CueTips Billiards Instruction: Lessons From Turning Stone

By NYC Grind Contributor, Mark Finkelstein

I hope you are all having a wonderful, safe holiday season.  The Christmas season is always a fun time for me.  I get to see and hear from family and friends I haven’t heard from much during the year, and I really enjoy the wonder of the kids around this time of year.  Kids make this time of year a lot of fun for me.

We all had a special Christmas treat this year from PoolDawg.com and the TAP League!  Thank you for sponsoring the Turning Stone XVIII Classic on Ustream.  It was a great tournament and there was some outstanding play that we got to watch for free.  Thank you!!!

First let me congratulate the winner and all the players who showed us how pool should be played.  What a great show.  Also congratulations to all the NYC players that went up there and did a bang up job playing pool.  It is really exciting to watch you play.

I could write pages about all the great play and shots that I saw, but what I want to look at this week is some of the most common errors I saw.  I want to look at these errors because if the best players are making these mistakes, we ordinary players can learn from them.  What I want you to take away from this article is some red flags.  When you see some of these situations in your game, pay particular attention.  Learn from the best and your game will improve.

The first lesson, red flag and warning is DO NOT BUMP INTO POCKETABLE BALLS!

Just a little louder for those of you who are hard of hearing, DO NOT BUMP INTO POCKETABLE BALLS!  The list of players who had a run out or pattern stopped because they hit a ball in error is endless.  Please learn from this.  When you are planning your shot, take pains to not hit other balls.

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Hip-Hop Poetry Musical Death Boogie to be Featured in The Poetic License Festival

By NYC Grind Contributor Alison M. Fischer

As we prepare to turn the page over from 2011 to 2012 and look forward to the new year, many people around the world may be reflecting on the huge wave of upheaval we have seen in many corners of the planet.  At the same time, many have been compelled to make their voices heard in ways they may not have done in the past.

Coming up next week, many of New York’s most talented performers will be taking the stage to celebrate their ability to express their voices at the Poetic License Festival… a five-day festival (Jan. 4-8) that showcases a variety of spoken word, hip hop, and slam performances in a theatrical setting, presented by Poetic Theater Productions.

One of the shows being highlighted at this year’s festival is Death Boogie… “a multimedia Hip Hop Poetry Musical that follows the fictional story of Victor Spartan, a blue collar worker who lives a comatose lifestyle by day and at night, hears the poetic sounds of revolution. A political romp with a Pee Wee Herman meets Che Guevara type flare. Through the combination of music and comic book illustrations, Death Boogie is a high energy whimsical examination on the notion of martyrdom, altruism, and courage through the stories of a Greek Titan, a soldier, a prisoner of war, a cheetah, and a child.” (from the Poetic License Festival website)

Event & Location Info:
Death Boogie @ The Poetic License Festival
Wednesday, Jan. 4th
9pm (Running time 65 mins)
The Wild Project (thewildproject.com)
195 East 3rd Street (between Ave A & B), New York, NY
Tix: $15 at the door
$10 online with code BOOGIE10: https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pe/9458445
DB Teaser: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyaZRHENpGg

For a preview of this innovative show, which is written and performed by Darian Dauchan and features music by The Mighty Third Rail, check out the teaser video below.

You can see the full schedule of events for the Poetic License Festival here: http://www.poetictheater.com/festival

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Rack Starz and Animals Behind the 8-Ball Partner with AmsterDog Rescue for the Holiday Season

While all twelve of the members of NYC’s Rack Starz share a passion for playing pool, they also share a passion for pets.  Along with raising funds for their charity foundation ‘Animals Behind the 8-Ball‘, the Rack Starz (based out of Amsterdam Billiards) are now joining forces with New York-based dog rescue foundation, AmsterDog.

For more info, read on in the press release below…

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The Rack Starz and their cause, Animals Behind the 8-Ball are partnering with AmsterDog Rescue to raise much needed awareness and money for their tireless efforts to the AmsterDog Rescue volunteers who help protect and save many helpless and abused animals.  To get the “ball” rolling The Rack Starz have put 500 of their 2012-2013 Limited Edition Collector Series 18-month Calendars a-side just for this cause. For every calendar purchased, The Rack Starz will donate $10.00 which will go directly to AmsterDog Rescue.  This is the season of giving and there is no better way to do that than by giving a beautiful animal a fighting chance, while owning your very own Limited Edition Rack Starz Calendar. All you have to do is make sure you write “Amsterdog” in the special instructions message box at check out and we will know that with your purchase, you have chosen to help an animal in need. The Rack Starz are also working on a one-of-a-kind Charity event for after the New Year where you can come meet and greet the ladies and get your calendar personally autographed. Plus, there will also be challenges, trick shots, instructions and so much more. This is the season of giving and there is no better way to do that than give a wonderful animal a fighting chance, while getting a limited Edition Rack Starz Calendar!

