By Jerry Forsyth
Shane Van Boening appears unstoppable as he continues to roll through the field at the CSI-produced US Open 8-Ball Championship at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. He has calmly plowed the rest of the field under and now sits in the hot seat awaiting a final foe. Van Boening has shown (once again) that he is the master of shot-making and his cue ball control this week has left him the king of any layout he finds.
It is not like he hasn't had to face the heat. He certainly did not have an easy route to the final chair. His first victim this week was the aggressive Young Gun Jesse Engel. Engel gives no quarter to anyone and did put up a grand fight but still fell 8-5. Next was Corey Deuel. You could find folks willing to assert that Van Boening could not handle the 8-Ball game of Deuel. Deuel sees patterns as well as anyone and plays a simple and effective game that lends itself to clearing 8-Ball tables with ease. Van Boening made Deuel pay for every bad roll or impotent break and sent him packing 8-4.
Then he had to take on John Morra. Morra had just done away with two World Champions. He had dumped on both Daryl Peach (8-1) and Mika Immonen (8-4). So he had nothing to fear from Van Boening. SVB rode him down like a rented mule 8-2. Ko Pin-Yi did put up a nice fight. The multi-time World Junior Champion lasted to 8-6, better than most. Warren Kiamco would be next. Kiamco is another 'quiet' player who always seems to get himself an invite to the final days of tournaments. He seems to play just a notch or two better than his opponents and can raise his game to whatever level is required to win. Not against the SD Kid. He was crumbled 8-4. Finally, Van Boening rolled over dark horse favorite Walter Cheng 8-1 after Cheng had won his way all the way out to the hot seat match with more than impressive shot-making.
Now it all comes down to a single match between Carlo Biado and Walter Cheng to determine who has to go back into the cage with Van Boening. Both men are capable of winning on any given day, but Van Boening looks way too comfortable out there to feel threatened by whomever who comes into his yard.
Both the semi-final and final matches will be broadcast by TAR. Check out the schedule and then the action at www.theactionreport.com. AZBilliards continues with live scoring and live brackets as well.