#jayson shaw

New Post on https://thepoolscene.com/?p=55560

MATCHROOM POOL LAUNCHES WORLD RANKINGS

Matchroom Pool has today launched its own World Rankings as well as Team Europe and Team USA rankings for the partypoker Mosconi Cup.

The Matchroom Pool World Rankings consist of major events from around the globe, while the separate European and USA Team rankings include all World Ranking events as well as additional events from across Europe and USA respectively.

For Team Europe, the top three players on the European Ranking will automatically qualify for Alex Lely’s team. On the American Ranking, the top two players will join Jeremy Jones’ roster for their title defence in London this December.

World Rankings The Matchroom Pool World Rankings are split into six tiers based on a number of factors including total prize money, added money and tournament format. The Matchroom Pool World Rankings will be used as guidance when inviting players for World Cup of Pool and World Pool Masters, and as one of the rankings to determine seedings for the US Open 9-Ball from 2021.

A full list of events and the rankings so far can be found here: http://www.matchroompool.com/world-rankings/

A points breakdown of points awarded per event can be downloaded here: http://www.matchroompool.com/wp-content/uploads/Matchroom-Pool-World-Ranking-Points-allocation.pdf

Team Europe Rankings Unlike previous years, there will only be one European ranking list. This is a combination of the World Ranking events and smaller events played in Europe, including all Euro Tour events. The rankings have been restricted to include six tiers, however no event receives fewer points than previously.

A full list of events and the rankings so far can be found here: http://www.matchroompool.com/mosconi-cup/#teamEurope

Team USA Rankings As with the European Ranking, this is a combination of the World Ranking events and smaller events played across America. A list of American events will be published in due course.

Emily Frazer, Matchroom Multi Sport COO, said: “Global expansion of professional pool is our aim at Matchroom Pool and launching our own World Rankings is a key part of us achieving our vision. Owning five of the majors within the sport allows us to push pool to boundaries it has never seen before. Standard of play is strengthening, and younger, motivated players are travelling and now on the scene, however there is not many a player out there earning a real decent wage from the amount of events on the current circuit.

“Introducing rankings firstly gives players the opportunity to rightly earn their place in our own events on merit, encouraging more players to travel to various events. Secondly, we are focused on our tiered system ensuring that organisers and promoters are adding the maximum prize money, as well as motivating others to get involved and introduce new tournaments. Points have not always been rewarded appropriately according to added money or level of organisation and or production.

“This is a work-in-progress but we are confident we have a firm base structure to start with. It is time for us all to improve the level of our pool events and give our professional athletes a realistic chance to earn a career and for us in turn to build this fantastic sport.”

New Post on https://thepoolscene.com/?p=55412

USA LEAD DRAMATIC PARTYPOKER MOSCONI CUP BY ONE

Van Boening/Woodward 5-1 Filler/Kaci Skyler Woodward 5-3 Niels Feijen Woodward/Styer 5-4 Kaci/Kazakis Shane van Boening 0-5 Joshua Filler Bergman/Thorpe 4-5 Shaw/Feijen

Team USA lead the partypoker Mosconi Cup 8-7, setting it up for a dramatic Thanksgiving finale at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Convention Center, live on Sky Sports and DAZN.

The day began with the scores at 5-5 and USA extended that to 8-5, with Skyler Woodward involved in all three wins. A Joshua Filler inspired Europe fought back though as the German beat Shane van Boening 5-0 before Jayson Shaw and Niels Feijen won a hill-hill thriller against Justin Bergman and Billy Thorpe that had it all and sparked wild European celebrations.

USA Coach Johan Ruijsink had scheduled Woodward to play in each of the day’s opening three matches, starting with a doubles pairing alongside Van Boening, with Filler and Eklent Kaci in opposition.

