Ian Burns – Pro Snooker Blog

Tour Survival 2015/16 – Player by Player

October 16, 2015October 17, 2015 matt2745 Leave a comment

Lines3

As the nights draw in and the clocks go back, it is also that time of the year when I take a close look at the battle for tour places from the start of the 2016/17 season. As regular readers will be well aware, to fully understand how each of the current tour players are currently placed, it is necessary to analyse a number of different ranking lists and orders of merit.

With two of the biggest money events to come in the International Championship and UK Championship tournaments, today I take my first player-by-player look at the current state of play and flag up some of the surprise names with work to do if they are to remain on tour for another season…

Tour Survival 2016: The Early Running

September 28, 2015September 28, 2015 matt2745 4 Comments

balls

Two ranking tournaments into the 2015/16 campaign, already it is possible to identify some of the players who are sure of being on the main tour next season and perhaps more importantly, those whose places are at real risk.

With every pound, dollar or euro to be earned during the remainder of this season likely to be crucial, today I take my customary look at the likely qualification criteria and look at some of those to follow over the coming months…

Australian Goldfields Open 2015: Day One Review

June 29, 2015June 29, 2015 matt2745 Leave a comment

Fergal2

One day down in Bendigo and already we have seen a couple of surprising results with world champion Stuart Bingham unable to finish off Fergal O’Brien, while Ben Woollaston became the first player to fall victim to a wildcard this season, losing out to Adrian Ridley.

Closing In On The Cut: July 2015

June 24, 2015June 24, 2015 matt2745 Leave a comment

Selby2

It might only be June, but following the conclusion of next week’s Australian Goldfields Open we will see the first mid-season seeding revision of the 2015/16 campaign.

The revision is a notable one too, with seedings for the Shanghai Masters, another event not to be played under a flat draw format, up for grabs in Bendigo…

Australian Goldfields Open 2015: Qualifying Round-Up

June 5, 2015June 5, 2015 matt2745 Leave a comment

BarnsleyMetrodome

Today saw five days of qualifying for the final stages of the Australian Goldfields Open played to a conclusion at the K2 in Crawley, with a mix of seeded qualifiers and lower ranked players making it through to Bendigo.

Tour Survival 2013/14 – Player by Player (March Update)

March 30, 2014March 30, 2014 matt2745 1 Comment

With just two tournaments still to be played this season and both the European and Asian Orders of Merit now set, the battle for main tour places next season is now down to the two final events, the China Open and World Championship.

Click below then for an updated look at the current position and in particular those in need of victories further down the rankings if they are to avoid a trip to Q School in May…

Gdynia Open 2014: Tour Survival Blog

February 7, 2014February 9, 2014 matt2745 16 Comments

Poland

The eighth event of the 2013/14 European Tour is now underway in Gdynia and as explained earlier in the week, the implications of the event in terms of tour survival is significant, with the finalisation of the European Order of Merit after this event.

Click below for my rolling blog which will be updated throughout the day, flagging up the results to keep an eye on and those currently in position to retain a tour card through this list. I will also keep an eye on the race for PC finals spots, wherever that event will ultimately end up taking place…

The Polish PTC Preview – Squeaky Bum Time

February 4, 2014February 4, 2014 matt2745 4 Comments

Drago

Ok so it’s not technically called a PTC any more, but it will very much be squeaky bum time at this weekend’s Gdynia Open event in Poland, with far more on the line for some than might appear at first sight.

Click below for my thoughts on the battles that will be decided this week and for some of the key matches to keep an eye on from the eighth and final event of the 2013/14 European Tour…