Anthony Vasquez 1st Annual Summer Sizzler Champion

Pool Table Magic in Windsor Locks, Connecticut held an open amateur nine-ball tournament called the First Annual Summer Sizzler on July 19, 2008. Eighteen men and women attended this race to five event.

The hot-seat match featured Anthony Vasquez against Chuck Hill, who is best known in the area as a straight pool player. Hill took a 3-0 lead in the match and snapped the nine-ball in game four to put him on the hill. The thought of being shut out may have inspired Vasquez or he may have been reminded that Hill defeated his wife Jen in the previous round but Vasquez dug deep and took advantage of Hill's dry break in game five to run out.

In game six, during a run out, Vasquez landed the cue ball extremely close to his object ball, the eight ball, but was able to make the difficult shot and pot the nine and bring the score to 4-2. Vasquez won the next two games to join Hill on the hill. Vasquez looked set to run the final game but misjudged how thick he was hitting the six ball and followed the cue ball in after it. It looked like Hill would be king of the hill but he uncharacteristically scratched on the eight ball, giving Vasquez ball in hand on the nine ball and taking a walk to the left side of the chart to play in the semi final round.

Hill's opponent in the semi-final was Jason Noble. Hill again took an early match lead, this time 2-0. Noble took his first win by playing a good safety on the eight ball in game three. Hill won the next game but Noble took game five with an early nine ball. Hill also got an early nine in the next game to put him ahead 4-2. Noble won the next game and broke and ran game eight to put the match hill-hill. The men traded safeties in the final rack with Noble finally able to pocket the eight ball. Noble was only able to get position for a bank shot on the nine ball but he made it and went on to the finals against Vasquez.

Noble played well in the finals and defeated Vasquez 5-2. But because the tournament was a true double elimination format Noble would have to play Vasquez another race to five. The second set went hill-hill. The final game was long and had multiple safety battles as the eight ball was tied up behind the nine on the rail. During the battle the balls were separated but remained on the rail. Eventually Vasquez took a chance and attempted to bank the eight. His gamble paid off as he made the bank then pocketed the nine ball to win the match and first place in the tournament.