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

World Junior Championships update
by Marlon Bernardino

Jonas Magpantay and defending champion Ruslan Chinakhov of Russia shared a brief moment at the same table during practice on Sunday (Monday in Manila) in Reno, N. But the lanky Russian teenager quickly excused himself after they both ran out their turns.

Magpantay would love to get another shot at Chinakhov as the World Junior 9-Ball Championship unfolds on Monday at the Naples Ballroom of the Peppermill Hotel and Casino here.

“Gusto kong maagaw sa kanya ang world title kaya inaabangan ko ‘yung pagkakataon na kami ang magkalaban,” said Magpantay.

Five players from Chinese Taipei, including reigning girls’ champion Keng-Chun Lin, are still unaccounted for.
With or without the Taiwanese, Magpantay and Chinakhov are expected to go deep in the world championship for 19-under players.

Chinakhov went undefeated to win it all last year in Nicaragua. But he did it without a Filipino in the field.
Magpantay is hoping to become the first Filipino world junior billiard champion. He finished tied for fifth two years ago also in Reno, Nevada.

The double elimination format will be in effect all the way except for the final – a first in the history of the event.
It will be race-to-nine in the early rounds and race-to-11 in the final for the boys and race-to-seven in the early rounds and race-to-nine in the final for the girls.

A long and detailed discussion with the coaches about the rules caused a delay in the draw for the pairing. It has been moved to Monday, just hours before the opening matches.

Top Draw Snooker Returns To Ireland

World Snooker will stage a tournament in the Republic of Ireland for the first time in six years when the Players Tour Championship Grand Finals take place in Dublin next March.

The event will run from March 16 to 20 at The Helix. It will feature 24 of the best players on the planet, and will carry world ranking points as well as prize money of £200,000, with the winner to receive £60,000.

World Snooker’s last event in Dublin was the 2005 Irish Masters. A spokesman said: “We are absolutely delighted to bring top draw snooker back to Ireland, where the popularity of the sport is very strong and we know we will be well supported.

“The Helix is a fantastic arena and will generate a sizzling atmosphere when the top players take the stage. The Players Tour Championship is a cornerstone of the exciting new era for snooker which we are building, and Dublin will provided a fitting stage for its conclusion.”

Masters champion Mark Selby said: "It's been quite a few years since we've had an event in Dublin but I know how much the fans love snooker in Ireland and all the players will really be looking forward to it.

"The new PTC series has been very successful as it's kept us playing snooker week-in, week-out, which is what we've always wanted. I'm keen to go on to do well in the final event in March."

A spokesman for the Helix added: "Everyone at The Helix is excited to welcome the PTC Grand Finals and be a part of putting Ireland back on the World Snooker map. We know the players will love the atmosphere and hope it's the first of many a successful event here."

The Players Tour Championship is a new series of 12 short events, six held at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield and six held at other locations in the UK and Continental Europe. The PTC Order of Merit ranked players according to how much money they won, with the top 24 qualifying for the PTC Grand Finals. Players had to compete in at least three in Sheffield and three other PTCs to be eligible.

The twelve short events have already been played. Former World and UK Champion Shaun Murphy topped the Order of Merit, with the likes of twice World Champion Mark Williams, Masters champion Mark Selby, former UK Champion Stephen Maguire, former UK and Masters champion Matthew Stevens and rising star Judd Trump also among the qualifiers.

The full list of the 24 players is below. Details of how to buy tickets will be released shortly.

Shaun Murphy
Mark Selby
Barry Pinches
Marcus Campbell
Judd Trump
Mark Williams
Dominic Dale
Stephen Lee
Tom Ford
Stephen Maguire
Michael Holt
Liang Wenbo
Martin Gould
Marco Fu
Ricky Walden
Anthony Hamilton
Stuart Bingham
Jack Lisowski
Jamie Jones
Andrew Higginson
Mark Davis
Matthew Stevens
Gerard Greene
Joe Jogia

BEF to Benefit from Guinness Book of World Records Attempt

An attempt to surpass the current Guinness Book of World Records for the “Longest Marathon Billiards Match” will be made by Gareth Steele of New England 9-Ball and Steve Reynolds of TJ's Classic Billiards. These committed players have teamed up to shoot for a record attempt of 100 grueling hours of continuous billiard play to benefit the Billiard Education Foundation (BEF).

The current Guinness record is held by Rikki Cunningham from Greensboro, North Carolina. Cunningham played pool at Shooter's Sports Bar & Billiard for 72 hours, setting the world title record for the “Longest Marathon Billiards Match” on August 28, 2009.

The Guinness Book of World Records event will take place at TJ's Classic Billiards in Waterville, Maine. The crack of the balls will begin at 10:00 am, Wednesday, December 1st, 2010. The “Longest Marathon Billiard Match” schedule is as follows: 9-Ball Race to 100; Straight Pool Race to 1000; 8-Ball Race to 100; One Pocket Race to 20; 9-Ball Race to End. The event will be streamed LIVE with score updates at www.newengland9ball.com.

All proceeds and donations made through this incredible marathon will go to the BEF to support youth billiards programs. Inspire the youth of today to take the game of pool into tomorrow. Visit www.newengland9ball.com to make a contribution and to show your support for Steele and Reynolds.

