Fu Finishes First at International Challenge of Champions

Posted by admin as International Challenge of Champions

Fu Finishes First at International Challenge of Champions

by Tom Martin

Jian Bo-Fu defeated Filipino rising billiard star Dennis Orcollo to claim the $50,000 first place prize at the International Challenge of Champions.

Just like his compatriots at home in China, Beijing-native Jian-Bo Fu defeated Philippine billiard phenom Dennis Orcollo in straight sets to take home the $50,000 top prize at the 18th Annual International Challenge of Champions.

The televised portion of this two-day, made-for-TV event began Thursday afternoon, with the first semifinal match featuring Dennis Orcollo facing off against Chinese-Taipei champ Jung-Lin Chang. Chang’s appearances at the table were brief, though, for Orcollo dominated the opening race-to-5 set with solid play that earned him a 5-1 win. Chang, who mimicked Orcollo by switching to the “soft break,” never got it working, and despite several impressive safety battles, down 3-0 in the fourth game a careless miss on a 2 ball sealed his fate as Orcollo cruised virtually unchallenged into the finals.

In the other match to determine the final two, returning ICOC champion Niels Feijen of The Netherlands was the dominate favorite over China’s ace Jian-Bo Fu. Both Fate and Fu did not agree, however, and after trading games and being tied 2-2 in the opening set, a series of push-outs and safety battles ensued. Several rolls went Fu’s way, leading in turn to several unforced errors by Feijen, who never won a game from there and gave up the set 5-2. The second set was no different, with neither player coming up with a shot after the break and Fu seeming to somehow come out on top. At 4-0 down, Feijen finally got on the scoreboard after Fu’s cue ball found the corner on a long, difficult safety attempt. Fu, a “ginsu” when it comes to slicing the balls, tried and missed a tough cut down the rail on the 1 in the sixth game, giving Feijen the game and a sliver of hope. A dry break for Feijen stopped him in his tracks, however, and similar to most games prior, Fu was able to just edge him out in the ensuing safety exchange.

As Orcollo and Fu squared off in the finals, Fu won the lag but Orcollo took advantage of a dry break and scored first blood, going up 1-0. Fu broke serve and tied the match at 1-1, then a rattled 2 ball started off a chain reaction of errors by Orcollo that ended in a lopsided 5-1 first-set win for Fu.

Orcollo seemed to recover in the start of the final set, with a nice two-way shot helping him hold serve in the first game, and Fu’s foul by touching an object ball on a massé in the second gave him a 2-0 advantage. A scratch in the third game and a solid break and run-out by Fu in the fourth put things back to even, and from there Fu took his game to another level, while Orcollo’s determination seemed to desert him along with his break. Fu emerged the winner by a 5-2 margin, and for the first time in two days the unflappable Asian actually pumped his fist and smiled. In lieu of a gold medal, Jian-Bo Fu takes home another trophy and check for $50,000. Like his countrymen a world away, he has proven that he is and will continue to be a force to be reckoned with in the sport of pocket billiards.

Visit InsidePOOL for the latest news in the sport of billiards and pool.

International Challenge of Champions Kicks off August 13

Posted by admin as International Challenge of Champions

International Challenge of Champions Kicks off August 13

Pocket billiards champions from around the world will go head-to-head in the Eighteenth Annual International Challenge of Champions.

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.

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 pf Champions. For information call the Mohegan Sun toll free at 1-888-226-7711, ext. 7163.

Sudden Death Finals Go to Feijen

Posted by admin as International Challenge of Champions

Sudden Death Finals Go to Feijen
by InsidePOOL Staff
The International Challenge of Champions crowned a new victor Thursday evening in Niels “The Terminator” Feijen, who triumphed over Lee Van Corteza in a thrilling sudden-death tiebreaker. Produced by Billiards International, Ltd., this two-day event awarded a stunning winner-takes-all first prize of $50,000.
In the first semifinal match of the event, Feijen raced to a 4-1 lead in the first set, in part because of the alternating-break format and a couple of errors on opponent Thorsten Hohmann’s behalf. He broke and ran the next rack to win 5-1. Things did not improve much for the German champion in the second set—he tried to play safe but left Feijen a 2-9 combination, which he made. Another miss by Hohmann drove the nail into the proverbial coffin, and Feijen won the second set 5-2, advancing to the finals.
Van Corteza struck down defending champion Johnny Archer in the second semifinal match. After a rocky start in the first set for both, Van Corteza tried to play defense on the 1 ball when it was 4-3 Archer and left a shot. From there, it was smooth sailing for “The Scorpion” to claim the win. But in a stunning turn of events in the second set, Archer came up dry on his first two breaks, instantly putting Van Corteza up 4-0. A missed 3 ball lent Archer hope, and he took the next two racks, but then a missed 7 ball by the American forced the first one-game tiebreaker of the event. Van Corteza won the lag—always key—and broke and ran out.
Van Corteza looked as though he might steamroll over Feijen, and he did do everything right in the first set, quickly winning 5-1. The great pressure must’ve caught up to both players, for they both missed the 8 ball in the first rack of the second set, though Feijen ended up drawing first blood. The Derby City Classic’s 9-ball champ took the next two games, one by virtue of a missed 5 on Van Corteza’s part. “Van Van” got the next rack after Feijen fouled on a jump attempt, but the Dutchman rebounded to reach the hill. A 2-9 combo on his next break earned him that match 5-2. The all-important lag was won by Feijen, who was forced to play safe on a tricky 3 ball. In trying to reach the 3, Van Corteza scratched, giving Feijen ball in hand and, essentially, the match.
Visit InsidePOOL for the latest news in the sport of billiards and pool.

