2013 US Open One Pocket--REPORTS AND STORIES

fred bentivegna

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I think this is a more appropriate place for this.

Hopefully we can hear more from the people that are there.




lfigueroa
AzB Silver Member

Dispatch From the Front lines --2013 US 1Pocket Open - Today, 10:52 AM
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105 is hot. And no, I do not care that it is a "dry heat."

Once again I find myself in this God forsaken city to play a few games of one pocket in the US Open. To this day I do not understand the internal logic that drives me to do this each year, but here I am.

Landing in Vegas shortly after noon, I decide that it is in my best interests to head over to Best Billiards and hit a few balls on a Diamond table. There, I see Fast Lenny, still hobbled by a foot injury, Bobby Cotton, and Fatboy. Best Billiards is a wonderful room. There are several Diamond 9' tables, a couple of Diamond bar boxes, 3C tables, and a private room available. The service is cordial, and at one point, Mary, comes over to my table to inform me that I have played long enough to qualify for the daily special rate and can play until 7 for the same cost.

I knock them around for a few hours until I feel reasonably certain I won't completely embarrass myself in the tournament room and decide to drive over to the Rio. Driving through Vegas I wonder how this huge, insane city continues to exist, if not thrive. The heat, the surrounding desert, the cost of water and other goods, and the casino game rules and odds that have evolved to the point of being just shy of outright robbery. I am amused to see that a certain "Breaking Bad" ethos has taken hold in the city, seeing billboards advertising legal services ala "Call Saul!" with pithy enjoiners to "Get Glen!" and "Enough Said, Call Ed." I drive by The Riv, site of past billiard adventures and see that the parking lot is barricaded off and the casino's trademark sign missing several letters.

I hadn't been to the Rio for several years. It's off The Strip, sitting alone on West Flamingo Road, and is home to the Penn & Teller magic act. Wandering the casino, over and over I see posters advertising their show and am reminded of how much Bob Jewett looks like Teller, just not as happy.

At the Rio convention center, the main tournament room is huge, with a couple hundred 7' tables organized into endless rows. At the far end of the room is the "pro" area with raised sitting for spectators, 16 9' tables, and the TAR arena. These are set up in front of a very high stage. I see CSI front man, Mark Griffin, manning a registration desk and he stops a moment to explain some of the mayhem. Among other crises is ESPN lolly gagging their exit, post-WSOP, and delaying the installation of a hundred plus tournament tables. Everywhere I look tables are being forklifted, vendors are attempting to set up, and there is a general sense of disarray around the edges.

Warming up in the pro area I see all the usual suspects. I hadn't eaten all day so I decide against attending the player's meeting (once you've been to one, you been to them all) and sit down at the bar of Buzios, the Rio's seafood house. Let me tell you: if you're in the neighborhood, the food is outstanding and I can personally vouch for the blue crab stuffed mahi mahi.

After dinner I wander back through the tournament room for one more pass, after which I decide I am beat from the long day of travel and call it a wrap. Back in my room I go online to look at the tournament brackets and see that I am to play Carl Wilson, Jr, a name I recognize as being a top flight 9ball player, but do not associate with 1pocket, at 1pm. Maybe I have a chance, probably not.

Looking further at the chart and see AZ favorite, Chris Bartram is to play Design Your Dream non-cue maker, Bill Stroud, at the same time, and I get a sense of looming cosmic retribution about to be met out.

Lou Figueroa


Steve, dont do me no favors, I have Lou on Ignore.:frus

BEard
 

stevelomako

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Hi Freddy,

Where did you get all that stuff in your post?


Hopefully we'll get others to post the happenings. We should be there but I guess nobody wants us.
 
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Jimmy B

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LOL, Sorry Freddy but this is one thing Lou does pretty good.



He sure hell does, doesn't he?? But I'm still laughing at that line about not having kids in the other member section tiff thread you guys had. Funny..
 

gulfportdoc

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Nice report. And Jewett DOES look like Teller!!:D

Good to see Lou and Tom get their first match wins. Nuff said... don't wanna jinx 'em. I don't know Stroud's game, but Bartram is always in stroke...

I like SVB, or Justin Hall, and of course if Frost can keep his concentration up, he could win it. Bustamante is always a threat. Ike is too old for the win, but he could have a nice pay day.

These are slightly longer races, so the better 1P players have a very slight edge over the 9-ballers. It used to be races to 5, which made sense. Now it's just 4.

Hendy: good luck in the 8-ball. Artie said he was going to look you up.

Doc
 

KindlyOleUncleDave

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May 8, 2007
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2013 US Open One Pocket

2013 US Open One Pocket

Edit #1: I am an idiot.... TAR is streaming .....



Egad !

No streams from the event?

I almost flew out there .... now I wish I had ....

Drat!

Raphael; allow the balls to do what you wish them too do...
 
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One Pocket Ghost

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Tommy Tokoph

Tommy Tokoph

For those of you who may have been curious about Tommy Tokoph (pronounced Tokoff, btw) - the only unfamiliar name (to most) still left in the tournament - who just started his match with Ike (and if he wins would play Bernie next)...he's a friend of mine..he's a young guy, and I'm glad to say, unlike some, a very nice polite young guy..he's from New Mexico..he plays all games real good, just under pro speed, and he's been trying to get up there onto the pro tour level for the last couple of years...he'll shoot a little straighter than Ike, but Ike knows the game a lot better - but in these short races it could go either way - Tommy vs. Bernie would also be about an even game.