The Albanian carried the adrenaline of the walk-on into his break and scratched to the middle pocket, handing early initiative to USA. Europe’s next shot was their break at 2-0 down, but they couldn’t capitalise, and the rack went to USA. Kaci and Feijen took the fourth but a poor Filler push out gave America control of the fifth and they duly moved to the hill.

Breaking for the match, Woodward had the 8 down but Van Boening was left unsighted on the 1. No problem, though, for the South Dakota Kid, who jumped the 3 to cut the 1 to the top corner and America were perfect from there to move 6-5 ahead.

Woodward remained at the table to face Feijen, who was yet to find his stroke this week. The Dutchman looked to be staring down a 3-0 deficit when Woodward missed an uncharacteristic 9-ball and Feijen was able to put a three-pack together for the lead. But if any confidence was being built by the four-time MVP, it wasn’t able to grow any further. Woodward ran the sixth rack and a dry break by Feijen in the seventh was his last shot of the match as the Kentucky Kid, who is fast becoming ‘Mr Mosconi’ for Team USA, cleared the table twice for a 5-3 win and a 7-5 US lead.

That heaped pressure onto European pair Kaci and Kazakis, who were out next in doubles against Woodward and Styer. The Euro duo were both losing debutants last year and Kazakis had struggled so far this week too.

An American break and run in the first rack served to increase the decibel level from the US audience, but Europe took the next two for the lead. A fluked 3-ball – an attempted Kaci jump to the bottom corner which clipped the draw and screwed diagonally to the top corner – set Europe on their way to 3-1.

They reached the hill with a three-rack advantage, but a dry Kaci break handed an opportunity to USA, and Styer and Woodward took two racks to close to 4-3. Another European dry break brought the US duo straight back to the table and they gave the crowd the second hill-hill match of the week.

When Styer missed a tough cut on the 1, things looked promising for Europe. Kaci left Kazakis a 3-ball which was straight, but with the cue ball against the side rail on the jaw of the middle pocket. It was the kind of shot you need to make to win Mosconi Cup’s, but what followed was a Kazakis miss which was symptomatic of his struggles at this competition over the last two years, and it meant Europe were 8-5 down. Woodward had the final 9 and before shooting it urged the Mandalay Bay crowd to its feet. To a man, they obeyed, and gave perhaps the week’s loudest raw as the new yellow and black Aramith 9 hit the bottom of the pocket.

“I said to Tyler, anything can happen – they won four in a row, so can we,” said Woodward, who was involved in all three US wins. “MVP would be nice but I don’t care about that as long as we win. I don’t care who is MVP, let’s just get the cash! It is a huge point. We will win the session before and it’s a big confidence booster for Shane coming in now.”

Both captains went strong with their next singles picks, giving the fans what they’d voted for on day two. The Fans’ Choice saw Filler win 5-1 on Tuesday and Europe were desperate for the repeat. In this match, it was America looking for revenge.

Filler, though, was in no mood for a US party. He won the lag and first rack and as he gained position on the 9 in the second, he turned to the home crowd and put his finger to his lips.

It was his performance, though, that would silence the American fans. The German lost control in the next rack but when Van Boening’s 3-ball cut missed the top corner, Filler was straight out of his seat, ran around the table and completed the rack in no time at all.

Van Boening’s next break was dry but Filler missed a 4-ball jump. The South Dakota Kid, though, left an easy 6 in trying to play safe. He’d intended to tie it up with the 9 on the bottom rail, but it didn’t hold and was left invitingly over the pocket. The rack was Filler’s and he was on the hill.

The fifth rack turned out to be the last one of the match and though it wasn’t without drama, it was what happened after the handshake that had America infuriated.

Van Boening left the arena, and Filler turned to his fans. At that moment he spotted his picture, complete with a crown on his head, on the big screen and turned back to the American side of the auditorium, asking ‘Who is the King, who is the King?’ USA Coach Johan Ruijsink urged him back to the European side, where captain Marcus Chamat lifted Filler into his chair to receive the adulation of the travelling support.

