SM City North EDSA Mall
Metro Manila
Philippines
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Saturday-Monday 3-5 September 2011
Three Ex Champs through to semis
FIVE TIMES Masters Champion Ralf Souquet is on course to capture a record-busting sixth crown as he came through a tight match to dispose of local hope Lee Van Corteza at the SM City Mall North in Manila.
Corteza’s exit from the PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters means that there is only one Filipino in the last four – Dennis Orcollo – who is highly fancied to lift the title on Monday evening. He may well be facing Souquet though as the German looked his imperious best at times.
Corteza stuck with him though as the crowd swelled with each passing rack, and at 4-4 it was anybody’s match. They both made errors in the next four racks as they traded games to leave the score poised at 6-6.
The Filipino made a jump shot onto the pink 4 in the next but left the bank shot which Souquet converted and ran the rack to reach the hill. The German composed himself to run out the next and seal a fine victory.
"It would be a dream come true to win the Masters for the sixth time and the last time was back in 2006. I've won it five times but that doesn't make me the favourite, it just means I have the experience of winning it but I still have to win another two matches," said Souquet.
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This is the 19th running of the Masters and its first outing in the Philippines. The event is televised locally by Solar Sports and syndicated internationally by promoters Matchroom Sport. The event sports a $66,000 prize-fund with $20,000 going to the champion.
Souquet will meet England’s Darren Appleton in the semi-final after the reigning US Open champion had too much for Raj Hundal in the final match of an action-packed day in Manila.
The World Ten Ball champ capitalised on some errors from Hundal and converted a gifted 1/9 combination to move into an early 2-0 lead. ‘The Hitman’ pulled one back after Appleton scratched on the break but bad errors from Hundal allowed his opponent to move into a 5-1 lead.
There looked to be no way back for Hundal as Appleton was converting his chances, but he won a scrappy seventh game to take it to 5-2 and converted a ball in hand opportunity in the next to make it 5-3.
That was the closest he got to Appleton as went to 6-4 and then converted the necessary two racks for victory.
"From my perspective I played perfectly to go 5-1 ahead and felt really good. Everything I was doing was what I wanted but the only problem was the breaking and I scratched twice and came up dry once,” said Appleton.
"We're guaranteed to have a European in the final and I'm looking forward to playing Ralf but I will have to be at my best to beat him. In 2009 when I won the Masters I beat Raj and Ralf so hopefully that's a good sign for this year."
Dennis Orcollo - Philippines
Defending champ Orcollo still on course
DEFENDING CHAMPION Dennis Orcollo is the first man through to the semi-finals of the PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters as he looked in excellent shape, disposing of Taiwan’s Chang Jung-lin by 8-1.
Chasing the $20,000 top prize, World No.1 Orcollo ran through the racks with ease. Only his break shot, which let him down a few times, needs some work but at this stage he looks an outstanding bet for the title.
"It was the same as yesterday and I played a good game, now I'm looking forward to the next match,” said a relieved Orcollo, who along with Lee Van Corteza are the only local players remaining.
"I would like to thank the fans here for supporting me and I have a lot of pressure. I feel good though and I think I can smell a place in the finals."
This is the 19th running of the Masters and its first outing in the Philippines. The event is televised locally by Solar Sports and syndicated internationally by promoters Matchroom Sport. The event sports a $66,000 prize-fund with $20,000 going to the champion.
Orcollo will meet top-notch Chinese potter Fu Jianbo after the 2011 World 10 Ball runner-up put paid to the hopes of Canada’s Jason Klatt.
Fu moved into a comfortable 5-1 lead as he moved the cue ball around the table with ease. The doughty Klatt, though, fought back as he cashed in on some nervy play from the Chinese to reduce the deficit to 5-4.
They shared the next two, to leave the match delicately poised at 6-5 to Fu, but a missed 1/4 combo from Klatt handed the next to Fu and he closed out the match for a well deserved win.
“I’m pleased to be in the semi-finals and I know it will be a difficult game against Orcollo. I’m looking forward to it though,” said a delighted Fu.
Ralf Souquet - Germany
Souquet and Appleton fill final two spots
IN A CLASH of the Mosconi Cup legends, Ralf Souquet (Germany) put paid to the PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters hopes of Finland’s Mika Immonen in a hard fought match at the Block Atrium at the SM Mall North in Manila.
The 8-7 win puts the German into the quarter-finals where he will meet local hope Lee Van Corteza later this evening.
“I'm happy with the win and it was a very tough match but we both didn't perform at our best. We used to be team-mates in the Mosconi Cup and we know each other quite well so I expected it to be a close fight,” said Souquet.
Souquet made the worst possible start as he missed a tough cut on the 9 ball to hand Immonen the opener and the Finn looked in good shape as he moved into a 4-1 lead.
A couple of poor shots from Immonen gave his opponent the chances he was looking for and he squared the match at 4-4.
