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Topic: *Industry News* 2015 - 2024

JONES TAKES ON TEAM USA CAPTAINCY

Jeremy Jones will captain Team USA as they go for the three-peat at the 2020 partypoker Mosconi Cup at Alexandra Palace, London this December 1-4.

Jones, a former US Open champion and five-time Mosconi Cup winner, has been vice-captain to Johan Ruijsink as USA won back the Cup from Team Europe in London in 2018 and successfully defended it in Las Vegas last November. Jones has appointed Joey Gray as his Vice-Captain.

Jones said: “After the last couple of years I think me and the guys realize it’s about creating confidence, comfort and knowing our team has each other’s back. Along with serious training, that is what makes a winning team.

“So this next year will be much more of that and not standing still at all. We are professionals and a high standard is required and expected and our guys know this. They have learned to respect this while loving the challenge; that’s called heart!

“For my vice-captain, I thought of many worthy names for many reasons but Joey Gray was the first and last one to enter my mind. Joey is a great player, great dude and very involved in improving pool. I’ve known him for many, many years and feel he’ll mix with any five we go with. I personally can’t wait to work alongside him. 2020 is going to be awesome.”

Gray, a professional player and instructor based out of Oklahoma, said: “I was floored when I was asked to participate as Vice-Captain. Words could not explain. It was probably the best phone call I have ever received. I will never forget the moment I was asked. I always give 100 percent to what I put my mind to and this will be my life’s biggest goal. To represent Team USA as Vice-Captain is a dream come true.”

Jones moves into the Captaincy role having been vice-coach to Ruijsink, who led Team USA from 2017 and lifted the Cup in 2018 and 2019. Matchroom Pool would like to thank Johan for his hard work in helping Team USA become a winning team again.

Team USA Rankings will return in 2020 with two players to earn their spot on the team from the rankings with the remaining three places to be chosen by Captain Jones as wildcards. Full details of the Team USA Rankings will be announced later in January.

Tickets for the 2020 partypoker Mosconi Cup are on sale now at www.mosconicup.com. Tickets are priced at £25, £40 and £60 per day with Platinum VIP packages from £170 per day. Season tickets for all four days start at £90 with the Platinum VIP season ticket priced £600. Platinum VIP includes seating in the front three rows, a two-course buffet dinner, mid-session hot-food bowl, unlimited beer, wine and soft drinks from 6:30pm-10:30pm and much more.

The 2020 partypoker Mosconi Cup is partnered by Rasson Billiards who supplies the Official Table; the cloth is supplied by Iwan Simonis and Saluc is the Official Ball Provider. Predator is the Official Cue of the event, Kamui the Official Chalk and Tip and Ultimate Team Gear provide all partypoker Mosconi Cup apparel.

Follow the partypoker Mosconi Cup on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. For all the latest event news please visit www.mosconicup.com.

WORLD POOL MASTERS | TICKET PRE-SALE

Get Your Tickets Now!

Tickets for the 2020 World Pool Masters, to be staged at the new Europa Sports Complex in Gibraltar from March 26-29, are available now to Matchroom Pool Club members by using this link.

Tickets are priced from just £7 per session with day and season ticket discounts available allowing fans to see every match of the World Pool Masters from just £39.99.

For the first time, the World Pool Masters introduces a Premium Seating option priced from £35 per session which includes floor table seating and unlimited beer, wine, soft drinks during session times.

The World Pool Masters features 24 of the best players from around the world battling it out for their share of the $100,000 prize fund.

David Alcaide won his second Masters title in 2019 and will be looking to defend his crown against a superstar field including the likes of US Open champion Joshua Filler, two-time Masters winner Shane van Boening and World 9-Ball Champion Fedor Gorst.

2020 China Open – Statement From WST and WPBSA

Following extensive consultation between WST, the WPBSA and our many partners in China, we have taken the difficult decision to postpone the 2020 China Open.

