Billiard excitement returned to Galeria Echo in Kielce this past weekend as the capital of the Świętokrzyskie Voivodeship hosted the opening of the Billiards Ekstraklasa season. From Friday to Sunday, fans witnessed twelve high-stakes matches where the favorites lived up to the hype.
The battle for the Polish Team Championship title began on Thursday with a clash between the league newcomers and the 2025 gold medalists. The favorites delivered as expected, with GKS Katowice defeating TCF HUB – Retro Team Kraków 12:8.
Arkadiusz Brzekowski｜©Maciej Urban/Polish Billiards Association
The first round also featured a match between Strefa Łódź and Akademia Bilardowa Rokietnica. The Rokietnica squad, weakened by the absence of Radosław Babica, suffered a heavy 5:12 defeat. Despite a strong effort from the duo of Adam Stankiewicz and Arkadiusz Brzękowski in the third session, they were unable to overcome the experienced pairing of Mateusz Śniegocki and Tomasz Kapłan. Meanwhile, the runners-up from last season, Fortis Bilard Kielce, faced a tough start, narrowly defeating their own second team, Fortis Bilard II Kielce, 12:10.
Tomasz Kapłan｜©Maciej Urban/Polish Billiards Association
The highlight of the second round was undoubtedly the confrontation between Fortis Kielce and Strefa Łódź – a rematch of last season’s Final4 semifinal. While Łódź sought revenge, Kielce remained dominant. It was a tightly contested battle, with all three sessions ending 4:3 in favor of the Kielce doubles pairs.
Wojciech Szewczyk｜©Maciej Urban/Polish Billiards Association
The final day of the session featured the most anticipated match: GKS Katowice vs. Strefa Łódź. The Łódź team started strong, winning the first session 4:2. However, Katowice responded by fielding their “A-team” for the final stretch. The world-class duo of Wojciech Szewczyk and Daniel Macioł took the lead at 11:10 and held their ground until the very end, securing a hard-fought victory.
Karol Skowerski｜©Maciej Urban/Polish Billiards Association
Current Standings: GKS Katowice sits at the top of the table after three rounds. Fortis Bilard Kielce also remains undefeated but holds second place due to a slightly lower frame ratio. The podium is rounded out by the club from Białystok (2 wins, 1 loss). Strefa Łódź currently occupies fourth place, while Fortis II and Rokietnica find themselves in the relegation zone (though Rokietnica has played one fewer match).
The next session of the Billiards Ekstraklasa will be held in Łódź.
Organizer: Polish Billiard Association (PZBil). Sponsors: ML Bilard, Mezz Cues, Aramith, Iwan Simonis, Clash Steel, RS Active, Galeria Echo Kielce.
Media Patrons: AzBilliards (USA), Pro9 (UK), Alison CHANG (Taiwan), 77.billiards (Philippines), WiadomosciLodz.pl, Podlaski Sport, tcz.pl, WKatowicach.eu, Echo Dnia, Radio Kielce, TVP3 Kielce, Radio FAMA, Eska2, Telewizja Tetka, Telewizja Świętokrzyska, Radio eM Kielce, Radio Rekord, wKielcach, CKsport.pl, On Cue Billiard Podcast, Love Krakow.pl, Radio Tczew, Radio Dla Ciebie.