About Billiard Education Foundation
The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which is committed to promoting education and encourages the development of life skills through youth billiard programs. The BEF funds academic scholarships, produces the Junior National 9-Ball Championships, sponsors billiard athletes to attend the WPA World Junior 9-Ball Championships and promotes “Pool In School” programs. For more information, please visit www.BilliardEducation.org or call 303.926.1039.

2010 GB9 NORTHERN MASTERS - MAGICIAN DOWNLOADS APP IN BLACKPOOL

Chris Melling brought the season's curtain down in some style at the GB9 Northern Masters this weekend, held at the Barcelo Blackpool Imperial Hotel, beating Darren Appleton in the final by a convincing eleven racks to four scoreline. The victory was underpinned by a fine display of breaking from the Keighley based two-time former World English 8 Ball Champion to accompany his trademark fluent pace and unwavering confidence; giving 'The Magician' his first British 9 Ball ranking title. "It's always nice to win your first but it's been a really weird year", commented the champion immediately after the final, "I've had a lot of bad luck off of the table but on the table, it's been my best year so my emotions are pretty mixed. I had a little bit of luck in the early part of the final in fluking a 9 Ball but you need luck, you're never going to win a big tournament without it." Melling becomes the fifth different winner in five Main Events over 2010 joining Daryl Peach, Mark Gray, Karl Boyes and Imran Majid in taking home the majority of the £30,000 handed out in prize money in Main Events alone.

Although undoubtedly playing the best Pool in Blackpool over the three days, Melling's final appearance looked in serious doubt as he sat in his chair at 8 - 8 during his race to 9 quarter-final, watching Craig Osborne line up a tough 9 Ball into the side pocket but thankfully, for Melling and his supporters, 'The Shotgun's' attempt could only find the far jaw for Melling to step up and stroke it home. That glitch aside, Melling's path was nigh on problem free as he made a mockery of the supposedly tight SAM Magno Pro pockets to see off Sam Corsby 9 - 3; Andy Worthington 9 - 5; and Mark Gray 9 - 4. Not even a resurgent Gary Bullocke from Glastonbury could put a stop to Melling's challenge, claiming just three racks in their semi-final encounter. On the subject of the pockets Melling is quoted, "I don't think they're that tight actually but even if they are it can only be a good thing because when you go to events such as the Eurotour after playing GB9 you can't miss". Indeed Melling will be going to a Eurotour and this time with a big goal in his sights - the European number one spot. Currently sitting in second place, Melling has the opportunity to overtake fellow GB9 star Karl Boyes next week in Spain. "Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought about being Europe's number one so soon but if I did, it would probably be right up there as my biggest achievement to date behind winning my world titles at 8 Ball".

For the majority of players, a defeat in a national ranking event final to follow taking the US Open crown would be a relatively easy pill to swallow but for Darren Appleton, his face said it all - annoyance at not adding another trophy to the collection. Surprisingly unable to match Melling's consistency on the break in the final, Appleton will no doubt be hitting the practise table hard in preparation for the forthcoming Mosconi Cup next month. Imran Majid fell to 'Dynamite' in the semi-finals 9-4 but he was in good company at least as he joined Adam Stevens (9 - 5); 'The Omen' Damian Massey (9 - 4) and James Kay (9 - 7) as Appleton's victims on the final day. Young hot-shot Jack Whelan, yet another convert from English 8 Ball will perhaps take the most solace in losing to Appleton, taking six racks off of the eventual runner-up in their last 32 showdown.

So the GB 9 Ball Tour's third season is over - fifteen tournaments containing arguably the strongest batch of 9 Ball national talent on the planet and for the second consecutive season, that batch is headed by Bourne's finest export, Mark Gray. For the GB 9 Ball Tour official rankings and details of how to qualify for the 2011 season, visit www.gb9balltour.com.
Report courtesy of iPool Magazine

2010 GB9 BLACKPOOL PRO CUP (2) - HOME FROM HOME FOR PEACH

Blackpool-based former World 9 Ball Champion Daryl Peach ended the professional year on a high note by claiming the 2010 GB9 Blackpool Pro Cup, defeating Mark Gray in a tense hill-hill final match. Peach won the lag to ensure his break cue was in use should the match go all the way and it proved the most vital shot of the match as, after a brief discussion as to whether the requisite points had been made from the break (the six ball having broken the head string by a mere millimetre), 'The Dazzler' duly dished the balls to take the title and his place as number one on the Pro rankings. "Both me and Mark struggled and I don't know why because I've felt great all day, perhaps I was a little bit over-confident as I'd beaten some good players convincingly. A few years back one of these events would be like another day at the office but nowadays I feel proud because of the standard."
 
Peach's quest for perfection has recently extended to having a table installed at home after the local pool hall closed and judging by his standard today it is paying dividends. "I'm loving practise at the moment. Now I can have a good half an hour at home and then go back to it later when I want rather than getting bored at the club after a few hours, it's so much better." After Darren Appleton's historic victory at the US Open, no incident involving Daryl Peach and a Dictaphone can pass without asking the obvious - 'how does he feeling at missing out on that final Mosconi Cup spot?' "I'm genuinely pleased for the lads that are in it, I really mean that. It just so happens that it's me that's got to miss out as Matchroom were never going to pick three Brits but it should just be the best five players. To be fair to them though I don't think they relish picking the team." Pushed for an opinion on which continent will be victorious come December 12th, Peach smiled, "I've got to say Europe haven't I...although I'm not so sure".

