Karen Corr defeated Siming Chen in a heart-pounding, sudden death finale, capping off a four-day competition featuring the top 48-ranked pros of the Women’s Professional Billiard Association. The event ran April 19th-23rd, bringing back the final four players for Sunday’s performance. Brittany Bryant (Canada) and Line Kjorsvik (Norway) also made the cut, tying for third place.
The 2017 Rivers Casino Open, held April 19th-23rd, proved very exciting for the spectators in attendance and those who tuned in via the WPBA live stream. With the click of a mouse, fans could tune in to live matches on any one of six tournament tables, which included live scoring updates.
The Charity Pro-Am kicked off Wednesday afternoon, with 8 teams, each team paired with a Pro. After three fast and furious rounds of play, it was determined that “Team Brittany Bryant” and “Team Monica Webb” scored the most game wins in each round, and would face each other in a head-to-head final. Team Webb overcame Team Bryant for the win, and a great time was had by all participants! There was also a “Challenge the Pro” session with all proceeds going to charity. Top ranked players took on all comers, offering their fans not only an opportunity to play their favorite pros, but a chance to autograph billiard memorabilia and snap photographs.
Thursday morning began the trek to Sunday’s semi-finals. Chen claimed the first semi spot with wins over Kristina Grim, 9-3, Naomi Williams, 9-0, Helena Thornfeldt, 9-3, and Line Kjorsvik, 9-4. The second semi spot was claimed by Karen Corr, with wins over Julie Kelly, 9-6, Jessica Barnes, 9-6, Janet Atwell, 9-6, Monica Webb, 9-7, and Brittany Bryant, 9-3. Challengers were grinding it out on the west side of the chart, hoping to make Sunday’s show. Brittany Bryant bested Kelly Cavanaugh, 9-4, Robin Parker, 9-1, and Jennifer Barretta, 9-7, before losing to Corr. Bryant went on to beat Julie Kelly, 9-6, for an opportunity to face Chen in the first semi-final. The 2017 WPBA Masters Champion and new number one ranked WPBA player, Line Kjorsvik, beat Suzanne Peters, 9-6, Teruko Cucculelli, 9-3, and Sandy Badger, 9-3, but fell to Chen. From the one-loss side, Line went on to eliminate Monica Webb, 9-6, earning herself a shot at Corr in the second semi-final. Chen overcame Bryant both sets, 4-1 and 4-2, to reach the finals. Corr experienced another sudden death match with Line, but this time, she prevailed. Corr won the first set 4-1, and Line answered back, taking the second set, 4-1. Corr responded, winning the sudden death game to face Chen in the finals.
Siming played lights out all week, with a stable of opponents who could score no more than four games against her. In the first set, she cruised to a 4-0, but Karen fought back and won the second set, 4-3. Even on sets, players lagged for the break in the sudden death decider. Corr won the lag, broke, and made a ball on the break. Siming never made it back to the table. Corr made a nerve-racking out, flirting with the side pocket while playing position from the 6-ball to the 7-ball. The crowd watched and gasped in horror as the cue ball settled on the rail with perfect shape on the 7-ball. In true, champion form, Corr completed the run, earning herself a brand new title, 2017 Rivers Casino Open Champion!
The WPBA would like to thank its sponsors for this event, Rivers Casino and their staff who provided a fabulous venue and outstanding service, Diamond Pool Tables who provided the playing equipment and set-up for the event, Simonis Cloth who provided the cloth for the playing surface, and Aramith Pool Balls who supplied the brand new balls sets. Thanks go out to Dave Jacoby for building the WPBA 40th Anniversary Custom Cue for which raffles tickets were sold during the week, and given away on Sunday.
For more information about the Women’s Professional Billiards Association, please visit www.WPBA.com.
Kelly Fisher, who won the Women's Open 10-Ball event of the 2nd Annual Tornado Open over the weekend (Sept. 28-Oct. 3) played for 14 hours straight; from noon on Sunday, October 2 to 2 a.m. on Monday morning, October 3, when she completed a two-set final against Ga Young Kim. Along the way, she'd competed against a host of familiar opponents, including Allison Fisher (twice; two double hill matches), Monica Webb and Jessica Barnes. The $25,000-added women's event drew 62 entrants to the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, FL.
