The Gold Flake World Professional Championship, 1995

Sethi's Third Title

Geet Sethi took the World professional Billiards title for the third time in a rather anti-climactic final with fellow countryman Devendra Joshi winning by a margin of over 700 points. Joshi was not amongst the favourites to reach the final and the occasion may have been a little too much for him. Devendra will have learned a lot from the experience and his challenge will be taken more seriously next year, he certainly played very well defeating defending champion Peter Gilchrist in the quarter-final after a very good win over Ian Williamson in the previous round. He had the narrowest of wins against Robby Foldvari in the semi-final, just 58 points, but sufficient to take him to the final. Mike Russell was well beaten by Roxton Chapman who seems well on the way to fulfilling Mark Wildman's prophecy of a couple of years ago that he would one day become world champion. Chapman certainly put up a terrific struggle against Sethi but the Indian is still perhaps just a little too good - but for how long? Chapman's progress together with the fine showing of Joshi, and Ashok Shandilya, should cause something of a shake up in the ranking order.

Qualifying Rounds Northern Snooker Centre. Leeds

1st - 2nd July, 1995

Gilchrist by the Skin of his Teeth

Defending World Champion Peter Gilchrist booked his passage to India by four points and four seconds. It was that close. David Causier, on 90 unfinished and in perfect position, ran out of time to be just four behind.

There were no surprise results though some of the matches were close notably that between Clive Everton and Jamie Bodle, and that between Norman Dagley and Ashok Kumar.

Baulked by the Baulk Line

The top breaks of 475 by Geet Sethi and 448 unfinished from Mike Russell both included five baulk line crossings. The majority opinion is that whilst the baulk line rule lends interest and (occasionally) excitement to the short format matches, it is an irritation to player and spectator alike in the longer time matches. There are very few matches of the Gilchrist - Causier variety. A match in which one of the top players is opposed by one of the not-so-top players is only of interest to the enthusiast in that it provides the opportunity of seeing a great player display his artistry, and that there is the possibility of witnessing a really big break. The baulk line rule in such matches is a tiresome irrelevance.

David Causier v Brian Dix

Good Practice Session for Causier

Peter Gilchrist v David Causier

World Champion Saved by the Bell

A quite sensational match. Gilchrist rattled up a series of breaks headed by a great 232, out-scoring his opponent by more than two to one, averaging over 40, and taking an interval lead of 430. He increased his lead slightly but then had to suffer as Causier made break after break including a wonderful effort of 253. With just minutes to play Causier, 94 behind, scored an extremely rapid 90 to finish just four behind at the bell. A wonderful match but one which should perhaps never have taken place.

Clive Everton v Jamie Bodle

Everton made to sweat it out

Jamie Bodle is a fairly recent convert to billiards and has had some coaching from Peter Gilchrist. He did quite well in a dour struggle though it has to be said that Everton was not at his best and appeared to be suffering from the heat.

Devendra Joshi v Howard Griffiths

A Good Fight by Griffiths

Howard Griffiths is a little shaky these days but he put up a very good show against his young and talented opponent.

Ian Williamson v B. Bhaskar

Comfortable for Williamson

Like many before him, Mr Bhaskar did not find it easy playing against Williamson.

Bob Close v Rupesh Shah

Close gets a Start

Shah arrived pretty late for the second session and so Close was awarded 250 penalty points. He did not need them. Shah showed himself to be a capable player.

Close's second session score and average, and his match average, do not take account of the 250 penalty points.

Michael Ferreira v Des Heald

Ferreira Reminisces

Nalin Patel v Eugene Hughes

A Good Game for Patel

Robby Foldvari v John Caven

Disappointing for Caven

John Caven was not expected to win but he must have been disappointed with his game. Foldvari on good form.

Geet Sethi v Avrind Savur

Great Break from Sethi

Savur is a quick, entertaining player. So is Geet Sethi!

Mark Wildman v M. G. Jayaram

Wildman Shows some form

Wildman was a few behind at the interval but had a pretty good second session.

