The top players at the US Open 8-Ball Championship make 8-Ball look like a kids game. If they make a ball on the break they run out and if they don't they sit and watch their opponents run out. Sure, sometimes the rack comes apart ugly and there is some strategy involved, but more times than not these fellows control the table with ease. They can shoot any ball in their suit and that makes it simple for them to rearrange clusters and nudge balls into position.
Those who control the cue ball with ease are always on the right side of the object ball to get to the next shot. They take care of any trouble on the table early and from there just clear the table. Perhaps more than any other game 8-Ball shows the chasm between the pros and their amateur counterparts. While the amateurs may visit the table two or three times each game the pros are usually only there once to get the job done.
It is the pros with effective breaks and often quiet confidence who are still alive on the winner's side. Today will provide some fantastic match-ups between the strong men of 8-Ball. World Champion Karl Boyes will take on Oscar Dominguez, Warren Kiamco will face Jin-Hu Dang while Sean Cheng will shoot against three-time World Junior Champion Ko Pin-Yi.
One match that could be very interesting is the one between Shane Van Boening and John Morra. Van Boening seems to be everyones favorite no matter what or whom he plays, but Morra will be ready to test him hard. Morra has already dispatched two former World Champions with ease, disposing of Daryl Peach 8-1 and Mika Immonen 8-4. To say he is playing well is the understatement of the week.
Other winner's matches include Ernesto Dominguez versus Jayson Shaw (Shaw a multi-time English Eight Ball {now known as Blackball} champion) and another World Champion, Jia-Qing Wu will face the hot hand of Carlo Biado. Walter Cheng takes on Chris Bartram and Mark Haddad will go up against Scott Frost.
There are also still 32 players alive on the one-loss side of the charts. Today will eliminate most of the field so there will be lots of drama to unfold.
You may watch the best action at www.theactionreport.com and you may follow the live scoring and brackets on AZBilliards.com.
