especially with the two year tour card on offer.

“I know there are a lot of very good young players now but maybe I can still teach them a few tricks. Steve Davis and Jimmy White are still going strong on the main tour so I decided to give it a go.

“I played in Q School last year but I didn’t give myself enough time to practise because I had a lot of other work going on,” added Knowles, who owns a bar in the Lake District. “That work is nearly finished now so I will have a lot more time to devote to playing snooker. I want to do it as a way of relaxing more than anything, but I want to give myself the chance to play in professional events.”

There is still time to enter Q School as the deadline is TOMORROW (Friday March 30) at 5pm. To enter go to www.worldsnooker.com and click ‘Online Entries’ on the home page under ‘Featured’.

Just to re-cap on the key reasons for playing in Q School:

- It's a TWO YEAR TOUR CARD to all 12 players who qualify from Q School.

- Prize money is increasing rapidly and is set to go over £7 million next season.

- It will be played under professional conditions at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield - the perfect preparation for the main tour.

- There will be three separate events, so that's three bites of the cherry. And you don't need to win an event, just get to the semi-finals and you've got the two-year tour card!

- The new Q School ranking list sees players earning one point for every frame won. During the main tour season, should any of the tournament draws fall short then the field will be topped up with the highest ranked players from the Q-School list.

DON'T FORGET, THE FINAL DEADLINE IS MARCH 30, GET YOUR ENTRY IN NOW!

For full terms and conditions and more details about Q School go to www.worldsnookerqschool.com

The Secret Art Of Pool DVD now available

The Secret Art Of Pool - Is the instructional series by Lee Brett, Lee has decided now is the time to share these secrets in his instructional book, and now the DVD is available via www.leebrettpool.com

Lee has coached and advised top players John Morra, Shane Van Boening, Darren Appleton, Mike Dechaine and many others. Lee is now known in his field as one of the world's top billiard coaches, with a record to match with the success his players have achieved.

Covering his "V" grip technique, his 1 to 5 set up sysytem, Inside & Outside the box, how to have strong fundamentals, including sighting, alignment, stance, bridge hand & arm, follow through, Lee's aiming system, straight shot system and spin shot system, and much more to mastering the art of pool.

The book and ebook held the #1 & #2 spots on the amazon bestsellers list. At only $49.99 and 2 hours 25 minutes long, you are getting great value for money. The promo for the DVD can be seen here - www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCl3gtp2FUY

I am a perfectionist and always searching for improvement. but this new technique of mine is the best thing I have discovered so far in my career, and so I wouldn't have any hesitation in sending future players and professionals Lee's way, technically and fundamentals he is a very good coach.
Darren Appleton

You changed my stroke thanks. If anyone wants good advice or needs help, lee brett helped me with my problems.
Shane Van Boening

Lee is very good at communicating with players and gives a good sense of inspiration and drive to whoever is willing to listen.
John Morra

ALCANO FAVORED OVER TAWAINESE BET CHANG IN PBB FACE OFF SERIES TONIGHT
by Marlon Bernardino

FILIPINO Ronato "Volcano" Alcano remains the favorite over Taiwanese ace Chang Yu Long when the Philippine Bigtime Billiards (PBB) Face Off Series dubbed as Philippines versus Asia will resume tonight, Saturday, March 31, 9pm at the PAGCOR Airport Casino in Parañaque City.

"“I will do my very best,” said the Calamba City, Laguna pride Alcano, a former WPA World 9-ball and 8-ball Champion.

"Hope manalo ako para makalamang na din ang Team Philippines," added Alcano, who is schedule to spearheaded the country's bid in the forthcoming 2012 Mayor Antonio Calixto International 10 ball Cup on April 26 to 29 at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City,

Sports Betting at MegaSportsWorld favored Alcano against Chang as of Friday. A $1-bet on Alcano would win $ 2. A $1-bet on Chang would win $1.56 in this race-to-9, 10-ball affair, winner's break format event, jointly organized by the Mega Sports World and BRKHRD Corp and will be aired live over Solar Sports, Sky Channel 70 and Destiny Channel 34 and also aired worldwide through the Internet, live streaming at www.starbilliards.com.ph, www.megasportsworld.com and www.philippinebigtimebilliards.com.

Filipino Francisco "Django" Bustamante toppled Taiwanese Yang Ching-shun, 9-3, last March 24. The win allowed Team Philippines series tied 3-3 against Team Asia in the event backed up by Sorsogon Province Sports Patron Philip Escudero, Malungai Life Oil, Mandarin Sky Sea Food Restaurant, Servo Marketing, Hermes Sports Bar, Golden Leaf Restaurant, Bugsy Promotions, Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP), Airport Casino Filipino and The Philippine Star as official media partner.

Future matches between Liu Hai Tao of China versus Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan on April 14, Liu then face Dennis "Robocop" Orcollo on April 21 and Fong Pang Chao of Chinese-Taipei opposite Lee Vann "The Slayer" Corteza on April 28.

