Last year at the 8th Annual New England Pool & Billiard Hall of Fame Open 9-Ball tournament, Joe Dupuis advanced to the hot seat, only to be double-dipped by Zion Zvi in the finals. This year, Dupuis opted for the loss-side route at the 9th annual event and achieved better results. Sent to the loss side by the man he’d later (much later) face in the finals, Tim Perry, Dupuis won seven on the loss side to earn the re-match, win both sets of the double elimination final and claim the title he’d last won in 2014. The $2,500-added event drew 48 entrants to its regular venue, Snooker’s in Providence, RI.

 

Dupuis and Perry met first in the third round of play. They locked up in a double hill fight, that eventually sent Dupuis to the loss side. Perry advanced to a winners’ side quarterfinal against Ivaylo Petrov, which he won 9-6, moving him into a winners’ side semifinal against the Joss NE Tour’s current #4-ranked player, Bruce Nagle. Kyle Pepin and Jason Michas, in the meantime, squared off in the other winners’ side semifinal.

 

Perry downed Nagle 9-4, and in the hot seat match, faced Michas, who’d sent Pepin west 9-5. Perry got into the hot seat 9-5 over Michas, and waited on Dupuis’ return.

 

On the loss side, Dupuis’ trip back to the finals began against the Joss NE 9-Ball Tour’s #1-ranked player, and all-around tough draw, Jeremy Sossei. Sossei had been awarded a bye in the event’s opening round, and dropped his first match to Mark Ransom. On the loss side, he’d gotten by Bill Cote and Chuck Sampson before running into Dupuis, who ended his weekend with a 7-5 win. Things didn’t get any easier, either. Mike Minichello put up a double hill fight against Dupuis in the next loss-side round. Dupuis eliminated him and moved into the first money round.

 

Dupuis then defeated Mike Demarco 7-3 and in another double hill battle, Frank Hernandez, to draw Nagle, coming off his defeat in a winners’ side semifinal. Pepin, in the meantime, picked up Petrov, who, after his defeat at the hands of Perry in the winners’ side quarterfinal, had downed Clyde Matta 7-1 and Francisco Cabral 7-5.

 

Pepin advanced to the quarterfinals 7-5 over Petrov and was joined by Dupuis, who’d defeated Nagle 7-2. Dupuis got by Pepin 7-5 and then denied Michas a second shot at Perry in the hot seat with a 7-4 win in the semifinals.

 

Dupuis took the opening set of the double elimination final against Perry 9-6. Racing to 7 in the second set, Dupuis and Perry battled to 6-6, forcing a deciding game. Dupuis won it to claim his second New England Pool & Billiard Hall of Fame title.

 

A $500-added Second Chance event that drew 11 entrants saw another competitor, Mike Minichello, come from deep on the loss side to double dip the hot seat occupant, Mike Pettit. Minichello won four on the loss side, and was denied an opportunity to face the opponent who’d sent him there, Mark Ransom, when Ransom was defeated in the quarterfinals by Kevin Bauccio. Minichello went on to defeat Bauccio in the quarterfinals, Ranulf Tamba in the semifinals, and Mike Pettit, twice, in the finals; 3-1, 3-2.

 

Joss NE 9-Ball Tour director Mike Zuglan thanked Steve Goulding and his Snooker's staff for their hospitality, as well as sponsors Joss Cues, Simonis, Aramith, PoolOnTheNet.com, Heidrich Custom Cues, AZBilliards, Billiards Press, and Turning Stone Resort and Casino. The next stop on the Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for March 10-11, will be the $1,500-added Kevin Ketz Memorial ($500-added to Second Chance event), hosted by Trick Shot Billiards & Sports Club in Clifton Park, NY. Players are reminded that the following week’s event (March 17-18), originally scheduled to be hosted by King Smiley, will now be held at Hippo’s House of Billiards, in Yorkville, NY.

David Ty has recorded two payout finishes on the New England 9-Ball Series tour. His first, two weeks ago (September 9-10), came during the Tour Championships, when he finished in the tie for fifth place. On Sunday, September 24, he graduated from that to his first win, going undefeated in the tour’s 2017-2018 season opener. The event drew 39 entrants to Crow’s Nest in Plaistow, NH.

