+PartyPoker.com World Pool Masters Qualifier
Radisson Blu Hotel London Stansted Airport
Waltham Close
London Stansted Airport
Essex
CM24 1PP
United Kingdom
www.gb9balltour.com - Entry Form - Facebook - Twitter - Pro9 Chat
www.radissonblu.co.uk
Friday-Sunday 9-11 August 2013 Deadline for entries: Monday 5 August 2013
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PREVIEW: 2013 GB9 SOUTHERN MASTERS
Players from across the continent will be flying into Great Britain for the first event of its kind as the 2013 GB9 Southern Masters takes place at the stunning Radisson Blu Hotel at Stansted Airport.
As one of the busiest airports in Europe, Stansted deals with flights from across Europe all day every day. Starting on Friday 9th August, many of Europe's finest cueists will arrive at the airport and walk down the short covered walkway to the fantastic Radisson BLU hotel, as it plays hosts to the fourth GB9 event of the 2013 season.
One country especially taking the plunge with this event is Denmark who, at the most recent count, will be bringing no less than SEVEN players across to the British shores to compete in what may fast become a flagship European event. One of those within the Danish contingent is young Andreas Madsen – the reigning European Junior 9-ball champion. GB9 caught up with him as he gears up to play in his first event on what many consider the toughest national pool tour on the planet.
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Andreas Madsen (DEN) - Foto: EPBF/DK
What has persuaded you and other Danish players to come across to Great Britain to play in a GB9 competition?
We have one person from Ireland and one from Great Britain living in Denmark at the moment. They have talked about the GB 9 Ball Tour and said that it was a very well organised tour with nice venues and friendly people running the tour. I have also seen some of the streamed matches from the earlier events. On the stream it looked very nice, with good tables and surroundings. All in all it’s clearly a good tour where you can play pool and have fun at the same time so we thought we’d come over together and play in the tournament.
How long have you been playing 9-ball?
I started playing 9-ball about 3½ years ago. I started playing pool 6 years ago. In the beginning I only played 8-ball and didn't even know that 9-ball existed. In 2010 I went to my first Junior European Championship and I played both 9-ball and 10-ball. After that I started playing more and more 9-ball.
What do you class as the biggest win of your career so far and why?
My biggest win so far is the European Junior 9-ball championship that I won last year in Brandenburg. I think of that as my biggest win, because it was the first tournament that I won outside my home country of Denmark. At the same event I got 2nd in 10-ball and 5th in 8-ball, so this tournament was a big breakthrough for me.
Are there any players on the GB 9 Ball Tour you would especially like to come up against or avoid?
Of course there are players that are tougher to play than others. I know players like Chris Melling and Karl Boyes and many others that have really achieved some great accomplishments in their career. I would like to play one of them and see where my game is in perspective to their game. Naturally I would like to try and avoid lots of big guns early – if I got a really tough draw I would not be that happy about it! After all, my goal is to win.
Do you aim to become a professional player one day?
That’s a tough question. I know it is really tough to make a living from playing pool, and you have to be on top of the world if you want to do that. Right now I play pool because I think it is fun and I have gotten a lot of good friends from playing pool, both in Denmark and outside of Denmark. So I want to keep on playing the game for a long time hopefully, and if a day comes where I am good enough to be able to play pool for a living, I will do that.
FORMER WORLD SNOOKER CHAMPION SIGNS UP FOR SOUTHERN MASTERS
Also entering in his very first event is none other than Joe Johnson, 1986 World Snooker Champion. As a rank outsider he took home the biggest prize in snooker and, over 25 years later and at the ripe old age of 61, he will be stepping into the GB9 cauldron for the first time. ‘I’m very much looking forward to playing in this GB9 event’, Johnson said. ‘I've played in one or two 9-ball events before and really enjoyed taking part. I realise that snooker players have so much to learn from 9-ball and 10-ball players but I am looking forward to practicing hard and competing against some of the very best pool players around. I look forward to meeting some old friends and hopefully making some new ones'.
The action begins at Stansted on the evening of Friday 9th August, with play continuing through to Sunday 11th August. At the end of this event we will also be hosting the four-man play-off for a spot in the PartyPoker.com World Pool Masters to be held in September. The top four players from a ranking list using the best three from previous five results at the culmination of the Southern Masters will play off to determine who takes one of the coveted slots at this year’s main event to be held at the Metrodome in Barnsley.
Entry to spectators is free all weekend and live-streaming will be available throughout to compliment the unique rack-by-rack live-scoring service, giving those who can’t attend the event an up to the minute account of how the tournament is unfolding.
If you want to get involved it's not too late to enter - fill in the event entry form before Tuesday 6th August.
Don’t forget you can also follow GB9 on both Facebook and Twitter.
Aramith Billiard Balls, OB Cues, Kamui Tips and Power Bridge making the perfect
combination of the very best equipment in the most outstanding venues.
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