Site News
Topic: *Industry News* 2015 - 2024

Betfred Donate £40,000 To Jessie May

World Championship title sponsor Betfred has donated a massive £40,000 to Jessie May Children's Hospice at Home, to mark 40 years of snooker at the Crucible.

At the start of the tournament in Sheffield, Betfred pledged £200 for every century made during the 17 day event, to be rounded up to £40,000 if the total hit 80 centuries.

In fact that target of 80 was not reached but Betfred boss Fred Done generously rounded up the total anyway.

He said: “The players may not have hit 80 centuries, but the snooker on the 40th anniversary of the Crucible has been magical and so that’s why I’ve decided to donate the £40,000 to the Jessie May Children’s Hospice at Home. World Snooker’s official charity do an amazing job and are a very worthy cause. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the players and everyone who works on this special tournament. I am a very proud sponsor.”

Lindsey Horton, Corporate Partnerships Officer for Jessie May, added: "This is such a wonderful donation from Betfred and we are thrilled and amazed by their generosity. The money will make a huge difference to the children and families we care for."

Jessie May Children’s Hospice at Home, based in Bristol, has become World Snooker’s official charity partner for the 2016/17 season. Jessie May provides a hospice at home service for terminally ill children, offering care to families in the Bristol area.

Van Boening Endorses USA Pool League

CueSports International, Henderson, NV (May 2, 2017) – CueSports International (CSI) is excited to announce Shane Van Boening as the USA Pool League (USAPL) Player Representative.

For years, Van Boening, of South Dakota, has been the undisputed top American player, having earned five US Open 9-Ball titles, two US Open 10-Ball titles, two US Open 8-Ball titles, and a US Open One Pocket title, in addition to three World Pool Masters titles and many more.

Before becoming a U.S. champion, Van Boening, like millions of other pool enthusiasts around the world, played in pool leagues. He earned many national league titles before becoming a professional pool player.
“Pool leagues were a large part of my family’s life when I was growing up,” Van Boening said.

CueSports International founded the USAPL in 2009 to solve the inherent problems found in other leagues. It was created specifically to be “Fair and Fun for Everyone.” In the USAPL, everyone, no matter what skill level, has an equal chance of winning. The USAPL is the first league organization to use FargoRate, the most accurate and only global pool player-rating system. All league data flows into FargoRate and player ratings are recalculated daily.

“The USA Pool Lt only one of the most recognized players in the sport, he is also among the most respected. He is known not only for his great skill at the table, but also for his positive attitude, work ethic and sportsmanship. Those qualities make him an extraordinary and inspirational ambassador for USAPL.

“Shane understands the importance of amateur players and organized league play. He is a true professional and will be a great ambassador for the USA Pool League,” said Ozzy Reynolds, CSI general manager.

League is the best way for beginner and average players to have fun and fall in love with the game,” said Van Boening. “And that is good for our entire industry.”

For more information about the USAPL, visit www.playusapool.com.

CSI 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 like the US Bar Table Championships, US Open 10-Ball Championship, US Open 8-Ball Championship, and much more. For more information, visit www.playcsipool.com or call CSI at 702-719-POOL.

EPBF Announces 2017 Atlantic Challenge Cup Location and Date Teams and Captains To Be Announced In Coming Weeks

The European Pocket Billiard Federation today announced the third annual Atlantic Challenge Cup will be held in Klagenfurt, Austria, 5 - 8 July, 2017. On Thursday the 4th of May, the city of Klagenfurt made an official announcement that the Atlantic Challenge Cup will be held at Sportpark Klagenfurt. Specific match times will be announced at a later date.

“With around 20 journalists and TV stations present during this announcement, the event promises to be heavily promoted,” said IBPF President David Morris. “Europe has won the first two editions between these two pool giants in 2015 and 2016, but America is determined to improve on its previous showings. They have raised the bar in youth competitions over the last few years which will enable them to send a very competitive team. Europe is also preparing to send a very strong team that is prepared to win the Cup again in 2017.”

“Europe has selected an outstanding location for the 2017 Atlantic Challenge Cup,” said BCA Chairman Chance Pack. “Playing in the Atlantic Challenge Cup is an amazing opportunity and accomplishment for players on both teams. Our players will enjoy their experience in Austria and put all their energy into capturing the 2017 Cup.”

Teams and team captains will be announced in the coming weeks.
Launched by the Billiard Congress of America and the European Pocket Billiard Federation in 2015, the Atlantic Challenge Cup pits the best of youth from Europe and America in a Mosconi Cup style event in a race to 11 with a possible 21 total matches. Six players on each team, four boys and two girls, will battle it out to see who will have the bragging rights across the Atlantic. Europe has captured the 2015 and 2016 titles.

More information can be found at atlanticchallengecup.com.

Snooker's Top Stars Target Riga

World Champion Mark Selby and defending champion Neil Robertson are among the snooker kings set to play in the 2017 Kaspersky Riga Masters.

Robertson won the world ranking event last year by beating Michael Holt in the final at the Riga Arena in Latvia. And this time he'll be defending his title against the likes of Selby, Shaun Murphy, Stuart Bingham, Barry Hawkins, Kyren Wilson, Mark Williams, Mark Allen and Jimmy White.

The matches involving Selby, Robertson and the two wild card players will be held over to the final venue in Riga. All other first round matches will take place at the Guild Hall in Preston from May 31 to June 2, with the winners going through to the final stages in the Latvian capital to do battle for the first ranking title of the 2017/18 season. The qualifiers draw and format is now available at www.worldsnooker.com

And there is increased prize money for the tournament this year, with the winner to bank £50,000 from a total of £227,000.

