Filler and TRex. Tue -Wed at Roys

BeiberLvr

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Tony did have to shoot out of some traps that Filler put him in and then one of his take outs of a ball in Filler's pocket looked impossible.

All in all it was exciting to watch these two go at it. Tony also had that game where he slammed into the stack and two balls went in Filler's hole but he won that game anyway.

Tony played great and made a bunch of really sick bank combos.
 

one stroke

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I didn't judge them, the commentator did. He said Filler was the best in Europe and there were several that could be the best in the world if they played one pocket.

Filler was the typical straighter shooter that IMO hardly missed a shot.

Filler lost games because Tony knew more moves and was a smarter player.

Sorry but that is the fact. Filler shot the wrong shot, but made it.

Ken

That's not what he said he said there were a few and if they played on tables with big pockets they might be able to compete , I for one see no reason they couldn't they got another straight shooting kid Fedor Gorst , Appleton and Shaw rounds out a 5 man team they can't win but they should be competitive

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SBC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Killer Filler shows again that anybody playing any game on a pool table is not supposed to beat him.
 

SBC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I didn't judge them, the commentator did. He said Filler was the best in Europe and there were several that could be the best in the world if they played one pocket.

Filler was the typical straighter shooter that IMO hardly missed a shot.

Filler lost games because Tony knew more moves and was a smarter player.

Sorry but that is the fact. Filler shot the wrong shot, but made it.

Ken

I get it, but if you are a huge favorite to make a shot, the rules of the game no longer apply.
 

Nostroke

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Every kick Joshua is executing is on the verge of a sellout.

Yeah he has to learn that those kicks to his hole can only be played when the table is right. He needs to learn balls go uptable when you are up 5 balls or more and he needs to learn to take scratches more often. They almost mean nothing to him. When he has an open table 7 balls, 8 balls 9 balls-he is out.

And still he won day 1. I dont think T-Rex will sleep well tonight
 

AtLarge

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
... Tony also had that game where he slammed into the stack and two balls went in Filler's hole but he won that game anyway.

I think you're probably talking about Game 8, and it was something.

Tony was down a ball after scratching on the break. Josh loosened up the rack some more on his first shot, so it was no longer really a stack, just balls all over the foot of the table, including one near Josh's pocket. Then Tony stepped up and powered into the balls, sinking 4 of them -- 1 in a side pocket, 2 in Josh's pocket, and 1 in his own pocket. But it was no random blast into the balls. He was playing a carom off the 14-ball into the 13/5 combo to his pocket, and it went in perfectly. Terrific shot that the commentators did not see in advance. Tony ran 8 balls (to get to 7), then knocked the 10-ball cross corner near his pocket. Josh played safe on the 10, getting it away from Tony's pocket, but Tony made the 10 by banking the 4-ball off the side rail into the 10 (which was more than 2 diamonds away from Tony's pocket!)
 
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overlord

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think you're probably talking about Game 8, and it was something.

Tony was down a ball after scratching on the break. Josh loosened up the rack some more on his first shot, so it was no longer really a stack, just balls all over the head of the table, including one near Josh's pocket. Then Tony stepped up and powered into the balls, sinking 4 of them -- 1 in a side pocket, 2 in Josh's pocket, and 1 in his own pocket. But it was no random blast into the balls. He was playing a carom off the 14-ball into the 13/5 combo to his pocket, and it went in perfectly. Terrific shot that the commentators did not see in advance. Tony ran 8 balls (to get to 7), then knocked the 10-ball cross corner near his pocket. Josh played safe on the 10, getting it away from Tony's pocket, but Tony made the 10 by banking the 4-ball off the side rail into the 10 (which was more than 2 diamonds away from Tony's pocket!)

It was unreal and a blast to watch. T Cho is the most creative player in the One Pocket game today IMO.
 

one stroke

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Yeah he has to learn that those kicks to his hole can only be played when the table is right. He needs to learn balls go uptable when you are up 5 balls or more and he needs to learn to take scratches more often. They almost mean nothing to him. When he has an open table 7 balls, 8 balls 9 balls-he is out.

