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Pool Table Magic in Winsdor Locks, CT held an open amatuer 9-Ball tournament called the Summer Sizzler on July 19, 2008. Eighteen men and women attended this race to five event.
The hotseat match featured Anthony Vasquez against Chuck Hill, who is best known in the area as a straight pool player. Hill took a 3-0 lead in the match and snapped the 9 ball in game 4 to put him on the hill. The thought of being shut may have inspired Vasquez or he may have been reminded that hill defeated his wife Jen in the previous round but Vasquez dug deep and took advantage of Hill's dry break in game 5 to run out. In game 6 during a run out Vasquez landed the cue ball extremely close to his object ball, the 8 ball, but was able to make the difficult shot and pot the 9 and bring the score to 4-2. Vasquez won the next two games to join Hill on the hill. Vassquez looked set to run the final game but misjudged how thick he was hitting the six ball and followed the cue ball in after it. It looked like Hill would be king of the hill but he uncharacteristically scratched on the 8 ball, giving Vasquez ball in hand on the 9 Ball and taking a walk to the left side of the chart to play in the semi final.
Hill's opponent in the semi-final was Jason Noble. Hill again took an early match lead, this time 2-0. Noble took his first win by playing a good safety on the 8 ball in game 3. Hill won the next game but Noble took game 5 with an early 9-ball. Hill also got an early 9 in the next game to put him ahead 4-2. Noble won the next game and broke and ran game 8 to put the match hill-hill. The men traded safeties in the final rack with Noble finally able to pocket the 8 ball. Noble was only able to get position for a bank shot on the 9 ball but he made it and went on to the finals against Vasquez.
Noble played well in the finals and defeated Vasquez 5-2. But because the tournament was a true double elimination format Noble would have to play Vasquez another race to five. The second set went hill-hill. The final game was long and had multiple safety battles as the 8 ball was tied up behind the 9 on the rail. During the battle the balls were separated but remained on the rail. Eventually Vasquez took a chance and attempted to bank the 8. His gamble paid off as he made the bank then pocketed the 9 ball to win the match and first place in the tournament.
Results:
1st- Anthony Vasquez
2nd- Jason Noble
3rd- Chuck Hill
4th- Stacie Bourbeau
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