Earlier this month, Selby won the world title for the third time by beating John Higgins 18-15 in the final at the Crucible.

"I'm really looking forward to getting going again, and I'll be full of confidence coming off my best ever season," said the 33-year-old, who won the inaugural Riga Masters in 2014. "I have always enjoyed playing in Latvia, it's a beautiful place and the fans make us feel welcome. It will be a strong field in Riga and hopefully I can have a good run."

Tickets for all sessions of the Kaspersky Riga Masters are now available and start at just 15.60 Euros. It's a fantastic chance for snooker fans to see many of their heroes live, competing for a ranking title. For ticket details visit www.bilesuserviss.lv/eng/tickets/sports/snukers/kaspersky-riga-masters-2017-world-snooker-ranking-event-213778/

Europe Announces 2017 Atlantic Challenge Cup Team
Captains To Be Announced In Coming Weeks

The European Pocket Billiard Federation today announced its team to face the Americans during this year’s staging of the Atlantic Challenge Cup taking place 5 – 8, July, 2017 in Klagenfurt, Austria.

The European team consists of Russia’s Maksim Dudanets, Poland’s Daniel Maciol and Wiktor Zielinski and Germany’s Patrick Hoffman. On the girls’ side are Russia’s Kristina Tkach and Belgium’s Diana Khodjaeva. Maksim and Kristina have qualified for the European team for the third time and played key roles in both of Europe’s Atlantic Challenge Cup victories.

“No player will take our 2015 and 2016 victories for granted” said EPBF president Gre Leenders. “They have the upmost respect for the American players and know that what happened in the past is history. The moment they step out into that arena they will be focused on the job at hand. The fact we have returning players will be valuable to the new team members.”
Team USA will be announced next week.

Launched in 2015, the Atlantic Challenge Cup features the best youth players from Europe and America in a Mosconi Cup style event. Six players on each team, four boys and two girls, battle it out on an annual basis to see who has bragging rights across the Atlantic. The event is the result of a joint venture between the Billiard Congress of America and the European Pocket Billiard Federation.

Stay tuned to AtlanticChallengeCup.com for continuous updates on the 2017 event.

Press release issued by the EPBF & BCA..

USA Announces 2017 Atlantic Challenge Cup Team - Captains To Be Announced In Coming Weeks

The Billiard Congress of America today announced its team for the 3nd annual Atlantic Challenge Cup event to be held in Klagenfurt, Austria, 5 - 8 July, 2017.

The 2017 team begins with reigning Junior National 9-Ball Champion and member of the 2016 US World Junior Team Ricky Evans. Ricky will be joined by his 2016 World Teammate Nathan Childress, long time junior standout Manny Perez, and 2016 Atlantic Challenge Cup team member Shane Wolford.

2015 Atlantic Challenge Cup Team USA MVP April Larson, and 2016 reserve member Sierra Reams round out Team USA.

“To be selected a member of Team USA is a unique honor and I hope every player understands what a great accomplishment it is to wear the Team USA jersey,” said Billiard Congress of America CEO Rob Johnson. “Now, it’s time to prepare to compete as a team and give Team Europe a great battle for that Cup! Team USA Committee Chair Rick Doner and his team have assembled a first-class team of players and special kids. Thank you to Rick, the additional committee members and the Billiard Education Foundation for their hard work and commitment.”

Members of 2017 Team U.S.A.
1. Manny Perez, age 19 (Overland Park, KS)
2. Ricky Evans, age 15 (St. Peters, MO)
3. Shane Wolford, age 17 (Troutville, VA)
4. Nathan Childress, age 15 (North Chesterfield, VA)
5. April Larson, age 17 (Bloomington, MN)
6. Sierra Reams, age 18 (Richmond, VA)

“Having such a diverse group of juniors has once again provided Team USA with strong, knowledgeable and experienced players to represent America as ambassadors of our sport,” said Team USA Selection Committee Chair Rick Doner. While not an easy process, it is designed to find the very best players and individuals who will represent America in this special event. We are delighted with the wonderful group of young ladies and men coming together to form Team USA.”

Launched in 2015, the Atlantic Challenge Cup features the best youth players from Europe and America in a Mosconi Cup style event. Six players on each team, four boys and two girls, battle it out on an annual basis to see who has bragging rights across the Atlantic. The event is the result of a joint venture between the Billiard Congress of America and the European Pocket Billiard Federation.

Stay tuned to AtlanticChallengeCup.com for continuous updates on the 2017 event.

Press release issued by the EPBF & BCA.

USA Announces 2017 Atlantic Challenge Cup Team Captain

The Billiard Congress of America today announced its team’s captain to face the Europeans during this year’s staging of the Atlantic Challenge Cup taking place July 5 – 8, 2017 in Klagenfurt, Austria.

“We are thrilled to name Johnny Archer to lead Team USA as its Captain for the 2017 Atlantic Challenge Cup,” said BCA CEO Rob Johnson. “While his accomplishments in the game are enormous, Johnny’s commitment to give back to the game by dedicating time to support and grow junior play makes him the ideal candidate to lead Team USA in 2017. We are also excited to announce Johnny will be supported by 2015 and 2016 ACC Team Captain and BEF Junior Nationals Tournament Director Earl Munson. Johnny and Earl will make for a great combination to guide Team USA in player selection, pre-event training and on-site leadership.”

