Pro9 - Europe's No.1 Pool Player Resource

Rileys American Pool and Snooker - Scarborough
Upper Floors
Marshall House
4-13 St Nicholas Street
Scarborough
North Yorkshire
Great Britain
www.gb9balltour.com
www.rileysltd.com

Friday/Saturday/Sunday 11/12/13 July 2008

2008 GB9 Scarborough Cup Winner Imran Majid presented with his trophy
by Rileys Scarborough Manageress Kelly Jackson
Imran Majid wins GB9 Scarborough Cup Main Event!

Well, it doesn't happen often, but after watching the final of the GB9 Yorkshire Cup's main event it has to be said - I'm speechless!!! The best GB9 final ever! This match between Scott Higgins and Imran Majid had everything, including a massive comeback by Imran from 10-5 behind, an almost impossible task considering the alternate break format, but the "Maharaja" doggedly clawed his way back to take the title for an unbelievable 4th consecutive win.

To add a little spice to the pot, there was a huge "tweak" as Higgins missed a short and straight 5ball that would have taken him over the hill, and then in the final hill-hill match the spectators spotted a dry break, but neither player noticed.

Higgins still had his hand over his mouth in disbelief at his previous miss, and Majid had his back turned as he was collecting his playing cue, but the knowledgeable audience noticed that the break didn't score the requisite points!

"Read More..." for the details.

Points? Yes, the GB9 tour uses a points system on the break, and players need to score three points to avoid a dry break - let me explain why this is necessary.

The tour involves 3 tournaments, the whole 128 player field enters the Main Event, and the 96 man Challenge Cup is the event is for promotion into the 32 elite professional players in the Pro Cup. Each player is entitled to play in two of the events, and to fit all these matches into one weekend in clubs that only have under 20 tables takes a very professional feat of organisation.

It also demands optimum conditions, so the tour only uses brand new Z9 Billiard cloth on the finals tables, Aramith Pro Cup TV balls, and the tables are "tapped" using the EPBF "Fast Rack" - a rubber mat that has a template of holes to perfectly align some well-placed dimples into the cloth so that no triangle is needed to rack the balls - greatly reducing the time spent racking.

The resulting rack is tight every time as the balls roll into the small depressions for a perfect rack every time - so perfect in fact that the break can become quite consistent, and virtually encourages the softer, less spectacular cut-break.

To encourage the bigger break it was decided to adopt the EPBF's three point rule, that is, one point for each ball sunk on the break, and one point for each ball to enter the "kitchen" (the breaking area behind the headstring line on the table). Failure to meet this requirement results in a technical dry break and the table should be handed over to the opponent.

Higgins should have come to the table to play, but as neither player noticed, Majid continued to clear the table for the 11:10 win, and his incredible fourth consecutive victory in the main event.

There are only two of the six events remaining on the tour, both in the Midlands area - The GB9 Northern Masters in August, and The GB9 British Grand Prix in October.

Majid's domination of the GB9 Tour is incredible - the tour features the cream of British Snooker, English Pool and American Pool disciplines, celebrity players, Mosconi Cup players, money players, for goodness sake's it got the World 9 Ball Champion, the European #1 and #2! Next year there will be two players commuting from Norway to play on the toughest national tour in Europe (providing they qualify).

A Pro player can come along and dominate a regional tour or league, but not a tour of this strength in depth.

Odds for a "Grand Slam" by one player before the tour started would have been astronomical, one million to one, but now, all Majid has to do is what he has done before, two more times and history will be made.

Bring it on!

The impressive collection of 2008 GB9 Scarborough Cup trophies

Action from the final of the 2008 GB9 Scarborough Cup

2008 GB9 Scarborough Pro Cup Winner Daryl Peach presented with his cheque and trophy
by Rileys Scarborough Assistant Manager Dean Jeavons
Peach is back!!!

The old Peachy that we know and love is back with a vengance this time at the GB9 Yorkshire Cup, as he stamps his authority on the Pro Cup event in beautiful Scarborough, with a confident 11-4 win over 17 year old pool prodigy Phil Burford in the final.

