by Jose Burgos

Josh Brothers and Jeremy Sossei split top honors at the Mezz Pro-Am Tour’s July 25 installment. The $1,000-added tournament drew 52 players to Drexeline Billiards in Drexel Hill, PA.

Josh Brothers and Jeremy Sossei split top honors at the Mezz Pro-Am Tour’s July 25 installment. The $1,000-added tournament drew 52 players to Drexeline Billiards in Drexel Hill, PA.

Manny Chau awaited Sossei on the one-loss side in the semifinal match, but Sossei was driven by a desire for revenge and easily eliminated Chau 6-3 to meet Brothers again. In the true double-elimination finals, Sossei had to win two matches to Brothers’ one, but it was never an issue—the players decided to be co-champions of the event.

Results:
1st Josh Brothers $1,056
Jeremy Sossei $856
3rd Manny Chau $390
4th Shaun Wilkie $225
5th Dave Daya $150
Danny Bell
7th Mark Stewart $100
Brett Stottlemyer
9th Shaun Dobson $80
Eddie Abraham
Matt Krah
Ed Matushonek

On July 24 & 25, Tables Steaks South (soon to be known as Billiards Ink) in Englewood, Colorado hosted the Denver 10-Ball Open and Cue Show. This inaugural $1,500 added event boasted 47 of the best players from across the state, including a couple from New Mexico and Ontario, Canada. Chris Byrne Custom Cues and many other local cue makers and vendors also took the opportunity to display their handcrafted work.

This inaugural $1,500 added event boasted 47 of the best players from across the state, including a couple from New Mexico and Ontario, Canada.

But once the tournament kicked off, the slimmer new healthier Hlavachek came alive and tore through the field to go undefeated into the finals. In the first match on Sunday, Hlavachek would send Bill Skinner to the B-side with a 7-4 victory. While there, the senior player eliminated Tony Piazza, Reuben Silva, and Kiko Ibarra for a chance at a rematch with Hlavachek.

Skinner came on strong claiming the first set 7-2. Now, in a shorter race to 5, it seemed he still had the momentum, taking the first game. The two kept it close, exchanging racks until 3-3 when Hlavachek pulled away to close out the set 5-3. “I’m excited. It feels good to win. This is something to improve on,” said the modest Hlavachek.

1st $1,330
Jay Hlavachek

2nd $640
Bill Skinner

3rd $330
Kiko Ibarra

4th $240
Reuben Silva

5/6th $150
Rick Field
Tony Piazza

7/8th $110
Nelson M
Chuey Rivera

9-12th $70
Mike D
Bill Meacham
Sam Cordova
ATM Andy

by InsidePOOL Staff

Janet Atwell escaped a close call in her double-elimination final match with Ashley Nandrasy to claim the title of Oklahoma State champion at the OB Cues Ladies’ Tour’s July 24-25 stop. Hosted by Magoo’s Billiards in Tulsa, OK, the $750-added tournament attracted 28 ladies to play, including three current WPBA pros.

Atwell (pictured left) escaped a close call in her double-elimination final match with Ashley Nandrasy (pictured right) to claim the title of Oklahoma State champion at the OB Cues Ladies’ Tour’s July 24-25 stop. Hosted by Magoo’s Billiards in Tulsa, OK, the $750-added tournament attracted 28 ladies to play, including three current WPBA pros.

But Nandrasy had managed a tough bracket and had come too far to back down. After ousting Williams at third place 7-3, she went up against Atwell in the double-elimination final match. As the first set commenced, Atwell missed critical shots while Nandrasy finished games to win 7-2 and force a second set. The second set was a back-and-forth battle that saw the score ultimately reach hill-hill. It all came down to Atwell’s kick at an 8 ball—with a little nudge off the 9 ball, the 8 went in, leaving a straight-in shot on the 9 for the win.

Results:
1st Janet Atwell $750
2nd Ashley Nandrasy $550
3rd Tara Williams $335
4th Melinda Bailey $235
5th Belinda Calhoun $150
Lisa Marr
7th Jennifer Kraber $100
Tracie Voelkering
9th Lisa Henderson-Major $50
Cindy Parvala
Julie Comitini
Amanda Lampert
13th Michelle McDermott $30
Kathy Knuth
Theresa Wilson
Veronica Perez

by Alison M. Fischer, NYCgrind.com

A field of 67 players visited Amsterdam Billiard Club in New York, NY, July 24-25 to participate in the Ozone Billiards Predator Tour. Offering a wide range of top NYC-area amateur and pro players, the event showcased plenty of competition, but it was John Alicea and tour promoter Tony Robles who won their respective divisions.

Alicea ran to the top of the A-D 9-ball division, rolling through the A/B bracket to meet custom cue case maker Jim Murnak, who won the C/D bracket in the hot seat match. A 7-4 victory left Alicea sitting in the king seat.