A 2009 Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame inductee, Archer is a four-time world 9-ball champion and winner of 25 pro tour titles. Born in tiny Twin City, Ga., Archer was drawn to the game as a junior and never looked back. Archer joined the pro tour full-time in 1986. Six years later he won his first tour title, the 1991 Sands Regency Open. The following year, Archer won five titles, including the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) World 9-Ball Championship, and was named Billiards Digest Player of the Year, the first of such POY titles Archer would garner. Archer would go on to win 12 Professional Billiard Tour (PBT) titles over the next four years, including two of his four world crowns (PBT World 9-Ball championships in 1993 and 1995). Archer once again won the WPA World 9-Ball Championships in 1992 and 1997. In all, Archer has won more than 60 tournaments. He has also been a member of Team USA in the Mosconi Cup 17 times in a row.

“This is truly a great honor," said Archer. "Having an opportunity to give back to the game and work with these outstanding young individuals and players is a blessing. The game has given so much to me and without some special individuals in my life helping me as a junior I wouldn’t be where I am today. I want to be a part of the current rejuvenation of junior play in the US. The BEF Junior Nationals are setting participation records, other national junior events are seeing increased participation and now with the Atlantic Challenge Cup junior players have so many opportunities to benefit from their efforts. What a honor to be a part of this effort and to partner with Earl.”

Munson, who has nearly two decades of experience working with US junior players, returns as Archer’s assistant after leading the 2015 and 2016 Team USA. In addition to serving as Team USA Captain, he is also entering his 12th year as the USA BEF Junior National tournament director and is a four-time USA team leader for WPA World Junior Championship events.
“Johnny is so deserving of this opportunity and I feel incredibly fortunate to support him as he prepares the team for 2017,” said Munson. “Johnny and I work well together and I see a great opportunity for Team USA to bring its best game to the 2017 Atlantic Challenge Cup.”

Launched in 2015, the Atlantic Challenge Cup features the best youth players from Europe and America in a Mosconi Cup style event. Six players on each team, four boys and two girls, battle it out on an annual basis to see who has bragging rights across the Atlantic. The event is the result of a joint venture between the Billiard Congress of America and the European Pocket Billiard Federation.

Stay tuned to AtlanticChallengeCup.com for continuous updates on the 2017 event.

Press release issued by the EPBF & BCA.

„This is all just insane!“ - Filler wins China Open

German young gun Joshua Filler has just taken the coveted title at the China Open 2017 in Shanghai. The 19-year-old kid ousted an impressive list of big names in the World of Pool to finally eliminate Jung-Lin Chang (TPE) in the final match.

„When I went to China“, stated Filler, „my goal was making it through the group stages. I thought that the field was stronger than in a World Championship and the equipment we play on gives an advantage to the Chinese players since they are used to it.“ „I felt good from the start. I really enjoyed the tournament and when I made it through my group, my next goal was the semi-final.“ „I was not very nervous but I knew at all times that I would need some luck to make it to the next round. The closest match was against Francisco Sanchez-Ruiz (ESP), where both of us would have deserved to go through but luck was on my side“, added a modest Filler.

The next match he was up against Dutch rising star Marco Teutscher. „That match was a fierce fight“, stated Filler, „we both made several mistakes in the match. When I was 8:7 up, he scratched and that gave me the opportunity to get away from him with two racks. In the end, I took the match 11:8 against Marco“.

„My next opponent was World 9-Ball Champion Albin Ouschan (AUT). I was really looking forward for that one. I had a good start and went ahead 3:0 but then I committed a silly mistake and went down 3:4. I was mad with myself so I decided to fight for my dream. The match continued like a dream for me and I was able to win eight racks in a row, winning the match 11:4 over Ouschan“.

„It was unbelievable! I made the semi-final of the China Open“, stated Filler. „My fiancé Pia gave me a lot of faith and strength and she helped me through the tournament.“ „The semi-final against Thorsten Hohmann (GER) was easier than expected since his break shot did not come at all. Suddenly, I was in the final match and that’s when I realised that I could win tis event!“

„In the final match against Chang I needed to double my efforts in order to have a chance. I found a really good rhythm and made use of every mistake of my opponent.“ „When I pocketed the final 9-ball, my heart jumped out of my chest and I really freaked out! My fiancé came into the arena and gave me a hug and I could not believe what I had just achieved. This is all just insane,“ mentioned Filler with a smile on his face.

Filler is now the youngest player ever to win the China Open. Before him it was Albin Ouschan who took the title in 2015 at 24 years of age. Filler is 19 years old and will definitely have a golden future in our sports.

2017 Mosconi Cup

Ticket Sales Europe v USA showdown set for Mandalay Bay

MATCHROOM SPORT can announce that tickets for the 2017 Mosconi Cup will go on sale this Thursday 15th June at 6.30pm BST / 10.30am Pacific Time.

Taking place at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino from December 4 – 7, this will be the 24th annual Mosconi Cup and it’s eighth appearance in Las Vegas.

In keep with the status of the event as the biggest in pool, the Europe v USA will be played out in a 1,500-seat arena with ticket prices as follows:

Standard                                 $48.00        
Standard Season Ticket             $161.00    

Premium                                 $70.00        
Premium Season Ticket             $239.00    

VIP Package                         Details to follow.

All prices are face value which includes venue fee and local taxes. The only additional fees are Ticketing agency (AXS) Convenience Fees.

All tickets are available from at www.mosconicup.com

Premium seating occupies rows four to six and standard is all other available seating. VIP seating will be rows one to three, with full details to follow.

For group bookings, there will be a dedicated phone line.

Mosconi Cup is pool’s biggest brand as two five-man teams representing the USA and Europe go head-to-head in a series of singles and doubles matches.

Televised throughout the four days of competition, the event is aired live in an incredible 144 countries around the world, including Sky Sports in the UK and Eleven Sports Network in the USA.

