BUOYED by the success of last year's Negros Oriental International 9-Ball Championships in Dumaguete City, Filipino cue artists get another chance to show their wares when the first International Masskara Billiards Festival take its first rack on October 8 to 12 at the Garden Royal Function Hall, Goldenfields Commercial Complex in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.
"As in the previous international billiard tournaments we have hosted, such as Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental 9-Ball Championships, we (NBS) expect this year's competition to be just as successful. We also have men's and women's amateur 9-ball championships," said Christopher "Toper" Palses, coach of the rising Negros Billiard Stable of Jonathan Sy.
Promoted by Global Entertainment Marketing Services Corporation, and presented by the City of Bacolod League Cities of the Philippines in cooperation with Negros Billiard Stable, Puyat Sports, Bugsy Promotions and Billiard Managers Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP), the event offers a total pot prize of $84,200 where the champion will bring home the lion's share of US$30,000, the runner-up will receive US$15,000 and the third and fourth placer will pocket US$5,000 each.
The fifth to eight place finishers will get US$2,500 each, while the ninth to sixteen placers gets US$ 1,200 each. 17th to 32nd placer will receive US$600 each.
The top 16 players seeded in the main draw are Efren "Bata" Reyes, Francisco "Django" Bustamante, Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan, Dennis "Robocop" Orcollo, Ronato "Volcano" Alcano, Lee Vann "The Slayer" Corteza, Ramil "Bebeng" Gallego, Warren "Warrior" Kiamco, Roberto "Pinoy Superman" Gomez, Ricky "Bai"Zerna, Joven "The Shark" Bustamante, Gandy "Sapsal" Valle and Antonio "Nikoy" Lining.
Before the main event (first International Masskara Billiards Festival), a 9-ball amateur cup will be staging dubbed as Inter-City National Amateur Billiards Tournament on October 4 to 7.
The winner in the men's amateur division will take home P100,000 while P30,000 awaits for the winner in the women's amateur side.
File photo courtesy of Diana Hoppe - Pool Pics by Hoppe
