Who played Evgeny Stalev for money ??????
- Thread starter dakraljic
- Start date
ChrisBanks
Banned
I know he played Keith M. a while back.
If you don't mind, let me partially repost something I wrote a decade ago:
Repost from the 2001 Derby City Classic:
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There was action, but not nearly the same amount of action as last year.
The big match of the tournament was Scott Frost vs. Jimmy Fusco, 7-ahead one-pocket. It was for a good amount of beans, but only a tenth of last year's feature. By the time I left, they adjusted to 6-ahead. After about 30 hours of continuous play, Fusco made some mumblings as if he wanted to call it quits.
The other big match? A quick drubbing of, well, let's say a masked gambler.
Unfortunately for me, I was too busy with a 9-hour business meeting to see this action. As the story goes, this masked gambler who had won some at the pool tables and at the local riverboat casino decided to take on Yevgeny Stalev. Stalev is a young Russian with the standard unorthodox stroke.
He's a fearless shotmaker, and a heck of an all-around player. I hate him.
Anyway, the story goes that he drums on the masked gambler playing even in one-hole. Pretending not to understand English, Stalev walks off with the cash as the masked gambler is woofing for a rematch. The *****ing and moaning continues to anyone within earshot for about 20 minute(?) with anecdotes of years gone by and that he'd play until he was bust, when all of a sudden, heeya comes Stalev.
From all accounts, Stalev could have given the masked gambler 3 or 4 balls. They matched up 8-7 instead. And just like that, the masked gambler had lost everything he'd won, and then some. Game, set, match.
I got to finally play Tom Simpson, as I helped to warm him up for the 9-ball
event. I think I helped. Because of my arm injury, Tom was gracious enough to break for me. I think he made a ball on the break for me nearly every time.
I now believe that Tom Simpson and Lou Figueroa are the same person as I've been to three events that they've been at, yet I've never seen them side by side. {ed: they look nothing alike} The closest was in NYC where Lou appeared not one minute after Tom took off. Strange indeed.
All of the women who played (Helena, Monica, Neslie, Ming) all played well.
I think Ming made it the furthest into the tournament.
I was disappointed that certain male players thought it necessary to woof
with the women to get a game. I'm sure these women are used to gambling, but the huge crowd of males surrounding them just to check the action must have been incredibly intimidating. Sad to say, I was part of the crowd until I looked closely at the embarrassment one of the ladies' face.
Players to watch in the future:
John Hager (2nd in one-pocket)
Yevgeny Stalev (future superstar?)
Charlie Williams
Larry Nevel
Speaking of Nevel, I thought he was older. Also, I watched him for a set
and thought he was really big. But then when he walked by me, he couldn't have been much more than an inch taller than me. I saw him from afar again, and again he looked really big. I think he grew while he walked away from me.
Players of old to continue to watch:
Kim Davenport
Nick Varner
Earl Strickland
Danny Medina
Speaking of Davenport, I still think that he has the best form of any
player.
Speaking Medina, did anyone else notice that Danny licks his lips with a
flicking motion just like lizard?
Speaking of Strickland, even though I said before that I know he used a
Cuetec shaft at the last tourney I saw him shoot, I can say with confidence that his shooting stick this year had soil marking on his shaft consistent with a non-clad wooden shaft. It also looks like the delay on his shaft is 15-18"!!
That's it for now. I'm tired.
Hope this helps.
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BTW, "The Masked Gambler" was our dear departed friend, the late Grady Matthews.
Freddie <~~~ really feeling nostalgic
I have watched him play John Hager for $1,000.00 a game 1P at Lengends . It was a good match to watch.--Smitty
I've only seen Stalev on YouTube and he was fascinating to watch.
I'd love to see him play live.
I'd love to see him play live.
Here's a better Stalev story (back when you were just "Fred"
):You might hear of some of the action at the BCA tourney. There wasn't the
action like Valley Forge, nor the high beans like Derby City, but... here's
the story.
The eventual winner of the 8-ball SINGLES was Bobby Pickle from Tenn. He's a
well known bar pool player. Even the guys I went with (who know nothing of
real pool players) know his play. So, my buddy tells us that Pickle has got
someone on the table for 200 jellybeans a game. All around seemed to agree
that Pickle had speared a fish. Some Russian kid....
