Dennis Orcollo Explained

Dennis Orcollo (born January 28, 1979), sometimes called Dennis Orcullo, is a Filipino professional pool player, nicknamed "Surigao" (after a province in the Philippines) and "RoboCop".^[1] He has been called "The Money-Game King".^{[2] [3] [4]}

Early life

Orcollo is the second of four brothers. His father was killed in a boating accident caused by a windstorm when he was young. He started practicing pool at 8 years of age through his grandfather's table. Because of financial problems, he gave up school at third grade, and focused on his sport.

Orcollo was deported from the United States in January 2022 reportedly due to overstaying in the country. He is barred from going back to the United States for five years, consequentially making him unable to compete in US tournaments.^{[5] [6]}

Career

Orcollo began competing outside the Philippines in 2002. That year, he competed in the WPA World Nine-ball Championship where he finished 17th place.^[7]

In 2006, Orcollo began his campaign in the U.S. There he won a number of tournaments, including the Reno Open, the Hard Times Nine-ball Tournament and two events. Because his compatriots had entered a less prestigious event in Asia, Orcollo was the only player from the Philippines to compete in the inaugural World Straight Pool Championship. Also in 2006, Orcollo won the last edition of the World Pool League tournament against Niels Feijen.^[8]

In 2007, Orcollo reached the finals of the WPA World Eight-ball Championship only to be bested by countryman Ronato Alcano. He would again reach the finals of the same event in 2011, this time to win against Niels Feijen.^[9]

In 2013, Dennis Orcollo and Lee Vann Corteza clinched the World Cup of Pool after defeating the Dutch tandem of Niels Feijen and Nick van den Berg, 10–8, at York Hall in London, England. They became the third Filipino duo to win the annual single-elimination tournament for doubles teams in nine-ball competition after Efren "Bata" Reyes and Francisco "Django" Bustamante won the inaugural event in 2006 and then repeated in 2009.

Orcollo sought redemption after he came up close in 2010 World cup with a second place finish with his partner Roberto Gomez, bowing to eventual winners Li He-wen and Fu Jian-bo of China.^[10]

In 2015, Orcollo won the US Open eight-ball Championship by defeating Mike Dechaine 11–9 in the final. Orcollo earned $11,000 for first place, while Dechaine settled for $7,000.^[11]

In 2016, Orcollo defeated Shane Van Boening, 200–121 to win the U.S. Open Straight Pool Championship,^[12] a tournament that has not been held previously for sixteen years.^[13]

In 2020, Orcollo recorded a 120–119 victory against Shane Van Boening to be crowned The Money Game King in a three-day one-on-one 9-ball tournament held at Bill's Bar and Billiards in Oklahoma City.^[14]

In 2021, Orcollo defeated Shane Van Boening again, this time by a score of 120–115 in their race to a 120 nine-ball rematch.^[15]

In their early match on day 1, Orcollo runs an incredible 11 straight racks in a row.^[16] The only other pool player to ever have run 11 consecutive racks in history was Earl Strickland.^[17]

In 2022, Orcollo was the fourth Filipino pool player to be inducted into the BCA Hall of fame, joining fellow countrymen Efren Reyes, Francisco Bustamante, and Jose Parica. He was the clear choice of voters in the Greatest Players category and have earned induction into the sport’s most prestigious club.^[18]

Titles and achievements

2024 Jflowers China 9-Ball Open 2024 Jinkee Pacquiao Ten-ball International Open Doubles 2023 Thailand High Roller Nine-ball Singles 2022 Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame 2022 Challenge Match vs. (Shane Van Boening) 2021 Diamond Open One Pocket 2021 Aramith/Simonis Pro Classic One Pocket 2021 Midwest Open Championship Banks Ring Game 2021 Michael Montgomery Memorial One Pocket 2021 Michael Montgomery Memorial Ten-ball 2021 Iron City Open One Pocket Division 2021 Big Tyme Classic Open Nine-ball 2021 Texas Open One-Pocket Championship 2020 Pool & Billiard Magazine Player of the Year 2020 Texas Open Ten-ball Championship 2020 Texas Open Nine-ball Championship 2020 Derby City Classic Master of the Table 2020 Derby City Classic Nine-ball Banks 2019 Southeast Asian Games Ten-ball Singles 2019 Houston Open Nine-ball 2018 Houston Open Nine-ball 2018 Freezer’s One Pocket Challenge 2018 West Coast Challenge Ten-ball 2017 Derby City Classic Master of the Table 2017 Derby City Classic Nine-ball 2017 Midwest Billiards and Cue Expo One Pocket 2017 Buffalo's Pro One Pocket 2016 CSI U.S. Open Straight Pool Championship 2016 Derby City Classic 14.1 Challenge 2016 Andy Mercer Memorial Nine-ball Tournament 2016 The Break Room Eight-ball Classic 2016 West Coast Challenge Ten-ball 2016 West Coast Challenge One Pocket 2015 CSI U.S. Open Eight-ball Championship 2015 Carom Room Fall Classic 2015 Super Billiards Expo Championship 2015 Tornado Open Men's Ten-ball 2015 Southeast Asian Games Nine-ball Singles 2014 Hard Times Ten-ball Open^[19] ^[20] 2014 CSI U.S. Open One-Pocket Championship^[21] 2014 Derby City Classic 14.1 Challenge^[22] 2014 Derby City Classic Master of the Table^[23] ^[24] ^[25]

