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

WPBSA Statement

A hearing under the auspices of Sport Resolutions UK on September 7 and 8, 2010, heard of charges which John Higgins admitted through his lawyers before the hearing. The charges were 1. Intentionally giving the impression to others that he was agreeing to act in breach of the betting rules, though it was accepted that he had no intention of throwing any frame of snooker for reward. 2. Failing to disclose promptly to the Association full details of an approach or invitation to act in breach of the betting rules

Having studied all of the evidence in its entirety, the WPBSA and Sports Resolutions accept that there has been no dishonesty on the part of John Higgins and accordingly the WPBSA has withdrawn the allegations of match fixing against him.

The judgement from Sport Resolutions was that John Higgins was banned from all World Snooker tournaments for six months, starting from the initial suspension on May 2, 2010, and ordered to pay a fine of £75,000 plus costs of £10,000.

The WPBSA referred the matter to the independent body Sport Resolutions following a Disciplinary Committee investigation into allegations made against John Higgins in the News of the World newspaper on May 2, 2010.

John Higgins has agreed to play a leading role in a new educational programme for snooker players, which will form part of the Integrity Unit to be set up by WPBSA Disciplinary Committee Chairman David Douglas.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: “John made a mistake in failing to report the meeting in Kiev. He has admitted this mistake and expressed great regret at what happened. The evidence, which has been exhaustively studied by David Douglas and Sport Resolutions, suggests that he was led into this situation and did not instigate any discussions of corrupt activity. It seems certain, in view of his previous record and the ambassadorial work he has done for snooker, that this was a mistake he will never repeat. I’m sure Sport Resolutions took these factors into account in coming to their verdict.

“The new educational programme will teach players, particularly the new professionals coming into the game, about the pitfalls associated with betting and make clear the standards expected by the WPBSA. John has suffered a devastating blow to his career and reputation, but he can come back from it – and he has pledged to help others learn from his experiences. The programme will be a key part of the Integrity Unit’s goal to proactively address any form of corruption and make our sport a standard bearer for sports integrity. Today’s outcome is a positive step towards this goal and, with the support of all the players, I fully believe that it will be achieved.”

WPBSA Chairman Jason Ferguson added: "I am pleased to see this matter concluded in an open and transparent fashion, after a hearing staged by an independent body. I look forward to the creation of the anti-corruption unit, which will be in operation very shortly and will give the WPBSA the best possible assistance in our ambition to eliminate all forms of corruption from our sport. It is important now that snooker moves forward from this matter and focuses on the successful new era which has formed in recent months."

John Higgins was suspended immediately after the allegations were made public. His six-month ban is considered to have started from the date of his initial suspension in May 2010.

Pat Mooney has been permanently suspended from the WPBSA following the hearing.

The hearing heard of charges of 1. Intentionally giving the impression to others that he was agreeing to act in breach of the betting rules. 2. Failing to disclose promptly to the Association full details of an approach or invitation to act in breach of the betting rules

In summary, Mr Mill QC said: "Mr Mooney’s conduct is, in my judgment, of a completely different order of seriousness....I was unimpressed by Mr Mooney as a witness and I found much of his account highly implausible....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."

The WPBSA referred the matter to Sport Resolutions following a Disciplinary Committee investigation into allegations made against Mooney in the News of the World newspaper on May 2, 2010.

Further comment from Barry Hearn

Barry Hearn, chairman of World Snooker told the News of the World: “It has been a difficult couple of months for snooker and an episode from which we need to learn lessons.

“The News of the World’s investigation will help us to clean up the sport. We will be reviewing the rules and regulations regarding betting and hope to put in place changes, including setting up a new integrity unit in the next couple of weeks, that will act as a powerful deterrent to any player, manager or agent that seeks to behave improperly.

“I appreciate the tribunal acted in an independent and professional manner and reviewed all the evidence. I agree entirely with their findings. It is now time for snooker to move on.”

Women's World Champ Rubilen Amit Takes on the Men at The Predator International in Manila

Manila, Philippines- Filipinas Rubilen Amit and Iris Ranola are two of the women pros taking on the men's field during the The 10th Annual Predator International Championship. They join stars such as World #1 Men's ranked Mika Immonen and USA #1 Johnny Archer and reigning World Champion Francisco "Django" Bustamante. These top men and women 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 Simonis Cloth, Min Tables, Yalin Balls, SM City North Edsa, Puyat Sports, Star Billiards, and broadcasted on ESPN Star Sports. European airings of this event will be on Eurosport.

Rubilen Amit first made headlines a few years ago when she was a surprised finalist at the Women's World 9-Ball Championship in Taiwan. Then last year she proved it was no fluke as she defeated Taiwanese legend Shin Mei Liu in the finals to win the Women's World 10-Ball Championship in Manila in front of her home crowd. Iris Ranola , her fellow top peer in the Philippines, made her mark with a strong 2nd place finish at the US Open in 2008. Both players are managed by Puyat Sports who is sponsoring them into the event.

Amit is no stranger to playing against the men. She upsetted 2x World Champion Ronnie Alcano before in a open men's event and Iris Ranola has defeated Roberto Gomez, former runner-up at the World 9-Ball Championship.

