Snooker in November 2012

I know I'm a bit late in writing this piece, but I had some hectic days at the office and it was impossible to keep my eyes open, once I got home.

That being said, let's take a look at this month's snooker season, because blimey! it's a pretty busy one. I'm going to jump over the first two tournaments (Asian PTC 3 and UK PTC 4) since they already took place, and carry on with another PTC event, this time an European one, that's happening these following days on Bulgaria's capital Sofia between 15 and 18 of November.

Rushing back home we shall have to get prepared for three days of qualifier rounds (20-23), as the UK Championship needs its full draw and the lads want to see their names next to the Top 16 ones.

The Premier League semi-finals and final are set to take place on 24th and 25th of the same month and for the first time in quite some time the chance to see Ronnie lifting another trophy is null, as the Rocket failed to sign the players' contract in time and now, he's withdrawn from the entire snooker season.

The pre-qualifying rounds for the EPTC 6 event are next on our schedule, the World Snooker Academy becoming the host for it on 26 and 27, while another series of qualifiers will take place between 28 and 30 of November, this time for the mighty German Masters.

And with that the month ends, to make room for December and the second most important and glorious snooker event of the season: the UK Championship.


When?: 5 - 9 November
Where?: Zhengzhou, China
Who's playing?: click here for the draw.
Prize money: winner (€10,000), runner-up (€5,000), losing semi-finalists (€2,500), losing quarter-finalists (€1,500), last 16 (€1,000), last 32 (€600) and the last 64 (€200). 
Ranking points: winner (2,000), runner-up (1,600), losing semi-finalists (1,280), losing quarter-finalists (1,000), last 16 (760), last 32 (560) and the last 64 (360).

 
When?: 8 November
Where?: The Dome, Doncaster, UK
Who's playing?: Mark Selby v Shaun Murphy and Judd Trump v Mark Allen
Prize money: £1,000 for each frame won, £1,000 for each century break and £25,000 for a maximum break.
Ranking points: N/A



When?: 10 - 14 November
Where?: South East Snooker Academy, Gloucester, UK
Who's playing?: click here for the draw.
Prize money: winner (€12,000), runner-up (€6,000), losing semi-finalists (€3,000), losing quarter-finalists (€2,000), last 16 (€1,250), last 32 (€750) and the last 64 (€500). 
Ranking points: winner (2,000), runner-up (1,600), losing semi-finalists (1,280), losing quarter-finalists (1,000), last 16 (760), last 32 (560) and the last 64 (360).


When?: 15 November
Where?: Spennymoor Leisure Centre, Durham
Who's playing?: Neil Robertson v Ding Junhui and John Higgins v Peter Ebdon
Prize money: £1,000 for each frame won, £1,000 for each century break and £25,000 for a maximum break.
Ranking points: N/A


When?: 15 - 18 November
Where?: Sofia, Bulgaria
Who's playing?: click here for the draw.
Prize money: winner (€12,000), runner-up (€6,000), losing semi-finalists (€3,000), losing quarter-finalists (€2,000), last 16 (€1,250), last 32 (€750) and the last 64 (€500). 
Ranking points: winner (2,000), runner-up (1,600), losing semi-finalists (1,280), losing quarter-finalists (1,000), last 16 (760), last 32 (560) and the last 64 (360).



When?: 20 - 23 November
Where?: World Snooker Academy, Sheffield, UK
Who's playing?: click here for the draw.
Ranking points: N/A

7. Premier League

When?: 24 - 25 November
Where?: Grimsby Auditorium
Who's playing?: update needed.
Prize money: winner (£50,000), runner-up (£25,000), losing semi-finalist (£12,500)
Ranking points: N/A


When?: 26 - 27 November
Where?: World Snooker Academy, Sheffield, UK
Who's playing?: update needed
Ranking points: N/A


When?: 28 - 30 November
Where?: World Snooker Academy, Sheffield, UK
Who's playing?: click here for the draw.
Ranking points: N/A

A crazy week of snooker

Crazy Kermit

It's been one hell of a week for the snooker lovers all around the world and for snooker as a whole. It almost feels it has passed more than just a week if we are to consider also the fact that the players haven't had one single day of rest, the end of the International Championship being closely followed by the APTC 3 and then the UK PTC 4.

But it was away from the green baize where all the action was happening, as Ronnie O'Sullivan announced he won't be taking part in any of the current season's tournaments.

Many fans have been devastated, the media tried to pump up shows, forgotten pictures with Ronnie, programmes with him and all kind of stuff like than and in the written press a lot of ink was used to write what seemed to be an obituary of a brilliant player, rather than the fact that the man decided to take a break from snooker.

