Category: Features

He Beats ‘Unknown’ Kuribayashi for Title

OVER 750 players from around the world attempted to win the 2010 PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters but in the end after five days of play at the Riviera Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas, it was Dennis Orcollo of the Philippines who claimed the title and with it the $20,000 first prize.

He beat the relatively unknown 25 year-old Japanese player Toru Kuribayashi 8-3 in front of an enthusiastic Las Vegas crowd to cement his position of one of the world’s top players. For Kuribayashi it was a week of superb performances and his name will now be known throughout the pool world.

Two Filipinos, a German and a Japanese Vying for Title

64 CAME but only four remain as the PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters at the Riviera Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas reaches its conclusion tonight with two semi-finals and the final.

The first is an all-Pinoy affair between Dennis Orcollo and Roberto Gomez, while the other features two players who won through to Vegas via the Masters extensive qualifying system ““ Germany’s Oliver Ortmann and Toru Kuribayashi of Japan.

Orcollo First Man Through to Semis

ACTION CONTINUED at the PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters at the Riviera Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas as the final two quarter-finalists were determined and Dennis Orcollo became the first player to reach the semi-finals.

APA AWARDS $450,000 IN CASH AND PRIZES AT NATIONAL SINGLES CHAMPIONSHIPS
World’s Largest Pool League Crowns Seven Amateur Champions in Las Vegas.

LAKE SAINT LOUIS, MO (May 14, 2010) “” More than $450,000 in cash and prizes were awarded to APA members at the APA National Singles Championships held April 28 ““ May 1 in Las Vegas at the Riviera Hotel & Casino.  The National Singles Championships consisted of both the 8-Ball Classic and 9-Ball Shootout Singles Championships and the Jack & Jill Doubles Championship.

The final round of the 9-Ball Shootout featured three championship matches, one for each skill level tier, with two shooters in each match competing for $10,000 in cash and prizes.

THE FIRST THREE TV games took place on Friday evening at the Riviera Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas as the round of 16 got underway in the PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters. From a starting line up of 64 players, there are just 13 left as Dennis Orcollo, John Morra and Ralf Souquet won through.

(Photo: Men’s Open Singles winner Leslie Tarter, courtesy of Bad Boys Billiard Productions

The term everything’s big in Texas can also be said to apply to pool in the Lone Star state. The recent BCAPL 2010 Texas State 8-Ball Championships was a big success. Held April 6-11 at the E-Center in Harker Heights, Texas, players traveled to the event not only from deep in the heart of Texas but also from neighboring Oklahoma and New Mexico.

The divisional entries included: Men’s Open Singles 131 entrants, Men’s Master Singles 6 entrants, Women’s Open Singles 46 entrants, Men’s Senior Singles 28 entrants, Men’s Trophy Singles 42 entrants, Women’s Trophy Singles 16 entrants, Scotch Doubles 28 couples entered, 95 Mixed / Open Teams and 25 Women’s Open Teams. The total payout for the tournament was over $38,000. CueSports International (CSI), the parent company of the BCA Pool League (BCAPL) added $4,700 and Bad Boys Billiard Productions added $1,000.

The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) will host the annual Challenge the Stars benefit in conjunction with the BCAPL National 8- Ball Championships and the 2010 U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship in Las Vegas on Tuesday, May 18th. Diamond Billiard Products will provide the tables for the festivities which will take place in the Grande Ballroom of the Riviera Hotel & Casino at 8:00 pm. This benefit gives all players and spectators an opportunity to support youth billiard programs while mingling with and competing with top pros from all over the world.

On the 19^th of April, Andrews Air Force Base, located in Maryland, home of the Presidential plane “œAir Force One” hosted it’s 1^st Pocket Billiards Instructional Workshop taught by Steven  Brown Sr.,  a Billiard Congress of America (BCA) Certified National Instructor.

The Base Community Airmen’s Center was the venue, which had a Ceremonial Grand Opening in February. The Community Airmen’s Center features Billiards, numerous flat screen TV’s, Wii consoles, Xbox consoles, PlayStation consoles, Pay-Per-View boxing, movie nights, Internet Café, multiple video games, a study area, a outside barbeque patio with awning, a DJ on weekend nights and the full service Sports Page restaurant.

1^st Stan Tourangeau (Vancouver, BC)

On the B-side Scott Snyder (Vancouver, WA) and Bill Rosenberry (Portland, OR) tied for 7^th place ““ victims of Bob Zack (Portland, OR) 9-6 and Eddie Mataya (Seattle, WA) 9-7 respectively.  Both Mataya and Zack had their momentum upended in the next round, as both tied for 5^th place at the hands of Pat Schumacher (Portland, OR) 9-7 and Bob Olsen 9-6 respectively.  Schumacher then ended Olsen’s run at 4^th place by a 9-2 margin.  In the B-side finals, Jesse Allred eliminated Schumacher at 3^rd place 9-7.  The tourney final was one-race to 11, and Stan Tourangeau (holder of numerous North American amateur titles) kept control throughout to take the title over Jesse Allred by an 11-6 margin!

Two Unknowns Battle Through To Vegas Showdown

Further Representation for USA and Spain

DAVE GRAU AND CARLOS CABELLO, relative unknowns outside their respective areas of the American North East and Spain, became the latest two qualifiers to make it through to Las Vegas and the starting line up of the 2010 PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters.