The World Professional Billiards Championship 1993

Sponsored by Gold Flake Qualifying Round

The Norbreck Castle Hotel, Blackpool

Sunday 5th September 1993

With the Radion Plaza, Sheffield, undergoing extensive alterations, the qualifying round for this year's championship was moved to the Norbreck Castle, home of the snooker qualifying school. Many of the players were not happy with the playing conditions. The tables, superb for snooker, were not quite so good for the three-ball game. The fast-running, shaven cloths, caused a very wide throw of the balls with which almost all of the players were unable to come to terms. Several players mentioned that the spotting of the cueball for the long loser was as much as 2 inches wider than that which the players were accustomed to. The cushions too, seemed to throw an unfamiliar "sliding" angle which caused many failures at normally quite easy cushion cannons. That fine player Bob Close, a spectator at some of the games, remarked that though he had been playing pretty good quality billiards for many years he thought he would have had difficulty making a century under those conditions. Clive Everton too, vastly experienced, and highly qualified to express views on the game, agreed with Close. Thirty two hours of billiards by good players produced only five centuries, three from Roxton Chapman and two from Subhash Agarwal. It has been said that the only similarities between billiards and snooker were that the games were played on the same table. It seems that even this may no longer be true.

There were some other complaints. Manoj Kothari made the point that, as an unsponsored player, it had cost him a fair sum to travel to England to play just four hours under such condition. His main worry was that people would think he couldn't play the game when in fact he is a regular three-hundred break player. He thought that a, "Round Robin," qualifying tournament would have been fairer. It would give players time to acclimatise and produce something like their best form. It would also make it much more worth while making the journey. Considering that he and Devendra Joshi had travelled half-way round the world to play each other a four hour game in Blackpool! well, he does have a point. He also claimed to have had the wrong dates and had arrived a couple of days earlier than he need have done.

If the World Championship continues to be in India in future years, then with six Indian professionals - all of whom are good enough to have aspirations of getting somewhere near to the top of the billiards ladder - and with the possibility of one or two more Indians turning professional, then one wonders what the future of the qualifying round might be.

C. Everton v J. Caven

John Caven did well to hold Everton to the half way stage, but the Scotsman faded in the second session as Everton took command.

N. Patel v D. Edwards

Edwards is sadly lacking in match practice but nevertheless had a reasonable lead at the interval only to see Patel come back to win by just 32.

R. Chapman v D. Barton

Chapman had the day's beat of 189 in the first session. Barton remained in touch but was overwhelmed in the second session.

S. Agarwal v D. Heald

Des Heald could do nothing right in the first session. He improved in the second but was well beaten by the free-scoring Indian.

J. Murphy v D. Rees

Neither player ever really got to grips with the condition. John Murphy had the best of it in the second session to finish a comfortable winner.

M. Wildman v H. Griffiths

Wildman was expected to win this one but found himself trailing at the interval after dismal first session. The second was not much of an improvement Wildman getting home by a little over a hundred

D. Joshi v M. Kothari

Neither player could adapt to the conditions. For two such good players the figures tell the whole story.

D. Seddon v H. Nimmo

Neck and neck all the way with the two Scotsmen Dave Seddon just making it by 58.

World Professional Championship The Final Stages

Hotel President, Bombay

October 1st - 5th, 1993

Tragic Background as Sethi Retains Title

The Final stages of the 1993 World Professional Championship took place at the Hotel President, Bombay, from the 1st to the 5th of October. The matches were played out to the awful background of an earthquake East of Bombay which claimed over 20,000 victims. There are those who will ask if it were appropriate to play a billiards championship in the shadow of such an event. The players had, however, already arrived in Bombay when the disaster occurred, and it would have done little for the game for them to have returned home without striking a ball. BQR understands that had the quake taken place before the players left England then there would have been a postponement.

Only one table was used. This meant a schedule starting at 8.30am and finishing at midnight - and there are few players who are at their best at such unearthly hours. Despite this, the tournament was a great success, the organisation (Tournament Director Alan Chamberlain) first class, and the refereeing faultless.

