Congratulations Rubilen Amit, World 10-Ball Champion

Amit wins World 10-Ball Championship

ABS-CBNnews.com

MANILA, Philippines – Filipina cue artist Rubilen Amit grabbed the Yalin Women’s World 10-Ball Championship title after defeating Britain’s Kelly Fisher, 10-7, at Resorts World Manila on Monday.

The game was tied 7-all when Amit took the last three racks to win the championship.

Fisher led at 3-1 and 6-4, but Amit rallied to lead 7-6 before the game was tied at 7-all.

Amit‘s first-place finish was her second 10-ball title after winning in 2009.

She took home $21,000, while Kelly took home $10,000.

Amit defeated Tsai Pei Chen of Taiwan, 9-7, in the semi-finals to advance, while Fisher dispatched China’s Han Yu, 9-2.

Orcollo, Corteza seize World Cup

PH pool aces best Dutch pair in London

Philippine Daily Inquirer

9:16 pm | Monday, September 23rd, 2013

Returning to the finals of the prestigious World Cup of Pool, Filipino ace Dennis Orcollo made sure there was no heartbreak for him and compatriot Lee Vann Corteza this time.

The Filipino duo gave the country its third World Cup crown in eight editions of the tournament after nipping the Dutch pair of Neils Feijen and Nick Van den Berg, 10-8, in a pulsating championship match on Sunday at York Hall in Bethnal Green, East London.

With the victory, Corteza and Orcollo, who are ranked third and fourth in the world rankings, respectively, duplicated the feat of Filipino legends Efren “Bata” Reyes and Django Bustamante as World Cup champions. Reyes and Bustamante won the Cup twice in 2006 and 2009.

The Filipinos, who defeated, Croatia, Singapore, Hungary and Chinese Taipei on their way to the finals, pocketed $60,000 (about P2.6 million) for winning the title.

“There was a lot of pressure and things became very difficult but the Filipino community in London who supported us throughout really helped us through,” said Orcollo.

“I reached the final of the World Cup in Manila in 2010 but we came up short, so it is fantastic to win here in London,” said Orcollo, who, along with his partner then, Roberto Gomez, dropped a 5-10 decision to China in the finals of the tournament three years ago.

“Representing my country is such a big honor for me and I’m very thankful and proud to have won the World Cup of Pool for the Philippines,” Corteza told the tournament’s official website.

Under the winner-breaks format, the Filipinos started strong, opening up a 2-0 advantage, before the Dutch caught up at 3-3. A three-rack string boosted Orcollo and Corteza to a 6-3 lead, before Feijen and Van den Berg rallied to take an 8-7 advantage.

But Feijen missed the black-8 in the 16th rack, giving the Filipinos an open table which they finished off.

On the hill, Corteza buried a long shot on the 8-ball to the corner pocket, after a Van den Berg miss on the pink-4. Orcollo, who broke dry in the 18th rack, sealed the victory by calmly sinking the 9-ball. Cedelf P. Tupas

Lifted without permission from Phil Daily Inquirer

Orcullo and Corteza crush Holland; tops World Cup of Pool in London, UK

by Marlon Bernardino

THE tandem of Dennis "Robocop" Orcullo and Lee Vann "The Slayer" Corteza made the country proud anew after winning the 888.com World Cup of Pool 2013 yesterday at the York Hall, in Bethnal Green in London, United Kingdom.

The Filipino duo edged the pair of Niels Feijen and Nick Van Den Berg of the Netherlands, 10-8, in the finals to enroute the coveted title plus the top prize of $60,000.

On the road to the finals, the two Pinoy tumbok king needed to beat Croatia, Singapore, Hungary and Chinese Taipei.

Thus, Orcullo and Corteza became the second Filipino pairing to win this prestigious title. Filipino legandary pool masters Efren "Bata" Reyes and Francisco "Django" Bustamante won the inaugural event in 2006 when they crushed Earl Strickland and Rodney Morris of the United States in the final in Newport, Wales. Three years later, Reyes and Bustamante lifted the trophy again in SM North EDSA in Quezon City when they beat Thorsten Hohmann and Ralf Souquet of Germany in the final match.

“The fans here were why we won. There was a lot of pressure and things became very difficult but the Filipino community in London who supported us throughout really helped us through." said Orcullo to the organizing committee Matchroom Sport.

“I reached the final of the World Cup in Manila in 2010 but we came up short so it is fantastic to win here in London. I would love it for me and Lee Vann to defend the World Cup in the Philippines next year as it would be a dream come true to win it again in our home country,” he added.

 Corteza added “You have to thank those Philippines supporters who helped us through. Representing my country is such a big honour for me and I’m very thankful and proud to have won the World Cup of Pool for the Philippines.”

