Thirty billiard players gathered, with masks on face and cues in hand, to compete in the 2020 Carom Café Masters Tournament from December 3 to 6, 2020. Harry Peña, who survived Covid-19 earlier in the year, ended up on top, besting a field that included four USBA National Three-Cushion Champions, including the reigning crown holder.
The tournament began on December 3rd with the drawing of the five groups. Play commenced and ran through late Sunday afternoon. John Park of Houston won Group A with a 5-0 record. Hugo Patiño, a multiple-time USBA national champion, finished second with a 3-2 record. Group B proved to the be the surprise of the tournament, with Won Sik Kang finishing first, undefeated. Reigning USBA national champion Tae Kyu Lee finished second. Miguel Torres, a two-time USBA national champion, prevailed in Group C. Harry Peña finished second, losing to Torres 25-23. Carlos Mario Villegas proved the best in Group D with Tyler Ma, a young player form Houston, the runner up. Former national champion Sonny Cho won Group E with a 4-1 record, losing to Eric Kwon, 25-24, who finished second. The top two from each group advanced to the final round robin along with two third-place finishers George Karam from Group B and Sang Jin Lee from Group E.
The twelve players were then placed in two groups of six. Tae Kyu Lee found his championship form, winning Finals Group A with a 4-1 record. Sonny Cho finished second. Eventual champion Peña had a perfect 5-0 record in Finals Group B. Sang Jin Lee placed second. The first and second place winners from the finals group advanced to the four man knock-out round.
Ira Lee, Harry Pena, Tae Kyu Lee and Carom Cafe Owner Michael Kang
Peña continued his dominance in the semi-final round, crushing Sonny Cho by the score of 40 to 15. In the other semi-final Tae Kyu Lee outlasted Sang Jin Lee, 40 to 31. In the finals, Peña, the charismatic Colombian dazzled. He rushed to a 9-1 lead, playing fast and with confidence. He added a run of 10 and raced to the finish, doubling up Lee, 40 to 20, in 25 innings to capture the crown and the $2500 first-place prize. Sang Jin Lee took third, defeating Sonny Cho 40 to 17.
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In a touching tribute before the start of play, Michael Kang, the owner of Carom Café, and the other players held a moment of silence for Jim Watson, who died suddenly in September. Watson, seen below (2nd from right) in a picture from days gone by, was a local player of both pocket and carom games and is remembered by all as a gentleman and sportsman.
With his victory, Harry Pena’s 2020 ended on a happy note. Earlier in the year, he had to be evacuated from Carom Café via ambulance after he felt ill. He was later diagnosed with Covid-19. His play is proof of his full recovery, and the billiards world looks forward to post-Covid-19 tournaments in 2021.
Malden Massachusetts is home to what professionals are calling the most exclusive Billiard Club in the country – A'Mazin Billiards.
A'Mazin Billiards is a members-only billiard club tailored for the professional player and features elite equipment such as Breton 2001 carom tables, Breton pool tables, Brunswick Gold Crown pool tables and Tiger Cues.
It started with a dream shared by a local entrepreneur and a legendary billiard player – to take the sport of carom and pool in the United States out of the bar and into a space reserved for the professional player. To Kevin VanStry and Mazin Shooni, A'Mazin Billiards is all about the sport.
“The professional pool and billiard player in the United States needed a place to play where the equipment was top-notch and distractions were kept to a minimum,” commented Mazin Shooni. “So we gave them the best – the Bretons, the Gold Crowns – and we keep them in perfect playing condition.”
The atmosphere and equipment has not only attracted local league play, but some of the top contenders in the country. Members get free lessons from Mazin Shooni, known as the Amazing Mazin for his awe-inspiring performance at the 3-cushion tables, including 95 tournament wins. Three-cushion champions such as Mazin, Sonny Cho, Hugo Patino, Miguel Torres and renowned Carom Café Owner Michael Kang have battled it out on the Bretons. Famous artistic legends Mike Massey and Tom Rossman (Dr. Cue) have entertained members with exhibitions.
