Two flights of 5 players

Michael Kang runs a 15

PRIZE FUND

1 $2,800.00
2 $2,000.00
3 $1,500.00
4 $1,200.00
5 $1,000.00
6 $800.00
7 $600.00
8 $500.00
9 $300.00
10 $230.00
High Run $100.00
Best Game $100.00
TOTAL $11,130.00
PRIZE FUND

Group A Group B
1 Miguel Torres 2 Sonny Cho
4 Pedro Piedrabuena 3 Michael Kang
5 Hugo Patino 6 Jim Shovak
8 Jong Min Lee 7 Young Ha Choi
9 Mazin Shooni 10 Soong Hyun Lee
RANKING
1 Miguel Torres
2 Sonny Cho
3 Michael Kang
4 Pedro Piedrabuena
5 Hugo Patino
6 Jim Shovak
7 Young Ha Choi
8 Jong Min Lee
9 Mazin Shooni
10 Soong Hyun Lee
2012 USBA Tour Open Tournament
Final Groups
MGM Billiards

Dan Janes
In 1968 Dan and good friend Bill Stroud started the Joss Cue Company. The word Joss means Luck. In 1972 Dan bought Bill out of the business and went into higher production. Joss rapidly became one of the best known brand of cues. Even in his earlier years Dan was among only a handful of cuemakers that made his shafts interchangeable with a standard joint size on his cues. He kept up with the market trends and developed one of the highest tech shops in the business. He transitioned from V-groove points and pantograph work into CNC (Computer Numerical Controlled) machined points and inlays. He pioneered some handle joining techniques that no other cuemakers were using. You could see his unique finger jointing method in some of his hustler type of cues. His cues have been considered to be one of the top brands of cues world wide for decades. Dan has also been a sponsor of some of the top pro players and has sponsored many tournaments. He has truly been an ambassador for the cue industry.

Thomas Wayne
Thomas started building cues in 1979. He has been a craftsman of some sort most of his life. He has made furniture, guitars, knives, jewelry, skateboards, etc. Although Thomas was not the first to use CNC (Computer Numerical Controlled) machinery to build cues, he pushed the CNC machining of inlays to levels that were unheard of before. He trademarked the term 4-D Inlay, which refers to designs he can achieve by using 4 axis machining with special programming. His designs literally wrap around the cue. Many of the designs keep even the most experienced collectors and cuemakers looking at his cues trying to figure out how he did it. Some of the designs look like they were impossible to build. Thomas was also among the first to build a cue in the six figure retail range. Even though he is famous for his CNC inlay work, he still incorporates V-groove points into many of his cues. Thomas is known as one of the top CNC experts in Alaska and is consulted by makers of many other items on how to machine their products. Thomas was also one of the founding members of the American Cuemakers Association. When one thinks of Thomas Wayne they should think: Pioneer of CNC cue art at its finest!
For more information on the International Cuemakers Hall of Fame visit www.internationalcuemakers.com
By: Chris Hightower

The advantages of these learning cards over books is that you don’t have to bring a book to the table and flip through the pages and try to find your spot. Each card has it’s own trick shot.  These learning cards fit in you shirt pocket or wallet. The learning cards are designed to be placed on the edge of the rail of table for easy viewing when practicing.

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Shots are diagramed in color & fully explained on each card. Each numbered packet contains 10 cards. Each shot card is laminated and designed to make learning easy and fun. Each packet also consists of a doodle spot. Dry eraser is not included.

The advantages of these learning cards over books is that you don’t have to bring a book to the table and flip through the pages and try to find your spot. Each card has it’s own trick shot.  These learning cards fit in you shirt pocket or wallet. The learning cards are designed to be placed on the edge of the rail of table for easy viewing when practicing.

STORY AND PHOTO BY TED LERNER

(Fujairah, UAE)–Call it a case of the student surpassing the master.

Taiwan’s Chang Jun Lin, who for the last ten years has been a pupil of fellow countryman Fu Chei Wei, did his pool teacher proud by winning the 2012 World 8-ball Championship, convincingly beating Fu in an all-Taiwan finals in Fujairah, 11—6.

Chang’s performance today, which started with a gritty 9-7 semi-finals win over England’s Chris Melling, vaulted him atop the pool playing world and deservedly so.  Chang’s ability to read patterns, his even-keel demeanor, and his dead-eye potting skills, were all on display throughout the week in Fujairah and carried him through world class competition all the way to his first world championship.

The fact that Chang has learned much about pool and life at the feet of the 38 year old Fu, added a fascinating twist to what had become an all-Taiwan 8-ball party in Fujairah.  The 26 year old Chang began studying the game from Fu at the age of 16. Despite traveling the world in the last few years, the two had never played each other in an international event.

