The biggest field of players ever competed in the 12th annual U.S. Bar Table Championships, held at the Sands Regency in Reno, Nevada. 124 played in the 9-Ball and 169 in the Eight Ball making for over $50,000 in prize money paid out to the 80 top players.
In the 9-Ball Canadian Edwin Montal swept into the finals undefeated, overcoming Danny "Kid Delicious" Basavich 9-6 and Bernardo Chavez 9-8 and finally 21 year old Shane Van Boening for the hot seat 9-7. Bernardo Chavez aka "King Kong" fought his way through the losers bracket to meet Montal in the finals. He fought his way past David Matlock 9-5, Corey Deuel 9-8 and young Shane 9-5.
In the true double elimination format, Chavez had to beat Montal twice. He won the first set 9-7 but fell 9-6 in set two.
In the Eight Ball division, U.S. Open Champ Gabe Owen swept past eight straight opponents to reach the hot seat. He took the hot seat via a 5-2 win over Canuck Steve Cherewyk. Steve gained a rematch in the finals by downing yet another Canadian Stan Tourangeau 5-2. Cherewyk won the first set with Owen 5-2, but Gabe came back in set two to win the title 5-0.
9-BALL PAYOUTS
1st Edwin Montal $6,000
2nd Bernardo Chavez $3,000
3rd Shane Van Boening $2,000
4th Corey Deuel $1,500
5th/6th Steve Smith & Dave Matlock $1,000
7th/8th Cliff Joyner & Gabe Owen $750
9th/12th Danny Basavich, Mike Vidas, Steve Knoll & Mark Haddad $550
13th/16th Jose Parica, Danny Medina, Tyler Edey & Derek Pogirski $400
17th/24th Robb Saez, Damian Alishan, Nick Hewko, David Gutierrez, Dan Louie, Stan Tourangeau, T.R. Olson & Justin Whitehead $250
25th/32nd Tony Chohan, Glenn Atwell, Merv White, Paul Potier, Norm Tacla, Ron Merseal, Billy Palmer & Don McClelland $150
EIGHT BALL PAYOUTS
1st Gabe Owen $6,000
2nd Steve Cherewyk $3,500
3rd Stan Tourangeau $2,500
4th Glenn Atwell $1,500
5th/6th Corey Deuel & Paul Potier $1,000
7th/8th Geoff Somer & David Gutierrez $750
9th/12th David Matlock, Steve Smith, Justin Whitehead, Ronnie Allen $600
13th/16th Danny Basavich, Shane Van Boening, Tinsley Johnson & T.R. Olson $450
17th/24th Edwin Montal, L. Solorio, Ace Brown, Tony Chohan, Mark Buchko, Rick Raymundo, Larry Wilson & Cliff Joyner $350
25th/32nd Damian Alishan, Danny Medina, Jason Marcoulier, Frank Alvarez, Doug Medina, Len Swisher, Wayne Boyd & Mike Sandoval $200
33rd/48th Dave Dattilo, Matt Wolff, Tim Costa, Jose Parica, Jon Balan, Kim Benson, Howard Kennedy, Nick Hewko, Andrea Wilson, Gary Theis, Lynn Weschler, Will Ruddick, Nelson Sorto, Tyler Edey, Bernardo Chavez & Marcus Swisher $125
Kim Benson won an extra $100 for highest finishing women in a playoff with Andrea Wilson.
