U.S. Open Pool Championship
The U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships is an annual professional men's nine-ball pool tournament that began in its current form in 1976. The U.S. Open is one of the most sought-after titles in nine-ball and in pool generally. Traditionally, winners of the U.S. Open are given a green blazer and are awarded free entry fees to all future U.S. Open tournaments.
The Women's U.S. Open is a separate event, sanctioned by the Women's Professional Billiard Association (WPBA).
History[]
In its first official 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.[1]
The tournament is a 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.
The tournament's original venue was Q-Master Billiards pool hall, in Norfolk, Virginia, which hosted the event, other than one year, from 1976 until 1988.[2] From 1997 to 2011, the U.S. Open Men's Division was held at the Chesapeake Conference Center in Chesapeake, Virginia.[2] Q-Masters is still involved in the tournament.[3]
Original promoter Barry Behrman died on April 23, 2016. His children, Brady Behrman and Shannon Behrman Paschall, took over operating the tournament until 2018, when it was sold to Matchroom Sport, who moved it to Las Vegas.[4]
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.
As of 2019, the tournament reverts to single-elimination from the last 16 onwards. 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 racks.
Winners[]
Men[]
| Year | Winner | Runner-up | Final score | Venue | Winner's Prize | Total Prize |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 |  Carlo Biado
|
 Aloysius Yapp
|
13–8 | Harrah’s Resort, Atlantic City, NJ | $50,000 | $300,000 |
| 2020 | Not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic | |||||
| 2019 |  Joshua Filler
|
 Wu Jia-qing
|
13–10 | Mandalay Bay Resort, Las Vegas, NV | $50,000 | $300,000 |
| 2018 | Not held due to a venue relocation | |||||
 Jayson Shaw
|
 Eklent Kaci
|
13–4 | Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel, Norfolk, VA | $40,000 | $200,000 | |
| 2016 |  Shane Van Boening (5)
|
 Chang Jung-lin
|
13–9 | Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel, Norfolk, VA | $50,000 | $200,000 |
| 2015 | Kevin Cheng
|
 Karl Boyes
|
13–6 | Sheraton Norfolk Waterside Hotel, Norfolk, VA | $40,000 | $192,000 |
| Shane Van Boening (4)
|
Dennis Orcollo
|
13–10 | Marriott Chesapeake, Norfolk, VA | $30,000 | $165,000 | |
| Shane Van Boening (3)
|
Lee Vann Corteza
|
13–10 | Marriott Chesapeake, Norfolk, VA | $30,000 | $135,000 | |
| Shane Van Boening (2)
|
Dennis Orcollo
|
13–7 | Holiday Inn Virginia Beach Norfolk, VA | $25,000 | $170,000 | |
| Darren Appleton (2)
|
|
13–6 | Chesapeake Conference Center, VA | $30,000 | $175,100 | |
| 2010 | Darren Appleton
|
Corey Deuel
|
15–13 | Chesapeake Conference Center, VA | $40,000 | $180,000 |
| 2009 |  Mika Immonen (2)
|
Ralf Souquet
|
13–10 | Chesapeake Conference Center, VA | $40,000 | $200,000 |
| 2008 | Mika Immonen
|
Ronnie Alcano
|
13–7 | Chesapeake Conference Center, VA | $40,000 | $212,000 |
| 2007 | Shane Van Boening
|
Ronnie Alcano
|
13–10 | Chesapeake Conference Center, VA | $50,000 | $182,000 |
| 2006 | John Schmidt
|
Rodolfo Luat
|
11–6 | Chesapeake Conference Center, VA | $40,000 | $159,000 |
| 2005 |  Alex Pagulayan