Daniel Dagotdot claimed four winners’ side matches before Alicea sent him west after their winners’ side final four match. He returned for a rematch with Alicea by besting Murnak in the semifinals 7-2. Though he rallied in the final match against Alicea and came back from behind, Alicea was able to complete his undefeated run 7-6 to win his first Predator Tour event of the 2010 season.

In the open/pro division, “The Silent Assassin” was handed a first-round loss by Jeremy Sossei 8-4 but then charged through the one-loss side to earn revenge on Sossei 8-2 to advance to the finals. George “Ginky” Sansouci was busy firing through the winners’ bracket to claim the hot seat. In the final match, Sansouci faced Robles in a match that Robles dominated to take the title.

A field of 67 players visited Amsterdam Billiard Club in New York, NY, July 24-25 to participate in the Ozone Billiards Predator Tour.

Open/Pro 10-Ball Results:
1st Tony Robles $700
2nd George Sansouci $400
3rd Jeremy Sossei $150

Asia will be getting another huge event under its belt with the recent acquisition of the Predator International 10-Ball Championship. The 10th annual event is produced by Dragon Promotions and will take place at SM North Mall Edsa in Manila, Philippines on September 15-19,2010 right after the Predator Sweet Sixteen Tournament the day before. The Predator International 10-Ball Championship is the very first event The Predator Group had ever sponsored starting a decade ago and the oldest Dragon Promotions production.

Asia will be getting another huge event under its belt with the recent acquisition of the Predator International 10-Ball Championship.

“The Predator International Championship is the longest running Dragon Promotions event, and we can think of no place better than the Philippines to host it. The level on which Asia values the sport of billiards is higher than any other continent, and we feel this event belongs in that kind of environment”, explained Dragon Promotions CEO Cindy Lee on the huge decision to move the event.

“This is a class event. It’s one of the most well run and well organized events I’ve ever played in”, said Tony Drago, a former winner of the event.

Over 30 countries is estimated to be represented at this year’s event including Germany, India, Sweden, China, England, Japan, Vietnam, Korea, Taiwan, Philippines, Australia, Finland, Hong Kong, Norway, Pakistan, Mexico, Canada, Curacao, Venezuela, Spain, Portugal, Russia, Austria, Hungary, Netherlands, Italy, Malta, and the USA. Defending champion Dennis Orcullo of the Philippines will be one of the 96 world class pros from across the globe who will make their way to the far east to get a share of the $50,000+ prize fund. The event will take place over five days and will air live on ABS-CBN and re-broadcasted on Eurosport.

“The move to Asia is brilliant. The market is huge for us there and the event will attract even more people than when we hosted it in Las Vegas. Predator is committed to improvement on every level, and now thousands of fans will be able to watch it live in person and millions around the world through television. The players love this event and it has become a staple tournament in the pool world. We are proud to be able to continue this long tradition between the pro players and Predator”, said Predator Group CEO Karim Belhaj.

Dragon Promotions will also be handling the production finalization of The Predator Sweet Sixteen, the continuation of the Predator Group’s event from Spain earlier this year which was uncompleted due to traumatic weather conditions. The Sweet Sixteen event will be completed in the two days prior to the Predator International 10-Ball Championship, which Predator will be paying the flight and hotel costs for those sixteen players. Expenses paid and a chance to play in two big tournaments? A pretty sweet bonus for those qualified players.

” As a top pro player, being able to play in back to back events is a huge benefit. And the players love going to Asia to play! It’s the one place where it’s viewed as a real sport, and the pro players are treated like stars,” explains top 5 USA ranked Charlie Williams, who also founded Dragon Promotions. Williams continues, ” Looking back at the origins of the Predator International Championship, this thing started in a poolroom in Orlando ten years ago. Then it moved to Jacksonville where Predator headquarters is located. Then we moved it to Las Vegas. And now to a whole new world with global television and live broadcast. It’s really amazing to see how huge this event has grown.”

Fans and players who wish to attend the event can stay at the luxurious 4 star Crowne Plaza Hotel in the heart of Manila. The Crown Plaza Hotel is conveniently connected to the Robinson Mall full of restaurants, movie theatres and great shopping. Transportation will be provided daily to the venue. Dragon Promotions has blocked off a superb rate including the Crowne’s award winning breakfast buffet daily and free internet. Rate is $79 per night reserve online http://tinyurl.com/DPevent

For fans and players attending The World Mixed Doubles on September 4-6 and all the Predator events, the rates are good for September 3 – September 20, 2010
Fans and players can find info online at www.dragonpromotions.com and www.predator10ball.com .

