Site News
Topic: *Industry News* 2014

Billiards International presents:

October 7, 3pm: The MEN’S INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS

October 8, 3pm: THE WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS

October 8, 2pm: TRICK SHOT MAGIC

October 6, 7pm: Come Challenge the Champions
Harrah’s Resort Southern California in Valley Center, California

CONTACT: David Thomson, Medium Pool, 310-450-8525
    
    Champions from around the world will go head-to-head in a three-day extravaganza of action packed professional billiards. The MEN’S INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS, THE WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS, and TRICK SHOT MAGIC will be held October 7, 8, and 9 at Harrah’s Resort Southern California in Valley Center, California, close to the cities of San Diego and Los Angeles.

    The matches will be taped for ESPN/ESPN2 with a live audience for television broadcast that represents the highest viewed billiard programming on US network television.    The events are widely considered the toughest tournament to win in professional billiards.

    Once, each year, international champions are battling in sudden-death shootouts with pressure-cooker formats and the highest prize money in pool's special events. And, the winners claim one of the most coveted titles in pool – Champion of Champions!    On October 7, at 3pm, Harrah’s Resort Southern California will host the WPA sanctioned INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS presenting the top male players in the world: Darren Appleton defending Champion, 2010 and 2011, US Open 9-Ball Champion, 2013 Mosconi Cup Champion, 2012 World 9-Ball Champion, and 2014 World Tournament of 14.1 champion; Shane Van Boening 2014 Derby City Big Foot 10-Ball Challenge Champion, 2104 Derby City 9-Ball Champion, Super Billiards Expo Player's Champion, 2012 and 2013 US Open 9-Ball Champion; Thorsten Hohmann 2013 World 9-Ball Champion and World Tournament of 14.1 champion; Dennis Orcollo: 2014 Derby City Classic Master of the Table, 2014 US Open 1-Pocket Champion, 2013 World Cup of Pool Champion, 2011 World 8-Ball Champion.

    On October 8, at 3pm, Harrah’s Resort Southern California presents the WPBA sanctioned TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS which will highlight the 4 most accomplished women champions contending for the title Champion of Champions: Kelly Fisher, defending Champion and 2012 Women’s World 9-Ball Champion; Allison Fisher #1 ranked WPBA player and 2012 US Open 9-Ball Champion; Karen Corr number 3 ranked WPBA player and 3 time winner of the Tournament of Champions; and Ga-Young Kim 2013 and 2014 WPBA Master’s Champion.

    On October 9, at 2pm, the Harrah’s Resort Southern California welcomes the return of the highest rated pool tournament ever shown on ESPN, TRICK SHOT MAGIC. Four of the most talented Trick Shot competitors in the World will compete for a sudden death prize in television’s most exciting format: Nick Nikolaidis current overall World Champion; Andy Segal last year’s Champion and current Masse´ Shot and Stroke Shot World Champion; Gabi ”Mr. Perfect” Visiou current Draw Shot World Champion; and Florian Kohler World Cup of Trick Shots Champion and VENOM Internet sensation.

    The three events are each regarded as the supreme test of skill and imagination in billiards. The players are so evenly matched that any one player could beat the others on any given day.

    The INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS and the TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS are 9-Ball with a format of two sets and, in the event of one set each, a 1-game sudden death tie-breaker.

    TRICK SHOT MAGIC presents the greatest individual trick shots selected by each player which then must be matched by their opponent. The sudden death tie-breaker to decide a match requires an incredible eight rail bank shot onto the face of a $100 bill. All in all, the 3 events offer the wildest shootout of the year.

    COME CHALLENGE THE PROS: And, as if that weren't enough, for a few hours each evening, the pro's will accept challenge games from audience members and pool fans alike. You might also get tips on your game.

    Harrah’s Resort Southern California, the Official Host Site, and the Resort of Choice with the most spectacular sports entertainment of 2014-2015, will make all three events ADMISSION FREE to pool fans over the age of 21.
    The trophies and the checks will be presented by Harrah’s Resort Southern California. The tournaments are also sponsored by Aramith Tournament Balls, Simonis Cloth, Diamond Billiards, Executive Billiards Delta-13 Racks, Pool Dawg, Cuetec, and OB Cues.

    The 2014 events are produced by Billiards International. For best seats, arrive early for each tournament session. Discount hotel rooms are available to make an enjoyable getaway at the spectacular, newly refurbished Harrah’s Resort Southern California. Please enter the following code: HYPERLINK http://bit.ly/1tqQpzr or call 877-242-7724 and mention the CODE: “Billiards” to receive DISCOUNTED room rates.    Make your plans today to attend the INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS, the TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS and, TRICK SHOT MAGIC, October 7, 8, & 9 at Harrah’s Resort Southern California in San Diego County, California.
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Photography courtesy of ©David Thomson mediumpool.com

Kreativ Dental Sponsor Ruhr Open

World Snooker is delighted to announce Kreativ Dental as the new title sponsor of the Ruhr Open European Tour event.

The tournament will take place in the city of Mulheim in the Ruhr region of Germany from November 19 to 23.

Many of snooker’s top stars will enter at the last 128 stage, with the last three days of the event to receive extensive live coverage from Eurosport. Mark Allen won the title last year by beating Ding Junhui in the final.

Based in the Hungarian capital of Budapest, Kreativ Dental is one of Europe’s leading dental centres and attracts customers from across the continent.

Former World Champion Ken Doherty said: “It’s great to have a new sponsor on board and Kreativ have recognised the potential of snooker to generate exposure to a vast audience through the coverage on Eurosport.

“I have got to know the manager of Kreativ, Attila Knott, he absolutely loves snooker and he knows our sport is a fantastic vehicle for promotion. I’ve also been to his clinic in Budapest and it’s an amazing place. The quality of treatment is five-star and I’d recommend it to anyone.”

The European Tour series comprises six events across the continent, with the top 24 on the final Order of Merit to progress to the Grand Finals to chase the £100,000 top prize.

For more information on Kreativ Dental see www.kreativdentalclinic.eu



Tickets are now on sale for:

Champion of Champions
3-9 November, Ricoh Arena, Coventry

UK Championship
25 November - 7 December, York Barbican, York

The Masters
11-18 January, Alexandra Palace, London

World Snooker Championship
18 April - 4 May, The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

Book Now: www.worldsnooker.com/tickets

2015 BEF Junior Nationals to be Held at South Point Hotel & Convention Center in Las Vegas August 4-7

October 8, 2014 (Denver, CO): The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) is thrilled to announce its 27th Annual Junior National 9-Ball Championships to be held August 4-7, 2015 at the South Point Hotel & Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada alongside the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) Expo.

“We are excited to once again host the Billiard Education Foundation Junior National 9-Ball Championships during the 2015 BCA Billiard & Home Leisure Expo,” said Billiard Congress of America Chairman Mike Serra. “Supporting junior competition via our partnership with the BEF goes hand-in-hand with our mission to promote the game of billiards. We received an overwhelming number of positive comments from Expo attendees and exhibitors about the excitement and energy the BEF Junior Nationals brought to the 2014 Expo. We look forward to an even more successful event taking place during the 2015 BCA Expo in Las Vegas.”