Players found the playing conditions, new snooker cloth, new balls, initially difficult, but conditions eased as the sessions passed and those who reached the semi-final stages were unanimous in their praise of the conditions. The matches were well attended. The hall held about 400 spectators and was invariably full when Sethi played. There were many more who wanted to watch the final than were able to get in

Geet Sethi v Clive Everton

The honour of playing the opening game went, as is traditional, to the defending champion. The conditions, new cloth and balls, caused problems, but Sethi fairly quickly adjusted and with efforts of 146 and 279 took an unassailable interval lead of nearly 700. The Snooker Scene Editor had a dismal game making but a single half-century in the four hours.

Michael Ferreira v Nalin Patel

Both players struggled with the conditions.

Ferreira, "We both kept floundering about when seemingly well set for big breaks, either because of the nap or the split of the balls." Ferreira had slightly the better of the first session to gain a small interval lead. Patel came back in the second making breaks of 60 and 102 to take a lead of nearly 200. Ferreira's great experience enabled him to put the stoppers on with some good safety play. A couple of late centuries and some smaller items saw him home by 210. These two had practised together in the weeks preceding the championship, and Ferreira in particular, now playing more than for years, had had some very big breaks. This was thus a rather disappointing match for both men.

Roxton Chapman v Ian Williamson

To paraphrase Winston Churchill, never in the field of billiards conflict have so few points been scored, in so much time, by two such good players. Until we consider that one of the players was Ian Williamson! I have watched the Leeds professional many times and have sometimes wondered if he has not had some type of catatonic attack as he has stood gazing at the position for many seconds on end before settling down to play a perfectly obvious stroke. I have also seen him running round the table to make up time - once! Roxton Chapman is not a slow player, but he is an unflappable, easy going, young man and was undisturbed by Williamson's imitation of death and managed to scrape home by a mere 7 in a match which produced a total of just 1199 points. After an hour Williamson led 236 - 71. In the second hour the positions were reversed as Chapman scored 217 to his opponent's 66. The scoring rate was much the same in the second session. Chapman managed a century and a 66, but with a couple of minutes left found himself 16 behind. It is difficult to believe that he was able to get to the table, but he did, and with a 23 unfinished won by the narrowest of margins.

Peter Gilchrist v Subhash Agrawal

Gilchrist's preparation for an 8.30am appointment with Agrawal consisted of staying up until 6.30am watching the Bruno - Lewis title fight.

Not surprisingly the World's No.4. found himself trailing at the interval despite making a 174. However, the Middlesbrough man found the K.O. punch in the second session running up a string of breaks and completely outclassing the demoralised Indian. The table appeared to be 'settling down' and Gilchrist was able to exploit the floating-white game to maximum effect. Anyone who has seen him in full flow knows how quickly and attractively he can pile up the points. Agrawal, too, is an attractive player to watch but has done little since reaching the 1992 U.K. final. His turn must surely come again.

Robby Foldvari v John Murphy

John Murphy was originally drawn to play Mike Russell, but because of slight error in the ranking list, with a consequent change in the seedings, he found himself up against Robby Foldvari. Murphy must have regarded the change with mixed feelings indeed. I think I would prefer to be quickly and cleanly shot rather than run over by the Steamroller. And steamrollered the Teessider was as the Australian piled on the agony to take an interval lead of over 600. Murphy can actually play the game and showed this with a very nice second session century but was still beaten by nearly a thousand.

Norman Dagley v Mark Wildman

Mark Wildman at his best is a fluent and attractive player to watch. He is one of the best players since the war. He can also be, at times, one of the worst, and, unfortunately for him, this was one of those occasions. Dagley, though not quite the competitor of some years ago, is still as wonderful a cueman as ever. He is a popular visitor to India and the spectators delighted in his elegant display.

Bob Close v Devendra Joshi

Joshi is ranked No.l1 in the world and Close No.7. The little Indian is a fluent break-builder but found Bob Close much too experienced and much too good. The Hartlepool professional played extremely well making break after break - top 227.