The fact that these two ended up in the finals of a world championship was amazing result. As is the case in most pro tournaments, the tournament was constantly in a state of flux, with a single small roll of a ball determining outcomes of matches and careers. But by the time the finals rolled around, it was clear that the two hottest players this week had made it.  Like Chang, Fu was playing red hot pool the last few days and had never come close to defeat.  His 9-3 beat down of China’s Liu Haitao in today’s semi-final was just the latest in a string of powerful performances.

Both players were playing at about the same high level so it was difficult to predict who would come out on top in the final.  But one thing was perfectly clear in this tournament; dry breaks and only one missed ball invariably lead to instant punishment from  the other player.  And that’s exactly how this match played out.

Fu won the lag but missed an early ball which Chang pounded on for the clear and a 1-0 lead.  Chang then coolly broke and ran the next rack for a 2-0 lead. Fu broke dry in rack three and when Chang couldn’t convert a long pot, Fu also missed and paid the price for a three rack deficit.

The deliberate Chang doesn’t normally let big leads like this get away, but Fu decided it was time to make a match of it. Fu finally got on track when he broke serve in the next rack after Chang scratched on the break.  He broke and ran rack 5, then broke serve in rack 6, and broke and ran rack seven for a 4-3 lead. That, however, was the last lead Fu would see in the match.

From there Chang stepped on the gas and took the next four frames, which included two break and runs, one clear off a dry break, and a cleared table from a Fu miss, all for a 7-4 lead and a vice grip on the match.

At this point Fu’s energy level seemed to wilt, while the tall and burly Chang just kept motoring along.  Fu got one back, but Chang kept on going, punishing a single mistake by Fu, and breaking and running when he had the break. Chang made Fu pay for a mistake to go up 8-5. Then broke and cleared for a 9-5 lead. Fu got one consolation rack before Chang closed out his first world championship in style; a break and run, and clear off a Fu miss.

Afterward  Chang was understandably highly emotional not just about his amazing accomplishment, but about the man who had helped him get to the top of the mountain, who happened to be the same man he had just beaten to get there.

“It’s like a dream,” Chang said through an interpreter. “To be a world champion. It’s something I dreamed about for a long time. I didn’t feel any pressure playing him.  He taught me more than just how to play pool. He taught me how to be a man in real life, how to carry myself, how to behave and lead your life, don’t criticize and get down on yourself too much. Lead with you actions not your words. He is not just a teacher but a big brother to me, and a good friend.”

For Fu, the result brought on mixed emotions as his long cherished journey to his first world title ended in a losing battle with his very own pupil.

“I played bad in the final,” Fu said, still able to laugh and joke . “I felt like I ran out of energy. I’m very happy for  him. I’m proud. But I think I would have preferred to have played a player from another country.”

For winning the World 8-ball Championship, Chang won $20,000, while Fu takes home $15,000

Starting on March 8th, players can enter the competition and try to qualify for the eight person single elimination tournament to be held on Sunday, March 11th. For a $25 entry fee, each player gets five tries to pocket consecutive balls, and the qualifying score will be the cumulative total of these five tries. Players can enter as many times as they like and play is open to men and women of all ages and skill levels. This event will offer amateur players the unique opportunity to compete side by side with professional players, while also keeping separate prize funds for each competition level.

“The reason why this event is happening is because we, as 14.1 players and fans, felt that there is simply not enough 14.1 being played and showcased at larger scale events. The World 14.1 Championships is only one step in a very large journey that 14.1 has to continue making, and we at the Fury 14.1 Challenge presented by Diamond Billiard Products, Bob Jewett, and CME-IMAGES feel that we are in a good place to help that journey along”, says Charles Eames, Tournament Director and Event Coordinator.

14.1, also known as straight pool, was the game of choice for pocket billiards players in previous eras of pool. This is the game that was featured in “The Hustler”, and was shown on The Wide World of Sports. Its popularity waned in the wake of the growth of amateur pool leagues that featured 8-ball, and the rise of billiards on ESPN, which featured the faster paced game of 9-ball. 14.1 is still considered the most prestigious of the pocket billiards games, and high runs of consecutive balls are considered a true indication of a players skill. Willie Mosconi, considered the greatest pocket billiards player of all time, won an unprecedented and unduplicated 15 Straight Pool World Championships. His record run of 526 consecutive balls was set in Springfield, Ohio in 1954 and still stands to this day.

In addition to Fury Cues, Diamond Billiard Products, Bob Jewett and CME-Images, additional sponsors of this event include Strachan Super Pro Cloth, members of the AZBilliards.com 14.1 Forum, and many others. This non-profit event depends on entry fees and donations to cover expenses and increase the prize fund. This year, Fury cues and Cuesight.com have teamed up to give away a Fury Limited Edition Evolution series cue valued at $995 to one lucky person who donates through the Cuesight.com website.

Visit Cuesight.com for more information on this fantastic prize package.

