Following the recent Paul Medati Trophy the rankings for this qualifier spot have been updated. There is no change to the top 3 positions despite Imran Majid missing this event due to his participation in the European Pool Championships. Daryl Peach (who was also playing in the EC’s) slips out of the top 4 and is replaced by Craig Osborne due to his second place finish in the Paul Medati Trophy.

1 (1) Mark Gray
2 (2) Phil Burford
3 (3) Imran Majid
4 (-) Craig Osborne

The five events that will count towards the rankings are:

• GB9 British Grand Prix – November 9-11 2012
• GB9 Midlands Classic – February 22-24 2013
• GB9 Paul Medati Trophy – April 12-14 2013
• GB9 Northern Masters – June 7-9 2013
• GB9 Southern Masters – August 9-11 2013

The top four players in this ranking will contest semi-finals and then a final (format to be determined) to be played immediately after the finish of the GB9 Southern Masters on August 11th. The winner will receive a spot in the 2013 World Pool Masters.

This will be the 21st annual running of the Masters; one of pool’s longest running invitational events and the 12th time it will have taken place in the UK. Previous home winners have been Daryl Peach (1995), Raj Hundal (2005) and Darren Appleton in 2009.

The 2013 PARTYPOKER.COM World Pool Masters is sponsored by PartyPoker.com, the world’s leading online poker school. Cloth is supplied by Iwan Simonis and the Official Balls are Super Aramith.

In 2013 GB9 is proudly sponsored by Carlson Rezidor Hotels, Simonis Cloth, Aramith Billiard Balls, OB Cues, Kamui Tips and Power Bridge making the perfect combination of the very best equipment in the most outstanding venues.

This competition always draws out the memories from all players but especially the band of players who were fortunate enough to share their time with Paul Medati him on the inaugural season of GB9, and more recent players will likewise have been familiar with Mark Lovell. Despite them falling to the affliction of cancer, both men have cemented themselves forever in the thoughts of players across the tour and indeed the world. Their warm, kind and humorous natures brought a welcome smile to the faces of many in what is often the fast paced nature of 9-ball pool.

The two finalists in this year’s Paul Medati Trophy brought two laid back but highly talented cueists to the table – the relatively new face to 9-ball in Dudley’s Mick Hill, and a stalwart of the tour in the form of Craig Osborne from Ipswich.

Mick Hill – 2013 Paul Medati Trophy Champion

Hill began his quest for silverware in the winners second round owing to his good performance at the Midlands Classic back in February.  He opened his account with a 9-3 victory over Tom Staveley and teed himself up with a tie in the next round against Nottingham’s Dave Hopkin. A crushing 9 racks to 1 victory saw Hill safely through into the single elimination last 32 stage for the second successive event. A high quality encounter was waiting for him in his next match as Plymouth’s Jez Graham pushed Hill right to the wire. Six break-and-runs between them proved the quality of the encounter, but it was Hill who saw through 9-8 to book a meeting with Martin Chapman. Hill could breathe a little easier at this stage as a 9-4 win was enough to put him into the quarter finals where he met another Yorkshire-man in the form of Mark Lunn. He managed to run three racks on his way to a 9-6 victory over Lunn and put himself into the semi finals to face Shaun Storry, himself looking to make his second main event final after last season’s Northern Masters 10-ball event. Hill just had too much for the Essex shooter, and a 9 racks to 3 scoreline saw him triumph and meant a maiden final berth for the former English 8-ball world champion.

Osborne, a twice main event winner on GB9, began his quest for a third title in the second winners’ round also. A 9 racks to 4 win over Joni Holden was enough to send him into the next round to face another long time GB9 supporter in Chris Melling. Both players managed to run three racks in the match, but three racks was also the deficit at the end as Osborne saw off the Mosconi Cup hero 9-6. This took him into the last 16 and saw him come up against Darryn Walker from Wolverhampton. He wasn’t too far from his home and a hill-hill defeat meant he was heading that way – a 9-8 win for Osborne ensured his safe passage through to the last 8 and a meet with Andy Worthington. Osborne wasn’t in the mood for messing around here – the only ‘donut’ in the single elimination stage meant Worthington was out and Osborne was through to face a showdown against Mark Gray. The scoreline was a lot closer but Osborne’s dominance of the weekend continued in fine form. A fabulous five break-and-runs ensured it was the Suffolk shooter who made his way into the final and recording a 9-5 win in the process.

