Site News
Topic: *Industry News* Aug-Dec 2010

INDUSTRY NEWS - August 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.

The 43rd All Japan Championship 2010

1)DATE :    
    MEN        Stage 1　 Nov. 23 Stage 2 Nov. 24 -28, 2010
    WOMEN        Nov. 25 – 28. 2010

2) PLACE :    Hotel New Archaic Hall Oct
    3-96 Showa-dori, Amagasaki-shi, Hyogo, Japan

3) RULES :    WPA 9-ball Rules (Texas Express Rule)

4) FORMAT :    
    MEN
    Stage 1) Race to 9, Double Elimination
    Stage 2) Race to 9, Double Elimination to last 32 players
    Final) 32 players, race to 11, Single Elimination
    WOMEN
    64 players, race to 7, Double Elimination to last 16 players
    Final) 16 players, race to 9, Single Elimination

5) PRIZE MONEY :
    MEN
    The winner : JPY2,000,000 2nd : JPY1,000,000 3rd-4th : JPY500,000
    5th-8th : JPY250,000 9th-16th : JPY125,000 17th-32nd : JPY60,000
    WOMEN
        The winner : JPY600,000 2nd : JPY300,000 3rd-4th : JPY150,000
        5th-8th : JPY75,000 9th-16th : JPY38,000
    * We will withhold 20% of the prize money for tax purposes.

6) ENTRY FEES :
    MEN    Stage 1) JPY20,000    Stage 2) JPY15,000 (additional)
        (Entry from Stage 2 : JPY35,000)
    WOMEN        JPY20,000

7) APPLICATION :
    Please e-mail or fax the following information by September 15.
        1) Player’s name
        2) Player’s photo and profile (by mail or e-mail)
        (Please attach image files for Windows PC)
        3) Hotel reservation request if needed
    * Please note that an entry must be submitted from a national federation/association. Entry from an individual won’t be accepted.

Note:    All Japan Championship is an official tournament recognized by WPA (World Pool-billiard Association) and APBU (Asian Pocket Billiard Union)
    If you need further information, please feel free to contact me by e-mail or fax.

Takashi Namie
President
Japan Professional Pocket-Billiard Association
10-21 Hiranokamiyanagi-cho, Kita-ku,Kyoto, Japan 603-8355
Tel. +81-75-463-3777 Fax +81-75-461-8706

Campbell Targets Top 32

Glasgow snooker ace Marcus Campbell believes that he can earn a place among the world's top 32 after the World Open in his home city in September.

The 37-year-old has been a professional since 1991 and is currently enjoying his highest ever ranking position of 40th in the world, having leapt 12 places in the past three seasons. And he is confident of jumping higher when the rankings are updated shortly after the new World Open, which runs from September 18 to 26 at the SECC.

Tickets for the tournament are now on sale and World Snooker is offering a fantastic HALF PRICE TICKET OFFER!! For as little as £5 you can see three matches, in an event which boasts the world's top players, including Ronnie O'Sullivan, Steve Davis, Neil Robertson and top Scots Stephen Hendry, Stephen Maguire and Graeme Dott. DON'T MISS THIS INCREDIBLE OFFER!! BOOK NOW by calling 0844 395 4000 or visiting www.worldsnooker.com/tickets - for the half price offer quote 'celebrate snooker'.

Campbell, who qualified for four tournaments last season including the Betfred.com World Snooker Championship, said: "I think I'm virtually a certainty to get into the top 32, especially if I win my qualifying matches for the World Open. It would be fantastic to get through to my home tournament at the SECC; I qualified last year and brought a lot of family and friends along.

"I'm a better snooker player now than I've ever been. A couple of years ago I started practising with the likes of Stephen Maguire, John Higgins and Graeme Dott, and that's helped my ability to come out. I've put in a lot of hours on the table and it is paying off. My wife and I had our first child last year and the second one is on the way, so I'm treating snooker like a job and working hard at it, which is something I should have done years ago. There are a lot more tournaments now so it means you have always got something to work towards."

Campbell, whose career-best result was an astonishing 9-0 victory over Stephen Hendry in the 1998 UK Championship, believes the quickfire best-of-five frame matches in the World Open could lead to some surprise results.

"It definitely gives lower-ranked players the chance to beat the big boys," he said. "You have got to be very sharp as it's a pressure cooker right from the off. The standard is that high that you could see players lose 3-0 without potting a ball."

The qualifiers will be staged at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield from August 21-24, when top amateur players from around the UK and overseas will be battling against professionals for a place in the final stages.

The World Open receives equal funding and support from EventScotland and Glasgow City Marketing Bureau.

Sky To Televise World Seniors Championship

Sky Sports will screen seven one-hour highlights programmes from the new World Seniors Championship over the Christmas period.

This follows the recent announcement that Sky will televise the World Snooker Shoot-Out in January.

The World Seniors Championship is one of several new events added to the calendar this year, with World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn leading a new era for the sport.

The tournament runs from November 5 to 7 at the Cedar Court Hotel in Bradford, with legends such as Steve Davis, Dennis Taylor, Cliff Thorburn, Joe Johnson, John Parrott and Jimmy White aiming to provide a celebration of snooker for fans.

Hearn said: "We're delighted to have brought Sky back into the fold as they haven't screened a World Snooker event since 2004. This announcement about the World Seniors follows hot on the heels of their decision to televise the Shoot-Out and shows that we've been able to rekindle Sky's enthusiasm for snooker.

