Tri-State Update: Billy Cheng Wins at Sandcastle Billiards While Raul Reyes Takes Gotham City
April 28, 2011
Allen Wong (3rd), Billy Cheng (1st), Raul Reyes (2nd)
Sandcastle Billiards was host to the Tri-State Tour on Saturday, April 21, where fifty-five players turned out for an A/B/C/D class 9-ball tour stop. For Billy Cheng, this event would be his first-ever win on the Tri-State Tour.
Billy’s path to the finals included wins over Gary Murgia 7-2, Peter Ziemak 7-2, Keith Adamik 7-5, Arturo Reyes 7-5, and Allen Wong 7-6 to get to the hot seat.
After being sent to the one-loss side by Billy Cheng, Allen Wong matched up in the semifinal with Raul Reyes, who had battled back through the left side of the bracket. Raul would emerge the winner in this match by a score of 6-4 and move on to the final.
The final two remaining players, undefeated Billy Cheng and Raul Reyes decided to call it a night at the late hour, and Billy was credited with the deserved win. Congratulations to Billy Cheng for his undefeated run in this event, as well as Raul for his strong 8-2 win-loss record, Allen Wong for a strong third place finish, as well as Scott Simonetti for his 8-2 run on the one-loss side to finish in 4th.
Allison Fisher Rises to Victory in the Ultimate 10-Ball Championships
April 27, 2011
Allison Fisher (Photo courtesy of Ultimate10ball.com)
By NYC Grind Contributor Alison M. Fischer
In the first-ever Ultimate 10-Ball Championships, held in Dallas, TX on April 21-24, a field of fifty-four players competed in the Women’s Pro event. The field was comprised of a wide range of players including regional pro up-and-comers, breakthrough newcomers to the pro tour, and numerous well-established WPBA pros. A number of emerging New York players made an impression in this top-flight field, including 2010 Rookie of the Year Emily Duddy, who in her first round defeated Julie Kelly 7-2.
Neslihan Gurel, who like Duddy plays out of Amsterdam Billiards in NYC, impressed fans in Dallas along with the online audience in her 7-1 win over Brittany Bryant in their live streamed match in the first round. Gurel would eventually finish tied for 17th place. One of the biggest breakthroughs in this event was seen from Atlanta’s Amy Chen, who as a relative newcomer to the pro tour finished tied for 7th in this event.
Among the battle-tested pro players in the field, we saw Vivian Villarreal, Dawn Hopkins, Monica Webb, Kelly Fisher, Kyoko Sone, and Melissa Little among the top players vying for top honors and a first prize of $5,600. Not least among them was Hall of Fame inductee Allison Fisher. Although in the last two years, a victory on the WPBA tour has eluded Allison, her performance at this event showed the world that her ability to powerful, precision-perfect pool has not diminished… and far from it. Continue reading “Allison Fisher Rises to Victory in the Ultimate 10-Ball Championships” »
Mike Hertz Snaps Off His First Predator Tour Win and Zion Zvi Comes Back to Win the Open/Pro 10-Ball
April 25, 2011
Diana Rojas (3rd), Jack Smith (2nd), Mike Hertz (1st)
By Jerry Tarantola, NYCgrind.com
Stop #5 of the Predator 9-Ball Tour was hosted out on Long Island at Mr. Cue Billiards in Lindenhurst, NY. Forty-six top amateur players from around the area came out to play on April 16-17 for the two day pool event, along with a number of top open & pro players for the one-day 10-Ball event on Sunday.
A few of the top players to come out for this $1,000-added event were Michael Yednak, Lionel Rivera, Derek Schwager, Mark “Gypsy” Pantovic, Eric Grasman, room owner Scott Murphy, and top area lady players Diana “Snooky” Rojas, Sandie Patarino, Borana Andoni, and Gail Glazebrook.
The event showcased the talent of several strong emerging players in the NY area, but on this day, a few stood out from the rest of the field. Tour regular Jack Smith made his trip to Long Island count by going through the field through the winner’s bracket undefeated, and had to wait for the rest of the players to battle it out to see who he would face. Jack, who is rated a B+, defeated Derek Schwager 7-1, Ariel Rivera 7-4, Lionel Rivera 7-6, Robert Gipp 7-3, Shawn Sookhai 7-4, and Mike Hertz 7-5.
Veteran tournament player and grinder Snooky Rojas brought her ‘A’ game to the table throughout the two-day event and turned some heads. Snooky defeated Andy Schorr 8-4, Jim Jennings 7-3, Mike Ettl 7-5, and Sandie Patarino 7-5 before losing to Mike Hertz 7-3. Diana then made a statement by defeating current BCAPL Women’s Open 8-Ball Champion Gail Glazebrook in dominant fashion 7-3 and followed up with a gritty 7-5 win over Raphael Dabreo. Snooky was poised to snap off her first Predator Tour event, but on this weekend, Mike Hertz proved that he has the ability to bounce back after a tough loss.