The final looked for all its worth to be a one-sided affair. Hill took 8 of the first 9 racks to send himself into an 8-1 lead. Osborne’s fight was without question, however, as he returned the favour in winning 8 of the next 9 to level up at 9-9 with three to play.  Hill managed to see the match out, however, and he saw out the next two racks to wrap up an 11-9 victory and win a GB9 main event at only his second attempt this season.

2013 Mark Lovell Challenge Cup

The two finalists in the second Mark Lovell Challenge Cup were Mathew Lawrenson and Kevin Uzzell, both of whom have tasted success on GB9 before and were keen to take home a little silverware. Lawrenson’s route to the final started with a 7-0 hammering of Dale Green before three back-to-back 7-6 wins against Micheal Valentine, Chris Buckmaster and Kevin Simpson to put him into a his first GB9 final since winning the Challenge Cup back in June 2011. Uzzell’s route to the final was somewhat more relaxed than that which Lawrenson took – 7-2 wins against David Hopkin and Alvaro Canoniga from Spain opened his account, followed by a 7-4 defeat of Damian Massey before shaking off Chris Melling 7-5 to proceed to the final showdown . 7-5 was the scoreline in the final, but Uzzell was this time on the wrong end of the result. Lawrenson wrapped up a good quality match to take home the second Mark Lovell Challenge cup.

In 2013 GB9 is proudly sponsored by Carlson Rezidor Hotels, Simonis Cloth, Aramith Billiard Balls, OB Cues and Kamui Tips making the perfect combination of the very best equipment in the most outstanding venues.

• GB9 British Grand Prix – November 9-11 2012
• GB9 Midlands Classic – February 22-24 2013
• GB9 Paul Medati Trophy – April 12-14 2013
• GB9 Northern Masters – June 7-9 2013
• GB9 Southern Masters – August 9-11 2013

The top four players in this ranking will contest semi-finals and then a final (format to be determined) to be played immediately after the finish of the GB9 Southern Masters on August 11th. The winner will receive a spot in the 2013 World Pool Masters.

Going into this weekend’s GB9 Paul Medati Trophy the current rankings are as follows:

1st Mark Gray – 2nd Phil Burford – 3rd Imran Majid – 4th Daryl Peach

This will be the 21st annual running of the Masters; one of pool’s longest running invitational events and the 12th time it will have taken place in the UK. Previous home winners have been Daryl Peach (1995), Raj Hundal (2005) and Darren Appleton in 2009.

The 2013 PARTYPOKER.COM World Pool Masters is sponsored by PartyPoker.com, the world’s leading online poker school. Cloth is supplied by Iwan Simonis and the Official Balls are Super Aramith.

In 2013 GB9 is proudly sponsored by Carlson Rezidor Hotels, Simonis Cloth, Aramith Billiard Balls, OB Cues, Kamui Tips and Power Bridge making the perfect combination of the very best equipment in the most outstanding venues.

The fifth annual Paul Medati Trophy is to be contested next month as the GB 9 Ball Tour returns to the magnificent Park Inn by Radisson hotel in Telford.

In what is the most pivotal year for the tour since its inception in 2008, the 2013 season could hardly have started in more spectacular fashion. Phil Burford regained the Midlands Classic title he won in 2011 in a quite brilliant final against the one and only Ralf Souquet, himself in inspired form in his very first GB9 event. Regrettably this event clashes directly with the Eurpoean 9-Ball Championships in Slovenia, an event which will see some of Great Britain’s esteemed professionals absent from this second GB9 event of the year. Due to this, there have been few better times for some of Great Britain’s top amateurs to shine through and take home a coveted piece of silverware and competition is sure to be as ferocious as ever.

This tournament weekend, however, revolves around the memory of two dearly loved and much missed players just as much as it does the pool that is played during that time. The man whose name is given to this competition, Paul Medati, was a former professional snooker player from the 70′s and 80′s who took up 9-ball later into his career. After playing on the inaugural 2008 tour, he was diagnosed with cancer and sadly lost his battle with the disease just after the end of that season at the age of 64. More recently taken from us was another much loved character in the form of Mark Lovell. Mark rekindled his love of the game in time for the start of the 2010 season, attending each event between then and the 2011 Southern Masters, by which point he had already been diagnosed with a recurrence of cancer which he had previously fought. He was a fighter until the very end, however, indicated by his gaunt appearance at what was to be his final event. Mark sadly passed away in December 2011 at the age of 54. Both players live on in the heart and thoughts of all those who played against and alongside them, and the spirit both men showed both on and off the table will be in the minds of all those competing across the weekend.

As in previous years, this GB9 event will be used to raise funds for the amazing people at Macmillan Cancer Support.  We raised around £2,000 in each of the previous two years so we’ll be looking to build on that.

