China City Teams 2023

The China City Teams is a long-standing event, consisting of franchise teams of 3 players, representing a province or city. Usually the teams are backed by locally-based sponsors. This event is again held once again in Xi'an (Shaanxi Province), and runs from 6-10 August.

There is a group stage, followed by knockouts. In the groups, the matches consist of 5 frames, with each of the 3 players playing 2 frames, including one frame of scotch doubles. This year, there are 40 teams drawn in 8 groups. The top two from each group qualify.

Last year it was won by the Shaanxi Team, comprising Ding Junhui, Fan Zhengyi and Mei Xiwen.

The team line-ups for this year are as follows:

Group A
Mianyang Team (Chen Ruifu, Jin Long, Yuan Sijun)
Hainan ZSD Team (Zhang Jiajian, Xu Fuyuan, Ma Huiming)
Chongqing Team (Han Fuyuan, Cao Jin, Zheng Dian)
Dalian Team (Tuergong Jiang, Ababaikeri, Xiao Kaiti)
Zhengzhou Team (Liu Yunlong, Gao Yu, Wang Lige)

Group B
Suzhou Team (Cao Yupeng, Chen Feilong, Yao Pengcheng)
Wuhan Team (Yu Chao, Wang Peng, Hu Bin)
Beijing Team (Xu Xinjian, Fu Jing, Tu Xuan)
Guangdong Team (Ma Hailong, Liu Wenwei, Lee Chen Man)
Hong Kong Team (Marco Fu, Cheung Ka Wai, Wang Yuchen)

Group C
Xi'an Team (Wang Zepeng, Zhang Anda, Jin Peng)
Wuxi Team (Liu Chuang, Hu Hao, Li Yan)
Luoyang Team (Huang Yanqi, Lei Zhenyu, Tian Ruyi)
Shanghai Team (Ma Geng, Wang Jianxin, Liao Binjun)
Chongqing Pengshui Team (Xu Yuan, Luo Junhao, Yin Xiaowei)

Group D
Dongguan Youth Team (Bai Yulu, Deng Haohui, Li Jianbing)
Inner Mongolia Team (Chen Xiaolong, Deng Fuyi, Cheng Sihong)
Guizhou Team (Zhang Xibing, Wu Xiang, Song Liang)
Henan Team (Zhang Yang, Ma Feite, Liu Yiqi)
Sichuan Team (Hao Jin, Wang Li, Au Chi Wai)

Group E
Shaanxi Team (Fan Zhengyi, Mei Xiwen, Lei Peifan)
Urumqi Team (Zhao Yafei, Rouzi Maimaiti, Tuerhong Reheman)
Xinjiang (Ma Chunmao, Pa Ruke Aierken, Yuan Jiming)
CBSA Academy Team (Liao Pengbo, Xu Yang, Sun Wenchao)
Sichaun NSD Team (Liu Yuan, Huang Yanyun, Jian Long)

Group F
Dongguan Team (Liang Xiaolong, Liu Hongyu, Zhang Yitu)
Anshan Team (Liang Dong, Luo Guangsheng, Jin Di)
Macau Team (Lee Git Ming, Leung Wai Hou, Lan Yuhao)
Gansu Team (Du Jiantao, Hu Yihong, Zhang Yinhu)
Zibo Team (Han Qing, Zhang Jun, Li Nan)

Group G
Xianyang Team (Xiao Guodong, Qiu Yalong, Yang Jiaxin)
Tibet Team (Fan Jinxing, Li Chengjie, Feng Yu)
Nanchang West Lake Team (Dong Zihao, Pan Yiming, Yao Dongcheng)
Shanxi Team (Zhao Wei, Han Bin, Zhang Rui)
Haining Team (Gao Yun, Huang Lijun, Qiao Tianhao)

Group H
Jiujiang Tianxi Team (Ju Reti, Gong Chenzhi, Gao Yang)
Jilin City Team (Pu Qingsong, Chen Qiyu, Cui Ming)
Lanzhou Team (Fan Xin, Halimilati Mijiti, Li Yang)
Ningbo Team (Wang Jinjing, Yang Guanjun, Gao Nuocheng)
Jiaxing Team (Xiang Xun, Wu Zhefan, Zhang Yajun)

The best teams appear to be Shaanxi, Mianyang, Suzhou, Hong Kong, and the Jiujiang Tianxi team. Group B has two very strong teams who will be tough to dislodge. Bai Yulu is once again playing for the academy team.

There are also many very weak teams - in fact a lot of the 120 players are unknown names to me. Most likely they have never played on live TV before.

There are 8 tables, and 4 of them appear to be streamed on Huya online.