"I was absolutely thrilled," she said, pool-side, from her hotel on Monday afternoon, "because while I've won tournaments all over the world, it's been a long, long time since I've won an event here in the USA.
"I really don't know who's in front in our head-to-head battles over the years," she added of her matches against Ga Young Kim. "It's quite close, I know that. Very, very close."
Following victories over Julie Kelly, Crystal McCormick, Barnes and Eun J. Park, Fisher had her first meet-up with Allison Fisher in a winners' side semifinal. Kim, in the meantime, having received an opening round bye, defeated Gerda Hofstatter, Laura Smith, and Brittany Bryant to pick up Chezka Centeno in the other winners' side semifinal.
The Fishers locked up in their first of two double hill battles, which eventually advanced Allison to the hot seat match. Kim joined her after completing a double hill battle of her own against Centeno. Kim claimed the hot seat 7-3 over Allison Fisher and waited for Kelly to come back from the loss side.
On the loss side, Kelly Fisher picked up Monica Webb, who after falling to Eun J. Park on the winners' side in the third round of play, won four straight, including victories over Ewa Laurance, Brittany Bryant (double hill) and Jia Li 7-4. Centeno drew Karen Corr, who'd gotten by (among others) Ewa Laurance and teenage phenom April Larson before being sent to the loss side by Allison Fisher. Corr eliminated Joanne Ashton and Eun Ji Park to face Centeno.
Kelly Fisher defeated Webb 7-5, and in the quarterfinals, faced Centeno, who'd downed Corr 7-4. Fisher then navigated her way through two straight double hill matches to reach the finals, defeating Centeno in the quarterfinals, and in the semifinals, turning the double hill tables on Allison Fisher.
Fisher won both sets of the double hill final (7-5, 7-4) to complete her run, and claim the Women's 10-Ball title.
"You've got to keep her real tight," said Fisher of those final two matches. "(Kim) is a very fluent player, and really dangerous if she gets going."
Though acknowledging that, having been playing for so many years, she "doesn't really prepare for whom (she's) playing," Fisher admitted that her experience over the years with Kim, led to some decisions.
"She's very good at jumping and kicking," said Fisher, "so if I'm pushing out, I'm not going to leave her with a jump or kick.
"That actually happened," she added. "I tried for the shot, rather than leave her with a jump."
Kelly's taking a week off to bask in the sun, before flying back to the UK on October 10. Ten days later, she'll be in China for an 8-ball event with a major US title under her belt for encouragement.
Who else could I be talking about, but Allison Fisher (The Duchess of Doom), followed by Karen Corr (The Invader), and Kelly Fisher (Quick Fire)
It is really amazing just how similar the careers of these three Champions are.
All having won World Titles from a successful career in snooker – all rose to winning US Major events almost immediately after arriving in the USA on a one way ticket from the UK, and all winning World Titles in a relatively short time, in a discipline of pool that was not in their wheelhouse prior to arriving.
Initially their potting skills were immediately noticed, but they all had to learn the nuances associated with 9 Ball. Plus the initial advantage that the smaller table gave them was soon forgotten!!
HERE ARE THEIR STORIES
ALLISON FISHER
Allison got the toy of her choice for her 7 th birthday, a mini pool table. By 13 was on the road to being a Snooker pro, something that Allison had always had on her wish list from an early age, At 16 she got her first century break partnered with Steve Davis.
Allison went on to win 9 Snooker World titles (7 individual and 2 Double) – 8 National Championships – 8 US Opens – 4 WPA 9 ball World titles – 5 Tournament of Champions titles & 54 WPBA titles
But, first let me tell you how she was introduced to 9 ball, which up to that point had been a life dedicated to snooker.
Allison was picked for the first Mosconi Cup team in 1994, and at that point did not play pool (9 ball) very well, but Barry Hearn wanted top names associated with the pool world that also included Steve Davies, Jimmy White and Ralf Souquet. The Mosconi Cup was in an experimental format at that stage, and would take several twist and turns before settling on five man teams as it is today!!
Probably one of Allison’s first forays into American style pool was in 1991 at the Munich Masters, where she was invited along with Stacey Hillyard. They both borrowed cues and got to practice the game one day before they left!! However, even though this was not their game of choice Stacy came 1st and Allison came 3rd.
