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IBSF World Under 21 Championships 2014, UAE 10-18 May

Postby roy142857

Another possible route to a Pro Tour place but this year unfortunately clashing with Q School (following on from the IBSF having to re-arrange it from St Petersburg, which was the originally-planned host), the IBSF World Under 21 Championship will run from 10th to 18th May in Al Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates (which will have hosted the Asian Snooker Championship from 26th April to 3rd May)

British players going this route are Luke Garland representing England and Sam Thomas and Tom Rees of Wales. Five Irish players entered - Josh Boileau, Daniel Dempsey, David Cassidy, Stephen Bateman and Daniel O'Regan.

Some notable entries are Jeff Jacobs of Belgium, Lukas Kleckers and Sascha Breuer of Germany, Dhvaj Haria and Ishpreet Chadha of India, Siyavosh Mozayani of Iran, Muhammad Majid Ali and Hamza Akbar of Pakistan and Boonyarit Keattikun of Thailand. No Chinese entries so far.

Nice to see four Brazilians entered for this.

And even nicer to see Hannah Jones entered for England in the Women's Under 21 Championship :D

Re: IBSF World Under 21 Championship 2014, UAE 10-18 May

Postby markj147

The event will only run with 16 players according to the letter so looking doubtful with 9. I will say though that nearly all of the 9 players listed are class acts on the table. The Thais are especially dangerous and Siripaporn Nuanthakhamjan looks to be an excellent prospect from what I saw in Ireland at the World Team Champs.

Re: IBSF World Under 21 Championship 2014, UAE 10-18 May

Postby roy142857

Here's a peculiar statement in the Pakistani press on Friday. Reported that Alamgir Anwar Shaikh, President of the Pakistan Billiards & Snooker Association has said that the coaching camp that was being held under the command of former world champion Mohammad Yousuf in Islamabad to train Majid Ali, Haris Nadeem, Hamza Akbar and Mohammad Faheem, has been suspended and the cueists have returned to their towns.

Re: IBSF World Under 21 Championship 2014, UAE 10-18 May

Postby roy142857

Oh that's a shame Mark ... just hope they make the numbers or look at the quality of players and decide it's worth going ahead. No chance of other UK/Ireland players going I suppose, I know budgets are tight but the Irish are taking 5 male players as I mentioned above ...

Re: IBSF World Under 21 Championship 2014, UAE 10-18 May

Postby markj147

I have just chatted to Jessica Woods and she is going to the event if they run it so excellent news. The quality will be very high in my opinion. Just need another 6 players! I thought Yana Shut may go. I will see her at the WLBSA World Champs in Leeds on Friday and will ask her.

Re: IBSF World Under 21 Championship 2014, UAE 10-18 May

Postby roy142857

Scottish Mens entries are Lee Mein, Dylan Craig and Chris Totten (The No. 1 in the Scottish Under 16 rankings).

Other players added to the Mens competition include Sam Harvey (England), Oceania Under 21 Champion Charlie Chafe (Australia), Arthur Lin (Australia), Patryk Masłowski (Poland) and Mateusz Baranowski (Poland)

Re: IBSF World Under 21 Championship 2014, UAE 10-18 May

Postby roy142857

Here's a nice surprise, England's Oli Lines and Steven Hallworth have been added to the field, trying to finish their careers as amateurs with a big win before launching their Pro careers - and having the advantage of no pressure to get on the Pro Tour.

Meanwhile Hossein Vafaei Ayouri tries to get back on Tour via this route (he was / is entered for Q School), after the farce of him being on Tour for the past two years but not playing as no visa for the UK.

Not sure why, but four players are listed as an entry for their supranational region rather than their National Governing Body - Mohamed Elfar for Africa, Muhammad Majid Ali for Asia, Josh Boileau for Europe, Kurt Brown for Oceania.

Re: IBSF World Under 21 Championship 2014, UAE 10-18 May

Postby roy142857

Good news it appears re the Womens Under 21 Championship, the foillowing from IBSF Media:

"IBSF would like to confirm that this championship is certainly taking place as per original schedule irrespective of the any number of participation received.

