Philippines: walk in pool epicentre (№6 (18) from January, 20th, 2009)

Going to Philippines, I knew that I am am waited by one continuous billiard adventure. This country is impregnated by a pool and offers its fans the brightest impressions. Should tell, my presentiments have justified on all hundred.

Passing passport control and answering a traditional question of the local customs officer «What for you go to Philippines?», I, certainly, answer: «to Write about billiards». «The pool?» – he specifies. «The pool, a pool», – are confirmed with me. «Then send regards to my brother Efrenu of Bath to Flight», – he speaks, putting me a stamp in the passport. «Sorry?» – I ask again. «By Efrenu to Flight», – doing an emphasis on last word, he repeats and specifies on hanging at itself in breasts the tablet. «Reyes», it is written there. In general, such the pun here has turned out.

About "original" to speak there is no need. The national hero of Philippines Efren Flight many long years bathes in beams of glory and is not deprived completely not by money. It followed by Frantsisko Bustamante, to Ronni Alka - but, to Marlon Manalo, Alex Pagulajan – too favourite, too esteemed. Successes in the field of a pool have allowed them to become in the homeland the real celebrities. But Efren – still number one. It not simply star. It – an idol.

After an exit from the airport I have met many Flights. It was necessary to address for explanations to local residents. The taxi driver taking me by an institution with an inscription «the Hairdresser Flight», has explained that on the popularity this surname here something like Ivanov or Petrov at us, on Russian-speaking space. Even in billiards of namesakes it has appeared much.

So, soon I could visit a workshop киевных affairs of master Edvina of the Flight, which any even not relative Baty. This person is well-known for the works for the whole world. Having got education in the field of an applied art and engineering, Flight has managed favourably with - to contain this knowledge in practice. In the late seventies it has based own manufacture киев which began to export in due course to the USA, Japan and Europe. The American magazine «Inside Pool» named кии Edvina original masterpieces. Judge for yourself: type-setting шафт from 240 (!!!) wood slices is a work almost jeweller. And it is quite clear, similar things in appropriate way are appreciated. Cost mentioned шафта can reach 700 dollars. And it is far not a limit.

Leading excursion on the workshop, Edvin has allowed to glance to me in an inner sanctum and to see, are how made well-known кии. Some devices used here are its own know-how and are stored unknown to konku - рентов. Therefore, don't judge too severely, I did not begin to do a photo. For me and without that unprecedented exceptions have been made. I will add only that if to you will get кий with an engraving «ER Cue», know are a sign present «рейсовского» qualities.

«Welcome!» On-filipinski

In the original it sounds as «Mabuhay». But local residents do much more, than speak. They very hospitable owners also will get out of a skin that the foreigner felt here as at home. Therefore, if you have decided to go on Philippines to billiard club, be ready to unexpectedness. Mainly to the pleasant.

Filipinos play a pool. "Pyramid" and карамболь here do not know, and about снукере наслышаны, but to practise it do not want. Therefore billiard clubs on Philippines are called as pools-halls. On the country they are estimated in hundreds. Game tables are in the most remote and, apparently, unpredictable places. But the basic part of pools-halls is necessary on capital of Philippines – Manila.

Billiards in this country so strong industry what exactly round it other "club" entertainments turn. Any a little decent pool - a hall is not limited to the scheme «has played-has drunk beer». Because of the big competition owners of clubs try to stuff the institutions a maximum of lotions that to the client even in a head has not come to leave. A karaoke, restaurant, a bar, live music, a disco, the wireless Internet … you Want it – please, you want that – there are no problems, only tell. All to your services if only money was.

I could get acquainted with the typical scheme of the organisation of a billiard room in an institution under the name «Elbow Room». My friend Kevin Juzzell There has wanted to go, koto - rum should practise before the World championship beginning. As the institution it is located in not tourist part of Manila, there was a chance to spend training in silence and rest. But where there! It was necessary to enter inside as all vzglja - ды have addressed to us. Soon Kevin has appeared in the attention centre: visitors have very quickly calculated in it the participant of the World championship and have declared what to observe of its game for them – a great honour. To be trained in loneliness it was impossible. There were some enthusiasts, thrust to play with Kevinom party-other. The table was surrounded by crowd of gapers which though have begun to support the, did it rather diplomatically. And I looked through in the meantime the menu.

