"I came to defend my title" became an understatement as twenty-eight-year old Shane Van Boening (pictured) won his second Derby City Master of the Table crown. 

Van Boening's superior play took him to an unprecedented three championship rounds. In a hill/hill match, he succumbed to John Morra in the bank leg. However, Joseph Gray, in the one pocket division, and Stevie Moore in the nine ball division were not so lucky. 

Moore's luck ran out after winning his way to the championship round via a bye. After suffering his nine ball defeat, he lost in the Fat Boy 10-Ball Invitational championship round to Franciso Bustamante.

Van Boening's winning play earned him a $53,000 payday for the nine day event, on the heels of his December win at the Turning Stone Classic!

More news and photos in from Tony Fox at the DCC:

As the 2012 Derby City  Classic  One Pocket leg entered the final rounds, Brandon Shuff handed defending champion Shane Van Boening (pictured right) a 3-0 defeat. But, in the re-draw for the final six players, Shuff/Van Boening met again. This time Van Boening was the victorious one, heading to a semi final showdown against the legendary one pocket player, Efren Reyes. Unfortunately for Efren, the five time DCC one pocket champion could not win a single game in the race to the championship round. 

Then there was the relatively unknown Joseph Gray (pictured left), twenty five years old, from Oklahoma City, OK, who made it to the championship in his first trip to the Derby City.  Gray won the lag and broke. Van Boening came to the table, made a mistake on his first shot, and Gray ran out.

Around the TV table heads nodded. The "new kid" was clearly legitimate. Stellar safety play by both players dominated the remaining three games. However, Gray could not hold off VanBoening's powerful shot making skills. VanBoening 3, Gray 1.

 Although he lost in the championship round, Gray's stellar play clearly announced he is a one pocket force. He came to the tournament with a goal to win eight matches.  "I exceeded my goal. Second place among these championship legendary players is a good accomplishment. I am happy with my results.  Shane is tough. You can't give a player like him chances."

Van Boening noted that Gray, "belonged in the final."  It was their first meeting in competition, however Shane said, "I've been watching him for the past couple years."

Victory in One Pocket and a second place in the Banks division to John Morra make Shane difficult to beat for the all around title.  "I have been practicing,  I came here to defend my title!" 

This in from Tony Fox, in Derby City to cover and photograph the event for P&B:

Toronto Canada's 22-year-old John Morra has won the Bank Pool Leg of the 2012 Derby City Classic. Morra entered the championship round undefeated.

Morra believes a "pretty easy" draw helped him to the final round. Shane Van Boening, last year's One pocket Champion and Master of the Table entered the final round with one loss. Van Boening squeezed out a tough first set to force the championship to a second set. Morra won the first game of the final set.

Controversy marred the second set as Van Boening called a shot that he did not make. However, the ball fell in another pocket. Van Boening began racking the balls as persons from the stand noted Van Boening had not made the shot he called. Ken Shuman intervened. After discussion with both players, he deemed that Van Boening's gathering balls to rack warranted loss of the game.

But Morra's two game lead slowly vanished as VanBoening clawed his way to tie the match. The deciding game was filled with hanging pocket misses, safe play and scratches by both players. In the end, Morra pulled it out for the win.

After winning, Morra said, "Win or lose, I am glad it's over; it was a very stressful match".  Additionally, Morra said he is happy to win his first major tournament on a nine foot table, however he is surprised that the victory came at bank pool.  In preparing for the tournament, he practiced all the disciplines.

Finally, with the bank pool title under his belt, Morra warns, "I have my eye on the Master of the Table win."

By Luke Riches

(Las Vegas)--TEAM EUROPE is now one match away from retaining the PartyPoker.net Mosconi Cup after a one-sided blitz on the American team in front of a standing room only crowd at the MGM Grand, Las Vegas. 

After getting the better of things yesterday, the Americans entered the day with high hopes but were battered from start to finish with only Shane Van Boening contributing some red to the score board.

Needing a great start to the day, the USA lost an exciting opener as Appleton and Feijen got the better of Dechaine and Putnam by 6-3. That restored the Europeans three point lead that they held at the start of day one, but the final rack of the match was one of the best safety battles in Mosconi history as all four players took turns to leave the cue ball tucked up.

