This is the ninth global event in Bangalore

Cue sport buffs will surely have a feast for 10 days

BANGALORE: Its 50 years since an Indian answering by the name of Wilson Jones won the first World billiards title. In the interim period, India has produced 23 champions in the event.

The Karnataka State Billiards Association, a pioneer in cue sports, will host the IBSF World billiards championship at its premises here from September 1 to 10.

This is the eighth World billiards event being hosted in India and ninth global event in Bangalore.

The ONGC-sponsored championship will be played in two parts — the points format on the first five days and in the time format in the next five.

"This could be the last of the time-format billiards, until India hosts again," S. Balasubramaniam, Vice-President, Billiards and Snooker Federation of India (BSFI) and the Co-ordinator of the World event here, said.

"No other country is willing to promote billiards in general and the time format in particular," he added.

Points format, however, seems to have retained some interest what with snooker and pool gaining world-wide acceptance. Mike Russel, the World Pro billiards champion, opting for the snooker event in Qatar to the World billiards, itself is an example of the sinking popularity of billiards.

India's Rupesh Shah, the current holder of the points format and Bangalore's Pankaj Advani, the time format World champion after having won the title in Singapore last year, will try to defend the crown although the likes of Peter Gilchrist (Singapore) and Praprut Chaithanasakun and Thawat Sujarithurakarn (both from Thailand) cannot be sidelined by any means.

No pushovers

Gary Oliver (New Zealand) and India's own Geet Sethi will be no pushovers either.

In the time format, Advani has ruled the World scene for the last five years, winning the IBSF World event twice and the Asian Games and Asian billiards titles too.

"I am practising hard and would like to win the championship again, and more importantly in front of my home crowd," said the 23-year-old champion.

"I am not looking at any statistics relating to the event but will mention that there is immense talent in this country and KSBA is doing a wonderful job in giving most of our players a first hand exposure to the sport. As was evident in the recent Beijing Olympics, there is medal hopes in varied events and we need to concentrate on every event," Advani added.

Twenty-four players from all over the World and eight Indians are expected to fill in the 32 slots, but with a likelihood of last minute drop-outs, India is expected to fill in the berths.

"The bomb blast last month did force the International body (IBSF) to rethink on holding the championships in Bangalore and it was only recently that the finalisation of the venue was cleared for the $4,000 prize money event," said an organiser.

Boasting of eight international standard tables and an ambience to meet the event, cue sport buffs will surely have a feast for 10 days come September.