Ashok Shandilya v John Murphy

Murphy fades

John Murphy showed something of his best form with some good breaks in the first session. Things were not so good for him in the second and the Indian finished a fairly comfortable winner.

Norman Dagley v Alok Kumar

Norman leaves it Late

Kumar played very well in the first session making a couple of centuries and taking an interval lead of 313. Dagley has seen it all before. A couple of languid hundred breaks, a judicious safety shot or two, and Norman was on the plane for the umpteenth time though there was not a lot in it. Kumar is a good player and will have learned something from this match.

R. Chapman w/o v Ashot Potikyan

Roxton booked his ticket without striking a ball in anger. It was the easy way, but the young Peterborough professional would have much preferred to play. He could hardly have lost, the practice would have been useful, and he would have had plenty of opportunities to have perhaps made the highest break of the championship. Potikyan was said to be playing in the snooker qualifying at Blackpool. I hope he knows the rules of the 22 ball game better than he knows those of billiards.

Subhash Agrawal v Martin Spoormans

Easy for Subhash

Martin Spoormans was no match for a player of the class of Agrawal. The Belgian is improving but has a long way to go before being able to compete on equal terms with such players as the current UK Champion.

Rex Williams v Steve Hardcastle

Williams looks Good

Rex Williams showed his undoubted class in a good win over Steve Hardcastle though his concentration lapsed at times. Hardcastle does not seem to be playing quite as well as he did a year or two ago.

Mike Russell v Mukesh Rehani

Big Break for Russell

Mike Russell took a little time to come to life making only one century in the first session. He looked to be something near his best in the second with four breaks over the hundred including a magnificent 448 unfinished which included five brilliant baulk line crossings. Rehani did very well to average over 20 in this session.

World Professional Championship: Final Stages

Hotel President, Bombay

25th September - 30th September

The Final Stages were held in Bombay and started with Russell and Sethi as favourites, Gilchrist, Foldvari, and Chapman, were also considered to be in with more than an outside chance. In the event, with neither Gilchrist nor Foldvari on their best form, once Russell had gone it seemed that Sethi would be very difficult to stop. So it proved though Roxton Chapman gave him a very tough battle and emerged the best of the pre-tournament possibles. Joshi is a very good player but was not expected to go all the way to the final. He did well but faded against the superior scoring power and break building capacity of the (now) three times champion.

Peter Gilchrist v Clive Everton

A little local difficulty

A low scoring match with neither player able to make a century. Everton did well to keep up with the defending champion in the second session, but the game was lost for him in the first. Both players were, to put it politely, having stomach problems.

Devendra Joshi v Ian Williamson

Good start for Joshi

A very good win for the Indian player starting him on the road to the final. It has to be said that Williamson had a poor game leaving his best run of breaks - 81, 60, and 53 in his last half-dozen visits - a little too late - as Joshi hung on to win by just over one hundred.

Bob Close v Michael Ferreira

Close settles it in the first

Ferreira lost the match in the first session as Bob Close averaged over 20 though scoring only one century. Their was only eight points difference in the second session despite three centuries from the Hartlepool man.

Robby Foldvari v Nalin Patel

Very poor scoring

It is something of a mystery why such a fine technician as Foldvari can sometimes perform at a level little better than the average club player. Foldvari can score three and four hundred breaks making the game look relatively easy. But in this championship, as in the last, he played as though there were other things on his mind, perhaps there were. Patel, too, seemed affected and played well below his best.

Geet Sethi v Mark Wildman

The Championship Takes Off

With the arrival on the stage of the World No.2 the billiards at last began to be worthy of a world professional championship. The Indian champion did not have a spectacular first session but made up for this in the second by scoring break after break and averaging 40. Wildman stuck to a pretty hopeless task and had the satisfaction of one century himself.

