Rodolfo Luat
Encyclopedia
'Rodolfo Luat is a Filipino
professional pool
player from Angeles City Pampanga. He is one of the higher-ranking players of Team Philippines and he holds many Asian individual, world Champion and team titles. Luat turned professional at age 16. He has titles in the Asian Championships and the Philippine Nine-ball Open in 1992. Winner of the 1996 World Open Nine-ball Championship, Luat has been regarded as a dark horse
in many tournaments.
"Boy Samson
" is a moniker he has carried since the 1970s because of his powerful break. During the 2003 Asian Nine-ball Tour, Luat commented that he broke so hard one time that he made a crack on the cue ball.
, losing to John Schmidt
, 11-6, but winning US$15,000 in the process. He participated in the 2006 IPT
North American Open held at Las Vegas, Nevada
, reaching the fifth round with winnings of US$30,000. He also reached the third round of the rich 2006 IPT World Open
held at Reno, Nevada
, where he won US$11,100. He also finished runner-up at the 2006 Derby City Nine-ball Division (winning US$8,000), Bank Division (9th place, US$850) and One-pocket Division (18th place, US$500). Capping off the year was his quarterfinal finish at the 17th WPA World Nine-ball Championship
held in Manila
, Philippines
, where he won US$10,000, becoming the second-best placed Filipino after eventual champion Ronato Alcano
.
Very skilled players in nine-ball have the tendency to sometimes pocket four or even five balls . Luat, at the 2005 APBU/JPBA Japan Open tournament held in Tokyo
, sank six balls on the break, two-thirds of the entire rack. (But note that Alex Pagulayan
also performed a similar feat at a tournament in the US.)
Luat, 50, won the $15,000 (P727,500) top prize of the Bacolod
leg, of the First Senate President Manny Villar
Cup, on November 16, 2008. At the Garden Royal Function Hall of Goldenfields Commercial Complex, Luat downed Ramil Gallego
, 13-10 (who earned $5,000 or P242,500).
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
professional pool
Pocket billiards
Pool, also more formally known as pocket billiards or pool billiards , is the family of cue sports and games played on a pool table having six receptacles called pockets along the , into which balls are deposited as the main goal of play. Popular versions include eight-ball and nine-ball...
player from Angeles City Pampanga. He is one of the higher-ranking players of Team Philippines and he holds many Asian individual, world Champion and team titles. Luat turned professional at age 16. He has titles in the Asian Championships and the Philippine Nine-ball Open in 1992. Winner of the 1996 World Open Nine-ball Championship, Luat has been regarded as a dark horse
Dark horse
Dark horse is a term used to describe a little-known person or thing that emerges to prominence, especially in a competition of some sort.-Origin:The term began as horse racing parlance...
in many tournaments.
"Boy Samson
Samson
Samson, Shimshon ; Shamshoun or Sampson is the third to last of the Judges of the ancient Israelites mentioned in the Tanakh ....
" is a moniker he has carried since the 1970s because of his powerful break. During the 2003 Asian Nine-ball Tour, Luat commented that he broke so hard one time that he made a crack on the cue ball.
Career
He won the Taiwan leg of the 2006 WPA Asian Nine-ball Tour beating Hsia Hui-kai, 11-7, in the finals, on his very first try on the annual circuit. He also placed runner-up in the 2006 US Open held at Chesapeake, VirginiaChesapeake, Virginia
As of the census of 2000, there were 199,184 people, 69,900 households, and 54,172 families residing in the city. The population density was 584.6 people per square mile . There were 72,672 housing units at an average density of 213.3 per square mile...
, losing to John Schmidt
John Schmidt
John Schmidt was United States Associate Attorney General from 1994 to 1997 under President Bill Clinton. He has risen to small fame of late for his support of President George W...
, 11-6, but winning US$15,000 in the process. He participated in the 2006 IPT
International Pool Tour
The International Pool Tour is a professional sports tour created in 2005 by Kevin Trudeau and hosted by Rebecca Grant. It aims to elevate pool to the level of other modern sports. Closely modeled on the PGA Tour, the IPT offered the largest prize funds in pool history in its first year. The tour...
North American Open held at Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, reaching the fifth round with winnings of US$30,000. He also reached the third round of the rich 2006 IPT World Open
IPT World Open Eight-ball Championship
The IPT World Open Eight-ball Championship was an eight-ball tournament held in Reno, Nevada by the International Pool Tour. It was the fourth and last event of the tour as of 2007. It was richest event in the history of cuesports. The total purse was $3M where $500K was offered to the winner.The...
held at Reno, Nevada
Reno, Nevada
Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...
, where he won US$11,100. He also finished runner-up at the 2006 Derby City Nine-ball Division (winning US$8,000), Bank Division (9th place, US$850) and One-pocket Division (18th place, US$500). Capping off the year was his quarterfinal finish at the 17th WPA World Nine-ball Championship
WPA World Nine-ball Championship
The WPA World Nine-ball Championship is an annual, international, professional nine-ball pool tournament, founded in 1990, sanctioned by the World Pool-Billiard Association , and principally sponsored and organised by Matchroom Sport...
held in Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, where he won US$10,000, becoming the second-best placed Filipino after eventual champion Ronato Alcano
Ronato Alcano
Ronato Alcano , is a Filipino professional pool player, nicknamed "Ronnie Calamba" and "the Volcano".-Career history:...
.
Very skilled players in nine-ball have the tendency to sometimes pocket four or even five balls . Luat, at the 2005 APBU/JPBA Japan Open tournament held in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, sank six balls on the break, two-thirds of the entire rack. (But note that Alex Pagulayan
Alex Pagulayan
Alejandro Salvador Pagulayan, is a Filipino Canadian professional pool and snooker player. His nicknames are "the Lion" and "the Killer Pixie". He was born in Cabagan, Isabela, Philippines and was raised in Toronto, Ontario, Canada...
also performed a similar feat at a tournament in the US.)
Luat, 50, won the $15,000 (P727,500) top prize of the Bacolod
Bacolod City
The City of Bacolod , is a highly urbanized midsize Philippine city. It is the capital of the Negros Occidental province. Having a total of 499,497 inhabitants as of August 1, 2007, it is the most populous city in the Western Visayas Region. It is currently ranked as the 17th most populous city in...
leg, of the First Senate President Manny Villar
Manny Villar
Manuel "Manny" Bamba Villar, Jr. is a Filipino businessman and politician. He is currently a Philippine Senator, president of the Nacionalista Party...
Cup, on November 16, 2008. At the Garden Royal Function Hall of Goldenfields Commercial Complex, Luat downed Ramil Gallego
Ramil Gallego
Ramil Gallego is a Filipino professional pool player, nicknamed "Bebeng".As veteran player, Gallego has been competing in tournaments outside his homeland, mainly in Japan...
, 13-10 (who earned $5,000 or P242,500).
Titles and achievements
- Quarter-finalist, 2006 WPA World Nine-ball Championship
- Runner-up, 2006 IPT US Open
- Runner-up, 2006 Derby City Nine-ball Division
- Champion, 2006 Taiwan Leg, Asian Nine-ball Tour
- Champion, 2000 Viking Nine-ball Tour Stop 27
- Champion, 1999 Northwest Nine-ball Championship
- Champion, 1996 Camel World Open Nine-ball Championship
- Champion, 1992 Asian Championship
- Champion, 1992 Philippine Nine-ball Open
- Champion, 1991 Asian Championship in Osaka, Japan