Warren "Warrior" Kiamco remains in contention - US 9-Ball Championship

Warren “Warrior” Kiamco live up to his moniker by becoming the last Filipino standing in the 35th Annual US Open 9-Ball Championship on Saturday at the Chesapeake Conference Center in Virginia. The Cebuano former Southeast Asian Games gold medallist remains in contention after winning over David “El Matador” Alcaide of Spain.
Kiamco scored 11-5 against Alcaide to become the last Filipino standing in the loser’s bracket of the tournament, which offers a $40,000 top prize to the champion.

One of the top players of Jonathan Sy’s Negros Billiards Stable, Kiamco, suffered his first lost to former US Open 9-ball ruler Corey “The Prince” Deuel (11-10) in the fifth round of winner’s bracket. He is still fighting it out in the loser’s bracket after eliminating Tommy Kennedy of the USA (11-8), countryman Efren “Bata” Reyes (11-4) and Lo Li-wen of China (11-9).
Kiamco is scheduled to play a rematch against Deuel, who demolished Jason Klatt of Canada (11-1).

In the winner’s side, 2009 World 10-Ball Champion Mika “The Iceman” Immonen of Finland and 2008 World 10-Ball Champion Darren “Dynamite” Appleton of Great Britain, beat their respective foes earlier to face each other in the hot seat match.

Immonen routed Klatt (11-4) while Appleton defeated Alcaide (11-8). Whoever wins between Immonen and Appleton would take the first final berths while the loser will face the survivor of the Kiamco versus Deuel match for the last final spots.

Other Filipino cue masters who played in this longest American 9-ball tournament applying the double elimination format are Francisco “Django” Bustamante, Jose “Amang” Parica, Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan, Ronato “Volcano” Alcano, Dennis “Robocop” Orcullo, Roberto “Pinoy Superman” Gomez, Antonio “Nickoy” Lining, Lee Vann “The Slayer” Corteza, Ramil “Bebeng” Gallego, Santos “The Saint” Sambajon, Jundel Mazon and Edwin Montal.