In Jimmy Rivera's first Tri-State Tour win, back in February of 2013, he won five on the loss side and eventually defeated Koka Davladze in the finals. Three years and six months later, on Saturday, August 20, Rivera chalked up his second Tri-State victory, once again, coming from the loss side. This time, though, he won nine on the loss side for a shot in the finals against Henri Hernandez, who, due to the lateness of the hour, was forced to withdraw, leaving Rivera as the event winner. The $1,000-added, A/D handicapped event drew 57 entrants to Steinway Billiards in Astoria (Queens), NY.

 

With Rivera already long at work on the loss side, Hernandez advanced to a winners' side semifinal against Miguel Laboy. Adalberto Nazario squared off against Ron Bernardo in the other one. Hernandez sent LaBoy to the loss side 7-4 and, in the hot seat match, faced Nazario, who'd defeated Bernardo 6-2. In what would prove to be his last match of the tournament, Hernandez claimed the hot seat 9-8 over Nazario.

 

On the loss side, LaBoy drew Rivera, already six matches into his loss-side run with wins over Patrick Dugan, Steve Kaminow, Stewart Warnock, and Amir Rashad Uddin. In the event's first money rounds, Rivera defeated Mike Figueroa 7-5, and Max Watanabe 7-4 to face LaBoy. Bernardo, in the meantime, picked up Ambi Estevez, who'd defeated Nicole Monaco and Mike Esposito, both 6-3, to reach him.

 

Rivera, who was never afforded the opportunity to face the opponent who'd sent him to the loss side (Arturo Reyes), downed LaBoy 7-2. He was joined in the quarterfinals by Bernardo, who'd ended Estevez' night 7-6. Rivera leapfrogged into the semifinals against Nazario when Bernardo forfeited the quarterfinal match. Rivera completed his loss-side run with an 11-7 victory over Nazario in the semifinals.

 

It was at this point that Hernandez was forced to bow out. He and Rivera split the top two prizes, while Rivera was awarded the event title.

 

Tour representatives thanked Manny Stamatakis and his staff at Steinway Billiards, 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 the weekend of August 27-28, will be hosted by Amsterdam Billiards in Manhattan.

 

Mike Figueroa, who finished the 2015-2016 Tri-State season ranked third in the tour's C++ division got into the hot seat at the Tri-State Tour's fourth 2016-2017  stop on Saturday, August 6, having defeated Max Watanabe in a winners' side semifinal, and Dennis Quinn in the battle for the hot seat. Watanabe, who finished the 2015-2016 Tri-State season ranked sixth in the tour's B+ division, came back from the loss side to meet and defeat Figueroa in the finals. The event drew 20 entrants to Clifton Billiards in Clifton, NJ.

 

In their first of two, Figueroa sent Watanabe to the loss side 7-4, as Dennis Quinn was busy defeating Bob Toomey (2015-2016's top-ranked C player) 6-4. Figueroa claimed the hot seat 7-5 over Quinn and waited on Watanabe.

 

On the loss side, Watanabe picked up Mike Panzarella, who'd gotten by Aurelio Romero 7-4, and Eddie Manlulu 7-2 to reach him. Toomey drew James Pasciolla, who'd defeated Adrian Daniel 6-3 and survived a double hill fight versus Allison LaFleur. Watanabe downed Panzarella 7-3, and in the quarterfinals, faced Toomey, who'd eliminated Pasciolla 6-2. 

 

In what was the event's first money round, Watanabe defeated Toomey 8-6, and earned his second shot against Figueroa with a 6-3 win over Quinn in the semifinals. Watanabe completed his run with a commanding 9-2 win over Figueroa in the finals.

 

Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff at Clifton Billiards, 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 Saturday, August 20, will be hosted by Steinway Billiards in Astoria (Queens), NY.

It came within a match of being a repeat performance. On Memorial Day weekend, Juan Guzman took the hot seat at the 6th Annual George "Ginky" Sansouci Memorial tournament, only to have his ambitions of becoming that event's 6th champion upset by Tony Liang, who came from deep on the loss side to challenge and eventually defeat him. A week later (June 4-5), Guzman was in the hot seat again, this time at a $2,000-added event on the Tri-State Tour, that had drawn 41 entrants to the same location – Steinway Billiards in Astoria (Queens), NY. And once again, Guzman found himself watching Tony Liang work his way through the loss side. This time, however, Liang's aspirations for a re-match against Guzman were thwarted in a semifinal match against Mike Figueroa. Guzman went on to complete his undefeated run with a second victory over Figueroa in the finals to claim the title.

