Pool Players Welcome NBL

Sunday, August 17, 2008

The soon-to-be-launched National Billiards League (NBL) has received an overwhelming support from the local pool community, particularly the players who are all excited to begin what they call “the new era of Philippine billiards.”

“We’re all very happy with this development as we know that having this professional league will really lift (Philippine) billiards to new heights, and this will be the start of a new era of Philippine billiards,” said former world champion Alex Pagulayan.

After finding a television partner – Solar Sports – that would broadcast the games for the league’s inaugural season, NBL’s main proponents Philippine billiards godfather Aristeo “Putch” Puyat and fellow managers Perry Mariano and Jonathan Sy are now negotiating with several companies for sponsorship to the teams to be formed.

Last Saturday, they met with the players from the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP) to formally inform them of the development and invite them to join the league. They also introduced the newly-appointed NBL commissioner in businessman Martin Misa.

“We’re formally inviting you to join the NBL, a dream that we all share for a long time, which is now coming into reality,” said Puyat during the gathering attended by the country top cue artists, led by Efren “Bata” Reyes, as well as the sport’s up-and-coming stars.

“NBL will be exclusive for you BMPAP members, who have been with us in our crusade to put out sport in the right direction,” added Puyat.

The NBL is slated to start late this year with eight teams of six players each in the fold.

Meanwhile, the players present in the meeting reiterated their stand of not joining any event “that has anything to do with Mr. Yen Makabenta” and his Raya Sports, including the planned World 10-Ball Championship, until all the issues that caused them to break away from the groups affiliated with him are resolved.

“The main reason why BMPAP bolted away from the groups affiliated with Mr. Makabenta is because of his dual role as chairman of the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP) and President of Raya Sports, which clearly constitutes conflict of interest,” the players said in a statement.

Besides Reyes and Pagulayan, also in the meeting were former double world champion Ronnie Alcano, 2007 World Pool runner-up Roberto Gomez, Warren Kiamco, Rodolfo Luat and Joven Bustamante, among others. Reigning world no.1 Dennis Orcollo and Francisco “Django” Bustamante, who are campaigning in the United States, sent their representatives.

They said that having nothing against BSCP and they are willing to reestablish their ties with the association “if all the issues are resolved.

B3 is practice venue for top cue masters including Dennis Orcollo

Saturday, August 16, 2008

dennis_orcollo_26 NCCC Mall B3 (Billiards, Bowling & Bar) Center will be the practice venue for Efren "Bata" Reyes, Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan, Dennis "Robocop" Orcollo, Ronato "Volcano" Alcano and other seeded players seeing action in the First Senator Manny Villar Cup 9-Ball Open Davao Leg.

Reyes and company will have their practice from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on August 20 at B3 before they wow the Davao fans with spectacular shots during the tournament proper set August 21 to 23 at the Gaisano Mall of Davao Atrium.

Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP) secretary-general Gandy Valle bared this to Sun.Star Davao Monday evening.

"The players would like to practice the night before the tournament opens. NCCC Mall B3 Center is the best and the most qualified venue for the practices. It is air-conditioned and it has standard tables. It also accessible to Dabawenyos who want to see their idols on practice," Valle said.

B3 is also hosting the Villar Cup Sipag at Tiyaga Inter-Barangay category for Davao City residents on August 17 and the qualifying tournament on August 18 and 19 where the top two qualifiers will earn slots to the main draw of the P800,000 open cuefest.

The inter-barangay event offers P10,000 to the champion while the qualifying champion bags the P20,000 top purse. The runner-up pockets P9,000, while the third and fourth placers will each receive P3,000 each.
In the main competition, the champion might take home P300,000 cash or more.

Valle, the Villar Cup Cebu Leg champion, and fellow Davao City player Lee Vann Corteza are also seeded in the main draw along with the champions in the Alabang and Bulacan legs and reigning World Pool Championship runner-up Roberto Gomez, among other must-see cue artists.

Orcollo loses out on $50,000-champs' challenge

Friday, August 15, 2008

Dennis "Robocop" Orcollo, now regarded as the world's No. 1 pool player, lost the chance to bring home the top prize in the finals of the $50,000 winner-take-all “International Challenge of Champions” held August 11-12 at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Orcollo was beaten by China’s Fu Jiann-bu. Perry Mariano, Orcollo's manager, said he talked to his ward after the match. Orcollo told Mariano said it was his break that let him down.