For over two decades, young billiard student-athletes from all over the country compete in local qualifiers for their chance at this prestigious title, scholarship dollars, and prizes. It’s the only junior event in the U.S. that qualifies young players to compete at the WPA (World Pool-Billiard Association) World Junior 9-Ball Championships.

Between junior leagues, qualifiers and the newly launched Junior State Championship program, the BEF is anticipating its largest participation next year. The national championships boasts four age divisions: 18 & Under Boys, 18 & Under Girls, 14 & Under Boys, and 14 & Under Girls.

To learn more about how to host or participate in a qualifier or state championship, visit www.billiardeducation.org or call (303) 926-1039. Underwriting and sponsorship opportunities are also available.

The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) was formed in 1993 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity committed to promoting a lifelong love of pool and building the next generation of players through youth programs and academic scholarships. The BEF also sanctions Junior State Championships, produces the annual Junior National 9-Ball Championships and qualifies young players each year for the WPA World Junior Championships.

Founded in 1948, the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) is a non-profit trade organization dedicated to growing a united, prosperous and highly regarded billiard industry through BCA leadership. The BCA seeks to enhance the success of its members and promote the game of billiards though educational, marketing and promotional efforts, annual industry trade shows and other programs designed to encourage billiards as a lifestyle and make pool everybody’s game. For more information, visit www.bca-pool.com or call 303.243.5070.

Dragon Promotions Enters the World of MMA October 25th

Orlando, Florida - Dragon Promotions is entering the world of combat fighting! On October 25th, 2014, DP will be producing its first MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) competition with 26 talented fighters stepping into the Octagon! The event is fittingly called COMBAT NIGHT and Dragon Promotions is teaming up with Little Big Man, LLC in co-promoting the event in Orlando, Florida. The MMA Fights will be hosted by one of the hottest clubs in Orlando at TIER NIGHTCLUB, making it also the first time MMA will take place in Downtown.

"We are very excited to broaden our horizons to a new sport and industry. Mixed Martial Arts is fast paced and exciting, and after a year of research and development on our end, we feel it's one of the fastest growing sports in the world. MMA is the new era of fight entertainment, and is providing great new opportunities for Dragon Promotions", said Cindy Lee, CEO of Dragon Promotions.

12 fights will be on the card including a Light Heavy Weight Championship bout between Bryan Cromer vs Sammy Elisis in the 205 lb class.
Doors open at 5:00pm with the fights starting at 6:00pm. In addition, a percentage of the door receipts will be donated to the Fight for Autism charity and a Breast Cancer Awareness charity.

"We're definitely planning to bring new aspects to MMA utilizing our vast production experiences from television, tennis, soccer, and of course tens of thousands of hours of billiard events where we made our name. I've always been a big MMA fan ever since I wrestled and took martial arts in my school years, so expanding Dragon Promotions to MMA is a natural fit. The sport is absolutely dynamic, and it's always been one of my life rules to get involved in things I have a passion for," explained Charlie Williams, Executive Producer for Dragon Promotions. COMBAT NIGHT brings together the expertise of professional MMA fighters Mitchell Chamale and Josh Samman, who has fought in the UFC. The combined experience between both companies will surely prove to be a smash hit on October 25th.

Dragon Promotions is planning a bigger, televised MMA event scheduled for 2015 in Asia. Stay tuned!

Fans can order tickets online now before it sells out, with only a few hundred tickets left! Buy tickets now at : wwww.dragonpromotions.com/mma.html For advertising packages call 407-782-4978 or email support@dragonpromotions.com

Like us at our new MMA page by clicking here Dragon Promotions MMA and follow MMA event news on Twitter at @mmadragonpromo

Dragon Promotions & Orlando Synergy are event organizing and marketing companies respectively. Dragon Promotions is one of the leading producers of billiards and sports programming in the world today covering billiards, tennis, football, golf, MMA, charity events and more. In a span of 14 years, Dragon Promotions has produced over 300 international events airing on TV networks globally from the USA, China, Philippines, South Korea, Canada, the Middle East, all of Asia, and Europe. Events include The World Tournament of 14.1, KIA Motors Football Korea vs Philippines, The Women's World 10-Ball Championship, Dragon MMA Combat Night, The African American Tennis Tournament, The Queens Cup, The Orlando Summer Tennis Open, The International 10-Ball Championship, King & Queen of Carom, The Typhoon Haiyan Tennis Tournament, Pro Pool Schools, Women's Trickshot Challenge, World Junior 10-Ball Championships, The World Mixed Doubles, the Vietnamese Tennis Open and many more. Visit www.dragonpromotions.com .

For interest in marketing and branding your company, business, or events please contact Orlando Synergy at 1-407-782-4978 or email support@dragonpromotions.com

Win an iPad Mini While Supporting the Kids!

October 9, 2014 (Denver, CO): The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF), along with AzBilliards.com and its popular forum, has organized a game of skill contest wherein one lucky winner will receive a 16gb iPad Mini valued at $300.

For every $20 donation to the BEF, contestants submit their guess for whom they think will be the next U.S. Open Champion + Runner-Up. Only one unique combination is accepted so get your guesses in early!

Participants have from now until the start of the first round (10:30AM Eastern on Monday, Oct. 13) to submit their guesses either online or on site at the event with Sandy Schuman or Rosanna Ramirez. Support the future of our sport while taking part in a fun contest.

www.billiardeducation.org/2014-usopen-contest/

For complete details, rules, and TO PLAY! Complete list of guesses will also be posted at this link.

All donations are tax deductible as permitted by law and participants will receive a receipt for their contribution. A complete list of all 2014 U.S. Open entries can be found on their Facebook page: www.facebook.com/usopen9ballchampionships

The U.S.Open 9-Ball Championships is the longest running and most prestigious 9-Ball event in the country. This year marks the 39th event. The Dates are October 13 - October 18, 2014. This event will be held at the Marriott Chesapeake - Norfolk Convention Center.

The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) was formed in 1993 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity committed to promoting a lifelong love of pool and building the next generation of players through youth programs and academic scholarships. The BEF also sanctions Junior State Championships, produces the annual Junior National 9-Ball Championships and qualifies young players each year for the WPA World Junior Championships.

THE LADIES GO FOR GLORY THIS WEEK IN GUILIN, CHINA

64 of the best women players in the world head for the gorgeous Chinese city of Guilin, the new host of the WPA World 9-ball Championship

2013 Women's World 9-ball Champion, Han Yu of ChinaBy Ted Lerner
WPA Press Officer

A veritable slug fest on the cloth pitch awaits fans around China and throughout the world this week, as the 2014 WPA Women’s World 9-ball Championship kicks off in the world famous Chinese city of Guilin.

64 of the absolute finest women players from 25 countries will square off for what is by far the biggest and most prestigious prize in women’s professional pool, $300,000, with $40,000 going to the winner. The qualifiers run from October 13-14, while the main tournament kicks off Wednesday, October 15th and finishes up on Saturday October 18th.

