Kiamco and Breedlove Newest on the IPTVisit the IPT Qualifier D Image Gallery (http://insidepoolmag.com/gallery.php?category=IPT+D+Qualifier)

Final Eight Returning Sunday at IPT Qualifier DVisit the IPT Qualifier D Image Gallery (http://insidepoolmag.com/gallery.php?category=IPT+D+Qualifier)

First Winners’-Bracket Matches Wrapped Up at IPT Qualifier DVisit the IPT Qualifier D Image Gallery (http://insidepoolmag.com/gallery.php?category=IPT+D+Qualifier)

Final 16 Set in IPT Winners’ BracketVisit the IPT Qualifier D Image Gallery (http://insidepoolmag.com/gallery.php?category=IPT+D+Qualifier)

Fourth IPT Qualification Event BeginsA grand total of 76 players came out to Country Club USA in Chelmsford, MA, for the fourth International pool Tour qualification event. Unbelievably, this field seems even tougher than the three previous ones.IPT member Tony Robles and his son Jonathan are here watching some matches. “Me personally, I think that the field in all of the qualifiers thus far is actually a lot harder than a lot of the pro tournaments we have here in the United States,” he said softly. How does Tony think he would like trying to qualify at this event? “Thankfully, I don’t have to worry about it!” he laughs. “But if I had to do it, I would be more than willing to do it, because this is the opportunity of a lifetime, and this is an opportunity that can actually change the life of every player that’s participating in the IPT.”

Upsets Define the First Round at the WPBA Carolina ClassicExcitement filled the air at the Nash Community College in Rocky Mount, NC as all 64 players took the floor in first round matches. As usual, the first round was not without upsets, once again reinforcing the laws of probability while chipping away at the egos of certain unwilling players. Notable upsets included Wisconsin’s Jeri Engh defeating Florida’s Tracie Hines. This was huge because Jeri had been without a match win in 50 matches and finally ended her dry spell with this victory against 2005’s Rookie of the Year. Susan Mello handed reigning world and national champion Ga Young Kim of Korea her first loss, 9-6. Junior champion Anna Kostanian of Albuquerque, NM outlasted Texan Kim White in a 9-8 nail-biter while California’s Darlene Stinson posted one in the “W” column by defeating Florida’s Sarah Ellerby.

Play Kicks Off at WPBA Carolina billiards ClassicThe 64 greatest female billiard players in the world converged in Rocky Mount, North Carolina for the WPBA Carolina billiards Classic. As usual the pre-tournament favorite is defending champion and #1 ranked Allison Fisher. Other pre-event favorites include #2 ranked Karen Corr, 2005 World and National champion Ga Young Kim (Korea), and newcomer Pan Xiaoting. Xiaoting arrived in the U.S. from mainland China in January and has won three consecutive qualifiers to earn spots in the first three pro events of the season! With the amount of talent present, this event promises to be nothing short of spetacular. Play begins Thursday at 11 am EST.

Orcollo and Ortmann Make it into the IPTView the IPT Qualifier C image gallery. (http://insidepoolmag.bizatomic.net/gallery.php?category=IPT+Qualifier+C)Heading to the one-loss finals, Hjorliefson came back from a 4-1 deficit against the German and then tied it at 5 apiece. They split the next two racks, but then Ortmann cautiously pulled ahead to reach the hill 9-6. Ortmann missed his first shot in the last rack, but Hjorliefson missed an early solid by at least a diamond, and Ortmann was able to clear the table for his 10-6 win.

Four Players Remain in IPT QualifierThe first round of the winners’-bracket matches Sunday morning were uneven at best. Oliver “The Machine” Ortmann completely dominated his match against Scott Frost. Though Frost had a small early lead, Ortmann managed to take advantage of his opponent’s errors and won the match 10-4.Dennis Orcollo of the Philippines went up against Goh Takami in the second winners’-side match, in which Orcollo cleared the first rack and ran the next four for a 5-0 lead. There weren’t too many opportunities for Takami, and Orcollo swept the match 10-3.Hiroshi Takenaka ran the first four racks in his left-side match against Karl Boyes of the UK. The crestfallen Boyes took two games, but Takenaka took three, bringing the score to 7-2. Takenaka only allowed his opponent one more game before winning 10-3.

Eight Players Will Return for the IPT Qualifier C EventHard Times billiards in Bellflower, CA, was packed to the gills on Saturday evening with players and fans, each hoping to see the next big pool star win his spot on the IPT for the 2006 season. One onlooker commented that when legendary money man Jack Cooney played for an exceptionally large amount, it was almost this crowded, but not quite.Action man Scott “The Freezer” Frost was the first to finish his winners’-side match, besting California’s Arturo Rivera by a stunning 10-1 score.“This is probably the last chance I’m gonna get,” an excited Frost said after his match, “because these tournaments are getting tougher and tougher, and every final six or ten of these qualifiers, they’re letting those players get free entry fees, so that means even more top players are gonna be there, because they’re guaranteed. I want to get there now, and I’m not playing around. I think I’ve got a good chance. I played flawless, and with my one-pocket game and the tight pockets on these tables, I think it comes up quite a bit; therefore, I think I’m a huge favorite, to be honest.”