Orcollo’s manager Perry Mariano said that he had spoken to Orcollo after the match and he said it was his break that let him down. Fu and partner Li e-wen are the reigning World Cup of Pool champions.

Mariano, meanwhile, said Orcollo will team up with veteran Francisco “Django” Bustamante in this year’s staging of the World Cup of Pool. He said the duo would be a formidable team.

Bustamante and his bosom buddy Efren “Bata” Reyes won the inaugural staging of the World Cup in 2006 when they beat the US tandem of Earl Strickland and Rodney Morris in the finals, 13-5.

Orcollo on 18th Annual International Challenge of Champions

Thursday, August 14, 2008

dennis_orcollo_20 As most of the world’s attention is riveted to the ultimate international athletic competition going in Beijing, eight of the world’s top competitors in the sport of pocket billiards convened at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT, for the 18th running of the International Challenge of Champions, held August 13-14. Like their “amateur” counterparts half a world away, they are here to compete and represent their countries, but as professionals, they all have their eyes on the $50,000 winner-takes-all first-place prize.

In this made-for-TV pressure cooker of an event, the format is a best of three, race-to-five set 9-ball challenge—a virtual coin-toss by pool match standards—with a single sudden-death game deciding who goes on and who goes home.

The first match of this two-day tournament pitted 2007 world champion Dennis Orcollo of the Philippines against long-time Japanese national champion Satoshi Kawabata. Orcollo cruised to a quick 3-1 lead in the first set before Kawabata found his pace and was able to turn the tables and knot the match at 3 apiece and then move forward to reach the hill. Orcollo took advantage of the alternate-break format and with a smooth run-out gave himself a chance. Tied 4-4, Kawabata looked to take the first set when an inexplicable miss on an easy 6 ball gave Orcollo the set and the advantage. In the second set, both players traded games as they both climbed the hill, but a quick 2-9 combo gave Kawabata the tying set. Orcollo earned the break by winning the deciding lag in the sudden-death tie-breaker and negotiated a tricky table to win the match and be the first to move on.

In the second round of play, American favorite and InsidePOOL Magazine’s 2007 Player of the Year Shane Van Boening faced off against Chinese pro and top ranker Jian-Bo Fu. Van Boening had all of the momentum in the first set, as smooth play and some fortunate breaks allowed him to steamroll to a 5-1 victory. Fu, however, proved he was not to be intimidated by breaking and running the opening game of the second set. Van Boening’s soft break failed him repeatedly, and Fu took the second set and the sudden-death game with solid play.

The 7 o’clock match saw England-born reigning world 9-ball champion Daryl Peach tee off against Jung-Lin Chang (pictured above) of Chinese Taipei, recently the hottest player in all of East Asia. Chang quickly found himself down 3-1, plagued by iffy position and dry breaks. Peach faltered from there, and as he was unable to capitalize on Chang’s mistakes, the match turned and Chang took a 4-3 lead. A scratch on the break by Chang gave Peach life, but after evening the score at 4 he returned the favor … and it cost him the set. In the second set, Peach saw a 3-0 lead slip away and stepped to the table at 3-3 with his break yielding him a roadmap out. Poised to reach the hill and perhaps force a tie-breaker, Peach was literally “running” out but came to an abrupt halt after butchering a straight-in 6, instead giving the edge to Chang, who took the final game and won in two straight sets.

The final match of the day was returning ICOC champion Neils Feijen against Korean ace Seung-Woo Ryu. The nerves were obvious from the get-go for the 22-year-old Korean, and some early missed opportunities allowed “The Terminator” a lead that he refused to relinquish, taking the first set 5-2 and coming from behind to win in consecutive fashion.

Thursday’s semifinal pairings to be filmed on ESPN will be Dennis Orcollo vs. Jung-Lin Chang, while Jian-Bo Fu will match up against Neils Fiejen, with the championship to be decided later in the evening.

‘The Robocop’ promises to rebound

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

After failing to capture the championship trophy in the inaugural Million Dollar 9-ball shoot-out over the weekend at the Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, world No. 1 billiards player Dennis “Robocop” Orcollo vowed to bounce back when he competes in the 18th Annual International Challenge of Champions.

The tournament gets underway on August 13 to 14 at the Mohegan Sun Casino, in Uncasville, Connecticut, USA.

