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Topic: *Industry News* - January 2010

INDUSTRY NEWS - January 2010

Pro9 receives more news than we can fit on our front page, and not all news can take pride of place with our "featured article" status, and frankly some news is less relevant to the European market, so for a trial period, we will be presenting it here!

Posting in this section will be locked except for admins - if you wish to discuss the news items posted here then please start a new forum thread in an appropriate section

WORLD TEAMS CHAMPIONSHIP 2010

From the 30th January to the 7th February the inaugural WTC event will take place in Hanover, Germany. With prize money of $400,000 on offer, it assures the very best players from all around the world will be competing. This event is supported and sanctioned by the WPA.

It promises to be very exciting, and could well be the most interesting event ever with its unique format. All countries have to opportunity to nominate a four, five or six person team, and all matches will include the disciplines of 8-Ball, 9-Ball & 10-Ball. Each match will feature singles and doubles play, therefore the strategy of how a country selects its team is critical. They need to select specialists in each discipline, and the players can be all male, all female, or a combination of both.

I encourage everyone to go and see these great players in action, nothing is better to feel the tension and electric atmosphere than by seeing it live. For those who cannot attend, it will be live-streamed over the internet. For all details, see www.wtc-2010.com

BCA Releases 2010 Ranking Calendar
-Jerry Forsyth-

The Billiard Congress of America, via the WPA/BCA committee, has today released the list of events that are going to be used in calendar year 2010 as Points Ranking events.

These events are listed with their dates and contact information:

1) The US Open 10-Ball Championship. May 17-22. Mark Griffin. 702-719.7665
2) Turning Stone Summer. August 19-22. Mike Zuglan. 518-356-7163
3) The US Open 9-Ball Championship. October 17-23. Barry Behrman 757-499-8900
4) The Seminole Tour Finale. Date in December TBD. Erica Bachelor. 954-985-5701
5) The Reno Open. Nov. 29-Dec. 6. Tony Annigoni. 831-277-0216
6) The Reno Invitational. Nov. 29-Dec. 6. Tony Annigoni. 831-277-0216

There may be at least two additions to the calendar as the year progresses. Turning Stone may schedule another December event, or may go back to their normal mid-winter dates. We will keep you posted. And Corey Deuel may have another event of which the format and rules are under discussion. Again, we will give plenty of notice on these events should they occur.

The BCA Ranking Events award points to the players according to their finishing position. It is these points that are used by the BCA to invite players to compete in international competitions such as the World 8-Ball, World 9-Ball and World Ten Ball Championships. These same rankings are used by independent promoters such as Matchroom Sport as a factor in determining the make-up of their playing fields.

GREAT BRITISH POOL ASSOCIATION

Dear pool players and fans,

The GBPA are pleased to announce that Iwan Simonis will be the Main cloth sponsor of the GBPA for the next 3 years. Simonis cloth has been a big part of the pool world for a long time already and we welcome the opportunity to work together in the promotion of our sport in Great Britain. The top players worldwide prefer Simonis cloth and that’s why we feel the importance of being part of such a great company will benefit the players from Great Britain.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank Iwan Simonis cloth for the support they offer to the GBPA and look forward to a great partnership.

Full details available through our website which is under construction and will be up and running within the next week

www.gbpa.org.uk

GBPA President
David Morris

Sayginer Captains World Team and Stuns Korea



Seoul,Korea- Turkey's Semih Sayginer led the underdog World Team to a thrilling 3cushion victory over Team Korea in a 5-4 finale. This Dragon Promotion event took place at Times Sqaure in Seoul. The events will air on XTM and CJ Media Channels and are sponsored by www.Whois.co.kr, Takini Cloth, Min Tables, Predator Cues, Poison Cues, and Times Square Seoul.

Each team had 4 players consisting of 3 men and 1 woman. Team Korea was captained by recent King Of Carom Champion Jae Geun Kim and supported by Myoung Woo Cho, Shin Young Park, and woman's champ Yu Ram Cha. Team World captained by Semih Sayginer (TUR), Florian Kohler (nothing), Nobuyasu Sakai(JPN), and Amy Chen (USA).

From the very beginning both teams were fighting hard as Kim/Cha barely squeaked by Sayginer/Chen. Despite this being Chen's very first time playing 3cushion with a crash course training by Sayginer, they did exceptionally well. Korea won the match 10-9.



Next Cho/Park were heavy favorites against Kohler/Sakai due to Kohler's weak performance in the King of Carom and the language barrier between him and Sakai. But somehow the Frenchman and the Japanese pro made it work and won another nailbiter 10-9.

Next was the 4-on-4 and again another hill hill killer match with World Team meshed together well through the expert coaching of Sayginer to win 10-9. Now the World Team led 2-1 over Korea. Korea needed a win to keep the pressure on and J.Kim came through with a tough 15-13 win over Sayginer to tie team score 2-2. Cho then iced the cake with a 15-11 win over Sakai. Korea takes the lead back 3-2.