A'Mazin Billiards is a full-service club. Breton pool and billiard tables are available for sale from the club, which also features mechanics to install the equipment. Tiger cues and equipment, and pool/billiard accessories are also sold. A’Mazin Billiards mechanics also offer cue repair.
The American CueSports Alliance (ACS) conducted its most successful national championships to date with a record $36,500 in added prize monies drawing players from throughout North America to twenty-three divisions of competition at the 2012 Lucasi Hybrid ACS National Championships in Las Vegas. Over 90% of attendees chose the host hotel, the Tropicana Las Vegas, for lodging – primarily attracted by early-bird hotel rates and discounted entry fees. The Tropicana Las Vegas is near the center of the action on the Las Vegas strip, and the dates – May 5-11 – and the gorgeous setting of this renovated property have quickly won over the players as a great site for pool action! The biggest highlight of these Championships was San Antonio TX capturing four of the nine team titles up for grabs!
Singles action began at the first of the week with handicapped 9-ball. Dustin Gunia of Omaha, NE, improved on his 4th place performance in 2011 by outperforming fellow Nebraskan – Chris Siefken (Lincoln, NE) – in the finals for the title by a 10-4 margin. On the distaff side, Susan Orr (Las Vegas, NV) took two sets in the final against Richmond, Kentucky’s Samantha Patton (2-5, 5-2) to earn her crown! Results from the many divisions of 8-ball singles included: Dustin Gunia performing a rare double by outpointing Glenn Atwell (Clay Center, KS) 7-4 in the finals of Men’s Advanced Singles 8-Ball; Jessica Frideres (Fort Dodge, IA) adding to her growing list of ACS Nationals titles with a come-from-behind, two-set finals decision over undefeated Kawania Watson (San Antonio, TX) in the Women’s Advanced 8-Ball Singles – 7-3/7-4; Richard Louapre (Jersey City, NJ) double-dipping undefeated Robert Nelson (Sycamore, IL) 5-4/5-3 for the Men’s Open 8-Ball Singles championship; Susan Orr scoring another title with a 4-2 finals defeat of Mandy Schneider-Hood (Houston, TX) for the Women’s Open 8-Ball Singles laurels; undefeated Joey Glover (Virginia Beach, VA) outdistancing David Field (Calgary, AB) in the first set of the finals – 5-3 – for the Men’s Standard 8-Ball Singles division success; and Bernadine Crowchild (Calgary, AB) besting Arlene David (Virginia Beach, VA) by a 4-1 margin for the Women’s Standard 8-Ball Singles glory.
In the senior-aged 8-ball singles divisions, Dennis Brown (Creston, BC) took down Claude Gragg III (Arlington, TX) in the deciding set of the finals, 5-3, for the Men’s Senior (55+) 8-Ball Singles crown; Shawn Modelo (Antioch, CA) captured her third straight Women’s Senior (50+) 8-Ball Singles title by clipping Susan Kornerly (Two Rivers, WI) 4-3 in the finals; and Keith Parker (Henderson, NV) needed only one finals set to take the Super Senior (65+) Singles 8-Ball Singles title from Charles Smith (Whitesboro, TX) by a 5-2 margin!
The two Scotch Doubles 8-Ball divisions included the powerhouse duo of Dustin Gunia and Jessica Frideres (each winners of their respective Advanced Singles 8-Ball divisions) defending their 2011 title in the Advanced Scotch Doubles division with a narrow 7-6 finals win over Susan Orr/Ricky White (Las Vegas, NV); while the Canadian team of Anne Sinclair/ Michael Therrien (ON) needed just one set as well to claim 4-2 victory over Grand Junction, Colorado’s Sandra Walsh and David Miles in the Open Scotch Doubles category.
