The Darley Dale Invitation

Sponsored by The Royal Bank of Scotland

Organised By Him McCann and Malcolm Gregory

Bob Close at the Last Gasp

The Darley Dale invitation was held again this year after a year's absence from the calendar. I live on the Notts/Derby border within half-an-hour's drive of the Whitworth Institute, Darley Dale. The A6 through Ambergate and Whatstandwell splits the Derwent Valley at that part where there is steeply rising forest land on either side of the river. Woodlands, not of the conifer variety so common these days, but of older trees, trees that lose their leaves in the winter, trees which at this time of the year form a blaze of yellows and reds. That drive, ending with the prospect of watching Norman Dagley play billiards, helps to make thoughts of the approaching winter more tolerable.

Bob Close receives the trophy from Mayor of Darley Dale, Mr. George Draper.

A Beautiful Billiards Room The Whitworth Institute was built well before the First World War and, in fact, was used as a hospital for wounded soldiers during that war. It is built of sandstone, the ceilings to the rooms are high, the doors are big, heavy, and of mahogany. The billiards room is oak-panelled with raised seating, leather upholstered. There are old photographs and trophies in cabinets on the walls. A more modern note is struck with a board full of newspaper cuttings of the deeds of snooker player Nigel Bond, a member of the club and who practices there. It seems a little out of place, the room is essentially a billiards room, one could imagine Roberts and Dawson playing there. The tables are very good and in first class condition.

Players and Format

The players this year were Norman Dagley, Ken Shirley, Des Heald, and Bob Close. Close was invited to replace Mike Russell who had had to withdraw when the revised Darley Dale date clashed with a prior commitment. The match was played on the basis of three games of one hour with the two top players Dagley and Close conceding 75 points per hour. In effect this amounted to two three-hour matches with a ten minute interval at the end of each hour. The player scoring most points would be the winner of the trophy. Bob Close thus conceded 225 points to Ken Shirley (The defending Darley Dale Champion,) whilst Norman Dagley took on Des Heald. Obviously the format could have been, "Round Robin," but Jim McCann explained that matches such as described gave players more time to settle and enhanced the possibility of some big breaks which were what the spectators had come to see. This is fair enough but Jim might bear in mind for next year that a ten minute interval and a change of table after each hour is possibly just as unsettling as a change of opponent. Furthermore, the above format means that if one of the handicapped players is very much out of form then this is clearly a big advantage to his opponent. A round robin would ensure that both the players conceding points have an hour against the man out of form. It turned out that both men in receipt of points finished with very nearly the same score.

Close wins a close tournament

Whatever criticism there might be of the format there can be no arguing but that there was an exciting finish with the result in doubt to the last minute.

Neither Heald nor Shirley were on anything like their best form. The last tournament resulted in a win for Shirley with Des Heald runner-up - and that with Russell in the field! It was a different story this time and it was quickly apparent that neither of them would repeat their 1989 success. Close and Dagley have played many times, this must be the first time they have played by proxy.

After one hour Close was 19 in front. At the end of the second hour he had a lead of 10. With 6 minutes to go by my watch the scores were called level at 1128 as both men went to the table to start a break. Norman failed after scoring a dozen or so whilst Bob played out time with 65 unfinished to take the trophy and the first prize by just 29 points. The Highlight of the afternoon was a lovely break of 185 by Dagley made at the top-of-the-table and in that typical Dagley style which makes one think that there is just nothing to the game and why on earth should anyone find it difficult.

Scores

Breaks: Dagley 59, 66, 68, 70, 103, 185; Heald 57.

Breaks: Close 61, 62, 65*, 71, 88, 90; Shirley 52, 70.

Exhibition - Big Breaks

The two top professionals played a two hour exhibition game in the evening. The afternoon sessions had been well-attended and the room was crowded for the exhibition. Those who saw it were privileged as the two highly-experienced master players produced of their best. The ex-World Champion scored 830 points at an average of 83 making breaks of 62, 65, 132, 174, and 296*, whilst Bob Close scored 580 at an average of 52.7 with breaks of 81, 83, and 108. Dagley's control at the spot-end and exploitation of his favourite, "Postman's knock," was of the highest class. Only the very greatest of cueman can have surpassed him at this phase of the game. Close plays a rather different game. He too is a prolific scorer at the spot-end, and in some ways his game is more interesting to watch. He seems to find trouble from time-to-time and often keeps his breaks going with some fine recovery strokes, indeed, possibly only Russell rivals him in this ability to keep going when ordinary players such as myself would inevitably break down.

If the Darley Dale invitation is played next year, and there is no reason to suppose it will not be, then get a ticket and go (I'll get Jim's telephone number right next time.) Go, you will find it good for the soul.