With an impressive 8:2 victory over Samuel Santos (POR), Joshua Filler (GER) just won the 8-ball title at the inaugural Dynamic Billard European Championships for U23 at the Golden Tulip Jagershorst Hotel in Leende, The Netherlands.
The final match was played between Joshua Filler (GER) and Samuel Santos (POR). Filler was definite the player who was regarded as the highest favourite in the field. Santos was not necessarily expected to get this far but due to his premium performance here, he secured his spot in the final match. With victories over Berk Mehmetcik (TNC) 8:4 and Casper Matikainen (FIN) 8:5 he underlined his claim for the title today. On the other hand, Filler took down Georgi Georgiev (BUL) 8:4 and Roberto Bartol (CRO) 8:4 to meet Santos in the title match. In the beginning of the final, it looked as if there was a close competition between the two contestants. After 5 racks the score was 3:2 to Filler but Santos seemed to have a foot in the door still. However, that changed dramatically. Filler simply did not make any mistakes and played ice cold as he is known for. Whenever he was at the table he made the game look so easy since he made no mistakes, being it pocketing balls or playing position for the cue ball. He was always almost perfect for his next position. Consequently, he took the next 6 racks in a row and had Santos only play an insignificant role in the rest of the match. In the end, Filler took the match 8:2 and won the inaugural title undefeated.
Tomorrow, the Dynamic Billard European Championships for U23 at the Golden Tulip Jagershorst Hotel in Leende, The Netherlands will continue at 10:00 CET with first round matches of the 9-ball competition.
Every day, one match from the events will be shown LIVE on the Facebook page of the EPBF. All Facebook users may check out the high standard of quality which is provided for all the events and see what the Kozoom members receive all the time. You can see all the matches live via www.kozoom.com who stream the whole event on 23 tables on the internet LIVE. The FB live matches are announced on the EPBF Facebook page around noon every day. Results and schedules can be found at www.europeanpoolchampionships.eu so why not come and check out all the LIVE action of the Dynamic Billard European Championships for Youth.
The event is hosted by the European Governing Body for Pool, the European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF) and organised by International Billiard Promotion (IBP). For further information and reference please go to the federation website www.europeanpoolchampionships.eu, visit us on Facebook or check out our youtube channel for regular news clips or contact our press office press@epbf.com.
The 21st annual running of the PartyPoker World Pool Masters got underway at the Metrodome in Barnsley, Yorkshire and there were first round wins for Chris Melling, Nick Ekonomopoulos and Niels Feijen. The $66,000 tournament has been a staple on the pool calendar for over two decades and was making its first appearance in the UK since 2005.
In front of an excellent first night crowd at the popular Yorkshire venue, defending champion Karol Skowerski of Poland fell at the first hurdle as was beaten 8-3 by England’s Chris Melling who looked in fine form in front of his local fans.
Melling, whose smooth action is renowned the world over, flew into a 5-0 lead in front of his Yorkshire faithful as he took advantage of the winners’ break format. Skowerski, who enjoyed a magical three days in his home town of Kielce as he won the Masters last year, took the sixth rack to get his name on the board.
The Pole won the next after a quality safety battle and ran out the eighth game from the break to take the score to 5-3. Melling got lucky in the next when a he had a hit-and-hope attempt on the 3 ball which was parked next to the 9. The 8 ball got cannoned into the top pocket and the 3 ball rolled into the opposite corner. From there he cleared to go 6-3 in the race to eight match.
Melling won the next to get to the hill, and although Skowerski got to the table in the next it was the Englishman’s day as he ran out the winner and can look forward to a quarter final match against Ga Young Kim or Alex Pagulayan.
“I played really well. I twitched an easy eight ball but other than that I played really well. I had a good fluke to be fair when I was 5-3 up,” said Melling.
“I am cueing the ball nicely and I have the table speed down well so it is just a matter of getting your chances and taking them when they come.
“This is the first time I have played 9-ball in Yorkshire and I have a good following from Keighley. Come tomorrow I think it will be a packed house. It makes a big difference to have home advantage. It is like the guy in your corner in a boxing match. I have a lot of people behind me and a lot of good support.”
The second match of the evening saw six-time Masters champion Ralf Souquet exit the competition as he was defeated by a sharp shooting Nick Ekonomopoulus 8-2.
They shared the opening two racks but Nick, a Mosconi Cup winner on his debut last December, took the next two with a determined look on his face. A run out from the break made it 4-1 and the six times Masters champion looked in trouble with the winner breaks format.
Another meaty break from the Greek set up a run out for 5-1 and Souquet needed something to happen to give himself a chance. It didn’t come in the next as Ekonomopoulos ran out once again to take himself to 6-1.
