Hohmann Holds onto Perfect Record

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Hohmann Holds onto Perfect Record

Hohmann remains unblemished as day 3 of the Accu-Stats 14.1 Round Robin continues
The Accu-Stats 14.1 Straight Pool Invitational

Although off to a rocky start in the opening rack, in day 2, Thorsten Hohmann’s recovery skills and consummate cue ball control garnered his second high run of the event at 112. Thorsten’s consistency, pattern play, and ability to overcome potential disaster had Accu-commentators Incardona and DiLiberto considering whether Thorsten was the best player, not only playing today, but ever. That’s high praise from men who’ve seen them all.
For other constestants, the Accu-Stats Invitational has held some disappointments. John “Mr 400″ Schmidt has hardly lived up to his monicker as he has managed only 24 balls in 4 matches. The 60 point matches put players in a now-or-never mind set. And, that causes panic. On the upside, this is just sort of come-from-behind motivation that John may need to get rolling.
Archer, with a high run of 150-and-out in a previous Accu-Stats tournament, has only managed one win, interestingly enough, against Schmidt.
Johnny has had opportunity. In his 7:00 pm, Friday night match, he scored 45 against Jose Parica’s 60. Johnny missed a ball he would have made in the case came of any 9 ball championship. That seems to be the challenge of 14.1. When a ball gets just outside one’s comfort zone, as the consequences are much more dire, errors happen.
8:00pm had John Schmidt (-1) got no sympathy from Thorsten Hohmann with a 60 & Out concluding with a High Run of 112.
10:00pm - Ralf Souquet (60) gave Johnny Archer (15) his 3rd defeat.
11:00pm - Thorsten Hohmann (60) and Jose Parica (54). This was without a doubt the most tightly contested match. Parica needed six when Hohmann was allowed to the table. Thorsten stalled at 58 and a safety battle ensued.
So the tallies so far are, Hohman 4 and 0 losses. Parica 3 and 1, Souquet is 2 and 2,  Johnny is 1 and 3, and Schmidt 0 and 4. For his two, century plus runs, Hohmann has generated an additional $1,000 in bonus money.

Saturday afternoon’s session continued with the aforementioned Archer defeating Schmidt 60 to minus 2, and Pareica over Souquet, 60-4.
Can Hohmann prevail? The schedule will prove interesting.
The Afternoon session continues with
3:00pm - Thorsten Hohmann vs. Johnny Archer
4:00pm - John Schmidt vs. Ralf Souquet
And the evening matches scheduled are:
7:00pm - Jose Parica vs. Johnny Archer
8:00pm - Thorsten Hohmann vs. John Schmidt
10:00pm - Ralf Souquet vs. Jose Parica
11:00pm - Johnny Archer vs. John Schmidt
Please noter all times are Eastern.

Hohmann Runs 149 in Accu-Stats 14.1 Invitational

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Hohmann Runs 149 in Accu-Stats 14.1 Invitational
Accu-Stats Straight Pool Invitational / Parsippany, NJ

by Dave Thomson

Thorsten Hohmann is the man to watch as he cruised undefeated in the first-night action of the 20-match, double round robin format of the Accu-Stats Straight Pool Invitational, hosted by Comet Billiards in Parsippany, NJ, September 4-8. Late last night, Hohmann ran 60 and out against fellow countryman Ralf Souquet’s hard-fought 34. Hohmann then continued his charge in search of high-run bonus monies but came to a screeching halt at 149, as on the break shot his cue ball got buried in the rack. One more point and he would have made a $1,000. With many century-plus runs in his history, the odds are he will earn a bonus before the weekend is out.

The new, 60-points-with-a-twist straight pool formula developed by Accu-Stats’ Pat Fleming had audiences, both in the arena and on the Internet, on the edge of their seats. Every shot counted. Once a player gets to the table, he’s capable of a run-out. At 60, he wins the match. Then he has the opportunity to run to a 100 and secure a $500 bonus prize or $1,000 if he gets to 150. This makes for very aggressive play. Safeties aren’t in the mix, as combatants have their eyes on the big run and the possible bonus money.

Johnny Archer, Souquet, John “Mr. 403” Schmidt, Jose Parica, and Hohmann will play each other twice though, all are motivated by the high-run bonus as they will contribute to a “Player Review” where they narrate their own DVD, in addition to the 10-DVD set the series will generate.

September 4, 7:00 p.m.: The opening match saw Souquet run 60 and out to give Schmidt (15) his first loss. Souquet actually had a high run of 69 but was left short in his attempt to get to the additional bonus money.

