Diamond thanks all the attendees for the unprecedented surge to 1469 entries.
Some say that there is no sportsperson better equipped to pull an all-nighter than the Pool Player.
Once in action, they can’t quit. They have to hang with it until their opposition collapses or is “broken” so to speak. That’s how they evolve to become Champions.
Muscovite, Fedor Gorst proved his commanding pro-pool omnipotence by retaining his Master of the Table title after competing, not just all day through the wee small hours but, past dawn until 10 o’clock in the morning.
The players were not alone in this adventure, the videos had to be captured not only for the Accu-Stats’ historic library but for posterity. Fans are going to reminisce about this one for decades. andwith Pat Fleming at the helm to keep an accurate score and press that all-important record button, it can be seen and believed.
Gorst, earlier in the week, repeated his 2022 Bank Pool title and this year’s 9-Ball Championship.
Asked at his acceptance speech how he was feeling, one word said it all, “Tired.” He was halfjoking. He had been awake for 28 hours.And, still had time for a smile.
Read on to the Final day’s activities in pool’s most punishing, and rewarding, arena.
Diamond Billiard Products would also like to honor the memory of Mark Griffin.
Mark was an important part of Diamond’s evolution. He was there from the beginning, developing with owner Greg Sullivan, the table that has made pocket billiard history.
Diamond Derby City Classic One-PocketChampionship
Semis 5:30 pm, Finals 8:30pm
The above times were when the 9-Ball Finals were planned…that was until the record number of entries threw the schedule into total chaos.
One-Pocket is a fickle game. It can take 5-minutes when a player runs all the balls into his pocket in one inning. Or, it can take hours when both players adopt safety strategy and start pushing balls up-table away from their pockets.
Regular readers may remember the recent comment: “Did someone say shot clock?”
As the Derby redraws after every round, if that round hasn’t been completed, the whole tournament stalls.
That’s the short version of how the One-Pocket event couldn’t be finished until Saturday evening – 2 days later than scheduled.
429 started, three remained: Efren Reyes, the 68-year-old living legend, 6-time DCC One-Pocket Champion, and 5-time Master of the Table.
Tony “T Rex” Chohan. Both respected and feared for his unbounded One-Pocket creativity, dominance, cool craftiness, and for often tossing caution to the wind when the win is big enough.
Fellow finalist, Johnathan “Hennessee” Pinegar. In 14 rounds of races to 3, he had lost only eight games. That tells how well he was competing. “I’ve been practicing a lot in the last months. I’ve been giving strong competition big handicaps, like 12-3, 12-4.”
The 44-year-old Tennesseean’s newfound enthusiasm has been rewarded.
He also got the luck of the latest draw by being unlucky earlier. He had never drawn the bye. As Tony, Johnathan, and Efren Reyes were the last three standing, the computer would, normally, randomly draw the “short straw,” who would go directly to roost in the hot seat.
The remaining two would compete in the semis for the right to fight for the trophy.
Tony and Efren had drawn byes in earlier rounds. DCC rules forbade the same player receiving a bye twice resulted in Johnathan automatically being in the finals.
The Semis #2: Reyes vs Chohan
The Accu-Stats Arena was crammed to the rafters. The crowd was intrigued to see if Tony, desperately seeking his first DCC title, could overcome pool’s most revered player in search of his 7th…at 68 years young!
The 41 year-old Chohan had garnered many accolades including two major One-Pocket wins: The US Open One Pocket Championship and The International Open One-Pocket division but the Derby, everyone agreed, was the toughest one to win.
He had gotten close in recent years. It had been 9 since Efren’s 6th.
Reyes quickly found his smooth, silky stroke, and aided by Tony’s missed opportunities, took the opening game.
Tony doesn’t miss for long, in the second rack Efren left a shot that was safe for aplayer. For Tony, the short rail bank was a hanger. 1-1
Game 3: Reyes, aggressive as ever, made one of his shots that earned him the moniker “Magician.”
The rack spread far and wide only, out of nowhere, the white was kicked into Tony’s hole: 2-1 Chohan…and breaking!
Within two innings, Efren had reversed the position and ran 5. Safety ensued. Reyes cue ball ran short leaving Tony an opening. He ran 3 only to miss a dogleg combo that left two, off-angle balls within inches of his hole.
Reyes, gotten by the 4 1/8” opening, as the ball wobbled and hung to ensure Tony’s ticket to the final.
On shaking hands, Tony respectfully raised Efren’s to the air in honor of his unparalleled performance.
Efren then left the Arena to a rousing standing ovation.
Tony Chohan (David Thomson – Medium Pool)
The Finals: Hennessee vs T Rex
Johnathan “Hennessee” Pinegar’s 15-round trip to the finals was the buzz of the arena. Such honor was the result of slaughtering many opponents at naught.
It took ’til round 12 before Tony “T Rex” Chohan sent the US Open All-Around Bar Box Champion to the buy-back booth, but how about out-shooting Shane Van Boening, Tyler Styer, Anton Raga, Billy Thorpe, just to mention a few? And let’s not forget, he gave Efren his first loss.
T Rex is another animal. At 3-1, he cold-bloodedly devoured crowd sentimental favorite Efren Reyes. He was so close to the title he could taste it.
Tony won the all-important lag. All important because, with alternate break a 2-2 tie means first crack at the last rack.
Expert commentary from US Mosconi Cup captain Jeremy Jones and 2010 DCC One-Pocket Champion Scott Frost.
Rack 1: Pinegar, back from overnight hibernation, attempted a touch shot: Tony ran 8-and-out: 1-0
Rack 2: Tony, attempted a touch shot: Johnathan, still cold, ran 8-and-out: 1-1.
Rack 3: An up-table battle, until Tony with 7 balls, on a makeable cross corner bank for the win, fouled. Pinegar pilfered the rack: 2-1.
Rack 4; Pinegar exercised discipline, determination, great defense, and the “Wedge.”
Tony grappled, one ball at a time until in need of one, undercut it. It hung in his hole as the cue ball bounced two rails to land diagonally near the side pocket. Luckily there were two balls blinding Pinegar from following it in and fouling.