"The Seniors event should be fantastic viewing for fans of all ages so it's great news that Sky will be bringing it to a wider audience."

Tickets for the World Seniors Championship are on sale - for details see www.worldsnooker.com/tickets

Further details of Sky's transmission schedule for the event will be released when available.

New World Open Excites Hendry

Scottish snooker legend Stephen Hendry says he is fired up for the new season and the World Open in Glasgow.

The seven-times World Champion is still ranked among the world's top 16 at the age of 41, though he is not satisfied with being an also-ran at the sport's biggest tournaments. He won his opening match in all six ranking events last season, but failed to progress beyond the quarter-finals of any of them.

"That's not the kind of consistency I'm looking for, it's about winning titles," said the Auchterarder cueman. "I'm always enthusiastic when the new season comes around, so I just have to keep trying and see what happens."

The World Open runs from September 18-26 at the SECC in Glasgow and boasts a series of new features including quickfire best-of-five frame matches, a random draw and the chance for amateurs to enter at the qualifying stage.

"It's the one tournament we have in Scotland, and with the new format there's no doubt it's going to be exciting," added Hendry, who won his last ranking title in 2005.

Hendry plays his first match in the tournament at 2pm on Sunday, September 19. Many of snooker's top stars will be in action at the SECC including Ronnie O'Sullivan, Neil Robertson, Steve Davis, Mark Selby and Scots Stephen Maguire and Graeme Dott.

Tickets for all of these matches are on sale NOW, and World Snooker is offering a fantastic HALF PRICE TICKET OFFER!! For as little as £5 you can see three matches, so DON'T MISS THIS INCREDIBLE OFFER!! BOOK NOW by calling 0844 395 4000 or visiting www.worldsnooker.com/tickets
For the half price offer quote 'celebrate snooker'.

The World Open receives equal funding and support from EventScotland and Glasgow City Marketing Bureau.

Scott Taylor, Chief Executive of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, said: “GCMB is delighted to be continuing its support of World Snooker by welcoming the game’s elite players back to Glasgow for the new-look 2010 World Snooker Open this September.

“Well known stars including Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Steve Davis will be competing alongside Glasgow-born talents Stephen Maguire and Graeme Dott as well as the game’s current crop of young guns, such as reigning world champion Neil Robertson. Moreover, the new tournament format is likely to appeal to players and fans alike by creating exciting, quick-fire matches, which will further help to revitalise world snooker.

“Around 10,000 tickets have been made available for the nine-day contest at the SECC, with the event itself expected to generate around £335,000 for Scotland’s economy and almost £1 million worth of TV exposure.”

Paul Bush OBE, Chief Operating Officer of EventScotland said: “The line up for the World Open in Glasgow is very impressive and the SECC will be a perfect stage for snooker enthusiasts from across Scotland and beyond to watch the top players in action. The World Open is a marquee event on Scotland’s busy events calendar this year and we look forward to welcoming competitors and spectators to Glasgow next month.”

Ford Hits Top Gear At PTC

Tom Ford won the third event in snooker's new Star Xing Pai Players Tour Championship series, beating Jack Lisowski 4-0 in the final.

Leicester's Ford, the World No 41, won the first professional title of his career by knocking in breaks of 85, 61 and 51 against Gloucestershire's Lisowski at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield.

Ford, a professional for ten years, has been in the best form of his life this year and qualified for the televised stages of the Betfred.com World Snooker Championship for the first time last Spring.

"I knuckled down mid-way through last season and getting to the Crucible gave me a lift," said the 26-year-old after collecting the £10,000 top prize. "I've carried that on this season and this is definitely the best tournament I have won. In the past I spent too much time going out drinking, but I've cut down on that now. There's so many tournaments over weekends now that I can't go out anyway!"

Ford revealed that a change of clothing early in the event helped him find top form. "There's no dress code in the PTC events so in my first match I just wore a t-shirt," he added.

"It didn't feel as if it was a proper match, so for the next one I wore my shirt and waistcoat. After that I played better in every match, and in the final I only missed one ball and my safety was very good.
"I know I'm going in the right direction now and I want to keep that going this season, and hopefully get into the top 32."

Lisowski, a gifted 19-year-old from Churchdown in Gloucestershire, is playing his first season on the pro tour and hadn't won a match until this event. However he has already proved his battling qualities by beating cancer, having suffered from Hodgkin's Lymphoma two years ago.
In the semi-finals, Ford beat Mark Davis 4-2 while Lisowski beat Mark Selby 4-3. Event two winner Selby still leads the Order of Merit. The top 24 on the Order of Merit after 12 events will go through to the televised finals in March.
Event four is next weekend.

THE PRESSURE ROOM at The City That Rocks

The City That Rocks is a charity event in support of Street Souls, an organisation that carries out amazing work on the streets of London supplying those who have no homes with food, clothing, sleeping equipment and a shoulder to cry on.

We feel very honoured an privileged to be playing on the bill of such an event and would like to invite you to join us for a day of fantastic bands in the setting of the beautiful Leadenhall Market.

The event starts at 1pm and will be carrying on until late - tickets will cost £15.00

The Pressure Room will be onstage at 19:15 to play a 45 minute set - also on the bill are the excellent A Silent Film who will be headlining!

Please visit the official website for this event at: www.thecitythatrocks.com to check out the full line up and read a more about the Street Souls organisation.

We really hope to see you there in support of a very worthy cause!