This is now the 6th straight year that the Women’s World 9-ball Championship will be held in China, and the first year in the tourist enclave of Guilin. One of the better known tourist destinations of Southern China, and indeed the whole of China, Guilin, situated on the gorgeous Li River, is set to provide a fresh face to what has already become one of the Chinese sporting public’s favorite events.

For the previous five years, the event had been held in the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang, near the border with North Korea. Having the tournament in Shenyang and shown live around China has proven a huge boost for women’s pool in the world’s most populous nation. Pool in China has grown massively over that time but most of the game’s popularity resides with the women who provide the girlish glamour the Chinese sporting public simply adores.

But there’s also been plenty of girl athletic power on display, as the Chinese women have simply dominated the World 9-ball in China, winning four out of the five championships. Only Great Britain’s Kelly Fisher has been able to stem the tide, when she captured the World 9-ball Championship in 2012.

Last year, 21 year old Han Yu became the latest Chinese pool star to capture glory. The diminutive but fiery red head put on a clinic as she completely outclassed Taiwan’s Lin Yuan Chun, 9-1, in the final. The match was seen by an estimated audience of nearly 100 million people watching live on China’s state television(CCTV.).

Han’s ruthlessness on the table was clearly no fluke, as she went on to capture the 2014 China Open in Shanghai this past June. Now ranked WPA World number 1, Han comes into this week’s championship as the clear favorite to win. But, as usual, there will plenty of other women snapping at Han’s heels and who are more than capable of taking the crown. All 25 of the WPA’s top 25 ranked women are expected to be competing in Guilin this week.

Pan Xiaoting and Han Yu at a recent press conference Certainly pool fans the world over would love nothing better than to see Great Britain’s Kelly Fisher find herself in contention come Saturday. Just three months ago, the 35 year old and world number 2 underwent open heart surgery after she was diagnosed with a large atrial septal defect earlier this year. Fisher said then that she planned to be in Guilin to go for glory and she has kept her promise. And apparently the time away from the game has renewed Fisher’s lust for winning. Just last week the affable Brit won the Challenge of Champions invitational in San Diego. And, perhaps ominously for the field, Fishers says she enters the world championship without the expectations she had last year as defending champion.

“I am thrilled with my recovery and feeling good overall,” Fisher told the WPA recently. “I am hungry and excited to compete again but will go in to the competition with no pressures or expectations.”

Fans can certainly expect the the usual names to duel in some classic showdowns in the coming days. In addition to Han, China’s stars such as Lui Shasha(2009 champion), Fu Xiaofang(2010 champion), Chen Siming and , of course, the superstar of Chinese pool, Pan Xiaoting(2007 champion) will all draw huge crowds and will no doubt be playing late into the event.

Others considered threats to win are Korea’s Ga Young Kim, Hall of Famer Allison Fisher, Austria’s Jasmine Ouschan, and Taiwan’s Chieh Yu Chou.

For the main event on Wednesday, the players will be divided into 8 groups of 8 players. They will play a double elimination format in the group stage, race to seven, alternate break. The top four players from each group will progress to the final 32, where the format will become single elimination knockout, race to 9, alternate break. The final will be a race to 11.

*The World Pool-Billiard Association(WPA) will be on hand in Guilin throughout the week bringing you all the drama from the 2014 Women’s World 9-ball Championship. WPA Press Officer Ted Lerner will be reporting from the Guilin National Olympic City with daily articles containing insight and analysis, as well as photos. Ted will also be manning the WPA Facebook page and Twitter feed and responding to fans queries and comments. Fans can also follow all matches via the WPA live scoring platform.

Please visit the WPA Facebook page for the 2014 Women’s World 9-ball Championship here; www.facebook.com/pages/2013-WPA-Womens-World-9-ball-Championship/360470447416060?ref=hl

Follow the WPA on Twitter: @poolwpa

Visit the official website of the WPA at www.wpapool.com

*The 2014 Women’s World 9-ball will be held in Guilin, China from October 13-18, and is sanctioned by the World Pool & Billiard Association(WPA), the world governing body of pool. 64 women players from across the globe will compete for the biggest prize in Women’s Pool.

International Dr.Fazıl Küçük 9 Ball Tournament

The International Dr. Fazil Küçük 9-ball tournament was held for the first time last week in Kyrenia, Turkish North Cyprus.

The event started with a team competition. Nine nations have sent their youth teams to North Cyprus: Austria, Belarus, Italy, Russia, Ukraine, Sweden, The Netherlands, Turkey and North Cyprus. Team Sweden (consisting of Daniel Tangudd, Tian Zhang and Lukas Andersson) as well as Team Russia (Maksim Dudanets, Fedor Gorst and Marsel Safullin) reached the semi-final matches undefeated and were considered favorites in the field. The semi-final was the final destination for the Swedes. While Andersson won the 9-ball clearly with 7:0, Joey Haegmans (NED) took the 10-ball with 6:0 and tied the match at 1:1. Cyriel Ledoux (NED) was trailing 1:5 to Tangudd and it looked like a clear affair for team Sweden. But Ledoux pulled back rack after rack from Tangudd, tied the match at 5:5 and even managed to snatch the victory for his country with a 6:5 over Tangudd. That provided team The Netherlands with a spot in the final match.

The other semi-final match between Russia and Austria was a thriller as well. Daniel Guttenberger (AUT) took the point in 9-ball by a whisker with 7:6. Also by a hair’s breadth was the victory of Maksim Dudanets (RUS) over Ajdin Ljubunicic (AUT). 6:5 was the result on the scoreboard in favor of Dudanets. That brought this match also to a 1:1 tie situation. The decision had to come from the match between Daniel Resch (AUT) and Marsel Saiullin (RUS). After eight racks, the score was tied at 4:4. Then, Safiullin ran the table and got on the hill with 5:4. In the next rack, Resch was unlucky when he executed the break shot and the cue ball scratched. That was all Safiullin needed to clear the table and win the match with 6:4 to take his team Russia to the final of the team competition against The Netherlands.

The final match was clearly determined by the Russians. Dudanets defeated Ledoux 6:1 while Safiullin overpowered Haegmans 6:3. Team Russia won the team competition in North Cyprus.

After the team competition, an individual tournament in 9-ball was played with 33 players from 9 nations. That event was won by local hero Mehmetali Sözgen (TNC) in the final with a 7:3 victory over Daniel Tangudd (SWE). The Russian contestants Fedor Gorst and Maksim Dudanets both lost the semi-finals. Results from the individual tournament can be found here: www.bfnc.net/?page_id=1166&tour_id=84

PoolActionTV's King of the Hill series
FIGHT NIGHT 008 DARREN APPLETON V DANNY SMITH
All the action begins Wednesday Oct 22th at 6pm!!
October 22th, 23th and Maybe 24th

Greetings!

The game is One Pocket. All 15 balls are racked. Which ever side the player breaks from, the opposite corner pocket is his pocket. The incoming player will have the opposing corner pocket. The first player to pocket 8 balls, in their one pocket, wins that game. There is no ball in hand for fouls, but there IS a deduction of one ball!!

