There isn’t much going on in snooker at the moment, although this is going to change in less than a week.

So, this is a bit of a “lazy” post sharing some news and suggestions to fill the “snooker gap”.

Stephen Hendry’s Cue Tips is Stephen’s YouTube Channel and there is a lot of interesting stuff as Stephen interviews and “challenges” fellow snooker players.

One of the recent videos features Ronnie taking the “Tough Table Challenge”

Ronnie doesn’t do particularly well, bur maybe Stephen is a bit guilty of distracting him throughout. In deed the chat about how they go about break building, Luca Brecel’s and Judd Trump’s unusual technique and why it could become a trend, their cues and more… I was quite baffled to hear that Stephen keeps his cue in the boot of his car, no matter the temperature or humidity level. As a result the said cue is anything but straight … I know that Stephen allegedly never recovered from the loss of his original cue. It was bent as well, but still 🤔

WST has announced that BetVictor will sponsor no less than 8 tournaments this season, including The European and German Masters and the four Home Nations events. Those tournaments will once again form a “Series”. The money list leader after these eighth events will earn the £150,000 bonus.

Following the success of the three “Ronnie and Jimmy” exhibitions over the week-end, Snookerstars have announced a “Live Tour” with Kan Doherty, John Higgins and Mark Williams in 2024. They will play in Hamm and in Munich. The announcement did not mention the dates and, although it said that tickets were already available on the Snookestars website, I couldn’t find them. Anyway… this should be good!

An interesting multi-discipline initiative by the WCBS

WCBS Gears Up For Its First Ever Championship

The WCBS is all set to host its first-ever Championship in Ankara, Turkey from 20-23 July 2023.

A 4-day competition will see 6 teams compete against each other across the disciplines of Carom, 10-Ball Pool, Heyball, and Snooker.

Ahead of the competition, please refer to all the important information released by WCBS here –WCBS Championship Info_Updated_3rd May 2023

 Player List

 Match Schedule

WST is of course not involved, instead their “rivals” the IBSF are part of WCBS, World Confederation of Billiards and Snooker. All the same, I find the idea interesting and there are some familiar (amateur) names in the draw.

I must admit that I had never before looked at what Heyball (Chinese Pool) is like.

I must say that I was rather astonished reading the second “chapter” of the rules

2. Method Of Play

(a) Chinese Pool game is played with 15 object balls from No.1 to No.15 and the cue ball. If one player chooses No.1 to No.7 (solids) then the other player must choose No.9 to No.15 (stripes), and vice versa. The shooter remains at the table as long as he continues to legally pocket his group of balls, and he wins the rack by pocketing the 8 ball.

(b) When a male player encounters a female player, the female player receives a handicap that her last ball within a rack will be removed from the table by the referee; When a male player under the age of 14 encounters a female player, it shall be an even game with no handicap; When a male player under the age of 14 encounters a male player, it shall be an even game with no handicap.

So female players are “de facto” considered weaker than male players and it’s in the rules… 😮 🙄