4th Annual Ozone US Amateur Open Set For August
June 30, 2009
Yu-Ram Cha, former winner of the Ozone US Amateur Open
Coming up on August 5-9, the 4th Annual Ozone Billiards US Amateur Open will be taking place in Orlando, Florida.
This mega-event will feature both 8-ball and 9-ball divisions for men, women, and seniors, as well as a mixed Scotch doubles 9-ball event.
Former US Amateur Open Champions Yu-Ram Cha, Ryan Stone, and Dominic Jentsch, have gone on to become pros, and this event is set to feature a number of top up-and-coming pool players.
This event is presented by Mezz Cues, and will also coincide with the Mezz Classic, which will be held next to this amateur event.
Read on for more details…
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Japan Pool Cue Maker Mezz Cues Announces Sponsorship of Their First Major Pro Pool Event: The Mezz Classic!
June 29, 2009
World Champion Mika Immonen - Mezz Cues USA
Mezz Cues and Dragon Promotions recently announced that they will be bringing big time pro pool to Orlando this coming August 6-9th. Mezz Cues will be a title sponsor to a major professional pool event for the first time, and Ozone Billiards will joining in sponsoring the event. Dragon Promotions, Ozone Billiards and Mezz Cues will also be sponsoring the upcoming 3rd Annual World Junior 10-Ball Open.
“Mezz is really thrilled to head this event with Dragon Promotions. DP is the largest producer of international billiards worldwide, and Mezz has become an international brand so it’s a great fit. Fans always think that I’m using a custom made cue,they are always surprised when they learn Mezz is a manufactured cue. It’s that good!” commented Immonen, Co-Founder of Mezz USA.
“Title sponsoring a Dragon event is an elite honor, and Mezz is an elite brand in Asia. Teaming with the Ozone Billiards US Amateur Open events, the World Junior 10-Ball Championship, and the Mezz Classic, the events will really showcase what a great product Mezz really is. We are looking forward to exposing the Mezz brand more into the US market”.
Joey Testa - Playing with a Mezz Cue
Read the Details from Dragon Promotions below.
Manny Chau Torches Blaze Tour
June 29, 2009
1st Manny Chau, Room Owner Chris Riley, & 2nd Josh Brothers
The Blaze 9-Ball Pool Tour made its way to Riley’s Concord Billiards in Boothwyn PA, Sunday June 29, 2009. A field of 29 players came out to play. Notable players in attendance were… Manny Chau, Josh Brothers, Matt Krah, Rob Pole, Marc Vidal, Ernie Natiello, and Erin McManus.
Leading the top half of the bracket was Josh Brothers with wins over Tim Dlugosz 7-0, Marc Vidal 7-4, Matt Krah 7-5, and Ernie Natiello 7-3. Leading the bottom half of the bracket was Manny Chau with wins over Randy Jaragske 7-2, Sam Quinzi 7-0 and Rob Pole 7-5.
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Pool Instruction: CueTips #7 – Getting a Handle on Speed Control
June 28, 2009
Dennis Orcullo uses precise speed control to move the cue from the 8 to the 9
By NYC Grind Contributor, Mark Finkelstein
I just came back from a seminar in Philadelphia with 7 players. For three days we worked on the basics of pool, and correct fundamentals. All of the students at this seminar started out hitting the balls way too hard. The lesson I would like to pass on this week is speed control. Or rather, feeling the lack of speed. In my experience, most players stroke the balls too hard. Ripping off the rails may sound good and look impressive, but if your goal is to pocket balls and run the game out, rolling balls is a much better option.
First let’s look at punching the cue ball. Many players clench at the moment of impact, punching at the cue ball, rather than stroking through it. The first rule of learning speed control is to not do this. Set your light grip pressure before the stroke keep it the same throughout the stroke. This punching effect causes you to miss shots and makes controlling the speed of the cue ball much more difficult. This losing the feeling of the cue stick means you lose touch with your stroke and the speed of the cue ball.
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Big Names Set to Play in the Maryland (14.1) Straight Pool Championships, June 27/28th
June 24, 2009
2009 Maryland Straight Pool Championships Flier
The 2009 Maryland Open Straight Pool Championships will take place this upcoming weekend (June 27-28th), in Glen Burnie, MD. This event is directed by player and fan Peter Burrows, who rolls out the red carpet for his players each and every year.
The event will feature a very strong player field of straight pool players who by vying for the title.
Several of the big names who are signed up include Mike Davis, World Champion Bob Hunter, “The Black Widow” Jeanette Lee, Danny Harriman, Zion Zvi, Ginky San Souci, Danny Barouty, Steve Lipsky, Bob Maidhof, Dave Daya, Rick Molineiro, Ed Hodan, Grady Mathews, Mike Dechaine, Shaun Wilkie, Ryan McCreesh, Marc Vidal, and a host of others.
Philidelphia area player Bob Maidhof won the event last year, defeating NY top straight pool player Danny Barouty. US Open Champion Mika Immonen won in ’07 Maryland Open, defeating pro Mike Davis in the final match.
Total purse with entry fees and added will be $12,000
Read the story below for all the details on the upcoming event including pics.
