24 American snooker players went to the Embassy Billiards Club, in San Gabriel, California, in May, for the 2008 United States National Snooker Championship.
The tournament was held over three days, with the 24 players split into 4 groups of 6. The top 4 in each group advanced to the knockout stage. Most professional tournaments are best of 9 early on, extending to 17 frames in the Final. However, here, the group stage featured 5 best of 3 frame matches, with dead frames played out. The last 16 and Quarter Finals were best of 5, extending to 7 in the Semi Finals, and 9 in the Final. The two finalists will also win spots in the World Amateur Championship later in the year.
There were four seeded players, one in each group. The #1 seed was Jack Kung, who won the title in 2007. George Lai, twice champion was the #2 seed, and Raymond Fung was 3 and Paul Kimura 4, both former champions.
Group A featured Kung, who had a tough draw in Ajeya Prabhakar and 5-time champion, the veteran Tom Kollins. All three qualified for the knockout phase, with Kung winning the group. The deciding match was Kung beating Prabhakar in the final round of the group, 2-1.
Group B featured Lai, and he had a fairly easy draw, with few others who could mount a challenge to beat him. Lai only lost 1 frame in the whole group, winning 2-1 against Henry Wong, who also qualified, along with Henry Nogiec and Sridhar Shrinivasan.
Group C featured Fung, who had a fairly comfortable draw too. However, he lost his opening game to Jeff Szafransky 2-1. He won his other four matches comfortably however, sending him into the knockout stage with Szafransky, Cheang Ciing Yo and Michael Chan.
Group D featured Kimura, along with newcomer Jian Qiang Wang and Christopher Szarek. Kimura lost his opening match, 2-1 to Jian. Kimura won his other four games, but he was still only second in the group, behind Jian, despite Jian losing 2-1 to Szarek. All three went through, along with Ruan Zhi Ming.
The Last 16 went up to best of 5. Kung beat Ruan 3-1, Lai beat Szafransky 3-1 and Fung beat Shrinivasan 3-0. However, Paul Kimura lost 3-0 to Tom Kollins, the sprightly veteran, sending the #4 seed out of the tournament.
The Quarter Finals saw Kung go through 3-0 against Cheang. Tom Kollins couldn't beat the #3 seed, as he lost 3-2 to Fung. Lai also made his way into the Semi Finals, as he overcame a tough game in former champion Prabhakar 3-2.
The Semi Finals are extended to best of 7. The #1 seed Kung succombed 4-1 to Jian Qiang Wang, sending the newcomer into the Final. His opponent would be George Lai, who beat Fung 4-1 in the other Semi Final.
So, both Lai and Jian would go to the World Amateur Championship to represent the United States. However, Lai and Jian first met in the Final of the US Championship. Lai led 3-1 at the mid-session interval with three 30 breaks along the way, and it went back to 3-2 after a 32 break from Jian. Lai then scored breaks of 39 and 54 to win the match and Championship 5-2. It is Lai's third US Championship title.
