Dream Challenge -Team USA v Team Russia (23-25 Sep2019) 9b/9ft. Winning team $15K

spartan

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Mosconi Cup format
Race to 5 per match
Race to 10 matches (last year was race to 9. Not sure why they are not playing to 11 like Mosconi Cup)
Winners $15000 Runners up $7500

Team USA
SVB
Billy Thorpe
Skyler
Corey
Tyler Styer
Max Eberle


Team Russia
Ruslan Chinakhov
Fedor Gorst
Konstantin Stepanov
Sergey Lutsker
Maksim Dudanets


This will be after the Kremlin Cup 10 ball event this week (17-21 Sep) in all Team USA and many top Europeans are playing.
After this event, Johan will choose 2 out of 4 contenders (Thorpe, Corey,Tyler, Eberle) to join Shane and Sky in USA (Mosconi Cup) team. Final 5th member will be chosen after International Open next month. Excellent way to gauge and evaluate how the contenders perform as a team and under Mosconi Cup format.

This year is the 3rd edition. In 2017, USA won hill hill 9-8. Last year Russia led 8-5 on final day before USA won remaining 4 matches to also win hill hill 9-8
This is last year’s final hill hill deciding match
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUVNf3DWqWk&list=PLm-NYu03DbMs6fZLCEV0ik_Xk-Si76LFB&index=8&t=0s
Here are other matches from last year
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLm-NYu03DbMvoTlN5XC-36x-akZb5Fp2V
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLm-NYu03DbMtInAaoP_019LeQVwVAP9-n
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLm-NYu03DbMs6fZLCEV0ik_Xk-Si76LFB
Here are last year’s stats
https://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=480940

Live Stream likely on Facebook or Youtube
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/abnbilliards/
Youtube https://www.youtube.com/user/abnbilliards/videos or
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaymcYF8M1xVV-V1osfB_4g/videos

dreamchallenge2019.jpg
 

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
Sounds great, although six Americans against five Russians is a little odd.

If Johan will take those that perform best in this event and the International, he will have cemented a winning methodology for selection of the team going forward. If, however, he goes with one or more players that play poorly in this match and the International, we'll know that those players were already guaranteed their spot(s) on the team and this match will have been a pointless exercise.

That said, I'm optimistic here that Johan will handle this well. Max Eberle has joined the other aspirants on merit, and the remaining four Mosconi spots will, I believe, be awarded based on merit based on this event and the International. That's a winning formula in my books.

Good luck to all these fine players.
 
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skogstokig

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Sounds great, although six Americans against five Russians is a little odd.

If Johan will take those that perform best in this event and the International, he will have cemented a winning methodology for selection of the team going forward. If, however, he goes with one or more players that play poorly in this match and the International, we'll know that those players were already guaranteed their spot(s) on the team and this match will have been a pointless exercise.

That said, I'm optimistic here that Johan will handle this well. Max Eberle has joined the other aspirants on merit, and the remaining four Mosconi spots will, I believe, be awarded based on merit based on this event and the International. That's a winning formula in my books.

Good luck to all these fine players.

sky and shane are already on the team.. probably tyler too, but that's just my guess. in reality i think there are two spots to fight for here
 

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
sky and shane are already on the team.. probably tyler too, but that's just my guess. in reality i think there are two spots to fight for here

Yup, Tyler is a lock after his win at the Kremlin Cup. I have a feeling we'll end up with Shane, Sky, Woodward, Billy Thorpe, Max Eberle and Tyler Styer.
 

Cardigan Kid

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Yup, Tyler is a lock after his win at the Kremlin Cup. I have a feeling we'll end up with Shane, Sky, Woodward, Billy Thorpe, Max Eberle and Tyler Styer.

Can you elaborate on your prediction of Max over Corey for the team? I thought Corey was solid in the Kremlin Cup and he was a member of last year’s winning team (although didn’t perform the best). Max also played well in Moscow, I just feel Max is going to have to do something spectacular in the International Open to make the team over Corey. What do you think?
 

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Can you elaborate on your prediction of Max over Corey for the team? I thought Corey was solid in the Kremlin Cup and he was a member of last year’s winning team (although didn’t perform the best). Max also played well in Moscow, I just feel Max is going to have to do something spectacular in the International Open to make the team over Corey. What do you think?
I agree here.
 

CptBurbagio

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Streams have begun at ABN Facebook page and World of Pool YouTube page. Thanks for gathering the info, Spartan.
 

CptBurbagio

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Knotted at 3-3 in the initial Team Match. Shane has two of the wins for the US.

Corey makes a pretty incredible out to put it at 4-3.
 
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Cardigan Kid

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Max looks like a tough bare knuckle boxer from 1895. Intimidation factor in the presentation. Great mustache.
 

CptBurbagio

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Gorst/Stepanov take the second match against Deuel/Eberle to pull the total score to 1-1. Russia were up 4-0 after some bad mistakes including a missed 9 by Max, but the Americans found a groove and almost made it 4-4 before an unfortunate scratch off a long thin cut by Corey.
 

sjm

Older and Wiser
Silver Member
Can you elaborate on your prediction of Max over Corey for the team? I thought Corey was solid in the Kremlin Cup and he was a member of last year’s winning team (although didn’t perform the best). Max also played well in Moscow, I just feel Max is going to have to do something spectacular in the International Open to make the team over Corey. What do you think?

I don't agree. Corey was by far the weakest member of Team USA at the 2018 Mosconi Cup. I was very curious to see how he'd do if he drew a top European, because that's what it will take to succeed at the Mosconi. Corey had his chance when he drew Fedor Gorst and Corey got crushed. I was similarly curious to see how Max Eberle would perform against a top European and he got the chance when he drew Ruslan Chinakhov. He played very well in a double hill loss. Also, Max reached single elimination and Corey didn't.

All of that said, I've only made a prediction, and we'll see how it goes over the next several weeks.
 

Cardigan Kid

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I don't agree. Corey was by far the weakest member of Team USA at the 2018 Mosconi Cup. I was very curious to see how he'd do if he drew a top European, because that's what it will take to succeed at the Mosconi. Corey had his chance when he drew Fedor Gorst and Corey got crushed. I was similarly curious to see how Max Eberle would perform against a top European and he got the chance when he drew Ruslan Chinakhov. He played very well in a double hill loss. Also, Max reached single elimination and Corey didn't.

All of that said, I've only made a prediction, and we'll see how it goes over the next several weeks.

Great points, Stu. Corey fell 1 win shy of single elimination by the loss to Billy which I felt he played solid. I think this dream challenge event really is the max/Corey selection event by Johann. He already paired them up in doubles, in which they lost and both made some errors. If Max can outperform Corey in the singles, I think your instincts are correct, and Max has the edge. Then it would take an impressive performance at the international Open by Corey to flip the script.

Do we know if the US team will be hanging around and playing in the next Euro Tour event? That would be another tester as well.
 

Vahmurka

...and I get all da rolls
Silver Member
Do we know if the US team will be hanging around and playing in the next Euro Tour event? That would be another tester as well.
According to JJ, unlike last year they won't be playing at the Eurotour this time. Heading straight back home for more preparations.
 
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