Pocket billiards has come a long way in the Republic of Philippines, where pool is the king of sports.
I came across an interesting article about how pool is regarded in this country There seems to be a shift from action to professionalizing pool: Billiards: a mere vice or a beneficial sport?
Here is a short excerpt of the article: Large bets happen beneath the bright lights in big tournaments and lie in the underworld of billiards. Here, placing bets are part of the culture, part of the norm.
Until he makes it in big billiards tournaments, a billiards player is perceived no differently from a “tambay” (a bum) until he hits it big time. To others, the sport remains to be a vice.
The reporter interviews a pool player who has never stepped foot in a tournament venue, but he makes a living gambling in the local pool rooms, which there are many in the Philippines.
Today, a new breed of billiards players, according to the reporter, believes that money games are not necessary to hone the skills of a player.
Interestingly, 12 schools joined the recently organized tournament by National Collegiate Billiards League (NCBL), where a scholarship was the grand prize. Wow! I think that is kind of cool.
The article provides a brief glimpse how gambling definitely is how some pool champions advanced in the Philippines, though it does offer a glimmer of hope to have the sport professionalized.
Source: Patrol ng Pilipino: MMFF Stars and the Underworld of Billiards [Retrieved 11 January 2011]
I came across an interesting article about how pool is regarded in this country There seems to be a shift from action to professionalizing pool: Billiards: a mere vice or a beneficial sport?
Here is a short excerpt of the article: Large bets happen beneath the bright lights in big tournaments and lie in the underworld of billiards. Here, placing bets are part of the culture, part of the norm.
Until he makes it in big billiards tournaments, a billiards player is perceived no differently from a “tambay” (a bum) until he hits it big time. To others, the sport remains to be a vice.
The reporter interviews a pool player who has never stepped foot in a tournament venue, but he makes a living gambling in the local pool rooms, which there are many in the Philippines.
Today, a new breed of billiards players, according to the reporter, believes that money games are not necessary to hone the skills of a player.
Interestingly, 12 schools joined the recently organized tournament by National Collegiate Billiards League (NCBL), where a scholarship was the grand prize. Wow! I think that is kind of cool.
The article provides a brief glimpse how gambling definitely is how some pool champions advanced in the Philippines, though it does offer a glimmer of hope to have the sport professionalized.
Source: Patrol ng Pilipino: MMFF Stars and the Underworld of Billiards [Retrieved 11 January 2011]
