Billiard Sports Discussion Thread

[Gianlu33 6,055]

2 minutes ago, Monzanator said:

 

Yeah, meanwhile Ng lost to this 14 year old kid from Moldova/France

He was quite good, he is based in England and his sub-14 years old WCh. I really liked him

 

[Monzanator 5,136]

The Chinese corruption scandal appears to be settled...

 

Liang Wenbo and Li Hang banned for life in professional snooker.

 

Yan Bingtao banned for 5 years (until 2027) and Zhao Xintong banned until Septemer 1st, 2024.

 

https://www.bbc.com/sport/snooker/65641122

 

Pretty much in between the two other high-profile cases from recent memory (Quinten Hann banned for 8 years, never came back & Stephen Lee currently banned for 12 years and I doubt he comes back given his age).

[Dragon 2,083]

Liang Wenbo
Age: 36 Ranking: 72. Finalist in 2015 UK Championship

Given a lifetime ban and ordered to pay £43,000 in costs. He was found guilty of fixing or being a party to fixing five matches, trying to get other players to fix nine matches, betting on snooker matches, threatening another player, deleting messages and asking other players to, failing to cooperate with the enquiry.

 

Li Hang
Age: 32 Ranking: 71

Given a lifetime ban and ordered to pay £43,000 in costs. He was found guilty of fixing or being a party to fixing five matches, trying to get other players to fix seven matches, betting on snooker matches, deleting messages and asking other players to.

 

Lu Ning
Age: 29 Ranking: 65. Semi-finalist at the 2020 UK Championship

Given a ban of five years and four months, reduced from eight years after his early admissions and guilty plea. He has to pay £7,500 in costs. He was not found guilty of inducing others to fix matches. He accepted charges of fixing four snooker matches he played in, betting on matches and deleting messages.

 

Yan Bingtao
Age: 22 Ranking: 23. First player born in 2000 to turn professional, won 2021 Masters

Given a ban of five years, reduced from seven and a half years after his early admissions and guilty plea. He has to pay £7,500 in costs. He accepted charges of fixing four snooker matches he played in and betting on matches.

 

Zhao Xintong
Age: 25 Ranking: 11. Won 2021 UK Championship and 2022 German Masters

Given a ban of one year and eight months, reduced from two and a half years after his early admissions and guilty plea. He has to pay £7,500 in costs. He accepted charges of being a party to another player fixing two matches and betting on matches himself.

 

Zhang Jiankang
Age: 24. Ranking: 93

Given a ban of two years and 11 months, reduced from four years and five months after his early admissions and guilty plea. He has to pay £7,500 in costs. He accepted charges of fixing a snooker match he played in, betting on matches and not giving the WPBSA information.

 

Chen Zifan
Age: 27. Ranking: 104

Given a ban of five years, reduced from seven and a half years after his early admissions and guilty plea. He has to pay £7,500 in costs. He accepted charges of fixing or contrived, or being a party to an effort to fix or contrive the result or score of three snooker matches that he played in.

 

Chang Bingyu
Age: 20 Ranking: 88

Given a ban of two years, reduced from three years after his early admissions and guilty plea. He has to pay £7,500 in costs. He accepted charges of fixing a snooker match he played in.

 

Zhao Jianbo
Age: 19 Ranking: Amateur

Given a ban of two years and eight months, reduced from three and a half years after his early admissions and guilty plea. He has to pay £7,500 in costs. He accepted charges of fixing a snooker match he played in - and betting on that match.

 

Bai Langning
Age: 20. Ranking: 130

Given a ban of two years and four months, reduced from four years after his early admissions and guilty plea. He has to pay £7,500 in costs. He accepted charges of fixing a snooker match he played in.

[Monzanator 5,136]

Zhang Anda won the International Championship 10-6 over Tom Ford in the final. He also potted the maximum break in the final. He came in from qualifying and it seems like 2023/24 shapes up to be his breakout season after he reached the English final few weeks ago (where he narrowly lost to Judd Trump 7-9). As a result he advances to Top 16 of the rankings and won't have to bother playing qualifying for a while in the future.

[Monzanator 5,136]

Ronnie O'Sullivan won the UK Championship for the 8th time - 30 years after his first victory at age 17.

[Gianlu33 6,055]

It's shoot out time

[Speedy 99]

Shaun Murphy with maximum break at the Snooker Shoot-out!!! What an end of the session!! 

[Dragon 2,083]

In the first round of the shoot out 13 year old Shaun Liu  won his first round match against Ishpreet Singh Chadha of India.

The youngest player ever to win a match on the world snooker tour

[Monzanator 5,136]

Ronnie O'Sullivan wins the Masters over Ali Carter 10-7 in the final. He was trailing 3-6 at one point. So he's both the youngest & oldest Masters winner in history now.

 

Tournament had two 147 breaks (Ding & Allen)

[Speedy 99]

17-year old  Artemijs Zizins with tour card for next 2 years. He defeated, among others, Mark Joyce - main tour player since 2006. First player from  in main tour ever. Great to see another country at professional level.