Amateur pool competitions are overseen by the American Poolplayers Association (APA). This organization organizes tournaments and leagues for nine- and eight-ball competitions. It follows a standard set rules. The APA also offers a wheel chair championship for handicapped players. These tournaments allow you to meet pool players from all over the world and to compete against the best.
Standard Rules of APA
There are many resources in the APA Standard Rules for Pool Tournaments. These include an Official Team Manual (or Rule Booklet) and a Team Manual. These rules include information about how to keep score, handicap information, and more. You can also download the rules to a variety devices. There are many online videos that can help you with the game.
APA nine-ball is different from Texas Express 9-ball in several aspects. First, balls 1 through 8 count as one point; nine balls count as two points. Also, pocket made on the break counts as two points. The rules require that objects are considered dead balls. The winner of a rack will be the one with the most points.
The handicapping system for APA
The APA's handicapping system for pool championships is based on a formula that attempts to balance skill levels. For example, a 6 ball player must shoot 46 balls to win the game. A 9-ball player must shoot 19 balls to win. The formula relies on win/loss statistics that has been proven to be very accurate.
The NAPA handicapping system, unlike national pool leagues assigns a skill level for individual matches and not a theoretical limit. The highest-skilled players for 8-ball and 9-ball are rated at 115 or 149, respectively. Most players fall in the 30s and 70s.
APA Sportsmanship Award
World Pool Championships recognizes pool tournament winners who have received the APA Sportsmanship Award. The award is based on a nomination process. The award is open to pool players only. APA staff will submit nominations. The tournament honors its winners. Their names will be published in its program.
An APA tournament host cannot switch leagues. The franchisee is not authorized to change leagues. The League Operator declined to establish an in-house league for the host site. The APA then contacted a nearby competitive pool league and arranged for an in-house section.
APA Wheelchair Championship for players with wheelchairs
The APA Wheelchair Championship tournament is for players with disabilities. The tournament offers five skill levels. The Blue Tier allows players to play with SL2 and 3, while the Yellow Tier is only for players with SL4 abilities or higher. To qualify players must be APA Members and have at most 10 League match scores in the last two year.
APA Junior Championships
Each year, the American Poolplayers Association holds several major pool tournaments. The APA Junior Championships is a popular event for teens and juniors. The event is open all ages, and it is held in Lake St. Louis. The APA also holds two major amateur competitions, the U.S. Amateur Championships (in late April/early may) and the World Championships (in late August). Guinness World Records ranked APA's World Championships as having the largest pool tournament in the world in 2010. The APA junior championships are open for young players. Each division is broken down into skill levels.
The APA Junior Championships offer two major competitions every year. The nine-ball World Championship attracts more than 500 teams. The event attracts APA members of different countries. The APA also has two international affiliates: the Canadian Poolplayers Association, and the Japanese Poolplayers Association. WPBA Tour is North America's most popular televised pool competition. The APA is a sponsor of this event.