Yesterday, the Allen Hopkins Million dollar 9-ball tournament began with the best of the best billiards players vying for the top prize. The tournament is taking place at the Valley Forge Convention Center and will consist of six rounds of twenty five game matches. A total score is kept and after each round the draw is refigured so the tow highest scoring players pay each and it continues down to the lowest scoring players. Twelve players are competing in the tournament. Two rounds took place yesterday and Dennis Orcollo is currently in first place.

The tournament will take place over a four day period with the Final taking place on Sunday night with only four players returning. During the first round, Orcollo won 22 games against Evan Broxmeyer who won three. Steve Moore had 19 games to his opponent Matt Krah who had 6 games. Next to Moore are Johnny Archer and Shane Van Boening who had 15 games against their opponents. Their opponents were Marlon Manalo and Francisco Bustamante respectively. Corey Deuel and Daryl Peach both with one win over their opponent.

In the event of a tie-breaker, the run-outs and break are being recorded. Corey Deuel is in the lead with 14 break and run-outs. Hatch, Archer and Orcollo all have 10 break and run-outs. By the end of last night, Orcollo had thirty seven total wins with Archer close behind with thirty one wins. Corey Deuel and Steve Moore are both tied at twenty nine games and Dennis Hatch as twenty eight.

The tournament will continue over the next three days and the overall winner will receive $20,000 for the win. It will be interesting to see if Orcollo can maintain his lead or is one of the other opponents will pass him in the coming days.


- 2008-08-08