 

Following victories over Chris Kelly, Ramon Feliciano, and Lidio Ramirez, all of whom chalked up five racks against him, Guzman ran into Liang. With memories of the Ginky Memorial no doubt lurking in his mind, Guzman sent Liang to the loss side 7-5 and drew Alex Osipov in a winners' side semifinal. Figueroa, in the meantime, picked up Danny Recinos. 

 

Guzman chalked up his fifth straight 7-5 win, against Osipov, while Figueroa was sending Recinos to the loss side, double hill. Guzman moved into the hot seat for a second week in a row, defeating Figueroa 9-7 and then, waited on what he had to be thinking was Liang, but proved to be Figueroa.

 

Liang began his march toward a potential second matchup in the finals against Guzman with a 7-3 win over Duc Lam, and survived a double hill match versus Amir Rashad Uddin, to draw Osipov. Recinos picked up Andrea Shiffman, who'd eliminated Nevev Lipovac 6-2 and Ada Lio 6-4, to reach him.

 

Liang downed Osipov 7-4, and was joined in the quarterfinals by Recinos, who'd defeated Shiffman 6-3. Liang defeated Recinos 10-7 to pull within a single match of earning a spot in the finals. Figueroa put up a spirited, double hill fight that he eventually won to earn his re-match against Guzman.

 

It did not look good at the outset, as Figueroa opened the finals with four straight racks. Guzman, though, caught a gear of his own and responded with four to tie it. They traded racks to a 5-5 tie, before Guzman began to pull away. He chalked up three straight to reach the hill first. Figueroa added a final rack to make it 8-6, and Guzman chalked up the15th game to win the match and claim the event title.

 

Tour representatives thanked Manny Stamatakis and his staff at Steinway Billiards, 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, June 12, will be hosted by The Cue Bar in Bayside (Queens), NY.

 

The number has continued to come up; twice in January, once each in March and April. Until Saturday, May 7, Chris Kelly had cashed in three stops on the Predator Tour this year, and once, on the Tri-State Tour. He finished in the tie for 9th place in all four. Having presumably grown tired of hearing "Number Nine! Number Nine! Number Nine! and Number Nine!" Chris Kelly signed on for the $1,000-added, May 7 event on the Tri-State Tour that drew 37 entrants to Steinway Billiards in Astoria (Queens), NY, and went undefeated to chalk up his first Tri-State title.

 

Kelly had to get by Pascal Dufresne twice to complete his undefeated run. He'd gotten by Duc Lam, Elvis Rodriguez, and Tony Liang to draw Stewart Warnock in a winners' side semifinal. Dufresne, in the meantime, faced Mike Figueroa. Kelly sent Warnock to the loss side 8-3, as Dufresne was busy shutting out Figueroa to send him to the west bracket. Kelly took the first of two versus Dufresne 7-4 and waited in the hot seat for the second.

 

On the loss side, Tony Liang, fresh off his loss to Kelly, embarked on a four-match, loss-side winning streak that would take him as far as the semifinals. He survived a double hill bout versus Lam and eliminated Rhio Anne Flores 7-3 to draw Warnock. Figueroa picked up Adrian Daniel, who'd downed Akiko Taniyama 6-3 and Brian Schell 7-5 to reach him.

 

Liang advanced to the quarterfinals 7-2 over Warnock, and was met by Daniel, who'd eliminated Figueroa 6-2. In what would prove to be his final loss-side win, Liang defeated Daniel 9-7. 

 

Liang put up a strong, double hill fight in the semifinals that followed, but Dufresne prevailed for a second shot at Kelly. Dufresne took the opening rack of the finals, before he and Kelly traded racks to a 3-3 tie. Kelly, at that point, chalked up three straight racks to reach the hill, and though Dufresne would win rack #10, Kelly closed out his first Tri-State win with a deciding victory in rack #11.

 

Tour representatives thanked Manny Stamatakis and his staff at Steinway Billiards, 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, May 15, will be hosted by BQE Billiards in Jackson Heights (Queens), NY.

Mike Figueroa and John Shatell let their only meeting stand as the result of the March 13 stop on the Tri-State Tour. Figueroa won their hot seat match, and together, they opted out of playing a final, splitting the top two prizes. The $1,000-added event drew 26 entrants to Rockaway Billiards in Rockaway, NJ.

 

Prior to their hot seat match, Figueroa had sent Sal Rinchiuso to the loss side 6-2. Shatell had done likewise to Jerry Ritzer 7-6. Figueroa claimed the hot seat with what proved to be his final victory 8-7.

 

On the loss side, Rinchiuso picked up Bob Toomey, who'd shut out Rick Nowicki and defeatEd Martin Carducci 6-2 to reach him. Ritzer drew William Donofrio, who'd eliminated Steve Kaminow 7-5 and survived a double hill match against Fred Garcia.

