The Dynamic Billard Best of the East Ajara Cup 2026 takes place in Batumi, Georgia on September 19–20, bringing together around 90 players for the third stop of this year’s four-event Best of the East series.
Following tournaments in Romania and Slovakia, the race for the overall series ranking remains close as players compete for prize money and ranking points ahead of the season finale in Poland in October.
The Ajara Cup will be played in 9-ball, with matches spread across two billiard clubs in Batumi because of the size of the field.
Best of the East ranking battle remains close
Poland’s Jeremi Nowak enters the Georgia stop at the top of the overall standings with 155 points.
Nowak won the opening tournament of the 2026 series in Oradea, Romania, defeating Cristian Surdea in the final to claim his first international tournament victory.
Slovakia’s Jaroslav Polach, winner of the second stop in Bratislava, sits just five points behind Nowak with 150 points. Mariusz Skoneczny is currently third with 135 points.
Polach will not compete in Batumi, while both Nowak and Skoneczny are entered, giving them an opportunity to add to their totals before the final event of the season.
Current Best of the East standings
| Rank | Player | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeremi Nowak | 155 |
| 2 | Jaroslav Polach | 150 |
| 3 | Mariusz Skoneczny | 135 |
Ajara Cup 2026 format and schedule
The tournament begins with a round-robin group stage before the leading players advance to the knockout rounds.
Play officially began on Saturday, September 19 at 10:00 AM local time. The tournament final and awards ceremony are scheduled for Sunday, September 20 at 6:00 PM local time.
The main venue is Piramide Billiard Club, located at Tbel-Abuseridze St. 73 in Batumi. A second billiard club is also being used to accommodate the approximately 90-player field.
Ranking points available in Batumi
| Finish | Ranking Points |
|---|---|
| Champion | 100 |
| Runner-up | 80 |
| Semifinalists | 70 each |
Ajara Cup 2026 prize money
The tournament champion will receive €1,300, along with a trophy, medal and a Cuetec cue.
Prize money will also be awarded through the players finishing in positions 9–16. The press release did not provide the complete prize-money breakdown for every finishing position.
How to watch the Ajara Cup 2026
Live coverage of the tournament is available through TVSports.pl.
Live Stream:
Watch on the TVSports.pl YouTube channel
Fans can also follow groups, brackets, results and live scoring through the East European Billiard Council website.
Live Scoring and Results:
Ajara Cup 2026 live scoring and results
One tournament remains after Georgia
The Ajara Cup is the third of four Dynamic Billard Best of the East tournaments scheduled for 2026.
After Batumi, the series moves to Kielce, Poland, where the Dynamic Billard Best of the East Polish 9-Ball will be held on October 10–11.
With only a small gap separating the leading players in the standings, the results in Georgia could have a significant effect on the ranking heading into the final tournament.
What You Need to Know
- Event: Dynamic Billard Best of the East – Ajara Cup 2026
- Dates: September 19–20, 2026
- Location: Batumi, Georgia
- Discipline: 9-Ball
- Field: Approximately 90 players
- Format: Round-robin group stage followed by knockout rounds
- Main Venue: Piramide Billiard Club
- Winner’s Prize: €1,300 plus trophy, medal and Cuetec cue
- Ranking Points for Champion: 100
- Live Stream: TVSports.pl
- Live Scores: EBC-Billiard.com
The tournament is organized by Mak Marketing, the East European Billiard Council, the Ajara Billiard Federation and the Georgian National Billiard Federation.