I couldn't get out there fast enough trying to see if by chance, the window
was still open. My assumptions were correct. The Russian kid was Evgeny
Stalev. They were well into it. You could hear Pickle yapping away. Think
Keith McCready with a strawberry blond wig. The smoke-stung voice, the loud
polite insults. And he could play. Really play. Remember, he won the single
event. This was his first time out to the BCA Vegas, so he snuck in as an
Open player. This guy would have won the Masters division. So much for
local policing. Anyway, through all the vocals, the insults, inciting the
"USA" chant, and the phenomenal outs, Stalev was monkey-stone-faced. For
the uneducated, it seemed that Pickle must have been winning with all his
banter. He seemed to be having a really fun time. But in the end, his backer
pulled up, seven games stuck.
Pickle unscrews, and that's all she wrote. Right. Pickle starts to jaw with
one of Stalev's backer buddies. And after a few moments, he rescrews. I've
seen a lot of things at different action sessions, but I've never seen the
next happening. A spectator, a railbirdess of sorts starts yelling out to
Pickle, "hey, what are you doing. You unscrewed. BCA rules It's not your
table. It's his!" pointing to Stalev. And she was dead serious. Did I
mention she was drinking?
So, Pickle goes over to her and first asks her rather large boyfriend "If I
insult her, are you gonna swing at me, cuz if you are, I'll be forced to...
beat *him* up!(pointing to an older gentleman who could barely hold in his
teeth)" Laughs abound, he tried to explain that they were matching up. She
didn't get it. BCA rules, he unscrewed, he should be off the table. He
sucks. Go home loser. Loser with a big "L" on the forehead. And on and on.
It was beyond comical.
Back to the action, the match was made. 200 beans a game, Pickle was giving
Stalev's back the last three. And Pickle is good enough to give most anyone
the last three. But not Stalev's backer. It's amazing that pool players
still don't know other pool players. I don't think Pickle ever heard of
Stalev. And just who was Stalev's backer? Maryland's Ryan McCreesh, one of
the few players who wins on the Joss Tour. On this size table (I think it
was an 8' Smart Table), Ryan could give Pickle the last three. But, the
hustle was on, and Pickle got pickled.
Pickle the player hits Ryan with a two-pack off the flip. Ryan gets to the
last three in the next, and B&R's seven balls in the next. Match over. Spot
is tossed. Pickle is not amused at the hustle. "What, you've never seen that
before?" Ryan asks.
"I don't take a spot from nobody!" Pickle retorts. That speaks volumes.
They continue to spar for a match. The railbirdess continues to call Pickle
names, remind him that he unscrewed, that his quarters aren't on the table,
that the Russian should be on the table. Bystanders asks me why McCreesh
doesn't want to play him even if he's that good. I have to explain to
supposed pool players that he just got the last three, and that of course
he'll be asking for a lesser spot, not eliminate the spot. I was thinking
the last two, or the 8, or the breaks.
The game now was 5-ahead for 5, no spot. With seemingly no backers for
Pickle, McCreesh wants Pickle to front the money on the lamp. (Okay, no
lamp, but that's where it would have gone). More hemming and hawing, but
Pickle finally concedes, leaves his stick on the table, and goes to his room
to open a can of beans. On his return, a little more jawing of course and
Pickle now asks Ryan to show his money. Ryan flashes some, and Pickle is now
working the crowd.
"I didn't ask you to flash your money. I asked you to *show* your money. You
made me go to my room to get my money, now *show* me your money." Stalev
(who well understands English, despite any rumors that say otherwise) had
already begun to pull out his wad. A roll of probably l0 large beans. He
hands it to Ryan who in turn puts into Pickles face. It barely fits in his
hands.
Pickle nods approval and turns away from the Stalev/McCreesh tandem. He
widens his eyes and mouth with the "oh my gawd" look. He does not see this
many beans often.
He did not fold. He played extremely well, running out all but one time he
had an open look. He played better than he did against Stalev. But, as said
here many times, there are so many levels of pool. One person can be
dominated by someone, who can in turn be dominated by someone else, who in
turn needs the 7 from someone else. Here we have the guy who wins the BCA
singles, who could have won the BCA Masters,and who could've used the 7 from
Ryan McCreesh. Ryan ran out almost everything, dawging one ball as well. But
he had more B&R's, and though down at the onset, never looked in trouble.
Pool at its best. And the reality is that the man McCreesh was with (Stalev)
could have beat him with a spot. Sick.
After McCreesh finished it off, Pickle shook his hand and said "thank you. I
enjoyed it. Really. You're a great player." I know he was seething, but the
"thank you" seemed genuine. Bobby Pickle, the arrogant and boisterous
learned a lesson, and really learned it cheaply. He needs to go to Derby
City. He'd do well. He should take a spot. He'll need it.
