Site News
Topic: *Industry News* 2011

INDUSTRY NEWS - January 2010

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

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

United States Snooker Association Announces the 2011 USSA National Snooker Tour

The United States Snooker Association (USSA), established in 1991 in Chicago, Illinois, is the non-profit governing body for the sport of snooker in the USA as recognized by the world snooker governing body, the International Billiard & Snooker Federation (IBSF). Now headquartered in California, the USSA is pleased to announce the 2011 edition of the popular “USSA National Snooker Tour.” Each event is open to any individual except professional snooker players. For details, please contact the USSA representative assigned to each respective event (listed below). A $25 annual membership to the USSA is not required, but requested, of entries. The 2011 USSA National Snooker Tour is proud to be sponsored by two of the heavyweights in the snooker industry – Aramith Snooker Balls and Strachan Snooker Cloth!

Schedule of Events

Brooklyn, NY – Prince Snooker Club
– Alan Morris (USSA rep. - alanmorris@ snookerusa.com)
February 26 -27, 2011

San Mateo CA – ACE Snooker Club
– Joseph Mejia (USSA rep. - 650-455-1815)
March 26 -27, 2011

Las Vegas, NV – Las Vegas Cue Club
– John Lewis (USSA rep. – 920-662-1705)
April 2-3, 2011

Brooklyn, NY – Club 147
– Alan Morris (USSA rep. - alanmorris@ snookerusa.com)
April 9-10, 2011

Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Billiards
– Ajeya Prabhakar (USSA rep. – Tel. 408-203-6721)
April 23-24, 2011

Mountain View, CA – California Billiard Club
– Bob Jewett (USSA rep. – Tel. 408-615-7479)
May 14-15, 2011

The USSA traditionally sends its champions to the annual IBSF World Snooker Championships. Annual national champions are determined at the annual USSA National Championships, the 2011 version of which will be conducted in Brooklyn, NY, later this year. The current national champion is Ahmed Aly El Sayed (New York, NY), who successfully defended his title at the Embassy Billiards Club in San Gabriel, CA in July. The top finishers from each Nationals also become qualified for Team USA in the annual Can-Am Snooker Challenge, which will be conducted in 2011 in Brooklyn NY.

If your establishment contains two or more 6 x 12 snooker tables and would like to host a stop on future USSA National Tours, or you would like any information on the USSA, please call 1-888-662-1705, email alanmorris@ snookerusa.com, or visit the USSA website at www.snookerusa.com. Details for each event will be posted on the USSA website in January, 2010.

World Snooker Shoot Out 2011
Snooker but not as you know it!

64 players, 1 frame, 10 minutes, 20 seconds…the clock is ticking

The first ever Snooker Shoot Out is set to take place this January, featuring 64 of the world’s top snooker players racing against the clock to win the world’s first Snooker Shoot Out trophy.

Created by World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn as part of his new era for the sport, Snooker Shoot Out is an exciting new format, which will see the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan, Stephen Hendry, Jimmy White and current World Champion Neil Robertson, take to the table to show off their lightning-fast potting skills.

Come along with your mates to see the worlds best players compete in a new, fun event that promises some cracking fast paced snooker action!

Snooker Shoot Out live at Circus Arena, Blackpool Tower

28th – 30th January 2011

For further ticket or booking information please visit www.worldsnooker.com/shootout or www.theblackpooltower.co.uk or telephone the box office on 0844 856 1000

Full list of players taking part: Adrian Gunnell; Alan McManus; Alfie Burden; Ali Carter; Andrew Higginson; Andy Hicks; Anthony Hamilton; Anthony McGill; Barry Hawkins; Barry Pinches; Bjorn Haneveer; Dave Harold; David Morris; Ding Junhui; Dominic Dale; Fergal O'Brien; Gerard Greene; Graeme Dott; Ian McCulloch; Jamie Burnett; Jamie Cope; Jimmy Michie; Jimmy Robertson; Jimmy White; Joe Jogia; Joe Perry; Joe Swail; John Higgins; Judd Trump; Ken Doherty; Liang Wenbo; Marco Fu; Marcus Campbell; Mark Allen; Mark Davis; Mark King; Mark Selby; Mark Williams; Martin Gould; Matthew Couch; Matthew Selt; Matthew Stevens; Michael Holt; Michael Judge; Mike Dunn; Neil Robertson; Nigel Bond; Peter Ebdon; Peter Lines; Ricky Walden; Robert Milkins; Rod Lawler; Ronnie O'Sullivan; Rory McLeod; Ryan Day; Shaun Murphy; Tom Ford; Stephen Maguire; Stephen Hendry; Stephen Lee; Stuart Pettman; Tony Drago; Stuart Bingham; Steve Davis.

Format of the game:
- 1 Frame knock out
- 1 table in play
- Maximum 10 minutes per match
- Shot clock, first 5 minutes at 20 seconds, next 5 minutes at 15 seconds
- Random draw
- Players must hit a cushion or pot a ball on every shot
- Players 'lag' for who breaks*
- Blue ball shoot out in event of a tie break

▪         Prize money for the winner is £32,000

*Definition of 'lag' - players hit a ball longways to the opposite end of the table and the player with the ball closest to the opposite rail plays first.

