There were 40 players from different states across the country as well as from Mexico and Ecuador. In all, there were at least 15 players that have established averages of at least 1.000 and only 10 players would be able to qualify into the finals. That’s how tough the field was. There were also some upsets which changed the outcome dramatically.
Miguel Torres is victorious at Carom Cafe
Carom Café hosted a wonderful Open tournament this past weekend which was a 15-player round-robin event. That means that every player gets to play all the other players once for a total of 14 matches for each player over a 3-day period. It was a lot of billiards.
“3-Cushion Billiard Tour Shot-Contest a “HIT with Pocket Pool Players”
Finally a billiard program designed to attract Pocket Billiard Players to the game of 3-Cushion Billiards. It is called the “œ3-Cushion Billiard Tour Shot Contest” and it is unique in its own way. For the first time room owners that have only one or two billiard tables will be part of a bigger picture.
3- Cushion Billiards Shot Contest Challenge.
The Challenge was held at the Greeley, CO. Senior Activities Center April 22, 2009.
The first stop of the 2009 USBA Tour was held at Cue and Cushion Billiard Lounge in Hooksett, NH on April 17-19, 2009. Four of the country’s top players participated and were the clear favorites in this 11 player round robin to 25 points. Room owner Mazin Shooni, 2006 US Champion, had his 2 beautiful Chevillotte tables recently recovered with Simonis 300 rapide cloth. The tables were long and very slippery. Competing along with Mazin was Hugo Patino (2003, 2009 US Champion), Sonny Cho (2005 US Champion), Michael Kang (Carom Café owner and top US player), Jim Shovak (USBA Secretary/Treasurer), Bob Page from Massachusetts, Juan Elizalde from Dallas, Texas, Leonard Collibee from Massachusetts, Rick Kirk from Kalamazoo, Michigan, Andrew Janquitto from Maryland and Steve Brodie from Connecticut.
To find the proper running english to connect the diamonds on all shots on your table use this diagram.
Soft stroke is all that is required. Use 11:00 o’clock english.
“George Rippe is a former billiard room proprietor and artistic billiard enthusiast,”
He can be reached at 978 975-9958
Another standard application is given in Diagram 98. Again, remember to use low English. If the first ball were at a, it would be better to try a thin hit off the right side of the ball instead of a kiss-back. Not only is the thin hit (provided it isn’t too thin ) easier to judge, but the first ball is likely to end up in the vicinity of b, providing a good second shot.
Hugo is the Proud Winner of the 2009 USBA 3-Cushion Nationals
In the play off match Hugo plays brilliantly and wins 50 to 48 in 44 inngings.
The semi final matches started right on schedule with the 20 players remaining after the qualification rounds. Each match presented the finest in 3- cushion poise and skill being demonstrated.
After 2 days of sterling play, 20 players from the original field of 42 made it to 4 flights of 5 players each for the semi final rounds. Event highlights from the qualification rounds revealed 6 players with perfect 6-0 records ““ Pedro Piedrabuena, Mazin Shooni, Michael Kang, Felipe Razon, Sonny Cho, and defending champion, Miguel Torres. The balance of the semi-final field demonstrated great resolve on the road to the championship finals.
The USBA 2009 National 3-Cushion Championships is now underway with a field of 42 players from all over the country at Carom Café Billiards in Flushing, NY.
Defending National Champion ““ Miguel Torres”¨2008 Runner-up ““ Pedro Piedrabuena along with Mazin Shooni, Sonny Cho, Hugo Patino and Michael Kang are the six seeded players.
Format in the Prielims will be six flights of 7 players. Race to 25, with 3 top players of each flight advancing along with the 2 top 4th place winners making it 20 players in the semi-finals.
This type of shot does not have a diamond system to help the player. So it is a challenge to find the right cue ball speed and angles to get the correct trajectory to score the point. Although there are 2 or 3 other ways to attempt the shot let’s stick with this one for now.
Kissing the cueball back off a ball frozen to a rail is another idea that seldom occurs to beginning three-cushion players. Kiss-back opportunities may not arise for hundreds of points: then several may crop up in a single game. The pattern is common enough that every student should devote some time to learning the angles, English, and speed required.