Mike Russell w/o Dave Seddon scr

The Scottish player was unable to re-arrange time off work after the championship date was changed by a couple of days. This was to the disadvantage of Russell who must have anticipated the lion's share of the table and some very useful match practice.

Roxton's great win; Dagley so Near and yet so Far

Geet Sethi v Michael Ferreira

A series of big breaks culminating with an unfinished 320 saw Sethi to an overwhelming victory. Ferreira has been playing well, but as every player knows, you can only play when you are actually at the table. Ferreira himself said of his opponent:-

"The smoothness of his cueing was ample testimony to the benefits of tournament play on the snooker circuit. Sethi has obviously added to the reservoir of mental toughness with which he was born. The defending champion's performance sounded an ominous warning to the rest of the field. Though nothing is certain in sport, it is certain that anyone who beats Sethi will have to play at his best. Contrary to what people may imagine, I quite enjoyed the game and I eagerly look forward to when I play him again."

Roxton Chapman v Peter Gilchrist

This match provided the biggest upset of the tournament. The young Peterborough professional had proved himself in a severe test against Ian Williamson and was expected to give Gilchrist a very good run for his money. But it was generally reckoned that Peter Gilchrist would, at this stage of Chapman's progress, still be just a little too good and toil experienced. It was not so. Chapman made the highest break of the tournament to that joint - 331, and also had a 230. With an hour of the second session gone Chapman, leading by over 500, appeared to be coasting home. But Gilchrist is nothing if not a fighter, and with runs of 58,198,100,124,53, and 55, got himself into a winning position. Chapman did not succumb to this barrage and held on grimly to win by just 113. There were some spectators who thought that Gilchrist might have won had he closed the game up in the final minutes. But full marks to Chapman who, with this win, gained his first ranking points, and established himself in the top rank of the world's players.

Norman Dagley v Robby Foldvari

Norman Dagley, at 63, is still one of the world's most attractive players to watch. He seems slightly less competitive than in his heyday and, given the difference in age, most of the pundits did not give too much for his chances against the Australian Steamroller. In the event Foldvari seemed unable to concentrate with his usual intensity. Just two centuries and a match average of 22.1 is, for the world's number 3, rather poor. Foldvari will not have enjoyed this and his next opponent, whoever it might be, can expect a torrid time. Dagley stroked up some fine centuries including a 280 to take a good interval lead. The Australian managed to put the brakes on his opponent in the second and himself knocked in two rapid, (repeat rapid,) centuries to reduce the arrears but by then it was too late.

Mike Russell v Bob Close

Russell opened his campaign to regain the title with a with a 370 point win over the popular Hartlepool professional - a win that included a break of 417. In fact, the twice world champion was given a hard time. The 56 year old Close took an interval lead of 245 and looked to be in with a chance of creating an upset. The matter was eventually settled in the last half-hour with Russell's quadruple century - the highest break of the tournament at that stage. And so good-bye Bob Close for another year. Whilst Sethi and Co. (now including Chapman) would seem unassailable, there cannot be an enthusiast anywhere who would not be delighted to see Close crown his career with one of the major titles.

Geet Sethi v Roxton Chapman

The unseeded Peterborough man started like a house on fire. A 205 at his third visit, followed by a 173, and a 111 gave him a lead of 527 - 50 after an hour's play. The world champion afterwards admitted to being just a little worried at that stage. However, it must be a great comfort to a player - and a great source of anxiety to his opponent - if he knows that a six or seven hundred break is by no means beyond him. Sethi did not have to wait very long for his chances to reply. At his ninth visit he made a 209, at his eleventh a 188, and played out the session with 59 unfinished to take a small interval lead. It was all India in the second session as Sethi piled on the agony with a string of big breaks including a 367 to achieve a session average of 118.1. Roxton spent most of the two hours on his chair but, to his credit, had a double century and an unfinished 77 to finish with a fine match average of 48.0. Sethi, thus, reached the final for the second year running, and was showing such form as threatened to annihilate any opposition in whatever shape or form it might come - including Mike Russell.