This flagship China event had been scheduled for March 30 to April 5 in Beijing, however considering the current health and travel situation in China our highest priority has to be the welfare of our players, staff and the many fans who travel around China and beyond.

Discussions with our partners in terms of staging this event at a later date are ongoing. In the meantime, our thoughts are with all of our many friends across China and in particular those affected by the coronavirus.

Reanne Evans And Nutcharut Wongharuthai Among Shoot Out Wild Cards

Leading female players Reanne Evans and Nutcharut Wongharuthai are among the eight wild cards to be awarded places at the BetVictor Shoot Out to take place in Watford later this month.

The tournament has a unique format with all matches lasting a maximum of ten minutes within a single frame, with a shot clock of 15 seconds for the first five minutes and ten seconds for the last five.

The world ranking event runs from February 20 to 23 at the Watford Colosseum, with every match televised live on Eurosport.

In all there are 128 players in the field, including 118 professionals, eight wild cards and two from the Q School ranking list.

Evans won the Women’s World Championship for the 12th time last year and is top of the women’s world rankings. The 34-year-old played in the Shoot Out last year as well as the recent Champion of Champions where she ran Shaun Murphy close, losing 4-3.

Wongharuthai, age 20 from Thailand, was runner-up to Evans in last year’s world final and is currently ranked third. She also won the Australian Open last year and is the only female player to make a 147 in a practice match. The Shoot Out will be her first live televised match in the UK.

The other six wild cards selections, based in performance in the World Snooker Federation Open and the Challenge Tour, are:

Ashley Hugill. Age 25 from York. Won the recent World Snooker Federation Open.

Iulian Boiko. Age 14 from Ukraine. Runner-up at the recent World Snooker Federation Open.

Dean Young. Age 18 from Edinburgh. Won a Challenge Tour event this season and a former Scottish Under-21 Champion.

Sean Maddocks. Age 17 from Liverpool. Made a competitive 147 at the age of 15.

Aaron Hill. Age 17 from Cork. European Under-18 Champion in 2019 and a World Snooker Federation Open semi-finalist.

Robbie McGuigan. Age 15 from Antrim. Made his first 147 in practice aged just 13.

Leading pro players in the field will include five-time World Champion Ronnie O’Sullivan, who last played in the event in 2015, Mark Selby, Mark Williams, Shaun Murphy, Mark Allen, Stuart Bingham, Jimmy White and Thailand’s Thepchaiya Un-Nooh who won the title last year.

The random draw will be made soon and announced on wst.tv

Tickets and VIP packages for the tournament are still available, for details call 01923 571102 or visitwst.tv/tickets

The tournament is the third of four events in the BetVictor European Series, with the leading money winner across the series to earn a bonus of £150,000. Current top two Neil Robertson and Judd Trump have not entered the BetVictor Shoot Out, giving several others a chance to gain ground if they can win the £50,000 top prize and put themselves into contention going in the last event, the BetVictor Gibraltar Open in March.

WST And WPBSA Support China With Donation

WST and WPBSA have come together to raise money to support those affected by the coronavirus in China, with a donation of £1,000 for every century break made at this week’s ManBetX Welsh Open.

WST (World Snooker Tour) along with the sport’s governing body the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association will send a minimum donation of £50,000 to organisations in China providing medical support to victims of the virus.

Last year there were 81 centuries made at the ManBetX Welsh Open so an equivalent number this time would trigger a donation of £81,000. The tournament in Cardiff features 129 players and runs from Monday to Sunday.

WST Chairman Barry Hearn and WPBSA Chairman Jason Ferguson said: "Our hearts go out to everyone in China affected by the coronavirus, particularly the many friends, colleagues and partners we have there. Through many years of staging tournaments in China we have grown to love the country and forged many successful relationships.

“The current situation is very tough for all of those affected and we must do all we can to support the Chinese people. The message from throughout the snooker community is that we encourage those affected to continue to show courage at this difficult time."