Tournament
Group Phase
Group A
| Winner | Score | Runner Up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Flagicon Tom Kollins | 2 | Template:Flagicon Tommy Chen | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon Ajeya Prabhakar | 3 | Template:Flagicon Charles Looney | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Jack Kung | 3 | Template:Flagicon Chris Sheerin | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Jack Kung | 3 | Template:Flagicon Tommy Chen | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Ajeya Prabhakar | 2 | Template:Flagicon Chris Sheerin | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon Tom Kollins | 2 | Template:Flagicon Charles Looney | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon Jack Kung | 3 | Template:Flagicon Charles Looney | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Chris Sheerin | 2 | Template:Flagicon Tommy Chen | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon Ajeya Prabhakar | 3 | Template:Flagicon Tom Kollins | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Chris Sheerin | 3 | Template:Flagicon Charles Looney | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Jack Kung | 2 | Template:Flagicon Tom Kollins | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon Ajeya Prabhakar | 2 | Template:Flagicon Tommy Chen | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon Jack Kung | 2 | Template:Flagicon Ajeya Prabhakar | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon Tom Kollins | 2 | Template:Flagicon Chris Sheerin | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon Charles Looney | 2 | Template:Flagicon Tommy Chen | 1 |
| Place | Player | P | W | L | FW | FL | FD | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Template:Flagicon Jack Kung | 5 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 2 | +11 | Q |
| 2 | Template:Flagicon Ajeya Prabhakar | 5 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 4 | +7 | Q |
| 3 | Template:Flagicon Tom Kollins | 5 | 3 | 2 | 7 | 8 | -1 | Q |
| 4 | Template:Flagicon Chris Sheerin | 5 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 8 | -1 | Q |
| 5 | Template:Flagicon Charles Looney | 5 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 12 | -9 | |
| 6 | Template:Flagicon Tommy Chen | 5 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 11 | -7 |
Group B
| Winner | Score | Runner Up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Flagicon George Lai | 3 | Template:Flagicon Patrick Gui Gui | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Henry Wong | 3 | Template:Flagicon Sridhar Shrinivasan | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Henry Nogiec | 3 | Template:Flagicon Martin Li | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon George Lai | 3 | Template:Flagicon Sridhar Shrinivasan | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Henry Nogiec | 3 | Template:Flagicon Patrick Gui Gui | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Henry Wong | 2 | Template:Flagicon Martin Li | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon Sridhar Shrinivasan | 2 | Template:Flagicon Patrick Gui Gui | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon George Lai | 3 | Template:Flagicon Martin Li | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Henry Nogiec | 2 | Template:Flagicon Henry Wong | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon Martin Li | 3 | Template:Flagicon Patrick Gui Gui | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Henry Nogiec | 2 | Template:Flagicon Sridhar Shrinivasan | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon George Lai | 2 | Template:Flagicon Henry Wong | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon Sridhar Shrinivasan | 3 | Template:Flagicon Martin Li | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon George Lai | 3 | Template:Flagicon Henry Nogiec | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Henry Wong | 3 | Template:Flagicon Patrick Gui Gui | 0 |
| Place | Player | P | W | L | FW | FL | FD | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Template:Flagicon George Lai | 5 | 5 | 0 | 14 | 1 | +13 | Q |
| 2 | Template:Flagicon Henry Nogiec | 5 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 5 | +5 | Q |
| 3 | Template:Flagicon Henry Wong | 5 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 5 | +5 | Q |
| 4 | Template:Flagicon Sridhar Shrinivasan | 5 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 9 | -3 | Q |
| 5 | Template:Flagicon Martin Li | 5 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 11 | -7 | |
| 6 | Template:Flagicon Patrick Gui Gui | 5 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 14 | -13 |
Group C
