Keep your money in your pocket if you are having a casual game of pool at the pub — there are sharks about.
The National 8-Ball Championship is being staged in Dunedin this weekend.
The men’s competition has attracted a strong field of 45 players from all around the country and further.
Aman Nayyar is making the trip from Melbourne and is one of the leading contenders.
Queenstown’s Simon Singleton is the highest-ranked player attending the championship and a player everyone will keen to take down.
Dunedin’s Neil Whalley is in good form. He won the inaugural 8-ball Super League New Zealand South Island League held in the city in July.
Singleton tested positive for Covid during that tournament and was ruled out in the quarterfinals.
Auckland’s Toan Nguyen is another player who is expected to go deep into the tournament, and others to watch include Dunedin’s Brendan Ng and Auckland’s Maher Hatab.
The women’s field is a leaner affair — just the 10 entrants.
Dunedin players Lydia Newewale and Tammy Adams are expected to feature in the money rounds.
Adams is helping organise the tournament and said it should be a good weekend.
"Every tournament this year is has been Lydia or me in the final," Adams said.
"I’ve only won one event this year and Lydia has taken out the rest."
The prize money has not been finalised yet, but Adams said it would be about $1000 for first place.
There are minor cash prizes as well. The men will need to get to the final 16 to collect some pocket money, while the women will need to make the final four.
