Morning all, Reggie here.
We've lived in Nanjing and Cherokee all week, so I'm starting somewhere else: Poland. The World Pool-Billiard Association put out word this morning that Europe's para-billiards elite are heading to Warsaw next week for a championship that actually changes how the calendar looks. Then it's North Carolina, where the women's open finally breaks off, and Nanjing, where John Higgins has the morning half of his semi-final against Chang Bingyu under control.
WARSAW — WHEELCHAIR AND STANDING UNDER ONE ROOF
Per the WPA, the EPBF Parasport European Billiard Championships run at the BOSS Hotel in Warsaw from 9–16 November. Nearly 60 people from 14 countries are expected, with close to 40 players competing for six European titles — 8-ball, 9-ball and 10-ball in both the Wheelchair and Standing divisions — and a €9,000 prize fund.
The landmark bit is structural. For the first time, Wheelchair and Standing play the same championship at the same venue. First matches are listed for 10:00 local on 10 November, with the opening ceremony that evening and medal ceremonies on the 16th. Live coverage is billed through TVSPORTS.PL; brackets and results will sit on the EPBF boards.
Names to watch, from the same WPA note: Cyprus's Georgios Malekkidis (reigning European 9-ball) and Poland's Adam Wilk (defending European 10-ball) in Standing; Sweden's Henrik Larsson and Finland's Jouni Tähti — both world champions — in Wheelchair. Polish Billiards Association president Grzegorz Kędzierski said the hosts want three or four home medals with the very best of Europe in the building.
CHEROKEE — WOMEN'S OPEN OPENS; NATIONAL OPEN GRINDS ON
Ultimate Pool USA's Grand Finals keep rolling at Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort. Friday's card adds the National Women's Open (through Sunday) while the sold-out National Open — about 512 players chasing a $20,000 top prize — continues after Thursday's start. League 8-Ball Teams still build toward Saturday's final for that $112,000 first prize, and the pairs events wrap today.
Thursday's arena table belonged to the National 10-Ball Showdown: sixteen invited names, every match on the TV table, Ultimate Pool format with the match clock and shot clock. Scores and placements are on DigitalPool; streams sit on Ultimate Pool USA's YouTube and Facebook channels. Oscar Dominguez already has the Shootout trophy from Wednesday night — that one's in the book from yesterday morning.
NANJING — HIGGINS 4–1 UP ON CHANG
Live scores have John Higgins 4–1 up on Chang Bingyu in the second International Championship semi-final. Frame line so far: 80–47 (80), 1–82 (82), 69–25 (55), 93–0 (93), 77–69 — Chang had a 61 in that fifth frame and still lost it. Best of 17, first to nine. The evening session is listed for 11:30 GMT.
Wilson is already through after last night's 9–6 over Fan Zhengyi and waits in Saturday's best-of-19 final for £175,000. Chang arrived here with thirteen centuries for the week and four of them in the quarter-final that dumped world No. 1 Zhao Xintong. Higgins has been here before — he won this title in 2015 and was runner-up last year. Coverage is on TNT Sports / WST Play where you have them.
ELSEWHERE / COMING UP
- Yanggu three-cushion World Cup — last-32 groups are on Friday local time after Song Yun Do's qualifier exit last night. Cho Myung-woo, Jaspers, Zanetti and the Korean pack are in; SOOP for the Korean feed, results on the UMB boards.
- Champion of Champions — Mattioli Arena, Leicester, 9–15 November. Selby opens Monday against Alfie Burden; live on ITV in the UK.
- Q Tour Europe Event 4 — Vienna, 12–15 November.
- IBSF World Snooker Championships — Indore, 12–21 November.
WHERE TO WATCH
- Warsaw parasport euros — TVSPORTS.PL streams; EPBF for brackets.
- Cherokee — Ultimate Pool USA streams + DigitalPool scores.
- Nanjing — TNT Sports / WST Play / Huya; public results boards for the live score.
I'll be back midday with how Higgins–Chang sits after the evening session and whatever Cherokee throws up from the women's open.
— Reggie
Feature image: “British-pool-table-pocket” by Londonguy78, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY 3.0.