Joining Orcollo (the only Filipino player invited) in the $50,000 winner-take-all Challenge of Champions, widely considered the toughest tournament to win in professional billiards, are defending champion Niels “The Terminator” Feijen of the Netherlands, reigning World 9-ball Champion Daryl Peach of England, 2007 World Cup of Pool Champion Fu Jian Bo of China, 2007 Guinness Grand Finale over-all champion Chang Jung-lin of Taiwan, 2007 All Japan winner Satoshi Kawabata of Japan, 2008 Grand Prix Champion Ryu Seung Woo of Korea, and 2007 US Open 9-Ball ruler Shane “The South Dakota Kid” Van Boening of the host country.

The matches are two sets, race-to-five games each set, with a 1-game sudden death tie-breaker in the event of tied sets.

The 9-ball does not count on the break, and to win a game, the 9-ball is call shot. The caliber of competition is so intense that a single mistake invariably eliminates a player from any chance at the winner-take-all purse of $50,000.

Dennis Orcollo will represents the Philippines on International Challenge of Champions

dennis_orcollo_28 Pocket billiards champions from around the world will go head-to-head in the Eighteenth Annual International Challenge of Champions. The winner-takes-all, $50,000 event will be held August 13-14 at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT.

The Challenge of Champions is widely considered the toughest tournament to win in professional billiards. Once each year eight international champions are brought together in a sudden-death shootout with a pressure-cooker format of winner-take-all for $50,000. The purse is one of the highest paydays in the world, and the winner claims one of the most coveted titles in pool: Champion of Champions.

The 2008 field includes top stars in the sport. Niels Feijen, 2007 winner of the International Challenge of Champions, will defend his crown. Daryl Peach, 2008 WPA World 9-Ball champion, will represent England. Shane Van Boening, 2007 U.S. Open 9-Ball Championc will represent America. Jain Bo Fu, the 2007 World Cup of Pool champion, will represent China.

Dennis Orcollo, winner of the 2007 Enjoy Pool.com Championship, will represent the Philippines. Jung Lin Chang, the 2008 Asia Tour champion, will represent Chinese Taipei. Satoshi Kawabata, 2007 All Japan Open champion, will represent Japan. Seung Woo Ryu, 2008 Grand Prix champion, will represent Korea.

Mohegan Sun Casino, the host site, will make the 2008 event admission free to pool fans from around the USA and the world. The event drew such large crowds last year at Mohegan Sun that it was standing-room-only attendance. There will be four playing sessions in the two-day international tournament. On Wednesday, August 13, the quarterfinal rounds will be played at 3 p.m. and 6 p.m., with two matches in each session. On Thursday, August 14, the two semifinals will be played at 3 p.m., and the final championship match will be played at 6 p.m. The semifinals and the final match will be taped for airing on ESPN in September.

The International Challenge of Champions is regarded as the supreme test of skill in professional billiards. The eight players are so evenly matched that any one player could beat the other seven on a given day. In addition, the tournament format is the most demanding test of 9-ball skill in the sport. The matches are two sets, race to five games each set, with a one-game sudden-death tie-breaker in the event of tied sets. The 9-ball does not count on the break, and to win a game, the 9-ball is call shot. The caliber of competition is so intense that a single mistake invariably eliminates a player from any chance at the winner-takes-all purse of $50,000.

On the final night, one of the players will claim the Champion of Champions crown and a check for $50,000. The trophy and the check will be presented by Mohegan Sun. The tournament is also sponsored by PoolDawg.com, Aramith Pro Billiards Balls, Simonis Cloth, L.E.A.N.I. Slate, AcCue Shot Training Device, Executive Billiards.com, and Silver Cup Chalk.

Orcollo, Bustamante fall in Pennsylvania 9-ball semis

Monday, August 11, 2008

Filipino cue artists Dennis Orcollo and Francisco “Django" Bustamante lost in their respective semifinal assignments and settled for joint third place in The Million Dollar 9-Ball Shootout set Sunday at the Valle Forge Convention Center in Pennsylvania.

World no.1 Orcollo lost in his bid to win a fourth title this year when he dropped a 13-8 decision to Shane Van Boening, while Bustamante fell to Corey Deuel 13-6.

The two Filipinos took home $10,000 (P445,000) each.

Orcollo’s next stop in his fortnight-long US sojourn will be the International Challenge of Champions, a $50,000 (P2.22-million) winner-take-all event featuring eight of the world’s best players.

The tournament is slated August 14 and 15 at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut.

