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break (not including the 9-ball), that player would have two points for the rack and continue shooting. If the player makes all the balls without missing ("break-and-run"), they score 10 points for the rack (the maximum) as they would have scored eight points for the balls 1 through 8 and then two for the 9-ball. The match ends when a player reaches the number required for their respective skill level. The table below lists the number of balls needed for a player of each skill level to win their match.
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from 1994 until the hotel closed in 2015. In the week leading up to the
Riviera's closure, the APA held its annual league operators' convention in conjunction with the 2015 National Singles Championship. The final event ever held at the Riviera was an awards ceremony for the APA's 2015 8-Ball Classic
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nine-ball which is based on games won, where the winner of each game is the player pocketing the 9-ball), a match can end before all the balls of a given rack have been pocketed. Using the previous Player A (skill level 2) vs. Player B (skill level 6) example, suppose that Player B is breaking a new
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In APA nine-ball, two players compete until one person reaches a score determined by their respective skill level. The scoring is recorded by awarding a single point for pocketing the balls numbered 1 through 8 and two points for the 9-ball. For example, if Player A breaks and makes two balls on the
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As an example of how to read the table, if Player A is a skill level 2 and Player B is a 6, the scorer first locates the row for skill level 2, then moving across finds the column for skill level 6. The intersection provides for a 2–6 race; meaning the match ends when either Player A wins two
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The APA hosts four major international pool tournaments annually. Participants must be APA members (except in the U.S. Amateur
Championship), and qualifying for these events is done through weekly league play and regional qualifying tournaments conducted by APA local league operator franchisees.
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members), doubles, and
Masters (three-player non-handicapped) play. Participants qualify for these events through local tournaments and weekly league play conducted by local APA league operators. The Westgate has hosted these tournaments since 2016. Previously, APA held the events at the
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According to the table above, if Player A is rated a 2 and plays Player B is rated a 6, then Player A wins if he scores 19 points before Player B scores 46 points. Conversely, for Player B to win the match, he must score 46 points before Player A scores 19 points.
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In APA eight-ball, two players compete until one person wins the number of games determined by their respective skill level. The following table illustrates the number of games needed to be won by each skill level depending on the skill level of their opponent.
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rack leading 44–16. In this case, Player A needs three points to win and Player B needs two points to win. The match ends when either player earns the needed points to win regardless of the number of balls remaining on the table.
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in 2010. In
November, the APA conducts the U.S. Amateur Championship, representing the highest level of amateur play in the United States. Children and teenagers ages 7–18 may compete in the APA Junior Championships, held in
243:: the APA Poolplayer Championships for individual players in late April/early May and the APA World Pool Championships for teams in August. The latter event was certified as "The World's Largest Pool Tournament" by
161:), founded in 1979. The APA bills itself as the largest pool league in the world with a membership of more than 250,000 players in the United States, Canada, Japan, and Singapore. The organization
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Note that APA nine-ball is not a traditional style that is typically played by billiard enthusiasts. Even though it does follow traditional rotation characteristics, it resembles more of a
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hosted by APA then-President Renee Lyle and
Marketing Director Jason Bowman. In 2010, the World Pool Championships (then known as the APA National Team Championships) were recognized by
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Skill levels in nine-ball range from 1 to 9. In higher-level tournament play (except the Junior
Championship), male pool players must compete at a skill level of 3 or higher.
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with a unified ruleset. The organization was founded in 1981 by professional pool players Terry Bell and Larry
Hubbart, with roots dating back to the
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570:. The APA Poolplayer Championships (formerly known as the National Singles Championships), held in late April/early May, features individual and
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Skill levels in eight-ball range from 2 to 7. In higher-level tournament play, male pool players must compete at a skill level of 3 or higher.
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612:. This nine-ball singles tournament is the only national event open to children and teenagers ages 7–18 at the time of the event.
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system called "The
Equalizer" that allows players of all abilities to compete with one another on an equal basis. The normal APA team
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605:. Intended for the highest-skilled pool players, this non-handicapped tournament is open to APA members and non-members alike.
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its local league operations worldwide; some of these league operators are former professional pool players, including
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Tour, the most-televised pool competitions in North
America, and thus a major venue for APA advertising.
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play, and other formats; the annual international championships feature both individual and team play.
228:). In addition to this team play, APA organizers at the local level often set up non-team tournaments,
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640:. Members of these non-U.S. associations are eligible to compete in the annual APA championships.
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137:(pocket billiards) competition in the United States. The APA conducts pool
732:"Local poolplayers compete for spot at Las Vegas World Pool Championships"
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As of 2023, the APA has three international affiliates or branches: the
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competition. The APA World Pool
Championships in August showcases team
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The APA hosts several major pool tournaments each year, two of them in
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As APA nine-ball is based on points and not games won (contrast with
701:"National Singles Championships - American Poolplayers Association"
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676:"Pool players converge for world's largest tournament at Westgate"
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In November, the APA conducts the U.S. Amateur Championship in
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The APA Junior Championships are held every July in
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598:as "The World's Largest Pool Tournament".
643:APA has sponsored Team USA in the annual
106:Learn how and when to remove this message
824:1981 establishments in the United States
711:: American Poolplayers Association. 2015
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208:competitions (similar to matches in the
759:"APA Sponsors Mosconi Cup Team Members"
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757:Simonsen, Harold (November 21, 2016).
564:Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino
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562:Two of these events are held at the
44:adding citations to reliable sources
819:Sports leagues in the United States
650:APA is also a major sponsor of the
674:Kantowski, Ron (August 17, 2017).
435:games or Player B wins six games.
55:"American Poolplayers Association"
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630:Japanese Poolplayers Association
622:Canadian Poolplayers Association
120:American Poolplayers Association
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829:1981 establishments in Missouri
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180:The APA employs a proprietary
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763:Pool & Billiard Magazine
460:Points needed to win match
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709:Lake Saint Louis, Missouri
730:Thomas, Kayleigh (2022).
680:Las Vegas Review-Journal
610:Lake St. Louis, Missouri
585:Riviera Hotel and Casino
175:Lake St. Louis, Missouri
595:Guinness World Records
246:Guinness World Records
145:in the disciplines of
636:) in Japan, and the
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814:Pool leagues
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182:handicapping
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171:Jeanette Lee
167:Ewa Laurance
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143:tournaments
808:Categories
768:August 30,
742:August 30,
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258:Eight-ball
204:one-on-one
163:franchises
147:eight-ball
66:newspapers
568:Las Vegas
439:Nine-ball
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241:Las Vegas
151:nine-ball
200:-format
590:7 p.m.,
574:doubles
232:doubles
188:matches
139:leagues
132:amateur
126:) is a
80:scholar
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269:Skill
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