Andrew Higginson and Billy Castle both secured safe passage into the third round on day three of Q School to set up a high-quality clash on Monday night.
Higginson made light work of Labeeb Ahmed, beating him 4-0 inside 47 minutes including breaks of 100 and 57 with an average shot time of just 14.9 seconds. Former Shoot Out quarter-finalist Castle defeated Mark Vincent 4-1 with runs of 128 and 58.
The pair are scheduled to play at 7pm on Monday but recently met as early as November in the final of the fourth Q Tour event in Stockholm. Castle took the match 5-4 via a re-spotted black in a deciding frame.
Ian Martin, who played several top-up matches on tour last campaign, is out of Event One after losing 4-1 to Poland’s Daniel Holoyda. The Warsaw-based potter last entered Q School four years ago but was triumphant on his return with two breaks over 50. He now faces Chris Totten in the third round.
“I’m very happy to be back,” said the 24-year-old. “I was not satisfied when I saw the draw because Ian Martin is a very decent player but I think I accommodated to the venue very quickly and just played my snooker.
“I love playing here at World Snooker Tour tournaments. For me, it’s a delight, a different world. Here everything is perfect. You can just barely touch the cue ball. Everything reacts, every spin matters. It’s like snooker heaven.
“I started playing snooker nine years ago. I won the Polish Championship final with my handball team but I actually had a choice between football and snooker. Long story short I didn’t want to play football that much anymore so I transitioned to snooker, started playing, fell in love with the game and now I’m here!”
Michael Holt and Alexander Ursenbacher had no such trouble in their games. The Hitman breezed past Jeff Cundy 4-1, while Ursenbacher hit four without reply against Belgium’s Tan Wang Chooi. The 27-year-old started the season in fine form with a shock victory over Ronnie O’Sullivan at the Cazoo British Open. But, after finishing the season 87th, he dropped off the tour.
“Winning one match a tournament isn’t enough,” said the Swiss potter. “You really need to do something to keep your tour spot. I haven’t done that, that’s why I am here. It puts a lot of pressure on you but the key is to be calm and be yourself.
“I didn’t really miss much after the first two frames today. I play even quicker in practice but I’m pleased with 18 seconds a shot. I’m just trying to play my game and I bet you’re going to see a lot more under 20 seconds a shot if I keep doing what I’m doing.”
Barry Pinches and Peter Lines will meet in the last 64 after securing victories earlier in the day. Pinches was made to work for his win, needing a decider to beat Nathan Jones 4-3. Whereas the 2017 World Seniors Champion, Lines, defeated Ben Robinson 4-2.
Looking at how the young did on that day there were wins for Bulcsú Révész (16), Oliver Sykes (17) and Paul Deaville (18) who beat Florian Nüßle from Austria. Vladislav Gradinari on the other hand was beaten 4-0 by Ben Fortey. Vladislav is only 14 and any one having watched Ben in amateur events knows how good he is and wonders how he hasn’t done better.
Bulcsú Révész is from Hungary. Other non UK/Irish players who went on to reach round 3 that day are Daan Leyssen from Belgium and Aman Goel from India.
On the other hand the once much fancied Sean Maddock and Jamie Wilson both lost in the second round. I’m not sure that Jamie Wilson’s type of game is sustainable if he has ambitions to succeed as a pro.
Iulian Boiko came through a thriller against 17-year-old Oliver Sykes needing pink and black in a decider to secure his place in the third round of Q School.
After losing the opening frame, Boiko, who is also 17, won three on the spin to move within one of victory. Sykes then hit back and drew level in frame six with a break of 56. The Hampshire-based potter was on the verge of victory in the decider with a 12-point lead and just pink and black left on the table. But Sykes missed match-ball, allowing Boiko to steal.
Boiko’s win sets up a fourth-round tie with Liam Davies, with the Welshman easing past Paul Burrel 4-0. Boiko defeated Davies 4-3 when the pair met in the quarter-finals of the World Snooker Federation Junior Championship in February, only for the latter to get his revenge a week later in the WSF Championship by the same scoreline.
