"Dr. Cue"® Directs/Performs at the Opera/Theatre!!

(Article Submitted by Tom “Dr. Cue”® Rossman, Tournament Director)

The international appeal of “artistic pool” took a gigantic step forward recently with the development and massive success of the 1st ever event held in the European continent…devoted exclusively to this unique and magnetic cuesport artform. The European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF) made this possible with its endorsement, sanction, and documentation of the 2001 EC – European Championship of “Artistic Pool” on September 1 and 2, 2001.
Since the summer of 1999, Mr. Jorgen Sandman, past president of the WPA (World Pool – Billiard Association), and on site representative of the EPBF for this event, has joined the crusade with Tom “Dr. Cue”® Rossman, and many others worldwide…to make “artistic pool” open to all…and to assure the official status of each event through proper structured formats. The future appears to be quite bright in this endeavor, as players, media, and audience groups provide positive feedback and a growing acceptance for the beauty of those special “artistic” movements on the pool table. NOTE: Jorgen is also the founder and creator of the four year billiard instructional program at the University in Kiev.
The Ukrainian venue for this competition was the Kiev State Opera & Ballet Theatre for Children & Youth. This is a special building in a traditional and nostalgic section of Kiev…with a “circus style” – “solo ring” stage setting. The upper circular balcony accommodated over 150 people, and the lower arena -- stage area was specially arranged for an additional 100 spectators, two 9 foot Olympic tables, scoreboard space, and player/director movements. In addition, a minimum of 7 professional cameras and working crew operators were allowed mobility to cover each cue and player movement. One camera was suspended over the tables on a rotating crane, which moved in every imaginable way…to assure the “special effects” of each shot. This camera, by the way, was made in Kiev and has been used throughout the world in numerous venues and event specialties. Sponsor signs painted the walls…giving the appearance of dozens of billboards connected end to end…and top to bottom…with an additional “huge” banner on the outside of the building…letting the local city people know of the history making event that was about to take place. The transformation of this older – style building into an upbeat attraction for a continental “artistic pool” event…such as this…was a truly remarkable accomplishment.
When Jorgen Sandman and “Dr. Cue”® first started discussing the possibility of having a European Championship for “Artistic Pool”, it appeared quite demanding and would obviously need the help of dozens of individuals and business contacts to make it become a reality. Jorgen met with Mr. Dimitry Yushkovsky, who agreed to organize and promote this event. Dimitry owns the “Green Glade” company, which is a parent to several businesses, including a private billiard academy, upscale billiard room, and sales outlets. He was able to enlist the help of many of his associates and sponsors, as well as massive media attention. On August 31st a press conference was held to “seal” the advance promotion and interest in the two days that would follow for the actual competition. He also arranged for complete coverage of each session via satellite and internet broadcast, newspaper reporting, and various magazine article writings. Those arriving at the Borispil Airport would have to be picked up and taken to the Hotel Kreshchatyk in Kiev – a trip of 30 – 45 minutes, plus all arrangements for lodging and logistical transport of players, etc. -- between the hotel and the “artistic pool” venue (slightly over one mile) had to be made. Dimitry once again came to the rescue, and everything moved along efficiently and on schedule.
The final piece to the puzzle would be to bring “Dr. Cue”® into the mix to direct this event. The crusade continued as “Dr. Cue”® volunteered his time and effort to help in this project. On August 28 he left Miami, FL after a collegiate tour stop, flew via Detroit and Amsterdam in over 12 hours of flight time, and arrived in Kiev via Ukrainian Airlines on the 29th. Dimitry and one of Jorgen’s billiard students at the University in Kiev, Veka Nagoinaya, met him at the airport. They made a short stop at the venue site…where the “image” and “dream” would soon unfold. Then on to the hotel, which was quite nice and abundant of western culture amenities. The remainder of the day was spent resting from the effects of “jet lag” and other travel adjustments.
Next door to the hotel was the upscale billiard room that Dimitry and his wife operate. This would become our meeting place each day…to prepare for our short trip to the “artistic pool” venue. In addition, on the evening of the 29th, “Dr. Cue”® made a brief stop here and met 2 players that arrived early – Mr. Stefano Pelinga from Italy, and Mr. Jim Sommer from Denmark. A brisk walk to a nearby McDonald’s that night with Stefano and Jim ended day 1 in Kiev. Cooler weather conditions than normal accented the night air, but daytime temperatures were quite comfortable, similar to a Northern U.S. climate in the Summer.