2014 Derby City Classic Nine-ball Banks^[26] ^[27] ^[28] 2014 Jay Swanson Memorial Nine-ball Tournament^[29] ^[30] 2013 Jay Swanson Memorial Nine-ball Tournament^[31] 2013 World Cup of Pool - With (Lee Vann Corteza)^[32] 2013 Southeast Asian Games Ten-ball Singles 2013 CSI U.S. Open One-Pocket Championship^[33] 2013 US Bar Table Championship Ten-ball^[34] 2013 CSI US Bar Table Championship All-around title^[35] 2013 Derby City Classic Bigfoot Ten-ball Challenge^[36] 2012 AZBilliards Player of the Year 2012 China Open 9-Ball Championship^[37] 2012 Hard Times Ten-ball Open^[38] 2012 CSI U.S. Open Ten-ball Championship^[39] 2011 Philippines Sportsman of the Year 2012 WPA Player of the Year 2011 Predator International Ten-ball Championship^[40] 2011 WPA World Eight-ball Championship^[41] 2011 Derby City Classic Nine-ball Division^[42] 2011 Southeast Asian Games Eight-ball Singles 2011 BSCP National Nine-ball Championships^[43] 2010 Philippines Sportsman of the Year 2010 Asian Games Nine-Ball Singles 2010 San Miguel Beer Octoberfest Nine-ball Open^[44] 2010 World Pool Masters^[45] 2009 Predator International Ten-ball Championship^[46] 2008 Guinness Asian Nine-ball Tour (China Leg)^[47] 2008 Qatar World Open Nine-ball Tournament^[48] 2008 Japan Open Men's Division 2007 BCA Open Nine-Ball Championship^[49] 2007 Bill Staton Memorial^[50] 2006 World Pool League^[51] 2006 CSI US Bar Table Championship Eight-ball^[52] 2006 Sands Regency, Reno Nine-ball Open ^[53] 2006 Hard Times 9-Nine-ball Open^[54] 2006 World Nine-Ball Bar Table Championship 2005 Southeast Asian Games Nine-ball Singles