September 4, 8:00 p.m.: Hohmann’s first win was over Archer, 60-51.

September 4, 10:00 p.m.: Parica amassed 60 against Schmidt, who mustered only 12.

September 4, 11 p.m.: Hohmann defeated Souquet 60-34.

Day two continues with Hohmann the only man undefeated.

7:00 p.m. - Johnny Archer vs. Jose Parica
8:00 p.m. - John Schmidt vs. Thorsten Hohmann
10:00 p.m. - Ralf Souquet vs. Johnny Archer
11:00 p.m. - Thorsten Hohmann vs. Jose Parica

Viking Cues Photo Caption Winner for July/August

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Viking Cues Photo Caption Winner for July/August

Congratulations to Joe Smolar of FL for submitting the winning entry in the Viking Pool Cues Photo Caption Contest for the month of July/August.

Joe has won a Viking Pool cue that has a retail value of $300-400 and a one year subscription to Inside POOL Magazine.

The winning caption was, “Showing extreme concentration, Rodney Morris continues playing despite the presence of the annoying mime imitating his every move.”

Inside POOL Magazine and InsidePOOLmag.com host the Viking Cues Photo Caption Contest every issue. 

The winners are announced on InsidePOOLmag.com at the beginning of the month and in the photo caption section of Inside POOL Magazine.

This month features a photo of a tournament official inspecting the pool tables at a recent professional event. Visitors can submit entries via email by going to the Photo Caption Contest Entry Page. 

You can enter every day, one time per day.

Feijen is Predator World 14.1 Straight Pool Champion

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Feijen is Predator World 14.1 Straight Pool Champion

By Inside POOL staff

After six strenuous days filled with nothing but straight pool, Niels “The Terminator” Feijen has come out on top of a 64-player field at the Predator World Straight Pool Championships. Hosted by the Hilton Hotel, this prestigious event brought the finest players in the world together to vie for this 14.1 title.

In the first semifinal match, Feijen and fellow countryman Nick Van Den Berg went head to head, with Van den Berg taking the early lead. However, Van den Berg suffered from nerves in this match—mainly because of the 30-second shot clock and the referee calling every ball—and couldn’t maintain his focus. Feijen, on the other hand, displayed superior composure while putting runs together, running 62 from the start and then 40 in the next inning. After Van den Berg’s final error, though, Feijen went 60 and out to advance to the finals 200-157.

The second semifinal match featured the veteran Francisco “Django” Bustamante versus Jasmin Ouschan, the young Austrian who burst onto the U.S. pool scene when she won the 2006 EnjoyPool.com 9-ball Championships over Allison Fisher in the finals. For Ouschan to make it this far in a male-dominated tournament was not unheard of, as she tied for fifth place in the 2006 event. Like Van den Berg, she took an early lead but couldn’t pull away in time to escape the onslaught of Bustamante. Though Ouschan notched a 73-ball run, ultimately Bustamante who took the lead and ran with it without looking back to win 200-148.

View the Final 16 Single Elimination Brackets
View the Predator World Straight Pool Championship Final 32 Double Elimination brackets
View the Predator World 14.1 Straight Pool Round Robin Brackets online
View the Predator World 14.1 Straight Pool Final Round Robin Scores

All keyed up for the final match upon which a world championship title was hinged, Feijen and Bustamante went to work in the final race to 200. Bustamante missed a combo early on and missed a cut shot, and that was all it took—Feijen took the reins and kept methodically running out until he had won the final match by the stunning score of 200-11.

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

Defending Champ Ortmann Fallen but Not Out

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Defending Champ Ortmann Fallen but Not Out
Predator World Straight Pool Championships / New Brunswick, NJ

by InsidePOOL Staff

Sixteen players are still fighting for the prestigious Predator World Straight Pool Championship title in New Brunswick, NJ, at the Hilton Hotel. Held this week through Sunday, this event began with 64 of the world’s top 14.1 players and will end Sunday with one in the winner’s circle.

Eight players still stake out the winners’ bracket. Mika Immonen just felled U.S. 14.1 bastion John “Mr. 403” Schmidt 150-73 and will advance to play former world 9-ball champion Thorsten Hohmann, who just defeated fellow countryman Ralf “The Surgeon” Souquet 150-47.

Defending champion Oliver Ortmann fell to Mike Dechaine by a thin 150-140 margin and now will have to struggle through the one-loss side. Dechaine’s next opponent will be Niels “The Terminator” Feijen, fresh off a strong 150-10 victory over Ignacio Chavez.

