I knew Veronica when she was in the Mankato MN area. Great player and just all around good person! I haven't seen her in many years, but it doesn't look like she has changed much at all!
2026 WPBA Borderline Brunswick/Pechauer Invitational
- Thread starter Chili Palmer
- Start date
She goes back there frequently as family is there and Iowa, plus plays with her old pool girl friends now and then. She's a lot stronger than shown in that match, I haven't seen form like that in her in awhile. I think the TV table got to her. She also plays a lot of scotch doubles with Brandon Jacoby. I just got done playing 3 yrs of Monday night league with her as one of my teammates.
As noted, I've watched Helfery live multiple times. She has solid fundamentals. Still, her pattern play is under-developed and it is why she doesn't get a little more out of what she can execute on offense. Ultimate Pool is on bar-boxes and there is more forgiveness for patterns misplayed as the recovery shots are more easily handled.
She plays well for her age but does not yet show any real feel for or skills for defense and kicking, and until she adds that, she won't beat strong players to the shot often enough to have a chance to win. I did notice, however, that she's adequate with the jump cue, so that's going to help her. Right now, she can only beat a strong player if chances keep landing in her lap through strong breaking, luck, or opponent errors.
As I've said before, the potential is there, and she'll likely be a good player somewhere down the road, but let's not be delusional about how far along she is.
This field is weak enough that Sofia is assured of a top five even with her "B" game. Her offensive execution woke up in the second half of the Helfery match, and she'll need to sustain that to have any chance to beat either of the top two. Her pattern play was respectable, but her tactical judgment was mediocre, and it has to be much better for her to contend for the title.
Still, her last few racks offered at least some hope, so maybe she finds her top speed shortly.
These are pretty solid predictions. That said, I've never heard of Amy Beauchamp, so I am shocked to learn she's a world champion. When did she win her world championship and in what discipline?
Finally, don't sleep on Briana Miller. She's still in on the loser side and is a solid player.
Thanks for the info.
Sound like Amy's titles are in blackball, aka English 8ball. That has often been a good training ground for pros. Among those who began with it were Appleton, Boyes, Melling, Selby, Shaw and long-retired top ten WPBA player Sarah Ellerby.
Tkach got it 8-1. I wasn't too far off.
Kaylee and Kennedy - Kennedy started strong and was up 4-0 but Kaylee has got it to 4-3.
Styer - Atwell - Atwell as definitely brought her A game, it's hill-hill.
Sofia - Amy - Amy didn't do nearly as good as I thought she would, wish this one was streamed. I don't know if Amy was just that far off or if Sofia simply dominated that much, would've like to have seen it.
Rachel Walters is down 7-5 against Veronique. Not surprised, Veronique is a an excellent player.
Styer got it. She'll be playing Sofia next at 2PM Eastern. It's on table 15 so it will be streamed. After that it will be Jordan and Benoit. Could be a good one but I think Benoit should get it.
jax_joe
Well-known member
at 2:00?
Whoops, went backwards, 6PM Eastern. I'm also watching the Huskers and Hoosiers, what a game.
Nice win for Jordan Helfery over Benoit. Trailing 5-4 and hooked, she jumped a ball in and ran out! All the momentum shifted and Benoit did not win another rack. Nicely played.
Jordan has obviously put a lot of work into her jumping skills, and it paid off in this one.
Jordan has obviously put a lot of work into her jumping skills, and it paid off in this one.
The cream rises to the top. Sofia got Margaret's "A" game and really had no shot in this one. The runouts are coming easy for the top two, who have been competing on equipment tighter than this during the past two events in Asia.