This match is $10,000 entry and the first player to be 7 games ahead of the other will win the match and secure the title of Fight Night King of the Hill.

The King of the Hill will have challengers until he if defeated.

Play begins at 6pm Wednesday October 22nd.

Darren Appleton defeated Chip Compton in Fight Night 006 to secure the title of King of the Hill. Now a new challenger has emerged. The young gunslinger from Toledo, Ohio will attempt to secure the Hill.

In Fight Night 006 Darren seemed to transform in day 2 to defeat Chip Compton after ending day one neck and neck.

Day 1 will play until @ 2am and there WILL be a LOOP running!

How the match will conclude will be announced as soon as possible on Facebook PoolActionTV page. You can find the Facebook feed on the home page of PoolActiontv.com hit the "like" button to view.

Match can viewed in person, for free, at Lacy's Cue 701 W Judge Perez Chalmette, La
There will also be VIP seats available for a small fee.

Online passes will go on sale by Wednesday morning! www.poolactiontv.com

ALL 90 DAY PASS HOLDERS AND PREMIUM MEMBERS WILL GET A UNIQUE EMAIL TITLED "PREMIUM" WITH A BUTTON FOR 33% OFF.

Women's International Pool Championship Comes to America

New York City, New York- Pool fans hang onto your hats. The ladies are back! Dragon Promotions is bringing big time, world class women's pool back to the United States with the 6th Annual Women's International Pool Championship ! The event takes place December 16-21, 2014 featuring 64 elite women from around the world and hosted by Steinway Billiards Cafe in New York City, the epicenter of American culture. The event is sanctioned by the WPBA and will be filmed by AZBTV.

The event formerly known as the Women's World 10-Ball, was created by Charlie Williams, Executive Producer for Dragon Promotions back in 2009. It has seen the rise of women's pool in Asia and Europe. First time World Champions were made there such as Jasmin Ouschan (Austria), Kelly Fisher (England), Rubilen Amit (Philippines), and made Korea's Ga Young Kim a 3 times World Champion. The championship has been produced in the Philippines for the past 5 years, so bringing the championship to the USA is a major move.

A mixture of East & West have had successes at the Women's International Pool Championship making household names of players such as Jasmin Ouschan & Rubilen Amit

"At that time in pool about a decade ago, no one had ever thought of doing a major 10-Ball event for women. Many thought that it would be too long or difficult for the ladies. But we started out doing televised international 10-Ball ladies events in South Korea, and then we saw that the women had the potential to play the game at a good level and pace for TV, as well as for fans. And the ladies loved it, so when we discontinued doing 9-Ball pro events for the men, we did the same for the ladies. So the Women's World 10-Ball was born from that, and now has transformed into the Women's International Pool Championship. Even as a professional player and coach of the game of pool, I have been impressed by the women's improvements every year and they now play a high standard in 10-Ball. That's why we have elected to do a proper format which encompasses a lengthy round robin and now even longer races in the final stage. Most of the professionals considered our title the toughest and most prestigious to win before, and with the new evolving of the format it's going to be even more so", explained Williams.

Women's International Pool Championship format will be even more challenging than previous years. It begins with 8 women round robin with every player playing a guaranteed 7 matches. The field is cut in half and then moves onto the knockout rounds in a race to 10. The quarter-finals goes to a race to 11, and then the semi-finals race to 13. The Pool Championship Finals will be a race to 17. The eventual tournament winner will have played 12 world class opponents.

The Women's International Pool Championship is the most sought after title in women's billiards

" While there has been several men's pro events in New York City the past few years, there has not been a major women's pro event there in well over a decade. So Dragon Promotions is really excited to bring this to the American fan base. The Women's International Pool Championship may very well feature the strongest international field of women players ever on US soil, so this is going to be a nice boost to help the USA pool industry and economy. It's going to be thrilling for not just the fans and media, but also for the foreign players coming over for their first time", said Cindy Lee, CEO of Dragon Promotions.

"The WPBA is excited to partner with Dragon Promotions in an effort to provide a unique opportunity for WPBA players to compete against their international counterparts on American soil. We anticipate the thrill that accompanies the Women's International Pool Championship competition and look forward to collaborating with Dragon Promotions on future events", said Kim White-Newsome, President of the Women's Pro Billiard Association.

Sponsorships are available for industry members and fans. For advertising packages call 407-782-4978 or email support@dragonpromotions.com

Dragon Promotions & Synergy International are event organizing and marketing companies respectively. Dragon Promotions is one of the leading producers of billiards and sports programming in the world today covering billiards, tennis, football, golf, MMA, charity events and more. In a span of 14 years, Dragon Promotions has produced over 300 international events airing on TV networks globally from the USA, China, Philippines, South Korea, Canada, the Middle East, all of Asia, and Europe. Events include The World Tournament of 14.1, KIA Motors Football Korea vs Philippines, The Women's International Pool Championship , Dragon MMA Combat Night, The African American Tennis Tournament, The Queens Cup, The Orlando Summer Tennis Open, The International 10-Ball Championship, King & Queen of Carom, The Typhoon Haiyan Tennis Tournament, Pro Pool Schools, Women's Trickshot Challenge, World Junior 10-Ball Championships, The World Mixed Doubles, the Vietnamese Tennis Open and many more. Visit www.dragonpromotions.com .

For interest in marketing and branding your company, business, or events please contact Orlando Synergy at 1-407-782-4978 or email support@dragonpromotions.com

Billiards Industry Member Runs for Mayor



Saratoga, Wyoming- In perhaps the first time in the history of billiards that we know of, one of our own is running for political office...and is the top contender to win. Ed J. Glode is currently the promoter of the fan favorite Wyoming Open and President of Andy Cloth USA. Glode is running for the office of mayor in his hometown of Saratoga and already won the primaries 2 months ago by a landslide.

The town of Saratoga's primary economy thrives on tourism. Ironically, Saratoga is not easy to reach, with the closest airport being Denver, Colorado in a hefty 4 hour drive. Despite this, Glode has become the town's most successful ambassador and has been wildly successful in attracting the biggest names in pool to his yearly event including US Open Champions Shane Van Boening, Rodney Morris, and Corey Deuel. Billiard Education Foundation Director Samm Diep and renown billiard celebs Raj Hundal, Stevie Moore and many others have become frequent visitors. Most of his success has come from his first class treatment and top rate hospitality for his guests. Even famously on the go Dragon Promotions founder Charlie Williams has turned from stranger, welcomed friend, and now marketing campaign manager for Glode.

"I only wish EJ Glode could be the mayor of my home town. Saratoga is very lucky to have such a stand up gentleman taking care of the town's people and community", said Raj Hundal of India who is currently living in London, UK.

" It's truly refreshing to see a standup citizen running for office. Eddie is the kind of person that will get knee deep in with you in the trenches. At the same time he has an extremely high level of integrity and is so goodhearted that he can ask for help and literally dozens of people will line up. That's a mark of a good leader", said Charlie Williams.

