International Billiards Council to hold President’s Cup

The International Billiards Council (IBC), an organization sanctioned by the World Pool-Billiards Association, stages the country’s most ambitious and biggest 9-ball international tournament ever as it holds the President’s Cup Nov. 1-3 at the PICC Reception Hall.

No less than reigning world pool champion Eric "The Pearl" Strickland of the United States and RP’s best bets Francisco "Django" Bustamante and Efren "Bata" Reyes are invited to participate in an event which also gives aspiring local cue artists a chance to compete on the same level.

"IBC is very excited to hold the President’s Cup in Manila because we know that billiards is a very popular sport here," said Japanese Charles Takahashi, president of IBC. "We expect the Philippines to be a regular venue for future IBC-organized events."

Aside from Strickland, Bustamante and Reyes, IBC is also expecting popular billiards personalities like American Corey Deuel, Finnish Mika Immonen and IBC Tour points leaders Thorsten Hohmann and Oliver Ortmann of Germany.

Organizers are also using the President’s Cup as a venue to discover promising new talents in the molds of Bustamante and Reyes by staging regional qualifying tournaments in Baguio, Angeles, NCR, Batangas, Legaspi, Cebu and Davao.

"We want to organize a tournament that allows us to see the world’s best battle our very own pool greats while giving our talents from the grassroots a chance to compete on the same level with these legendary cue artists," said RP representative to IBC Edwin Reyes.

Just like in any other IBC World Tour leg, the three-day meet is staking at least $80,000 in total cash prize and Reyes said they expect more as prospective corporate sponsors are starting to come in. – J. Villar