Chinese players Ding Junhui and Liang Wenbo have already made donations.

MATCHROOM POOL RENAMES WORLD POOL CHAMPIONSHIP AND US OPEN POOL CHAMPIONSHIP

Matchroom Pool has today renamed two of its major events with the World 9-Ball Championship to be known as the World Pool Championship and the US Open 9-Ball Championship to now be named the US Open Pool Championship.

The move brings both events in line with other events under Matchroom Pool’s promotional portfolio; the World Pool Masters and the World Cup of Pool.

Matchroom Pool recently acquired the rights in perpetuity to host the World Pool Championship from 2020, with the event set for October 14-18 at a venue to be announced. The 44th annual US Open Pool Championship will be the second under Matchroom Pool stewardship and takes place at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Convention Center this April 13-18.

Emily Frazer, COO of Matchroom Pool, said: “As we push professional pool on a global scale, it is important that we are consistent as well as recognisable universally among all big sports. Cue sports are played throughout the world with many specific pool games, however 9-ball pool is the game which appeals to all viewers and lovers of the sport; it is competitive at the highest level as well as enjoyable for the casual spectator. With a growing portfolio of events and the global television coverage Matchroom Pool offers, it is important we simplify the game and encourage mass participation at all levels throughout the World and for all ages.

“This move originated from our vision and sole aim of the future growth of pool and in turn cue sports and we are excited to watch it evolve!”

Full details of the 2020 World Pool Championship, including venue, prize money, format and qualification details will be announced over the coming weeks. Follow the World Pool Championship on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. For the latest event news please visit http://www.worldpoolchampionship.com.

MATCHROOM POOL AND BCA LAUNCH US OPEN JUNIOR POOL CHAMPIONSHIP

New event will take place alongside US Open Pool Championship in Las Vegas

Matchroom Pool and the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) are proud to launch the US Open Junior Pool Championship, which will take place alongside the 2020 US Open Pool Championship at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Convention Center, Las Vegas this April 16-18.

Featuring 16 players invited by the BCA, the format of the new US Open Junior Pool Championship will feature ‘pool play’ followed by a single elimination tournament of the top eight finishers. The tournament will be conducted and refereed by the BCA with the winning player set to receive free entry to the 2021 US Open Pool Championship. The runner-up and third-placed player will receive half-price entry to the 2021 US Open and the top three will receive free entry to the 2020 BEF Junior National 9-Ball Championships.

Players invited to participate will include those who represented USA at the 2019 WPA World Junior 9-Ball Championships, the 2019 Atlantic Challenge Cup, as well as top finishers from the 2019 BEF Junior Nationals. All junior players invited will be eligible to compete in WPA Junior events for 2020..

The US Open Junior Pool Championship will be staged in a smaller-scale arena at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino Convention Center and will receive TV coverage as part of Matchroom Pool’s global broadcast of the US Open Pool Championship. Spectators attending the single elimination stage of the US Open Pool Championship will be able to watch the Open Junior Championship, with matches to take place when there is no play in the US Open Pool Championship.

Emily Frazer, COO of Matchroom Pool, said: “This is the start of an exciting and growing relationship between Matchroom Pool, the BCA and the Behrman family as together with Rob Johnson and his team we share the enthusiasm and passion for the growth of professional pool in the United States and globally; who better to kickstart our vision with than the younger generation?

“Launching the US Open Junior Pool Championship is not only an extra tournament on the calendar, but it also grants Junior players the stepping stone they need to earn and win a place in a major event; the US Open Pool Championship. TV exposure as well as experience playing amongst the best players in the world under the best conditions; a dream come true opportunity that both the juniors and sport needs.

“This sparks fire, determination and inspiration throughout the younger generation – knowing they are pursuing a career not only in a sport they love but one that will provide a great future living opportunity in.”

