It was finals day in Cluj and it was a lovely one.

It all started in Nuka Bistro, where the players met the fans and signed item for them.

Then the event proper started, rather early as, with Romania playing in the Euro 2016 in the evening, they wanted everyone to be free before the football match.

Reanne Evans beat Steve Davis by 4-1 in the “small final”. Reanne played great – she had a century too – and Steve who was “miked” entertained the crowd as he only can. He also player trick shots, and cracked jokes, after the match.

You can browse through the pictures here.

Before the final, Sabina Virtosu and Cassie Matthews entertained the crowd with a mini concert, violin and guitar. Their interpretation of Queen’s “We Will Rock You” got people swinging!

In the final, Mark Selby beat Ronnie by 6-4. It was a high quality match: Mark started and finished with a century and, in between, missed a maximum on 96 … Ronnie had a 125, the highest break of the match and a few  other big breaks. It was played in good spirit, players having banter and laugher between the frames. Mark was the better player overall, he played really well, but Ronnie certainly didn’t play badly. He took a lot of spectacular risky shots, got a lot of them, but … missed a few too, as he would. That’s his philosophy about exhibitions: people are there to be entertained, they want a show and he wants to give them exactly that.

And finally, if you happen to be in Cluj, take some time to walk through the old town. My friend and myself did and here is the (photographic) result …

Enjoy! We did!

Ronnie, Mark Selby, Reanne Evans ans Steve Davis – 24 World titles in total – are in Cluj this week-end for two days of exhibitions.

Yesterday, they first met the press,  and all of them insisted that snooker should be about enjoyment as well as winning. Ronnie confirmed that he will play in the European Championship, here in Cluj come October. All players also streesed how welcome rthey were made to feel in Romania and how wonderful the hospitality is.

You can browse through the press conference pictures here.

Next came the match betwwen mark Selby and Reanne Evans. Mark won by 6-1, but the match was closer than the score suggests. There was no century.

You can see the Mark Selby v Reanne Evans match pictures here. 

Finally Ronnie played Steve Davis and beat him by 6-1. Ronnie had two centuries, a 97 … and missed a maxi. He declined to have an interval …

Pictures of the Ronnie v Steve Davis match (Monique Limbos)

With a hindsight, maybe Ronnie’s reason for skipping the interval was … hunger.

It was late already and the next thing we knew on twitter was him posting:

Great to be back in Romania, 1st match done now in an amazing Italian restaurant

(pictures by himself and Jason Francis)

Today, I’m traveling to Cluj for the Snooker Titans exhibitions this week-end. I’m not the only one … Ramona Dragomir – “Snooker my Love” – is more than ready for it too and she wrote this great article on her blog.

Thank you Ramona for this great read! And I can only recommend every snooker lover to follow Ramona’s blog regularly, very well written and interesting.

The Snooker Titans are ready for Cluj! Are you?

21:15:00 Ramona Dragomir 

Just a few more days until the Snooker Titans Trophy will kick off in Cluj Napoca with some of the biggest names the game of snooker has: Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Selby, Steve Davis and Reanne Evans.

After the raving success that this event has recorded starting with its first edition back in November 2015 when Ronnie O’Sullivan and Stuart Bingham, closely “watched” by Michaela Tabb, were the stars of the show, and continuing with the April event (2nd & 3rd) when the same O’Sullivan returned with la crème de la crème (aka. Stephen Hendry, Jimmy White and Mark Williams), the Snooker Titans Trophy is getting on the road and reaching Cluj Napoca.

So, on 18 and 19 of June, the Romanian public will get spoiled with the likes of five-time world champion, Ronnie O’Sullivan, six-time world champion & snooker legend Steve Davis, current world champion Mark Selby & the one and only 11-time world Ladies champion, Reanne Evans.

The event will take place in one of the most prestigious locations from Cluj, the Polyvalent Hall, where the European Open will also be staged in October this year.

The Snooker Titans Trophy Cluj will start on Saturday 18th of June with the clash between Reanne Evans and Mark Selby and will continue with Ronnie O’Sullivan facing Steve Davis.

On Sunday, 19th of June, we will see the players that lost the day before get together in a magical display of snooker, only to end the day with the Final, that will bring together Saturday’s winners.