For discounted room rates at MGM Resort’s Las Vegas properties, please follow this link:

https://aws.passkey.com/go/mosconilv17

2017 Mosconi Cup European Rankings - Filler breaks through in China to go top

JOSHUA FILLER, the 19-year-old from Germany, stunned the pool world as he took the China Open beating a string of world-class opponents in Shanghai. It was the youngster’s breakout victory and sends him soaring to the top of the Mosconi Cup Team Europe World ranking.

Filler collected a massive 80 points for his victory and there were nine other Europeans in the points including semi-finalist Thorsten Hohmann who bagged 53. With the previous four events counting for both European and World Rankings, the European ranking stays the same.

Taking place from Monday 4th to Thursday 7th December, the 2017 Mosconi Cup will take place at the prestigious Mandalay Bay Hotel in Las Vegas.

Unlike previous years there will be only two rankings instead of three. The first will be the ‘European Ranking’ which includes the five European ‘A’ and five European ‘B’ events. The winner of this ranking will gain a spot on the Mosconi Cup side.

The second ranking will be the ‘World Ranking’ which will comprise all 12 events. The first and second placed players in this ranking will gain spots on the European Mosconi Cup team.

In the event that the winner of the European Ranking also comes first or second in the World Ranking, then the player filling the third position in the World Ranking will gain an automatic spot. The remaining two players will be wildcard picks.

The next ranking event is the UK Open from August 4/6 which counts towards both European and World Ranking.

2017 European Mosconi Cup Rankings - World List (After five events)

1 Joshua Filler (GER) 141
2 Ralf Souquet (GER) 129
3 Nick van den Berg (NED) 126
4 Albin Ouschan (AUT) 93
5 Francisco Sanchez Ruiz (ESP) 84
6 David Alcaide (ESP) 80
7 Niels Feijen (NED) 79
8 Mario He (AUT) 73
9 Ruslan Chinakhov (RUS) 69
10 Marco Teutscher (NED) 66

2017 European Mosconi Cup Rankings - European List (After four events)

1 Nick van den Berg (NED) 113
2 Ralf Souquet (GER) 102
3 David Alcaide (ESP) 80
4 Mario He (AUT) 73
5 Francisco Sanchez Ruiz (ESP) 71
6 Ruslan Chinakhov (RUS) 69
7 Niels Feijen (NED) 66
8 Joshua Filler (GER) 61
T9 Albin Ouschan (AUT) 53
T9 Denis Grabe (EST) 53

Points Cut Off
Events with a field upwards of 80 players – top 32
Events with fields between 64 and 79 players – top 24
Events with less than 64 entries – top 16.

2017 MOSCONI CUP is sponsored by Rasson Billiards who supplies the Official Table; the cloth is supplied by Iwan Simonis and the Official Balls are Super Aramith by Saluc. Predator is the Official Cue and Chalk of the event and Ultimate Team Gear provide all Mosconi Cup apparel.

Pocket Money…Cash Boost For World Snooker Tour

Mark Selby earned almost £1 million last season while the number of players earning at least £30,000 grew by 20 percent, as the sport continues to thrive.

Total prize money has grown from £3.5 million just seven years ago to last season’s £10 million, with another boost to £12 million in 2017/18.

And players across the World Snooker Tour have benefited from the growth of the sport.

A prize money list which includes sanctioned invitational events, high breaks and 147 prizes shows Selby setting a new record for the most earned by one player in a single season.

The World Champion’s total of £933,428 is a huge increase on his own figure of £510,909 with which he topped the same list in 2015/16, and Stuart Bingham’s £571,436 in 2014/15.

John Higgins sits second on the 2016/17 list with £654,425 followed by Ronnie O’Sullivan (£472,750), Judd Trump (£454,650) and Ding Junhui (£416,081). In the previous season, only two players earned over £400,000.

Total prize money topped £10 million for the first time in 2016/17 and this is demonstrated by increases in every section of the money list:

-         The player in 16th place (Ryan Day) earned £162,990 compared to £147,083 in 2015/16 and £138,890 in 2014/15.

-         The player in 32nd place (Dominic Dale) earned £68,625 compared to £64,367 in 2015/16 and £62,283 in 2014/15.

-         The player in 48th place (Andrew Higginson) earned £47,925 compared to £44,400 in 2015/16 and £40,166 in 2014/15.

-         The player in 64th place (Sam Baird) earned £36,500 compared to £26,875 in 2015/16 and £26,916 in 2014/15.

-         The number of players earning over £30,000 was 72 in 2016/17 compared to 60 in 2015/16 and 55 in 2014/15.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: “These figures show the extent to which our increases in overall prize money have affected players at all levels. The stars at the very top are now earning vast sums but there is also significant growth in the money available to players lower down the list.

“We are committed to growing our sport at all levels and this means offering more tournaments and more prize money to all tour players. In the 2017/18 season we will see a further increase in total prize money to £12 million, with higher earnings to be spread out across the tour. We have also scrapped entry fees for all tour players which will save each of them £4,000-£5,000 per season.

“At the top end we will see some huge first prizes this season, including a record £425,000 for the winner of the Betfred World Championship. But we recognise the importance of sharing our commercial success as a sport with players across the tour and all of them will benefit.

“The sky is the limit and we will continue to develop as a global sport.”

Watch Snooker This Season On Eurosport Player

The 2017/18 season is underway and snooker fans throughout Europe can watch the sport anywhere and on any device through the Eurosport Player, the leading live and on-demand digital sport platform.

Eurosport Player is available to download and watch in 52 markets and in 20 languages, offering fans an all-access pass to immerse themselves in the greatest events on the global sporting calendar.

Look at the table below to see which snooker tournaments will be covered by the Eurosport Player this season.

With live and on-demand content available anytime, fans can experience sport in the way that they enjoy best and access enhanced live features, such as additional feeds and camera angles.