Predator Group, an international billiards industry leader, is focused on bringing constant innovation and game-improving equipment to billiards players worldwide. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, USA, Predator Group’s core brands include Predator Cues – high-end (professional level) cues with revolutionary technology to enhance performance, Poison Billiards – recreational cues with cutting-edge designs and Predator engineering for best-in-class playability, and Uni-Loc® – precision billiards equipment manufacturer. For more information regarding Predator Group’s products, visit www.predatorgroup.com.

Dragon Promotions is one of the leading producers of billiard programming in the world today. Dragon produces over 40 events a year airing on networks in the Philippines, USA, Korea, India, and Europe such as ESPN, MBC ESPN, XTM, XPORTS, ABS-CBN,ESPN STAR, and Euro Sport. Events include The Women’s World 10-Ball Championship, The World 14.1 Championship, The Predator International 10-Ball Championship, King & Queen of Carom, Empress Cup, Pro Pool Schools, Women’s Trickshot Challenge, World Junior 10-Ball Championships, Korea vs USA, and many more. Dragon also manages some of the world’s best players including Mika Immonen, Shanelle Loraine, Mike Davis, Yu Ram Cha, Raj Hundal, , Rodney Morris, Charlie Williams, and many more.
Visit www.dragonpromotions.com or www.dragonpromotions.co.kr

by Lea Andrews

Keith Bennett, who last won a Jacoby Custom Cues Carolina event in January, found himself back in the winner’s circle after getting past the best in the Carolinas. The $1,000-added twelfth stop of the tour was held at Break Time Billiards in Wilmington, NC, the weekend of July 24-25.

The final four on the winners’ side were a fearsome bunch—all past winners—and Bennett swept past Sam Monday 7-3 to reach the hot seat match against Michael “Bulldawg” Fuller, who’d just sent last month’s winner B.J. Ussery west 7-4. Another 7-3 victory for Bennett secured him the hot seat and sent Fuller to the semifinals to try for another chance.

On the left side of the bracket, two of Bennett’s early victims were fighting for their own second chances. Jared McGee edged out Larry Faulk 7-6 and junior player Jackson “Smokey” Jeffreys 7-2 to face Ussery. Meanwhile, Hindu Williams ousted Rodney Strickland 7-4 and Arnold Hamlett 7-6 to face Monday. That was as far as McGee and Williams got, though, as they landed in fifth 7-6 and 7-5, respectively. In the quarterfinals, Monday notched another 7-5 win to earn his spot against Fuller in the semifinals, where the two battled for the right to fight Bennett once again. It was Monday who reached the goal first, while Fuller stayed behind in third 7-4.

Keith Bennett, who last won a Jacoby Custom Cues Carolina event in January, found himself back in the winner’s circle after getting past the best in the Carolinas.

In Friday’s early bird tournament, Barry Irving took home $140 for his 7-6 win in the finals over Dana Hallett, who took home $85. Hindu Williams earned $50 for third, and Sam Monday earned $25 for fourth. Jackson Jeffreys was a two-time winner this weekend, pocketing $35 for topping the break contest, and $60 for his 7-6 win in the finals of the juniors’ division over Gabe Grissom. Terry Faulk once again took the ladies’ event, and Anton Hall won a $600 limited-edition Jacoby cue in the raffle. The break and run pot went unclaimed at this event, and will move to $105 per ball at the next. In Sunday’s second chance event, Larry Faulk swept past Nolan Leonard 7-2 in the finals, earning $100, while Leonard earned $40.

Results:
1st Keith Bennett $1,000
2nd Sam Monday $500
3rd Michael Fuller $225
4th B.J. Ussery $75

by Suzanne Smith

Jana Montour came out on top of the July 17-18 stop of the Northwest Women’s Pool Association by going undefeated to take the title. A total of 27 ladies attended the event and represented Alberta, Washington, Colorado, and Oregon. Stixx and Stones Billiards in Bremerton, WA, was host to the event.

The weekend’s typically festive atmosphere was overshadowed by the loss of fellow player Martha Hartsell, who succumbed to cancer the previous week. In her memory, the NWPA will be hosting a memorial event every year starting in 2011 at The Cue Ball in Salem, OR.

Montour advanced over Shelby Locati 7-1 to advance to the hot seat match. There she met Kimberly Kirk, who had just bested Sandra Badger 7-5. Montour was able to best Kirk 7-3 and send her to the one-loss side while she waited for her last opponent.

One the west side, June Maiers bested Mary Hopkin 7-2, while Jackie Karol ousted Cindy Sliva 7-3. In turn they were eliminated by Badger 7-4 and Locati 7-5, respectively. Badger and Locati then squared off for a hill-hill bout that saw Badger earn a rematch with Kirk, who sent her to the left side earlier in the event. Badger was ready this time and defeated Kirk 7-2 to head to her first finals appearance in an NWPA event.

