The First Annual Master Billiard Big Apple 9-Ball Challenge will take place at Master Billiard pool room on Queens Boulevard Aug. 15 through Aug. 17.
Organizers of the event, Benedict Min, owner of Master Billiard, and Joel Shapiro, well-known pocket billiard enthusiast, welcome 96 of the best 9-ball players in the world to compete for a total prize purse of $48,800, with the first prize of $19,000.
The double elimination tournament is open to men and women. The top 16 players will be seeded in the first round, based on the UPA Seeding Rankings.
Arena seating will be provided for 200 spectators per day with both general admission and VIP seating provided. General admission seating is available at $15 per session, $25 all day and $60 for the full tournament, while VIP seating is available at $25 per session, $40 all day and $100 for the full tournament.
Sponsors for the event include AZ Billiards, Webb Custom Cues, Iwan Simonis Inc., Aramith Billiard Balls, Samsara Cues, Diamond Billiard Products, Manhattan Beer Distributors, AristaTrade Securities, CueStix International and Koeppel Nissan.
The tournament is sanctioned by the United States Professional Pool Players Association and the World Pool-Billiard Association. Pocket billiards has grown in popularity and was ranked sixth in the top 100 sports and fitness activities by the Billiard and Bowling Institute of America in its BBIA National Billiards Participation Report 2001, with 39.3 million Americans participating in the sport.