He raised the butt of his cue to about 45 degrees, jumped over them, and bounced the dangling orb and the cue ball off the table. “FOUL,” cried emcee/referee Ed Liddawi.
Great shot in the poolroom where that would result in both balls being respotted.
The clearly written DCC rules dictated that the game be awarded to the non-offending player: 2-2.
Time-out. Time to reset. And for Pinegar to recover from the blunder.
The Decider: Chohan in control, He had won the lag, remember?
After Chohan snuck 3 ahead, the strategy quickly developed into another quasi-wedge affair.
Oh, no, thought the tournament registration crew, not another wedge; Chohan was an integral part of the 9-Ball event and his match was holding up the draw.
Tony had another agenda. He had Pool’s most important One-Pocket title in his grasp. And, as he had come from 1-2 behind, he knew he had the momentum!
Pinegar, disciplined dedicated, continued to contribute orbs to the wedge.
Like a sniper, Tony picked off the unsuspecting marks. Within minutes, one by one they.dropped until one remained.
Pinegar didn’t linger. He attacked the table, pocketed two, and jawed a third.
It offered Chohan the shot that had cost him the 3rd game.
Not this time. Calmly, he approached the ball and spun it across the table into the opposite pocket.
He followed that with something you don’t usually get from the normally stoic Chohan, he yelled with delight!
“How does that feel? he was asked
With a deep sigh of relief, he responded, “The monkey has dropped from my shoulders.”
Time for a very quick $16,000 check presentation, fist pumps with fans around the arena, and…
Now, who’s next in 9-Ball?
Tony “TREX” Chohan: $16,000 Johnathan “Hennessee” Pinegar: $8.200 Efren “The Magician” Reyes: $6,300
Diamond Derby City Classic 9-BALL Championship:
Race to 9, Accu-Rack, 9 on the spot, winner breaks.
Since Matchroom deemed the Derby’s 9-Ball Championship a Mosconi Cup point garnering tournament, 9-Ball has become DCC’s most populated event.
527 entries crushed the previous attendance statistic!
That number above, compounded by the 423 in One Pocket and 529 in Banks, made for the strangest Finals in DCC history.
Add a 3-hour One-Pocket final that helped stall the draw, and we have experienced the Derby Syndrome in spades.
THE DERBY SYNDROME
2023 took our sport’s nine most grueling days–and nights–of limited sleep; catching naps while standing; snacking on nutrition-less junk, and jousting non-stop from one discipline to the next to a whole new level, it’s a wonder some of these guys are alive.
Combating 15 rounds with these heavyweights can seriously damage your health, especially when there are 527 of them and “on call” as they had limited idea of when they were going to play.
Tony Chohan, down 4-8 against Mika Immonen must have been truly motivated by his stellar performance before in his One Pocket semis with Efren. Then, after the 3-hour Finals, Roland Garcia, understandably, ended him.
Fedor Gorst, at around 9 am on Sunday, having been up competing, and waiting, competing and waiting, on-and-off for 28 hours, at 9-2, ended Shane.
Both Cuetec-sponsored players were visibly physically spent. It seemed that both had made more accumulated errors than they had in the entire tournament; When have you seen SVB miss two simple shots…in the same rack!
FYI: Fedor’s route had doused Alex, twice; Skyler Woodward and Roland Garcia both were allowed one game each. (Accu-Stats TPA statistician was sleeping soundly to prepare for the early morning finals but, guesstimates suggest that Gorst shot near, if not, a back-to-back 1.000 TPA’s)
Earlier,Chohan, Tyler Styer, and John Morra were also left in Fedor’s wake–pun intended.
Shane was undefeated all the way to the 13th round when Alex sent him to buy-back. (Alex had just eliminated Joshua Filler in the 12th).
In the 11th, Shane had Skyler Woodward back at the buy-Back booth
Shane, in the 10th, had Hong Kong’s Robbie Capito capitulate. Beware: The 21-year-old Robbie won his first men’s national event when he was 12!
All in all, an incredible journey through the night and well past dawn.
As the cameras didn’t pause much, most of the above action is available as part of the Accu-Stats PPV+ until February 28th.
See it to believe it.
Fedor Gorst: $16,000 Shane Van Boening: $7,500 Alex Pagulayan: $5,500
ENDGAME.
DCC 2024 dates: Jan 19-27, 2024: Book your entries/seats now! You know that they’re going quickly.
Accu-Stats thanks its Arena Sponsors: Diamond Billiard Products, Simonis Cloth, Aramith Belgian Billiard Balls, Cuetec Cues, Lucasi Cues, Master Chalk, MEZZ Cues, McDermott Cues, National Billiard Academy, and Outsville Accu-Rack.
The 4-camera HD match-ups are available at accu-stats.com via Accu-Stats Pay-Per-View OnDemand;Approximately, 60 action-packed hours of pro-pool are projected, PLUS reruns.
With PPV OnDemand, , you choose when you watch, no matter what you’re timezone, until February 28, 2023.
accu-stats.com will have matches available on Vimeo On Demand, Subscription Service and, of course, HD DVDs of all the TV table productions.
Thanks to all who contributed to the daily DCC reports. You know who you are: The sultry voice of the event, Bonnie Jones, hubby Ric, Koby Pilgrim, Delana, and Diamond Paul.
badboysbp.com will have alternate Diamond Arena matches available in the coming weeks.
Sponsors for this $19,000 added event included Joseph Long Attorney At Law, Greg Sullivan, Aramith, Simonis, Meyer Custom Cues, Ryan Meyer Cues, Seyberts.com, Diamond Billiard Products, Fort Worth Billiards Superstore, PoolActionTV.com and Michael’s Billiards.
Things kicked off on Tuesday evening with a 66 player field for the $3,000 added Bank Pool event. The format was double elimination, race to three with alternate breaks.
Tuesday evening also featured a Banks Ring Game. The two finalists were Billy Thorpe and Mike DeLawder – Billy took top honors! Now back to the banks event!
After many rounds of play, the field was pared down on the winner’s side to Tony Chohan and Louis Demarco. The hot seat match was all Tony as he sent Louis west with a 3-1 score.