You know as well as I do, that when a huge personality dies, all you can see on the telly are programmes with him/her, people who say he or she was an extraordinary person and the press is filled with articles about that same person. 

That's what happened with O'Sullivan. Most of the journalists decided to treat his break from snooker as a death, a dramatic and cruel death that leaves the world without one of its most wonderful snooker player and the sport without its best ambassador.

O'Sullivan on a break from snooker

And although they aren't entirely wrong, because Ronnie has become one of snooker's best known ambassador, the fact that he's on a break from snooker is not the end of the world and shouldn't be treated like it.

Sure, I'm the first to acknowledge that snooker will suffer a lot from his withdrawal, partially because a lot of people who call themselves snooker fans, are in reality Ronnie's fans, and mainly because he is indeed one of the greatest players that ever walked on this planet, but still.

I see people acting all dramatic in their bids about Ronnie, but very few that actually get the fact that the man, the player, has matured so much over the years and if in the past we were entitled to look at him with one eyebrow raised, now we aren't.

He's been nothing but genuine in revealing how he feels about snooker and life in general, he's been doing his chores (snooker related) and when the time imposed he said "enough" and backed off.

Maybe it's been the positive influence of Dr Steve Peters that made him know what he wants from life and how he can put an end to a thing, or start a new one; maybe he just realised that he needs to take care of himself and think more of him - Whatever his reasons, I think this time he made them pretty clear and in a very decent and honourable way.

I was the first to point my finger at him when he crossed the line, and it wasn't just once, but this time, I can't find anything wrong here. He needs some time off the table and that's it. Better to do that, than to continue playing and keep pulling out of events constantly.

Will the Rocket fly again?

On the other hand, this is not a retiring note. He didn't say it was the end, he didn't go all “I had it with snooker” on us. No, he just announced he won’t be taking part in next tournaments.

Of course that if we take into account the fact that his manager has suggested it might just be the end of him as a professional snooker player, the fact that he has slipped out of Top 16 and that returning on the Main Tour would mean starting from zero, most likely - the idea Ronnie conveying a foggy goodbye here makes a lot of sense, but still the puzzle is not complete.

In conclusion, whatever he will do in the future is only up to him, so if he decides to come back his army of fans will be more than delighted and will root for him constantly, but if not, he leaves as one of the best players ever, carrying the legendary torch of crazy snooker from Alex Higgins and Jimmy White to the next generation.

But that's not all, as the week had another surprise: the draws for the UK Championship and the Masters. And what do you know? Stephen Lee is not on any of them.

As many of you already know he's on "house arrest" from snooker, which means he's not allowed to play snooker in professional events until the WPBSA's Disciplinary Committee is reaching its verdict in the matter of "is Lee responsible from match-fixing when he played against John Higgins at the Premier League"? Going all American on you, am I? 

No Lee at the UK Champ of the Masters

So, back to serious matters now, it seems like the WPBSA knows it won't be deciding Lee's fate at least until the end of the year, since he's not even on the UK Championship draw and the event starts at the beginning of December. Still he’s nowhere to be found in the Masters draw also … Makes one wonder if they didn't make up their mind already, doesn't it?!

In his place we have Mark Davis, the player that seems to be doomed to occupy the 17^th place forever and keeps on knocking on the Top 16's doors for quite some time now. Glad he’s been given this chance, but I’m not such a happy bunny about HOW it was given to him. He deserves better.

Last, but not least, some good news coming from the same WPBSA's Disciplinary Committee, regarding "Steve Davis v. Thepchaiya Un-Nooh" case about the match these two played at the UK PTC 3 event, back in September, with the Nugget winning 4-0.

As before, the Committee was been informed about some suspicious betting patters, this time only the Thai player going under investigation. 

Water under the bridge now, as " The WPBSA have found that there is insufficient evidence to show that there has been any breach of the WPBSA Members Rules and will take no further action regarding this matter."

Here’s for a better week, peeps! :-)

Trump wins International Championship

Judd Trump - the 2012 International Championship winner

Judd Trump added to his number one spot a beautiful victory of 10-8 in China, by playing Neil Robertson in the final of the first edition of the International Championship. 

Seems like the history has a way of repeating itself, since Trump used the same scoreline back in 2011 to win the China Open trophy by facing Mark Selby, but also the UK Championship after disputing a very interesting final with Mark Allen.

He's world number one and what a better way to prove to the entire world that he deserves that place, rather than win the tournament that led him to the top of the mountain.

Neil Robertson - the 2012 International Championship runner-up

The 23-year-old player from Bristol started his journey with Fergal O'Brien, who capitulated 6-3, continued with a brilliant 6-0 victory recorded in front of Aditya Mehta, a 6-5 with Mark Allen and another smashing scoreline of 9-1 by playing Peter Ebdon in the semi-final.

