Played Pool with Colin Colenso in Shanghai, China

TATE

TATE

AzB Gold Mensch
Silver Member
Hi everyone. I'm in Shanghai China on vacation and just had a visit with Colin Colenso yesterday. Colin was very gracious, picked me up at my hotel in Shanghai and we played pool for few hours, and he rode me back to my hotel on the subway. China is a fascinating country to visit, now emerging from poverty in a big way.

Let me say that Shanghai is one of the most amazing cities in the world. it's like Hong Kong but bigger, more dramatic, and more action packed. It's beautiful, fast paced, exotic, and teeming with life. I have seen the future of pool, and it's right here. Large pool rooms filled with Chinese youth, many up and coming good players and decent conditions for learning the game.

Colin and I had to wait for a table even though it was only 4:00 p.m. The room we went to was modern with about 30 tables including 6 X 12 snooker tables. It was obvious the players are serious about learning the game and there were some very good players in the room. One of the players had just returned from Osaka where he beat the likes of Ralf Souquet and Mika Immomen in a tourney. There are literally hundreds of pool rooms in Shanghai. The tables are Chinese versions of gold crowns, played similar to GC's, and had simonis type of cloth.

I want to thanks Colin for being a gracious host. It takes a lot of courage to leave your home country (Colin is Australian) and venture out to a country like China, where everything is so different. I was surprised and impressed that Colin could speak Chinese, and we had a lot of fun.

Chris
 
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TATE said:
Hi everyone. I'm in Shanghai China on vacation and just had a visit with Colin Colenso yesterday. Colin was very gracious, picked me up at my hotel in Shanghai and we played pool for few hours, and he rode me back to my hotel on the subway. China is a fascinating country to visit, now emerging from poverty in a big way.

Let me say that Shanghai is one of the most amazing cities in the world. it's like Hong Kong but bigger, more dramatic, and more action packed. It's beautiful, fast paced, exotic, and teeming with life. I have seen the future of pool, and it's right here. Large pool rooms filled with Chinese youth, many up and coming good players and decent conditions for learning the game.

Colin and I had to wait for a table even though it was only 4:00 p.m. The room we went to was modern with about 30 tables including 6 X 12 snooker tables. It was obvious the players are serious about learning the game and there were some very good players in the room. One of the players had just returned from Osaka where he beat the likes of Ralf Souquet and Mika Immomen in a tourney. There are literally hundreds of pool rooms in Shanghai. The tables are Chinese versions of gold crowns, played similar to GC's, and had simonis type of cloth.

I want to thanks Colin for being a gracious host. It takes a lot of courage to leave your home country (Colin is Australian) and venture out to a country like China, where everything is so different. I was surprised and impressed that Colin could speak Chinese, and we had a lot of fun.

Chris
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Wow, Chris, I hope you have lots of fun.
 
Wow! I'm jealous. I did have the pleasure of meeting Colin at IPT Las Vegas, but playing him on his home turf......now that's really something.

Hope you're having a great vacation, and hope one of the next few will bring you to New York.
 
TATE said:
Hi everyone. I'm in Shanghai China
...
Chris
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I wish I was there, truely...

I can only imagine how level the tables are, how true the rails are (on every table), and how consistance the strokes are.

In my mind, I see 80 tables with 80 players, working on A drill until they did it consistantly. Just like a dojo.

/bow
 
Hi Chris,
I didn't think you'd get to post so early....I was waiting for your arrival home.

I'd also like to say that I enjoyed our chat and time together, and hope that our paths cross again in the not so distant future.

I must say that Chris sure has done a few laps around a 9-ball table. (Not insinuating he is old by any means :p). He's got a lovely stroke and seems to know the right shot to play automatically.

My only regret is that we didn't have more time to play and chat.

Best regards Chris and have a safe and enjoyable journey home :-)

Colin
 
So THAT'S where you've been! I was gonna ask and see if you want to go to Hard Times for the next Sunday tourney.

Remember when I told you that I've always wanted to travel? In July of '07 I'm going all over Europe for a month. I know you travel alot, I need some reccomendations on which places in Europe to make sure I visit.
 
TATE said:
Hi everyone. I'm in Shanghai China on vacation and just had a visit with Colin Colenso yesterday. Colin was very gracious, picked me up at my hotel in Shanghai and we played pool for few hours, and he rode me back to my hotel on the subway. China is a fascinating country to visit, now emerging from poverty in a big way.

Let me say that Shanghai is one of the most amazing cities in the world. it's like Hong Kong but bigger, more dramatic, and more action packed. It's beautiful, fast paced, exotic, and teeming with life. I have seen the future of pool, and it's right here. Large pool rooms filled with Chinese youth, many up and coming good players and decent conditions for learning the game.