For more information about the competition contact Charles Eames of CME Images at 516-581-3209 or ceames516@gmail.com, http://www.cme-images.com/

For more information about Fury Cues visit http://www.fury-cues.com/ or contact the exclusive North American distributor, Sterling Gaming, 3372 Smith Farm Rd, Matthews, NC 28104 877-283-7444, http://www.sterling-gaming.com/

AS THE RACE for Mosconi Cup spots gets underway in earnest, it’s America’s top player Shane Van Boening who leads the way after the Turning Stone Winter Event which took place in December.

Van Boening, who came top of the US Mosconi Cup rankings in 2011, beat the likes of Mike Dechaine, Ralf Souquet, Dennis Hatch and Rodney Morris before over-turning Raj Hundal in a close fought final.

That puts the ‘South Dakota Kid’ 40 points ahead of Morris in the early running with Dechaine filling out third place.

The US Mosconi Cup Ranking currently consists of five events. Points will be allocated as per the BCA Points List and each event will be weighted depending on total purse, size of field and number of top-ranked players competing.

Only players finishing in the last 32 of each event will be allocated points and at the conclusion, after the 2012 US Open, the top two players will automatically gain entry to the Mosconi Cup side.

The remaining three players will be Matchroom Sport wildcard picks although the ranking will play a part in this.

The next qualifying event is the Players Championship at Valley Forge which runs from 8th to 11th.

The Ranking

1. Shane Van Boening                       140
2. Rodney Morris                               100
3. Mike Dechaine                                70
T4. Dennis Hatch                                 60
T4. Brandon Shuff                               60
T6. Shawn Putnam                              50
T6. Earl Strickland                               50
T6. Dustin Morris                                50
T9. Stevie Moore                                40
T9. Jonathan Pinegar                          40
T9. Bucky Souvanthong                       40
T12. Larry Nevel                                 35
T12. Mike Davis                                  35
T12. Oscar Dominguez                       35
T12. Shane Winters                             35
T12. Oscar Bonilla                              35
T12. Chris Lynch                                  35
T12. Dan Thompson                            35

Luke Riches, Matchroom Sport: luke.riches@matchroom.com

Notes: Matchroom Sport are one of the world’s leading producers of televised sport and are responsible for over 1,000 hours of original programming across a range of sports. Based in the UK and chaired by charismatic founder Barry Hearn, the Mosconi Cup is one of a stable of pool events that include the World Cup of Pool and the World Pool Masters.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY TED LERNER

(Fujairah, UAE)–The World 8-ball Championship turned into a wide open race on Wednesday in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, as some of the games biggest names, including defending champion Dennis Orcullo, last year’s runner up Niels Feijen, and semi-finalist Darren Appleton all were sent packing barely after the knockout stages had gotten going.

Other big names, like former champions Ralf Souquet and Karl Boyes were also handed their walking papers. In all it amounted to a proverbial one day bloodletting in one of the sport’s biggest championships.

The biggest upset of the day was easily Orcullo, who went down hard to upstart Karol Skowerski of Poland.  Both Orcullo and Skowerski had won their round of 64 matches earlier in the day, and came up against each other in the first of the round of 32 matches later in the evening.  When the defending champion sent the cue off the table on the opening break it must have been a terrible omen for the Filipino, who was certainly expecting to go far in the event he won last year.

Indeed things continued downhill even  faster for Orcullo as he fell behind 5-0 in the race to 9, alternate break contest.  The 28 year old Skowerski, who’s ranked number 4 in Poland, took advantage of several errors from the defending champion, and played surprisingly confident pool throughout.  The Kielce native showed superb potting skills and was never intimidated even when Orcullo began a fight back.  In fact it was the Filipino who seemed to fold as Skowerski won the match going away, 9-3 for the biggest win of his career.

“I played well and I really concentrated well the whole match,” an obviously delighted Skowerski said after the match as he was congratulated by teammates Radislaw Babica and Tomasz Kaplan, both of whom were eliminated earlier in the day.  “I wasn’t scared and I wasn’t nervous.”

At about the same time, Feijen, who’s been runner up here two years running, found himself in a difficult match against the very talented Ko Pin Yi of Taiwan in a round of 32 contest. Everyone expected this one to go the distance but it wasn’t even close. Ko, who over the last year has been making it clear he intends to be one of the world’s best players, blew Feijen out of the building, taking the match 9-2.

One of the more interesting matchups of the early sessions in the round of 64 was perennial favorite Souquet taking on the USA’s Max Eberle.  Eberle is the last American standing in this year’s championship, and over the last 24 hours he’s been openly relishing carrying the mantle for the USA, the ancestral home 8-ball.

Indeed “Mad Max” started his match like a man possessed as he jumped out to a 4-0 lead. As expected the Kaiser methodically crawled his way back into the match and looked to be squeezing the air out of the American.  Eberle, though, stood  his ground and wouldn’t let the German great catch him as he held on for a gritty 9-7 win.