The final match was close initially as some uncharacteristic errors by Montour provided Badger with some early opportunities that she took advantage of. Though the score was knotted at 3 apiece, soon some missed chances saw Montour take a three-rack lead. Back and forth misses in the following game saw Badger bring the match within two games. But Montour again took every opportunity afforded in the next three racks to close out the match 9-4 and win her second stop of the year.

Jana Montour came out on top of the July 17-18 stop of the Northwest Women’s Pool Association by going undefeated to take the title.

by InsidePOOL Staff

George Osipovitch went unchallenged through the Tri-State Tour’s July 24 event to take top honors over Mark Alicea in the final match. The tour’s 24-player field was hosted by Edison Billiards in Edison, NJ, who vied for a piece of the $750-added purse.

Osipovitch sent Rick Shellhouse to the one-loss side after their 7-5 match in the winners’ side final four, while Duane Toney delivered Gary Murgia there as well 7-2. In the following hot seat match, it was a close call, but Osipovitch overcame Toney 7-5 and rested while he waited for his finals opponent.

Once on the west side, both Shellhouse and Murgia were eliminated quickly. Ken DeBroske ousted Shellhouse 7-5, and Alicea took care of Murgia 7-4. DeBroske and Alicea then faced each other in the quarterfinal match, which turned into a hill-hill nail-biter before Alicea edged out DeBroske 6-5. Alicea had fewer troubles with Toney, defeating him in third place 7-3. But he could not conquer Osipovitch, who won their final match by a decisive 6-2 score.

George Osipovitch went unchallenged through the Tri-State Tour’s July 24 event to take top honors over Mark Alicea in the final match.

by Lea Andrews

When the Great Southern Billiard Tour sets up camp in the North, one can expect the unexpected, like a Frost in the middle of summer. Robert Frost went undefeated through a tough 48-player field at the $1,500-added July 18-19 stop, which was held at Michael’s Billiards in Fairfield, OH, and sponsored by Nick Varner Cues and Cases.

A smooth 9-5 victory over B-ranked Joe Pierce put A-ranked Frost into the hot seat match against Joe Brown, who’d just sent fellow A player Alex Olinger west 9-7. That score got flipped on him against Frost, though, who sent him to the left side to try to earn his way back.

On the one-loss side, BEF Junior Nationals 14-and-Under Boys champion Billy Thorpe made his way past Bill Farmer 7-2 and last week’s winner Jordan Grubb 7-6 to meet up with Olinger. The 13-year-old Thorpe, who started the weekend as one of the three junior champions competing in the event (Boys 19-and-Under champ Landon Shuffett and Girls 19-and-Under champ Liz Lovely finished out of the money), ended the weekend as the one who went furthest, landing in fifth while Olinger moved on to the quarterfinals 9-5. Meanwhile, Mike Leek, who’d suffered an early loss to Brown 9-6, swept past Chris Collins 9-6 and Eric Hinx 9-5 to face Pierce, who ended Hinx’s chance at another go at Brown 7-6. In the quarterfinals, Olinger took care of Pierce smoothly 9-4 to match back up with Brown in the semifinals, where he earned his revenge and a spot in the finals 9-7.

The two evenly-matched A players battled back and forth to hill-hill in the true double-elimination final match, and in the final rack, after Olinger missed position on the 5 ball and hung up the cross bank, Frost cleaned up what was left to earn his victory in one set 9-8.

When the Great Southern Billiard Tour sets up camp in the North, one can expect the unexpected, like a Frost in the middle of summer.

by Jose Burgos

Manny Chau took down the Second Annual New Jersey State 8-Ball Championships, winning the lion’s share of the $2,000-added prize purse and defeating Josh Brothers in the final match. The event was hosted by Atlantic City Billiard Club in Egg Harbor, NJ, July 17-18, and a field of 33 players participated.

Chau made his way through the top half of the bracket with victories over Ed Robson 7-0, Kevin Guimond 7-5, and Brent Boemmels 7-0. In the winners’ side final four, he met Brothers for the first time in the event and sent him west 7-5. “Forty” worked his way through the bottom half of the bracket and notched wins over Chris Ruggerio 7-4, Bruce Nagle 7-5, Rob Metz 7-3, and Jose Cruz 7-4.

“Forty” and Chau met in the hot seat match, which saw Chau pull away late to win the match 7-5, sending “Forty” to the one-loss side. Brothers, meanwhile, was making his move, eliminating players such as Joey Testa 5-3 and Matt Krah 5-2. In the semifinals Brothers ousted “Forty” at third place 5-3 to earn a rematch with Chau. In the double-elimination finals, Brothers would have had to defeat Chau twice to claim the title. He gave it his best shot, but with the score knotted at 5 apiece, Chau surged ahead to win the final two games and the championship.

Manny Chau (pictured left) took down the Second Annual New Jersey State 8-Ball Championships, winning the lion’s share of the $2,000-added prize purse and defeating Josh Brothers (pictured right) in the final match.