August 30th proved to be a very busy day. About mid-morning “Dr. Cue”® went to Dimitry’s billiard room and met Mr. Arkadiy Loshakov. Arkadiy is “Dr. Cue’s”® close friend from Moscow, Russia. He the “master” instructor/teacher at the Russian State Academy of Physical Culture in Moscow and “Dr. Cue’s”® representative and translator in Russia and other non-English speaking venues. He also has translated 3 of Robert Byrne’s billiard books into the Russian language, allowing players and fans of billiards to read these works of expertise for the first time. Thousands of new readers of Mr. Byrne’s books now, not only understand the billiard knowledge contained therein, but also relate to his superb “wit” and “humor”, as Arkadiy is able to interpret and translate that special feature also in conversion. Another player arrived in the room at this time – Mr. Michael Mossin of Moscow, Russia. Both Arkadiy and Michael took the train to Kiev…a trip of over 12 hours.
Around noon “Dr. Cue”® went to the theatre to prepare the competitive arena, grid tables, train table judges and scorekeepers, and do the myriad of technical items necessary to efficiently run a championship such as this. The gridding of the tables was done in a systematic manner…with specific grid lines/marks for the 1st four disciplines planted on one of the tables only – for day 1 of the actual competition…and the respective lines and points for the 2nd four disciplines marked on the other table – for the second day of the event. Total gridding time was 6 to 8 hours…with assistance from Arkadiy and 2 of the table judges supplied by Jorgen for the event – Mr. Sergey Vaskowski and Mr. Vladik Isachenko, who also are students of Jorgen at the university. Arkadiy would serve as a table judge also, but with primary function to be “Dr. Cue’s”® right arm –
as translator, audience relations person, and a logistics assistant.
The table judges were trained during the day and subsequent daily time periods. Two scorekeepers were also given specific instruction for accurate reporting of scores to not only the “big board” viewing stand, but also the official score sheets kept for each player from challenge to challenge. Veka Nagoinaya, who was mentioned earlier and her husband, Maxim Pollonski, were selected for this function. Veka also did a “play by play” vocal description during the 2 days of competition…for the benefit of television and other broadcast options. This was done via a lapel mike and in a “whisper” tone, so as not to disturb the focus of the players. The table judges, scorekeepers, Arkadiy, and numerous helpers that Dimitry had acquired for the overall event performed superbly and deserve the highest praise and thanks for a job well done.
Jorgen arrived at the venue, while Mr. Bogdan Wolkowski from Poland and Mr. Herbert Friedemann from Germany soon followed. A player’s meeting was held and preparations were made for the following days of practice and actual competition. An evening dinner at a “great” Italian restaurant near the hotel was enjoyed by all the players and a few guests.
The press conference on August 31 was a tremendous success for all in attendance. Over 40 media and promotional contacts were present…expressing extreme interest in the upcoming event, and confronting the players, Dimitry, Jorgen, and “Dr. Cue”® with many quality type questions. A special guest of Jorgen and youthful competitor in regular pocket billiard games, Archum Kouicivoiux, made an appearance also. Archum is the current Ukrainian Champion in 8 Ball. He accomplished this feat at age 11 and in the men’s division. He was approximately 9 years old when he started playing pool, and is a student of Jorgen. His skills are excellent and his practice routines are regimitized with conviction. Archum would also shoot some “artistic pool” shots and demonstrate proper fundamental techniques over the next 2 days with “Dr. Cue”®. A special welcome party was held that evening for everyone involved with the tournament…at Dimitry’s billiard room. The official draw for competitive time sessions was done by the players at that time. The approaching day of competition was drawing close and all were well prepared and ready for it.
September 1 came as a bright and beautiful day in Kiev. “Dr. Cue”® went to the theatre at approximately 9:00AM to make final preparations and go over a checklist of details. Table judges, scorekeepers, and other helpers were ready and excited to start. The doors were open to the public early and a continual stream of traffic filtered into the venue. At 1:00PM the proceedings began, with some brief introductions, audience translation via Arkadiy from “Dr. Cue”® – explaining what to expect in this form of competition, and a declaration by Jorgen that the 1st European Championship of “Artistic Pool” was officially open. SPECIAL NOTE: A surprise presentation to “Dr. Cue”® was made in recognition of his 52nd birthday. A ceramic “king” figurine, a unique wooden item made to be symbolic of the strength and determination of the Ukrainian people, and a bouquet of native flowers was given to honor the moment. Thank you!!