“I came out strong and I think that set him back a bit,” Eberle said afterward. “Ralf was tight today. He usually plays cleaner but he kept giving me opportunities.”

Darren Appleton came into this year’s championship supremely confident of his chances to take the title, even admitting early in the week that for him to lose, an opposing player would have to shoot lights out pool.

“You really have to beat me,” the powerhouse Brit said. Those words came back to haunt Appleton tonight as China’s talented Li He Wen beat him senseless in the round of 64. The 31 year old Li, who hails from Shenyang in northeastern China and is China’s number one ranked player, steamrolled Appleton 9-3 to move into the round of 32 on Thursday.

“I played very good today,” Li said afterward through an interpreter. “He didn’t break good and he gave me too many chances.”

Several times  today in Fujairah it was proved that players from  the Middle East  have made great strides in recent years and are no longer just filler for tournament fields. 23 year old Salah Al-Rimawi of the UAE brought some noise to the Fujairah Tennis Club as he upended fancied Brit Daryl Peach, 9 – 5.  Al-Rimawi, who is the UAE’s number one player and made it all the way to the final 16 last year here,  played solid pool throughout and jumped out to a 7-1 lead over the former World 9-ball champion, who had seemed out of sorts the entire tournament.    Peach fought back but Al-Rimawi showed true grit by bearing down and crossing the finish line in style.

Earlier, 20 year old Ahmad Jallad, who showed fine form last June in Qatar for the World 9-ball championship, showed he can play serious 8-ball as he put in a gutsy performance  against favored Filipino Joven Alba.  Alba, who coaches the national team of the UAE, went up 6-2 only to commit some glaring errors that allowed the youngster to gain some momentum. Jallad clawed his way back to go up 7-6, then held off the Filipino for a narrow win, 9-8.

It was not the best of days for the Philippine contingent as six Pinoys went down to defeat. Still three big names are still in the championship; Lee Van Corteza, Roberto Gomez, and Carlo Biado.

Thursday is sure to provide plenty of drama and tension as the field will be reduced to four players by the end of the day.  Thursday play begins at 2pm in Fujairah(GMT +4).

The 2012 World 8-ball Championship concludes on Friday with the semis and finals. The winner will receive $20,000 while the runner up will get $15,000.  The tournament has a $156,000 prize fund.

The WPA will be providing up to the minute coverage of all the happenings on its website, www.wpa-pool.com, including live scoring of all matches, in depth articles on the goings on posted several times a day, as well as blow by blow coverage of big matches via the WPA’s Twitter page, @poolwpa.

For Live scoring, CLICK HERE

For Updated Brackets and complete Final 64 draw, CLICK HERE

For Photo Gallery, CLICK HERE

*The World Pool and Billiard Association(WPA) is the world governing body of the sport of pool. The WPA is also the member organization for pool of the World Confederation of Billiard Sports (WCBS), the international umbrella organization encompassing all the major cue sports.

Day 3, FINAL 64
Race to 9, Alternate Break

2:OO PM

Dennis Orcullo(PHI) 9 – 5 Nasser Al Mujaibel(KUW)
Vilmos Foldes(HUN) 9 – 5 Kuo Po Chen(TPE)
Niels Feijen(NED) 9 – 1 Saleh Mohammed(KUW)
Ko Pin Yi(TPE) 9 – 5 Raymund Faraon(PHI)
Jalal Yousef(VEN) 9 – 5 Konstantin Stepanov(RUS)
Karol Skowerski(POL) 9 – 6 Shaker Wahdan(JOR)
Liu Haitao(CHN) 9 – 6 Abdulatef Fawal(QAT)

4pm Session

Max Eberle(USA) 9 – 7 Ralf Souquet(GER)
Fu Chei Wei(TPE) 9 – 7 Reiner Wirsbitzki(GER)
Ahmad Jallad(JOR) 9 – 8 Joven Alba(PHI)
Hwang Yong(KOR) 9 – 8 Demosthenes Pulpul(PHI)
Mika Immonen(FIN) 9 – 7 Omran Salem(UAE)
Lee Van Corteza(PHI) 9 – 2 Lee Chen Man(HKG)
Nguyen Phuc Long(VIE) 9 – 8 Amin Fekry(UAE)

6PM Session

Serge Das(BEL) 9 – 7 So Shaw(IRI)
Nick van den Berg(NED) 9 – 7 Karl Boyes(GBR)
Li Hewen(CHN) 9 – 3 Darren Appleton(GBR)
Carlo Biado(PHI) 9 – 2 Elmer Haya(PHI)
Imran Majid(GBR) 9 – 5 Kenny Chi Ho Kwok(HKG)
Oliver Ortman(GER) 9 – 3 Lo Li Wen(JPN)
Huidji  See(NED) 9 – 4 Dominic Jentsch(GER)

