FACEOFF SERIES 1: Yang Ching-Shun vs. Dennis Orcollo: One More Time

It was a battle that very well lived up to its hype – epic.

Yang Ching-shun and Dennis Orcollo engaged in what could go down as the most exciting pool match of the year as they tried to outdo each other for the $10,000 top purse and the bragging rights as the winner of the Face Off Series 2-One More Time held last September 8 and 9 at the posh Club Capo Exclusive in Tomas Morato Avenue in Quezon City.

It was a match that has all the needed recipe for a classic as the two "money-game kings" of Asia battled toe-to-toe right from the opening rack.

Orcollo, the former world no.1 from the Philippines, drew the first blood and led in the early part, but it was Yang who finished the opening day strong for a 25-19 lead.

But Yang saw his 25-19 lead in the opening day quickly vanished as Orcollo came up with a much superb game and led by as many as five racks in the contest organized by Club Capo Exclusive in cooperation with Bugsy Promotions and JBET.net.

But the Taiwanese ace kept his composure and with the aid of some luck – accidentally pocketing a money-ball after missing a shot of the other object ball, among others – he regained the lead and coasted to a hard-earned 50-45 victory that duplicated his feat over the Filipino, whom he defeated in a similar contest some three years ago.

"Luck played a part in my victory. Dennis is a very tough opponent and I really had a hard time beating him," said Yang, know in Chinese-Taipei as the "Son of Pool."

"I hope to play with him again as it’s really exciting going up against one of the world’s best cue artists."

The Orcollo-Yang rematch is just the start of a series of challenge matches Club Capo is putting up.

The exclusive membership club is planning to pit eight to other pairs of world-class cue artists each year.

After this first offering, Club Capo Exclusive will stage another blockbuster match featuring pool icon Efren "Bata" Reyes against his fellow Asian pool legend Chao Fong-pang on October 28 and 29.

It has also lined up a match pitting former double world champions Ronnie Alcano and Ralf Souquet of Germany.

The second edition of The Philippines versus the World will be part of the Face-Off Series.

Club Capo Exclusive is also eyeing a match between Francisco "Django" Bustamante against American Rodney Morris and Lee Van Corteza opposite Shane van Boening in November.

Other planned matches include a rematch between 2007 World Pool Championship finalists Roberto Gomez and Darryl Peach of England; Alcano versus fellow former world champion Wu Chia-ching of Singapore; a scotch doubles match featuring the tandem of Efren “Bata” Reyes and Bustamante against the duo of Orcollo and Alcano, as well as the pair of Bustamante and Gomez versus Johnny Archer and Van Boening, and Alcano-Johann Chua opposite Yang-Ko Pin-yi; and a duel between Reyes and Archer.

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YANG CHING-SHUN

Born 3 April 1978, Yang is a Taiwanese professional pool player, nicknamed "the Son of Pool."

Yang won the nine-ball event of the 1998 Asian Games against then world pool champion Kunihiko Takahashi of Japan. He defended it in 2002 against Warren Kiamco but failed to make it three in a row as he lost to Filipino Jeff De Luna in the semifinals of the 2006 Doha Asian Games. De Luna then lost to countryman Antonio Gabica in the gold medal match.

Despite the fact that he never won a world championship in any discipline of pool like two of his fellow Taiwanese players Chao Fong-pang and Wu Chia-ching did, Yang has often been regarded as a potential world champion.

His best finish in the World Pool Championship is 3rd where he reached the semi-finals in 2002. However, he was bested by Francisco Bustamante who eventually lost to Earl Strickland in the finals.

Notable Achievement (Titles)

• 2008 WPA Asian Nine-ball Tour, Jakarta Leg
• 2007 WPA Asian Nine-ball Tour, Singapore Leg
• 2007 WPA Asian Nine-ball Tour, China Leg
• 2007 WPA Asian Nine-ball Tour, Kaohshiung Leg
• 2007 Money Game King Showdown
• 2006 Super Cup
• 2005 WPA Asian Nine-ball Tour, Kaohsiung Leg
• 2004 WPA Asian Nine-ball Tour, Hong Kong Leg
• 2003 WPA Asian Nine-ball Tour, Singapore Leg
• 2002 Asian Games gold medalist (nine-ball)
• 1998 Asian Games gold medalist (nine-ball)
• 1996 All Japan Championship

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DENNIS ORCOLLO

Born January 28, 1979, Orcollo is one of the best cue artists in the world today with his topping of the 2008 WPA world ranking as among its proof.

He is billed as "the Philippines' Money-game King" and a stalwart of the star-studded Bugsy Promotions of businessman Perry Mariano.

Orcollo came from a family of fishermen in Bislig, Surigao del Sur.

As soon as learning the game of billiards, Orcollo thought this could be his way out of poverty and he worked hard to improve his skills.

Like a number of upcoming players from the Philippines, Orcollo was first seen on television in his contention at the Rising Stars Tournament in 2000

At the 2002 WPA World Nine-ball Championship, he unexpectedly beat champion Ralf Souquet 9-8 in the last 64, but eventually lost 6-9 to Efren Reyes in the last 32.

In 2006, Orcollo began his campaign in the U.S.. There, he won a number of tournaments, including the Reno Open, the Hard Times Nine-ball Tournament and two bar table events. Because his compatriots had entered a less prestigious event in Asia, Orcollo was the only player from the Philippines to compete in the World Straight Pool Championship, which was ultimately dominated by Thorsten Hohmann. Although he neither won nor received any prize money, Orcollo made a respectable high run of 91. The following year, he made a better straight pool run of 93 at an exhibition in the USA.

Also in 2006, Orcollo won the last edition of the World Pool League tournament against Niels Feijen.

In 2007, he was runner-up to his fellow countryman Ronato Alcano at the WPA World Eight-ball Championship. Also in this year, he won the BCA Open Nine-ball Championship, a tournament where three fellow Filipinos were defeated in the final in past editions of that event.

On July 6, 2008, Orcollo won the inaugural World Nine-ball Open held in Qatar. He won the title, defeating Niels Feijen, 13-5. He had earlier beat Ralf Souquet in the semi-finals, and received the $ 40,000 prize from the president of Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation Ibrahim Abdul-Aziz al-Sahlawi in Al Muntazah Road at Doha, Qatar. Feijen received $ 20,000.

Notable Achievements (titles)

• 2009 Predator International Ten-ball
• 2008 Asian Nine-ball Tour, China Le
• 2008 World Nine-ball Open
• 2007 World Straight Pool Championship 5th place
• 2007 World Eight-ball Championship 2nd place
• 2007 BCA Open Nine-ball Champion
• 2006 World Pool League Champion
• 2006 US Bar Table Champion (eight-ball)
• 2006 Reno Open winner (nine-ball)
• 2006 Hard Times Billiards Summer Jamboree winner (nine-ball)