Déjà vu victory for Mark Selby

Mark Selby, the 2012 Paul Hunter Classic champ

Mark Selby won 4-1 over a very revived, ready-to-kick-some-arse Joe Swail in tonight's Paul Hunter Classic final, in order to retain the title he conquered a year before when he crashed Mark Davis 4-0.

He's been world number one for quite some time now, but from one reason or another, Selby failed to write his name on any trophies lately. Until now that is.

Fully recovered from his neck injury that kept him away from winning important matches in the previous season and with a brand new attitude (full of confidence, that is), Selby managed not only to win the 2012 edition of the Paul Hunter Classic (also known as EPTC 1), but also to keep the "defending champion legacy" running.

"The Jester from Leicester" started his German journey with a clear and loud 4-0 victory against Sean O'Sullivan, continued with on the same note by facing Gerard Greene, meet up with last year's runner-up Mark Davis whom he once again defeated 4-3 and carried on by reaching the quarter-finals after another tight 4-3 scoreline obtained in front of Robbie Williams.

Ken Doherty didn't stand a chance in front of Selby's fury, a 4-0 result sending the Englishman into the next stage of the competition where the player that knock out great names, Pankaj Advani, was waiting.

Joe Swail, the 2012 Paul Hunter Classic runner-up

But Selby was flying, flying so high that six frames were enough for a 4-2 victory and a place in the final.

Here, Joe Swail, who had the most incredible performance ever and succeed to win no less than eight matches to reach the final, was ready to give it all for the grand battle of cues.

After a tight and crazy-entertaining semi-final played against Barry Hawkins, Joe was in the mood for snooker and when he got the chance he proved it.

But here lies Swail's biggest issue "when he got the chance", because most of the time Selby was careful enough to keep him in his chair.

Breaks of 56, 64 and a scrappy third frame were all written into Selby's account, while Joe only managed to win one frame to prolong the suspense.

However, it must be said that it was won in great style with a beautiful 83 break.

Selby was going to end the match with an ever higher break, an 85 that was sealing his victory at 4-1.

Aiming for the victory

After the match a very happy Joe Swail said it "wasn't bad for an amateur", thus emphasizing the fact that although he was a professional snooker player for years, this season entered into the EPTC Event One as an amateur.

On the red corner, an ecstatic Selby told Rolf Kalb how happy he is to be back on track and how pleased he is to be able to retain the title he won last year in such a marvelous place.

And since we are on the "marvelous" chapter it must be said that that's how Selby was introduced by Rolf, as Mark "Marvelous" Selby. Who can disagree with that?!

I can't end this piece without mentioning one of the most beautiful moments from this year's Paul Hunter Classic tournament and that is Ken Doherty and his first ever 147.

"The Darling of Dublin" has broken the curse of missing the black back in 2000 at the Masters and finally managed to turn every player's dream into a reality by performing a perfect 147.

Here's a big congratulation from 'Snooker, my love' blog!!!

Who's travelling to China for the International Championship?

I know it, a late article, but a hectic week at the office kept me away from all the heat and the action happening on the green baize.

Still, I haven't forgot about the brand new International Championship from China and its qualifying rounds that took place at the beginning on this week.

So, who broke the ice and will travel to China to be part of the inaugural edition of this event at the end of October (28 until November 4th to be more precise)? Well, let's see, shall we?

A big congratulations goes to the "Pink Army" for they have no less than five players who will cross their cues with the best of the best (aka. the Top 16 players) in China.

Michel White had a brilliant performance recording scorelines like 6-2 over Thailand's best Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, followed by a decisive 6-5 in front of his comrade-in-arms Barry Hawkins.

Cao will play on home soil

The Chinese public will have the chance to be genuinely entertained also by Dominic Dale, whose 6-3 victory against Paul Davison guarantees him a place in the main event, the same happening for Mark Davis who defeated Norway's snooker ambassador Kurt Maflin by 6-2 and for Robert Milkins who denied China's Liang Wenbo the chance to play on his home soil, after a 6-1 scoreline.

Two of On Q Promotions latest "acquisitions", Cao Yupeng and Liu Chuang competed to get a place in the International Championship too, but the dream became a reality only for one of them.

Cao Yupeng managed to get pass Tian Pengfei (ironically another "pink acquisition") with a 6-5 scoreline and defeated both Matthew Selt and Tom Ford 6-3.

Chuang, on the other hand, although obtained a good 6-4 victory in font of Michael Wasley and continued with a 6-2 by playing Jamie Jones, was seen off by legend Ken Doherty, 6-3.

Carter wins the chance to get back on trak

Next in line, all with a 6-3 victory written on their passports, are Ryan Day, who defeated Anthony Hamilton, Andrew Higginson who put on end to David Gilbert's run, Irishman Fergal O'Brien who saw off Mark King and Ali Carter who had to face veteran Dave Harold.

India must be so pound of its player right now, Pankaj Advani managing to get a place in a major ranking event, for the first time since he was handed a place on the Main Tour due to a clear 6-1 victory against Craig Steadman, a trilling 6-5 by playing the "Nugget" of snooker, Steve Davis, a 6-3 scoreline by facing Scotland's Alan McManus and another valuable 6-4 result in front of Michael Holt.

Pankaj Advani get his first ranking event place

Also from India and also with one foot in the plane leaving to China in a month and a half is Aditya Mehta who seemed not to find any difficulty in defeating Michael Lesley and Mike Dunn 6-3, legend Jimmy White 6-5, only to end on a 6-4 with Jamie Cope.

