Toughest Pool Nationals Set in October 2011

THE Billiards and Snooker Congress of the Philippines (BSCP), the governing body of pool sports in the country, will unwrap the toughest national pool championship ever staged in the country with the 2011 BSCP National Championships scheduled on October 3-11 at the Star Billiards Center in Quezon City.

To highlight this year’s championship, the BSCP will adopt a three-game format for the tournament.

In the battle for the men’s championship, the players will compete in three disciplines – eight ball, nine-ball and ten-ball -- each a tournament in its own right.

The 2011 men’s national champion will be determined based on total points garnered by each player from all three tournaments. Points will be assigned to players based on their order of finish in each event.

In the women’s championship, women players will only compete in one 10-ball event.

 A total prize fund of P800,000 await the winners of the three tournaments and the grand national championship.

Because of the grueling format adopted in the men’s championship, “whoever emerges as the winner will be the truest national champion ever,” says BSCP spokesman Butch Argonza.

He explained that the BSCP adopted the format with a view to accelerating the development of cue sports in the country and defending the country’s image as the leading pool-playing nation in the world. “As the rest of the world have gotten better at pool, it is important that Filipino players excel in all pool games. We have to maintain our edge,” he said.

BSCP, AKTV, Star Billiards and Raya Sports have joined together in mounting this year’s championships.

AKTV on IBC 13 will broadcast the event .

Raya Sports will organize and promote the tournament.

Star Billiards, under BSCP president Sebastian Chua, will host the 9-day pool extravaganza.

Top-ranking Filipino players, as well as young fast-rising players are expected to join the competition.  “We are expecting a minimum number of 64 players to join each of the three tournaments,” says tournament coordinator Sol Gueco.               

The full schedule of the 2011 National championships is as follows:

Men’s 8-Ball tournament (Oct. 3-4), Men’s 9-Ball tournament (Oct. 5-6-), Men’s 10-Ball tournament (Oct. 7-8).  Women’s championship (10-ball only, Oct 6-8).

The finals of all tournaments will be held on three successive days: Oct. 9, Oct 10, and Oct. 11.

Registration in the tournament is now ongoing. To register, call Sol Gueco at (0910)887-5216; or Edgar Acaba, BSCP secretary-general (0916)573-1458. 


-- By: Marlon Bernardino