"The women have come along way in recent times, and they play a level where they can upset any top men's player at any given moment. Rubilen and Iris can definitely make tir some noise at this event and it will be fun to watch," said Charlie Williams, one of the top men's players in the world today.

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 www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/cp/1/en/advancedsearch?whichtype=room&roomResult=none&hotelCode=mnlcp&quickRes=city&_GPC=P7R&checkInDate=03&checkOutMonthYear=082010&checkInMonthYear=082010&checkOutDate=21&_requestid=1002709

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.

12bet.com Takes On The World Through Sponsorship Of Snooker’s World Open

World Snooker is delighted to announce online betting firm 12bet.com as the new title sponsor of the World Open.

The one-year deal will see the tournament, which runs from September 18 to 26 at the SECC in Glasgow, named the 12bet.com World Open.

The world ranking event will feature star players including Ronnie O'Sullivan, Stephen Hendry, Steve Davis, Jimmy White, Mark Selby and World Champion Neil Robertson. It carries a total prize fund of £502,500 with the winner to receive £100,000.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: "This is a fantastic piece of news for our sport at just the right time. We've made giant strides forward in the commercial success of snooker in recent months and this keeps the momentum going. The new World Open, with a new format, new venue, and new arena, is one of the cornerstones of the new era so we're thrilled to have a title sponsor on board.

"With over 50 hours coverage on BBC and a combined global audience reaching over 100 million, the tournament will give vast exposure to 12bet.com's brand so it's easy to see their motivation behind getting involved with snooker. We hope they enjoy what should be a great tournament and look forward to building a strong relationship with them."

Rory Anderson, CEO for Europe at 12bet, said: "We are delighted to add the World Open to our fast growing sponsorship portfolio. This event will give our brand fantastic exposure not only in the UK but throughout Europe. We are glad to be on board and are excited about the new best of five format."

Masters champion Selby added: "It's always exciting to have a new sponsor and it seems a long time now since we had a ranking event without one. I am sure the World Open will be a great tournament. All the players are looking forward to it, myself included. We'll all be trying to win it and play our best snooker."

The nine-day tournament will feature quick-fire best-of-five frame matches and a random draw for each round.

Tickets are still on sale, for details call 0844 395 4000 or visit www.worldsnooker.com/tickets

The 12bet.com World Open receives equal funding and support from EventScotland and Glasgow City Marketing Bureau.

THE HOTTEST TICKET IN SNOOKER HAS SOLD OUT

The snooker revolution has begun, with VIP tickets having already sold out for the inaugural Power Snooker event at Indigo2 on 30th October 2010.

Being billed as snooker's answer to Twenty20 cricket, Power Snooker is the brand new innovative game which is set to impact on the world of snooker, bringing a fresh, exciting new concept and a whole new audience to the sport.

VIP tickets for the event, which include seating at a VVIP table on the Players Floor with premium viewing plus a chance to mingle with the players and celebrities, have all been snapped up by keen sports fans eager to be a part of this new phenomenon.

With less than two months to go, organisers of the event predict a complete sell out for the first of what will become a global event.

Rod Gunner, the creator of Power Snooker said: "Power Snooker is completely different to the traditional game. It's against the clock and will deliver an exciting, fast moving, fun experience. The players will also be mic'd up throughout, and as it's going to be on live TV this could making things even more exciting!"

Spearheaded by snooker legend Ronnie O'Sullivan, and endorsed by Barry Hearn, Power Snooker is a totally new experience. As well as world famous snooker players in designer outfits there will be music, lighting and special effects, and the stunning female referees and sexy Power Girls will add to the glamour of the whole event. Audience interaction will also be encouraged.

Rod adds: "Power Snooker isn't about sitting quietly watching, it's about noise and interaction; feeling a part of it and enjoying yourselves. Because of its fast pace, and all the elements involved, the game will appeal to a much wider audience than traditional snooker, introducing a new and younger crowd."

Power Snooker is at the Indigo2 Arena in London on 30th October. There are two sessions; the afternoon session is between 1 - 5pm, then the evening session is 6 - 10pm, concluding in the Grand Final. The full 8 hour event will be broadcast live on ITV4 and will also be covered by talkSport radio.

For further information or tickets visit ww.powersnooker.com

Captain Carter Flies To Second

Ali Carter is up to second place in the world rankings following his victory in the Roewe Shanghai Masters.

The player nicknamed The Captain beat Jamie Burnett 10-7 in the final to win the second ranking title of his career, after the 2009 Welsh Open. He’s up to second in the rankings, behind only John Higgins, who is banned until November.

"I just want to win as many titles as I can in my career. If you keep getting to the business end of tournaments then you will have chances to win them and that's what I've done. It wasn't the best match, but those are the ones where winning is what matters," said Tiptree’s 31-year-old Carter.

Glasgow’s Burnett had never previously reached the semi-finals of a ranking event, and though he finished as runner-up he jumps to 29th place on the list, having started the season 37th.

The losing semi-finalists in Shanghai were Mark Selby and Jamie Cope, who now stand ninth and 13th respectively.

As one of the innovations on the World Snooker Tour this season, the rankings now work as a two-year rolling list, so the points for the 2008 Northern Ireland Trophy and Roewe Shanghai Masters have been removed.

After the 12BET.com World Open in Glasgow, which runs from September 18 to 26, the points for the 2008 Grand Prix will be removed, then after the EPTC event in Belgium from September 30 to October 3, the seeding list will be updated.

