Cue Sport Group

Archive for January, 2010

If you’ve been watching billiards or pool game on your television set, you may have seen some magic shots where the balls may seem hypnotized. They amazingly do turns in circles and on some instance, balls are gone in just one fast shot. These are trick shots or sometimes referred to as artistic pool.

Players may also opt to utilize some materials as props to enhance appearance and even complexity. Though you must admit that it is quite entertaining, it would leave the audience with the question on how they did it. If you are a beginner, just focus on the less difficult ones both on the execution of the shot and the set-up. As you gain experience as a player, you will learn the harder ones which might include some ball spins and air jump. So for now, just take things one at a time.

In the olden times, they had “lawn games”. More known to us now as croquet, golf and other games played on vast greens. Louis XI was fond of croquet. Billiards being very similar to the lawn game of croquet; Luis XI had the first known indoor billiard table made. He popularized the game among the nobilities of France. It soon became present in every cafe in Paris. It also became popular to the men in England.

The mace once used to prevent the ball form rolling off, now used for shots under the cushion. The game has evolved. Then the cue was finally developed in the 1800’s.

The game has gained its popularity. Tables and its equipments were built by John Thurston in Europe. From wood and clay, balls were be made from Ivory for the rich.

From Europe, it is now being dominated by a man from the other side of the world. Efren “Bata” Reyes of the Philippines has been known as the one of the all-time greats in the games of nine ball and one-pocket. Would Louis XI have ever thought that the game he loved to play and popularized was going to be conquered by a Filipino?

Once you have an idea of what a trick shot is, you may wonder if that’s all in it. The answer is no because it is a broad interesting game. Let me help you narrow down the categories under it. First is the artistic shot where a number of balls dunk in the pockets at the same time. The set-up of the balls is the vital factor of this kind of shot.

Skill shots belong to the second category where the execution gives more critical element to the play. If players were aiming for this kind of shot, the balls are expected to have some spins upon collision. If you are more inclined to one kind of shot than the other, better give more time to practice the harder ones.

Things will heat up in January 30 to February 7 when Germany plays host to the 2010 World Pool Championship. Sanctioned by the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA), over 50 nations will vie for the much coveted world title which comes with $400,000 purse money and Harley Davidson Lottery.

More than 250 pool pros considered the best from each nation will converge and compete during the tournament in Hanover. Many have already signified their intention to join and participate and these include Ralf Souquet (GER – World Games winner), Mika Immonen (FIN – World-10-Ball Champion) and the complete winning team of the MOSCONI CUP (USA – Johnny Archer, Shane Van Boening, Corey Deuel, Oscar Dominquez).

Teams of four to six players will compete in 8-Ball, 9-Ball and 10-Ball matches to around 4,000 spectators in Exhibition Hall13 with 32 pool-billiard tables set up for said event. TVN Group will cover and broadcast the championship competition over the radio, television and internet. Simultaneously, the biggest Harley Davidson Oldtimer Collection “Myth Harley Davidson” will have an exhibit of 40 world machines showing latest trends and innovations in the world of pool and billiards, making this 9 day event an affair to remember.

Finally, a Filipina brings home the bacon in the 2009 JBETpoker.net Women’s World 10-Ball Championship. Competing in a 5 day play with 48 women pool players from around the world, Rubilen Bingkay Amit emerged triumphant. Being a dark horse and a non-favorite at the start of the competition, her victory is a total surprise and delight to Filipino and world pool enthusiasts.

Pitted against veteran and experienced pool players, Bingkay’s first semi-finals was with Japan’s Akimi Kajitani, one of Asia’s stable top players in women’s world pool and has placed 3^rd in two world championships. It was a tough game for Bingkay but she won over Kajitani 9-6 in order to make it to second world pool Championship finals.

It is sweet victory for the Philippines to have the soft-spoken and petite Rubilen Bingkay Amit competing against Taiwan’s Shin Mei Liu, two time world champion with Amit still looking for her 1^st win. Despite Liu’s taking first blood, Amit fought back and dominated the game to win 10-4 to become the First Women’s World Pool 10-Ball Champion. This proves that in the world of pool and billiards, the Philippines is a force to be reckoned with having Reyes, Bustamante, Pagulayan and Amit.

Make way for the 1^st Women’s World 10-Pool Champion and 1^st Filipina World Champion – Rubilen Bingkay Amit!

Stefano Pelinga has so many skills, but one that is undeniable is his command of artistic pool. He is considered to the master and has worked hard for so many years to perfect his tricks.

Trick Shots was taken to a whole new level when he started doing his Extreme Pool and Billiards discipline. It is said to be the hardest and toughest to learn since it demands precision and an artistic flair. Stefano Pelinga seems to pull it all off with grace to land that perfect shot.