Queen of Carom Yu Ram Cha shows she is not just a pool player

Cho/Cha then were stunned by Chen/Sayginer in the mixed doubles match 10-5 to tie the score 3-3 again. Cha then gave Chen a near impossible mountain to climb as Chen lost 7-1 to the Queen of Carom Champion. Korea on the hill 4-3. World Team came back to win the 4-on-4 to push it to the final match!


Korea is home to millions of billiard fans as they line up for hours to meet the billiard stars

A re-match with J.Kim and Sayginer for the whole title! Both players were playing super hard and focused and you could see in their faces neither wanted to lose for their team or country. Points went back and forth till the very end....but it was Captain Sayginer who stood tall at the end and held his team together for a thrilling 11-9 win over Kim and a 5-4 victory over Korea!

Tabb To Take Charge At Wembley

Michaela Tabb, snooker's top female referee, will take charge of the Masters final at Wembley Arena on Sunday, January 17.

Last May, the 42-year-old from Dunfermline became the first woman to referee the Betfred.com World Snooker Championship final, and she has now been handed the job of donning the white gloves for the conclusion of snooker's top invitation event.

"I'd delighted, it's a fantastic honour," said Tabb, who officiated the Masters final between Mark Selby and Stephen Lee in 2008. "It's a different kind of crowd at Wembley, a bit more noisy and they can get rowdy. But I've got the experience now to handle it.

"The big occasion brings the best out of me. I loved every minute of the final at the Crucible so I'm so pleased to be refereeing another of snooker's biggest matches."

Tabb, one of the best known female officials in sport, recently returned from Las Vegas, where she refereed the Mosconi Cup pool clash between Europe and USA.

Ronnie O'Sullivan will be defending his Masters title against the likes of John Higgins, Stephen Hendry and Jimmy White in the tournament, which runs from January 10-17. For tickets call 0844 815 0815 or visit www.worldsnooker.com/masters

BATA, DJANGO SPEARHEAD ASIA VERSUS EUROPE IN BRUNEI

BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

MANILA, PHILIPPINES---REIGNING World Cup champions Efren “Bata” Reyes and Francisco “Django” Bustamante will launch the Asian challenge’ campaign in billiards when the much awaited Asia versus Europe Men’s 9-Ball Team Challenge gets underway on January 15 to 17 at the Sutra Hall, Rizqun International Hotel in Brunei.

Reyes and Bustamante, both playing under the banner of sportsman/ businessman Aristeo “Putch” Puyat will be joined by host’s Teo Chee Soon and Taiwanese Ko Pin Yi and Lu Hui Chan representing Team Asia in the event organized by the Brunei Darussalam Cue Sports Association, supported by the Ministry of Culture Youth and Sports and sponsored by GHK Motors Sdn Bhd, sanctioned by Asian Pocket Billiard Union (APBU) and European Pocket Billiard Federation (EPBF).

The European team players will comprise of double world champion (WPA 9-ball and 8-ball) Ralf Souquet of Germany, 2008 World Ten Ball titlist Darren Appleton of Great Britain, Ruslan Chinahov of Russia, Nick van den Berg and Niels Feijen of the Netherlands.

“I hope to do well in this prestigious event, “said The Angeles City, Pampanga pride Reyes, acknowledge one of greatest pool player of all time, who teaming up with Bustamante, who won the last year’s World Cup of Pool in Manila.

The dynamic duo beat the pair of Souquet and Thorsten Hohmann of Germany, 11-9, in the final last year to regain the World Cup they won during the inaugural staging in 2006 at the Newport, South Wales in England.

A total of US$45,000 prize money will be up for grabs with the team champion getting US$27,000, team runner-up (US$13,000), single match winner US$5,000 and US$500 per match x 10 matches.

Soon, who partnered with Brunei Prince Hj Al-Muhtadee Billah for the men’s nine-ball doubles event at the 25th Southeast Asian Games in Laos last month, is currently ranked No. 2 in his country while the 2008 WPA Reno World Junior 9-ball champion Ko, nicknamed the Prince of Pool is currently ranked No. 1 in Asian Pocket Billiards Union ranking while compatriot Lu nicknamed "Whirlwind Kid" is currently ranked No. 15 in the world.

Souguet, on the other hand nicknamed The Kaiser and The Surgeon is currently ranked No 2 in world ranking while Feijen nicknamed The Terminator is currently ranked No 7.

van den Berg nicknamed El Nino is currently ranked No 40 and Appleton is currently ranked No 3 and Chinahov is currently ranked No 19 in the world.

Pokerstars.com To Sponsor Masters

World Snooker is delighted to announce Pokerstars.com as the new title sponsor of the 2010 Masters, which takes place at Wembley Arena, 10th-17th January.

Snooker’s most prestigious invitation tournament will be sponsored by the world’s largest online poker room, initially with a one-year deal. The event will be known as the Pokerstars.com Masters.