“We are thrilled to partner with Matchroom Pool on the US Open Junior Pool Championship,” said Billiard Congress of America Chief Executive Officer Rob Johnson. “Emily Frazer and her team at Matchroom Pool are, once again, showing their tremendous dedication to the promotion of the game and to growing the next generation of players. In partnership with the Billiard Education Foundation, the BCA looks forward to providing an outstanding opportunity for our country’s top junior players to finetune and showcase their talents alongside the world’s premier players competing in the US Open Pool Championship.”

Tickets for the 2020 US Open Pool Championship are available now at www.matchroompool.com. Follow the US Open Pool Championship on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

The 2020 US Open Pool Championship will be partnered by Diamond, who supply the Official Tables; the cloth is supplied by Iwan Simonis and the Official Balls are Aramith by Saluc. Predator is the Official Cue of the event and Kamui are the Official Chalk and Tip. The US Open Pool Championship is sanctioned by the WPA.

Gibraltar Snooker Event Limited To 100 Fans

This week’s BetVictor Gibraltar Open world ranking event will have a limit of 100 fans in the arena, as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus.

There has been only one confirmed case of coronavirus in Gibraltar so far, a patient who has now received the all-clear. There are currently no restrictions on travel to and from the UK. The Gibraltar Government has placed a limit of 100 people on public events.

Fans who have come from or recently visited an at-risk country (following government advice) have a legal duty to report to authorities on arrival.

The tournament at the Europa Sports Complex starts on Wednesday and Thursday with the amateur rounds, with the professional stages to run from Friday to Sunday.

Judd Trump, Neil Robertson John Higgins, Mark Selby, Mark Williams and defending champion Stuart Bingham are among the top stars in the line-up. The event has a top prize of £50,000, while Trump and Robertson will be battling for the £150,000 bonus which goes to the player who earns the most money across the BetVictor European Series.

WST Chairman Barry Hearn said: “Every sport and every business is closely monitoring the effects of the spread of coronavirus, and listening to government advice. Of course the health of our players, staff and fans is paramount and we will take every sensible precaution.

“I have had discussions with the Minister of Sport in Gibraltar. We have no doubt that this week’s event should go ahead, with a limit of 100 fans. It is a fantastic event for the television audience around the world, while the players always enjoy the trip to Gibraltar and there is very significant prize money on offer.

“In the coming weeks we will continue to observe the situation in regard to all of our events, listen to government advice and make appropriate decisions taking all factors into account.”

The same limit of 100 fans will apply to the World Pool Masters event to run at the same venue from March 26-29.

New Spot on Calendar Not the Only Change at Diamond Las Vegas Open

Ozzy Reynolds and the staff at CueSports International didn’t exactly have an abundance of time when planning this year’s Diamond Las Vegas Open. With CSI moving the CueSports International Expo from late July in 2019 to mid-March this year, the planning and scheduling began almost immediately after last year’s edition completed.

The good news, according to Reynolds, is that there wasn’t much that needed to be changed for this year’s version of the four-day tournament that is scheduled to get under way today at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. “The good news is that we did a lot right last year,” said Reynolds. “The Schedule was right on target. It was just a matter of fine tuning.”

Live coverage begins at 10 a.m. local time with Darren Appleton taking on defending World 10-Ball champion Ko Ping-Chung. Immediately following this contest, reigning Mosconi Cup Most Valuable Player Skyler Woodward will face former World 9-Ball champion Carlo Biado, with the match tentatively scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. The afternoon sessions will kick off with Billiards Congress of America Hall of Famer Francisco Bustamante matching up against five-time US Open 9-Ball champion Shane Van Boening. Competition will continue with 2016 World 9-Ball champion Albin Ouschan of Austria meeting the reigning champion, Russia’s Fedor Gorst.

Other notable Wednesday matches include former World 10-Ball champion Ko Pin-Yi playing Poland’s Mieszko Fortunski, who finished second at last year’s Diamond Las Vegas Open. Later in the day, former Aramith Masters champion Eklent Kaci of Albania faces Masato Yoshioka of Japan, a final eight finisher in last year’s World 10-Ball Championship.

