LIVE from the Horseshoe Southern Indiana Resort and Casino, Elizabeth, IN
Players from continents apart are beckoned by the call of the balls, the woofing, the banter, the camaraderie, and the biggest bucks in pool prize money. It’s time again for 9 days of pool’s most gruelling environment as cue men strive to overcome the unknown of the last minute drawing of the tournament match-ups and switching disciplines. Compound that with the lure of the late night thru early morning action as spectators sweat the most entertaining cast of characters since Johnson City.
There is no tournament in the world like it. And it’s yours to behold as the Accu-Stats stream begins on Friday with the race-to-11, Diamond BIG Foot Challenge:
1pm: Skyler Woodward vs. John Gabriel
3:30: Lee Vann Corteza vs. Johann Chua
7pm: Dennis Orcollo vs. Shane Van Boening
9:30: Jayson Shaw vs. Nick Ekonomopolous
And continues on Saturday at the same times:
Karl Boyes vs. Thorsten Hohmann
Alex Pagulayan vs. Alex Kazakis
Fedor Gorst vs. Darren Appleton
Carlo Biado vs. Ruslan Chinakov
16 competitors from 3 continents pony up a grand for a chance at 16 thou as they bounce the Cyclops around the 10 foot Diamond behemoth. As promotor Gregg Sullivan insists, “Big Foot is the test of the true champion.”
He’s happy too as, at around 10pm, Thursday, EDT, there were 400+ plus Bank Pool entrants with still room for more before the player’s meeting at noon on Friday. The draw commences soon after.
Simultaneously, the Derby City Bank Pool Championship runs thru the weekend and, as players are eliminated, the One Pocket Championship commences on Sunday.
Beginning on Wednesday, we have the 9-Ball Championships and the week is complete on Saturday as the points tallied from these 3 events determine the DCC Master of the Table, one of pool’s highest accolades…and cash prizes.
To refresh your memory, last year, Alex Pagulayan joined the prestigious company of Efren Reyes and Shane Van Boening as back-to-back Derby City Classic Master of the Table. No one has ever 3-peated. Whadya think?
But wait there’s more: 6 time DCC One Pocket Champion Efren Reyes is competing in the 3 points packing contests as are Chinese Taipei’s World 9 and 10-Ball Champion Pin Yi Ko, 2015 US Open 9-Ball Champion Kevin Cheng and 2016 runner up Chang Jun Lin.
AZ Player of The Year, Scotland’s Jayson Shaw, is one to watch as are Russians Fedor Gorst and Ruslan Chinakov winner of Darren Appleton’s World 8-Ball series last weekend. Ruslan is also a past DCC George Fels Straight Pool titlist.
There are too many potential contenders arriving by the minute to mention here tho,’ you can stay tuned to AZ to read all about them.
Accu-Stats is pleased to debut Filipino Johann Chua on its screens and, ultimately, DVD and Home theater presentations of the DCC series. Young Johann’s reputation as one of the most fearless Filipinos in search of action hasn’t quite reached these shores but, rest assured, we’re in for a treat.
You are invited to watch the most challenging of the player draws on PPV, LIVE from the Accu-Stats Arena. Visit accu-stats.com.
The George Fels Memorial Straight Pool Challenge also runs thru the week as the 8 with the highest runs face off in single elimination. If scheduling permits, Accu-Stats will stream, at least, the finals.
BANKS RING GAME, on the Accu-Stats screens on Friday the 27th, will have the winner-take-all battle for the cash as, typically, the last 2 are usually banking for near a thousand a ball.
Don’t miss a stroke at accu-stats.com
Accu-Stats thanks its Arena Sponsors: Diamond Billiards, Simonis Cloth, Cyclop Balls, Cue and Case, MEZZ Cues, McDermott Cues, National Billiard Academy, OB Cues, and Samsara Cues.
Photography Courtesy of Davids Thomson, MediumPool.com