2008 GB9 Scarborough Challenge Cup Winner Chris Robson presented with his cheque
by Simon Clarke from GB9 Tour sponsor White Horse Press Poole
Christopher Robson is Challenge Cup victor!

Chris Robson was the surprise winner at the GB9 Yorkshire Cup's Challenge Division event. Robson went into the final as the underdog to the more fancied Scott Higgins, but after a series of positional errors by his opponent that were duly punished by Robson, he was rewarded with the trophy for two days of consistently high quality pool.

THE STATS

THE GB9 YORKSHIRE CUP
THE MAIN TOURNAMENT
THE LAST 32
Imran Majid	9 : 8	Chris Buckmaster
Jayson Shaw	9 : 8	Pat Holtz
Daryl Peach	9 : 3	Jayson Howard
Karl Boyes	9 : 6	Jonathan Mathers
Tony Burton	9 : 4	Chris Cowie
Craig Osborne	9 : 4	Damian Massey
Andrew Nicholson	9 : 7	Jon Davies
Michael Valentine	9 : 8	Martin Chapman
Philip Morgan	9 : 8	Darren Appleton
Scott Higgins	9 : 3	Andy Appleton
Adam Benn Smith	9 : 3	Andy Barnett
Mark Gray	9 : 2	Liam Wilson
Damian Overton	9 : 6	James Kay
Paul Medati	9 : 5	Dean Goddard
Tony Drago	9 : 2	Brad Parker
Raj Hundal	9 : 8	Phil Burford

THE GB9 YORKSHIRE CUP
THE MAIN TOURNAMENT
THE LAST 16
Imran Majid	9 : 7	Jayson Shaw
Daryl Peach	9 : 5	Karl Boyes
Craig Osborne	9 : 2	Tony Burton
Michael Velentine	9 : 7	Andrew Nicholson
Scott Higgins	9 : 6	Phil Morgan
Adam Benn Smith	9 : 8	Mark Gray
Paul Medati	9 : 8	Damian Overton
Raj Hundal	9 : 2	Tony Drago

THE GB9 YORKSHIRE CUP
THE MAIN TOURNAMENT
THE QUARTER-FINALS
Imran Majid	9 : 7	Daryl Peach
Craig Osborne	9 : 7	Michael Valentine
Scott Higgins	9 : 8	Adam Benn Smith
Raj Hundal	9 : 7	Paul Medati

THE GB9 YORKSHIRE CUP
THE MAIN TOURNAMENT
THE SEMI-FINALS
Imran Majid	9 : 5	Craig Osborne
Scott Higgins	9 : 4	Raj Hundal

THE GB9 YORKSHIRE CUP
THE MAIN TOURNAMENT
THE FINAL
Imran Majid	11 : 10	Scott Higgins

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE GB9 YORKSHIRE CUP
THE CHALLENGE CUP
THE LAST 32
Jason Howard	9 : 6	Thomas Ainsworth-Smith
Ben Moore	9 : 4	Simon Widlo
Andy Appleton	9 : 2	Neil Cummins
Damian Massey	9 : 3	Dave Simmonds
David McCarthy	9 : 4	Gary Houstoun
Scott Higgins	9 : 1	Andrew Warden
Chris Cowie	9 : 5	Lynette Horsburgh
Thomas Emes	9 : 6	David Nelson
David Walsh	9 : 6	Mark Hughes
Chris Buckmaster	9 : 2	Kevin Simpson
Liam Wilson	9 : 7	Clark Smith
Aslam Abubaker	9 : 7	Neil Jenkins
Christopher Ronson	9 : 5	Tony Burton
Jon Davies	9 : 8	Jonny Cooper
Philip Morgan	9 : 2	Chun Hao Man
Brad Parker	9 : 4	Andrew Morris

