The new flight of our Straight Pool league begins tonight, Thursday, Feb. 2! Practice at 6pm, play at 7pm. Read an overview of the league.

Now’s the time! Players of all skill levels are needed to complete our divisions! We have a number of league options at Diamond Eight:

Monday night NAPA League

A brand new night to feed your pool-playing! New division starting as soon as there is enough teams. Stop in to sign up!

Wednesday night NAPA League

Five solid teams are in and players are needed for the sixth team! Stop in or contact NAPA Leagues of Albany to sign up! This is a 3-player division; play starts at 7pm and ends around 10:30pm. Practice at 5:30pm. This is a cash league.

Thursday night Straight Pool League

Our straight pool league starts up again on Thursday February 2nd. Stop in to get more info or check out the Straight Pool league page. Play starts at 7pm. Practice at 6pm.

Congratulations to Arkley Mastro who took 1st place in a small but competitive field to win the 2011 Fall Flight of Diamond Eight’s Straight Pool league. Ernie Mumford made a strong showing by placing 2nd with Ron Palka and Jerry Argay rounding out the field.

The final standings:

1. Arkely Mastro
2. Ernie Mumford
3. Ron Palka
4. Jerry Argay

Once again, Chris and Ann Smith return to Diamond Eight from “across the pond” (England)!

Trans-Atlantic Challenge II

$100 added Scotch Doubles tournament
Saturday, February 4
Practice at Noon, play starts at 1pm

Download the tournament flyer for more info.

Money added by the Smiths! It will be a great time!

Diamond Eight’s 10th annual Toys for Tots 8-Ball Tournament was another great success, thanks to all of our very generous players! Eighteen players came together to play in the scotch doubles tournament and donate toys to the local branch of the U.S. Marines Toys for Tots initiative. Many others stopped by to participate in the raffles and enjoy the delicious home-cooked buffet. Two over-filled boxes of toys were collected and over $200 was raised, which will be used to purchase more toys for donation.

Congratulations to Kelly Castle and John Robinson, who narrowly defeated Del Robinson and Dave Kruger in a dramatic final match. Del and Dave had successfully come back from deficits throughout the day to advance to the finals. When Kelly and John jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the race-to-4 final match, everyone wondered if Del and Dave could battle back one last time.  With confidence they strung together three wins to bring the match to the hill. The last game was a nail-biter, with good shots back and forth. Del was left with a reverse bank on the 8-ball in the side. After much thought, Del stroked the cue nicely to bank the 8, and then watched as the cue ball ran two rails to get position for the 9, only to see the cue ball scratch in the side. John made the 9 with ball in hand to seal the game, match and title. Tied for third were Frank Rogers and Angela Skawinski, and Audre and Darius Osborne.

Kevin won the 50/50 raffle while his daughter Kelly won a few great raffle prizes. Thanks to everyone who came out to support Toys for Tots! You can see photos from the event on our Flickr page.

Friday nights at Diamond Eight are hot! We feature Karaoke with Sal every Friday night starting at 9:30pm. While you have a few (whatevers) to relax your vocal cords, you can play pool on one of our 7-foot bar-size pool tables, or choose our full-size tables to practice those extra tough shots! And if pool is not your game, there is still plenty more to do! Play foosball, darts, video games or QuickDraw, or just cozy up to the bar and watch the game on one of our many TVs.

Thanks to an overwhelmingly positive response, we are extending this great deal Four players on one table for only $20 per hour! Five players? $20 per hour! Six players? How about $20 per hour! That’s right, four or more players on one table is $20 per hour! See you soon!

A small dedicated team (with lots of support from all of you!) walked 3+ miles as part of the 2011 Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk in Washington Park, Albany to benefit the American Cancer Society. Diamond Eight raised $400 through league night 50-50 raffles and the efforts of Julie Levenberg and the Skawinski Family. Many other walkers joined us after the event for a delicious homemade buffet (and football)!

The walk was held on Sunday, October 16, 2011. There is still time to make an online donation: Diamond Eight Making Strides Team Page.

Congratulations to Rich Kriz, longtime league member at Diamond Eight, who edged out Ed Littell to win the 2011 Summer Flight of the 14and1.com Straight Pool league by 1 point. Rich finished with 57 points, with Ed coming in second with 56. Both players are now qualified for the 2011 14and1.com National Championships, to be held at Diamond Eight Billiards over the September 24th weekend. Ron Palka made a strong showing at 3rd place, with 52 points and Frank Bogardus rounded out the top 4 with 48 points.

The final standings:

1. Rich Kriz (57)
2. Ed Littell (56)
3. Ron Palka (52)
4. Frank Bogardus (48)
5. Ed Skawinski (47)
6. Ernie Mumford (41)
7. Jerry Argay (32)

If you played in Diamond Eight’s Wednesday night APA Double Jeopardy division, chances are pretty good that you are now making plans for a trip to Las Vegas in August! The APA of Greater Albany’s Local Team Championships was held at Diamond Eight June 3-5, 2011, with 35 teams competing for 2 slots to the APA National 8-Ball Team Championships and 16 teams competing for the lone 9-Ball slot. Two Wednesday night Diamond Eight teams were able to stay undefeated throughout the single-elimination tournament to become Albany’s representation at the Riveria in Las Vegas in August.

“U Rack We Run,” led by captains Frank Rich and Wes Hotaling, was able to hang on in some tight matches to go undefeated and capture both an 8-Ball and 9-Ball Championship and those tickets to Las Vegas.

“Gone Shootin,” led by captains John Stock and Craig Eagleson, stayed strong throughout the tournament to earn the other 8-Ball Championship. The teams will compete in the APA National Team Championships, held in August at the Riveria Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

Diamond Eight was well-represented in the exciting semi-final matches in all three brackets, with 5 of 6 teams, including Gone Shootin (8-Ball), U Rack We Run (in 8-Ball and 9-Ball), The Misfits (8-Ball), Blue’s Cues (8-Ball).

All the teams put up a valiant fight in the well-run and well-organized tournament. See selected photos over at the Diamond Eight Flickr photostream.