After being defeated in the fourth round by young gun Jesus Atencio 3-1, Fedor Gorst had methodically picked his way through the field to face John Morra on the one loss side – John had been upset by Chicago’s Michael Eck 3-2.
After he got past John, Fedor then defeated Louis Demarco 3-1 leaving him in third place. Fedor then moved into the finals but with his eyes firmly affixed on the prize, the match was again all Tony as he blitzed Fedor 3-0 to claim the first event!
Wednesday was a busy day at the Midwest Open! It was the start of the One Pocket, the Pro Ten Ball Invitational as well as the Ladies 8 Ball events!
Tony Chohan (Pool Action TV)
The $10,000 added One Pocket event had 47 players vying for the title. As in the Banks event, the format was double elimination with a race to three and alternate breaks. Red hot Tony Chohan tore through the field leaving Jesus Atencio, Jeff Lawrence, Cody Myers, Dee Adkins and Jason Shearer in his wake.
On the bottom half of the chart, Alex Pagulayan opened with a bye and then defeated Leo Kincannon, Jeremiah Stanfield and Can Salim before edging out the always tough Fedor Gorst to reach the hot seat match.
And again, Tony was a man on a mission as he spanked Alex 3-1 to claim his spot in the finals. Alex headed west to await an opponent.
In a battle of the young guns, Shane Wolford took down Gorst 3-1 to face Alex for a spot in the finals. Alex, however, was having none of it as he put Shane on ice and won the match 3-0! Fedor finished in fourth place while Shane finished third.
The finals began between the two giants of the one pocket world. Alex won the first set 3-1 forcing a second for the title. The final set saw both players grinding it out to a 2-2 tie. However, it was again Chohan as he claimed his second title at the Midwest Open!
April Larson (Pool Action TV)
The $500 added Ladies 8 Ball Championship had 29 players – double elimination format with races to 4/3 and alternate breaks. Angela Mears swept through the field undefeated to face April Larson in the finals. April prevailed leaving Angela with a runner-up finish and Danielle Lunsford in third place.
The $1,000 added 10 Ball Invitational had ten players – the format was single elimination with races to thirteen and alternate breaks. Fedor Gorst and Jesus Atencio advanced to the finals. It was a close match all the way but Fedor closed it out to claim the title with a 15-12 score. Tony Chohan and Kashton Keeton tied for third place.
And finally, Event #3 – the $3,000 Ten Ball! Featuring 106 players and played on seven foot Diamonds, the format was double elimination, races to 9/7 with alternate breaks.
In contention with Tony Chohan for the Master of the Table crown, a determined Fedor Gorst plowed through the field and notched out wins over Todd Michael, Steve Anderson, edged out Shane Wolford, then Willie Butler, Mike DeLawder & finally Billy Thorpe to arrive at the hot seat match.
Meanwhile, in the lower portion of the bracket, Sanjin Pehlivanovic also made his mark as he defeated Clay Carman, Tommy Stephenson, Koka Davladze, reigning Midwest Billiards bar box champ Kristina Tkach, Dee Adkins and Louis Demarco.
Fedor and Sanjin battled it out in the hot seat match but it was Gorst who locked up his seat in the finals 9-6.
After losing her match to Sanjin in the third round, Kristina Tkach survived her matches with Jerry Arvalaez, Can Salim, Matthew Carman, Mike DeLawder and Louis Demarco before she finally succumbed to Alex Pagulayan 7-6! Don’t think this lady can’t play! She finished in a hard earned fourth place.
Alex and Sanjin then battled to the end before the Lion was slayed 7-6. He finished in third place as Pehlivanovic moved on to the finals.
Always in the lead, Fedor went on to take Sanjin down 9-4 and claimed not only the Ten Ball title but also Master of the Table!
Congratulations to this year’s champs – Fedor Gorst, Tony Chohan, Billy Thorpe and April Larson!!! And again, congratulations to Fedor for taking his second Master of the Table crown of the year!
Thanks go out to owner Michael Medley and his staff for going the extra mile to make both players and fans welcome. We’d also like to thank Tournament Director Jason Hill and his assistants Robert Frost and Cody Myers for ably running the many events.
We’d also like to thank our fans and sponsors for another fantastic event. Our sponsors include JB Cases, Hanshew Jump Cues, Simonis, Aramith, Lomax Custom Cues, StraightPoolEye, Durbin Custom Cues, Diamond Billiard Products, the Action Palace of Dayton, OH and Fort Worth Billiards Superstore of Fort Worth, TX.
Our next stop is Griff’s in Las Vegas, NV for the US Open 10 Ball, US Open 8 Ball, US Open One Pocket and the US Open Bank Pool Championships! Dates are April 3rd-14th! Sure hope to see you there!!!
The Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame will welcome a lion, an innovator and a pair of pioneering brothers to the class of 2019. The United States Billiard Media Association today announced that Filipino-Canadian Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan, table manufacturer and promoter Greg Sullivan and Johnston City Hustlers Jamboree promoters George and Paulie Jansco have earned induction into the sport’s most prestigious club.
Pagulayan, 41, earned election in a run-off against England’s Kelly Fisher, after the two had tied on the initial ballot. He will enter the Greatest Players wing of the BCA Hall of Fame, while Sullivan, 70, and the late Jansco brothers will be honored in the Meritorious Service category. All will be formally inducted during ceremonies on Friday, Nov. 1, at the Norfolk Sheraton Waterside in Norfolk, Va.
Born in the Philippines but raised in Toronto, Pagulayan is one of the game’s most expressive and entertaining players. But his reputation as a comic cut-up is second to his reputation as one of the game’s best all-around players. Pagulayan burst onto the scene as a 24-year-old in 2002 when he advanced to the title match of the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships, where he lost to Germany’s Ralf Souquet, 13-11. A year later, the impish Pagulayan, who is also known as “The Killer Pixie,” reached the final of the World Pool Championship, losing this time to Germany’s Thorsten Hohmann. In 2004, a 26-year-old Pagulayan broke through, winning the World Pool Championship in Taipei, defeating Taiwan’s Pei-Wei Chang, 17-13, for the title. In 2005, Pagulayan returned to the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships title match, this time claiming the crown. He has gone on win numerous major pro titles, including the World Summit of Pool, the World Pool Masters and is the only player to have won titles in all three main divisions of the annual Derby City Classic — One-Pocket, 9-Ball and Banks. He becomes the fourth Philippines- born player to be inducted into the BCA Hall of Fame.