Corey Deuel, recent Million Dollar 9-ball Shootout champion, sent Raj Hundal to the west side 150-104 and will next play Francisco Bustamante, who just bested Danny Harriman 150-111. And German champion Thomas Engert advanced to the winners’-side final eight with a 150-50 win over Dominic Jentsch. Engert’s next opponent will be Dutch player Nick Van Den Berg, just off of a 150-103 win over Radislaw Babica.

View the Final 16 Single Elimination Brackets

View the Predator World Straight Pool Championship Final 32 Double Elimination brackets

On the one-loss side, there are also eight players. Schmidt is still alive, having just eliminated Hall of Famer Allen Hopkins 150-111. He will next play Souquet, who annihilated Russia’s Konstantin Stepanov 150-10. Ortmann is also still attempting to defend his title, having sent Mike “The Mouth” Sigel home 150-105. Ortmann’s next challenge will come in the form of Ignacio Chavez, who just ousted Steve Lipsky 150-2.

Danny Harriman of the U.S. is still hanging in there, having just defeated Dan Barouty 150-91. Huidji See of the Netherlands will be his next opponent. See just bested Hundal 150-70. And Jasmin Ouschan is still on the move. She recently eliminated Radislaw Babica 150-10 and will next play Jentsch, who just ousted Vincent Facquet 150-80.

View the Predator World 14.1 Straight Pool Final 32 Elimination Brackets online
View the Predator World 14.1 Straight Pool Round Robin Brackets online
View the Predator World 14.1 Straight Pool Final Round Robin Scores

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

Four Undefeated Players Remain in 14.1 Championships

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Four Undefeated Players Remain in 14.1 Championships
Predator Straight Pool Championships / East Brunswick, NJ

by Skip Maloney

Johnny Archer, Mika Immonen, Nick Van Den Berg, and Niels Feijen advanced undefeated Thursday in the Predator Straight Pool Championships, held in East Brunswick, NJ, this week. The top four finishers in eight groups of eight players have advanced to Thursday’s double elimination round of 32.

Germany’s Oliver Ortmann, the reigning champion, was also among those who advanced, concluding his three days of round robin action with a 6-1 record and total ball count of 660. Ortmann ended up in first place in his group. Mike Dechaine came in second with two losses, and Allen Hopkins finished at 5-2 in that group to finish third.

Five players in Group 2 of the round robin pairings ended up with 5-2 records. Tournament founder Charlie Williams finished at the top of that group with a 663 total ball count and advances, along with Mike Sigel (644), Ignacio Chavez (599), and Thorsten Hohmann (597).

View the NEW Predator World 14.1 Straight Pool Single Elimination Brackets online

View the UPDATED Predator World 14.1 Straight Pool Brackets online
View the UPDATED Predator World 14.1 Straight Pool Scores

USA’s Dave Daya was at the top of his group with a 6-1 record, in spite of recording only the fourth highest total ball count (613). Advancing with him were John Schmidt (5-2; 688); Germany’s Dominic Jentsch ((4-3; 657); and number-three seed, Netherland’s Huidji See (5-2; 629).

Advancing with Feijen were Bob Maidhof (5-2; 621), Danny Harriman (5-2; 598) and Danny Barouty (4-3; 584). Francisco Bustamante and Ralf Souquet finished with 6-1 records in their group and tied at 667 for the second-highest ball total. Advancing with them were Tony Robles, who, though finishing at 4-3, recorded the highest ball total for that group – 677. Vincent Facquet (4-3; 555) of France also advanced.

Van den Berg will be joined in the round of 32 by Corey Deuel (5-2; 626), Thomas Engert (5-2; 568), and Raj Hundal (4-3; 554).  Joining Immonen from his group will be Konstantin Stepanov (6-1; 648), Bobby Hunter (5-2; 571) and Ed Deska (4-3; 507). USA’s Mike Davis was edged out of contention in that group, scoring the fourth-highest ball total (522), but finishing with a 3-4 record.

The young Jasmin Ouchan managed to tally the fourth-highest ball total (546) in her group that included the undefeated Johnny Archer to advance even with a 3-4 record at the end of the round robin action. Archer and Ouschan will be joined by Poland’s Radislaw Babica (5-2; 624) and Steve Lipsky (4-3; 587).

