# 2021 Championship League Pool

The 2021 Predator Championship League Pool was the first edition of the nine-ball pool tournament Championship League Pool. The competition was organised and held by Matchroom Pool and took place at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes, England 22–29 March 2021. The tournament was announced to be the first of six major events during 2021.

## Format

Nineteen players took part in the tournament. Seven groups plus one winners' group were played over the course of one day each. The first group consisted of seven players who played each other in a race-to-five match, receiving one point for each win. The top four players of a day played the semi-finals and the final with the winner progressing to the winners' group. The player finishing seventh in the group was eliminated from the competition. The remaining five players progressed to next day's group where they were joined by two new players. The format of the second group was the same as the first group with players moving into the third group and so on. In the seventh group only the winner progressed to the winners' group with all other players being eliminated. The same format applied for the winners' group to determine the champion of the tournament.
The group standings were determined by the following order:
* Most points
* Most racks won
* Fewest racks lost
* Head to head result
The tournament took place over eight days throughout March 2021. One group was played on each day from March 22 to March 29.

## Prize money

The total prize money was $85,950.
Groups 1-7 :
| Place | Prize money |
| Winner | $4,000 |
| Runner-up | $2,000 |
| Semi-finalists (x2) | $1,250 |
| 5th | $900 |
| 6th | $700 |
| 7th | $0 |
Winners' group :
| Place | Prize money |
| Winner | $5,000 |
| Runner-up | $2,500 |
| Semi-finalists (x2) | $2,000 |
| 5th | $1,500 |
| 6th | $1,250 |
| 7th | $1,000 |

## Group stage
### Group 1 - March 22

| Pos. | Player | P | W | L | RW | RL | Pts |
| 1 | Eklent Kaçi (ALB) | 6 | 5 | 1 | 28 | 20 | 5 |
| 2 | Albin Ouschan (AUT) | 6 | 4 | 2 | 27 | 20 | 4 |
| 3 | Niels Feijen (NED) | 6 | 3 | 3 | 26 | 24 | 3 |
| 4 | Chris Melling (ENG) | 6 | 3 | 3 | 23 | 22 | 3 |
| 5 | Ralf Souquet (GER) | 6 | 3 | 3 | 22 | 23 | 3 |
| 6 | Kelly Fisher (ENG) | 6 | 2 | 4 | 22 | 28 | 2 |
| 7 | Chris Robinson (USA) | 6 | 1 | 5 | 17 | 28 | 1 |
| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Eklent Kaçi (ALB) | 1 | | | |
| 4 | Chris Melling (ENG) | 5 | | | |
| 4 | Chris Melling (ENG) | 5 | 4 | Chris Melling (ENG) | 5 |
| | | | 2 | Albin Ouschan (AUT) | 3 |
| 2 | Albin Ouschan (AUT) | 5 | 2 | Albin Ouschan (AUT) | 3 |
| 3 | Niels Feijen (NED) | 2 | | | |

### Group 2 - March 23

| Pos. | Player | P | W | L | RW | RL | Pts |
| 1 | Mieszko Fortuński (POL) | 6 | 5 | 1 | 27 | 13 | 5 |
| 2 | Eklent Kaçi (ALB) | 6 | 4 | 2 | 27 | 15 | 4 |
| 3 | Niels Feijen (NED) | 6 | 4 | 2 | 23 | 21 | 4 |
| 4 | Kelly Fisher (ENG) | 6 | 3 | 3 | 20 | 33 | 3 |
| 5 | David Alcaide (SPA) | 6 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 23 | 3 |
| 6 | Albin Ouschan (AUT) | 6 | 2 | 4 | 18 | 25 | 2 |
| 7 | Ralf Souquet (GER) | 6 | 0 | 6 | 15 | 30 | 0 |
| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Mieszko Fortuński (POL) | 4 | | | |
| 4 | Kelly Fisher (ENG) | 5 | | | |
| 4 | Kelly Fisher (ENG) | 5 | 4 | Kelly Fisher (ENG) | 3 |
| | | | 2 | Eklent Kaçi (ALB) | 5 |
| 2 | Eklent Kaçi (ALB) | 5 | 2 | Eklent Kaçi (ALB) | 5 |
| 3 | Niels Feijen (NED) | 2 | | | |