Colin and I had to wait for a table even though it was only 4:00 p.m. The room we went to was modern with about 30 tables including 6 X 12 snooker tables. It was obvious the players are serious about learning the game and there were some very good players in the room. One of the players had just returned from Osaka where he beat the likes of Ralf Souquet and Mika Immomen in a tourney. There are literally hundreds of pool rooms in Shanghai. The tables are Chinese versions of gold crowns, played similar to GC's, and had simonis type of cloth.

I want to thanks Colin for being a gracious host. It takes a lot of courage to leave your home country (Colin is Australian) and venture out to a country like China, where everything is so different. I was surprised and impressed that Colin could speak Chinese, and we had a lot of fun.

Chris
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Hey Chris,

Glad to see that you get to some better spots than Lawndale. LOL
I think those are Shender tables, same as the ones I played on in Guangzhou. Did you know that Brunswick is making their tables in Shanghai as well? At least those for Asian distribution.

It is an amazing country, the next great world power, sure to surpass the US in the not so distant future (if they haven't already). Their economy is thriving, everything seems to be made there. What brought you there? A girl? Or just a desire to visit China. Hope you made it to the Great Wall.

Pool is probably the most widely played sport worldwide, with perhaps the exception of Soccer/Football. You will find poolrooms all over the Orient, with 9' tables slowly replacing all the 6x12's. Just like what has happened in Canada.

Give me a call if your ever in the neighborhood. Ernesto did a number on my table, and it plays great. I can't run a rack.
 
A few stats on Shanghai that I believe are pretty accurate:

Population ~ 21 Million
Registered Pool Clubs ~ 500
In the early 1990's the pool clubs had 90% snooker tables.
Today, the clubs average close to 70% 9 foot US pool tables.
Dozens of bars provide free pool on 8 and 9 foot tables.
The going rate for pool table use in the clubs ranges from US$3-6 depending on the time, venue and table.
Shanghai has two women ranked in the top 15 female players in the world according to WPA rankings. Pan Xiao Ting and Zhou Meng Meng.
Male players from Shanghai include Fu Jian Bo and Wang Ming, who are both world class. Also, Ding Jun Hui, world no.7 in snooker resides here.

Indeed, Shanghai would appear to be on its way to becoming the major force in billiards....though it will have to compete with many other cities in China that have huge numbers of pool clubs and good players. eg. Li He Wen of Beijing who recently made the semi in the WPC.

Colin
 
Yeah, we want to know, but....

rackmsuckr said:
Ok, what we all really want to know is....who won? :p
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But don't you think at least one of them showed a lot of class by not mentioning who won?:D
 
BillPorter said:
But don't you think at least one of them showed a lot of class by not mentioning who won?:D
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Well, I'll be a gentleman and offer my congratulations to Chris who got the better of the session.

Though I have my collection of excuses...naturally ;)
1. I'm not much of a 9-ball specialist. :rolleyes:
2. My birthday was the day before and I was still in recovery mode.:o
3. It Trudeau's fault. ;)
4. I was very unlucky. :D
5. Chris' balls kept going in. :eek:

I don't think either of us saw each other's best form in the 2 hours we had to play. A lot of chatting and observing the goings on in the pool hall occupied us.

Honestly though, Chris has a very solid game. Anyone should be warned to bring their A game to the table if they want to get the better of him. Next time I'll be better prepared. :cool:

Colin
 
I've been to LA and NYC...I can't imagine what 21 million people is like....one of my lifes goals is to go to China and Japan....
________
 
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Craig Fales said:
I've been to LA and NYC...I can't imagine what 21 million people is like....one of my lifes goals is to go to China and Japan....
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Well, they pack them in pretty tight in Shanghai. Consider that Shanghai has over 4,000 skyscrapers (buildings over 24 stories), more than twice that of New York, and by 2010 they'll have 3 times as many.

Though Shanghai does expand out for 30 kilometers in all directions, the central area is pretty concentrated.

Here is an article with some pics:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/18/b...=8a2cef52b40f7968&ei=5035&partner=MARKETWATCH

Colin
 
inthezone said:
I am wondering how the Chinese can afford 3-6 USA$ per hour?:confused:
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Well, there are quite a lot of mid-level professionals in Shanghai with incomes in the range of US$400 to US$2000 per month salaries.

That's not a lot by US measures, but enough for them to entertain themselves at a pool club occassionally. Consider also that the Chinese tend not to drink much in the clubs, and if they do, the normal price is around $1 for soft drinks and $2 for beer. So it's not a really expensive night out.

Compared to taking a girl out to a fancy restaurant or a nightclub, it is a pretty cost effective alternative.

Colin
 
Were you guys playing at Fu Ji Bo's pool hall? (I mean his home pool hall)

How is the gambling scene in China?

Fu could not stop gambling when I saw him in Japan:), he played for $300 or so a set.

What kind of cues do they used? I know Fu plays with a Ray made in Taiwan, and Wang Ming was playing with a cue made in China I think(I did not even take a close look, but it is not an expensive cue for sure.) What about the average players?

Thank you for the report, guys.:)

Richard
 
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