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THE final seven players have won their spots in the 2010 PartyPoker.net World Pool Masters, which begins on Wednesday afternoon.

Filipino Marlon Manalo has withdrawn from the competition due to illness, while Indonesia’s Muhammed Zulfikri and Vietnam’s Luong Chi Dung had problems getting a visa.

That meant seven spots were up for grabs at the qualifiers at Pool Sharks in Las Vegas as a host of big names battled for their last chances to secure their spots.

Canadian Jason Klatt, who represented his country at the 2009 World Cup of Pool, claimed one of the spots, while England’s Neil Cummins and Peru’s Manny Chau also won through.

Four places were taken by American qualifiers – Rafael Martinez, Shaun Wilkie, Stevie Moore and Max Eberle - meaning the host nation will have 15 players bidding for glory.

The 64-player field is drawn into eight groups of eight players who compete in race to nine, double elimination play to separate the field down to 32.

Defending champion Darren Appleton has a potential banana skin to negotiate as he faces off against powerful young Korean girl Yu Ram Cha in his first match. At the same venue last year, Yu Ram sent Shane Van Boening packing from the Predator Ten Ball and will be looking to dent Appleton’s hopes.

In other men v women matches, WPBA legend Allison Fisher faces Taiwan’s two-time World Junior champion Ko Pin-yi in what looks to be an intriguing encounter. India’s UK-based Raj Hundal, a Masters winner in 2005 Masters, faces another Korean girl in Ga Young Kim, while Jasmin Ouschan (Austria) has a tough opener against Indonesian Ricky Yang, the WPA No.8 ranked player.

Another marquee match-up is Earl Strickland, a Masters winner in 1997, against 2007 WPC runner-up Roberto Gomez (Philippines), while the incomparable Efren Reyes has a tough proposition in Spain’s David Alcaide.

Groups one to four play their games on eight tables on Wednesday, May 12 with the remaining four groups completing their matches the following day.

After that the Masters moves to single elimination with the last 32 taking place on Friday, May 14 before the event goes to the TV stages on Friday evening and the weekend.

Following 17 years as a 16-player invitational competition, the Masters, one of the longest established televised tournaments in pool, will now feature 64 players and take place over five days instead of three.

Working in conjunction with Cuesports International, the Masters takes place during the annual BCA National 8-Ball Championships, which sees thousands of players and fans flock to the Riviera for a lengthy festival of pool.

Six previous winners - Ralf Souquet, Daryl Peach, Francisco Bustamante, Tony Drago, Raj Hundal and defending champion Darren Appleton are among the World Pool Masters entrants.

No American player has won the Masters since Earl Strickland triumphed in 1997 but a large contingent from the USA will be hoping to change that statistic.

Television is produced by Matchroom Sport and will be seen as 15 x one hour programmes in 14 countries around the world with more to be added to the list.

The prize fund is set at a guaranteed $100,000 with $20,000 going to the eventual champion.

Visit www.matchroompool.com and click on World Pool Masters tab

First phase
Groups (four from each group qualify for the last 32)
Wednesday, May 12
Group 1
A. Raj Hundal (IND), B. Shane Van Boening (USA), C. Rafael Martinez (USA), D. Corey Deuel (USA), E. Jason Klatt (CAN), F. David Grau (USA), G. Evgeni Novosad (UKR), H. Ga Young Kim (KOR).

Group 2
A. Roberto Gomez (PHI), B. Ko Pin-Yi (TPE), C. Oscar Dominguez (USA), D. Niels Feijen (NED), E. Huidji See (NED), F. Kuo Po-Cheng (TPE), G. Allison Fisher (ENG), H. Earl Strickland (USA).

Group 3
A. Efren Reyes (PHI), B. Daryl Peach (ENG), C. Dennis Hatch (USA), D. Thorsten Hohmann (GER), E. Radoslaw Babica (POL), F. Tron Engebakk (NOR), G. John Morra (CAN), H. David Alcaide (ESP).

Group 4
A. Ronnie Alcano (PHI), B. Oliver Ortmann (GER), C. Mark Gray (ENG), D. Francisco Bustamante (PHI), E. Do Hoang Quan (VIE), F. Naoyuki Oi (JAP), G. Ben Nunan (AUS), H. Tyler Edey (CAN).

Thursday, May 13
Group 5
A. Ricky Yang (INA), B. Dennis Orcollo (PHI), C. Marcus Chamat (SWE), D. Darren Appleton (ENG), E. Yu Ram Cha (KOR), F. Manny Chau (PER), G. Shaun Wilkie (USA), H. Jasmin Ouschan (AUT).

Group 6
A. Johnny Archer (USA), B. Lee Van Corteza (PHI), C. John Schmidt (USA), D. Rodney Morris (USA), E. Jayson Shaw (SCO, F. Noel Bruynooghe (BEL), G. Carlos Cabello (ESP), H. Neil Cummins (ENG).

Group 7.
A. Imran Majid (ENG), B. Charlie Williams (USA), C. Thomas Engert (GER), D. Tony Drago (MLT), E. Kevin Uzzell (ENG), F. Ahmad Taufiq (BRU), G. Toru Kuribayashi (JAP), H. Stevie Moore (USA).

Group 8
A. Karen Corr (IRE), B. Ralf Souquet (GER), C. Karl Boyes (ENG), D. Mika Immonen (FIN), E. Lo Li-Wen (TPE), F. Ernesto Dominguez (USA), G. Max Eberle (USA), H. Bartosz Rozwadowski (POL).

Fixtures
The fixtures in each group follow a set pattern.
Match 1 - Player A v Player H (winner to match 5, loser to match 7)
Match 2 - Player D v Player E (winner to match 5, loser to match 7)
Match 3 - Player C v Player F (winner to match 6, loser to match 8)
Match 4 - Player B v Player G (winner to match 6, loser to match 8)
Match 5 - Winner 1 v winner 2 (winner to last 32, loser to match 10)
Match 6 - Winner 3 v winner 4 (winner to last 32, loser to match 9)
Match 7 - Loser 1 v loser 2 (winner to match 9, loser eliminated)
Match 8 - Loser 3 v loser 4 (winner to match 10, loser eliminated)
Match 9 - Winner 7 v loser 6 (winner to last 32, loser eliminated)
Match 10 - Winner 8 v loser 5 (winner to last 32, loser eliminated)
From the last 32 the competition is played on a single-elimination knockout basis.

Visit www.matchroompool.com and click on World Pool Masters tab

Date posted: May 11, 2010

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