Much love! X TPR
The City That Rocks
Location:Leadenhall Market, Gracechurch Street, London, EC3
Time:Saturday, 25 September 2010 13:00

Rileys Sunderland

We are delighted to finally announce the date of our Darts Zone Launch which will be held on Wednesday 15th September. This will be a ticket only night so if you wish to come please drop us a message with your name and address so we can send a ticket out to you.

One lucky ticket holder will win the chance on the night to play either Terry Jenkins or Kevin Painter. It promises to be an exciting night for all involved.

(There is a chance to win another opportunity to play the pro on Wednesday 1st September - the winner of Week 3 singles summer league)

If you like darts and don't want to miss this opportunity then get in touch with us. Remember its ticket only.

UK Championship Snooker Tickets On Sale

The UK Championship, one of snooker's greatest tournaments, returns to the International Centre in Telford in December, with all of the sport's star names set for Shropshire's snooker showpiece.

Rocket Ronnie O'Sullivan, defending champion Ding Junhui and Betfred.com World Champion Neil Robertson will be among the main attractions in the tournament which runs from December 4 to 12.

Tickets are now on sale and start at just £10, (£5 concessions), repesenting fantastic entertainment and value for money. BOOK YOUR SEATS EARLY, DON'T MISS OUT! CALL 01952 561 700 OR VISIT www.worldsnooker.com/tickets

China's Ding, who beat John Higgins 10-8 in last year's dramatic final, said: "Winning the UK Championship title last year was definitely one of the highlights of my career so far. It's one of the most prestigous tournaments in snooker so to have won it twice is a great achievement for me. I had a good season, and I will be aiming to build on that in the new season and win more titles.

"I'm glad that the event has stayed in Telford as it's an excellent venue and I have always had a lot of support there. The crowds in Telford have been very good for the past few years and I'm sure the fans there will keep showing their love of snooker."

A spokesman for World Snooker added: "We're delighted to be heading back to Telford again for our biggest World Ranking event other than the World Championship. It's a first class venue and the support of the fans and the atmosphere they create is genuinely appreciated by the players.

"We'd love to see snooker supporters in the area flocking to the venue again. The ticket prices, especially the all-day tickets from just £20 up until the quarter-finals, offer amazing value for the chance to see the very best players on the planet competing for one of the biggest titles."

The world's top 16 players, when the rankings are updated in October, will be seeded through to the final stages, to be joined by 16 more who come through the qualifiers, which run from November 24 to December 1 at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield.

Telford's top cueman Adrian Gunnell, the World No 44, may need to win at least two qualifying matches to reach the venue.

Jans And Rizzuti Handed World Open Slots

Wendy Jans and Anita Rizzuti, two of Europe’s top ladies players, have been given places in snooker’s new World Open.

Belgium’s Jans and Norway’s Rizzuti will compete in the qualifying rounds of the world ranking event at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield this weekend. The tournament’s innovative format gives the chance for juniors, women and international amateurs and the winners of regional club tournaments to compete against the 96 professionals.

Jans will play World No 66 Simon Bedford, while Rizzuti will face current World Amateur Champion Alfie Burden. Both will need to win at least two matches to qualify for the televised stages in Glasgow in September.

Jans is the current European Champion, nine-times Belgian champion and won the IBSF World title in 2006.

"I'm very excited about playing in a world ranking event for the first time,” said the 27-year-old. “I would love to see more events like this because it's a great chance for all the players out there to compete with the best in the world.

“I have beaten top male players in the past so I know I can do it. I also know that it won’t be easy because they are all top players. But I’ll give it my best shot.”

Norway ladies No 1 Ruzzuti, whose partner Kurt Maflin plays on the professional circuit, added: “My chances of qualifying are obviously slim, but I’m hoping a main tour event will bring out the very best in me.”

The qualifiers run from August 21 to 24 with the venue stages from September 18 to 26 at the SECC in Glasgow.

Tickets for the SECC are on sale NOW, and World Snooker is offering a fantastic HALF PRICE TICKET OFFER!! For as little as £5 you can see three matches, so DON'T MISS THIS INCREDIBLE OFFER!! BOOK NOW by calling 0844 395 4000 or visiting www.worldsnooker.com/tickets

For the half price offer quote 'celebrate snooker'.

The World Open receives equal funding and support from EventScotland and Glasgow City Marketing Bureau.

BCAPL Offers Amateur 9-Ball Event in Conjunction with U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship

An amateur 9-Ball tournament will be held this fall concurrently with the famed U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship. CueSports International (CSI), one of the largest creators of pool events in North America, is introducing the BCAPL Chesapeake 9-Ball Challenge at the Norfolk Marriott Chesapeake in Chesapeake, Virginia on October 20-23, 2010.

The Marriott is located across the street from the 35th Annual U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship’s long time venue, the Chesapeake Convention Center. CSI and U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship’s long time producer, Barry Behrman, have agreed upon the two events taking place simultaneously to build more synergy between the professional and amateur sides of the sport.

The BCAPL regional event will feature men’s singles, women’s singles, coed beginner singles, men’s mixed team and women’s team divisions. The $2,400 guaranteed added amateur tournament will be open to BCAPL and USAPL League Members and current non-league Player Members. All participants in the BCAPL event will receive 20% off spectator tickets to the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship scheduled October 17-23.

To view additional details about the BCAPL Chesapeake 9-Ball Challenge, including the event flyer and both the single and team entry forms visit: http://playbca.com/Events/2010BCAPLChesapeake9BallChallenge.aspx . For more information about the U.S. Open 9-Ball Championship visit: www.usopen9ballchampionships.com.