The biggest change which players and fans alike will notice in this year’s version of the Diamond Las Vegas Open is the switch to 10-ball from 9-ball, a move that was made in order to better align the double-elimination tournament with next week’s World 10-Ball Championship as well as eliminate some of the rules and formatting issues that come with 9-ball. “Nine-ball is somewhat problematic on the pro level,” said Reynolds “The change also stays consistent with the Predator World 10-Ball Championship and the other things that we plan to build in the future.”

This consistency also allows tournament organizers to use the event as the final qualifier for next week’s 10-ball championship. Initially, the top two finishers in the Diamond Las Vegas Open who weren’t already entered in the championship were guaranteed bids into the event. However, with a handful of regional qualifiers unable to be held worldwide for a variety of reasons – most notably, restrictions in different countries due to the coronavirus precautions – Reynolds said that at least three at-large spots will be up for grabs this week at the Rio.

Those vying for the remaining entries as well as a $17,000 top prize will be facing a bracket that features some of professional pool’s best, with 39 of the top 50 players in the World Pool and Billiard Association’s rankings matching up in Las Vegas this week. The only two players ranked in the top 20 not competing in this 128-player, double-elimination event are China’s Jiaqing Wu and Haitao Liu, both of whom were prohibited to travel due to coronavirus monitoring.

One player who will be back at the table this week is returning champion Niels Feijen. The former World 9-ball champion used a pair of break and runs coupled with some unforced errors by opponent Fortunski to claw back from a 7-5 deficit and win, 9-8, in the inaugural event last year. The Dutchman, who opens play against Mickey Krause at 7 p.m. local time, posted an undefeated record in last year’s 9-ball formatted, 106-player tournament.

Another change made to this year’s event was the addition of a 30-second shot clock on the main arena table. “We felt like that was necessary to pick up the pace of play and not bore the fans,” Reynolds said.

The Diamond Las Vegas Open is a presentation of CueSports International and Predator and title-sponsored by Diamond Billiard Products, an industry leader in pocket billiard table manufacturing. Co-sponsors are Omega Billiards and Kamui. The event is being hosted by the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino and will be broadcast live on YouTube by CSI Media, a division of CueSports International. For more information, visit www.world10ball.com.

CueSports International (CSI) is an international billiards organization which produces amateur and professional events around the world. CSI, which also operates amateur pool leagues, has three divisions: CSI Leagues, CSI Events and CSI Media. CSI Leagues manages the BCA Pool League and USA Pool League, CSI Events produces numerous amateur and professional events and CSI Media division creates live video billiards content. For more information about CSI, visit www.playcsipool.com or find CueSports International on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter.

Keith Paradise
CSI Media Staff Writer

WORLD POOL MASTERS POSTPONED

The World Pool Masters, scheduled to take place in Gibraltar from March 26-29, has been postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. New dates will be announced in due course.

Matchroom Pool and HM Government of Gibraltar has taken this decision with the health and safety of our players, spectators and staff as the paramount concern.

The 2020 US Open Pool Championship, to take place at Mandalay Bay Resort, Las Vegas from April 13-18, will go ahead as planned. Matchroom Pool will continue to monitor the situation. Players who will be travelling from countries with travel restrictions preventing their entry to the United States will be contacted by Matchroom Pool.



All other players are advised to keep themselves up to date with the latest US Government statements.

Tickets already purchased for the World Pool Masters will remain valid for the equivalent session of the re-arranged event, or refunds will be available from the point of purchase.

The thoughts of everybody at Matchroom Pool are with everybody around the world who is affected by the coronavirus.

CSI Statement about COVID-19

March 12, 2020

With the news being dominated by COVID-19, many people have asked if the current situation will impact the CueSports International Expo currently underway in Las Vegas which includes the BCA Pool League World Championships, USA Pool League National Championships, Diamond Las Vegas Open & Predator World 10-Ball Championship.

