Filipino Dominance in Pool

JAM

JAM

I am the storm
Silver Member
I always got a kick out of hearing about the famed Filipino Invasion, beginning with Jose Parica in California during the late '70s. Nobody had seen anything quite like Jose, and he quickly captured quite a few championships to add onto his already meaty portfolio.

Soon thereafter, Efren Reyes hit the States, and pool fans were treated to excellence when The Magician was in the house. He moved the balls effortlessly, his tableside demeanor calm and relaxed, though he is every pool player's worst nightmare when they're facing him on the other side of the table. He is very much heralded as the greatest of all times as evidenced by his induction into the Billiard Congress of America's Hall of Fame.

Alex Pagulayan has always warmed our hearts with his sense of humor and caliber of play, and I was so very happy for him when he won the 2004 World Pool Championship, after coming in second place previously. He's a one-man show and provides entertainment 24/7, which is why he was awarded the very first Louie Roberts A/E Award in Louisville at the DCC. He is currently the 2005 U.S. Open 9-Ball Champion.

Francisco Bustamante has a sense of style, always dresses nicely, and he does pack a mean punch on a field of green, winning quite a few high-profile events, to include the $25,000-added Joss Tour Season Finale at the Turning Stone Casino several months ago.

Santos spent a considerable amount of time living here in America, and after he recently pocketed $70,000-plus at the Skins Billiards Championship this past October, he was afforded the golden opportunity to go back home to the Philippines and see his family, after a very long hiatus.

The new kid on the block is Marlon Manalo, a 29-year-old who owns a pool room in his native country. His first appearance here in the U.S., he won just about everything he competed in on the West Coast. This morning, I woke up and read the Main Page of AzBilliards, and Marlon just snapped off the Texas Hold'em Billiard Championship for a cool $100,000 winner-take-all exhibition. That's a mighty nice chunk of change in addition to the $60,000 he won in Orlando.

When I look back at the last 3 months at the various big events I have attended, it is the Filipinos who rise to the top each and every time. At the U.S. Open, there were three Filipinos in the semi-finals: Alex, who ended up winning, Efren, and Bustie. Santos has always been a strong fixture on the tournament trail, but when he won 70 dimes at the recent Skins in Atlantic City, it was the BIGGEST purse of his career. At the recent IPT King of the Hill Shootout, it was no surprise to see Marlon, Efren, and Francisco in the Final Six, and Efren won the big kahuna, $200,000, the largest first prize ever in this magnificant and unprecedented $1-million event.

As a pool fan and enthusiast, I really enjoy seeing these guys in combat on the tournament trail, but I must admit that I do wonder at times what separates these players from the rest.

Jose Parica told me that when he was playing pool back home in the Philippines, the equipment was substandard, with unlevel tables and odd-sized balls. 15-ball rotation was the most popular game, and when he came to America and discovered we were playing 9-ball rotation, he took to it like a duck to water, not to mention the topnotch and pristine equipment we Americans enjoy.

Alex Pagulayan said he grew up in difficult circumstances, but when he discovered he had an exceptional talent in pool, he never looked back and rose to the top, finding his mark in life. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy, I might add, and the kid is most definitely one of the best pool players in recent times.

What can I say about Marlon?! He started playing professionally in 2003, according to him. Marlon was one of the undefeated players for the majority of the IPT King of the Hill Shootout, and though he came in fourth place, he put on a thrilling show for all of us in attendance, along with his countrymen, Bustamante and Efren, of course.

Filipino culture embraces pool much differently than Americans, and the current Filipino super stars are winning just about every event they compete in. So why is it that these fine Filipino players are so extraordinary? Just curious to hear from others.

JAM
 
parica said it,
and that is one of the biggest reason

9-ball is a duck when you have been playing 15 ball rotation since you get hold of that stick.And that 9-ball + 6 is the only game preferred in the phil.

if you can navigate cue with 15 balls on the table to the next ball on target,
will it be difficult to you to do that in 9-ball rotation?

so there is no mystery to their dominance
 
I think it's voodoo black magic! and they won't share!....anyone know where I can get some?:confused:

Oh yea, and everyone knows the greatest players of all time were short guys!.......I'm 5'6" btw.....I'd be a very tall Phillipino....:D

On a serious note, whatever it is that makes them play so well, I hope they keep doing it!.....because I love to watch them play.....I"m gonna go practice some rotation......Gerry
 
whats in the water in the philipines?