Back to the action at the Barcelo Blackpool Imperial Hotel and before the final paired Peach with Mark Gray, 'The Dazzler' headed off Dave Nelson 9 - 6; James Kay 9 - 3 and Karl Boyes 9 - 6. In full-flow, not many can live with Peach's unique mixture of simple technique and imposing aura.

In a reverse of the end of season main rankings, Mark Gray plays understudy to Peach ending as Pro Division number two. In Blackpool, victories over Matthew Ford 9 - 1, newly-crowned World Blackball Champion Jayson Shaw 9 - 3 and Imran Majid 9 - 7 assured him of his position.
Report courtesy of iPool Magazine

2010 GB9 BLACKPOOL CHALLENGE CUP (2) - MO MONEY

Morray Dolan helped himself to his first 9 Ball title this weekend and not just any title, only one of the toughest amateur competitions to win in the world - a GB9 Challenge Trophy. Dolan defeated Chichester's Luke Rollison nine racks to seven in the final match to earn the biggest share of the £2625 prize fund. The 36 year old is amongst a growing number experienced English 8 Ball players turning to the bigger game in search of that holy grail of sporting phenomena - satisfaction. "I'm loving 9 Ball right now", said Dolan post-victory, "Anybody who knows me will tell you I've been harping on for a while about how great this game is. It's a lot more fun than English 8 Ball, where I can play for half an hour and get bored and it's a real challenge, I'm encouraging as many players as possible to come and try it because the people here are just a different breed". Dolan is joined by an even greater authority on the two sports than himself in promoting American Pool to the English game - statistics. In five Challenge Division events this year, three have been won by English 8 Ball converts. "Obviously when I came over there were a few people looking at me and wondering if I was good enough so I'm over the moon. The aim now is to put in more practise, I've actually only put in seven hours between this event and the last, and then to buy a cue worth more than £20".
 
Dolan's experience came to the fore in two hill-hill matches during the competition, coming out on top over Chris Robson and Stewart Colclough at the last 32 and quarter-final stages respectively. Wins over Jason Howard 9 - 2; Mike Rogers 9 - 6; Louis Callaghan 9 - 4 and Ben Moore 9 - 4 complete Dolan's path to glory.

Although claiming that today was indeed his day in his pre-match interview before the final, Luke Rollison just couldn't find the spark that had seen him dispatch such cueists as Chris Buckmaster, Neil Cummins and Andrew Morris to reach the last two. Rollison's talent is undoubted though and will no doubt sparkle in next season's Pro Division thanks to a sixth place finish on the Challenge rankings earns him promotion. Dolan recognised, "He's a great kid and before we played the final I had been looking over and eyeing up his game. We're from a similar neck of the woods but have never played each other before today. He's about twenty years my junior too so he's got it all to come I'm sure."

Joining Rollison in the Pro Division for 2011 will be Shane Appleton (naturally, after his unprecedented three consecutive Challenge finals); Ben Finch; Stewart Colclough; Andy Barnett; Adam Shaw; Neil Cummins and Andy Worthington. The big boys will no doubt be looking at that list and the tour's strength may well be measured by the fact that no one will be hoping to draw one of the above names in the professional ranks.
Report courtesy of iPool Magazine

MAGPANTAY BOUNCED BACK IN WORLD JUNIOR OF POOL
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

Jonas Magpantay clustered four straight wins on the loser’s bracket to stay in the hunt for the World Junior 9-Ball Championship title on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) at the Naples Ballroom of the Peppermill Hotel and Casino in Reno, Nevada.

The streak was highlighted by his 9-8 come-from-behind win over Jim Chawki of Sweden, easily the most thrilling match so far in the world championship for 19-under players.

Trailing 5-8 against the Swedish junior champion, Magpantay ran out his break and holed a one-nine combination off Chawki’s empty break to pull within 7-8
His nerves were severely tested the last two frames. A poor preparation on the nine-ball after pocketing the black eight forced Magpantay to go for a make-or-break, tough-angled banked shot.

It went in to make it a hill-hill affair. Chawki’s came up dry again on his final break and Magpantay gamely ran out the table, albeit with a couple of tensed moments.

He was forced to go three-cushion for a preparation on the five-ball and thread the eight and nine with the cue ball to pocket the brown seven.

“Kahit nung puro na po ‘yung score ni Chawki hindi pumasok sa isip ko na matatalo ako sa laro,” said Magpantay, whose stint here was supported by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, billiards patron Jonathan Sy, House Speaker Sonny Belmonte, Alliance for Nationalism and Democracy Rep. Jun Alcover and Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Bernadette Herrera-Dy.

The 16-year-old pride of Bansud, Oriental Mindoro capped his day with a dominant 9-5 triumph over Landon Shuffett of the United States to set up a meeting with another American Danny Olsen, a 9-6 winner over Marek Kudlik of Poland.

Magpantay earlier ousted Canada’s Pod Shognosh, 9-4, and Chinese Taipei’s Hsu Ha-En, 9-6.
His remarkable run following an opening day loss overshadowed the shocking defeat of defending champion Ruslan Chinakhov of Russia at the hands of Jesse Engel of the United States, 6-9.