BCAPL Grows To Record Numbers and Offers More to Players

Henderson, NV. - March 30, 2012 - The CueSports International (CSI) motto, “More Choices for All Players,” is embodied in the diversity of its many products. CSI sanctions about 500 independent leagues through BCA Pool League, offers a uniform nationwide handicap league system through USA Pool League, produces major professional events such as the US Open 10-Ball Championships, offers pro and semi-pro events on 7’ and 9’ tables such as the Swanee Memorial and US Bar Table Championships, supports national and world junior competition, promotes high level action and pool media through The Action Report, and leads the industry in the development of software and technology for the future good of the sport.

In short, every pool player on the planet can to participate in, and benefit from, a league or event produced by CSI.

The leading CSI promotion, the BCA Pool League (BCAPL), has sanctioned more local leagues in each of the eight years that CSI has been involved. Going into the 36th BCAPL National Championships (May 9-20, 2012), the BCA Pool League has grown to 500 active leagues across the United States, plus Canada, Taiwan and the Bahamas. Players ranging from beginner to grand master level are welcome and enjoy the organization and level of competition that CSI and the BCAPL provides.

In addition to the heralded annual BCAPL National Championships, BCAPL affiliated state and regional organizations produce a growing number of events across North America. CSI adds money to numerous regional and state BCAPL sanctioned events including: the BCAPL Texas State Championships, the BCAPL Southwest Regional Championships, Western BCA championship events, the Wisconsin State BCAPL Championships, and the BCAPL Canadian Open Series to name a few.

The BCAPL embraces all manner of pool competition, with many different sanctioned league formats in 8-Ball and 9-Ball, and in 14.1 Continuous (straight pool) and One Pocket. The BCAPL does not limit or restrict the type of game played, nor stipulate a particular handicap system. Over 6,000 players of all abilities travel each year to Las Vegas for the BCAPL championships, which has been tagged “The Greatest Pool Tournament in the World!”

Without question, CSI offers “More Choices for All Players”!

Visit www.playcsipool.com, www.playbca.com and www.playusapool.com for more information about CSI and its divisions.

TEAM ASIA TAKES 4-3 SERIES LEAD OVER TEAM PHILIPPINES AS CHANG BEATS ALCANO
by Marlon Bernardino

TAIWANESE cue artist Chang Yu Long defeated Filipino Ronato "Volcano" Alcano bagging the top prize of the Philippine Bigtime Billiards Face-Off series on Saturday at the Airport Pagcor Casino in Paranaque City.

Chang won two straight racks to edged Alcano, 9-7, in the race-to-9 event backed up by Sorsogon Province Sports Patron Philip Escudero, Malungai Life Oil, Mandarin Sky Sea Food Restaurant, Servo Marketing, Hermes Sports Bar, Golden Leaf Restaurant, Bugsy Promotions, Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP), Airport Casino Filipino and The Philippine Star as official media partner.

The win was worth $5,000 for Chang while Alcano settled for $2,500 in the winner's break format, dubbed as Philippines versus Asia, jointly organized by the Mega Sports World and BRKHRD Corp and aired live over Solar Sports, Sky Channel 70 and Destiny Channel 34, and also aired worldwide through the Internet, live streaming at www.megasportsworld.com and www.philippinebigtimebilliards.com. The win allowed Team Asia takes 4-3 series lead against Team Philippines.

Chang saw his big lead, 5-2, by winning three straight racks before Alcano fought back from the grave to cut the lead at 5-4 in favor of the former (Chang).

However, Chang won two of the three racks to go up, 7-5. Alcano managed to level the match at 7 in the 14th frame but the Taiwanese took the last two racks for the win.

“Luck played a part in my victory." said Chang through an interpreter. " Ronato (Alcano) is a very tough opponent." he added.

It shall be recalled that last March 24, Filipino Francisco "Django" Bustamante toppled Taiwanese Yang Ching-shun, 9-3, to lift Team Philippines series tied 3-3 against Team Asia.

Earlier, Ko Pin-yi of Chinese-Taipei downed Filipino pool maestro Efren "Bata" Reyes, 9-4, last February 18. However, Bustamante pull off a come-from-behind win against Ko, 9-7, last February 25 to avenged the loss of his fellow Puyat Sports player Reyes. Chang Jung-lin of Chinese-Taipei, on the other hand beat Lee Vann "The Slayer" Corteza, 9-7, last March 3, then edged Dennis "Robocop" Orollo, 9-8, last March 10. But Carlo " The Black Tiger" Biado downed Taiwanese Yang Ching-shun, 9-3, last March 17 to cut the lead of Team Asia into a 3-2 score against Team Philippines in the Philippine Bigtime Billiards introduces a fresh new format for 2012.

Meanwhile, the PBB Face Off series resumes with a match pitting Liu Hai Tao of China against Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan on April 14, Liu then face Dennis "Robocop" Orcollo on April 21 and Fong Pang Chao of Chinese-Taipei opposite Lee Vann "The Slayer" Corteza on April 28.