THE GB9 YORKSHIRE CUP
THE CHALLENGE CUP
THE LAST 16
Ben Moore	9 : 8	Jason Howard
Andy Appleton	9 : 5	Damian Massey
Scott Higgins	9 : 7	David McCarthy
Thomas Emes	9 : 7	Chris Cowie
Chris Buckmaster	9 : 7	David Walsh
Liam Wilson	9 : 7	Aslam Abubaker
Christopher Robson	9 : 1	Jon Davies
Brad Parker	9 : 6	Phil Morgan

THE GB9 YORKSHIRE CUP
THE CHALLENGE CUP
THE QUARTER FINALS
Andy Appleton	9 : 5	Ben Moore
Scott Higgins	9 : 7	Thomas Emes
Chris Buckmaster	9 : 7	Liam Wilson
Christopher Robson	9 : 0	Brad Parker

THE GB9 YORKSHIRE CUP
THE CHALLENGE CUP
THE SEMI FINALS
Scott Higgins	9 : 7	Andy Appleton
Christopher Robson	9 : 4	Chris Buckmaster

THE GB9 YORKSHIRE CUP
THE CHALLENGE CUP
THE FINAL
Christopher Robson	11 : 3	Scott Higgins

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THE GB9 YORKSHIRE CUP
THE PRO CUP
THE LAST 32
Karl Boyes	9 : 0	Walk over
Damian Overton	9 : 3	Neil Raybone
Craig Osborne	9 : 5	Sam Gibson
Daryl Peach	9 : 6	Mark Gray
Imran Majid	9 : 7	Richard Jones
Raj Hundal	9 : 8	Pat Holtz
Mike Rogers	9 : 8	Jonathan Mathers
Tony Drago	9 : 2	Andy Worthington
Darren Appleton	9 : 4	Alan Millership
Michael Valentine	9 : 5	Jayson Shaw
Stephen Capaldi	9 : 7	Davey Jack
Kevin Uzzell	9 : 6	James Taylor
James Kay	9 : 2	Adam Benn Smith
Paul Williams	9 : 7	Gareth Esprit
Lee Rigby	9 : 3	Adam Clarke
Phil Burford	9 : 7	Stephen Capaldi

THE GB9 YORKSHIRE CUP
THE PRO CUP
THE LAST 16
Damian Overton	9 : 8	Karl Boyes
Daryl Peach	9 : 5	Craig Osborne
Raj Hundal	9 : 8	Imran Majid
Tony Drago	9 : 3	Mike Rogers
Darren Appleton	9 : 3	Mike Valentine
Kevin Uzzell	9 : 5	Stephen Capaldi
James Kay	9 : 4	Paul Williams
Phil Burford	9 : 8	Lee Rigby

THE GB9 YORKSHIRE CUP
THE PRO CUP
THE QUARTER FINALS
Daryl Peach	9 : 4	Damian Overton
Raj Hundal	9 : 8	Tony Drago
Kevin Uzell	9 : 3	Darren Appleton
Phil Burford	9 : 7	James Kay

THE GB9 YORKSHIRE CUP
THE PRO CUP
THE SEMI FINALS
Daryl Peach	9 : 7	Raj Hundal
Phil Burford	9 : 4	Kevin Uzzell

THE GB9 YORKSHIRE CUP
THE PRO CUP
THE FINAL
Daryl Peach	11 : 4	Phil Burford

Updated GB9 Ball Tour Top 16 Provisional Rankings

Visit the official tour website: www.gb9balltour.com

The GB9 Ball Tour is sponsored by:

And the GB9 Ball Tour is promoted by:

The GB9 Tour, sponsored in it's inaugural year by Rileys Pool, Snooker and Poker Clubs, has drawn talent from the length and breadth of the country, who will be putting the final touches to their practice routines in readiness for what must be the toughest national tour in Europe.

The GB9 official match cloth is sponsored by Z9Billiard Cloth by Klaus Zobrekis, a new company with a new high tech cloth, designed after three years of intensive development, and aimed at the top end of the market for professional "worsted" pool/billiard cloth for American style tables.

Visit www.gb9balltour.com for more details.

Comments