 

Designated as a C+ player, Ty advanced through the field to a winners’ side semifinal against Justin Braley (D+), while Rick Gatta (B) faced Geoff James (B+) in the other semifinal. Ty gave up only one rack over the next two matches, which put him into the hot seat. He downed Braley 6-1, while Gatta was busy sending James To the loss side 5-2. He then shut Gatta out (5-0) to claim the hot seat.

 

On the loss side, James picked up Bobby Hooker, who’d defeated Mourad Idras 5-2, and A+ Tim Perry (racing to 9) 5-4 to reach him. Braley drew Bill Philips, who’d eliminated Ron Ricard and Shane Perron, both 5-1.

 

Philips shut Braley out, and in the quarterfinals, faced James, who’d survived a double hill fight against Hooker. James then eliminated Philips 8-2, to earn himself a re-match against Gatta in the semifinals. James won that re-match 6-2, for a shot at Ty in the hot seat.

 

As a C+ player, Ty started the final match against James with two on the wire in a race to 7. He gave up only two to James and chalked up his first win NE 9-Ball Series win 5-2.

 

Tour representatives thanked the ownership and staff at Crow’s Nest for their continuing hospitality, as well as sponsors Ozone Billiards, Molinari, Bert Kinister, AzBilliards, Inside English, Professor Q-ball’s National Pool and 3 Cushion News, Delta 13 Racks, Bob Campbell. Championship Cloth and OTLVISE Billiard Mechanics of America.

 

The next stop on the New England 9-Ball Series Tour, scheduled for Saturday, September 30, will be a $500-added, 8-ball event, hosted by Buster’s Billiards in Sommersworth, NH.

A double hill hot seat match sent Quoc Dinh to the semifinals of the 3rd Annual Eastern States Amateur Championships, held on the weekend of August 13-14. Dinh returned to face and eventually defeat Troy Deocharran in the finals. The $1,000-added Amateur event, held under the auspices of the Predator Tour, The Ride the 9 Tour and the New England 9-Ball Series, drew 76 entrants to Snookers, in Providence, RI. A concurrently-run Open/Pro event, won by Jayson Shaw (separate story), drew 31 entrants to the same location.

 

Deocharran and Dinh had a relatively easy time in their respective winners' side semifinal matches; Deocharran sending John Francisco to the loss side 7-2, as Dinh was sending Tim Perry over, 7-3. Their first meeting was a double hill affair, eventually won by Deocharran, who sat in the hot seat awaiting Dinh's fateful return.

 

On the loss side, Francisco picked up Tim Strunk, who'd been sent to the loss side by Mike Demarco, and was in the midst of a six-match, loss-side run that would take him all the way to the semifinals. Wins #3 and #4 came against Dan Martis (7-4) and Roarke Dickson (double hill), which set Strunk up to face Francisco. Perry drew John Ortiz, who'd eliminated Richard Senna 7-4 and Dan Faraguna 7-3.

 

Strunk chalked up a second straight double hill win, advancing to the quarterfinals over Francisco. He was joined by Perry, who'd eliminated Ortiz 7-4. Strunk won his last match, defeating Perry 9-4 in those quarterfinals.

 

Dinh stopped Strunk's loss-side run 9-4 in the semifinals, for a second shot against Deocharran in the hot seat. Dinh used some semifinal momentum to defeat Deocharran in the finals 9-5. 

 

Corr is among inductees to Hall of Fame

 

It was almost a storybook ending. The Joss Northeast 9-Ball's 6th Annual New England Pool & Billiards Hall of Fame/Ray Desell Memorial 9-Ball Open, held on the weekend of February 27-March 1, included, on Friday, the induction of nine candidates into the New England Hall of Fame. Among them were Karen Corr, who made it to the semifinals of the $2,500-added 9-ball event that drew 88 entrants to Snookers in Providence, RI. She was defeated in those semifinals by Mike Dechaine,  who won five on the loss side to meet and twice defeat hot seat occupant, Jorge Rodriguez, and reclaim the title he'd last won in 2013. It was Dechaine's third win on the tour, dating back to October.

