Bengkel to host Asian billiards meet

Bengkel to host Asian billiards meet

Musthofid, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Bengkel Billiard Hall, Sudirman Central Business District,
Central Jakarta, will host the 12th Asian 9-Ball Pocket Billiards
Championship early next month.

Sanctioned by the Asian Pocket Billiards Union (APBU), the
event will run from July 1 through July 6 with a total of
US$8,450 in cash prizes on offer.

Twenty seven men and 10 women players are already on the list
for the main draw. They come from 10 of the 18 APBU country
members.

The participating countries are Brunei Darussalam, China,
Chinese Taipei, India, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore,
South Korea, Vietnam and Indonesia.

While the visiting teams are allowed only two men and a woman
in the main draw, Indonesia has eight men and four women.

The Indonesian players, according to Ishwara Adi from the
organizing committee, are the best in the national rankings
administered by the Indonesian Billiards and Snooker Association
(POBSI).

Indonesian players are Siauw Wieto, Arief Rahman, Ignatius
Sigit, Adam Abdurrahim, Apsi Chaniago, Eddy Hartono, Hamzah
Parlaungan, Paulus Baginda in the men's category; Sri Wahyuni,
Angelina Magdalena, Kiki and Mutiara Sasini Bunga in the women's.

Siauw Wieto was one of two Indonesian players to participate
at the last tournament in Taipei in February, which was won by
local players Fu Che-Wei (men's) and Liu Shin-Mei (women's).

Both Taiwanese are among the participants listed for the
Jakarta round.

The main draw in the women's category has already been
confirmed to feature 32 players, but the men's main draw has yet
to be decided between 48 and 64.

"We are still discussing the options with POBSI officials,"
Ishwara said here on Tuesday.

The remaining places in the main draw will be filled through
the qualifying matches on the opening three days of the
competition.

Malaysia will come with the most players in the qualifying
stage, with 10 names, while the Indonesian team has yet to decide
the qualifiers, with registration still open for locals.

"We expect around 200 players at the qualifying stage,"
Ishwara said.