Ireland’s American 8 & 9 Ball Pool Tour is moving into its 6^th year come the 2008 season and the tour will be making a number changes for the incoming year and all players are asked to please read all information carefully before entering and making any travel arrangements for any tournaments.

Its very important that all players read and make sure they agree with all the following rules and changes (listed below) before becoming a member of Ireland’s American 8 & 9 Ball Pool Tour by accepting all the information which is put in place and stated on this sheet.

The tour organisers do not want to hear from players throughout the year, or have it brought up at tournaments from time to time, "it should have cost this", or "should have been done this way, or that way". Now’s the time to agree, or not, agree before becoming a member or entering any tournament on Ireland‘s American 8 & 9 Ball Pool Tour.

Costs:

You are probably unaware that all the costs that are involved in organising and running an official tour with no major sponsors, like Ireland’s America 8 & 9 Ball Pool Tour, has to cover all the costs that come its way to make it a successful tour. I will just give you some idea.

Membership to the European body, so Ireland can become a member and be represented at all World and European tournaments, the cost of running and the up keeping of the tours official website (even more so now starting in the new season with all the new tournaments in men’s, juniors, over 40‘s and star of the future categories), expenses for the organising of each tournament from 10-am in the morning to maybe 12 o’clock at night which covers (lunch, diesel, days expenses), about 700 full colour posers or programmes that bees distribute to clubs and players throughout Ireland each year, and all the work leading up to and after each tournament and these are only a few what’s involved. 

I hope you understand the need for the tour to have a membership (full information stated below) After all Ireland still remains the cheapest tour membership from all other tours which takes place…..

Tournament  -  Entries:

All tournaments this year in Ireland’s American 8 & 9-ball pool tour will be pre entered once again. We hope to have all tournaments played in a round robin format starting at 10-am unless otherwise stated. This means that all players can enter up to 7-pm on the Thursday before each tournament to secure a place in the round robin groups.

All other players who enter on the same day of the tournament may have to play a preliminary round (or rounds) to get into the groups proper, or maybe not get entered at all this is due to the number of tables in each club. This is also to stop wasting time making draws, waiting on players, collecting entry fees, etc,  on the day of each event.

Note:

If any  player pre enters a tournament  and doesn’t turn up, not only will he / she spoil the draw for other players, but they will not be allowed to play in any other event until they pay there entry fee for that tournament.

Membership For 2008:

Membership for the 2008 season will be £20  or 30 euros for each player as normal to join with the membership going towards the running and the up keeping  of the tour.

Note:

Any player can play in any tournament but only the players who are paid up members (£20 or 30 euros per-year) can receive any prize-money……

If any player doesn’t want to become a member he / she will have to pay a non-players membership  of £35 stg or 50 euros for each event they enter but they will not be allowed to progress to the next round of any event. For example:-- (a):- if a none member qualifies from the group format stages he will be disqualified and the place  will go to the next playing member in line. (B):- if a none member qualifies to the next round by beating a member in the straight knockout format he is also disqualified and the member progresses to the next round. (c ):- if it happens to be two non-members then both players are disqualified and the player in the next round gets a bye.

Members List:-- All paid up members can check the members list book at each tournament to see who’s a member or not a member before or after they play any player to lodged a complaint either in the group or the knockout stages of any tournament……. From year to year some players said I will pay my membership at the next tournament, and so on but this never happens which is not fair on all the other players who pay the membership in full each year.

Entry Fees 2008:

The tournament entry fees will be £25 or 37 euros for the 2008 season with the extra £5 from each player going into a players trophy fund. (read under tournament & players trophies) which sees the following entry fees take place for the 2008  season.

(A).  Tournaments £25 sterling or 37 euros (unless otherwise stated)

Note:- All players entering any event on Ireland’s American 8 & 9 Ball Pool Tour can pay in either sterling or euros.

Dress - Code:

All tournaments played under Ireland’s American 8 & 9-ball pool tour must wear the following dress code in all tournaments.

(A). Any kind of casual / dress shirt with a collar.

(B).  Polo shirt.

(C ). Black dress trousers.

(D).  Proper shoes.

No round neck tee shirts, sweat shirts, no jeans (of any kind), no canvas or running shoes are allowed.

This year 2008 if any player who appears in the playing arena to play in any tournament without the proper dress code they will not be entitled to receive any prize money or ranking points. . . If any of the tours playing member feels they want to lodged a complaint regarding another players dress code he or she is in there rights to do so….. NO EXCEPTIONS THIS YEAR 2008.…….If this happens the players prize money will be added to the next tournament.

Tournament Formats:

The playing format for the 2008 season will see most of the tournaments played in a round robin or maybe double elimination format (depending on entries and the number of tables in each venue) except all the Premier Events which will be played in a straight knockout format starting of in the first round with a race to ten (best of 19).

Tournament Trophies:

Almost everyone on the tour last season (2007) said this was a great idea that all tournament winners received a engraved crystal trophy to keep for there winning achievement. As you know we don’t have many sponsors to do this so that’s why we put a extra £5 on top of the entry fees which goes towards giving all tournament winners a engraved piece of crystal to keep…..(same rules for 2008 season)..

Websites:

All information regarding tournaments on Ireland’s American 8 & 9 Ball Tour leading up to and after each event will be advertised on www.irelands9balltour.com as well as being advertised on the forum on the website of www.irish9ball.com

Tours Official Polo Shirts / Other Clothing:

If any player wants to buy a official Ireland’s American 8 & 9 Ball Pool Tour polo shirt can do so in any colour or any sizes priced at £15 as well as any other item of clothing with the tours official logo on it.