“The fans make this event so specially but when I am in the arena there is no time for respect,” said Filler. “I respect Shane as a player and everybody said he is the king but I had to show everybody that I am the King now.

“We were three points behind but now just two, and we are getting closer. The last match is so important for us if we can go to just one point behind. Tomorrow is all singles matches and I see us as having a big advantage in the singles.”

The final match of the night dished up one of the most dramatic finishes to a day’s play the partypoker Mosconi Cup has seen. From 3-0 and

4-2 down, Feijen and Shaw drew level with Thorpe and Bergman and the final rack was huge; 9-6 or 8-7 going into day 3. The break was USA’s and, hooked on the 6, Thorpe played a superb bank to the bottom corner. It was a great shot under pressure, but it left Bergman a tricky 7, which the Illinois man missed. With the 8 already down, Shaw and Feijen just had one ball each remaining and as the Dutchman sealed the point, European celebrations began.

“There was a tonne of pressure,” said Feijen. “I was struggling the first two days and every little thing that goes wrong you get punished severely. We didn’t do a lot wrong but we were down 3-0 so the heat was on right away but we stuck with it, played some really nice shots, quick wins and the crowd were unbelievable.

“This was a monster win. When Billy got hooked at 4-4, he made a tremendous bank but the shape was tough on the 7 and Justin had a lot of pressure on him.”

“It is a big win and we are only one point down now with all singles to play tomorrow. It’s game on,” added Shaw. “Last year we were three down going into the last day and we came back strong. One match changes everything and there is a lot of pressure out there now, so tomorrow the singles will be massive.”

The 2019 partypoker Mosconi Cup concludes on Thursday with a maximum of six singles matches. The first team to 11 will take home the trophy.

Photos courtesy of JP Parmentier/Matchroom Multi Sport

New Post on https://thepoolscene.com/?p=55398

EUROPE FIGHTBACK FOR PARTYPOKER MOSCONI CUP LEAD

Team USA 5-1 Team Europe Van Boening/Styer 5-4 Feijen/Kaci Billy Thorpe 0–5 Joshua Filler Woodward/Bergman 1-5 Kazakis/Shaw Justin Bergman 3–5 Jayson Shaw

Team Europe overturned a 2-0 deficit with a string of dominant performances to lead Team USA 3-2 after the opening day of play in the partypoker Mosconi Cup at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Convention Center, live on Sky Sports and DAZN.

USA had won the team match and the first doubles as Shane van Boening and Tyler Styer beat Eklent Kaci and Niels Feijen. Joshua Filler fired back emphatically for Europe, beating Billy Thorpe 5-0 before Alex Kazakis and Jayson Shaw were 5-1 victors over Skyler Woodward and Justin Bergman. Shaw and Bergman remained at the table for a singles clash, in which the Scot ran out a 5-3 winner to give his side the lead.

Europe won the opening rack of the first match, but USA then took the next five for the point. Shaw, however, was unhappy in the fourth when he was convinced that Bergman had fouled the 9-ball when trying to escape a safety. The decision went to the video reply but no foul was called and 32-year-old Bergman, making his first partypoker Mosconi Cup appearance since 2016, took the rack for a 3-1 US lead. His Scottish opponent was left reeling at the call which meant he didn’t have the opportunity to level at 2-2.

The home lead was extended to 2-0 after Van Boening and Styer teamed up to defeated Feijen and Kaci 5-4. The first four racks went with the break until Styer missed a routine 4 in the fifth, allowing Europe to steal. Feijen, however, errored himself in the next and parity was restored when the US pair pounced after the Dutchman had hit the 1-ball thick, leaving it hanging over the pocket.

Both teams then took advantage of their next break for the first hill-hill match of the tournament. USA had won the lag but couldn’t make the 1. Feijen had a down table pot but missed, allowing Styer and Van Boening to clear and double USA’s advantage.

