ABC 1993-1994

Amateur Billiards Circuit: Eighth Event (Pro-Am)

Spondon Snooker Club Derby

April 17th

The ABC returned to, "McClusky's Bar," where the tournament is always Pro-Am. The Spondon Snooker Club is a good and very convenient venue. The tables seem in better condition than previously and, as there about twenty of them, the tournament can move smoothly. It moved particularly smoothly this year thanks to a disappointingly low turnout. Only thirty-four players were in attendance and of these, eight were professionals. There were thus only twenty-six amateur players in the lists. Peter Gilchrist was unusually absent being on a coaching tour of Canada, but with both Russell and Chapman in the field, enthusiasts could look forward to some world-class billiards.

Youngster's Debut

Eleven year old Dean Bavister played in his first national open tournament. Dean is a protege of Mark Wildman and shows distinct promise. The draw was rather unkind as it pitted him against the seasoned Welsh Professional David Edwards - twice English Amateur Champion.

*** Professional conceding 100 points Professional or Amateur conceding 50 points Amateur receiving 50 points

Dean Bavister under the watchful eyes of Goodwill and Chapman.

Amateur Champion falls

Martin Goodwill, three weeks after regaining the amateur title, could not concede points to Tony Mackinder, and despite a century break was beaten by more than the start. Roxton Chapman set a target for the day's highest with a 231, whilst Ron Whitten drew the short straw -Mike Russell. David Edwards and Albert Salisbury had century breaks.

Russell puts out Chapman

The first and second favourites met at this early stage with the World No.2 gaining a convincing win over his younger opponent. Howard Griffiths did very well to win conceding points to Albert Salisbury. David Causier showed once again what a remarkably rapid scorer he can be. In his match with the BQR Editor there was little in it with some 15 minutes left, and yet Causier's winning margin was over 200!

Causier Runs Riot

David Causier amassed a six-hundred plus total against Ken Shirley who himself scored over two hundred. Jamie Moore had an exceptionally good game to beat David Edwards by more than his start. Edwards has shown better form recently but has some way to go if he is to reproduce the billiards of his amateur championship victories when his play was approaching world class.

Russell Makes it Hurt

Great Break from Mackinder

It was at Spondon last year that David Causier was a winner with wins over Foldvari, Russell, and Dagley. It looked as if Mike Russell might be trying to prove a point (not that he needs to!) as he piled up the points with a double century, and two large singles. Causier - receiving 50 - could score, for him, a mere 129 from the cue. Jamie Moore had a 79 in his total of 115 but was a spectator as Tony Mackinder played out time with a fine 195 unfinished.

Russell Settles it with a Triple

Tony Mackinder had shown excellent form throughout the day and had just the start he needed in the final. At his fourth visit he scored 85, and at his fifth 69. After six visits (receiving 100) he led 262 - 51 and had left Russell a double-baulk. The UK champion gave a miss. Mackinder scored six, missed, left Russell on, and then sat out a break of 337 which ended with a missed pot from the spot. This was the end of the contest as, though having chances, neither player, in a further seven visits each, could add significantly to their respective totals.

Spondon Plate

Wildman Bags a Pair

Mark Wildman became yet another distinguished name on the roll of those who have exited in the first round of both main competition and plate. It is a distinction that will go nicely with his 1984 World Championship.

Good Win for Ellis Lloyd

Ellis Lloyd did very well to beat Paul Bennett after the young Teessider had made an 82.

Excellent wins for Whitten and Evans

Both Ritchie Evans and Ron Whitten did extremely well to overcome top class opposition even allowing that they were both in receipt of points.

Whitten Again

Ron Whitten had another fine win this time over Derbyshire champion Jim McCann.

It is no disrespect to Ron Whitten to say that most players would have expected Bill Andress to beat him over an hour. But it didn't turn out that way at all. The cheerful Teessider put on a great display to outpoint Billy by about two hundred more than his fifty start. Looks like Ron has been getting a bit of practice in. D. Townend please take note when sorting out next year's handicaps!

Spondon Plate Winner Ron Whitten

A good day's billiards in a good venue just a little marred by the shadow of a disappointingly low turnout. ABC promoter, Derek Townend thanks David Rees for his help in obtaining the venue.

