In the last 2015 Tri-State Tour stop, held on the weekend of December 19-20, Giovanni Husang and Ambi Estevez mounted strong loss-side campaigns that took them to the quarterfinals. In the end, though, Estevez stopped Husang, Thomas Schreiber put a halt to Estevez, and Kevin Shin completed an undefeated run to claim the title. The $600-added event drew 28 entrants to The Cue Bar Billiards and Lounge in Bayside (Queens), NY.

 

Shin and Schreiber met first in the hot seat match. Shin, a B player, had defeated Miguel Laboy, the Tri-State's top-ranked A+/A player, 8-5 in one of the winners' side semifinals, as Schreiber shut out Adrian Daniel in the other. Shin claimed the hot seat 7-4 over Schreiber.

 

On the loss side, Husang and Estevez (both B+) were embarked on their five and six-match, loss-side winning streaks. Husang, who'd won the previous stop on the tour, had been defeated by Henry Hernandez in the opening round, and chalked up loss-side wins #4 & #5 against Rhys Chen 7-2 and Lidio Ramirez 7-6, to draw LaBoy. Estevez had been sent to the loss side by Adrian Daniel, where a double hill win over Tony Ignomirello and a 6-2 win over Brian Dorfmann, earned him a re-match against Daniel.

 

Husang defeated LaBoy 7-3, while Estevez successfully navigated his re-match versus Daniel 6-3. With six and five loss-side wins to their credit, respectively, Husang and Estevez battled to double hill in the quarterfinals, before the final ball dropped, sending Estevez to the semifinals against Schreiber. 

 

Schreiber left little doubt that he was itching for a second shot against Shin, allowing Estevez only a single rack in those semifinals, and earning that shot. Shin completed his undefeated run with a double hill win over Schreiber to claim the event title.

 

Tour representative Dan Cintron thanked the ownership and staff at the Cue Bar for their hospitality, as well as sponsors Ozone Billiards, Sterling-Gaming, Kamui Tips, Ron Vitello, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, Human Kinetics, and Bloodworth Ball Cleaners. The next stop on the Tri-State Tour, the first of 2016, is scheduled for January 9-10. The double-point event will be hosted by Steinway Billiards in Astoria (Queens), NY.

 

Giovanni Husang faced Ruyadh Benghalem twice during the Sunday, December 6 stop on the Tri-State Tour. Once early, and seven matches later, in the finals, when he claimed the event title. It was the second time in just over a week that Husang had made it to a Tri-State final. He was runner-up to Emit Yolcu on Sunday, November 29. The $1,000-added, December 6 event drew 21 entrants to Rockaway Billiards in Rockaway, NJ.

 

With Husang dispatched to the loss side, Benghalem advanced to the hot seat match, where he was met by Brian Dorfman. Benghalem had sent Eddie Medina to the loss side 7-5 in one winners' side semifinal, as Dorfman sent Bob Toomey over 6-2 in the other. Benghalem claimed the hot seat 9-7 over Dorfman and waited on Husang.

 

Medina and Toomey moved to the loss side and picked up Husang and Mike Strassburg. Husang had recorded loss-side wins (number three and four) against Miguel Laboy and Archie Fernandez, both 7-5, to draw Medina. Strassburg had eliminated Tony Ignomirello 6-5 and Mike Figueroa 6-3 to face Toomey. Husang and Strassburg advanced to the quarterfinals; Husang 7-3 over Medina and Strassburg 6-2 over Toomey.

 

Husang then downed Strassburg in those quarterfinals 7-5 and got his second shot against Benghalem with an 8-6 win over Dorfman in the semifinals. Husang completed his seven-match, loss-side streak with a commanding 9-2 defeat of Benghalem in the finals.

 

Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff at Rockaway Billiards for their hospitality, as well as sponsors Ozone Billiards, Sterling-Gaming, Kamui Tips, Ron Vitello, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, Human Kinetics, and Bloodworth Ball Cleaners. The next stop on the Tri-State Tour, scheduled for Sunday, December 20, will be hosted by the Cue Bar in Bayside (Queens), NY. 

 

Emit Yolcu went through a short field undefeated to claim a Tri-State Tour title on Sunday, November 29. The $250-added event was hosted by Clifton Billiards in Clifton, NJ.

 

Yolcu had to get by Giovanni Husang twice to take home the top prize. He defeated Tony Ignomirello 6-4 in a winners' side semifinal, as Husang was busy defeating Luis Jimenez 7-4. Yolcu took the first of two against Husang 7-4 and waited in the hot seat for his return.

 

On the loss side, Ignomirello picked up Brian Dorfmann, who'd defeated Bob Toomey 7-4 and Jowen Pichardo 6-4, to reach him. Jimenez drew Stephen Young, who'd survived two straight double hill matches, against Eddie Medina and Steve Kaminow. 

 

Advancement to the quarterfinals required two double hill matches. Young battled to his third straight double hill match, but Jimenez prevailed. Dorfmann eliminated Ignomirello to advance. Jimenez then eliminated Dorfmann 7-4 before himself being eliminated 7-3 by Husang in the semifinals. 

 

In the finals, Yolcu was looking to claim his second Tri-State title; his first since 2013, according to our records. Husang was looking for his first win on the tour. Yolcu prevailed 8-4 to chalk up that second Tri-State title. 

 

Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff at Clifton Billiards for their hospitality, as well as sponsors Ozone Billiards, Sterling-Gaming, Kamui Tips, Ron Vitello, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, Human Kinetics, and Bloodworth Ball Cleaners. The next stop on the Tri-State Tour, scheduled for Sunday, December 6, will be hosted by Rockaway Billiards in Rockaway, NJ.

Mike Zimny went undefeated through a field of 62 entrants, on hand for the 4th Annual Paul Fanelli Memorial Tournament on the weekend of April 5-6. For the second year in a row, the event was held to benefit Lots of Love 4 Lindsay, a fund created initially to raise money for a heart transplant for a two-year-old named Lindsay Loeb and now, a little short of a year after that transplant was performed successfully, continues to help the Loeb family with medical expenses. The event was hosted by Castle Billiards in East Rutherford, NJ, and though independent, ranking points for participating players were assigned to the Tri-State Tour. The event was live streamed via AZBTv.

 

Zimny advanced to a winners' side semifinal against Caroline Pao, as Scott Abramowitz squared off against Mike Strassberg. Zimny defeated Pao 7-3 and in the hot seat match, faced Abramowitz. who'd sent Strassberg to the losers' bracket 6-3. Zimny moved into the hot seat with a 7-4 win over Abramowitz and waited for what turned out to be the return of Pao.

 

Pao moved over and picked up Bogie Uzdejczyk, who'd defeated Vinnie Ferri 7-4 and Giovanni Husang 7-2 to reach her. Strassberg drew Gil Costello, who'd advanced past Ray Marisette 6-3 and survived a double hill match versus Jay Chiu. Pao returned to her winning ways with a 7-3 win over Uzdejczyk, while Strassberg's tournament came to an end at the hands of Costello 6-5.

 

Pao then defeated Costello 8-4 in the quarterfinals and then spoiled Abramowitz' bid for a re-match against Zimny with a 7-3 win in the semifinals. The re-match was hers. Zimny, though, completed his undefeated run with a 7-5 victory over Pao in the extended-race finals to claim the event title.