All matches will be played on best of 11 rule, the one in charge of what happens in the arena being the Romanian ref, Alex Crișan.

The man behind this event, Mr Adrian Thiess (from McCann/Thiess Events and who was kind enough as to offer us a few words) regards this event as, first of all, as a great way of getting an honest feedback from the Transylvanian audience, especially since this is the city that will stage one of the most important ranking events in World Snooker calendar – the European Open (3-9 October), and second of all, as a much-waited-for gift for the snooker lovers that were promised to see Ronnie O’Sullivan in November last year, but unfortunately due to some regretful circumstances weren’t granted their wish.

As for the first ranking event to be staged on Romanian soil, the same Adrian Thiess says:

“It’s not an important event just for Cluj Napoca, but also for Romania as a country. To be part of the World Snooker calendar is something pretty huge.”

“Cluj will benefit from this because it’s a serious contestant for becoming the European Cultural Capital in 2021 and I strongly believe that such an event will boots its chances.”

Mr Thiess has also huge plans outside Romania, the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan and Ding Junhui being part of a series of exhibition matches that will be staged throughout the month of August across China.

But back to our beloved Snooker Titans Trophy Cluj. The event will continue with “the same pattern”, the snooker lovers being able to get an autograph from their idols, on Sunday from 11 am, at Nuka Bistro as part of an official autograph session. What more can you wish for?

As for the tickets, they are still available on eventim.ro so be sure to buy yours for this a truly unique opportunity.

To see the legend Steve Davis play against the most gifted snooker player, Ronnie O’Sullivan, but also the current world champ Mark Selby and the “ladies hero” Reanne Evans it’s definitely one of those rare occasions that pop-up into your life.

SML blog will be there, so please be sure to keep in touch here, as well as on Twitter and Facebook to find out the lastest news.

See ya all in Cluj Napoca! #RomaniaLovesSnooker

Photo credit (ROS): Monique Limbos

Ronnie has been touring for 10 days, across Scotland, Ireland, England and Germany, and Munich, today, was the last stop.

The exhibition was promoted by Snookerstars, and hosted by Rolf Kalb, Mrs snooker in Germany himself,  a legend. It followed the same structure as yesterday’s event in Hamm.

Buffet, meet and greet, and the event proper in the Krohne Circus. This time Ronnie won 4-2; there was no century.

The Krohne Circus is a very special venue: it’s a real Circus, “old fashioned”, with a round stage, adorned balconies, plush seats, velvet and golden banisters and columns.

Ronnie, on Facebook, expressed his appreciation of both venues, in Hamm and Munich

Two great venues in Germany, huge crowds

Whilst Michaela praised the promoters and the German fans on twitter:

A great 2 days in Germany, the German crowds take some beating! Thank you @Snookerstars you put on amazing events!! Xxx

There were also a lot of happy fans tweets (too many to try and start quoting them all): everyone, it seems had a great time.

Here are a few pictures, posted on twitter, by Jason Francis, Snookerstars and fans.

And here is a video of Ronnie taking on Fabian Haken, 13 years, Bavarian U17 Snooker Champion

Meanwhile  Ronnie shared this article about yesterday’s exhibition in Hamm. It’s all in German but, even if you don’t read German, check it out: it contains some great pictures.

More pictures have now be posted on Facebook by the “Just like Pictures” media website

Ronnie, Michaela Tabb and Steve Davis played in Hamm, Germany, this afternoon, in an exhibition promoted by Snookerstars.

It’s not the first time that they play in Hamm and it was packed as always.

The German crowd is very enthusiast, yet very respectful and knowledgeable. The hospitality is always great as well – there was a buffet with the VIPs – so the players love it.

Ronnie won the match by 5-1, despite Steve starting strongly;  he took the first frame. As far I as know there were no centuries; Ronnie had a 82 in frame 2,  that much was tweeted by Jason Francis.

Steve also entertained the crowd with trickshots. He’s always very funny.

Going by the reactions on twitter, notably by Michaela, it was a great afternoon, with lots of laugher.

Here are a few pictures, posted on twitter by Jason, Snookerstars and fans, notably by Andrea Kitzing who is attending most exhibitions in Germany and a long time Ronnie fan.

No rest for the wicked though … the exhibition was barely over and they all were already on their way to the airport and Munich bound.