Concluded on Friday
Najaf hosts 200 players for national billiards championship
NAJAF — The city of Najaf hosted the conclusion of the pool championship on Friday evening, with 200 players from various Iraqi governorates participating at the Aqua Park hall.
The competition also included players from Iraq’s national pool team, both first and second squads. Amir Ali from Babil secured first place, while Ahmed Hassan from Basra took second place, and Mustafa Habib from Karbala finished in third place.
According to Murtadha Razaq, the tournament organizer, the event was open to players of all ages and was approved by Iraq’s Central Pool Federation.
The championship was divided into two stages: the first stage was open to all interested players, and the second stage included 32 elite players from across Iraq’s provinces. The tournament featured top Iraqi pool players.
The first-place winner, Amir Ali, received a prize of 2 million IQD ($1290), while the second-place finisher, Ahmed Hassan, was awarded 1 million IQD. The third-place and third-tied positions earned 500,000 IQD each.
Abdullah Al-Khafaji, a referee from the Iraqi Pool Federation, noted that the tournament included many of the top players from across Iraq, representing both the northern and southern regions.
“Iraq is the top-ranked country in the Arab world for pool, and it is the second most popular sport in the country after soccer,” he added.
Amir Ali, the winner from Babil, expressed his satisfaction with the tournament. “I competed alongside players from the national team, as well as provincial champions,” he said. “The competition was tough, but I aimed to achieve first place, and I succeeded.”
Ali also mentioned his ambitions to participate in more significant and more competitive tournaments in the future.