 

Dechaine's victory carried echoes of the 5th annual event, in which Joey Dupuis came from the loss side and defeated Dechaine in the finals. This time, it was Dechaine on the loss side, after a 9-6 loss to Nelson Oliveira in a winners' side quarterfinal. Oliveira advanced to meet Corr, while Rodriguez and Jeremy Sossei, looking for his third Joss win of the 2014-2015 season, met in the other winners' side semifinal.

 

Rodriguez and Sossei battled to double hill before Rodriguez prevailed for a spot in the hot seat match. He was joined by Corr, who'd dispatched Oliveira 9-6. Rodriguez sent Corr to the semifinals 9-3 and waited in the hot seat for Dechaine.

 

Over on the loss side, Dechaine was at work. He defeated Pete Bowman and Cleiton Rocha 9-6 to draw Sossei; they'd met last in the finals of the Ocean State 9-Ball Championship in November. Oliveira picked up Ryan Lineham, who'd gotten by Mark Creamer 9-5 and Paul Dryden 9-7.

 

Lineham brought Oliveira within a game of double hill, but it was Oliveira advancing to the quarterfinals. Dechaine had somewhat of an easier time against Sossei, defeating him 9-2 for a shot against the man who'd sent him to the loss side. Dechaine chalked up another 9-2 win, dropping Oliveira into fourth place, and turned to face Corr in the semifinals. 

 

Having given up three or less racks during his four loss-side matches, Corr proved to be a little more resilient. She battled Dechaine and chalked up seven, before Dechaine pulled ahead to win it.

 

It was clear from the outset in the double elimination finals that Dechaine was on a mission. While both players exhibited signs of fatigue as Sunday, March 1, turned into Monday, March 2, Dechaine jumped out of the gate and claimed the opening set 9-5. Rodriguez came out just as determined in the second set, taking an early 4-0 lead. Rodriguez would continue to creep forward, but by rack #12, Dechaine had tied things up. He would go on to win the next two and stood on the brink of claiming the title. Rodriguez, though, battled back to tie things, double hill, and then, just as he stood on the brink of claiming the title, he scratched on the final break. Dechaine closed it out around 2 a.m. to claim the 6th Annual New England Pool & Billiard Hall of Fame/Ray Desell Memorial title.

 

A $500-added Second Chance tournament, saw Justin Muller go undefeated, downing Bob Madenjian in the finals. Ed Loring finished in third place, after defeating Phil Davis, who finished fourth. Tim Perry and Clyde Matta tied for fifth place.

 

In addition to Karen Corr, the New England Pool & Billiard Hall of Fame inducted Grace Nakamura, “Upstate Al” Leon, Shayne Cote, Philip Capelle, Steve and Tammy Reynolds, Bart Rivezzi, and Nick Scofield at the ceremonies on Friday evening, February 27. The next stop on the Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour, scheduled for March 28-29, will be the Northeast 9-Ball Open XXVIII, and will be hosted by Golden Cue Billiards in Albany. 

Dan Cintron took down Phil Davis twice to capture the July 14 Open event on the Predator Tour's ninth stop of the season. The $500-added event drew a short field of 13 entrants to Amsterdam Billiards in Manhattan.

 

As Cintron was busy advancing to the hot seat match with a 7-4 victory over tour director Tony Robles, Davis was at work shutting out Mhet Vergara. In their first meeting, Cintron prevailed 7-5 and sat in the hot seat, awaiting their second.

 

Robles moved west to pick up Travis McKinney, who'd defeated Tim Perry and Keith Adamik, both 7-4. Vergara drew Chris Derewonski, who'd gotten by Jerry Tarantola 7-3, and survived a double hill fight against Sean Morgan. McKinney eliminated Robles 7-4, and in the quarterfinals, met up with Vergara, who'd defeated Derewonski 7-3. 

