ABC 1992-93

Amateur Billiards Circuit: Fourth Event

Atack Snooker Centre Nuneaton

10th January, 1993

Another venue first at the excellent Atack Snooker Centre, Nuneaton. A.B.C. thanks billiards enthusiast David Atack for the venue, a venue well-known as the home ground of the great Norman Dagley. There were 55 entrants, the same number as at both Spalding and Leeds. As Nuneaton is conveniently situated very near to several major motorways a slightly larger turnout might have been expected. It was nevertheless a good entry when considering that there were fewer players from the North East than there had been at the two previous tournaments. The field included virtually all of the country's top amateurs.

Centuries for Goodwill and Causier

The two top players were soon into their stride with breaks of 169 from Goodwill, 113 and 154 from Causier. Goodwill's effort eventually proved to be the highest of the day. Causier's total of 709 was quite remarkable considering that it was scored against a very good player -Dick Watts. Jock McGregor's rather low score of 129 was enough to beat Chris Raymond - by one!

Good win for Colby

Terry Colby did well to beat Bill Andress. Bill has perhaps not been on his best form recently but is nevertheless always a hard man to beat. Goodwill needed another century to get past Ellis Lloyd, whilst Causier, losing a little of his impetus, still had a 500+ total. Ken Shirley and Peter Shelley both scored well. The closest game was that in which club-owner Davis Atack put out fellow club-owner Alan Marsden by just 9.

Two for Causier, one each for Shelley and Welham. Close matches

David Causier scored his third 500+ total and his third and fourth centuries of the day. Peter Shelley had a century against Terry Colby. Phil Welham played exceptionally well against the BQR Editor scoring a century and a 93. Brian Harvey seems to get involved in more than his fair share of tight finishes this time losing by 3 to Alan Orton, Arthur Reeve got past John Smith by a mere 14, whilst Dave Atack scraped home by only 8 against John Hills.

Shirley strikes form

Phil Welham was unable to maintain his impetus against the 1986 Amateur Champion Ken Shirley who rattled up a 400+ total with a break of 131. Causier seemed unstoppable scoring two more centuries. Peter Shelley just missed a hundred but still lost to some consistent scoring by Martin Goodwill.

Causier runs riot

Ken Shirley, though not quite the player he was, is still one of the country's best amateurs and a hard man to beat. He hardly had a look in as Causier, reminiscent of the 18-year-old Russell, knocked up break after break to score over 600. Goodwill came through comfortably enough against Alan Orton who had had an excellent tournament.

Causier all the way

Martin Goodwill, though playing well enough, may just have been a shade apprehensive about facing Causier - a total of over 500 in every round and 7 centuries. Any such apprehension was well founded. The young Teessider knocked up yet another century and yet another 500+ total. Causier thus finished the day having scored 3468 points, an average of 578 per game, with 8 centuries and 6 other breaks over 50 (recorded.) This is one-day scoring in the Russell/Gilchrist/Sethi class.

Nuneaton Plate

Close games

There were several of the usual half-hour desperate finishes the closest being that in which Benny Veriato got past Terry Smith by just 5.

Bill begins to score

Bill Andress has had surprisingly little success recently but was showing signs of the fluent scoring of which he is capable. Young Teessider Chris Shutt did well to beat the experienced Brian Hoole though by only 3.

Good win for Bennett

Boys League player Paul Bennett did very well to put out Dick Watts. Dick is not as young as he used to be (Who is?) but he is still in the top flight of amateur players. Chris Shutt did well against Bill Andress but it was looking more and more like Bill's day.

Well done Veriato

Benny Veriato had been making unspectacular progress and was rewarded with an excellent win over Bern French. Bern has only recently returned to competitive play and has shown good form (His name incidentally is Bern and not Ben.) Billy was on a high against young Paul Bennett and it was now odds on him winning whoever he played in the final - Andress is that kind of player.

As predicted

Bill Andress took the plate but not before Benny Veriato had put up stout resistance to lose, perhaps a little unfortunately, by only 22. But well done Bill.

