The 2023 Ultimate Pool Women’s Series will feature ten events at five long weekends throughout the year – five ‘main’ events and five plate events. There will be a maximum of 84 players per event.
Women’s Series events initially feature a round robin phase of 21 groups of four players. Matches in the round robin phase and the knockout rounds of the ‘main’ event are the first to five frames.
The top two from each group will go into the ‘main’ event knockout phase, while the third placed player from each group will go into the plate event. Matches in the plate event are the first to four frames.
However, any matches that are played on the main arena tables will have a match-clock.
New for 2023, losers in the preliminary knockout round of the ‘main’ event will then go into the plate event.
Players who finish fourth in the group are eliminated from both the ‘main’ and plate event (unless they are the best fourth placed player who goes into the plate – please see below).
The Golden Break and Golden Duck rules are not in operation during this year’s Series.
The draws and schedules for each Series weekend will be released on the Live Scoring page around a fortnight before the event begins.
Dates
All Women’s Series events in 2023 will take place at the Grand Hotel in Blackpool
There are five weekend stops; events run from Fridays to Sundays. The dates are:
- Events 1 | January 20-22
- Events 2 | March 24-26
- Events 3 | June 16-18
- Events 4 | September 15-17
- Events 5 | November 17-19
Prize Money
The 2023 Ultimate Pool Women’s Series has a total prize fund of £53,000. The prize money breakdown for each event is as follows:
Women’s Series Events (Main):
- Winner: £2,000
- Runner-Up: £1,000
- Semi-Finalist: £600
- Quarter-Finalist: £300
- Last 16: £200
- Last 32: £100
- Preliminary KO Round: £50
Women’s Series Plate Events:
- Winner: £400
- Runner-Up: £250
- Semi-Finalist: £125
- Quarter-Finalist: £75
- Last 16: £50
Coverage
The latter rounds of Women’s Series events – where possible – will be played on the main arena tables and shown on ultimatepool.tv and the Ultimate Pool App. If you’re not already a subscriber, you can subscribe here.
Ranking Points Distribution and Rules
2023 Women’s Series Events (Main):
- Winner: 5,000
- Runner-Up: 3,000
- Semi-Finalist: 2,000
- Quarter-Finalist: 1,500
- Last 16: 1,000
- Last 32: 500
2023 Women’s Series Plate Events:
- Winner: 450
- Runner-Up: 300
- Semi-Finalist: 200
- Quarter-Finalist: 150
- Last 16: 100
- Last 32: 50
The top ranked player at the end of the season that doesn't have an Ultimate Pool professional tour card for 2024 will be offered the opportunity to be a professional for the 2024 season. Women professionals are eligible to play on both the professional circuit and the Women's Series within the same season.
For any matches that involve a bye/withdrawal, the ‘beneficiaries’ will earn full prize money, ranking points and frames on offer.
Players have to attend the tournament and complete their matches (unless otherwise authorised by a UPG official) in order gain ranking points.
Players Tied on Points
A) If players are level on the same number of points, positions are determined by whoever won the most points in any single event during the season.
B) If positions can’t be decided by (A) the countback method will be applied.
.1 This means positions will be decided by how many points were earned during the most recent weekend on this season’s Women’s Series.
.2 Should this still not separate players, you continue this process looking at the most recent Women’s Series weekend working backwards throughout the season until players can be separated.
C) If players have an exactly identical ranking points record throughout the entire season, positions will be decided by whoever won the greatest number of frames in their losing match at the most recent Women’s Series weekend.
.1 Should this still not separate players, you continue this process looking at the most recent Women’s Series weekend working backwards throughout the season until players can be separated.
D) In the event that players still can’t be separated, the players involved may have to contest a playoff – the details of which would be decided by the Ultimate Pool Group.
Should an issue arise that is not covered above, the decision of the Ultimate Pool Group will be final.
The Ultimate Pool Group has the right to alter the above in exceptional circumstances.
Seedings and How Qualification Works
There is a new seeding and knockout rounds qualification system for Women’s Series events in 2023.
The first event, the 21 seeds will be determined from the 2022 rankings, the rest will fall in those groups at random.
From event two, the group seeds will be determined from the 2023 rankings and again the rest will fall in at random.
These 21 seeded players will go into corresponding numbered groups from 1-21 (top seed will be in Group 1, number 21 seed will be in Group 21).
The top placed player from each group following the completion of all round robin matches will go straight into the last 32 of the knockouts (avoiding the preliminary round).
The knockout round bracket for the ‘main’ event is below. This has been created in such a way that if the seeded players win their groups, the very top ranked seeded players will avoid each other until the latter rounds.
- Group 1 Winner v
- Group 17 Winner v Group 16 Winner
- Group 9 Winner v
- v Group 8 Winner
- Group 5 Winner v
- Group 21 Winner v Group 12 Winner
- Group 13 Winner v Group 20 Winner
- v Group 4 Winner
- Group 3 Winner v
- Group 19 Winner v Group 14 Winner
- Group 11 Winner v
- v Group 6 Winner
- Group 7 Winner v
- v Group 10 Winner
- Group 15 Winner v Group 18 Winner
- v Group 2 Winner
For the qualified players that finish second in a group, 20 will contest the preliminary round of the ‘main’ event. Losers of this round will then move into the last 32 of the plate event.
One qualified played that finished second in a group will go straight into the last 32 of the ‘main’ event. In 2022 this was selected at random, but for 2023 this will be awarded to the best second placed player. In event one the place will be decided by whoever finished higher in the 2022 rankings. For events 2 to 5, the place will be decided by whoever is ranked higher on the current 2023 Women's Series rankings. If any players are tied on ranking points relating to issues in this paragraph, a 6-red shootout will be played to determine position.
Players that finish third in a group will qualify for the last 32 of the plate event where they will be joined by the preliminary round losers from the main event and the best fourth placed player from the groups. In event one the place will be decided by whoever finished higher in the 2022 rankings. For events 2 to 5, the place will be decided by whoever is ranked higher on the current 2023 Women's Series rankings. If any players are tied on ranking points relating to issues in this paragraph, a 6-red shootout will be played to determine position.
The remaining fourth placed finishers are eliminated from both events.
Terms and Conditions for Players
As well as the Ultimate Pool Group's Standard Terms and Conditions that all entrants must abide by, there are additional rules:
It is mandatory for all players competing on the 2023 Ultimate Pool Women’s Series to stay at least two nights (Friday and Saturday) at the Grand Hotel in Blackpool.
You must book and pay for your accommodation in full at least three weeks prior to a Series weekend. Failure to do so will mean you will not be included in the draw; you could be replaced in the event(s) and you won't be eligible for any refund of entry fees.
For all accommodation enquiries, please contact Neil Toms (Head of Tournament Operations) on 07811 111855 or via email on neil.toms@ultimatepoolgroup.com
How to Enter
Please contact Tournament Director Neil Toms on 07811 111855 or neil.toms@ultimatepoolgroup.com