Cue King Promotions appoints new Chief

Trevor Haythorne has been appointed the new Chief Executive of Cue King Promotions it has been announced today. Mr. Haythorne takes up this new position on the strength of his experience and understanding of Youth Sports Development & Management.

The new Chief Executive believes in extending the existing professional player recruitment plan to the under tier of Amateur players; he stated “recruiting established American Pool Professional is great but why not have an actual plan of action for all American Pool enthusiasts? CKP has made a solid platform for development and this appointment allows the ‘Expansion Team’ to venture further beyond the UK and into new territories.”

Cue King Promotion’s principal owner Jason Lawrence also speaking to the press revealed that the American Pool Billiard promotional brand is fully committed to the well-being of business growth, through gaining excellent technical support and managerial assistance to plan its long-term sustainability. “Trevor will be strategically outlining how to achieve its (CKP’s) goals whilst bringing a sense of purpose with efficient enthusiasm in every aspect of the organisation.” explained Jason.

The appointment is not a surprise by all means and we wish Mr. Haythorne the best.

Cue King Promotions
www.cuekingpromotions.co.uk

The BCA Pool League Player Rating Categories

It is less than 6 months before thousands of pool players from around the world compete in the 35th Annual BCAPL National 8-Ball Championships in Las Vegas (May 11-22, 2011), widely recognized as “The Greatest Pool Tournament in the World!”

In the summer of 2010, the BCA Pool League expanded and publicized their player rating categories to include Open, Advanced, Master and Grand Master levels. For the player’s convenience, a page is posted on the BCAPL website where all Advanced, Master and Grand Master players are listed. To view the lists visit:

www.playbca.com/Leagues/AdvancedandMasterList.aspx.

1. First select Men, Women or both.
2. Next select Masters, Grand Masters, Advanced or any combination.
3. Then click Go

Additionally, at the bottom of each list is a copy of the BCAPL rating criteria.

The past two years CueSports International (CSI) analyzed the growth of players’ skill levels at the BCAPL National 8-Ball Championships and decided to create a new rating classification: the Advanced Division.

­The Advanced Division was created to add a level of play that falls between the Open Division and the Masters Division. Most of the players who have been moved into the Advanced Division were moved from the Masters Division down to the Advanced. The goal is to allow more players to participate and to further competitive opportunity.

CSI also reclassified all active Player Members to be included in the other singles divisions (based on their individual ability).

The following new Advancement Criteria became effective June 1, 2010 and is retroactive to all players who have cashed in the singles divisions of the BCAPL National 8-Ball Championships since 2005.

­New Advancement Criteria                             Old Policy New Policy

Top 8 from Men’s Open Singles                             Master                 Master
Top 4 from Women’s Open Singles                         Master                 Master        
9th-48th from Men’s Open Singles                         Master                 Advanced
5th-12th from Women’s Open Singles                     Master                 Advanced
Top 8 from Men’s Player Member Singles                Master                 Advanced
Top 2 from Women’s Player Member Singles         Master                 Advanced
Top 6 from Men’s Senior Singles                            Master                 Advanced
Top 3 from Women’s Senior Singles                     Master                 Advanced

Team Masters:

Going into 2011, all Team Masters are now on the Advanced or Open player lists based on singles performance and known ability. The Team Master category is based on an individual’s participation on a team’s finish at the BCAPL National 8-Ball Championships.        

State Masters:

Players who are currently listed in their state as a Master player (but who have not participated in the BCAPL National 8-Ball Championships) may remain as a Master or be moved down to the Advanced Division based on known ability and state and regional tournament results from 2005 – 2010.

Player Members:

All new Player Members, beginning June 1, 2010 will be required to enter the Advanced or higher Singles Divisions, ranked based on known ability. New and established Player Members (who have not cashed) may request consideration to enter the Open Division, but will be assessed individually.

Players on the Advanced list may petition the BCAPL to be removed. The Advanced category is based on individual play. If we have a tournament history of that player in singles that indicates that they are not an Advanced level player, they may be removed from the list and put back into the Open division.

Petition Procedure

To petition the BCA Pool League in order to be removed from the Advanced, Master, Grand Master or Team Master list, email Bill Stock at bill@playcsipool.com or mail the request. Telephone requests will not be accepted. All requests must be in writing.

Bill Stock
Director of Referees
Rules Administrator
CueSports International
2041 Pabco Rd
Henderson, NV, 89011
bill@playcsipool.com

For those planning to play in the 35th BCAPL National 8-Ball Championships, the Riviera has lowered their room rates for 2011. To receive these great new rates, you must book through the BCAPL online Riviera booking link or call the Riviera toll-free number (800) 634-6753 Group Code BCAPCPP. Go to: BOOK MY ROOM AT THE RIV

Starting in early 2011, CSI will be able to accept online registration for all CSI independent events including the “Swanee”, U.S. Bar Table Championships, the U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship, and the 12th U.S. One Pocket Championship.

