The 2003 field will include top stars in the sport. Efren Reyes, 2002 winner of the INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS, will travel from the Philippines to defend his crown. Earl Strickland, 2002 WPA World 9-Ball Champion and six time World Champion, will represent the USA. Francisco Bustamante, 2002 Sudden Death 7-Ball Champion and UPA Peninsula Champion, will also represent the Philippines. Ralf Souquet, 2002 U.S. Open Champion and winner of the o­nly U.S. stop for the International Billiards Council in 2002, will represent Germany. Chin-Shun Yang, 2002 Chinese Taipei National Champion and multiple international champion, will represent Taiwan. Daryl Peach, 2002 English Champion and winner of 12 United Kingdom events, will represent Great Britain. Nick Van Den Berg, 2002 Holland Champion and Euro Tour Champion, will represent Holland. John Horsfall, 2002 Canadian 9-Ball Champion and Sands Reno Open Champion two years ago, will represent Canada. The Mohegan Sun Casino, the host site, will make the 2003 event ADMISSION FREE to pool fans from around the USA and the world. The event drew such large crowds last year at Mohegan Sun that it was standing-room-only attendance. There will be four playing sessions in the two-day international tournament. O­n Wednesday, August 13, the quarterfinal rounds will be played at 4 PM and 7 PM, with two matches in each session. O­n Thursday, August 14, the two semifinals will be played at 4 PM and the final Championship match will be played at 7 PM. The semifinals and the final match will be taped for airing o­n ESPN in October. The INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS is regarded as the supreme test of skill in professional billiards. The eight players are so evenly matched that any o­ne player could beat the other seven o­n a given day. In addition, the tournament format is the most demanding test of 9-ball skill in the sport. The matches are two sets, a race to five games each set, with a 1-game sudden death tie-breaker in the event of tied sets. The 9 ball does not count o­n the break, and to win a game, the 9 ball is call shot. The caliber of competition is so intense that a single mistake invariably eliminates a player from any chance at the winner-take-all purse of $50,000. In the 2002 Championship match, Efren Reyes and Mika Immonen played a 1-game sudden death for $50,000 and the Champion of Champions title. On the final night, o­ne of the players will claim the Champion of Champions crown and a check for $50,000. The trophy and the check will be presented by the Mohegan Sun, Olhausen Billiards, and Viking Cue. The tournament is also sponsored by Super Aramith Pro Balls, Simonis Cloth, L.E.A.N.I. Slate, Silver Cup Chalk, Mikhail Darafeev Game Room Furniture, and InsidePOOL Magazine.The 2003 tournament will be the thirteenth annual event and has been televised o­n ESPN in each of the last 12 years. Those attending should arrive early for each tournament session. Make plans today to attend the 2003 INTERNATIONAL CHALLENGE OF CHAMPIONS. For information, call the Mohegan Sun toll free at 1-888-226-7711, Ext. 7163.