It was Feijen who broke the deadlock as he made a table length bank on the blue 2 and from there the Europeans ran out to take the match.

“Yesterday we lost the first doubles match 6-5 but Niels and Nick had played well. You need a bit of luck at the right time and we had a couple of rolls there,” said Appleton. "But we played well at the end and had a lot of fire inside us - Niels is a fantastic player to play with," he added.

There was more misery for Putnam in the next as he was easily beaten by a fired-up Darren Appleton as Europe moved into an 8-4 lead. The tone was set in the opening rack as Putnam looked to be heading for a run out but missed a howler of a 9 ball to hand the rack to Europe. The big man never really recovered from that and further errors sealed his fate.

The third match featured Johnny Archer and Rodney Morris against Niels Feijen and Ralf Souquet and for the American side it was desperate stuff. 8-4 soon became 9-4 as the lacklustre American pair failed to make any sort of dent in the confident Europeans’ armour.  "When we had a training camp we played with each other and figured out what teams were working out and Johan then picked the pairings,” said Souquet.
"It's not over until the fat lady sings and we want to win the next two and finish it off. We have quite a comfortable lead but it's still a long road."

Feijen added "When everyone is scoring points in front of you it takes the pressure off. We've clicked really well and have a great team spirit and a great team.”

It was Shane Van Boening who finally stopped the rot and ensured a final day of play as he endured a torrid match against Nick Van den Berg that went all the way to a decider. Van Boening had led 5-2 at one stage but the plucky Dutchman fought back to level it at 5-5 and breaking in the final rack he found himself favourite.

A dry break got the American back to the table and he played a superb slow roll on the 1 ball to set up a difficult run out which Van Boening completed to keep his side in the competition.

Finally it was left to Chris Melling to turn the screw and put his side on the hill as he beat Mike Dechaine 6-2 in a clash of the rookies.  Melling looked as confident as ever and his win leaves him in the running for MVP honors.  "It was unbelievable. There's a lot of pressure and people back home don't realise how much pressure you're under as you have the whole continent and your friends to play for."

Appleton / Feijen 6-3 Putnam / Dechaine
Darren Appleton 6-2 Shawn Putnam
Feijen / Souquet 6-2 Archer / Morris
Nick Van den Berg 5-6 Shane Van Boening
Chris Melling 6-2 Mike Dechaine

Notes: Matchroom Sport are one of the world’s leading producers of televised sport and are responsible for over 1,100 hours of original programming across a range of sports. Based in the UK and chaired by charismatic founder Barry Hearn, the Mosconi Cup is one of a stable of pool events that include the World Cup of Pool and the World Pool Masters.

JACKSONVILLE, FL. (Oct. 27, 2011) – Predator Cues has updated the Ikon cue, one of its most popular cue series, with nine new models featuring exotic woods and bold inlays. One new model, the Ikon2 9, represents the creativity of Mike Ipjian of Glenview, IL, winner of the Mykon cue design contest held earlier this year.  The team at Predator reviewed scores of designs from fans throughout the United States and Canada before selecting Mike's entry, a stunning blend of ebony wood and micarta with turquoise accents. These new cues strike the perfect balance between design and domination.

In addition to the U.S. and Canada contest, Predator held a similar contest in China through Laili Sports Equipment Co., Ltd., the exclusive Predator dealer for the People's Republic of China. ???/Haihuan Xia and ???/Jason Wang won the China contest and future Ikon offerings will feature their designs.

The Ikon2 series feature the advanced C4+ technology with the Uni-Loc® Weight Cartridge System, allowing players the ability to adjust the weight of their cue within 0.1 of an ounce. Phenolic reinforcements in the butt and the Uni-Loc® Original Quick-Release joint increase longevity and further enhance product/player performance. Each new Ikon2 cue has a standard weight of 19 oz. and comes armed with Predator's high-performance 314-2 shaft, which players can upgrade to the Z-2 or FAT shafts.

Like the original Ikon series, the Ikon 2nd generation cues are available with the Uni-Loc® Leather Luxe™ wrap. With a softer feel and higher tackiness than leather, the Leather Luxe wrap provides superior sweat absorption and comfort through three distinct layers. The polyurethane outer layer keeps hands dry by allowing sweat and moisture to pass through, while the cushioned middle layer absorbs and releases moisture. The sealer layer closest to the cue protects the cue from moisture, increasing its longevity.