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

Higgins - I Struggle With Wembley Atmosphere

John Higgins hopes to continue his hot streak of form at next week's Ladbrokes Mobile Masters - but admits that he finds the atmopshere at the London event intimidating.

The Scot has won 18 of his last 19 matches on the World Snooker Tour and captured the trophy at the 12BET.com UK Championship in December by beating Mark Williams 10-9 in a classic final.

Higgins is now looking ahead to snooker's most prestigious invitation tournament, which runs from January 9 to 16 at Wembley Arena. He has a mixed record in the event, having won it in 1999 and 2006 but lost nine times in the first round, including three of the last four years.

"I've always been overawed by the atmosphere at Wembley," said Higgins. "It's such a big arena and if you are playing badly it can be exaggerated. Even the two times I have won it, I have not played to a great standard - except the 2006 final when I beat Ronnie O'Sullivan.

"I can't say I've got a terrible record because I've won it twice, but I've bombed out so many times in the first round. It's such a fabulous tournament and I would love to be able to play better there, but I've not often produced my best.

"I'm really looking forward to it this time because I'm high on confidence at the moment. I only played for a couple of days over Christmas, but I'm playing matches at the Championship League this week to get myself sharp."
Higgins' opening match in the Ladbrokes Mobile Masters will see him take on fellow Scot Graeme Dott on Monday, January 10 at 7pm.

"It will be a very tough match because Graeme's such a tenacious opponent," added Higgins. "I'll just try to play well and give myself a chance."

Tickets for the event are on sale now and start from just £10, representing incredible value to see the world's best players battling for a top prize of £150,000!

For details call 0844 815 0815 (Disabled Booking Line: 020 8782 5629) or visit www.worldsnooker.com/masters

QSP Series - IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS

On Q Promotions Announces QSP Structure.
In line with our affirmed policy of open governance and close player liaison at South West Snooker Academy, we are pleased to announce we have acted upon the players’ feedback to enable as many players as possible to participate and fully benefit from the series.

Issues raised by the players, who were disappointed that they may not be able to participate, included timings of the events, conflicting dates in their diaries and funding led us to implement the following refinements to the QSP Series:
1. Events will now run Saturday-Sunday.
2. Players best 3 from 4 events will count towards their Ranking Position.

3. Entry payments may now be taken in two instalments.
These three actions will save players additional costs for accommodation, avoid taking a day off work on Friday and will enable players to still compete in QSP series and miss an event if they have a date clash, and spread out the cost of entry.

As the Academy has been booked out for the QSP for 3 days the South West Snooker Academy is delighted to announce a FREE practice day at the Academy, on the Friday prior to all QSP events for all those players who would like to take advantage of it.

INFORMATION
Ranking Points: Ranking points will be issued as follows: Winner 100 points, Runner Up - 75, Semi Finalist - 50, Quarter Finalist - 25, Last 16 - 10 points, Last 32 - 5 points. Additionally players will receive one point per frame won in their losing match. Players take their best 3 results to count towards the final ranking list.
Entry Fees: The total entry fee for the 4 event series is £350. This may be paid in one payment by cheque, credit card or BACs transfer. Or may be paid in two instalments: First payment £200 with entry and second payment £150 by 2nd February 2011.

Extended Closing date: 14 January 2011
Draws: The draw for Event 1 will be made on 15 January and published on our website at www.southwestsnookeracademy.com . We will also email players to give you your start times.

The draws for Events 2, 3 and 4 will be done live in the players' lounge at event one.

Event Dates:
Event One: 22-23 January 2011
Event Two: 5-6 February 2011
Event Three: 19-20 February 2011
Event Four: 19-20 March 2011

The prize fund will be, as previously announced, based on the number of entrants in the tournament.

Further information at www.southwestsnookeracademy.com or telephone: 01452 223214 or email janie.watkins @onqpromotions.co.uk or sarah.mount @onqpromotions.co.uk

2011 World Ten Ball Championship

09 May at 10:00 at World Trade Center Manila, Philippines
Organized and promoted by Prism-Raya Sports, which organized four previous WPA world championships in the Philippines.

The WTBC will feature 128 players from all... over the world in the main draw. Some 50 countries usually take part in the tournament.

Top players in the world rankings are expected to come to Manila in full force. All continental federations will be sending entries to the tournaments.

The WTBC offers a total prize fund of $262,000 – with $60,000 going to the champion. The lastb world ten-ball championship in November 2009 was won by Mika Immonen of Finland.

JP Fenix, Prism-Raya managing director, announced that Prism-Raya will start processing entries to the WTBC this January.

Players interested in joining the tournament are advised to check with their continental federations to find out whether they can get automatic spots in the main draw of the tournaments.

Players can also gain entry to the main tournaments by joining the qualifiers

Qualifiers for the World Ten Ball Championship are set on May 3-7, 2011, at the Star Billiards Center in Quezon City, Metro Manila.

Prism-Raya will post details on the event in its Facebook site facebook.com/rayasports and soon on the new official websites which will go online within the month. Players may likewise communicate with Raya Sports through raya@ prismphil.com.