### Group 3 - March 24

| Pos. | Player | P | W | L | RW | RL | Pts |
| 1 | David Alcaide (SPA) | 6 | 6 | 0 | 30 | 15 | 6 |
| 2 | Niels Feijen (NED) | 6 | 4 | 2 | 25 | 19 | 4 |
| 3 | Albin Ouschan (AUT) | 6 | 3 | 3 | 26 | 20 | 3 |
| 4 | Billy Thorpe (USA) | 6 | 3 | 3 | 22 | 26 | 3 |
| 5 | Mieszko Fortuński (POL) | 6 | 2 | 4 | 20 | 25 | 2 |
| 6 | Kelly Fisher (ENG) | 6 | 2 | 4 | 15 | 26 | 2 |
| 7 | Darren Appleton (ENG) | 6 | 1 | 5 | 17 | 25 | 1 |
| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | David Alcaide (SPA) | 5 | | | |
| 4 | Billy Thorpe (USA) | 4 | | | |
| 4 | Billy Thorpe (USA) | 4 | 1 | David Alcaide (SPA) | 5 |
| | | | 2 | Niels Feijen (NED) | 2 |
| 2 | Niels Feijen (NED) | 5 | 2 | Niels Feijen (NED) | 2 |
| 3 | Albin Ouschan (AUT) | 2 | | | |

### Group 4 - March 25

| Pos. | Player | P | W | L | RW | RL | Pts |
| 1 | Albin Ouschan (AUT) | 6 | 5 | 1 | 27 | 13 | 5 |
| 2 | Niels Feijen (NED) | 6 | 5 | 1 | 26 | 16 | 5 |
| 3 | Naoyuki Ōi (JPN) | 6 | 4 | 2 | 23 | 14 | 4 |
| 4 | Mieszko Fortuński (POL) | 6 | 3 | 3 | 19 | 19 | 3 |
| 5 | Kristina Tkach (RUS) | 6 | 2 | 4 | 16 | 26 | 2 |
| 6 | Billy Thorpe (USA) | 6 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 24 | 2 |
| 7 | Kelly Fisher (ENG) | 6 | 0 | 6 | 16 | 30 | 0 |
| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Albin Ouschan (AUT) | 5 | | | |
| 4 | Mieszko Fortuński (POL) | 1 | | | |
| 4 | Mieszko Fortuński (POL) | 1 | 1 | Albin Ouschan (AUT) | 0 |
| | | | 2 | Niels Feijen (NED) | 5 |
| 2 | Niels Feijen (NED) | 5 | 2 | Niels Feijen (NED) | 5 |
| 3 | Naoyuki Ōi (JPN) | 1 | | | |

### Group 5 - March 26

| Pos. | Player | P | W | L | RW | RL | Pts |
| 1 | Albin Ouschan (AUT) | 6 | 5 | 1 | 27 | 15 | 5 |
| 2 | Roberto Gomez (PHI) | 6 | 5 | 1 | 27 | 20 | 5 |
| 3 | Billy Thorpe (USA) | 6 | 3 | 3 | 23 | 19 | 3 |
| 4 | Naoyuki Ōi (JPN) | 6 | 3 | 3 | 23 | 25 | 3 |
| 5 | Mieszko Fortuński (POL) | 6 | 2 | 4 | 22 | 25 | 2 |
| 6 | Marc Bijsterbosch (NED) | 6 | 2 | 4 | 20 | 25 | 2 |
| 7 | Kristina Tkach (RUS) | 6 | 0 | 6 | 16 | 29 | 0 |
| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Albin Ouschan (AUT) | 4 | | | |
| 4 | Naoyuki Ōi (JPN) | 5 | | | |
| 4 | Naoyuki Ōi (JPN) | 5 | 4 | Naoyuki Ōi (JPN) | 5 |
| | | | 2 | Roberto Gomez (PHI) | 4 |
| 2 | Roberto Gomez (PHI) | 5 | 2 | Roberto Gomez (PHI) | 4 |
| 3 | Billy Thorpe (USA) | 4 | | | |

