This tournament is the o­nly non-handicapped national tournament sanctionedby the APA that is open to both members and non-members alike.  Preliminary Rounds for the U.S. Amateur Championship are scheduled for Sept. 20-21.U.S. Amateur Championship participants compete in a double elimination tournament, race-to-7, with a maximum of five games of 8-Ball and eight games of 9-Ball.  o­nce the field is narrowed to the top two competitors, the final match becomes a single elimination race-to-11 with up to 13 games of 9-Ball and eight games of 8-Ball.The APA, based in Lake Saint Louis, Mo., sanctions the world's largest amateur pool league, known as the APA Pool League throughout the UnitedStates, and as the Canadian Pool League in Canada. 

     More than 215,000members compete in weekly 8-Ball and 9­Ball league play.Michelob AmberBock is the official beer of the APA and sponsor of the APA8-Ball League and 8-Ball National Team Championships.  The Diamond SmartTable, Simonis 860 billiard cloth, Super Aramith billiard balls, the SardoTight Rack and the Billiard Club Network (BCn) are also official billiard industry sponsors of the APA and APA National Championships.The APA is generally recognized as the Governing Body of Amateur Pool, having established the official rules, championships, formats and handicap systems for the sport of amateur billiards.  o­ne of the keys to the successof the APA league, administered by local League Operators, is TheEqualizer*, the handicap and scoring system that makes it possible for menand women of different playing abilities-especially beginners-to compete o­nan equal basis, much like they do in golf and bowling.The APA produces three major tournaments each year-the APA National Team Championships, the APA National Singles Championships and the U.S. Amateur Championship-that, together, pay out more than $1 Million in cash and prizes annually!

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