Philippine Open Pool Championships (Men and Women)
    
16 April at 10:00 - 20 April at 22:30
World Trade Center Manila, Philippines
    
Organized and promoted by Prism-Raya Sports, which organized four previous WPA world championships in the Philippines.

The Philippine Open will feature 64 players in the main draw of the men’s championship, and 32 players in the women’s championship.

Top players in the world rankings are expected to come to Manila in full force.
...All continental federations will be sending entries to the tournaments.

The Philippine Open offers a total prize fund of $161,000 -- with $25,000 going to the men’s champion, and $15,000 to the women’s champion.

Ricky Yang of Indonesia won the men’s title in the first staging of the Philippine Open in May 2009.

The Philippine Open is the first WPA-ranking event that will be played after the World 8-Ball Championship in Fujairah, UAE.

Players interested in joining the tournaments are advised to check with their continental federations to find out whether they can get automatic spots in the main draw of the tournaments.

Players can also gain entry to the main tournaments by joining the qualifiers

Qualifiers for the Philippine Open are set on April 10-14, 2011 at the Star Billiards Center in Quezon City, Metro Manila.

Prism-Raya will post details on the event in its Facebook site facebook.com/rayasports and soon on the new official websites which will go online within the month. Players may likewise communicate with Raya Sports through raya@ prismphil.com.

GRAND PRIX DE CATALUNYA - TCBPOOL

La salle de billards TCB Pool, Vilafranca del Penedès (Barcelone) organise pour les 19 et 20 février un Championnat Open international de deux jours. Une inscription : 70 euros. Des nuits d'hôtel à 15 euros.
Un système de jeu : le Samedi : double KO européen jusqu'au KO, et le dimanche, les 32 classés nouvellement un double KO européen jusqu'à la fin.
Cette compétition se réalisera dans une salle avec 12 tables tournament et un tapis hainworth, des billes aramith.
PRIX : avec une participation de 64 joueurs :
1 º : 2000 euros
2 º : 1000 euros
3 º-4 º : 500 euros
5 º-8 º : 100 euros
La salle TCB Pool peut arriver à développer une compétition comme maximum avec 96 joueurs, c'est le maximum. S'il y avait une grande participation les prix seront :
1 º. 2400 euros 5 º-8 º : 150 euros
2 º : 1200 euros 9 º-16 º : 100 euros.
3 º-4 º : 600 euros
Si tu es intéressé, envoie-nous un e-mail : tcbpool @hotmail.com

CSI Now Accepts Online Registration for Independent Events

CueSports International (CSI) announces players are now able to register online for all upcoming independent events via the CueSports Tournament System (CTS) website (www.ctsondemand.com). The online registration section of CTS went live Friday, January 7th.

Online registration is now available for the following events:
·         The 15th Jay Swanson Memorial 9-Ball Tournament
·         The 18th U.S. Bar Table Championships

Players who register must pay their online entries by credit card using a Visa or Mastercard. All players will be sent an auto-generated email confirmation for each event they register for.

The Jay Swanson Memorial is going into its 15th year. The $3000 guaranteed / $4000 with a full field added event is scheduled February 12-13, 2011. The tournament will be held for the first time at Hard Times Billiards in Bellflower, California. The event will also be live streamed via The Action Report (TAR). In the previous two years the 192 player field filled with a small wait list.

One of the largest and most revered bar table events, The U.S. Bar Table Championships, with $25,250 added, is held every year at the Terrible’s Sands Casino Hotel in Reno, Nevada. Scheduled February 21-27th, the tournament has the following divisions: Men’s /Open 8-ball, 9-ball, and 10-ball and Women’s 8-ball, 9-ball and 10-ball. Players who compete in all three of either the men’s / open or women’s divisions are eligible for “All Around” bonuses. While there is no field limit, in 2010 slightly over 500 players traveled to Reno to compete. This event is also known for the extremely low room block rates at the host hotel.

Additional events will be added to the CTS online registration page soon. Starting the end of January online registration will be available for all divisions of the BCAPL National 8-Ball and BCAPL National 9-Ball Championships (May 11-22, 2011, Riviera Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas).

However, in addition to registering online, players still have the option to either mail or fax their entries for all CSI tournaments and events. Only one form of registration should be used in order to avoid duplication.

CSI launched its custom designed CueSports Tournament System (CTS) in 2010. The CTS has a highly robust online bracket system which allows for both individual player and team searches, cross event archives, and offers detailed information about matches, such as table assignments, times, history of a player’s event matches, results and payouts just to name a few. Additionally, the CTS site has the added functionality of tournament live scoring, which CSI rolled out in the 2010 U.S. Open 10-Ball event. Now going into 2011, the online registration function has been added making the CTS site revolutionary in the industry for its cross function capabilities.

To register online for the 15th Jay Swanson Memorial 9-Ball Tournament or the 18th U.S. Bar Table Championships go to: www.ctsondemand.com. For more information about these and all CSI and / or the BCAPL upcoming events visit: www.playcsipool.com and www.playbca.com.