It amazed. Average cost of a dish – 180–200 peso. Here was abso - лютно everything, beginning from traditional - го the Philippine rice with fish/meat and finishing the present pizza (at the price of 320 peso for the 14-inch beauty)! Drinks too have appeared are presented the best obra - зом: beer, whisky, liquors, cocktails among which especially attractively looked «Black Russian»... The Prices corresponding: кола – 40 peso, tonic – 60, beer – 45, cocktails – from 100 peso. And it with the restaurant margin!

The scheme of the organisation of the pool-hall, resulted on an example «Elbow Room», is typical enough. But this club is focused basically on local fans. There was I and in one of the most popular institutions among the professionals, called «LA Cafe». Here stars of the first magnitude to what numerous autographs on walls testify quite often drop in. Besides, there is one more feature thanks to which «LA Cafe» is renowned. Let's be fair: besides other, Philippines are a popular direction among admirers of sex tourism. And so, in «LA Cafe» they can take pleasure wholly. That is if you the European also have come to sit here in the general hall filled with local beauties, know that to you very soon will approach to get acquainted. Further – on mood. This component successfully co-exists with a billiard room in variety of institutions.

Hour of game per clubs of Manila costs about 200 peso. A course of the Philippine currency in relation to dollar I will not prompt, as it all vre - мя strongly skips. At the moment of my stay on Philippines the course made 41 peso to 1 dollar. By means of simple mathematical calculations it is possible to be convinced that Philippines for fans of a pool – extremely democratic country under the quotations.

Here such they, local pools-halls. Though, if frankly, something can shock especially fastidious. Mice, cockroaches, and in the evenings and lizards meet almost in all local billiard rooms. Unostentatiously, as though "co-existing" with the visitor - ми, but they are is the fact. And matter is not in disorder of the personnel. Simply frequently under clubs the enormous premises calculated on the maximum stream of clientele are taken away. And to clean them from parasites with whom Asia swarms, uneasy enough. So owners of pools-halls especially not заморачиваются with interiors. It is such «отъявленная simplicity» or even «fair poverty» more often. Anything especially shameful in it is not present – it needs either to be accepted, or to admit to itself that Fi - липпины not for you.

These poor, talented филипинцы

The important difference of Philippines from other countries of the world consists that here take a great interest in a pool all: children and adults, men and women. It for local residents – passion and love. For some – meaning of the life. Statistical researches, about - веденные the authoritative Asian company, have shown: 60 % from the general population of the country confidently hold кий in hands. Considering that on Philippines lives over 85 million persons, 51 million players turns out. Impressive number, isn't that so? Thus level of skill of the average fan on a head above western «середняка». It would Seem, why then the number of world famous Filipinos does not pass for thousand?.


The reason is covered in the finance. The same average Filipino can u1083 dream only of participation in tournament outside of the country. Expenses for flight, for residing, problems with the visa … Banal difficulties of Europeans which are and at us, here get accident scale. At the income in 200 dollars (it for the inhabitant of Manila quite decent salary) on abroad especially not разъездишься. And on the native earth because of extremely high competition to be beaten out upward it is possible only to the extraordinariest. Here also it turns out that talented Filipinos with good potential vegetate in obscurity...

And still it is necessary to recognise: during the last years very positive shifts were outlined in local billiards. After in 2006 the World championship here has taken place, on a pool have turned sights influential Philippine officials. Among them and the president of the country Gloria Makapagal Arrojo. «Let even only for the period of the championship, but we really are pool capital. And the Philippine people like to realise it», she has told in a salutatory word to participants with - ревнований.

Besides, since recent time powerful sponsors have come to a pool. It also was is taken under a wing of Department of tourism of Philippines (Department Of Tourism Philippines) which supports perspective kinds of sports in the country. Thus, conditions for development of the Philippine billiards improve. And already today there are preconditions to that the following World championship again will pass on Philippines. And it means new injections in a national economy, new workplaces and – as the nobility – can also opening of new names of the international scale. Quite probably that on streets of Manila the following champion today goes.

Julia Petrov