With the ACS schedule in the latter portion of the week allowing non-conflicting accommodation of entry into both 9-ball and 8-ball team competitions, there was still plenty of competition to keep every player involved – especially those out of the money who automatically qualified for free second-chance team divisions! In the Men’s Advanced 8-Ball Team division, Dick’s Pick [Greg Kuhl, Donnie Branson, Rocky Phipps, Fred Boggs, Lyn Wechsler and Jimmy Moore] (Las Vegas, NV) defended its 2011 title by eclipsing Virginia’s Brass Bell 13-8 in the title match. The Women’s Advanced 8-Ball Team division showcased Knaw Kaw Min [Becky Mowdy, Brandy Phillips, Judy Griffith, Sherry Griffin and Jan Aust] (WA) battling to a final’s win over Ontario’s Eenie Meenie Miney Moe. At this point, Team Mireles from San Antonio, TX started collecting titles. In the Men’s Open 8-Ball Team competition, undefeated Team Mireles [Frank Ferrer, Shane Manaole, Pat Powers, Jacob Jimenez, Rick Robles, Gerard Jimenez, Lupe Sanchez and Eric Aicinena] outdistanced New York’s Foreign Policy 13-9 in the title match. The Women’s Open 8-Ball Team division showcased the Virginia team of Footers Femme Fatale [Alena Joyce, Tiffiny Ebner, Diana Wirt and Marcia Schomburg] recovering from big deficits in two sets of the finals (2-7/4-7) to claim the top prize by 10-8/10-7 scores over Iowa’s No Balls Just Racks.
The Men’s Standard 8-Ball Team division witnessed a similar rebound for eventual winner, The Tribe (BC) [Tyler Chan, Doug Narcisse, Charles Narcisse, Adam Beeds and Bill Armstrong]. In the first match of the tournament, The Tribe faced Las Vegas’s Dick’ Pick and trailed 8-12 before recovering for a 13-12 win. Dick’s Pick was not deterred and marched through the B-side of the bracket for another shot at The Tribe in the finals. Again, The Tribe was down again at 9-12, but won the last four games for the Championship by another 13-12 margin! In the Women’s Standard 8-Ball Team division, Virginia’s Inland Reef 1 [Michelle Carawan, Tavonia Millender, Beverly Michelle Carawan, Teresa Price, Jennifer O’Brien and Ashley Hoover] took the undefeated route to the finals and repelled El Paso’s Twinz by a 10-7 margin for the crown.
The 3-person 9-ball team divisions were swept by San Antonio TX! Once-defeated Team Mireles Too [Rick Robles, Shane Manaole, Pat Powers and Gerard Jimenez] took down Las Vegas’s Ray’s Babys in two sets by 19-17/19-11 margins for the Men’s Advanced 9-Ball Team title. Another San Antonio team, Vito’s Ladies [Mary Ida Gamez, Elizabeth Blancas, Kawania Watson and Sophie Lopez], captured the Women’s Open 9-Ball Team laurels with a 10-8 victory over Eenie Meenie Miney Moe [ON]. In the Men’s Open 9-Ball Team category, Team Mireles [Frank Ferrer Jr., Jacob Jimenez, Lupe Sanchez and Eric Aicinena] struck again with a 19-13 finals decision over New York’s Foreign Policy (victims in the MOT8 finals as well!).
In the 8th Annual ACS National Artistic Pool Championships, Connie Eddins of Santee CA. edged out the boys for the title. ACS would like to especially thank our title sponsor – Lucasi Hybrid Cues, as well as Gary Benson and his tournament direction staff at High Country Promotions, as well as the exhibiting vendors and the host site – the Tropicana Las Vegas! The ACS Nationals is already looking to returning to the Tropicana May 11-17, 2013! The ACS is a national non-profit, member-governed association which will sanction any local pool league (whether player-run or owner-operated) via a $10 annual sanction fee. Contact the ACS at 1-888-662-1705 or www.americancuesports.org for complete information on sanctioning your league!
The ACS currently sanctions leagues in 38 states and enjoys reciprocal relations with its sister organization in Canada (Canadian Cue Sport Association – CCS). Twelve state associations are affiliated to ACS; and the ACS offers a Lucasi Hybrid Midwest ACS Championships each January at the Riverside Resort & Casino in Iowa. The ACS produces a national amateur Lucasi Hybrid All American Tour each Fall thru Spring and offers certification for both instructors and referees dedicated to the sport.