▁champions ▁sl ated ▁to ▁play ▁in ▁the ▁round ▁ro bin ▁format ▁tournament ▁were ▁K ats ura , ▁her ▁ment or , ▁M ats uy ama , ▁favorite ▁and ▁def ending ▁champion ▁Will ie ▁Ho ppe , ▁Mexican ▁champion ▁Joe ▁Cham aco , ▁Her b ▁Hard t ▁of ▁Chicago , ▁New ▁York ' s ▁Art ▁Rub in , ▁Los ▁Angeles ' ▁Joe ▁Pro cita , ▁Ray ▁Kil g ore ▁of ▁San ▁Francisco , ▁Jay ▁Bo zem an ▁of ▁Valle jo ▁and ▁B ingham ton ' s ▁Ir ving ▁C rane . ▁The ▁championship ▁between ▁the ▁inv ite es ▁was ▁to ▁take ▁place ▁at ▁C och ran ' s ▁ 9 2 4 ▁Club , ▁with ▁ 4 5 ▁total ▁games ▁to ▁be ▁played ▁( each ▁player ▁to ▁play ▁every ▁other ▁once ) ▁over ▁the ▁ 1 7 - day ▁tournament ▁ending ▁on ▁March ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 1 9 5 2 . ▁The ▁tournament ▁was ▁reported ▁to ▁have ▁" The ▁greatest ▁bill i ard ▁field ▁since ▁before ▁World ▁War ▁II ". ▁First ▁place ▁earned ▁a ▁$ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁pur se ▁( today ▁$ ), ▁plus ▁thousands ▁in ▁exhibition ▁fe es . ▁Following ▁behind ▁to ▁eight ▁places ▁were ▁pri zes ▁of ▁$ 1 , 0 0 0 , ▁$ 7 0 0 , ▁$ 5 0 0 , ▁$ 3 5 0 , ▁$ 3 0 0 , ▁$ 2 5 0 ▁and ▁$ 2 5 0 ▁respectively . ▁ ▁Det ail ▁of ▁play ▁On ▁the ▁second ▁day ▁of ▁the ▁competition