KARACHI, Sept 11: Sultan Al Joker, caretaker of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Billiard and Snooker Association, has approached Ali Asghar Valika , president PBSA and Saarc Billiard and Snooker Federation, to help him arrange the Dubai Triangular Snooker Series which is to be played between the host nation UAE, Pakistan and India in Dubai sometime in December.

UAE had hosted a seven team snooker series in Dubai consisting of Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Egypt, UAE "A" and UAE "B", a tournament that was played every year. But two years ago this tournament was discontinued.

Sultan plans to hold a three nation tournament held on the same format as the Peace Cup played between Pakistan and India.

The duration of the tournament will last for three days from Dec 14 to 16thand each team will comprise five players with a total of 15 frames to be contested for.

Two doubles each will earn one point apiece for the winner whilst the four singles will consist of one point each for the winner. Added to this will be a Lucky Seven singles with the winner gathering seven points.

One point will be awarded for each frame won, except for the Lucky Seven, where the winner will be awarded two points. There will be one bonus point for a break of 50 and over two for a cueist chalking up a break of 100 and above.

At the time of each match the team captains will be given an entry card to be filled as per the format mentioned therein. The referee will then announce the names of the players and their respective opponents as per the sequence indicated in the entry cards of the two teams.

The total number of points earned by each team per match will be accumulated.

The team with the highest points at the end of the Round Robin will be declared as the winning team.

The match schedule is as follows:

Tuesday Dec 14: Pakistan v/s UAE

Wednesday Dec 15: India v/s UAE.

Thursday Dec 16: Pakistan v/s India.

After this the World champions begins in the Netherlands on Dec 19th then after the World Championship, Pakistan will take on China and Thailand in a three-nation triangular series.

Pakistan is scheduled to host the 2005 World Championship and if the many foreign cueists participating in this tournament refuse to play in Karachi due to security reasons, the championship will then be shifted to Islamabad which will cost the PBSA more money, shifting the many tables and accessories along with markers, referees etc to the Capital.

Ashgar said that the Arabian Country Club is interested to hold the Top Eight champions league, with each player contesting against each other in the best of four frames.

He added that all the frames will have to be played, as points will be awarded for each frame won. The player with the most accumulated points will be declared the winner.

This tournament promises to be the richest snooker tournament to be held to date and will be played sometime next year.