The final battle against Neil Robertson proved to be one hell of a match, especially when the Australian player hit purple patch and started cashing one frame after another.

It was with runs of 61 and 46 that Judd was opening the scoreline in his favour at 2-0, but Robertson stormed in and hit in breaks of 77, 68, 59 and 51, not only to draw lever, but also to put himself 4-2 up.

The mighty "vase" trophy

Still, by the end of the first session the difference between the two snooker gladiators was settled at just one frame, with the same Robertson in command at 5-4.

At returning into the arena, hours later, Trump took off and levelled the match, throwing one more from into his bag just for a quick 6-5 lead.

But Robertson fought back and with runs of 68, 88 and 73 he put himself just two frames away from the victory line, at 8-6. He was very much in control of the match and seemed favourite to win it.

However, Trump had other plans in mind and during the next frames he wasn't afraid to reveal them to the public. So with runs of 38, 96, a great 119 clearance, 39 and 33 he found his way back into the match and continued to pot one ball after another, in order to froze the scoreline at 10-8. A total and undisputed victory for the Englishman.

The entire gang, each holding the symbol of Chengdu - a Panda

Richer with £125,000 and with the privilege of becoming the 10^th world number one in the history of snooker, Judd Trump has written an important page in the sport's book of great performances after a week of cue-crossings.

On the other hand, not as lucky as Trump, but with a great run in this tournament, Neil Robertson fails once more to conquer a Chinese title, his mind flying to the next year World Open, where he hopes to grab a "yellow" trophy. 

Until then, though there are plenty more tournaments that wait for him, one of them being (ironically) the one for which Judd Trump is defending champion, the UK Championship.

International Championship 2012 - Trump and Robertson reach grand final

The smiling World Number One, Judd Trump

Two days were necessary for the semi-finals to take place and two names were selected to step into the grand final: Judd Trump and Neil Robertson. 

Trump had an easy victory of 9-1 over Peter Ebdon, to have his ticket to the final ready on time, while the 2010 world champion, Neil Robertson had to face a not-so-easy-to-beat Shaun Murphy, in a match that ended on a 9-5 scoreline.

The last two days of cue-crossings taking place in China's Chengdu were massive. Massive because each of the four players wanted to reach the final, but also because for one of them going through to the next round also meant being the new world number one.

Of course that the man in question is Judd Trump, this new breath of fresh air that has given modern snooker such a burst and has had such a major impact on how the sport is seen.

It was with a rain of breaks, of 61, 55, 68, 53 (twice), 51 and 63 that Trump established a demolishing victory of 9-1 over poor Peter Ebdon, in his quest of a place in the final and a proud World No 1 spot.

Head down, Ebdon admits the defeat

And so the 23-year-old lad from Bristol becomes the 10^th player in snooker's history to reach on the top on the mountain. 

On the other semi-final, Neil Robertson didn't have a very easy target in the person of Shaun Murphy, but in the end he managed to take control of the match and win by 9-5.

The Australian found himself being led 3-1 by an eager-to-win Murphy, but he woke up from the dead soon enough to close the first session in charge of the situation at 5-3, by hitting in breaks of 142, 87 and 68.

"The Magician" tried his luck and pulled one back, to which Robertson replayed with a 91 for a 6-4 lead, so Murphy battled again to be just one frame away from his opponent, this time though "The Thunder from Down Under" striking for good.

Robertson happy to reach the final

The following three frames all entered into Robertson's account, Murphy not being given any choice but to surrender and shake hands with his opponent.

So tomorrow, the big final awaits for a champion: a champion that could very easy be the new world number one who hasn't won a ranking title in China since the 2011 China Open, or could just as easy emerge from down under since a title in China is something he's been craving for.

What's going to be? The answer is being shown LIVE to you from 6am and 11.30am, on British EuroSport 2, the first player to catch 10 frames being declared the winner of the International Championship. 

International Championship 2012 - Day 5

Trump reaches the semis

Day five of the International Championship also meant the quarter-final matches and this time, there were no surprises hidden under the hat, as Peter Ebdon continued his good run and knocked out Ricky Walden 6-0, Shaun Murphy secured himself a place in the semis by disposing of Marco Fu 6-2, Neil Robertson was made responsible by wild-card Lu Haotian’s exit by 6-2, while Judd Trump and Mark Allen crossed their cues into a beautiful encounter that saw the Bristol-boy winning it 6-5.