 

McKinney gave up only a single rack to Vergara in the quarterfinals, but was then eliminated by Davis 7-5 in the semifinals. Davis's second chance against Cintron elicited the same result; a 7-5 win for Cintron that gave him the event title.

 

They met first among the winners' side final four, with Pavao sending Speedwell west in their first of two double hill matches. Bill Cote defeated Bill O'Mara double hill, as well, to meet Pavao in the hot seat match. Pavao claimed the hot seat from Cote 5-1 and waited on Speedwell's return.

 

Speedwell moved over and picked up Tim Perry, who'd defeated Ranulf Tamba in a double hill match, and Kerry McAuliffe 5-2. O'Mara drew Choneyi Tenzin, who'd gotten by Charles Matarazzo 8-2 (Matarazzo racing to 4), and Roarke Dickson 6-1. Speedwell embarked on his three-match march back to the finals with a 5-2 win over Perry, as Tenzin was busy shutting out O'Mara.

 

The tour veteran quarterfinal went double hill before Speedwell prevailed to face Bill Cote. Speedwell shut Cote out in the semifinals for a second chance against Pavao. Pavao and Speedwell locked up in their second double hill match, and Pavao prevailed again to claim the event title.

 

Joe Kaulenas went undefeated on the J. Pechauer Ride the 9 Tour stop on Sunday, December 11, and stopped a seven-match, loss-side winning streak by Josh Gormley to do it.  The $1,000-added event drew 63 entrants to Rhode Island Billiards Bar & Bistro in Providence, RI. 

From among the winners’  side final four, Kaulenas defeated Paul Torri 3-3 (Torri needing to reach four games), as his eventual hot seat opponent, Roarke Dickson, was sending Ian McKelvey to the loss side 4-1. Kaulenas got into the hot seat on the heels of a second 3-3 victory, with his opponent (Dickson) needing to reach four games.  

Over on the loss-side, Kaulenas’ eventual opponent in the finals, Gormley, was in the midst of his seven-match winning streak. Following his third and fourth win, against Tim Perry and Cleiton Rocha, he squared off against the man who’d sent him to the loss side, McKelvey. Torri drew Dave Gavrish, who, like Gormley, had been sent west by McKelvey, and then defeated Mike Minichello and Rob Piersa. 

Every match from that point through the single set of the finals turned into a double hill battle. Gormley wreaked his vengeance on McKelvey that way, and in the quarterfinals, faced Gavrish, who’d eliminated Torri that way, as well. Gormley took his last hurdle into the finals with his third straight, double hill win. 

Gormley engaged in his fourth double hill battle in the opening set of the finals. His seven-match winning streak ended there, with Kaulenas’ third straight, 3-3 victory to capture the event title. 

Tour director Gloria Magnano thanked Rhode Island Billiards Bar & Bistro owner, Anthony Costanzo, for his hospitality and money-added to the prize pool. Cleiton Rocha was the raffle winner of a J. Pechauer Cue, valued at $500. 

Dale Deroser went undefeated through a field of 42 entrants, on hand for a stop on the Lucasi Hybrid New England 9-Ball Tour on Sunday, November 27. Deroser had to get by Nick Conner twice to capture the $600-added event, which was hosted by Legends Billiards in Portsmouth, NH.

The two met first among the winners’ side final four, with Deroser surviving a double hill match to send Conner to the loss-side. Joining Deroser in the battle for the hot seat was Rick Bowden, who’d also survived a double hill match; his, against Gill Stadig.  Deroser gained the hot seat with a 5-3 victory over Bowden, and waited for Conner’s return.

First up for Conner on the loss-side was Eric Firckey, who’d defeated Tim Perry 6-5 and Kevin Bauccio 6-3. Stadig picked up Eric Bourgeous, who’d defeated Ivo Petrov and Gareth Steele, both 5-3. Conner downed Firckey 6-3, as Stadig took advantage of a handicap to eliminate Bourgeous 4-4. 

Conner prevailed in the quarterfinals that followed by shutting out Stadig 8-0, and then survived a double hill semifinal versus Bowden. His three-match streak on the loss-side came to an end in the finals, where he was defeated by Deroser 4-2.