Francisco Sanchez-Ruiz of Spain also remained undefeated after his 9-2 thumping of another Russian Roman Pruchai.
There will be a new champion in the girls’ division.

Crowd-darling Monika Zabek of Poland, who loves to cuddle her teddy bear in between matches, shocked last year’s winner Lin Keng-Chun, 7-6. The gorgeous teenager earlier beat 2009 European youth champion Jasmin Michel of Germany, 7-4, after dropping her opener opposite Karen Garcia of Nicaragua, 1-7.

Briana Miller of the United States took an outright final slot in her division by downing 2008 winner Brittany Bryant of Canada, 7-3.

White To Face Hendry In Telford

Jimmy White won three qualifying matches to reach the final stages of the 12BET.com UK Championship - where he will face old foe Stephen Hendry.

The Whirlwind blew away Adam Wicheard 9-1 and Adrian Gunnell 9-4 then saw off Joe Perry 9-6 last night with top breaks of 88, 79 and 136.

White, age 48, is ranked 64th in the world but has now qualified for two ranking event venues this season as well as winning the World Seniors title.

He will take on Hendry, who beat him in four World Championship finals between 1990 and 1994, at the International Centre in Telford, with the first session this Sunday afternoon and the concluding session on Monday at 12.30pm.

Matthew Stevens beat Robert Milkins 9-4 in the final qualifying round to set up a match with defending champion Ding Junhui. Former World Champion Ken Doherty battled past Rod Lawler 9-7, but Steve Davis fell 9-2 to Mark Joyce.

The 12BET.com UK Championship runs from December 4 to 12.

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW and start at just £10 (concessions £5), representing INCREDIBLE VALUE to see the WORLD’S BEST PLAYERS in action. For details call 01952 561700 or visit www.worldsnooker.com/tickets

PLUS, students can buy tickets for Monday December 6 for just £1! Stars in action that day include Ronnie O'Sullivan, Stephen Hendry and Jimmy White. Just quote 'student tix' when buying tickets. You may be asked to show student ID on the day or when booking in person. Tickets are limited and subject to availability.

WPBSA Board Receives Vote Of Confidence

Snooker's governing body, under the leadership of Jason Ferguson, was given a huge vote of confidence with victory at the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association's Annual General Meeting in Sheffield today.

The sport of snooker has gone through a major restructure this year and the WPBSA now controls the governance of the sport and represents the interests of the professional players.

The sport's commercial entity, World Snooker, has generated new interest in snooker this season on a global scale, with more tournaments with innovative formats and increased prize money. Further new events are planned for next season, including one in Brazil, one in Thailand and more in China.

Ferguson retained his position as Chairman, while former Metropolitan Police detective chief superintendent David Douglas, six-times World Champion Steve Davis, former referee Alan Chamberlain and Zhang Xiaoning of the Chinese Billiards and Snooker Association also retained their positions on the board.

Ferguson said: "The board and I welcome this vote of confidence from the membership, which provides us with the stability we need to move forward. However, there is a huge task ahead and we must not be complacent following this period of radical change.

"This board had been carefully put together and represents the global direction in which we are heading. Each individual member of the board brings a different and highly-valued skill."

The full voting results were:
Jason Ferguson. Votes for: 31 Votes against: 3
Alan Chamberlain. Votes for: 21 Votes against: 11
Steve Davis. Votes for: 26 Votes against: 7
David Douglas. Votes for: 28 Votes against: 5
Zhang Xiaoning. Votes for: 31 Votes against: 3
Les Barton. Votes for: 6 Votes against: 25
Lee Doyle. Votes for: 6 Votes against: 28
Patrick Fagan. Votes for: 4 Votes against: 27
Tony Knowles. Votes for: 7 Votes against: 24
Jim McMahon. Votes for: 4 Votes against: 29
Neil Tomkins. Votes for: 3 Votes against: 28

Allen Expects Final Breakthrough

Mark Allen is looking ahead to the 12BET.com UK Championship in Telford with confidence and believes that it won’t be long before he reaches his first ranking event final.

The 24-year-old from Antrim in Northern Ireland, widely recognised as one of snooker’s most exciting young talents, has appeared in four ranking semi-finals, including last year’s Betfred.com World Championship when he knocked out Ronnie O’Sullivan before losing to John Higgins.

“If I play the way I know I can and keep knocking on the door, then I will start getting to finals and winning titles,” said World No 11 Allen. “People keep reminding me that I’ve been in four semis and never a final but I don’t get down about it, I know the finals will come soon enough.”

The 12BET.com UK Championship runs from December 4 to 12 at the International Centre, and Allen has one particularly happy memory of playing there as he beat his boyhood idol Stephen Hendry 9-4 in the first round in 2007.

“That was a great moment in my career, but in my next match I was 4-0 up on Mark Williams and lost 9-5. It’s not about just winning certain matches, it’s about performing on a regular basis,” said the left-hander. “The UK and World Championship are the two biggest events in my view and I’m really hoping for a good run in Telford this year.

“I had a very poor start to the season but I’ve done better in the last few events and I’m hoping to push on and get into the top eight of the world rankings.”

Also in the line up at the International Centre in Telford are the likes of Rocket Ronnie O’Sullivan, Stephen Hendry, Jimmy White, John Higgins and Neil Robertson.

