With smile-inducing commercials on TV and posters plastered on the advertising boards of bus stops and buildings all over town, you should have at least some inkling about the Guinness 9 Ball Regional Tour.

But to the tonnes of Singaporean fans and followers of the Guinness 9 Ball Tournament, UrbanWire is proud to announce that in a week’s time, these highly skilled players will be strutting their stuff around the pool tables. who have been anxiously anticipating the arrival of players on the tour,

After massive ball-breaking and nerve-wrecking matches across the region since the tour started in Apr, the Singapore leg is set to begin on Jul 13 at the Orchid Country Club (OCC).

Throughout the 3 days from the quarter-finals to the finals, audiences will be in for a treat. With top seeds and stars from across the region like Ronato Alcano, Chao Fong-Pang, Chang Jung-Lin all set to show their skills at the tables, it’s no wonder that fans are totally psyched up and have flooded online pool forums such as the Match Room Sport’s website, expressing their anticipation and keeping each other posted on the updates of the tournament.

In the lead up, there’s been a lot of pool action taking place all over our little island. Between Jun 30 and Jul 1, the Guinness 9 Ball Open Challenge, aimed at promoting active participation from local pool-lovers took place at the OCC. This week, friendly pool matches occurred at various locations such as bars and pubs around the island. To further spice things up, the Guinness Black Foxes –a pair of beautiful ladies who may deceive with their looks – will be present at these various pubs, and if you take them on in a game of pool and win, you’ll get 2 pints of Guinness free. But if the tables turn and you lose, you’ll buy the 2 pints instead.

For the main event, the tournament format is similar to the game format of the past 3 legs in Indonesia, Taipei and Malaysia, players will be paired up in the quarter-finals, after which, the winner from each pair advances to the semi-finals, and then unto the finals, which is done from a “single knockout” fashion.

And if you’re wondering who’s been performing and making a mark during the past couple of months, Chang Jung-Lin from Taipei is at the top of the charts, having won the Indonesian and Malaysian legs, and thus bagging US$30 000 [S$45,000] for his victories.

But, many have their eyes set on hot favourite Ronato Alcano, the 2006 World 9-ball and 2007 World 8-ball Champion that UrbanWire recently spoke with. Ranked 4th on the tour charts, his performances haven’t matched his record, but surprises may be in store for us.

Tickets for the tournament are not for sale and they will only be available on 13 Jul from the OCC, subjected to availability at the door. But of course, if Lady Luck has always been by your side, you may just want to try participating in the Guinness 9 Ball Tour online contest. Asia Pacific Breweries is very generously giving away 20 pairs of tickets to winners of that contest. These coveted tickets will get you in for all 3 days of the tournament.

Still, if you don’t manage to get tickets for the event, certain matches will be broadcast live on STAR Sports on all 3 days.

For more information, log on to http://www.guinness9balltour.com