Fans across Europe can subscribe, with fantastic value for money and the chance to watch the best snooker stars on the planet battling for the most prestigious trophies. Head to eurosportplayer.com for more information on how to sign up for the service.

Calendar of events (all tournaments and dates are provisional and subject to change)


Tournament
Dates

Kaspersky Riga Masters
June 23-25
World Cup
July 3-9
Indian Open, Shanghai Masters and European Masters qualifiers
August 1-9
China Championship
August 16-22
Paul Hunter Classic
August 25-27
Six Reds World Championship
September 4-9
Indian Open
September 12-16
Shanghai Masters (subject to name change)
September 18-24
International Championship qualifiers
September 26-30
European Masters
October 2-8
English Open
October 16-22
International Championship
October 29 to November 5
Northern Ireland Open
November 20-26
Betway UK Championship
November 28 to December 10
Scottish Open
December 11-17
German Masters qualifiers
December 19-22
Dafabet Masters
January 14-21
China Open qualifiers
January 26-29
German Masters
January 31 to February 4
Coral Shoot Out
February 8-11*
Ladbrokes World Grand Prix
February 19-25*
Welsh Open
February 26 to March 4
Gibraltar Open
March 9-11
Ladbrokes Players Championship
March 19-25*
China Open
April 2-8
Betfred World Championship qualifiers
April 11-18
Betfred World Championship
April 21 to May 7

*Not available in the UK

Barnsley To Host Snooker’s English Open

Barnsley will stage a World Snooker ranking tournament for the first time in October when the English Open comes to the town.

The event will run from October 16 to 22 at the Barnsley Metrodome with 128 of the world’s best players in action, and tickets are on sale now.

The tournament was new to the calendar last season and staged in Manchester, with China’s Liang Wenbo beating Judd Trump in the final. Top stars including Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Selby, John Higgins, Neil Robertson and Shaun Murphy also competed for the Steve Davis Trophy.

And now it moves to South Yorkshire with a stellar field of the sport’s top players expected to enter and battle for the title. The English Open, televised live by Eurosport, is the first of the season’s Home Nations series and carries a top prize of £70,000.

And any player winning all four Home Nations events will also earn a massive £1 million bonus. So the champion in Barnsley will head to the next event in Belfast dreaming of that unprecedented prize.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: “We are delighted to bring a ranking tournament to Barnsley for the first time. We have staged various qualifying events at the Metrodome in recent years and we are sure it will prove an excellent venue.

“We know what fantastic support there is for snooker in the Yorkshire region, the county is very much a global centre for our sport as it also hosts the World Championship in Sheffield and the UK Championship in York. So we expect to see fans come out in their droves to support the English Open in Barnsley and make sure it stays in their town.

“With 128 players in action it really is an incredible chance to see so many of your heroes for the price of a single ticket, with value for money that you won’t see anywhere else in sport. Seats will sell fast though so get them booked quickly.”

Take advantage of a SPECIAL OPENING OFFER with all-day tickets to the first four days of the tournament costing just £10 each! This gives fans the chance to see a wide range of players on multiple tables throughout the day. This offer will not last long and is subject to availability. All-day tickets for the final cost £55 and they are expected to sell out rapidly.

Book tickets fast - call 0871 620 7052 (calls cost 13p per minute plus the network access charge) or visit www.worldsnooker.com/tickets

Home Nations series 2017/18
English Open – Barnsley Metrodome. October 16-22
Northern Ireland Open – Waterfront Centre, Belfast. November 20-26
Scottish Open – Emirates Arena, Glasgow. December 11-17
Welsh Open – Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff. February 26 to March 4


Liang Wenbo won the English Open last season

Top players set to battle for US Open 10-Ball Championship title

CueSports International, Henderson, NV (July 12, 2017) --- Thorsten ‘The Hit Man’ Hohmann, Rodney ‘The Rocket’ Morris, Shane ‘The South Dakota Kid’ Van Boening, and the legendary Francisco “Django” Bustamante are just a few of the top professional players who will compete at the US Open 10-Ball Championships July 17-19 at Griff’s in Las Vegas.

Van Boening, the defending US Open 10-Ball Champion, is currently the top earning American pool player and is considered one of the greatest players of all time. He is a former US Open 10-Ball and US Open 8-Ball Champion who also holds multiple US Open 9-Ball titles. He likely isn’t planning to leave empty handed.

Morris, of Lincoln, Calif., is always an exciting crowd favorite who has a resume loaded with championship titles. He is a former US Open 10-Ball Champion, winning the title in 2013, and returns this year with hopes of adding another cup to his collection.

Bustamante, of the Philippines, has been a champion on the world stage for nearly three decades. He would love to add the US Open 10-Ball Champion title to his long list of accomplishments.

The 2017 US Open 10-Ball Championship will be played July 17-19 at Griff’s, the beautiful new pool room opened by Mark Griffin last October, at 3650 South Decatur Blvd. in Las Vegas. It will be followed by the US Open 8-Ball Championships July 29-31.

The US Open 10-Ball and 8-Ball Championships are true open tournaments. Any player willing to enter is allowed to play and they traditionally attract the top players in the world. This year’s field includes players from the U.S., Australian, the U.K., Poland, Kuwait, New Zealand, Estonia, Canada, Austria, Bangladesh, Greece, Germany, Philippines and Finland.

The tournaments are played with Cyclop balls on 9-foot Diamond tables covered with Simonis Cloth. The US Open 10-Ball format is race to 9, double elimination and the US Open 8-Ball format is race to 8, double elimination. The finals in the US Open 10-Ball will be a single race to 11 and the finals of the US Open 8-Ball is a single race to 10.