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

DE LUNA, MANALO TO COMPETE IN FUJAIRAH WORLD 8-BALL
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

WORLD-renowned pool players Jeffrey "The Bull" de Luna and Marlon "Marvelous" Manalo will spearhead the country’s campaign in the 2011 World 8-ball Championships in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates set next month.

Inimbitahan na maglaro sina Jeffrey at Marlon sa 2011 World 8-ball sa Faujairah," said Ian de Luna, wife of Jeffrey.
According to Ian de luna, the tournament will start on February 19 and will ends on 26.

" Talagang pinaghandaan ko itong World 8-ball sana maging maganda ang performance natin dito," said World Ranked No.5 Jeffrey, the 2006 Doha Asian Games Silver medallist and 2007 Manny Pacquiao International 9-ball Champion.

" Pero kailangan ko din iwaksi ang kinahaharap kong problema, sa pagpasok kasi ng taong 2011 hindi me makatulog dahil sa problema ko sa Toyota Fortuner Dark Gray na nabili ko sa Quezon avenue," added Jeffrey, who already paid P310,000 for initial downpayment for the Toyota Fortuner Dark Gray in Quezon Avenue branch with a total cost of P1,479,000,00.

" Hindi kasi tumupad sa usapan yung ahente ng Toyota sa Quezon Avenue branch na bigyan ako ng discount." added Jeffrey, who also seek the help of BSCP president and long-time billiards patron Sebastian "Baste" Chua about the said matters.

"Actually, last September pa namin nabili kaso ngayong January lamang namin nakuha yung Toyota Fortuner Gray. Sabi ng ahente ng Toyota may discount kami ng P70,000 kaso hindi naman tumupad," added de Luna's wife Ian.
World Ranked No.9 Manalo in a seperate interview," Tiyak maraming malalakas na kasali sa World 8-ball sa Fujairah pero ready naman ako lalu na't natapus na din ang local election sa Barangay Malamig," said Manalo, newly-installed Barangay Malamig Chairman in the City of Mandaluyong under the lederaship of mayor Benhur Abalos Jr. and representative Boyet Gonzales.

De luna and Manalo, both also schedule to play in the 3rd World Ten Ball Championship set on May 9 to 15 in Manila.

The 2011 World 8-ball Championships in Fujairah and 3rd World Ten Ball Championship in Manila are sanctioned by the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA).

Admin Edit: Sorry, all the quotes are in Tagalog!

Ding Calls For Support From Chinese Fans

Ding Junhui is hoping that snooker fans in London will get behind him when he plays Graeme Dott in the quarter-finals of the Ladbrokes Mobile Masters on Thursday.

Star of the East Ding takes on former World Champion Dott at 1.30pm tomorrow and he's hoping for a rousing reception at Wembley Arena.

"There's a great Chinese community in London and I hope plenty of them will come to cheer me on," said World No 4 Ding. "Wembley is a brilliant arena and when there's a good crowd the atmosphere is like no other, so I would love to have plenty of support.

"I played well in my first match to beat Mark Williams and I'm feeling confident about my chances in the tournament. But I can't look past my next opponent because he is a very tough player."

World Snooker are offering A FANTASTIC OFFER on tickets for the match - TWO TICKETS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE! Come and sample the tremendous Wembley atmosphere and see two of snooker's heavyweights battling for a semi-final place.

To book your seats just call 0844 815 0815 (Disabled Booking Line: 020 8782 5629) or visit the box office at Wembley Arena. For the two-for-one offer quote the code BC241tic.

World Snooker Extends Broadcast Agreement With BBC

Snooker's biggest domestic tournaments will be shown on the BBC for at least another three years thanks to a new agreement with World Snooker.

The deal sees the BBC continue as host broadcaster of the World Championship, the UK Championship, the Masters and the Welsh Open until the end of the 2013/14 season.

The World and UK Championships and the Masters will be given network coverage, while the Welsh Open will again be screened on BBC Wales.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: "We are absolutely thrilled to extend our partnership with the BBC for a further three years. It's a great day for our sport; for the administration, the players, and most of all the fans, who are guaranteed many hours of uninterrupted coverage of snooker on a free terrestrial channel. Last year, 18.7 million people watched at least 15 minutes of the World Championship, which proves that there is a great appetite for the sport in the UK.

"The World Championship, which has been extensively covered by the BBC every year since 1978, as well as the Masters, the UK Championship and the Welsh Open have become part of the sporting fabric of the nation. These events are among the jewels in the crown of the sporting calendar and it is fantastic that they are to remain on the BBC.

"Snooker has come a long way over the past year with new tournaments, new sponsors and new broadcast deals. This agreement with the BBC strengthens our foundations and allows us to keep pushing forward with the sport's new era."

Current World Champion Neil Robertson said: "It's exciting news for the players. The BBC has played such an integral part in the growth of snooker over the past few decades and it's great to know we'll still be shown on terrestrial TV and watched by millions of fans for at least another three years."

Legend Stephen Hendry added: "Ever since I've played snooker, the BBC has been the main broadcaster for our sport. The biggest tournaments belong on the BBC so it's excellent news that we've extended the deal."