 The Filipino took a 2-0 commanding lead in the race to ten racks, winner' break format but was tied at 6th racks with 3-all count. The Philippines moved 7-3 until the Dutch level the count at 7-all.

The Dutch took the next and looked set to move to the hill but Van den Berg made it tougher than it needed to be, going from the 7 to 8 and Feijen missed a pressure pot that probably should have gone in.

 Instead of 9-7 it was 8-8 and the tension was palpable. A great break eased the nerves for the Filipinos and they ran out to reach the hill against the odds.

 Orcollo was breaking for the match but nothing went down. Feijen shot the 1 ball home and with an open layout, it looked as though it was going to a decider. Van den Berg though twitched on the pink 4 to seemingly gift the rack and the match but some poor positional play from both Filipinos made every shot a heart-stopper. The big one was the long 8 ball and somehow Corteza managed to make it and when his partner downed the final 9 it sealed a superb win.

 Van den Berg was willing to take the positives from the week; “We have never reached further than a quarter-final at the World Cup. There are some very difficult opponents in the tournament and we played really good pool all week. It is too bad we didn’t snap it up but if I can sign for second place every time we play I will do it”

 Feijen added, “We showed a lot of heart as we were down 7-3 and missed some difficult shots. At 8-7 I missed the 8 ball and unfortunately in the last game it was the 4 ball but you win together and lose together. It was pretty close but they’re great players and play great as a team.”

World Cup of Pool in London, UK: Philippines versus Hungary

by Marlon Bernardino

Quarter-finals match-up:

Finland vs England B

Holland vs Japan

 Hungary vs Philippines

Chinese Taipei vs England A

THE Philippines and Hungary face off in a quarter-final matchup to determine who takes one of four spot heading into the semi-final round of the 888.com World Cup of Pool 2013 being held at the York Hall, in Bethnal Green in London, United Kingdom.

Dennis "Robocop" Orcollo and Lee Vann "The Slayer" Corteza carried the fight for the Filipino pool wizards by posting a 7-3 win against Singapore led by Chan Keng Kwan and Aloysius Yapp in the Round of 16 to arranged a quarter-final showdown with Hungary made up by Balazs Mikos and Gabor Solymosi, who brought downed Russia, 7-4, led by Konstantin Stepanov and Ruslan Chinakhov, 7-4.

The Filipinos took a 3-1 to 6-2 commanding lead and never looked back for a 7-3 triumph.

Completing the Final Eight are Finland vs England B, Holland vs Japan, and Chinese Taipei vs England A.

The winning team will receive US$60,000 out of a purse of US$250,000.

London, UK: Orcullo-Corteza rips Croatian duo in World Cup of Pool Opener

by Marlon Bernardino

Manila, Philippines---FILIPINO cue masters Dennis "Robocop" Orcollo and Lee Vann "The Slayer" Corteza opened their bid in a high note in the 888.com World Cup of Pool 2013 being held at the York Hall, in Bethnal Green in London, United Kingdom.

The Filipino duo nipped the tandem of Ivica Putnik and Karlo Dalmatin of Croatia, 7-4, late Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila Time).

The Philippines now meets either Poland or Singapore.

Last year's finalists Poland made up by Karol Skowerski and Woijciech Szewcyk will face Aloysius Yapp and Chang Keng Kwang of Singapore. Poland this time has replace the service of Tomas Kaplan and Radoslaw Babica.

The no.6 seed Philippines took commanding 5-2 lead before Putnik and Dalmatin tallied one rack to close the match at 5-3 count. However, the Philippines reach the hill, 6-3. Croatia  won another rack before the Philippines won the 11th frame for the 7-4 final score.

It shall be recalled that Orcullo and Corteza teaming up for the first time in last year's World Cup of Pool, however was beaten by Switzerland's Dimitri Jungo and Fil-Swiss Ronnie Regli in the first round when the event was held in Robinson's Place Manila.

Last year's champion, Mika Immonen and Petri Makkonen of Finland, also made it to the next round by subduing the pair of Jasmin Ouschan and her brother Albin, 7-2, for Austria. They are the first team of siblings in the competition since Ko Pin Yi and Ko Ping Chung of Chinese Taipei reached the semifinals two years ago.

The winning team will receive US$60,000 out of a purse of US$250,000. 

In other results, Germany beat Malta,  South Korea nipped Estonia and the Netherlands blasted Scotland.

Gabica Settles for 2nd in Doha World 9-ball

By Marlon Bernardino

Filipino bet Antonio “Ga-Ga” Gabica missed a chance to make pool history Friday after losing to eventual champion German ace Thorsten Hohmann, 7-13, in the finals of 2013 World 9-Ball Championship at the Al Arabi Sports Club in Doha, Qatar.

The loss prevented the 41-year-old Gabica from becoming first Cebuano player to reign supreme in the World Pool Championship.

