UK Open, May-June 2023, London

[Bob Jewett]

Yeah, it's a long way off, but entries open in three days and it is likely to sell out as quickly as the inaugural event. $250 to enter. Same location as the first.

Announcement from Matchroom:

The 2023 UK Open Pool Championship will take place at the Copper Box Arena, London from May 30 to June 4, 2023, with entries for the 256-player field Major Ranking Event set to open on Monday, 24 October at 3pm UK time and spectator tickets set to go on sale on Monday, 31 October.

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Last year saw records broken for entries selling out as Joshua Filler rose the tallest to secure victory over Francisco Sanchez Ruiz in the inaugural final. The format will see double elimination through to the Last 64 before single-elimination takes hold in a brutal and gruelling format where only one can take home the top prize of $30,000.

 

[Mich]

Did anyone attend In Person last year? Didn't someone post the viewing was not the best at the Copper Box Arena?

 

[Bob Jewett]

Did anyone attend In Person last year? Didn't someone post the viewing was not the best at the Copper Box Arena?

I attended last year.

The problem with the viewing for some of the event is that the stands are a long way from the TV table in that arena. It is not cozy. For the early part of the event, it was possible to get a seat on the side of the TV table -- individual chairs up on risers. That was excellent viewing. Also in the early rounds you could wander around the large arena floor and be pretty close to any match but the seats were on the floor.

There is a large shopping center -- huge -- within walking distance of the Copper Box and it has lots of food options. There is also a quirky food court within two or three minutes that has some pretty good choices. The snack bar in the Copper Box had reasonable prices but very limited choices.

The shopping center has an underground station so you are not restricted to staying near the Copper Box. I stayed in central London near the Holborn tube station. The two lines there go to Heathrow in one direction and to the Copper Box in the other. Holborn is close to the British Museum and other points of interest including the Hurricane Room at Kings Cross (pool, snooker, English 8-ball). (Tell them Bob sent you. )