'uri' ); ?> The 8th Open Weert 9-ball Championships

The 8th Open Weert 9-ball Championships

A Pro9 - Europe's No.1 Pool Player Resource Article

http://www.pro9.co.uk/html/



Date: Friday, December 29 2006 @ 07:15:42 UTC
Topic: 9 Ball



The 8th Open Weert 9-ball Championships
House of Billiards Weert
Smeetspassage 3
6001 KM Weert
The Netherlands
Tel.: +31 (0)495 - 542053 (after 18.30 hrs)
www.openweert.com
www.hobweert.nl
info@hobweert.nl

Weds/Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun 24/25/26/27/28 January 2007



Hello Poolfans,

As Poolroom-owner, organizer and tournament director I'd like to welcome you all on this website, where you can find all the information you need about the 8th Annual Open Weert 9-ball Championship 2007.

Started in 2000 with our 1st edition that had more than 130 players back then. Last year at our 7th edition this number had increased to a record 356 players, which made the 7th Open Weert 9-ball Europe's biggest open 9-ball tournament. And again this year we will put all our effort into attracting a huge number of players to come to Weert.

"Read more" for the details from Maurice Houben.

Together with our crew we will try to make it as comfortable as we can for everybody, so you will think back at House of Billiards Weert in the best possible way. That is why we always advertise as "Holland's Number One Poolhall" and we want you to think just like that. What we mean is, good food and drinks, good quality tables and a tight playing schedule. Also we will try to establish a non-smoking playing-area, if the audience is so kind to keep it in mind. Smoking is only allowed in the bar-area.

Furthermore, all winners of the past years and future winners will have a free entry for life. This means that all Open Weert 9-ball winners don't have to pay there entry fee as long as they participate in our tournament.

For this years tournament we did some small changes which won't be noticed but are good for the tournament.
And for the first time in a couple of years we raised the entry fee a little. We hope that this won't hold you back to play in our tournament.

Twenty-two Clash Pool tables with Simonis Powder Blue 860 cloth are waiting for you, topped with a set off Super Aramith Pro TV-balls. At the same time, our arena, based on the Matchroom arena's with 30 comfortable seats, good lighting and boarding, is looking sharp!

In 2004 during our celebration of the 5th edition of the Open Weert 9-ball we organized a very successful "Straight Pool Event". Sixteen players battled it out in a single knock-out winner takes all tournament. At the end it was three times European Straight Pool Champ Niels Feijen from Holland who won the final from Belgium's Mario Lannoye and claimed the € 2000,- first prize.

In 2005 we kept this trend alive and organized a Ring game 10-ball. Saturday night at 20.00 hrs over 400 spectators in a packed house cheered the roof off when seven world class players crossed there cues for a € 6000,- first prize. Eventually it was Philippine star Francisco Bustamante who claimed the first prize beating Germans Thomas Engert as they where the last 2 man standing in this trilling encounter! Ralf Souquet, Niels Feijen, Marcus Chamat, Nick van den Berg and Mika Immonen and eventually Thomas Engert didn't stand a chance against the breaking power of Bustamante and had to leave the ring game in an early stage!

Last year over 600 fans watched 8 of the best players in the world play in a 7-ball Sudden Death Challenge for a € 7000,- winner takes all first prize.
We had the big honour to book World Snooker star Ronnie O 'Sullivan for our tournament and together with Mario Lannoye, Thomas Engert, Niels Feijen, Marcus Chamat, Ralf Souquet, Mika Immonen and Raj Hundal they battled it out for a fully loaded House of Billiards.
At the end it was Mika Immonen beating Marcus Chamat for the first prize...
He also won the 9-ball tournament and collected a total of € 11.000,- for a few day's pool...

This year we came up with a Scotch Double 8-ball event We are trying to find eight of the world's sharp shooting couples to give the hopefully big crowd a fantastic evening of Pool. The first contacts with players for the Special Event are already made, and hopefully with one or two players from outside Europe this will be a blast.
The winner of this event will win a cool € ? "winner takes all" !!!
Saturday night 20.00 hours sharp, be there or be square....


Of course we must not forget what it's all about, the 9-ball tournament. There are qualification-tournaments from Wednesday till Saturday, where you can try and qualify for the final 64 which will start on Sunday 10.00 hrs. More info about the qualification-tournaments can be found under Event Info.


    Maurice Houben and Crew House of Billiards Weert - The Netherlands


PRIZEMONEY

The prizemoney is typically high for this event as it attracts a lot of players. All prizemoney at this event is guaranteed, and exact amounts will be announced soon at www.openweert.com


EVENT INFO

Qualification groups
Wednesday 24 January at 19.00 hrs - (8 spots)
Thursday 25 January at 19.00 hrs - (8 spots)
Friday 26 January at 13.00 hrs - (8 spots)
Friday 26 January at 19.00 hrs - (8 spots)
Saturday 27 January at 10.00 hrs - (16 spots)
Saturday 27 January at 14.00 hrs - (16 spots)

Special Event
Saturday 27 January at 20.00 hrs

Final 64
Sunday 28 January at 10.00 hrs

Women
Sunday 28 January at 12.30 hrs


ENTRY FEE

Men: € 50,-
Women: € 30,-
Re-entry: € 60,-

Special event: € 700,-


HOTELS

Hotel Golden Tulip **** Players Hotel
Hotel Golden Tulip is right around the corner of House of Billiards Weert. Infact it is attached to the building so you don't need to walk that far.

Single room - including breakfast - € 100,-
Double room - including breakfast - € 125,-

Don't forget to mention the Tournament to recieve the special players rate!

Hostellerie Munten ***
Hostellerie Munten is a small Hotel with about 10 rooms. The walking distance from the Hotel to the venue, is about 5/10 minutes.

Single room - including breakfast - € 84,-
Double room - including breakfast - € 98,-

Hotel De Brookhut ***
Hotel De Brookhut is a country styled Hotel with 8 rooms. You can walk from the Hotel to HOB Weert, but it will take you about 20/30 minutes, better is by taxi, it will take you 5 minutes.

Single room - including breakfast - € 66,-
Double room - including breakfast - € 90,-

All players are responsible for there own Hotel Bookings.


Check out the Pro9.co.uk Calendar for more tournament dates.