CueSports International 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.

Joss Cues will be showing at The Atlanta Billiard Show

Joss Cues, Ltd will be exhibiting the all new "10" series at the Atlanta Billiard Show produced by Dawn Hopkins. The show takes place October 1st through October 3rd. Click on the link below for location, times and directions.

Atlanta Billiard Show
Stop by booth #11 to visit with me and see the all new line of Joss Cues introduced this year at the BCA show in Las Vegas.

The designs are exceptional and I will be showing some new custom cues as well.

It would be great to meet you and discuss your cue ideas.
If you are unable to attend the show or would like a preview of the all new "10" series Joss Cues please click on the link below.

www.josscues.com

This promises to be a great event with some of the top players in the world in attendance.

I am committed to providing as always, outstanding personal service. If you have any questions about the new cue line, please do not hesitate to contact me.
I'm looking forward to seeing you.

Regards,
Dan Janes

9-BALL POOL STARS RAISE £900

24-hour charity marathon at Rileys Ipswich

Nine-ball pool stars Phil Morgan and Craig Osborne raised £919.00 for Marie Curie Cancer Care in a 24-hour marathon – and beat their target of £600!

Great Britain No 25 Phil and Europe No 12 Craig played at Rileys Ipswich for 24 hours - with only short breaks every five hours.

Phil, 37, of Femin Close, said: “It was hard going. After the first hour my back was hurting, and by the end I was in bad shape.

“It became difficult when we hit the wall at about two in the morning. Rileys had just closed for the night and there was no one left to spur us on.

“We even started to get a bit grumpy! But we kicked on as it was all for such a good cause.”

Rileys Ipswich manager Ross Lincoln said: “The event went very well. Phil and Craig are heroes and big favourites here at Rileys.”

Tartan Trio Through To Snooker's World Open

Scottish cuemen Marcus Campbell, Alan McManus and James McBain have all qualified for the final stages of the World Open in their home city of Glasgow next month.

The qualifying rounds in Sheffield finished on Tuesday, with three Scots booking their place in the last 32 of the world ranking event, which runs from September 18 to 26 at the SECC. They will be joined at the venue by Stephen Hendry, Stephen Maguire and Graeme Dott, whose last-64 matches were held over.

McBain, age 32, scored the best win of his career in the final qualifying round with a 3-2 victory over World No 10 Mark Allen, to earn a trip to a ranking event venue for the first time.

Former Masters champion McManus impressed in a 3-0 defeat of up-and-coming Scot Anthony McGill, while Campbell boosted his hopes of gaining a place in the top 32 of the world rankings for the first time by edging out Simon Bedford 3-2.

Legend Jimmy White, former World Champion Ken Doherty, Hong Kong's Marco Fu, former UK Champion Matthew Stevens and young talent Judd Trump were among the others to make it through the qualifying rounds. There will be an international flavour to the event as Brazil's Igor Figueiredo, Thai amateur Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, China's Liu Song and Belgium's Bjorn Haneveer also progressed.

Other star names whose last 64 matches were held over include Ronnie O'Sullivan, Steve Davis, Neil Robertson, Ding Junhui and Mark Selby.

The tournament features a random draw for each round, and the last 32 draw will be made on Sunday, September 19.

Tickets for the SECC are on sale NOW, and World Snooker is offering a fantastic HALF PRICE TICKET OFFER!! For as little as £5 you can see three matches, so DON'T MISS THIS INCREDIBLE OFFER!! BOOK NOW by calling 0844 395 4000 or visiting www.worldsnooker.com/tickets
For the half price offer quote 'celebrate snooker'.

The World Open receives equal funding and support from EventScotland and Glasgow City Marketing Bureau.

World #1 Mika Immonen Leads Top Western Names at Predator International 10-Ball Championship
by June Kim

Europe's hopes rest on Mika eyeing the prize at the Predator International Championship    

Manila, Philippines - The World's #1 ranked player and European star Mika Immonen will be one of the heavy favorites at this year's 10th Annual Predator International Championship. The London born but Finland raised superstar will be amongst dozens of other professional players coming from around the world to capture one of pool's longest running major events.
The Predator International Championship is a 10-Ball event, the first major internationally televised in history four years ago, and will take place September 15-18,2010 at SM City North Edsa in Manila, Philippines.
The event is produced by Dragon Promotions and sponsored by Min Tables, SM City North Edsa, Puyat Sports, Star Billiards, Simonis Cloth, and broadcasted on ABS-CBN and ESPN Star Sports.
European airings of this event will be on Eurosport.

The Ice Man, as he is known on tour, has won major events in Europe, Asia, and all across the United States including two World Championships and two US Open titles. And has won more Dragon Promotions events than any other player. He is also a former winner of this event back in 2003.

Other top names coming from the western part of the world include Americans Shane Van Boening, Rodney Morris, Charlie Williams, Oscar Dominguez. Canadian champs John Morra and Jason Klatt along with Mexico's pride Ernesto Dominguez.

"It's been awhile since I won this, but I feel like my game has come back to me in the last few weeks so I'm really looking forward to this event," said Immonen who recently won and defended his title at the Poison DP Pro Classic.
Immonen has won numerous Dragon Promotions events such as the US Pro Tour Championship, Atlanta Open (2x), Peninsula Open, Korea International Championship, and the Predator International Championship.

