Chien Is First Home Town Qualifier

MING-WEI Chien became the first home player to win through the qualifiers as he confirmed his place in the main draw o­n Tuesday evening.

The 33 year-old from Taipei City defeated Ying-Chieh Chen in a dramatic final which owed more to luck than judgement.

Chen, just 19, had clawed his way back to 8-8 and looked set to run out and confirm his place in next week’s 2004 Taiwan World Pool Championship.

But the action hotted up when he deposited the 8-ball o­nly to overrun the cue and leave it hanging in the jaws of a corner pocket.

However, he managed to make the pot and looked as if he had won o­nly to see the cue ball travel the whole length of the table for an agonising scratch.

Chien, a quarter-finalist in the 1997 World Championship, was understandably delighted with his stroke of fortune.

“I was very nervous at the end – especially when he nearly scratched o­n the 8-ball, he said.

“My girlfriend and son had come to watch me and I was very excited and happy for them when I saw the cue ball drop but it is a lucky way to win.

“I was confident because I practise a lot and I will do my best next week but I don’t know how far I will get.

“I hope I get to play Efren Reyes because I have beaten him o­nce and he has beaten me o­nce.

“I’m very pleased that this tournament has come to Taiwan because many people here are pool crazy and I hope that it will encourage more young people to take up the game.”

Chien joins Group 14 where he will play the likes of Mosconi Cup star Marcus Chamat and Japan’s Satoshi Kawabata.

Hobbling Lining Brings More Pinoy Joy!

Battling o­n despite an injured foot, class Filipino cueman Antonio Lining grabbed the third qualifying spot at the 2004 Taiwan World Pool Championship as he got the better of Taiwan’s Kuan-liang Liu by 9 – 5 to takes his place in Group 5.

 Lining’s win made it three out of three for the Philippines following o­n from the successes of Marlon Manolo and then Rodolfo Luat in yesterday’s opening heats and the total number of Filipino competitors now rises to nine.

 The injury occurred o­n Saturday and left Lining’s left foot cut and sore. Such was his pain that he asked tournament organisers for special dispensation to play today’s matches wearing flip-flops as his regular shoes caused him some agony.

 “The toe is bad and hurt when I was playing and I hope I don’t get an infection. I’ve got a few days to let it get better though,” he said afterwards

 The flip-flops seemed to work a treat as cueing confidentially, Lining strode into an impressive 8 – 2 lead. With the finishing line so close, though, he began to falter and a missed a nervy 6 ball to give his opponent an opportunity to get back to the table. Liu cleared to reduce the deficit and then took the next two to give Lining something to think about.

 The ask was too big for Chien though and he slipped up in a safety exchange to give the 41 year-old from Oriental Mindoro the chance to seal victory.

 With two last 16 appearances at Cardiff in the last three years, Lining will be a heavy favourite to make his way out of group containing players like Johnny Archer and Tom Storm at the top end but also relatively inexperienced men from the UAE, South Africa, Canada and Korea.

 “When you are 8 – 2 up, it is a long way ahead and you tend to get a little nervous. He was a good opponent though – he got to the final didn’t he – and there are a lot of good players here.

 “Stalev was my hardest match today but he made a careless mistake and that gave me an opportunity. I was not worried that I wouldn’t qualify though and I’m looking forward to Saturday and maybe I have a chance to win.”

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