Earlier in the day, Bai Yulu narrowly missed out on booking her place in the third round, losing 4-3 to Craig Steadman. The Women’s British Open champion led 2-0 and 3-2, but it was the Englishman who held his nerve in the decider to take the match.
Barry Pinches rolled back the years against Peter Lines claiming a 4-2 victory to earn a place in the fourth round. The Canary, who part-owns Pinches Snooker Club in Norwich, dropped off the tour this spring after his most recent four-year stay.
“I’ve got plenty of motivation to still play,” said the 52-year-old. “Luke, my son plays, and George Pragnell plays in the club I’m now a partner of in Norwich. And the main thing is I still enjoy playing. If I don’t get through Q School, I’d play on the Q Tour with Luke and George.”
“Peter (Lines) and I played from junior level in the mid-80s so we’ve known each other for years. Those sorts of games are coin-flick games. Perhaps luck was the difference, but I’m quite happy with the way I’m playing.
“I think the standard at Q School gets better every year. There are more people here. With the prize money guarantee that World Snooker Tour put in place, which is a brilliant initiative, people are willing to take a shot it. I see a lot of really good young kids from different countries but it’s just so difficult.”
On a day when Mitchell Mann and Farakh Ajaib both crashed out, Alexander Ursenbacher and Louis Heathcote continued their strong form to ensure safe passage into the Last 32.
Despite the defeat, it’s an excellent result for Bai and a match from which she will learn a lot. Craig Steadman is the most successful player in the history of the Q-School, having qualified through it four times previously. At 40, with 10 seasons as a pro, Craig has bags of experience and yet, this young women from China, who has never competed in WST event before, has pushed him all the way.
Bulcsú Révész (16), Oliver Sykes (17) and Paul Deaville (18) also all lost in round 3. Hopefully they will do well in the second event and gather enough points to be offered the opportunity to play in some events during the season and gain experience. The same goes for Daniel Holoyda. He’s 24 but the covid years, and the restrictions that came with that crisis, probably impacted his development. Opportunities to play against top opposition are not as abundant in Poland as they are in the UK and Ireland.
One big surprise – for me at least – is Michael Holt’s defeat to Hayden Staniland. I know next to nothing about Hayden but he played on the Q-Tour and didn’t pull any tree…
12 thoughts on “2023 Q-School Event 1 – Days 3 and 4”
Am I the only one who was SHOCKED (yes, now in this case it is appropriate to use this word) to see a “Ronnie Sullivan” in the draw for Q-School???
Well probably not, but this Ronnie Sullivan has been around for a long time, playing in pro-ams, so I wasn’t surprised. It’s not the first time either he enters the Q-school.
I was questioning the choice of name by his parents and felt quite bad for him 🙂
At one point you suggested that On Yee is supported by some official body, but they expect her to play and do well on the women’s tour. I’m glad if her entering Qschool for the main tour means this has changed.
They expect her to do well. What matters is the visibility of Hong Kong as a sporting nation.
Meaning if she does not do well on the main tour, it might have bad consequences? 😦
It will not help Hong Kong’s institute of sport case for sure
Snooker lost its tier one elite sport status in H.K. because its criteria changed.
The sport team must be able to play 3 times at asian sport/Olympic after 2010 for T1 status. (since cue sport is removed from asian sport 2014 onwards, so……)
I know that Balvark, but those in charge of snooker in Hong Kong hoped to “save” it by demonstrating the excellence of its exponents on the international scene. Unfortunately, Marco’s health issues and On Yee not performing on the main tour did not help.
It is still early to say, personally hope Bai will not follow seniors’ path – shifting to pools or Joys’s Chinese 8 balls.
(a big threat to snooker, even in time of covid, it still holds a plenty of events and loads of prize money. At the same time CBSA is completely depressed.)
Winner of Haining Open 2023 only has 50,000 RMB whereas winner of a ranking tournament in Joy’s has 6 figures…
And Joys’s has a playoff, which somewhat like the WC in snooker… Joys’s playoff winner has a 5,000,000 RMB).
The only concern is Joys is a private company, it may vanish in an instant. (WST/matchroom is definitely broader.)