The match moved to six racks apiece before an outrageous piece of good fortune for Immonen saw him reach the hill. His bank attempt on the 1-ball stayed out, but the cue ball banged into the 9-ball, sending it diagonally into the pocket.
Souquet though, took the next, cashing in on a failed safety from his opponent and closed out the match for a nerve-jangling victory.
"I’m looking forward to the next match against Lee Vann Corteza and it doesn't get any easier. I like being here in the Philippines and I look forward to the match.
"I've played him many times and he beats me more often but last time I beat him at the US Open so I'm really looking forward to it," added the German.
This is the 19th running of the Masters and its first outing in the Philippines. The event is televised locally by Solar Sports and syndicated internationally by promoters Matchroom Sport. The event sports a $66,000 prize-fund with $20,000 going to the champion.
In the final first round match, 2011 Player of the Year, Darren Appleton silenced the packed arena as he jettisoned local legend Efren Reyes from the competition by an 8-5 margin.
The Englishman had been thrilled at the prospect of meeting the great man in front of his home fans, and he looked composed as he lead from the off. Appleton lead 2-0, 4-1 and 5-2 as Reyes struggled to settle, but a ball-in-hand in the ninth game followed by a break and run in the next, moved the game to 5-4 and gave the expectant home crowd a glimmer of hope.
An illegal break by Reyes in the next derailed his momentum and Appleton increased his lead to 6-4. The Englishman broke and ran the next to reach the hill but a scratch on the break saw Reyes make a simple 3/9 combo to claw one back.
That was to be his last gasp though, as a scratch from the great man allowed Appleton to land an easy 1/9 combination to take the tie.
"That's the most nervous I've ever been in my life and at the start of the game I didn't feel comfortable. Playing Efren in the Philippines and it was packed out - I couldn't settle down and I was really shaking badly, “said Appleton.
"But I managed to pot a couple of good balls and luckily for me I could see Efren was struggling with the pressure as well.
"At 57 years old for Efren to still play at that level is amazing but 20 years ago I would never have won that match.
"It's an honour to play him and a dream to beat him but I would've loved to have played him in his prime."
Play continues today with the four quarter final matches;
Orcollo v Chang
Fu v Klatt
Corteza v Souquet
Appleton v Hundal
2011 PARTYPOKER.NET | ||||
WORLD POOL MASTERS | ||||
THE LAST 16 | ||||
2011 PARTYPOKER.NET | ||||
WORLD POOL MASTERS | ||||
THE QUARTER-FINALS | ||||
The final is at 19.00 on Monday evening. The format is race-to-8, winner breaks, and all matches will be televised live throughout on Solar Sports in the Philippines. Matchroom Sport TV will subsequently produce 15 x 1 hour highlight shows for global distribution.
Commented Matchroom Sport Chairman Barry Hearn, “I think it’s fair to say that this is one of the strongest fields ever assembled for the Masters. There will be no easy matches and every player here is a champion.
“With only 16 players we have tried to assemble the toughest field possible given the geographical spread required.
“It will be hard to back against the Filipino players in front of what will be huge crowds in Manila, but with the strength in depth of the line-up, they all have a chance.”
The 2011 World Pool Masters is sponsored by PartyPoker.net, the world’s leading online poker school. Cloth is supplied by Iwan Simonis, Super Aramith balls by Saluc, tables by Star Xing Pai and the Official Cue is Predator.
2011 PARTY CASINO.NET | |||
WORLD POOL MASTERS | |||
INVITED PLAYERS | |||
The format is race-to-8, winner breaks, and all matches will be televised live throughout on Solar Sports in the Philippines. Matchroom Sport TV will subsequently produce 15 x 1 hour highlight shows for global distribution.
Commented Matchroom Sport Chairman Barry Hearn, “I think it’s fair to say that this is one of the strongest fields ever assembled for the Masters. There will be no easy matches and every player here is a champion.
“It will be hard to back against the Filipino players in front of what will be huge crowds in Manila, but with the strength in depth of the line-up, they all have a chance.”
2011 PARTY CASINO.NET | ||||
WORLD POOL MASTERS | ||||
THE WINNER'S LIST | ||||
Werner Duregger | AUT | |||
Ralf Souquet | GER | |||
Daryl Peach | ENG | |||
Ralf Souquet | GER | |||
Earl Strickland | USA | |||
Francisco Bustamante | PHI | |||
Alex Lely | NED | |||
Ralf Souquet | GER | |||
Francisco Bustamante | PHI | |||
Ralf Souquet | GER | |||
Tony Drago | MLT | |||
Thomas Engert | GER | |||
Raj Hundal | ENG | |||
Ralf Souquet | GER | |||
Thomas Engert | GER | |||
Alex Pagulayan | USA | |||
Darren Appleton | ENG | |||
Dennis Orcollo | PHI |
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