Countries from all over the world will come for their share of the $50,000+ prize fund. The event will take place over four days and will air live on ABS-CBN and re-broadcasted on Eurosport.

Dragon Promotions will also be handling the production finalization of The Predator Sweet Sixteen, the continuation of the Predator Group's event from Spain earlier this year which was uncompleted due to traumatic weather conditions. The Sweet Sixteen event will be completed in the two days prior to the Predator International 10-Ball Championship, which Predator will be paying the flight and hotel costs for those sixteen players. Expenses paid and a chance to play in two big tournaments? A pretty sweet bonus for those qualified players.

Fans and players who wish to attend the event can stay at the luxurious 4 star Crowne Plaza Hotel in the heart of Manila. The Crown Plaza Hotel is conveniently connected to the Robinson Mall full of restaurants, movie theatres and great shopping. Transportation will be provided daily to the venue. Dragon Promotions has blocked off a superb rate including the Crowne's award winning breakfast buffet daily and free internet. Rate is $79 per night reserve online

Fans and players can find info online at www.dragonpromotions.com and www.predator10ball.com .

Predator Group, an international billiards industry leader, is focused on bringing constant innovation and game-improving equipment to billiards players worldwide. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, USA, Predator Group’s core brands include Predator Cues – high-end (professional level) cues with revolutionary technology to enhance performance, Poison Billiards – recreational cues with cutting-edge designs and Predator engineering for best-in-class playability, and Uni-Loc® – precision billiards equipment manufacturer. For more information regarding Predator Group’s products, visit www.predatorgroup.com.

BCA Points List

Here is the BCA points list updated after the last Turning Stone event.

Download the BCA Points List* here - Microsoft Office Excel Worksheet (.xls) file.

*File updated at 11am (UK) after a sorting error was discovered in the original.

The 70th Predator World Tournament of 14.1

Clifton, New Jersey- For the fifth straight year, Dragon Promotions will produce the 70th Annual Predator World Tournament of Straight Pool presented by KnightShot.com . Breaker Billiards will host this year's event playing on beautiful Brunswick Gold Crown tables and using Simonis Cloth. The event will start play on October 6,2010 and ends on Columbus Day October 11th. The greatest straight pool players from around the world will arrive on USA's east coast again to New Jersey, and attend this prestigious event to play for the coveted title of World Straight Pool Champion. The event is co-sponsored by Amsterdam Billiard Club, Master Chalk, Aramith Balls, and Accu-Stats.

The World Tournament is the oldest tournament in history that still exists today. Invented by Jerome Keough and shortly after recognized as the official game of billiards , the first World 14.1 Tournament was held in 1911 and won by Alfredo DeOro. In its history due to war and economics, the World Championships had 29 tournaments that did not take place including a 15 year gap between 1990-2005 until Dragon Promotions revived the game and the World Tournament in 2006, which also marked the first time a non-American won the discipline in a World Championship. That distinction went to Germany's Thorsten Hohmann.

"It's quite an honor to host this historic event. Breaker Billiards has never held so many top names under one roof and we are very excited," said Ricky Coren, Owner of Break Billiards and new home to Accu-Stats.

This year marks the 70th World Tournament , and stars such as Thorsten Hohmann, John Schmidt, Oliver Ortmann, Niels Feijen, Allen Hopkins, Jasmin Ouschan, Johnny Archer, Mika Immonen and defending champion Stephan Cohen of France are just a few of the powerful list of world beaters who will come to play in the greatest straight pool tournament in the world. Players may also join qualifiers to get a chance to compete in the World Tournament with all the legendary greats. Qualifier info can be found at www.DragonPromotions.com To host a qualifier or play, contact worldstraightpoolchampionships@gmail.com

The format for the event will be the same as the past four years. 64 players divided into 8 groups of 8 players in a round robin format playing races to 100. The top 32 players will advance to a double elimination tournament races to 150. The top 16 players will then advance to a single elimination race to 200 points. Half of the field will earn prize money with the champion winning $11,000.                    

The World Tournament Champion will also have his/her name inscribed on the 14.1 Champion's Cup alongside the names of previous winners such as Mizerak, Sigel, Mosconi, Hohmann, Ortmann, Feijen, and Cohen.    

"The Predator World Tournament till this day has proven to have the most passionate fans and players. Myself and our staff at Dragon Promotions have really come to a true appreciation of this game and its rich history. We are very proud to have become the caretakers of this prestigious event", said Cindy Lee, CEO of Dragon Promotions.

The 2010 Predator World Tournament is proudly sponsored by straight pool aficionados Dr.Louis Pannullo of NYC, Bill Austin of UT, Harold Siegel of NYC, Stu Mattana of NYC, and Badi Nazhat of Curacao. Other significant patrons include Dr.Michael Frank, and Ralph Rubin. Co-Contributors we like to recognize include Dennis Walsh, Bill Marapolus, Peter Burrows, Richard Klein, and Jeff Mohl.    For more information on player registration, sponsorship, or if you would like to submit a comment, please email worldstraightpoolchampionships@gmail.com or contact Dragon Promotions at 1-407-782-4978. Full event info is at www.dragonpromotions.com

Predator Group, an international billiards industry leader, is focused on bringing constant innovation and game-improving equipment to billiards players worldwide. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, USA, Predator Group’s core brands include Predator Cues – high-end (professional level) cues with revolutionary technology to enhance performance, Poison Billiards – recreational cues with cutting-edge designs and Predator engineering for best-in-class playability, and Uni-Loc® – precision billiards equipment manufacturer. For more information regarding Predator Group’s products, visit www.predatorgroup.com.