The top 16 players at that cut-off point will qualify automatically for the televised stages of the UK Championship in Telford in December and the prestigious Masters at Wembley Arena in January.

Tickets for the 12BET.com World Open are on sale, for details call 0844 395 4000 or visit www.worldsnooker.com/tickets

After 3 Years Absence, Efren Reyes & Django Bustamante Will Play International Singles Event at Home

Reyes & Bustamante will play in the Predator International Championship starting Wednesday at SM Mall North Edsa

Manila, Philippines – After waiting three years, Filipino legends Efren "Bata" Reyes and Francisco "Django" Reyes will finally get to play in a singles pro event against a stellar international field at The 10th Annual Predator International Championship. For political reasons, the two giants of billiards skipped the past international events for singles in the Philippines and only participated in teams/doubles competitions such as the World Cup of Pool and the World Mixed Doubles Classic. Now they will go against foreign favorites such as Finland's Mika Immonen (currently ranked #1 in the world), Shane Van Boening (USA), Rodney Morris (#2 in the USA), and other Filipino greats such as Ronnie Alcano and Lee Van Corteza. These top men 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, a 10-Ball event and the first major internationally televised in billiards history (four years ago), will take place September 15-18, 2010 at SM City North Edsa in Manila, Philippines. Dragon Promotions will produce the event and Simonis Cloth, Min Tables, Yalin Balls, SM City North Edsa, Puyat Sports, and Star Billiards will sponsor it. This year’s Predator International Championship will air on ABS-CBN and ESPN Star Sports. Eurosport will cover the event in Europe.

Reyes won the 1999 World Championship and his compadre, Bustamante, was crowned World Champion this past summer in Qatar. Reyes, a United States Hall of Famer, is now joined by Django who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame in October. As a doubles team, both players bombed out at the World Cup last week but, given their history, audiences can expect a show characteristic of their hall-of-fame status and representative of the play that has led to such illustrious careers .

"I'm very happy to finally play in a singles event in front of my home fans in the Philippines. It's not something I get a chance to do often, and even though it's alot of pressure, it really makes me feel good as the people support me," said Reyes of playing in the Predator International Championship.

Canada's John Morra, Japan's Akagariyama Yukio, Lee Chenman of Hong Kong, HA MIN UG of Korea, Bashar Hussain of Qatar ,and Vitaly Pavlukhin of Russia are some of the top foreign players in the field that have come to Manila to compete for this prestigious title. Clearly, it will take extraordinary play to earn victory in this year’s event.

Fans and players can follow the latest updates and live scoring at www.predator10ball.com and also follow along on Facebook at Dragonpromo Dragonworldnews

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.

LEE VANN CORTEZA WINS PREDATOR SWEET 16; POCKETS 10,000 EUROS
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

Champion: Lee Vann Corteza of the Philippines (10,000 Euros)
2nd Place: Rodney Morris of the United State (6,000 Euros)
Semi-fimalists: Niels Feijen of the Netherlands and David Alcaide of Spain (4,000 Euros)

MANILA----LEE VANN “THE SLAYER” CORTEZA of the Philippines hacked out an 8-5 victory over Rodney “The Rocket” Morris of the United States in the finals to capture the Predator Sweet 16 Tournament at the Block, SM City North Edsa, Quezon City Tuesday night.

The pride of Davao City Corteza, whose stint here is supported by Kopiko and Energen, silently prayed for an opportunity to return the table when he was down 4-0 according to Negros Billiards Stable (NBS) coach Christopher Palses, came back from the grave via seven (7) consecutive racks to seized the 7-4 lead in the race-to-8 finals in the event organized by Dragon Promotions and supported by Predator CEO/ President Karim Belhaj.

Morris won the 12th racks to cut the lead at 7-5 count before Corteza took the final rack to escaped an 8-5 victory.

For his latest feat, Corteza claimed the top prize of 10,000 Euros while Morris went home the runner-up prize of 6,000 Euros.

“ I would like to thank Sir Jonathan Sy and coach Christopher Palses who always helping my local and international tournament alongside Kopiko and Energen,” said Corteza, currently ranked as No.2 in the world, and his dream to win the WPA World 9-Ball Title.

NBS president Jonathan Sy lauded Corteza's latest feat in a separate interview: “He deserves this... I'm really happy for him. This proves once again that the Filipino can be at par with the world's best cue artists.” "World 9-ball title na lamang ang kulang," added Sy, also the chairman of National Collegiate Billiards League (NCBL).
Semi-Finalists Niels Feijen of the Netherlands and David Alcaide of Spain didn't go home empty-handed won 4,000 Euros each for reaching the Final Four.

The Predator Sweet 16 is the completion of the Predator billiards competition that was postponed in Spain in 2009. The Last 16 hosted by long-time billiards patron Sebastian “Baste” Chua at the famous Star Billiards Center in Grace Village, Quezon City. The Semi-Finals and Finals was held at the Block, SM City North Edsa, Quezon City, the venue of Predator 10 Ball Championships which start on Wednesday.