Amateur Billiards Circuit: Fifth Event

147 Executive Club. Southampton

14th February, 1993

The A.B.C. Circuit moved south to yet another new venue, this time to the club owned by professional player Bernard Bennett. Not surprisingly there was a smaller attendance than at the more main-stream venues, but there were 44 competitors, amongst them a number of local players who expressed their appreciation of the opportunity for some good quality billiards to play and watch. A.B.C. is nothing if not missionary in its outlook. A number of northern based players had travelled on Saturday staying overnight in various locations. Saturday the 13th was a nice sunny day after a week of fog and the BQR Editor enjoyed the drive through the Oxfordshire countryside and into Hampshire to meet up with Jock McGregor for a couple of hours practice and a convivial evening. Jock has been around a bit and his company and conversation is highly recommended. The 147 is a good club, the catering was excellent, and the players were given a warm welcome. Try and make it next year.

Chris Ross on form

Ex English Amateur Snooker Champion Chris Ross started his tournament with a fine break of 120 unfinished. Goodwill, on the next table started in a rather low key though he too should have had a century. Ivan Stevenage put up an exceptionally good performance to lose by only 8 points to Dick Watts.

Paul Bennett on song

Andy Reeve is a more than useful player and a quick scorer but found himself on the end of a spate of medium sized breaks from young Teessider Paul Bennett. Martin Goodwill had a century and the BQR Editor would have had one if he had used his brains instead of trusting to luck. Chris Ross had an awful run of the balls in the first 20 minutes of the game with Goodwill and by the time he did have a chance or two it was too late. David Burgess has been getting his game into shape recently and was showing good form.

Andress wins local Derby

West country travelling companions Andress and Watts met in a battle royal in which Watts prevailed by a mere 6 points. Goodwill was getting into his stride making a 126 whilst Arthur Reeve had an excellent, if narrow (4 points,) victory over Dave Burgess. A very good century break from Michael White - well done.

Tied Game

Arthur Reeve and Paul Bennett were involved in a tie. The short game format produces many close results but a tie is unusual. The game was extended by 15 minutes during which Bennett took full advantage of the run to score 98 points whilst Arthur could manage only 10. The game between Marsden and White saw a typical close finish as the Somerset man won by just 2. Martin Goodwill overwhelmed Dick Watts scoring two centuries including the day's highest of 133.

Goodwill's fifth century

Goodwill had it all his own way against Michael White. White had a satisfying tournament and is an improving player. Paul Bennett faded against Terry Colby.

Disappointing Game

It had been a long day and neither player seemed able to produce anything like his best. There was not a lot in it. Terry Colby, in his first ABC final, had a couple of fifties and with a bit of luck might have beaten Goodwill who did not reproduce the form of his earlier games.

Terry Colby

Southampton Plate

Little in it

There were some very close matches the most notable being perhaps that in which Bern French beat Jim Carter by just 6. Bern went on to win the plate. John Oldfield had a good win over Kevin Payne.

By the skin of their teeth

Bern had another very close game. John Barker had an even closer one going down by a single point to Dave White.

Wallace out after good run

Norman Wallace plays a pretty solid game and had done well to get to the plate semi in his first ABC tournament, as had Maidenhead player John Hedley.

Bern wins hard fought match

Congratulations to both players on reaching their first final. There was not a lot in it, both men tried hard and French just managed to pull away towards the end. A good game.

Amateur Billiards Circuit: Sixth Event

The Snooker Lodge, Exeter

14th March, 1993

The Snooker Lodge, Exeter, was yet another new venue for the A.B.C. though familiar enough territory for many of the players as there have been several Mini-Prix tournaments there. The editor of this magazine can well recall playing Robby Foldvari in the first round of an Exeter Mini-Prix and starting with a couple of decent breaks only to see the Australian compile a 305. The Snooker Lodge is a good venue, with friendly staff and good catering. Playing conditions vary, the tables, in the early rounds, were affected by the humidity despite the air-conditioning going full blast. This did not stop David Causier from making a break of exactly 300 which is an A.B.C. record to date. It is a long way from the Teesside to Exeter, and Causier, together with Robin Sutcliffe, were the only players from that part of the country in a field of 40. There was an amateur tournament in Norwich on the same day which may have reduced the numbers travelling south, but 40 was not an unsatisfactory turn-out.

Causier makes a double

David Causier started his campaign with a score of 602 and breaks of 209 and 91. Ellis Lloyd did well to score as many as he did. It was good to see that Daniel Zagaroli, last season's under 18 runner-up, has not abandoned billiards. Later in the day Zagaroli knocked up a 134 in a practice frame of snooker.