Peter Ebdon is due to return to China, where he won his last ranking title (aka. the 2012 China Open tournament) after beating Nigel Bond 6-5, the same happening for Jamie Burnett  (in 2010 he reached the final stages of the Shanghai Masters) who recorded a 6-3 scoreline against Yu Delu and another 6-3 in front of his fellow-countryman Marcus Campbell.

Gould wins gold

One very happy Martin Gould

Martin Gould beat Stephen Maguire by 4-3 in Sunday's UK PTC Event 2 final, to win his first ever ranking title and although what was at stake was a minor ranking tournament I bet it doesn't weight less in the eyes of the 2011 Power Snooker champion.

It wasn't at the Olympics, but Martin Gould obtained the gold medal under the form of a shiny and glassy UK PTC Event Two trophy after one hell of a battle with the Scottish player who already won a PTC event this season (aka. UK PTC 1), Stephen Maguire.

But until the final cue-crossing, Gould had to face a numerous series of opponents and even though he managed to get a bye for the second round, due to Michael Holt's withdrawal, it wasn't an easy road by all means.

A 4-3 result obtained in front of a pretty stubborn Jamie Cope, a match that also marked Martin's first century break of the tournament (104), followed by an outstanding performance signed with a 4-0 result by playing Neil Robertson (and another century break, 113), only to get back from where he started and have a tête-à-tête confrontation with another tough rival, Mark Allen, confrontation that ended on a 4-3 result.

The quarter-finals match found Martin taking on Ben Woollaston (and register yet another ton, this time a valuable 134), meeting that ended with the "Pinner Potter's" 4-2 victory, victory that sent him straight into the semis, where Alfie Burden didn't stand a chance in front of his force and capitulated at 4-1.

Martin and Stephen, at the beginning of the UK PTC 2 final

And now, the grand battle between a player that had the best possible start of season, Stephen Maguire and a player that has reached the PTC final no less than three times slightly passing through the finish line, Martin Gould.

The one who broke the ice was the Scottish player whose break of 64 point brought him the first frame, Gould responding with a 65 to draw level at one apiece.

One more time Maguire put his nose in front, this time with a 40 break, and one more time Gould's response came without any delay, a 52 bringing the equality on the scoreboard.

But from this point on things changed as Gould managed to take the lead for the first time since the start of the match at 3-2, putting quite some pressure on his green baize opponent. Still, Maguire found no difficulty whatsoever to restore the balance of the match and force the most-wanted decisive frame.

It wasn't a brilliant last frame and unlike the others it didn't have any big breaks, but Martin found his way though the "wood balls" and won the match by 4-3.

So after quite the struggle in the last two seasons, Martin Gould's hard work has finally paid off, the 30-year old lad from Pinner grabbing his first ranking event title.

Snooker in August 2012

Snooker fans will be delighted to know that just in a few days their beloved cue sport will get return into the spotlight, as the new month of August is bringing with it new tournaments and competitions.

First stop will be in Gloucester, at the South West Snooker Academy, where the second UK PTC is taking place between 8 and 12 of August, four days later on August 16 to be more precise, the very entertaining Premier League caravan starting its usual travelling, its first stop being Skegness.

Two days of qualifying rounds for those eager to get their feet wet in Poland during EPTC Event two, will take place later this month between 17 and 18 of August, while the first qualifying rounds for the first ever International Championship tournament are due to take us back to Sheffield during 19 and 22 of the same month.

Just a few days later, on August 23, the lads and lasses are to be seen cueing in Fuerth, Germany for another edition of the Paul Hunter Classic (also known as EPTC Event One), the moth ending with a potential invitational event (29-1 September) for which full details are yet to be revealed.

But August is not only full of snooker events, but also packed with two Cut-Off points, the first one happening after the UK PTC Event Two and the second one after EPTC Event One.



When?: 8 - 12 August
Where?: South West Snooker Academy, Gloucester, UK
Who's playing?: click here for the draw.
Prize money: winner (£10,000), runner-up (£5,000), losing semi-finalists (£2,500), losing quarter-finalists (£1,500), last 16 (£1,000), last 32 (£600) and the last 64 (£200). 
Ranking points: winner (2,000), runner-up (1,600), losing semi-finalists (1,280), losing quarter-finalists (1,000), last 16 (760), last 32 (560) and the last 64 (360).

 2. Premier League (Week One)

When?: 16 August
Where?: Embassy Theatre, Skegness, UK
Who's playing?: Ding Junhui v Shaun Murphy and Judd Trump v Stephen Lee
Prize money: £1,000 for each frame won, £1,000 for each century break and £25,000 for a maximum break.
Ranking points: N/A

When?: 17 - 18 August
Where?: World Snooker Academy, Sheffield, UK
Who's playing?: click here for the draw.
Prize money: winner (£10,000), runner-up (£5,000), losing semi-finalists (£2,500), losing quarter-finalists (£1,500), last 16 (£1,000), last 32 (£600) and the last 64 (£200). 
Ranking points: winner (2,000), runner-up (1,600), losing semi-finalists (1,280), losing quarter-finalists (1,000), last 16 (760), last 32 (560) and the last 64 (360).

4. International Championship (the qualifiers)

When?: 19 - 22 August
Where?: World Snooker Academy, Sheffield, UK
Who's playing?: update needed.


When?: 23 - 26 August
Where?: Fuerth, Germany
Who's playing?: click here for the draw.
Prize money: winner (£10,000), runner-up (£5,000), losing semi-finalists (£2,500), losing quarter-finalists (£1,500), last 16 (£1,000), last 32 (£600) and the last 64 (£200). 
Ranking points: winner (2,000), runner-up (1,600), losing semi-finalists (1,280), losing quarter-finalists (1,000), last 16 (760), last 32 (560) and the last 64 (360).