Photo: From left to right:
Niels Feijen of the Netherlands (semi-finalists), David Alcaide of Spain (semi-finalists), Predator CEO/ President Karim Belhaj, Lee Vann Corteza of the Philippines (champion Predator Sweet 16) and Rodney Morris of the United States (2nd place)

ZERNA UPSETS MANALO; DE LUNA BEATS KIAMCO IN PREDATOR 10-BALL
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

MANILA---RICKY “BAI' ZERNA and Jeffrey “The Bull” de Luna registered biggest upset after pulling contrasting victories at the start of 10th annual Predator International Championship at the Block, SM City North Edsa in Quezon City on Wednesday.

Zerna, playing under the banner of Negros Billiards Stable (NBS) beat tournament favorite Marlon “Marvelous” Manalo, 8-4, while de Luna nipped veteran campaigner Warren “Warrior”Kiamco, 8-5.

After 3-all deadlock, Manalo the pride of Barangay Malamig in Mandaluyong City seized 4-3 lead winning the 7th racks. However, Manalo suffered a scratch in the 8th racks allowing Zerna from Dumaguete City to tie the game at 4-all count. Zerna took the last four racks to enroute an 8-4 victory.

“Nakuha ko y'ung momentum ng nag scratch si Marlon (Manalo) sa 8th racks kaya naitabla natin sa 4-all. Then naka straight tayo ng 4-straight racks,” said Zerna, who is best to remember beating former double world champion Ronato “Volcano” Alcano during the finals of 2008 Knightshot Champions 9-ball in United Arab Emirates.

“ Malaki din y'ung factor na kinasihan tayo ng suwerte lalu na't winner's break ang format. Saka magaling talaga si Manalo, inuulit ko talagang sinuwerte lang,” added Zerna.

Manalo on his part,” Matapos akong mag scratch sa 8th racks ay hindi na tayo nakatira.Maganda ang nilaro ni Bai (Zerna)” added amiable Manalo.

Manalo and Kiamco, both needed to win their remaining games in the loser's side to progress.

Roberto “Pinoy Superman” Gomez, 2007 World 9-ball finalist , meantime nipped Edgar Acaba, 8-5, Ramil “Bebeng” Gallego dealt Toninda Yoshixuki of Japan, 8-4, Judy Villanueva edged Vitaly Pavluklin of Russia, 8-7, Ruben Cuna crushed Kimje Yonezu of Japan, 8-6, Jundel Mazon, the reigning Guinness champion disposed of Jason Klatt of Canada, 8-5, Victor Arpilleda waylaid Dondon Razalan, 8-5, Antonio Lining defeated Michael Feliciano, 8-6, Elvis Calasang outplayed Rodrigo Geronimo, 8-2, and Jech Limen beat Hadley Mariano, 8-2. Rodolfo Luat, on the other hand won via default against Ernesto Dominguez of Mexico. Japan's A. Yukio beat Val Pajuay, 8-3.

Alcano, Predator Sweet 16 champion Lee Vann Corteza, Efren “Bata” Reyes, Francisco “Django” Bustamante, Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan, Dennis “Robocop” Orcullo, Carlo Biado, Mika Immonen of Finland, Charlie Williams, Rodney Morris and Shane Van Boening of the USA took a bye in the first round yesterday.

POOL BALLS

Min Tables and Yalin Balls Sponsor Predator International Championship

by Sally Lee

Manila, Philippines – Min Tables and Yalin Balls are the Official Table and Official Balls of the The 10th Annual Predator International Championship which is now taking place now at SM Mall North Edsa September 15-18, 2010 all this week. Both companies originate out of Asia, but this is the first international televised event they are sponsoring.

"Min Tables and Yalin are both strong, long standing companies in Asia, and they desire to brand and market themselves more outside their respective countries. We are pleased that they have chosen our company to help them in their efforts through our global televised events", said Cindy Lee, CEO of Dragon Promotions. Min Tables is based out of South Korea while Yalin Balls is based in Jinan, China.

The Predator International Championship will air on TV networks in almost every country in Asia, plus parts of the Middle East, USA, and Canada as well as most of Europe. The network partners for the event include ABS-CBN, ESPN Star Sports, and Eurosport. The event is airing live for three days with five hour straight broadcast each day, making it one of the top globally covered billiard events in the world.

The event kicked off with a terrific press conference and dinner with over a dozen reporters and film crews from various TV shows and national networks coming to meet the players and cover the event . Stars such as Efren Reyes, Francisco Bustamante, Alex Pagulayan, Shane Van Boening, Charlie Williams, Corey Deuel, and Rodney Morris were on hand to answer Q & A with the press.

Reyes is a national hero in his home country of the Philippines

Dragon Promotions is producing these events with the support of Min Tables www.mintable.co.kr, Yalin Balls www.yalin.cn/en/ , Simonis Cloth www.simoniscloth.com , SM City North Edsa, Puyat Sports, Poison, Star Billiards, and of course Predator www.predatorcues.com . This year’s Predator International Championship will air on ABS-CBN and ESPN Star Sports. Eurosport will cover the event in Europe. Fans and players can follow the latest updates and live scoring at www.predator10ball.com and also follow along on Facebook at Dragonpromo Dragonworldnews or www.dragonpromotions.com or email at world10ballchampionships@gmail.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.
Visit www.dragonpromotions.com or www.dragonpromotions.co.kr Follow us on Facebook at Dragonpromo Dragonworldnews

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.