Must be some magic in the water. You have to give the invasion a hand. They ge the job done time after time. The run the table as if an outer being was guiding the cue ball. Maybe we just have it to good here. Makes ya think when we complain abot an oversized cue ball, a dead rail, Or crappy bar cloth. Thats a dream to the philipines, yet a nightmare to us.

Just my 2 pennies in the pot.

JAM nice to see ya back.
 
JAM said:
Filipino culture embraces pool much differently than Americans, and the current Filipino super stars are winning just about every event they compete in. So why is it that these fine Filipino players are so extraordinary? Just curious to hear from others.

JAM
Click to expand...

I've posted this previously on other boards, but without Alex in mind. I don't know anything about Alex, his up bringing, or his cultural background. Because he still has a Pilipino accent, I can only assume that he has more Filipino culture inherent compared to, say, me.

That being said:

The Philippines has been a poor 3rd world country for a while. Gambling is as part of the culture as eating adobo. That is to say that if anyone had a hint of skills that could make money, a Filipino will take to it as if his life were dependent on it. That's because, in essence, the gambling mentality for much of the PHilippines is (was?) about being able to live.

American pool was introduced to the Philippines long before almost any other third world country. That's the biggest reason why we've seen more great Filipino players compared to other third world countries. As we have seen, other countries in the Southeast have been generating world champions in the past decade.

As a money and living opportunity, the Filipinos have taken to pool gambling full bore and have never looked back. Those that could not sustain a living have gone to other things like Mah Jong, cock fighting, etc. (that's just a joke, of course). That is to say, of course there are less-than-world-class Filipino players (who all have played 15-ball rotation on crappy equipment). The cream rises to the top, and we as pool fans get to enjoy the cream.

I honestly believe that if the Philippines were part of the UK from the early 1900's instead of part of the USA, then the World's Greatest Snooker Player would have been a Filipino with the name "Reyes."

So, gambling and the pursuit of a life via gambling is different than in the US. We in the US as a whole are not a gambling nation. Gambling isn't legal in most states. In the Philippines, gambling at anything is the norm. The Philippines is one of the best cases that excellence can be greatly affected by socio-economics rather than physical attributes alone.

Fred
 
don't count out taiwan

JAM said:
At the U.S. Open, there were three Filipinos in the semi-finals: Alex, who ended up winning, Efren, and Bustie.
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Great post JAM! However, I must correct your above quote. It wasn't Efren in the semi-finals, but Parica. Parica beat Efren forcing him in the loser's bracket, and Efren got prematurely ousted by Strickland.

I agree with the dominace of the Filipinos, but I'm sure the Taiwanese would want to have a say in this. The Taiwanese aren't involved in as many major tournaments as the Filipinos. They rarely participate in US tournaments, and when they do they shine. For example, none of the Taiwan superstars participated in the US Open or the IPT KOTH. Chao did participate in the Challenge of Champions this year and won that. The current 8-ball and 9-ball WPC World Champion is Chia Ching Wu from Taiwan. If he participated in KOTH, he would've done some major damage. Then there are the local events in Asia, the San Miguel tour, where the winners are both split between the Filipinos and Taiwanese. The recent Green Tea Cup (or something like that) held in Taiwan featured all the superstars from Taiwan and the Philippines, which included Efren, Busta, Manalo, Yang, Chao, Chang, Wu...etc. First and second place went to Yang and Chang, while third and fourth were Efren and Busta.

I guess my point is, now that the Taiwanese have come into the scene this decade, it's a toss-up between them and the Filipinos in terms of dominance in pool. It's too bad the Taiwanese don't play as many tournaments as the Filipinos, and it's a shame they won't be participated in the IPT next year. I don't think we can clearly say which side dominates until there is full participation with both sides. Sadly, that won't happen for a while. But nice post...i'd like to hear other comments regarding this subject.
 
Cornerman said:
The Philippines has been a poor 3rd world country for a while. Gambling is as part of the culture as eating adobo...
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Mmmmm....adobo. Great post Fred. Question, were you born in PI?
 
Good Posts

Those are some of the reasons, I woulld like to offer some more:
(after doing 3 tours of Nam in the Navy, and spending quite a bit
of time at ports in the Phillipines, and even played Pool there).

1) The Filipinos have good focusing abilities, especially as
a whole for the duration of a complete tournament.
2) Their personalites that they possess is second chair
to their Professionalism during events. After events are
over, yes, they offer up some quick views of them, but
during a tournament, they stay focused and professional.
3) They have imagination, and it shows when they play.
 
jsp said:
...I must correct your above quote. It wasn't Efren in the semi-finals, but Parica. Parica beat Efren forcing him in the loser's bracket, and Efren got prematurely ousted by Strickland....
Click to expand...