Roxton Chapman has been tipped as a future world champion. It might take a few more years but on his showing in this semi-final it would not be a surprise if he one day took the title.

Mike Russell v Norman Dagley

Dagley made a superb effort against Russell eventually losing the match by a mere 80 and that after the Teessider had set the tournament's highest break target at 451 at only his fifth visit to the table. Norman has seen it all before, and in his own unruffled manner, and with a couple of centuries, kept the interval arrears to a little over two hundred. The second session saw the famous Earl Shilton player at something approaching his best. Consistent scoring saw him to the stage where, with just ten minutes left for play, he trailed by only a couple of hundred and was in play at the spot-end. When in full flow he, incredibly, missed the floating-white cannon by a whisker. He, in fact, missed it twice! Playing the cannon from the top cushion he missed scoring it directly by the merest fraction, and then missed by a hairs-breadth from the cushion. And so Russell went through to his fourth consecutive final. But he cannot have felt over-confident of his chances.

Sethi Makes it two in a Row; Russell a Second session Spectator

The Final was played over two sessions of two hours each on Tuesday October 5th. Mike Russell could hardly have had a better start as at only his third visit he scored a break of exactly 300. He followed with 66 and added 555 points in just three visits to the table to take his score to 926. Sethi meanwhile had had one century - 113, and a second best break of a mere 45. This gave an interval score of 926 - 463, a Scoreboard lead of 463, but not quite a true reflection of the state of the game as the Indian was in play with 165 unfinished. Russell's real lead was therefore 298 which is not a lot at this level.

Just how small a lead was this 298 was soon demonstrated as the quick-scoring Indian took his unfinished break to 328. At his very next visit he made 744, surprisingly breaking down when looking set for a thousand, and immediately followed with a break of 177. His speed and accuracy of play at the top-of-the-table was quite breathtaking. He had thus put 1249 points on the board in just three visits whilst Russell, who had added a mere 11 to his interval score of 926, now found himself 775 behind. This was not a totally impossible situation for the 23 year old twice champion, but he was unable to get his game together sufficiently to make any impact. His best breaks of the session were 72 and 63, and he added only 214 to his interval score. Sethi, had a quiet period after his amazing scoring burst but, almost inevitably, put on another couple of centuries towards the end of the game for a session average of 115.7 to finish the winner by 999.

Visits

Russell broke with the plain ball and had 28 visits to the table, his last visit unfinished. Sethi had 27 visits.

Mike Russell's match average of 42.2 would surely have been good enough to win almost any match of the post-war era. The Redcar cueman won the championship in Australia, 1989, aged 20 (v Peter Gilchrist) with a Final match average of 36.8 and a top break of 593. He retained the title in India 1991, (v Robby Foldvari) with the average of 35.8 and a top of 263. He lost his title to Geet Sethi last year averaging 24.7 top break 212. These are interesting figures and suggest that since his success in Australia Russell has perhaps not improved to the extent that might have been expected. By contrast the improvement in Sethi's game is very clear. In Australia the Indian was well beaten by Bob Close in the first round. He averaged 18.2 and had a top break of 200. India '91 saw him defeated by Robby Foldvari in the semi-final with an average of 20.9 and a highest of 216. Just what Geet did in the period between September '91 and September '92 I wish I knew - it might be worth trying - for he took the title with a Final match average of 87.2 and a top breaks of 818 and 576. He also made 1,276 against Bob Close in the quarters. His average this year, 79.2 with a top of 744 is very similar to last year's performance.

Mike Russell then, had the best average of any of his four finals, and was beaten by a thousand. Leaving aside any questions of aesthetics or artistry, there is one aspect of billiards about which there can be no argument - the figures. In this case the figures incontrovertibly show that there is no argument whatever as to who is the world's best player and, at the moment, he comes form Ahmedabad, India.

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