World Pool Masters Tournament
Encyclopedia
The World Pool Masters Tournament (or World Pool Masters for short) is an annual international nine-ball tournament. Formerly, it was called the European Pool Masters until players from other parts of the globe were invited.
Throughout much of its history, the tournament has been featuring sixteen world-class pool
players, competing in single-elimination
format. By 2010, the number of players was doubled to 32. The first round of the event was played in double elimination and the next went back to single-elimination.
In 2011 the tournament reverts back to the original 16-player Single Elimination format, with each match a Race-to-8, winner breaks. The 2011 edition was held in SM North EDSA Mall in Quezon City
, Metro Manila
, Philippines
. Ralf Souquet
of Germany
won the said tournament for the record-setting sixth time, beating defending champion Dennis Orcollo of the Philippines
, 8-5.
Throughout much of its history, the tournament has been featuring sixteen world-class pool
Pocket billiards
Pool, also more formally known as pocket billiards or pool billiards , is the family of cue sports and games played on a pool table having six receptacles called pockets along the , into which balls are deposited as the main goal of play. Popular versions include eight-ball and nine-ball...
players, competing in single-elimination
Single-elimination tournament
A single-elimination tournament, also called a knockout, cup or sudden death tournament, is a type of elimination tournament where the loser of each match or bracket is immediately eliminated from winning the championship or first prize in the event...
format. By 2010, the number of players was doubled to 32. The first round of the event was played in double elimination and the next went back to single-elimination.
In 2011 the tournament reverts back to the original 16-player Single Elimination format, with each match a Race-to-8, winner breaks. The 2011 edition was held in SM North EDSA Mall in Quezon City
Quezon City
Quezon City is the former capital and the most populous city in the Philippines. Located on the island of Luzon, Quezon City is one of the cities and municipalities that make up Metro Manila, the National Capital Region. The city was named after Manuel L...
, Metro Manila
Metro Manila
Metropolitan Manila , the National Capital Region , or simply Metro Manila, is the metropolitan region encompassing the City of Manila and its surrounding areas in the Philippines...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. Ralf Souquet
Ralf Souquet
Ralf Souquet is a German professional pool player. His nicknames are "The Kaiser" and "The Surgeon." Since 1981, he has won more than 250 tournament titles, including 41 German Championship titles and 34 European Championship titles.He began playing billiards at the age of six in his parents'...
of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
won the said tournament for the record-setting sixth time, beating defending champion Dennis Orcollo of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, 8-5.
Champions
| Date | Winner | Nationality |
|---|---|---|
| 1994 1994 in sports 1994 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* January 29 – death of Ulrike Maier , Austrian skier, who broke her neck when she crashed during a World Cup downhill race at Garmisch-Partenkirchen... |
Ralf Souquet Ralf Souquet Ralf Souquet is a German professional pool player. His nicknames are "The Kaiser" and "The Surgeon." Since 1981, he has won more than 250 tournament titles, including 41 German Championship titles and 34 European Championship titles.He began playing billiards at the age of six in his parents'... |
 Germany |
| 1995 1995 in sports 1995 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Alberto Tomba, Italy** Women's overall season champion: Vreni Schneider, Switzerland-American football:... |
Daryl Peach Daryl Peach Daryl Peach is an English professional pocket billiards player. Nicknamed "Razzledazzle" and "the Dazzler," he defeated the Philippines' Roberto Gomez in 2007 to become the first English male to win the WPA World Nine-ball Championship... |
 United Kingdom |
| 1996 1996 in sports 1996 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Lasse Kjus, Norway** Women's overall season champion: Katja Seizinger, Germany-American football:... |
Ralf Souquet Ralf Souquet Ralf Souquet is a German professional pool player. His nicknames are "The Kaiser" and "The Surgeon." Since 1981, he has won more than 250 tournament titles, including 41 German Championship titles and 34 European Championship titles.He began playing billiards at the age of six in his parents'... |
Germany |
| 1997 1997 in sports 1997 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Luc Alphand, France** Women's overall season champion: Pernilla Wiberg, Sweden-American football:... |
Earl Strickland Earl Strickland Earl "The Pearl" Strickland is an American professional pool player and was inducted into the Billiard Congress of America's Hall of Fame in 2006... |
 United States |
| 1998 1998 in sports 1998 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Hermann Maier, Austria** Women's overall season champion: Katja Seizinger, Germany-American football:... |
Francisco Bustamante Francisco Bustamante Francisco Bustamante is a Filipino professional pocket billiards player from Tarlac, and the 2010 World Nine-ball Champion., nicknamed "Django", after the lead character of the film of the same name, and sometimes also called "Bustie", especially in the United States.-Early life:Bustamante is the... |
 Philippines |
| 1999 1999 in sports 1999 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Lasse Kjus, Norway** Women's overall season champion: Alexandra Meissnitzer, Austria-American football:... |
Alex Lely Alex Lely Alex Lely is a former professional pool player from the Netherlands. He is a two-time European straight pool champion. He won the World Pool Masters in 1999 and nearly won it for the second consecutive time in the next year. He retired from the sport on 8 November 2006.-External links:*... |