IBSF once again request countries who have not yet sent their participation can submit on Member's login page till tomorrow (20th April 2014) to encourage women participation in snooker."

Re: IBSF World Under 21 Championship 2014, UAE 10-18 May

Postby fridge46

QSchool now from May 10th-21st. Seems like there is zero chance of a player entering both (maybe if he gets knocked out early, there might be a slim hope of making Event 2)

Noticed Lines and Hallworth have now been removed from the entry list.

RE: Hossein Vafaei Ayouri - According to last years tour entry information, if he wins, he will not be allowed on tour. Players can not regain his spot via an amateur event. So his only hope to get back on tour is qschool... unless WS have changed their rules again!!

EDIT: 2014/15 qualifying criteria. Point 3: Players may not re-qualify onto the Tour via an amateur event which carries a guaranteed Tour place for the following season.

Re: IBSF World Under 21 Championship 2014, UAE 10-18 May

Postby roy142857

fridge46 wrote:QSchool now from May 10th-21st. Seems like there is zero chance of a player entering both (maybe if he gets knocked out early, there might be a slim hope of making Event 2)

Noticed Lines and Hallworth have now been removed from the entry list.

RE: Hossein Vafaei Ayouri - According to last years tour entry information, if he wins, he will not be allowed on tour. Players can not regain his spot via an amateur event. So his only hope to get back on tour is qschool... unless WS have changed their rules again!!

EDIT: 2014/15 qualifying criteria. Point 3: Players may not re-qualify onto the Tour via an amateur event which carries a guaranteed Tour place for the following season.


An interesting one this. Firstly, Hossein Vafaei Ayouri didn't actually compete as a Pro during the season, but World Snooker kept him on the list. Secondly, does it count as being an event in the NEXT season as it's after the World Championship? I'm never sure which season Q School is part of. Possibly if he won he'd be seen as having qualified for 2015/16?

I could see justification for making an exception here anyway, given that he tried to compete but couldn't get a UK visa for ages ...

Similar issue now at the European Championship ...

Re: IBSF World Under 21 Championships 2014, UAE 10-18 May

Postby roy142857

The Group stage is underway, for the Mens 15 groups of 5, 1 group of 4. Group winners to Last 32, group 2nd & 3rd placers to Last 48 playoff with the winner facing one of the group winners in the last 32.

Hossein Vafaei Ayouri opened with a 4 - 0 win over Ireland's Daniel Dempsey, including knocking in a 139 break.

Australia's Kurt Brown beat Benjamin McCabe of Sweden 4 - 1, a good start for the host nation as Bader Obaid Almehairi beat Poland's Patryk Masłowski 4 - 2 and Canada's Karam Namek beat Hamza Akbar of Pakistan 4 - 1 (EDIT - not so)

Other players with early group wins include Lee Mein (Scotland), Sam Thomas (Wales), Dhvaj Haria (India), Muhammad Majid Ali (Pakistan) and Jeff Jacobs of Belgium who had a break of 92.

Re: IBSF World Under 21 Championships 2014, UAE 10-18 May

Postby roy142857

Just to mention, with just 8 tables in play, it'll take a while to finish the group stages - they'll be running through to Thursday morning, with the Last 48 matches later on Thursday.

More players putting an early win 'on the board' include Hamza Akbar (Pakistan), Mateusz Baranowski (Poland), David Cassidy (Ireland), Chén Zĭfán (China), Nathawud Hompirom and Boonyarit Keattikun (both Thailand), plus China's Zhào Xīntóng.

Re: IBSF World Under 21 Championships 2014, UAE 10-18 May

Postby roy142857

The Women's competition is underway, first match saw Jessica Woods of Australia edge India's Varsha Sanjeev 3 - 2

Oh, missed Charlie Chafe (Australia) from the list of first match winners, nice 94 break in the last frame of his 4 - 2 victory over Simon Lindblom of Sweden.