The 2017 US Open 10-Ball & 8-Ball Championships are being held in conjunction with the 41th BCAPL National Championships, July 19-29 at The Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. The event will feature more than 5,000 amateur players representing 47 states, nine Canadian provinces and 11 countries, competing in approximately 40 divisions, on nearly 300 Diamond pool tables. The annual tournament will also include about 50 exhibitors.

The sponsors for the US Open 10-Ball and 8-Ball Championships are Predator, Omega Billiards, Cyclop, the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino and Simonis.

General admission is $10 per person per day, and spectators receive $10 in coupons good for food, drinks or table time at Griff’s. The entire event will be streamed live. For live-streaming information, visit playcsipool.com/ppv.

For more information or photos, contact Mary Coffman, CSI Marketing Manager, at 702-719-7665 (office); 509-308-9814 (cell); or by email at maryc@playcsipool.com.

CSI is the parent company of the BCA Pool League and the USA Pool League. CSI also produces independent events like the US Bar Table Championships, US Open 10-Ball Championship, US Open 8-Ball Championship, and much more. For more information, visit www.playcsipool.com or call CSI at 702-719-POOL.

Selby Targets Barnsley After Injury Return

Snooker’s World Champion Mark Selby will head the field when the English Open comes to Barnsley for the first time in October.

Selby has missed the start of the current season due to a broken toe but is set to return to the baize later this month.

And the world number one is already looking forward to the first of the season’s Home Nations series, which will run from October 16 to 22 at the Barnsley Metrodome.

The tournament was new to the calendar last year and took place in Manchester, and now moves to South Yorkshire. The world ranking event will feature 128 players battling for a top prize of £70,000. And any player winning all four Home Nations events – with the other three to take place in Belfast, Glasgow and Cardiff – will land a massive £1 million bonus.

“I definitely plan to play in the English Open,” said Selby, who conquered the Crucible for the third time in May by beating John Higgins in the World Championship final. “I didn’t get far with my attempt to win the £1 million last season, I lost in the second round of the first event. So hopefully I can go further this time.”

Selby had to spend three weeks with a special boot on his foot after suffering the toe injury at home.

“I was in my snooker room when I dropped a big piece of glass on my foot,” said the 34-year-old from Leicester. “I knew I’d done something bad so I went to hospital, they did an X-Ray and said I’d broken my big toe. The doctor actually said I was lucky not to lose the toe.

“I had to wear a special protective boot for three weeks and they said it would take four to six weeks to heal. So I was hobbling around at home for a while. I had to pull out of the Riga Masters but I’m lucky it didn’t happen at a busier time of the season or just before the World Championship. I could still have played by limping around the table but it would have been difficult.”

Selby had the best season of his career in 2016/17, winning five ranking titles including the UK Championship and World Championship, and stretching his vast lead at the top of the world rankings.

“It will be very difficult to replicate that,” he admitted. “To win five events in one season was more than I expected. But there’s no danger of me taking my foot off the gas – that will only happen when I stop enjoying it. I love competing and I will be practising as hard as ever this season.”

Asked for his favourite win of last season, Selby named his 13-3 demolition of Marco Fu in the quarter-finals at the Crucible, in which he made three centuries and seven more breaks over 50.

“Marco was one of the form players at the time, so to beat him with a session to spare was a great win for me,” he said. “I had a spell of three or four frames where I didn’t miss a ball, and to play like that in Sheffield was some feeling.”

Tickets for the English Open in Barnsley are on sale now. Take advantage of a SPECIAL OPENING OFFER with all-day tickets to the first four days of the tournament costing just £10 each! This gives fans the chance to see a wide range of players on multiple tables throughout the day. This offer will not last long and is subject to availability.

For details call 0871 620 7052 (calls cost 13p per minute plus the network access charge) or visit www.worldsnooker.com/tickets

Team Europe wins the 2017 Atlantic Challenge Cup

With a more than clear and impressive overall score of 11:2, Team Europe won the 2017 version of the Atlantic Challenge Cup.

After the disastrous day yesterday, team USA started out better today. The first two matches were mixed doubles. Leading 7:1, Europe had a big advantage and could enter the arena more relaxed than the US team. The first scotch double was played between Maksim Dudanets and Kristina Tkach versus Ricky Evans and April Larson. Though the US players contended much better than yesterday, they still made mistakes in their pocketing and - even worse - in their shot selection. Instead of going for a good safety shot, they went for the rail shots and most of the time missed them. Still, the first match was quite close and the Europeans were able to win it in the end with 6:4. The second scotch double was even closer. Patrick Hofmann and Diana Khodjaeva went hill-hill against Shane Wolford and Sierra Reams. Rack 11 was the decider in that match. Sierra Reams broke the rack and came up with an illegal break. Both teams exchanged safety shots and none of the players was willing to take any risk while at the table. The safety shots from the European team were better in the end and Shane Wolford had no other chance but trying to hit the 2-ball without committing a foul. He succeeded in doing so but left a shot for Khodjaeva who pocketed the 2-ball and paved the way for herself and Patrick Hofmann to win the rack and the match with 6:5. That took team Europe to 9:1 over team USA. The following individual match between Wiktor Zielinski and Manny Perez also turned out to become a heartbreaker. At 5:5, Zielinski missed the 6-ball with only the 8-ball and the 9-ball on the table. The following safety exchange was won by Perez who consequently took that rack to take team USA to 2 points in the overall score.

