Day 2 of IBSF World Snooker Team Championships

Day 2 of IBSF World Snooker Team ChampionshipsSo here we are, day two at the IBSF World Snooker Team Championships here in San Jose at the DoubleTree Hotel, and what do you know: spectators actually show up! I eye suspiciously a guy I don’t remember sitting in the morning matches, reading the rules of snooker, and I know two things: one, he didn’t pay his $5 to get in, and two, he might need some help understanding the sport. I immediately sidle up beside him to take care of both.“Hi,” I say.He looks at me funny. “So, you’re new here, huh?” I keep at him. I hope he doesn’t think I’m hitting on him, as he’s rather old and rotund. I’m out for the price of his admission and to improve his visit to our little world. Hesitantly, he says, “Yes….” I tell him he owes me 5 bucks, and he apologizes and says he didn’t know. Then I ask him how he’s getting on. “Are you following the rules OK? Be honest. They can be hard, especially when you’re reading them. Just watch, and I’ll explain. You’ll get it much quicker.”
Although I still think he thinks I flirting with him, I’m happy to handhold him through his first frame. We watch. The game is already underway, which is a shame as I wanted to explain the breaking strategy everyone’s using, the safety approach. Oh well, I can tell him next frame, I figure. “Now what’s he doing there?” the man, who asked to remain anonymous, says to me as the player, one of the Isle of Man gents, hits the ball and it flies down the table into a perfect safety. Great, I think, now I can tell him about safetys. Which I do. He gets it, sort of, but then wants to know why the other player, from China/Hong Kong, has to repeat the shot which was called a ‘foul.’ “Good question,” I say. This of course launches into an explanation of a foul, how you get one, and how you counter them. I tell him why the guy from Hong Kong is forced to replay. “He’s a little devil, that Manxy is. He’s caught the Hong Kong boy into a nearly impossible shot to make, and is thus going to make him repeat it. And maybe repeat it and repeat it, until he finally strikes that red ball.”Our visitor is amazed. And contemplative. As contemplative as our pros are with each shot they make. I explain to the man almost everything I can about the game as it comes up, and I see a smile rise on his face as he puts away the rules he’s downloaded from the web, sits back, and begins to just watch and enjoy. He thanks me. “I had no idea what this was, or what I’d be getting into when I came here, but this is awesome!” he tells me. I leave. My work is there is done.I see another likely suspect watching the US ‘C’ Team play Japan. I sidle over… “Hi. You’re new here, right?” I also manage to sell a few really nice English-made snooker cues to some spectators at $120 each. They are a 3-piece set with a nice case. Anyone interested?In all, for the first weekend night of the tournament, the number of viewers was impressive. Surely by the time finals come next Saturday, we’ll have a packed house. I’ll keep you posted.AUSSIES MAKE CONVINCING COMEBACKAfter losing their initial two Group B matches, Australia have come back strongly with a convincing 7-2 win over Scotland on the third day's play at the 2006 IBSF World Snooker Team Championships at San Jose's DoubleTree Hotel.Matthew Bolton, known more for his talent in English billiards rather than snooker, won a clean sweep of his three frames, while team mates Robby Foldvari and Daniel Thorp chalked up two frame wins each. The Australian Men's Event team of Daniel Thorp,Robby Foldvari and Matthew Bolton The Indian Men's teams also encountered little problems in their Group Matches, as India 'B' overwhelmed Japan 9-0 in Group B, with Aditya Mehta constructing a fine break of 68 in his frame against Yusuke Tanaka, and in Group A the Indian 'A' team were dominant over a China Hong Kong team that had started the event so well, defeating them 7-2 with a top break of 66 by Yasin Merchant in the fifth frame.England made it two wins from two with a 7-2 victory over Sweden in Group B. David Craggs was in blistering form as he powered in the first century break of these Championships, as the 30-year-old from County Durham in England fired in thirteen reds with thirteen blacks for a break of 104 in his frame against Kevin Zarakani, though had also knocked in earlier contributions of 60 and 63 during his previous two frames. The USA 'A' team of George Lai,Truman Wu and Romil Azemat The USA 'A' team notched up their second Group A win with a 7-2 success gained over the Isle Of Man. Twice United States National Snooker Champion George Lai conceded just fourteen points in his three frame wins, and shooting in a break of 55 in frame four. ABOUT 2006 1BSF WORLD SNOOKER TEAM CUP CHAMPIONSHIPS:The DoubleTree Hotel in San Jose hosts to this international snooker competition, whose competition began today. Matches run at 10 am, 2 pm and 6 pm; admission is $5 for the regular matches, $8 for the semi-finals on the 25th and $10 for the finals on the 26th. For more information or to make reservations for the matches, please call Diana Slampyak, Press Officer, at 650.773.9633 or email her at dslampyak@comcast.net.2006 IBSF World Snooker Team Championships650.773.9633dslampyak@comcast.net

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