The US Open Nine-ball Championship is an annual pool tournament that has been in existence since 1976. Today, it is held in Chesapeake, Virginia. Though it is held on American soil and is labeled the "US Open", male professional pool players from around the world are eligible to compete in this event, as it is considered one of the most sought-after titles in pocket billiards today.
Shane Van Boening is the current 2007 US Open Nine-ball Championship title-holder, pocketing the largest first-place prize ever offered at this event of US$50,000 on October 20, 2007. Van Boening remained undefeated in the field of 233 players, beating the 2006 World Pool Champion Ronnie Alcano 13-10 in the finals.[1]
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History
The tournament itself has been held since 1976. In 2005, the tournament featured 256 players from around the US and the rest of the world. The total purse for the tournament at that time was US$200,000 where the winner was awarded US$40,000.
Women are not allowed to compete in the US Open Nine-ball Championship for men and have their own US Open Nine-ball Championship promoted by the governing body of women's professional pool tour, the Women's Professional Billiard Association (WPBA). Barry Behrman is the tournament promoter of the U.S. Open Nine-ball Championship for men, and has been since its inception. In 1976, the tournament venue was at Q-Masters pool room, located in Norfolk, Virginia. Today, the US Open Nine-ball Championship for men is held at the Chesapeake Conference Center in Chesapeake, Virginia. The oldest pool player to have ever won the US Open Nine-ball Championship for men is Mike Lebron, 54 years old. The youngest pool player to have ever won the US Open Nine-Ball Championship is Mike Sigel, 21 years old. Traditionally, winners of the US Open Nine-Ball Championship are given a green blazer in recognition for this championship title and are awarded free entry fees to all future US Open Nine-ball Championship tournaments. American Earl Strickland is the record-holder for winning the US Open Nine-ball Championship five times in 1984, 1987, 1993, 1997, and 2000.[2] Feature matches are recorded and broadcast by Billiard Club Network and Accu-Stats Video Productions on a designated table at the Chesapeake Conference Center with commentary provided by various pool veterans and industry members.[3][4]
Format
The tournament format is double elimination (a player is out of the tournament after losing two matches) until two players remain. Most professional pocket billiard double-elimination formats, though, are not true double elimination formats, where the player who reaches the finals from the loser's side has to defeat the winner's side player twice for the title. At the US Open Nine-ball Championship, matches are played in race to 11, with the winner breaking. However, the final match, as is customary with most professional nine-ball tournaments today, is one extended race. At the US Open Nine-ball Championship, the extended race in the finals is 13 games.
Men's Champions
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 1976 |  Mike Sigel |
| 1977 | Allen Hopkins |
| 1978 | Steve Mizerak |
| 1979 | Louie Roberts |
| 1980 | Mike Sigel |
| 1981 | Allen Hopkins |
| 1982 | David Howard |
| 1983 | Mike Sigel |
| 1984 | Earl Strickland |
| 1985 | Jimmy Reid |
| 1986 | David Howard |
| 1987 | Earl Strickland |
| 1988 |  Mike Lebron |
| 1989 | Nick Varner |
| 1990 | Nick Varner |
| 1991 | Buddy Hall |
| 1992 | Tommy Kennedy |
| 1993 | Earl Strickland |
| 1994 |  Efren Reyes |
| 1995 | Reed Pierce |
| 1996 | Rodney Morris |
| 1997 | Earl Strickland |
| 1998 | Buddy Hall |
| 1999 | Johnny Archer |
| 2000 | Earl Strickland |
| 2001 | Corey Deuel |
| 2002 |  Ralf Souquet |
| 2003 | Jeremy Jones |
| 2004 | Gabe Owen |
| 2005 |  Alex Pagulayan |
| 2006 | John Schmidt |
| 2007 | Shane Van Boening |
Women's Champions
The women's professional tour in the United States is promoted by the governing body of women's pool, the Women's Professional Billiard Association (WPBA).[5] Unlike the men's US Open Nine-ball Championship which is open to all male pool players around the world, the women's US Open Nine-ball Championship is restricted to female touring pros who must qualify in order to compete in the event by scoring enough points on the WPBA tour. The 2007 US Open Nine-ball Championship on the WPBA tour is Allison Fisher who captured her third US Open victory as well as her fiftieth WPBA Classic Tour win.[6]
References
- ^ "US Open Down to Final Four", BilliardsDigest.com, 20 October 2007. Retrieved 21 October 2007
- ^ USOpen9BallChampionships.com'. Retrieved 21 October 2007
- ^ BilliardClub.net Retrieved 21 October 2007
- ^ Accu-Stats.com Retrieved 21 October 2007
- ^ WPBA.com. Retrieved 21 October 2007
- ^ Cuetec Cues US Open, WPBA.com. Retrieved 21 October 2007.
Links
- Official Site
- Video of a 2005 U.S. Open Nine-ball Championship match between Ismael Paez and Mika Immonen.
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