Following in the footsteps of other snooker professionals before him, Stephen Lee has registered to play in the upcoming Paul Medati Trophy. Having won trophies all across the world with what many feel is one of the finest cue actions in the world, his is an undoubted skill which should put him in good stead against the competition. We caught up with Stephen to get his views and hopes on the competition.

Q&A – Stephen Lee

Q) Firstly, welcome to GB9! Have you had much experience of playing competitive 9-ball pool before or is this new ground for you?

A) Hi there. This is very much new ground for me, I’ve played in just one event which was when I was out in in Thailand. I felt ok but realised that I would need to put some practice in.

Q) How has your preparation for this event been? Have you taken any particular attitudes to practice?

A) A few weeks before the GB9 event I’m playing in a 9-ball event in Ireland. After that I’ll knuckle down to make sure I put some serious practice in before the GB9 Paul Medati Trophy.

Q) You’ve proved your ability over many years on a snooker table. Do you feel the transition to the American table will be a smooth one, especially under the pressure of GB9?

A) I’m really looking forward to playing, it is something that I have been thinking about it for a while now. Plus I’ve heard for many players what a great tour GB9 is so I’ll be ready and excited for the challenge.

Q) Have you played against anyone else on the tour before in any form of cue sport?

A)  Yes, I’ve played a little with Tony Drago and also asked advise from Jimmy White.  They both said I’ll be fine so I’m going to give it my best shot and find out if they’re right!

Q) Lastly, what are your aspirations for this tournament and beyond in 9-ball?

A) Well to be honest I’ve a young family which keeps me busy, and also I’m not getting any younger, but I’m lost without a cue in my hand so I just want to try new experiences and just enjoy every event I play in. At the end of the day I’m a fun guy so let’s have a go and don’t look back!!!

If you can’t make it down to the event be sure to follow us on the Live-streaming and Live-Scoring.

It was apparent both before and during the competition weekend that this is to be a very different tour from last season. Dozens of players from previous years and within British shores have renewed their affiliation with the tour, but that’s about all that remains the same. Representatives from Germany, Italy, Spain and Denmark to name but a few have all come over to Great Britain to sample the tour for themselves, and it’s fair to say they’ll be taking many happy memories from their first experience of GB9 back home with them.  The tournament has also been held for the first time in the magnificent Park Inn by Radisson hotel in Telford, Shropshire – a venue well situated for many of the tours’ regulars and connected well to major airports. The main event has transformed into the more conventional double elimination format in the main event with a Challenge Cup event being held for those players not making the money stages in the main event. The players are now no longer competing for medals to take home with them. Instead, each event will have a permanent trophy for the players to try and get their names on along with a beautiful salver for both finalists of the main event along with the winner of each tournament’s Challenge Cup event.  All in all, the tour has taken on a new and refreshing structure which it is hoped appeals to past and present players, young and old players and, most importantly, both professional and amateur competitors looking for the best challenge possible.

Phil Burford – 2013 Midlands Classic Champion

Phil Burford is perhaps one of the hottest young prospects British cuesports has ever had. After winning his first GB9 main event two years earlier, and many EuroTour and international appearances to boot since then, players the world over know just what lies ahead when they come up against such a naturally gifted cueist. The road to the final for Burford began in his trademark comfortable fashion, opening his account for 2013 with a 9-2 victory over Jamie Bryan. This saw him through to a potentially tricky match against Reading hotshot Phil Wildman. Again, however, Burford took the match by the scruff of the neck and eased his way to a 9-4 win. With this, he secured his spot in the single elimination last 32 stage where he was to meet one of the best known faces of yesteryear in 9-ball in the form of Tommy Donlon. Making his much awaited return to the tour, it’s fair to say that coming up against Burford wouldn’t have been high on his list of priorities. Indeed, a second consecutive 9-4 victory ensured Burford’s safe passage through to a clash with Birkenhead’s Adam Shaw. Here he faced his toughest challenge yet, but still managed to win through 9 racks to 6 and make his way into the quarter finals. Here, he achieved what is believed to be a first in GB9’s history. His opponent was none other than Karl Boyes – on paper, arguably his toughest opponent so far. However, in winning the match 9-3, he managed to successfully achieve a perfect record of 6 run outs from his 6 break offs. No further testament is surely necessary to his raw talent and surely there was no better confidence booster required to see him into his second successive GB9 semi-final and a mouth-watering clash against Wolverhampton’s Kevin Uzzell – one of the toughest match players in Great Britain, back on the tour after a 12 month sabbatical. After taking a quick-fire 6-1 lead, many thought the match to be all but over. Uzzell, not knowing when he’s beaten, then proceeded to win five racks on the bounce to bring the scoreline level a 6-a-piece. Luckily for Burford, he had a couple more tricks up his sleeve as he proceeded to win three of the next four racks and put him into the Midlands Classic final once again and one win away from regaining the title he won back in 2011.