During an exhibition in Switzerland with Ronnie O’Sullivan (he was around 13 at the time), Mike Massey, Ewa and Vickie Paski for a snooker/pool challenge. Mike told her about the WPBA Tour in the states, but Allison said: “At that time I wasn’t really thinking about it”.
The final straw that broke the snooker stars back came in 1995, when Allison was in the last 8 of the World Snooker Championship in India. The conditions were awful and she turned to her mother who had made the trip with her, and said “This is the last time that I will play snooker”.
Yes, she had lost her desire and motivation in a sport that had earned her 11 World Snooker titles and yet she had no sponsors. Plus winning a snooker event could only reap you $500, which only paid the expenses!!
When Allison told her mother that she wanted to move to the States, her mum was shocked, but even she realized there was no future in staying and pursuing a career that showed no reward!!
Allison had also started what would become a long term relationship with Cuetec prior to leaving England, and said: “I guess they predicted what would happen”.
So in July 1995 Allison took a trip to Las Vegas to visit the trade show to find out how to get on WPBA tour and introduce herself to the pool World. Allison was given two promoter spots for her first two events.
Allison recalls: “I entered the first one in September 1995 in Charlotte, NC. I loved it from the first moment I stepped in the door. It was new and exciting, a big adventure. I finished 9th losing to Ewa and Jeanette but learned a lot. The next event was a week later in Florida. Kelly Oyama and her family invited me to stay with them in Charlotte for the week and drive down to Florida with a few players. I remember it being Loree Jon Jones, Gerda Hofstatter, Robin Dodson, Kelly and myself. I ended up winning the event! It was incredible. I gave myself 6 months and won in two weeks”.
Allison then finished 3rd in the World Championships (Taiwan) and then back to the US to win the National title at the Bicycle Club in Los Angeles. She said: “That was my most emotional event ever because my dad flew over for it. I’ll never forget that. I won $20,000, the most I had ever won and paid off any debts I had in England”. The rest is history!!!
Allison made such a dramatic entrance into the American and World pool scene, that the Duchess of Doom caused nothing but gloom for her fellow players for the next ten years.
Allison who is still at the top of her game to this day, was inducted into the BCA Hall of Fame in 2009, and is unquestionably a living legend on and off the table!!
Allison is also looking to lift her game even higher, following the announcement of her new sponsorship deal with OB Cues!!
We do not have room here to list Allison’s titles and awards, so if you have a couple of days to spare go to her web site: allisonfisher.com
KAREN CORR
Karen was born in the little town of Ballymoney in Northern Ireland in 1969. When she was 8 years old the family moved to England, and at the age of 14 years old her love of watching snooker on TV prompted her father to join a local snooker club for himself, Karen and her brother to play.
It took Karen no time at all to show her potential at snooker, entering her first event in the nearby city of Leicester at 15 years old and never looked back. As she soon became one of the top players in the UK.
In 1990 just one day after her 21st birthday she won her first women’s World Snooker Championship, held in London, repeating again in 1991, 1995 and 1996. Karen also won two World English Billiards Championships.
However, in the mid nineties with the restrictions on Tobacco advertising and sponsorship, the effect was devastating in the prize fund department, and caused Karen to look elsewhere to make a living from pool.
Julie Kelly a friend and fellow snooker player told Karen about the WPBA Tour in the States, prompting a four week vacation in the States to check it all out. Arriving in June 1998 Karen had to immediately play in a qualifier to get into the next WPBA event. Well the rest is history, winning the qualifier and finishing around 9th in her first event.
Now it was back to England to put her affairs in order and one month later saw Karen back in the States embarking on what would be a fairy tale story of success.
On returning to the States Karen had to qualify for the next ten WPBA events, and did so successfully and by the end of 1998 was ranked 24th. By the end of 1999 she was ranked No 4 and by the end of 2000 she was ranked No 2 in the world (Big thank you Julie Kelly).
Karen won her first WPBA title in 2000, plus another two WPBA events before the end of 2000. She also won the Japan Open Championship in Osaka in 2000, plus 2nd place in the WPA Women’s Championship and 2nd in the UCC World Ladies Championship in Tokyo.
