2012 ClubWPT.com World Pool Masters

Karol Skowerski is Masters Champion!
 The Final

Karol Skowerski (POL) 8-6 Mateusz Sniegocki (POL)

Semi-Finals

Mateusz Sniegocki (POL) 8-6 Dennis Orcollo (PHI)
Karol Skowerski (POL) 8-6 Nick Van Den Berg (NED)

IN A FAIRYTALE ending local player Karol Skowerski was crowned 2012 ClubWPT.com World Pool Masters Champion as he put away a host of big name stars over the course of the tournament before ousting fellow Pole Mateusz Sniegocki 8-6 in a tense final at the Hala Legionow in Kielce, Poland.

Skowerski had earlier beaten Shane Van Boening, Tony Drago and Nick Van den Berg en route to the final, where he faced Sniegocki who had entered the Masters field via a qualifying event. Hailing from Poznan, Sniegocki was no slouch himself, having beaten Ralf Souquet, Alex Pagulayan and Dennis Orcollo in earlier rounds.

“I still can’t believe it and maybe tomorrow morning when my wife pinches me it may sink in,” said a shell-shocked Skowerski.

“I felt calm throughout though and for me you need to forget about the tournament, money and title and just concentrate on the pool. And it worked for me tonight.”

The Kielce native added, “The crowd helped me because when you play in this arena and you know that all the people around are behind you then it’s very helpful and motivating.”

After reaching the finals of the PartyPoker.net World Cup of Pool in Manila last month with compatriot Wojciech Szewczyk, Skowerski certainly let everyone in the pool world know who he was and with this win he has the perfect launch pad to move into the upper strata of the game.

He got off to a dream start as he kept Sniegocki off the table opening up a 6-0 lead in the race to 8 rack final. All parts of his game were sharp and he had the break down sufficiently to give himself opportunities.

Sniegocki was not out of it though and came back with some break and runs to get the score to 6-5 and let Skowerski know he was in a match. The 12th game was critical though and Sniegocki came up dry and from there the Kielce man ran out to reach the hill.

Sniegocki took the next in a bit of a chess match, but when he left the 2 ball on into the side pocket in the next, Skowerski took it on and then eyed up a 3/9 combination which he executed perfectly to take the title and the $20,000 top prize.

“It was a strong field but you must play well in just four matches to win it and with winner breaks anything can happen,” said a reflective champion.

“The money is not important and if I’d have thought about it in any way then I wouldn’t have achieved this success. I’m going home now to see my wife Alina and three month old son Jan and if we can find a baby-sitter then we will be out celebrating!”

Taking place at the Hala Legionow in Kielce, Southern Poland, this is the 20th edition of the
ClubWPT.com World Pool Masters and Matchroom Sport is working in partnership with the regional billiard organisation, Swietokrzyskie Stowarzyszenie Bilardowe as well as the Mayor’s office in Kielce. The event carries a $66,000 prize fund with $20,000 going to the winner.

Round 1
Mateusz Sniegocki (POL) 8-6 Ralf Souquet (GER)
Alex Pagulayan (CAN) 8-6 Raj Hundal (IND)
Mika Immonen (FIN) 8-7 Radoslaw Babica (POL)
Dennis Orcollo (PHI) 8-6 Kelly Fisher (ENG)
Nick Van Den Berg (NED) 8-4 Omar Al Shaheen (KUW)
Wojciech Szewcyk (POL) 8-7 Ko Pin-yi (TPE)
Karol Skowerski (POL) 8-2 Shane Van Boening (USA)
Tony Drago (MLT) 8-6 Darren Appleton (ENG)

Losers received US$2,000

Quarter Finals
Mateusz Sniegocki (POL) 8-6 Alex Pagulayan (CAN)
Dennis Orcollo (PHI) 8-3 Mika Immonen (FIN)
Nick Van Den Berg (NED) 8-2 Wojciech Szewcyk (POL)
Karol Skowerski (POL) 8-3 Tony Drago (MLT)

Losers received US$2,500

Semi Finals
Mateusz Sniegocki (POL) 8-6 Dennis Orcollo (PHI)
Karol Skowerski (POL) 8-6 Nick Van Den Berg (NED)

Losers received US$5,000

The Finals
Karol Skowerski (POL) 8-6 Mateusz Sniegocki (POL)

Winner received US$20,000, runner-up $10,000.

The 2012 ClubWPT.com World Pool Masters is sponsored by ClubWPT.com. Cloth is supplied by Iwan Simonis, Super Aramith balls by Saluc, tables by Diamond Billiards and the Official Cue and Chalk is Predator.

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 World Pool Masters is one of a stable of pool events that include the World Cup of Pool and the Mosconi Cup.