Chau Cashes In o­n Villa Park Viking Event

By Tori Hilty, InsidePOOL staff

Javier Chau sailed through the field to take a convincing win over Mike Moran at the Viking Cue 9-Ball Tour event held at Palace Billiards in Villa Park, Il, o­n April 17-18.  A total of 46 players, including the hard-to-beat Marco Marquez and Ike Runnels, came out to battle for a purse totaling approximately $2,000.

The 12,000-square-foot Palace Billiards offers more than just tables.  In addition to the 24 Brunswick Gold Crown IVs, 6' x 9' snooker table, a heated Vanhoven billiard table, and an antique Brunswick Kling, the facility offers a private room with a seating area complete with couches and TV, a very nice cocktail lounge, and a café.  Their pro shop may well provide the largest selection of cues and cases in stock in the country and usually carries roughly 200 cues in stock, as well as accessories and tables.

Tournament favorite Marco Marquez met Jim Engles in the quarterfinal match but was not able to get past Engles.  After an intense hill-hill battle, Engles walked away the 7-6 victor.  This was o­ne of many of the upsets that seemed to define this event.Javier Chau faced Mike Moran in the hot seat match and defeated him handily 7-2, sending him to the semifinals to face Engles.  It was another hill-hill nailbiter where Moran won and moved into the finals with Chau.  It was quite a show for all of the spectators who turned out to watch the action as Chau had a convincing win over Moran to secure top honors.

Results:

1st Javier Chau

2nd Mike Moran

3rd Jim Engles

4th Marco Marquez

5th Neil Jacobs, Scott Cohen

7th Sergio Perez, Joe Kline

9th Willie Munson, Ed Flatt, Ike Runnels, Gordy Vanderveer

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