4th Indian Open World Ranking Snooker Tournament

It’s the first time that the city of Vizag is hosting the Indian Open World Ranking Snooker Tournament, and it is taking place at the city’s Novotel hotel, held between September 12-16. Anthony McGill is the defending champion.

Big Names are Taking Part in the Competition

Chief Minister Naidu inaugurated the event on the evening of the 11^th of September, and welcomed the four-time world champion Scottish great John Higgins.

Higgins is the star attraction for the tournament, and other big name players, including Anthony Hamilton, Shaun Murphy, Mark Allen, Luca Brecel, Stuart Bingham, Graeme Dott, Ricky Walden, Stephen Maguire, and David Gilbert, will join him.

Pankaj Advani a No Show

Pankaj Advani, a star snooker player from India, has had to pull out of the tournament. According to the Captain P.V.K. Mohan, president of the Billiards and Snooker Federation of India, Advani will not be appearing because of personal reasons.

Whatever the reason for him not appearing was, it once again highlighted that snooker is also a mental game and a player’s psychology is as important as their skill.

Mark Allen Clinched His Place in the Last 16

As has been predicted by the vast majority of sites which feature an online sports betting guide, Mark Allen faced off a fight back from Alexander Ursenbacher and went on not only to win, with a final score of 4 – 2, but also to clinch his position in the last 16 of the Indian Open.

Allen, currently ranked as the 11^th best player in the world, will have to call up some of his biggest performances over this season: the prize money from his 2015 victory at the Players Championship is dropping off in March. Allen’s current standing in term of the provisional end of season rankings is 25.

How the Game Unfolded

Allen managed to establish an advantage of 3 – 0, and made breaks of 75 and 58. His opponent seemed somewhat out of sorts, spurning several opportunities, and it initially looked like the encounter would be a brief one.

Ursenbacher, however, forced his way back into the running, managing a break of 99 in the fourth frame, and the taking the next on the pink, making it 3 – 2. Allen then got over the line in a very tight sixth frame, and secured the tie.

Allen stated that he felt very comfortable at 3 – 0, and was hoping to go on for the win and make it 4 – 0, but added that snooker was a tougher game than that.

He mentioned that even the slightest thing could turn matches around completely, and that Ursenbacher got lucky when the fourth frame began, and then used that chance to make an excellent break.

Allen said that he was viewing this victory as a chance to get into the tournament more deeply, and that he hoped to eventually lift the trophy, too.

He did acknowledge the calibre of the players he was up against though, and ruefully admitted that he was sure they were all thinking the exact same thing!