BBC Director of Sport Barbara Slater said: "We're delighted to have renewed our partnership with World Snooker. The BBC has a proud history of coverage of top class snooker and we're looking forward to continuing to bring the highest quality coverage to our audiences."

BBC Wales Head of Sport Geoff Williams said: "BBC Cymru Wales is delighted to continue our coverage of the Welsh Open. Wales has always been recognised as a hotbed of snooker, with players like Ray Reardon, Terry Griffiths and Mark Williams being World Champions in the past, and we look forward to welcoming the world's top players to the Welsh Open in future years."

Dragon Promotions 10 Year Anniversary

Orlando, Chicago, Seoul, Manila- Dragon Promotions, one of the world's leading producers of international billiards events, celebrates a decade of promoting some of the sports greatest events. The company is led by its CEO Cindy Lee and her founding partner Charlie Williams, who also moonlights as one of the world's top professional players.

Enjoy their 10 year anniversary video here www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZrvwijI8fg and enjoy the music and the moments!

Dragon Promotions has produced over a hundred events around the world over the past 10 years. Besides full scale international TV productions of championship events, DP's range has been far and versatile including pro player management, billiard schools, exhibitions, and numerous charities and variety shows with musicians, actors, models, fighters, and comedians.

The duo of Cindy Lee and Charlie Williams have been bringing world class events to millions worldwide for over a decade

Starting in Orlando, Florida the company began promoting events across the US before taking the company international to South Korea and then to Philipppines and other parts of the world. Today they broadcast to 14 different television networks globally and are scheduled to expand further in producing events in new countries this year and the next.

A long list of premier champions have graced their events. A list of past winners of Dragon Promotion events include Mika Immonen, Johnny Archer, Allison Fisher, Jeanette Lee, Rodney Morris, Shane Van Boening, Jasmin Ouschan, Ga Young Kim, Buddy Hall, Efren Reyes, Nick Varner, Yu Ram Cha, Thorsten Hohmann, Oliver Ortmann, Earl Strickland, Corey Deuel, Rubilen Amit, Mike Davis, Semih Sayginer and many more.

Some of their premier creations have been the The Women's World 10-Ball Championship, The World Mixed Doubles, The Predator International Championship, The World Straight Pool Championship and numerous more. They've attracted mass mainstream media attention and audiences with specialty events such as USA vs Korea, World Team vs Korea, King & Queen of Carom among the many. From Los Angeles to New Jersey, Seoul Korea to Manila, Philippines, DP has held men and women pro events as well as junior and amateurs in pool and also carom billiards. Their venues have been unique in places such as water parks, malls, outdoor arenas, and even Grand Central Station in New York City as well as traditional hotels and casinos.

Visit www.DragonPromotions.com or on Facebook at Dragonpromo Dragonworldnews    


DP Team in Las Vegas during The Predator International Championship, their longest running event in its 11th year now. photo by Dale Shank

7th Annual King Of The Caribbean Pool Tournament


Editor's Note: This tournament is currently only open to Caribbean Island residents/nationals.

ORCULLO IN 20 THOUSAND US DOLLAR 10-BALL CHALLENGE MATCH
BY: MARLON BERNARDINO

DENNIS Orcullo, one of the most consistent players of the 2010 season and dubbed as “Philippine Money Game King” is schedule to play for a $20,000 pot money, 10-ball challenge before the year end.

This was announced yesterday by Bugsy Promotions head Ceferino “Perry” Mariano in close cooperation with Hermes Sports Bar and Skirts Sports Bar.

“Iniimbitahan natin lahat ng manlalaro mula sa iba’t-ibang panig ng mundo na kalabanin si Dennis (Orcullo) sa tinampukang 20 Thousand US Dollar 10 ball challenge na magaganap ito sa last quarter of 2011 once a week,” said sportsman/ businessman Bugsy Promotions head Ceferino “Perry” Mariano.

Orcullo, a former fisherman from Bislig, Surigao del Sur won the World Pool Masters crown last May 12 to 16 was held at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. He beat Japanese Toru Kuribayashi in the finals for the top prize of $20,000.

“Mabigat na laban ito pero talagang paghahandaan ko. Kasi alam kong maraming magagaling sa buong mundo sa larangan ng bilyar na makakalaban ko lalu na’t hindi lamang $20,000 ang nakataya dito bagkus y’ung karangalan na mapalaban ka sa mga world champion.” said the soft-spoken Orcullo, also backed up by ACCEL and Malungay Life Oil

Orcullo, fondly called “Robocop” in the pool arena is busy preparing for the upcoming 2011 World 8-ball Championships on February 19 to 26 in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates.

Orcullo is also set to compete in the Philippine Open Pool Championships on April 16 to 20 for men and women and 2011 World Ten-Ball Championship (WTBC) of the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) on May 9 to 15, both will be held at the World Trade Center which is expected to bring to Manila over 200 top players and hundreds of billiards officials and enthusiasts from all over the world.

Qualifiers Scheduled for 12th U.S. Open One Pocket Championship

CueSports International (CSI) is producing the 12th U.S. Open One Pocket Championship at the Riviera Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas, NV on May 13-15. The $10,000 added three day event will be held immediately prior to the 3rd U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship and alongside the BCAPL National 8-Ball Championships.