Ralf Souquet in action in the final

Many were wondering prior to the tournament just how Ralf Souquet might fare on his GB9 debut. Playing on alien tables and amongst players and faces both old and new, it was unclear whether his steely determination and infallible nature would. Ever the professional, he proved his doubters totally wrong with a steady, sometimes deadly, display of pool that the German is renowned for. His opening match saw him up against another international participant in Poland’s Filip Krawczyk, a match which saw him come away victorious by 9 racks to 5. His next match saw him meet Penzance’s Dominic Clemens in a potentially tricky encounter between two methodical and meticulous players. Souquet once again came away the winner, however, and a 9-3 win saw Souquet through to a match against long time GB9 player and recently crowned Universities Pool Council 9-Ball champion Benji Buckley. The student from Derby gave it his all, but it wasn’t enough to take down the Kaiser with Souquet again winning through, this time by 9 racks to 5. This put Souquet one match away from a place in the single elimination stages and, in his qualifying match, met one of Great Britain’s finest in Mark Gray. For the first time in four matches Souquet was undone – a 9-3 reverse put Gray through to the last 32 and forced Souquet to drop down to the losers qualifying round. He then came up against another Mark in the qualifying round, this time Morley’s Mark Lunn, but stepped things up a gear to ensure he joined Gray in the last 32 after all with a hard fought 9-6 victory over the Yorkshireman. Chris Buckmaster, one of the tour’s most seasoned players, was awaiting Souquet in the last 32, but he was disposed of by 9 racks to 3 and ensured Souquet’s safe passage through to the last 16. This last 16 battle turned out to be against another Yorkshireman, as per two rounds previous, this time in the form of Wakefield’s Chris Hall. For the third time in the competition, Souquet found himself on the right side of a 9-5 scoreline, dismissing Hall and lining himself up with a tasty quarter final tie against a fellow former World Champion in Daryl Peach. Both the winner and the score stayed the same as his previous match, however – 9-5, again with Souquet victorious, setting up a semi-final against perhaps the best British based player yet to win a GB9 main event in Raj Hundal. This match went the distance with Souquet knocking in three break-and-runs to secure his spot in his first GB9 final.

No more than two racks separated the two finalists until Souquet managed to win the fifteenth rack to take a 9-6 lead. Many at this point felt that, just two racks from winning a GB9 title at his very first attempt, he wouldn’t let the lead slip. He was pegged back to 10-9, however, and then Burford wrapped up the twentieth rack to send the match into a decider much to the delight of the dozens of spectators in the matchroom. After breaking off in the final rack, Burford opted to hook Souquet on the 3-ball but left it hanging over the corner bag. An audacious two rail escape saw Souquet come within a whisker of sinking the 3-ball in a move that would have surely seen him take the title. He gave cue ball in hand to Burford who duly cleared the table to win his second Midlands Classic title by 11 racks to 10, becoming the first player to win the title twice. The result provisionally puts Burford as British number 2 and nobody would bet against him dethroning Imran Majid at the top of the rankings in the near future if he were to keep his current form up.

In the newly formatted Challenge Cup competition, Arfan Dad and Bruno Muratore battled it out to take home the final piece of silverware up for grabs during the weekend. On his way to the final, Dad defeated Massimo Laucci 6-0, followed by Alan Conway 6-2, and then a 6-4 win in each of his next three matches against Benji Buckley, Liam Waterworth and Jez Graham saw him through to the final. Muratore’s path to the final began with a 6-0 defeat of Robin Cripps, followed by wins against Andy Lester 6-2, Pierfrancesco Garzia 6-2, Neil Raybone 6-3 and Adam Benn Smith 6-2 to second his spot in the final. It was Arfan that walked away a 6-5 winner in the final to take back the winners salver back home to Keighley in North Yorkshire, and a decent run for both players to hopefully draw inspiration to replicate this in the main draw in April’s Paul Medati Trophy.

The magnificent Park Inn by Radisson hotel – Telford

In 2013 GB9 is proudly sponsored by Carlson Rezidor Hotels, Simonis Cloth, Aramith Billiard Balls, OB Cues and Kamui Tips making the perfect combination of the very best equipment in the most outstanding venues.

