The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) will host the annual Challenge the Stars benefit in conjunction with the BCAPL National 8-Ball Championships and the 2010 U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship in Las Vegas on Tuesday, May 18th. Diamond Billiard Products will provide the tables for the festivities which will take place in the Grande Ballroom of the Riviera Hotel & Casino at 8:00 pm. This benefit gives all players and spectators an opportunity to support youth billiard programs while mingling with and competing with top pros from all over the world. Over 100 pros are invited to participate, including, Shane Van Boening (USA), Efren Reyes (PHI), Jasmin Ouschan (AUS), Ga Young (Korea), Kelly Fisher (ENG), John Schmidt (USA), Dennis Orcullo (PHI), Ralf Souquet (GER), Johnny Archer (USA), Charlie Williams (USA), Tony Robles (USA), Francisco Bustamante (PHI), Mika Immonen (FIN), Melissa Little (USA), Sarah Rousey (USA), Thorsten Hohmann (GER), Tom Rossman (USA) and many more. Challengers can select three options of play: the BEF Challenge, $20 donation, challenger plays one game of 9-ball with designated pro, the Pro Challenge, $40 donation, shoot one game of 9-ball with one of your three top choices, based on availability, or the Ultimate Challenge, 100 donation, play three games of 9-ball with one of your three top choices, based on availability. All challengers will receive an autographed certificate and a souvenir photo taken with their pro. Spectators and amateur players can also share in the fun by bidding on an array of prizes and participating in the raffles. Whether you challenge a pro, participate in the auction or make a donation, you can make a difference in youth billiard programs. Admission is FREE. Step up to the challenge. About Billiard Education Foundation The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) is a 501(c)(3 non-profit organization which is committed to promoting education and encourages the development of life skills through youth billiard programs. The BEF funds academic scholarships, produces the Junior National 9-Ball Championships, sponsors billiard athletes to attend the WPA World Junior 9-Ball Championships and promotes, Pool In School programs. For more information, please visit www.BilliardEducation.org or call 303.926.1039.

Eight qualifiers were held for the 2010 U.S. Open 10-Ball Championship. Produced by CueSports International (CSI), the main event is scheduled May 17-22, 2010 at the Riviera Hotel & Casino and attracted both men and women players from across the globe vying for the $89,000 purse. The following eight qualifier winners will be among the 128 player field:

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"99" was a game Pool & Billiard Magazine created in the 90s for pool players to be able to develop a score in their pool and billiard games using innings. Because of continued popular demand for the game's rules and printable score sheets, we've created a new page at our website with info about the game, plus downloadable rules and score sheets you can print and use where you play pool. To visit the page and access the downloads: CLICK HERE! Shoot straight, and let us know how you score!

The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) announced that Northern Illinois University (NIU) will host the 22nd Annual Junior National 9-Ball Championships on July 7-11, 2010.

The Huskies Den in the Holmes Student Center, located on the NIU campus in DeKalb, IL, has seventeen (17) 9-foot billiard tables that will be the stage to an expected 150 young billiard athletes. Junior players will be competing for scholarships, prizes and an invitation to represent the United States at the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) World Junior 9- Ball Championships.

To participate in the BEF Junior Nationals, players must earn an entry through a BEF qualifier or must be appointed by their local junior league. The national event features 4 divisions: 19 & Under Boys, 19 & Under Girls, 14 & Under Boys, and 14 & Under Girls. Qualifiers will be held throughout the United States through the month of June. The BEF is accepting nominations and offering player invitations for the girls' divisions. For more information about hosting a qualifier, league guidelines, or upcoming qualifier dates and locations, visit www.BilliardEducation.org.

The 2010 BEF Junior National 9-Ball Championship sponsors include Ozone Billiards, Simonis Cloth and Delta-13 Rack.

About Billiard Education Foundation
The Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which is committed to promoting education and encourages the development of life skills through youth billiard programs. The BEF funds academic scholarships, produces the Junior National 9-Ball Championships, sponsors billiard athletes to attend the WPA World Junior 9-Ball Championships and promotes 'Pool In School' programs. For more information, please visit www.BilliardEducation.org. or call 303.926.1039.

The World 8-Ball Championships in the United Arab Emirates final started as a run-out fest between the Netherlands Niels Feijen and Great Britain's Karl Boyes. The First rack had a bit of back and forth action and was taken by Boyes. Then he broke and ran three consecutive racks to lead 4-0. When he came up dry on his next break Feijen ran the table and then broke and ran the next rack. 4-2...