The game of One Pocket is often compared to chess. To play well it requires a keen sense of both offensive and defensive strategy. To be the best, a player must have the precision of a diamond cutter with their cue ball control and the patience of a long distance runner.

It is anticipated that some of the best known talents in One Pocket will be participating in the event. With a limited 48 player field a list of former One Pocket champions were emailed invites in early January. Any declined or un-registered invite spots will convert to open spots after March 1st. In addition to the invite and open spots, four qualifiers have been scheduled.

One paid entry (valued at $340) is included in the payout of each qualifier. Should the winner of a qualifier not be able to accept their spot, it will be offered to the next person in line from that particular qualifier event.

For more information or register for the below listed qualifiers, contact the person listed for that specific tournament.

2011 U.S. Open 10-Ball Qualifiers (In order by date)

FEBRUARY 4-6, 2011
TEXAS
The Casper Classic
Casper Billiards
5536 Garfield Ave.
Sacramento, CA 95841
Added: $5,000
Entry: $200 (incl $25 green fee)
Limited to 64 players
Meeting/ Auction: 12 noon, Friday Feb. 5th
Player Lunch & Dinner Specials
Contact: Denis Strickland
Phone: (281) 508-3284

April 2, 2011
CALIFORNIA
Hard Times Billiards
5536 Garfield Ave.
Sacramento, CA 95841
Added: $300 + the Spot
Entry: $20
Room Opens: 12 noon
First Round Starts: 1 pm
Contact: Tom Suarez
Phone: (916) 205-1144

April 16-17, 2011
WASHINGTON
Golden Fleece
7804 NE Bothell Way
Kenmore, WA 98028
Added: $300
Entry: $50 (incl. green fee)
Room Opens: 9 am (incl. breakfast)
First Round Starts: 11 am
Contact: Askar
Phone: (206) 941-7631
or (425) 908-7332

April 30, 2011
ILLINOIS
Red Shoes Billiards
12009 S. Pulaski Rd.
Alsip, IL 60803
Added: $250 w. max 16 player field
Entry: $75 (incl. green fee)
Room Opens: 10 am
First Round Starts: 12 noon
Contact: John Lavin
Phone: ( 708 ) 388-3700

For more information about the U.S. Open One Pocket Championship or other CSI and BCAPL events contact Holly Ryan at holly@playcsipool.com or visit www.playbca.com.

In 2011 the host venue, the Riviera Hotel & Casino is offering great new lower rates starting at $60 per night. Reservations must be booked through the BCAPL online Riviera booking link or call the Riviera toll-free number (800) 634-6753 Group Code BCAPCPP. Go to: BOOK MY ROOM AT THE RIV

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

2011 U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship Qualifiers Announced

The 3rd U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship will be held May 16-21, 2011 in Las Vegas, NV, at the Riviera Hotel & Casino. Produced by CueSports International (CSI), the $25,000 added event will again be held alongside the BCAPL National 8-Ball Championships and live streamed by The Action Report (TAR).

The U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship is one of a select group of high level U.S. tournaments where players earn points towards the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) pro point ranking list. The CSI coed 10-Ball event has a 96 player limited field and is also officially recognized by the Women’s Pro Billiard Association (WPBA).

As a BCA point and WPBA recognized event, the top 20 U.S. ranked male players and the top 10 WPBA ranked players were emailed invites in early January. Any declined or un-registered invite spots will convert to open spots after March 1st. In addition to the invite and open spots, nine qualifiers have been scheduled. One paid entry valued at $550 is included in the payout of each qualifier. Should the winner of a qualifier not be able to accept their spot, it will be offered to the next person in line from that particular qualifier event.

In addition to the eight qualifier tournaments listed below, one spot has been allocated to the Predator 9-Ball Tour. The point leader of the tour pro/open division, after the first 5 stops, will win that qualifier spot. For more information about the Predator 9-Ball Tour contact Tony Robles at tonyroblesnyc@aol.com.

The below listed qualifiers are open to all players. For more information or to register for the below listed events, contact the person listed for that specific tournament.

2011 U.S. Open 10-Ball Qualifiers (In order by date)

March 19-20, 2011
TEXAS
Bigtyme Billiards
100 Cypresswood
Spring, Texas
Added: $1000 w. 32 players
Entry: $60 (incl. $10 green fee)
Room Opens: 11 am
First Round Starts: 1 pm
Contact / TD: Brent Thomas
Phone: (832) 725-9750

March 25-27, 2011
ALBERTA, CANADA
3rd Bill Ganne Memorial
Sharks Club
125 Spruce Grove
Alberta AB T7X 4G2
Canada
Added: Entry, RT Airfare to Las Vegas
& accomodation at the Riviera
Entry: $125 (incl. $25 green fee)
Room Opens: 9 am
First Round Starts: 10 am
TD: Wayne Nagel
Contact: Pat Ringham
Phone: (780) 818-0110

