2009-10 pios

[Forman]

anyone following the pios event 2 that started yesterday?
im hoping the younger players can do well again like in event one especially jack lisowski, would really like to see him on the main tour next season, other than that ill be backing vinnie calabrese (aussie) and chris mcbreen (kiwi) to both improve on their event one results.

Have world snooker ever given a reason why they refuse to seed the pios? seems like it would be a good idea to avoid what has happened with the two finalists from event one meeting in the first round.

[crucible77]

I hope Lisowski does well, I met him at the English Open and he is a really nice lad

[Forman]

I hope Lisowski does well, I met him at the English Open and he is a really nice lad

he lost to liam highfeld in the first round 4-3 hope liam can do well in the tourny now

[JanieWatkins]

a very busy day one of the PIOS, with some very interesting results.

highfield avenged his defeat in event 1 final by scraping past Jack Lisowski 4-3

Watch out on Tuesday as young Sam Craigie is up against the vast experience of Ian Brumby. a very interesting youth v experience battle

David Grace managed to overcome 20+ hours travel by from Taiwand and the jet lag to turn a 3-0 deficit into a 4-0 win.

Great win for Brazil's champion Igor Figueiredo over Mike Hallett, who praised the talents of Igor after the match. It still amazes me that this is his first season on full size tables (they play 10 reds on 10ft tables most of the time in Brazil)

Where we've been given the information, I've put it in brackets, on Global Snooker, regarding withdrawals. If I haven't put anything it was just a no show with no specified reason.

Every player, bar none, was full of praise for the new table s- they hate the gold trimmings but loved the playing surface.

When I first looked at the PIOS list for the season I just about managed to trim it down to about 25 likely contenders for the top 8 places, but I'm already very impressed with both Aditya Mehta and Robbie Williams and they're two of my "to follow" for the season.

But it's very open. Already several of the players who did well in event 1, have got knocked out in round one of this event.

It's been good to see quite a few spectators too, amongst them snooker loving holiday makers who've been coming up to watch the matches and maybe see some of the players for the first time.

We met a young lad with his grand parents today and gave him a guided tour of the venue and new tables. Mike Hallett took time to chat to him, so Mike has a new fan now. And tomorrow he's going to bring his cue and we're setting up a game for him with a couple of the lads.

He'll take some nice holiday memories home to Brierley Hill.

Glad to say Alfie Burden has reported fit and well at last. Bad back is sorted, his ear infection has gone, so come on then Alfie....

It was very good to welcome Brian Morgan back to the competitive scene today. He's only just started back playing after concentrating on his flying career, where he's now teaching other trainee pilots etc. I asked him if he'd been training Ali Carter, and he hasn't but they have both flown together.

The draw for event three is up on global snooker as well.

And it's time your intrepid reporter got some sleep as it'll be another busy day in the PIOS tomorrow (well later today!!)

[MattWilson]

I'll send some matchsticks your way Janie!!

MW

[soldja_boi]

I know of one, a lad called John Pritchett who by all accounts is a very exciting talent and is knocking in tons for fun in practice. Only 17/18 ish, a very talented natural player, a bit like a young Ronnie. First event I don't expect much from him but he could be a dark horse.

yeh, i practice with john pritchett quite a lot. He is deffo one to watch.
Played him the other day he got a 140, 112, 102 and 100.

i lost 4-0

[Forman]

Vinnie Calabrese through to the last 16 , hes playing ian glover anyone heard of him before?

C'mon Vinnie!!

[JanieWatkins]

Vinnie Calabrese through to the last 16 , hes playing ian glover anyone heard of him before?

C'mon Vinnie!!

Yes! Ian used to be pro for a while back in the Blackpool days. He's a good player, but so is Vinnie.

We've got some very good matches lined up now in PIOS 2

[spike]

i'm hoping for Alfie Burden to do well..

[Forman]

Liam highfield must be almost garenteed a place on the main tour now with 520 points after 2 events, 530 was good enough to make the top 8 last year.
pretty nice way to start the series.

[rivercard]

I must admit that I've never heard of Neal Jones before.. Judging by the frame scores he's a bit of a grinder. Liam Highfield will be a contender for the top 8 places for sure.

[JanieWatkins]

I must admit that I've never heard of Neal Jones before.. Judging by the frame scores he's a bit of a grinder. Liam Highfield will be a contender for the top 8 places for sure.

Neal's been around for years. He was pro from 1994 to around 2000, got to about 200 in the rankings then.

He has his table at the new q Bar in Chester and practices with Ricky quite often (or as Neal says "picks balls out for Ricky"!)

he went to the same school as both Gary Speed and Michael Owen, although not at the same time.

He is very solid and has some stamina. He went on the table at 10am Thursday to play his quarter final. That finished at 3.45pm and he was back on the table at 4ppm for his semi and that finished at 9pm!!

He lives in Broughton near Flint, but is English.

[rivercard]

Neal's been around for years. He was pro from 1994 to around 2000, got to about 200 in the rankings then.

He has his table at the new q Bar in Chester and practices with Ricky quite often (or as Neal says "picks balls out for Ricky"!)

he went to the same school as both Gary Speed and Michael Owen, although not at the same time.

He is very solid and has some stamina. He went on the table at 10am Thursday to play his quarter final. That finished at 3.45pm and he was back on the table at 4ppm for his semi and that finished at 9pm!!

He lives in Broughton near Flint, but is English.

Thank for the info! Do you by any chance know what happened to Andrew Atkinson? He was a surprise finalist last year in Event 2, but he didn't even enter PIOS this year (or at least I didn't see his name).