Running a town is not an easy task for a one trick pony. So Glode's other areas of expertise in mainstream business will also be helpful as the Vice-President of Shively Hardware, one of Wyoming's top tractor and Polaris dealerships.

Please encourage anyone in the Carbon County/Platte Valley region of Wyoming to come cast their vote for Glode.

Tomorrow vote for Ed J. Glode for Mayor.
Where: Platte Valley Community Center
When: 7:00am - 7:00pm November 4th, 2014
Why: For the future of you and your family

Tomorrow November 4th billiards history could be made.

Davis To Face Walden At UK Championship

The draw for snooker’s 2014 UK Championship has been made, with Steve Davis against Ricky Walden the pick of the first round ties.

The tournament will run from November 25 to December 7 at the York Barbican, with all 128 players contesting the opening round over the first three days.

Six-time UK Champion Davis saw his 36-year stint on the professional tour come to an end last season, but he is still able to enter certain events thanks to special invites to legendary players. And the 57-year-old will face world number eight Walden, who won the biggest title of his career last Sunday at the International Championship in China. That match takes place on Wednesday November 26.

Ronnie O’Sullivan begins his quest for a fifth UK title against Welsh amateur Daniel Wells on Thursday November 27. Defending champion Neil Robertson will meet Leicester’s Joe O’Connor, while World Champion Mark Selby faces Derbyshire’s Oliver Brown.

Ali Carter, who will play in his first full ranking event since successful treatment for lung cancer, will take on China’s Zhang Anda, while crowd favourite Jimmy White has been drawn against Stoke’s Dave Harold.

The first round will be played before BBC’s television coverage starts, so be there at the venue to see the drama unfold!

Tickets for the tournament start at just £8 (concessions £4) and several sessions are close to sell-out so fans must book fast. For details call 0844 854 2757 or visit www.worldsnooker.com/tickets

Dafabet To Sponsor The Masters Until 2017

Dafabet has extended its title sponsorship of snooker's most prestigious invitation tournament, The Masters, for the next three years.

Dafabet sponsored the event for the first time in 2014 and has now signed up until 2017.

The 2015 Dafabet Masters runs from January 11 to 18 at Alexandra Palace in London and features the world's leading 16 players. Ronnie O'Sullivan won the title for the fifth time last season, beating Mark Selby 10-4 in the final to win the top prize of £200,000.

The BBC-televised tournament is broadcast live in nearly 70 countries, reaching millions of viewers around the world.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: "We are delighted to have Dafabet on board for the next three years at The Masters. Since 1975, The Masters has been recognised as a very special event as it brings together snooker's elite.

"Dafabet have backed several snooker events including the World Championship and the Champion of Champions. They clearly recognise the massive global appeal of our sport and its potential to reach hundreds of millions of people.

"Last year's Dafabet Masters was a thrilling occasion with Ronnie O'Sullivan untouchable. His rivals at the top of the sport will be desperate to take the title from him this time. Alongside the Dafabet team and anyone lucky enough to be inside the Alexandra Palace arena, I'm looking forward to experiencing the incredible atmosphere."

John Cruces, Head of sports marketing and sponsorships at Dafabet, added: "Having worked with World Snooker on a number of tournaments, including last year's Masters, we're very proud to tie down a three year deal for one of the highlights of the sporting calendar.

"We've said at each event where we've worked together how the sport helps us achieve our aim of putting the Dafabet brand in front of sports fans worldwide. By committing to a long term deal we hope to be further recognised as supporters of snooker and to be specifically associated to the Masters as it's such an elite event. As always we thank all at World Snooker and look forward to working together on an ongoing basis."

Tickets start at just £10 and fans are strongly urged to book fast as many sessions will sell out quickly. For details call 0871 620 7052 or visit www.worldsnooker.com/tickets

There are also some amazing VIP and Corporate Hospitality packages available - all details are at www.worldsnooker.com/tickets

Qualifiers Start Tomorrow for Women's International Pool Championship

New York City, New York- Ladies from all around North America will be taking their best shot to take on the world's best at the Qualifiers for the Women's International Pool Championship . Dragon Promotions is bringing big time, world class women's pool back to the United States with the 6th Annual Women's International Pool Championship ! The event takes place December 16-21, 2014 featuring 64 elite women from around the world and hosted by Steinway Billiards Cafe in New York City, the epicenter of American culture. The event is sanctioned by the WPBA.

From Seattle to Quebec, and Tampa to New York City, there will be a multitude of opportunities for players to qualify. The ones who do win will get to play a guaranteed 7 matches in the round robin! Not bad for a $50 entry fee and taking a crack at the $14,000 1st place prize. A very big opportunity for up and comers looking to gain experience on the women's pro tour scene.

The event formerly known as the Women's World 10-Ball, was created by Charlie Williams, Executive Producer for Dragon Promotions back in 2009. It has seen the rise of women's pool in Asia and Europe. First time World Champions were made there such as Jasmin Ouschan (Austria), Kelly Fisher (England), Rubilen Amit (Philippines), and made Korea's Ga Young Kim a 3 times World Champion. The championship has been produced in the Philippines for the past 5 years, so bringing the championship to the USA is a major move.

A mixture of East & West have had successes at the Women's International Pool Championship making household names of players such as Jasmin Ouschan & Rubilen Amit

"At that time in pool about a decade ago, no one had ever thought of doing a major 10-Ball event for women. Many thought that it would be too long or difficult for the ladies. But we started out doing televised international 10-Ball ladies events in South Korea, and then we saw that the women had the potential to play the game at a good level and pace for TV, as well as for fans. And the ladies loved it, so when we discontinued doing 9-Ball pro events for the men, we did the same for the ladies. So the Women's World 10-Ball was born from that, and now has transformed into the Women's International Pool Championship. Even as a professional player and coach of the game of pool, I have been impressed by the women's improvements every year and they now play a high standard in 10-Ball. That's why we have elected to do a proper format which encompasses a lengthy round robin and now even longer races in the final stage. Most of the professionals considered our title the toughest and most prestigious to win before, and with the new evolving of the format it's going to be even more so", explained Williams.

Women's International Pool Championship format will be even more challenging than previous years. It begins with 8 women round robin with every player playing a guaranteed 7 matches. The field is cut in half and then moves onto the knockout rounds in a race to 10. The quarter-finals goes to a race to 11, and then the semi-finals race to 13. The Pool Championship Finals will be a race to 17. The eventual tournament winner will have played 12 world class opponents.

"The WPBA is excited to partner with Dragon Promotions in an effort to provide a unique opportunity for WPBA players to compete against their international counterparts on American soil. We anticipate the thrill that accompanies the Women's International Pool Championship competition and look forward to collaborating with Dragon Promotions on future events", said Kim White-Newsome, President of the Women's Pro Billiard Association.