Barry Hearn, who took over as Chairman of World Snooker last month, said: “This is another fantastic boost for snooker and it feels as if things are really turning around for our sport. The Masters is the world’s greatest invitation event so it’s fitting to have the world’s biggest poker site as a sponsor. We’ve now got sponsors on board for three of our biggest UK tournaments and I’m sure that there are more to come. We look forward to working closely with the team at Pokerstars.com to make this tournament a great success.”

Emma Crowe from PokerStars comments: “Becoming title sponsor of the 2010 Masters is a fantastic opportunity for PokerStars as it aligns us with snooker’s most prestigious event. Exciting times are ahead for the sport of snooker under the tenure of Barry Hearn and PokerStars want to support this development. The association will continue PokerStars’ tradition of aligning itself with premier sporting events and talent, whilst also enabling snooker fans an insight into the world’s premier online poker room.”

PokerStars is the world’s largest poker room with over 25 million members worldwide. It’s the premier destination for the world’s top players with hundreds of tournaments running every day.

Ronnie O’Sullivan won the Masters last year by beating Mark Selby 10-8 in a dramatic final. The Rocket will defend his title against the likes of Stephen Hendry, John Higgins, Mark Selby, Shaun Murphy, Ding Junhui and wild card Jimmy White.

Tickets are on sale, for details call 0844 815 0815 or visit www.worldsnooker.com/masters


Pictured: Jimmy White and Mark King at the launch of the 2010 Pokerstars.com Masters.

Higgins – Titles Matter Most

Snooker ace John Higgins is determined to convert consistency into trophies as he looks ahead to next week’s Pokerstars.com Masters.

Higgins has been arguably the best player on the planet over the past nine months, reaching at least the semi-finals of the last five ranking events. But he has won only one of the those – the Betfred.com World Championship, in which he beat Shaun Murphy 18-9 in the final in May. He lost 10-8 to Peter Ebdon in the Bank of Beijing final in April, and by the same scoreline to Ding Junhui at last month’s Pukka Pies UK Championship. Higgins also lost in the semi-finals of the Roewe Shanghai Masters, the Grand Prix and the PartyCasino.com Premier League.

“I’ve been very consistent and that is really pleasing,” 34-year-old Higgins told worldsnooker.com. “Nine months ago, if someone had offered me the World title plus those other semis and finals, I’d have bitten their hand off. But it’s all about winning titles so I’m disappointed not to have won anything this season. The UK final last month was a blow because neither of us played well and I missed some easy balls towards the end. Ding deserved to win but it was hard for me to go home without the trophy. I barely picked up my cue over Christmas, but I’ve played a few matches in the Championship League this week to get some sharpness back.”

Higgins has a tough opening match in the Pokerstars.com Masters at Wembley Arena against Mark Allen, on Wednesday at 2pm. The two met in the semis at the Crucible last season, Allen coming from 14-4 down to within three frames at 15-12, before Higgins eventually won 17-13.

“He’s a frightening opponent when he gets on a roll,” said Higgins of the young Ulsterman. “It’s a hard draw, but the Masters is an elite field so there’s no such thing as an easy one.”

Wishaw’s Higgins won snooker’s top invitation event for the first time in 1999, and doubled his tally in 2006 when he made an astonishing 64 clearance in the deciding frame to beat Ronnie O’Sullivan 10-9 on the last black.

“It’s been an up and down event for me over the years,” added the Scot. “I’ve had some great moments but I’ve also lost in the first round a few times (eight). I always look forward to it though as it’s one of the biggest events on the calendar, the crowds are always very good and it’s a unique atmosphere.”

The tournament runs from January 10 to 17 and will see Higgins battle the likes of Stephen Hendry, Shaun Murphy, Mark Selby, Neil Robertson, Ding Junhui, Jimmy White and defending champion Ronnie O’Sullivan for the title. Tickets are on sale and can be bought by calling 0844 815 0815 (Disabled Booking Line: 020 8782 5629) or visiting www.worldsnooker.com/masters

Celebs Line Up To Watch Jimmy

Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood and king of the jungle Gino D'Acampo will be among the celebrity stars at Wembley Arena tomorrow night (Sunday) as Jimmy White enters the fray in the Pokerstars.com Masters.

Guitarist Wood has been a friend of Whirlwind White for over 20 years and is a dedicated snooker fan, even taking a full size table on tour with the Stones so he can practise in between gigs.

Italian chef D'Acampo gained fame in recent TV show ‘I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here', winning the public vote, with White finishing third. "Gino and I have become good friends since we met in the jungle," said crowd favourite White, who won the Masters back in 1984. "He loves snooker and he's looking forward to coming to see me at Wembley."

Colin McAllister and Justin Ryan, interior designers on the show ‘Home Heist’, will also be at the match, while all of the other jungle celebrities have been invited, including glamour model Katie Price.

Last month's Pukka Pies UK Championship was attended by artist Damien Hirst and Kasabian's Serge Pizzorno. A World Snooker spokesman said: "It's great to have big-name celebrities turning up to our tournaments, it helps us raise publicity for the sport and appeal to a wider audience."

