On February 22-23, 2025, the first of six tournaments in the Balkan Billiards Association Championship for 2025 was held in Petrich, Bulgaria, at Bo & Bo Club. The competition brought together some of the best players from the region, including representatives from Albania, Greece, North Macedonia, Kosovo, and Bulgaria. The tournament featured intense matches, masterful shots, and thrilling comebacks.
Dominant Performance by Ermal Dyli
The undisputed winner of the first round was Ermal Dyli from Albania. He started strong by eliminating last year’s number one in the rankings, Labinot Markaj. He then showcased his dominance in the semifinals with a commanding 9-1 victory over Daniel Malchev from Bulgaria. In the final, he replicated this impressive performance, securing another 9-1 win against George Kampourlidis from Greece.
Kampourlidis – Strong Performance and Title Aspirations
Despite his loss in the final, George Kampourlidis displayed solid form throughout the tournament. After finishing as runner-up last year, he once again demonstrated his determination and hunger for victory. Whether he will finally claim the top spot in 2025 remains to be seen at the end of the season.
Third Place – Daniel Malchev and Orestis Psomopoulos
Daniel Malchev from Bulgaria secured a bronze medal, proving his growth and improvement. After missing out on two podium finishes last year, this time he showed that he has the potential and ambition to compete for first place in the overall rankings.
Another bronze medalist, Orestis Psomopoulos from Greece, lost to Kampourlidis in the semifinals by 1-9. However, he once again proved that he is one of Greece’s most consistent and skilled players.
Top 8 Standings
The fifth-place finishers in the tournament were:
Julian Xhafa (Albania)
Dritar Bajrami (North Macedonia)
Sashko Dimitrov (Bulgaria)
Chris Papageorgiou (Greece)
Best-Performing Junior Player
The highest-ranking junior player of the tournament was Vilian Salambashev from Bulgaria, who finished in 17th place and managed to qualify for the direct elimination stage—a remarkable achievement for such a young competitor.
Special Prize and Upcoming Events
Finalists Ermal Dyli and George Kampourlidis earned free entry to the EuroTour event, which will take place in April 2025 in Tallinn, Estonia. We wish them success and hope they will proudly represent the Balkans.
The second round of the Balkan Billiards Championship will take place on May 10-11, 2025, in Vlora, Albania, hosted by King 9 Club. The competition is expected to be even more intense, offering players another chance to showcase their skillsy
