Philippines Illustrated, November 2007 issue (= over 100 PICTURES!)

[Vahmurka]

Here I start posting the best of my photos taken in the land blessed by God in my opinion, the Philippines. The country where I'm ready to return again and again, I'm just happy they had a chance to arrange the WPC and are doing it nicely, deserving the repeat for the third consecutive year. I will try my best to come there next year also.

 

[gopi-1]

Thnx for the shout out and keep it coming Vahmurka!

 

[Vahmurka]

Vincent Facquet (France) offered Efren Reyes some One Pocket action, asked for 10-6 spot and got it. Eventually he beat Efren 3-2.
Efren gambled "Bebeng" Gallego at 10-Ball, race to 26, Gallego got a spot of one game. They didn't play very fast, so I had to concede in the middle of their match, left at about 15 to 13. As I learnt the day after Efren won smth like 26-22.

 

[Vahmurka]

some pros around there. The name says "luat and orcullo" but that's not Luat beside Dennis. I can't tell now who that is, it's too late here already

 

[Vahmurka]

the nameplates on the side of a cashier's booth at One Side. You can find many names there from Marcus Chamat to Bobby Hunter! And if a name is not yet known there they just put the country name on, like it was the case when Shane played locals - it was not less than USA vs Philippines!
Sleeping Efren was caught by my camera in the early morning, smth about 6 am. It's when all the gamblers from One Side go to sleep I suppose Because they play all night long, and we were curious when they rest then. Well, Efren gave us a clue.
There is a new pool hall in Mabini area, we really missed good old Rack'n'Roll club, but Pool Fusion turned out to be a nice place as well. The only drawback is that it has even less tables than One Side and they are almost always occupied. But it's 5 minutes walk from One Side, clean and tidy, fast cloth (as opposed to slow at One Side, so you can choose). We enjoyed both places.

 

[Vahmurka]

I missed a chance to watch Shane Van Boening gambling at Bugsy's Lair, famous match vs De Luna - but after that I learnt from Jay that Shane was looking for action and was going to be at One Side. The opponent should have been different first, don't remember who, but he played with Gallego when we reached One Side.
It came to hill-hill as you can see on the last picture

 

[Vahmurka]

of course it was luck on Shane's side there, he admitted that - but can you imagine a player like Gallego, a Filipino!, miss a straight ball at hill-hill?! Watch how that happened. Ramil had only 2 balls to victory but ended up straight on the 9 and had to force draw the cb for position on the 10. Oh, he miscued!

 

[gopi-1]

I didn't know that there was a story behind the SVB/Gallego money match. Thnx!

Fidel "Tony Buk-Bok" Punzalan (with a cue stick behind SVB) and Godofredo "Boy
Cotabato" Ducanes (crossed arms) are not too shabby players either...

 

[Vahmurka]

image #12 - the crowd attracted by the hill-hill game.
#14 and 15 - Gallego tries same position over and over again. But it's too late now, he lost.

 

[Vahmurka]

I didn't know that there was a story behind the SVB/Gallego money match. Thnx!

that's why it is always fascinating to hear from someone who witnessed that. All these minor things add a lot to the atmosphere. I'm happy I was lucky to be such a witness and now I'm glad to share with you guys
Actually that was hell-of-a-day, or better night, at One Side. I watched 3 hill-hill games in a row! First was mentioned SVB-Gallego, they played for 70 thousand pesos. Next was Darren Appleton vs Gandy Valle, they played 10-ball race to 21, and Valle was leading a rack or two all the way. I didn't wathc that game closely but in the end it was Daz to win it 21-20!
After Gallego got beaten by Shane the Pinoys, Van Corteza especially, tried to offer him and his backer some ridiculous match-up, like a game worth a million, two million, three million pesos! Race to 51 let it be. The Americans rejected, it was 4 am amd playing race to 51 would have been suicidal. But they agreed to play Kiamco next day.
Instead Shane played a short race to 11, 10-ball again, with Jarome Pena, who played race to 10, thus receiving a spot. 20 thousand pesos at stake. SVB won 11-9, that was third hill-hill game of that night. Thrilling
Next day vs Kiamco Shane's 10-ball break wasn't going, may be some tricks from the racker, may be else, but Warren was hot and beat SVB 28-17, they played for 35 thousand. That was only second Shane's defeat in Manila I believe, first being at the WPC from Vilmos Foldes.