The event began as scheduled on Wednesday, March 11, our members are enjoying the competition and there are no plans to cancel anything. CSI and the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino have no reason to believe anyone at the venue is at risk and the only U.S. travel restrictions currently in place are those from China, Iran, South Korea and Europe.

The safety and well-being of our customers and staff are our priority and we have been coordinating closely with the Rio and Caesars Entertainment. Although the threat in the U.S. remains extremely low, out of an abundance of caution, the following precautionary measures have been taking place since the start of the event to help prevent the spread of any illnesses.

PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES
• Hand sanitizing stations have been placed throughout the Rio Conference Center.
• Hard surfaces are being cleaned with antibacterial/antiviral sprays at end of each conference day.
• Pool tables are being cleaned frequently.
• The concession stands and registration desks are being cleaned with antibacterial/antiviral sprays every hour.
• Serving utensils such as ladles, tongs, and spatulas are being changed frequently.
• Public and employee restrooms are being continuously inspected for cleanliness, that all soap dispensers are full and working properly and that all faucets have hot and cold water.
• Portable hand-washing and sanitizer stations have been placed at all bars.
• Unwrapped utensils are no longer being used and have been replaced with wrapped cutlery kits.
• Condiment pumps have been replaced with individual condiment packets (i.e. ketchup, mustard, etc.).
• Coffee creamer canisters have been replaced with individual coffee creamer cups.
• Fruits in which the edible parts must be handled, such as apples, have been removed from the whole fruit selection.
• All attendees are encouraged to practice good hygiene, frequent hand-washing and liberal use of hand sanitizer.
• Participants are encouraged to not be offended if an opponent prefers to not shake hands. It should not be viewed as poor sportsmanship given the current concerns.
• All employees are being reminded during pre-shift meetings about the requirement to wash their hands frequently and for a minimum of 20 seconds under hot water.
• Employees who feel ill are required to stay home until they are free of illness.
• We are closely monitoring the guidance of the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to ensure we do our part to keep everyone safe.

We understand that many are concerned about COVID-19 and we encourage everyone do what they believe is best for them. However, the CueSports International Expo will continue as planned and we are confident that you will have a safe and enjoyable event. We look forward to seeing you in beautiful Las Vegas for The Greatest Pool Experience in the World.

Sincerely,

CueSports International

Re: Las Vegas Tournaments - Coronavirus / COVID-19

The World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) wish to convey the earlier confirmation from CSI, the Organisers of the Predator World 10-Ball Championship, that the event will proceed as scheduled, 15-20 March, 2020 at the Rio Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas.

We can also confirm that our own event, the WPA Players Championship will proceed as scheduled, 7-11 April, 2020 at Griff’s Bar & Billiards, Las Vegas.

Matchroom, organisers of the US Open have also confirmed their event will proceed on the scheduled dates, 13-18 April, 2020 at Mandalay Bay Hotel, Las Vegas.

Every effort is being undertaken to ensure as best it can, to look after the safety and well-being for all participants and members of the public attending these events in these extraordinary times.

MEDIA STATEMENT

15 March 2020

Due to circumstances far beyond our control, the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) has taken the decision to cancel its upcoming WPA Players Championship until further notice. This event was scheduled for 7-11 April 2020 in Las Vegas. While this is disappointing news for all concerned, we thank everyone for their understanding and appreciate all the support we have received. All players who were entered into this event will be contacted directly.

NEW SHOW DATES: JUNE 11-14, 2020

By now many of you may have heard about the recent news, as it was posted on our social media and our website recently.

The message we posted reads as follows:

"Players, Exhibitors, TAP members, Friends, and family of the Super Billiards Expo,

We appreciate your patience while we have been monitoring the situation and determining the best course of action.

