The long wait is over for Alan Cuartero.
The house pro from Kuwait whipped up-and-coming star Carlo Biado, 11-2, in the finals of the 10-ball division of the BSCP National Pool Championships on Tuesday at the Star Billiards Center in Quezon City.
It was a dominant win for Cuartero, who only two days ago was beaten by Biado, 9-3, in the 8-Ball finals.
The sudden reversal of fortunes started as early as the second rack when Biado missed the 4-ball. That allowed Cuartero to break free early and the pride of Surigao del Norte won five straight games for a 5-0 lead.
“The moment I missed the 4-ball in the second rack, that started my downfall," said Biado. "Alan was able to pull away from there. Ideally, I wanted it more if both of us would simply change points, but it never happened,”
His game marred by dry breaks, missed shots and scratches, Biado's first point came only in the sixth rack, but his inconsistency all match long was clearly telling and Cuartero scored the next five points to go over the hill first, 10-1.
There were exchanges of missed shots that took place in the 12th rack, but Biado salvaged another game. It proved to be his last stand.
Another missed corner shot by Biado on 4-ball in the 13th rack sealed his fate. Cuartero wasted no time disposing off the remaining balls one by one to complete the win and clinch the10-ball division title..
“This is my first time to win in the Philippines and it took so long, but it's worth it,” said Cuartero, who leaves for the Japan Open next month and another tournament in Kentucky before coming back to the Philippines in December.
"Luck was not on his side," he said of his opponent. "and once you don't get the right breaks, it becomes difficult for you to win. It happened to me during our 8-Ball finals," added Cuartero.
In winning the 10-Ball crown, Cuartero pocketed the P50,000 prize.
Biado Crowned 2011 Philippine National Champion
By being a finalist in all three discipline (8-ball, 9-ball and 10-ball) and playing for three consecutive days, Biado could cite fatigue as one of the main reasons for hia setback in the 10-ball finals.
“Fatigue took its toll on me today,” said Biado, champion of the 8-Ball division. “I felt that I was not going to win when I was sitting on my chair. I was having a negative aura.”
But Biado had a great consolation. Despite the defeat, he emerged as the best of the best at the end of the tournament when he bagged the grand championship and the P200,000 top prize on top of it.
He will have the distinction not only of being the 2011 Philippine national champion, but also of winning the toughest national championship ever staged in the country.
Biado was able to get 530 points for his performance in the9-day tournament. That enabled him to bag the grand championship.
Cuartero came in second, garnering P480 points and the P100,000 runner-up prize.
Orcullo was third with 470 points and a P50,000 prize.
