OVERALL SCORE: USA 3-0 EUROPE (FIRST TO 11 WINS THE CUP)
MATCH 1: TEAM MATCH - USA 6-4 EUROPE (RACE TO SIX)
MATCH 2: DOUBLES - JOHNNY ARCHER / DENNIS HATCH 6-5 NIELS FEIJEN / DARREN APPLETON
MATCH 3: SINGLES - SHANE VAN BOENING 6-3 MIKA IMMONEN
MATCH 4: DOUBLES - COREY DEUEL / OSCAR DOMINGUEZ 6-2 RALF SOUQUET / THORSTEN HOHMANN
MATCH 5: SINGLES - OSCAR DOMINGUEZ 5-6 RALF SOUQUET
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4.57pm: It's been a match of twists and turns and there is another one. Dominguez breaking, gets to the 4-ball and is on course for the victory. But he misses a routine shot on the pink 4. That's the chance Souquet needs and, although far from his best, still does enough to win Europe's first point.
4.52pm: Souquet was 3-0 and 5-3 ahead but it was all going wrong for the German. He leaves the 1-ball hanging, which Dominguez pots thanks to a gentle kick shot but a failed shot on the red 3 brings Souquet back in action. But Souquet later leaves the same ball on and we have the second hill-hill match of the day.
4.44pm: Dominguez gets back to the table but gives Souquet an opportunity when a poor positional effort moving from 7-ball to the 8-ball leads to him missing the 8-ball. However, there is another twist as Souquet leaves the 8-ball hanging over the pocket. He trudges back to his seat and can't believe it. Dominguez thinks Christmas has come early and he keeps his hopes alive although he is behind 5-4 with Souquet breaking.
4.40pm: An illegal break from Dominguez gives Souquet a chance to get Europe's first point.
4.35pm: A fine bank shot on the 3-ball from Souquet gives him the edge in the eighth. He moves to the hill as a miserable day for Europe could end on a high. Souquet 5-3 in front.
4.30pm: Dominguez leaves the 3-ball on and regrets it. Souquet makes him pay and leads 4-3.
4.19pm: It's an action-packed sixth rack as Dominguez jumps the 7-ball to pot the 2-ball and is a bit fortunate that the cue ball stays on the table. However, he then produces a magical safety as he leaves the 4-ball hidden behind three other balls. Souquet makes contact with it but can only leave it on into the side pocket. Dominguez takes it and makes it 3-3.
4.05pm: The fifth rack is an error-strewn affair as Souquet leaves a long pot on the 1-ball and then misses a long pot of his own at the 5-ball. Dominguez wins his second in a row. 3-2.
3.53pm: Dominguez has a chance in the fourth after Souquet, trying to escape a snooker cannons into the wrong ball. With ball-in-hand Dominguez gets off the mark and now trails 3-1.
3.51pm: Dominguez comes up with an illegal break and it's a masterful, methodical performance from Souquet. He goes 3-0 up. Remember, it was USA captain Nick Varner's decision to field Souquet. Would he have been better off chosing someone not as experienced?
3.37pm: The early signs are that Varner's plan is not working. Souquet benefits from Dominguez fouling on the break to win the first and then storms through the second with a faultless performance. This is just the sort of situation the Kaiser thrives on and his team need all his experience after a horror session.
3.35pm: The last match is the captain's pick - with players picked by the respective opponents' captains. Nick Varner wants to see Mosconi veteran Ralf Souquet in action for Europe, while Alex Lely has gone for American number one Oscar Dominguez, a Mosconi Cup rookie. It seems a brave move from Varner to put someone so experienced as Souquet back out on the table. Will the gamble work?
3.30pm: QUOTES - JIM WYCH (COMMENTATOR): "Europe look like a deer caught in the headlights and they're in shock at what's happened.
"Right now there's only one team that's playing like a team and Alex Lely has to pull all his guys together. There's a long way to go from this being over but it's not the start Europe wanted."
3.16pm: A legal break from Dominguez leaves America a path to 4-0. There is only one problem when Dominguez has to jump over the 4-ball to hit the 3-ball. He does it expertly and also pots the 3-ball. The Europeans slump in their chair hoping for a miracle. It doesn't arrive. USA win the match 6-2 and are 4-0 up.
3.14pm: Everything the Germans try is going wrong and it is a miserable afternoon for the Europeans. Another mistake gives the Americans a chance and they take it. Deuel and Dominguez on the hill.
3.11pm: There aren't many better pairings at safety exchanges than Souquet and Hohmann. But they don't get the edge in this encounter as a fine long pot on the 4-ball from Dominguez puts USA on the road to victory again. It's now 4-2 and the home crowd are loving it.
