West State Billiards and POV Pool Present this year's 'West Coast Swing' tournaments and action; beginning on July 1st in San Francisco at Family Billiards for the 5th Annual Cole Dickson 9-Ball tournament, then on south to California Billiards in Fremont for the West Coast Challenge: One-pocket and 9-ball tournaments and an additional 4-day, 'action match' between Tony Chohan and Dennis Orcollo; and south again on July 15th to Hard Times Billiards (Bellflower) for the $3,000 added Hard Times 9-Ball tournament. We have officially locked dates, formats and are taking entries for 2017's 'West Coast Swing'. The 'West Coast Swing' (WCS) is an annual string of high-powered tournaments in California, synchronized to appeal to the professional and top amateur pool player who seek to compete on 9 foot pool tables along our beautiful west coast. Now in its fifth year, The 2017 West Coast Swing events are held in high regard; always bringing in an eclectic mix of the world's most seasoned of professional talent with, some of the west coast's toughest bears who, are expected to come out of hibernation to prove that they too can win some of the honey.
July 1-2: The 5th Annual Cole Dickson 9-Ball 8 • $2,500 Added
July 4th: California Billiards Presents: The Pro 10-Ball Challenge (16 players)
July 5-7: The West Coast Challenge: One-Pocket • $5,000 Added
July 7-9: The West Coast Challenge: 9-Ball • $10,000 Added
July 11-14: Chohan vs Orcollo • "Shots Fired!": 1-Pkt Action • Race to 40 for $100k
July 15-16: The Hard Times 9-Ball Tournament • $3,000 Added
What's new on the 'WCS' events?
Our sponsors! Thanks to West State Billiards, Tiger Products, JB Cases, Big Time Threads, Taom Tips and Carmeli Cues for supporting these great tournaments!
Sponsor Merchandise! Because of our sponsors, the venues will each receive a merchandise package to support the events.
9-Ball! The competition format is changed from 10-ball to 9-ball with a house rack to help give a few ball-bangers a fighting chance.
Tiered Entry Fees! The entry fees for the Cole Dickson and Hard Times 9-Ball are going to be higher for the pro player and less for the amateur player.
Side Pot Added! The Cole Dickson and Hard Times 9-Ball will have an optional 'side-pot' entry with a separate payout for anyone who buys into it.
Exhibitors! Come and visit our sponsors and exhibitors, West State Billiards, Carmeli Cues and JB Cases who, will be our exclusive product vendors at California Billiards on July 7th-9th. We are also working on Tiger Products to be there as well so, stay tuned for more info!
West Coast Swing T-Shirts! Big Time Threads in currently in the process of designing our 'WCS' t-shirts, so don't forget to get yours along the tournament trail!
Hilton Double Tree Promo Code: As of Monday, April 30th, when reserving your room for the 'West Coast Challenge at California Billiards, be sure to use the promo code, "CAB" for a discounted rate of $99 per night. Click for reservations
Bonus Event on July 4th: Open to just 16 players, California Billiards is adding an additional event to its schedule (as of April 26th, 2017):
For additional sponsor inquiries during our live broadcast of this year's 'WCS' events, please feel free to contact us for information:
West Coast Swing Events • westcoastswingpool@gmail.com
Delbert Wong • Owner • Family Billiards – dwongj@yahoo.com
Chris Swart • Owner • California Billiards – cabilliardclub@yahoo.com
Eddie Arreguin • Owner • Hard Times Bellflower – harreguin1@verizon.net
Daniel Busch • Point Of View Pool Media • daniel@povpool.com
Darren Appleton won both events of the West Coast Challenge over the Fourth of July weekend, going undefeated in the One-Pocket event, and winning five on the loss side to meet and double dip Dennis Orcollo in the finals of the 10-Ball tournament. The $4,000-added One Pocket event drew 55 entrants, while the $10,000-added, 10-Ball tournament drew 64. Both were hosted by the California Billiard Club, in Mountain View, CA, which, one day after completion of the two tournaments, on Monday, July 8, closed its doors, in its current location, forever.
According to current owner, Chris Swart, the building which housed the 17-year-old establishment is scheduled for demolition and redevelopment, and the California Billiard Club will re-open in February, 2014, at a new location, 20 miles away, in Fremont, CA.
"It'll be a good thing," said Swart, during his last day at the Mountain View locale. "It's just across the bay, and pretty close to everything, so we're not going to be losing customers."
They will, he added, gain some room and 10 tables at the new location.
"Everything's going to be the same," he said of the full service menu and liquor licenses, "with some small improvements. The name – California Billiard Club – stays."