White's match against Mark King takes place on Sunday evening and ticket are still on sale, for details call 0844 815 0815 (Disabled Booking Line: 020 8782 5629) or visit www.worldsnooker.com/masters

Promoters Adapt to Severe Weather Challenges
By Cristina De La Garza

Lloret enjoyed warm swimming weather just one week ago but now finds itself victim of a major winter storm covering all of Europe. The Predator World Tour first felt the effects of the storm 2 days ago when many of the UK players were sent home from the airport due to flight cancellations after waiting in terminals for most of the day. Airport closing and flight cancellations are being felt throughout Europe, primarily in the UK, Germany and France.

After play was suspended early on day 1 due to severe weather obstructing playing conditions, tournament directors and players hoped for better weather for day 2. Their wishes were not met and an overnight storm with high winds caused structural damage to many buildings in Lloret including the tournament location. The original tournament arena was unfit for play as several tables were ruined by the collapse and tournament promoters were forced to make tough decisions.

After a long deliberation and brainstorming of alternate options, promoters offered the players a commendable solution. Tables are being moved to the ballroom of the Guitart Grand Hotel Monterrey which is the host hotel for many of the players this week in Lloret and play will resume this afternoon. Due to time constraints of delayed matches, this tournament will only play down to the final 16 players. At the next Predator World Tour event, they will play out the rest of the tournament as well as the next tournament with a 64 player field. Travel costs including airfare and hotel for the next Predator World Tour event will be covered by the promoters for the final 16 players. The tournament format including the length of races and payout structure will remain the same and those finishing 17th-32nd will be paid as scheduled. As originally promised, the finals of this event will still be broadcasted on ESPN Star and EuroSport but will be filmed with the next event that is tentatively scheduled for Brazil in the Summer of 2010.

All parties involved seemed excited about the new venue and the promoters’ willingness to make the tournament worthwhile for the players. This event drew a record setting field of American players as it was the first time in 10 years that a European tournament fielded more than 10 American players. Johnny Archer has not attended a tournament here since the 1999 World Championships in Cardiff but was very happy with the offered solution. “Promoters could have taken the easy road out and cancelled the tournament promising to make things up to the players. But I think they will get more credit from the players than they could ever imagine by choosing to continue the tournament given the severe conditions. I think everyone should support what they are doing and help them in whatever they need.”

Predator CEO, Karim Belhaj expressed his gratitude during the emergency players meeting on the morning of day 2 “The attitude of the players has been very helpful. We appreciate your support, flexibility and commitment to the tour’s success.”

For more tournament news and live scoring please visit www.Predator10Ball.com. The Predator World Tour recognizes the following sponsors: Atlas Billiard Supplier, Bilhares Carrinho, Billard Master, Guitart Hotels, Kozoom Multimedia, Poison Cues, QK-S, Simonis Cloth, Tiger Products and Uni-loc.

Americans Prove to be a Force in Lloret
By Cristina De La Garza

The Predator World Tour event in Lloret drew 88 players, including a record setting field of 12 Americans. Over 20 countries are represented in this race to 8, 10-ball event. The tournament is being conducted with WPA rules and 16 players are seeded according to the current tour rankings. The number 1 seed, David Alcaide took an early trip to the one-loss side in the early rounds of day 1 and will have to take the long road if he wants to defend his ranking in his home country.

American Junior player, Brendan Crockett defeated Spain’s David Simon 8-6 in the first round but was eliminated in the last round of day 2. Another notable win was American qualifier, James Davis Jr., who shut out Spanish Women’s Champion, Amalia Matas, 8-0 and will face Vincent Faquet in his next match. Stevie Moore and Neils Feijen had impressive wins on the TV table on day 2. Moore defeated Marcus Chamat 8-2 while Feijen sent Jeffery De Luna to the one-loss side in his first European tournament. In his first tournament back, Mike Sigel defeated Yukioi Akagariyama of Japan 8-6 and looks to be a favorite to advance to the redraw in the final 32.

At the conclusion of day 2, all four women have been eliminated and 10 of the 12 Americans in attendance are still going strong on the winners’ side. Exciting match ups for day 3 will include Johnny Archer against Charlie Williams, Neils Feijen against Ernesto Dominguez and Raj Hundal against Mika Immonen.

For more tournament news and live scoring please visit www.Predator10Ball.com. The Predator World Tour recognizes the following sponsors: Atlas Billiard Supplier, Bilhares Carrinho, Billard Master, Guitart Hotels, Kozoom Multimedia, Poison Cues, QK-S, Simonis Cloth, Tiger Products and Uni-loc.