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Highlights of the final eight in World 8-Ball Championships being held in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates: Ruslan Chinakhov led Jeff de Luna 5-1, Karl Boyes (pictured left) enjoyed the same lead over Vicenancio Tanio and Darren Appleton had a 4-1 gap over Joven Alba. Neils Feijen and Andreas Roschkowsky were being a bit more dramatic as Feijen led their match 3-2 at that point. None of the leaders faltered. Ruslan Chinakov and Karl Boyes both won their matches by score lines of 10-5, Darren Appleton got past Joven Alba 10-8 and Niels Feijen widened the gap over Roschkowsky until he won at 10-6...

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The World 8-Ball Championship in Fujairah, UAE, began the 32 player single elimination round today. It was a race to ten with the winner breaking. The first player to be eliminated was Scott Higgins who ran into a very sharp Ronnie Alcano and got cut 10-3. Alcano had six break and run performances. Mika Immonen (US Open and World Ten Ball Champion) was the second eliminated to Russian superstar Ruslan Chinakhov 10-5. Then, Karl Boyes (pictured left) defeated Masaki Tanaka 10-3 while Stephan Cohen, the current World 14.1 Champion, dismantled Pei Wei Chang 10-5 and Vicencio Tanio faced an extremely tough Jalal Alsarisi and just kept edging his lead out there until he won the match 10-6...

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The final day for making it into the Single Elimination Round of 32 players in Fujairah, United Arab Emerates, bore few surprises but some impressive comebacks. Marcus Chamat trailed 5-0 to Won Sik Ham but reached deep to come out 8-6 on top. The World top ranked player, Mika Immonen, was in trouble early, trailing Mohammed Hosani 5-1 and mounted an 8-7 victory. Scott Higgins escaped Saeed Al Mutawe 8-7 and John Morra bested Vincent Facquet 8-3...

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Highlights from the second day of competition at the Etisalat World 8-Ball Championships in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates:

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The first round of the Etisalat WPA World 8-Ball Championships in Fujairah, United Arab Emerates (UAE) at the Fujairah tennis club began today. Highlights of the days matches include: Joven Alba defeated Ali Nasih 8-0 in under thirty minutes. Vincent Facquet (pictured left) defeated world ranked Number One, Mika Immonen. In other matches of note, Scott Higgins defeated Marcus Chamat 8-6, Karl Boyes won 8-5 over Saeed Al Mutawe, Ronnie Alcano beat Radoslaw Babica 8-1, Raymund Faraon over Lee Chenman 8-4, Won Sik Ham defeated Mohamed Al Assel 8-5 and Mohammed Hosani slipped past John Morra 8-7. Round two was a bit more predictable. Ruslan Chinakhov won his match 8-1 over Moein Khedri, Ricky Yang dismantled Khaled Sebata 8-0, Dennis Orcullo took down Oliver Mednilla 8-2, Mehdi Rasheki ran over Sandile Madlala 8-2 and Hussin Sayeem fell to Yukio Akakariyama 8-3. Predator International champion David Alcaide won his match 8-3 over Ismail Yaqob, Lee Van Corteza survived a late-round surge by Majid Sultan to survive 8-5 and Pei-Wei Chang defeated Khaled Sebata 8-3. The first man to finish in round three was Shane Van Boening, beating Masaki Tanaka 8-3. Three-time World Juniors Champion Pin-Yi Ko (pictured right) knocked the pins out from under Omran Salem 8-1 and Andreas Roschkowsky nearly duplicated that with his 8-2 drubbing of Kim Aquino. The drought on close scores continued when Jalal Sarkeski upset Lu Hui Chan 8-3 and worsened when Thorsten Hohmann handed the 8-0 shutout to Abdulatif Fawal. In closer matches, Darren Appleton got by Francis Crevier 8-6 and Jeff de Luna was upset by Mustafa Hassan 8-5. Finally, Kenny Kwok and Abdullah Yousef had a close battle throughout that ended with Kwok on top 8-6. The final round of the day began with Huijdi See demolishing Sumit talwar 8-2. Then Stephan Cohen treated Salah Al Remwy won by the same score. Niels Feijen defeated Takhti Zarekani 8-3 and Ralf Souquet rolled past Kang Lee 8-3. Antonio Gabica won over Matteuz Sniegocki 8-4, Rueben Bautista ended his day by taking out Majid Al Azmi 8-5 while Marlon Manalo and Bashar Hussein took their match to double hill before Hussein took the match. Monday came to an end when Shaker Wahdan ran the last table he saw and went home the victor over Amin Fekry 8-5. Stay tuned to poolmag.com for ongoing photos and results from the World 8-Ball Championships in the United Arab Emirates...