In the Challenge of Champions, Orcollo will pit skills with a roster that includes world no.2 and defending champion Niels Feijen of the Netherlands and reigning world 9-ball king Darryl Peach of England.

Orcollo, Django advance to semis in Pennsylvania 9-bal tiff

Sunday, August 10, 2008

World no.1 Dennis Orcollo of the Philippines won all but one of his first-round matches to advance to the knockout stage of the Million Dollar 9-Ball Shootout held in the weekend at the Valle Forge Convention Center in Pennsylvania.

Orcollo’s 93 won-game total put the Surigao-raised cue artist on top of the 12-man field vying for the $20,000 (P886,000) top prize.

Orcollo opened his campaign by demolishing Evan Broxmeyer 22-3 then followed it up with a 15-10 trouncing of Stevie Moore.

He lost a close 13-12 decision to former world champion Johnny Archer in the third session, but immediately rebounded by beating former US Open titlist Corey Deuel 15-10, countryman Francisco “Django" Bustamante 13-12 and Dennis Hatch 16-9 in that order.

Behind Orcollo were Deuel and Bustamante who finished with 86 wins (out of 150 games) each, while former world 10-ball champion Shane Van Boening rounded up the final four with 83 points.

The semifinal matches pit Orcollo and Van Boening, and Bustamante and Deuel in a race-to-13 affair with the winners moving up to the title showdown.

Orcollo has been on a roll recently, winning the Qatar 9-Ball Open and finishing runner-up in the Guinness 9-Ball Tour Singapore leg

Marlon Manalo of the Philippines narrowly missed the semifinals with 81 won games.

Bustamante lost his first two matches (against Van Boening 15-10 and Manalo 14-11) But the former world no.1 bounced back by annihilating Daryl Peach 18-7 and Archer 16-8 before he bowed to Orcollo.

He closed out the preliminaries with a 19-6 whipping of Tony Chohan.

In Progress: Dennis Orcollo on Challenge of Champions

dennis_orcollo_23 The first round at the 2008 International Challenge of Champions is complete, with two semifinals and final match scheduled for Thursday, Aug. 14.

The event — featuring a winner-take-all prize of $50,000 — is a single-elimination eight-player bracket. Matches are two races-to-5, with a one-game tie-breaker if the players split the sets.

WPA No. 1-ranked Dennis Orcollo faced Satoshi Kawabata of Japan in the first match. Orcollo took the first set, 5-4, but then dropped the next by the same score. The Filipino star was able to regroup, sending Satoshi out of the tournament in sudden-death.

Shane Van Boening, the lone American in the field, then took on Fu Jian-Bo of China. Van Boening looked in complete control, blanking his opponent in the first set, 5-0. But the tide turned against the American, and Fu took the second set and tie-breaker to advance into the semifinals.

Taiwan's Chang Jung-Lin, who has recently dominated the Asian-based Guinness 9-Ball Tour, faced reigning World 9-Ball Champion Daryl Peach in the third quarterfinal. Chang was the first to avoid a sudden-death rack, winning both sets, 5-4 and 5-3.

The final match on Wednesday night featured last year's Challenge champion Niels Feijen matching up with Seung-Woo Ryu of Korea. Feijen was never never in fear of an early exit, as he won both sets, 5-2, to advance.
Thursday's semifinals will feature Orcollo against Chang and Feijen versus Fu.

Orcollo, Bustamante Falter In Million Dollar 9 Ball; Deuel Wins

Filipino hopeful Dennis "Robocop" Orcollo and Francisco "Django" Bustamante missed their chances to earn another championship trophy in the $60,000 total pot  12 player Million Dollar 9-Ball Shootout.

This after the duo (Orcollo and Bustamante) bowed to their respective foes in their final four matches (knockout stage) in the just concluded event held at the Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, USA, yesterday.

The diminutive cuemaster Orcollo, who is looking his fourth major title this year yielded to Shane "The South Dakota Kid" Van Boening, 13-8, in the first semi-finals matches while Bustamante, the pride of Tarlac City succumbed to eventual champion Corey "The Prince" Deuel, 13-6, in the second semi-final matches to moved an all American Finals.
Deuel took the title plus the top purse of $20,000 including Championship Diamond and Gold Bracelet after an empathetic 13-7 win over Van Boening. Van Boening, meanwhile settled for the runner-up prize of $12,000. Losing Semi-Finalists Orcollo and Bustamante received $10,000 each.