Sponsorships are available for industry members and fans. For advertising packages call 407-782-4978 or email support@dragonpromotions.com

Dragon Promotions & Synergy International are event organizing and marketing companies respectively. Dragon Promotions is one of the leading producers of billiards and sports programming in the world today covering billiards, tennis, football, golf, MMA, charity events and more. In a span of 14 years, Dragon Promotions has produced over 300 international events airing on TV networks globally from the USA, China, Philippines, South Korea, Canada, the Middle East, all of Asia, and Europe. Events include The World Tournament of 14.1, KIA Motors Football Korea vs Philippines, The Women's International Pool Championship , Dragon MMA Combat Night, The African American Tennis Tournament, The Queens Cup, The Orlando Summer Tennis Open, The International 10-Ball Championship, King & Queen of Carom, The Typhoon Haiyan Tennis Tournament, Pro Pool Schools, Women's Trickshot Challenge, World Junior 10-Ball Championships, The World Mixed Doubles, the Vietnamese Tennis Open and many more. Visit www.dragonpromotions.com .

For interest in marketing and branding your company, business, or events please contact Orlando Synergy at 1-407-782-4978 or email support@dragonpromotions.com

QUALIFIER SCHEDULE FOR the WOMENS INTERNATIONAL POOL CHAMPIONSHIP ! Brought to you by Andy Cloth, Pool & Billiard Magazine & Kamui Brand & Steinway Billiards.

Nov 15 (Sat) Florida - SLATE BILLIARDS (Boynton Beach) mbradford23@gmail.com or Jeannie Seaver jeannieseaver@yahoo.com : 1 spot awarded Florida Slate Billiards

Nov 15 (Sat) Canada- BILLARD DES PROS (Quebec) edwidgecavanna@billardfeminincanada.com (450) 963-0309
1 spot Canada

Nov 15 (Sat) Washington CUE-TOPIA BILLIARDS (Lakewood) deby@behindtherocktour.com 1 spot Washington

Nov 22 (Sat) Washington MALARKEYS POOL & BREW (Tacoma) info@malarkeysonline.com suzos78@gmail.com
2 spots Washington

Nov 22 (Sat) Ohio - PLAYERS FAMILY BILLIARDS (Columbus) deepoolplayer@live.com Kellyisaac79@yahoo.com
1 spot Ohio

Nov 23 (Sun) New Jersey - SANDCASTLE BILLIARDS (Edison) sandman@sandcastlebilliards.com 2 spots New Jersey

Nov 23 (Sun) Canada - Shooters Snooker and Sports Club (Toronto) ehjorleifson@hotmail.com 647 717 8219 or 416 750 7787 poolroom 1 SPOT Toronto

Nov 29th (Sat) Florida - STROKER'S (Tampa) josestrokers@gmail.com kiku_1@comcast.net
2 spots Florida

Nov 29th (Sat) California - HARD TIMES (LOS ANGELES) brookleb@aol.com , harreguin1@verizon.net 2 spots California

Dec 13th (Sat) New York - FINAL QUALIFIER in NYC Location: TBA Final 2 Spots

Youth World 9-Ball Championships on in Shanghai, China

The European Youth squad with the Youth Sports Director Sandra Hanf (GER) as their leader and Piotr Kedzior (POL) as support is currently trying to repeat their outstanding results from last year.

The divisions are Under 17’s, Under 19’s and Girls. There are 24 players participating in each division, representing a total of 28 nations

Under 19’s
Joshua Filler (GER) had a walk over in his first round. He then got the better of Samuel Hui Sim/Zhong (SIN) with 9:4. The balls were rolling in his favor in that match. His teammate and fellow countryman Raphael Wahl (GER) had a perfect start with a 9:1 victory over Nasie Kotze (RSA). In the second round, Wahl met Liu Hao Wei (TPE). The match was really close and a tough fight for both players. After 14 racks, the score was tied at 7:7. Then Liu managed to get the upper hand and win the match with 9:7. That brought Wahl to the loser’s side of the bracket. Patrick Statkiewicz (POL) lost his opening match to strong American Nick Evans (USA) with 8:9. The Polish lad was already on the hill with 8:6 when he overcoat an 8-ball. That gave second life to Evans. He came back, and at 8:8 he recovered from a tough safety position, winning the match with the closest result possible. Pius Labutis (LIT) drew Kim Su Ung (KOR) in his first round match. The match was completely leveled and Labutis had the luckier end with 9:8 on his side. The player from Lithuania also won his second match over local player Wen Wu (CHN) with 9:6 and will try - just like Filler - to make it into the quarter-finals.

Under 17’s
Maxim Dudanets (RUS), Daniel Maciol (POL) and Cyriel Ledoux (NED) had a walk-over in their first round match. Then, Maciol won over Nick Evans (USA) 7:5. Dudanets took down YIP King Ning Leo (HKG) 7:4 while Ledoux wrestled down Kong Dejing (CHN) with 7:5 after having trailed already 2:4 in that match. Sanjin Pehlivanovic (BIH) forfeited his first round match. He will now face YIP King Ning Leo in the loser’s round. Dudanets, Maciol and Ledoux are right on track and play for the quarter-finals today.

Girls
Nataliya Seroshtan (RUS) was seeded Nr.1 in the girls division, being the defending World Champion. After a walk-over in the first round, she clearly dominated Kim Bo Geon (KOR) with 7:3. Kamila Khodjaeva (BEL) had a close encounter with Liu Yuchen (CHN) and the match was pretty even until a score of 4:4 was on the boards. Then, Liu started committing mistakes and Khodjaeva punished her for it, winning the match with 7:4. Kristina Tkach (RUS) crushed Taylor Reynolds (USA) in the first round with 7:1. Then she met last year’s runner-up Yuki Hiraguchi (JPN). After a long fight, Tkach had to give in to the strong Japanese, losing 4:7 in the end. Marharyta Fefilava (BLR) met Chezka Luy Centeno (PHI) in the first round. The match was dominated by safety play and Marharyta did not achieve to come up with safeties which were good enough to put her opponent into danger. The filipina won the match with 7:5. Fefilava lost the match without any missed shot. Her safety play was simply not good enough and she left chances for her opponent. Today, Feilava will have another chance on the loser’s side against Kayla Roll-on (USA).

Team Europe still on track but first players have dropped out

Team Europe is still in a nice shape at the WPA World 9-Ball Championships for Under 19’s, Under 17’s and Girls which is currently held in Shanghai, China.

In the girls division, Kristina Tkach (RUS) and Marharyta Fefilava (BKR) were able to win their matches on the loser’s side. Tkach ousted Rachel Lang (USA) 7:1 and then had a thriller coming up against Xiong Shi Yan (CHN). Tkach took an early 3:1 lead but Xiong was able to pull back two racks from her to tie the match at 3:3. Tkach took a timeout and got some momentum from it. She took another two rack lead to turn the scoreboard to 5:3 in her favor. But China’s Xiong turned out to be a real tough fighter. She struck back and managed to tie the match at 6:6. Being on the hill, both players knew it was a do or die from now on. Xiong handled the pressure better and won the heartbreaker with 7:6, eliminating Kristina Tkach from the event. Marharyta Fefilava had to deal with Kayla Roloson (CAN). The first part of the match went definitely into Fefilava’s account. 3:0 was the intermediate result. Suddenly, Roloson started to fight back and the match heated up. It came again to a hill hill situation where Roloson missed the 6-ball and left the table with 4 balls remaining to Fefilava. The young girl from Belarus used that chance and took the victory with 7:6. The next match was the final destination for Fefilava. She had to face Jiang Teng (CHN) who ousted Fefilava with 7:5. The two remaining European girls, defending Champion Nataliya Seroshtan (RUS) and Kamila Khodjaeva (BEL), are still straight on track. Seroshtan won 7:2 over Wang Wan-Ling (TPE) while Khodjaeva handed a 7:0 doughnut to Yang Ji Young (KOR).

