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Tournaments

"First International" World Professional Championship, 2003

The Jerma Palace Hotel, Marsascala, Malta (April 1st-3rd, 2003)

The first stage of the tournament in Malta will be played in a round-robin format, each match being the best of 7 games of 100 up, with two baulk-line crossings (between 40-49 and 80-89 in any one break).

Each group comprises:

The quarter finals will be played over the best of 9 games of 100 up, and the winner of group A will play the runner-up of group B, the winner of group B will play the runner-up of group A, and likewise the groups C & D.

The semi-finals will also be the best of 9 games of 100 up, and the final the best of 11 games of 100 up.

The winner will receive £7,000, the runner-up £4,000, losing semi-finalists £2,300, losers in the quarters £1,250, and the bottom two in each group £350.

Local referees will be used, although some of these are members of the PRA, but Tournament Director Alan Chamberlain will be in attendance to oversee the smooth running of the Championship. Extensive efforts have been put into the organisation of the event by Richard Balani and his team at Snooker Promotions Malta, and thanks must go to First International, a Maltese Computer Company, who are funding the staging costs.

Qualifying Stages

England: Jesters Snooker Club, Swindon (March 5th, 2003)

Paul Bennett
4 Robin Wilson
2 
Lee Lagan
4 Ian Williamson
1 
Lee Lagan
4 Paul Bennett
0 
Peter Sheehan
4 Brian Dix
1 
Clive Everton
4 Andrew Sage
0 
Peter Sheehan
4 Clive Everton
1 
Qualifier 1: Lee Lagan, Qualifier 2: Peter Sheehan

India: Mumbai (March 10th, 2003)

Dhruv Sitwala
4 Shrushrut Pandia
0 
Devendra Joshi
4 Dhruv Sitwala
3 
Ashok Shandilya
4 Arun Agrawal
0 
Qualifier 3: Devendra Joshi, Qualifier 4: Ashok Shandilya
Draw for the Round Robin Stage
Group AGroup BGroup CGroup D
Mike Russell (England)Chris Shutt (England)David Causier (England)Peter Gilchrist (England)
Geet Sethi (India)Nalin Patel (India)Roxton Chapman (England)Robby Foldvari (Australia)
Lee Lagan (England)Ashok Shandilya (India)Devendra Joshi (India)Peter Sheehan (England)
Pullu Grech (Malta)Frans Mintoff (Malta)Joe Grech (Malta)Paul Mifsud (Malta)

Playing Schedule

DayTimeGroupMatch
Tuesday 10am AMike Russell v Pullu Grech
   AGeet Sethi v Lee Lagan
   BChris Shutt v Frans Mintoff
   BNalin Patel v Ashok Shandilya
  1pm CDavid Causier v Joe Grech
   CRoxton Chapman v Devendra Joshi
   DPeter Gilchrist v Paul Mifsud
   DRobby Foldvari v Peter Sheehan
  4pm BChris Shutt v Ashok Shandilya
   BNalin Patel v Frans Mintoff
   AMike Russell v Lee Lagan
   AGeet Sethi v Pullu Grech
  7pm DPeter Gilchrist v Peter Sheehan
   DRobby Foldvari v Paul Mifsud
   CDavid Causier v Devendra Joshi
   CRoxton Chapman v Joe Grech
Wednesday 10am AMike Russell v Geet Sethi
   ALee Lagan v Pullu Grech
   BChris Shutt v Nalin Patel
   BAshok Shandilya v Frans Mintoff
  1pm CDavid Causier v Roxton Chapman
   CDevendra Joshi v Joe Grech
   DPeter Gilchrist v Robby Foldvari
   DPeter Sheehan v Paul Mifsud
  4pm QF1
  QF2
  7pm QF4
   QF3
Thursday 10am SF1
  1pm SF2
  7pm Final