Espiritu, Lucido top weekly pool tournaments

Best of friends Roger “The Ghost” Espiritu and Joey Lucido emerged victorious in pool competitions held at Corner Pocket last week.

Espiritu followed up his caffeine-powered victory in the Top Pool Bar $1K 9-Ball Tournament early Monday morning by winning Corner Pocket’s Thursday 9-Ball Tournament last Dec. 23.

The Filipino cue artist drew Top Pool Bar manager Zheng Jian Qing in the finals and beat him soundly, 4-2.

In the semifinals, Espiritu showcased his mastery of the green felt table by shutting out Ganover Rettin, 5-0. Zheng, meanwhile, was not as dominating in his 4-3 win over Senen Pangilinan in the other semis match.

In the first round of the abbreviated tournament, Espiritu outplayed local pool shark Vic S. Hocog (4-2), Pangilinan took care of Erwin Gomez (5-3), Zheng eliminated Manny Mariano (5-1), and Rettin overwhelmed Charlie Ellis (4-2).

The Rettin-Ellis match incidentally was the most protracted match of the evening and longest in memory, according to Corner Pocket owner Ken Phillips.

Lucido, for his part, found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow in the Garapan sports bar’s Monday 8-Ball Tournament last Dec. 20.

The Fun & Games employee again had luck on his side, as he was matched up with 5-handicapper Zheng in the finals. Needing just four games to win, Lucido did just that, winning in a score of 4-4, despite Zheng getting to four games first.

In the semis, Lucido nearly skunked a tired Hocog (4-1), who lost to Espritu early in the morning in the marathon match at Top Pool Bar. Zheng, meanwhile, dominated Pangilinan, 5-1, in the other semifinals.

In the second round, Lucido defeated Erick Caisip (4-2), Zheng topped Jerry Soriano (4-2), Pangilinan swept James Cabrera (6-0), and Hocog skunked Rommel Crisostomo (5-0).

In the first round, Lucido, Hocog, and Soriano got byes, leaving Caisip (3-0 over Bert Mettao), Pangilinan (4-0 over Kim Prinze), and Cabrera (3-2 over Primo Rivera) to hog the pool table.

Corner Pocket’s Monday 9-Ball Tournament rolls off every Monday beginning at 9pm. The competition uses a handicap system to give beginners a chance against top-caliber players. Entry fee is $10 and first place and second place are guaranteed prize money.

The Thursday 9-Ball Tournament, meanwhile, is played in the fifth day of the week. Play starts at 8:30pm. Participants must fork over $15 to enter the double-elimination competition. Progressive pot for 8-ball in a break will apply.

Both the regular 9-ball and 8-ball tournaments use the rules of the Billiards Congress of America. For more information on the regular Monday 9-Ball Tournament and Thursday 8-Ball Tournament, please contact Phillips at 233-POOL (7665).