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Amsterdam Billiards Gets Set to Rock NYC with Their Annual New Year’s Eve Party

With the end of 2011 only a few days away, one of New York’s best hotspots for pool, Amsterdam Billiards, is gearing up to host their annual New Year’s Eve Party this Saturday, December 31.

Many New Yorkers will be heading out on the town to experience some of the world-class nightlife the city has to offer on NYE, but few places offer superb playing conditions for pool, darts, and ping pong, along with a full bar & unique entertainment.

This year’s New Year’s Eve event will get underway at 9pm and is set to feature entertainment from burlesque dancers, live DJ’ed music, and bioluminescent body painting with blacklights… along with a masquerade costume contest with $1,000 in prizes. NYC Grind will be on site to cover all the action!

Along with hot entertainment, as always, Amsterdam is a great place to meet & mingle with New York’s top pool players including Tony Robles, Mika Immonen, Jennifer Barretta, and other members of The Rack Starz.

For a preview of the prime party atmosphere at Amsterdam, check out our recently-released video from the Rack Starz Calendar Launch Party below, along with our promo video filmed at Amsterdam:

You can get tickets for the party online at nye2012abc.eventbrite.com or call 212-995-0333.

Check out the fliers below for more info on the party…

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CueTips Billiards Instruction: A Lesson From the Holidays

By NYC Grind Contributor Mark Finkelstein

This time of year is the time I get to work at a lot of corporate holiday parties. The office comes out once a year to play some pool, drink and have a great time. I get to teach pure beginners how to play, and then help them run a tournament. It is easy to think that this must be a boring way to spend hours at a time watching beginners play, but it is not. I learn so much watching beginners! They miss shots badly, but interesting things happen. They do things I certainly would never think of and they make shots or shoot patterns that are outside what all the good players I know chose.

The value in watching this is that I get to challenge my creative ideas and learn new ways of looking at shots and the table.

Take a look at this shot I saw at a recent Holiday Party.

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NYC’s Legendary Blue Note Jazz Club Celebrates the Finale of its 30 Year Anniversary with Chris Botti

By NYC Grind Contributor Alison M. Fischer

Bringing together generations of music lovers to enjoy some of the world’s greatest live jazz in an intimate setting is what New York’s famous Blue Note jazz club has become known for.

Being one of the nation’s premier destinations for highly-acclaimed live jazz, week after week, the renowned club continues to draw international NYC visitors to its Greenwich Village locale.

As 2011 has marked the Blue Note’s 30 Year Anniversary, it is noteworthy to mention that the club continues to showcase an incredibly wide range of performers… from classic standards like Dave Brubeck, to current pop icons like Michael Buble, to cutting edge jazz & hip-hop collaborations between the likes of pianist Robert Glasper, Lupe Fiasco, Mos Def, and Kanye West.

To mark the final weeks of the Blue Note’s 30 year celebration, one of today’s most celebrated jazz trumpeters, Chris Botti, will be taking the stage for his annual holiday session.

Grammy award winner Chris Botti and his band have begun their two-and-a-half week long stay at the Blue Note, which began on December 15 and will run through January 1.

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Matchroom Sport Addresses Mosconi Cup Questions

In the recent days following the completion of the 2011 Mosconi Cup, a lot of dialogue and criticism has arisen over how the American Mosconi Cup Team is formed, as well as how the team captain is selected. Many American pool fans, promoters, and pundits have also spoken out about their opinions and perspectives on AZbilliards.

As a response to the questions that have been brought up, Luke Riches of Matchroom Sport (which produces the Mosconi Cup) has released some information on the the event and the process used to determine teams, in order to clarify those concerns and questions.

You can read the press release below, which gives comprehensive information on the process and history behind one of pool’s most highly-revered events.

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Matchroom Sport Addresses Mosconi Cup Questions
2011 PartyPoker.com Mosconi Cup – Some event information from Matchroom Sport

In the lead up to the 2011 PartyPoker.net Mosconi Cup as well as the post-event analysis, much was written about the structure of the American team and the selection of the captain. A fair amount of this has been unsubstantiated speculation with little or no factual accuracy.

The Mosconi Cup was devised in 1994 by Matchroom Sport as a live TV event to be screened on Sky Sports in the UK and Ireland. Over the years, the event has grown and now it stands as one of the sport’s premier brands and the only pool event live on TV in Europe.

