Over two days, 32 senior players from 10 wilayas competed at the Red-Pool specialist hall in central Sidi Bel Abbes.
El Mawkie reported that Ben Aissa Hicham beat Akhram Arkab 7-4 in the final to win the opening stage of Algeria's national men's nine-ball championship.
The event was part of the 2026-27 season calendar. Five stages are scheduled, and the national title will go to the player with the best overall ranking across the series.
The two-day competition took place at Red-Pool, a specialist billiards hall in the centre of Sidi Bel Abbes.
Final standings and competition format
Hicham, representing Mouloudia Sidi Bel-Abbes, finished first. Akhram Arkab of Athletic Bordj El-Bahri in Algiers placed second. Walid Taleb Bendiab of Sidi Bel-Abbes took third.
Matches were played on five tables. Competition director Amine Boussalah called the technical level acceptable. He said he was satisfied with the organisation and the emergence of promising young talent.
El Mawkie identifies the organiser as Algeria's billiards federation, FARB, working jointly with amateur club Mouloudia Sidi Bel-Abbes. The report also confirms that the season champion will be determined by the cumulative ranking across all five stages, not by a single final.
A five-stage national title race
The Algerian Billiards and Rafle Federation organised the event with amateur club Mouloudia Sidi Bel-Abbes Billiards and Rafle. This first stage starts an overall-ranking race. It does not decide the season's national champion.
Hicham has won the opening stage. The season title depends on results across all five tournaments.
This is a domestic Algerian result. It has no direct effect on UAE competition, rankings or participation pathways.