Venue: Park Inn by Radisson Hotel, Telford. UK

Professional 9-ball pool will be played in Shropshire for the very first time as the historic sixth season of the GB 9 Ball Tour commences with the 2013 Midlands Classic in Telford.

The Park Inn by Radisson Hotel Telford

Players both past and present will know that the tour is always looking forward to new ventures and exciting ways to keep the tour fresh and competitive. Much like the move to hotel venues in 2010, this season brings with it an equally vast number of changes designed to help the tour members make the most of their GB9 experience, whether they are an amateur player looking to improve their game or a professional player looking to challenge for every title going. These changes will help breathe a new lease of life into the tour as it strives to prove itself once again as the most challenging and competitive pool tour in the world.

Tour Chairperson Andy Warden is excited by what lies ahead for the tour. “2013 is going to be an exciting year for GB9. It is fantastic to see so many of the European players getting behind the tour and of course it is a great opportunity for all of the UK based players to experience playing these sorts of players without having to travel to a EuroTour event. I am look forward to seeing faces old and new at the first event in just a few weeks time”.

The first major change to the tour this season is the return to a touring format. The tour has signed a three year deal with the Carlson Rezidor hotel group, who can boast the Park Inn and Radisson Blu hotel chains amongst its portfolio, taking the tour forward up to and including the 2015 season. Three events this season, and indeed perhaps GB9′s new spiritual home, will be at the Park Inn hotel in Telford with a further tournament making place at the magnificent Radisson Blu hotel at Stansted Airport. Alongside this the tour will make a welcome return to Yorkshire having agreed a further three year deal with the Cedar Court hotel in Bradford. These stunning hotels will be taking the tour to new levels and will give the people of Great Britain the chance to witness some of the finest cuesport action imaginable.

The match structure will also undergo a radical change as the tour moves away from its signature Pro and Challenge divisions. For the first time in the tour’s history, the double elimination format will be used to decide who reigns supreme at each tournament weekend. This structure will be welcomed by both professional players who are used to this format being played in other major competitions across the world, and also by amateur players who will all be guaranteed a minimum of two competition matches per weekend. Each player is also guaranteed a third match as those who are eliminated before the last 32 stage will be entered into a redesigned Challenge tournament which, whilst carrying no crucial ranking points, gives amateur players a further chance of taking some serious cash away from their weekend.

On the subject of money, the prize structure has also taken a massive overhaul in line with the double elimination style of GB9 events going forward. With a full 160 player field the winners purse will be a staggering £3,500 with £1,500 going to the runner up. With 144 players the top prize figure proportionately goes down to £3,000 and with the minimum forecasted field of 128 players the winners cheque still amounts to £2,500 – a record for British domestic 9-ball. With money paid down all the way to the last 32, this will give players from all backgrounds the chance to take home some serious money from each tour stop. Those players who fail to make the money stages of the main event will get another bite of the cherry as they are automatically entered into the single elimination Challenge Cup event.

Another major change to the tour is the switch to open events across the year. In other words, you neither have to be a registered tour player nor be signed up to the GB9 reserves list in order to participate in a GB9 event. This will be of great assistance to those who either cannot afford the cost of a full GB9 season, find it difficult to travel long distances to events or simply want to try world class competitive 9-ball for the first time without committing themselves to a full season. There will, of course, be benefits to those who do sign up for the full tour season. These include a financial incentive, event seeding (top 32), an official UK ranking, and a £50 discount off your annual British Pool Federation membership.

The final change is one that is arguably the most exciting one of all. With the expansion of the GB 9 Ball Tour, applications have come in from players all across Europe. Combined with existing British professional players on the tour, this season boasts the most decorated player roster ever assembled at GB9 competitions. These include:

• The ENTIRE 2012 European Mosconi Cup winning team: Great Britain’s very own Darren Appleton and Chris Melling, alongside Dutch duo Nick van den Berg and Niels Feijen, and also Greek hotshot Nikos Ekonomopolous.
• 2010 World 8-Ball champion, Karl ‘Guapo’ Boyes
• 2007 World 9-Ball champion, Daryl ‘The Dazzler’ Peach
• 2006 European Mosconi Cup team members and reigning British number 1, Imran ‘The Maharaja’ Majid
• 6 x World Pool Masters winner and 6 x Mosconi Cup winner with Team Europe, Ralf ‘The Kaiser’ Souquet
• 2008 Mosconi Cup winner with Team Europe and 2010 World 9-Ball semi-finalist, Mark ‘Granite’ Gray
• Italian duo Fabio Petroni and Bruno Muratore, and
• 2010 World Blackball champion, Jayson ‘The Wizard’ Shaw