March 26-27, 2011
FLORIDA
Strokers
11236 W. Hillsborough Ave.
Tampa, FL 33635
Added: $500 w. 32 players / $1000 w. full 64 field
Entry: $65 (incl. $15 green fee)
Room Opens: 11 am
First Round Starts: 12 noon
Contact: Jose Del Rio (727) 510-2849
Or Wes Burden (813) 416-2255

April 2, 2011
ILLINOIS
Red Shoes Billiards
12009 S. Pulaski Rd.
Alsip, IL 60803
Added: $250 w. max 16 player field
Entry: $75 (incl. green fee)
Room Opens: 10 am
First Round Starts: 12 noon
Contact: John Lavin
Phone: ( 708 ) 388-3700

April 9-10, 2011
NEVADA
Pool Sharks
3650 S. Decatur Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89103
Added: $500 Guaranteed / $1000 w. 48 players
Entry: $60 (incl. $10 green fee)
Room Opens: 10 am
First Round Starts: 11 am
Contact: John Kutcher
Phone: (702) 222-1011

April 9-10, 2011
COLORADO
Wynkoop
1634 18th Street
Denver, CO 80202
Added: TBA
Entry: TBA
Room Opens: TBA
First Round Starts: TBA
Contact: Melissa Little
Phone: (303) 297-2700
Or (720) 296-5395

April 16-17, 2011
CALIFORNIA
Butera’s
476 West Los Angeles Ave.
Moorpark, CA 93021
Added: $500 w. 32 players
Entry: $60 (incl. $10 green fee)
Room Opens: 11 am
First Round Starts: 12 noon
Contact: Sal Butera
Phone: (805) 523-3088

April 30 – May 1, 2011
WASHINGTON
Golden Fleece
7804 NE Bothell Way
Kenmore, WA 98028
Added: $500 Guaranteed / $1000 w. full 64 field
Entry: $50 (incl. green fee)
Room Opens: 9 am (incl. breakfast)
First Round Starts: 11 am
Contact: Askar
Phone: (206) 941-7631
or (425) 908-7332

For more information about the U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship or other CSI and BCAPL events contact Holly Ryan at holly@playcsipool.com or visit www.playbca.com.

In 2011 the host venue, the Riviera Hotel & Casino is offering great new lower rates starting at $60 per night. Reservations must be booked through the BCAPL online Riviera booking link or call the Riviera toll-free number (800) 634-6753 Group Code BCAPCPP. Go to: BOOK MY ROOM AT THE RIV

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

Allen Expects Shocks In Shoot-Out

Mark Allen expects plenty of shock results at the Snooker Shoot-Out in Blackpool later this month.

Northern Ireland’s Allen enjoyed a fantastic run in the Masters last week, reaching the semi-finals at Wembley. And the gifted 23-year-old is now looking forward to the new Shoot-Out, a quick-fire one-frame knockout tournament featuring ten-minute frames and a shot-clock.

Mark said: “It’s going to be exciting. It will be short and sweet, but if you’re winning it will be very sweet. With the frames only lasting ten minutes, anyone can beat anyone and there will be a lot of shocks.

“You could break off, the other guy makes a break and the game is over – so you might only play one shot. I think players will be a bit cagey because of that. But it’s great for the fans and it’s something different for the players. A few of my mates will be coming over to Blackpool, and I’m sure for anyone who goes along it will be a good laugh.”

The full first round draw is:

Tony Drago vs Liang Wenbo; Mark Allen vs Ryan Day; Stephen Lee vs Michael Holt; Nigel Bond vs Joe Jogia; Stephen Hendry vs Fergal O’Brien; Robert Milkins vs Martin Gould; Andrew Higginson vs Jamie Burnett; Tom Ford vs Stephen Maguire; Ding Junhui vs Dominic Dale; Michael Judge vs Alan McManus; Mark Williams vs John Higgins; Peter Ebdon vs Steve Davis; Jimmy Michie vs Marcus Campbell; Mark King vs Jimmy Robertson; Peter Lines vs Barry Hawkins; Shaun Murphy vs Rory McLeod; Alfie Burden vs Matt Selt; Ricky Walden vs Joe Perry; Judd Thump vs Dave Harold; Graeme Dott vs Matthew Couch; Jamie Cope vs Ken Doherty; Adrian Gunnell vs David Morris; Gerard Greene vs Rod Lawler; Matthew Stevens vs Mike Dunn; Stuart Pettman vs Bjorn Haneveer; Joe Swail vs Mark Davis; Anthony Hamilton vs Anthony McGill; Stuart Bingham vs Ian McCulloch; Neil Robertson vs Barry Pinches.

Snooker Shoot Out is a completely new event, which has been created by World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn. The tournament is part of a new era for the sport and is expected to open up snooker to a new audience; it’ll be fun and fast, with high-tension drama, and a fine display of snooker skill from the best players in the world.

Snooker Shoot Out is at the Circus Arena in Blackpool, 28 - 30 January. Tickets start from £10 and are on sale now. Discounts are available for groups of 6 or more. VIP tickets offering a chance to get up close to the players are also available..

For further information or to book tickets visit: www.worldsnooker.com/shootout or www.theblackpooltower.co.uk or telephone 0844 856 1000