The evening session started with another individual. Daniel Maciol was up against Nathan Childress, the youngest player of the US team. That match became a clear affair for Maciol with 6:2, mainly because childress took the wrong shots and his nerves played a trick on him when he tried to pocket difficult or deciding balls. With that victory, team Europe was on the hill with11:2 over the US Americans. One more point needed for the Cup. That point was earned in the scotch doubles between Wiktor Zielinski and Diana Khodjaeva and Manny Perez and April Larson. Though Perez and Larson were probably the strongest of all US team players, they did not have chance against the Europeans today. 6:3 was the clear result that brought the Atlantic Challenge Cup to team Europe when the youngest team member Wiktor Zielinski pocketed the decisive 9-ball.

„Our team came here with a lot of experience already,“ stated European captain Albin Ouschan, „the team is really strong. They have won many titles at European Championships so far and I knew I had a great team.“ „The fact that most of these youngsters regularly play the Euro-Tour where they compete with the top players of the game makes these kids even stronger and better“. „The take the right decisions in the respective moments. That is what is missing with the US team. We were much more experienced than them“, added Ouschan. Said US captain Johnny Archer „Europe definitely has the better team. That’s for sure, from top to bottom!“, Archer mentioned. „Although the score this year was one less than last year I think that this team we have something to built on. I was impressed with our team,“ Archer continued, „there’s still work to be done but I see things to be built on from this. I know we’re going to lose some players since they will be too old next year but there are players ready to come on.“ „One reason for this huge loss was we had a horrible day yesterday. 0:5 was just a dagger in the heart“, Archer explained. „Today we played better in the mixed doubles and we lost quite close. This shows that Europe does not give many opportunities away. When you do get them, you have to get advantage!“

Results Day 3
Dudanets/Tkach v Evans/Larson 6:4
Hofmann/Khodjaeva v Wolford/Reams 6:5
Zielinski v Perez 5:6
Maciol v Childress 6:2
Zielinski/Khodjaeva v Perez/Larson 6:3

Team Europe
Kristina Tkach
Diana Khodjaeva
Maksim Dudanets
Patrick Hofmann (MVP)
Wiktor Zielinski
Daniel Maciol
Captain Albin Ouschan
Captain Tomas Brikmanis

Team USA
April Larson
Sierra Reams
Shane Wolford
Nathan Childress
Manny Perez (MVP)
Ricky Evans
Captain Johnny Archer
Captain Earl Munson

That concludes the coverage from this year’s Atlantic Challenge Cup in Klagenfurt, Austria. The complete event was streamed for free on www.kozoom.com. Additionally, all matches will be shown LIVE on the EPBF Facebook page.

US Open 10-Ball Full, Seeded Players Announced

CueSports International, Henderson, NV (July 13, 2017) --- The field is full and entries are now closed for the US Open 10-Ball Championships, which begin Monday, July 17 at Griff’s in Las Vegas.

The top 16 players, who are rated by FargoRate, will be seeded in the 64-player bracket as follows:
Shane Van Boening, South Dakota         821
Dennis Orcollo, Philippines                     814
Alex Pagulayan, Canada                         802
Lee Vann Corteza, Philippines                799
Justin Bergman, Illinios                         798
Francisco Bustamante, Philippines         797
Vilmos Foldes, Hungary                         790
Ralf Souquet, Germany                         790
Mika Immonen, Finland                         789
Warren Kiamco, Philippines                 786
Karl Boyes, Great Britain                        786
Alex Kazakis, Greece                             785
Thorsten Hohmann, Germany                783
Rodney Morris, California                     783
Mario He, Austria                                 781
Skyler Woodward, Kentucky                 781                        

The 2017 US Open 10-Ball Championship will be played July 17-19 at Griff’s, the beautiful new pool room opened by Mark Griffin last October, at 3650 South Decatur Blvd. in Las Vegas. It will be followed by the US Open 8-Ball Championships July 29-31.

The tournaments are played with Cyclop balls on 9-foot Diamond tables covered with Simonis Cloth. The US Open 10-Ball format is race to 9, double elimination and the US Open 8-Ball format is race to 8, double elimination. The finals of the US Open 10-Ball will be a single race to 11 and the finals of the US Open 8-Ball will be a single race to 10.

The 2017 US Open 10-Ball & 8-Ball Championships are being held in conjunction with the 41th BCAPL National Championships, July 19-29 at The Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. The event will feature more than 5,000 amateur players representing 47 states, nine Canadian provinces and 11 countries, competing in approximately 40 divisions, on nearly 300 Diamond pool tables. The annual tournament will also include about 50 exhibitors.

The sponsors for the US Open 10-Ball and 8-Ball Championships are Predator, Omega Billiards, Cyclop, Kamui, the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino and Simonis. General admission is $10 per person per day, and spectators receive $10 in coupons good for food, drinks or table time at Griff’s. The entire event will be streamed live. For live-streaming information, visit www.playcsipool.com/ppv.

For more information, contact Mary Coffman, CSI Marketing Manager, at 702-719-7665 (office); 509-308-9814 (cell); or by email at mary@playcsipool.com.

ZenSports launches today for amateur/recreational sports!

Finally a mobile app for sports!

The ZenSports team is thrilled to announce today the launch of our new mobile app for amateur/recreational sports!

What is ZenSports?

ZenSports is a mobile app for amateur/recreational sports that makes it easy for you to find and schedule matches with other players and teams near you, as well as find, register, and pay for leagues, tournaments, pickup games, and social sporting events. Whether you're looking to play a serious match with your best friend or a practice match with someone new, ZenSports has you covered.

As part of our launch today, ZenSports has implemented some awesome social networking features that let you post videos, photos, and sports-related content for your friends and followers to check out (and vice versa). You can also tag friends/followers, message them, request matches with them, see which sports they play, etc.

Our app is also great for searching, registering, and paying for more organized competitions, like leagues, tournaments, pickup games, and social sporting events. With just a couple taps of a button, find out what's going on in your area, and register and pay for them with your credit card!

