Thursday Evening US Open Match Daryl Peach vs Raj Hundal

Geoff Conway breaks down a feature match at the 2008 US Open between two international champions… Daryl Peach and Raj Hundal.

Be sure to read the story for the breakdown.

THURSDAY EVENING 7-00 PM MATCH BETWEEN DARYL PEACH 7 RAJ HUNDAL: 23RD OCTOBER, 2008

World 9-Ball Champion Daryl Peach continued his quest yesterday to become the US Open Champion of 2008,when he plays Raj Hundal in the “Battle of the Brits” in Chesapeake.

This match was predicted to be close, and that is exactly what prevailed. Daryl won the break and it looked like he had an easy run out, but when he played a 2/4 combo, he left himself with a difficult 2 ball which he missed.

Raj then made the 2 ball and made a 3/9 combo. 1-0 to Raj.

Raj then proceeded to come up dry on his break. Daryl pushes, only to get it back. He safes Raj, who leaves him a shot. Daryl runs out the rack. Game tied at 1-1.

Game three goes to Daryl after a safety exchange with Daryl coming out the winner.

Daryl then makes the 9 ball on the break to go ahead by two games at 3-1.

On game 5 Daryl comes up dry on the break, later in the game Daryl skids on the 6 ball to leave the run out to

Raj. Now 3-2 Daryl.

The next four games also go to the racker, with mostly nip and tuck play, and no run outs. Score now 5-4 to Daryl.

Raj comes up dry again in the 10th game, and we witness a push, many safeties, and an argument as to what

the ruling is on Raj having touched the 7 ball while cueing for the 2 ball. Even Barry Behrman got involved. The decision was eventually resolved by his dog. Daryl eventually scratched to give the game to Raj. Score now tied at 5-5.

The next four games go again to the racker, with no one being able to break and run out. Score now 7-7.

Game fifteen I think was the turning point in this match, with Daryl winning the safety battle to take the serve away from Raj.

Daryl broke and ran out the very next game, playing a phenomenal cut on the 2 ball up the rail, to get on the three ball. Score now 9-7 to Peach. Daryl dry breaks the next rack, and after a considerable bout of safety Raj wins the game. Score 9-8 to Peach.

Raj has incredible bad luck when he broke and made three balls on the break, but ends up with no shot on the 1 ball. He attempts a shot of the side of the 1 ball, but leaves Daryl a run out. Score now 10 -8 to Peach.

The next game will be remembered by Mr. Hundal for quite a long time. Daryl made a ball on the break but had no shot. He plays safe, and Raj wins the safety battle. He then proceeds to run out the rack, and on making the 8 ball scratches in the side pocket on route to the 9 ball which was on the top rail.

An unfortunate ending to what was a hard-fought and close match. Even though Daryl always seemed to keep just ahead of his opponent, who knows what would have happened had Raj pulled the score back to 10-9.

We will never know!

I spoke to Daryl after the match, and he interestingly commented that he did not feel that he played that well, but was never the less pleased to have gotten the win. I pointed out to him that he always managed to run out the balls when they were sitting fairly open on the table and that I thought that he won the major of the safety battles.

He said, “I guess you do not see the complete picture being that close to the table, both mentally and visually.”

Daryl is very critical about his performance, and is always striving for perfection in his game. These are certainly not bad traits to have, and we wish him luck in reaching his goal of being this year’s US Open Champion.