FAMAGUSTA - The European billiard federation had concreted the new plans, which were launched in June at the congress in Famagusta, Cyprus.l That means for the next years that the tournaments under the European flag will been played according to the new rules. The main change is that the matches will be played to forty instead of fifty caroms.
Additionally, there will be a system with time-clocks of forty seconds and two time-outs per match. The preliminaries will be played to 30 caroms in the pre qualification even to 25 points. The project has been accepted by 54 votes. The UMB (world federation) has given his permission to the new system.
Starting the season 2012/2013, the European championships in all disciplines will been organized every two years. The first tournament will be held in Brandenburg. For the next years, other organizations are welcome. In the intervening years the CEB has created opportunities for organizing Grand Prix tournaments. The federations have pledged a financial contribution to the European championship.
CEB chairman Wolfgang Rittman told the congress in Famagusta in june that the new rules in competion will be needed to guarantee a future for billiards, because it's hard to find organizers for the tournaments. For example, the European championship this year could only be played with the help of the organizer FC Porto. Rittman has also announced that the playing format of artistic billiards tournaments must be more attractive to the public.