3.09pm: Deuel pockets two balls off the break but gets an unwanted third as the cue ball also goes in the hole.
3.06pm: But Souquet and Hohmann cannot capitalise as they lose the table with only three balls left and America, who have won every match so far on the first day, are well placed to go 4-0 ahead. They lead in this match 3-2.
3.04pm: The German pairing get a bit lucky in the fifth. Corey Deuel's missed kickshot on the 1-ball is followed by Souquet missing the same ball into the side pocket. However, he gets fortunate as it causes a snooker and Dominguez leaves the same ball on.
2.56pm: A loose safety from Souquet opens the door for the hosts in the fourth but Deuel, although potting the 2-ball, watches in horror as the cue ball also vanishes. Could that be the turning point Europe were hoping for. They make it 2-2 and know they've got out of jail in that one.
2.50pm: Souquet is widely regarded as one of the best players in the world but even he is feeling the pressure. A routine shot at the 5-ball stays out and the Americans finish the business to move in front again 2-1.
2.46pm: Deuel snapped off an excellent break that saw a ball drop and the table spread out but his partner missed a relatively easy 2 ball down the rail. With an easy 4/9 combo on, Souquet out it away to level things. 1-1.
2.41pm: Souquet hammered home his break shot and although two bals dropped, the white cruelly drifted into the middle bag. Deuel and Dominguez didn't hesitate as they ran out for the first rack. 1-0 to Deuel and Dominguez.
2.38pm: The next match is between the young guns of Corey Deuel and Oscar Dominguez versus the all German duo of Ralf Souquet and Thorsten Hohmann. This European pair teamed up together in September's World Cup of Pool and reached the fina. Europe need them to produce some magic here.
2.37pm: It's no problem for Van Boening. Archer and Varner raise their arms in delight as Van Boening pots the winning 9-ball. He wins 6-3 and USA lead 3-0. It's a terrible start for the holders.
2.33pm: It should go 4-4 but Immonen misses the green six into a corner pocket. Van Boening gobbles up the chance and moves on to the hill. An illegal break from Immonen at the start of the next when three balls fail to go over the head string gives Van Boening a chance for the match.
2.30pm: Immonen runs out the next rack with relative ease to pull it back to 4-3.
2.23pm: Immonen may be known as the Iceman but Van Boening is looking the coolest man in the building. A fine 3-9 carom gives him a two-rack lead. Johnny Archer leads the cheering and looks delighted as America are starting to take control.
2.14pm: Van Boening edges ahead again for 3-2. Neither player will want to lose this one. If it goes 3-0 then Europe may be getting nervous already.
2.10pm: It's a high-quality match with few errors from either player. The next two racks are shared for 2-2.
1.58pm: Van Boening quickly ties it up. A faultless rack and it's 1-1.
1.55pm: The next match is the first singles tie. And both sides wield out their big guns. America have Shane Van Boening, while Europe put in The Iceman, Mika Immonen. Europe need a big performance from last year's Mosconi MVP. They get a good start as he wins the opener. 1-0 Europe.
1.42pm: Europe's fightback is all in vain. They won the last three to force a hill-hill but Archer and Hatch hold their nerve. A fine 7-8 combination from Archer puts them on the way, Hatch gets rid of the 8-ball and Archer wins the point for his team. America win 6-5 in an epic and lead 2-0 overall.
1.36pm: It's hill-hill. The first, and probably not the last , of the 2009 Mosconi Cup. Feijen and appleton, now working well as a pair, run through a tricky rack. The point will be decided by the next rack.
1.28pm: European errors threw away the first match and now America were doing the same in the second. Archer scratches off the break and the hosts don't get out of their seat in the rack again. 5-4 America lead but Europe have won the last two.
1.26pm But Europe aren't giving up without a fight. Appleton's illegal break leads to the start of a lengthy rack. Feijen later gives America a chance with a failed escape from a snooker before, Appleton, in a similarily difficult position, produces one of the shots of the day with a two-rail escape to not only hit the 4-ball but pot it as well. Appleton later sinks the 9-ball and it's 5-3.
1.18pm: USA move to the hill and it's a sensational start for the underdogs, written off as having little chance against the strongest European side ever. Hatch, who seems to be thoroughly enjoying his first Mosconi Cup experience, downs the 9-ball. 5-2 to USA.
1.10pm: Europe pull it back to 4-2 in a routine rack.
12.58pm: Seconds later it's 4-1 as Archer makes the first golden break of the competition. The pink 4 bashes into the 9-ball, sends it down the table and into the corner pocket. The Americans start some crazy jumping up and down. Best celebration we've seen so far. "That was beautiful," says Hatch, whose microphone is working a treat now.