These new Ikon2 cues have MSRPs ranging from $649-$1499. All are currently available for purchase through registered Predator dealers worldwide. Players and retailers can view the Ikon 2nd Generation online at www.predatorcues.com.

Counting down to the last few days to get registered for The DRILL U.S.A. BOOT CAMP Pool School with P&B's top instructors: Dominic "The Drill Instructor" Esposito and Ewa "The Striking Viking" Laurance.

This is a pool player's dream. You'll have access to two world class instructors in a small group setting for three full days and nights. This will truly be first class all the way. Your hotel and all meals are all provided; and no slop either. It's an open tab.

According to Dominic Esposito, "This will not be a cattle pool clinic with 25 students or all we can get for the money. Our goal is to have a closed class of 6 to 8 players for the entire weekend. Right now space is limited."

The format will be both group and one-on-one instruction. The format of what will be covered will be decided by the group on the first day. This means your pool playing needs and goals are all that will matter for the entire event. The Drill Instructor is receiving all calls directly at 407-927-1484.

Come with a friend or bring several players on your team. But when the roster is full, that's it. You'll need only three things for this BOOT CAMP. 1. Have your own transportation. 2. Bring your pool playing equipment. 3. Plan to receive far more from Ewa and Dominic than you ever expected!

These three dates are the first of a twelve city tour across the USA. Pick which location is best for you. Plan to make more than one because each one will be totally different because the players will dictate what they want to work on. Make the holiday season the best one ever. Request your Holiday Season gift early and get registered for one of the last few spots open on The Drill USA BOOT CAMP Tour program.

Class sessions will start Friday from 12:00 noon to 9:00 PM, Saturday sessions run from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM and Sunday will start at 9:00 AM with an ending ceremony that will finish at 4:00 on Sunday.

Class dates/locations include:
November 25-27: Smokin' Cue, Charlotte, NC
December 2-4: Park Avenue Billiards, Orange Park, FL
December 9-11: Shooters Billiards, Southington, CT

GERMANY became the first ever European winners of the PartyCasino.net World Cup of Pool as they made light work of Thailand to record a superb 10-4 victory and claim the gold medals, trophy, $60,000 and more importantly the title at the SM Mall North in Manila, Philippines.

Thorsten Hohmann and Ralf Souquet put on a perfect performance to run away with the final match, in sharp contrast to their semi-final game earlier in the day when they laboured to a pedestrian win over Korea.
For Souquet it was a culmination of a magnificent seven days that saw him win the PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters last Monday and his total haul for the two events has been $50,000.

“It’s still hard to believe and it hasn’t sunk in yet. We really worked hard for the title and held ourselves together,” said a jubilant Souquet.
“We had a really hard semi-final that could’ve gone wrong and I played awful against Korea but Thorsten carried me to the final. I always said you can only lose as a team and we certainly won as a team. Playing here in Manila in the Philippines is the best thing that has happened to pool.”

Thorsten had a great week too, nabbing the World Tournament of 14.1 in New Jersey before heading to Manila!

The Thailand pair of Kobkit Palajin and Nitiwat Kanjanasri can be justifiably proud of their efforts. Surrounded in South East Asia by powerhouse pool nations like Taiwan and the Philippines, the unheralded Thais played superbly throughout the tournament.
Their semi-final showing, defeating Taiwan 9-3, was one of the best performances of the event, but the Germans were unstoppable in the final.  The total prize-fund was $250,000 with $60,000 going to the winning pair.

The 2011 World Cup of Pool was sponsored by PartyPoker.net, the world’s leading online poker school. Cloth was supplied by Iwan Simonis, Super Aramith balls by Saluc, tables by Star Xing Pai and the Official Cue was Predator.