In 2001 Karen remarkably won every one of the WPBA events to be held that year. Plus Silver medal at the World games. By the end of 2001 Karen was ranked No 1 in the World, a position she held for the next two years.
Karen has won a total of 23 WPBA Titles!!! Plus three consecutive Challenge of Champions events in 2006, 2007 and 2008
On October 26th 2012 Karen was inducted into the prestigious BCA Hall of Fame. The only title that has eluded Karen is the World 9 Ball Championship. (Amazingly finishing 2nd on six occasions!!)
Unfortunately Karen’s life was turned upside down in July 2011 when she was told that her mother was very ill with cancer. Karen left immediately to take care of her mum in England and subsequently did not play pool for 12 months.
Sadly Karen’s mother passed away in June 2012, and after a few weeks Karen returned to Feasterville, PA, to find that she has lost all her invites to the upcoming World Championships because her ranking had dropped significantly because of her time away from competitive pool.
There is some light at the end of the tunnel. Karen has received an invite to the Guilin World 9 Ball Championship in SW China in October 14 – 18th 2014. Plus Karen has been invited to the Challenge of Champions event to be held at Harrah’s Hotel and Casino in San Diego on October 8th 2014.
I asked Karen what she would like to see to put pool back on the map. She said that it was imperative to get pool back on TV, as it is the best way to give the game respectability and put it in the public eye!!
Karen is presently looking for sponsors to enable her to get to the qualifiers in China.
KELLY FISHER
Kelly Fisher was born in England, and was playing on a mini pool table at home when she was three years old. Her father ran a pub, which had a pool table in it. But, during her earlier years Kelly was too small to play on it. However, when Kelly was thirteen her father let her play on the pub table, where he immediately saw something that prompted him to take his talented daughter to the local snooker club.
While Kelly was playing at the club on that first visit, her father asked if there was anybody locally that could coach his daughter. “See that gentleman sitting at the counter eating his lunch” said the house man. “He would be the man to talk too!!”
When approached the man said “she looks a little too short to be playing on that big table!!” He suggested they come back when she was a bit taller.
The coach could not control his curiosity, and walked over to watch the kid make ball after ball. The father asked the man what he thought of her game, and he said “I think we should start the coaching immediately”
Well that relationship is still as strong now as it was that day 23 years ago!! Yes, Lional Payne the snooker coach from Yorkshire that thought the future 6 times World Snooker Champion, and 2 times English Billiards Champion was not tall enough is still Kelly’s coach to this day!!!
Unfortunately because of a knock on effect from the earlier loss of sponsorship of the tobacco companies, that by the end of the nineties the financial rewards were looking pretty bleak on the Pro snooker scene.
In May 2001 Kelly, while on vacation in the States, Kelly hooked up with fellow player and good friend Kim Shaw. Which led to Kelly getting to play in a WPBA qualifier, where she realized that she was competitive, even though she had a lot to learn at that stage.
After the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible in Sheffield in 2003, it looked like the tournament schedule had dwindled to a point where positive action was needed to find her earnings from another source!!
Kelly even resorted to getting a regular job. (She did not like that option though!!) But money was tight at that point in her career.
So in February 2004 she put her house up for sale, and Kelly and her partner Val Finnie packed two suitcases each, and left for the States with $750 ($400 borrowed from mum and dad), even leaving the washing up in the sink!!!
Kelly immediately picked up the art of playing 9 Ball, and soon worked her way up the rankings on the WPBA Tour, winning her first WPBA event in May 2005 “The San Diego West Coast Classic”
To illustrate just how quickly Kelly picked up the US style of pool. Kelly’s 1st WPBA event was the Canadian Classic, and she drew Allison Fisher in the first round, and had Allison 8-1 in a race ti 9 and surprisingly went on to lose to the Duchess of Doom 8-9!!! In her second event after her arrival she made it to the semi final of the US Open.
Kelly’s first World title came in 2011, winning the World 10 Ball Title, followed by the World 9 Ball Title in 2012 and the China Open in 2012. In 2013 Kelly also won the Amway Cup.
In December 2012 Kelly decided to move back to England. Kelly who had suffered heart palpitations unknowingly due to a birth defect all her life, was diagnosed in March 2014 with a hole in her heart that required open heart surgery. Thankfully the hole was repaired along with one of her valves.
