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THE HEARTLAND ASSOCIATION

The Heartland Association was formed in 2002 by a group of vendors including Top Score Games of Columbus, GI Music of Grand Island, now Mid Nebraska Coin, and Taylor Amusements in Lincoln. One of the biggest goals was to make the Heartland Association open to pool players from all over the state of Nebraska. The Heartland Association held its first pool tournament at Madsen’s (Lincoln) in 2002. There were about 25 teams that competed in two divisions. The singles competition had about 50 players. After seven years of growth the 2009 tournament was held in January at the New World Inn in Columbus. At the 2009 Heartland Tournament there were 80 teams in the Open division,24 teams in the Intermediate division and 20 teams in the second chance division.The second chance division was for teams that lost two out of there first three matches.There were 273 players that competed in the Open, Intermediade, Masters and Womens singles divisions. Pool teams from the towns of Brainard, Bellwood, Columbus, David City, Duncan, Garrison, Grand Island, Gresham, Hadar, Hastings, Linwood, Nebraska City, Norfolk, Omaha, Osceola, Platte Center, Rising City, Schuyler, Seward, and Shelby were represented. Check out the 2009 Heartland Tournament pay-outs.
Every player that participates Heartland Tournament has an individual player rating that is determined by a committee of knowledgeable players from each individual league based on league play and tournament money won. The ratings are overseen by two master players Keith Stewart and Jerry Siefken who have over 40 years of tournament experience combined. What the ratings create are a great amount of parity in the singles and teams. To play in the Heartland Association you must be a Nebraska resident. By limiting the membership to Nebraska residents only it is much easier to rate players. There are three levels of ratings. “Master”, “Intermediate” (A) and “Open” (B & C players). Intermediate teams may have only (1) Master on the team and Open teams may have only (1) Intermediate player and no Master’s on the team. There are only 4 players on a team in both divisions. All tournament matches are played on open valley bar tables with granito cloth and red circle cue balls. There are no green fees charged for the tournament and all sanction money is added back to the tournament. Due to the number of “Master” players in the Heartland Association and not being able to field a competitive division at this time there will be no “Master’s” team division at the 2010 Heartland Tournament. All leagues and associations rank their Master players based on different criteria. The Heartland chooses to rate its Master’s on known ability and individual money won in all tournaments, not just Heartland events. There will be a Heartland Master’s list posted on the web site in the near future. The Heartland Master’s singles will be open to any player from Nebraska. There will be a $30.00 entry fee for sanctioned master players and a $60.00 entry fee for any non-sanctioned player wanting to play in the master singles division. The Master’s singles will have a guaranteed $800.00 first place. In the Intermediate team division each player will play their opponent 2 games each every time at the table and they will take turns breaking. Teams will play all matches on 2 tables. This format makes it easier to get in stroke and a chance to get back at your opponent if they win the first game. With this format you are usually only waiting 15-20 minutes before you are back to the table playing 2 more games. Plus the fact that all players play a total of 8 games each for a total of 32 games in the match. In the Open division all matches consisted of 16 games per match with each player playing their opponent 1 game each. VNEA 10 point scoring is used and total points win the match in both the divisions. The Intermediate and Open divisions are both drawn up in bracket form.We are presently talking to leagues from Beatrice, Fremont, Kearney, Norfolk, HWY-91 league which includes: Clarkson, Creston, Humphrey, Leigh, Lindsay, Newman Grove, and St. Bend to make the heartland association even more of a true Nebraska state pool tournament.

THE HEARTLAND ASSOCIATION AND TOURNAMENT INVITES YOU TO SEE FOR YOURSELF WHY WE ARE THE FASTEST GROWING BILLIARD ASSOCIATION IN NEBRASKA WORKING WITH VENDOR AND INDEPENDENT LEAGUES.

WHY THE HEARTLAND POOL TOURNAMENT IS THE BEST
POOL TOURNAMENT IN NEBRASKA ARE LISTED BELOW:

* FREE TABLE PLAY - NO GREENS FEES
* TOURNAMENT WITH ON SITE ROOMS (NEW WORLD INN,COLUMBUS,NE)
* SECOND CHANCE TOURNAMENT FOR OPEN TEAMS
* TRUE INDIVIDUAL PLAYER RATINGS
* 32 GAME FORMAT IN THE INTERMEDIATE DIVISION
* GRANITO CLOTH ON 60 VALLEY BAR TABLES
* RED CIRCLE CUE BALLS

* ALL SANCTION FEES ADDED BACK TO THE TOURNAMENT
* 2008 TOTAL MONEY PAID BACK: ................$15,445
* 2008 TOTAL ENTRIES PAID IN:......................$11,475
* 2008 TOTAL ADDED MONEY:.........................$ 3,970

* 2009 TOTAL MONEY PAID BACK: ................$20,290
* 2009 TOTAL ENTRIES PAID IN:......................$15,625
* 2009 TOTAL ADDED MONEY:.........................$ 4,665

For more information about the Heartland Association and how to become a member please call JD at Top Score Games (402-562-7900) in Columbus, Keith Stewart (308-383-3140) in Grand Island or Jerry Siefken (402-525-8843) in Lincoln. Also check the web site www.heartlandtournament.com for results of the 2008 Heartland Tournament and more info.

VNEA International Juniors Championships
VNEA International Championships