Rounding up to the top 12 finishers who received $1,000 each were No.5 Marlon "Marvelous" Manalo, No.6 reigning World 9-Ball Champion Daryl Peach of England, No.7 Dennis "The Hatchet Man" Hatch, No.8 Stevie Moore, No.9 Tony "T-Rex" Chohan, No.10 Johnny "The Scorpion" Archer, No.11 Matt Krah and No.12 Evan "The Running Man" Broxmeyer.

Orcollo, Van Boening Lead Million Dollar Billiards Event

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Dennis Orcollo continues his reign of terror at the Million Dollar 9-Ball Tournament, put on by Allen Hopkins and hosted by the Valley Forge Convention Center. This inaugural event boasts a $20,000 first-place prize and 12 of the world’s finest players vying for top honors in this unusual and innovative event.

Orcollo was leading the pack after the first night’s matches by a margin of 6 games at 37, his closest competitor being Johnny “The Scorpion” Archer with 31—after a total of 50 games played. Now Orcollo leads by 64 games (out of 100 played), with Francisco Bustamante his nearest competition with 56 wins under his belt.

Right behind them are Corey Deuel and Shane Van Boening, both tied at 54 games apiece; however, Van Boening has the advantage, for he has notched a stunning 26 break and run-outs, which will come into play in case of a tie-breaker. As of yet, Van Boening holds the record for the most break and run-outs. Deuel, though, is right behind him with 25, and Dennis Hatch has scored 23 break and run-outs.

Following Deuel and Van Boening in games is Archer with 53, Hatch and Tony Chohan with 52, “Marvelous” Marlon Manalo with 51, Steve Moore with 50, and reigning world champion Daryl Peach with 49. Matt Krah and Evan Broxmeyer are trailing with 40 and 26, respectively.

After Saturday’s two rounds, the field will be reduced to only four players, who will return Sunday to make their play for the $20,000 grand prize. The four highest-scoring players will come back Sunday, and the player with the highest score will play the contestant with the lowest score, while the two remaining will play each other.

Dennis Orcollo Takes Charge In Million Dollar 9-Ball Shoot-Out

Filipino Dennis Orcollo is backing up his world's number 1 ranking after taking the lead in the on-going inaugural Million Dollar 9-ball shoot-out at the Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Dubbed as Robocop in the world of pool, the diminutive cue artist from Bislig, Surigao del Sur native tallyed 64 wins with 21 Break and Runs after four rounds of play. "I hope to perform well in this event (Million Dollar 9-ball shoot out)," Orcollo told this writer in a recent interview before he left the country.

Orcollo, who is seeking his fourth major title this year in this Million Dollar 9-ball shoot out, also the 2008 Japan 9-Ball Open Champion, the 1st QC Open 9-Ball Winner and the first Qatar World 9-Ball Open Champion. Orcollo settled for 3rd place in the 2008 World 8-Ball Open in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates. Orcollo, who is fresh from a runner-up finish in the Guinness 9-ball tour Singapore leg will square off against reigning US Open 9-Ball Champion Shane "The South Dakota Kid" Van Boening of the United States in round 5 in the 12 player's field event.

Van Boening, sponsored by The BCA Pool League, climbed into a solo second place position with 54 wins and 26 Break and Runs, followed by third placer Corey "The Prince" Deuel, also from the host country with 54 wins with 25 Break and Runs.

Former World No.1 and 2002 World 9-Ball Championships runner-up Francisco "Django" Bustamante is in fourth place with 54 wins plus 20 Break and Run followed by fifth placer Johnny "The Scorpion" Archer of the United States with 53 wins with 21 Break and Runs.

Another Filipino entry Marlon "Marvelous" Manalo landed at Number 8 with 51 wins and 16 Break and Runs while reigning World 9-ball champion Daryl Peach of England is at No.10 with 49 wins with 13 Break and Runs.

Other renowned players seeing in action in the event organized by American Allen Hopkins were Number 6 Dennis "The Hatchet Man" Hatch (52 wins with 23 Break and Runs), Number 7 Tony "T-Rex" Chohan (52 wins with 13 Break and Runs), Number 9 Stevie Moore (50 wins with 10 Break and Runs), Number 11 Matt Krah (40 wins with 7 Break and Runs), and Number 12 Evan "The Running Man" Broxmeyer (28 wins with 2 Break and Runs).