 

Ritzer advanced to the quarterfinals 7-4 over Donofrio, and was joined by Rinchiuso, who'd defeated Toomey, double hill. Ritzer earned himself a re-match against Shatell with an 8-4 win in those quarterfinals.

 

Shatell and Ritzer repeated the scores and result of their winners' side semifinal match, with Shatell advancing to the finals for his second shot against Figueroa. They opted out of that final match, awarding Figueroa the official event victory.

 

Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff at Rockaway Billiards, as well as sponsors John Bender Cues, Sterling-Gaming, Ozone Billiards, Qpod Cues, Kamui Tips, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, and Human Kinetics  

Stephen Dempsey entered the Predator Tour's season finale in second place among the tour's A+-ranked players, just behind Tony Liang. When it was over, following a five-match, loss-side winning streak and a victory in the finals over Manny Stamatakis, Dempsey moved into the #1, A+ slot in the tour rankings. The $5,500-added season finale for the tour, held on the weekend of December 12-13, drew 80 entrants to Raxx Billiards in West Hempstead, NY. A $1,500-added Open/Pro event (separate story) drew 24 entrants, and was still ongoing as this report was filed.

 

Dempsey's trip on the winners' side of the Amateur bracket came to an end during the winners' side quarterfinals, at the hands of Rhys Chen, who advanced to a winners' side semifinal versus Manny Stamatakis, owner of Steinway Billiards. Todd Trent, in the meantime, squared off against Mike Figueroa. Two double hill matches advanced Stamatakis and Trent to the hot seat match, where Stamatakis prevailed 7-3 to sit in the hot seat. 

 

On the loss side, Dempsey downed Ron Mason 8-5 and Scott Murphy 8-6, earning a re-match versus Chen. Figueroa drew Bob Toomey, who entered the tournament in second place among the tour's C players, and had defeated Luis Jimenez 7-4 and Judd Parker, double hill, to face Figueroa. Dempsey and Toomey advanced to the quarterfinals; Dempsey successfully wreaking his vengeance on Chen, and Toomey, downing Figueroa, both 7-3.

 

Dempsey took the quarterfinal match 11-7 over Toomey, whose finish in fourth place advanced him into first place among the tour's C players. Dempsey moved on and picked up a forfeit win over Trent in the semifinals. Dempsey completed the event win, with a 9-6 victory over Stamatakis in the finals.

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. 

 

On the weekend of November 28-29, warming up for the Predator Tour's season finale, a $7,000-added event, scheduled for December 12-13 at Raxx Billiards in West Hempstead, NY, Earl Strickland and Steve Dempsey went undefeated through their respective Open/Pro and Amateur fields. The $500-added Open/Pro event drew 10 entrants to Steinway Billiards in Astoria, Queens, NY. The Amateur event drew 58 to the same location.

 

Strickland's path to the winners' circle went through Lee Kang twice; once in the hot seat match and again, in the finals. Strickland had sent Zion Zvi (the tour's top-ranked Pro class player) to the loss side 7-5, as Kang sent Sean Morgan over 7-4. Strickland gave up a single rack in the battle for the hot seat, and waited on Kang's return.

 

On the loss side, Zvi drew Ron Mason, who'd picked up a loss-side bye and defeated Ryan Boursse 7-4. Morgan drew the tour's top-ranked Open class player, Jorge Rodriguez, who'd defeated tour director Tony Robles 7-1 and Mike Wong 7-5.  Zvi downed Mason 7-2, as Rodriguez was eliminating Morgan 7-4.

 

Rodriguez took the quarterfinal match 7-5 over Zvi, and was then eliminated 7-4 by Kang. In their second of two, Strickland claimed the Open/Pro title over Kang 7-4.

 

In the Amateur event, Steve Dempsey faced separate opponents in the hot seat match and finals; Ramilo Tanglao in the former, Juan Guzman (whom he'd sent to the loss side) in the latter. Dempsey sent Raphael DaBreo to the loss side 7-2 in a winners' side semifinal, as Tanglao sent Paul Wilkens over, double hill. Dempsey claimed the hot seat 9-6 and waited on Guzman's return. 

 

On the loss side, Guzman got by Tony Liang and Shawn Sookhai, both 7-5, to pick up DaBreo. Wilkens drew Mike Figueroa, who'd eliminated Lukas Srancasso-Verner 7-5 and Erick Carrasco 7-4. Guzman downed DaBreo 7-2, and in the quarterfinals, faced Wilkens, who'd defeated Figueroa 7-5. 

