Launched in South Korea in 2019, the PBA runs a professional set-based carom circuit and a parallel LPBA tour. Match length changes by round, so “best of five throughout” is not an accurate description.
At a glance
| Years | Founded 2019 |
|---|---|
| Governing body | PBA (Professional Billiards Association of Korea) |
| Format | 2026-27 guide: R128-R64 use up to four 15-point sets with a shootout at 2-2; R32-quarter-finals are best-of-five; semi-finals and final are best-of-seven; 33-second shot clock. |
| Prize | Varies by event and season; use the official tour guide and event notice for current amounts. |
| Venue | South Korea; the PBA operates a dedicated stadium at Goyang KINTEX and publishes event venues in its official schedule. |
| Recent results | 2025-26: Kim Young-won won the 2026 Jeju World Championship; Daniel Sánchez received the PBA Golden Cue Grand Prize. |
Why follow it?
The changing set distance and 33-second clock create a distinct match rhythm. The official PBA guide, history and schedule are the source of truth for rules, winners and venues.
Why the PBA format feels different
The PBA packages three-cushion as a set competition rather than a single race to 40 or 50. The official 2026-27 guide gives R128 and R64 up to four 15-point sets with a shootout at 2–2, best-of-five matches from R32 through the quarter-finals, and best-of-seven semi-finals and finals, all under a 33-second shot clock.
Verified 2025-26 landmarks
The PBA’s official history records Kim Young-won as the 2026 Jeju World Championship winner and Daniel Sánchez as the 2025-26 Golden Cue Grand Prize recipient. Event prizes, venues and dates should be taken from the current tour notice rather than carried forward from an earlier season.
Train for set pressure
Practise short races with a fixed clock, using the ticky position for repeatability and the match-strategy guide to decide when a set calls for attack or safety.