Some of the best pool players in the world will compete for the top prize in Saratoga this weekend.
The 7th annual Wyoming Open, hosted by the Saratoga Lion’s Club and the Carbon County Visitor’s Council, is expected to yet again draw in large crowds.
“We are expecting about 160 people this year,” promoter E.J. Glode said.
This year’s Wyoming Open will feature past Wyoming Open champions such as Rodney Morris, Charlie Williams and Shane Van Boening. Other notable names include Shanelle Loraine and Raj Hundai.
“We have people coming from all over,” Glode said. “Every year, we are getting more and more people coming. Raj is even flying in from London for this event.”
As a business owner himself, Glode said the Wyoming Open will bring a welcomed boost to the local economy.
“It has become highly anticipated among town businesses and that is why I place the dates during the slower season,” Glode said.
This year, there will be six classifications allowing competitors at any level. The Masters level will feature some of the top pool professionals in the world. Ten-ball, single elimination play, will begin Friday at 7 p.m. The masters will be playing “Saratoga”, a game created by Glode for this event. Double elimination Saratoga play will begin Saturday at 9 a.m. Master division players will also play 8-ball single-elimination, which will take place 10 a.m. on Sunday.
The Expert Division, featuring AA and A pool players, will begin 7 p.m. Friday. This division will feature a race to five games won and a race to six games won in the finals. No AAA or PRO players are allowed in this division.
The Classic Division will hold intermediate players from around the region. This 64-player division will feature a race to four and a race to five in the finals. The Classic Division will break at 7 p.m. Friday.
For local beginners who want to shoot competitively, sportsman division is right up their alley. This division will hold 32 players and will compete in a race to three and a race to four in the finals. The Sportsman division will begin 6 p.m. on Friday.
Get knocked out early? There is still money to be won in the Hardluck Division. The single elimination will feature 32 players to play in a 4-6-8 handicap consolation tournament. This division will begin play at 10 a.m. Sunday.
The youngest pool players out there will be able to play for trophies and scholarships at the Nubbins Memorial Junior’s 8-ball Division. Youth in 18 and younger and 12 and younger will have the opportunity to place their skills against each other. These games will begin 10 a.m. Sunday.
All tournaments will take place at the Platte Valley Community Center.
There will be a guaranteed $10,000 prize money added between all divisions.
A Calcutta auction will be held at 7 p.m. on Saturday at the Platte Valley Community Center. Ten percent of proceeds will go to benefit the Saratoga Lion’s Club.
“SARATOGA” RULES
• The game “Saratoga” is a hybrid of 8-Ball and 9-Ball.
• Rotation Solids/Stripes
• The game is played with 6 solids (1 - 6), 6 stripes (7 - 12), and the winning 13-Ball
• Run Solids OR Stripes IN ORDER, then pocket 13 to win
• Have to hit lowest ball of your kind first (lowest of either if open table)
• Legal shots as in other “ball-in-hand” leagues
• Rack: Either Green ball in Front / 13 Ball in Middle
• Opposite balls (one stripe/one solid) on outside of 4th Row
• Must hit the headball first on the break
• No matter what is made on the break, it is open table, there is no “push out”
• Ball in hand anywhere for foul on break.
• 13 Ball on the break is a spot or a re-rack
• 3 Consecutive Fouls is NOT a loss
• Call Ball in Pocket (If you accidentally make a legal shot—you hit the lowest ball like as specified and made the called ball in the pocket you intended, it is still your turn)
• Legal Slop Shots are loss of turn, however, opponent has the option to give the shot back (no pocketed safeties).
• When Table is Open – OK to combo one of the lowest balls into the other kind of balls, then you have established the pocketed ball as your type for the game
• Legal shot but only opponent’s ball pocketed is loss of turn, not ball in hand
• Cue Ball Fouls (not “All Ball Fouls”) (This may be modified in a private match)
• A standard set of pool balls may be used, just play without the 7 & 15
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