- Ghost
 
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Fast Lenny

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For those of you who may have been curious about Tommy Tokoph (pronounced Tokoff, btw) - the only unfamiliar name (to most) still left in the tournament - who just started his match with Ike (and if he wins would play Bernie next)...he's a friend of mine..he's a young guy, and I'm glad to say, unlike some, a very nice polite young guy..he's from New Mexico..he plays all games real good, just under pro speed, and he's been trying to get up there onto the pro tour level for the last couple of years...he'll shoot a little straighter than Ike, but Ike knows the game better - could go either way - Tommy vs. Bernie would also be about an even game.

- Ghost
I will bet $100 on Bernie if him and Tommy play since you say its even. Let me know. :heh
 

One Pocket Ghost

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I will bet $100 on Bernie if him and Tommy play since you say its even. Let me know. :heh

The only player that I bet my hard-earned $$$ on is the Ghost...that said, you can bet that hondo on "Gentleman John Henderson" against me if you like...:heh

- Gh:)st

PS, Btw, I didn't say it was even :rolleyes: I said it's about even - but that's ok, I'm used to being misquoted on here, in order for those peeps to attempt to profit off me..:eek:..:heh...:cool:
 
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Fast Lenny

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Lenny; Let me see if I can figure this out, by some quick calculations, Bernie and Ike are an even game. Is this correct?

Bill Smith "Mr3Cushion"
I am not sure, quite possibly close, Ike might have an edge being a full time player with many years in the trenches but Bernie is a world beater grinder who all the ladies love. :)
 

WhatWouldWojoDo

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Tommy Tokoph

Tommy Tokoph

I've seen Tommy play here in GA. This other guy with a lot of gamble just couldn't match up with him so the other guy was betting against Tommy playing the Ghost. On a tight Diamond table I was Tommy beat the ghost again and again. He plays really strong and since he is still young he will eventually get his name out there. Another player who is good friends with his from back in NM is Tommy Najar, who is another young and up and comer.

Who is the favorite out of the last 12 players?
 

lll

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who are the players left??
i went to the site and all i saww were the pair ups for the thursday matches (10 pm)but no results
thanks
i guess i can check alittle later today
 

NH Steve

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2013 US Open One Pocket--REPORTS AND STORIES

I am not sure, quite possibly close, Ike might have an edge being a full time player with many years in the trenches but Bernie is a world beater grinder who all the ladies love. :)

Ike has one very supportive lady here with him and that counts!
 

Miller

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What the ****!?

What the ****!?

what the ****!?!?!?
:frus

brackets clearly show semi at 4:00 (6:00 my time).

so, what do i do?
-leave work 1-1/2 hours early (i need to make this up next week)
-"borrow" a computer from work becuase my wife's apple is a piece of freeze-up shit
-get my "chores" done early (in 100 degree bullshit) -- mow the grass, weed eat my yard and the neighbors, mow a lot next door (for the yuppie asshole who owns it), clean this slimy shit growing on my garage door trim
-get cleaned up, kick on the garage AC ($$$) to warp speed, run across town to buy my mother (visiting :eek:) and daughter take out dinner
-get back home a little after 6:00, settle into my garage, buy the stream, and figure out the semis are not until tomorrow!?

:frus
 

Miller

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East St. Louis Area
what the ****!?!?!?
:frus

brackets clearly show semi at 4:00 (6:00 my time).

so, what do i do?
-leave work 1-1/2 hours early (i need to make this up next week)
-"borrow" a computer from work becuase my wife's apple is a piece of freeze-up shit
-get my "chores" done early (in 100 degree bullshit) -- mow the grass, weed eat my yard and the neighbors, mow a lot next door (for the yuppie asshole who owns it), clean this slimy shit growing on my garage door trim
-get cleaned up, kick on the garage AC ($$$) to warp speed, run across town to buy my mother (visiting :eek:) and daughter take out dinner
-get back home a little after 6:00, settle into my garage, buy the stream, and figure out the semis are not until tomorrow!?

:frus


ah-ha!
looks like i'm a dumbass...
deuel vs orcollo to play at 6:00 las vegas time
:eek:
 

One Pocket Ghost

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Frost is out..compliments of Biado...Scott must not be a happy camper right about now - losing to a guy (even if he is a 9ball champion) who just started playing One Pocket.

- Ghost
 

gulfportdoc

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Ghost, did you watch the match? I'm wondering if it was just a shoot-em-up --a pocketing frenzy-- or whether any traditional one-pocket came into play? I had put the "over & under" bet on the match length at 1 hour. Probably didn't make it.;)

It might have been a match-up of the seasoned gunslinger trying to trade shots with the young turk. The shots are fired, the smoke clears and...... Biado is still standing.:( Kind of like Vera Cruz, only Gary Cooper falls, and Burt Lancaster is still on his feet.

Doc
 
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