“I am happy to get the win there,” said Styer. “I missed a ball which isn’t acceptable at this level so they will be pretty hurt that we could still win a match like that. We want to win every match if possible. We have to make up for the years where we have lost.”

Europe may have been two down, but they had their trump card to play next. Since missing out on last year’s Mosconi Cup, 2017 MVP Joshua Filler has become World Champion, US Open Champion and the undisputed World No.1.

He was walking next, to face Thorpe, who won the lag but scratched on the break. That allowed the German to lead, an advantage which he doubled off his own break. Rack three saw Thorpe lose the cue ball on the break again and Filler wasted no time in making it 3-0.

It was soon 4-0 as Filler ran out his next rack. Breaking to stay in it, Thorpe avoided the scratch but his lack of table time was evident as he missed the 3. The European crowd finally found its voice, singing Filler’s name as he completed a 5-0 whitewash to get the visitors on the board.

The away side dominated the next match, too, as Shaw and Alexander Kazakis took a 5-1 win over Bergman and Woodward, setting it up for what was anticipated to be an epic closer between Bergman and Shaw.

The Scot took the lead after a Bergman scratch handed control to the European, and off his own break Shaw made it 2-0. The lead was extended further after a poorly executed jump by Bergman, and Shaw took advantage of his own break for a second time to make it 4-0.

Bergman was on the board when he broke and ran the fifth and he had the home support on their feat as he took the sixth to cut Shaw’s lead to 4-2. The Illinois man was breaking next and ran out to crank up the pressure on his opponent. But pressure wasn’t a factor for Shaw, who ran his rack to give Europe the overnight lead.

“I have felt good all day but the butterflies have been there so I had to try and keep myself calm and composed,” said Shaw. “We didn’t start off great and they played well in the first match and in the doubles.

“Going 2-0 down, Josh had to go out and perform and I knew I had to go out and perform in those last two matches. There was a lot of pressure there but we play all year for this. Even though we are nervous we still get down and knock the balls in. It is great in here. The fans are going crazy. It is good to have USA on one side and the European support on the other.”

Play continues at 11am PT on Tuesday with five more matches including the ‘Fans’ Choice’ match to open the day.

Photos courtesy of “JP Parmentier/Matchroom Multi Sport’ 

New Post on https://thepoolscene.com/?p=55273

SHAW IS FIRST TEAM EUROPE WILDCARD

Jayson Shaw has been selected by captain Marcus Chamat as the first Team Europe wildcard for this year’s partypoker Mosconi Cup, which will take place at Mandalay Bay Resort, Las Vegas this November 25-28, live on Sky Sports and DAZN.

Shaw joins automatic qualifiers Joshua Filler, Eklent Kaci and Alexander Kazakis on the team, with Chamat to name his second wildcard choice on Thursday.

Former US Open champion Shaw made his Mosconi debut in 2016 and has been ever-present since. The Scotsman is a clear fan favourite and after suffering defeat to USA in London last year, is desperate to reclaim the Cup for Europe.

“It’s feels amazing to be playing my fourth Mosconi,” said Shaw. “I could not thank the captain enough; he’s got trust in me and I’m really thankful of another opportunity.

Photo courtesy of ‘JP Parmentier/Matchroom Multi Sport’ 

“Last year was the first defeat I had experienced at the Mosconi and it was a learning curve for all involved. For me, I learnt that USA have become a better team and we have to regroup and come up with a new plan for November.

“Europe will be ready to battle. We have to do what we have done for years; really grind and feed off each other and hope we can get off to a good start and bring that Cup back to Europe. It’s not going be easy but we are ready to win.”

Captain Chamat said: “Jayson is a quality player, especially under the pressure that the partypoker Mosconi Cup brings.

“Jayson is not the typical European; he isn’t quiet like a Ralf, Niels or Albin. He stands out, his personality is a little like mine when I was playing; I always wore my heart on my sleeve. He reminds me a bit of me except I don’t think I played as well as he does!