Someone asked in twitter why there isn’t a asian tour, I should response there is an asian tour, but unfortunately it is not snooker.
Hopefully she find a sponsor which aid her continuing her career (Ng has been sponsored by H.K. government – I think not only in money but also air-tickets.)
Yes On Yee Ng and Marco Fu have a big support from the HK Institute of Sports. That support however is under threat as snooker is likely to lose its tier one elite sport status. Marco and On Yee need big results to help that cause although that may not be enough. The main issue, as far as I understand, is snooker’s (lack of) representation in various international competitions.
Bai is so good to watch and that match was perfectly winnable, so I’m sad she lost. After all being the Qschool king is a very dubious honour. Bai and maybe Mink (I don’t know much about Baipat who will enter the tour the next season) are my hopes for the women to do something on the main tour.
Bulcsú vas impressive in his fightback, a lot more impressive than in the U-18, which he won. Well, he is only 16, so no need to be on the tour yet, but definitely needs good opponents, who are better and more experienced than him. Same goes for Bai, I would hate if she became just one who excels only on the women’s tour.
Jamie Wilson was the one who wanted Ronnie to eat his words, no? 😸
Ronnie O'Sullivan 
Am I the only one who was SHOCKED (yes, now in this case it is appropriate to use this word) to see a “Ronnie Sullivan” in the draw for Q-School???
Well probably not, but this Ronnie Sullivan has been around for a long time, playing in pro-ams, so I wasn’t surprised. It’s not the first time either he enters the Q-school.
I was questioning the choice of name by his parents and felt quite bad for him 🙂
At one point you suggested that On Yee is supported by some official body, but they expect her to play and do well on the women’s tour. I’m glad if her entering Qschool for the main tour means this has changed.
They expect her to do well. What matters is the visibility of Hong Kong as a sporting nation.
Meaning if she does not do well on the main tour, it might have bad consequences? 😦
It will not help Hong Kong’s institute of sport case for sure
Snooker lost its tier one elite sport status in H.K. because its criteria changed.
The sport team must be able to play 3 times at asian sport/Olympic after 2010 for T1 status. (since cue sport is removed from asian sport 2014 onwards, so……)
I know that Balvark, but those in charge of snooker in Hong Kong hoped to “save” it by demonstrating the excellence of its exponents on the international scene. Unfortunately, Marco’s health issues and On Yee not performing on the main tour did not help.
It is still early to say, personally hope Bai will not follow seniors’ path – shifting to pools or Joys’s Chinese 8 balls.
(a big threat to snooker, even in time of covid, it still holds a plenty of events and loads of prize money. At the same time CBSA is completely depressed.)
Winner of Haining Open 2023 only has 50,000 RMB whereas winner of a ranking tournament in Joy’s has 6 figures…
And Joys’s has a playoff, which somewhat like the WC in snooker… Joys’s playoff winner has a 5,000,000 RMB).
The only concern is Joys is a private company, it may vanish in an instant. (WST/matchroom is definitely broader.)
Someone asked in twitter why there isn’t a asian tour, I should response there is an asian tour, but unfortunately it is not snooker.
Hopefully she find a sponsor which aid her continuing her career (Ng has been sponsored by H.K. government – I think not only in money but also air-tickets.)
Yes On Yee Ng and Marco Fu have a big support from the HK Institute of Sports. That support however is under threat as snooker is likely to lose its tier one elite sport status. Marco and On Yee need big results to help that cause although that may not be enough. The main issue, as far as I understand, is snooker’s (lack of) representation in various international competitions.
Bai is so good to watch and that match was perfectly winnable, so I’m sad she lost. After all being the Qschool king is a very dubious honour. Bai and maybe Mink (I don’t know much about Baipat who will enter the tour the next season) are my hopes for the women to do something on the main tour.
Bulcsú vas impressive in his fightback, a lot more impressive than in the U-18, which he won. Well, he is only 16, so no need to be on the tour yet, but definitely needs good opponents, who are better and more experienced than him. Same goes for Bai, I would hate if she became just one who excels only on the women’s tour.
Jamie Wilson was the one who wanted Ronnie to eat his words, no? 😸