An illegal break got Souquet back to the table and sensing that anything less than a run out would sound his death knell, cleared for 6-2. He got the 1 ball into the side pocket off the break in the ninth game but missed the 2 ball and the Greek took full advantage to clear and reach the hill. He ran out the next for an excellent win.
“I played very well although I was lucky in rack one. He played a very good safe and I played a safe but made the ball. After that I made three run outs and in a short format when it is race to eight you can quickly take a big lead,” said Ekonomopoulos.
“I have been playing well and practicing a lot with my friend Darren Appleton. I don’t play my quarter-final until Sunday so I will keep practicing.”
Souquet was a little disappointed at his lack of table time: “I don’t feel like I have been a part of this tournament. Apart from the two scratches he played so well and I wasn’t able to get a chance.”
The final match of the opening session saw two 2013 Mosconi Cup players face off as Niels Feijen of Holland met England’s Karl Boyes.
They shared the opening racks before Boyes fouled as he failed to reach a rail with a safety shot. Feijen ran out to take the lead but Boyes squared it in the next. Both had visits in the fifth rack but it was Feijen who dropped the 9 ball and he took the next for a 4-2 lead.
Boyes got the home crowds cheering in the next as he completed the run out to reduce the deficit. Feijen was always in the lead but Boyes was never too far behind him but it was the Dutchman who reached the hill first at 7-4.
Boyes though got it back to 6-7 but lost the table as he tried a difficult cut on the 3 ball after a solid break. He got lucky though as he missed but left Feijen hooked. The Dutchman got out of it and when Boyes scratched it was all over as he ran out for the win.
“It was nip and tuck all the way and I feel I caught a couple of rolls in that match but also he was breaking really well, especially at the end,” said Feijen.
“I got a little worried there from 7-4; we had a long tactical game from that point. He made a nice bank on the 3 ball, runs out, breaks and runs out and it was getting close. Then he had a good break but scratched on the 3 ball in the side pocket. I knew if I got it straight on the six it would be over and I am glad I got through that one,” he added.
Boyes said, “It was one of those matches. We both played well, nobody missed anything, it was just the odd safety error. I was breaking well the whole match but I just couldn’t get a shot early in the match.”
This is the 21st annual running of the PartyPoker.com World Pool Masters following its inaugural event in 1993. Some of the greatest players in the modern era of pool have won this title including the likes of Souquet, Strickland, Orcollo and Appleton. With a field of 16 players there are 15 matches in total – all race to eight racks and culminating in the final on the Sunday evening.
The 2013 PARTYPOKER.COM World Pool Masters is sponsored by PartyPoker.com, the world's leading online poker site. Cloth is supplied by Iwan Simonis and the Official Balls are Super Aramith. Diamond is the supplier of the Official Table and Predator is the Official Cue.
Dynamic Billard North Cyprus opening matches without any upsets
Kyrenia, North Cyprus: In a clear and one sided match, Imran "The Maharaja" Majid (GBR) wiped the floor with his young opponent Dogukan Dogu (TNC) with 9:2.
It was one of these classic "David vs Goliath" matches with the better end for the favorite. Majid entered the stage as the huge one preferred. The odds were all in his favor. From the very beginning he proved his dominance in the match. The best Dogu could do was tying the match at 1:1 after two racks. After that, he was allowed one more point to ease the deficit to 2:4. From then on it was a one-man-show by the British player. He ran and won rack after rack, leaving no chance for the overextended young Cypriot. 9:2 was the unavoidable final result in this match which takes Majid into the next round on the winner's side and catapults Dogu to the left side of the draw.
Other notable results from the first rounds include one of the "young orange" players, Ivo Aarts (NED), smashing his opponent Izzet Izei (TNC) with 9:1. The local hero, "dark horse" Berk Mehmetcik (TNC) was just able to survive his opening match against Ayhan Yavuzoglu (TUR) with 9:8.
The event is hosted by the European Governing Body for Pool, the European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF) and organized by International Billiard Promotion (IBP). For further information and reference please go to the federation website http://www.eurotouronline.eu or contact our press office.
Kyrenia, North Cyprus: As the final curtain slowly falls on day one of the Dynamic Billard North Cyprus Open in Kyrenia, Turkish North Cyprus, the first players have exited the tournament having received two losses already.
Richard Jones (GBR) is not among those unlucky lads. He unexpectedly lost to Daniele Corrieri (ITA) this afternoon but stayed alive in the tournament with a 9:6 victory over Tom Bjerke (NOR). He will have to win another match over Ramazan Akdag (TUR) today to read his name on tomorrow's tournament brackets. Many of the players who already exited the event are local. Three of the biggest names in North Cypriot pool had an appearance in the loser's round with only one of them standing tall after the rounds.