“I don’t know what to say,” Pagulayan said after being informed of his election. “For a pool player, this is the ultimate accomplishment. And I’m happy to become the first Canadian in the BCA Hall of Fame.
“Being in the Hall of Fame never crossed my mind as a player until I started going to the annual banquet,” he added. “I started to wonder if my accomplishments were enough. Now, in some ways, this makes me feel old!”
Sullivan has made a lasting impact on pool as both an innovator and a promoter. The Indiana native is known as a friend to the players and as a man consumed with elevating pool to true sport status. As a poolroom owner, Sullivan used input from top players to help construct top- level tournament tables, thus launching Diamond Billiard Products. Sullivan is credited with introducing optical sensors to coin-operated tables so that standard cue balls could be used, putting professional-level equipment into the hands of casual and aspiring players. In the 1990s, Sullivan contracted the Pantone company to research the optimum color for pool cloth, resulting in the Tournament Blue prevalent in professional tournaments. As a lifelong fan of the Johnston City Hustler’s Jamborees of the 1960s and ’70s, Sullivan launched a similar multi- discipline event, the Derby City Classic, in 1998. The annual event has drawn thousands of professional and regional players to Southern Indiana for 21 years.
“I have to say, I’m in shock,” Sullivan said when informed. “My whole life has been about pool, just trying to turn it from a game to a sport. It’s all I’ve ever done.”
That George and Paulie Jansco should join Sullivan in the same Hall of Fame class is appropriate, since the Southern Illinois club owners founded the famed Johnston City Hustlers Jamboree and All-Around Pool Championship in the 1960s. The Janscos contributed to the pool’s romanticized image as a gunslinger’s activity. Their promotion of the gambling aspect of the sport contributed to its rise in popularity with the public, with their tournaments drawing media coverage from major television networks and national magazines like “Sports Illustrated.” So popular were the Johnston City events that the Jansco’s launched a second event, the Stardust Open in Las Vegas. The Janscos could also be credited with moving 9-ball and one-pocket into the game’s forefront during a time in which straight pool was considered the only professional game. They were also among the first promoters to welcome integrated fields, paving the way for players like African-American Cicero Murphy to compete for world titles. George Jansco passed away in 1969. Paul Jansco died in 1997.
About United States Billiard Media Association
Founded in 2007, the United States Billiard Media Association (USBMA) is a non-profit association dedicated to elevating the visibility and status of billiards in the media at large. The USBMA consists of professional print, radio, TV, public relations and Internet media persons who cover cue sports. One of the association’s main functions is electing of billiard media
members to the Billiard Congress of America’s Hall of Fame Board for the purpose of nominating and electing players and notable figures to the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame.
About Billiard Congress of America
Founded in 1948, the Billiard Congress of America is a non-profit trade organization dedicated to growing a united, prosperous and highly regarded billiard industry through Billiard Congress of America leadership. The Billiard Congress of America seeks to enhance the success of its members and promote the game of billiards though educational, marketing and promotional efforts, annual industry trade shows and other programs designed to encourage billiards as a lifestyle and make pool everybody’s game. For more information, visit www.bca-pool.com or call 303.243.5070.
Only twelve players remained alive in the International 9-Ball Open at the beginning of play on Friday. Both morning matches were on the one-loss side, so every game would be fought as a life or death battle.
The TV match was between James Aranas and Dennis Orcollo, both of the Philippines. Orcollo got things started by winning the first rack easily, but after that it was all Aranas. Aranas controlled the table throughout and won eleven games in a row to take the win 11-1. Our other match was much more dramatic. This one had Jayson Shaw facing Francisco Sanchez-Ruiz and they were always within a game of one another until they were tied at seven games apiece. That was when Shaw managed to gain control of the table and take it home 11-7.
The next TV match featured Alex Pagulayan against Darren Appleton. This looked like it would be a runaway as Appleton leapt out to an early five game lead. Pagulayan dug deep though, and soon they were tied at six games each. Then seven games each. Then momentum went over to the Pagulayan corner and he got to the hill at 10-7. In the next rack, Appleton came to the table after Pagulayan had snookered him badly. He kicked off the side rail and the one ball rocketed into the corner pocket. Then he made a table-length back-cut into the far corner to send a message that he was on the attack. He was rolling through the rack but must have momentarily lost focus when he jawed the seven in the corner. A little luck got him a safety but Paguylayan safed him back, got a shot and ran out for the win.
On the side table, Thorsten Hohmann faced a very tough Justin Bergman. Bergman controlled the matches throughout, until he had a 10-0 lead. Hohmann fought back well but it was just too late and too big a hill to climb. Hohmann managed to move three beads to his side of the string before Bergman finished him off 11-3.
Our two final day session matches were Alex Kazakis against Joshua Filler and Jayson Shaw facing James Aranas. These two matches were considered toss-ups. Any of the four could win on any given day. Aranas and Shaw traded racks until they were tied up at five games each, then Shaw got on a roll and owned the table throughout the rest of the match to take it 11-5.
Kazakis and Filler took a similar route. They stayed tight early, were tied at five games apiece, and then Filler took control and won the next five racks to stand on the hill before Kazakis took rack #16 and got us to 10-6. Kazakis then made an illegal break as he didn’t drive 3 balls above the head string. Filer bounced to the table and eagerly took that gift all the way home to win 11-6.
After a very entertaining break to celebrate the induction of the Jansco Brothers, Greg Sullivan and Alex Pagulayan into the BCA Hall of Fame, the evening session of play got started.
On the winner’s side, Ko Ping-Chung faced Max Lechner to determine who would take on Filler for the hot-seat on Saturday morning. This match was another demonstration of Lechner’s mastery of the break on this week. He consistently made the 1-ball in the side and had shape on the 2-ball. Lechner led 4-0 before Ko could win a game, and Lechner extended that lead to 9-1 before Ko would win his second game. Ko fought back to 9-4, but scratched on the break in rack fourteen and Lechner won from there 11-4.
