WORLD TEN BALL BEGINS

A TOTAL of 128 players from 43 countries will vie for the prestigious honor of becoming the first-ever world champion in Ten Ball discipline.

The biggest sports event in the country - the inauguraL World Pool Association (WPA) World Ten Ball Championships (WTBC) fires off today, Monday September 29, 9:30 am where no less than Vice President Noli de Castro will do the ceremonial break at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.

Up for grab are a total pot prize of $400,000 where the champion gets the lion's share of $100,000.

Leading the participants are 47 players from Europe. With all three WPA world champions seeing in action in the WTBC, the Europeans loom as the heavy favorite in the Raya Sports organized tournament in close cooperation with the Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines, Philippine Billiards Foundation and Star Billards Center.

The three reigning world champions spearheading the European invasion are World 8-ball champion Ralf Souquet of Germany, World 9-ball champion Daryl Peach of Great Britain and World straight pool champion Neils Feijen of the Netherlands.

Souquet won the World 8-Ball Championship in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates last
April after beating Filipino Ronato Alcano in the finals. Regarded as one of the most experienced among the 128 competing players in the main draw, the German ace considers the race as a free-for-all battle.

"Ten Ball is a lot different from nine ball and the luck factor has lessened," said
Souquet. "This makes the game more exciting."

Other notable European players include former World 9-ball titlist Thorsten Hohmann and Oliver Ortmann of Germany and Mika Immonen of Finland.

Not to be outdone the Americans headed by Shane Van Boening and Johnny Archer while Chinese-Taipei led by Wu Chia-ching, Yang Ching-shun, Ko Pin-yi and Chang Jung-lin.

Marlon Manalo, the reigning national open champion will carry the good fight for the Filipino pool sharks along with countryman Antonio Gabica, Jeffrey de Luna, Elvis Calasang, Elmer Kalaquian, Jericho Banares, Edgar Acaba, Arnel Bautista, Demosthenes Pulpul, Victor Arpilleda and Leonardo Didal.

"It's anybodies ball game," said the 31-year-old Barangay Talumpong, Mandaluyong City ace Manalo during the luncheon meeting yesterday at the Sofitel Plaza Hotel in Pasay City. "I will do my very best for flag and country," added Manalo, who beat 2006 Doha Asian Games 9-ball gold medalist Antonio "Ga-Ga" Gabica, 11-5, in the finals to rule the 3rd BSCP National Pool Championships this year.

According to Yen Makabenta, head of the organizing Raya Sports group, the 128 players entered in the main draw will be divided into 16 groups of eight. They will compete under a double elimination format. Four players will advance from each group going to the Last 64. From the last 64 to the Finals the competition turns to a single elimination format. The player who wins a match advances to the next round, and the loser is knocked out of the tournament.

contributed by MARLON BERNARDINO