 

Guzman won two straight double hill matches for a shot at Dempsey in the hot seat. he got by Wilkens in the quarterfinals, and Tanglao in the semifinals. Dempsey, though, shut Guzman down in the finals, allowing him only a single rack to claim the event title.

 

Henry Hernandez won five matches on the loss side to meet and defeat Amy Yu in the finals of the Amateur event on the September 26-27 stop on the Predator Tour. Sean "Alaska" Morgan, in the meantime, went undefeated through a short Open/Pro field at the same dual event. The $2,000-added Amateur event drew 52 entrants to Gotham City Billiards in Brooklyn, NY. The $1,000-added Open/Pro event drew nine entrants.

 

Hernandez advanced to a winners' side quarterfinal, before being sent to the loss side by Steve Astashen 7-3. Astashen moved on to meet Shawn Sookhai, as Amy Yu met up with Omar Chavez in the other winners' side semifinal. Double hill wins for Yu and Astashen set them up for the hot seat match, won by Yu 9-7.

 

On the loss side, Hernandez began his journey back to the finals with a 7-5 win over Annie Flores, and followed that with a 7-4 victory over Koka Davladze. This set him up to meet Sookhai. Chavez drew Xavier Romero, who'd gotten by Diana Rojas and Mike Figueroa, both 7-4. Hernandez and Romero handed Sookhai and Chavez their second straight loss; 7-4, Hernandez over Sookhai and 7-1, Romero over Chavez.

 

Hernandez survived a double hill quarterfinal versus Romero, and then, avenged his earlier loss to Astashen with a 7-4 win against him in the semifinals. Hernandez downed Amy Yu in the finals 11-7 to claim the Amateur title.

 

Three wins put Sean "Alaska" Morgan into the Open/Pro hot seat. He defeated Jorge Rodriguez 7-5 to get into the hot seat match against Lee Kang, who'd defeated Brian Yi 7-1. Morgan claimed the hot seat 7-2.

 

On the loss side, Hunter Lombardo and Elvis Rodriguez squared off in the only 9-12 match. Lombardo won it 7-2 and then defeated Kevin Guimond 7-3, to draw Yi. Rodriguez picked up Chris Derewonski, who'd eliminated Tony Robles 7-4. Lombardo squeaked by Yi 7-6, and in the quarterfinals, faced Rodriguez, who'd eliminated Derewonski 7-5. 

 

Rodriguez won the quarterfinal match versus Lombardo 7-2, before having his brief, loss-side streak ended by Kang 7-3 in the semifinals. Morgan completed his undefeated run with a second victory over Kang 9-3.

 

It looked for a while there, near the end, as if Jennifer Lynn-Greibesland was going to go undefeated and claim her first Tri-State Tour title. She got off to a hot 5-0 start in the finals against Fernando Paulino, whom she’d defeated previously in the hot seat match, but Paulino rallied and took the last three games of the match to claim his own first Tri-State title. The $1,000-added event, held on Saturday, August 15, drew 46 entrants to Steinway Billiards in Astoria (Queens), NY.

 

Following wins over Stewart Warnock, Duc Lam (double hill), Kapriel Delimelkonoglu, and Richard Ng (double hill), Paulino squared off against Alex Osipov in a winners’ side semifinal. Lynn-Greibesland, in the meantime, faced Nevine Lepovac. Paulino advanced to the hot seat match 7-4 over Osipov, and was joined by Greibesland, who’d sent Lepovac west 6-4. Greibesland grabbed the hot seat 10-7 and waited on Paulino’s return.

 

Osipov and Lepovac moved over and picked up Richard Ng and Gary Serrano, respectively. Ng had survived a double hill fight against Rhys Chen and defeated Thomas Rice 7-5 to draw Osipov. Serrano had eliminated Brian Dorfman 6-3 and Mike Figueroa 6-2 to face Lepovac. 

 

Osipov downed Ng 7-5, as Serrano was busy eliminating Lepovac 6-5. Osipov took the subsequent quarterfinal match over Serrano 8-5 to earn himself a re-match versus Paulino in the semifinals. Paulino defeated him a second time by the same 7-4 score to earn his own re-match against Greibesland.

 

In spite of the wait, Greibesland came out gunning, chalking up five straight to open the finals. Paulino, though, fought right back with five of his own, at which point they battle back and forth, one game at a time to a 7-7 tie. Paulino closed it out with another five-rack run to claim his first Tri-State title.

 

Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff at Steinway Billiards, as well as sponsors Ozone Billiards, Sterling-Gaming, Kamui Tips, Ron Vitello, Phil Capelle, BlueBook Publishing, Human Kinetics, and Bloodworth Ball Cleaners. The next Tri-State event, scheduled for Saturday, August 29-30, will be hosted by Amsterdam Billiards in Manhattan.