Alex Pagulayan had to put the festivities off the Hall of Fame dinner behind him and take on Justin Bergman in the other 7:30 match. Alex had an early 3-0 lead, fell behind 6-4, came back on top 8-6 and then finally lost to Bergman 11-8.
The next round won on the one loss side with Alex Kazakis playing Jayson Shaw. It was an interesting contrast as Kazakis was taking the same approach to the break that Lechner had been so successful with this week, and playing the 1-ball in the side and the 2-ball three rails for shape. In a possible case of “Dance with the one that brung you” though, Shaw was crushing the rack like he usually does, and leaving shape on his next ball to the pool gods. Neither approach seemed to be showing any benefit over the other as the players were tied at 3-3 and exchanged racks to the 7-7 mark. Shaw finally took his first multi rack lead at 9-7 and then went on to win the match 11-7.
The final match of the night was between Ko Ping-Chung and Justin Bergman. Bergman took an early lead, but while he was unable to build much distance between he and Ko, Ko was unable to take control of the match away from Bergman. Towards the end of the match, both players starting show fatigue and started struggling with outs that would have been routine earlier in the day. The turning point of the match appeared to happen in rack sixteen with Bergman leading 8-7. Bergman hung a 7-ball, but Ko made it and hooked himself on the 8. Bergman banked in the 8-ball, and then missed the 9-ball. Ko couldn’t capitalize though, and missed it himself. Bergman finally dropped the ball for the 9-7 lead. Ko did get back to 9-8, but Bergman slowed things down a notch and played through the fatigue to win the match 11-8.
Alex Pagulayan (Photo courtesy of Shirley Ang – WPS)
Tickets are now available for the 2019 BCA Hall of Fame Banquet scheduled for Friday November 1st as part of the International 9-Ball Open at the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel in Norfolk, Virginia.
The annual Hall of Fame Banquet experience is unlike anything that pro pool fans can experience. For one night, the top names in the game drop their killer instincts and celebrate each other’s accomplishments. With this year’s induction of Alex Pagulayan, there is no telling what will happen when he has a live mic in a room full of his peers. Alex will celebrate alongside his co-inductees, Greg Sullivan of Diamond Billiard Products as well as the memory of the promoters of the Johnston City Hustlers Jamboree and the Stardust Open, George and Paulie Jansco.
Tickets are $55 each, with a discounted rate of $400 for a table of eight tickets. They are available online at http://usbma.com/halloffame2019/
The Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame will welcome a lion, an innovator and a pair of pioneering brothers to the class of 2019. The United States Billiard Media Association today announced that Filipino-Canadian Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan, table manufacturer and promoter Greg Sullivan and Johnston City Hustlers Jamboree promoters George and Paulie Jansco have earned induction into the sport’s most prestigious club.
Pagulayan, 41, earned election in a run-off against England’s Kelly Fisher, after the two had tied on the initial ballot. He will enter the Greatest Players wing of the BCA Hall of Fame, while Sullivan, 70, and the late Jansco brothers will be honored in the Meritorious Service category. All will be formally inducted during ceremonies on Friday, Nov. 1, at the Norfolk Sheraton Waterside in Norfolk, Va.
Born in the Philippines but raised in Toronto, Pagulayan is one of the game’s most expressive and entertaining players. But his reputation as a comic cut-up is second to his reputation as one of the game’s best all-around players. Pagulayan burst onto the scene as a 24-year-old in 2002 when he advanced to the title match of the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships, where he lost to Germany’s Ralf Souquet, 13-11. A year later, the impish Pagulayan, who is also known as “The Killer Pixie,” reached the final of the World Pool Championship, losing this time to Germany’s Thorsten Hohmann. In 2004, a 26-year-old Pagulayan broke through, winning the World Pool Championship in Taipei, defeating Taiwan’s Pei-Wei Chang, 17-13, for the title. In 2005, Pagulayan returned to the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships title match, this time claiming the crown. He has gone on win numerous major pro titles, including the World Summit of Pool, the World Pool Masters and is the only player to have won titles in all three main divisions of the annual Derby City Classic — One-Pocket, 9-Ball and Banks. He becomes the fourth Philippines- born player to be inducted into the BCA Hall of Fame.
“I don’t know what to say,” Pagulayan said after being informed of his election. “For a pool player, this is the ultimate accomplishment. And I’m happy to become the first Canadian in the BCA Hall of Fame.
“Being in the Hall of Fame never crossed my mind as a player until I started going to the annual banquet,” he added. “I started to wonder if my accomplishments were enough. Now, in some ways, this makes me feel old!”
[photo id=51216|align=left]Sullivan has made a lasting impact on pool as both an innovator and a promoter. The Indiana native is known as a friend to the players and as a man consumed with elevating pool to true sport status. As a poolroom owner, Sullivan used input from top players to help construct top- level tournament tables, thus launching Diamond Billiard Products. Sullivan is credited with introducing optical sensors to coin-operated tables so that standard cue balls could be used, putting professional-level equipment into the hands of casual and aspiring players. In the 1990s, Sullivan contracted the Pantone company to research the optimum color for pool cloth, resulting in the Tournament Blue prevalent in professional tournaments. As a lifelong fan of the Johnston City Hustler’s Jamborees of the 1960s and ’70s, Sullivan launched a similar multi- discipline event, the Derby City Classic, in 1998. The annual event has drawn thousands of professional and regional players to Southern Indiana for 21 years.
“I have to say, I’m in shock,” Sullivan said when informed. “My whole life has been about pool, just trying to turn it from a game to a sport. It’s all I’ve ever done.”
[photo id=51215|align=right]That George and Paulie Jansco should join Sullivan in the same Hall of Fame class is appropriate, since the Southern Illinois club owners founded the famed Johnston City Hustlers Jamboree and All-Around Pool Championship in the 1960s. The Janscos contributed to the pool’s romanticized image as a gunslinger’s activity. Their promotion of the gambling aspect of the sport contributed to its rise in popularity with the public, with their tournaments drawing media coverage from major television networks and national magazines like “Sports Illustrated.” So popular were the Johnston City events that the Jansco’s launched a second event, the Stardust Open in Las Vegas. The Janscos could also be credited with moving 9-ball and one-pocket into the game’s forefront during a time in which straight pool was considered the only professional game. They were also among the first promoters to welcome integrated fields, paving the way for players like African-American Cicero Murphy to compete for world titles. George Jansco passed away in 1969. Paul Jansco died in 1997.