 Netherlands |
| 2000 2000 in sports 2000 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Hermann Maier, Austria** Women's overall season champion: Renate Götschl, Austria-American football:... |
Ralf Souquet Ralf Souquet Ralf Souquet is a German professional pool player. His nicknames are "The Kaiser" and "The Surgeon." Since 1981, he has won more than 250 tournament titles, including 41 German Championship titles and 34 European Championship titles.He began playing billiards at the age of six in his parents'... |
Germany |
| 2001 2001 in sports 2001 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Hermann Maier, Austria** Women's overall season champion: Janica Kostelić, Croatia-American football:... |
Francisco Bustamante Francisco Bustamante Francisco Bustamante is a Filipino professional pocket billiards player from Tarlac, and the 2010 World Nine-ball Champion., nicknamed "Django", after the lead character of the film of the same name, and sometimes also called "Bustie", especially in the United States.-Early life:Bustamante is the... |
Philippines |
| 2002 2002 in sports 2002 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Stephan Eberharter, Austria** Women's overall season champion: Michaela Dorfmeister, Austria-American football:... |
Ralf Souquet Ralf Souquet Ralf Souquet is a German professional pool player. His nicknames are "The Kaiser" and "The Surgeon." Since 1981, he has won more than 250 tournament titles, including 41 German Championship titles and 34 European Championship titles.He began playing billiards at the age of six in his parents'... |
Germany |
| 2003 2003 in sports 2003 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season championship: Stephan Eberharter, Austria** Women's overall season championship: Janica Kostelić, Croatia-American football:... |
Tony Drago Tony Drago Tony Drago is a professional snooker and pool player from Malta. He won the 2003 World Pool Masters Tournament beating Hsia Hui-kai 8–6 and also reached the quarter finals of the World Snooker Championship... |
 Malta |
| 2004 2004 in sports 2004 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* College football Bowl Championship Series :**January 1 – Rose Bowl – USC 28, Michigan 14... |
Thomas Engert Thomas Engert Thomas Engert is a German professional pool player. Engert won the 2004 International Challenge of Champions beating fellow German Thorsten Hohmann in the finals... |
Germany |
| 2005 2005 in sports 2005 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-Alpine skiing:* Alpine Skiing World Cup** Men's overall season champion: Bode Miller ** Women's overall season champion: Anja Pärson -American football:... |
Raj Hundal | United Kingdom |
| 2006 2006 in sports 2006 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* January 2, Fiesta Bowl – Ohio State 34-20 Notre Dame* January 2, Sugar Bowl – West Virginia 38-35 Georgia... |
Ralf Souquet Ralf Souquet Ralf Souquet is a German professional pool player. His nicknames are "The Kaiser" and "The Surgeon." Since 1981, he has won more than 250 tournament titles, including 41 German Championship titles and 34 European Championship titles.He began playing billiards at the age of six in his parents'... |
Germany |
| 2007 2007 in sports 2007 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* February 4 – Indianapolis Colts beat the Chicago Bears 29-17 to win Super Bowl XLI at Dolphin Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The win was the Colts' first Super Bowl Championship since their 1970-71 team, when... |
Thomas Engert Thomas Engert Thomas Engert is a German professional pool player. Engert won the 2004 International Challenge of Champions beating fellow German Thorsten Hohmann in the finals... |
Germany |
| 2008 2008 in sports 2008 in sports describes the year's events in world sport.-American football:* Louisiana State University Tigers defeat The Ohio State University Buckeyes 38-24 in the 2008 BCS National Championship Game, thus becoming the first two-time BCS National Champions, and the first BCS titlists with two... |
Alex Pagulayan Alex Pagulayan Alejandro Salvador Pagulayan, is a Filipino Canadian professional pool and snooker player. His nicknames are "the Lion" and "the Killer Pixie". He was born in Cabagan, Isabela, Philippines and was raised in Toronto, Ontario, Canada... |
Philippines |
| 2009 2009 in sports -Alpine skiing:* Alpine World Ski Championships 2009 held at Val d'Isère, Savoy, France-American football:* The Florida Gators defeat the Oklahoma Sooners 24-14 in front of a Dolphin Stadium record crowd of 78,468 to win the 2009 BCS National Championship Game... |
Darren Appleton Darren Appleton Darren Appleton is a British pool player, nicknamed "Dynamite". He won the first WPA World Ten-ball Championship in 2008 against Wu Chia-ching, the former world champion in both nine-ball and eight-ball from Taiwan... |
United Kingdom |
| 2010 2010 in sports 2010 in sports will describe the year's events in world sport.-January:* Alabama defeats Texas 37–21 in the 2010 BCS National Championship Game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, thereby claiming the 2009 National Championship in College Football.... |
Dennis Orcollo | Philippines |
| 2011 2011 in sports 2011 in sports will describe the year's events in world sport.-Alpine Skiing:* October 23, 2010 – March 20, 2011 –2011 Alpine Skiing World Cup**Men Overall Title: Ivica Kostelić of Croatia**Women Overall Title: Maria Riesch of Germany... |
Ralf Souquet Ralf Souquet Ralf Souquet is a German professional pool player. His nicknames are "The Kaiser" and "The Surgeon." Since 1981, he has won more than 250 tournament titles, including 41 German Championship titles and 34 European Championship titles.He began playing billiards at the age of six in his parents'... |
Germany |