Keeping the health and safety of our Super Billiards Family is of paramount concern in these uncertain times. While we could wait two weeks and assess the current climate like many others are doing, the nature of our event requires a large amount of preparation and travel from Exhibitors, players, and fans alike. Waiting two weeks will leave us a mere two weeks from show time, which would be too late for many to make the necessary arrangements - so, we have elected to be proactive and make the call now.

Although certainly a difficult decision to make, we feel it is in everyone's best interest. As our nation rallies together to prevent the spread of this virus, we're proud to do our part. Keeping people home and safely away from others who may unknowingly be infected is the safe shot. Our nation's medical community needs to be able to keep its resources available to help those who do not have that luxury.

None of us knows what the future may hold - but at least now we all know that the next Super Billiards Expo will be June 11-14, 2020!

We are confident that the Covid-19 situation will be under better control by then, ensuring the safety of our guests traveling in from around the world.

We look forward to having you join us on these new dates - entries will be carried over, unless we hear otherwise from you. If you are a player in our Players Championship Series of events and need to withdraw, for any reason, we'll gladly issue you a refund, as always.

If you are a vendor and cannot make these dates, please contact us and we will discuss options.

Competitors in the TAP League Rally in the Valley will be notified by their TAP Representatives and updated directly there as well; any questions you may have will be handled by TAP Event Staff and Corporate Office.

Stay tuned to our website and our facebook page for future updates.

We appreciate your patience and hope you all stay safe in the coming days.

Stay healthy - we'll see you in June!

Allen Hopkins
Allen Hopkins Productions"

As you can imagine, this was not an easy decision - but we feel it was the proper one. We were fortunate that The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center had dates open for us that also coincided with Diamond being able to deliver and set-up all the tables we need as well as the TAP League being able to host their popular Rally in the Valley event that weekend as well! A lot of variables had to be aligned, and we are lucky that it was feasible.

We anticipate that the country will be in a safer state by then, and that this virus will be under control - easing people's minds regarding travel and ensuring safety for us all. Hopefully you will be able to join us on these new dates. Essentially everything will stay the same - just new dates.

As you know, this pandemic is effecting each and every one of us. Montgomery County, where the Expo center is located, has been essentially shut down for two weeks by order of their Governor - so you may experience some difficulty reaching hotels to make arrangements. Please be patient. We have been in touch with our contacts at the Tourism Board and the township and they have assured us that they'll be helping to make sure the hotels are cooperative as well.

Thanks, and best of luck to you!

Allen


Please be patient - we are being inundated with phone calls and emails at this time... we will get back to you as soon as possible.
We will keep you up-to-date with any important news as soon as we have it.

Best wishes and stay healthy,
Allen Hopkins

US OPEN POOL CHAMPIONSHIP POSTPONED

The 2020 US Open Pool Championship and US Open Junior Pool Championship have been postponed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. New dates will be announced in due course.

Matchroom Pool, together with MGM Resorts, has taken this decision with the health and safety of players, spectators and staff as the paramount concern and following the extension of the United States ban on arrivals from European countries to now include the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Tickets and player entries already purchased for the US Open Pool Championship will remain valid for the equivalent session(s) of the re-arranged event, or refunds are available from the point of purchase.

The thoughts of everybody at Matchroom Pool and MGM Resorts are with everybody around the world who is affected by the coronavirus.

No Access For Fans At Coral Tour Championship

Following today's advice from the UK Government, there will be no access for fans at this week's Coral Tour Championship.

At 5pm today the government advised the public to avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other such social venues. We have reacted to this advice with the decision to close the doors at Venue Cymru in Llandudno to all fans.

We realise this will be disappointing to fans but we must act according to the latest government advice.

Snooker: Coral Tour Championship Postponed

WST and ITV Sport have taken the decision to postpone this week’s Coral Tour Championship in Llandudno as a precaution against the spread of coronavirus.

The event was due to run from Tuesday to Sunday this week, televised by ITV4.