Fred
Finally, someone who pronounces his name correctly! (Yes, his name is spelled Evgeny, but in Russian, if the "e" is at the beginning of a word/name, or a vowel precedes it, the "e" is pronounced "ye".)
I do hope Evgeny shows up states-side again soon. Love to watch this guy play -- and to take on all comers, in his classic stoic way.
-Sean
Evgeny is now more interested in poker. Have run across him in a few card rooms over the last couple of years.
Bill S
Stalev played Busti at QMasters probably 10 yrs ago. 1P and Stalev is giving Busti a ball!! 100/200 a game i think plus side bets. Busti won approx 8 outta the first 10 games and looked to be stealing. I didnt stay past that and have heard 2 versions of how it came out with each winning.
Bobby is now on vacation - a long one courtesy of the government. I last saw Stalev at the World Series of Poker. We both cashed in one of the huge field (over 3,000 players) $1,000 NL Hold'em tourneys.
Stalev came to baltimore rite after the us open that year and played Cigar Tom Vanover even 1pocket, Stalev does some wild stuff and hits em very hard, this wasnt much of a match(tom was no 1pocket player) Stalev was stealing, i told Tom atlease make him beat you in a game you know how to play , get the 8 playing 9 ball, but Tom would listen, Stalev went on to win over a 1000 in 1pocket, Cigar would of got beat with the 8 ball too i think. Maybe not in his prime , but at 60 yes!
well since the thread turned into several good stories about Stalev gambling in the States, here are some more facts which he told when commentating his latest pyramid gambling match (more than 3 hours of play so Evgeny had pretty lot to say).
He adopted his stroke right after he met Bustamante who was invited to Russia for pyramid world champs (1997?). Stalev spent some time playing Django for money and decided to copy his loose and smooth stroking motion.
Most stake he ever gambled for was $30,000 (pyramid).
Stalev first traveled to the US in 1997 to take part in US Open.
In 2001 Stalev went to Derby City. Prior to that he has never played One Pocket for money, but tried this game of course and mastered it to pretty good cue ball control. So there he started to gamble at 1P and amazed everyone around because he was hardly known and matched with the game's best. Stalev was spending in poolrooms days and nights long, like 10 hours straight playing.
Next days he got many propositions, and they set up a game for $10,000 with no other but Grady Matthews. Stalev was giving 9-8 because his level was obvious by that time, and won 5-1.
This year right after WSOP Stalev was at Cyprus, again for some poker tournaments, and there he arranged a 9-Ball gamble with some local player. They played even (Stalev has not played serious pool for about two years), two guaranteed sets race to 15, $10,000 per set. According to Evgeny he had his cue with him but left it in the airport, remains uncertain whether he found it later or not. Stalev asked to share a break cue for him to play but local player refused, so Stalev had to pick a house stick, a plastic one, with taper more like a snooker cue. Stalev won first set 15-11, next set trailing 6-10 he won 15-13.
Good news, Stalev is still hungry for the game of pool and would like to get back to pursuit of his main goals (like winning a major title). So he is going to be back practicing and gambling!
He adopted his stroke right after he met Bustamante who was invited to Russia for pyramid world champs (1997?). Stalev spent some time playing Django for money and decided to copy his loose and smooth stroking motion.
Most stake he ever gambled for was $30,000 (pyramid).
Stalev first traveled to the US in 1997 to take part in US Open.
In 2001 Stalev went to Derby City. Prior to that he has never played One Pocket for money, but tried this game of course and mastered it to pretty good cue ball control. So there he started to gamble at 1P and amazed everyone around because he was hardly known and matched with the game's best. Stalev was spending in poolrooms days and nights long, like 10 hours straight playing.
Next days he got many propositions, and they set up a game for $10,000 with no other but Grady Matthews. Stalev was giving 9-8 because his level was obvious by that time, and won 5-1.
This year right after WSOP Stalev was at Cyprus, again for some poker tournaments, and there he arranged a 9-Ball gamble with some local player. They played even (Stalev has not played serious pool for about two years), two guaranteed sets race to 15, $10,000 per set. According to Evgeny he had his cue with him but left it in the airport, remains uncertain whether he found it later or not. Stalev asked to share a break cue for him to play but local player refused, so Stalev had to pick a house stick, a plastic one, with taper more like a snooker cue. Stalev won first set 15-11, next set trailing 6-10 he won 15-13.
Good news, Stalev is still hungry for the game of pool and would like to get back to pursuit of his main goals (like winning a major title). So he is going to be back practicing and gambling!
Thanks for the warning!
