Happy new year to all.
OK, 2015 is in the books, and like most others years, there were some great matches. Here are the nominees for Match of the Year for this pool fan. The nominees are, of course, limited to matches I saw live or on stream.
Match of the Year Candidates
Match1. Ko Pin Yi vs Shane Van Boening, World 9-ball Championship Final
As a pool fan, there are so many years where I feel it was a shame that the most elite players didn’t seem to draw each other in the biggest spots. In 2015, however, I had no such regrets. Possibly the two biggest names in rotation pool and two great rivals reached the World 9-ball Championship final. The matchup was a dream come true for any serious pool fan. Ko Pin Yi was victorious, but Shane won his first ever silver medal in an overseas WPA event and backed it up by winning bronze at the All-Japan Championships. Yes, 2015 was the year that SVB found his game in WPA events. This rivalry is special, and I know we’ll see these two champions meeting in another big spot soon.
Match 2. Alex Pagulayan beats Shane Van Boening at Derby City 9-ball
Customarily, I’m not keen on nominating a one-sided match for Match of the Year, but the buildup to this match was most unusual, the situation quite remarkable. After double dipping Mike Dechaine in the Derby City one pocket final, Alex Pagulayan was the leader for the $20,000 Master of the Table bonus.
Who could forget the heartbreaking way in which Alex so narrowly lost the 2011 Master of the Table Bonus to Shane after having a big lead after the one pocket? Alex wore his pain on his sleeve on that fateful night in January 2011.
But that was then. In the 2015 Derby City nine ball, Alex had already lost to Mika Immonen, so when he drew SVB in the early rounds of the event, it was all or nothing, as a loss would have eliminated him and left him far out of contention for the bonus of $20,000. A day earlier, in the Bigfoot 10-ball, SVB had cleaned Alex’s clock by 11-2, so perhaps it wasn’t Alex’s turn.
Then, however, something magical happened. Alex threw an absolute masterpiece at Shane, winning 9-1, and rode the win all the way to the 9-ball final. Despite a loss to Warren Kiamco, Alex easily won Master of the Table, completing a week in which he won about $45,000. Well played!
Match 3. Shane Van Boening vs. Karl Boyes, Mosconi Cup Day 4
The situation was quite simple. Europe needed just one more match to win the Mosconi. Karl Boyes, second at the US Open nine ball six weeks earlier, had played brilliantly all week at the Mosconi and Shane would have to beat him. The match reached double hill. Shane owned the break in a rack that would either extend or end the Mosconi. The tension was measured but perceptible. Shane broke wet, but was snookered from the one. Shane took his time and surely considered a push out. Ultimately, though, he opted to try a difficult jump shot and nailed it, setting up a run out that sent the American fans into frenzy.
Match 4. Dennis Orcullo vs. Jayson Shaw in the Final at Super Billiards Expo
Jayson Shaw looked unstoppable, beating anyone and everyone to reach the final day, along with Orcullo, SVB, and Dechaine. His win over his Joss Tour rival Mike Dechaine in the quarterfinal earned him a shot at Van Boening, and his win over Shane put him up against Dennis Orcullo, who owned the hot seat. The match was a dandy, and despite Dennis’ fine play, Shaw kept on coming in the race to 13. It got all the way to 12-12, and Shaw looked like he’d prevail, but went wrong four balls from the finish line and Dennis won a 13-12 thriller. What a match!
What, then, was the Match of the Year?
My choice is Ko Pin Yi vs. SVB in the final of the World 9-Ball Championship. Two superstars battling for the biggest title in pool is as good as it gets. What do you think was the match of the year in 2015? Was it one of these? Nominate your own if you like.
OK, 2015 is in the books, and like most others years, there were some great matches. Here are the nominees for Match of the Year for this pool fan. The nominees are, of course, limited to matches I saw live or on stream.
Match of the Year Candidates
Match1. Ko Pin Yi vs Shane Van Boening, World 9-ball Championship Final
As a pool fan, there are so many years where I feel it was a shame that the most elite players didn’t seem to draw each other in the biggest spots. In 2015, however, I had no such regrets. Possibly the two biggest names in rotation pool and two great rivals reached the World 9-ball Championship final. The matchup was a dream come true for any serious pool fan. Ko Pin Yi was victorious, but Shane won his first ever silver medal in an overseas WPA event and backed it up by winning bronze at the All-Japan Championships. Yes, 2015 was the year that SVB found his game in WPA events. This rivalry is special, and I know we’ll see these two champions meeting in another big spot soon.
Match 2. Alex Pagulayan beats Shane Van Boening at Derby City 9-ball
Customarily, I’m not keen on nominating a one-sided match for Match of the Year, but the buildup to this match was most unusual, the situation quite remarkable. After double dipping Mike Dechaine in the Derby City one pocket final, Alex Pagulayan was the leader for the $20,000 Master of the Table bonus.
Who could forget the heartbreaking way in which Alex so narrowly lost the 2011 Master of the Table Bonus to Shane after having a big lead after the one pocket? Alex wore his pain on his sleeve on that fateful night in January 2011.
But that was then. In the 2015 Derby City nine ball, Alex had already lost to Mika Immonen, so when he drew SVB in the early rounds of the event, it was all or nothing, as a loss would have eliminated him and left him far out of contention for the bonus of $20,000. A day earlier, in the Bigfoot 10-ball, SVB had cleaned Alex’s clock by 11-2, so perhaps it wasn’t Alex’s turn.
Then, however, something magical happened. Alex threw an absolute masterpiece at Shane, winning 9-1, and rode the win all the way to the 9-ball final. Despite a loss to Warren Kiamco, Alex easily won Master of the Table, completing a week in which he won about $45,000. Well played!
Match 3. Shane Van Boening vs. Karl Boyes, Mosconi Cup Day 4
The situation was quite simple. Europe needed just one more match to win the Mosconi. Karl Boyes, second at the US Open nine ball six weeks earlier, had played brilliantly all week at the Mosconi and Shane would have to beat him. The match reached double hill. Shane owned the break in a rack that would either extend or end the Mosconi. The tension was measured but perceptible. Shane broke wet, but was snookered from the one. Shane took his time and surely considered a push out. Ultimately, though, he opted to try a difficult jump shot and nailed it, setting up a run out that sent the American fans into frenzy.
Match 4. Dennis Orcullo vs. Jayson Shaw in the Final at Super Billiards Expo
Jayson Shaw looked unstoppable, beating anyone and everyone to reach the final day, along with Orcullo, SVB, and Dechaine. His win over his Joss Tour rival Mike Dechaine in the quarterfinal earned him a shot at Van Boening, and his win over Shane put him up against Dennis Orcullo, who owned the hot seat. The match was a dandy, and despite Dennis’ fine play, Shaw kept on coming in the race to 13. It got all the way to 12-12, and Shaw looked like he’d prevail, but went wrong four balls from the finish line and Dennis won a 13-12 thriller. What a match!
What, then, was the Match of the Year?
My choice is Ko Pin Yi vs. SVB in the final of the World 9-Ball Championship. Two superstars battling for the biggest title in pool is as good as it gets. What do you think was the match of the year in 2015? Was it one of these? Nominate your own if you like.
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