Tournament Information and Rules:
Championship Tournaments
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In order to protect the integrity of its Championships, APA reserves the right to declare an area ineligible to participate if the League Operator does not accurately follow procedures outlined by APA, properly apply The Equalizer® and/or take other necessary steps to ensure that players are properly handicapped.
1. Poolplayer Championships
The 8-Ball Classic and the 9-Ball Shootout are singles events tiered by skill level and seeded within each tier. The game rules are the same as those used during regular, handicapped League play. An entry fee is charged at the Local Level.
After you qualify, you are not required to pay any additional entry fees to participate at the Regional or Championship Levels. All of the rules pertaining to singles events are listed on the Local Qualifier Boards and at poolplayers.com.
a. Area Eligibility
A League area must have at least 12 teams in the standard 8-Ball or 9-Ball format in order to qualify players to the corresponding Championship.
b. Player Eligibility
To be eligible for the 8-Ball Classic or 9-Ball Shootout, a player:
Must be at least 18 years of age.
Must be a current member on an active team in the corresponding format.
Must have an established handicap in the corresponding format. An established handicap is one that is based on a minimum of 10 actual match scores.
Must have a minimum of 10 actual match scores within the previous two years. Local Qualifier Board scores do not count towards the minimum requirement.
c. Tournament Structure
The 8-Ball Classic and 9-Ball Shootout are divided into three levels: the Local Level, the Regional Level, and the Championship Level.
Local Level – Local Qualifier Boards are generally run using a Single Elimination Format, though they may be run in a variety of ways, normally at the discretion of the individual running the Qualifier with approval of Local League Management. Local Qualifiers may be open to all players, or they may be grouped by skill level(s) or other criteria.
Regional Level – Tournaments are run using a Modified Single Elimination Format. Participants are seeded with players at or near their own skill level. Separate Tournament brackets are used for each Skill Level Tier. The Regional Tournaments are divided into two Seasons. Players qualifying January 1 through June 15 will be eligible to participate in Season 1 Regionals, generally held in early October. Players qualifying between June 16 and November 30 will be eligible to participate in Season 2 Regionals, generally held in early March.
Championship Level – All participants receive Travel Assistance and paid accommodations at the Championship Tournament site. Tournaments are run using a Modified Single Elimination Format. Individual Champions will be crowned in each Skill Level Tier, in each format.
2. Showdown Series
The 8-Ball Doubles, 9-Ball Doubles, Jack & Jill, Ladies 8-Ball, Masters, Team Captains and Wheelchair Championships all have their own set of eligibility and qualification requirements available at poolplayers.com. Some of the Showdown Series events take place alongside the Poolplayer Championships, while others are scheduled alongside the World Pool Championships. Event dates are also listed at
poolplayers.com.
3. Junior Championships
The Junior Championships are open to members ages 7 to 18 at the time of the event, who are either enrolled as a student or have graduated from high school.
This event is a 9-Ball Modified Single Elimination Format Tournament, bracketed based on the number of participants and seeded by skill level. First and second place winners are guaranteed trophies and other prizes. Please refer to your Local Bylaws for eligibility and qualification requirements. Additional rules and information are available at poolplayers.com.
4. U.S. Amateur Championships
The U.S. Amateur Championships are open to all players and consist of the U.S. Amateur Championship and the Womens U.S. Amateur Championship. They are the most prestigious non-handicapped Amateur Tournaments conducted by APA. Preliminary rounds are held in various locations throughout North America. Match play is a combination of 8-Ball and 9-Ball games. Rules and additional information are available at poolplayers.com.
5. World Pool Championships
The APA World Pool Championships include the 8-Ball and 9-Ball World Championships. Each year, in each format, a team is crowned World Champion. The Equalizer®, the General Rules and the Game Rules set out in this manual are used in every round of the World Championships.
a. Area Eligibility
A Local League area must meet certain minimum team counts in order to send teams to participate in the World Championships. Once the minimums have been met, more teams participating in your area will mean more teams advancing from your area.
A League area that has 20 or more standard 5-Person teams in a format, participating in the Spring Session of the League year, is eligible to advance at least one team in the corresponding format.
Areas with 19 or fewer teams are not eligible to advance a team. Only Open 8-Ball teams will count towards the minimum requirement in 8-Ball, and only Open 9-Ball teams will count towards the minimum requirement in 9-Ball.
b. Player Eligibility
In order to participate in the World Championships a player must:
Must be at least 18 years of age.
Be a member of a World Championship qualified team.
Have an established handicap based on a minimum of 10 actual match scores in the corresponding format, prior to the end of the Spring Session leading into the World Qualifiers. Matches played during regular sessions, Playoffs and Tri-Annual Tournaments count towards this minimum requirement. Match scores obtained through participation in other events, prior to having an established handicap, will not count towards the minimum requirement.
Have played at least four times with the team during the regular Spring Session (prior to Playoffs) leading into the World Qualifier. Local Bylaws may impose additional
eligibility requirements.
c. Tournament Structure
The 8-Ball and 9-Ball Championships consist of two levels: the Local Level and the World Level.
Local Level – The World Qualifiers are held after the conclusion of the Spring Session, normally in late May or early June, and are conducted using Championship Rules.
World Level – The 8-Ball and 9-Ball World Championships represent the culmination of the League year and are held in early to mid-August. Every team that makes it to the World Level is already in the money. Exact prize money breakdown, precise Tournament dates and other information are available at poolplayers.com or by contacting Local League Management or APA.