About United States Billiard Media Association
Founded in 2007, the United States Billiard Media Association (USBMA) is a non-profit association dedicated to elevating the visibility and status of billiards in the media at large. The USBMA consists of professional print, radio, TV, public relations and Internet media persons who cover cue sports. One of the association’s main functions is electing of billiard media
members to the Billiard Congress of America’s Hall of Fame Board for the purpose of nominating and electing players and notable figures to the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame.
About Billiard Congress of America
Founded in 1948, the Billiard Congress of America is a non-profit trade organization dedicated to growing a united, prosperous and highly regarded billiard industry through Billiard Congress of America leadership. The Billiard Congress of America seeks to enhance the success of its members and promote the game of billiards though educational, marketing and promotional efforts, annual industry trade shows and other programs designed to encourage billiards as a lifestyle and make pool everybody’s game. For more information, visit www.bca-pool.com or call 303.243.5070.
Francisco Bustamante – Photo courtesy of Dave Thomson – Mediumpool.com
Derby City Classic XX, January 19-27, 2018
LIVE from the Horseshoe Southern Indiana Casino, Elizabeth, IN
DCC ONE POCKET CHAMPIONSHIP
Let’s be frank and say it like it is. Francisco Bustamante’s One Pocket game has gotten better. Where has it improved? “I’m more aggressive,” he asserted. “To win, you must put pressure on your opponent.”
In the opening game of the Final’s, Justin Bergman had made 6 and left the green Cyclop hanging in his pocket. Rather than just give it to him and leave the cue ball snuggled in Bergman’s pocket, the 54-year-old Filipino took on a three rail flier that would either make him or break him.
A stop shot would leave the cue ball in perfect position and allow the opportunity to get at least 4 more, but if he missed, with that dangling orb, Justin was surely out.
The three-railer took off the long rail and swept effortlessly into his pocket. He ran 6 to miss abruptly and they both needing 2.
He actually lost that game but that wasn’t the point. He feels that if he has an opportunity like that and doesn’t take it, that sends a message to the opponent that transfers the power to him. “If I’m gonna win, I win, if I’m gonna lose, I lose.”
Getting so close, also, gave Bustey the impetus to stick with the game plan; Keep applying the pressure.
He never looked back. His run outs were absolutely spectacular, his banking, superb, his defense–when it was the only option–so exceptional that he didn’t lose another game. And, most importantly, it catapulted the two-time Master of the Table into contention for a 3rd with an All-Around point total score of 198.5.
Obviously disappointed, Bergman had had his best DCC finish yet. Today, he’d beaten past champion, Shannon Daulton, twice! He’d been bounced in and out of the Accu-Stats TV Table to play 9-Ball in the main arena where an additional 20 Diamond Tables were shimmering in a sea of Simonis Blue.
As the One Pocket runner-up and his high finish in Banks plus, his remaining buy-back in 9-Ball, he was looking strong in second place with an All-Around point total of 153.3.
A quick recap of how we got to the finals would read: Tony Chohan was not intimidated by Kiamko’s earlier, stellar 17 ball run that, incidentally, initiated Bustey’s buy-back. Warren’s buy-back remains intact in the 9-Ball.
Bustey gave DeLuna his marching orders which allowed him to meet Tony in the semi’s #2 which had an interesting incident.
With tight, nip and duck strategy they were a tied at 2, In the deciding rack, Bustamante, aggressive as ever, led 7 balls to 1. Chohan, obviously pressured, needed all of them. Around the 4th ball, he lost his cue ball which headed off the short rail destined for the side pocket.
Sensing a scratch, Bustey, prematurely, sprang out of his seat. With ball-in-hand in the kitchen, he knew that he was surely out and into the finals.
“Oh yeah, Oh yeah,” he yelled, jumping up and down, hands in the air. But wait, whitey swerved slightly and rattled around the rim to settle table-top and leave Tony helpless.
DCC 9-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP
363 entries vying for the $16,000 first place prize money.
The beauty, and blessing, of competing in any event at the Derby City Classic is that even though there are near 4-500 entries in any given division, the odds are that you are not going to draw a champion.
Virtually half the field is composed of B+ players who, by definition, occasionally break and run a rack of 9-Ball. if you can run two, odds are, you’re gonna go far, maybe, get close to the money, Then, if you do lose to a better class of opponent, it becomes mandatory that you use your buy-back privilege to protect your investment.
That’s the blessing, the beauty is that you can draw a Champion, either way, you leave with a tale to tell. Either way, you win.
“That’s the way of the Derby City Classic experience,” said Diamond’s Greg Sullivan, “I want everyone to leave with a story.”
Around 250 9-Ball players have been eliminated and 16 of the remaining 100, or so, are undefeated.
In his match with Oklahoman Chip Compton, England’s Chris Melling put on a snooker clinic. “I didn’t get a look at a ball,” commented Compton.”Chris played great.”
What was of note with Loree Jon was that she had drawn Lee Vann Corteza. She was about to tie the match at 7 when she missed the 7. It could have cost her the match
Had she made it, Lee Vann confessed that it would have added serious pressure, “…as I had just came from 2-8 behind to escape the buy-back booth. When I saw how confident Loree Jon was, I started to get shaky. Lucky for me she missed.”
Accu-Stats thanks its Arena Sponsors: Diamond Billiards, Simonis Cloth, Cyclop Balls, Lucasi Custom, MEZZ Cues, McDermott Cues, National Billiard Academy, and Samsara Cues
DCC BANKS RING GAME
The action packed 10-Ball Bank entertainment was in full swing at press time.
Bustamante had entered but, due to his exhausting day, decided to get some sleep and concentrate on his early morning 9-Ball match. He also, wants to protect those All-Around points.
