Yes, very well said. With its $30,000 first prize, I considered the Philippines Open a major, but it is definitely arguable.
Let's see if these absences of elite players figure in the Reyes Cup and/or Mosconi Cup selection processes.
EUROPEAN OPEN 2026, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, March 10-15
- Thread starter jbart65
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Let's see if these absences of elite players figure in the Reyes Cup and/or Mosconi Cup selection processes.
Yeah, much to sift through here. but the most diligent will strive to play in everything they can.
Gorst played at Derby City, the Texas Open, the Las Vegas Open and will play the European Open. Filler played at Derby City, the Las Vegas Open, and will play the European Open. The world's two best players know that 2026 will be a year of unprecedented earnings potential and they, more than most, plan to capitalize on it to the max.
The prize fund is listed as $225,000, up from $200,000 last year. The money is the same as last year for finishers 1-8, and 17-64.
WNT cut the money to $3,250 for finishers 9-16, down from $4,000 last year, but added $500 for finishers 65-128. They got nothing in 2025.
WNT cut the money to $3,250 for finishers 9-16, down from $4,000 last year, but added $500 for finishers 65-128. They got nothing in 2025.
A few more tidbits;
*Just one American-born U.S. player is in the European Open. Nathan Childress. Last year, 10 Americans went to the event.
This year, Gorst and Hohmann are also playing under the US flag.
*Twenty-four of the 69 players in the world with 800 Fargoes or better are playing in Sarajevo. Last year there was 28.
There were 25 800-plus Fargo players in the Philippines Open in 2025, 30 in the Hanoi Open, 34 in the 2025 UK Open, 45 in the 2025 WPC, 42 in the 2025 US Open and 31 in the Florida Open.
The recent Vegas Men’s Open had 27 of these players.
*Almost all the top Polish players chose to play this year in the WPA European championships instead. That event started last week.
*Just one American-born U.S. player is in the European Open. Nathan Childress. Last year, 10 Americans went to the event.
This year, Gorst and Hohmann are also playing under the US flag.
*Twenty-four of the 69 players in the world with 800 Fargoes or better are playing in Sarajevo. Last year there was 28.
There were 25 800-plus Fargo players in the Philippines Open in 2025, 30 in the Hanoi Open, 34 in the 2025 UK Open, 45 in the 2025 WPC, 42 in the 2025 US Open and 31 in the Florida Open.
The recent Vegas Men’s Open had 27 of these players.
*Almost all the top Polish players chose to play this year in the WPA European championships instead. That event started last week.
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yes, this is the most likely reason. there's not a news broadcast here without reporting on people stuck in thailand, vietnam etc.
flying to SE asia from europe you usually transit in either dubai / doha / abu dhabi or turkey, especially since the russian airspace has been limited in recent years. so what they're trying now is flying through caucasus corridor (which is a bottleneck because of capacity) or through india. either way we're looking at price hikes of 40-50%.
i don't blame the asian players one bit, these are troubling times. if it continues they should consider re-scheduling the WPC or move it out of saudi (may not be possible contractually).
I was starting to wonder when it was taking so long for the player list to come out. Usually it's available at least five days in advance.
It’s not just that so many top players are missing. The middle tier of players is quite hollow, too.
Matchroom also couldn’t come close to filling the 256-player field. I counted 201 players on the current player list - and there’s always going to be no-shows.
I counted just 41 players with the talent capable of reaching the final 16 or quarters.
The rest of the 160 players or so are only filler (not Josh).
Even that was stretching it. I had to reach down to Fargoes (and eye tests) of players from 750 to 799 Fargos to do that. I’ll put the list in a followup post.
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Realistically, only about 20-25 players have a chance to win the European Open.
Of these 20-25 players, eight have won a WNT major. Eight have been runnerups. And five others have been quarterfinalists.
It’s a good chance for some players to finally break through with the field so thin. Hoang, Zielinski, Neuhausen, He, Lechner. Or in the case of Ouschan, regain his place among the game's best.
Mosconi points are in the offering for European players. Thorsten Hohmann has a good chance to get some points for Team USA now that he is officially a citizen.
The only players with a chance to win good Reyes Cup points are Capito, Oi and Hoang given the thin Asian field.
Of these 20-25 players, eight have won a WNT major. Eight have been runnerups. And five others have been quarterfinalists.
It’s a good chance for some players to finally break through with the field so thin. Hoang, Zielinski, Neuhausen, He, Lechner. Or in the case of Ouschan, regain his place among the game's best.
Mosconi points are in the offering for European players. Thorsten Hohmann has a good chance to get some points for Team USA now that he is officially a citizen.
The only players with a chance to win good Reyes Cup points are Capito, Oi and Hoang given the thin Asian field.
