(CHICAGO, IL) The International Pool tour announces the schedule of qualification tournaments for the IPT North American Open 8-Ball Championship. The Venetian Las Vegas will be the host venue for this event to be held on July 22-30, 2006. This professional tournament features an unprecedented $2,000,000 prize fund and an historic first place prize of $350,000. There has never been a tournament in the history of billiards to offer such a large prize fund and first place prize money. The tournament will consist of 200 players- the 150 IPT Members and 50 players who qualify through 25 qualification events throughout North America and abroad.
Entry into IPT Qualification Tournaments is $1,000, with the option to enter for a $500 fee. A full entry fee is $1000. All winnings earned at this entry fee level will count towards the top 100 Money List which wins a player a 2007 IPT Player's Card, worth a minimum of 100,000! The second entry fee level is $500. Players who qualify for the N.A. Open at this entry level will receive 50% of any prize money and their prize money will not count towards the money list. There is very limited space at each event so entries are based on a first-come, first-served basis. On line registration, in advance, is the only way to enter these events and the form is on the IPT web site at www.internationalpooltour.com.
Each qualifying tournament will be a Double-Elimination competition with races to ten. The first and second place competitors will secure spots in the 2006 IPT North American 8-Ball Open Championship. As a bonus, the third through sixth place contestants who paid the $1,000 entry fee in each qualifying tournament will earn a free entry into another qualifying tournament of their choice! Players who qualify for the N.A. Open and who place in the top six at that event will be invited to compete in the IPT Players and Masters Championships, both IPT Member only events. Over $2.5 million in prize money will be awarded in those two events. To View Qualifier Schedule: www.internationalpooltour.com
