Classy Ko Dispatches Drago

KO PIN -YI, the 18 year-old wonderkid from Taiwan , beat Tony Drago ( Malta ) 8-4 to win through to the semi-finals of the PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters.

The reigning WPA World Junior Champion looks the complete package and he fought back from 3-0 down to win eight out of nine racks to secure an excellent victory.

“Drago played very well but I really wanted to win and concentrated very hard,” said Ko after the game.

“All the players in this tournament are of the highest stan dard to you must play to your best to stay in the event. Hopefully I can play well tonight, but we will see what happens, “ he added.

Drago, who was a winner of this event in 2003, flew into an early 3-0 lead as he raced around the table in his usual bustling style.

A 2/9 combo from Ko in the fourth game gave Ko his first rack and a miss by Drago in the next gave the Taiwanese the opportunity to run out and reduce the deficit to 3-2.

They shared the next two racks but Ko broke and ran the following two to go into the lead for the first time at 5-4.

Following a push out by Ko, Drago missed a bank on the 1 ball and Ko ran out to increase his lead to 6-4.

In the 11^th game, a two rail escape from Drago was far too slow and the cue ball nudged the 2 ball first to give Ko ball in hand. He completed a tricky run out to go to the hill at 7-4.

Ko made the 2 ball off the break and with a semi-final berth in his sights, he looked to be completing a difficult run out but he overshot the cue ball traveling from the 7 to 8 and was forced to play safe.

Drago looked to have the rack in the bag but he flashed at the 9 ball and it missed and fell perfectly for Ko, who rolled it home to take an 8-4 victory.