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

Billiards Promoter Joe Kerr Passes Away

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Billiards Promoter Joe Kerr Passes Away
Longtime friend, player, and promoter of billiards, Joe “Joker” Kerr passed away Sunday, July 6, 2008, succumbing to myasthenia gravis. Kerr was born March 25, 1945, in Akron, OH, and lived all his life in that area, attending Archbishop Hoban High School and the University of Akron. For 15 years he was the store manager for Carlton Clothes and then became regional manager for Nelson Stag Shops.
In 1978 Kerr became a member of the Men’s Professional Billiards Association (MPBA) and won several titles, including the 1983 Detroit Open and the 1985 Genesis Classic Championship. Two years later he founded Joker Promotions, directing and promoting professional pool events all over the world. When, in 1988, he was elected executive director/secretary treasurer of the MPBA, he began representing the top 1,000 players in the world.
One of the biggest honors of his life came to Kerr in 2000 when he was inducted into the Canton Sports Hall of Fame as a promoter and player. Kerr also worked as a writer for several industry publications, including On the Snap. Additionally, he was the house pro at both the infamous Starcher’s and Diamond Billiards in Akron.
Kerr is survived by his parents, his two children, and his three grandsons.
Mike Janis of the Viking cue 9-ball Tour said, “Joe ‘Joker’ Kerr, was a dear friend of mine as well as our sport. Joe made a huge contribution to our sport with his professional tournament direction, promotional skills, and wonderful personality. He was a pleasure to be around and will be dearly missed by all he who knew him.

“In 1996 Joe Kerr received the only lifetime honorary membership the Viking Tour has ever issued. Over the years Joe and I stayed in constant contact, and he was always willing to help out with whatever he could. I will deeply miss my conversations with Joe and wish I had more time to spend with him.”
Family and friends can visit Adams-Mason Memorial Chapel at 791 East Market Street, Akron, OH, from 4 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 9, with a memorial service at 7 p.m. Memorials may be made in the name of Joseph Kerr to the Ohio Chapter of the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation, 2907 Lincoln Way E Unit B, Massillon, OH 44646.

DELTA-13 to be Used at Upcoming Junior Billiard Championships

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DELTA-13 to be Used at Upcoming Junior Billiard Championships
Executive Billiards, the maker of DELTA-13 “The True Triangle,” has donated 27 original prototype racks to the Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) to use in their upcoming 2008 BEF Junior Nationals ACUI Collegiate 9-ball Championships. This year’s events will be held at the University of Arizona in Tucson July 8-13.
The BEF’s purpose to “further a standard of excellence and leadership within the billiard community” falls right in line with the Executive Billiards business principles. “We are very proud to be a part of these juniors’ events. They are just as important as the professional ones. Today’s juniors are tomorrow’s leaders,” said Samm Diep, marketing director for Executive Billiards.
“The BEF is excited to have Executive Billiards on board as one of our event sponsors. We have one hundred and eighty participants this year, and I’m sure they will look forward to trying out this new innovative rack,” said Laura Smith, president of the BEF.
To learn more about the Billiard Education Foundation and their future events, visit BilliardEducation.org. Ask for the DELTA-13 rack at your favorite billiard supply store, visit DELTA-13.com, or call 866.915.2058.

Free Download of July/August Billiard Magazine

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Free Download of July/August Billiard Magazine
register here (/registration/register.html).

Junior Billiards Stars Head for Arizona

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Junior Billiards Stars Head for Arizona
2008 BEF Junior Nationals ACUI Collegiate 9-ball Championships Head to the University of Arizona, Tucson
The most prestigious junior collegiate pool tournaments in North America, the Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) Junior Nationals and the Association of College Unions International (ACUI) Collegiate 9-ball Championships will be held at the University of Arizona, in Tucson, AZ. The Student Union Memorial Center (SUMC) will host this event July 8th – 13th, 2008. ACUI competition will be held July 8th- 10th, while the junior festivities will commence on Thursday, July 10th and continue through Sunday, July 13th.
The SUMC Billiards and Games Room features 16 professional size pool tables and will be the stage to an expected 180 young athletes competing for academic scholarships, prizes and an invitation to represent the United States at the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) Junior World Championships. Junior contestants earned their right to participate by winning a BEF recognized qualifier or were nominated through their local junior pool league. Collegiate players were invited to participate through their success at an ACUI regional tournament.
Juniors will travel from 30 different states to compete in this year’s event and over 30 colleges will be represented by billiard athletes. For a complete list of junior players, visit BilliardEducation.org
The Billiard Education Foundation is a 501(c) (3) non-profit charitable organization committed to furthering the standard of excellence and leadership within the billiard community by engaging in activities related to the education and cultural advancement of tomorrow’s leaders. For more information, visit www.BilliardEducation.org (http://www.billiardeducation.org/) or contact Laura Smith at 303.926.1039 or LauraSmith[at]BilliardEducation.org
The Association of College Unions International supports its members in the development of community through education, advocacy, and the delivery of services. For more information, visit ACUI.org.