 

[gopi-1]

that's why it is always fascinating to hear from someone who witnessed that. All these minor things add a lot to the atmosphere. I'm happy I was lucky to be such a witness and now I'm glad to share with you guys
Actually that was hell-of-a-day, or better night, at One Side. I watched 3 hill-hill games in a row! First was mentioned SVB-Gallego, they played for 70 thousand pesos. Next was Darren Appleton vs Gandy Valle, they played 10-ball race to 21, and Valle was leading a rack or two all the way. I didn't wathc that game closely but in the end it was Daz to win it 21-20!
After Gallego got beaten by Shane the Pinoys, Van Corteza especially, tried to offer him and his backer some ridiculous match-up, like a game worth a million, two million, three million pesos! Race to 51 let it be. The Americans rejected, it was 4 am amd playing race to 51 would have been suicidal. But they agreed to play Kiamco next day.
Instead Shane played a short race to 11, 10-ball again, with Jarome Pena, who played race to 10, thus receiving a spot. 20 thousand pesos at stake. SVB won 11-9, that was third hill-hill game of that night. Thrilling
Next day vs Kiamco Shane's 10-ball break wasn't going, may be some tricks from the racker, may be else, but Warren was hot and beat SVB 28-17, they played for 35 thousand. That was only second Shane's defeat in Manila I believe, first being at the WPC from Vilmos Foldes.

I hope I will have the pleasure of meeting you next year! I tried to be there
but my job wouldn't permit me. Here's your pic of the 2 guys (Jharome
"Pendong" Pena and Shane Van Boening) you're talking about:

 

[Vahmurka]

Shane's power break of a ten-ball rack, made with his playing cue, during match against Pena. Rock solid!

 

[Vahmurka]

Here's your pic of the 2 guys (Jharome
"Pendong" Pena and Shane Van Boening) you're talking about

yeah, Jharome is watching Shane vs Bebeng game. Look at how different their faces are SVB is smiling even if he is on the edge, Pena is not. Perhaps he doesn't know at the moment he will be Shane's next victim

 

[Vahmurka]

Some pics from Araneta Coliseum, the venue for WPC 2007.
Some American, I bellieve, old guy is attending almost every major pool event, sitting behind the players so that he is on TV everytime. I think I've seen him on DCC as well. May be you know who he is. And I'm not talking about Jay

 

[Vahmurka]

Earl's burning eyesight could have well replaced a lighter or whatever. I wouldn't be surprised it was him causing small fire at one of the tables
Strickland was talkative as he is usual recently, addressing to the audience, to the ref, to himself, laughing at himself as well. He suffered in the start ofthe tournament but when he faced risk of being eliminated at the group stages he performed like old good Earl, stringing 5 racks to win the match.

 

[Vahmurka]

Russia's Kosta Stepanov repeated last year's performance finishing in Last 16 round. But this time he managed to collect nice wins over such Filipino opponents like Efren Reyes, Jeff De Luna, Ronnie Alcano, Django (last two in Dumaguete). They say he's been given a nickname "Bata Killer" by the locals for eliminating two Batas, Reyes and De Luna.
Mike (AZ HousePro) watching some game of Stepanov.
Stepanov and De Luna waiting for being called to the TV table by ESPN staff.

 

[Vahmurka]

unfortunately Karl Boyes of England turned out to be too strong for Stepanov, and with all respect to him he wasn't a proper opponent to lose after beating the locals...
at one of the pics De Luna asks a ref to cast a shadow over a cluster to estimate it

 

[Vahmurka]

America's hopes were young guns Corey Deuel and Shane Van Boening, especially the latter who stormed to a pro pool arena this year being a 10-Ball World champion and a US Open champion. I didn't see how SVB lost to Foldes but Jay said he missed an easy shot at 7-7. Well, here you see Shane realizing that little depends on him now.

 

[Vahmurka]

Alex Pagulayan and Francisco Bustamante during post-game press conference. Everybody smiling and joking despite Alex was drilled 2-11.
Niels Feijen during one of his rare visits to tha table in his game against Roberto Gomez. Second pic shows how it feels to suffer a whitewash when you can not do much about it.

 

[Vahmurka]

It's Final day! Everything is ready for the main game of the tournament.