Ashok Shandilya v Norman Dagley

Dagley Fades

Norman Dagley's first score, made at his fourth visit to the table, was 134. Me later made a break of 50 thus scoring 184 points in two visits. The other 27 of his 29 innings brought him just 199 points which, by his standards is pretty awful. Shandilya meanwhile scored freely and averaged just over 30. The Earl Shilton man just could not get his game together and fell further behind as Shandilya piled on the agony in the second session. Norman eventually rallied with a 99 and a century at his last visit, but it was all much too late. A good win for the Indian.

Roxton Chapman v Subhash Agrawal

Chapman Bangs on the Door

Roxton Chapman started well enough with a century at his sixth visit followed immediately by 62 and 57. His opponent was also busy and, with two centuries and a number of smaller efforts, knocked up an average of over 20 to take a useful interval lead. Chapman totally dominated the second session. lie is not noted as a particularly fast player but 1100 points in two hours is good going for anyone. Breaks of 228 and 356 unfinished were, of course, something of a help towards achieving this total and a session average of over 90.

Mike Russell v Rex Williams

Russell Does Enough

Rex Williams gave an exhibition of classical billiards in two fine century breaks. It was not enough to stop Russell from going through. The Peterborough based World No.l scored five centuries and won by more than three hundred. However, he did not seem at his best.

Devendra Joshi v Peter Gilchrist

Champion Beaten

Defending champion Peter Gilchrist was rather surprisingly beaten but had no excuses. His opponent played very well and was a worthy winner. After one hour's play Gilchrist had, astonishingly, scored a mere 107 points. Joshi, with a century and a ninety-nine was over the 400 mark. Gilchrist's first significant efforts were a 65 and an 83, but Joshi scored fairly consistently and took an interval lead of over four hundred. The second session started badly for the Middlesbrough man. Joshi knocked in three centuries in his first seven visits. Gilchrist replied with a 126 but with an hour to play things were looking rather bad for the champion. He made a determined effort but was unable to come up with a big break. It was the Indian who made a good century to clinch a well deserved victory - the best of his professional career to date.

Robby Foldvari v Bob Close

Low Scoring but Exciting Game

All enthusiasts like to watch quick billiards and high breaks. Nevertheless, there are sometimes games in which the scoring is not very high but which are exciting and tense. This was one of them. Neither player seemed at his best in the first session. Close taking a small interval lead. The play was of a much higher quality in the second. After a tentative start, Close got the balls into position and scored a fine break of 180 to get a couple of hundred points in front. Foldvari replied with a 75 but Close hung on until, with about a half-hour to play. Foldvari got in with a great effort of 186 to lead by 46. Close had just time to score ten points before the bell sounded leaving him 36 points in arrears. A good match which neither player deserved to lose - but there has to be a loser!

Geet Sethi v Ashok Shandilya

Sethi Runs Riot. Good Performance from Shandilya

Sethi started rather slowly. After one-and-a-half hours he had scored only 378 and was a mere forty points or so in front of Shandilya. It was at this point that Sethi began to find his touch, he found it to the tune of a great break of 349 and took a lead of some 300 to the interval.

The second session was remarkable. Shandilya had two centuries and a very creditable average of just over 26. He was never in it! Sethi scored break after break totalling 1019 points at an average of over 50. When the Indian champion gets going at the spot end it becomes hard to see why he should ever break down. The baulk line rule caused him to stumble a time or two, and but for this unnecessary encumbrance might well have been in the five hundreds.

Ashok Shandilya had a very good tournament.

Roxton Chapman v Mike Russell

Chapman Bangs Even Harder

Roxton Chapman had already made his presence felt with some big breaks in his match with Agrawal. he now faced perhaps the toughest match of his career. Or so it seemed - but it turned out not to be so. The young Peterborough professional was certainly going to give it a go, that much was sure. He scored a 74 at his sixth visit and at his seventh gathered the balls at the spot end to the tune of 352. I (is control of the balls was admirable, his potting very good, and some of his close play as good as can be seen anywhere these days. A further century saw his score at 612 after one hour. At this stage Russell had scored 45. It is true that only one player can be at the table at one time, but in case anyone should think this a misprint. Russell's score after one hour was 45! Hut players of Russell's calibre do not give in easily. The Mighty Mike pulled himself together with a couple of centuries to keep the arrears to a manageable 300 or so at the interval, though Chapman was on 50 unfinished at the bell.

