WST Pro Series 1st Stage !!!!!

SnookerEd25 wrote:But should it be a Ranking Event?

motorhead wrote:365 seems to be streaming ALL tables in play contrary to just 1/2 like at beginning I think, matchroom only broadcasts 1/2 afaik.

Ochoiski beat Ken!

edit: this one works! https://ezlive.bet/stream/player/player.aspx
was stuck in the past weeks, think maybe they switched to non-Flash.

Can you tell us a bit about mind games and the sorts of things that went on?
Yeah subtle little comments here and there. I remember one time, and this isn’t a bad thing, but one time Bill Werbeniuk was playing Ray Reardon in the World Championships and Ray was leading 4-0 in their first session which was in the morning, and as they walked off for the interval Ray said to Bill “I see you don’t play well in the mornings either!”. And then Bill went off to the washroom and he somehow ended up in the ladies, and then he came back out he saw Ray and said “Gee whizz I went to the wrong washroom” and Ray said “You might as well go in there because you’re playing like one!”.

And I remember another time with Alex and John Spencer in the World Championships in 1974 I think it was, and myself and John were talking to a couple of people and one of them said to John “What’s all this talk about Alex Higgins? He’s kinda different isn’t he?” and John said “No, all these stories get blown up and basically he’s ok” and then a few minutes later as I’m still talking to these people, Spencer comes bursting through the door with Alex in a headlock and they were having a fight right in front of us! It was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen!

But going back to integrity I used to joke with a friend of mine before I first came over to Britain that there would be a Beefeater banging his staff and saying “Ladieeees and gentlemen, introducing all the way from Canadaaa….Cliff Thorburn” because I thought that’s how it might be. I used to love the British and the referees and the way they spoke, certainly coming from a Canadian perspective I loved things like (adopts posh Queen’s English accent) “Twentee four” and “Thirtee two” you know, and “Six to John Spensar!”

Alex gave you the nickname “The Grinder”. Did you prefer to battle against a fellow grinder like Terry Griffiths or Eddie Charlton until the last man was left standing, or a faster player and slow them down? Which gave you more satisfaction?
Well I can tell you something here that some people won’t believe, but I have never in my life deliberately slowed anyone down may god strike me dead! And I hope I don’t get hit by a car tomorrow! But no, never. That was actually me out there. After hearing that can you imagine me actually trying to slow somebody down and how much fun that would be? No, I’d rather play someone like Jimmy, I just loved playing Jimmy White.

And playing Steve Davis, Steve was actually a pretty fast player at one time when he first turned pro. And so was Alex, and both Steve and Alex became slower players as they went along and I actually became a faster player. And I’ve said to people that granted I’m not the slowest of the fast players but I’m definitely the fastest of the slow players! You name anybody that’s a slow player and I was faster than them!

I always enjoyed it if people played shots where you spin the ball around three or four cushions off a red and land you in a spot and you know, the more aggressive safety game. I didn’t enjoy playing people who would just try to get the cue ball back down into touch. I mean sometimes you’ve got to do that, there’s no getting away from it, but I preferred to play somebody who put spin on the ball.


You name anybody that’s a slow player and I was faster than them

The next question I have follows on from the last one so bear with me because it kind of goes against your answer. What is your opinion on the match between Peter Ebdon and Ronnie O’Sullivan in 2005 where Peter used slowing down tactics. Obviously it helped him win but do you see that more as gamesmanship or something you’ve sometimes got to do to win?
Well I never actually saw that match and it’s disappointing if somebody did that. Did Peter Ebdon admit to doing that?

Well no he didn’t admit to doing it and it’s clear he was trying very hard, but from the viewer’s point of view it looked like one player was playing deliberately slower. But with Ebdon as with you, you can see how hard the player is trying, the concentration in his face because he knows he can’t afford to miss so he takes his time more. But when you look at it from Ronnie’s point of view because he’s so fluent he’s getting frustrated and thinking “Why is he taking so long? I could play that shot in 2 seconds.”
Well obviously Ronnie had a tough time dealing with that. He plays faster than everybody else anyway with the exception of Tony Drago, and the thought process is different, I mean he’s more like a computer right? And Peter Ebdon was probably being too careful and I know about that, it’s cost me many matches but as far as deliberately trying to slow somebody down then I think that’s completely wrong but it’s not breaking any rules is it? But then after saying that there’s no proof that he did it on purpose.

No it’s all speculation but it is still a much talked about match. Anyway moving back to your career, which matches are you particularly proud of?

Iranu wrote:https://twitter.com/livesnooker/status/1353328095663697921?s=21