| Winner | Score | Runner Up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Flagicon Jeff Szfransky | 2 | Template:Flagicon Raymond Fung | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon Cheang Ciing Yoo | 3 | Template:Flagicon Wayne Tang | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Michael Chan | 3 | Template:Flagicon Pravin Patel | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Pravin Patel | 2 | Template:Flagicon Jeff Szfransky | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon Raymond Fung | 3 | Template:Flagicon Wayne Tang | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Michael Chan | 3 | Template:Flagicon Cheang Ciing Yoo | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Jeff Szfransky | 3 | Template:Flagicon Wayne Tang | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Cheang Ciing Yoo | 3 | Template:Flagicon Pravin Patel | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Raymond Fung | 2 | Template:Flagicon Michael Chan | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon Raymond Fung | 2 | Template:Flagicon Cheang Ciing Yoo | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon Jeff Szfransky | 2 | Template:Flagicon Michael Chan | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon Pravin Patel | 2 | Template:Flagicon Wayne Tang | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon Michael Chan | 2 | Template:Flagicon Wayne Tang | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon Raymond Fung | 3 | Template:Flagicon Pravin Patel | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Cheang Ciing Yoo | 2 | Template:Flagicon Jeff Szfransky | 1 |
| Place | Player | P | W | L | FW | FL | FD | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Template:Flagicon Raymond Fung | 5 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 4 | +7 | Q |
| 2 | Template:Flagicon Michael Chan | 5 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 5 | +5 | Q |
| 3 | Template:Flagicon Cheang Ciiang Yoo | 5 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 6 | +3 | Q |
| 4 | Template:Flagicon Jeff Szafransky | 5 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 6 | +3 | Q |
| 5 | Template:Flagicon Privan Patel | 5 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 11 | -7 | |
| 6 | Template:Flagicon Wayne Tang | 5 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 13 | -11 |
Group D
| Winner | Score | Runner Up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Template:Flagicon Nick Tong | 2 | Template:Flagicon Jo Ong | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon Jian Qiang Wang | 2 | Template:Flagicon Paul Kimura | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon Christopher Szarek | 2 | Template:Flagicon Ruan Zhi Ming | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon Jian Qiang Wang | 3 | Template:Flagicon Ruan Zhi Ming | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Christopher Szarek | 3 | Template:Flagicon Nick Tong | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Paul Kimura | 3 | Template:Flagicon Jo Ong | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Paul Kimura | 2 | Template:Flagicon Christopher Szarek | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon Jian Qiang Wang | 3 | Template:Flagicon Jo Ong | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Ruan Zhi Ming | 2 | Template:Flagicon Nick Tong | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon Paul Kimura | 2 | Template:Flagicon Nick Tong | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon Christopher Szarek | 2 | Template:Flagicon Jian Qiang Wang | 1 |
| Template:Flagicon Ruan Zhi Ming | 3 | Template:Flagicon Jo Ong | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Paul Kimura | 3 | Template:Flagicon Ruan Zhi Ming | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Christopher Szarek | 3 | Template:Flagicon Jo Ong | 0 |
| Template:Flagicon Jian Qiang Wang | 3 | Template:Flagicon Nick Tong | 0 |
| Place | Player | P | W | L | FW | FL | FD | Q |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Template:Flagicon Jian Qiang Wang | 5 | 4 | 1 | 12 | 3 | +9 | Q |
| 2 | Template:Flagicon Paul Kimura | 5 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 4 | +7 | Q |
| 3 | Template:Flagicon Christopher Szarek | 5 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 4 | +7 | Q |
| 4 | Template:Flagicon Ruan Zhi Ming | 5 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 9 | -3 | Q |
| 5 | Template:Flagicon Nick Tong | 5 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 11 | -7 | |
| 6 | Template:Flagicon Jo Ong | 5 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 14 | -13 |
Knockout Phase
Template:16PlayerSnooker
Roll of Honour
| Year | Winner | Score | Runner Up | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Template:Flagicon Tom Kollins | 4 | Template:Flagicon John Abruzzo | 2 |
| 1992 | Template:Flagicon Tom Kollins | 4 | Template:Flagicon John Lewis | 3 |
| 1993 | Template:Flagicon David Yao | 5 | Template:Flagicon Mike Massey | 0 |
| 1994 | Template:Flagicon David Yao | 5 | Template:Flagicon Tom Kollins | 2 |
| 1995 | Template:Flagicon Tang Hoa | 5 | Template:Flagicon Orwin Ham | 1 |
| 1996 | Template:Flagicon Peter Ong | 5 | Template:Flagicon Piya Potanen | 0 |
| 1997 | Template:Flagicon George Lai | 5 | Template:Flagicon Truman Wu | 3 |
| 1998 | Template:Flagicon Tom Kollins | 5 | Template:Flagicon Tom Karabotsos | 4 |
| 1999 | Template:Flagicon Tom Kollins | 5 | Template:Flagicon Murali Venkat | 0 |
| 2000 | Template:Flagicon Ajeya Prabhakar | 5 | Template:Flagicon Tom Kollins | 3 |
| 2001 | Template:Flagicon Tom Kollins | 5 | Template:Flagicon Ajeya Prabhakar | 0 |
| 2004 | Template:Flagicon Kenny Kwok | 4 | Template:Flagicon Raymond Fung | 2 |
| 2005 | Template:Flagicon George Lai | 4 | Template:Flagicon Kenny Kwok | 2 |
| 2006 | Template:Flagicon Paul Kimura | 5 | Template:Flagicon Romil Azemat | 3 |
| 2007 | Template:Flagicon Jack Kung | 5 | Template:Flagicon George Lai | 3 |
| 2008 | Template:Flagicon George Lai | 5 | Template:Flagicon Jian Qiang Wang | 2 |