Results from today's matches:

10am
Hainan Zhousi Town Team 4:1 Zhengzhou Team
Wuhan Team 1:4 Hong Kong Team
Wuxi Team 4:1 Chongqing Pengshui Team
Inner Mongolia Team 3:2 Sichuan Team
Urumqi Team 1:4 Sichuan Newstar Team
Anshan Team 4:1 Zibo Team
Tibet Team 5:0 Haining Team
Jilin Team 3:1 Jiaxing Team

2pm
Chongqing Team 2:3 Dalian Team
Beijing Team 1:4 Guangdong Team
Luoyang Team 2:3 Shanghai Team
Guizhou Team 1:4 Henan Team
Xinjiang Team 5:0 CBSA Academy Team
Macau Team 3:2 Gansu Team
Nanchang West Lake Team 3:2 Shanxi Team
Lanzhou Team 5:0 Ningbo Team

7:30pm
Mianyang Team 5:0 Zhengzhou Team
Suzhou Team 4:1 Hong Kong Team
Xi'an Team 2:3 CQ Pengshui Team
Dongguan Youth Team 5:0 Sichuan Team
Shaanxi Team 5:0 Sichuan NSD Team
Dongguan Team 4:1 Zibo Team
Xianyang Team - Haining Team
Jiujiang Tianxi Team 5:0 Jiaxing Team

No real surprises. The big match between Hong Kong and Suzhou was won by Suzhou. Marco Fu beat Cao Yupeng in the first frame, but that's all they got.

During the snooker today I spent quite some time looking at seven chinese women in full oriental dress standing around an empty snooker table holding signs up.

It was still better that what was on UK terrestial TV.

Womble wrote:During the snooker today I spent quite some time looking at seven chinese women in full oriental dress standing around an empty snooker table holding signs up.

It was still better that what was on UK terrestial TV.

Yes they held the 'opening' ceremony at 7pm on the first day, before the start of the third session!

Day 2 results:

10am
Hainan ZSD Team 1:4 Chongqing Team
Wuhan Team 4:1 Beijing Team
Wuxi Team 5:0 Luoyang Team
Inner Mongolia Team 5:0 Guizhou Team
Urumqi Team 2:3 Xinjiang Team
Anshan Team 2:3 Macau Team
Tibet Team 3:2 Nanchang West Lake Team
Jilin City Team 2:3 Lanzhou Team

2pm
Mianyang Team 5:0 Dalian Team
Suzhou Team 3:2 Guangdong Team
Xi'an Team 5:0 Shanghai Team
Dongguan Youth Team 4:1 Henan Team
Shaanxi Team 5:0 CBSA Academy Team
Dongguan Team 4:1 Gansu Team
Xianyang Team 3:2 Shanxi Team
Jiujiang Tianxi Team 4:1 Ningbo Team

7pm
Chongqing Team 3:2 Zhengzhou Team
Beijing Team 1:4 Hong Kong Team
Luoyang Team 2:3 Chonqing Pengshui Team
Guizhou Team 1:4 Sichuan Team Team
Xinjiang Team 3:2 Sichuan NSD Team
Macau Team 5:0 Zibo Team
Nanchang West Lake Team 4:1 Haining Team
Lanzhou Team 4-1 Jiaxing Team

Shaanxi and Mianyang have won their first two matches 5-0.

Suzhou, Wuxi and Tibet have also won all their matches, and are favourites in their groups.

The tight groups are D (Dongguan Youths vs. Inner Mongolia), E (Shaanxi vs. Xinjiang), F (Dongguan vs. Macao) and H (Lanzhou vs. Jiujiang Tianxi) where there are two teams still with 100% win records.

lhpirnie wrote:

Womble wrote:During the snooker today I spent quite some time looking at seven chinese women in full oriental dress standing around an empty snooker table holding signs up.

It was still better that what was on UK terrestial TV.

Yes they held the 'opening' ceremony at 7pm on the first day, before the start of the third session!

I did think it was a bit odd.