The 10-Ball Bank Ring Game, hosted by banking living legend, Truman Hogue began at $50 a ball. You can bet that it will be 10 times that by game’s end. We’ll keep you posted on the results, tomorrow,
Dennis Orcollo danced through the field last year (Photo courtesy of Dave Thomson – Mediumpool.com)
In celebration of The Derby City Classic’s 20th anniversary, we thought that you avid pool fans might be interested in a few tidbits of its unique history, statistics, and hear what the sone of the past champions have to say about it all.
The “Derby” was sired by Diamond Billiards’ Greg Sullivan in 1999. 200 plus entrants vying for titles in three disciplines; Bank Pool, One Pocket, and 9-Ball graced Louisville KY’s Executive Inn. Due to DCC’s irrepressible growth, by 2009, the action was upgraded to the grander Horseshoe Southern Indiana Casino, just across the border, in Elizabeth, IN.
Today, more than double that original amount are expected to participate. That stat makes it the most successful, competitively attended pro pool tournament in the world.
Greg’s ambition grew from experiencing the Johnson City hustler’s convention at the tender age of 16. He was immediately smitten, in fact, he still has his original entry ticket!
It was that passion for pool that eventually drove him to create the Diamond pool table to his exacting, standardized specifications that would catapult pool from a game to a sport.
The table’s success allowed Greg, with Chad in the background managing the numbers, to create a pool tournament which would attract the full gamut of cuemen. He wanted those who were funded by gambling on themselves and those who excelled in the immediacy of tournament action.
Sullivan beamed as he stated without the glimmer of a boast, ”The most satisfying compliment I’ve ever received is that DCC is like Johnson City…on steroids.”
2001 All Around Champion (also know as the Master of the Table) Shannon Daulton concurs. “Once a year, everyone from World Champions to the toughest money players on the earth come together for nine days of torture to see who comes out on top.”
Five time All Around Champion Efren Reyes dubs the Derby his favorite tournament, ever. ”I got to spend time with my friends, now icons, like Earl and Nick (Varner). And, more recently, new friends I’ve made in all the events. It’s always been a gathering of the best players in the world.”
Another attraction; the moolah. Where else can one pool player, in one tournament, get the opportunity to cash $76,000? And that doesn’t include the extra curricular activities; nudge, nudge.
If he, or she, were to win the Bank Pool: $10,000, and the One Pocket; $12,000, then the 9-Ball; $16,000. All those points awarded for each win earn an additional $20,000 as the aforementioned Master of the Table.
Plus, let’s not forget DCC’s auxiliary enticements: The Diamond BIG Foot Challenge: $16,000, and the George Fels Memorial 14.1/Straight Pool, instigated by Billiards Digest columnist Bob Jewett and currently hosted by Dennis Walsh and Bill Maropulos: $8,000.
It all adds up to $76,000. That’s not a bad week’s wages.
In its evolution over the decades, as if the 9 days of dawn to dawn dueling weren’t murderous enough, more entertainment was added.
The Action and Entertainment" (A&E) commemorates the legendary “St.Louis” Louis Robert respected for his mesmerizing ability and high-roller attitude. As a matter of interest, in 2010, the entrancing Jeanette Lee robbed ‘em!
The event that is dearly missed was Steve Booth’s One Pocket and Bank Pool Hall of Fame Dinner. It was perhaps the most fun-filled night in Pool–never mind the Derby!
To hear the inductees be introduced by pool’s spellbinding raconteurs like the late Grady Mathews and Freddy “The Beard” Bentivegna was known to reduce some of these bad boys to tears.
The good news is that–it’s back! Jeremy Jones and the late Eugene 'Clem' Metz will be honored for One Pocket. And truly precocious Keith McCready for the “Lifetime Pool in Action Award!
Wednesday, 24th, Jan. Doors open ar 6pm
It was in 2010 that the always entertaining Banks Ring Game was introduced.
In 2014, in celebration of the Diamond’s new 10’ table, the BIG Foot 10-ball Challenge was inaugurated. Always looking for innovation, Greg’s methodology was that the challenge of negotiating a 50 sq. ft. playing surface with the standard tight, pro-cut pockets would determine, indisputably, the best player.
The Derby City Classic All Around Champion is also the most bad-ass title to hold. Taking it means that you kick ass, not just in one of the disciplines, but at least 2, and arguably, all three. Hence, the All Around Champion is also recognized as Master of the Table, that’s why both titles are inscribed on the newly created, very elegant, crystal obelisk being presented to the 2018 points winner. Smaller obelisks will go to the winners of all 5 events.
Another interesting feature is that DCC is the only pool tournament where it costs more to enter the bleachers than it does to enter the arena. So, if you intend to attend the greatest pool show on earth and stand in awe of the international field of competitors, it will behoove you to play; It will certainly improve your speed plus, generate a tale or two for your grandchildren–especially, if you’re lucky enough to draw a champion!
In DCC’s first ever incarnation in 1999, Efren won the inaugural All Around event. The turn of the century, Dee Adkins had the honor, It took Shannon Daulton until 2001 to create his most treasured memory, in 2002 Jose Parica took the praise until Larry Nevel reveled in it in 2003. In 2004: The Return of Reyes: in the 4 years thru 2007, Efren was the “Master” three times: He “repeated” ’04 and ’05 and titled again in 2007. Incidentally, he won the One Pocket in all 4 of those years. Jason Miller interrupted in 2006. 2008 had fellow Filipino Francisco Bustamante, 2009, the brutal banker, John Brumback. In, 2010, guess who? Yup, Efren again! 2011 announced Shane Van Boening coming in to his own. He back-to backed thru ’12, The Filipino invasion was resuscitated as Francisco Bustamante titled again in ’13, Dennis Orcollo dominated 2014 then, Alex Pagulayan paralyzed everyone, even Efren, in 2015 and ’16. Dennis danced thru the field again in 2017.
Alex reminisced, “Without a doubt, my best memory was winning the One Pocket in 2015. What I like about the DCC is that I really get to play some pool, I mean lots of pool, and in all those different discipline.”
John Brumback concurred, “I’ve had no greater feeling than when they announced my first win in Banks, then, the second I heard that I was the All Around Champion, wow, nothin’ better.”
So, in conclusion, who is the Master of the Table? Well, the stats don’t lie. As was once stated, “You can have your own opinion but, you can’t have your own facts!”
