Philippines Open pool starts in Quezon City: Yapp, Biado and Alcaide lead 128-player field

The Philippines Open Pool Championship began on Tuesday 20 October 2026 at Gateway Mall in Quezon City, Philippines. The 128-player nine-ball event runs until Saturday 24 October. It is in progress, so the winner is not known yet.

The tournament is the last event for ranking points towards the 2026 Mosconi Cup and the World Pool Masters. Manila uses the same time zone as Malaysia, so start times need no conversion for fans here.

Who is playing

Spain's David Alcaide is the defending champion. He won the first edition in 2025, beating Arseni Sevastyanov 13-3 in the final. He opens against Rodlin John Bautista of the Philippines.

Singapore's Aloysius Yapp, the world No. 1, plays Raphael Dabreo of the Philippines. Carlo Biado of the Philippines, the two-time reigning world champion, plays American David Keith Dennison.

Players from 23 countries are entered, including 74 Filipinos. Other well-known names in the draw include Francisco Sanchez Ruiz, Fedor Gorst and Shane Van Boening, who have just played in the Reyes Cup. Joshua Filler, ranked fifth in the world, is not in the field.

Albert Januarta of Indonesia and Duong Quoc Hoang of Vietnam also play.

Home favourites

Francisco Bustamante is back in Manila a year after he beat Gorst in a deciding rack at this event. He first faces fellow Filipino Rodrigo Geronimo. If he wins, a last-64 meeting with Yapp is possible.

Other first-round ties include Johann Chua v Tony Piazza and Chezka Centeno v Thorsten Hohmann. Jaybee Sucal plays Sean Mark Malayan, and Sanchez Ruiz plays Genesis Ouano.

Brutal format

The tournament is single elimination from start to finish. There is no second chance after a loss. Matches are race to 10 through the quarter-finals. The semi-finals are race to 11, and the final is race to 13. Both are on Saturday 24 October, over two sessions.

A single-elimination draw of 128 players means seven rounds. The defending champion and the world No. 1 will each need to win seven matches to lift the trophy.

Where to watch

Coverage is on WNT TV, with ONE Sports airing it in the Philippines. A free stream of one table is available on the Matchroom Pool YouTube channel. Check the World Nineball Tour for the full table schedule.

Why it follows the Reyes Cup

The event follows the Reyes Cup, held in Manila from 15 to 18 October. Rest of the World beat Asia 11-4 there. Several of the Reyes Cup players have stayed on for this event.

Key takeaways

• The Philippines Open runs 20-24 October at Gateway Mall in Quezon City.
• It is single elimination, with a race-to-13 final on Saturday.
• World No. 1 Aloysius Yapp of Singapore and champion Carlo Biado are in the field, as is defending champion David Alcaide.
• It is the final ranking event for the Mosconi Cup and World Pool Masters.

FAQ

Q: Who won the Philippines Open last year?

David Alcaide of Spain won the first edition in 2025. He beat Arseni Sevastyanov 13-3 in the final.

Q: How many players are in the field?

There are 128 players from 23 countries, including 74 Filipinos.

Q: How does the tournament work?

It is single elimination. Matches are race to 10 until the quarter-finals, race to 11 in the semi-finals and race to 13 in the final.

Sources: Absolute Pool, AZBilliards, World Nineball Tour