Chapman took his unfinished 50 to 177. Russell replied with 75 and 147 but that was virtually the end. He had 16 more innings which brought him just 199 points (shades of Dagley) whilst Chapman scored very consistently, finished a comfortable winner, and reached his first World semi-final.

Geet Sethi v Roxton Chapman

Door Slammed

Roxton Chapman had knocked very loudly, the door had opened, but it was Geet Sethi who was looking out from the other side and he promptly slammed it in the youngster's face - but not without a major effort. Chapman had the ideal start. Sethi broke, Chapman scored five and then gave a miss. Sethi replied in kind. Chapman then scored six before losing the balls in baulk and giving another miss. From this he obtained a leave, took the balls to the head of the table and made a break of 320. He thus led 333 - 6. The Indian, showing not the slightest trace of any anxiety then put together breaks of 93, 84, 478, and 184. The 478 was made in pretty quick time and constitutes a world record under the present baulk line rule. With the ability to produce such a burst of scoring there is little wonder that he displayed little anxiety. Both players had a lean period after the interval, eleven innings brought Sethi only 82 points to Chapman's 158. The Indian then burst into action once again with efforts of 204 And 179. This put him over 600 in front with less than an hour to play. Roxton stuck to his task manfully and made a break of 246. He got in again towards the end and was on 273 at the bell. The winning margin was 206, just a ten-minute break at this level. Sethi must have been relieved to get through. His demeanour, inscrutable as ever, gave no sign as to his feelings. Chapman's star seems to be very much in the ascendancy. It may well be his turn for the championship within the next two or three years.

Devendra Joshi v Robby Foldvari

Great win for Joshi by just 58

The Australian is much the more experienced of these two and can claim a far better playing record. It was. however, his Indian opponent who was the more impressive at the start of the match making 181 at his second visit and 110 at his third. Foldvari put together a 96 in between these two breaks and later added 80, 78, and 94. The Australian went to the interval on 115 unfinished and a lead of a couple of hundred. After his two breaks Joshi had a further eleven innings during which he put together a mere 30 points! Foldvari took his unfinished break to 170. Joshi replied with a 105 and three visits later a 117. The Australian scored another century to lead by about 150 points. This was his last real effort. He had fifteen more visits which brought him the meagre total of 103 points. Joshi managed to keep the board ticking over finishing strongly with a 178 and a 50. This took him to the World Professional Championship final beating two ex Champions in the process -something he could hardly have envisaged a few days previously.

The World Professional Championship Final

Geet Sethi v Devendra Joshi

Third Title for Sethi

To the delight of the Sponsors, The Media, and the Indian public, the final was to be contested by two of their countrymen. Geet Sethi was clear pre-match favourite and the confidence in him was not misplaced. Devendra Joshi must have been highly pleased to have reached the final, he played well, was not disgraced, but could not match his opponent's ability to score heavily and rapidly. Sethi felt his way into the game with an unspectacular 80 break at his fourth visit. As if pronouncing himself satisfied with the conditions he knocked up a rapid 363 at his very next visit. Joshi, nothing awed, followed with a well constructed 143. A lean period for both players ended with Sethi scoring consecutive breaks of 91 to lead by over four hundred after an hour's play. The play was fairly quiet for the rest of the session which ended with Sethi on 64 unfinished and holding a lead of nearly five-hundred.

On the resumption, Sethi's quickly broke down but Joshi was unable to take advantage of some good openings until on the half-hour he scored a break of 105 followed by an 82. These were his last significant efforts until very near the end of the game when he made a further 82. Sethi, too, was fairly quiet until a century on the hour restored his five-hundred advantage. A late double century followed by a 69, saw him to his third World Title by the convincing margin of seven-hundred-and-thirty points.

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