Orcollo Leads Million Dollar Billiards Tournament

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.