At stakes is a total of $60,000 in prize money based on 12 players, with the champion getting the lions share of $20,000. the runner-up will be receiving $12,000 while the 3rd and 4th place finishers get $10,000 each. Fifth to 12th placers won't go home empty-handed with a guaranteed prize of $1,000 each.

The format calls for 12 players playing a unique format. Beginning in Session 1 (Round 1), the players will pair up and play each other 25 games. Not a race to 13, not a race to 25, they will just play 25 games, rotate break. Then, they will re-convene and be paired up based on the Session 1 scores. The top 2 scorers will play each other, 3rd will play 4th, and so on... Then, they will meet and do this again, and again. They will do this Saturday as well. By the end of play Saturday night, all players will have played 150 games each. At this point, the bottom 8 players will be eliminated and the top 4 players will return Sunday to battle it out for the title... Sunday's play will be Single Elimination races to 13.

Orcollo Leads Million Dollar Billiards Tournament

Friday, August 8, 2008

Allen Hopkins’ Million Dollar 9-Ball Tournament kicked off August 7 with a dozen of the world’s greatest players, and after two grueling rounds of play, Dennis Orcollo leads the pack. This four-day event is being held at the Valley Forge Convention Center and boasts a first-place prize of $20,000.

The tournament consists of six rounds of 25-game matches, with a cumulative tally kept. After each round, the draw is refigured so that the players with the two highest scores play each, down to the two lowest scores. After Saturday night, only four players will return for Sunday’s final matches.

In the first round on Thursday, Orcollo led the pack with an enormous lead of 22 games over his opponent, Evan Broxmeyer, who scored 3 games. Close on his heels was Atlanta’s Steve Moore with 19 games to opponent Matt Krah’s 6. Following those two were Johnny Archer and Shane Van Boening, both with 15 games compared to their opponents, Marlon Manalo and Francisco Bustamante, respectively. Corey Deuel ended up a one-game winner over Tony Chohan, as reigning world champion Daryl Peach did the same over Dennis Hatch.

The evening rounds saw Orcollo maintain his lead, heading the pack with 37 total wins after his 15-10 win over Moore. Archer follows close behind with 31, having come out the 15-10 victor over Van Boening. Deuel and Moore are tied at 29 games, and Hatch has 28 to his credit.

Break and run-outs are also being recorded in case a tie-breaker is needed. Deuel is in first place with 14 break and run-outs in the alternate-break format. Bustamante has 11, and Orcollo, Archer, and Hatch each have 10 break and run-outs.

Dennis "Robocop" Orcollo on P800T up for grabs in Villar Cup

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

dennis_orcollo_24 A Guaranteed total cash prize of P800,000 will be up for grabs in the star-studded First Senate President Manny Villar Cup 9-Ball Open Davao leg set August 21 to 23 at the Gaisano Mall of Davao Atrium.

Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP) secretary-general Gandy Valle made the announcement during the Davao Sportswriters Association (DSA) Forum at the Tower Inn.

Valle, who guested with Davao Billiards Association (DBA) president Menlee Migellano, said the office of Senator Villar has yet to send a breakdown of the prizes, although he revealed that the champion will take home not less than P300,000. The runner-up and the next top players will also receive huge prizes.

Valle said they will also hold an inter-barangay competition on August 17 for all-Davao players and a qualifying tournament on August 18 and 19 at the NCCC Mall B3 Center. The qualifying tournament is open for those who want to earn a slot to the main event to be held at the Gaisano Mall.

Migellano said the inter-barangay champion will pocket P10,000 while the qualifying champion will bag P20,000 and book a slot in the Villar Cup Open along with the runner-up who will get P9,000. The qualifying third and fourth placers, meanwhile, will go home with P3,000 each.

Valle, a former Bangkok Asian Games doubles gold medallist, confirmed the participation of pool sharks Efren "Bata" Reyes, current World No. 1 Dennis "Robocop" Orcollo, Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan, reigning World Pool runner-up Roberto Gomez, Davao City's Southeast Asian (SEA) Games back-to-back medallist and New York champion Lee Vann Corteza and former two-time world pool champion Ronato Alcano, among other big names.

"Only Francisco 'Django' Bustamante can't make it to the Davao leg because he has a campaign abroad on the same schedule as our tournament here. The leg champions in Alabang, Cebu and Bulacan will also come and put up a stiff challenge," said Valle, who won the Cebu leg of the prestigious cuefest.

