Only 24 of the original starting field of 64 remain after the second day's play in the fifth JOY World Chinese 8 Ball Masters.
There were a number of big names departing the scene in Qinhuangdao including reigning two time champion Yang Fan, current World Champion Shi Hanqing and 5 times US Open 9 Ball Champion Shane Van Boening.
Just 8 players are undefeated (3 out of 3 wins) and therefore still have both lives intact. These are Chinese players Xi Hongyu, Gong Haifeng, Dai Yong, Zhang Kunpeng, Fan Zhisong, Zhao Yunbiao, Shen ChonYang and Spain's Francisco Diaz Pizarro.
The others left are all now on their final lives. This is where you find 2013 & 2014 winner Gareth Potts and China's Number 1 ranked player Zheng Yubo.
In terms of British participation (besides Potts), despite brave displays, both Jack Whelan and Liam Dunster are now out. However Wales' Zak Shepherd has bounced back with 3 straight victories to stay in the event.
In a similar position is current World 9 Ball Champion Albin Ouschan (pictured above), who had a brace of victories today, starting off by beating the Philippines' Jeffrey Ignacio on the TV table.
***ALL MATCHES are first to 13, or whoever is winning at the 140 minute time limit***
There were mixed fortunes for the big names taking part during Day 1 of the fifth annual Joy Billiards World Chinese 8 Ball Masters.
Reigning two time champion Yang Fan (China) was immediately pushed to the Losers Bracket when he was ousted 13-9 by fellow countryman Wan Tongle. He did however keep himself in the event with a comfortable 13-2 win over Canadian Shannon Ducharme afterwards.
Also on the chase for a hat-trick of titles is 2013 & 2014 champion Gareth Potts (England, pictured above) who came through both his matches with change to spare.
Overall, it was a fine day for the British players as Jack Whelan (England), Liam Dunster (Scotland) and Zak Shepherd (Wales) all got wins on the board.
Some of the world's greatest 9 Ball players are on show in Qinhuangdao, but for 5 times US Open Champion Shane Van Boening and reigning World Champion Albin Ouschan, Tuesday offered up problems for the pair in the form of Chinese opposition.
SVB was comprehensively put away 13-4 by Yu Ting, whilst Ouschan went down 13-8 to Zhao YunBiao.
Despite this slow start, though, both made amends in their following games, therefore keeping hopes alive of another big tournament victory.
Current Chinese 8 Ball World Champion Shi Hanqing and national ranked number 1 Zheng Yubo began their quests successfully with First Round wins; although then lost their first lives when beaten by Gong Haifeng and Corey Deuel respectively in the next round.
It is double elimination all the way through until the Grand Final, which will then be a one-off Championship match.
In total, after just Day 1 of the event, 16 of the 64 starting field are out.
FIRST ROUND RESULTS – First to 13 with a 140 minute time limit
The fifth annual Joy Billiards World Chinese 8 Ball Masters is set to be the most cosmopolitan and competitive edition yet.
64 players from 28 different countries spread across all six continents will travel to the North East Chinese city of Qinhuangdao aiming for a slice of the $110,000USD (approx just under £90,000) total prize fund.
2017's final line up has been determined after months of qualifying in the host nation and beyond, as well as a selection process by the tournament organisers for the chosen wildcards.
The history of this event has been dominated by two players. England's Gareth Potts, a four time World Champion in the English Pool discipline, won the inaugural championship in 2013 and then successfully defended it the following year.
Potts' streak was ended in 2015 when home cueist Yang Fan (pictured above) beat him in the Last 4 before then completing the job in the final. Yang proved it was no fluke by retaining the title in 2016.
However, as the popularity and profile of Chinese 8 Ball increases globally, the standard, and the potential possibility of a different champion has risen too.
Potts and Yang will indeed be back in their attempts to claim a hat-trick, but both will face fierce opposition from a number of multi-discipline Cuesports stars with significant career accolades.
5 times US Open 9 Ball Champion Shane Van Boening, recently signed up by Joy Billiards, has shown his commitment and dedication to Chinese 8 Ball by having a table installed at his home venue in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Van Boening's fellow countryman, Corey Deuel, will also be representing the USA after coming through a qualifier held in New Jersey at the back end of last year. The former Mosconi Cup winner is familiar to playing snooker (competed in Q-School and has been a national champion), and makes a return to China having appeared here 12 months ago.
In fact, a number of well known names from the international American Pool circuit will feature, but the highlight entry will surely be reigning WPA World 9 Ball Champion Albin Ouschan of Austria, who is fresh from becoming the Mosconi Cup MVP before Christmas.
It will be Ouschan's debut in this tournament, but he has history of success in the country after winning the prestigious China Open 9 Ball in 2015.
The world of English 8 Ball Pool will also be handsomely represented.
Reigning BI World Champion Liam Dunster (Scotland) will try his hand, whilst 2015 IPA World Champion Jack Whelan (England) – who has some previous Chinese 8 Ball experience, advanced as the UK qualifier. French small table legend Christophe Lambert has also been invited to make his debut.
India's Dharminder Singh Lilly has a wealth of experience in different formats; only a couple of months ago he became the IBSF World Seniors Snooker Champion in Qatar.
Of these 32 'Overseas' entries, 19 will be making their debut in the venue stages of this competition. Such is the expansion of this cuesport into new territories, qualification events were held in Argentina, Canada, England, Morocco, South Africa and the USA. To read up on some of these events, please visit our 'Professional Pool' column here.
The other half of the field is made up of players from the host nation.
Shi Hanqing, the reigning World Chinese 8 Ball Champion, will be looking to go one better than his runners-up place in 2014 and take his first Masters trophy. Shi is the only Chinese player to have featured in every edition.
The national ranked Number 1, Zheng Yubo, (beaten finalist in 2015 to Yang) is also likely to be one of the pre-tournament favourites.
Chinese 8 Ball is somewhat a hybrid of a number of different Cuesports rules and equipment. Around 80 million people play in China, with table manufacturer Joy Billiards having 3000 clubs in the country alone.
For more information on the sport, and how to buy equipment, please visit Joy Billiards' new English language website here.
The Cue View aim to keep you updated throughout the event. Please like our Facebook page, where we hope to post live stream links and scores.
CHINESE QUALIFIERS
Li Xiaopeng, Dong Yi, Shen Chongyang, Dai Yong, Wu Hao, Wang Peng, Li Hui, Yang Fan, Liu Yang
Xie Zhaohui, Liu Xin, Wan Tongle, Xi Hongyu, Zhang Guanghao, Xi Shouxin, Zhang Daowei, Zhao
Ruliang, Yin Hongxing, Wu Zhenyu, Xia Hongyan, Shi Hanqing, Wang Yun, Lu Xin, Fan Zhisong,
Zhang Kunpeng, Gong Haifeng, Chen Qiang, Li Bo, Zhao Yunbiao, Yu Ting, Zheng Yubo, Li Heng
INTERNATIONAL QUALIFIERS
AFRICA – Velly Diamond (South Africa), Richard Halliday (South Africa), Mohamed Essaid (Morocco)
With over 150 entrants the evidence is there that blackball pool is alive and well in Scotland as it is elsewhere, and the players are all gearing up ahead of the Compass Cars Scottish Open, Amateur, and Professional Trophy events this coming weekend (13th-15th June), from the Erskine Bridge Hotel, Glasgow.
Country’s represented include South Africa, Malta, Spain, France, Ireland, England, Wales – oh and Scotland of course (and in numbers), as they refuse to let these titles slip through their grasp without a serious fight. Twenty Supreme pool tables in one room provide an atmosphere and noise that is impossible to describe but instantly recognisable, while the rivalry and banter amongst the players is testament to both their friendships and their sportsmanship as it never gets out of hand unlike other tournaments I could mention.
Played on top quality Supreme tables, on Strachan cloth, and using Aramith Pro-Cup balls, the best equipment will be in place for the best players (exactly as you would expect), ensuring no excuses when they go to war in this double eliminator event, that gives all the players plenty of pool for their money – all they need to do now is arrive at the top of their game.
Guessing the winners was never going to be easy (which for many is the beauty of the game), but Clint I’Anson arrives here at the top of his game and has to be one of the Open favourites as is Mr Consistent (Gareth Hibbott), though anyone ruling out local pool legends Pat Holtz or Antz Morrison would do so at their peril, while French superstar Christophe Lambert can never easily be discounted.
Fact is, pool is huge around the world but MASSIVE in Scotland, with tens of thousands of regular players up and down the Country, and with free entry for spectators as well as on line live streaming via the IPA Website (ww.ipapool.com), Twitter feeds (@ipapool) and Facebook updates, everything is hopefully in place for the IPA to put on a pool spectacle that simply cannot be matched.