Berk Mehmetcik (TNC) was the "lucky" one to remain in the tournament with a convincing victory over his fellow countryman Huseyin Alnar with 9:6. Onuc Altur (TNC) first had to deal with his older brother Orcun Altur and defeated him 9:5. However, in the next round Onuc Altur got defeated by Kristoffer Mindreboe (NOR) with 9:5. Another big loss for North Cyprus today was Huseyin Borankan who fell with 6:9 to Thomas Poeschl (GER).
The event is hosted by the European Governing Body for Pool, the European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF) and organized by International Billiard Promotion (IBP). For further information and reference please go to the federation website http://www.eurotouronline.eu or contact our press office.
Sarajevo, Bosnia & Hercegovina: At the maximum level of excitement, Konstantin Stepanov (RUS) defeated Senharip Azar (SWE) with 8:7.
In the third loser's round, Stepanov had to enter the ring against Azar. The Russian received a tough defeat from Romanian Viziru Augustin in his first match so he was forced to seek his fortune on the loser's side. His opponent, Senharip Azar does not regularly play on the Euro-Tour. In the recent 12 months, he has attended only three out of seven tournaments. That is part of the reason why he is only ranked 101 in the current rankings. But Azar is a regular for Sweden at the European Championships and should not be underestimated. The match with Stepanov was a living testimony for that. It was actually Azar who took control over the match from the beginning and dominated the happenings on the slate. He was ahead 3:0 and 5:2 before Stepanov managed to get back a bit. The top ten player from Moscow tied the match even after 10 racks at a score of 5:5. It looked like the favorite had found his rhythm and everything would turn to normal with Stepanov winning the match easily from then on. But one should never count one's chicken before they are hatched! Azar took the next two racks and got on the hill with a nice 7:5 lead. That put all the pressure of the World on Stepanov. It was time now to show whether he was a top ten player. And he proved it. He got back, and with excellent positional, safety and shotmaking skills he managed to turn the match around and win it with 8:7. Stepanov will now face Mark Magi (EST) in his next round while Azar will have to settle for 65th.
Other notable results from today's loser's side matches include Tommy Wolff (NOR) eliminating "the dark horse" from Turkish North Cyprus, Berk Mehmetcik, with 8:7. Mats Nygren (SWE) ended all hopes for local junior hero Alen Muratovic (BIH), creaming him with 8:5.
The event is hosted by the European Governing Body for Pool, the European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF) and organized by International Billiard Promotion (IBP). For further information and reference please go to the federation website http://www.eurotouronline.eu or contact our press office.
Sarajevo, Bosnia & Hercegovina: Team Poland just destroyed their opponents from Turkish North Cyprus in the junior's division, smashing them with a clear 3:0 result.
The writing was on the wall that team Poland would probably be the tougher team. But it was surprising how clearly they creamed their opponents from the sunny island of North Cyprus. Maciej Witkowski (POL) seized the 8-ball match with 7:1 off Huseyin Alnar (TNC). No chance at all for young Alnar in that match. In straight pool, Turkish North Cyprus' best player Berk Mehmetcik met the new title holder Sebastian Batkowski from Team Poland. Though Mehmetcik is capable of playing decent straight pool, he never got a foot in the door in this match. He was trailing 21:75 and even 40:99. It speaks for his sportsmanship that he still tried to take the point home for his team but in the end, he was on a mission impossible. Batkowski safely pocketed the remaining ball and took the deciding second point for his team. At that time, Pawel Kaczmarek (POL) was leading 6:2 over Mehmetali Sözgen (TNC) in a race to eight. Team Poland will now face the winner of the match between Sweden and Portugal in the quarter-final tonight at 20:30 CET.
Another interesting clash was the match between Austria and Bulgaria. While Austria came through the loser's side with a close 2:1 victory over Denmark, the Bulgarian juniors secured their spot for that match with a 2:1 win over Turkish North Cyprus. The odds between the two teams were about even before the match. But it turned out that Bulgaria had the better day. Martin Todorov (BUL) won his 9-ball with 8:3 over Michael Winkler (AUT) while his teammate Spasian Spasov reached 100 points in straight pool when Leon Swoboda only had 40. That turned the score to 2:0 in the match. At that time, Clemens Schober (AUT) was leading over Anton Zlatev (BUL) with 5:4 in 8-ball. But that match got stopped since the team encounter had already been decided. Team Bulgaria will now meet the winner of the match between the Finish and the juniors from Luxembourg in the next round.