Raj & Amar Win Saratoga at Wyoming Open

Saratoga, Wyoming- Raj Hundal and Amar Kang went undefeated to the finals of the Saratoga Open which features a new game that combines 8-Ball and 9-Ball together. Players from the west and all around the US will return to Saratoga once more for the 5th Annual Wyoming Open. Most of the players were master level or pro and featured some standouts such as Rodney Morris, Charlie Williams, Mark Tadd, Tony Piazza, Mark Vidal, and more. The event was sponsored by Poison Cues by Predator and Asia's #1 cloth Andy Cloth will be the official cloth used during the event.

" I sometimes get bored playing 8-ball and 9-ball. So one day I came up with the concept of combining the best of both games. The players all seem to enjoy it around here as well as the pros", says EJ Glode , promoter of the Wyoming Open.

"It's a great game Saratoga. It's a thinking man's game and can be action packed but also very strategic", said Hundal. Raj is sponsored by Poison Cues.

Hundal and Kang are both of India descent and are two of the countries finest. Hundal breezed through his bracket including wins over WPBA pro Melissa Little and former fulltime tour player Mark Tadd. Kang defeated Charlie Williams hill-hill after Williams eliminated Morris and Vidal. In the end, the hour was late and both Raj and Amar split the finals to get a goodnight's rest for the early morning start of the Wyoming Open. Hundal and Kang also played together as partners for the World Cup of Pool representing India.

The event is majorly supported by the town's own businesses which include : Hotel Wolf, Duke's Bar & Grill, Valley Foods, Riviera Lodge, Carbon County, and Shively Hardware.

Tabb To Referee World Final

Michaela Tabb will take charge of the Betfred.com World Championship final for the second time next month.

Scotland’s 44-year-old Tabb, snooker’s top female official, will referee the final at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield on May 6 and 7.

Tabb has refereed professional snooker since 2001, and officiated the world final for the first time in 2009 when John Higgins beat Shaun Murphy 18-9.

“I was absolutely elated when I found out I was doing it again this year,” she said. “I loved it when I did the final in 2009. It went really well for me without any mistakes so I just hope it will be the same this time.

“It’s such a huge tournament with a lot of history and potentially hundreds of millions of people watching on television. And there’s no venue like the Crucible in terms of the atmosphere. When it falls silent it is so intense.

“The good thing about the Crucible is that once you get to the semi-finals and the one table set-up, you breathe a sigh of relief because there is so much more room to move around. In the early rounds it’s really difficult because it is so tight for space.

“Sometimes you have to stand in the wrong place because you’ve just got no choice, otherwise you’d bump into a wall or one of the cameramen. Once you get to the one table set-up it’s much easier to concentrate on the match as you have to think less about your position.”

Tabb is one of the most successful female officials in sport, and has paved the way for more female snooker referees, including China’s Zhu Ying who has established herself on the pro circuit this season.

“It’s amazing to see the difference between now and how things were when I started, when refereeing was dominated by men, and I’m very proud of the part I have played in that,” Tabb added.

The Betfred.com World Championship runs from April 21 to May 7 and will feature 32 of the world’s best players battling for prize money of £1.1million.

Tickets for selected sessions are still on sale - BOOK NOW by calling 0844 6565 147 or visiting sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

For fans who are looking for an extra special experience at the Crucible, there are also outstanding Premium and Hospitality packages available.

The Hospitality Package includes a ticket to a session of your choice to the final (subject to availability). THE FINAL IS SOLD OUT SO THIS IS THE ONLY WAY TO BUY A TICKET. It also includes a two-course meal with drinks, an appearance from a snooker legend and much more! Packages are priced at £200 per person per session, for further information call Frank Smith on 01277 359925 or email frank.smith@matchroom.com

The Premium Package allows fans to benefit from an exclusive bar area within the Crucible Theatre, a picnic box with complimentary drink on arrival and a goody bag with a commentary earpiece, a souvenir programme and a poster. The cost is just £40 per person per session (tickets should be purchased separately). The packages are expected to sell quickly so BOOK NOW by calling 0844 6565147.

A CRACKING OFFER AT RILEYS THIS EASTER HOLIDAY

This Easter break we've got a great deal for Under 16s.

For just £6 under 16s can play pool or snooker for 2 hours, every day up until 6pm at Rileys Sports Bars. That's just £1.50 each if four under 16s play - another great value deal for Rileys members this Easter break.

It's also free membership at Rileys if you join online, so if you are up for renewal or haven't been in for a while then go to www.rileys.co.uk/freemembership and get 12 months membership completely FREE.

But that's not all. We have a selection of great deals for everyone. Check out www.rileys.co.uk/offers for more details and enjoy your spare time and Easter holidays at Rileys.

Enjoy the holidays the Rileys way.

That's the life

The Rileys Team