Megan Smith Wins the Women’s Planet Pool Tour Event While Bob Maidof Wins the Open at Drexeline Billiards
April 23, 2011
Judie Wilson (3rd), Megan Smith (1st), Drexeline Billiards owner Bob Maidhof, and Nicole Vincent (2nd)
The Planet Pool Women’s Tour held its third tour stop of the season at Drexeline Billiards in Drexel Hill, PA on Sunday, April 17, 2011. A small field came out to play which included players like Megan Smith, Nicole Vincent, Jackie Duggan, Megan Fort, and Aubrey James.
Leading the top half of the bracket was Nicole Vincent with wins over Sharon O’Hanlon 6-4, and Jackie Duggan 6-5. Leading the bottom half of the bracket was Megan Smith with win over Megan Fort 6-0, and Pauline Mattes 6-2.
Playing for the hot seat, Megan Smith faced off against Nicole Vincent. This was a good match, but when its all said and done it was Megan Smith who won 6-4, sending Nicole Vincent to the one-loss side.
Judie Wilson would be waiting for Nicole Vincent on the one-loss side. This semifinal would turn out to be a one-sided match with Nicole Vincent winning easily 5-1 to get to the finals.
Continue reading “Megan Smith Wins the Women’s Planet Pool Tour Event While Bob Maidof Wins the Open at Drexeline Billiards” »
Billiards Instruction: CueTips #62 – Strengthening Your Mental Game, Part 3
April 21, 2011
CueTable Diagram #1
By NYC Grind Contributor, Mark Finkelstein
It’s hard to believe but it is almost Easter. It seems like New Year’s was just yesterday. Time really does fly! My point is that if you spent just a little bit of time every day working on your stroke, or your speed control, you would have 4 months of practice done and your game will have improved!
What I want to look at today is something all top players do, and something lesser players never or rarely do. It is a learnable skill and with a little coaching and some practice, you will be playing like the big dogs. All good players before they shoot a shot, have seen/felt the shot before they have shot it. Watch Johnny Archer, or Shane Van Boening play. Before every shot they stand there and look at it. Most amateurs jump into the shot with out even a glance at what they want to do. Winging it will only get you so far.
So how do we learn this skill of visualizing the shot? It really is pretty easy once you get the hang of it. Take a look at this fairly simple position play.
CueTable Diagram #1
This looks fairly easy, but there are some traps here. You could scratch in the side, miss the 8, come up short, come too long off the first rail and scratch in the corner or get funny on the nine, or you could come too long and scratch in the other corner pocket. All bad results that will have you grumbling to yourself for a week if it happens in a serious match.
One of the differences between good players and average players is that the average players focus on the traps. The good players focus on the result they want.
So here is what we do to learn how to visualize. Use your eyes and trace a path on the table that you want the cue ball to follow. Don’t worry if you really can’t see anything yet, just get in the habit of using your eyes to draw a line on the table where you want the cue ball to go. Once you have done that, put it away and look at the object ball. Again use your eyes to trace a path on the table of where the object ball is going to go. What ever you do, please make sure you see the ball go in the pocket. Our minds usually give us the results we last saw. You want that picture to be of the ball falling in the pocket, and not rattling!!
Now this next step is important. After you have used your eyes to trace the paths of the cue ball and the object ball, stand looking at the shot and feel the shot in your stroking arm. A lot of good players actually stand there and move their arm at the speed they need to get the results they want. Now you are ready to get down on the shot. You have seen the cue ball path, the object ball path and felt the shot. Now all you do is execute what you have seen.
Start doing this when you practice. Don’t spend a lot of time frustrating yourself and giving up on visualizing. It is an important skill and can be learned. It just takes a little patience. Here is a good drill to try that will help you develop this skill. This is a difficult drill without using visualization. Try it for a few minutes and then move on to something else. Go back to it after a while. Keep at it. Remember how Christmas seems like only yesterday. A little bit of this every day and by the end of the year, you will be pretty good at visualizing shots. Not a bad deal!
CueTable Diagram #2
Let me give you the whole drill. The object is to make the ball and then get the cue ball to go through each hole. It is a demanding drill that will test your pocketing and position skills. Here is how we add visualization.
First stand on the line of the shot and with your eyes, trace the path you want the cue ball to take. You really don’t have to see anything right now, just use your eyes to follow the path you want the cue ball to take. Next, again using your eyes, trace the path you want the object ball to take, making sure you see it going into the pocket! Finally, still standing on the line of the shot, move your stroking arm at the speed you need to make the shot. Once you have seen/felt all the pieces of this shot, step up and stroke it smoothly and watch the results.
