International Challenge of Champions
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The International Challenge of Champions is annual nine-ball pool tournament held at the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut. It also has always been broadcast on ESPN and is sanctioned by the World Pool-Billiard Association. Eight invited notable players compete in this single-elimination event. Different from other pool tournaments, this one is a winner-take-all event. This means the victor earns the entire purse ($50K).
Until the 1999 World Nine-ball Championship was held (the one dominated by Efren Reyes), this first prize was the largest ever won from an event.
[edit] Format
Each match is compose of two sets; each of them is race to 5 and in alternate break. Players lag to determine who shall break in the first set. The player who loses that set will break in the second.
A 30-second shot clock rule of is used. This means a player must make a shot within 30 seconds lest the other player will receive ball-in-hand. Each player, however, can call for an extension but only once per rack.
Unlike other nineball tournaments, a player must call the 9-ball before pocketing it. Failing to call the shot or the 9-ball going in another pocket other than the one called will result the 9-ball being respotted and the player loses his turn at the table. Also, a player can't win a rack by pocketing the 9-ball in the break.
To win a match, a player has to win both sets. If the sets are splitted (one player winning the first but other player winning the next), players again lag to break at the one rack decider.
[edit] Winners
Among those who dominated this event, Chao Fong-pang is the winningest player (3 times).
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 1991 |  Mike Lebron |
| 1992 | Buddy Hall |
| 1993 | Allen Hopkins |
| 1994 | Nick Varner |
| 1995 |  Chao Fong-pang |
| 1996 |  Ralf Souquet |
| 1997 | Oliver Ortmann |
| 1998 | Lee Kun-fang |
| 1999 |  Francisco Bustamante |
| 2000 | Oliver Ortmann |
| 2001 | Chao Fong-pang |
| 2002 | Efren Reyes |
| 2003 | Francisco Bustamante |
| 2004 | Thomas Engert |
| 2005 | Chao Fong-pang |
| 2006 | Johnny Archer |
| 2007 |  Niels Feijen |
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