He might not be everyone's cup of tea, but one thing is for sure, Peter Ebdon is still in the zone, still mastering the art of snooker. We’ve seen him during the China Open and we've seen him during the Australian Open. He's there, not hanging on, but ruling over the green baize.

Today was no exception as the 2002 world champion practically crashed Ricky Walden 6-0 to book himself a place in the semi-final. 

At a near table his soon-to-be semi-final opponent, Judd Trump was disputing a match against Mark Allen, the two having a bit of a history together, since the 2011 UK Championship final.

And since both are attacking players it was no surprise to see them beautifully cueing their way into the match, performing and entertaining the audience with their best shots.

Murphy mastered his way into the semi-final

It could be easily seen that Trump had a slight advantage, if we take into account the fact that he led Allen 2-1, 4-2 and 5-3, but it comes without saying that the proud of Northern Ireland found his way back into the match every time.

In the end though, it can be only one, and this time it was Judd Trump who won the cue-crossing and is now set to meet a player with a totally different style of playing the game of snooker, Peter Ebdon.

Shaun Murphy got involved into a pretty scrappy affair against Marco Fu and saw himself being led 3-1 at the interval, the Hong Kong player winning no less that two frames on the black.

Still, as the last session started "The Magician" put his cue into action and used breaks of 54, 83, 87 and 129 for a 5-2 lead, in the end the snooker rendezvous pointing him as the survivor, at 6-4.

Robertson put an end to Haotian's strom

Lu Haotian proved that a young age doesn't represent an obstacle if you are talented and ambitions and even though Neil Robertson put an end to his run, the little 14-year-old lad from China has a lot to be proud of.

With the likes of Michael White and Dominic Dale out of the picture, Lu signs a pretty important statement that says "China is strong and is going to send more and more players on the Main Tour soon enough".

His match with Neil was a typical case of  "experience talks for itself" as although he managed to put the Aussie in quite some trouble and hold him still up until the second session (Neil put his nose in front only at 3-2), Robertson emerged stronger after the break and put an end to the snooker show at 6-2.

Tomorrow the first semi-final is taking place with the likes of Peter Ebdon and Judd Trump entering the arena. The match will be played in two sessions (best of 17), due to start at 6am and 11.30 am (UK time), and broadcasted LIVE by British EuroSport.

International Championship 2012 - Day 4

Only 14 years old, but one hell of a player - Lu Haotian

As the days go bye more and more surprises come to life, one of them being the fact that Lu Haotian is surely one hell of an opponent and knocked out of the competition one more important player, Dominic Dale by 6-5.

Also with an important victory on his hands was Ricky Walden, who overcome a slow and loooong match against world number one, Mark Selby, to end it on a 6-3 scoreline, while India's Aditya Mehta was sent packing by a merciless Judd Trump, 6-0.

It was with the help of two half century breaks that Dominic Dale was assuring a 3-1 lead in front of the 14-year-old lad from China, Lu Haotian, but his dominance wasn't going to last too long, as the his opponent stormed in and draw level, the players going hand in hand until the last frame that was decided on the blue, pink and black.

Ebdon is playing it cool

A small mistake of sending the black ball into a pocket a bit too early and Haotian cleared the table to win 6-5 and earn a place in the quarter-finals.

Next in line for a "promotion" into the Last 8 was Ricky Walden who survived what seemed to be an endless battle of cues against Mark Selby by 6-3, in order to set a snooker meeting with Peter Ebdon.

And since we are on the "Ebbo" chapter it must be said that mo matter how much did Stephen Maguire want to avenge his 2012 China Open loss, it didn't happen. And not only that it didn't happen, but it also had a small resemblance with the scoreline of the final, with Ebdon hammering him 6-1.

Aditya Mehta's run ends in the Last 16 round

Aditya Mehta experienced the thrill of playing against one of the most powerful and active players on the Main Tour, Judd Trump, while on the telly. And as the first couple of frames showed it, he didn't stand a chance.

It was with breaks of 98, 48, 44, 62, 56 and 65 that Trump whitewashed Mehta 6-0 and put an end to what was a pretty awesome first major-ranking-event participation.

Neil Robertson is also a name to be found amongst the ones playing in the QFs, as the Australian player beat Matthew Stevens 6-2, at the same time Marco Fu sending home Mark Davis after a 6-4 scoreline.

Shaun Murphy met Ding Junhui in a match that had its ups and downs, with Murphy taking a brilliant start and flying at 4-1 (breaks of 59, 52, 103 included) and Ding catching up with him at four apiece, before losing his fluency and letting "The Magician" win 6-4.

Mark Allen revenged his first-round exit from this year's World Championship by beating Cao Yupeng 6-2, now preparing to meet with Judd Trump, in the next round.