External links

• Orcollo bio from Billiards Digest

Notes and References

1. Web site: World Pool League: Orcollo Takes The Glory. October 2, 2006. . MatchroomSport.com . Matchroom Sport Ltd. . July 6, 2007.
2. Web site: Sampey . Patrick . 2021-06-22 . Dennis “Robo Cop” Orcollo (Remix) -- The Greatest Money Player Of All Time -- by Patrick Sampey . 2024-01-17 . SPM BilliardMagazine . en.
3. Web site: 2012-05-01 . The Mag: Dennis Orcollo is best money game pool player . 2024-01-17 . ESPN.com . en.
4. Web site: 2020-10-30 . Orcollo itinanghal na The Money Game King . 2024-01-17 . www.philstar.com . en-US.
5. Web site: Dennis Orcollo deported from US for overstaying: report . 2024-02-17 . Spin.ph . en.
6. Web site: Dennis Orcollo's friends appeal his deportation, five-year US ban . 2024-02-17 . Spin.ph . en.
7. Web site: The Rise and Fall of the Filipino Pool Craze - VICE . vice . August 17, 2018 .
8. Web site: Orcollo Takes World Pool League Title . AZBilliards.com . August 14, 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110613202532/http://www.azbilliards.com/2000storya.php?id=3815 . June 13, 2011 . dead.
9. Web site: Orcullo Wins . February 26, 2011 . February 26, 2011 . . AZBilliards.com . March 2, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110302223221/http://www.azbilliards.com/2000storya.php?storynum=8446 . dead.
10. Web site: Renee . Fopalan . September 23, 2013 . PHL duo of Corteza, Orcollo nab 2013 World Cup of Pool title . 2023-10-03 . GMA News Online.
11. Web site: 2015-08-01 . Dennis Orcollo Wins US Open 8-Ball Championship - News - AZBILLIARDS.COM . 2024-02-17 . AzBilliards.
12. Web site: 2016 US Open Straight Pool Championship . April 26, 2016 . SixPockets.de.
13. Capelle . Philip . May 2016 . Congratulations To Dennis Orcollo: 2016 U.S. Straight Pool Champion . Stroke Magazine.
14. Web site: Co. Chris. Orcollo itinanghal na The Money Game King. November 2, 2020 . Philstar.com.
15. Web site: 2021-06-21 . Stats -- Orcollo vs. Van Boening 9-Ball Race to 120, June 2021 . 2024-02-17 . AzBilliards Forums . en-US.
16. Web site: Sampey . Patrick . 2021-06-22 . Dennis “Robo Cop” Orcollo (Remix) -- The Greatest Money Player Of All Time -- by Patrick Sampey . 2024-02-17 . SPM BilliardMagazine . en.
17. Web site: Earl Strickland: The Pearl of Pool . 2024-02-17 . www.thehypertexts.com.
18. Web site: JAM . June 26, 2022 . Jerry Briesath and Dennis Orcollo Elected to Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame . AZBilliards.com . October 4, 2023.
19. Web site: Orcullo comes from the loss side to win 5th Annual Hard Times 10-Ball Open . AZBilliards.com . July 14, 2014.
20. Web site: 5th Annual Hard Times 10-Ball Open . AZBilliards.com . July 11, 2014.
21. Web site: US Open One-Pocket Championship . AZBilliards.com . February 27, 2014.
22. Web site: DCC 2014 14.1 Challenge . AZBilliards.com . January 29, 2014.
23. Web site: DCC 2014 Master of the Table . AZBilliards.com . February 1, 2014.
24. Web site: Orcollo crowned Master of the Table in Derby City Classic . Spin.ph . February 3, 2014.
25. Web site: Dennis Orcollo bags 1st Master of the Table Crown . philboxing.com . February 3, 2014.
26. Web site: DCC 2014 9B Banks Div. . AZBilliards.com . January 27, 2014.
27. Web site: Orcollo Wins Banks Division at Derby Day Five . AZBilliards.com . February 1, 2014.
28. Web site: Orcollo beats Bustamante to win Derby City Classic Bank Pool title . ph.sports.yahoo.com . January 30, 2014.
29. Web site: Jay Swanson Memorial 2014 . AZBilliards.com . February 16, 2014.
30. Web site: Orcollo successfully defends his Jay "Swanee" Swanson Memorial title . AZBilliards.com . February 16, 2014.
31. Web site: Jay Swanson Memorial 2013 . AZBilliards.com . February 24, 2013.
32. Web site: World Cup of Pool 2013 . AZBilliards.com . September 22, 2013.
33. Web site: US Open One Pocket 2013 . AZBilliards.com . July 20, 2013.
34. Web site: US BBox C'ship 2013 10-Ball . AZBilliards.com . March 3, 2013.
35. Web site: US BBox C'ship 2013 10-Ball . AZBilliards.com . March 3, 2013.
36. Web site: DCC 2013 10B Challenge . AZBilliards.com . February 2, 2013.
37. Web site: China Open Men's Div. 2012 . AZBilliards.com . September 16, 2012.
38. Web site: Hard Times 10B 2012 . AZBilliards.com . May 6, 2012.
39. Web site: US Open 10-Ball 2012 . AZBilliards.com . May 19, 2012.
40. Web site: Predator Int'l 10B C'ship 2011 . AZBilliards.com . September 18, 2011.
41. Web site: World 8B C'ship 2011 . AZBilliards.com . February 26, 2011.
42. Web site: DCC 2011 9B Div. . AZBilliards.com . January 29, 2011.
43. Web site: BSCP National 9B C'ships . AZBilliards.com . October 11, 2011.
44. Web site: SMB Oktoberfest 9-Ball Open champion . balita.p/ . November 26, 2010.
45. Web site: World Pool Masters 2010 . AZBilliards.com . May 16, 2010.
46. Web site: Predator Int'l 10B C'ship 2009 . AZBilliards.com . May 16, 2009.
47. Web site: Guinness Tour 2008 Stop 5 . AZBilliards.com . September 21, 2008.
48. Web site: Qatar World Open 9B Tournament . AZBilliards.com . July 5, 2008.
49. Web site: BCA Open 2007 . AZBilliards.com . May 19, 2007.
50. Web site: Bill Staton Memorial . AZBilliards.com . June 24, 2007.
51. Web site: World Pool League 2006 . AZBilliards.com . October 1, 2006.
52. Web site: USBT C'ship 2006 Men's 8B . AZBilliards.com . March 5, 2006.
53. Web site: Reno Open June 2006 . AZBilliards.com . June 11, 2006.
54. Web site: HTB Jamboree 2006 9B Div. . AZBilliards.com . June 19, 2006.