Americans Lead as Sixteen Winners Advance
by Cristina De La Garza

The sixteen winners still in contention for the Predator World Tour Spain event have earned free hotel and airfare for the next Predator World Tour event which is tentatively scheduled for Sao Paolo, Brazil in the summer of 2010. Eight countries will be represented in the final stage of the tournament that began in Lloret de Mar, Spain but the Americans out number them all. Six players will make the trip from the USA to the next event to fight for the title with players from Sweden, Germany, Netherlands, Portugal, Afghanistan, Mexico, Spain and the Philippines.

Still on the hunt for his second Predator World Tour title, David Alcaide had an impressive showing in his home country. After suffering a first round loss, Alcaide came back strong with several wins to secure his spot in the final sixteen. World Champion, Mika Immonen, dominated tournaments throughout 2009 but had a disappointing finish in his first event of 2010 as he was eliminated by Mexico’s Ernesto Dominguez and settled for 17th – 32nd.

The support from players was overwhelming and everyone in attendance was flexible in meeting the unforeseen challenges that were presented. “I would like to thank the organization because I think it has been very generous of them to propose this new prize for 16 players and give us a chance to complete the tournament in Brazil. I wasn’t planning on going to that event but now I’m excited that I get to play two events there,” noted Huidji See of the Netherlands who defeated France’s Stephan Cohen in the last elimination round.

Final 16 Players (in order of bracket placement)
Corey Deuel (USA)
Marcus Chamat (Sweden)
Rodney Morris (USA)
Thorsten Hohmann (Germany)
Niels Feijen (Netherlands)
Henrique Correia (Portugal)
Aziz Hamrah (Afghanistan)
Johnny Archer (USA)
Ernesto Dominguez (Mexico)
David Alcaide (Spain)
Huidji See (Netherlands)
Oliver Ortmann (Germany)
Tony Crosby (USA)
Steve Moore (USA)
Charlie Williams (USA)
Lee Van Corteza (Philippines)

17th – 32nd
David Alcoberro (Spain)
Fernando Bohorquez (Spain)
Noel Bruynooghe (Belgium)
Carlos Cabello (Spain)
Stephan Cohen (France)
James Davis Jr. (USA)
Jeffrey De Luna (Philippines)
Francisco Diaz (Spain)
Oscar Dominguez (USA)
Vincent Faquet (France)
Corey Harper (USA)
Raul Hebles (Spain)
Mika Immonen (Finland)
Nuno Santos (Portugal)
Jayson Shaw (Scotland)
Mike Sigel (USA)

The Predator World Tour will officially announce the next event in the coming months. For more information about the Predator World Tour visit www.Predator10Ball.com.

The Predator World Tour recognizes the following sponsors: Aramith, Atlas Billiard Supplier, Bilhares Carrinho, Billiard Master, Guitart Hotels, Kozoom Multimedia, Poison Billiards, QKS Cases, Simonis Cloth, Tiger Products and Uni-Loc.

Mateusz Sniegocki is Polish Player of the Year 2009.

Now here's a cool idea that would be nice to see kick off a bit more around Europe... Mateusz Sniegocki has been awarded the title of Polish Player of the Year 2009 and sponsors Mak Marketing Company have given him a really fantastic prize - a brand spanking new Opel Corsa!

Congratulations Mateusz!

World Snooker Qualifiers Return To EISS

Steve Davis and Jimmy White will be among the star names battling for a place at the Crucible when the qualifying rounds of the Betfred.com World Snooker Championship return to the English Institute of Sport – Sheffield.

The qualifiers run from February 26 to March 9, with 16 lucky winners going through to the televised stages of the world’s greatest snooker tournament at the famous Crucible Theatre in Sheffield in April.

Former World Champions Steve Davis, John Parrott, Ken Doherty and Graeme Dott will all be in action, as well as popular stars such as Whirlwind Jimmy White, Tornado Tony Drago and Matthew Stevens, as well as up-and-coming potters like Judd Trump, Jamie Cope and Chinese sensation Liang Wenbo.

Tickets are now on sale, costing just £5 per day on February 26 and 27, £5 per session from February 28 to March 5, and £7.50 per day for the final qualifying round, which runs from March 7 to 9.

A spokesman for World Snooker said: “The qualifiers are a fantastic chance for fans to see some of the best players in snooker history as well as the stars of the future. The EISS has proved an excellent venue for the event in recent years, with superb playing conditions for the players and good crowds. We hope to see plenty of supporters turning out to watch their heroes again. The pressure on the players at this stage of the tournament is unbelievable as they all dream of getting to the Crucible. The atmosphere is sure to be tense and exciting with some exceptional snooker on offer.”

To book your tickets now, call 0114 2565656 or visit www.arenaticketshop.co.uk. For the draw and schedule of play, see www.worldsnooker.com

Qualifiers Scheduled for U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship

In preparation for the U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship scheduled May 17-22, 2010, CueSports International (CSI) would like to announce nine qualifiers for the event will take place in the U.S and Canada.

The U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship will be held at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada immediately following the World Pool Masters and in conjunction with the 34th Annual BCAPL National 8-Ball Championships. It is also a recognized BCA point event and will feature the top men and women players from the U.S. and around the world.