The format would be for each player to shoot a 32 shot/challenge program, selected by the WPA Shot Selection Committee. Each challenge is assigned a Degree of Difficulty (D.O.D.) from 5 to 11, except for the Wing Shot Challenge, which rewards points for each wing shot made…on a graduated scoring chart. 3 attempts are given on the D.O.D. challenges, with full D.O.D. value scored on a successful 1st attempt make, one point less than full D.O.D. value on a 2nd attempt make, and 2 points less than full D.O.D. value on a 3rd attempt make.
After all 32 shots/challenges are done, the player with the most points would be judged the overall “artistic pool” champion. There are 8 disciplines with 4 shots/challenges in each. There would also be 8 discipline champions and a “Dr. Cue” Sportsmanship Award.
4 rounds of competition would be conducted during the 2 day championship. Each round would consist of 2 disciplines…with all players shooting them as follows: Round #1 – September 1 (1:00 – 4:00PM) – Trick and Fancy Shots, plus Prop, Novelty, & Special Arts; Round #2 – September 1 (6:00 – 9:00PM) – Draw
Shots, plus Follow Shots; Round #3 – September 2 (1:00 – 4:00PM) – Bank/Kick
Shots, plus Stroke Shots; Round #4 – September 2 (6:00 – 9:00PM) – Jump Shots, plus Masse Shots. A cumulative total would be kept on a large score board for audience viewing, player analysis, and scorekeeper verification. Posting would be done immediately after the respective player’s turn at the table…upon vocal note by the table judge.
Round #1 competition started with the players being introduced from a remote arena location and making their entry to the venue similar to how major sports stars are introduced and applauded upon their appearance. Each player was a champion in their own right…with not only “artistic” accomplishments, but also regular title achievements along the way. Each player performed superbly in this first session, with Michael Mossin, sometimes referred to as the Mike Massey of Russia…from his awesome stroke capabilities…taking an early lead. Scores after round #1 were as follows: Mossin – 42, Wolkowski – 39, Sommer – 35, Pelinga and Friedemann tied at 34. Friedemann made 4 of the Wing Shots for a score of 7 on a newly established committee scoring system, while each of the other players only made 1 for a score of 1. This 6 point differential would prove to be a critical factor in Friedemann’s “march to victory”.
The evening of September 1 proved to be a “time in the sun” for Pelinga. He rallied to make the 3 most difficult shots in the Draw discipline, and surged into the lead with 75 points. In addition, he developed a “fan club” in Kiev in less than a day for his bonding image, graceful style, and personal relationship with each audience member. The order of players continued with Wolkowski holding onto his 2nd place position at 67 points, Friedemann moving into 3rd with 63, Mossin slipping to 4th with 52, and Sommer at 45. The heart and competitive spirit of Sommer was making him a “fan favorite” also, as he smiled, and maintained a professional demeanor and image with each turn at the table.
Day 1 ended with capacity audience attendance, quiet amazement between each shot/challenge, and a “roaring” response of applause for shots made and even for those well attempted, but with no score. In addition, between Round #1 and Round #2, each player performed some personal “artistic pool” favorites for the audience members. Original creations and old time traditional shots were executed to perfection. Some shots were done blindfolded, some with audience help, some in tandem (2 players shooting at the same time), and some with unique twists and turns never before seen. A standing ovation and deafening sound of appreciation for over 5 minutes showered upon the players. The players returned their thanks for all this by doing the “wave” back to their fans.
“Dr. Cue” also did some favorite “artistic” beauties, such as chop sticks, roller coaster cues, “down under” pool tricks, the “snowman”, and the audience pleasing “starburst” shot, which resembles the grand finale at a fireworks celebration. Archum also helped “Dr. Cue”® and some of the other players during their shots, and had an obvious entertainment impact to all present. Thank you, Archum!!
The second day of competition brought with it a humorous highlight. On the way to the theatre, “Dr. Cue”® ended up doing a special “artistic pool” trick in the streets of Kiev. While riding with Dimitry, a sound was heard and a view of pool balls rolling in a main intersection with major traffic occurred. An oversight of leaving a box of pool balls on the roof of the car created quite a spectacle for many local residents and a positioned police car. The traffic was stopped while the balls were picked up, police laughed, and traffic honked. It was quite humorous I am sure for those that witnessed it, but at the moment a little too exciting in an unexpected way. We found all the balls and continued to our final destination.
The crowds kept growing and it was obvious that “artistic pool” was fast becoming a “hit” in Kiev. An outdoor street festival was taking place, but the people still came and enjoyed the magnetism of this artform. Round #3 has many times become a pivotal moment in “artistic pool” events with the knowledge of banking/kicking and stroke techniques the “key” to success. Pelinga maintained his lead at 113, but lost 2 points to Friedemann, now only 10 points behind him in second at 103. Wolkowski faltered and fell into a tie with Mossin at 86 points. Sommer gained ground and placed himself in a perfect spot for a move to the top 3 positions at 72 points. Sommer still had a shot at becoming the champion as 64 points possible remained in the last round, and anything could and has happened in past “artistic pool” events.
