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Pinoy cueists Pagulayan, Kiamco, make history in Derby City Classic

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Warren Kiamco. Image copyright Bob Guerrero.

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Alex Pagulayan. Image copyright Bob Guerrero.


Pinoys are once again atop the pocket billiards world after Warren Kiamco and Alex Pagulayan grabbed the first two major titles in the 2015 Derby City Classic in theHorseshoe Indiana Resort and Casino in Elizabeth, Indiana, USA.


Pagulayan won the one pocket division last week, completing an unprecedented career triple crown (one pocket, banks, and 9 ball), while Kiamco defeated Pagulayan in the 9 ball final to win perhaps the biggest title of a solid career.


Filipino-Canadian Pagulayan’s win and second-place finish means he takes the Master of the Table bonus for the player who earns the most points in all of the disciplines. American Shannon “The Cannon” Daulton eventually won the Banks contest.


Kiamco won US$16,000 for his triumph while Pagulayan banks US$20,000 for his Master of the Table bonus to go along with the $12,000 for the one pocket victory and $8,000 for his 9 ball runner-up finish.


Pagulayan defeated Efren Reyes 3-0 then dumped Justin Hall by the same score to seal a date with Rhode Island veteran Mike Dechaine in the final.


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In the pocket billiards discipline of one pocket, each player has only one pocket in which to sink eight of the fifteen balls on the table to win a rack. Because of the defensive nature of the game, racks often last long, hence the short races.


Dechaine, the undefeated American held a twice-to-beat advantage but lost the first final match 3-0. In the next match Pagulayan defeated Dechaine 3-1 to lift the trophy.


Pool news site AZBilliards.com called Pagulayan’s play “the most spectacular one-pocket performance ever captured on tape.”


The victory means Pagulayan becomes the only player to win all three major divisions of the Derby City Classic in its seventeen-year history. Pagulayan ruled the banks in 2011 and the 9 ball in 2013.


Pagulayan was already in elite company as one of just a few players who has won both a WPA world championship (in 9 ball,) and the prestigious U.S. Open 9 ball championship.


Kiamco defeated Jeremy Sossei 9-6 in the semifinals of the 9 ball division to set a date with Pagulayan in the finals. Since Kiamco had yet to be defeated, he enjoyed a twice-to-beat advantage, which he needed when Pagulayan won the first finals match 9-6. A red-hot Pagulayan scored a sizzling .961 on the Accu-stats TPA (total performance average) indicator in that match. A score of 1.00 is a perfect performance, meaning no misses, positional errors, or other mistakes.


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But in the second match Kiamco, from Cebu, was not to be denied as he won 9-7 to take the title and deny his countryman a chance at a sweep. Kiamco took the match with a flourish, poking in a difficult 7-9 combination while using the mechanical bridge in rack sixteen. You can see video of the winning shot here.


The Derby City is one of the most prestigious events in the world pool calendar, and Filipinos have traditionally done very well in it. There has only been one year in the last six editions of the event when a Filipino did not take one of the three titles on offer.


Pagulayan also becomes the third Filipino in a row to win the Master of the Table plum. Dennis Orcollo claimed it in 2014 when he won the banks competition and Francisco Bustamante won the bonus in 2013 after also topping the banks event.


Apart from the three major disciplines, there are now also side events in 14.1 Continuous (Straight Pool), and 10 ball in the DCC.


No doubt Kiamco and Pagulayan will be in General Santos City later in the month for the World 10 Ball Championship, which is being organized by Manny Pacquiao.


Yahoo! Philippines thanks www.azbilliards.com, www.nycgrind.com, and the Facebook page of pool writer and instructor Phil Capelle for providing information for this story.


Follow Bob on Twitter @PassionateFanPH.