Final Four Winners’-Bracket Matches Set at IPT Qualifier CThe third IPT qualification (IPT Qualifier C) event has resumed at Hard Times billiards in Bellflower, CA, Saturday morning. The winners’ bracket has narrowed to eight players after this morning’s round, which is set to begin tonight at 5:00 p.m.Reigning world champion Chia-Ching Wu of Taiwan suffered his first loss today in his match against Oliver “The Machine” Ortmann. Wu started off with a 3-1 lead, but the German former world champion won the next four in a row. The 16-year-old took the next three to gain a one-game margin, but Ortmann swept five in a row—the last two break and run-outs—for a 10-6 victory.Phoenix, AZ, action man Scott Frost dealt Sam Frangie a 10-6 loss, and Go Takami sent Clent McCullough to the one-loss side 10-2. Canadian Eric Hjorliefson won 10-6 against Hiroshi Takenaka, while Mark Trainer bested Filipino Warren Kiamco 10-5. England’s Richard Broumpton, now a Florida resident, won a messy match against George Breedlove in which they traded games in pairs until Broumpton ultimately won 10-8. Dennis Orcollo allowed his opponent Michael Schmidt of Germany a few wins before he won that match 10-5.

IPT Qualifier C Action ContinuesA long day of 8-ball action is nearing its end at Hard Times billiards in Bellflower, CA. Chock-full of international and local hopefuls, this 74-player field has endured a grueling schedule, which tournament director Deno Andrews has held to firmly.There were 30 banked 8 balls at $1,000 a pop, with Canada’s Eric Hjorliefson claiming 3 for his own. This bonus was discontinued after several rounds because of “deal-making.” Nevertheless, there is still plenty of action going on, with Cliff Joyner and Eric Durbin entering a two-man, winner-takes-all, high entry fee one-pocket tournament. Reigning world 8-ball and 9-ball champion Chia-Ching Wu, the 16-year-old from Taiwan, met Jeff Beckley of San Diego in the winners’ side and kept him in his chair. Wu won the first four games and then broke and ran out the final six, exhibiting a monster break. He earned $500 for making the 8 ball on the break and $5,000 for breaking and running six consecutive racks.

Third International pool Tour Qualifier BeginsFriday, February 17, 200610:03 a.m.With 74 players from all over the world showing up bright and early this morning, the third IPT qualifying tournament kicked off at 10 a.m. There is a strong internatinal flavor present, as reigning world champion Chia-Ching Wu of Taiwan is present, as well as former world champion Oliver Ortmann, Imran Majid, Goh Takami, Daryl Peach, and Yuji Takagi. Filipinos Santos Sambajon Jr., Ramil Gallego, and Warren Kiamco are here, and strong local representatives comprise Ismael “Morro” Paez, Oscar Dominguez, house pro Dave “Big Wave” Hemmah, Arturo Rivera, Frank “The Barber” Almanza, and Victor Ignacio. Runner-up in both events, Vilmos Foldes of Hungary is also here, hoping that three times is a charm for him.The event is being held at Hard Times in Bellflower, CA, long established as the players’ room in Southern California. Fourteen Gold Crown tables are in action, and with only three days to get through so many players, as soon as one match is ended, another begins.

New Dates Announced for U.S. Open 9-ball TournamentIn the aftermath of the International pool Tour’s scheduling debacle that left billiard promoters worldwide scrambling for new dates to host their previously scheduled tournaments, the City of Chesapeake, Virginia stepped forward to declare its love and affection for the U S Open 9-ball Championship. The Conference Center in Chesapeake, along with the event’s host hotel, The Holiday Inn Chesapeake, rearranged each of their 2006 event calendars to accommodate the 31st Annual U.S Open 9-ball tournament. The new dates for the 2006 U. S. Open 9-ball Championship are September 25 – October 1, 2006. The U.S. Open 9-ball Championship is a significant event for the City of Chesapeake and it means a great deal for this market and community, said Deidra McBride, the General Manager of the Conference Center in Chesapeake. The U S Open 9-ball Championship has been held at the Conference Center since 1997, when it was the inaugural event in the facility. We’re very lucky to have been able to switch the dates at this late stage, added McBride. Any other client would have been out of luck, but Mr. Behrman is a very valuable asset to us.

Korea and Japan Dead Locked at 2nd Annual Brunswick Korea vs. Japan Challenge The first day of the Second Annual Brunswick Korea Versus Japan tournament began with two-on-two men’s doubles and featured Korea’s number-two-ranked player Woong Dae Kim and Charlie Williams against Japan’s number-one-ranked player Hiroshi Takenaka and number-two player Go Takami. Japan could do no wrong, while Kim made a critical error on a scratch shot and Japan cruised to a quick 3-0 victory. Next Korea’s Captain Shin Young Park and Yun Mi Lim took on Japan’s Shuji Nagata and their star player Miyuki Sakai in her television debut. Sakai seemed a little shaky for her first TV appearance when she missed an easy 8 ball to put Japan up 2-0. This gave the Koreans the chance to come back with 3 in a row to win the match 3-1 and tie the score at one match apiece for Korea and Japan. Next was the four-on-four scotch doubles match, where Team Korea seemed to play in perfect unison with Williams coming with a huge 3 ball combo to start the run-out and later a long table-length draw shot to put Korea in the lead 2 matches to 1.