“He stands out and the team need that kind of mix and his big game. I know a lot of Americans have respect for his game.”

The 2019 partypoker Mosconi Cup will take place at Mandalay Bay Resort, Las Vegas this November 25-28, live on Sky Sports and DAZN. Tickets are available now at www.mosconicup.com. Prices start at $48 per day with silver season tickets at $161. Additional gold seating has now been released with day tickets at $70 and a season ticket available for $239.

New Post on https://thepoolscene.com/?p=55138

Shane Van Boening wins 5th Turning Stone Title

Everyone, Here is the complete order of finish for our Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour’s, “Turning Stone Classic XXXII 9-Ball Open”, which was held August 22-25, 2019. The event was $25,000 added with a total prize fund of $41,400. There was a full field of 128 players. All players were paid in cash immediately upon their elimination from the event!

1st          $8,000            Shane Van Boening 2nd         $5,000            Earl Strickland 3rd          $3,600            Jayson Shaw 4th          $2,600            Billy Thorpe 5/6th       $2,000 each – Brandon Shuff, Thorsten Hohmann 7/8th       $1,600 each – Raphael Dabreo, Frank Hernandez 9/12th     $1,200 each – Jeremy Sossei, Yesid Garabello, Len Gianfrate, Shaun Wilkie 13/16th   $850    each – Hunter Lombardo, John Andrade (Can), Dan Hewitt (Can), LoreeJon Hasson 17/24th   $550    each – Randy Labonte, Steven Winter (Can), Brent Boemmels, Damon Sobers, Jorge Rodriguez, Chad Bazinet, Kevin West, Qais Kolee  25/32nd  $300    each – Mike Yednak, Eric Lim, Jesse Docalavich, Eric Cloutier (Can), Matt Krah, Holden Chin, Sean Morgan, Earl Herring 33/48th – Zion Zvi, Dave Fernandez, Darren Clement (Can), Mika Immonen, Nick Coppola, Erik Hjorleifson (Can), Paul Laverdiere, Rich Kravetz, Jia Li, Dave Dreidel, Nick Antonakos, Brad Guthrie (Can), Mike Hurley, Bucky Souvanthong, Jerome Rockwell, Donny Mills

49/64th – Matt Tetreault, Tom Zippler, Fred Gokey, Willie Oney, Johnny Archer, Dan Sharlow, Keith Nelson, Ray Buthe, Jon McConnell, Dave Shlemperis, Jennifer Barretta, Dave Grau, Alvin Thomas, Ron Casanzio, Nelson Weimer, Caroline Pao 65/96th – Tony Antone, Bob Cunningham, Bud Robideau, Ed Yero, Alan Gordon, Frank Wolak, Joe Dupuis, Steve Fleming, Jed Jecen, Rich Howard,  Jerry Crowe, Gregg McAndrews, Ray Lee, Roarke Dickson, Dave Mills, John Moody, Sean Santoro, Bruce Gordon, Pascal Dufresne, Tom Gildea,               Larry Phleger, Jay Chiu, Greg Antonakos, Phil Harju, Jim Kearney, Mike Pettit, James Stonkus, Dominic Byrne, Ed Culhane, Mike Toohig, Chris Braiman, Rob Pole, 

97/128th – Greg Bombard, Bruce Nagle, Mike Verducci, Jason Platt, Nabil Lazouzi, Gene Hunt, Ben Werblow, Steve Sutton, Dave Callaghan, Steven W. Smith, Don Reigel, Jesse Piercey (Can), Lida Mullendore, Joe Sinicropi, Randy Whitehead, Pat Fleming, Erin Bechner, Chris Pyle, Bill Cote, Ryan Smith, Allen Hazelwood, Catherine Ong, Devin Buttle (Can), Jim Prather, Aaron Cameron, Bruce Barthelette, Tommy Tokoph, Jim McManus, Marco Kam, Brian Wheel, Rob Hart, Bruce Carroll

Our Second Chance event had a field of 26 players with a total prize fund of $1,300.

