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IPA presents - IPA World Championships 2024
Gosforth Park Hotel
High Gosforth Park
Newcastle
NE3 5HN
United Kingdom
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Tuesday - Sunday 20-25 February 2024

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A True Feast Of Pool With Challengers From Around The Globe

As many of you will already know, horse racing is another sport I cover and The IPA Word Championships is the equivalent of Cheltenham – all roads lead here throughout the year, with the prestige of being crowned the best on the Planet from a field of incredible quality, the pinnacle of any player’s career.

The 2024 renewal sees over 360 entries from around the World who will head to the Grand Hotel in Gosforth from the 20th to the 25th of February, and if you like your cuesports – this is going to be something special.

Last year saw Clint I’Anson crowned after another nip and tuck final, with Amy Beauchamp winning the Ladies equivalent, but who will walk away with the trophy and the cash in 2024 – with so many entries its needle in a haystack time, but we will give it a try.

As a brief introduction, this is the same sport we have all played down the pub/club – reds and yellows and finally the black, and the IPA play to the recognised rule set known as Blackball – the standard rules throughout the World. I have often been told pool is an “easy” game – well it is in that we can all put a coin in the table and have a go (which is part of the beauty of it), but I can also play golf – but not to the abilities of Tiger Woods!

Like all sports there are different levels and having tried my luck on the IPA tour trust me – I can play and occasionally win at pub league level, but this lot are different gravy with one fractional mistake or miss usually enough to write off a frame.

Although I cover the IPA tour (see www.ipapool.com for details), the Worlds is slightly different – firstly we have a sets format, but more importantly it is deliberately set with a low entry fee to encourage newcomers to give it a go. That was and is a great idea – until I try predicting winners - with a long list of names who I have never seen in action – they could be as bad as me (unlikely) or they could be as good as Clint – the truth is we just don’t know about their skillset – or how they will react to the pressures of the cameras and the live audience – some thrive, while others fall apart at the seams.

With so many competitions to work with I am ignoring all the doubles, mixed or otherwise, and will focus on just three events instead – the overall trophy, the Ladies, – and as an old boy myself, the Seniors for the fun of it – wish me luck.

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