8pm Session

Bruno Muratore(ITA)9 –4  Radislaw Babica(POL)
Chang Jun Lin(TPE) 9 –6 Carlos Cabello(ESP)
Salah Al-Rimawi(UAE)  9 – 5 Daryl Peach(GBR)
Toru Kuribayashi(JPN) 9 — 7 Tomasz Kaplan(POL)
Thorsten Hohmann(GER) 9 – 2 Ryoji Aoki(JPN)
Chris Melling(GBR) 9 –5  Omer Al Serkal(UAE)
Fancisco Diaz-Pizarro(ESP) 9 — 4  Omar Al Shaheen(KUW)

10PM Session

Roberto Gomez(PHI) 9 – 4 Mario He(AUT)
Mark Gray(GBR) 9 – 3 Maghsoud Ali(IRI)
Hijikata Hajato(JPN) 9 – 8 Takhti Zarekani(IRI)
Yukio Akagariyama(JPN)9 –2  Elvis Calasang(PHI)

ROUND OF 32 MATCHES

Karol Skowerski(POL) 9 – 3 Dennis Orcullo(PHI)
Ko Pin Yi(TPE) 9 – 2 Niels Feijen(NED)
Liu Haitao(CHN) 9 – 7 Vilmos Foldes(HUN)

STORY AND PHOTOS BY TED LERNER

(Fujairah, UAE)–Facing elimination, and bearing the burden of having to carry the hopes of the United States squarely on his shoulders, Max Eberle proved his mettle tonight at the Fujairah Tennis and Country club, pulling out a hard fought come from behind 7-4 win over Singapore’s Kwang Chan Ken to advance to the round of 64 knockout stage at the 2012 World 8-ball Championship.

Eberle, who originally hails from Ohio but now resides in Las Vegas, is now the sole American left in this year’s World 8-ball Championship. The single elimination knockout stage begins on Wednesday at 2pm(GMT +4). All matches will be race to 9, alternate break.

Eberle went into his do or die late night match already knowing he had to carry the flag for the red, white and blue. Moments earlier, Brandon Shuff, the only other American in this year’s competition, blew a golden opportunity to take down the Netherland’s Nick Van den Berg on the TV table. Shuff was clearing the table with the score tied at 5 and played poor position with just three balls left on the table, leading to a scratch. Van den Berg went up 6-5, then broke and ran for the 7-5 win.

“I dogged it,” a gutted Shuff said afterward.  Things were looking dire for Eberle as well before he decided enough was enough. Leading 3-0, Eberle suffered several dry breaks and soon found himself down 4-3. Then the fight back began.  “Mad Max” won four straight racks for the win.

“It was a gritty win,” a delighted Eberle said afterward. “I had to bear down and pull out some good run outs. I really fought hard and it feels good. America still has hope. I have to pull it out for the USA.”

It won’t be easy, though. Eberle has drawn none other than Hall of Famer Ralf Souquet in his first match in the round of 64. That match is scheduled for 4pm Fujairah time.(GMT +4)

Earlier, there were some tense moments out on the playing floor for former World 9-ball Champion Daryl Peach. Peach found himself at deaths door while facing  13 year old…yes that’s right—13 year old Mohammed Saed Saed of Qatar.

The youngster was playing lights out pool in that fearless way that only a juvenile can do, while Peach   played horribly all match. Tied at 5 all, Peach had only the 8 ball left to go up by one, only to scratch after potting the black pearl. This put the kid on the hill with the break, but he broke dry and Peach cleared.  Peach nearly gave it away in the decider, but fear and nerves finally caught up with Saed Saed and he blew a certain win with awful position, leaving Peach an easy run out.

“That was the worst match of pool I’ve ever played,” a somewhat stunned Peach said afterward.

The unique World Championship-style pressure seemed to infect many of the tables in the evening session.  Aoki Ryoji from Japan and  Jayson Shaw of Great Britain went down to the wire, with Ryoji pulling out a 7-6 squeaker.  Hamzah Ali, the first and only pro pool player to come out of the African country of Eritrea came from 6-3 down to take Spain’s Carlos Cabello to a one game decider. Hamzah got down to the 8-ball but missed a golden opportunity for pool glory when he missed, leaving a clear and win for the Spaniard.

The remaining three days of this year’s World 8-ball Championship promise plenty of nerves, tension and fireworks as most of pool’s big names made it through. It’s almost assured to see a Filipino in the final four at least as all nine Filipino players entered into the tournament qualified for the final 64. These include defending champion Dennis Orcullo, Lee Van Corteza, Roberto Gomez, Carlo Biado, Joven Alba, Elmer Haya, Ramund Faoron, Demosthenes Pulpul, and Elvis Calasang.

Fans around the world can follow all the action from 2012 World 8-ball Championship in Fujairah on the WPA website  www.wpa-pool.com. The WPA will be providing  live scoring of all matches, in depth articles on the goings-on posted several times a day, as well as blow by blow coverage of big matches via the WPA’s Twitter page, @poolwpa.