In its last weekend in Mountain View, the club played host to a variety of the best players in the game, including Appleton as the winner of both events, Orcullo, Mike Davis, Shane Van Boening, Francisco Bustamante, Thorsten Hohmann, Warren Kiamco, Brandon Shuff, Jesse Engel, and Rodney Morris, to name just a few. According to Daniel Busch, whose POVPool live-streamed selected matches throughout the Fourth of July weekend, attendance was both helped and hurt by the event's relative close proximity to Las Vegas and the events of the World Professional Billiard League's Bonus Ball matches being held there.
"Bonus Ball was responsible for a lot of these players being here," he said, mentioning players on WPBL teams, like Hohmann, Appleton, Morris, and Davis. "It also hurt us in some ways. We didn't get to see either of the Dominguez family members (Oscar and Ernesto), because they were playing in Bonus Ball matches over the weekend."
In the One Pocket event, Appleton made his way into the hot seat match, where he faced Carlo Biado, for the first of two against him. They battled to double hill in the hot seat match, with Appleton prevailing. Biado moved west for a semifinal match against Dennis Orcullo, who had just defeated Mike Davis. Biado won the semifinal match, double hill, over Orcullo and got his second chance against Appleton. To no avail, as it turned out. Appleton won the opening set 4-2, to complete his undefeated run.
In the 10-Ball tournament, Mike Davis sent Appleton to the loss side in a winners' side final eight battle. Davis went on to defeat Thorsten Hohmann in one of the winners' side semifinals. He would meet Orcullo, who'd defeated Jesse Engel in the other winners' side semifinal, in the battle for the hot seat. Davis and Orcullo fought to double hill before Davis was sent west for a fateful match against Appleton.
On the loss side, Appleton, in the meantime, downed Rodney Morris, Santos Sambajon, Jesse Engel, Thorsten Hohmann, and met up with Davis for a re-match in the semifinals. Appleton wreaked his vengeance against Davis, earning himself a shot at a second title on the weekend. Appleton and Orcullo played 29 games over the two-set, double elimination final, with an aggregate ending score of 16-11. Appleton won the first match 8-6, and then got out in front by three to take the second set 8-5.
"A lot of these players are going to be leap-frogging over to the $10,000-added, 4th Annual Hard Times 10-Ball Open next weekend," said Busch, of the planned event on July 12-14 at Hard Times Billiards in Bellflower, CA.
Thanks were extended to tour directors Janet Okamoto and Ken Shuman, as well as Chris Swart and his staff at The California Billiard Club. Thanks also went to Busch and his POVPool crew for their weekend-long live stream, as well as sponsors Kamui Tips, The World PPA, and GoPlayPool.com
Last year California Billiard Club in concert with the Seminole Pro Tour threw a star studded Pro/Amateur 10 ball and one pocket event. This event was a huge success for both the Seminole Tour and CBC.
This Year California Billiard Club is doing it again! With the Seminole Pro Tour stepping back from billiards this year, CBC has stepped up and is adding a total of $14,000 for both events. Starting April 25th CBC will open their doors for a 3 day; $4,000 added One Pocket Event. Then to top it off, April 27th CBC will keep their doors open for a $10,000 added 10 Ball Event. As an added incentive, (CBC in conjunction with Mark Griffin and CSI) will add 2 qualifying spots per event for the US Open One Pocket and US Open 10 Ball starting May in Las Vegas. (That is correct) A total of 4 free entries!!!!!!
California Billiard Club on top of all of this has gathered two of the top Streamers on the west to present a split screen format for streaming
( Ontherailtv.com and Povpool.com ). CBC wants to make sure that the pool community throughout the world has a front row seat to some great matches. This stream will be free to all viewers. That is five days of great pool!!!!!!
Details for both events are below
April 25th – 27th
$4,000 Added One Pocket
$125 Entry
Double Elimination, Race 4/3
Limited field of 64
April 27th – 29th
$10,000 Added 10 Ball
$125 Entry
Double Elimination, Race to 8
Limited field of 128
To enter the West Coast Challenge
You can call California Billiard Club at (650) 965-3100
February 24th & 25th, 2012; there was certainly something for everyone in Mountain View, CA., thanks to the infamous California Billiard Club, its owner Chris Swart who hosted the 3rd Annual Chet Itow Memorial 9-Ball Tournament. Nuclear engineer “Chet” who created and built this great venue was honored in the grand style, which was indicative of the great efforts that he put into the creation of the hall. The true “double elimination” event kicked off at noon on Saturday, February 25th with a race to 8 on both sides, and a winner break format.
Any one of the over 4,000 pool enthusiasts who tuned in this last weekend to Point Of View (POV) Pool’s free live internet coverage of this event, were treated to a multitude of not only legendary player match-ups, but also to a host of the unusual and dramatic antics that are ever present amongst these individuals.