You are so right. How in the world could I have forgotten that Jose Parica was runner-up once more in the 2005 U.S. Open, also having won second place at the 2003 U.S. Open?!

jsp said:
I agree with the dominace of the Filipinos, but I'm sure the Taiwanese would want to have a say in this....
Click to expand...

Reading through Cornerman's post, it would be reasonable for one to assume that gambling, a societal norm in the Philippines, may be a significant factor in why the Filipinos excel in cue sports. I have heard from many American players that gambling, more so than tournament play, is what contributed to their game advancing to the next level.

There are exceptions to the rule here in the States. Since action is frowned upon in some circles, it remains one of American pool's dirty little secrets.

For quite some time, 9-ball rotation has been the primary game played at many high-profile championships around the world in terms of pocket billiards. Some top pros have a great deal of expertise when it comes to 9-ball, but do not have the skills set to win consistently at, for example, one-pocket, straight pool, banks, 8-ball, et cetera. The well-rounded Filipinos, though, do seem to have what it takes to triumph in all games.

Using Fred's reference to gambling, which makes sense to me, I also think the fact that the Filipinos are proficient in 15-ball rotation, which encompasses a wide array of strategies utilized in all games, is a key factor as to why they are so dominant in the pool world.

Is the game of 15-ball rotation also played throughout Taiwan, as it is in the Philippines? Just curious. :p

JAM
 
Some thoughts

First you have a society where people are desperately seeking to improve their lives, seeking any way out. Then you have at least one person who achieves that dream in any sport. If they have great success, everyone in their small nation looks up to them. Then you have legions of youngsters trying to use the same path to success and every one of them knowing it is possible because their hero did it.

Boxers, jockeys, pool players, many sports have a rash of players or athletes from one country or region of the world that excel. I think this is the reason why. Had the same people devoted the same effort in another area they would have excelled there.

The reason we see fewer and fewer great international athletes from the US on a comparative basis, is simply that we aren't nearly as hungry figuratively or literally as we once were. Hard to dedicate the hours and years of effort required to be the best with all of the distractions we have.

Hu
 
Nice post, JAM. As JSP notes, the Taiwanese pedigree is every bit as strong. None of the Taiwanese played in Orlando or at the US Open, but in 2005 alone, on those occasions where the Taiwanese competed in the big events, they were immensely successful. After all, 1) Pei Wei Chang won the gold medal at the 2005 World Games, 2) Chia-Chang Wu won the 2005 WPC, and 3) Fong Pang Chao won the 2005 Challenge of Champions.

Why do the Asians play so well? I'll give my slant on it, with advance apologies for posting things that may be unpopular as a means of arriving at the truth.

1) Better understanding and application of billiard knowledge than Americans and Europeans, which I believe is attributable to the fact that Asians tend to be exposed to billiards early in life.
2) Better adherence to the game's percentages through creative defense and two way shots. I believe this is, in part, due to the fact that Asians are very well-schooled in the quantitative disciplines, as is so evident to those like myself having business contact with Asia. The Asians, for my money, show the greatest understanding of pool's percentages among the world's players.
3) As they only compete on tight equipment, the pedigree of Asians is stronger when it comes to ball pocketing. In recent years, pool outside of Asia has trended toward easier equipment. It has hurt the pedigree of American pool players. and has helped set the stage for Asian dominance.
4) Asia has better developmental programs than the rest of the world for junior players. This point has often been raised, with examples, on this forum. As we've seen the last two years, young Asians have dominated the qualifiers for the WPC. In 2005, neither Eberle nor Van Boening was good enough to win any of the ten qualifiers for the WPC, with all ten spots won by Asians. That means the Asian talent pool is very deep!

The Asians deserve all the credit in the world for what they have achieved and what they are continuing to achieve. More power to them, I say. Well played, Asia!
 
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2005 World Games - No Pinoys participated
CoC - Efren's eyes we're still "poor"

there was a tourney back in 2003/2004 were it was a mosconi cup-like setting between the Philippines and Taiwan... Taiwan's participants were CS Yang, FP Chao, PW Chang, CW Fu, PC Kuo. clearly Taiwan's first stringers against Philippines 2nd to 3rd stringers(by that time) Lining, Gallego, Valle, Orcollo, and Manalo (who was just starting to play 9-ball in tourneys) no Efren , Django or Alex... the Philippines won that event by a BIG, i mean BIG margin.... 12-2(not that sure though).:D

I guess in an Open, like the US Open, even if the Taiwanese join it, Pinoys are more likely to win it than the Taiwanese, JMHO
 
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Team Philippines defeated Team Taiwan 25-17 in the RP-Taiwan 9-Ball Challenge last August 2004. By the way, Efren and Bustamante were not included in the Philippine team.

