Pool top guns vs world best

The country’s top pool players, still winless after the US 9-ball Open, try to close out the season with a victory when they slug it out with a select group of international players in the Q.C. Invasion: Quezon City-Philippines vs the World Grand Billiards Showdown on Dec. 2-4 at the Trinoma Mall in Quezon City.

“We may not have a reigning world champion now, but we, still, are the best in the sport, and that we will prove in this tournament,” said Alex Pagulayan, one of the eight hometown bets in the event organized by Quezon City Council Majority Floor Leader Ariel Inton and backed by the Quezon City government led by Mayor Sonny Belmonte.

“Though we know that it’s going to be a tough fight for us with the lineup they have on the other side, we are confident that we’ll be able to pull it through and end the Philippine billards’ year with a bang,” said Pagulayan.

Joining Pagulayan in the Team Quezon City-Philippines are fellow former world champions Efren “Bata” Reyes and Ronnie Alcano, along with current world No.1 Dennis Orcollo, Francisco “Django” Bustamante, 2007 World Pool runner-up Roberto Gomez, and Southeast Asian Games multi-gold medalists Warren Kiamco and Lee Van Corteza.

They will go up against the Team World led by newly crowned US Open champion Mika Immonen of Finland with fellow former world titlists Thorsten Hohmann of Germany, Wu Chia-ching of Chinese-Taipei and Shane van Boening of the United States, as well as World Cup of Pool winner American Rodney Morris and compatriot Charlie Williams, and Fu Jianbo of China. Newly crowned Guinness 9-Ball Tour Grand Finals champion Yang Ching-shun is being eyed as the eighth member of the squad.

The two teams will slug it out in singles, doubles and team events similar to that of the famed Mosconi Cup with the winning side taking the $40,000 top prize at stake in this event supported by the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines, the Quezon City Tourism Council and Senate President Manny Villar’s Villards with Solar Sports, RPN-9, The Philippine STAR and Business Mirror as media partners.

Top Players Featured in this Weekends Stan James Event at Shooters

Jim Wych takes his Stan James 9-ball tour to Shooters in Scarborough this weekend. Room owner John White is welcoming the players with brand new cloth making for excellent playing conditions for Canadas best. Aside from that Shooters has a great menu at great prices and players and spectators alike will be treated to excellent service.

So whats the action going to be like?

Well it should start up Friday night as local players and those ariving from across Canada go to get a little practice in before the event. We have seen some great matches on the Friday evening at past events and this should be no different.

Who will be there?

Originally Alex Pagulyan was scheduled to compete in this event but will no longer be attending. However this event will showcase an awesome field of players ready to battle for the cash and the points. Here's a quick rundown of other notable names, Alain Martel, Edwin Montal, Luc Salvas, Danny Hewitt, Erik Hjorleifson, Jason Klatt, and John Morra.

For a current list of players scheduled to be there visit the tours title sponsor StanJames.com.

If you desire more detailed information about this Tour please call Tour Director Jim Wych at 905-469-8303 for more details. Details are also available at the CBSA website: www.cbsa.ca

If your interested in placing some bets on your favourite players it's very easy.

1. Go to www.stanjames.com and sign up for an account.
* Accounts are free and you get a bonus equalling your first bet up to $50.
2. After your registered click on Pool from the list on the left.
3. Check out the lines and place your bets.

Good luck players and betters!