International Billiard Champions Clash

Posted by admin as International Challenge of Champions

International Billiard Champions Clash

by InsidePOOL Staff
The first day of the 17th Annual International Challenge of Champions billiard tournament wrapped up with not one sudden-death playoff, an unusual occurrence. Hosted by the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT, this event is presented by Billiards International, Ltd.
With the staggering winner-takes-all prize of $50,000, the event has a format of two races to 5. In case of a split, a one-game playoff results. Eight champions were invited from all over the world to play in this single-elimination tournament.
Current U.S. Open champion John “Mr. 400” Schmidt was the first to fall, going up against Dutchman Niels Feijen, who won the matches by narrow 5-3, 5-4 margins. Former U.S. Open champ Ralf Souquet went next. Lee Van Corteza of the Philippines sent the German packing with his decisive 5-2, 5-1 victories.
Defending champion Johnny Archer bested Taiwan’s Ching-Shun Yang, going double-hill in the first set and then delivering a 5-0 whitewashing. And two world champions clashed when Thorsten “Hitman” Hohmann ousted reigning champ Ronato Alcano 5-3, 5-4.
The next round of matches will see Feijen versus Hohmann and Van Corteza against Archer. The winners of those matches will advance to the finals.

Efren Closes Day 1 of the International Challenge of Champions

Posted by admin as International Challenge of Champions

Efren Closes Day 1 of the International Challenge of Champions
By InsidePOOL Staff
In the match of the evening between Efren The Magician Reyes and Nick Van den Berg, Reyes triumphed 7-4 after his opponent hung the case 9 ball in the jaws of the pocket.
This match was o­ne of the best of the evening, and it was difficult to predict a winner at any point. The young and obviously talented Van den Berg did not appear to be intimidated by Reyes, who was recently inducted into the BCA Hall of Fame last month.
Reyes pulled into a 3-1 lead early o­n, but Van den Berg fought back and got within a game of his opponent at 5-4 Reyes. With a couple of balls slopped in, Reyes reached the hill in the next rack with him breaking the next game.

Olhausen Official Table Sponsor of International Challenge of Champions

Posted by admin as International Challenge of Champions

Olhausen Official Table Sponsor of International Challenge of Champions
May 22, 2003, San Diego, CA ¾ Olhausen Billiard Manufacturing, Inc. (“Olhausen”), announced today that billiards champions from around the world will go head-to-head in the Thirteenth Annual INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS. The winner-take-all $50,000 event will be held August 13th – 14th at the Mohegan Sun Casino, in Uncasville, Connecticut, and play will be o­n Olhausen professional tables. For the 8th straight year, Olhausen is pleased to be the official table sponsor for this event.

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 the highest single payday in America, and the winner claims o­ne of the most coveted titles in pool: Champion of Champions.

2003 International Challenge of Champions

Posted by admin as International Challenge of Champions

2003 International Challenge of Champions

Pocket pool champions from around the world will go head-to-head in the Thirteenth Annual INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS. The winner-take-all $50,000 event will be held August 13-14, 2003, at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT. The Challenge of Champions is widely considered the toughest tournament to win in professional billiards. O­nce every 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 the highest single payday in America, and the winner claims o­ne of the most coveted titles in pool – Champion of Champions.

Top Field Narrowed to 4 at International Challenge of Champions

Posted by admin as International Challenge of Champions

Top Field Narrowed to 4 at International Challenge of Champions
By InsidePOOL Staff
With eight of the world’s top players present to vie for the $50,000 first place prize at the International Challenge of Champions, which kicked off today, August 11, 2004, o­nly four remain for Thursday’s matches. Presented by Billiards International, Ltd., the event is held at the beautiful Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT.
The first day of the Challenge of Champions consists of four matches, each a race to 7 with alternating breaks. A match-up of two world champions, o­ne former and o­ne current, saw Mika “Iceman” Immonen and Alex Pagulayan go head to head. “The Lion,” fresh from his huge win at the 2004 World Pool Championships several weeks ago, tied the match at 3 and then at 6 after recovering from two-game deficits in both cases. At hill-hill, Pagulayan broke and was looking good until he drew too far back after sinking the 8, hanging the cue ball in the jaws of the corner pocket. Hooked for the 9 ball that was o­nly inches away, he jacked up to make a stab at the 9 but fouled, handing Immonen a 7-6 victory.

International Challenge of Champions Coming Soon

Posted by admin as International Challenge of Champions

International Challenge of Champions Coming Soon

Wednesday, August 11, 2004 marks the kick off of the 14th Annual International Challenge of Champions at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, CT and winds up o­n August 12, 2004. The format is a modified single elimination that features eight of the most talented poolplayers from around the world vying for the first place check of $50,000. Newly crowned world champion Alex Pagulayan heads the all star cast that includes former world champions Thorsten Hohmann, Johnny Archer and Mika Immonen. 2002 InsidePOOL Magazine Player of the Year Francisco Bustamante, Australian Phil Reilly, Japan’s Hiroshi Takenaka and Germany’s Thomas Engert round out the remainder of the field. Admission is free and ESPN will be o­n hand to catch all of the action.
To see the 14th Annual International Challenge of Champion Flyer click here (/ICOC/ICOC.jpg)
Visit InsidePOOL for the latest news from the sport of billiards and pool. (/)