The 34-year-old Hohmann grabbed $36,000 for his effort, while Gabica who hails from Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu didn’t go empty handed with a runner-up purse of $18,000.

With the victory Hohmann now becomes only the second man to win the WPA World 9-ball Championship two times, matching American Earl Strickland, who won pool’s most prestigious crown in 1991 and 2002 according to World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) officer Ted Lerner. Hohmann will now also take over as the World Number 1 ranked player.

Hohmann’s second World 9-ball Championship comes exactly ten years after he burst on to the international scene with a powerful run through a stacked  field in Cardiff, Wales in 2003. 

I’m very lucky to make it to the final because you don’t know what can happen in the future. It’s not easy to get to the final, because there are too many good players.  I’m very lucky.  Maybe next year I don’t know where I’m going to finish. This was my one chance,” a disappointed Gabica told WPA Lerner.

“Thorsten (Hohmann) played very well and he’s very fit.  As he got more of a lead on me, he got more confident. That’s the way it is in pool. But me, I started to feel the pressure,” said Gabica.

“I’m really proud of myself,” Hohmann said. “It means a lot to me. If I had to choose between my first World 9-ball and here, I couldn’t make that decision because winning the first world championship back in Cardiff was incredible and to do it again ten years later, I’m just speechless.”

Gabica, a 2006 Doha Asian Games gold medalist, barged into the finals after beating Karl Boyes of Great Britain, 11-6, while Hohmann walloped Carlo “The Black Tiger” Biado of the Philippines, 11-4, in another semi-final affair.

BIADO, GABICA ENTERS SEMIS IN QATAR WORLD 9-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP

by Marlon Bernardino

FILIPINO cue masters Carlo "The Black Tiger" Biado and Antonio "Gaga" Gabica hurdle their respective rivals to advance in the semi-final round of the 2013 World 9-Ball Championship on Thursday at the Al Arabi Sports Club in Doha, Qatar.

The Rosario, La Union native Biado, playing under the banner of Bugsy International Promotions, defeated Chris Melling of Great Britain, 11-3, in the quarter-finals while the Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu ace Gabica, who has lived and worked in Qatar for the last four years, working as an assistant coach for the Qatari national pool team, edged Nick Van den Berg of the Netherlands, 11-10.

"Malaking factor 'yung suporta na ipinakikita nina Sir Perry at Mam Verna Mariano ng Bugsy International Promotions saka mga mga kababayan ko, sila ang naging ispirasyon ko at s'yempre ang pamilya ko na laging sumusuporta sa akin," said the  29-year-old Biado, former caddie-turned-billiard player.

"Hope pumabor 'yung bola sa atin bukas (ngayon), said Biado, a former National Open champion and semi-finalists in the 2011 World Ten Ball Championship.

On the way to the final four Biado toppled Shane Van Boening of the United States, 11-10, in the Round of 32 and Fabio Petroni of Italy, 11-10, in the Round of 16.

"Gagawin ko ang best ko na manalo muli tayo," commented the 41-year-old Gabica, who is best to remember winning the Gold Medal in the 2006 Doha Asian Games. 

Gabica, on the other hand needed to beat Oliver Ortmann of Germany, 11-8, and Ko Pin Yi of Chinese-Taipei, 11-9, respectively.

The semi-final on Friday will feature the Philippines versus Europe this after Thorsten Hohmann of Germany and Karl Boyes of Great Britain walloped their respective assignments.

Hohmann outclassed Darren Appleton of Great Britain, 11-5, in the Round of 32, Dennis Orcollo of the Philippines, 11-8, in the Round of 16 and Jeffrey de Luna of the Philippines, 11-7, in the Round of 8.

Boyes, meantime routed last year's World 9-Ball Champion Darren Appleton of Great Britain, 11-5, Lo Li Wen of Chinese-Taipei, 11-10 and Nick Ekonomopoulos of Greece, 11-8, in order.

In one semi-final, Gabica will face off against Boyes. In the other semi-final, Biado will do battle with Hohmann. Both semi-final matches will be played simultaneously at the Al Arabi Sports Indoor Stadium beginning at 1:30pm Doha time(GMT +3.) on Friday. The race to 13, alternate break final will begin at 5pm according to World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) officer Ted Lerner.

In other Filipino pool sharks results, Marlon "Marvelous Captain" Manalo was yielded to Petroni, 7-11, Ramil "Bebeng" Gallego bowed to Melling, 7-11, and Israel "Amay" Rota was lost to Lo Li Wen of Chinese-Taipei, 2-11, in the Round of 32, while Lee Vann "The Slayer" Corteza was beaten by Ekonomopoulos, 9-11, in the Round of 16.

The winner of the 2013 World 9-ball Championship receives $36,000. The runner up will pocket $18,000. The total prize fund is $250,000.