Last 16 Results
Taiwan 8 – 7 Italy; Philippine 8 – 6 Canada; Germany 8 – 3 Malaysia; Korea 8 – 6 Japan; Thailand 8 – 4 Estonia; Poland 8 – 3 Singapore; Sweden 8 – 6 Switzerland; Philippines B 8 – 5 India

GERMANY came from 3-2 down against Malaysia to win six racks in a row and secure a PartyPoker.net World Cup of Pool quarter final spot where they will take on Philippines B – Efren Reyes and Francisco Bustamante in a replay of 2009’s epic final.
After the early stutter, Thorsten Hohmann (pictured shooting) and Ralf Souquet (looking on) continued in the same form that saw them whitewash Australia in the opening round. The veteran Malaysian pair of Ibrahim Bin Amir and Patrick Ooi looked confident in the early exchanges but was out the game once the Germans stepped up the pace.
“We made some slight positional errors at the beginning and there were some good rolls for them but you have to expect that in a game,” said Hohmann after the match.
“I think when it was 3-3 we just finished the set. We had some tough opening shots and just kept running out and running out.
“I’d rather be playing Philippines in the final but it will be a big revenge match and I think we’re playing better than two years ago.”
Souquet reminisced about the last time the two teams met: “Two years ago it was looking very good for us in the final. I wouldn’t say we blew it but we had them. As a team we made one mistake and we were 9-7 up and that would’ve taken us to the hill.
“Beating two legends in the World Cup of Pool final in the Philippines would’ve been amazing and unfortunately we play in the quarter-finals now -  a couple of rounds too early and one of the teams has to go out earlier than anticipated.
“The loss didn’t stay on my mind as if you let it stay with you then you could ruin your next four or five tournaments or maybe even your career. You have to try and get over it as soon as possible.
“The further you get in the tournaments the tougher the opponents get. No team that makes it that far into a tournament does so by luck. It seems certain brackets are tougher than others but at the end of the day all matches are tough.
“Playing two legends in front of their home crowd maybe makes it tougher but tougher for them. They have more to lose than we do and I’m really looking forward to it and have a good feeling about it.”
In the other opening session match, Korea overcame the odds to put in a good performance and defeat the Japanese pair of Yukio Akagariyama and Lo Liwen. The unknown Koreans are a blend of youth and experience and Lee Gun Jae (38) and Hwang Yong (27) will be tough to beat in their next match.
The PartyPoker.net World Cup of Pool features 32 two-player teams representing 31 nations – hosts Philippines have two sides. The total prize-fund is $250,000 with $60,000 going to the winning pair.
The other two matches in the earlier sessions saw wins for Thailand and Poland. Nitiwat Kanjanasri and Kobkit Palajin easily overcame the Estonian duo of Dennis Grabe and Erki Erm by 8-4.
The Estonians made too many errors in a lacklustre game and the Thai pair was solid enough for the win. They go on to play Poland in the quarter-finals, who made light work of an out of sorts Singapore duo of Bernard Tey and Chan Keng Kwan. The final score was 8-3 as Radoslaw Babica, who is now something of a veteran, and Karol Skowerski had too much in every department.
The 2011 World Cup of Pool is sponsored by PartyPoker.net, the world’s leading online poker school. Cloth is supplied by Iwan Simonis, Super Aramith balls by Saluc, tables by Star Xing Pai and the Official Cue is Predator.

Iwan Simonis has signed on as the new title sponsor
of the former Viking Cue 9-Ball Tour. “The basic operations, format and added monies of the tour events will remain the same for the players. However our room owners and sponsors will see added benefits as a result of this change,” stated Mike Janis, the tour's founder.

Janis added, “The change in the title sponsorship will now allow us to give our sponsors increased advertising and sales opportunities along with allowing us to be more flexible in the sponsors we accept as we can now offer sponsorship to additional products and cue brands. The room owners will see reduced rates in tournament fees along with additional benefits related to Simonis cloth when hosting events as a result of their sponsorship.”

Ivan Lee, President of Simonis Cloth USA stated, “I am happy to be working with Mike on the tour and I have every reason to believe that it will be a successful partnership for both of us. The tireless energy that Mike puts into what he does is an inspiration to players and poolroom owners alike.”

Visit www.simonistour.com for more info!

About Iwan Simonis Cloth:
Founded in Verviers, Belgium in 1680, Simonis is the oldest name in the billiard industry and the only textile mill in the world dedicated to the production of cloth for cue-sports. Visit the Iwan Simonis Cloth website at:
www.simoniscloth.com