1st     $400 Steve Fleming 2nd    $300 Tom Zippler 3/4th  $180 each – Ben Werblow, Jim Prather5/8th  $60 each – Brent Boemmels, Joe Sinicropi, Jesse Docalavich, Jim Kearney

$1,500 Joss Cue raffle winners – Scott Brown & D. Nixon &  the winner of the autographed Aramith Pro Cup cue ball used in the final match – Bill Keymel The Joss Northeast 9-Ball Tour Is Proudly Sponsored By;

New Post on https://thepoolscene.com/?p=54940

Filler’s a Killer as Predator World 10-ball Championship Down to Final Four

By Keith Paradise

CSI Media Staff Writer

At the young age of 21, Joshua Filler already has the kind of career that many players would dream of having.

The German sparkplug with the dynamic disposition at the table won the China Open in 2017, the World Pool and Billiards Association’s World 9-ball Championship in December and has a pair of EuroTour championships under his belt this year.

Filler inched closer to adding another major title to his resume Thursday afternoon at the Las Vegas’s Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino, eliminating the previously unbeaten Jayson Shaw and Niels Feijen at the Predator World-10 Championships. He now advances to Friday’s semifinals, which will be at noon pacific time and will be streamed like on YouTube for free.

“Overall, I’m really, really happy with my game and with my break. Everything worked,” Filler said.

Shortly after the first phase of competition concluded on Wednesday night, the tournament was re-drawn and re-seeded – with players from the winner’s side matched against competitors from the one-loss side. Filler drew a fellow European in Shaw, winner of this year’s Turning Stone Classic and a runner-up at the Mezz Bucharest Open and Ginky Memorial.

Filler struggled with his break early and Shaw jumped out to a 4-2 lead in a race-to-10. The young German used two victorious safety exchanges as well as two breaks-and-runs in the middle of the match to claim his first lead, 6-5. Shaw tied the match in the next rack when Filler overran position on the 6-ball and missed, but Filler would use a successful jump shot on the 3-ball to run out the rack in the 15th game to regain the lead. Shaw again tied the match in the following frame with a break-and-run but Filler took the lead for good in the 17th game, using a tight cut shot on the 1-ball run out the rack and climb onto the hill, 9-8. The German finished off the match in the following game when his opponent failed to pocket a ball on the break. 

Filler advanced to the quarterfinals where he met Niels Feijen, a man who needed a bit of luck in order to survive his round of 16 matchup.

Feijen battled Wojciech Szewczyk of Poland to a 9-9 deadlock. Szewczyk was at the table in the deciding game and appeared positioned to run out the rack and claim the match, but overdrew the cue ball attempting to land position for the 5-ball – instead positioning the ball slightly behind the 9-ball on the rail. Frustrated with himself, he dropped his cue stick and walked away in disgust, then initiated a safety exchange with Feijen – who pocketed the ball with a jump shot and ran out.

Filler built an early 4-1 lead in the semifinals, using two breaks and runs and a dry break from his opponent. Feijen rallied in the middle of the match, using a Filler foul and two breaks and runs to cut the margin to 6-5. Feijen had an opportunity to knot up the score at six games each but was unable to secure position on the 9-ball. Filler cleared the rack and tacked on an additional break-and-run to push his lead back to 8-5.

The German wasn’t out of the woods yet, however, as Feijen used a safety exchange and a missed kick shot by Filler to cut the lead to down to one. Again, Feijen had a chance to tie the score and committed an unforced error – this time missing a 6-ball. In the 16th game. Filler cleared the table then tacked on one final run out to secure the victory.

“I felt very strong. Sometimes I was nervous when he came back,” Filler said. “I was 5-2 up and then he battled back every time that I was up. He made it very tough for me.”