One caution here. Your mind is a pretty amazing thing. It will always try to give you want you see in your mind. Make sure you see the shot play out successfully!! Seeing a miss or an incorrect path is a recipe for just that, a miss. Much like the golfer, make sure you see the green and not the pond!
Finally, when you get a chance to watch good players, take note of how they visualize. Do they do it on every shot or just the tough ones. How long does it take them, do they use their eyes or just seem into the shot? I heard a cute anecdote from Tom Simpson. He was talking to John Schmidt, and John seemed a little bit amazed that Tom couldn’t actually see the ball rolling to the pocket before he stroked it! I’m not sure if that is a true story, but the idea is solid. The great players actually see the balls rolling before they hit them.
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Mark Finkelstein is the House Pro at Slate Billiards on 21st Street in Manhattan.If you have questions, or would like to see a particular topic addressed, you can email Mark at mfinkelstein3@verizon.net.
A New Pool World: A Manifesto of Heart, Vision and Leadership, and New Video Debut
April 21, 2011
Justin Tuck with Gail Glazebrook, Jeanette Lee, Jerry T, & Tony Robles at Tuck's literacy charity benefit in 2010
Written by NYC Grind Founder & Creative Director, Jerry Tarantola
The word manifesto, as described by Wikipedia, is a public declaration of principles and intentions. My intention in writing this article is to raise awareness in a sleeping giant of potentiality in the sport that I love most… pool.
While there is a lot of uncertainty in what is to come in the future of the pool world, there is also a lot of excitement in its potential and its ability to touch the hearts and minds of millions. Members of the pool community have an opportunity to make a difference and initiate positive change, however, the “how” is the unclear and challenging part.
There is currently no clear and easy answer, but there are a lot of possible approaches and strategies that have to be looked at by the right people. People who have the skill, will, and passion to make positive change in the sport. The one thing that is clear is that the pool world and those who believe in it… need to get creative and “Think Big”.
Someone new to the game who is a league player in their local 8-ball league may not see any urgency, as they are disconnected to the sport at a professional level… but those who are close to it know that a dramatic change is needed. “What kind of change?” they may ask. The answer is not a simple one, but it starts with a change in perspective and paradigm. In my opinion, there needs to be a change from the “short term” to the “long term” perspective.
The shift would be from a “scarcity paradigm”–thinking that there is not enough–to a “paradigm of abundance”–thinking that there are plenty of resources and tools to get pool on the right track. There is more competition in the sport of pool today and more players playing at a high level then ever in the sport’s rich history and tradition, but yet it’s harder to make a living in pool than ever before.
While pool is thriving in Asia and is strong in the Philippines and England, the USA is lagging far behind in many ways. It saddens me that there is no professional tour for the men in the industry, and the women’s tour is struggling greatly. The WPBA, which people have come to love to watch on ESPN, have been losing events and only boasts three events in its season for 2011. And while pool has enjoyed some really great exposure on ESPN and a few other distributions outlets… the industry is moving towards a direction where the light in the distance, is getting less and less bright.
Musicians and Music Fans Come Together to Celebrate the Life of G.U.R.U. on Thursday, April 21
April 20, 2011
A tribute concert celebrating the life of Guru will be held this Thursday at Le Poisson Rouge
By NYC Grind Contributor Alison M. Fischer
The ability for musical expression to both raise consciousness and bring about a greater sense of community is a phenomenon that few artists are able to achieve. However, the power that this type of artistry generates can be felt throughout not only their generation, but into future ones as well.
The memory of one such icon is being recognized by thousands of people around the world today, as music fans remember the life and impact of rapper Keith Elam, known as G.U.R.U, who died one year ago on this day, April 19, when his battle with cancer ended his life at the age of 48.
G.U.R.U. (which stands for Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal), was a Boston native and the founder of the group Gang Starr. While G.U.R.U. had a prolific career in both collaboration and his solo work, it was his groundbreaking style and his inspiring & thought-provoking lyrics that made him an influential figure in hip-hop.
Known as a pioneer in fusing hip-hop with live jazz instrumentalists, G.U.R.U.’s career spanned from the late 80′s and through the last decade and helped define the sound of New York underground hip-hop. His Jazzmatazz series, which featured legendary artists including Branford Marsalis, Chaka Khan, and Roy Ayers, was among his many highly-acclaimed releases.
This Thursday, April 21, Revive Music Group will be helping celebrate his life and music in the G.U.R.U. Tribute Concert at Le Poisson Rouge on New York’s Lower West Side. The event will kick off at 10pm and is set to feature the Revive Da Live Big Band along with numerous special guests, and will be attended by G.U.R.U.’s family.