With regards to the SMB Asian Tour, Efren won 5 tour stops, Alcano 1, Corteza 1, Valle 1. Only Yang won for Taiwan their 2 tour stop wins.


jsp said:
Great post JAM! However, I must correct your above quote. It wasn't Efren in the semi-finals, but Parica. Parica beat Efren forcing him in the loser's bracket, and Efren got prematurely ousted by Strickland.

I agree with the dominace of the Filipinos, but I'm sure the Taiwanese would want to have a say in this. The Taiwanese aren't involved in as many major tournaments as the Filipinos. They rarely participate in US tournaments, and when they do they shine. For example, none of the Taiwan superstars participated in the US Open or the IPT KOTH. Chao did participate in the Challenge of Champions this year and won that. The current 8-ball and 9-ball WPC World Champion is Chia Ching Wu from Taiwan. If he participated in KOTH, he would've done some major damage. Then there are the local events in Asia, the San Miguel tour, where the winners are both split between the Filipinos and Taiwanese. The recent Green Tea Cup (or something like that) held in Taiwan featured all the superstars from Taiwan and the Philippines, which included Efren, Busta, Manalo, Yang, Chao, Chang, Wu...etc. First and second place went to Yang and Chang, while third and fourth were Efren and Busta.

I guess my point is, now that the Taiwanese have come into the scene this decade, it's a toss-up between them and the Filipinos in terms of dominance in pool. It's too bad the Taiwanese don't play as many tournaments as the Filipinos, and it's a shame they won't be participated in the IPT next year. I don't think we can clearly say which side dominates until there is full participation with both sides. Sadly, that won't happen for a while. But nice post...i'd like to hear other comments regarding this subject.
Click to expand...
 
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sonnynav said:
Team Philippines defeated Team Taiwan 25-17 in the RP-Taiwan 9-Ball Challenge last August 2004. By the way, Efren and Bustamante were not included in the Philippine team.

With regards to the SMB Asian Tour, Efren won 5 tour stops, Alcano 1, Corteza 1, Valle 1. Only Yang won for Taiwan their 2 tour stop wins.
Click to expand...
i guess that score is the points of the point system... but the wins-loss card is somewhere near in my original post
 
the_eradicator said:
i guess that score is the points of the point system... but the wins-loss card is somewhere near in my original post
Click to expand...

Let's say I concede the point that the Fillipinos have the best track record of late. That's not the topic of the thread, which tries to get at what makes these highly successful Asian players so dominant.

So, I ask, what's your view on my comments comparing Asian pool players with those of the rest of the world?
 
Cornerman said:
I've posted this previously on other boards, but without Alex in mind. I don't know anything about Alex, his up bringing, or his cultural background. Because he still has a Pilipino accent, I can only assume that he has more Filipino culture inherent compared to, say, me.

That being said:

The Philippines has been a poor 3rd world country for a while. Gambling is as part of the culture as eating adobo. That is to say that if anyone had a hint of skills that could make money, a Filipino will take to it as if his life were dependent on it. That's because, in essence, the gambling mentality for much of the PHilippines is (was?) about being able to live.

American pool was introduced to the Philippines long before almost any other third world country. That's the biggest reason why we've seen more great Filipino players compared to other third world countries. As we have seen, other countries in the Southeast have been generating world champions in the past decade.

As a money and living opportunity, the Filipinos have taken to pool gambling full bore and have never looked back. Those that could not sustain a living have gone to other things like Mah Jong, cock fighting, etc. (that's just a joke, of course). That is to say, of course there are less-than-world-class Filipino players (who all have played 15-ball rotation on crappy equipment). The cream rises to the top, and we as pool fans get to enjoy the cream.

I honestly believe that if the Philippines were part of the UK from the early 1900's instead of part of the USA, then the World's Greatest Snooker Player would have been a Filipino with the name "Reyes."

So, gambling and the pursuit of a life via gambling is different than in the US. We in the US as a whole are not a gambling nation. Gambling isn't legal in most states. In the Philippines, gambling at anything is the norm. The Philippines is one of the best cases that excellence can be greatly affected by socio-economics rather than physical attributes alone.

Fred
Click to expand...
Great explanation Fred. "Pilipino accent" LOL. That kills me. Remember f's are pronounced p's and v's are pronounced b's. My mom will be there for 6 months so I'm hoping to make some time next year to get over there for a few months and learn more about pool.
 
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