Over 130 players including defending champion Pankaj Advani of India will vie for top honours at the 2016 IBSF World Championship which begins today at the Al Sadd Stadium here today.
Ahmed Saif, who created history four years ago by becoming the country’s first snooker player to turn professional, will lead Qatar’s challenge in the men’s section.
Bashar Hussein, Abdulatif Fawal, Mohsen Bukshaisha, Abdullah Al Suwaidi and the Obaidly brothers — Ali, Mohanna and Khamis — are the other members of the eight-member squad which will be seen in the championship.
The Qatar players have been training at the Qatar Billiards and Snooker Federation (QBSF) Hall under the watchful eyes of English coach Alan Trigg, who replaced compatriot Mike Russell last year.
The event is contested in the Men, Women and Masters category with each sending a maximum 3 players in Men, 3 Players in Masters and 4 Players in Women competition. Each region is also allowed to send the winner of its regional championship.
A total of $16,000 is up for grabs in the men's event of the championship, being hosted for the first time in the GCC.
The women's event carries a $6,000 purse while $8,000 is at stake for the master players. The winner of the championship highest break in the men's category will receive $500 cash reward plus certificate. For women, the highest break will fetch $200 and for the masters' $300.
The Qatar championship players list is packed with star names.
Besides Advani, the other top cueists to watch out for in the men's event are 2012 champion Muhammad Asif of Pakistan, China's Chen Zifan, Iran's Amir Sarkhosh and Peter McCullagh of Australia among others.
Advani defeated China’s Zhao Xintong 8-6 in last edition’s final at Hurghada, Egypt to win the title.
The championship has been dominated in recent years by cueists hailing from Asia. In fact, eight out of the last nine winners have come from the continent – including each of the last six.
In the women's section, four-time world champion Wendy Jans of Belgium is set to continue her dominance as she comes up against a field which includes Ng On Yee of Hong Kong, the finalist at the 2012 event in Bulgaria, Thailand's Nutcharat Wongharuthai and Jessica Woods of Australia. The IBSF sanctioned tournament will conclude on November 30. Today’s action begins tat 10.00am at Al Sadd Stadium.