*The World Pool and Billiard Association(WPA) is the world governing body of the sport of pool. The WPA is also the member organization for pool of the World Confederation of Billiard Sports (WCBS), the international umbrella organization encompassing all the major cue sports.

Losers Side Matches From Day 2
(Winner is through to Final 64, Loser is out)

Group A

Kenny Kwok(HKG) 7 – 5 Marcus Chamat(SWE)
Nasser Al Mujaibel(KUW) 7 – 0 Mohammed El Assal(EGY)

Group B

Phuc Long Nguyen(VIE) 7 – 2 Salah Al Awadi(UAE)
Tomasz Kaplan(POL) 7 – 3 Mohammed Al Hosani(UAE)

Group C

Vilmos Foldes(HUN) 7 – 3 Ali Saeed(UAE)
Oliver Ortmann(GER) 7 – 1 Stuart Lawler(AUS)

Group D

Elmer Haya(PHI) 7 – 5 Yousfi Chaouki(MAR)
Ahmad Jallad(JOR) 7—4 Mohammed Ali(IRI)

Group E

Dominic Jentsch(GER) 7 – 1 Cho Pil Hyun(KOR)
Konstantin Stepanov(RUS) 7 – 1 Abdulla Juma(UAE)

Group F

So Shaw(IRI) 7 – 2 Sayeem Hossaien(BAN)
Elvis Calasang(PHI) 7 — 5 Hanni Al-Howri(UAE)

Group G

Takhti Zarekani(IRI) 7 – 1 Toh, Lian Han(SIN)
Omer Al Serkal(UAE)  7 – 4 Majid Sultan(UAE)

Group H

Saleh MohammedKUW) 7 –3 Meshaal Turki Al Ali(QAT)
Radoslaw Babica(POL) 7 – 4 Saleh Ibrahim Ali(UAE)

Group I

Abdulatef Fawal(QAT) 7 – 1 Noor Al Jarrah(JOR)
Lee Chen Man(HKG) 7 – 0 Mohammad Soufi(SYR)

Group J

Demosthenes Pulpul(PHI) 7 – 6 Albin Ouschan(AUT)
Mario He(AUT) 7 – 5 Bahran Lofty(BEL)

Group K

Daryl Peach(GBR) 7 – 6 Mohammed Saed Saed(QAT)
Shaker Wahdan(JOR) 7 –3 Sundeep Gulati(IND)

Group L

Maghsoud Ali(IRI) 7 – 1 Majid Ghare Gozlu(IRI)
Li Hewen(CHN) 7 – 5 Yu Lung Chang(TPE)

Group M

Omran Salem(UAE) 7 – 4 Luke Robinson(GBR)
Francisco Diaz-Pizarro(ESP) 7 – 3 Wetsi Morake(RSA)

Group N

Nick Van den Berg(NED) 7 – 5 Brandon Shuff(USA)
Ko Pin Yi(TPE) 7 – 0 Ahmed Al Hosani(UAE)

Group O

Carlos Cabello(ESP) 7 — 6  Hamzah Ali(ERI)
Max Eberle(USA) Keng Kwang Chan(SIN)

Group P

Reiner Wirsbitzki(GER)  Fu Jianbo(CHN)
Aoki Ryoji(JPN) 7 –6   Jayson Shaw(GBR)

Group A

Masser Al Mujaibel(KUW)  7 – 3 Kenny Kwok (HKG)
Karol Skowerski(POL) 7-0 Mohammed El Assal(EGY)

Group B

Tomasz Kaplan(POL) 7 – 2 Salah Al Awadi(UAE)
Salah Al-Rimawi(UAE)  7 – 4 Mohammed Alhosani(UAE)

Group C

Vilmos Foldes(HUN) 7 –6 Stuart Lawler(AUS)
Imran Majid(GBR) 7 – 1 Ali Saeed(UAE)

Group D

Mohammed Ali(IRI)  7 – 3 Elmer Haya(PHI)
Yousfi Chaouki (MAR ) 7 – 3 Ahmad Jallad(JOR)

Group E

Dominic Jentsch(GER) 7 – 3 Abdulla Juma(UAE)
Konstantin Stepanov 7(RUS) – 0 Pil Hyun Cho(KOR)

Group F

Hanni Al-Howri(UAE) 7 – 3 Sayeem Hossaien(BAN)
Elvis Calasang 7(PHI) – 5 Jason Shaw(GBR)

Group G

Majid Sultan 7(UAE) – 4 Lian Han Toh(SIN)
Serge Das 7(AUT) – 2 Omer Al Serkal(UAE)

Group H

Radislaw Babica(POL) 7 –2 Saleh Mohamed(KUW)
Meshaal Turki Al Ali(QAT) 7 – 6 Saleh Ibrahim Ali(UAE)

