AZB: OK, we are outside the US Open with Dennis Hatch. Dennis, havn't seen your name in a lot of tournaments lately. Glad to see you are back. Do you want to talk about that whole situation?

Dennis: Yeah, I got in a little trouble involved with my father. I was convicted of a felony. I plead guilty to a felony. I got six months house arrest, three years probation and 100 hours of community service. So, for the last year, I have been under house arrest. I am still on probation but I am allowed to travel so I starting to come to all the tournaments. I am starting to play good. I played good there but I got a couple bad rolls.

I made a mistake and I got punished for it. I learned from it. It was a good learning experience. It will never happen again and I glad to be here.

AZB: Well, I think we are glad to have you back. You just had a great match with Nick Varner. What happened there? You were up 6-2 and I thought you were going to roll over him.

Dennis: I had him 6-2 and then I had him 7-3. At 7-3, I missed a 2-ball . It might have been 7-4 but I was straight in on the 2-ball. All I had to do was make it and follow it to the rail, and I missed it. That was a huge game. After I missed that, it all turned around. Nick really didn't hit me with a bunch of games and run racks. He would win one and play safe. I would kick the ball and he would win the game. At 8-8, he missed a three and lucked the nine in. It was a tough match. I thought I played good and I thought I was going to win the match. I played great, but if you don't get the rolls, you don't win. You can play the best match and play better than everyone else in the room but if you get one or two bad rolls, you are going to get beat. That's the way this game is.

AZB: Watching you play, it didn't look like you had missed much from years ago. You were getting up and running out racks there in the beginning. It didn't look like you had been away at all.

Dennis: I havn't really been away from the table. I have been playing a lot. I just havn't been playing in tournaments. I feel like I am playing good right now. You know, Nick is a great player. Nick is a champion and he made a lot of nice outs in places that I didn't think he was going to get out. There isn't really anything I can say. I got beat.

AZB: So, you are back playing full time?

Dennis: I am going to play in every tournament I possibly can. I want to get back up on top again.

AZB: So, how does it feel to be back?

Dennis: I am just glad to be out here again. I got in a little trouble, I learned from it. I think I am a better person now because of it. I have changed my life, changed my attitude, and I am just glad to be out here. I love pool and I love being out here. I am just very happy being out here.