By Johnny ‘Sniper’ Williams
So today’s encounter against last year’s semi-finalist Kamal Chawla was very tight. I played my best snooker so far, my safety was good but I just didn’t get a real clear-cut opening in the final two frames. His safety was also very good and he is decent in amongst the balls.
The match started off very tight. I was like 20 behind with the brown left and I pulled off a very good clearance to win on the black, just like I had done yesterday. He then made a nice 50-odd break in the next before I made a 59 break to go 2-1 up and I felt really good. But he won the fourth in another tight game on the pink I think it was. I probably should have won that frame, I was stretching for a long blue and should have used the rest.
In the next frame he was ahead with balls on cushions and had me in all sort of trouble. I played some very good safety and made a few very good single-ball pots to keep coming back at him. Eventually he left me a ten-foot pink and I haven’t cued balls much better. At 3-2 the same thing as yesterday happened and I actually didn’t create or get any clear-cut opportunities to win the match. It’s very frustrating to be playing well against these top players and not get the results. Their long potting has been very good. Without a doubt I’m in a group of death and, as the frame difference shows, it’s very tight in our group.
After the game myself and the lads went to our favourite restaurant, Happy’s. Amazing food and amazing “service”…that’s all I’m saying! It’s cheap too.
I wish we were playing more than one game a day as if you have a close defeat and you’re playing well you just want to get straight back on the table. To pass the time me and the lads go to the local snooker club which has 9-ball pool tables and myself and Brendan O’Donoghue take on Greg Casey and Mark Tuite. So far the lads have only won one game out of five, and the losers have to pay the bill! All this takes place after we tuck into some KFC for our last meal. That’s been the usual routine since we got over here.
Tuite and Brendan Cooney played well today in the Masters, winning 3-0 and both having 50+ breaks. Greg and Brendan had a day off in the Men’s event.
Anyway, my biggest match is now tomorrow at 8am Irish time, playing a Finnish player called Kim Laaksonen who I need to beat to qualify for the last 64. Brendan and Mark will both be on the streamed table over the next two days so get watching and give some support.
together. It also has a vintage-y 70′s vibe that I always find appealing. I don’t know why I like the look of old stuff. When I was in my teens I only