Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world like a colossus…
I speak of none other than Jeff Evans, (not often described as a colossus), whose dominance of the BCYC Snooker Tournament is now the Stuff of Legend. Of the last 10 Tournaments, he has now won no less than 5 !! Yesterday he faced me in the 2018 Final.
The first frame was characterised by some excellent potting from Jeff and a somewhat lack- lustre display from myself, until, with the last four balls on the table ( worth 22 points) I was 21 behind, and needed all four balls. At this point Jeff’s game became unusually ragged, and I eventually potted all four balls to win by one point on the black.
How very fortunate, I thought to myself, that the Handicapping Authority saw fit to arrange our handicaps so that Jeff had to give me 2 points start !!
The second frame was also close, and came down to the last two balls. On this occasion Jeff potted pink and black to win. The third and deciding frame was at first pretty tactical,
but after a while Jeff got in, and began Rapid Potting. For those unfamiliar with this phenomenon it occurs very fast and in a flash he had made a break of 28. That put him ahead by just over 30 points, a lead which, despite my best efforts and occasional snookers, he held throughout. When he potted the final blue I was so far adrift that further resistance was clearly futile, and it was handshake time.
So he remains the man to beat. No-one else has won as many times. Dexter Ford has won three, and Peter Harrison and Ron Austin have won two each, but currently Jeff is out on his own. Of course the Handicapper will inevitably take a view on this……
Those of us attending the Snooker Christmas Dinner tonight will celebrate with a Goose Dinner washed down with specially imported 2011 Brunello. To all other recipients of these emails, may I wish you a splendid Christmas celebration together with a Happy and Prosperous New Year !!
Lawrence
Hard hat day
The billiard room became a hard hat zone for the quarter final match between Jeff and Mark Jenkins on Saturday morning. In a pulsating and very even contest there was a lot of very accurate potting, but the pace at which the balls flew around the table meant that unexpected consequences frequently occurred. In Mark’s case, although pots flew in, his white ball also flew around and found its way into pockets.
Nevertheless the frame was evenly poised, until with just the last four colours on the table, Jeff was a few points adrift, but potted brown and blue in quick time. The pink was not pottable however, and he played it safe down the table off two cushions. It went straight into the far corner pocket !! Jeff had won!!
Later Saturday morning Jeff played his semi-final against Alan, who came through after Simon (Jenkins) cried off, retired hurt. This was not Alan’s finest hour. In a match which even the most ardent supporter of the Handicap Authority would concede to have been one-sided, Jeff ran out a convincing winner.
The Final, between Jeff and Lawrence over the best of 3 frames, will take place on Tuesday evening at 7 pm prior to the Annual Snooker Christmas Dinner on Wednesday evening.
Dinner and quarter finals
Quarter-finals should have completed yesterday. In fact there are still two quarter-finals to be played in the top half of the draw, Simon v Alan and Jeff v Mark. There is now a deadline for these – next Monday night, leaving only Tuesday and Wednesday for the semi-final and final. Time is running out. In the bottom half, as you know, Alyson beat Jeremy and Lawrence beat Greg.
The semi-final between Alyson and Lawrence took place yesterday. It was a frame of fluctuating fortunes in which Alyson’s starting handicap of 18 quickly became 30+, but fortunes changed and in the end Lawrence ran out winner on the pink. Well, perhaps staggered out, rather than ran. So we await the result of the Simon v Alan and Jeff v Mark matches, and the subsequent semi-final.
If either quarter-final isn’t played, the winner of the one which is played goes straight through to the final.
A dramatic day in the billiard room
First, Greg played Lawrence. It was a strange frame. Practically every time I missed, which was often, I went safe. Greg was out of sorts, and was unable to profit from the few real chances which came his way. Eventually I ran out winner by some distance. Greg and I have played quite often, and he wins more often than loses, but it’s all on the day, it’s only one frame, and sometimes the balls have their own ideas.
Later, Alyson took on Jeremy in the other quarter-final in the bottom half of the draw. In a close contest, Alyson finally won on the black. So Alyson and I are in to the semi-final where we play each other. That match is slated for next Wednesday evening.
The top half of the draw sees a quarter-final between Simon and Alan, the winner to play the winner of the other quarter-final between Jeff and Mark. As far as I am aware no dates have been fixed as yet.
That’s the important snooker news. I understand that there was also snooker played in York, where a man called O’Sullivan beat a man called Ford (no, not Dexter) to reach the Final of some competition….