Dragon Promotions is one of the leading producers of billiard programming in the world today. Dragon produces over 40 events a year airing on networks in USA, Korea, and Europe such as ESPN, MBC ESPN, XTM, XPORTS, and Euro Sport. Events include The World 14.1 Championship, The Predator International 10-Ball Championship, King & Queen of Carom, Empress Cup, Pro Pool Schools, Women's Trickshot Challenge, World Junior 10-Ball Championships, Korea vs USA, Mezz Classic and many more. Dragon also manages some of the world's best players including Shanelle Loraine, Rodney Morris, Charlie Williams, Mika Immonen, Mike Davis, and many more.

Selby Hopes To Be Five Alive

Mark Selby is confident that the quickfire best-of-five matches at snooker's World Open in Glasgow will suit his temperament.

The tournament runs from September 18 to 26 at the SECC and features an innovative format, including a random draw and short matches up until the best-of-nine final.

“There is added pressure when you are playing best of fives,” said Selby, who proved his ability to thrive under tough conditions by winning the Pokerstars.com Masters final 10-9 against Ronnie O’Sullivan last season. “I don’t tend to feel nervous when a match goes close, because I’m able to draw on the experience of winning tight matches in the past, and I’ve won more final-frame deciders than most players. On the other hand, I can be a slow starter in matches so it could be over for me very quickly!

“I think we might see some players who are not familiar faces doing well in the event, because the short matches will give the lower-ranked players a better chance. It will definitely be an exciting event to watch for the fans in the arena and viewers on TV. I’m all for the changes that have been made to the tournament, it’s great to try new formats.”

Leicester’s 27-year-old Selby has had a strong start to the season, winning a six-red tournament in Thailand as well as one of the new Star Xing Pai Players Tour Championship events.

“I’ve been consistent so far but the season is twice as long as it was before so there’s a long way to go and I hope I haven’t peaked too early,” added the former World Championship finalist. “Usually if you are in a purple patch it lasts for at least a few weeks, so it’s good for me that there are a lot of tournaments coming up and hopefully I can keep playing well.

“Glasgow is a fantastic place to play snooker because the fans love the game there, and when you think of all the great players to come from Scotland over the years you can see why.”

Also battling for the £100,000 top prize at the World Open will be the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan, Steve Davis, Jimmy White, Betfred.com World Champion Neil Robertson and top Scots Stephen Hendry, Stephen Maguire and Graeme Dott.

Tickets for the SECC are on sale NOW, and World Snooker is offering a fantastic HALF PRICE TICKET OFFER!! For as little as £5 you can see three matches, so DON'T MISS THIS INCREDIBLE OFFER!! BOOK NOW by calling 0844 395 4000 or visiting www.worldsnooker.com/tickets - for the half price offer quote 'celebrate snooker'.

The World Open receives equal funding and support from EventScotland and Glasgow City Marketing Bureau.

Ding Hopes To Be Sharp In Shanghai

The Roewe Shanghai Masters, the first full ranking event of the new snooker season, starts on Monday, and China's top player Ding Junhui hopes he won't be disadvantaged by missing several events in the new Players Tour Championship.

The 23-year-old from Wuxi, who is based in Sheffield, joins the likes of defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan, Stephen Hendry and Betfred.com World Champion Neil Robertson on the flight to the Far East for the event at the Grand Stage in Shanghai, which runs from September 6 to 12.

All of the top players have competed in the PTC - a series of 12 events in Sheffield and continental Europe building up a a televised finale in March - other than Ding who has not struck a ball in anger yet this season.

"I had a problem with my visa so I wasn't able to get to the UK," he explained. "Everyone else has been playing in the PTC events, so it might be difficult for me in Shanghai because I have not played any matches. Since I got back to Sheffield I have been practising every day and I just have to try hard to play well. I'm looking forward to it because it's close to my home town and the support I get from my friends there is very special."

Last season saw a return to form for Ding as he won the Pukka Pies UK Championship and reached two other ranking finals, but he insists that winning more silverware is not his goal for the new campaign.

"I might not win anything, or I might be better than last season," added the player who won two ranking titles in 2005 and one in 2006 before a three-year barren spell. "The only thing that matters is that I am happy playing and feeling good about my game."

The Roewe Shanghai Masters will be televised on SMG and CCTV in China and on Eurosport.

Ding, alongside many of snooker's top stars, will then be heading to Glasgow to compete in the World Open from September 18 to 26. For tickets call 0844 395 4000 or visit www.worldsnooker.com/tickets

THE WORLD PROFESSIONAL BILLIARDS & SNOOKER ASSOCIATION LIMITED DISCIPLINARY HEARING BOARD

Mr Ian Mill QC

BETWEEN:

THE WORLD PROFESSIONAL BILLIARDS & SNOOKER ASSOCIATION BOARD LIMITED
(“the Association”)
Applicant

-and-

(1)    JOHN HIGGINS (“Mr Higgins”)
(2)    PAT MOONEY (“Mr Mooney”)
Respondents

Summary of Decision for Publication


(A)The Charges

Both Mr Higgins and Mr Mooney have been charged with breaches of four of the Association’s Rules Relating to Betting, namely (insofar as material):

Rule 3.1.2.2 (Charge 1)
Agreeing or offering to accept a bribe, bribes or other reward to fix or otherwise to influence improperly the result of a Tournament or Match.