Re: IBSF World Under 21 Championships 2014, UAE 10-18 May

Postby roy142857

Josh Boileau back to winning ways, beat China's Yán Bĭngtāo 4 - 2.

Some more players getting going with opening wins - Ishpreet Singh Chadha (India), Dylan Craig (Scotland), Luke Garland (England), Sittichai Chiewchan (Thailand), Lukas Kleckers (Germany), Muhammad Haris Nadeem (Pakistan) and Chris Totten (Scotland)

Re: IBSF World Under 21 Championships 2014, UAE 10-18 May

Postby roy142857

Sam Harvey (England) finished with a 120 break to win his match with Ming Tung Chan of Hong Kong 4 - 1.

Sam Thomas (Wales) edged Siyavosh Mozayani of Iran 4 - 3, and Sam's teammate Tom Rees edged Iraq's Muneeb Al-Juboori by the same scoreline.

India's Dhvaj Haria beat Stephen Bateman of Ireland 4 - 0.

Hossein Vafaei Ayouri racked up his 3rd 4 - 0 win, whilst Daniel Dempsey of Ireland recovered from his earlier defeat to beat Australia's Alex Pace 4 -0.

Re: IBSF World Under 21 Championships 2014, UAE 10-18 May

Postby roy142857

Strangely (given there's 2 and a bit days of group play to go), one of the four player groups has completed already, whilst some players in five player groups have only played once and have 3 matches to go.

The completed group is Group H - Alireza Rezaei of Iran is unbeaten, 2nd goes to Scotland's Lee Mein whilst 3rd is 15 year old Pole Karol Lelek.

As well as Rezaei, fellow Iranian Hossein Vafaei Ayourri is on 3 wins from 3, as are Dhvaj Haria of India, Boonyarit Keattikun of Thailand, Tom Rees of Wales and three players from Pakistan - Hamza Akbar, Muhammad Faheem and Muhammad Majid Ali.

Vafaei Ayouri plays the also-unbeaten Asutosh Padhy (two 4-3 wins!) tomorrow, whilst another battle of the unbeatens will be Faheem against Poland's Mateusz Baranowski (who has yet to drop a frame) tomorrow evening.

Re: IBSF World Under 21 Championships 2014, UAE 10-18 May

Postby roy142857

As Hossein Vafaei Ayouri completes his group matches with a 4 - 1 win over Asutosh Padhy of India, so first to go four wins from four. Joining the '3 wins from 3' brigade are Dylan Craig of Scotland, Australia's Charlie Chafe, and China's Zhào Xīntóng and Chén Zĭfán.

Re: IBSF World Under 21 Championships 2014, UAE 10-18 May

Postby roy142857

Mateusz Baranowski beat Muhammad Faheem 4 - 2 to keep his unbeaten record, now 3 wins from 3.

Faheem has completed his matches, and with 3 wins from 4 guaranteed a place in the knock out stages; same situation with Saad Sarukah of Iraq following Sarukah's 4-3 win over India's Sahil Nayyar yesterday.

Wales' Sam Thomas now has 3 wins from 3, likewise Sittichai Chiewchan of Thailand following wins over Muhammad Haris Nadeem of Pakistan and Australia's Charlie Chafe respectively. Chafe is another player who is through to the knockout stages with 3 wins from 4.

Re: IBSF World Under 21 Championships 2014, UAE 10-18 May

Postby roy142857

Germany's Lukas Kleckers has set up an 'unbeatens' battle with India's Dhvaj Haria this afternoon, both 3 wins from 3, the winner gets the day off tomorrow and a better draw (in theory!) on Friday in the Last 32.

Both players with Pro potential in my opinion, but I'd suspect they'd struggle initially were they to be on the Pro Tour now (there you go, sticking my neck out and covering my back at the same time :-) )

Re: IBSF World Under 21 Championships 2014, UAE 10-18 May

Postby roy142857

Dhvaj Haria beat Lukas Kleckers 4 - 1, that's the first frame Haria has dropped.