12.57pm: Appleton is unlucky to scratch off the break as the cue ball is bumped in by the 2-ball. It soon comes back to haunt Europe as Hatch makes a 3-9 combination for a 3-1 lead.
12.54pm: Hatch is just about to shoot for the 9-ball when his microphone pack fails. After a quick fumble from the officials to correct things, we're back in business, he pots the 9-ball and USA lead 2-1.
12.52pm: Appleton misses a 2-rail escape to hit the 1-ball and the Americans have ball-in-hand. Early wobbles from the favourites.
12.50pm: Archer scratches in the first and Feijen and Appleton claim the first but the lead is soon wiped out as the Americans instantly pull level.
12.47pm: The second match is a doubles encounter between the American duo of Johnny Archer and Dennis Hatch and Niels Feijen and Darren Appleton for Europe.
12.32pm: QUOTES: DENNIS HATCH (USA): "This isn't like a normal tournament and I was nervous, which is something new for me.
"It's a completely different atmosphere and you're playing for your country and your team. Hopefully the first set jitters have gone so I can play well, but it's a dream come true to be at the Mosconi Cup. They had a vote on MatchroomPool.com for the final player and I got chosen.
"This win takes a lot of pressure off of us and puts a lot of pressure on the Europeans. We're the underdogs and have nothing to lose. If we do lose, we're expected to but we're just playing and want to have fun and enjoy ourselves."
12.27pm: USA move 1-0 ahead! It's an action-packed tenth rack. Souquet fouls after a Van Boening tight safety, Deuel misses a match-winning 3-9 combination before Appleton underhits a positional shot getting to the brown 7 and Souquet misses the subsequent pot. Van Boening does the rest and America, who had trailed 3-1 in the first match, win it 6-4.
12.12pm: A safety battle gives Appleton an impossible escape attempt as the cue ball is tight behind the 7-ball. Unsurprisingly, the Englishman can't make it. USA, with ball-in-hand move to the hill closing in on the first point. 5-4 to America.
11.58am: It's tight, tense and dramatic. Immonen's thin cut on the 4-ball doesn't happen and it's 4-4. A mistake now could prove costly.
11.52am: Souquet comes up with a dry break in the seventh but it doesn't matter as they're soon back at the table. Appleton slaps home the 9-ball then slaps the hand of each his team-mates for some good high-five action. Europe in front again 4-3.
11.43am: A three-rail escape attempt from Darren Appleton is unsuccessful. USA have ball in hand and mop up the rest of the rack. Europe had led 3-1 but now it's 3-3.
11.41am: Thorsten Hohmann, sporting some blonde highlights, sees his shot at the 3-ball clip the 7-ball and stay out. America have a chance to pull level.
11.36am: Europe's two-rack lead doesn't last long. Souquet leaves a chance on and the hosts quickly pull it back to 2-3. The first chant of U S A is heard. Not for the last time.
11.32am: The visitors extend their lead further. Hatch scratches off the break (it's an alternate break format) and Europe do the rest.
11.27am: Hohmann comes up with a dry break in the third but a slippery 8-ball refuses to be potted with Oscar Dominguez, Darren Appleton and Corey Deuel all miss before The Kaiser, Ralf Souquet, shows them how to do it and Europe regain the lead.
11.21am: It's soon level. Hatch, making his Mosconi Cup debut, misses a shot at the pink 4, Europe do the rest and Immonen sinks the 9-ball for 1-1.
11.16am: Europe win the lag but Immonen, Most Valuable Player at last year's event, scratches. America take advantage and move 1-0 ahead. Whoops all round from a big crowd at the MGM Grand.
11.14am: The first match is a team encounter where everyone takes turns to play. Carnage would be a good way to describe it.
11.12am: We want to hear from you so send us your thoughts, jokes and observations to info@matchroom.com and you could see your name appear here. You lucky, lucky people!
11.00am: Good morning and welcome to the live blog from the first day of the 2009 PartyPoker.net Mosconi Cup.
The matches for the first day are as follows...
Format and Schedule - American players listed first
(21 matches, race to 6, alternate break, first Team to 11 points)
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Match 1 Team match (all 5 to play)
Match 2 Doubles match - Johhny Archer and Dennis Hatch v Niels Feijen and Darren Appleton
Match 3 Singles match - Shane Van Boening v Mika Immonen
Match 4 Doubles match - Corey Deuel and Oscar Dominguez v Ralf Souquet and Thorsten Hohmann
(All players to have played once in Matches 2 - 4)
Match 5 Singles match (Cannot be the same player as Match 3)
This player is picked by the opponent's captain.
A new innovation is the opponent's captains can pick a player for the opposition. What will Alex Lely and Nick Varner do? All will be revealed!
