U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships

Chesapeake Conference Center, site of the U.S. Open Men's Division nine-ball tournament from 1997 to 2011

The U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships (often shortened in clear contexts to simply U.S. Open, and sometimes spelled with "US", "9-ball", "Nine-ball", singular "Championship", etc.) is an annual professional pool (pocket billiards) tournament that began in 1976 at Q-Master Billiards in Norfolk, Virginia, although previous versions of a "U.S. Open Nine-ball Tournament" had been held at the Jack n Jill Club in Arlington, V.A. as early as 1970.^[1]

Though it is staged in the United States and is labeled the "U.S. Open", male professional pool players from around the world are eligible to compete in this event in the Men's Division. The Women's U.S. Open is a separate event, unaffiliated with the Men's U.S. Open. Instead, the Women's U.S. Open is associated with the Women's Professional Billiard Association (WPBA). The Men's U.S. Open is one of the most sought-after titles in nine-ball and in pool generally. It is also referred to as the Cuetec Cues U.S. Open, for sponsorship purposes.

Shane Van Boening of USA is the current two-time defending champion (2012 & 2013)^[2] of the Men's Division. Mika Immonen of Finland is the 2009^[3] Men's Division title-holder. Immonen is also the 2008^[4] Men's Division title-holder of the US$250,000 33rd Annual U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships, where 237 billiards players competed. Immonen claimed the 13–7 victory, and pocketed the first-place prize of $40,000 on October 26, 2008 against Filipino runner-up Ronato Alcano (2006 World Nine-ball Champion), who settled for $20,000.^[5][6][7] It marked Immonen's second consecutive U.S. Open 9-Ball Champion title, making him, at the time, the winningest non-U.S. competitor.

Featured matches are recorded and broadcast by Billiard Club Network and Accu-Stats Video Productions on a designated table at the Chesapeake Conference Center with commentary provided by various pool veterans and industry members.^[8][9]

Traditionally, winners of the U.S. Open are given a green blazer in recognition for this championship title and are awarded free entry fees to all future U.S. Open tournaments.

History

In its first edition in 1976, the U.S. Open was contested by just 16 players. Over the years, the number of participants steadily increased, reaching its current level of 256 players.^[10]

Today the larger Men's Division is a restrictive male-only event, though it is otherwise a true "open" tournament, in that the only requirement is the payment of the entry fee, which was $1000 in 2015. The total purse for the tournament at that time was $200,000, where the winner was awarded $40,000.

U.S. Open promoter Barry Behrman (right) with Rob Sykora of Billiard Club Network (left) at the 2004 event.

Barry Behrman is the tournament promoter of the Men's Division, and has been since its inception.

The tournament's original venue was Q-Master Billiards pool room, located in Norfolk, Virginia, which hosted the event, other than one year, until 1988.^[11] From 1997 to 2011, the U.S. Open Men's Division was held at the Chesapeake Conference Center in Chesapeake, Virginia.^[12] After Behrman refused to pay money owed for the Chesapeake venue, the 2012 U.S. Open was held in Virginia Beach, VA.^[13]

Unlike the Men's Division, the U.S. Open for women is not a true "open" event. Each female player must qualify through the WPBA, the professional women's billiards tour based in the United States, in order to compete in this annual event. The Women's Division tournament is held in different locations each year.

Format

The tournament format is essentially double-elimination (a player is out of the tournament after losing two matches) until two players remain. Most professional pool "double-elimination" events, however, are not true double-elimination formats, where the player who reaches the finals from the loser's side has to defeat the winner's side player twice for the title. At the U.S. Open, matches are played in races to 11, with the winner breaking. However, the final match, as is customary with most professional nine-ball tournaments today, is one extended race. At the U.S. Open, the extended race in the finals is 13 games.

Past Champions

Men's Division

Year	Winner
2015	Cheng Yu-hsuan
2014	Shane Van Boening (4)
2013	Shane Van Boening (3)
2012	Shane Van Boening (2)
2011	Darren Appleton (2)
2010	Darren Appleton
2009	Mika Immonen (2)
2008	Mika Immonen
2007	Shane Van Boening
2006	John Schmidt
2005	Alex Pagulayan
2004	Gabe Owen
2003	Jeremy Jones
2002	Ralf Souquet
2001	Corey Deuel
2000	Earl Strickland (5)
1999	Johnny Archer
1998	Buddy Hall (2)
1997	Earl Strickland (4)
1996	Rodney Morris
1995	Reed Pierce
1994	Efren Reyes
1993	Earl Strickland (3)
1992	Tommy Kennedy
1991	Buddy Hall
1990	Nick Varner (2)
1989	Nick Varner
1988	Mike Lebrón
1987	Earl Strickland (2)
1986	David Howard AKA Squirrel
1985	Jimmy Reid
1984	Earl Strickland
1983	Mike Sigel (3)
1982	David Howard
1981	Allen Hopkins
1980	Mike Sigel (2)
1979	Louie Roberts
1978	Steve Mizerak
1977	Allen Hopkins
1976	Mike Sigel

Records

• Earl Strickland of the U.S. is the record-holder for winning the Men's U.S. Open the most times: five, in 1984, 1987, 1993, 1997, and 2000.^[14]
• Shane Van Boening is the winner of the largest first-place prize ever offered at the event, $50,000, on October 20, 2007. Van Boening remained undefeated in the field of 233 players, beating Ronato Alcano 13–10 in the final.^[15]
• The oldest pool player to ever win the Men's Division to date is Mike Lebrón of Puerto Rico, 54 years old at the time of his victory. The youngest is Mike Sigel of the U.S., then only 21.

Women's Division

Year	Winner
2012	Allison Fisher (6)[16][17]
2011	Allison Fisher[16][17]
2010	Ga-young Kim (3)[18]
2009	Ga-young Kim[18]
2008	Kelly Fisher[19]
2007	Allison Fisher[16][17]
2006	Allison Fisher[16][17]
2005	Allison Fisher[16][17]
2004	Ga-young Kim[18]
2003	Karen Corr[20]
2002	Helena Thornfeldt
1999	Allison Fisher[16][17]
1994	Jeanette Lee[21]
1992	Robin Bell
1991	Ewa Laurance[22]
1988	Ewa Laurance (2)[22]

References

External links

• US Open official website
• Video of a 2005 US Open match between Ismael Paez and Mika Immonen.
• 2008 US Open tournament bracket
• 2008 US Open image gallery