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW and start at just £10 (concessions £5), representing INCREDIBLE VALUE to see the WORLD’S BEST PLAYERS in action. There are four tables in play, so that's eight of the world's top players in action during every session!

For details call 01952 561700 or visit www.worldsnooker.com/tickets

PLUS, students can buy tickets for Monday December 6 for just £1! Stars in action that day include Ronnie O'Sullivan and Stephen Hendry. Just quote 'student tix' when buying tickets. You may be asked to show student ID on the day or when booking in person. Tickets are limited and subject to availability.

World Pool Junior Championships
by Marlon Bernardino

Fatigue and a smoking last year’s champion got the better of Jonas Magpantay on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila) in the World Junior 9-Ball Championship at the Naples Ballroom of Peppermill Hotel and Casino in Reno, Nevada.

Ruslan Chinakhov of Russia, still fuming after a shocking loss to Jesse Engel of the United States, vented his ire of Magpantay, racing to an 8-0 lead before settling for a 9-5 victory.

Playing his sixth match in 24 hours, Magpantay failed to get in the groove early. He miscued two easy shots and came up dry on three of his first four breaks.

Chinakhov, playing for only the second time in two days, had three run outs during his string of rack wins.

“Kinalaban ako ng bola,” quipped Magpantay, who, just minutes earlier, had a fairly easy 9-4 win over Danny Olson of the United States.

Magpantay made it interesting with five straight rack wins, but he had another poor break on the 14th rack.

He pocketed a length-of-the-table cut shot on the yellow one, but failed to control the cue ball. His jump shot on the blue two was good, but opened up the table for Chinakhov.

Magpantay, whose campaign is supported by the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office, took solace for being the best finisher from Asia and among the players below 18. He was also the only player to make it to the final day of competition after losing his opening match.

The 16-year-old from Bansud, Oriental Mindoro finished fifth overall in arguably the deepest field in the history of the world championship for 19-under players that included several rising stars on the men’s circuit.

Among them is newly crowned world junior champion Francisco Sanchez-Ruiz of Spain, who downed Engel in the final, 11-6. Sanchez-Ruiz is the teammate of David Alcaide in the World Cup of Pool and already a force to reckon with in the European pool circuit.

Manuel Ederer of Germany, the fourth placer, is the national straight pool champion in his country. Chinakhov also ended his run, 9-6.

Jim Chawki of Sweden, one of Magpantay’s victims, is a three-time finalist in the Swedish Open and ranked second in his country behind only Marcus Chamat. He also finished fifth in the last European championship for men.

Chinakhov, of course, is already the top player from Russia and finished fifth in the World Ten Ball Championship last year in Manila.

The extra games he needed to play, however, proved costly for him. He lost to Sanchez-Ruiz, 2-9, for the right to face the erstwhile undefeated Engel in the final. Engle earlier edged Sanchez-Ruiz, 9-7, to grab an outright final ticket.

In the girls’ division, Britanny Bryant of Canada regained the world title she lost last year by beating Briana Miller of the United States in the final, 9-6.

The Billiard Congress of America Announces Ranking Events for 2011

The Billiard Congress of America has decided to make the following events points events for 2011:

1) The Masters. $35,000 added. Chesapeake, VA, March 1-5
2) The Ultimate Ten Ball Championship. $35,000 added. Dallas, Texas. April 21-24
3) The US Open 10-Ball Championship. $25,000 added. Las Vegas. May 16-21
4) Turning Stone Summer. $25,000 added. Verona, NY. August 11-14
5) The US Open 9-Ball Championships. $50-75,000 added. Chesapeake, VA. Oct. 16-22
6) The Steve Mizerak Championship. $50-75,000 added. Dates TBA. Hollywood, FL.
7) Turning Stone WInter. $25,000 added. Dates TBA. Verona, NY

Events may be added if the Billiard Congress of America receives requests for new qualifying events at least 120 days prior to their start date, the events are approved by the Billiard Congress of America and they do not conflict with major international events. In addition, existing events may be removed from the list if their specifications or dates are changed and no longer fit the requirements of the calendar. Any changes will be done with all due haste, players will be notified, and the calendar will be changed to reflect the removal.

Joyce Calling For Local Support

Walsall's Mark Joyce is urging fans to support him in the biggest snooker match of his life tomorrow - and World Snooker are helping out with a special two-for-one offer on tickets.

Joyce faces Mark Williams in the quarter-finals of the 12BET.com UK Championship at the International Centre in Telford on Thursday, with the first session at 12.30pm and the conclusion at 7pm.

Fans quoting 'Joyce To Win' when buying tickets will get TWO FOR THE PRICE OF ONE! To book your seats just call 01952 561700 or buy tickets from the box office at the venue.

Joyce, ranked 60th in the world, is having the best tournament of his snooker career having knocked out the likes of legend Steve Davis, World No 3 Ali Carter and rising star Judd Trump.

"I've won six matches already and I don't want it to end," said the former European Under-19 Champion. "I'm trying to block out the fact that I'm in the quarter-finals of snooker's second-biggest tournament and just focus on the next match.

"I'm hoping for a really big crowd to support me tomorrow. I've had a lot of family and friends here this week, and there are quite a few more from the West Midlands league coming tomorrow. With the offer on tickets as well, it would be great to see it packed out.

