Russell wins Bangalore Open and makes it £50,000 for 1996. By winning the £5,000 first prize in his 7-1 defeat of Peter Gilchrist, Russell becomes the biggest ever money winner in a year at Professional Billiards.
There was an entry of 31 including 4 new freshmen entries all from India. Chapman failed to really test Russell although he did get to 3-2 from 3-0 down in the quarter finals. Of the Indian players Multani looks as though he will get into the top eight in a year or two and Sethi has gone along way to ensuring a place for next season.
Of the current elite squad Williamson, Dagley (still not playing) and Close look likely to slip out and even Foldvari could be an eventual casualty if he doesn't start scoring.
PRIZE MONIES: Russell £5,000 Gilchrist £3,000 Causier and Joshi £2,300 Losing 1 /4 Finals £1,800 Losing Last 16 £1,100 Losing Last 32 £150 TOTAL PRIZE MONEY: £31,000
| A. Shandilya
120 | 4 | B. Bhaskar
| 1 | ||
| S. Multani
111 | 4 | I. Williamson I
| 2 | ||
| M. Rehani
| 4 | S. Armanath
110 | 3 | ||
| Agrawal
151, 113 | 4 | A. Kumar
106, 122 | 2 | ||
| C. Shutt
147, 148 | 4 | M. Kothari
| 0 | ||
| R. Williams
| 4 | S. Hardcastle
| 2 | ||
| P. Gilchrist
120 | 4 | H. Gandi
| 0 | ||
| G. Sethi
| 4 | A. Agrawal
| 1 | ||
| M. Ferreira
| 4 | Y. Subramanian
| 0 | ||
| R. Foldvari
| 4 | A. Savur
| 0 | ||
| D. Joshi
127 | 4 | D. Sitwala
| 0 | ||
| R. Chapman
140, 132 | 4 | C. Shah
| 0 | ||
| N. Patel
131 | 4 | M. G. Javaram
| 1 | ||
| M. Wildman
| 4 | D. Akolkar
| 0 | ||
| M. Russell
150, 109 | 4 | A. Jhunjhunwhala
| 0 |
| D. Causier
105, 106 | 4 | A. Shandilya
112 | 2 | ||
| Multani
129 | 4 | M. Rehani
125 | 2 | ||
| C. Shutt
102, 104 | 4 | Agrawal
116, 130, 149 | 3 | ||
| P. Gilchrist
| 4 | R. Williams
135, 125 | 2 | ||
| G. Sethi
139, 145, 103 | 4 | M. Ferreira
| 1 | ||
| D. Joshi
| 4 | R. Foldvari
| 1 | ||
| R. Chapman
108, 123, 118 | 4 | N. Patel
| 0 | ||
| M. Russell
150, 115, 145, 145 | 4 | M. Wildman
| 0 |
| D. Causier
104, 152, 102 | 4 | S. Multani
100 | 0 | ||
| P. Gilchrist
152, 150 | 4 | C. Shutt
| 2 | ||
| D. Joshi
150, 100 | 4 | G. Sethi
100 | 1 | ||
| M. Russell
146, 143 | 4 | R. Chapman
119 | 2 |
| P. Gilchrist
108 | 5 | D. Causier
116, 152 | 1 | ||
| M. Russell
110, 145, 102, 151 | 5 | D. Joshi
| 0 |
| M. Russell
150, 150, 151, 152, 148 | 7 | P. Gilchrist
116 | 1 |