Valle downplayed his chances to winning the Davao leg title citing the huge cast of veterans entered in the knockout, race-to-nine, alternate-break format meet. "I'll just focus on my game," he said.

Villar is the guest speaker in the opening rites on August 21 and he will also be on hand to award the prizes on August 23.

International Challenge Of Champions - Winner-Take-All For $50,000

Niels Feijen will attempt to defend his crown International Challenge Of Champions - Winner-Take-All For $50,000 August 13-14, 2008

Billiards champions from around the world will go head-to-head in the Eighteenth Annual INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS. The winner-take-all $50,000 event will be held August 13-14 at the Mohegan Sun Casino, Uncasville, CT.
The Challenge of Champions is widely considered the toughest tournament to win in professional billiards. Once each year eight international champions are brought together in a sudden-death shootout with a pressure-cooker format of winner-take-all for $50,000. The purse is one of the highest paydays in the world, and the winner claims one of the most coveted titles in pool – Champion of Champions.

The 2008 field includes top stars in the sport.  Niels Feijen, 2007 winner of the INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS, will defend his crown. Daryl Peach 2008 WPA World 9-Ball Champion, will represent England. Shane Van Boening, 2007 U.S. Open 9-Ball Champion, will represent America. Jain Bo Fu, the 2007 World Cup of Pool Champion, will represent China.

Dennis Orcollo, winner of the 2007 EnjoyPool.com Championship, will represent the Philippines. Jung Lin Chang, the 2008 Asia Tour Champion, will represent Chinese Taipei. Satoshi Kawabata, 2007 All Japan Open Champion, will represent Japan. Seung Woo Ryu, 2008 Grand Prix Champion, will represent Korea.

Mohegan Sun Casino, the host site, will make the 2008 event ADMISSION FREE to pool fans from around the USA and the world. The event drew such large crowds last year at Mohegan Sun that it was standing-room-only attendance. There will be four playing sessions in the two-day international tournament. On Wednesday, August 13, the quarterfinal rounds will be played at 3 PM and 6 PM, with two matches in each session. On Thursday, August 14, the two semifinals will be played at 3 PM and the final Championship match will be played at 6 PM. The semifinals and the final match will be taped for airing on ESPN in September.

The INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS is regarded as the supreme test of skill in professional billiards. The eight players are so evenly matched that any one player could beat the other seven on a given day. In addition, the tournament format is the most demanding test of 9-Ball skill in the sport. The matches are two sets, race to five games each set, with a 1-game sudden death tie-breaker in the event of tied sets. The 9-ball does not count on the break, and to win a game, the 9-ball is call shot. The caliber of competition is so intense that a single mistake invariably eliminates a player from any chance at the winner-take-all purse of $50,000.

On the final night, one of the players will claim the Champion of Champions crown and a check for $50,000. The trophy and the check will be presented by  Mohegan Sun. The tournament is also sponsored by PoolDawg.com, Aramith Pro Billiards Balls, Simonis Cloth, L.E.A.N.I. Slate, AcCue Shot Training Device, Executive Billiards.com, and Silver Cup Chalk.

The 2008 tournament will be the Eighteenth Annual event, and has been produced by Billiards International, Ltd. for ESPN in each of the last eighteen years. Those attending should arrive early for each tournament session and must be 21 years of age or more. Make plans today to attend the 2008 INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS. For information call the Mohegan Sun toll free at 1-888-226-7711, Ext. 7163.

Orcollo hopes to keep streak in US

Dennis “The Robocop” Orcollo seeks to continue his winning streak as the reigning world No. 1 mixes it up with the world's best billiards masters at the Million Dollar 9 Ball Shootout which unfurls Wednesday until August 10 at the Valley Forge Convention Center in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Orcollo, a native of Bislig, Surigao del Sur, is coming into the competition after his runner-up finish in the Singapore leg of the Guinness 9-ball tour last week and grand prize win in the inaugural World 9 Ball Open in Qatar last month.

He will be playing under the banner of the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP). He will be joined in the cash-rich tournament by compatriots Francisco “Django” Bustamante and Marlon “Marvelous” Manalo according to a report from the tournament’s official website yesterday.

Other noted players competing in the Million Dollar 9-Ball Shootout are reigning World 9-Ball champion Daryl Peach of England, event promoter Allen Hopkins, Corey Deuel, Shane Van Boening, Johnny Acher, Dennis Hatch, Evan Broxmeyer, Tony Chohan and Steve Moore of the United States.