"Mark Williams will be a very tough opponent. I'd like to tighten my safety up a bit and score a bit more heavily - but I can't complain because I'm getting the results."

The other match on Thursday is a mouth-watering clash between World No 1 Neil Robertson and former World Champion Shaun Murphy.

Fans are advised to book their tickets as soon as possible while they are still available.

Dublin Snooker Tickets On Sale!

Tickets for the Players Tour Championship Grand Finals, the first World Snooker tournament to be held in the Republic of Ireland for six years, are now on sale.

The tournament runs from March 16 to 20 at the Helix in Dublin and features many of the world's top players, including former World Champions Shaun Murphy and Mark Williams, current Masters champion Mark Selby, former UK Champions Stephen Maguire and Matthew Stevens, rising stars Judd Trump, Ricky Walden and Martin Gould and international talents Marco Fu and Liang Wenbo.

The Grand Finals is the showpiece conclusion to the new PTC series which featured 12 short events staged in the UK and across Europe, with the top 24 on the final Order of Merit going through to Dublin.

Murphy, the 2005 World Champion and 2008 UK Champion, who topped the Order of Merit, said: "It will be like going back to the mother-land for me because part of my family comes from Ireland, and with a name like Murphy I'm hoping the fans will take me as one of their own!

"I've never played in Dublin before but I know how much the Irish love their sport, including snooker. To have the final of this tournament there does it justice and I hope we can put on a great show for them and enjoy ourselves.

"The PTC series has given the players the chance to go to new locations throughout Europe and play in front of enthusiastic crowds. It's been a fantastic innovation for snooker and hopefully the Dublin event will be a fine way to finish it."

World Snooker are offering BARGAIN TICKET PRICES, with seats from just 10 Euros per session, with all-day tickets priced at 15 Euros for the first two days of the event. Concessions are available for Students, OAPs, the unemployed and disabled. For full details call +353 01 700 7000 or visit www.thehelix.ie/2011_Q1/PTCGrandFinal.htm

All matches are best of seven frames. The full line up of players is below and the draw will be announced shortly.

Shaun Murphy, Mark Selby, Barry Pinches, Marcus Campbell, Judd Trump, Mark Williams, Dominic Dale, Stephen Lee, Tom Ford, Stephen Maguire, Michael Holt, Liang Wenbo, Martin Gould, Marco Fu, Ricky Walden, Anthony Hamilton, Stuart Bingham, Jack Lisowski, Jamie Jones, Andrew Higginson, Mark Davis, Matthew Stevens, Gerard Greene and Joe Jogia.

New Referees Selected For German Masters

Germany’s Dominik Haug and Theo Selbertinger have been chosen as the two new referees to officiate in the German Masters in February.

They will don the white gloves in the world ranking event which runs from February 2 to 6 at the Tempodrom in Berlin. Marcel Eckardt will also be used as a scorer as the tournament.

Throughout this season's Players Tour Championship series of 12 events, World Snooker has been assessing a host of new referees, with Haug, Selbertinger and Eckardt selected as the three to officiate in Berlin.

Tournament director Mike Ganley said: "We have many new referees working on the PTC events and we have been delighted with the enthusiasm shown and the standard of refereeing. To pick three to go on to Berlin was a very difficult choice but we felt that these selections were the best candidates."

Assessor Jan Verhaas, who has taken charge of three World Championship finals, added: "It has been a steep learning curve for many of them but they have gained invaluable experience of working on the professional circuit. We hope to see all of them continue to gain experience in next season's PTC events and we are keen to see new faces."

Tickets for the German Masters are on sale - for details see www.snookerstars.de

Tickets On Sale For Snooker's Blackpool Bonanza

Rocket Ronnie O'Sullivan, legends Stephen Hendry, Steve Davis and Jimmy White and current Betfred.com World Champion Neil Robertson will be among the green baize kings heading to Blackpool next month for the brand new Snooker Shoot-Out.

The innovative tournament, a creation of World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn as part of his new era for the sport, runs from January 28 to 30 at the Circus Arena.

The one-frame knockout event promises to be snooker at full throttle, with frames having a time limit of ten minutes, plus a shot clock of 20 seconds for the first five minutes and 15 seconds for the last five minutes. The top stars will have to show off their lightning-fast potting skills, with a guarantee of tense drama in every frame!

The top 64 players in the world are all among the draw, and there are some cracking matches in the first round including Ronnie O'Sullivan v Marco Fu, Whirlwind Jimmy White against Ali Carter and former World Champions John Higgins and Mark Williams going head to head. The winner of each match goes through to the next round and doubles his prize money - with the winner to go home with £32,000 - while the loser will have to exit via the walk-of shame.

It promises to be a fun event of thrills, spills and cracking snooker action. The whole tournament is over a weekend and a great idea for a day out for groups of friends wanting to enjoy the atmosphere and see the best players in the world tested to the limit!

There's a range of options available for tickets:

- Session tickets start from just £10, with up to 16 matches per session. So you can see 32 players in action for a tenner!
- A season ticket for the whole tournament is just £50.
- Get a group of six or more mates together and we'll give a 10% discount.
- Get close to the players with exclusive VIP tickets! This includes a backstage pass with the chance to meet the players and take photos, access to the arena balcony, a welcome drink and a goodie bag. Great value at just £50!

BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW - by calling 0844 856 1000 or visiting www.worldsnooker.com/shootout or www.theblackpooltower.co.uk

WPBSA Announces New International Coaching And Development Strategy

World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association Chairman Jason Ferguson and six-times World Champion Steve Davis today announced a new coaching scheme aimed at boosting snooker at grassroots level on a worldwide scale.

The WPBSA will integrate its coaching activities with those of the International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF) for a combined effort to spread the growth of snooker to all corners of the globe. The scheme will be headed by snooker legend Steve Davis, a WPBSA director, making use of his vast experience and his technical expertise.

"I've had many wonderful years in snooker and I feel as if it's time to put something back into the sport, and this coaching scheme is an ideal opportunity to do so," said Davis. "Snooker is rapidly becoming a truly global game with the popularity growing in Asia, Europe, Australia, the Middle East and South America and it's time to capitalise on that by getting more young people involved. They are the Ronnie O'Sullivans and Stephen Hendrys of the future."

Ferguson said: "Our strategy is to increase the number of coaches at all levels globally and make them fully accessible to schools, clubs and community groups. The intention is to show the basics of our sport to young people and increase the numbers participating. This is a historic moment for our sport, to work alongside our colleagues at the IBSF and assist the spread of snooker through their 82 National Governing Bodies to make this an international programme."

IBSF President Pascal Guillaume said: “Since the IBSF Coaching Academy was formed in 2005, we have put many initiatives together – but none approach the importance of the agreement we announce today. To work hand in hand with the WPBSA, and Steve Davis, in this area will make it so much easier for the game to grow to its full potential - and for all our plans to come to fruition.”

Chris Lovell, of North Lancs Training Group, will take up the position of development and coaching co-ordinator while the IBSF's head of coaching Nic Barrow will play a key role in training and international integration.

Anyone interested in helping the growth of snooker by becoming a coach can contact WPBSA's Bristol office on 0117 317 8200. www.theblackpooltower.co.uk

Wild Cards Named For German Masters

Belgian prodigy Luca Brecel is among the eight wild cards who will compete in snooker’s German Masters in February.

All amateur players from continental Europe were given the chance to earn a wild card for the world ranking event, which runs from February 2 to 6 at the at the Tempodrom in Berlin, via the 12 events in the Players Tour Championship. The top six of those players on the PTC Order of Merit have been handed a place.

Brecel, the 15-year-old who won the European Championship this year, will be joined by Germany’s Lasse Munstermann, Dutchmen Mario Wehrmann and Maurice Le Duc and Belgium’s Hans Blanckaert and Tomasz Skalski.

German Champion Stefan Kasper, from Memmingen near Munich, has been selected by tournament promoter DragonStars Event Management as another wild card. The eighth and final one will be selected by World Snooker in January.

The eight lowest-seeded qualifiers from the professional tour will have to play a wild card.

Tickets for the German Masters are on sale and are selling fast. The 2,500 seater stadium is expected to be full for the final two days of the event. For details see www.snookerstars.de

Higgins Takes Top Spot

John Higgins has regained his No 1 position in the world rankings following his remarkable victory in the 12BET.com UK Championship.

The Scot came from 9-5 down to beat Mark Williams 10-9 in the final in Telford to win the 22nd ranking title of his career and become only the fourth player – after Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan – to win the UK crown more than twice.

“It means everything to me to be back playing and winning again. It’s the stuff dreams are made of and my finest hour,” said Higgins, who goes ahead of Neil Robertson to become World No 1.

Williams missed out on his third UK title but is up to third in the rankings. Shaun Murphy and Mark Allen, the losing semi-finalists in Telford, are in fifth and 11th positions respectively.

Mark Joyce got to the quarter-finals of a ranking event for the first time in his career and is up to his best ever position: 47th.

Ricky Walden is up to 15th and among the top 16 for the first time in his career – he replaces Marco Fu who drops to 18th.

The new ranking list has been used for seedings for the next two tournaments: the German Masters and Welsh Open. The next cut-off point will fall after the Welsh Open and will provide seedings for the China Open and Betfred.com World Snooker Championship.

