5 fun facts about the World 9-Ball Championship

World 9-Ball Championship continues and there are only the 16 best billiard players. Good time to review some fun facts about the most important Pool tournament of the year, held since 2010 in Doha, Qatar.

1- A Championship without streaming

Last year there was streaming on several tables with excellent quality. This year, there is nothing. We went from 100 to 0, and it’s hard to believe that the most important Pool championship of the year can not be seen televised worldwide. Yes, it is true that we could enjoy the final rounds covered by local television Al Kass, but it is insufficient. Can you imagine a World Snooker Championship not televised? Me neither. If you settle for seeing the quadrant, here it is.

Related reading: The best professional billiard tournaments for this Summer 2016

2- $ 40,000 for the champion

Last year Ko Pin Yi got a $ 30,000 prize. This year's world champion will add 40,000. Considering what you pay in other professional pool tournaments, it’s not bad. Given other more media games like Snooker (world champion carries 300,000 pounds, almost $ 400,000), this is a tip.

Champion: 40.000

Finalist: 20,000

Semifinalists: 8,000

5th-8th: 5,000

9th to 16th: 3,000

17th to 32nd: 2,000

33rd to 64th: 1,000

65th to 96th: 500

3- Ko Pin Yi, KO

There has been only one billiardist capable of winning the World Cup for two consecutive years: the incomparable Earl Strickland in 1990 and 1991. After his great victory against Shane Van Boening in the last edition, the Taiwanese Ko Pin Yi had the opportunity to win the title but he fell in the round of 64 in the hands of Jayson Shaw. .

4- The empire of Qatar

Qatar (and the Qatari pool federation) has taken the reins of the World and is not expected to release them soon. The World Championship has been organized every year since 2010 at the Al Arabi Sports Club in Doha. Why Qatar? The pool is growing very fast in that country and there are ample resources to organize a tournament of this caliber with the best possible gaming equipment, good prizes, televised games, etc. At the moment it is confirmed that in 2017 it will be organized again in Doha, let’s see what happens later.

5. Europe and Asia, approved; USA failed again

Out of the 32 qualifiers there are 19 Asian, 12 European and one American. China and Taiwan are kept in front, the European (Germany, Britain, Poland, Spain) countries continue to demonstrate their power in pool and the United States ... they cling as they can to their flagship player, Shane Van Boening. It’s hard to believe that, with the amount of players that are in North America, only one reaches the final rounds. But of course, it’s the one.

PS: The three members of the Spanish expedition qualified for the finals, which is a good indicator. David Alcaide and Paquito Diaz lost in the round of 64 and Francisco Sanchez slipped among the 32 best.