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PAST WINNERS OF WNT MAJORS (participating in the 2026 European Open)
Joshua Filler
Fedor Gorst
Eklent Kaci
Francisco Sanchez Ruiz
Pijus Labutis
David Alcaide
Robbie Capito
Alban Ouschan
RUNNERUPS AT WNT MAJORS
Moritz Neuhausen
Jonas Souto
Kledio Kaci
Naoyuki Oi
Marc Bjisterbosch
Arseni Sevastyanov
Mohammad Soufi
Max Lechner
SEMIFINALSTS
Niels Feijin
Mario He
Alex Kazakis
Aleksa Pecelj
Oliver Szolnoki
Sanjin Pehlivanovic
QUARTERFINALISTS
Duong Quoc Hoang
Wiktor Zielinksi
Denis Grabe
Lo Ho Sum
Emil Gangflot
REST OF THE CONTENDERS
Yannick Pongers
Marco Teutscher
Thorsten Hohmann
Gerson Martinez
Georgi Georgiev
Dimitris Loukatos
Luong Duc Thien
Imran Majid
Fraser Patrick
Elliot Sanderson
Dean Shields
Besar Spahiu
Daniele Corrieri
Francesco Candela
*NOTE: I am only going back to the 2022 as the WNT was beginning to form.
Joshua Filler
Fedor Gorst
Eklent Kaci
Francisco Sanchez Ruiz
Pijus Labutis
David Alcaide
Robbie Capito
Alban Ouschan
RUNNERUPS AT WNT MAJORS
Moritz Neuhausen
Jonas Souto
Kledio Kaci
Naoyuki Oi
Marc Bjisterbosch
Arseni Sevastyanov
Mohammad Soufi
Max Lechner
SEMIFINALSTS
Niels Feijin
Mario He
Alex Kazakis
Aleksa Pecelj
Oliver Szolnoki
Sanjin Pehlivanovic
QUARTERFINALISTS
Duong Quoc Hoang
Wiktor Zielinksi
Denis Grabe
Lo Ho Sum
Emil Gangflot
REST OF THE CONTENDERS
Yannick Pongers
Marco Teutscher
Thorsten Hohmann
Gerson Martinez
Georgi Georgiev
Dimitris Loukatos
Luong Duc Thien
Imran Majid
Fraser Patrick
Elliot Sanderson
Dean Shields
Besar Spahiu
Daniele Corrieri
Francesco Candela
*NOTE: I am only going back to the 2022 as the WNT was beginning to form.
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By comparison, the pool of players with a chance to get to the final 16 in the 2025 European Open was 65 or so.
The event is sure to produce a very strong final 16 and, as you suggest, a couple of surprises are likely in the last 16. Days 5 and 6 are going to be great.
The early days, especially if there is no shot clock on the stream tables, could be a drag, but I'm staying optimistic and will give it a chance.
Of the outsiders, Marco Teutscher might be one to watch. His form has been very impressive of late. I feel he is due for a big finish at some point in 2026.
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The main TV table at WNT majors always has a shot clock, but it's only streamed on WNT.TV. So at least one table in play will have it.
WNT plans to stream five tables at once. In the past, the other three tables usually have not had shot clocks. They did at the last WPC, however.
Typically all tables at WNT majors don't get shot clocks until the final 16 matches.
WNT plans to stream five tables at once. In the past, the other three tables usually have not had shot clocks. They did at the last WPC, however.
Typically all tables at WNT majors don't get shot clocks until the final 16 matches.
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If I am not mistaken, Teutcher’s Fargo just recently surpassed 800. He’s had some high finishes the past two years, mostly in WPA events.
Younger players who’ve improved quite a bit in the past year or two include Jonas Souto, Yannick Pongers, Arseni Sevastyanov, Emil Gangflot and Georgi Georgiev.
I’d include Moritz, but he was already at a very high level.
Hoang is terrific now too, but his overall game has gotten a lot better in the last two years.
Players who seem to have plateaued include Ouschan (showing more game lately), Lechner, Bjisterbosch, Pecelj and Pehlivanovic. Perhaps Zielenski, too, but he is too young and talented to write off.
Grabe has racked up some big Predator/WPA wins, but his WNT resume is a lot thinner. Ditto for Kazakis.
Players who have seem to declined include Mario He and Soufi.
Max Lechner was runner-up at the 2022 US Open 9ball.
are people seriously surprised by players opting out at this point? airfare has gone mental the last week. gemini:
these guys are already on a tight budget. if i were an asian pro i would go play heyball for the time being. (if i were a euro pro i would do a mini fist pump...)
these guys are already on a tight budget. if i were an asian pro i would go play heyball for the time being. (if i were a euro pro i would do a mini fist pump...)