When you add up Efren’s attendance record, consider that he competed in only 11 years of the Derby and was the All Around Champion in 5 of them.That seems like an almost impossible statistic to repeat. Even in 2017, in his 60s, he was still pounding an Accu-Stats’ 9-Ball Total Performance Average (TPA) in the 890s and 900s.
We’ll see what future generations will accomplish as we are sure of one thing, DCC will be there for decades to come. DCC XXX will create some interesting search results.
Maybe Shannon said it best, “We really have to thank Greg Sullivan for taking such a chance 20 years ago. To this day, in my opinion, it’s our Greatest Show on Earth.”
Experience it for yourself: Get there, there is still time. Or view on accu-stats.com
DIAMOND BILLIARD PRODUCTS INC. has been named the official table supplier for the US Open 9-Ball Championship. DIAMOND will supply (15) 9' DIAMOND Pro-Am model pool tables and will feature (1) DIAMOND Paragon pool table as the finals table. DIAMOND will also supply the Professional 9' lights and racks for the event.
"The US Open is the longest running, most prestigious event in the country, DIAMOND is very honored to be named the "Official Equipment" of this event, It speaks accolades to the quality and playability of our tables and equipment"- Greg Sullivan – President.
The equipment will go on sale with special pricing on 10/01/2016. A DIAMOND sales representative can be reached at (812) 288-7665 or go to www.diamondbilliards.com.
At the impressionable age of 11 years old, I had the pleasure of witnessing the showing of a movie that I have never forgotten to this day – it was the blockbuster of 1957 called “The Greatest Show on Earth” starring Charlton Heston.
It was the story of a circus and life under the big top, highlighting all of the exciting acts being performed under one roof – Believe me, the excitement was electrifying!
Now fast forward 59 years to the Derby City Classic, the brain child of Greg Sullivan, (the owner and founder of Diamond Billiard Products) and let us look at the dynamics of this unique event – Greg decided back in 1999 that he wanted to run an event that catered to many disciplines, using the premise that the Bank Pool players would probably not show up for a One Pocket event, and likewise the One pocket guys would not show for the Bank Pool, and the 9 Ball players would certainly not show up for either of the other two disciplines.
But, if he offered all three disciplines under one roof (A stroke of genius) then maybe the Bank guys would brush up on their One Pocket game and likewise the One Pocket guys would start practicing a little more on their Banking skills – and even the 9 Ball Players would maybe reluctantly have a go at the other two.
The DCC started out in 1999 in its fledgling state at the EXECUTIVE WEST in Louisville, KY for its first 10 years, before moving on to its present location at HARAH’S HORSESHOE CASINO, IN, for the next 8 years, making this year the 18 th Annual DCC.
To give you an idea of how the event has gained popularity through the years, the entries for the Bank event last year was 411 – for the One Pocket 350 and for the 9 Ball 310. That’s a lot of serious players!
Well, there has been more than a few tweaks to the format of this event since its conception, but Greg’s second stroke of genius was the introduction of the prize for THE ALL AROUND TITLE, given to the player with the best score in all three events. This certainly got the players attention from the get go, especially the Bank's and One Pocket players, who honed their games ten fold.
They say “MONEY TALKS AND PLAYING ONLY ONE GAME WALKS”! (I made that up, but you know what I mean)
It has the three disciplines mentioned in detail above, and a few years ago added the BIG FOOT 10ft Table event to the proceedings – A $1,000 entry 16 man field (with $16,000 added) and a prize of $16,000 going to the winner!!!
Plus, for a few years now, the DCC also includes a high run Straight Pool event that goes on all week, with the top three high runs each day earning money, and the top eight high runs of the week playing a single elimination to find the winner!!
To witness all of these disciplines going on under THE BIG TOP that is supplied by Harrah’s, is electrifying to say the least – FIVE DISCIPLINES all captured by the professionalism of ACCU-STATS VIDEO PRODUCTIONS, and streamed around the world to eager fans that rarely see most of these disciplines.
THE DERBY CITY CLASSIC IS UNQUESTIONABLY “THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH” there is no other event that offers such a diverse array of disciplines. I am so excited about returning again this year, that I am getting there two days early to soak in the atmosphere of this fantastic venue and all that it offers.
Please note that all of the above events are PERFORMED WITHOUT A NET!
Below is a link to an interview that Greg Sullivan did a few years ago, where he talks about how he started his Diamond Table Company and his thoughts on how he came up with the concept for what is now known as the Derby City Classic.
Sullivan has made a lasting impact on pool as both an innovator and a promoter. The Indiana native is known as a friend to the players and as a man consumed with elevating pool to true sport status. As a poolroom owner, Sullivan used input from top players to help construct top- level tournament tables, thus launching Diamond Billiard Products. Sullivan is credited with introducing optical sensors to coin-operated tables so that standard cue balls could be used, putting professional-level equipment into the hands of casual and aspiring players. In the 1990s, Sullivan contracted the Pantone company to research the optimum color for pool cloth, resulting in the Tournament Blue prevalent in professional tournaments. As a lifelong fan of the Johnston City Hustler’s Jamborees of the 1960s and ’70s, Sullivan launched a similar multi- discipline event, the Derby City Classic, in 1998. The annual event has drawn thousands of professional and regional players to Southern Indiana for 21 years.
That George and Paulie Jansco should join Sullivan in the same Hall of Fame class is appropriate, since the Southern Illinois club owners founded the famed Johnston City Hustlers Jamboree and All-Around Pool Championship in the 1960s. The Janscos contributed to the pool’s romanticized image as a gunslinger’s activity. Their promotion of the gambling aspect of the sport contributed to its rise in popularity with the public, with their tournaments drawing media coverage from major television networks and national magazines like “Sports Illustrated.” So popular were the Johnston City events that the Jansco’s launched a second event, the Stardust Open in Las Vegas. The Janscos could also be credited with moving 9-ball and one-pocket into the game’s forefront during a time in which straight pool was considered the only professional game. They were also among the first promoters to welcome integrated fields, paving the way for players like African-American Cicero Murphy to compete for world titles. George Jansco passed away in 1969. Paul Jansco died in 1997.