Lawrence
New research – group percentages – tournament statistics… and an update
Analysis by our snooker stats department now reveals the group percentage completion rates for each group:-
Group A. 10%. (One match out of ten). Simon beat Alyson. No-one else has played.
Group B. 10%. Jeremy beat Alan. The rest is silence.
Group C. 40%. Paul beat Dexter, Lawrence beat Dexter, Jeff beat Paul. And in a dramatic tussle on Wednesday evening, Dexter played Jeff, who has won the title no less than four times. Dexter himself is a three times BCYC Champion – I well remember him beating me in the 2004 final
The match was evenly contested in the early stages, and Jeff quietly eroded the handicap, but in the latter stages a dramatic change occurred. Suddenly Dexter was transformed in stature and confidence. He potted a red, followed by the blue, another red, the black, and another red. A 15 point break !! Jeff was on the ropes, but recovered and when he potted the final blue it put him favourite with one point ahead and just pink and black left. Dexter drew himself up to his full height. The pink was a difficult long pot into the yellow pocket. It didn’t touch the sides. Roars of hysterical applause, from the crowd!! Black ball game! Then a hush, as he approached the black. A difficult angled shot from distance. Without hesitation he confidently put it into the heart of the pocket. The handicap Committee was appalled! How can a player on a handicap of 20 play like that? Maybe, as they say, form is temporary, class is permanent. Shades of 2004, I thought.
This group is moving. Everyone except John (Morse) has played at least once, and more matches are slated.
Group D. 16% (one match out of 6). Greg beat Mark. This Group also contains previous Champions, namely Peter Harrison, who has arranged to play in the coming week, and the current Champion, David Thomas.
DEADLINES. No deadline has yet been imposed for completion of the Group stages, but this is under active consideration. Please play, if you wish to participate. Greg has phone numbers, email addresses are in this email. Play at any time, please arrange with Greg. Tournament matches take precedence over any other use of the table.
Lawrence
Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness…
Autumnal shades colour the woods! It is now mid- October. The Tournament has been in existence for 7 weeks. Two matches have been played. In Group C, Jeff beat Paul, Lawrence beat Dexter, as previously advertised. Group C is the Group of Death. How ironic that the Group of Death should be the only one showing any sign of life !!
Soon it will be time to impose deadlines for completion of the Group matches. November, month of fireworks and Beaujolais, will soon be with us. The shops are already ringing to the sounds of herald Angels. Santa is servicing the sleigh and the reindeer are undergoing fitness training.
The Snooker Christmas Dinner will arrive shortly and the Trophy will be presented to the new Champion. At present the only contenders are Jeff and myself. That seems silly. Will someone, anyone, please play a match???
And we’re off
Today the first match of the 2018 Tournament was played. Jeff Evans, one of the stars of the show and a former multiple Champion, played Paul Nicholson, a former losing finalist, before an enthusiastic crowd (Alyson and Greg). Paul began well and was able to add to his considerable handicap advantage to go well ahead.
Jeff pegged him back, and the contest became much closer, but Paul remained ahead with the last three colours on the table. He potted a difficult blue but also lost his white. Jeff cleared up to win. As he often does ! So Group C is up and running.
The 2018 draw
The Tournament Handicaps have been freshly minted and have survived the customary rigorous, double-blind, randomised in- bottle fermented procedure. They are set out on the Billiard Room notice-board. In due course, which may be a little while yet, I will also print out and exhibit the matches, but all members of each group will play all other members of the same group.
On conclusion of the Group matches the top two in each Group will go through to the next round. Where two players have equal points progress is determined by the result of the Group match between them. If three or more players have equal points progress is determined by handicap, I.e., -20 beats – 18.
Winner of Group A plays runner- up Group B, winner Group B plays runner- up Group A. Likewise Groups C and D. I will place a diagram on the notice-board. After Group stage all matches are knockout. All matches one frame, final best of three frames. Matches take precedence over any other use of the table and may be played at any time by arrangement with Greg and Tina.
The Champion will be presented with the BCYC Snooker Trophy by the Commodore (unless he wins it !!) at the Christmas Snooker Dinner at the Club on Wednesday 19th December 2018.
Group A. Simon Jenkins, Lyndon Williams, Andrew Edwards, Alyson Nicholson, Eiddon Davies.
Group B. Martyn Jones, Alan Bevan, Jeremy Clayton, Simon Brooks, Bob Wigley.
Group C. (The group of Death). Dexter Ford, Lawrence Griffiths, John Morse, Jeff Evans, Paul Nicholson.
Group D. Mark Jenkins, Greg Morgan, Peter Harrison, David Thomas (Champion).
Good luck!
Lawrence