10–13 June 2027 ● Norbreck Castle Hotel, Blackpool

The Novice
Series

Created for true grassroots novice players. No County A players, no professionals, no internationals, no high-ranking amateurs and no big-money winners — just teams of similar ability enjoying a proper weekend of pool..

What's included

Wristbands

Prize fund

Schedule

The Novice
Series

160

Team places

^£225

Entry per team

^£20,000+

Cash & trophies

Sam Atlantic tables

The Novice Series is a 3-player team event created for true grassroots novice players, giving teams the full Golden 8 Ball experience — the arena, the atmosphere, the trophies and the excitement of a big event — without having to compete against the game’s top-level players.

The unique Golden 8 Ball format sees teams progress into Gold, Silver, Bronze or Wooden Spoon competitions, so as the weekend develops you naturally find yourselves playing against teams of a similar ability, making competitive pool much more fun to play.

The Team Trophy, Open Singles, Open Doubles, Flyers and a Junior singles events, run throughout the weekend, all played to Blackball rules.

Places are always in high demand, so register early to avoid missing out; if we reach capacity, a waiting list will operate and places can become available as teams drop out.

ℹ️ Important announcement

Norbreck arena costs & new accommodation system

Read why the arena now costs more to hire, and how all hotel bookings are handled from now on.

Read the announcement ●

✓ Pool for all

Our ethos is ‘Pool for All’. We want the Golden 8 Ball to appeal to players of all skill levels and ability. The Novice Series is where most first-timers start.

Fills fast

160 teams. First come, first served.

Full? Join the waiting list

The Novice Series is a 3-player team event created so less experienced players get the full Golden 8 Ball weekend. The arena, the atmosphere, the trophies. Against teams of a similar standard. Team, singles and doubles events run across the weekend, played to Blackball rules.

This event is popular folks. Please register early to avoid disappointment. If we reach capacity, a waiting list runs and places usually become available.

Fills fast

160 teams. First come, first served.

Full? Join the waiting list

ℹ️ Important announcement

Norbreck arena costs & new accommodation system

Read why the arena now costs more to hire, and how all hotel bookings are handled from now on.

Read the announcement ●

✓ Pool for all

Our ethos is ‘Pool for All’. We want the Golden 8 Ball to appeal to players of all skill levels and ability. The Novice Series is where most first-timers start.

The Novice weekend

A player breaking off in front of the Golden 8 Ball boards

● Racked up and ready

● Teams of similar ability

● Referees on every stage

What to expeCt

THE GOLDEN 8 BALL NOViCE EXPERIEncE

four days of pool ● one UNFORGETTABLE WEEKEND

01 ● The rules

Played to Blackball rules

02 ● The balls

Super Aramith Pro

03 ● The cloth

Hainsworth Precision

04 ● The arena

42 Sam Atlantic tables

05 ● The field

160 teams at max capacity

06 ● The guarantee

PLAY Min 37 frames in the team stage

07 ● The squad

3–6 players per team

08 ● The results

livepoolscores.com live results, schedule & draw

09 ● The prize fund

£ 20,000+

In cash prizes & trophies

One band, all weekend

Wristbands & spectators

Everyone in the arena wears a wristband, players and spectators alike, and it must be worn at all times, including playing in flyers. All spectator wristband money is donated to charity.

⁠●⁠ Player ⁠●⁠ Player ⁠●⁠ Player ⁠●⁠

Player

^£80

Novice weekend

Arena access for the full weekend

Covers every event you enter

Required to play, worn at all times

⁠●⁠ Both weekends ⁠●⁠ Both weekends ⁠●⁠

Both weekends

^£140

player upgrade

One band for both Novice and Pro-Am weekends

The pick for teams entering both series

New band issued for each event

⁠●⁠ Spectator ⁠●⁠ Spectator ⁠●⁠

Spectator

^£20

whole festival

Covers both weekends, or £10 for a day band

Evening sessions and presentations

All spectator money goes to our nominated charity

ℹ️ Book the Golden 8 Ball Accommodation Package at the Norbreck and the relevant wristbands are included free.

Strictly no band, no entry or play

Players attempting to play in any main event without the appropriate wristband risk being disqualified from the tournament. Both players and spectators require wristbands to gain entry to the event on Friday and Saturday.

Guaranteed cash prizes & trophies

Prize fund

Over £20,000 in cash prizes and trophies was paid out across 200 individual prizes at the 2026 weekend, giving far more players the chance to win something. All prizes are paid during the event, with prizes over £150 paid by bank transfer.

Tap an event for the breakdown

Gold 8 Ball

Team

^£5,940*

Last 32 + prelim losers

Team ● Last 32 + prelim losers

Gold 8 Ball

^£5,850*

⌄

Golden 8 Ball Champs

^£600 + trophies

Runners up

^£300 + trophies

Semi finalists

^£240 each

Last 8

^£180 each

Last 16

^£150 each

Last 32

^£120 each

Losers of prelim round

^£90 each

Silver 8 Ball

Team

^£1,260

Paid down to the last 8

Team ● Last 8

Silver 8 Ball

^£1,260

⌄

Silver 8 Ball Winners

^£300 + trophies

Runners up

^£180 + trophies

Semi finalists

^£150 each

Last 8

^£120 each

Bronze 8 Ball

Team

^£990

Paid down to the last 8

Team ● Last 8

Bronze 8 Ball

^£990

⌄

Bronze 8 Ball Winners

^£240 + trophies

Runners up

^£150 + trophies

Semi finalists

^£120 each

Last 8

^£90 each

Wooden Spoon

Team

^£480

Paid down to the semi-finals

Team ● Semi-finals

Wooden Spoon

^£480

⌄

Wooden Spoon Winners

^£180 + trophies

Runners up

^£120 + trophies

Semi finalists

^£90 each

Open Singles

Singles

^£6,350*

Last 64 + prelim losers

Singles ● Last 64 + prelim losers

Open Singles

^£6,350*

⌄

Singles Champion

^£500 + trophy

Runner up

^£250 + trophy

Semi finalists

^£120 each

Last 8

^£100 each

Last 16

^£80 each

Last 32

^£60 each

Last 64

^£50 each

Losers of prelim round

^£40 each

Open Doubles

Per pair

^£3,860

Paid down to the last 32

Per pair ● Last 32

Open Doubles

^£3,860

⌄

Doubles Champions

^£600 + trophies

Runners up

^£300 + trophies

Semi finalists

^£200 per pair

Last 8

^£120 per pair

Last 16

^£100 per pair

Last 32

^£80 per pair

ℹ️ Payout

*Gold and Open Singles pots are calculated on 2026 prelim-round numbers (8 teams, 44 players) and vary with the number of entries. Main prize payout commences at 11:00am on Sunday; lower open singles and doubles prizes may be paid on Saturday evening. Unclaimed prizes are donated to the nominated charity of the weekend.

Order of play

Schedule

Arena opens Thursday at 10am for practice. Schedule is subject to change; any changes will be announced during the tournament.

Thursday 10 June

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