Participating regional tours and a select group of independent host rooms will each send one player to the $25,000 added national 10-Ball event. To play in a qualifier spot hosted by a regional tour, participants must be a member of that tour or meet the tour’s membership requirements. The following tours are involved with the U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship qualifier program: The Desert Classic Tour of Arizona, The Great Southern Billiards Tour and the Ozone Billiards Predator Tour.

The Desert Classic Tour and the Great Southern Billiards Tour will include their U.S Open 10-Ball Championship qualifier spot at one of their regularly scheduled tour stops this spring.

The Ozone Billiards Predator 9-Ball Tour will award their U.S. Open 10-Ball spot to the tour point leader at the conclusion of its 4th stop of the 2010 season. Visit their website for the tour 2010 schedule at www.predator9balltour.com or contact tour organizer Tony Robles at (917) 202-2750.

The remaining qualifier spots can be won at qualifier tournaments in the following host rooms: Butera’s in Moorpark, CA; The Wynkoop in Denver, CO; Pool Sharks in Las Vegas, NV; The Golden Fleece, Kenmore, WA; as part of the Virginia State 10-Ball Championship being held at First Break Café in Sterling, VA; and Toronto, Canada (date / location TBA).

Qualifier Dates and Locations:

February 6-7, 2010
Arizona (Desert Classic Tour Stop)
Bullshooters
3337 W. Peoria Ave
Phoenix, AZ
(602) 441-2447
$1000 Added
Open: 10 am
Start: 12 Noon
Entry: Handicapped scale
$70(A+), $50 (A), $35 (B), $25 (C)
Contact: Dennis Orender
info@desertclassictour.com
www.desertclassictour.com

February 20, 2010
*Special 1 day 16 player limited field
California
Butera’s
476 West Los Angeles Ave.
Moorpark, CA
(805) 523-3088
Entry: $75 pre-register
$100 day of if available
Open: 10 am
Start: 12 Noon
Contact: Sal Butera
www.buterasbilliards.com

March 27-28, 2010
Virginia State 10-Ball Championship
Northern Virginia
First Break Café
46970 Community Plaza #200
Sterling, VA
(703) 444-2551
$1000 Added
Entry: $65
Open: 10 am
Start: 12 Noon
Contact: Anthony Luong

April 3-4, 2010
Nevada
Pool Sharks
3650 S. Decatur
Las Vegas, Nevada
(702) 222-1011
$300 Added
Entry: $55
Open: 10 am
Start: 12 noon
Contact: John Kutcher
www.poolsharks.net

April 10-11, 2010
Washington
The Golden Fleece
7804 NE Bothell Way
Kenmore, WA
(425) 908-7332
$1000 Added (based on 64 field)
Entry: $50
Open: 9 am
Start: 11 am
Contact: Askar or Sam
www.goldenfleecebilliards.net

April 17-18, 2010
Colorado
The Wynkoop
(303) 297-2700
1634 18th Street
Denver, CO
Entry: $50
Open: 10 am
Start: 12 Noon
Contact: Melissa Little
www.wynkoop.com

*TBA: Great Southern Billiard Tour Date / Location
www.greatsouthernbilliardstour.com


*TBA: Toronto Metropolitan Area Date / Location

CSI wishes to thank all the host rooms and tours for their participation and support. The U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship is sponsored and additionally supported by Diamond Billiard Products, Aramith, Simonis, The Action Report (TAR), BreakRAK and Bad Boys Billiard Productions. For more information about the U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship please contact CSI at (702) 719-7665 or email holly@playcsipool.com.

CueSports International (CSI) is dedicated to creating more choices for all players. CSI is the parent company of the BCA Pool League, the National Championship Series (NCS), and the USA Pool League. CSI also produces independent events such as the U.S. Bar Table Championships, the Jay Swanson Memorial and the U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship. Visit www.playcsipool.com, www.playbca.com and www.playusapool.com for more information about CSI and its divisions.

WPA WORLD 9-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP FOR WHEELCHAIR PLAYERS

Public Invited to Watch

The National Wheelchair Poolplayers Association, Inc. (NWPA), in cooperation with the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) and the Billiard Congress of America, will host the WPA World 9-Ball Championship for Wheelchair Players at the Horseshoe Casino of Southern Indiana in Elizabeth, Indiana from January 31 – February 1, 2010. This premier event will be held immediately following the Professional/Amateur events of the 2010 Derby City Classic, hosted by Diamond Billiard Products of Jeffersonville, Indiana, on January 22 – 30, 2010. The tables and tournament space of this world championship event are being provided courtesy of Diamond Billiards Products.

The WPA World 9-Ball Championship for Wheelchair Players is an invitation-only event for the top wheelchair pool players from around the world. Players were invited play by their respective country’s pool federation. The NWPA selected players from compete on behalf of the United States based on national player rankings and life-time tournament achievements. Gold, Silver and Bronze medals will be awarded to the top 4 players along with cash and other prizes. All tournament play will be held on 9-foot Diamond Smart tables.

