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Preview: GB9 Midlands Classic
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This weekend (Feb 1st - 3rd) see's the eagerly anticipated first instalment of the UK's newest and hottest pool tour.
Taking over from where the BPPPA 9-ball tour left off the new tour see's guaranteed prize money, 128 players and three tournaments across two divisions in one weekend.
The tour was originally open to 96 players but was so over-subscribed that numbers were increased to 128 to accommodate the number of players.
The tour has three events - the Pro Division (features the top 32 players including 9-ball World Champion Daryl Peach), The Challenge Division (features 96 players and will be seriously competitive) plus the main event for all 128 players.
This gives players the opportunity to win a share of £11,000 in prize money and will see more players featuring in the money stages of British ranking events.
The main tour rankings will be from matches played in the main event with the end of year rankings determining the promotions and relegations to pro and challenge divisions.
The Pro Cup
The list of players for the Pro Cup division reads like a who’s-who of British pool. The obvious favourites for the first event in Solihull will be Daryl Peach (2007 World Champion), Karl Boyes (3rd Place 2007 World Championship), Imran Majid, Raj Hundal (World Master Champion) and European Number 1 Mark Gray.
However, with players like Darren Appleton and Chris Melling knocking on the door the competition is going to be fierce.
The Challenge Cup
This division will see the top 8 players at the end of the year moving into the Pro Cup division so is sure to be hotly contested. My favourites for honour in this Division are Damian Massey (reached the last 32 of his first Eurotour event), David Walsh (A former BPPPA Tour winner) and Bradley Parker.
There are also a number of high quality younger players in this division with Thomas Ainsworth-Smith, Louis Clarke and Tony Burton all have had excellent results in adult events over the past year.
The CueSport TV cameras will be in attendance and will be covering the action from the finals plus a magazine show called ‘Total GB9’ to be released over the next month.
Good luck to all involved.
For more details visit: www.gb9balltour.com
To view the coverage visit: www.cuesport.tv
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