Group results so far:
(Winner to Last 32, 2nd an 3rd to last 48)

A Hossein Vafaei Ayouri (Iran), Asutosh Padhy (India), Daniel Dempsey (Ireland)
B Dylan Craig (Scotland), Saad Sarukah (Iraq), Sahil Nayyar (India)
C Ishpreet Singh Chadha (India), Kurt Brown (Australia), Patryk Masłowski (Poland)
D Sam Thomas (Wales), Siyavosh Mozayani (Iran), Muhammad Haris Nadeem (Pakistan)
E Dhvaj Haria (India), Lukas Kleckers (Germany), Stephen Bateman (Ireland)
F Sam Harvey (England), Chan Ming-Tung (Hong Kong), Mohammad Reza Pishvari (Iran)
H Alireza Rezaei (Iran), Lee Mein (Scotland), Karol Lelek (Poland)
K Hamza Akbar (Pakistan), David Cassidy (Ireland), Adem Gerwash (Libya)
L Boonyarit Keattikun (Thailand), Abdullah Al-Faylee (Iraq), Chang Yu-Kiu (Hong Kong)
P Sittichai Chiewchan (Thailand), Charlie Chafe (Australia), Amin Sanjaei (Iran)
Q Chén Zĭfán (China), Ryan Thomerson (Australia), Tam Yun Fung (Hong Kong)

All the Hong Kong players names are the wrong way round on the IBSF website.

Back in 2007, the South China Morning Post ran an article ('Little Big Shots') on the young players that were taking up the sport - including the then nine year old Chan Ming-Tung and the seven year old Chang Yu-Kiu (brilliant given name for a snooker player!). In 2013 Chang Yu-Kiu became Hong Kong Under 17 Champion, Chan Ming-Tung was '2nd runner up' (i.e. 3rd!) Roll forward to 2014, and they play tomorrow in Last 48 matches in the World Under 21 Championship. The article - http://www.scmp.com/article/616810/little-big-shots

Re: IBSF World Under 21 Championships 2014, UAE 10-18 May

Postby roy142857

Group J has finished, 1st is Mateusz Baranowski (Poland), 2nd Muhammad Faheem (Pakistan), 3rd Gabriel Martins Campos (Brazil).

A battle of the unbeatens to decide Group R tomorrow morning, between Ireland's Daniel O'Regan and China's Zhào Xīntóng. Germany's Sascha Breuer will finish 3rd unless Keishin Kamihashi of Japan beats him 4 - 0.

England's Luke Garland is unbeaten in Group N, he, Guilherme Paes of Brazil and Nathawud Hompirom of Thailand will go through, just the order to be decided by tomorrows matches.

Likewise with a couple of matches to play in Group M, Wales' Tom Rees is unbeaten and will be joined in the next round by Chinas Yán Bĭngtāo and Ireland's Josh Boileau.

And the same applies to Group G, a couple of matches to go and Muhammad Majid Ali is unbeaten, and will be joined in the next round by Jeff Jacobs of Belgium and Chris Totten of Scotland.

Re: IBSF World Under 21 Championships 2014, UAE 10-18 May

Postby roy142857

Group G 1st Muhammad Majid Ali (Pakistan) 2nd Jeff Jacobs (Belgium) 3rd Chris Totten (Scotland)

Not as many high breaks as i'd expect, don't know if it's the tables, the players or what. For instance, best breaks of 68 Zhào Xīntóng, 65 Luke Garland, 60 Josh Boileau, 56 Tom Rees, 54 Sam Thomas.

However, these are the breaks of 80+ :

Hossein Vafaei Ayouri 139
Sam Harvey 120, 80
Mateusz Baranowski 104
Abdelrahman Abdelhamid 95
Charlie Chafe 94
Chén Zĭfán 93
Jeff Jacobs 92
Yán Bĭngtāo 89, 84
Muhammad Majid Ali 87
Abdullah Al-Faylee 86
Tam Yun Fung 82
Sittichai Chiewchan 80
Dylan Craig 80