Matchroom Sport Announces the Player List for the 2010 World Pool Masters

In its 17 years in running, the World Pool Masters has become one of the most highly-regarded titles in pool, on par with the WPA world titles and the US Open.  Each year, an elite group of 16 pool players from around the globe were invited to take part in this prestigious event.  However, in May 2010, the game is changing.

For the first time ever, Matchroom Sport, which produces the World Pool Masters, has opened up this event up to a 64-player field, made up of both invited players, as well as those who qualified through any number of qualifier events in different parts of the world.  And once again, the Masters will be held in conjunction with the BCAPL 8-ball Championships at the Riviera Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, NV.

Included among the field are 11 players representing the U.S., including the entire 2009 winning Mosconi Cup team, made up of Johnny Archer, Corey Deuel, Dennis Hatch, Shane Van Boening, and Oscar Dominguez.  But, the challenge will be a heavy one tor these American players, with world powerhouse players like Ralf Souquet, Dennis Orcollo, Francisco Bustamante, and defending champion Darren Appleton, among many others.

Additionally, four of the most dominant female players in the game today will also be competing for the title.  Player of the Decade Allison Fisher, 2009 WPBA Tour Champion Ga-Young Kim, 2010 European All-Around Champion Jasmin Ouschan, and 2010 Amway Cup Champion Yu-Ram Cha will be facing off against the toughest players in the world, and as we have already seen, these four women are some of the select few who have been breaking through and challenging the top male players.  At the 2009 Predator International 10-ball Championships, we saw former US Open Champion Shane Van Boening fall to Korea’s Yu-Ram Cha, who was all but unknown a few short years ago.  This will be an exciting event to see how the ladies fare in.

Read on for the player list and more details on the event in the press release from Matchroom Sport.

Field Announced for Next Month’s World Pool Masters

Matchroom Sport Press Release

With the 2010 PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters a little under three weeks away, Matchroom Sport can announce the 64 players contesting the 17th annual running of pool’s most prestigious invitational event.

Taking place at the Riviera Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas from Wednesday 12th to Sunday 16th May, the Masters features 40 invited stars of the game as well as 24 qualifiers from around the world. Collectively the field holds 27 WPA World Championships, 15 US Open titles and 15 Masters wins between them, and in addition there are 23 Mosconi Cup players in attendance.

“This is the strongest field imaginable and whoever wins the Masters this year will be carrying off a title every bit as impressive as a World Championship,” said Matchroom Sport Chairman Barry Hearn.

“All the big names from America, Europe and the Philippines will be there and there will also be qualifiers from some of the lesser pool nations who have fought tooth and nail to make it to Vegas.

“Darren Appleton will have a big job on his hands to defend his Masters title, and it’s going to take a real fighter to win this tournament. Anyone of about 35 players has a realistic chance of carrying it off,” he added.

In total there are 11 players representing American hopes including the likes of Johnny Archer, Earl Strickland, Shane Van Boening, Dennis Hatch, Rodney Morris, and Corey Deuel.

The next biggest contingent comes from the Philippines with possibly the strongest ever gathering of Pinoy sharpshooters on US soil. Reyes, Bustamante, Alcano, Orcollo, and Pagulayan are just five of the eight Filipinos and no one would bet against a Masters win from one of them.

The third biggest representation comes from the country that has made the most ground over the past few years – England. Now arguably the strongest nation in Europe, they will be represented by reigning Masters Champion Darren Appleton, World 8 Ball Champ Karl Boyes and World 9 Ball Champion Daryl Peach who are just three of the big guns from across the water.

Elsewhere, Germany has Ralf Souquet, Thorsten Hohmann, Thomas Engert and Oliver Ortmann flying the flag, and there are plenty of strong players from across Europe and Asia vying for the title.

After 17 years as a 16-player invitational competition, the Masters, one of the longest established tournaments in pool, has moved to 64 players. The first two days of the main event in May feature double elimination play on a multi-table set-up as the field reduces down to 32.

The event then goes to single elimination and the last 16 is played out in a single table arena setting in front of the TV cameras, culminating in the final on the evening of Sunday, May 16. Television is produced by Matchroom Sport and will be seen as 15 x one hour programmes in 14 countries around the world with more to be added to the list.

The Masters offers a $100,000 prize-fund with $20,000 going to the eventual champion.

The Field

Ben Nunan (Australia)
Jasmin Ouschan (Austria)
Noel Bruynooghe (Belgium)
Ahmad Taufiq (Brunei)
Tyler Edey (Canada)
John Morra (Canada)
Imran Majid (England)
Daryl Peach (England)
Mark Gray (England)
Darren Appleton (England)
Allison Fisher (England)
Kevin Uzzell (England)
Karl Boyes (England)
Mika Immonen (Finland)
Ralf Souquet (Germany)
Thorsten Hohmann (Germany)
Thomas Engert (Germany)
Oliver Ortmann (Germany)
Niels Feijen (Holland)
Huidji See (Holland)
Raj Hundal (India)
Ricky Yang (Indonesia)
Muhammad Zulfikri (Indonesia)
Naoyuki Oi (Japan)
Toru Kuribayashi (Japan)
Yu-Ram Cha (Korea)
Ga Young Kim (Korea)
Tony Drago (Malta)
Tron Engebakk (Norway)
Efren Reyes (Philippines)
Francisco Bustamante (Philippines)
Dennis Orcollo (Philippines)
Lee Van Corteza (Philippines)
Marlon Manalo (Philippines)
Ronnie Alcano (Philippines)
Alex Pagulayan (Philippines)
Roberto Gomez (Philippines)
Bartosz Rozwadowski  (Poland)
Radoslaw Babica (Poland)
Ruslan Chinakhov (Russia)
Jayson Shaw (Scotland)
David Alcaide (Spain)
Carlos Cabello (Spain)
Marcus Chamat (Sweden)
Ko Pin-yi (Taiwan)
Kuo Po Cheng (Taiwan)
Lo Li-wen (Taiwan)
Evgeni Novosad (Ukraine)
Johnny Archer (USA)
Corey Deuel (USA)
Charlie Williams (USA)
Rodney Morris (USA)
Shane Van Boening (USA)
Oscar Dominguez (USA)
John Schmidt (USA)
Dennis Hatch (USA)
Earl Strickland (USA)
Ernesto Dominguez (USA)
David Grau (USA)
Do Hoang Quan (Vietnam)
Luong Chi Dung (Vietnam)

There is one more wildcard to be invited and there are two more qualifying spots available in the all-day event at Pool Sharks in Las Vegas on Tuesday 11th May. Further details can be obtained from info@matchroom.com

Working in conjunction with Cuesports International, the Masters takes place during the annual BCAPL National 8-Ball Championships, which sees thousands of players and fans flock to the Riviera for a lengthy festival of pool.