Day 3 results:

10am
Mianyang Team 2:3 Chongqing Team
Suzhou Team 3:2 Beijing Team
Xi'an Team 4:1 Luoyang Team
Dongguan Youth Team 5:0 Guizhou Team
Shaanxi Team 1:4 Xinjiang Team
Dongguan Team 4:1 Macau Team
Xianyang Team 4:1 Nanchang West Lake Team
Jiujiang Tianxi Team 3:2 Lanzhou Team


2pm
Hainan ZSD Team 2:3 Dalian Team
Wuhan Team 3:2 Guangdong Team
Wuxi Team 4:1 Shanghai Team
Inner Mongolia Team 3:2 Henan Team
Urumqi Team 5:0 CBSA Academy Team
Anshan Team 4:1 Gansu Team
Tibet Team 4:1 Shanxi Team
Jilin City Team 5:0 Ningbo Team

7pm
Mianyang Team 4:1 Hainan ZSD Team
Suzhou Team 5:0 Wuhan Team
Xi'an Team 4:1 Wuxi Team
Dongguan Youth Team 3:2 Inner Mongolia Team
Shaanxi Team 3:2 Urumqi Team
Dongguan Team 4:1 Anshan Team
Xianyang Team 3:2 Tibet Team
Jiujiang Tianxi Team 3:2 Jilin City Team

Day 4 results:

10am
Dalian Team 5:0 Zhengzhou Team
Guangdong 1:4 Hong Kong Team
Shanghai Team 2:3 Chongqing Pengshui Team
Henan Team 2:3 Sichuan Team
CBSA Academy Team 1:4 Sichuan NSD Team
Gansu Team 5:0 Zibo Team
Shanxi Team 3:2 Haining Team
Ningbo Team 1:4 Jiaxing Team

That concludes the round-robin stages

The draw for the L16 round is:

Mianyang Team Team - Wuxi Team
Xi'an Team - Lanzhou Team
Jiujiang Tianxi Team - Macau Team
Dongguan Team - Hong Kong Team
Suzhou Team - Tibet Team
Xinjiang Team - Inner Mongolia Team
Xianyang Team - Dalian Team
Dongguan Youth Team - Shaanxi Team

The team on the left finished top of their groups and are seeded. The second-placed teams were drawn randomly. Matches will be played at 2pm local time today.

L16 results:

Mianyang Team Team 4:1 Wuxi Team
Xi'an Team 4:2 Lanzhou Team
Jiujiang Tianxi Team 4:2 Macau Team
Dongguan Team 3:4 Hong Kong Team
Suzhou Team 4:2 Tibet Team
Xinjiang Team 4:0 Inner Mongolia Team
Xianyang Team 4:2 Dalian Team
Dongguan Youth Team 0:4 Shaanxi Team

The Q-finals were then played in the evening session.

Q-final results:

Suzhou Team 4:2 Jiujiang Tianxi Team
Shaanxi Team 4:2 Xianyang Team
Xi'an Team 4:3 Hong Kong Team
Xinjiang Team 3:4 Mianyang Team

For Xinjiang, Pa Ruke missed a great chance in the final frame, which allowed Yuan Sijun to clear up for Mianyang. The decisive frame in Xi'an-Hong Kong was won by Zhang Anda against Marco Fu.

The semi-final line-up is:

Shaanxi Team - Xi'an Team
Suzhou Team - Mianyang Team

These matches will be played tomorrow at 10am, followed by the final at 3pm.

Shaanxi Team (Fan Zhengyi, Mei Xiwen, Lei Peifan)
Xi'an Team (Wang Zepeng, Zhang Anda, Jin Peng)

Suzhou Team (Cao Yupeng, Chen Feilong, Yao Pengcheng)
Mianyang Team (Chen Ruifu, Jin Long, Yuan Sijun)

Semi-final results:

Suzhou Team 4:0 Mianyang Team
Shaanxi Team 4:3 Xi'an Team

Two very contrasting matches. In the final frame, Mei Xiwen got a lead against Zhang Anda and ground it out.

The final will be at 3pm (8am UK).

VPNs are great. It's nice to be able to watch geo-blocked Chinese snooker.

I haven't seen this chap before. Is he on the tour?

Womble wrote:VPNs are great. It's nice to be able to watch geo-blocked Chinese snooker.

I haven't seen this chap before. Is he on the tour?

No. His name is Yao Pengcheng. He's quite a decent young player, who might make it to professional level in the next few years. None of the teams in this event had 3 current professionals, although there were 7 current professionals and at 10 former professionals out of the 120 players.

Final result:

Suzhou Team 4:2 Shaanxi Team

The crucial frame was frame 4. Fan Zhengyi was clearing up to beat Cao Yupeng, but went in-off potting the final black. That made it 3:1 to Suzhou.

lhpirnie wrote:

Womble wrote:VPNs are great. It's nice to be able to watch geo-blocked Chinese snooker.

I haven't seen this chap before. Is he on the tour?

No. His name is Yao Pengcheng. He's quite a decent young player, who might make it to professional level in the next few years. None of the teams in this event had 3 current professionals, although there were 7 current professionals and at 10 former professionals out of the 120 players.

Thanks.