The APA's Billiard Buzz/Membership Kit Giveaway ... has been going on all year, and is now down to the last month. Entries consist of a valid email address, some personal info about your interests and an APA membership number. With that, entrants can win an APA Cuetec cue, APA logo shirt and APA logo hat, and subscribe to the Billiards Buzz, APA’s official monthly e-newsletter. All monthly entries are also automatically entered in APA’s November Pool Room Grand Prize giveaway. [ more ]

That grand prize package includes a Valley custom pool table, complete with house cues, Aramith pool balls, an APA table light, and chalk. Only active 2006 APA members may enter, so sign-up for the Billiards Buzz through November 15 to get your name in the hat! [ see winners list to date ]

The 2006 ESPN Zone Billiards Shootout ... was held at the New York, New York Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, October 4-5, where Luc Salvas defeated Dave Pearson for the International Speed Pool Challenge crown and Mike Massey bested Tom Rossman for the Trick Shot Magic title. The ESPN Zone hosted both fields, with a $50,000 total purse in each. [ more ]

The Seventh Annual Trick Shot Magic, drew an international field to the playoff, which required each player to execute two skill shots and eight artistic shots. Players challenged their opponents with shots of their choice, with each player forced to make the shot to score a point. The players alternated back and forth with a possible twenty challenge shots, and the player with the highest overall points won the match.

Both challenges were taped to produce three 1-hour telecasts on ESPN, that are scheduled to begin running in November. The televised semi-finals were: Tom Rossman over Luke Szywala & Mike Massey over Bruce Barthelette; the finals were: Massey over Rossman 12 - 11. Check local ESPN/ESPN 2 listings for your area next month!

The WPBA's Cuetec Cues US OPEN Championship in Albuquerque ... is being featured on the InsidePool and Pool and Billiard websites this week, and the WPBA.com site has uploaded the brackets for fans to follow from home, along with highlights and photos. The tournament concludes Sunday, October 22.

Inside Pool reports "Sandia Casino in Albuquerque, NM, plays host to the Women’s Professional Billiards Association’s (WPBA) U.S. Open 9-Ball this week. Defending champion Allison “The Duchess of Doom” Fisher will attempt to retain her title while the 64-player field vies for not only the championship but the $16,000 first-place prize." [ more ]

Pool and Billiard follows Anna Kostanian in its "Magic 8-Ball" section, with: "BCA National Junior champion Anna Kostanian of Albuquerque had high hopes going into the Cuetec Cues U.S. Open this week. Her first match proved fruitful; she defeated Japan's Miyuki Sakai 9-7. But that put her next match up against #2 ranked Karen Corr, who, let's face it, is having a #1 ranked year! Anna stuck with the champion and fought hard, but Karen emerged the victor this day with a 9-6 final score. The event begins as a double elimination bracket, Anna plays back on Friday. Stay tuned for details!" [ more ]

Bill Stock ... is one-half of the new tag-team of rules experts who have volunteered their expertise in answering your rules questions (you'll meet the other "half" in the next issue). Currently the Rules & Referee Program Administrator for the BCA Pool League, Bill’s exposure to the “pool world” began in Anchorage Alaska at age 17.

Since then, he has become an accomplished player, as well as a widely-recognized authority on the game. Bill is a BCA Master Player, with a top-5 finish at the BCA team event, and boasts a top run of 138 balls in straight pool in the mid 1980’s. In addition, he's won over 20 Alaska State billiard titles.

In the mid 1980’s he served a referee for the USPPA organization and has also served as Final’s referee at the Reno Open. In addition, Bill was an official Alaska State Tour Referee and Tour Director with heavy experience in running and promoting literally hundreds of tournaments. Along with his referee duties, Bill has extensive training and knowledge with rules interpretation and implementation.

Have a question about the finer points of a rule or situation that you've encountered? Send the BCA an email with "Rules Question" in the subject line for a prompt forward and reply!