BATA REYES BEAT DENNIS ORCULLO ENTERS PREDATOR 10 BALL QUARTERS
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

QUEZON CITY---FILIPINO hall of famer Efren "Bata" Reyes booked his seat in the quarterfinals of the 10th Annual Predator International 10-Ball Championship after defeating last year's champion and countryman Dennis "Robocop" Orcullo at the SM North Edsa in Quezon City.
The Angeles City, Pampanga native Reyes, who scored the 9-4 victory on Friday, jumped to a 7-2 lead in the race-to-9 affair of the Last 16 using Single knock-out format and never looked back.

" Suwerte lamang nakauna tayo kay Dennis (Orcullo) at maganda y'ung nilaro natin," said Reyes, who rules the WPA World 9-ball title in Cardiff, Wales in 1999 and WPA World 8-ball title in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates in 2005.
He is set to face compatriot Jeffrey "The Bull" de Luna, who brought downed Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan, 9-7.

Warren "Warrior" Kiamco and Rodney "Rocket" Morris also cruised to the quarter-final round after beating their respective rivals. Kiamco defeated Ramil "Bebeng" Gallego, 9-6, while Morris edged John Morra of Canada, 9-8.
Kiamco, playing under the banner of Jonathan Sy's Negros Billiards Stable goes up against Morris in the next round.
Other interesting match-up on Friday in the Last 16 are Ronato Alcano versus Carlo Biado. The winner will face the survivor of Roberto Gomez versus Elvis Calasang tussle.
Mika Immonen of Finland, meantime slug it out with Antonio Lining with the winner will test the mettle of either Jundel Mazon or Lee Vann Corteza.

Organized by Dragon Promotions and supported by Predator CEO/ President Karim Belhaj and long-time billiards patron Sebastian "Baste" Chua. The games are broadcasted by ABS-CBN on Studio 23. There will be a live telecast today, September 18 at 2 p.m.

Robertson Set For Dott Rematch

Neil Robertson will play in a ranking event on British soil for the first time since becoming Betfred.com World Snooker Champion tomorrow - and he does so against Crucible final opponent Graeme Dott.

Robertson beat Scotland's Dott 18-13 in Sheffield last May to become the first Australian to win the sport's biggest title, and hopes to come out on top again when the two go head to head in the 12BET.com World Open at the SECC in Glasgow at 2.30pm on Saturday.

"The two world finalists going at it in the first round should be fun,” said the Thunder From Down Under. "The matches are only best-of-five frames but there are a lot of ranking points at stake which puts the players under pressure, and that suits me fine. You have to make sure you are up for it from the first shot. There will be a lot of close matches, which is what people want to see."

Robertson has a superb record in Scotland, having won the Grand Prix in Aberdeen in 2006 and in Glasgow last year. “It’s been a happy hunting ground for me and I love playing in Scotland,” he said. “There always seem to be good crowds and a good atmophere. Last year I beat John Higgins in the semi-finals, 6-5 on the last black in an unbelievable match, which has to go down as one of my best ever wins."

But the left-hander still believes that there is room for improvement. “In the last five years I have won five ranking events, including the World title, so there’s not that much that I haven’t done yet," he added. "I made a step up in my game last season, my break-building improved, I made a lot of centuries (42, more than any other player) and my first official 147. But I still feel that I can become a better player, and I will do that if I work hard in practice."

Also battling for the £100,000 top prize at the World Open will be the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan, Steve Davis, Jimmy White, Mark Selby and top Scots Stephen Hendry and Stephen Maguire.
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 12BET.com World Open receives equal funding and support from EventScotland and Glasgow City Marketing Bureau.

POWER SNOOKER CUE THE REVOLUTION
A NEW GAME, A NEW ERA FOR SNOOKER

Being billed as snooker's answer to Twenty20 cricket, Power Snooker is the brand new innovative game which is set to revolutionise the world of snooker, bringing a fresh, exciting new concept and a whole new audience to the sport.

The inaugural Power Snooker event will be broadcast live on ITV4 from London's Indigo2 arena on Saturday 30th October 2010 and will feature eight of the world's top snooker players.

Spearheaded by snooker legend Ronnie O'Sullivan, and endorsed by Barry Hearn, Power Snooker is a totally new experience. As well as world famous snooker players such as Ronnie, World Champion Neil Robertson and Jimmy White all dressed in designer outfits there will be great music, lighting and special effects and the stunning female referees and sexy Power Girls will add to the glamour of the whole event. The players are going to be mic'd up throughout the event on live TV, and audience interaction is going to be encouraged.

Created by Rod Gunner Chairman of the Innovate Group, Power Snooker is completely different to the traditional game. It's a totally new set of rules; it's points and not frames that count and it's all against the clock.

Rod says: "Power Snooker isn't about sitting quietly watching, it's about noise and interaction; feeling a part of it and enjoying yourselves. Because of its fast pace, and all the elements involved, the game will appeal to a much wider audience than traditional snooker, introducing a new and younger crowd."

Power Snooker is at the Indigo2 arena in London on 30th October. There are two sessions; the afternoon session is between 1 - 5pm, then the evening session is 6 - 10pm, concluding in the Grand Final. The full 8-hour event will be broadcast live on ITV4 and will also be covered by talkSPORT radio.