The surgery was carried out in Glasgow, Scotland, on the 22nd July 2014 was a success and Kelly is working hard with her therapy schedule and is taking it day by day. Her goal has been to get fit for the upcoming events and Kelly is sure hoping to do just that!!!
Kelly will be visiting the States for the Challenge of Champions to be held at Harrah’s in San Diego on October 8th 2014. Three of the four players invited to the event, just happen to be the three featured in this article. The other player is Ga Young Kim!!
This event will be televised and aired around four weeks after the event. So look for it on ESPN.
Immediately after the above event all four players will travel on to play in the 9 ball World Championship in Guilin, China. October 14th to 18th 2014
I’m sure that you will all join me in wishing Kelly a speedy recovery and let’s look forward to seeing her back on a World Title podium in the not too distant future!!!
The opening draw for the upcoming Amway Cup has been posted online, which leaves no time like the present to examine the various groups and pick some early favorites.
Before we get into each group, let's review the format. This event sees 48 players divided into eight groups of six players. Each group will play round robin and the top three players from each group will move into the single elimination stages. Matches are race to seven until the semi-finals and finals. Semi-finals will be race to 9 and the finals will be a race to 11.
Lin shocked the world and won this event last year with back to back wins over Allison Fisher and Ga Young Kim. Prior to that win, Lin was relatively unknown. She is the #1 seed in this event and she should have no problem advancing into the single elim stages.
Former World Champion Julie Kelly has struggled the past couple of years, with a 5th place at the 2007 WPBA Nationals as her best finish in the last two years. She could struggle in this group, but should make it into the single elim stages.
Canadian Joanne Ashton had a nice finish at the WPBA San Diego Classic, and a good performance in Taipei would do big things for her confidence.
The Amway Cup press is referring to this group as the "Group of Death". While it is a tough group, it would best be called the "Group of Doom" as The Duchess of Doom, Allison Fisher, should have no problems here.
Schwan just turned in a runner up finish to Jasmin Ouschan at the European Chamionships, and her #5 seeding is not really fair. She should advance into the single elim stages.
Amit was thought of as the top female in the Philippines before Iris Ranola burst on the scene. Amit could make it out of this group, but Chang is probably a bigger favorite to advance.
Tan is the reigning Japan Open Champion and should have no problems here.
Thornfeldt would be a safe bet to also advance here.
Group F:
Yum-Mi Lem Karen Corr
Pei-Chen Tsai Sarah Rousey
Johanna Espinoza Fajardo
Qualifier 3
Lim finished 5th here last year and has won this event in the past, but seeding her above Corr seems to be a mistake.
If the injury that hampered Corr in San Diego is healed, she should be a lock to advance from this group.
Tsai was a third place finisher here last year and should advance.
Sarah Rousey is the wild card here. Her #4 seeding would indicate that she is not a favorite to advance, but she should outplay that ranking and join Corr and Tsai as players advancing from this group.
Now this is a tough group. The top three seeds are certainly the favorites to advance.
With Ouschan just winning the 8-ball and 9-ball divisions at the European Championship, she would be a favorite to advance from any group; this one included.
Rademakers is rightfully the #4 seed, but she could surprise some people and advance past Liu or Ranola.
Lee has taken her game back to the level it was at 10 years ago, Pan should play even stronger with the home field advantage and Hofstatter just finished 3rd in San Diego.
The bottom three players are going to have to work hard to edge out any of the top three.
A field of 28 women met up at The Players Lounge in Binghamton, NY Oct. 6th-7th for the 12th annual NYS 9-ball Championship. Room owner Florence Fuller added $2000 and a players choice qualifier for a WPBA event.
Sunday brought back the final 8 players. The winners side matches began with Karen Corr winning over friend Julie Kelly 7-6, and Canadian Anita Kuczma winning over Karen Armstrong. Karen then went on to beat Anita in the semifinals. Anita played well to beat Julie 7-2 so she could have a rematch with Karen Corr.