The public is invited to come watch world class 9-Ball action for the best wheelchair players in the world. The current reigning world champion, Aaron Aragon, who is America’s premier player, is expected be in attendance to defend his title. Also, competing will be the other 3 medalists from the 2008 World Championship: Charlie Hans, Silver Medal, Fred Dinsmore, Bronze Medal and Jouni Tahiti, Bronze Medalist. Both Dinsmore and Tahiti are also former world champions. In all, the tournament will have a total of 5 world champions (current and former) in the competitive field. Currently, players who have committed to compete will be representing the countries of Belgium, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, and the United States.

First round action in this tournament play will begin on January 31, 2010 at 9:00 am and play will continue through the rest of the preliminary rounds until 9:00 pm. Matches will resume on February 1st at 9:00 am with just 12 players remaining. Bronze Medal matches for the final 4 players will begin at approximately 2:30 pm that day. The two winners of these semi-final matches will advance to the world championship match, which will start at approximately 5:30 pm. The winner will take home the Gold Medal and the runner-up with receive the Silver Medal.


The Tournament Coordinator for the WPA World Wheelchair 9-Ball Championship is Jeffrey Dolezal, President of the NWPA.

This tournament is an official World Pool-Billiard Association World Championship event. The WPA is the worldwide governing body for pool and billiards and it worked in cooperation with the Billiard Congress of America and the National Wheelchair Poolplayers Association to bring this event to the United States.

This event is being supported in sponsorship by Diamond Billiards, Paralyzed Veterans of America, Viking Cue Manufacturing, Simonis Cloth, Predator Products and Poison Billiards.

WPBSA Board Announcement

The World Billiards and Snooker Association announce the resignation from its Board of Director Dr Hamish McInnes and the appointment of Brandon Parker and Pat Mooney to the Board.

Chairman Barry Hearn commented “I would like to express my gratitude to Dr Hamish McInness for his role as a Director of the WPBSA for the past four years. Hamish has been of great service to the WPBSA during his period of office and has contributed to the sport in challenging times. The appointment of Pat Mooney and Brandon Parker bring a wealth of enterprise and experience useful to the next stage of snooker’s revitalization and I welcome them both to the Board and look forward to their ongoing contributions to the expansion of our sport.”

THE DERBY CITY CLASSIC SCHEDULE

The Derby City 14.1 Challenge

The Derby City 14.1 Challenge will be held for the fifth straight year. With $10,100 added and an entry fee of only $100 which is 100% returned as prizes, it's the best money odds in town. The prelims are Sunday through Wednesday with each entrant shooting a total of 12 innings of straight pool. $600 in daily prizes are given for the top 3 daily shooters. The 8 players with the highest runs have a playoff tourney with 100-point games. Some games will be on the Accu-stats table, and a run of 100 will get a bonus of $500 if commented by the shooter. Continue to 150 and you get another $500 from Accu-stats. Greg Sullivan has offered a special $1000 bonus for the first run of 200 or more.

Buy your entry at the ticket window and come up to the Straight Pool Room on the second floor

2010 Event Schedule

Thursday, January 21st
• Late sign-ups (if fields are not full) 4 pm-10 pm
• Practice time for 9-Ball Bank players 5 pm-12 am
• Tables available for rental 12 am-7 am

Friday, January 22nd
• Tournament Room clean-up (no admittance) 7 am-9 am
• Practice time for 9-Ball Bank players 9 am-10 am
• 9-BALL BANK DRAW 10:00 am
• Players meeting 12:00 pm
• Play begins (9-Ball Bank) 1:00 pm
• 9-Ball Bank match play continues 5 pm-12 am
• Tables available for rental 12 am-7 am
• Bank Ring Game 8pm

Saturday, January 23rd
• Tournament Room clean-up (no admittance) 7 am-9 am
• Practice time for 9-Ball Bank players 9 am-10 am
• 9-Ball Bank match play resumes 10 am-5 pm
• 9-Ball Bank match play continues 5 pm-12 am
• Tables available for rental 12 am-7 am
• The One-Pocket Challenge in AZ room
• 9-Ball Bank Mini 12 am                        Sponsor – Al Metzinger

Sunday, January 24th
• Tournament Room clean-up (no admittance) 7 am-9 am
• Practice time for 9-Ball Bank & One Pocket players 9 am-10 am
• ONE-POCKET DRAW 10:00 am
• Players Meeting (One Pocket) 12:00 pm
• 9-Ball Bank match play resumes 10 am-5 pm
• Play begins (One Pocket) 1:00 pm
• One-Pocket match play continues 5 pm-12 am
• Tables available for rental 12 am-7 am
• The One-Pocket Challenge in AZ room
• Boney’s Senior One-Pocket Mini 12 am Sponsor – Poison Cues

