Indian Billiards Championship : In a final which didn't reach great heights, Alok Kumar beat Devendra Joshi over four hours, to win the 1999 Indian Billiards championship in January. The championship, which is open to both professional and amateur players, was played under the baulk-line rule.
Joshi started the match well and led 206-87 after ten visits. However from then on Kumar took control, taking the lead on the 16th visit and going to the interval with the score 536-476 in his favour. In the second session, Kumar surged ahead to lead 860-491 after 35 visits. Joshi closed the gap but lost 1,184-992. (Breaks : Kumar 115, 106; Joshi 101).
In the 90 minute play-off for third, Ashok Shandilya beat Mohammad Asim 671 -441. Shandilya, who had caused a major upset by eliminating Geet Sethi in the quarter-finals, made a break of 205. Indian Ladies Championship : The 7th Indian Ladies Billiards Championship was played at the Indian Institute of Technology Complex in the first week of 1999. In the final, which was best of 5 x 30 minutes, Farah Khan beat Amrita Mohapatra 3-2 (119-68, 72-110, 116-85, 91-112, 95-88). With this win, Khan won her third title in a row, but as the scoreline suggests, the match could have gone either way. "I have never played in such a close contest" said Farah, admitting that Amrita should have won, but for a crucial mistake at the end of the fifth and deciding game. So Amitra had to be content with the runner- up spot for the second year running.