This is something we get asked all the time and so we thought we would summarise why we think this is the place to play top class tournament pool.
The IPA Tour is the home to the finest players in the world, both Professional and Amateur, the place where you will find a true test of your skills on the 7 x 4.
It is run by a team of professional tournament managers and referees with many decades of experience between them. All our events are played in top quality hotels all around the UK or in unique alternative venues. Our friendly approach to all, underpins our values and our main priority is that you enjoy your IPA experience. It is not just a pool tournament – it is about playing hard on the table, but also meeting new friends and appreciating great players.
Our ethos:
- The Best events
- With the Best equipment
- In the Best conditions
- For the Best value
- And the Best experience
In any Tour season, an IPA tour member plays in two of three events depending on their status:
The Open Tour
First up in the Open event are the amateurs who play each other in a single elimination format to reach the Last 128, where the Pro seeds then enter the competition.
All tournaments are played on 20 (ish) IPA tables and we use only Aramith Pro Cup Balls – simply the best pool balls on the market. The top table team pick a match from each session to be featured on the live streaming table, which on the Saturday & Sunday. The production values are very strong with full HD quality output and represent the best stream available for pool today.
The event is structured so you can move up through your ability band and are not thrown in the deep end with world class elite players from the start, however, you have the opportunity to “win your way” to them within a few matches.
Video footage from the Tour
The Amateur Tour
This is played to a double elimination format until we have 32 qualifiers. From the Last 32 onwards it is single elimination all the way. Matches will be best of 11’s and 9’s in the double elimination stage, then best of 13’s from the Last 32. The final will be best of 15
If you lost all your matches in all competitions, you would still play a minimum of three matches – so there is plenty of pool and experience to be gained for everyone. If time permits we will show the Amateur final on the BBC.
The Professional Tour
This is for the elite of the tour only.
You can’t just apply to be a Professional, you must qualify by virtue of performance in the Open & Amateur events and earn your spot by finishing in the top 16 at the end of the year in the Amateur ranking list. At this point you can apply for professional status – the true elite of the sport.
The Ladies Tour
As we strive to create the Ladies Professional section within the IPA, we have now introduced a Ladies Tour which is open to all Lady players. It has been a huge success and is growing all the time. Lady players, as some do, can also enter the Main Tour events as we don’t schedule any clashes of matches.
From 2023 we will see the creation of the Ladies Elite section, which is the next step to creating a Professional Ladies section.
So what are you waiting for?
Can you cope with the pressure of potting the winning black against the cream of the crop in front of pools biggest audience?
There is only one place to find that out.