Dave Daya and Briana Miller Come Out On Top at the Valley Forge Bar Box 8-Ball Championships
June 24, 2009
Dave Daya (1st), Allen Hopkins, & Mike Miller (2nd)
On the weekend of June 19-21, 2009, Allen Hopkins presented his first ever Valley Forge Bar Box 8-Ball Championships at the familiar Valley Forge Convention Center, where he has regularly been hosting the Super Billiards Expo every March.
This tremendous event had divisions for men, women, and juniors–19 and under as well as 14 and under players competing in separate divisions. With many of the leagues holding their year-end national tournaments in Las Vegas, this tournament gave East Coast players the chance to play 8-ball a bit closer to home.
In the open division, 184 players competed in a single-elimination format tournament, race to 8 for a grand prize of $1,500. Some of the top names in attendance included Matt Krah, Shaun Wilkie, Joey Testa, Josh Brothers, and Mike Miller.
Borana Andoni “Queen B” Arrives at Sandcastle Billiards, 10 Ball Tri- State Stop
June 22, 2009
Borana Andoni
Borana Andoni “Queen B” Arrives at Sandcastle’s 10-ball Tri-State Stop
In this $500 added C/D event… Edison, NJ-based pool room Sandcastle Billiards hosted a full field of 32 players. As usual “Sandman” and the friendly staff at Sandcastle rolled out the red carpet for the players.
At this event last Saturday (June 20th), Borana officially earns the title of “Queen B” as she captured her first Tri- State Title.
Borana Andoni recently helped her women’s team “Kiss of Death” earn the title of Women’s Open Team National Champions at the BCAPL Vegas Tournament. Borana mentioned that the win in Vegas was huge for her confidence, and she believes that her game is really evolving.
Kiss of Death: Olga Gashkova, Michele Li, Gail Glazebrook, Emily Duddy, Alison Fischer, & Borana Andoni
Robles Runs Through the Predator Tour at Paradise Billiards on Father’s Day Weekend
June 22, 2009
Al Zea, Paradise Billiards House Pro
Oscar Bonilla (2nd), Tony Robles (1st), Al Zea (4th), Jerry Tarantola (3rd)By Alison M. Fischer, NYC Grind.com
The heat was on at the Predator 9-Ball Tour’s 9th stop of the season, as 42 of the tour’s players came out to compete for the first time at Paradise Billiards in Sunnyside, Queens… and at this event, Paradise’s house players were not backing down easily.
Case in point, house pro, Al Zea, who attended his first Predator event on this weekend, suffered a first round loss to Tony Robles (8-5), but came back on a determined hot streak through the one-loss side to finish in fourth place.
Some of the other top competitors attending this event include Marc Vidal, Jorge Rodriguez, Tony Robles, “Alaska” Sean Morgan, Mhet Vergara, “Ginky” George San Souci, Zion Zvi, Oscar Bonilla, and Jerry Tarantola.
Five of the tour’s ladies also came out to show what they’re made of, including Gail Glazebrook, Olga Gashkova, Alison Fischer, Diana Rojas, and Erin McManus, who claimed the award for the highest finishing C/D player, winning $100.
In this event, the winner’s bracket was dominated by Tony Robles, Marc Vidal, Jerry Tarantola, and Oscar Bonilla. Robles & Vidal faced off in a match that Robles would dominate by a score of 8-3. On the other side of the bracket, Tarantola trailed Bonilla by 4-1, but came back with a vengeance to win 8-5.
Click Here to View the Photo Gallery From this Event (Photos By Alison M. Fischer, NYC Grind)
“Unchain the Tiger Within” Tiger Products Promo Video Releases Sneak Preview
June 20, 2009
Tiger Products which is an innovator in the Billiards Industry has released a sneak preview from their upcoming video “Unchain the Tiger Within!”
The Burbank California distributor is planning a full release of the video for the web on 7/1/09.
The video features “Crown City” Corey Harper and co-host Samm “Cherry Bomb” Diep. Top Touring Pro, Oscar “The Big O” Dominguez also makes a notable guest appearance and even Tony “Tiger” Kalamdaryan and Elia “Shove it!” Davtyan play some cameo roles.
Read the story below to check out the video.
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Break and Run Billiards Announces the Launch of its New Online Billiards Distribution Website
June 20, 2009
Break and Run Billiards LLC owner Leonard Van Hirtum has announced the launch of it’s new website, www.breakandrunbilliards.com.
Len is also planning to open a brick and mortar store out to Nashua, New Hampshire in August and will also feature over 4,500 billiard-related products on it’s new website. Break and Run Billiards is featuring a “Learning Center” which will offer monthly articles to help it’s customers improve their skill, interest and enthusiasm for the game. Len is intent on offering value toward building a strong foundation in terms of fundamental skills and advanced techniques through it’s site.
Len very deeply believes that Break and Run Billiards’ survival, growth and position in both the Internet and Brick and Mortar retail arena depends on the following:
• A highly diverse and extensive product mix offering
• A very competitive selling price strategy
• A very consistent and solid customer service philosophy
• Continued posturing of Break and Run business activity decisions which can only be formulated by on-going analysis of the competition and “dashboard” type analysis of our sales activities, conversion rates from “lookers, browsers, shoppers to buyers”
• An on-going “refreshment” of the Break and Run Billiards web site; it must never get “stale,” boring, or lethargic
Len believes there many factors to consider if you want to sell things online including visibility, competition, credibility, and consistently high levels of customer service.