This is shaping up to be by far the most exciting season yet on GB9 and it isn’t too late to join in the action – why not fill in your application form now? If you can’t commit to the whole calendar, don’t worry – you can just register your entry for Event 1. Free entry is available throughout the weekend at the venue for spectators and, whether you’re a seasoned cue sport fan or looking to witness 9-ball pool for the first time, you will be made welcome by all involved with the tour. If you have any questions you would like to ask about the tour, please don’t hesitate to e-mail committee@gb9balltour.com where one of the committee members will be happy to help you. Otherwise, we look forward to seeing you all as we raise the curtain in Telford on what is sure to be a fascinating 2013 season.

If you can’t make it down to the venue then be sure to follow the event via the free Live streaming and Live Scoring that will be available throughout the weekend.

To enter this event please read the event details and follow the link to the entry form

In 2013 GB9 is proudly sponsored by Carlson Rezidor Hotels, Simonis Cloth, Aramith Billiard Balls, OB Cues, Kamui Tips and Power Bridge making the perfect combination of the very best equipment in the most outstanding venues.

Over the last few years Kamui have become renowned as the world leader in cue tip manufacture and they are by far the most commonly used tip by professional pool players the world over.

Kamui tips coupled with the specially developed Kamui chalk provides players with the perfect combination.

Masato Hiraoka, Managing Director of Kamui had this to say about the partnership, “I travel throughout Asia, North America, Europe and other countries to wherever pool is active worldwide. In the UK, I believe there are more advanced players than anywhere else and so I have been interested for some time in the work of the GB 9 Ball Tour.

The mission of GB9 is to be ‘The toughest national tournament on the planet’ but it is getting international now. To achieve this mission, GB9 has been committing to provide the opportunity for the player who wants to demonstrate their best abilities and in doing so they have rapidly gained the support from the pool industry in just a few years.

The tough standard of the professionally run tournaments enable GB9 and the players to inspire more people and bring out the true excitement of the 9-ball sport.

Kamui are proud to join GB9 in their mission and are very excited to be a part of it.”

Andy Warden, Chairperson of the GB 9 Ball Tour added, “The GB9 team are proud to welcome Kamui to their portfolio of world class sponsors. Kamui are very well respected throughout the world by both professionals and amateurs alike and so we are privileged to be associated with such a fantastic brand.

Many world class professionals who will be playing on the GB 9 Ball Tour this season already use Kamui tips including Chris Melling, Darren Appleton, Daryl Peach, Ralf Souquet, Jayson Shaw, Karl Boyes, Nick Van Den Berg, Niels Feijen and Nikos Ekonomopolous. We hope that our partnership encourages more and more players to start trusting in the Kamui Brand.”

In 2013 GB9 is proudly sponsored by Carlson Rezidor Hotels, Simonis Cloth, Aramith Billiard Balls, OB Cues, Kamui Tips and Power Bridge making the perfect combination of the very best equipment in the most outstanding venues.

IMRAN MAJID

3 x and reigning British #1, 6 x GB9 main event winner

No player has been more consistent throughout GB9’s history so far than Imran Majid. Having finished three out of the five seasons so far as British ranked 1^st, his prize money and match win records are the envy of all the players on the tour. He has the nickname of ‘The Maharaja’ – a name that justice to his domination on the table and his status as the reigning king of the GB9 stage. His style of play is not one commonly seen in 9-ball. Whereas the sport is known for its electric atmosphere and fast pace, Majid’s style is akin to that of a chess player, slowly and methodically thinking about his every shot. He isn’t the British number 1 for nothing, and the price on his head will be highest of all in the 2013 season as he looks to add his seventh main event title to his glowing GB 9 Ball Tour record.

MARK GRAY

British #2, 2009 and 2010 British #1, 2011 World 9-Ball semi-finalist, 3 x GB9 main event winner

Fans and players alike consider Mark Gray to be one of the best match players in the world. His nickname of ‘Granite’ lays testament to a player who never knows when he’s beaten. Despite an excellent international record in the last two years, the 2011 season was somewhat of a write-off for Gray. However, despite being the only player in the top four not to have won a GB9 event last season, he did find himself in the final of two events and the quarter-finals of a third. Gray will be a hot favourite for competitions in the 2013 season, and his formidable and fluid style of play will be a match enough for any player who may challenge him. His last main event title came at the 2010 Paul Medati trophy and, whilst he has been a consistent performer in the last 12 months, he will be itching to get a main event title back under his belt in the near future.