And still he won day 1. I dont think T-Rex will sleep well tonight

Well he better get a good nights sleep because just about every time I've seen this kid play he gets better , and he hates to lose at anything in Roys words couple weeks ago

1
 

jay helfert

Shoot Pool, not people
Gold Member
Silver Member
I watched about half the games today and probably enjoyed the quick pace of play as much as anything else. Both these guys are aggressive players and if they see something they like they are ready to fire away. I saw a lot of creativity today, finding shots where many One Pocket players would be looking to play safe.

I did see Filler overlook some obvious safeties and fail to see a better shot when it was there. He made up for it, even if he was shooting the "wrong" shot, by making it work for him. Jim Rempe once said that it isn't just the choice of shots that's important, but the EXECUTION of the shot that is even more important. And one thing I'll say about Filler, his execution is near flawless, although I did see him get a little careless at the end of a couple of games.

Meanwhile Tony played like Tony, and didn't seem fazed by this straight shooting kid. He put away his phone and dug down in every game. I think by the time they had played three games he could see that this kid was no slouch and he couldn't lay down on him. Tony is smart enough to know that Filler is dangerous and must be taken seriously. You can bet T-Rex will be in battle mode come tomorrow. This match will come down to who makes the big shots under pressure, and I fully expect it to be close all the way.

IMO Josh Filler has arrived in the Pool world in a big way, and he isn't taking any prisoners. We are going to see a lot more of him in the coming years, since he enjoys taking on all comers. Josh sees dollar signs everywhere he goes, whether it be a tournament or a money game. This young man (no longer a kid!) is out to pad his bank account and you gotta like that about him. He kind of reminds me of Shane early on in his pool career. He wanted to win every tournament he played in (still does) and take on anybody who wanted action afterwards. It's worked quite well for him (lots of nice income property) and maybe Josh sees that, and realizes it's possible to come out okay playing this game.

Bottom line for me is that Josh is a raw talent that is only going to get better the more he plays top flight competition. By this time next year he may well be the best One Pocket player in the world. We've been waiting a long time for the next Efren and Josh may be the guy! It doesn't mean he has to win this match, but his pool career is on an upward trajectory, that's for sure.
 
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ribdoner

SATISFACTION GUARANTEED
Silver Member
i watched a few games when T was on a hot streak.

Not only was he ultra creative he also shot balls in at a very high level

NO living human has the speed he can attain when he falls into the zone

He's only beatable because sometimes the magic just doesn't work
 

Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I kinda feel sorry for Filler, he doesn't know the simple shots that are routine for long time one pocket players.

Filler is a straight shooting son of a gun, and that has kept him in the match.

I had to laugh at the dumb commentators though, they were saying how the European players would dominate and there are a bunch of great players....

No.

Ken

It was a qualified statement, though; Alex said short races would be competitive.

Filler just showed he was capable of winning a set to 11...
 

Tin Man

AzB Gold Member
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High gear

i watched a few games when T was on a hot streak.

Not only was he ultra creative he also shot balls in at a very high level

NO living human has the speed he can attain when he falls into the zone

He's only beatable because sometimes the magic just doesn't work

I believe Tony has the highest gear of any one pocket player in the world. When Filler was up 4-1 he went on an unreal tear. Filler would put him in a dead trap, he'd bet the game on a table length back cut, or a back cut bank, or a back cut carom at break speed, or something else I can't describe because he fired and the balls exploded and something went in his hole. He made all of them. It got to the point that when Filler had him in a trap where I'd normally be salivating if I was Filler, I was instead sweating it because Tony would will a ball in from flat out nowhere.

Now, that all said, no one can do that all the time. And despite all the magic, Filler is there with him at the end of day one. Maybe Tony will win, maybe he won't, but in the long run as Filler plays more he just shoots way, way too straight. If Filler loses this match I'm sure he'll rematch. I think Filler wins big if they play a second set down the road a little regardless of what happens here. The knowledge gap will shrink but the striking gap is there to stay.

As for the poster talking about Filler needing to play the score and move the balls up table, I think Filler is at a major moving disadvantage in the end game. I think he feels he's better off keeping balls in play so and going for quick kills.

Both players flat our refused to take their foot off the gas. Today was the most exciting one pocket I've ever seen.
 

skogstokig

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I believe Tony has the highest gear of any one pocket player in the world. When Filler was up 4-1 he went on an unreal tear. Filler would put him in a dead trap, he'd bet the game on a table length back cut, or a back cut bank, or a back cut carom at break speed, or something else I can't describe because he fired and the balls exploded and something went in his hole. He made all of them. It got to the point that when Filler had him in a trap where I'd normally be salivating if I was Filler, I was instead sweating it because Tony would will a ball in from flat out nowhere.

