The 13th National Central Open 2025 Billiards Tournament (hereinafter referred to as the National Central Open), hosted by the Korean Billiards Federation (Chairman Seo Soo-gil), and the 13th Asian Carom Billiards Championship (hereinafter referred to as the Asian Championship), hosted by the Asian Carom Billiards Confederation (ACBC), will be held from March 22 (Saturday) to March 30 (Sunday) at the Cheongchun Sports Center in Yanggu County, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province.
This tournament holds great significance as it is the first comprehensive event of 2025 and the first tournament completed under the new leadership of the Korean Billiards Federation, which was formed in February. Notably, it will be the first event where the inclusive policy promoted by the new leadership is applied, and it draws attention as players returning from professional play will participate in federation events. Additionally, it is expected that returning players will join the competitive ranks, creating an even fiercer competitive landscape.
This tournament will be held as a hybrid event combining international and domestic competitions, expected to serve as a positive model for both the hosting location and the organizers. While there are significant symbolic advantages to hosting international tournaments, criticisms have been made regarding the small size of player delegations resulting in less effective coverage of expenses. However, by holding the National Central Open with over 1,600 participants, operational efficiency can be maximized, and it will offer local athletes experience competing on international tournament stages. Furthermore, the larger scale of the delegations is also expected to invigorate the local economy.
The National Central Open will run for nine days from the 22nd (Saturday) to the 30th, featuring various events such as carom three-cushion, pocket billiards, snooker, and English billiards. With the top-ranked players in the country, who have been dormant during the winter, expected to participate, intense competition is anticipated. Additionally, a total of 1,677 players will participate, including 1,025 local athletes and 652 professional players. With a diverse range of players participating across various institutional sectors, a wide array of contests, from highly-skilled matches to fiercely competitive battles, is anticipated.
The Asian Championship will take place from the 27th to the 30th, featuring four events: men's three-cushion, men's one-cushion, women's three-cushion, and U-22 three-cushion. Men's three-cushion matches will occur on the 27th (Thursday) and 28th (Friday), while men's one-cushion, women's three-cushion, and U-22 three-cushion matches will take place on the 29th (Saturday) and 30th (Sunday). This tournament will see 80 players from three countries—South Korea, Vietnam, and Japan—competing for the title of the Asian champion. In particular, the Asian region boasts numerous world-class carom players, promising matches of a caliber comparable to global tournaments.
Major matches of the tournament will be broadcast live through Billiards TV and can also be viewed on the official SOOP and YouTube channel of the Korean Billiards Federation. As an important event marking the start of 2025, the tournament is expected to attract significant interest from billiards fans.
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