|
Jose Parica
|
11–6 | Chesapeake Conference Center, VA | $40,000 | $200,000 |
| 2004 |
|
Thorsten Hohmann
|
11–3 | Chesapeake Conference Center, VA | $30,000 | $145,000 |
| 2003 | Jeremy Jones
|
Jose Parica
|
11–4 | Chesapeake Conference Center, VA | $30,000 | $125,000 |
| 2002 | Ralf Souquet
|
Alex Pagulayan
|
13–11 | Chesapeake Conference Center, VA | $30,000 | $150,000 |
| 2001 | Corey Deuel
|
Mika Immonen
|
11–0 | Chesapeake Conference Center, VA | $30,000 | $148,200 |
| 2000 | Earl Strickland (5)
|
 Takeshi Okumura
|
11–5 | Chesapeake Conference Center, VA | $50,000 | $211,000 |
| 1999 | Johnny Archer
|
Jeremy Jones
|
11–7 | Chesapeake Conference Center, VA | $30,000 | $131,600 |
| 1998 | Buddy Hall (2)
|
|
11–5 | Chesapeake Conference Center, VA | $25,000 | $105,500 |
| 1997 | Earl Strickland (4)
|
Efren Reyes
|
11–3 | Chesapeake Conference Center, VA | $25,000 | $124,500 |
| 1996 | Rodney Morris
|
Efren Reyes
|
11–6 | Virginia Beach Convention Center, VA | $25,000 | $116,250 |
| 1995 | Reed Pierce
|
Efren Reyes
|
11–6 | Holiday Inn, Chesapeake, VA | $20,000 | $77,800 |
| 1994 | Efren Reyes
|
Nick Varner
|
9–6 | Holiday Inn, Chesapeake, VA | $15,000 | $53,200 |
| 1993 | Earl Strickland (3)
|
Tony Ellin
|
11–8 | Holiday Inn, Chesapeake, VA | $15,000 | $58,400 |
| 1992 |
|
Johnny Archer
|
9–1 | Holiday Inn, Chesapeake, VA | $15,000 | $61,600 |
| 1991 | Buddy Hall
|
|
9–8 | Holiday Inn, Chesapeake, VA | $15,000 | $65,000 |
| 1990 | Nick Varner (2)
|
Johnny Archer
|
11–10 | Lake Wright Hotel, Norfolk, VA | $10,000 | $41,000 |
| 1989[5] | Nick Varner
|
Kim Davenport
|
13–6 | Lake Wright Hotel, Norfolk, VA | $10,000 | $35,000 |
| 1988[6] |  Mike Lebrón
|
Nick Varner
|
11–6 | Q-Master Billiards, Norfolk, VA | $8,000 | $30,000 |
| 1987[7] | Earl Strickland (2)
|
Jim Rempe
|
11–7 | Q-Master Billiards, Norfolk, VA | $7,000 | $24,000 |
| 1986[8] | (2)
|
Allen Hopkins
|
11–9 | Q-Master Billiards, Norfolk, VA | $7,000 | $22,200 |
| 1985[9] | Jimmy Reid
|
Mike Lebrón
|
11–5 | Q-Master Billiards, Norfolk, VA | $7,800 | $23,000 |
| 1984[10] | Earl Strickland
|
Mike Sigel
|
11–10 | Lake Wright Hotel, Norfolk, VA | $10,000 | $25,900 |
| 1983[11] | Mike Sigel (3)
|
|
11–10 | Q-Master Billiards, Norfolk, VA | $5,000 | $13,750 |
| 1982[12] |
|
|
10-4 | Q-Master Billiards, Norfolk, VA | $4,000 | $10,000 |
| 1981[13] | Allen Hopkins (2)
|
Mike Sigel
|
11-7 | Q-Master Billiards, Norfolk, VA | $4,000 | $10,000 |
| 1980[14] | Mike Sigel (2)
|
Ray Martin
|
11-7 | Q-Master Billiards, Norfolk, VA | $3,600 | $8,500 |
| 1979[15] | Steve Mizerak
|
Jim Rempe
|
11-10 | Q-Master Billiards, Norfolk, VA | $3,600 | $8,500 |
| 1979[16] |
|
|
15-11 | Q-Master Billiards, Norfolk, VA | $3,000 | $8,000 |
| 1978[17] | Allen Hopkins
|
Steve Mizerak
|
15-11 | Q-Master Billiards, Norfolk, VA | $5,000 | $14,500 |
| 1977 | Not held | |||||
| 1976[18] | Mike Sigel
|
|
11-1 | Q-Master Billiards, Norfolk, VA | $3,100 | $8,975 |
Records[]
- Earl Strickland and Shane Van Boening, all from the U.S., share the record for winning the Men's U.S. Open the most times: five. Strickland in 1984, 1987, 1993, 1997, and 2000. Van Boening in 2007, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2016.[19]
- Van Boening holds the record for the most consecutive wins: three. (2012, 2013, 2014).
