HOME OF THE TEXAS OPEN 9 BALL CHAMPIONSHIPS™
Predator presents The 2026 Texas Open 9 Ball Championships!™
2026
TEXAS OPEN
9-Ball Championships™
Aug 31 – Sep 7
9 Ball Open, Ladies 9 Ball Open, One Pocket, Banks Ring Game, and a Mini!
Ladies must choose to play in the Open or the Ladies event.
We’re thrilled to welcome back Predator Cues as the Title Sponsor of this year’s Texas Open. It’s an honor to continue our partnership with a brand that supports the game at the highest level, and we can’t wait to make this year even bigger together!
We’re continuing our FREE live streaming on YouTube all week long! This year, a minimum of three tables will be featured so fans everywhere can follow even more of the action all week long. (https://www.youtube.com/@skinnybobs)
6/1/26 – Registration opens @ noon
PLAYER’S MEETING/AUCTION IS MANDATORY – NO EXCEPTIONS!!
Download the 2026 Texas Open 9 Ball Championships™ Tournament PDF Guide for everything you need to know! This will be updated regularly. Last updated 2/28/26
View each page below:
ADDITIONAL RULES BELOW
GENERAL RULES
PLAYER RESPONSIBILITY
You are responsible for knowing the rules of play and when you are scheduled to play.
PLAYER ETIQUETTE
Whenever possible, you must be seated when your opponent is at the table. Intentionally distracting your opponent when it is their turn is unsportsmanlike conduct and will be penalized accordingly.
PLAYER DRESS CODE
Players will be required to wear a collared shirt OR the official & current event T-Shirt for their matches. We also ask that players are neat and professional in appearance, with no holes or tears in their clothing. Headphones are allowed; however, players are responsible for being aware of their surroundings.
FORFEIT TIME
Once your match is announced, you have 15 minutes to be at your match table with your equipment or you lose the match by forfeit.
CALLING A REFEREE
The non-shooting player is responsible for calling a referee to watch a shot. The shooter must wait for the referee before taking the shot. Failure to do so is a foul. The decision of the referee or tournament official is final.
RACK YOUR OWN
All events require you to rack your own. Players may not agree to do otherwise.
NO RAIL FOUL
After contact, either the cue ball or an object ball must be driven to a rail, or it is a foul.
JUMP CUES
Allowed in the 9-Ball events only.
ONE FOOT ON THE FLOOR
You must have one foot on the floor when the cue tip strikes the cueball or it is a foul.
CUE BALL FOULS ONLY
Accidentally touching or disturbing a single object ball is not a foul unless the disturbed ball has an effect on the outcome of the shot. See a referee for advice if you think this has happened. Otherwise, the opponent has the option to restore the disturbed ball or leave it in position. If the offending player attempts to restore the disturbed ball without giving their opponent the restoration option, it is a foul.
Accidentally touching or disturbing 2 or more object balls is a foul, and there is no restoration option for the disturbed balls.
SPOTTING BALLS, DECLARING FROZEN BALLS
You may call a tournament official to spot balls or declare frozen balls. Balls not declared frozen prior to a shot are not considered frozen.
SLOW PLAY
Slow play will not be tolerated. Tournament officials will issue a warning if they feel you are delaying the progress of the match. Matches that exceed the allotted time due to slow play can be placed on a shot clock at the Tournament Director’s discretion. Once a warning has been issued, a player may be placed on a shot clock at any point during the tournament, not just that match. Penalties for slow play will result in ball in hand anywhere on the table, with repeated occurrences resulting in loss of games, or even the match.
REFEREE DISCRETION
When necessary, the tournament director or assigned referee has the final determination on any rulings.
9 BALL RULES
STANDARDIZED RULES
Unless specifically outlined as a change in our specific tournament rules, we will use the standardized rules as outlined in the WPA for our event
FORMAT
Race to 9 Open 9-Ball; race to 7 Ladies 9-Ball – double elimination.
THE BREAK
The winner of the lag decides who breaks first. The winner of each game will break afterwards.
THE RACK
A template rack will be used in place of the traditional triangle. The 9-Ball racked on the foot spot. Break from the box. (Ladies event will rack the 1-Ball on the foot spot, and no break box breaking rule.)
RACK YOUR OWN
All events require you to rack your own. Players may not agree to do otherwise.
THE NINE ON THE BREAK
The nine will NOT count on the break if it is pocketed in the bottom two corner holes.
JUMP CUES
Allowed in the 9-Ball events only.
PUSH OUT
You may push out on the shot immediately after the break.
SCRATCH OR FOUL
Any scratch or foul results in cue ball in hand.
3-FOUL RULE
If you commit 3 successive fouls in one game, you lose the game. Your opponent must notify you that you are on 2 fouls immediately before your next inning
TEXAS OPEN 9-BALL CHAMPIONS
1974 – Sammy Jones
1975 – Richie Ambrose
1976 – Roy Mallot
1977 – Jack Breit
1978 – James Christopher
1979 – Bob Vanover
1980 – Frank Thompson
1981 – Bob Vanover
1982 – Bob Vanover
1983 – Bob Vanover
1984 – Bob Vanover
1985 – Bob Vanover
1986 – Bob Vanover
1987 – Calvin Harcrowe
1988 – Jerry Prado
1989 – Al Mason
1990 – Gilbert Martinez, Jr.
1991 – Javier Franco
1992 – Gilbert Martinez, Jr.
1993 – Gilbert Martinez, Jr.
1994 – Jeremy Jones
1995 – Bob Vanover
1996 – CJ Wiley
1997 – CJ Wiley
1998 – Buddy Hall
1999 – Gabe Owen
2000 – David Gutierrez
2001 – Tony Watson
2002 – Jeremy Jones
2003 – Jeremy Jones
2004 – Juiling Chen
2005 – David Gutierrez
2006 – David Henson
2007 – Sylver Ochoa
2008 – Shane Van Boening
2009 – Chris Bartrum
2010 – Charlie Bryant
2011 – Robb Saez
2012 – Chip Compton
2013 – Warren Kiamco
2014 – Charlie Bryant
2015 – Skyler Woodward
2016 – John Morra
2017 – John Morra
2018 – Omar Alshaheen
2019 – Skyler Woodward
2020 – Dennis Orcollo
2021 – Shane Van Boening
2022 – Vitaliy Patsura
2023 – Tyler Styer
2024 – Vitaliy Patsura
2025 – Shane Van Boening