The 2009-10 Malta Table Football Sport Association (MTFSA) season got underway last weekend with the first matches from the national championship.
Following the election of a new committee, it was agreed that the format of the championship required major changes in its structure.
All players will now play one round of games in different groups before the four divisions in the championship are formed ahead of the next stage.
The second phase of the championship starts in December when two other rounds of matches will be played in all four divisions.
The International Open will be held in February and the Malta Grand Prix is now pencilled for April.
Meanwhile, Hansel Mallia, Mark Gauci and Derek Conti took part in the International Open of Naples earlier this month. Mallia and Gauci made their debut for new clubs Fiamme Azzurre and CCT Roma respectively.
Fiamme Azzurre were eliminated in the last 16 with Mallia obtaining positive results for his new club.
CCT Roma, on the other hand, went out in the quarter-finals with Gauci and Conti, who also plays for the Roman club, producing fine showings only to lose on goal difference to Pisa in the last eight.
In the competition for singles, Gauci lost on shots to Andrea De Vincenzo in the last 16 as Mallia reached the quarter-finals where he was eliminated by eventual finalist, Massimo Bolognino, with a golden goal.
Conti performed to his best and lost in the semi-final to world champion Daniele Bertelli 2-1.