The worlds
of international standard carrom and
professional billiards met for the first
time last week at the Derby City Classic in
Louisville, Kentucky, marking a historic
moment in the promotion of competition
carrom. By all accounts it was an
unqualified success as players of all ages
learned the history, rules, strategies and
techniques of a game that is virtually
unknown in America. Multi-colored tents,
lights, banners and display materials
enlivened an otherwise dark and unused
terrace in the middle of the Derby City
Classic venue, providing an unexpected
diversion for tournament participants well
into the wee hours of the morning.
Several
hundred pool players tried the game, out of
which a couple dozen became regulars, honing
their skill and perfecting their grip
(similar to pool’s bridge, there are several
grips needed to play carrom.) Exhibition
matches by members of the US National Carrom
Team drew fascinated onlookers who were
amazed at the technical skill, accuracy and
finesse displayed by advanced players.
Despite the
fact that many participants credited their
early interest in pool to the Americanized
version of carrom popular in the early to
mid-twentieth century, only one out of the
thousands of competitors at the event, Imran
Majid, a British pro of Pakistani origin,
had ever seen the original game before. For
everyone else, it provided a new and
surprising take on billiard-like games and
several players became instant converts. |
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Monica Webb
and Helena Thornfeldt, ranked number three
and six in the country by the WPBA,
revisited the boards frequently, bringing
friends and competitors along to share their
new discovery. The junior national nine-ball
champion, Austin Murphy, spent many hours
practicing and playing with friends, all of
which paid off when he took the Billiboard
Challenge and won a complete tournament
carromboard package. Corey Deuel was another
pro clearly intrigued by the game, as were
tour organizers, pool room owners,
tournament promoters and casual players from
across the country.
The US
Carrom Association, in conjunction with
Billiboards, an online carromboard supplier,
hosted the exhibition, which was also made
possible thanks to Professor Q-Ball’s
enthusiasm and support. Special appreciation
goes out to Greg Sullivan and Chad Scharlow
of Diamond Billiards for making the space
available this year and on into the future.
The
USCA plans to hold the US National
Championships during the first weekend of
the Classic next year and will invite World
Champions and national coaches from India to
wow and woo new players. Thanks to Monica
Webb, the USCA will host an exhibit at the
first WPBA tournament of 2006, the Carolina
Women’s Billiards Classic in Rocky Mount,
NC, February 23–26. For all those who missed
their chance to experience competition
carrom in Louisville, come on down to Rocky
Mount and “Join the World of Carrom.” For more
information, see
www.uscarrom.org, or
www.billiboard.com
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