The pupils will play their quarter-final matches tonight at 20:30 CET.
The event is hosted by the European Governing Body for Pool, the European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF) and organized by International Billiard Promotion (IBP). For further information and reference please go to the federation website www.billiardapps.com or contact our press office.
Sarajevo, Bosnia & Hercegovina: It is getting hot in Sarajevo. Not only the outside temperatures are high, but the tension of the 8-ball competition also reached the melting point.
In the single elimination round of the last 32 players in junior's division, Berk Mehmetcik (TNC) delivered a thrilling match with Alex Renard (FIN), getting the better of him with 7:6 in the end. But that was one of the most chaotic matches Mehmetcik has probably ever played. He fouled three times and missed 9 shots in the set – a complete disaster for the talented player from Turkish North Cyprus. However, somehow Renard could not capitalize from Mehmetcik's mistakes. The main problem of Renard was his break shot. He only pocketed balls on 28% of his break shots. A poor proportion. However, he played unspectacular and got his points since Mehmetcik committed too many mistakes when he was in charge of the table. This lead to a situation where Renard went on the hill, leading 6:4 after ten racks. The pressure became unreal for Mehmetcik. He was the better shotmaker and the favored player but due to his performance he had one foot in the grave. He ran out rack 11 and benefitted from a mistake of Renard to tie the match at hill-hill. In rack 13, Renard broke and had one of the few occasions where he managed to pocket a ball off the break. The table was open for him with some work left to do. He ran six balls and missed the final ball of his group. Mehmetcik came back in and ran the rack, playing very carefully and averting the catastrophe to lose. In the end, the 7:6 victory for Mehmetcik was lucky but he was the better shotmaker and had the better nerves. However, he will need to improve to stay alive in the 8-ball competition. His next opponent at 15:15 CET will be Martin Todorov (BUL) who defeated Emilis Abelkis (LIT) with 7:2.
Other notable results from today's 8-ball individuals include the 5:0 whitewash of Kamila Khodjaeva (BEL) over her sister Diana. She only needed 27 minutes for the whole set. Joshua Filler (GER) made short work with local hero Sanjin Pehlivanovic (BIH), ousting him 6:0 in 13 minutes from the pupil's flowchart.
Today, 8-ball will be played until 16:45 CET. After that, two rounds of team competition will finish day five of the Dynamic Billard EPBF European Youth Championships.
The event is hosted by the European Governing Body for Pool, the European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF) and organized by International Billiard Promotion (IBP). For further information and reference please go to the federation website www.billiardapps.com or contact our press office.
Sarajevo, Bosnia & Hercegovina: Today, the 8-ball competition started at the Dynamic Billard EPBF European Youth Championships 2013 in Radon Plaza Hotel in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Hercegovina. In the first winner's round of the pupil's division, Maksim Dudanets (RUS) defeated Andreas Madsen (DEN) with 6:3. Madsen, last year's 9-ball Champion and runner-up in 10-ball, could not find the key to stay on top of his Russian opponent. Though Madsen would have been considered to be the favored player, Dudanets dominated the match from start to finish. He was leading all the way through and never showed any weakness. The best Madsen was able to come up with was trailing 3:4 after seven racks. But Dudanets did not agree with him getting so close so he took the next two racks in a row, winning the match with 6:4.
Other notable results in the 8-ball competition from this morning include defending pupil's Champion Joshua Filler (GER) smashing Vili Kokkonen (FIN) with 6:0. He seems to be right on track with the victory in the straight pool division two days ago definitely put more wind underneath his wings. Kamila Khodjaeva (BEL), defending Champion in the girl's division, emulated Filler's deeds and wiped the floor with her first opponent in 8-ball, Dina Fatikhova (RUS) defeating her 5:0. Moritz Lauwereyns (BEL), the defending Champion in the junior's division 8-ball cannot defend his title since he has reached the age limit. Instead, Berk Mehmetcik (TNC), last year's runner-up, was seeded as the number one player. Mehmetcik will play Guido Janssen (NED) at 13:30 CET.
Today, five rounds of 8-ball are being played before the tournament switches back to the 10-ball competition with the quarter-finals to be started at 17:00 CET. The 10-ball final will be played tonight at 20:00 CET.
The event is hosted by the European Governing Body for Pool, the European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF) and organized by International Billiard Promotion (IBP). For further information and reference please go to the federation website www.billiardapps.com or contact our press office
Team picture before the start of the match left to right: Kaczmarek, Witkowksi, Batkowski Kivela, Hu
Sarajevo, Bosnia & Hercegovina: The Polish junior team has defeated team Finland with 2:0.
