09/04/2026
🎱 FLAMING ACES DISTILLERY
2026 9-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES
ROAD TO THE DECEMBER CHAMPIONSHIP
WEEKLY TOURNAMENT
Opening Night: Monday, September 14, 2026
Start Time: 6:00 PM
Location: Flaming Aces Distillery
Tournament Size: Maximum 8 Players
Entry Fee: FREE
Format: Single-Elimination 9-Ball
Weekly tournaments will continue every Monday through November 30, 2026.
The Top 8 players in season points will qualify for the Flaming Aces 9-Ball Championship.
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IMPORTANT TOURNAMENT POLICY
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY
Participation in the Flaming Aces 9-Ball Championship Series is completely free.
Players are NOT required to:
* Pay an entry fee
* Pay a membership fee
* Purchase food
* Purchase alcoholic beverages
* Purchase merchandise
* Make a donation
* Pay into a prize pool
Purchasing anything from Flaming Aces Distillery does not provide additional tournament entries, points, advantages, or chances to qualify.
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NO GAMBLING OR WAGERING
Gambling associated with the tournament is prohibited.
Players and spectators may not wager:
* Money
* Drinks
* Merchandise
* Gift cards
* Bar tabs
* Services
* Property
* Anything else of value
There will be:
* No tournament buy-in
* No side pots
* No Calcutta or player auction
* No winner-take-all pool
* No re-buys
* No betting on individual matches
* No spectator betting
Flaming Aces Distillery will not hold, collect, distribute, or facilitate wagers between players or spectators.
Anyone attempting to organize wagering connected with the tournament may be removed from the tournament.
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PRIZES
Weekly tournament prizes will be provided by Flaming Aces Distillery and/or tournament sponsors and will NOT be funded by player entry fees or purchases.
Alcoholic beverages will NOT be awarded as tournament prizes.
Weekly Champion
🏆 Weekly Champion recognition/trophy
🎱 10 Championship Points
Runner-Up
🎱 7 Championship Points
Semifinalists
🎱 5 Championship Points each
Quarterfinalists
🎱 2 Championship Points each
Championship points have no cash value and cannot be sold, transferred, redeemed, or exchanged for merchandise, alcohol, food, cash, or credit.
Their only purpose is determining qualification and seeding for the December Championship.
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WEEKLY REGISTRATION
Registration is limited to 8 players.
Registration will be handled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Players must check in before tournament play begins.
Tournament play begins at:
6:00 PM SHARP
Players who are not present when their match is called may forfeit their match at the discretion of the Tournament Director.
There is no charge to register.
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WEEKLY MATCH FORMAT
Quarterfinals
Race to 3
Semifinals
Race to 3
Weekly Championship
Race to 5
The Tournament Director may adjust race length before tournament play begins if necessary because of time constraints.
Once a match begins, the announced race length will not be changed.
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BRACKET
Weekly brackets will be determined by random draw.
Players will not receive preferential weekly bracket positions based upon season points.
The random weekly draw keeps every tournament fresh while the season standings reward consistent performance.
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BASIC 9-BALL RULES
Balls 1 through 9 will be used.
The cue ball must first contact the lowest-numbered object ball remaining on the table.
Balls do not have to be pocketed in numerical order.
A legally pocketed 9-ball wins the rack except as otherwise specified for the break.
Combination shots are permitted.
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THE BREAK
The first break of each match will be determined by a coin flip or lag.
Breaks will alternate thereafter.
For a legal break:
* The cue ball must strike the 1-ball first; and
* At least one object ball must be pocketed OR at least four object balls must contact a rail.
9-Ball on the Break
If the 9-ball is pocketed on the break, the 9-ball will be spotted and play will continue.
The rack is not automatically won by making the 9-ball on the break.
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FOULS
A foul results in ball-in-hand anywhere on the table for the incoming player.
Fouls include:
* Scratching
* Hitting the wrong object ball first
* Failing to drive a ball to a rail after contact when no ball is pocketed
* Cue ball leaving the table
* Shooting while balls are still moving
* Double hits
* Push shots
* Illegally touching or moving balls
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THREE-FOUL RULE
Three consecutive fouls by the same player during the same rack results in loss of that rack.
The player must be warned after committing the second consecutive foul for the three-foul penalty to apply.
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SPORTSMANSHIP
Flaming Aces tournaments are intended to be competitive, friendly, and enjoyable.
Players must:
* Respect opponents
* Respect tournament officials
* Respect Flaming Aces staff
* Respect the pool table and equipment
* Avoid deliberately distracting opponents
* Avoid sharking or intimidating opponents
* Keep matches moving
* Follow all Flaming Aces house rules
Unsportsmanlike conduct may result in:
1. Warning
2. Loss of rack
3. Loss of match
4. Removal from the tournament
5. Removal from future Flaming Aces tournaments
The Tournament Director has final authority over tournament rulings.
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2026 REGULAR-SEASON SCHEDULE
September
Monday, September 14 — Week 1
Monday, September 21 — Week 2
Monday, September 28 — Week 3
October
Monday, October 5 — Week 4
Monday, October 12 — Week 5
Monday, October 19 — Week 6
Monday, October 26 — Week 7
November
Monday, November 2 — Week 8
Monday, November 9 — Week 9
Monday, November 16 — Week 10
Monday, November 23 — Week 11
Monday, November 30 — Week 12
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SEASON STANDINGS
Flaming Aces will maintain an official season leaderboard showing:
* Player
* Tournaments Played
* Weekly Championships
* Runner-Up Finishes
* Semifinal Finishes
* Season Points
* Current Ranking
Points accumulate throughout the 12-week regular season.
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DECEMBER CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFICATION
After the November 30 tournament, the eight players with the most Championship Points will qualify for the:
🏆 FLAMING ACES 9-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP
Monday, December 7, 2026
6:00 PM
There is NO entry fee for the Championship.
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CHAMPIONSHIP SEEDING
Unlike the weekly tournaments, the Championship will be seeded according to final regular-season standings.
Quarterfinals
#1 vs #8
#4 vs #5
#3 vs #6
#2 vs #7
This rewards players for their performance throughout the season.
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CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH FORMAT
Quarterfinals
Race to 4
Semifinals
Race to 5
Championship Match
Race to 7
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SEASON TIEBREAKERS
If two or more players finish with the same number of Championship Points, ties will be decided in this order:
1. Most Weekly Championships
2. Most Runner-Up Finishes
3. Most Semifinal Finishes
4. Head-to-Head Record
5. One-Rack Playoff, if necessary
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CHAMPIONSHIP PRIZE
The Championship winner will receive the official:
🏆 FLAMING ACES 2026 9-BALL CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY
Any additional championship prizes announced by Flaming Aces or an approved sponsor will be predetermined, will not be based upon entry fees or player purchases, and will not include alcoholic beverages.
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TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR
The Tournament Director is responsible for:
* Registration
* Bracket draw
* Recording results
* Maintaining season standings
* Resolving rules disputes
* Enforcing the no-wagering policy
* Enforcing sportsmanship standards
The Tournament Director’s ruling on tournament matters is final.
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FLAMING ACES TOURNAMENT PRINCIPLE
FREE TO PLAY.
NO WAGERING.
PLAY FOR THE TITLE.
Win matches.
Earn points.
Climb the standings.
Finish in the Top 8.
And earn your shot at becoming the:
🏆 2026 FLAMING ACES 9-BALL CHAMPION 🏆
