Pankaj Advani captures his 15 world snooker title

Hurghada, Egypt, November 21, 2015: Zhao Xintong, the 18 year old Chinese sensation completely outplayed his opponent Ben Jones of England 7-1 in the semifinals but found it tough against 14 times world cuesport champion Pankaj Advani of India.

Advani beat  Xintong 8-6 to win his 15 world title 

Pankaj, who had a long match against Lucas Kleckers of Germany in the other semifinals yesterday warding off his challenge 7-5, quickly captured the first 2 frames in the best of 15 finals with breaks of 106 and 56 in the first and the second respectively. Xintong took the third with a break of 53 and when in total control of the 4th got trapped by a deadly snooker behind brown ball. Unable to convert the snooker Xintong gave Advani a half chance at the top end which was immediately punished with a spectacular opening red stun pot along the top cushion. Advani thereafter took full control of the proceedings to go ahead 3-1

A deadly safety play by Advani once again put Xintong glued to his seat with scoring only 1 point as Advani kept him trapping him under the baulk line to get openings and went ahead by 4-1.

Xintong who was seen to be at the receivers end for the first time in the championship certainly was not as smooth and controlled as he had been all through to the finals and unexpectedly landed couple of times in awkward positions while on a break. However, the talent was visible as every time he came out of the situations unfolding his vast repertoire of strokes to win the 6th frame with a finely crafted break of 72 points and brought down the deficit to 2-4.

In the seventh Advani, well aware of the wide range of potting and break building capability of his worthy adversary never got tempted and applied his extraordinary cushion skills to every time come inside the baulk line and kept Zhao at bay. At this juncture one could see the restlessness in Zhao as he started over trying in desperation and ultimately succumbed to the game plan of Advani. Calm, composed and sharp as always ever, Advani made full use of the opportunity and crafted a well-controlled break of 74 points to race ahead to a 5-2 lead at the interval.  

Yesterday in the Women’s category Amee Kamani of India squandered her opportunity to be the first women player from India to reach the finals of IBSF world Snooker Championship. Amee was on song from the very first stroke on the table against Anastasia Nechaeva of Russia and quickly went up 2-0 in a best of seven frames semi-final clash with some delectable long pots.

A finely constructed 62 breaks in the third by Anastasia reduced the deficit to 1-2. Amee however came back strongly in the fourth and a ding dong battle saw Amee going up 3-1. A couple of unforced errors by Amee in fifth frame saw Anastasia claiming the frame and bringing the proceeding to 2-3. Amee who had all the opportunity to claim the sixth frame and the match faltered a couple of times and send the match to the decider. In the decider Anastasia was in her brilliant best as she crafted a magnificent match winning break of 50 points exhibiting an array of strokes enviable to even the top ranked men players of the world.

Wendy Jans of Belgium defeated Anastasia Nechaeva of Russia 5-1 to retain her IBSF Women’s world title.

Yesterday was a bad day for India in the Masters category too as all the good work by Rafath Habib went in vain as he failed to reach the medal round losing on 3-4 in the last black ball to Jason Peplow of Malta in the quarterfinals.

Rafath who started with a massive break of 134 in the first frame and another 57 in the fourth made it 3-3 and came from behind in the decider with only one red on the table needing all the colour balls but faltered on the last black and gave away the frame and the match to Peplow.

Phisit Chandsri of Thailand defeated Jason Peplow of Malta 6-2 to win the IBSF Masters event.

Press release

Pankaj Advani sails into the semifinals

Hurghada, Egypt, November 20, 2015: Former World snooker champion Pankaj Advani sailed into the semifinals of the IBSF World Snooker Championship being played at Sunrise Crystal Bay resort, Hurghada, Egypt.

Advani’s opponent Alex Borg of Malta started off well with a break of 45. Pankaj however slowly caught him with some small but useful breaks. A high quality safety exchanges by both the players thereafter in color balls especially on the black ended with a desperate potting by Borg to go one up in the best of 11 quarterfinals encounter. The second frame saw Pankaj getting into his usual groove very quickly and with the help of two breaks of 40 and 57 drew levels.

Third frame saw Pankaj on full throttle as he kept on potting reds and colours with consummate ease and made a magnificent clearance break of 97 points.

There was no looking back for Advani as he demolished his opponent in the next three frames with breaks of 50 and 108. In the semifinals Pankaj Advani will meet the winner of Greg Casey of Ireland and Lukas Kleckers of Germany.

In the Masters category the only Indian quarterfinalist Rafath Habib failed to reach the medal round as he could not get past Jason Peplow of Malta. Rafath who surprised the former high ranked professional snooker player from Wales and a multiple winner of IBSF Men and Masters Champion Darren Morgan 4-1 in the pre quarter finals started with a massive 134 break in the first frame. Unperturbed by Rafath’s initial onslaught Peplow kept his composure and captured the next two frames to go ahead. Rafath then made a comeback with some fine potting and won the following two frames to go ahead 3-2. Peplow levelled at the next and won the final frame by potting the match winning last black ball in the centre pocket.

In the Women’s category Vidya Pillai who beat Jennifer Zehenter of Germany yesterday 4-0 to move up to the quarters lost to the reigning IBSF world Ladies Champion Wendy Jans of Belgium 2-4.

It was a neck to neck battle in the first 4 frames as both tried to overpower each with some delectable potting and crafty safety play but at the end it was Wendy, who established a stranglehold on the 5th frame from the beginning and went up 3-2. Vidya played the 6th frame brilliantly to set up a possible final 7th frame show down but lost the 6th frame and the match on the final black ball. Wendy Jans will meet Waratthanun Sukritthanes of Thailand.

The Amee Kamani and Chitra Magimairaj Quarter final, an all India encounter was a real thriller. The see-saw battle from the beginning brought both to the final show down. The battle of attrition continued in the decider and at the time of going to press Amee Kamani was leading 54-18 with only one red on the table in the final frame. The winner will be meeting Anastasia Nechaeva of Russia

Press release

Pankaj Advani through to the quarterfinals

Bangalore, April 27, 2012: Ace cueist Pankaj Advani continued his stunning form today at the Asian Snooker Championships, beating Ahmed Saif of Qatar 4 frames to nil, to pocket his seventh straight win in the Championships on the first day of play offs.

Pankaj had earlier blanked Ebrahim Alsharrah of Kuwait, 4 games to nil to enter the play off's as the top seeded player, following his unbeaten run in the tournament. He will now face the winner of the match between Ehsan Heydari of Iran and Lim Chun Kiat of Singapore in the quarterfinals .

Pankaj is looking to continue his winning streak at the championships while keeping a clear eye on a possible historical win, aiming to secure a double Asian Championship win in Billiards and Snooker in a single year.


Press release