Pakistan's fourth ranking snooker cup begins in Karachi

 Pakistan's fourth ranking snooker cup begins in Karachi

ISLAMABAD, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's 4th Snooker Cup Ranking Tournament 2012 started on Sunday at the National Bank of Pakistan (NBP) Sports Complex in the country's southern port city of Karachi.

The top 24 players of the country are participating in the fourth and final event of the year to show their supremacy¹ and they have been divided equally into four groups where each of them will play five league matches. At the end of the league stage the top two players from each group will qualify for the quarter-final of the tournament.

An official of the Pakistan Billiards² & Snooker Association (PBSA) told Xinhua on Sunday that after the ranking event, the top two cueists will be sent to represent the country in the IBSF World Snooker Championship 2012, scheduled to be held from Nov. 24 to Dec. 2 in Sofia, Bulgaria.

The league matches will continue until Wednesday followed by the quarter-finals on Thursday. The semi-finals and the final of the competition will be held on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

The tournament offers total prize money of Rs165, 000 (1,755 U.S. dollars) with the winner to receive 745 U.S. dollars and the runner-up to get 425 U.S. dollars.

The tournament management committee has also allocated³ some symbolic⁴ amount of money for the players who lose semi-finals and quarter-finals.

Sports analysts⁵ said that the cueist Asjad Iqbal, if he goes by his current form, would display some good game show and would dominate the event as he had captured back-to-back titles of the domestic circuit of the country.

Iqbal, 20, who has undergone month long coaching course at Bangkok earlier this year, jumped 14 places in his ranking after defeating reigning⁶ national champion Mohammad Asif by 7-4 in the final to win the NBP Cup, one of the prestigious⁷ events in Pakistan.

Pakistan's two-time national champion and title holder⁸ Asif is still at the top slot in the national ranking with 27 points followed by Asjad with 26 points.

Snooker is widely played indoor game in Pakistan but the cooperation from government and private sponsors was always demanded for its promotion⁹ to prepare players at international standards.

A Pakistani snooker player Mohammad Yousuf had won the World Championship title in 1994 and Asian Snooker Championship in 1998.

1 supremacy   

n.至上；至高权力

参考例句：

• No one could challenge her supremacy in gymnastics.她是最优秀的体操运动员，无人能胜过她。
• Theoretically,she holds supremacy as the head of the state.从理论上说，她作为国家的最高元首拥有至高无上的权力。

2 billiards   

n.台球

参考例句：

• John used to divert himself with billiards.约翰过去总打台球自娱。
• Billiards isn't popular in here.这里不流行台球。

3 allocated   

adj. 分配的 动词allocate的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The Ford Foundation allocated millions of dollars for cancer research. 福特基金会拨款数百万美元用于癌症研究。
• More funds will now be allocated to charitable organizations. 现在会拨更多的资金给慈善组织。

4 symbolic   

adj.象征性的，符号的，象征主义的

参考例句：

• It is symbolic of the fighting spirit of modern womanhood.它象征着现代妇女的战斗精神。
• The Christian ceremony of baptism is a symbolic act.基督教的洗礼仪式是一种象征性的做法。

5 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

6 reigning   

adj.统治的，起支配作用的

参考例句：

• The sky was dark, stars were twinkling high above, night was reigning, and everything was sunk in silken silence. 天很黑，星很繁，夜阑人静。
• Led by Huang Chao, they brought down the reigning house after 300 years' rule. 在黄巢的带领下，他们推翻了统治了三百年的王朝。

7 prestigious   

adj.有威望的，有声望的，受尊敬的

参考例句：

• The young man graduated from a prestigious university.这个年轻人毕业于一所名牌大学。
• You may even join a prestigious magazine as a contributing editor.甚至可能会加入一个知名杂志做编辑。

8 holder   

n.持有者，占有者；(台，架等)支持物

参考例句：

• The holder of the office of chairman is reponsible for arranging meetings.担任主席职位的人负责安排会议。
• That runner is the holder of the world record for the hundred-yard dash.那位运动员是一百码赛跑世界纪录的保持者。

9 promotion   

n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传

参考例句：

• The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
• The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。