Curiously, Tanio did a Houdini act against after more illustrious compatriots Alex Pagulayan and Django Bustamante lost their opening games to Immonen and reigning World Pool champion Thorsten Hohmann.
Immonen whipped Pagulayan, 7-5, then Hohmann defeated Bustamante, 7-4, in the initial actions in the four-day tourney featuring top Filipino players versus their US and European counterparts fighting for the $20,000 top prize.
It took Tanio to stop the bleeding for the Philippines in the third match with the Ilonggo master, a silver medallist in the Kuala Lumpur SEA Games two years ago, pounding Immonen’s costly miscues.
"Nagkumpiyansa siya masyado kasi nakita niya ang ensayo ko. Masama ang tumbok ko sa ensayo. Yung sobrang kumpiyansa niya ang nagpatalo sa kanya," said Tanio, who was applauded by the gallery including wife Jackielyn and five-year-old son John Vincent.
"Malaki ang pressure sa akin dahil talo iyung first two games natin. Pero siguro na-pressure na rin siya (Immonen) noong bandang uli," added Tanio, who made it to the tournament proper after topping the qualifier participated in by more than 40 players.
Taking the cue from Tanio, Pagulayan won his second match later in the night also with a 7-6, nail-biter over Hohmann in a rematch of their recent World pool final dual.
Down five racks to six, Tanio stole the game as Immonen yielded the 12th rack on three foul shots and the 13th on a missed 2-ball shot on the right corner pocket.
Tanio actually got off to a good start, winning three of the first four racks. He even had a chance to string up the first three but lost the third by flubbing the 6-ball.
Bustamante likewise had a good start but lost the momentum on a sorry foul shot on the fifth rack.
Later Bustamante bounced back from his loss to Hohmann with 7-4 drubbing of Immonen.
Hohmann got within 2-3 on that Bustamante foul, and the German master went on to dominate his badly stunned Filipino rival.
"Malas sa bola. Kada break, masama ang posisyon," rued Bustamante.