Rule 3.1.4.1 (Charge 2)
Agreeing to engage in corrupt or fraudulent conduct.

Rule 3.1.5.1 (Charge 3)
Intentionally giving the impression to others that they were agreeing to act in breach of the Betting Rules.

Rule 3.1.4.4 (Charge 4)
Failing to disclose promptly to the Association full details of an approach or invitation to act in breach of the Betting Rules.

(B)Admissions and Withdrawal of Charges

1 Mr. Higgins

Mr Higgins has admitted acting in breach of Rules 3.1.5.1 and 3.1.4.4 (Charges 3 and 4).

The Association has withdrawn Charges 1 and 2.

The Association has explained that this withdrawal resulted from an acceptance, following an investigation which all concerned have correctly characterised as very thorough and fair, that Mr Higgins had truthfully accounted for his words and actions at the meeting in Kiev on 30 April, selected extracts from which subsequently were widely publicised. In short, his account (which has remained consistent throughout) was as follows. Mr Higgins found himself in that meeting having only just beforehand been warned by Mr Mooney that there was a possibility (nothing more) that the subject of throwing frames might arise as part of the overall business discussions that were about to commence. Without any opportunity for mature reflection Mr Higgins, who is by nature someone who seeks to avoid confrontation or unpleasantness, decided to play along with the discussion when the topic did indeed arise. He also found the atmosphere in the meeting somewhat intimidating. His focus was entirely on bringing the meeting to an end as soon as possible and getting on a plane home. He would never throw, and had no intention at that meeting of throwing any frame, of snooker for reward.

I have no doubt that the Association was right to conclude that this account by Mr Higgins was a truthful one.

2 Mr Mooney

Mr Mooney has also admitted Charges 3 and 4.

The Association has also withdrawn Charges 1 and 2.
The Association’s explanation for these withdrawals was very different. The Association maintained that Mr Mooney had in fact intended to act fraudulently and corruptly as alleged. However, a last minute argument advanced on behalf of Mr Mooney by Mr Phillips QC, based on a proper construction of the Rules to which Charges 1 and 2 refer had persuaded the Association that it did not have sufficient prospects of proving those Charges.
That argument revolved around the definitions of the words “Tour”, “Tournament” and “Match”, which appear in both of the relevant Rules. Mr Phillips argued that the discussions giving rise to those Charges were concerned with events which did not fall within the ambit of those words as so defined.

I do not consider myself to be empowered to require a Charge to be maintained in the face of a decision to withdraw it from me. I therefore make no comment as to whether the Association was correct to regard Mr Phillips' construction argument as valid.

(C)     Sanctions

1    Mr Higgins

Mr Higgins was put in a highly invidious position by Mr Mooney, who was entirely responsible for Mr Higgins’ presence in Kiev and, in particular, at the meeting there on 30 April. Mr Higgins can be criticised for the way in which he chose to respond to the situation in which he found himself. However, I do not consider, in the circumstances that any very serious sanction should follow from his admitted breach of the Rule referred to in Charge 3. More serious is his failure to comply with his obligations under Rule 3.1.4.4 (Charge 4). There was an opportunity, albeit a     relatively limited one, for him to have reported the Kiev incident to the Association prior to the     News of the World story breaking. He should have taken the opportunity to do so. Very fairly, Mr Higgins has also stated that he is unclear whether he would have reported the incident had the publicity not occurred. Mr Higgins did not, of course, know that the businessman at the Kiev meeting were undercover journalists. On the basis that they intended what they said, it was obviously a matter of the greatest importance to the integrity of the sport of snooker that those intentions were immediately reported.
Mr Higgins’ failure in this respect was extremely foolish. In mitigation, Mr Clancy SC on his behalf reminded me of his client’s exemplary record both in terms of achievement and conduct, and of his role as an ambassador for the sport. I very much bear these matters in mind. But I also consider that with such a status come particular responsibilities to other players in the game, to the Association, to its sponsors and to the viewing public to ensure that the Association’s Rules bearing on the peculiarly sensitive subject of gambling and corruption are strictly adhered to. Taken with the other Charge which he has admitted, it seems to me that his conduct in failing to report the incident immediately warrants a short suspension from his membership of the Association and from the playing rights that his membership affords him. In my judgment, the proper length of such suspension is one of 6 months. Since he was suspended by the Association pending the outcome of the investigations on 2 May 2010, the period of his suspension will end at midnight on 1 November 2010.
I also consider that Mr Higgins should suffer a financial sanction. Having considered the gravity of the admitted rule breaches and heard from Mr Clancy as to his client’s financial circumstances, I consider that he should pay a fine of £75,000 and make a contribution to the Association’s costs of £10,000. Paragraph 10.2 of the Association’s Disciplinary Rules requires any fine to be paid within 28 days. In the circumstances, I do not consider it reasonable or appropriate that Mr Higgins should have to pay such an amount within this short period. I consider that a period of 90 days is appropriate. On behalf of the Association, Mr Bourns has accepted that it is open to me so to order.

2    Mr Mooney

Mr Mooney’s conduct is, in my judgment, of a completely different order of seriousness. He was first made aware not later than 8 April 2010 by the undercover journalist posing as a businessman (“Mr D’Sousa”) of     the fact that those behind him in the purported business venture were looking to     make money through gambling in circumstances where frames in snooker matches were deliberately thrown. Yet, he made no disclosure at the time of this stated requirement to the Association, to Mr Higgins (whom he represented in snooker matters, who was one of his partners in the business (World Series Snooker) which Mr Mooney was representing in his discussions with Mr D'Sousa, and most significantly who was targeted by Mr D’Sousa as the player required to throw the frames) or to his other business partners in World Series Snooker, Debbie Mitchell and Adrian Stewart.

