Mini-Prix 1992-93

1992/93 First Event: November 22nd

Widnes Snooker Club

Sponsored by Aughton Ltd

The Mini-Prix season's first event was held at the Widnes Snooker Centre rather earlier in the season than usual. That the event took place at all is thanks to the generosity of Aughton, Ltd, in the person of Mr Arthur Johnson. Arthur himself was not able to play being on his homeward journey from a business trip, but he made it to the Snooker Centre for the final and, like the rest of us, was pleased at the turnout. Widnes is a good venue for a tournament. The playing conditions are very reasonable and there are enough tables to get the tournament moving. The catering is very good and the staff of the centre friendly and welcoming. With Eric Hodgkinson away at the world amateur snooker in Malta it fell upon the BQR Editor to take on the running of the tournament. It is a bit of a hectic job but Eddie McNicholas, who had done much of the preliminary work, helped out and there were plenty of others to hand, notably Ray Moore and Ian Birch who helped with the score sheets and the progress boards.

Maggie French

Maggie chats with Robby Foldvari

Old Mini-Prix hands will have no difficulty in recalling Alex French. Alex used to act as Tournament Director for the Mini-Prix and was ably assisted by his wife and daughter Maggie. Upon Alex's departure for France, his daughter took over for a tournament or two but gave way to Eric Hodgkinson, it was hardly to be expected that a young girl would want to spend her Sundays running billiards tournaments. Well, at Widnes there she was, renewing old acquaintances and expressing an interest in refereeing. Two or three years older, she was hardly recognisable as the teenager who used to help her dad. Maggie's presence was a real bonus to the organisers and she was quickly roped in to lend a hand. This young lady has more than a little, "Je ne sais quoi," and all the younger players - and I expect most of the older ones - will be hoping that she makes a habit of dropping in at both Mini-Prix and ABC. Well done Maggie.

Great win for Sutcliffe

Robby Foldvari is rated in the world's top four players and Robin Sutcliffe was not expected to beat him. However, Sutcliffe is a much improved amateur player, the opportunities came his way and he took full advantage of them. Martin Goodwill is rated in the world's top half-dozen amateurs yet he very nearly went the same way getting past Eddie McNicholas by only 4 points despite making a century break. Ken Shirley is not the easiest of opponents but Peter Gilchrist walked past him making two centuries in the process. Roxton Chapman could make no impression on Tony Mackinder who - yet again - had a first round century.

The Mini-Prix welcomed for the first time players from Scotland, professional Dave Seddon and amateur Tom McFarlane.

Close Matches

The Duke of Wellington said that Waterloo had been, "A damn close run thing." A number of games in this round were definitely of that description. Tony Mackinder got past Alan Firth by just 2 points; Steve Crosland ousted newcomer Tom McFarlane by the same margin. David Causier defeated Bill Andress by only 5, and John Murphy put out Pete Mather by a mere 8. Trevor Gent beat Welsh professional Howard Griffiths by 14. Scottish Professional Dave Seddon had a good win over fellow Professional from Leeds Ian Williamson. At the extremes of the draw, Peter Gilchrist and Martin Goodwill had century breaks and comfortable victories.

Gilchrist on Song

Peter Gilchrist looked unstoppable against Peter Shelley - one of the country's top amateurs. Brian Harvey scraped past Robin Sutcliffe by only 3. Tom Terry had the best of the chances in the later stages of a close game with Dick Watts but did not take advantage of them. Dave Seddon had an excellent win over Bob Close.

Century for Murphy

More close games John Murphy had a century and a string of smaller breaks as he steam-rollered Steve Crosland. The sequence of close games continued as Dick Watts beat Dave Seddon by 3 and Martin Goodwill beat Brian Harvey by 4. The best match - on paper - Gilchrist v Causier, resulted in a fairly easy win for the Middlesbrough Professional.

Good effort from Murphy

Watts well beaten Taunton veteran Dick Watts had had his best tournament for some time; he had played well but found Goodwill a little too good on the day. John Murphy played well but Gilchrist, in his most subdued game of the day, never really looked like a loser.

Gilchrist makes it look easy

Peter Gilchrist made the game look the easiest thing in the world as he ran up a string of big breaks and reduced ex Amateur Champion Martin Goodwill to the role of spectator.

Gilchrist's first scoring visit was 28 which he followed with 125. A 186 followed two visits later and shortly after that came an 81 and a 114. The Middlesbrough Pro went to the table for his last visit with exactly 6 minutes and 14 seconds remaining on the clock and played out time with 131 unfinished. That is just about as fast as the game can be played without the aid of the nursery cannon. Goodwill could do nothing. He got going only once breaking down at 29 when the balls unfortunately covered at the spot end.

Widnes Plate

Foldvari makes a promise

Robby Foldvari is nothing if not professional in his approach. It is all to the good of the game and for the benefit of competitors and spectators that star players should stay on to compete in the secondary competition when, as sometimes happens, they are eliminated in the first round of the main competition. The Australian declared his intention of doing his best to take the plate and the highest-break prize if he could. As it happened he did not have to play in the first round. Likely challengers seemed to be Roxton Chapman, Ken Shirley, and (in half-hour games) Andy Reeve and Tony Done.

Well done McFarlane

Tom McFarlane is a very keen billiards player who thinks nothing of a weekly 160 miles round trip for a game with his friend, professional player, Dave Seddon. These two had made the long trip South to appear in their first Mini-Prix and both were rewarded with some success. McFarlane did well to get past Ian Birch. Billiard players must surely be right at the top of the league for enthusiasm; one has only to think of the annual mileage of the South-West contingent (Andress, Harvey, and Co.)

Good win for Fielding

Eddie Fielding did well to beat Andy Reeve who recently made a personal best of 196. Ken Shirley might have been expected to run Roxton Chapman a little closer.

Foldvari makes two attempts

Robby Foldvari clearly thought it time to have a go for the break prize. He made two attempts but both were well short. Tony Done was just a shade unfortunate to lose to Chapman by only 6.

Foldvari could have - and should have!

Roxton Chapman has been tipped for major honours in the game -and by no less an authority than Mark Wildman, but he might as well not have been there at all as Foldvari activated concentration superdrive in his quest for the day's top break. And he should have done it. At 181 he failed at a perfectly straightforward loser into a top pocket from an object ball situated in the region of the pyramid spot. The spectators couldn't believe it, neither could Robby. Two tables away Gilchrist, who, at the same time had been knocking up a century himself and watching the Australian's effort in between shots, permitted himself a not unsympathetic smile. Foldvari's smile was more rueful. Gilchrist thus hung on to the break prize for his effort of 190 against Peter Shelley in the third round.