Sanjin Pehlivanovic (BIH) caused another upset in the Under 17’s division. He played Yip King Ning Leo (HKG) and furiously took a 5:1 lead. But then it seemed as if Pehlivanovic ran out of gas. He lost rack after rack and finally, Yip was able to win the loser’s round mastic with 7:6 and terminate the event for the young Bosnian. Cyriel Ledoux (NED) won 7:5 over Lo Ho Sum (HKG). The same result was good for Daniel Maciol (POL) who won over Alexander Tapiquen (VEN) 7:5 as well. Maxim Dudanets (RUS) joined his two teammates with a clear 7:4 victory over Zhang Gan Ting (CHN). These three players will play the quarterfinals tomorrow.

In the Under 19’s division, Patryk Statkiewicz (POL) and Raphael Wahl (GER) were already on the loser’s side while Joshua Filler (GER) and Pijus Labutis (LIT) are on the winner’s side. Statkiewicz defeated Jerry Quintero (VEN) 9:6 while Wahl ousted Devin Poteet (USA) 9:4. Then, Statkiewicz saw Xing Xiao Wei (CHN) as his opponent. The Polish played another match filled with ups and downs but remained victorious in the end with 9:6. Wahl came up with the next heartbreaker of the day. His match with Kim Su Ung (KOR) turned out to be a thriller which went over the full distance. At 8:8, Wahl kept his nerves together and won the match by a hair’s breadth with 9:8. Joshua Filler met Long Zehuang (CHN) who made his way in the tournament through the qualification rounds. The Chinese took an unexpected quick 5:1 lead over Filler. But the multiple European Youth Champion suddenly seemed to remember that he is in the event for a reason. He found his rhythm and won the match 9:6. Labutis played with Hsu Jui An (TPE). He dominated throughout the whole match and despite the fact that he also committed several unnecessary mistakes, Labutis won the encounter with 9:4.

If Statkiewicz and Wahl will win their next matches tomorrow, they will be in the quarterfinals as well as seven of their teammates.

Four medals for Team Europe and a chance for a title

The two remaining European players on the loser’s side in this year’s World 9-Ball Championships for Youth in Shanghai, China, were Raphael Wahl (GER) and Patryk Statkiewicz (POL).

Wahl met S. Myanganbayer (MON) in the loser’s qualification round. It was a one-sided match in favor of the German and even with a few mistakes committed, Wahl easily took the match with 9:3. Statkiewicz had a tougher opponent to face. Hsu Jui An (TPE) also wanted a spot in the single elimination stage of the event. The match was a tough battle between the two players. After 13 racks, the score was 7:6 in favor of Hsu. It was Statkiewicz’s break then. Both players seemed to be nervous and played bad shots. Hsu was able to win that rack and got on the hill with 8:6. The next rack turned out to be the final rack. Again, Hsu won it and ousted Statkiewicz with 9:6 after a hard fought encounter.

As the last matches of the loser’s side were played, the smoke cleared and it showed that eight players from Europe made it to the quarterfinals in their respective division.

Girls: Nataliya Seroshtan (RUS), Kamila Khodjaeva (BEL)
Under 17’s: Cyriel Ledoux (NED), Daniel Maciol (POL), Maxim Dudanets (RUS),
Under 19’s: Joshua Filler (GER), Pijus Labutis (LIT), Raphael Wahl (GER)

Girls
The draw turned out to be good from a European view. Khodjaeva and Seroshtan would meet in the final match earliest. In the quarterfinal, Khodjaeva met Kim Bo Geon (KOR). She had a good start and took a 5:2 lead. But Kim found her game and managed to tie that match at 5:5. That put high pressure on Khodjaeva. But she was prepared to handle it and won the match with 9:7 to proceed to the semi-final. Nataliya Seroshtan found another Chinese opponent, Xiong Shi Yan (CHN) who turned out to be a tough nut to crack. The score was 7:7 after 14 racks and none of them could be predicted as a winner by then. Seroshtan’s experience made the difference and brought her on the hill with 8:7. But Xiong struck back and suddenly the score was hill-hill. Again, it was the better nerves and experience from Seroshtan which made the difference and brought her a 9:8 victory and took her to the semi-finals. In the medal matches, Khodjaeva played against Chezka Luy Centeno (PHI). The Belgian played solid as a rock and again took an early 4:1 lead in the match. That gap lasted throughout the whole match. Khodjaeva was able to defend her lead and won the match with 9:5. She earned her spot in the final where she will try to reach for the crown in girl’s 9-ball. Defending Champion Seroshtan was not as successful. She encountered Liu Yuchen (CHN) who really got on a good role in the semi-final match. She took the first 5 racks in a row and left Seroshtan in despair. She tried to get back into the match. For a time it looked like she would be able to win and meet her teammate in the final match but Liu had something against that wish. The best Seroshtan was able to come up with was a 5:6 score, then Liu closed the book on that match and won it with 9:5. Khodjaeva will play Liu in the Championship match while Seroshtan achieved a bronze medal.

Under 19’s
Fortunately, Raphael Wahl as the only European player who got drawn into the field, did not draw a teammate in the quarterfinal. He got Sun Guo Qing (CHN). At the same time, his buddy Joshua Filler played Hsu Jui An (TPE). The two matches went along almost simultaneously. Both players were leading 8:7 in a race to 11 over their opponents but then they went separate ways. Wahl was able to win his match with 11:8 while Filler missed a makable 9-ball and lost 8:11. Pijus Labutis won 11:5 over Wen Wu (CHN) and joined Wahl in the semi-finals. The next round brought an end to European hopes for Gold in the Under 19’s. Labutis lost clearly with 3:11 against Aloysius Yap (SIN) while Wahl found his master in Hsu Jui An and lost 5:11. Good tournament in the Under19’s though with 2 more Bronze Medals for Europe.

Under 17’s
Cyriel Ledoux got Jeffery Roda (PHI) in his quarterfinal match. As usually, Ledoux fell behind and trailed in the beginning of the match. Then he was able to turn the tide and take a 7:5 lead in a race to eight. Things looked very promising for the young Dutch, but no matter how hard he tried, he could not get that last 9-ball pocketed. In the end, Ledoux lost to Roda with 7:8. His teammate Daniel Maciol dealt with Jesus Atencio (VEN). That mach was clear matter for Maciol who won easily with 8:4 to make it into the semi-finals. Maxim Dudanets battled it out with Kong De Jing (CHN).As usual, the Chinese are very tough opponents. Too tough for Maxim that day, Kong took the match with 8:5 and went on to meet Maciol in the next round. That match went along well for both players but in the end, Kong remained the upper hand and won 8:6. Maciol has to settle for another Bronze Medal for Team Europe.