Filler will face Pin-Yi Ko in Friday’s semifinals, who took advantage of a handful of victorious safety exchanges to pull ahead of Jung-Lin Chang and win, 10-8, in the quarterfinals.

Ko, who won the last World 10-ball title when it was staged in 2015, used a break and run as well as a pair of safety exchanges to build an early 4-1 advantage then pushed the lead to 8-4 when Cheng left openings after safeties in the 10th and 11th racks. At the table with a 9-6 advantage, Ko appeared ready to close out the match but left the 8-ball in the corner pocket’s jaws. His Chinese Taipei counterpart cleared the table then broke and ran to narrow the deficit to one game, but Ko added and break-and-run of his own in the 18th game to seal the victory.

Thursday was also a very fruitful one for Pin-Yi Ko’s little brother, Ping-Chung Ko, who survived Marc Bijsterbosch, 10-7, in the quarterfinals then used pinpoint execution of safeties to easily defeat Alex Pagulayan, 10-4. The Filipino, who advanced to the quarterfinals by battling back from a 7-3 deficit to defeat Ralf Souquet, opened the match winning three of the first five racks but couldn’t overcome Ko’s safety play. Ko tied the score at three games each then proceeded to win seven of the last eight games to secure the victory.

The match momentarily halted when the hotel’s fire alarm activated. With the emergency lights flashing like a nightclub, Pagulayan and Ko opted to continue playing.

“We don’t care about that. At home, we play with chickens running around,” Pagulayan said to a referee. “Same thing in China.”

With both Ko brothers onto the semifinals, this year’s event mirrors the 2015 World 10-ball Championship in which the elder Ko won and his younger brother reached the semifinals.

Junior Ko will take on Masato Yoshioka of Japan in the second semifinal match Friday, who overcame some early struggles to put away Tyler Styer, 10-7.

Styer, who reached the quarterfinals with a come-from-behind victory against Billy Thorpe, took an early 4-0 lead thanks to two unforced errors by his opponent paired with two breaks and runs. The momentum shifted towards Yoshioka during the fifth game, as he won six of the next seven racks while the American struggled with working through some difficult racks. Styer had an opportunity to tie the score at six games each in the 12th game but overran position for the 8-ball – leaving the cue ball pinned to the 10-ball.

“I just had some really finnicky, tricky outs to try and get through in the middle of the match and I just couldn’t get out,” Styer said after the match. “Those rolled over to the end and I just didn’t play my best.”

Nothing seemed to go right for Styer down the stretch, who left an open shot for his opponent on the 4-ball in the 14th game after failing to pocket the ball with a jump shot, then attempted a safety on the 1-ball in the 16th game and wound up pocketing the ball instead.

After the semifinals are completed the championship match is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. Pacific time.

The Predator World 10-ball Championship is a presentation of CueSports International and sponsored by Predator Group. Predator Group is an international billiard industry leader with a focus on high-performance cues and shafts as well as bringing constant innovation and game-improving equipment to billiard players worldwide. The event is being hosted by the Rio All-Suites Hotel and Casino and broadcast live on YouTube by CSI Media, a subsidiary of Cue Sports International. For more information, visit www.world10ball.com

CueSports International (CSI) is an international billiards organization which produces the United States Open 8-ball, 10-ball, one pocket, bank pool and straight pool championships. CSI, which also operates national amateur pool leagues, has three divisions: CSI leagues, CSI events and CSI media. CSI leagues manages the BCA Pool League and USA Pool League, the events division produces numerous amateur and professional events and the media department creates live video billiards content. For more information about CSI, visit www.playcsipool.com or find CueSports International on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter.

The Predator World 10-ball Championships are sponsored by:

Predator Cues: www.predatorcues.com

Diamond billiard tables: www.diamondbilliards.com

Omega Billiards: www.omegabilliards.com