Now, that all said, no one can do that all the time. And despite all the magic, Filler is there with him at the end of day one. Maybe Tony will win, maybe he won't, but in the long run as Filler plays more he just shoots way, way too straight. If Filler loses this match I'm sure he'll rematch. I think Filler wins big if they play a second set down the road a little regardless of what happens here. The knowledge gap will shrink but the striking gap is there to stay.

As for the poster talking about Filler needing to play the score and move the balls up table, I think Filler is at a major moving disadvantage in the end game. I think he feels he's better off keeping balls in play so and going for quick kills.

Both players flat our refused to take their foot off the gas. Today was the most exciting one pocket I've ever seen.

wow, that sums up my opinion completely. i think tony should have played a more moving game though, trying to starve out filler. i think for example bustie would have adjusted that way. but on the other hand, tony is at his best playing fast and aggressive

old rules don't apply to filler, like not taking on a low reward tough shot from uptable when opponent has a ball close to his pocket. leave him a glimpse of a finger nail and he'll take the whole arm
 

jasonlaus

Rep for Smorg
Silver Member
No rules apply to Filler - he is the straightest shooting player ANY BODY has faced, he never misses a long shot(ghost) and he still comes with crazy straight pool knowledge.

Honestly, when he gains the knowledge, there is nobody that can beat him.

Shane - my man

Dennis - money man

Busty- only chance

Alex - cheap suit - F all you guys that worship Alex! Ima bet Filler!!!
 

Oze147

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I just watched an old video of Earl playing 14.1 and the situation was similar.
Knowledge and creativity vs. talent and straight shooting.

Sooner or later the straight shooter overtakes the experience and the knowledge, since he picks it up as he plays.
In the end its just another game where you shot balls into pockets and right now there might be no one better at this task than Filler.

I still wonder how his trip to the "american" games will influence his 9ball, 10ball etc.
Will it add just more weapons to his armory and make him even harder to beat, or will it worsen it slightly because of lost focus on his "main" games.
 

8cree

Reverse Engineer
Silver Member
I'm pretty sure Fillers focus, is in focus. T Rex has his hands full but I'm thinking he tightens the screws today. He missed several simple shots that cost him a few games, I think he will tighten that up today. I think so anyway. But there is no denying that the Killer Filler is on the come up, and at a rapid pace!

I'm calling Tony by a game or 3. But a rematch likely wont go his way.
 

muskyed

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Have to admit, that I never have paid any attention to this game. A couple of times in the past I have watched a minute or two of it on youtube, then went on to other things, as I didn't find it interesting, and mostly just didn't understand it. But after hearing how everyone is so interested in this game, I watched this match. I still don't totally understand the rules, but the longer i watched it, the more I grew to like it, and be interested in it. From what everyone is saying, I probably just happened to be lucky and pick one of the great matches to watch, for my first one. Looking forward to watching it again, although it will probably be the replay, as we are going to have our first nice day in awhile, and I have some outside things to do. Plan onlooking up the rules, soon to better understand this, and may try and do that before watching the second part of this.
 

Nostroke

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Have to admit, that I never have paid any attention to this game. A couple of times in the past I have watched a minute or two of it on youtube, then went on to other things, as I didn't find it interesting, and mostly just didn't understand it. But after hearing how everyone is so interested in this game, I watched this match. I still don't totally understand the rules, but the longer i watched it, the more I grew to like it, and be interested in it. From what everyone is saying, I probably just happened to be lucky and pick one of the great matches to watch, for my first one. Looking forward to watching it again, although it will probably be the replay, as we are going to have our first nice day in awhile, and I have some outside things to do. Plan onlooking up the rules, soon to better understand this, and may try and do that before watching the second part of this.

It's always alternate break and most of the rules are intuitive. One that i think is not is if your opponent has his winning ball hanging in his pocket, you can make that ball and deliberately scratch and the ball gets spotted thus keeping you in the game because you scratched or even if you jumped the table. Just somehow doesn't seem 'right' to improve your chances through a pocketed cue ball. BIH is always behind the line.
 
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