For more information on the event, visit the event page on Le Poisson Rouge’s website: http://lepoissonrouge.com/events/view/2143
Emily Duddy Makes a Comeback to Win the Mezz Women’s Tour Opener at Society Billiards
April 19, 2011
Emily Duddy (1st), Society Billiards co-owner Edward Rodriguez, Neslihan Gurel (2nd)
The Mezz Pro-Am Women’s Tour held it’s first event of the 2011 season at Society Billiards & Bar in New York City, on Sunday April 9. A small but strong field came out to compete which included some of NYC’s top lady players such as Emily Duddy, Caroline Pao, Gail Glazebrook, Diana “Snooky” Rojas, Erin McManus, and Borana Andoni.
Leading the top half of the bracket was Caroline Pao, who claimed wins over Allie Shaffer 9-4 and Kim Meyer 9-3. Meanwhile, Neslihan Gurel shook up the bottom half of the bracket with wins over Emily Duddy 9-4, Diana Rojas 9-8, Erin McManus 9-5.
Playing for the hot seat, Caroline Pao took on Neslihan Gurel. This was a great match that went hill-hill, but when it was all said and done, Neslihan Gurel walked away with the win at 9-8 and sending Caroline Pao one-side.
Making her way through the one-loss side was Emily Duddy, who after having lost her very first match to Neslihan 9-4, went on to beat Yomaylin Feliz 7-5, Allie Shaffer 7-1, Erin McManus 7-5, Gail Glazebrook 7-2, and Caroline Pao in the semifinal 7-2 to get to the finals.
Tony Robles and Zion Zvi Share a Mezz Tour Victory at Society Billiards
April 18, 2011
Tony Robles, Gail Glazebrook, Borana Andoni, Zion Zvi
The Mezz Pro-Am Tour made its first-ever stop at Society Billiards & Bar in New York City on Sunday April 10, 2011. This event featured a strong field of 31 players including such notables as Tony Robles, Zion Zvi, Jonathan Smith, Michael Yednak, Eddie Abraham, Mike Miller, Jennifer Barretta, Jude Rosenstock, and Borana Andoni to name a few.
Leading the top half of the bracket was Tony Robles with wins over Borana Andoni 7-3, Zion Zvi 7-3, Tony Rodriguez 7-3, and Jude Rosenstock 7-1. Meanwhile, Jonathan Smith led the bottom half of the bracket was with wins over Alvin Borja 7-3, Noel Bensurto 7-2, Edward Rodriguez 7-0, and Michael Wong 7-3.
Playing for the hot seat, Jonathan Smith faced off against Tony Robles. This was a great match that went hill-hill, but when it was all said and done it was Tony Robles coming away with the win 7-6 and sending Jonathan Smith to the one-loss side.
Meanwhile, Zion Zvi was making his way through the one-loss side with wins over Lionel Rivera, Ed Cohan, Edward Rodriquez, Mhet Veraga, Jude Rosenstock, and Michael Yednak.??The finals were set to feature Tony Robles and Zion Zvi, but these two good friends decided to be co-champions. Congratulations to both players for an outstanding day of play.
Continue reading “Tony Robles and Zion Zvi Share a Mezz Tour Victory at Society Billiards” »
Carbin Completes Brooklyn Snooker Double at Club 147
April 16, 2011
Losing semi-finalist Jian Qiang Wang, finalist Chen Qing, Champion Paul Carbin and losing semi-finalist Kevin Wong
Although snooker is not the prevalent cue sport in the US, as some may not know, there is still a great stronghold of players dedicated to this elite game, which is played predominantly in the UK, Australia, and India. In fact, the United States Snooker Association (USSA) is the governing body for the sport in the US, which hones a nation-wide tour… visit www.snookerusa.com to learn more. The most recent tour stop was actually held in Brooklyn, NY at The Top 147 Snooker Club. Read on in the press release for the latest news on the tour…
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After his victory in Event 1 of the 2011 United States Snooker Association Tour (USSA), sponsored by Aramith Billiard Balls and Strachan West Of England snooker cloth, Paul Carbin has completed the Brooklyn double this year with victory in Event 4 at the Top 147 Snooker Club.
Carbin was again in the fine form that helped him win Tour Event 1 at the Prince Snooker Club back in February, as he came through the tournament without the loss of a single frame. The Irishman topped Group B with 2-0 victories over Tim Lee, Raymond Cheung and Peter Chen, to then advance into a quarterfinal match-up against the runner-up of Group C, Paul Ye. Carbin then proceeded to cruise past Ye 3-0, and then to a 3-0 semifinal win over Kevin Wong and onto a 4-0 demolition of Chen Qing in the final.
Chen’s route to the final encountered a few more obstacles, as he finished runner-up in Group A with only one win from his three group matches, but once he advanced into the quarterfinals his performances improved. He scored an excellent 3-1 success over last year’s United States National Snooker Championship quarterfinalist, Henry Wong, who won Group D, and then a tremendous 3-0 victory over the semifinalist in that same event, Jian Qiang Wang.
Continue reading “Carbin Completes Brooklyn Snooker Double at Club 147” »