Group I

Lee Chen Man((HKG) 7 – 3 Abdulatef Fawal(QAT)
Noor Al Jarrah(JOR) 7 – 0 Mohammad Khaled Soufi(SYR)

Group J

Mario He(AUT) 7 – 0 Albin Ouschan(AUT)
Demosthenes Pulpul(PHI) 7 – 2 Bahram Lofty(BEL)

Group K

Jalal Yousef(VEN) 7 – 3 Shaker Wahdan(JOR)

‘YOU REALLY HAVE TO BEAT ME’
THROUGH TO THE FINAL 64 OF THE WORLD 8-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP, ENGLAND’S DARREN APPLETON KNOWS HE’S GOING TO BE TOUGH TO BEAT

STORY AND PHOTOS BY TED LERNER

(Fujairah, UAE)–With a long day one in the books here at the 2012 World 8-ball Championship in Fujairah, UAE, certain trends are already becoming crystal clear.

The break shot is going to play a massive factor throughout the week in determining who stays and who takes a walk. With super tight pockets and responsive rails, the seven Knight Shot tables inside the Fujairah Tennis and Country Club are playing extremely difficult.  Which translates to any player not playing with an extra fine touch can forget about contending for the title.

All this clearly means that only those with the most developed skills, and the deepest experiences handling extreme pressure will be standing towards the end. And this is at it should be at the World Championship of 8-ball.

One of those who looked the goods tonight was England’s Darren Appleton. Appleton, ranked number 3 in the world and the current back-to-back US Open champion, didn’t get the easiest of draws, as he came up against Hungary’s very capable Vilmos Foldes in the race to 7 alternate break match. It was Appleton’s first effort on the floor and he came into the match nursing a burgeoning head cold. Foldes meanwhile had already won a tough qualifier over the weekend and had loosened up with a narrow 7-6 win over Australia’s Stuart Lawler earlier in the day.

Foldes started out on fire, breaking and running his first three racks for a 4-2 lead. On the table and about to go to 5-2, though, Foldes made a mistake and from there the match turned in favor of Appleton. The hardcore Brit methodically took control of the match and won 7-5 booking his place in the final 64 beginning Wednesday.

Keen observers of the pro circuit, as well as punters, have to figure that Appleton is one of the top five favorites in Fujairah. Although he’s made his name in the American game in 10-ball, 9-ball and straight pool, Appleton’s pedigree comes from 8-ball. He started his cue career player English 8-ball and was number 1 in that game for 7 years in the late 1990’s and 2000’s. He has made it to the semis of the World 8-ball two years in a row, losing to eventual  runner up Niels Feijen.

Appleton knows what it takes to win in pro pool and he believes he has all the ingredients to add the World 8-ball trophy to his growing collection of titles.

“The break is massive in 8-ball,”Appleton said afterward. “ I’m one of the best and most consistent breakers in this game. And with these tight pockets, you have to be accurate. You have to have perfect cue ball speed. You can’t punch the ball on these tables. And there’s no slide in the rails.” And of course Appleton is supremely confident in his ability to utilize that intangible that all great players bring to big time tournament play.

“My mental game is my main asset. You really have to beat me.”

In all, 17 players punched their ticket through today to the final 64 knockout stage which begins on Wednesday.  Defending Champion Dennis Orcullo of the Philippines had a few shaky moments on the TV table in his match vs.  Kuwait’s Nasser Al Mujaibel. The match was tied at 4 and Orcullo didn’t look all too comfortable. But the Filipino star pulled it together for a 7-4 win and a spot in the final 64.

“I missed some easy shots,” Orcullo said. “The pockets are very tight and the table is new so I had to make some adjustments. I’m still focused and I’m confident I can win this thing again.”

Also making it through was the runner up in the last two World 8-ball Championships, the Netherland’s Niels Feijen who easily beat Hong Kong’s Lee Chenman, 7-3.  Current World 9-ball champion Yukio Akagariyama of Japan took down Poland’s Tomasz Kaplan 7-3. England’s Chris Melling looked strong in beating the UAE’s Majid Sultan 7-1.  The Philippines Lee Van Corteza and Joven Alba also made it through with wins.

It was a terrible day for the USA as the lone two players from the home of 8-ball suffered losses. Brandon Shuff came in confident of a win vs. Hajato Hijikata of Japan. But the American newcomer couldn’t keep pace and lost 7-5. Max Eberle simply couldn’t get out of the box vs. Spain’s Carlos Cabello and lost 7-3.

The remainder of the final 64 will be determined at the conclusion of play on Tuesday.

The WPA will be providing up to the minute coverage  of all the happenings on its website, www.wpa-pool.com, including live scoring of all matches, in depth articles on the goings on posted several times a day, as well as blow by blow coverage of big matches via the WPA’s Twitter page, @poolwpa.