JAYSON SHAW

British #3, 2010 World Blackball champion, 2 x GB9 main event winner

With his performances in Britain and across the world in the last two years, Jayson Shaw has matured into one of the finest pool players in the world. His nickname of ‘The Wizard’ bears relevance to frequently leaving his opponents spellbound at the end of matches. Known for his frightening speed around the table, he has been involved in some of GB9’s fastest ever matches and any player facing Shaw has to deal with both his speed and accuracy if they are to stand a chance against him. He is the defending Southern Masters champion and will be looking to add more titles to the two he has won since joining GB9. Also showing his aptitude with Blackball pool with his 2010 world title, his abilities with a cue are the envy of a lot of young players on the tour and Shaw’s game is sure to be as fierce as ever come the start of the upcoming 2013 season.

DARYL PEACH

British #4, 2007 World 9-Ball champion, 1995 World Pool Masters champion, 3 x GB9 main event winner

Many would argue that his famous victory against Roberto Gomez in the 2007 World Championship final is what started British pool’s journey into the stratosphere. Since then Britain’s players have been feared in tournaments the world over, amongst whom without a doubt is Daryl Peach. On the top of his game he is a force to be reckoned and he is more than deserving of having ‘The Dazzler’ as a nickname. Whilst he will be first to admit he didn’t have the best season in 2012, his victory in the Northern Masters will be a decent foundation to work from in 2013. With a career that has spanned almost 20 years, Peach knows what it takes to win matches and, more importantly, win tournaments. He will no doubt be a force to be reckoned with come February as the tour returns for its sixth season of competition.

RALF SOUQUET

6 x World Pool Masters champion, 2002 US Open champion, 2008 World 8-Ball champion and 5 x Mosconi Cup winner with Team Europe

‘Without a doubt the British players have become not only very strong but very successful over the last 5 to 6 years. There must be a reason for that and I think and believe that one reason is the good and tough competition on “the island” with the GB 9 Ball tour. Besides the very tough Euro Tour, I was looking for more good competition in Europe and that is the number 1 reason to come to Great Britain and compete with the top players there. Besides that, I know from playing in many Mosconi Cups and World Pool Masters competitions that the crowd in Great Britain is awesome and likes me, which is another good reason to play on GB9. I am really looking forward to playing on the 2013 tour and hope it develops even bigger than it already is.’

COURTNEY SYMONS

British #31 and GB9 player since 2011

‘I started playing 9-ball in 2005 after stopping playing snooker as I couldn’t give enough time to practice . I’ve stunned myself with how well I have done given the increased level of standard on the tour. I’m really pleased that the format and prize money will be changing next season as I think I would have found it tough in the former Pro Cup division. I feel that the tour will only get bigger and draw a huge number of high class players from Europe which will only make it better and challenge us players already doing well on tour. It’s where the good players want to be and it’s the stage we want to perform on. I started playing 9-ball by chance but fell in love with it because there were so many dimensions to the game. The kicking, breaking and jumping made it a more exciting and explosive game for me. It gives me as much pleasure as making a century at snooker. I only played 2 events in 2011 due to work commitments but was committed to the 2012 year fully for the first time and had no hesitation in signing up for the 2013 season.’

NICK VAN DEN BERG

2005 World 8-Ball finalist, 2009 World Pool Masters finalist and 4 x Mosconi Cup winner with Team Europe

‘I am really looking forward to next year’s pool season, which for me will now also include the GB 9 Ball Tour. Great Britain is, in my eyes, the strongest pool playing country in Europe. I have played in Great Britain several times before and one thing I’ve noticed is that besides the well-known professionals there are a lot of other very good players within the country. I heard that the GB9 is very well organised and that is one thing which attracted me to play next year. I hope we all have a very good 2013 and I hope I start my time on GB9 well in February.’

ARFAN DAD

British #8 and GB9 player since 2011

‘I’ve been playing on the GB 9 Ball Tour as a full time member for almost 2 years. Before that, I was playing in the odd events each season as I was still playing a lot of English pool. I started playing 9-ball after the successes the British lads were having and, after speaking with Darren Appleton and Chris Melling, they suggested my style of game would be suited to American pool instead of English pool. I took their advice and here I am! I’ve had a few good results in various tournaments and money matches. Personal highlights so far on the GB 9 Ball Tour are my current main ranking which is 8th, semis in a main event, semis in a challenge event and finishing in the top 8 of the Challenge division in my first full year playing on GB9 back in 2011. I think GB9 has the potential to be the best tour in Europe in the next 2-3 years. I think it’s excellently run by great people who have been making improvements year upon year by listening to the players and making the changes suggested by them. After all, it really is a tour run by players for the players. I’m looking forward to the new format in 2013 – I think it could attract a lot of new faces from the UK and Europe which can only be good for the tour.’