### Group 6 - March 27

| Pos. | Player | P | W | L | RW | RL | Pts |
| 1 | Alexander Kazakis (GRE) | 6 | 4 | 2 | 25 | 13 | 4 |
| 2 | Albin Ouschan (AUT) | 6 | 4 | 2 | 25 | 15 | 4 |
| 3 | Billy Thorpe (USA) | 6 | 4 | 2 | 25 | 24 | 4 |
| 4 | Marc Bijsterbosch (NED) | 6 | 3 | 3 | 22 | 26 | 3 |
| 5 | Casper Matikainen (FIN) | 6 | 3 | 3 | 20 | 20 | 3 |
| 6 | Mieszko Fortuński (POL) | 6 | 2 | 4 | 21 | 26 | 2 |
| 7 | Roberto Gomez (PHI) | 6 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 28 | 1 |
| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Alexander Kazakis (GRE) | 5 | | | |
| 4 | Marc Bijsterbosch (NED) | 1 | | | |
| 4 | Marc Bijsterbosch (NED) | 1 | 1 | Alexander Kazakis (GRE) | 0 |
| | | | 2 | Albin Ouschan (AUT) | 5 |
| 2 | Albin Ouschan (AUT) | 5 | 2 | Albin Ouschan (AUT) | 5 |
| 3 | Billy Thorpe (USA) | 2 | | | |

### Group 7 - March 28

| Pos. | Player | P | W | L | RW | RL | Pts |
| 1 | Denis Grabe (EST) | 6 | 5 | 1 | 29 | 18 | 5 |
| 2 | Alexander Kazakis (GRE) | 6 | 4 | 2 | 25 | 18 | 4 |
| 3 | Mieszko Fortuński (POL) | 6 | 4 | 2 | 25 | 22 | 4 |
| 4 | Marc Bijsterbosch (NED) | 6 | 3 | 3 | 25 | 26 | 3 |
| 5 | Billy Thorpe (USA) | 6 | 2 | 4 | 22 | 26 | 2 |
| 6 | Jasmin Ouschan (AUT) | 6 | 2 | 4 | 17 | 26 | 2 |
| 7 | Casper Matikainen (FIN) | 6 | 1 | 5 | 21 | 28 | 1 |
| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Denis Grabe (EST) | 3 | | | |
| 4 | Marc Bijsterbosch (NED) | 5 | | | |
| 4 | Marc Bijsterbosch (NED) | 5 | 4 | Marc Bijsterbosch (NED) | 5 |
| | | | 3 | Mieszko Fortuński (POL) | 3 |
| 2 | Alexander Kazakis (GRE) | 0 | 3 | Mieszko Fortuński (POL) | 3 |
| 3 | Mieszko Fortuński (POL) | 5 | | | |

## Winners' Group - March 29

| Pos. | Player | P | W | L | RW | RL | Pts |
| 1 | Eklent Kaçi (ALB) | 6 | 5 | 1 | 28 | 15 | 5 |
| 2 | Chris Melling (ENG) | 6 | 4 | 2 | 22 | 24 | 4 |
| 3 | David Alcaide (SPA) | 6 | 3 | 3 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
| 4 | Albin Ouschan (AUT) | 6 | 3 | 3 | 24 | 21 | 3 |
| 5 | Naoyuki Ōi (JPN) | 6 | 3 | 3 | 24 | 25 | 3 |
| 6 | Marc Bijsterbosch (NED) | 6 | 2 | 4 | 17 | 24 | 2 |
| 7 | Niels Feijen (NED) | 6 | 1 | 5 | 21 | 27 | 1 |
| Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final | Final |
| 1 | Eklent Kaçi (ALB) | 2 | | | |
| 4 | Albin Ouschan (AUT) | 5 | | | |
| 4 | Albin Ouschan (AUT) | 5 | 4 | Albin Ouschan (AUT) | 5 |
| | | | 3 | David Alcaide (SPA) | 1 |
| 2 | Chris Melling (ENG) | 2 | 3 | David Alcaide (SPA) | 1 |
| 3 | David Alcaide (SPA) | 5 | | | |
By winning the Winner's group final, Albin Ouschan became the inaugural champion of the Championship League Pool. and also topped the prize money ranking by earning a total of $16,200

## Broadcasting

All groups of the tournament were available worldwide via the following broadcasters:
| Country | Channel |
| United Kingdom Ireland | Freesports (Table 1) Matchroom Sport (Table 2) |
| United States Canada Brazil Germany Austria Switzerland Spain Italy Japan | DAZN |
| Rest of the World | Matchroom Sport |