Amateur Billiards Circuit: Ninth Event

The Reardon Snooker Club Stoke-on-Trent

May 15th

The ninth, and final event, of the season was held at the Reardon as it has been for the last two years. It is becoming something of a tradition for players to meet for a get-together and a meal on the Saturday, followed by the tournament on the Sunday. The Reardon is a good venue. Playing conditions are generally good; the catering is first-class - there are those who go to the Reardon as much to sample Peter Shelley's culinary delights as to play billiards.

But the turnout of thirty-seven players was again disappointing being only three better than at Spondon. The numbers were swollen, if that is the right word, by Alf Nolan who would not normally be playing but was there having attended the meeting and dinner the evening before, Paul Dunning, a mini-prix regular, playing in only his second ABC event, and Tournament promoter Derek Townend making his ABC debut! Perhaps there was just one tournament too many this season.

A Century by John Hills

John Hills had a very good century break in a fine win over Alan Orton. A number of players had near misses including Paul Dunning who, on his return to the fold, had a 97. Joint favourites Goodwill and Causier both had comfortable wins against good opposition.

No Surprises

The results went very much as expected though John Hills might have thought himself on good enough form to have got past Jack Hedley -but it didn't work out that way.

Predictable Results

It is perhaps not overstating the case to suggest that the ABC is recapitulating the whole history of the game in the sense that there has always been just a few very outstanding players who, ninety-nine times out of a hundred, are going to win with the others nowhere. And out of those few there are just two or three who are dominant At the moment the modern professional game is largely dominated by Russell and Sethi, whilst the amateur game is totally dominated by Causier and Goodwill.

Martin Goodwill - Billiards Hooligan!

Amateur Champion Martin Goodwill found himself well in arrears against his young opponent who had knocked up an excellent century. With very little time left the RAF man was 74 points adrift but had the balls at the spot end. It did not seem possible for him to win, but he sprinted around the table to make a break of 84 unfinished and win by ten. Some spectators thought that Goodwill's running round the top end of the table was done in the knowledge that he could not make it in time and was intended as something of a humorous gesture. Not a bit of it, it was all deadly serious. At one stage, David Causier, playing on the next table and shaping up to take a pot red, found himself barged out of the way with a hand-off that would not have been out of place at Twickenham. Causier himself had an easier passage than he might have expected against a Crosland who, very unusually, seemed a little demoralised.

Steve Crosland: Cheer up Steve - can't be as bad as all that!

The Great Escape

If Martin Goodwill had been in the RAF 50 years ago, captured and locked up in Colditz, he would, on the evidence of this tournament, have been out and on his way home in about half-an-hour. On his fifth visit Causier scored a break of 193 to lead by 152. Goodwill was unable to retain position for very long and, eventually, with only some twelve or thirteen minutes to go was 91 behind. He then made a 78 which Causier followed with 56. Goodwill's next visit produced 45 which Causier followed with 31. Goodwill then went to the table for what was to be his last visit and scurried round like some kind of demented ferret to rattle up a break of 98 in a matter of about three-and-a-half minutes. When he broke down there were just a few seconds left during which David Causier scored 6. When it was over Goodwill, having miss-read the Scoreboard, thought he had lost. He had in fact won by 34. David Causier just could not believe it, indeed refused to believe it, but the BQR Editor had kept a record of the visits and these tallied exactly with the Scoreboard. Causier could count himself a little unlucky as his 193 ended with a vicious kick on a middle-pocket pot on his way back to good position at the top. Furthermore there never seemed any other result than a Causier victory. But there is no arguing with the figures.

Stoke Plate

Good Win for John Rees

John Rees, brother of Derby Professional, David Rees, was playing in his first ABC, and had the satisfaction of a good win over ex amateur snooker champion and accomplished billiards player Chris Ross. Albert Beard did very well indeed to beat Billy Andress.

Good scoring by Moore and Orton

Fine breaks by Smith and Orton

Alan Orton had an excellent century against the veteran Nolan, whilst John Smith played out time with 92 unfinished to put out Jamie Moore who himself had shown good form.

Orton wins in close game

Very close - just six points. Neither player could find the form of their previous games and it was Orton who, at the last gasp, had a chance to score and fall over the finishing line.