Following Monday’s announcement from the UK government that public are advised to avoid pubs, clubs, theatres and other such social venues, we have liaised with ITV Sport and come to the decision to postpone the event, with new provisional dates of July 21st to 26th this year at the same venue.

We appreciate this is very short notice and a disappointment for the fans and the television audience, however the assessment could only be made at short notice after yesterday’s announcement from the government which came at 5pm.

The box office at Venue Cymru in Llandudno will contact ticket holders . Those tickets will be transferred automatically to the rescheduled dates. Fans who are unable to attend in July can contact the box office after April 1st for a refund.

Announcements on future events including the World Championship will be made in due course, with all scenarios to be considered depending on further government advice.

2021 WORLD GAMES- Birmingham USA

As a result of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics being postponed to 2021, the World Games which were scheduled for July 2021 have been postponed until July 7-17, 2022. This deferment was necessary as the dates chosen by the IOC for 2021 would have overlapped with the scheduled dates for the World Games. The move to 2022 was decided unanimously by the IWGA. The Games will proceed as originally planned in the city of Birmingham, USA. The 2025 World Games will be staged in Chengdu, China.

Snooker 19’s Top Players To Contest Virtual Betfred World Championship

The Betfred World Championship may have been postponed, but fans can still enjoy a virtual version of the sport’s biggest tournament on the original dates thanks to WST’s official video game Snooker 19.

The Virtual Betfred World Championship will see 16 of Snooker 19’s top players, each representing one of snooker’s actual elite top 16, battling for the title between April 18 and May 4 at the simulated Crucible Theatre.

WST, Ripstone and Lab42 have teamed up to run the virtual tournament, selecting 16 players who will compete on PlayStation 4 consoles.

The winner of the event will be invited to the Crucible during the real-world tournament to be presented with the Virtual Betfred World Championship trophy. This is a once in a lifetime experience to receive a trophy in the world-famous arena, followed by the chance to watch live matches first hand. The prize package also includes a cue signed by the world’s top pros and a copy of the Snooker 19 Gold Edition on PlayStation 4.

All matches will be broadcast on WST’s YouTube and Facebook channels and tournament participants will be seeded according to the current world rankings, with the draw as follows:

Judd Trump (1) v Yan Bingtao (16)
Kyren Wilson (8) v Shaun Murphy (9)
Mark Allen (5) v Jack Lisowski (12)
John Higgins (4) v Stuart Bingham (13)
Mark Williams (3) v Stephen Maguire (14)
Ronnie O’Sullivan (6) v David Gilbert (11)
Mark Selby (7) v Ding Junhui (10)
Neil Robertson (2) v Barry Hawkins (15)

The line-up of Snooker 19 players to represent each of the top stars will be announced shortly, along with the schedule of matches.

A spokesman for WST said: “Snooker fans around the world will be missing our sport’s biggest tournament later this month, but this could be the next best thing, especially for anyone who loves video games.

“It’s a chance to get behind your favourite player, follow the action every day and marvel at the skills of the best exponents of Snooker 19.”

Snooker19, developed by Lab42, was released last year as the first official WST video game in a generation and received widespread acclaim, as the most true-to-life snooker game ever made.

Hollie Pattison from Ripstone, the publisher of Snooker 19 added: “We are really looking forward to hosting the Virtual Betfred World Championship in Snooker 19 and we hope to bring some joy to everybody watching from home at this difficult time. This is a world first and we expect the standard of play from the 16 participants to be incredibly impressive, so we should have some great matches to look forward to.”

WORLD CUP OF POOL POSTPONED

The World Cup of Pool, set to take place in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia this June 23-28, has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Rescheduled dates for the World Cup of Pool will be announced in due course.

Matchroom Pool, together with MoS (Ministry of Sports) and CBX, the official promoter of the event in Saudi Arabia, have taken this decision with the health and safety of players, spectators and staff as the paramount concern.

The thoughts of everybody at Matchroom Pool, MoS and CBX are with those around the world who are affected by the coronavirus pandemic.