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August 14 and 15: ten days to go.
Starting today, we’ll bring you a countdown post every day for ten days.
First up: the tournament format.
We use rules a little different from a typical 14.1 (straight pool) tournament.
A round robin.
A time limit.
Rankings not decided by wins and losses alone.
It may look complicated at first, but this very system makes a tournament you can’t take your eyes off until the end.
Just knowing the format lets you see “why that shot was chosen.”
Do your homework before you come to the venue.
A round robin: 32 players, 4 groups
In the qualifiers, 32 players are split into four groups of eight, each playing a full round robin.
Not a knockout — a round robin.
Every player plays seven matches.
Five matches on Day 1 (August 14), two on Day 2 (August 15).
Whatever happens on the first day, every player plays on Day 2 as well.
Each group has one professional player.
Qualifiers are races to 50. The tension of a short game
The qualifying target is 50 points (40 for B class).
For 14.1, that is a very short game.
As those who read our player profiles know, more than one player in this field can run 50 or more in a single visit.
Some matches may end in a single inning.
Even a pro could lose without getting a single shot.
Every ball weighs far more than usual — that is the thrill of the short game.
Wins and losses aren’t everything
Qualifying rankings are not decided by wins and losses alone.
Ranking by wins and losses and ranking by average (total points ÷ innings) are averaged to decide the standings.
Winning while keeping your average high is what counts.
In case of a tie, the player with the higher high run (most consecutive points) ranks higher.
Every match, and how it is played, feeds straight into the standings.
A rule of its own: the time limit
One distinctive feature of this tournament is the time limit.
In the qualifiers, each player’s time allowance is 40 minutes.
Running out of time means a loss.
And if a match runs past 75 minutes, both players lose.
Both players can lose — a rule unlike other tournaments.
This time limit is unfamiliar ground for the players, too.
Given their average, how many points can they score in 40 minutes?
Where to speed up, where to take care?
From the moment the match begins, it is also a race against the clock.
And as time runs short, there may be moments when they are forced to take risks they would normally avoid.
Even top pros may misjudge their time.
Those real wavers in judgment are something only this tournament can show.
Advancing from the qualifiers
Each group’s standings decide where players go on Day 2.
| Qualifying place | Advances to |
|---|---|
| 1st and 2nd in each group | Championship bracket |
| 3rd and 4th in each group | Satellite bracket |
Players whose qualifiers are over can still watch top-level 14.1 up close at the venue on Day 2.
Championship bracket
| Phase | Target | Clock |
|---|---|---|
| Last 8 | 60 points | Chess clock (7 min per 10 points) |
| Last 4 | 70 points | Chess clock (7 min per 10 points) |
| Final | 100 points | Shot clock |
The final is a race to 100.
Here, we use a shot clock.
Split-second judgment and precision will decide the title.
Satellite bracket
| Phase | Target |
|---|---|
| Last 8 to final | 50 points |
The satellite bracket, played by those finishing 3rd and 4th in qualifying, is also held under the same conditions for every player.
Stats for every match, made public
We will record and publish stats for every match.
Average, high run, shooting percentage — watch with the numbers, and the meaning of each ball comes into sharper view.
The draw is scheduled to be published on August 7.
Chances to see pro 14.1 up close are rare, even in Japan.
Know the format before you watch, and the value of each ball changes.
Admission is free.
Come and feel this tension for yourself at the venue.
👉 Tournament details and players
👉 Billiards resources from Japan and around the world, organized by purpose: Billiards in Depth (latest updated hourly)