Bigger Amit Cup Season 2 looms

A bigger field is expected to see action when the fourth and last leg of the Amit Cup Season 2 kicks off early next year.

Two-time world 10-ball champion Rubilen Amit said the number of participants could breach the 100-mark based on the success of Leg 3 both won by Charis Santos (Advanced champion) and Shane Lui Mongcal (Intermediate champion), respectively.

"It's continuous growth. We started with 24 (participants), and now we're at 100," noted Amit, who's the mastermind behind the tournament aimed to promote the sport, support female athletes, and celebrate and appreciate the talent and passion of Filipina pool enthusiasts.

"In terms of growth, it's really steady," added Ren De Vera, who co-founded the tournament with Amit that began in May of 2022.

"This season, our average is 70-plus. But we are trending upwards. I will not be surprised if we reach 128 in the fourth leg."

The 42-year-old Amit was with De Vera, Santos, and Mongcal at the Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum on Tuesday at the conference hall of the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex.

Leg 4 is set by the end of January and early February before the holding of the grand finals.

De Vera explained in the session presented by San Miguel Corporation. Philippine Sports Commission, Milo, Philippine Olympic Committee, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation that ranking points will determine who the Top 16 players are eligible to advance in the grand finals

"Our main approach here is we want to simulate international play as much as possible, the environment as well as the systems implemented and the rules," he said.

"With that, we will have ranking points every time you win or whatever your performance was. And then we tabulate those points and divide that into two divisions — intermediate and advanced."

Cash prizes will be given to the winners along with cue sticks provided by Predator.

Also, the No. 1 player in the rankings to emerge in the advanced level will earn a trip to Japan to represent the country in an international competition.

"This is a major step because our main goal is to give our ladies a chance to play here and abroad," said Amit, a 10-time Southeast Asian Games gold medal winner.