Goodwill and Harvey start well Another Tie

Goodwill started with a century, Brian Harvey with a 94. Robin Sutcliffe had a 93 against Jock McGregor. Jock rarely gets beyond the first round but is a much better player than his record would suggest. The BQR editor had a couple of hours practice with Jock on the Saturday evening and had to do more than his fair share of fielding out. For some reason the Ealing man is unable to produce his form in the tournaments. There was the unusual result of a tie for the second tournament running. This time between Bill Andress and Jack Masters. The extra ten minutes saw Bill through by 27.

Record break for Causier Big break for Harvey

David Causier's break of exactly 300 sets a record for the A. B.C. It will take some beating. Dick Watts was on the receiving end - Dick has met Causier in the early rounds of the last three tournaments and must wish he could get into the other half of the daw. This effort of Causier's overshadowed a fine break of 183 from Brian Harvey which would, on past evidence, normally have been enough to take the high break prize.

A Tale of Eighteen Misses

The Causier - Goodwill clash produced an incident - or a series of incidents - possibly unique in the history of the game. Martin Goodwill faced eighteen consecutive double-baulks and played eighteen consecutive coups. Quite early in this quarter final clash of the two best players, Martin Goodwill made a break of 158 and shortly after a break of 133. This put him well in front and, with a little under half of the time remaining, he still had a lead of about 200. At this point David Causier lost the white and left a double-baulk. Goodwill played safe by running his cue-ball into a middle pocket, "A coup." Causier played the balls into a slightly better position, and Goodwill, without any hesitation, ran a second coup. This went on for a further 16 visits. During that time the young Middlesbrough player twice took the red out of baulk and played two or three in-offs before leaving yet another double-baulk only to see Goodwill run yet another coup. There was some murmuring amongst the spectators, Causier was clearly agitated, but the onus was on him. He attempted neither of the two options which were open to him. He could have left a single baulk which would have forced Goodwill to play the balls - possibly by potting the red and then stunning the red into baulk leaving the cue ball on the top cushion, or, he could have attempted the limit from the red and claimed the object white playable, this ball would have been placed on the centre spot of baulk. Causier is one of the best prospects to emerge since Russell/Gilchrist and it is inexplicable why he should not have attempted one or the other of his options. Goodwill was perfectly within the rules and it was to his advantage that his opponent should continue to double-baulk. The impasse was broken when Causier went in-off the red and failed to bring the red out of baulk. He then played a miss up the side cushion - but why he did not do this some 13 or 14 visits previously remains something of a mystery. A.B.C. players will discuss this incident for a long time. There were no great surprise in the other quarters, Bill Andress had a good break of 130.

A Useful century

If Martin Goodwill had not made a break of 104 then Brian Harvey would have won. That is one of those silly statements that contain just a grain of truth somewhere. In fact, Goodwill did make a 104 and Harvey didn't win. Harvey played well and had no complaints. Bill Andress had a good game against Chris Ross.

Goodwill's Fourth

The players scored point for point until about the half-way stage when Goodwill took control. Bill Andress will have been pleased to reach the final on home territory.

Of the six A.B.C tournaments to date Goodwill has now won four and Causier two. Though there are players who could do it, it will take a very good performance from someone to break the monopoly.

Exeter Plate

Terry gets a fright

The B.Q.R. Editor came up against a young local player by the name of Alan Radford. This young man had beaten the experienced Ellis Lloyd in the previous round - a good performance. Terry made three breaks in the forties and scored 152 which is not too bad in a half hour game, but very nearly lost. Radford turned out to be an excellent cueman (snooker player) but with a basic knowledge of billiards, able to play cannons and losing hazards in positions where most snooker players having a go at billiards would invariably attempt a pot red. If this boy is sufficiently interested and could practice with some decent players then he could turn into a very good player.

Lingard by Two

Geoff Lingard just scraped home by two against Derek White. The other games were not quite so close.

Terry through!

The BQR Editor had a comfortable win. When Tom Terry gets a good run and a number of timely flukes, as he did on this occasion, then he is a match for anybody in a half-hour game (Well, nearly anybody!)

A Win for White

Michael White is not too well-known on the A.B.C. He comes from a place near Bath with the delightful name of Midsomer Norton. Tom Terry found this particular game rather less than delightful but White is a good player and deserved to win.