Many efforts have been made by Matchroom Sport over the years to get some television foothold in the USA, leading to a live telecast, but the current reality is that US TV is not overly interested in pool.

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Dan Cintron Victorious in a Split Tri-State Win with Carl Yusuf Khan at Cue Bar

On Saturday, December 18, Dan Cintron followed up his previous week’s victory at Castle Billiards by knocking down the Tri-State Tour winner’s bracket at Cue Bar in Bayside, Queens, NY.

Cintron’s path to the hot seat featured wins over Basdeo “Shawn” Sookhai 8-6, Ed Hugh 7-4, Carl Yusuf Khan 8-6, and Steve Wade 10-8.

While Carl Yusuf Khan headed for the one-loss side after his loss to Cintron, his night didn’t end there.  Khan went on to defeat Rene Villalobos 7-6 and Steve Wade 7-3 to make it to the finals for another chance at Cintron.

Dan Cintron and Carl Yusuf Khan decided on a split in the finals, with Cintron taking 1st place honors.  Khan was also a major threat to win the event, having blazed a trail through a tough draw with wins over Ed Culhane, Keith Adamik, and Gary Murgia… also building momentum from his recent second place finish on December 3rd at Gotham City Billiards.

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Shane Van Boening Takes Home The Turning Stone XVIII Title

Shane Van Boening has ended the year on a high note, as he captured The Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour’s Turning Stone Classic XVIII, the last major event of 2011, for the first time.  The event, which was held at the Turning Stone Casino & Resort in Verona, NY, ran from December 15-18 and featured live web streamed matches, presented by Accu-Stats and AZbilliards.com.

Van Boening came out of the gate winning his first three matches against Alex Platonov 9-2, Jeremy Sossei 9-6, and Canada’s Erik Hjorliefson 9-6, before his 2011 Mosconi Cup teammate Shawn Putnam edged ahead of him in the following match, where Putnam won 9-8.

Shawn Putnam went on to fall to another Mosconi teammate, Rodney Morris, in the following round at 9-5.  Morris continued to stay strong in his following match, where he defeated Mike Dechaine 9-5, moving him into the hot seat match.

As it turned out, Morris’ opponent for the hot seat match would be his good friend and fellow Poison Cues player rep Raj Hundal.  Hundal had previously made a strong run through the winner’s bracket with wins over John Morra 9-7, Mike Dun 9-2, Brian Brekke 9-3, Amsterdam Billiards’ Chris Lynch 9-3, Dustin Morris 9-1, and 2011 Hall of Fame inductee Ralf Souquet 9-5 before facing off against Rodney Morris.

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Introducing The Rack Starz Calendar Launch Video Plus Coverage & Photos

The Rack Starz all-star cast of female billiard players based in NYC is set to take their game to the next level. With the launch of their debut 2012-2013 calendar at Amsterdam Billiards on November 18, the ladies (who are each top national or regional pool players) are working to bring a fresh approach to promoting the sport by breaking into the mainstream limelight.

While some may say that professional pool is on the decline, these ladies are set to prove them wrong.  Their passion and drive to both play the sport and make it a viable career have been turning the heads of both pool fans and the media… click here to check out interview The Rack Starz’ interview with NBC Sports and their interview with About.Billiards. (Read on in the story to learn more about their press coverage at the calendar launch.)

NYC Grind is excited to introduce our highlight video from the launch event, in which the Rack Starz meet and greet fans, take on challenges from local players, and autograph calendars for fans.  Watch the video below, or go to the video page on Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/33767518

Video Produced & Directed by NYC Grind Creative Director Jerry T, with filming by Jerry T & NYC Grind Contributor Robert Plaut. Music by DJ AK – ‘Rock Socks’ www.dj-ak.com.

Read on for all the details on the launch party, along with photos by Gary Gershoff of Getty Images, William Fuentes, and NYC Grind Contributor Joei Huang…

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THE RACK STARZ CALENDAR LAUNCH PARTY: LOOKING BACK AT A GREAT NIGHT!

On Friday, November 18th, well over two hundred professional and amateur billiards players, celebrity VIP’s, New York City media and fans gathered at Union Square’s upscale billiards club, Amsterdam Billiards, to celebrate the release of the Rack Starz 2012-2013 Limited-Edition Collector Series Calendar.

Kicking off the event was a comprehensive press schedule, which consisted of interviews with the likes of NBC Sports, ESPN, Bleacher Report and numerous online outlets followed by a photo shoot for the front cover of Stroke Magazine, which hits newsstands in December. After the press interviews wrapped up, the Rack Starz hit the red carpet for their arrival introduction. Wire Images photographer, Gary Gershoff made sure to capture each moment as the ladies walked into their event.

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