Monday, January 25th
• Tournament Room clean-up (no admittance) 7 am-9 am
• Practice time for One Pocket players 9 am-10 am
• One-Pocket match play resumes 10 am-5 pm
• Semi-Finals (9-Ball Bank) 7:00 pm
• One-Pocket match play continues 5 pm-12 am
• Finals (9-Ball Bank) 9:00 pm
• Tables available for rental 12 am-7 am
• The One-Pocket Challenge in AZ room
• 1-Pocket Mini 12 am                Sponsor – Predator Cues

Tuesday, January 26th
• Tournament Room clean-up (no admittance) 7 am-9 am
• Practice time for One Pocket players 9 am-10 am
• One-Pocket match play resumes 11 am-5 pm
• Hall of Fame Dinner 6 pm
Steve Booth 603-496-8321
• One-Pocket match play continues 7 pm-12 am
• Tables available for rental 12 am-7 am
• Fat Boy 10-Ball Challenge 12 am
• One-Handed One-Pocket Mini 12 am                 Sponsor – American Cuemaker’s Assoc. - ACA

Wednesday, January 27th
• Tournament Room clean-up (no admittance) 7 am-9 am
• Practice time for One Pocket & 9-Ball players 9 am-10 am
• 9-BALL DRAW 10:00 am
• Players meeting 12:00 pm
• One-Pocket match play resumes 11 am-5 pm
• Play begins (9-Ball) 1:00 pm
• 9-Ball match play continues 7 pm-12 am
• Tables available for rental 12 am-7 am
• Fat Boy 10-Ball Challenge 12 am

Thursday, January 28th
• Tournament Room clean-up (no admittance) 7 am-9 am
• Practice time for 9-Ball players 9 am-10 am
• 9-Ball match play resumes 10 am-5 pm
• Semi-Finals (One-Pocket) 7:00 pm
• 9-Ball match play continues 5 pm-12 am
• Finals (One-Pocket) 9:00 pm
• Tables available for rental 12 am-7 am
• Fat Boy 10-Ball Challenge 12 am

Friday, January 29th
• Tournament Room clean-up (no admittance) 7 am-9 am
• Practice time for 9-Ball players 9 am-10 am
• 9-Ball match play resumes 10 am-5 pm
• 9-Ball match play continues 5 pm-12 am
• Tables available for rental 12 am-7 am
• 9-Ball Mini 12 am                     Sponsor – Al Metzinger

Saturday, January 30th
• Tournament Room clean-up (no admittance) 7 am-9 am
• Practice time for 9-Ball players 9 am-10 am
• 9-Ball match play resumes 10 am-3 pm
• Semi-Finals (9-Ball) 7:00 pm
• Finals (9-Ball) 9:00 pm
• Thank You’s 10:00 pm
• Awards Ceremony
(9-Ball Bank, One-Pocket, 9-Ball
& All Around Champions) 10:30 pm
• Tables available for rental 12 am-7 am

2010 US OPEN

To my wonderful U.S. Open Players, the greatest fans on earth, as well as any future U.S. Open players from the U.S.A. and around the globe.

First of all, I would like to wish you all a happy and healthy new year. I have always been the type of person that shoots for the moon by promoting pool to the best of my ability. Promoting pool has always been my passion in life and I genuinely love the sport. I truly believe that pool players deserve the very best and should be compensated just as much, if not more than other athletes, such as bowlers. Many professional bowlers are making a great living. I believe that it is unfortunate that there are very few men and women pool players who are making a decent living by doing what they love, playing pool.

Over the past few years we have lost many great promoters, sponsors, and players who just cannot afford to support pool as they did in the past. I am writing this letter in order to apologize to several players, 2 to be exact, to whom I still owe money. It deeply saddens me that I have been unable to compensate them for their participation in the 2009 U.S. Open however, I guarantee that I will pay them, and I will not rest until I do. While shooting for the moon I managed to shoot myself in the foot.

In 2009, I added $85,000.00 with 216 players, which are fewer players than I had in past years. I simply cannot afford to shoot as high in future U.S. Opens without filling the field and having more sponsors. After careful consideration, I believe that I must change the format of the 2010 U.S. Open prize fund by making the entry fee $500.00 per person and I will add $50,000.00 “guaranteed”. I will also pay the W.P.A. sanction fee, continue to pay the past champion entry fees, and every player in cash before they leave town. There will be no more waiting to be paid. I will live by the words that I have written today. Every player will be paid in cash before they leave Chesapeake. First place will remain the same at $40,000.00 and I will continue to pay down to 96 spots. I would like to ensure the fans that seat prices will remain the same and go on sale to my loyal V.I.P seat holders before they can be purchased by the general public from April 1- 7, 2010. So, be sure to get yours!

I will be happy to speak with any potential sponsors. Please feel free to contact me at anytime at 757-499-8958. On behalf of myself and my daughter Shannon, we look forward to seeing you October 17-23, 2010. Our 35th Annual!

Barry Behrman
Founder and Promoter
U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships