The American Poolplayers Association oversees all amateur pool competitions within the United States. 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 for APA
The APA Standard Rules to Pool Tournaments includes a number helpful resources for players. These include an Official Team Manual, and a Rule Booklet. These rules contain information on how to keep score as well as handicap information. These rules are also available for download to a variety on devices. There are many videos available online to assist 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. The break also counts pocket money as two points. The rules also require that object balls are counted as dead balls. The player who has the most points wins after a rack is played.
The handicapping system at APA
The APA's handicapping system to win pool championships is based a formula that attempts balancing skill levels. To win a pool championship, a player with 6 balls must play 46 balls, while a player with 9 balls must play 19 balls. The formula relies on win/loss statistics that has been proven to be very accurate.
NAPA handicapping does not have a cap. Instead, it assigns a level of skill to each match. The highest-skill 8-ball players and the best in nine-ball are rated respectively at 115 & 149. While the majority of players are between the 30s & 70s,
APA's Sportsmanship Award
Winners of APA's Sportsmanship Award for Pool Tournaments are recognized at World Pool Championships. The nomination process is used to determine the winner. The award is open to pool players only. APA staff will nominate. The tournament recognizes the winners, and the tournament's program will publish the names of the winners.
The host of an APA tournament can't switch leagues. The franchisee is not authorized to change leagues. The League Operator refused to allow the host location to create an in-house division. This was because it was their business. The APA then contacted another local competitive pool league and arranged an in-house division.
APA's Wheelchair Championship: For players in wheelchairs
The APA Wheelchair Championship tournament is for players with disabilities. There are five skill levels. The Blue Tier can be used by players with SL2 or 3 abilities. The Yellow Tier can be used by players with SL4 or up. And the Red Tier will only work for players with SL5 abilities and above. You must be a member of APA and have attained at least 10 League score points in the past two years in order to qualify.
APA's 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 held in Lake St. Louis, Missouri, and is open to players of all ages. The U.S. Amateur Championships is another major event held by APA. Amateur Championships (in late April/early may) and the World Championships (in late August). The APA's world championships have been certified as the world's largest pool tournament by Guinness World Records in 2010 and are ranked as the largest in the world. APA's junior championships are open to young players, with each division divided into skill levels.
Each year, the APA's Junior Championships host two major competitions. The nine-ball World Championship draws more than 500 teams. APA members from various countries compete in the event. International affiliates of APA are the Canadian Poolplayers Association or the Japanese Poolplayers Association. The APA is also an active sponsor of the WPBA Tour, the most widely televised pool competition in North America.