Efren Reyes
Match #1
Game 1 – Hall 8, Pagulayan 4 (Innings: 16)
Pagulayan played an intentional foul after the break, then ran 5 balls a few innings later to take a 4 to 1 lead. In the 9th inning Pagulayan sold out and Hall ran 5 to take a 7-4 lead.Atter several safeties Pagulayan left Hall a 3-rail bank, and he fired it in to win the game.
Game 2 - Hall 8, Pagulayan 5
Pagulayan took an intentional foul in the second inning. Pagulayan then made a long shot in the 4th inning and ran 5 to take a 4 to 0 lead. After Hall missed an easy bank. Pagulayan ran two more for a 6-0 advantage. Several safeties later Hall mad a two railer to pull narrow the gap at 6-2. In the 11th inning Hall scratched, but Pagulayan missed a spot shot and ran five and out to lead the match, 2 games to 0
Game 3 – Pagulayan 8, Hall 7 (Innings: 32)
This marathon ended when Pagulayan made a rail first two rail kick, to close the gap to 2-1. Hall had jumped to a 2-0 lead, but missed, leaving Pagulayan with an open layout, and he ran 5. After numerous safeties Pagulayan scored in the 9th inning to lead, 6-2. With the score at 6-3 Pagulayan, Hall made a long rail first shot, then a bank, and a tough cut and jumped to a 7-6 lead. But Pagulayan made a bank and the kick shot to win the game.
Game 4 – Hall 8, Pagulayan 4 (Innings: 12)
Hall opened the scoring with a thin cut after Pagulayan left him a shot on his break, and made another to take a 2-0 lead. With a 3-1 lead, Hall jawed a ball and Pagulayan ran 3 more to lead, 4-3. After several safeties Hall ran three and made a ball hanging in the jaws of Pagulayan’s pocket to take a 6-5 lead. Pagulayan left Hall a long rail bank and he slammed it home, then made a crossover bank to win the game and the match. Conclusion: do not leave Hall any kind of bank shot!
Match #2
Game 1 – Smith 8, Van Boening 0 (Innings: 3)
On his second turn at the table Van Boening missed a long shot, perhaps because he was favoring one side of the pocket. (I could not tell for sure, but it appeared as though part of the pocket was blocked). Smith stepped up to the open table and smoothly ran 8 and out.
Game 2 - Van Boening 8, Smith -1 (Innings: 7)
Van Boening broke and the two players then jockeyed for position through the first five innings. Then Van Boeing gambled on a long rail bank as a miss would have left Smith with a possible runout – but he made it and three more balls, but then hung the 8-ball. Smith was forced to shoot the hanger, but he followed it in and Van Boening ran four and out to tie the match at 1-1.
Game 3 – Smith 8, Van Boening 0 – (Innings: 10)
Smith broke and the two players spent the next several innings maneuvering for an advantage. In the seventh inning Van Boeing pocketed a ball for Smith that he had left in his pocket. Then, on his next turn, Van Boening played a risky safety and ended up leaving Smith with a shot – and Smith ran four to take a 5-0 lead. After Van Boening made a ball and scratched, Smith took ball-in-hand and ran out to take a 2-1 lead in the race to three.
Game 4 – Van Boening 8, Smith 0 (Innings: 2)
Van Boening broke and Smith followed it up with a decent safety – or so it appeared. But Van Boening played a three-rail bank and made it when the cue ball barely missed the object ball after it rebounded off the third rail. He proceeded to complete his 8 and out to tie the match at 2-2.
Game 5 – Smith 8, Van Boening 3 – (Innings: 10)
Smith opened with a strong break, but Van Boening made a billiard. He then missed a bank and it crossed back into Smith’s pocket! Score: 1-1. Smith made a bank and ran five to take a 6-1 lead in the deciding game. The two then started knocking the balls up table. When Smith hung up a bank and Van Boening pocketed it, Smith reached game and match ball leading 7-1. Van Boeing made a fine bank and got excellent short side position to close the gap to 7-3. But his next shop stopped in the jaws and Smith aggressively opted to play a long and difficult cross table bank – it split the pocket, and he emerged with a win over the 2013 MIH One-Pocket Champion.
Match #3
Efren Reyes 3, Scott Frost 2
Game 1 – Frost 8, Reyes -1 (Innings: 3)
Reyes left a shot on this second turn and Frost capitalized with a picture perfect run – 8 and out – to lead, 1-0.
Game 2 – Reyes 8, Frost 7 (Innings: 21)
Frost took the early lead, 5-0, but Reyes fought back and closed out the game with a classy crossover bank to win this 7-7 thriller.
Game 3 – Frost 8, Reyes 6 (Innings: 47)
You read correctly – this super marathon took 94 turns (47 innings) to complete. Frost made a spectacular 2-rail bank and ran the final three for the win, taking a 2-1 lead. Note: this game alone was a complete course in the art of defense and patience.
Game 4 – Reyes 8, Frost 3 (Innings: 10)
It appeared as if Frost had played a fine safe, but he left Reyes with an opening and he ran 6 and out, finishing off his run with a bank.
Game 5 – Reyes 8, Frost 0 (Innings: 3)
After a Reyes safety left Frost with a shot, perhaps to a partially blocked pocket, Frost gambled and missed. He left Reyes with an open shot, and the Magician went to work as he smoothly ran 6 balls before missing shape. He faced a thin cut and the announcers thought he should play safe, but he sliced it in, then made a cross corner back with a ball hanging in Frost’s pocket to complete his 8 and out. He won the match, 3-2.
Match #4
Shane Van Boening 3, Alex Pagulayan 0
Game 1 – Van Boening 8, Pagulayan 1 (Innings: 6)
After four turns each, Van Boening held a narrow 2-1 lead. Then, after Pagulayan came close on a bank, Van Boening banked in the 8-ball, made a combo, and ran three more to reach game ball. He then executed a perfect up and back down the table position route to finish his run of 6 and out.
Game 2 – Van Boening 8, Pagulayan -1 (Innings: 5)
Van Boening lead 1 to -1 when he stepped to the table after a thin cut by Pagulayan stopped about a foot short of the pocket. He put together a run of 7 and out to take a 2-0 lead
Game 3 – Van Boening 8, Pagulayan 2 (Innings: 6)
Van Boening took an intentional foul in the third inning. Then, after Pagulayan missed, he ran 8 balls to reach game ball, but missed, leaving an open table for The Lion. But after making only two shots, Pagulayan missed and Van Boening closed out the match.
You never know what kind of game you will get in One-Pocket. As an example, this entire match lasted only 17 innings, less than half as many as the third game of the Reyes-Frost match!
Day 1 Standings
Danny Smith 1-0
Justin Hall 1-0
Efren Reyes 1-0
Shane Van Boening 1-1
Scott Frost 0-1
Alex Pagulayan 0-2
