The 2008 Guinness 9-Ball Tour has moved into the fourth leg and the Singapore crowd witnessed an unforgettable showdown in the preliminaries when reigning champion Chang Jung-Lin took on Filipino pool player Dennis Orcullo for a place in the final eight!
Here's a rack-by-rack account from espnstar.com's Kelvin Leong, who was there to witness the two pool masters battle it out in a race to nine racks in the 2008 Guinness 9-Ball Tour! Hope you enjoy it, everyone!
Rack 1
Chang won the lag and kicked off proceedings with a messy opening break potting the 8-ball in the process.
The defending champion miscued the 2-ball but is given a chance when Orcollo failed to take advantage and left him to mop up the table.
Chang Jung-Lin 1-0 Dennis Orcollo
Rack 2
Orcollo had a dry break but both players started playing defensive shots until Chang potted the 2-ball with a brilliant jump shot and subsequently went on to take down his second rack.
Chang Jung-Lin 2-0 Dennis Orcollo
Rack 3
Another messy affair as neither player looked totally comfortable with their first TV table game at Velocity.
Chang gift-wrapped the 6-ball with a miscue that left Orcollo to sweep it clean and pull one back.
Chang Jung-Lin 2-1 Dennis Orcollo
Rack 4
Golden break by the World No.1 leveled things up at two a piece.
Chang Jung-Lin 2-2 Dennis Orcollo
Rack 5
Defending champion Chang came storming back in typical fashion with his own version of the golden break that pushed him back in the lead.
Chang Jung-Lin 3-2 Dennis Orcollo
Rack 6
The Chinese Taipei bet forced the issue by pulling away to a two rack lead on the sixth game. Chang Jung-Lin 4 -2 Dennis Orcollo
Rack 7
Dry break by Chang allowed Orcollo to close down the lead to just one rack.
Chang Jung-Lin 4-3 Dennis Orcollo
Rack 8
Orcollo showed his class and had a break and run out to level the game at four a piece.
Chang Jung-Lin 4-4 Dennis Orcollo
Rack 9
The whole game was like a mirror image with both players doing exactly what the other did in the previous rack.
Chang had a break and run out of his own to go one up again.
Chang Jung-Lin 5-4 Dennis Orcollo
Rack 10
Dry break for the World No.1 left Chang an open table which he duly mopped up.
Chang Jung-Lin 6-4 Dennis Orcollo
Rack 11
Mirror image again this time round, Chang had a dry break and Orcollo cleaned it up.
Chang Jung-Lin 6-5 Dennis Orcollo
Rack 12
Break and run out for Orcollo.
Chang Jung-Lin 6-6 Dennis Orcollo
Rack 13
For the first time in the game, Orcollo got into the lead to move into the final few racks of the game.
Chang Jung-Lin 6-7 Dennis Orcollo
Rack 14
Chang was visibly anxious as he stared blankly; seemingly worried that he might be dethroned as Orcollo got on the hill with another break and run out.
The pressure was mounting on Chang as the crowd looked on in anticipation.
Chang Jung-Lin 6-8 Dennis Orcollo
Rack 15
A tight rack as the defending champion suffered a dry break before Orcollo put the mother ball in off potting the 1-ball.
Chang Jung-Lin 7-8 Dennis Orcollo
Rack 16
Orcollo stepped up and had a break and run out on the final rack to end proceedings and put the defending champion out of the tournament for the first time!
Indeed it was thrilling pool action between two of Asia's best pool players! And I kid you not!
"Pocket billiards is synonymous with The Anitokid!"
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