BATA REYES BEAT DENNIS ORCULLO ENTERS PREDATOR 10 BALL QUARTERS; 7 PINOY STAYS ALIVE, 1 AMERICAN
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

QUEZON CITY---FILIPINO hall of famer Efren "Bata" Reyes booked his seat in the quarterfinals of the 10th Annual Predator International 10-Ball Championship after defeating last year's champion and countryman Dennis "Robocop" Orcullo at the SM North Edsa in Quezon City.

The Angeles City, Pampanga native Reyes, who scored the 9-4 victory on Friday, jumped to a 7-2 lead in the race-to-9 affair of the Last 16 using Single knock-out format and never looked back.

" Suwerte lamang nakauna tayo kay Dennis (Orcullo) at maganda y'ung nilaro natin," said Reyes, who rules the WPA World 9-ball title in Cardiff, Wales in 1999 and WPA World 8-ball title in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates in 2005.
He is set to face compatriot Jeffrey "The Bull" de Luna, who brought downed Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan, 9-7.

Warren "Warrior" Kiamco and Rodney "Rocket" Morris also cruised to the quarter-final round after beating their respective rivals. Kiamco defeated Ramil "Bebeng" Gallego, 9-6, while Morris edged John Morra of Canada, 9-8.
Kiamco, playing under the banner of Jonathan Sy's Negros Billiards Stable goes up against Morris in the next round.

In other matches saw, Carlo "Cool" Biado edged Ronato "Volcano" Alcano, 9-8. He will face Roberto "Pinoy Superman" Gomez in the next round, who brought downed Elvis Calasang, 9-7. Also impressive is Antonio "Nickoy" Lining who ousted Mika Immonen of Finland, 9-3, as well Lee Vann "The Slayer" Corteza who crushed Jundel Mazon, 9-5.

Lining goes up up against Corteza. Organized by Dragon Promotions and supported by Predator CEO/ President Karim Belhaj and long-time billiards patron Sebastian "Baste" Chua. The games are broadcasted by ABS-CBN on Studio 23. There will be a live telecast today, September 18 at 2 p.m.

Final Eight:
Efren "Bata" Reyes (RP) versus Jeffrey "The Bull" de Luna (RP)
Rodney "Rocket" Morris (USA) versus Warren "Warrior" Kiamco (RP)
Carlo "Cool" Biado (RP) versus Roberto "Pinoy Superman" Gomez (RP)
Antonio "Nickoy" Lining (RP) versus Lee Vann "The Slayer" Corteza (RP)

REYES VERSUS GOMEZ IN PREDATOR 10-BALL FINALS
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

EFREN "BATA" REYES and Roberto "Pinoy Superman" Gomez are in top form when they're at home.

Reyes, the Philippine's most popular billiards player,and Gomez, the 2007 World Pool Finalist, warded off separate rivals yesterday to arranged an all-Filipino showdown in 10th Annual Predator International 10-Ball Championship at the block in SM North Edsa, Quezon City.

Reyes, who ruled the WPA World Pool Championships in Cardiff, Wales in 1999 and the WPA World 8-ball
championships in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates in 2005 ousted lone US hopeful Rodney "Rocket" Morris, 9-5,
in the second second-final match.

" Masaya ako, anuman ang mangyari ay Pinoy ang kampeon," said Reyes who beat compatriot Jeffrey "The Bull" de Luna, 9-7,
in the quarter-finals late Friday.

Earlier, Gomez eliminates countryman Lee Vann "The Slayer" Corteza, 9-3,in the 1st semi-final match.Down at 0-3, Gomez waited his turn then clustered nine straight racks.

"Sabi ko sa sarili ko sana mabigyan ako ng pagkakataon. Kasama na din ng dasal,buti naman naging maganda ang
nilaro ko matapos mag 3-0 lead si Van-Van (Corteza) kaagad," said Gomez, from Divisoria, Zamboanga.

Gomez beat Carlo "Cool" Biado, 9-4, in the quarters while Corteza dealt Antonio "Nickoy" Lining, 9-5.

Organized by Dragon Promotions and supported by Predator CEO/ President Karim Belhaj and long-time billiards patron Sebastian "Baste" Chua with the champion getting the lion share of $10,000.

REYES BEATS GOMEZ; TOPS PREDATOR 10-BALL TOUR; POCKETS $10,000
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

QUEZON CITY---PHILIPPINE billiards icon Efren "Bata" Reyes is once again at the top of his game after winning the just ended 10th Annual Predator International 10-Ball Championship here at the block in SM North Edsa, Quezon City, Saturday night.

Reyes, the top player of Puyat sports, showed his vintage form by outclassing countryman Roberto "Pinoy Superman" Gomez (9-8 ) in the finals to win the championship trophy and pocket the US$10,000 top prize.

"Buti na lamang naging matatag tayo. Naka una agad kasi si Gomez,"said Reyes.

Gomez jumped 5-2 to 7-4 lead before Reyes rallied in the end game clustering four straight racks to reach the hill 8-7.

Gomez tied the game at 8-all in the 16th racks after Reyes miscue in the race-to-9, winner's break format.

However, an empty break in the 17th racks give a chance Reyes finish the game. Reyes never looked back winning the final rack including a spectacular bank shot in the blue 2 ball.