Four times Bronze Medal and a chance for a title is the intermediate result for Team Europe. Let’s wait and keep our fingers crossed for Kamila Khodjaeva on her journey to glory.

2014-2015 USSA National Snooker Tour Schedule

November 22-23, 2014 Stop # 1: Brooklyn, NY – Prince Club
November 28-30, 2014 - Stop # 2: Houston, TX – Houston Snooker Club
December 6-7, 2014 Stop # 3: Brooklyn, NY – Top 147 Snooker Club
December 27-28, 2014 Stop # 4: Redmond, WA – Empire Billiard and Snooker
January 17-18, 2015 Stop # 5: Flushing, NY – Carom Café Billiards
February 6-8, 2015 - Stop # 6: Houston, TX – 147 Snooker
March 14-15, 2015 Stop # 7: San Mateo, CA – ACE Snooker Club        
March 21-22, 2015 Stop # 8: Brooklyn, NY – Prince Club
March 27-29, 2015 - Stop # 9: Houston, TX – Champions Snooker
April 3-5, 2015 - Stop # 10: Houston, TX – 147 Snooker
April 11-12, 2015 Stop # 11: Brooklyn, NY – Top 147 Snooker Club
April 18-19, 2015 Stop # 12: Redmond, WA – Empire Billiard and Snooker
April 25-26, 2015 Stop #13: Flushing, NY – Carom Café Billiards
May 1-3, 2015 - Stop # 14: Houston, TX – Houston Snooker Club
May 22-25, 2015: USSA National Snooker Championships (Host venue TBD)

Lisbon To Host European Tour Event

The first ever professional snooker event in Portugal will take place in December, as the country’s capital city hosts the Lisbon Open.

Running from December 11 to 14 and televised live on Eurosport (Dec 12-14), it will be the fifth European Tour event of the season, with all professional and amateur players eligible to enter.

Each European Tour event carries prize money of 125,000 Euros, with the top 24 on the Order of Merit after six events going through to the Grand Finals in March to chase the £100,000 jackpot.

Lisbon, on Portugal’s Atlantic coast, is renowned as one of Europe’s most historic and attractive cities, famed for its architecture, beaches, gastronomy and cosmopolitan atmosphere. Tourists from around the globe consistently rank Lisbon among the world's great cities and that’s one of the main reasons for the support for this event from Lisbon Municipality.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: “We have taken snooker into many brand new territories in recent years and now we are delighted to bring a professional event to Portugal, which will be the 11th different country to host a European Tour event. We know there is a lot of support in the country and we are thrilled to be working with the promoter to bring the dream to reality.

“Taking our sport into new regions is an integral part of the European Tour’s success, and the fantastic television coverage from Eurosport ensures that our partners receive excellent exposure.

“For the players, visiting Lisbon for the first time is going to be a wonderful experience. But there will be plenty at stake on the tables with prize money and crucial Order of Merit points to play for."

All the information about the tournament is available at www.lisbon-open.com

Black Widow Foundation Donates $4,500 to American Juniors for World Championships in China!

November 19, 2014 (Denver, CO): In September, Hall of Famer Jeanette Lee aka “The Black Widow” and her nonprofit Black Widow Foundation(BWF) reached out to the billiard community to offer support for the nine young players who represented the U.S. at the upcoming WPA World Junior 9-Ball Championships November 15-19 in Shanghai, China.

Lee’s ability to bring the industry together for a greater cause is commendable. After speaking with each individual of the North American team, Lee and her foundation, through personal fundraising and the support of the APA, Poison Cues, Ozone Billiards, and Mike Connolly, awarded $4,500 to those who still needed it. In addition to the financial support, Lee also shared valuable knowledge and experiences from her travels abroad.

Lee has turned her fundraising efforts into a year round campaign and adds,” any monies that come in for the world event will go to next year's kids.” She is also creating a step-by-step fundraising kit for any junior player that needs financial backing in the future. Lee explains, “They will get the tools to raise money for themselves for any event they choose, whether it's to travel to the junior nationals or to come to BWF's summer camp.”

Look for Lee at the Super Billiards Expo in Oaks, PA April 16-19 where she’ll be continuing her fundraising drive at her Black Widow Foundation booth. Any juniors and family members interested in volunteering their time to support her efforts during this event may contact her directly through her website, www.blackwidowfoundation.org.

The inaugural BWF summer camp is scheduled for July of 2015. Learn more about it at www.blackwidowfoundation.org/black-widow-junior-camp/.

The Black Widow Foundation and its founder are committed to improving the sport of pocket billiards by encouraging, supporting, and mentoring our junior players – the future of our sport. The Foundation also organizes and hosts the unique Black Widow Juniors Camp each year to cultivate aspiring young players, not only in areas of the sport but also in their lives.

The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) was formed in 1993 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity committed to promoting a lifelong love of pool and building the next generation of players through youth programs and academic scholarships. Visit billiardeducation.org or call (303) 926-1039 to learn more about junior billiard programs in your area.

Coral To Sponsor UK Championship

World Snooker is delighted to announce Coral as the title sponsor of the 2014 UK Championship.

The 2014 Coral UK Championship will run from November 25 to December 7 at the York Barbican with 128 players battling for the coveted trophy and a top prize of £150,000.

The event will be televised by the BBC and international broadcasters in over 77 countries. An estimated 100 million viewers around the world will watch the action from York.

The tournament has a history dating back to 1977 and was previously sponsored by Coral between 1978 and 1985.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: "It's fantastic to have Coral on board for one of our Triple Crown events. The UK Championship is a true highlight of the sporting calendar, keenly anticipated by many millions of fans across the globe.

"We look forward to working closely with the Coral team and building a successful relationship.

"We are well on course for record ticket sales as fans continue to show massive enthusiasm for snooker. It's going to be a spectacular fortnight of drama and excitement as the best players in the world contest the title."

Simon Clare, Coral PR Director, commented: "Snooker has evolved and modernised over the last few years whilst retaining all of its fine tradition and history. In the same way Coral has also modernised and innovated to offer the very best betting service, whilst staying true to its proud heritage as one of Britain's biggest and best known betting brands. Together, the UK Snooker Championship and Coral make a very good fit indeed.

"It says everything about the longevity of both the UK Championship and Coral that this sponsorship is actually a reunion after an absence spanning three decades. A lot has changed in the world of snooker and the betting industry over the last thirty years, but the UK Championship and Coral are still as pre-eminent as they were in 1978," added Clare.

Ronnie O'Sullivan is the sponsor's 5/2 favourite to win the Coral UK Championship with Judd Trump next best at 7/1. Coral offer 4/6 that a 147 break will be scored during the tournament.

Tickets for certain sessions are still available but fans must book fast. Tickets start at just £8 (concessions £4). All 128 players will be in action during the first three days (November 25-27) before television coverage starts, so be there at the venue to see the drama unfold!

For details call 0844 854 2757 or visit www.worldsnooker.com/tickets