This finals is a true double elimination event so Anita would have to beat Karen twice in a race to 7 to take the honors. The first game of the finals goes to Karen when Anita scratches on the 6 ball. After a round of safety play Karen gets an open table to play and takes game 2. Game 3 + 4 goes to Karen when she runs the table. Karen also takes games 5 +6. Anita wins game 7 with a great run out. But during game 8 Karen plays a safe, Anita narrowly misses the hit to give Karen ball in hand and the match.
Congratulations to Karen on another victory, and also to Anita Kuczma for a great event and on winning the qualifier. Our thanks to Florence Fuller and all her support of women's poll.
Also, our thanks to our sponsor Pechauer Cues. A beautiful limited edition cue was sent to Florence for holding the state championship.
Karen Corr became the first pool player to successfully defend her title as the Pennsylvania State Ladies 9-Ball Champion for three years in a row.
On September 15th and 16th the NorthEastern Women’s Tour came together in Frazer, PA at Harry Metzger’s Rack ‘M’ Up to play for the PA State Women’s 9-Ball Title. On Sunday, the play was down to the final 8 players. Karen Corr played fellow UK snooker player Kim Shaw to battle for the hot seat. Kim had tournament wins over Joanna Tammaro, Frankie Duffy, Patti Jacusz, Romana Dokovic, and Megan Smith. Karen had tournament wins over Christine Tyirin, Julie Kelly, Jennifer Barretta, and Megan Smith.
The battle for the hot seat was see-saw all the way, with Karen maintaining a 1 game advantage until it was 5-4 when Karen jawed the 7, but hooked Kim behind the 9. Kim kicked, but missed the 7 completely and gave Karen ball-in-hand to go on the hill. But Kim came up empty on the break and Karen ran out to the 5, only to miss and leave Kim a tricky cut shot which she made, but left herself snookered on the 6 behind the 9. Kim missed the 6 and Karen ran out for the hot seat.
Kim was then faced to play NEWT favorite Megan Smith, who is looking to gain her Touring Pro status on the WPBA. Kim’s precise snooker-style play overwhelmed Megan with a score of 7-2 to face Karen for a rematch. Kim had won the Player’s Choice Qualifying spot.
In this rematch for the finals in a single race to 9, it started out the same as the last between the two, with a close battle ensuing. Karen made two difficult racks in a row to go up 4-2 when Kim scratched on the 3 in the 7th rack and then Karen took off and rana 3-pack on Kim to go on the hill at 8-2. Kim battled back with 2 more racks, but couldn’t hold off Karen anymore and Karen won, 9-4.
The NEWT tour wishes to thank East Coast Vending and the Coatesville Coca-Cola Bottling Company as well as Harry Metzger at Rack ‘M’ Up for adding $1000 to the prize fund as well as the Player’s Choice Qualifying spot. We also thank Pechauer Cues for their continued support of our tour.
With the WPBA tour taking a break in between events, the 8th Annual Ladies NJ State 9-Ball Championship, held by the North East Women's Tour and sponsored by Amstel Light and Pechauer Cues, turned into a veritable WPBA reunion. Although it was not an official WPBA event, the result was the same as most recent WPBA events with WPBA #1 player, Karen Corr rolling thru the field undefeated and capturing the title.
Corr defeated Janet Atwell from Abingdon, VA for the hot seat and Tiffany Nelson, the current #13 player on the WPBA tour, eliminated Atwell from the tournament. Nelson had lost an earlier match to Corr but had her sights set on a rematch in the finals and was rolling over players to get there, including a 7-0 win over current World Champion Julie Kelly.
The final match started off with a couple very uncharacteristic errors from Corr that allowed Nelson to jump out to a 2-0 lead in the race to nine. Corr buckled down after that and took control of the match not allowing Nelson to make another nine-ball as Corr won the next 9 games and the tournament.
Corr commented after the match, "I have to thank Castle Billiards for putting on this event. They just had the tables redone and the playing conditions were great. I think I played pretty solid in all my matches. I went two behind in the finals and it could have been worse. Tiffany let me back into the match and I just ran out when I was supposed to. I think Tiffany had just had a long day and it caught up with her in the end. She had been playing solid since this morning. She is really coming up though and climbing up the ranks."
Corr pocketed $1225 for the win while Nelson took $765 for second. Atwell took $550 for third as well as the WPBA qualifier for finishing as the top amateur player. Dawn Hopkins finished fourth.