A dinner break between round #3 and round #4 at a fantastic Ukrainian-style restaurant offered a quiet and satisfying meal…prior to the final two disciplines. At 6:00PM a packed house of “artistic pool” enthusiasts waited for the final outcome. The challenging disciplines of “jump” and “masse” would not disappoint them in their search for complete billiard enjoyment. Friedemann gained 7 more points in the Jump Discipline to Pelinga – with the score now Pelinga at 120 and Friedemann at 117. Wolkowski and Mossin each scored 21 points and remained tied at 107. Sommer performed well with 20 points at a total of 92. With 35 points total remaining in the Masse Discipline, it was anyone’s opportunity yet to win.
The extremely demanding, sometimes abusive, and skillfully executed “art” of masse would prove to be a “perfect” storybook finish for the championship. All the players made Masse #1, with Pelinga increasing his lead over Friedemann to 4 points, and Mossin gaining a “slim” lead over Wolkowski by 1 point. Masse #2 saw Friedemann making it and finally pulling ahead of Pelinga by 2 points, who made a courageous effort in his 3 attempts. No one else made this masse, and no player made Masse #3, so going into the final masse, Pelinga had to make Masse #4 to have a chance at victory. Wolkowski had to make it also or settle for a 4th place finish. Pelinga and Friedemann both missed this monsterous masse, so Friedemann became the EC “Artistic Pool” Champion for 2001 at 130 points. Pelinga finished in 2nd with 128 points. 3rd place was still in the air as Mossin missed Masse #4, but Wolkowski had 3 chances to overtake him. The “king” of masse for the last 2 years in the WPA World Artistic Pool Tournaments has been Wolkowski. And once again, he came through on his final attempt, earning 8 points and moving back into 3rd place with 122 points. Mossin finished with 115 in 4th and Sommer had a total of 92 points in 5th. A silver cup was awarded to Friedemann for his victory, along with a gold medal from the EPBF, a silver medal was awarded to Pelinga for 2nd, and a bronze medal was awarded to Wolkowski for 3rd.
Friedemann, Pelinga, and Wolkowski would now have the opportunity…by virtue of a top 3 finish in the EC…to represent the EPBF in the 2002 WPA World event in Germany next February 22 and 23. Wolkowski won the Trick and Fancy Shot and Masse Shot disciplines; Mossin won the Prop, Novelty, & Special Arts and Jump Shot disciplines; Pelinga won the Draw Shot and Stroke Shot disciplines; and Friedemann won the Follow Shot and Bank/Kick Shot disciplines.
Sommer became the “Dr. Cue”® Sportsmanship Award Recipient for this event.
Congratulations to all for a job well done. And a special thanks to each Kiev fan and resident of that beautiful city for their warmth, interest, and response to “artistic pool”. We all felt like a “family of friends and fans” was developed, and our hearts will never forget the memories we have shared. Arkadiy summed it all up by trying to find the proper words to explain the joy of the Kiev experience. The words…good, great, amazing, fantastic, unbelievable, super, and many other explanatory words and phrases were not enough. No words could ever describe the thrill, excitement, and personal pleasure derived from this special time.
Jorgen officially declared the European Championship of “Artistic Pool” closed after the award ceremony. A celebration party that night lasted until 4:00AM the next morning, as players, Dimitry, Jorgen, “Dr. Cue”®, Arkadiy, the table judges, the scorekeepers, and selected guests enjoyed final times together.
On September 3, Friedemann, Pelinga, Wolkowski, and Mossin left Kiev for their homelands. Arkadiy and “Dr. Cue”® toured the university with Jorgen, walked the city, rode the subway, and made a visit to Dimitry’s private academy. Some special sightseeing stops at statues, and historic sites accented the day. In mid-afternoon Arkadiy left on the train for Moscow. That night Jim Sommer and “Dr. Cue”® shared some time together with Archum and others in Dimitry’s center. “Dr. Cue® bid an emotional farewell to Kiev early the next morning, receiving a special custom watch from the mayor of Kiev for his efforts to make the event successful. Jim Sommer was the first to arrive in Kiev and the last to leave…making him a true sportsman. The return flight for “Dr. Cue”® via Amsterdam and Minneapolis, to Indianapolis, went well, and “Ms. Cue” welcomed him home with open arms.

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