Thanks to hall owner Chris Swart, a “$3000 Added” incentive packed the house and drew in 101 participants including many of the billiard worlds’ most elite players. Locals as well as those who tuned into the live internet stream got their pool fixes watching the likes of Rodney “The Rocket” Morris, Jose Parica, Louis Ulrich, Santos Sambajon, Rafael Martinez, House Pro Dave Hemmah of Hard Times – Bellflower, “Team Mexico” – Oscar and Ernesto Dominguez, Amar Kang, and last but not least, world renowned champion and two time consecutive winner of the infamous “Swanee” – Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan.
Walk in patrons and attendees alike were packed in all weekend long, taking advantage of the 3000 sq ft plus “viewing” area, ordering from a fantastic full menu, and topping it all off with a trip to the fully stocked bar complete with an efficient and friendly staff. In short, it was a setting for a pool player’s “Paradise”!
Early upsets in the event included last year’s winner, Santos Sambajon and runner up Oscar Dominguez. Also knocked were Alex Pagulayan, and long time veteran Jose Parica was pushed early to the one loss side by “Combination” Jason Williams, who eventually shot his way up to 4th place in the event! Jason Williams put on quite a show during the weekend and was motivated by an eagerness to play and win over Rodney “The Rocket” Morris. Those who remained to stroke their way up the chain included Rodney Morris, Ernesto Dominguez, Kevin May, Amar Kang, Rafael Martinez, Ed Ramos, and eventual winner, Louis Ulrich.
Antics were abound during the course of the tourney with Amar Kang giving Alex Pagulayan a mini Golf swing lesson before their match, and quite a commentary stint on POV Pool’s live stream with local Emilyn Callado. And of course all were treated to the usual short riff of Alex’s legendary karaoke. Guest commentators joining Daniel Busch, owner of POV Pool and co-commentator Barbara Lee, included Jeff Gregory, local “Women Power” stars Mary Rakin, Emilyn Callado and OMGWTF’s – Melinda Huang. Additional commentators included, pool veteran – John Henderson of The Cue Sports Journal (Soon to re-launch), Scott White, Bucktooth (Who’s claim to fame is “beating everybody”), and Oscar Dominguez who stated “Well now everyone pretty much knows my life story”!
Unfortunate news during the event was for Jun Almoite, who had to forfeit on Saturday to attend to “The Princess of Pool” – Mary Avina, who fell ill enough for hospitalization due to a high fever associated with a bout of the flu. The good news is, all is well and Mary is home and recovering. Whew!
Wrapping up the event late Sunday night were semi final match-ups between Rodney Morris and Jason Williams, Kevin May and Amar Kang, and culminated with Louis Ulrich versus Ernesto Dominguez. A shocking display of “doesn’t ANYONE want this 7 ball?” commenced between Amar and Alex, which lasted several innings before Amar finally got the pesky maroon into a pocket.
In another match between Louis Ulrich and Hillary Morse, Louis slammed in the 9 a stunning 4 times during the break-shot, which unfortunately was re-spotted due to the rule associated with the rack your own format for this event. This proved to be a running theme on the “stream” table for many players during the break-shot, with the 9 ball usually en-route to the bottom left-hand corner and the 1-ball almost always hitting the rail below the left middle pocket and landing either into or very close to the top right-hand corner pocket. As a result, the best break show, which highlighted this phenomenon, was between Jason Williams and Rodney Morris, with a barrage of early 9 ball combinations and caroms that seriously shortened the length of the match. And in contrast was John Henderson vs. Arturo Rivera in a nip and tuck session, which literally lasted 16 games, and without either player having more than a 1-game lead.
Rounding up the finale was Louis Ulrich versus Ernesto Dominguez who would have had to win two races to 8 for the win due to the true double elimination format. Ernesto took an early 3-0 lead over an obviously tired Louis and it looked like a double set was shaping up. Louis however managed to come back to tie it up, and then rally back and forth to create a hill-hill thriller. The nail biting final game found Ernesto running down to the perfectly lined up 9 with precision play, that is until he fails to close; missing an almost straight 9-ball and leaving a medium difficulty cut for Louis. After the stunned railbirds exhaled, Louis got up and with nary a thought, and sliced the 9-ball effortlessly for the win over a disappointed but ever gracious Ernesto.
The top final 8 payouts were Louis Ulrich, $3,000, Ernesto $1700, Rodney Morris $900, Jason Williams $550, Kevin May and Amar Kang at $250, and Rafael Martinez and Ed Ramos at $150.
POV Pools live Internet coverage and archived matches can be viewed by going to www.povpool.com.
Payouts for the 3rd Annual Chet Itow Memorial 9-Ball Tournament
1st – Louis Ulrich / $3,000 2nd – Ernesto Dominguez / $1,700 3rd – Rodney Morris / $900 4th – Jason Williams / $550
5th/6th – Kevin May / $250 5th/6th – Amar Kang / $250
7th/8th – Rafael Martinez / $150 7th/8th – Ed Ramos / $150