" May pagkakataon na sana akong manalo kaso nag dry break ako sa final rack," said Gomez, playing under the banner of Bugsy Promotions.

Reyes, the Philippine's most popular billiards player,and Gomez, the 2007 World Pool Finalist,warded off separate rivals yesterday to arranged an all-Filipino showdown.

Reyes, who ruled the WPA World Pool Championships in Cardiff, Wales in 1999 and the WPA World 8-ball championships in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates in 2005 ousted lone US hopeful Rodney "Rocket" Morris, 9-5, in the second second-final match.

Gomez, on the other hand eliminates countryman Lee Vann "The Slayer" Corteza, 9-3,in the 1st semi-final match.Down at 0-3, Gomez waited his turn then clustered nine straight racks.

Organized by Dragon Promotions and supported by Predator CEO/ President Karim Belhaj and long-time billiards patron Sebastian"Baste" Chua.

REYES, CORTEZA LEAD RP BID IN CHINA OPEN
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

QUEZON CITY---FILIPINOS Efren "Bata" Reyes and Lee Vann "The Slayer" Corteza expect a tough grind when they spearhead the country’s charge in the 2010 China Open which gets underway on September 26 at the Minya Hotel in Shanghai, China.

Both Corteza and Reyes are dominated the Predator Sweet 16 and 10th Annual Predator International 10-Ball Championship respectively, both was held here at the block in SM North Edsa, Quezon City. The back-t-back event organized by Dragon Promotions and supported by Predator CEO/ President Karim Belhaj and long-time billiards patron Sebastian"Baste" Chua of the famous Star Billiards Center.



The Angeles City pride Reyes, the Philippine's most popular billiards player, the top player of sportsman/ businessman Aristeo "Putch" Puyat subdued countryman Roberto "Pinoy Superman" Gomez (10-9) in the finals Saturday night of 10th Annual Predator International 10-Ball Championship enroute the coveted title and the top prize of $10,000.

The Davao City ace Corteza, top gunner of Jonathan Sy's Negros Billiards Stable, meantime outplayed Rodney "The Rocket" Morris of the United States (8-5) in the finals to capture the Predator Sweet 16 Tournament Title plus 10,000 Euros first prize Tuesday night.

"It will be a very tough match against the top Asian players (Chinese-Taipei, China, Korea, Japan, Indonesia and Vietnam) as well as the players from Europe and America," said the 55-year-old Reyes in Filipino, the top player of sportsman/ businessman Aristeo "Putch" Puyat.

Corteza added: "We are expecting tough matches but we will try our best for flag and country," added Corteza, top gunner of Jonathan Sy's Negros Billiards Stable.
Philippine Embassy in London Defense and Armed Forces attache Col. Cens Mayangao lauded Reyes and Corteza's feat."Its again a great achievement for Efren Reyes, Lee Vann Corteza and the Philippines. Once more, the Filipinos like Efren and Lee Vann have displayed great talents beating world's best. Please extend our warm congratulations to Efren and Lee Vann and we wish them and other Filipino players all the best as they carry on giving honor and recognition to our countrymen." said Col. Cens Mayangao.

Also vying in 2010 China Open sanctioned by the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) and Asian Pocket Billards Union (APBU) are reigning WPA World 9-ball champion Francisco "Django" Bustamante, 2006 Doha Asian Games 9-ball silver medallist and 2007 Manny Pacquiao International 9-ball Champion Jeffrey "The Bull" de Luna, Southeast Asian Games gold medallists Marlon "Marvelous" Manalo, Warren "Warrior" Kiamco and Japan Champion Ramil "Bebeng" Gallego.

According to Ian de Luna, wife of power-breaker Jeffrey de luna, the Filipino pool wizards are also schedule to compete in the forthcoming 2010 International Challenge of Champions on October 4 to 6 at the Mohegan Sun's Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut, USA, 2010 US Open 9-ball Championships on October 17 to 21 in Chesapeake, Virginia, USA, 2010 Asian Games on November 12 to 27 in Guangzhou, China and 2010 All Japan Championships on November 23 to 28 in Hyogo, Japan.

Rocket Could Face Whirlwind In Glasgow

Crowd favourites Ronnie O'Sullivan and Jimmy White will go head to head in the last 32 of the 12BET.com World Open if they both get through their first round matches.

The random draw for the last 32 was staged today at the SECC, conducted by the Lord Provost of Glasgow, Bob Winter.

White has to play Paul Davison in his first match tonight while O'Sullivan faces Mark King tomorrow. The winners of those two matches will play on Thursday at 12.30pm.

Jamie Cope will meet Dave Harold in an all-Stoke battle while up-and-coming Irishman David Morris will make his TV debut against Betfred.com World Champion Neil Robertson. Scotland's snooker legend Stephen Hendry is up against Mark Davis.

