Evgeny Stalev is a Soviet and Russian billiard player. The international master of sports is an eight-time world champion in Russian billiards.
The name of Evgeny Evgenievich Stalev is familiar not only to billiard players. A loud surname is also known to those who have never held a cue in their hands. Everyone agrees that the athlete is an extra-class master, a real pro and undoubted talent.
The beginning of the path to victories
The champion's biography began in 1979. The boy was born in Lytkarino near Moscow on May 19. The family also has a child, the elder brother of the future celebrity Maxim.
The head of the family instilled an interest in sports in children from an early age. He himself played on the city's basketball team. From the age of four, the brothers went in for jogging with their parent. Then a healthy rivalry began between Zhenya and Max. The desire to reach the end was supported by adults even in computer games, trying to find not only interesting young players, but also developing their intellect.
In 1988, the first billiard room in the city was opened in the local sports complex "Kristall". Stalev Sr. often spent time in it after training. More than once he took both sons with him. He played with the elder, and the younger watched their actions.
Two years later, the Stalevs' father opened his billiard room in Lytkarin. She began to work in the premises of the former dressing room of the children's skating rink. Zhenya spent all his free time playing. With the participation of his father, a regional billiards federation was created.
Competitions for the regional championship were held first in Lytkarino, then in other cities. The favorite in all was the Stalev family team. She won the title of the strongest in the Moscow region. The head visited the capital's clubs, played with famous players, watched their tactics. The connoisseurs who saw the boys' play were first admitted to the section of Maxim, then it was Evgeny's turn.
Success
After the opening of the Pyramid club, Stalev Sr. moved into it to work as a marker. Children got the opportunity to train for free at the best tables in the country. After the first impressive successes, it was decided to completely switch to billiard sports.
In 1991, for the first time in Leningrad, competitions for the European championship in pool were held. The game was unfamiliar even to venerable domestic players. Twelve-year-old Zhenya took part in the tournament and confidently won first place.
The following year, at the open cup in the pool among the CIS countries "9" in St. Petersburg, Stalev Jr. beat the strongest in the USSR Yuri Sosnin, and his brother confidently beat the legendary Ashot Potikyan. Zhenya won with a score of 11: 8, becoming the youngest professional among the poolists in the post-Soviet territory.
From now on, the brothers chose only Russian billiards. My father risked turning his attention to the American pool. Children quickly learned the intricacies of the "overseas" game. The specialists were skeptical about the redeployment of priorities. The forecasts were very gloomy. However, despite them, the Stalevs went to Prague. Maxim was among the first 16 players in the world at the EuroTournament, Evgeny's results were much more modest.
In 1995 and 1996 he already occupied the highest step of the podium after the championship in Poland, took part in European championships and tournaments. The teenager showed excellent results at domestic competitions and the world championship in Russian billiards. At the age of 17, Evgeny was automatically recognized as the absolute champion: he won all the championships of the country.
New peaks
The Russian Federation supported the initiative to practice Russian billiards, in which the elder brother became the champion of the country. The youngest, on the other hand, won five tournaments in Poland within a month in 1996. In the final of "American" held in Moscow, Zhenya lost to his older brother in the final. However, according to the version of the International Association of Luzniy Billiards in Pyramid and Carolina, Stalev Jr. became the first in the world in the "Russian pyramid".
In Krasnodar, in the fight for the absolute world championship in Russian billiards in triathlon, Evgeny won. He also won the national championship in the "Russian pyramid" competition. At the MALBPK championship, Stalev was the second, won the title of the Absolute Champion of Russia in the capital. In 1997, the young athlete reaffirmed the title of champion of Poland.
There was no competition for the brothers due to the lack of pool competitions in Russia. However, “American” Zhenya lost to Viktor Kirilenko from Ufa in the final of the national championship. The loss turned into a good incentive to strive for new heights.
Stalev became the first to participate in the Moscow Pyramid World Championship, the Open Eventing Championship. He won three world championships in all kinds of Russian billiards in 1998, becoming the Absolute World Champion in 1998.
The athlete also won victories in unofficial competitions. In the world championship held among the club teams as part of the family team, Evgeny again stepped onto the highest step of the podium.
Sports and family
After winning qualification for the World Cup in Chicago. A month-long tour of the United States began. During the trip, Stalev played in ten tournaments with world stars. His partners were Corey Duel, Kim Davenport, Leonardo Andam, Jimmy Vetch. In America, Stalev Jr. underwent an internship for a month, improving his skills in playing American pool.
Evgeny's victory in the Eurotour in pool held in Spain became a real sensation. Within one day, the billiard player beat four multiple European champions. In 1999, the Stalevs defended the country at the world championship in English Cardiff. Evgeniy is one of the 16 best players on the planet.
Unlike the game, the athlete has not yet been able to establish his personal life. At the end of October 2000, a child appeared in the Stalev family, the daughter of Alevtin. However, in 2003, the husband and wife broke up. The relationship remained friendly, the father takes an active part in raising his daughter. Alya chose a career as a lawyer.
The athlete does not say anything about the changes in his private life. It is only known that he dreams of a big family and at least two sons.
