World billiards tourney from Monday

By Our Correspondent

Bengaluru

Aug. 28: Big time billiards returns to Bengaluru next week with the Karnataka State Billiards Association hosting the ONGC IBSF World Billiards Championship from September 1.

Twenty-four cueists from 10 countries will vie for top honours in the 10-day event. The championship will be conducted in the time and points format.

The defending champions in both events are Indians, with local lad Pankaj Advani defending the points format title and Gujarat’s Rupesh Shah being points format title holder.

The points format would be held from September 1 to 5, and the time format from September 6 to 10.

This edition will see the last time format event at the world championship.

Speaking to the media on Thursday, S. Balasubramanium, vice-president Billiards and Snooker Federation of India said, "With lack of interest from other countries, we after this championship we will suspend the points format for the next three years."

With as many as five-world champions in the fray, 10-days of exhilarating billiards action is assured. There would have been six world champions in fray if 2002 champion Ashok Shandilya had not pulled out citing personal reasons.

The players have been divided into six groups comprising four players each.

Reigning champion Pankaj Advani who has three world titles to his credit said, he was looking forward to enjoying the competition on home turf, but added that he wasn’t thinking about a hat-trick yet.

"I haven’t thought about it. I just want to go out there and enjoy my game. Winning a title for the country is always nice," said the 23-year-old who returned from Pakistan after annexing the 6-ball snooker title along with Yasin Merchant and Manan Chandra.

The Khel Ratna awardee rated Peter Gilchrist of Singapore and Thailand’s Praprut Chaithanasakun as tough opponents.

The semifinals and final of both the time and point format will be telecasted live on DD Sports.

With two more places in the groups to be filled by Indians, play-offs for the same will be held on Friday and Saturday.

Indians in fray (direct entry): Geet Sethi, Pankaj Advani, Rupesh Shah Dhruv Sitwala, B. Bhaskar, Md. Asim and Sourav Kothari.