The full draw and schedule is:

Monday, September 20

Afternoon session
Matthew Stevens v Alan McManus
Joe Jogia v Liu Song

7pm
Jamie Cope v Dave Harold
Mike Dunn v Marcus Campbell

Tuesday, September 21

1pm
Ali Carter v Mark Williams or Igor Figueiredo
Jimmy Michie v Ding Junhui or Adrian Gunnell
Stephen Lee v Nigel Bond

7pm
Stephen Hendry v Mark Davis
Peter Ebdon v Fergal O'Brien

Wednesday, September 22

12.30pm
Neil Robertson v David Morris
Ken Doherty v Mark Selby or Barry Hawkins
James McBain v Ricky Walden

7pm
Judd Trump v Stephen Maguire
Martin Gould v Matthew Couch

Thursday, September 23

12.30pm
Ronnie O'Sullivan or Mark King v Jimmy White or Paul Davison
Marco Fu v Andrew Higginson

Tickets for the tournament are on sale now, for details call 0844 395 4000 or visit www.worldsnooker.com

The 12BET.com World Open receives equal funding and support from EventScotland and Glasgow City Marketing Bureau.

AMIT BEATS RANOLA TO ADVANCE IN CHINA OPEN
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

MANILA---FILIPINA pool player Rubilen “Bingkay” Amit clustered five straight racks to beat countryman Iris Ranola, 7-2, on Sunday to booked her seat in the main draw of 2010 China Open in Shanghai, China.

According to national coach Boyet Asonto in an interview yesterday, there will be two division in the 2010 China Open which begins on September 23 to 26.

“ Nag qualify kahapon (Sunday) si Rubilen (Amit) sa China Open women’s division matapos niyang talunin si Iris (Ranola). Pero may qualifying pa naman at may pag-asa pa si Iris na makapasok sa main draw,” said Asonto.
Amit is expected to lead the Filipinas campaign in the women’s side while Lee Vann "The Slayer" Corteza and Efren “Bata” Reyes, both dominated the Predator Sweet 16 and 10th Annual Predator International 10-Ball Championship respectively will carrying the Philippine flag in the men’s competition.

Tsai Chen Pen from the host country is the defending China women's champion while Thorsten Hohmann of Germany is the last year's ruler in the men's side.

Also vying in 2010 China Open men’s side sanctioned by the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) and Asian Pocket Billards Union (APBU) are reigning WPA World 9-ball champion Francisco "Django" Bustamante, 2006 Doha Asian Games 9-ball silver medallist and 2007 Manny Pacquiao International 9-ball Champion Jeffrey "The Bull" de Luna, Southeast Asian Games gold medallists Marlon "Marvelous" Manalo, Warren "Warrior" Kiamco and Japan Champion Ramil "Bebeng" Gallego.

The Filipino pool wizards are also schedule to compete in the forthcoming 2010 International Challenge of Champions on October 4 to 6 at the Mohegan Sun's Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut, USA, 2010 US Open 9-ball Championships on October 17 to 21 in Chesapeake, Virginia, USA, 2010 Asian Games on November 12 to 27 in Guangzhou, China and 2010 All Japan Championships on November 23 to 28 in Hyogo, Japan.

Lord Stevens To Oversee Snooker's Integrity Unit

Lord Stevens, World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn and WPBSA Disciplinary Committee head David Douglas joined forces today (Monday) to launch snooker's new Integrity Unit.

The three key strands of the Integrity Unit - Intelligence, Prevention and Investigation - are designed to eliminate all forms of corruption from snooker.

Former Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lord John Stevens, Chairman of Quest, is one of the world's leading experts on tackling corruption in sport. In recent years, Quest have led a number of inquiries in world sport including work with the nothing Premier League, the FEI and the nothing.

He said: "Integrity is non-negotiable. Sport will only move forward if we show to the world that we are fully committed to clean and fair sport at all levels. Independent Integrity Units are a best practice model which have already been implemented by other international sports.

"Integrity is about fair play right across sport, not just about competitors and officials. It as much about protecting the innocent as it is about trying to prevent and identify irregular practices. All of us involved in sport have a duty to ensure that our sports are clean. Otherwise, the sports we love are under threat."

Hearn said: "Setting up the Integrity Unit is a process we started several months ago - before the John Higgins case came about - by bringing David Douglas on to the board. Snooker is a sport associated with honesty and sportsmanship, we've all seen countless occasions where players have owned up to fouls not spotted by the referee.

"Unfortunately in recent months we've had some high profile cases which have tarnished the image of the game, and it's vital for the future of snooker that we stamp out corruption and make sure we are clean, and perceived as clean by the viewing public. We have made massive strides forward commercially this year with new and successful events with exciting formats. But that progress must not be hindered by any form of corruption.

"We must stop the problems at the root and provide a massive deterrent, therefore it is our intention to give life bans to players found in breach of the most serious rules."

Douglas, a former Detective Chief Superintendent of the Metropolitan Police, added: "The WPBSA is the regulator for snooker and as such has as a key role in the protection of the sport’s integrity. In order for the sport to maintain and grow interest it has to be, and seen to be, clean and fair."

He also outlined the three strands of the Integrity Unit:

Intelligence
The WPBSA should be able to receive information through many channels to be held and analysed centrally. Certain types of intelligence may be highly sensitive and the WPBSA must have a robust system to protect confidential sources. A full information security plan must be in place to ensure that any data received by the WPBSA is stored securely.

Prevention
- Education and publicity
- Ongoing analysis of intelligence and strategic assessments to continue to identify best practice and methods of prevention for the WPBSA.

Investigation
The WPBSA will provide an investigative capacity in order that intelligence can be acted upon efficiently, proportionately and appropriately to focus on proving or disproving any information or allegation indicating malpractice.