    Furthermore, despite this requirement being stated, Mr Mooney not only continued his     engagement with Mr D’Sousa thereafter but persuaded a materially ignorant Mr Higgins to accompany him to meet with those behind the venture in Kiev. He accepts that, in continuing that engagement and by the words spoken by him on 8 April 2010 he had led Mr D’Sousa to believe that the throwing of frames was something that could be achieved.

    Once in Kiev, on 29 April 2010, it was made clear to Mr Mooney on several occasions (in Mr     Higgins’ absence) that the subject of frame throwing had to be discussed with Mr Higgins.     Still, he said nothing to Mr Higgins until minutes before the meeting the following day.

    When he did mention the subject to Mr Higgins, Mr Mooney misrepresented to him the position, stating     that it was possible that the subject might not come up at all.

    Furthermore, despite at the time owing fiduciary obligations to Mr Higgins as his snooker     representative and to the Association itself (he was a Board Director of the Association at the time), Mr Mooney did not advise Mr Higgins to make it clear that frame throwing was out of the question, and he did not even discuss with Mr Higgins the possibility of leaving Kiev without attending the meeting. In so behaving, in my judgment, Mr Mooney was motivated by concerns as to his own position to the exclusion of all others. He had positively responded to the requirement of frame throwing in all his previous discussions and he had brought Mr Higgins to Kiev expressly to discuss this aspect of the matter. He was concerned as to the consequences for him if these assurances proved groundless.

    At the meeting in Kiev on 30 April, Mr Mooney continued to represent himself as able and     willing to participate in, and to procure, corrupt frame throwing. Thereafter, he neither reported     the events which had occurred to the Association nor encouraged nor advised Mr Higgins to do so.

    A number of points were made by and on behalf of Mr Mooney. On his behalf, Mr Phillips     asserted both as a matter of law and of fact that I could not and should not find that Mr Mooney in fact intended what he represented as being his intention in his various discussions with Mr D’Sousa and in Kiev. His legal argument, which I rejected in a ruling which I delivered yesterday, was that it was not open to the Association to maintain such an argument, given its withdrawal of Charge 2. As a matter of fact, he invited me to accept Mr Mooney’s evidence that he was clear in his own mind that Mr Higgins would never deliberately throw a frame for reward and, therefore, to conclude that Mr Mooney could not in fact have intended to put the corrupt agreement asserted by the Association into effect. As to this, Mr Bourns on behalf of the Association pointed to passages in the transcripts of discussions which suggested that Mr Mooney might have had in mind to procure the throwing of frames though the activities of players other than Mr Higgins.

Mr Mooney gave evidence before me, during which he told me in terms that he did not intend to put any such corrupt agreement into effect. His explanation for his encouragement of Mr D’Sousa prior to Kiev was that he was playing along with him, humouring him, in order to get to meet those behind the venture in Kiev. He was so certain that what Mr D’Sousa was saying about the frame throwing requirement was nonsense that he had not found it necessary to inform any of the Association, Mr Higgins, Ms Mitchell or Mr Stewart of what had been said. Once in Kiev, when it rapidly became apparent to him that Mr D’Sousa had in fact been telling the truth, he was intimidated into acting as he did. He gave no explanation for the failure to report the matter to the Association thereafter.
I was unimpressed by Mr Mooney as a witness and I found much of his account highly     implausible. I very strongly suspect that he intended to put the corrupt agreement alleged by the Association into effect without having decided precisely how he would do this (given that Mr Higgins would clearly not be cooperative). His motivation throughout was, I find, financial self interest, in particular having regard to the very valuable sponsorship undertakings being offered by Mr D’Sousa and his colleagues.

    However, I have concluded that it is unnecessary for me to make such a factual finding, since     it would have no impact on the sanctions which I have decided appropriate on the basis of     factual findings that it is accepted on Mr Mooney’s behalf are open to me.
It seems to me that, on any view, in the light of the factual summary which I have set out above, even if Mr Mooney did not intend to carry out the agreement reached, he committed the most egregious betrayals of trust - both in relation to the Association, to which he owed fiduciary obligations as a Director and by reason of his great influence in the world of snooker, and to Mr Higgins whose entire career and professional future he inexplicably put at serious and wholly unjustifiable risk.

    Mr Mooney resigned as a Director of the Association on 2 May 2010 and his membership of     the Association (which derived from his position as a Director) was suspended (as were his     privileges derived from his position as Mr Higgins’ appointed representative) on 6 May     2010.

    In my judgment, both those suspensions must be made permanent. Mr Phillips on Mr     Mooney’s behalf told me that his client’s involvement in the world of snooker is at an end. So     it should be. That must remain the case.

    I do not intend additionally to impose any financial sanction on Mr Mooney other than that he     must make a contribution to the Association’s costs in the amount of £25,000. Mr Phillips has     explained to me his client’s precarious financial circumstances in the light of the recent events     which have unfolded. It does not seem to me in the light of that information that an Order to     make payment of a fine would be proportionate.

(D)    Detailed Reasons

I have indicated to the parties that I would put into writing more detailed reasons for my conclusions set out above, should such be requested. I do not envisage that any such further reasons would require to be published.


8 September 2010