The four-day event starts festivities today with the annual charity event for the Boys and Girls Club.  A spokesman said the event raises anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars for the charity.

After Wednesday night’s player’s meeting, a six-man pro ring game will be held at 11 p.m.  Competitors will each put up $1,500 in the winner-take-all 10-ball event.

This year’s first place prize will pay upwards of $10,000, and the winner will be crowned o­n Sunday.

The 2003 Atlanta Open concluded dramatically, as Archer dropped his first match o­n the second day and then battled back from the o­ne-loss side to beat Parica in the finals.  With the best players in the world competing, this year’s tournament should be just as thrilling.

Visit InsidePOOL for the latest news from the UPA Atlanta Open.