On the organizer/director side of things, you can manage leagues, tournaments, pickup games, and social sporting events. In addition to players being able to pay for entry fees right from their phone, you can also manage the registration process, brackets, match play results, stats, standings, prize money, and rankings from within the app.
What are you waiting for?

Download the app today to get your sport on!

First Champions emerge at 2017 BCAPL National Championships

CueSports International, Henderson, NV (July 21, 2017) — The first champions have been crowned at the 2017 BCAPL National Championships! The 41st BCAPL National Championships started Wednesday at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. More than 5,000 players are participating in this year’s event, which has more than 40 divisions.

Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan snapped off the 9-Ball Challenge, an event open to anyone. The 92-player field was heavily peppered with top players from across the globe, many of whom had just played in the US Open 10-Ball Championships. But Pagulayan easily cut through the field, beating: Alex Olinger, 7-4; Sam Wu, 7-4; Jerremy Sossei, 7-4; Ahmed Aldulaimi, 7-2; and Jason Klatt, 7-4 before capturing the hot seat by sending fellow Pinoy Lee Vann Corteza to the loser’s bracket. Corteza returned to play in the finals by beating Alex Kazakis of Greece, 7-3. But Pagulayan kept control of the game during the finals and beat Corteza 7-4 to capture the win.

Veteran professional player Loree Jon Hasson of Greenville, S.C. won the Women’s 9-Ball Singles Platinum Division. Michelle Jiang of Harvard, Mass., who was the 2016 BCAPL Women’s 8-Ball Gold Division Champion, took second. Ashea Erdahl, of Las Vegas, Nev. placed third.

Marian Poole of Seattle, WA, won the Women’s 9-Ball Singles Gold Division, with Natalie Stanton of Ewa Beach, HI taking second and Christina Maher of Atlanta, GA placing third.

Las Vegas players Gary Lutman and Donny Branson made the most of their home field advantage. Lutman took first in the Mixed 9-Ball Singles Platinum Division and Branson placed second. Kelii Chuberko of Honolulu, Hawaii took third.

Another Hawaiian player, Mike Madamba, of Hilo, HI, was crowned champion of the 297-player Mixed 9-Ball Singles Gold Division. The runner-up was Evan Edwards, of Cathedral City, CA. John Halter of Mesa, AZ was third.

Bill Larson, of Ft. Atkinson, WI became champion of the inaugural 9-Ball Singles Wheelchair Division, with Daniel Henson of Charlottesville, IN placing second.

Daniel Sardoncillo of Puyallup, WA, who was the runner-up in the Junior 9-Ball Division in 2016, captured the title this year, beating Aryana Lynch of Dallas, TX.

The USAPL National Championships run concurrently with the BCAPL National Championships. John Hemphill of Albuquerque, N.M. won the 8-Ball Singles Gold Division on Thursday, with Rob Pole Jr., of Brooklyn, NY, placing second and Dave Pittelkow of Leesburg, FL placing third.

The 9-Ball Challenge, which features professional players from across the globe matching up with amateurs, will conclude today, as well as the Junior 9-Ball Singles.

Free live streams of the event are available by going to www.playcsipool.com/live-streaming and at badboys.tv.

The 41st BCAPL National Championships continues through July 29 at The Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino. The event features more than 5,000 amateur players representing 47 states, nine Canadian provinces and 11 countries, competing in approximately 40 divisions, on nearly 300 Diamond pool tables. Sponsors are Viking Cues, Predator, Omega Billiards, Cyclop, Diamond, the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino, Kamui, and Simonis.

CSI is the parent company of the BCA Pool League and the USA Pool League. CSI also produces independent events like the US Bar Table Championships, US Open 10-Ball Championship, US Open 8-Ball Championship, and much more. For more information, visit www.playcsipool.com or call CSI at p702-719-POOL.


CueSports International (CSI) ◊ 2041 Pabco Rd., Henderson, NV 89011 ◊ 702-719-7665 ◊ 866-USA-POOL

WPBSA Statement - Joe Perry

After a hearing before the WPBSA Disciplinary Committee that took place on 18th July 2017 Joe Perry admitted that between 2009 and 2013 he had breached the WPBSA Members Rules by placing bets on Matches using five different betting accounts in his own name.

View the Decision

The facts of the case are that between 23rd September 2009 and 3rd June 2013 Mr Perry placed 193 bets on snooker with 5 different online betting operators. None of these bets involved his own matches, but it did include bets on matches in tournaments Mr Perry competed in.

The bets in question were relatively small in value to a total of £2,806.49 over the four year period where he made an overall profit of £832.09. There was one account where the betting could not be quantified due to a lack of data.

From the outset Mr Perry fully admitted betting on snooker over a four year period in contravention of the WPBSA Members Rules and fully cooperated with the WPBSA enquiry.

There is no suggestion whatsoever that Mr Perry was doing anything to influence match outcomes or engaged in any corrupt activity, he was solely betting on snooker.

He was suspended from playing in WPBSA sanctioned events for a period of three months. This suspension is suspended in full until after the 2018 World Championships. He was ordered to pay a fine of £2,500.

The WPBSA Members Rules prohibit any betting on snooker by a Member:
Post August 2009 The WPBSA Members Rules Betting Rules state:
2. Betting misconduct
2.1 It shall be a breach of these Rules for a Member to do any of the following:
2.1.1 Betting:
2.1.1.1 to place, accept, lay or otherwise make a Bet with any other person in relation to the result, score, progress, conduct or any other aspect of the Tour and/or any Tournament or Match in events sanctioned by the WPBSA, WSL or WBL;

Date: Wednesday July 26, 2017