For updated brackets, CLICK HERE

For live scoring, CLICK HERE

*The World Pool and Billiard Association(WPA) is the world governing body of the sport of pool. The WPA is also the member organization for pool of the World Confederation of Billiard Sports (WCBS), the international umbrella organization encompassing all the major cue sports.

Day 1 early matches of unseeded players

Group A

Nasser Al Mujaibel(KUW)  7 – 3 Kenny Kwok (HKG)
Karol Skowerski(POL) 7-0 Mohammed El Assal(EGY)

Group B

Tomasz Kaplan(POL) 7 – 2 Salah Al Awadi(UAE)
Salah Al-Rimawi(UAE)  7 – 4 Mohammed Alhosani(UAE)

Group C

Vilmos Foldes(HUN) 7 –6 Stuart Lawler(AUS)
Imran Majid(GBR) 7 – 1 Ali Saeed(UAE)

Group D

Mohammed Ali(IRI)  7 – 3 Elmer Haya(PHI)
Yousfi Chaouki (MAR ) 7 – 3 Ahmad Jallad(JOR)

Group E

Dominic Jentsch(GER) 7 – 3 Abdulla Juma(UAE)
Konstantin Stepanov 7(RUS) – 0 Pil Hyun Cho(KOR)

Group F

Hanni Al-Howri(UAE) 7 – 3 Sayeem Hossaien(BAN)
Elvis Calasang 7(PHI) – 5 Jason Shaw(GBR)

Group G

Majid Sultan 7(UAE) – 4 Lian Han Toh(SIN)
Serge Das 7(AUT) – 2 Omer Al Serkal(UAE)

Group H

Radislaw Babica(POL) 7 –2 Saleh Mohamed(KUW)
Meshaal Turki Al Ali(QAT) 7 – 6 Saleh Ibrahim Ali(UAE)

Group I

Lee Chen Man((HKG) 7 – 3 Abdulatef Fawal(QAT)
Noor Al Jarrah(JOR) 7 – 0 Mohammad Khaled Soufi(SYR)

Group J

Mario He(AUT) 7 – 0 Albin Ouschan(AUT)
Demosthenes Pulpul(PHI) 7 – 2 Bahram Lofty(BEL)

Group K

Jalal Yousef(VEN) 7 – 3 Shaker Wahdan(JOR)
Sundeep Gulati(IND) 7 – 4 (Mohammed Saed Saed(QAT)

Group L

Amin Fekry(UAE) 7 – 3 Majid Ghare Gozlu(IRI)
Maghsoud Ali 7 — 3 Li Hewen(CHN)

Group M

Francisco Diaz-Pizarro(ESP)  7—2 Omran Salem(UAE)
Luke Rollinson(GBR) 7 –1 Wetsi Morake(SA)

Group N

Hajato Hijikata(JPN) 7—5 Brandon Shuff(USA)
Raymund Faraon(PHI)  7 – 1 Ahmed Al Hosani(UAE)

Group O

Keng Kwang Chan(SIN)  7 –5 Hamzah Ali(ERI)
Carlos Cabello(ESP) 7 – 3 Max Eberle(USA)

Group P

Jayson Shaw(GBR) 7 –1 Reiner Wirsbitzki (GER)
Bruno Muratore(ITA) 7 – 3 Ryoji Aoki(JPN)

Winner’s Side(Winner moves on to final 64, loser goes to one loss side)

Group A

Dennis Orcullo(PHI) 7 – 4 Nasser Al Mujaibel(KUW)
Karol Skowverski(POL) 7 – 2 Marcus Chamat(SWE)

Group B

Yukio Akagariyama(JPN) 7 – 3 Tomasz Kaplan(POL) 3
Salah Al Rimawi(UAE) 7 – 5 Nguyen Phuc Long(VET)

Group C

Darren Appleton(GBR) 7 – 5 Vilmos Foldes(HUN)
Imran Majid(GBR) 7 — 4  Oliver Ortmann(GER)

Group D

Toru Kuribayashi (JPN) 7 – 4 Yousfi Chaouki(MAR)
Huidji See(NED)7 – 5 Mohammed Ali(IRI)

Group E

Lee Van Corteza(PHI) 7 – 6 Dominic Jentsch(GER)
Yong Hwang(KOR) 7 – 5 Konstantin Stepanov(RUS)

Group F

Chang Jun Lin(TPE) 7 — 3  Sayeem Hossaien(UAE)
Joven Alba(PHI) 7 –2   Elvis Calasang(PHI)

Group G

Chris Melling(GBR) 7 – 1 Majid Sultan(UAE)
Serge Das(BEL)  7 –3 Takhti Zarekani(IRI)

Group H

Ralf Souquet(GER) 7 -4  Radislaw Babica(POL)
Omar Al Shaheen(KUW) 7 – 0 Turki Al Ali Meshaal(QAT)

Group I

Niels Feijen(NED) 7 — 3   Lee Chenman(HKG)