The Polish were the favored team and they lived up to their expectations. Of course, Sebastian Batkowski (POL) was playing straight pool. The newly crowned European Champion hammered Aargo
Virrankoski (FIN) with 100:27. At about the same time, Pawel Kaczmarek (POL) won his 9-ball match against Jesse Waltteri Huttunen (FIN) with 8:6. That turned the score 2:0 for Poland. No more chance for Finland to get a foot back in the door. The 8-ball match between Maciej Witkowski (POL) and Jesse Kivela (FIN) was halted at 5:5.
The match between Turkish North Cyprus and Bulgaria turned out to be a heartbreaker. Anton Zlatev (BUL) whitewashed Huseyin Alnar (TNC) with 7:0 in 8-ball. It was Berk Mehmetcik (TNC) who leveled the match at 1:1 when he won his straight pool over Spasian Spasov (BUL) with 100:92. The decision had to come in the 9-ball match between Mehmetali Sözgen (TNC) and Martin Todorov (BUL). That match went up and down for both players. Todorov took early leads with 3:1 and 5:3 in a race to 8. Then Sözgen turned the tide and pulled game after game back from Todorov, even getting a 6:5 advantage over the Bulgarian. But then the match turned again. Todorov came up with some stunning pool and took the next three racks in a row, winning the 9-ball with 8:6. That sealed the match with a 2:1 victory for team Bulgaria.
Other notable results include junior's team Bosnia & Hercegovina falling to the sharp blade of team Norway with 2:1. The Dutch juniors had to give in to team Sweden with 2:1 though Sweden only played with two contestants.
The event is hosted by the European Governing Body for Pool, the European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF) and organized by International Billiard Promotion (IBP). For further information and reference please go to the federation website www.billiardapps.com or contact our press office.
Sarajevo, Bosnia & Hercegovina: In the girl's 10-ball competition, Kamila Khodjaeva (BEL) clearly overcame Oliwia Czuprynska (POL) with 5:3.
It was the clash of two Word Champions. Czuprynska, World 9-Ball Champion girl's division in 2011, took on Kamila Khodjaeva, the current and reigning World 9-Ball Champion in the girl's division. They also still had a score to settle. In the final match of the last World Championships, Khodjaeva wiped the floor with Czuprynska and terminated her 7:0. It was obvious that the likable Polish girl wanted her revenge for that. Maybe that was the reason why she was unusually nervous in the match. She missed extremely many balls according to her lights. She was probably not able to handle the pressure she had put on herself before the match. While Khodjaeva also had a bad start – both girls missed three shots each in the first rack alone – the Belgian recovered quickly and soon played near her usual standard. After Czuprynska had taken the first rack, Khodjaeva shifted into overdrive and took the next four consecutive racks. That put her on the hill with 4:1. Czuprynska seemed to be a bit helpless at the table. In the 7th rack, Czuprynska broke the balls and scratched, leaving a relatively easy layout for Kamila on the table. Everything looked like Khodjaeva would take the match home with smooth sailing. But she unexpectedly missed the 7-ball. That gave second life to Czuprynska. She managed to put her nerves together and pulled two racks back from Khodjaeva. With the score being 4:3 for Khodjaeva, the pressure was on her side again. But the 8th rack brought the decision. Czuprynska played two bad safety shots which was enough for Khodjaeva to finish her with 5:3. Khodjaeva will advance to the single elimination stage while Kamila Khodjaeva (BEL)Czuprynska will have to try her luck on the loser's side of the flowchart.
Other notable results from today's 10-ball competition include defending pupil's 10-ball and newly crowned straight pool Champion Joshua Filler (GER) smashing Italy's Paolo Prosdocimo with 6:1. One of the local heroes, Bosnia's Sanjin Pehlivanovic threw Mehmetali Sözgen (TNC) to loser's side with 6:2 and continued on his way to try and claim a medal for the host nation. By a hair's breadth, Sergey Lutsker (RUS) defeated Can Salim-Giasar (GER) with 6:5.
In the junior's division single elimination stage of the final 32 players, straight pool European Champion Sebastian Batkowski (POL) lost 3:7 to unheralded Tian Zhang (SWE). The "dark horse" from Turkish North Cyprus, Berk Mehmetcik, had an unpredicted tough fight with Alex Renard (FIN), which he was able to win with 7:5.
Today's matches will be 10-ball individuals until the 15:15 CET round. After that, the first team matches will be played.
The event is hosted by the European Governing Body for Pool, the European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF) and organized by International Billiard Promotion (IBP). For further information and reference please go to the federation website www.billiardapps.com or contact our press office.