MAHARAJA REIGNS SUPREME ONCE MORE

The final of this year’s British Grand Prix was contested by two of the most decorated players in GB9 history. Imran Majid, British number 1 in 2008 and 2011, came up against Mark Gray, British number 1 in 2009 and 2010. With both players having come back from Italy in the early hours in order to participate in the main event, doubts were raised at whether both players would be able to perform to their usually immaculate standard at such short notice. The punters weren’t let down as a day of tremendous pool began.

Imran Majid – 2012 British Grand Preix Champion

Majid began his campaign bright and early at 9am against long time tour player Paul Williams. By his own high standards he maybe came out of the blocks a little slow, but still dispatched Williams 9-5 to set up a last 32 clash with Daz Cooper. He stepped up a couple of gears in this round, winning through 9 racks to 2 and securing him a last 16 battle with Yorkshireman Dave Nelson. Majid managed a staggering 4 break and runs in the match but Nelson wasn’t going down lightly: he managed to score 6 racks of his own, but it wasn’t enough to stop Majid winning the 9 he needed to win through to the quarter finals. His opponent here was Andy Worthington and, knowing he had to step his game up in the business end of the tournament, he pulled away swiftly to secure a 9-2 win and set up a semi final against Michael Valentine. A typically methodical match ensued here and both tried to grind out a victory. It was Majid, however, that pulled away to win 9-5 and reach the British Grand Prix final for the second year in a row.

‘Granite’ Gray was coming up against Ealing’s Lionel Brown in his last 64, also starting at 9am on the Sunday morning. He overcame the threat of the Londoner 9-2 to send him through to meet Chichester’s Luke Rollison in the last 32. Gray took his foot off the gas a little, but still managed to keep the game up enough to win through 9 racks to 5. In the last 16 he came up against all round cueman from Derby, Jack Whelan. Gray managed to go one rack better than his previous match in winning through to the quarter finals, with 9-5 enough to see him through to a quarter final up against Chris Buckmaster. The Surrey shooter was looking to go one stage further than his quarter final showing in this year’s Midlands Classic, but Gray stopped him in his tracks with a 9-4 win to set up what turned out to be a thrilling semi final against young hotshot Phil Burford. The match went the distance – all 17 racks – but a composed final rack saw Gray through to his first main event final since April 2010 with a tremendous 9-8 victory.

The final swung strongly in both directions. After a tame start from both players, Gray managed to break away into an 8-4 lead, just three racks away from victory. Majid, however, proved why he was last season’s British number 1 and why he wasn’t going to relinquish that title lightly this year. The Maharaja turned the match on its head, winning 7 of the final 9 racks to win the final main event of the season 11-9. With the victory, Imran Majid secured his title as Britain’s number 1 pool player for another 12 months, a title only ever held by Majid and his fellow finalist Mark Gray. Credit must go to Gray also in finishing as this season’s British number 2. He will look to try and dethrone Majid at the top of the rankings, along with dozens of other players from across the country looking to take their slice of glory on the world’s toughest national pool tour.

Imran Majid finishes as UK No.1 – Again!

FAREWELL TO ANOTHER SEASON, AND FAREWELL TO DAVENTRY…

Just when we feel we’ve only just brought the curtain down on the previous season, the current one has ended as well. Countless thousands of racks have been contested in 2012 by players from across Great Britain alongside a growing contingent from continental Europe. Every single player has played their part on another unforgettable season on the GB 9 Ball Tour and all will be hard at work in the off-season trying to hone their game ready for the 6th season of GB9 competition starting in February 2013. Until then, the Tour would like to extend their thanks to all the players, officials and fans who make GB9 possible. An extended thanks must also go to the Puma Court Hotel in Daventry having hosted its 12th GB9 event. The hotel has been an immaculate and invaluable venue to host GB9 competitions in the last three seasons and countless memories will be taken from the venue. We wish you all the best for the new year and new season, and look forward to meeting faces both old and new in three months time in Telford.

GB9 will return in 2013: Tour Stop 1 – Telford – 22 February 2013

In 2012 GB9 was proudly sponsored by Puma Hotels, SAM Leisure, Simonis Cloth, Aramith Billiard Balls, OB Cues and Power Bridge making the perfect combination of the very best equipment in the most outstanding venues.