- The oldest pool player to ever win the men's tournament to date is Mike Lebrón of Puerto Rico, at 54 years old. The youngest player to win to date is Joshua Filler of Germany, at 21 years old.[20]
Top Performers[]
- Active players are shown in bold.
- Only players who reached the final are included.
- Appearances relates to appearances in the final stages, includes last 12 players. As of 2019, final stages include last 16 players, due to format change.
- In the event of identical records, players are sorted in alphabetical order by first name.
Women[]
Unlike the men's tournament, the U.S. Open is not a true "open" event. Each female player must qualify through the Women's Professional Billiard Association, the professional women's billiards tour based in the United States, in order to compete in this annual event.
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2017 |  Karen Corr (2)
|
| 2016 |  Ga-young Kim (4)
|
| 2012 | Allison Fisher (6)
|
| 2011 | Allison Fisher (5)
|
| 2010 | Ga-young Kim (3)
|
| 2009 | Ga-young Kim (2)
|
| 2008 | Kelly Fisher
|
| 2007 | Allison Fisher (4)
|
| 2006 | Allison Fisher (3)
|
| 2005 | Allison Fisher (2)
|
| 2004 | Ga-young Kim
|
| 2003 | Karen Corr
|
| 2002 | 
|
| 1999 | Allison Fisher
|
| 1994 | Jeanette Lee
|
| 1992 | Robin Bell
|
| 1991 | Ewa Laurance (2)
|
| 1990 |
|
| 1989 | Loree Jon Jones
|
| 1988 | Ewa Laurance
|
| 1987 | Jean Balukas (3)
|
| 1986 | Jean Balukas (2)
|
| 1985 |
|
| 1984 | Jean Balukas
|
References[]
- ^ Barry Behrman (July 7, 2011). "Statement From Barry Behrman and Shannon Berhman Paschall-Exclusive to AZB". AzBilliards.com. Retrieved 2011-07-15.
- ^ a b "History". USOpen9BallChampionships.com. Norfolk, VA: Q-Master Billiards. 2009. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
- ^ "Contact". USOpen9BallChampionships.com. op. cit. 2010. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
- ^ "History". USOpen9BallChampionships.com. Norfolk, VA: . 2009.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|url=(help) - ^ "National Billiards News Jan 1990". National Billiards News. No. Jan 1990. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
- ^ "Billiards Digest Feb 1989". Billiards Digest. No. Feb 1989. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
- ^ "National Billiards News Feb 1988". National Billiards News. No. Feb 1988. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
- ^ "Billiards Digest Jan 1987". Billiards Digest. No. Jan 1987. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
- ^ "National Billiards News Dec 1985". National Billiards News. No. Dec 1985. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
- ^ "National Billiards News Dec 1984". National Billiards News. No. Dec 1984. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
- ^ "National Billiards News Feb 1984". National Billiards News. No. Feb 1984. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
- ^ "National Billiards News Jan 1983". National Billiards News. No. Jan 1983. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
- ^ "National Billiards News Feb 1982". National Billiards News. No. Feb 1982.
- ^ "National Billiards News Jan 1981". National Billiards News. No. Jan 1981. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
- ^ "National Billiards News Dec 1979". National Billiards News. No. Dec 1979. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
- ^ "Billiards Digest Mar 1979". Billiards Digest. No. Mar 1979. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
- ^ "National Billiards News Aug 1978". National Billards News. No. Aug 1978. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
- ^ "American Billiard Review Nov 1976". American Billiard Review. No. Nov 1976. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
- ^ USOpen9BallChampionships.com Archived 2007-10-20 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 21 October 2007
- ^ "History of The U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships". U.S. Open 9-Ball Championships. Archived from the original on 2004-04-10. Retrieved 2017-02-19.
External links[]
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- 1976 establishments in the United States
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- Recurring sporting events established in 1976
- Sports competitions in the United States
- U.S Open 9-Ball championship
- US Open (pool)