1 John Higgins MBE 54320
2 Neil Robertson 52940
3 Mark J Williams MBE 48755
4 Ding Junhui 46480
5 Shaun Murphy 46085
6 Mark Selby 45645
7 Allister Carter 45340
8 Stephen Maguire 43780
9 Ronnie O'Sullivan 41480
10 Graeme Dott 37450
11 Mark Allen 36525
12 Peter Ebdon 34880
13 Jamie Cope 33975
14 Stephen Hendry MBE 33360
15 Ricky Walden 31500
16 Mark King 30605
17 Stuart Bingham 30350
18 Marco Fu 30300
19 Mark Davis 29980
20 Stephen Lee 29420
21 Martin Gould 29240
22 Matthew Stevens 28940
23 Andrew Higginson 28750
24 Liang Wenbo 28405
25 Ryan Day 28325
26 Judd Trump 27750
27 Barry Hawkins 27340
28 Ken Doherty 26100
29 Gerard Greene 25855
30 Tom Ford 24505
31 Marcus Campbell 23780
32 Joe Perry 22890
33 Dominic Dale 22795
34 Fergal O'Brien 22410
35 Mike Dunn 22160
36 Robert Milkins 21800
37 Nigel Bond 21790
38 Rory McLeod 21570
39 Anthony Hamilton 21550
40 Jamie Burnett 21390
41 Steve Davis OBE 21330
42 Michael Holt 20145
43 Peter Lines 20110
44 Barry Pinches 20070
45 Joe Swail 19870
46 Tony Drago 19304
47 Mark Joyce 19300
48 Alan McManus 18450
49 Matthew Selt 18365
50 Dave Harold 18255
51 Adrian Gunnell 17860
52 Andy Hicks 17790
53 Jamie Jones 17614
54 Stuart Pettman 17570
55 Rod Lawler 17220
56 Anthony McGill 17034
57 Jimmy White MBE 16985
58 Joe Jogia 16644
59 Alfie Burden 16374
60 Ian McCulloch 16290
61 Bjorn Haneveer 16259
62 Jack Lisowski 15934
63 Jimmy Robertson 15659
64 Patrick Wallace 15600
65 Liam Highfield 15554
66 Matt Couch 15150
67 Liu Chuang 15049
68 Xiao Guodong 14834
69 Michael White 14659
70 David Morris 14645
71 Liu Song 14320
72 Jimmy Michie 14315
73 James Wattana 14194
74 Igor Figuierado 13904
75 Andrew Pagett 13889
76 Ben Woollaston 13884
77 Kyren Wilson 13404
78 David Brown Gilbert 13085
79 Michael Judge 12960
80 Paul S Davison 12844
81 James McBain 12814
82 Simon Bedford 12640
83 Joe Delaney 12390
84 Zhang Anda 12259
85 Thanawat Thirapongpaiboon 12054
86 Paul Davies 11945
87 Justin Astley 11294
88 Adam Wicheard 11209
89 Issara Kachaiwong 10849
90 Patrick Einsle 10559
91 Dermot McGlinchey 10534
92 Kuldesh Johal 10374
93 Kurt Maflin 10289
94 Noppon Saengkham 9814
95 Jak Jones 9769
96 Jamie O'Neill 9369
97 Reanne Evans 8289
98 John Parrott MBE 7335
99 David Gray 6795
100 David Roe 5885
101 Sam Baird 4710
102 Mei Xiwen 3010
103 Stephen Rowlings 2840
104 Andrew Norman 2390

Jay Swanson Memorial Moves to Hard Times Billiards in Bellflower As It Reaches 15th Year

This year marks the 15th year the Jay Swanson Memorial 9-Ball Tournament has been held. On February 12-13, 2011, the two day 9-ball event moves to Hard Times Billiards in Bellflower, CA (www.hardtimesbellflower.com).

Young, old, novice and pro alike participate in what is considered a tournament that truly celebrates an outstanding man, Jay Swanson, and all he stood for. Swanson was called “The Gentle Giant” due to his spirit and demeanor which belied his impending physical stature.

The first “Swanee” was held September 1996 at College Billiards in San Diego, CA, where it remained until 2005. From 2006-2010 the event was held at Hollywood Billiards in Los Angeles. However, this past summer when it was announced Hollywood Billiards planned to remove many tables as part of a renovation it was decided the 192 player event would need a new home.

Mark Griffin, CSI CEO and former owner of College Billiards (Swanson’s home room) with many volunteers and the assistance of writer and pool personality Jay Helfert, have kept the memory of Swanson alive.

The “Swanee” field started with 64 players and in the past three years reached a full 192 field with 10-20 player wait list. Once again in 2011 the “Swanee” will have a guaranteed $3000 added and with a full 192 player field $4000 added. Doors open at 9 am with play starting at 10 am.

For further details, including flyer and registration visit: 15th Annual Jay Swanson Memorial 9-Ball Tournament Information

Due to the event’s popularity it is advised that you register in advance to secure your spot. Starting in early January, CSI will be able to accept online registration for all CSI / BCAPL / USAPL events including the “Swanee”, U.S. Bar Table Championships, the U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship, the 12th U.S. One Pocket Championship, the USAPL National Championships and all divisions of the 35th BCAPL National 8-Ball Championships

For the best rates at the Riviera in May read the following information:

Stay, play, and win all under one roof at the 35th BCAPL National 8-Ball Championships. The Riviera has lowered their room rates for the BCAPL 2011 nationals. To receive these great new rates, you must book through the BCAPL online Riviera booking link or call the Riviera toll-free number (800) 634-6753 Group Code BCAPCPP. Go to: BOOK MY ROOM AT THE RIV

$60 Per Night / 8 Night Minimum: This special tournament rate is available until the normal reservation cutoff date (04/12/11), or until group room nights begin to sell out. To qualify: must book and pay the entire 8+ nights (non-refundable) and CALL the Riviera Reservation line: 800-634-6753. Group Code: BCAPCPP.

$70 Per Night / Any number of nights less than 8 / Must Be Booked By January 31, 2011: A great early bird special for everybody who may not be there 8 nights but plan early and like to save money.

$80 Per Night / Any number of nights less than 8 / Booked after January 31, 2011: For all who make their reservation after January 31st and who are not planning to stay 8 nights or more.

CueSports International is dedicated to creating more choices for all players. CSI is the parent company of the BCA Pool League and the USA Pool League. CSI also produces independent events such as the U.S. Bar Table Championships, the Jay Swanson Memorial, the U.S. Open One Pocket Championship 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.