Pacy pots on show as Moray Snooker 6Red Open showcases new quickfire format
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Moray snooker players upped the pace of their game to introduce a new format to north tables.
In a break from the norm, the inaugural Moray Snooker 6Red Open showcased a fresh approach to the sport consisting matches where only six red balls and the colours were assembled.
The addition of a 10-minute frame clock ensured that quickfire games were played.
The event was hosted at all four league venues at Forres Royal British Legion, Elgin's Ex-Service Club and new Club, and Inverness' 147 Club in the group stages.
Players were free to enter and a round-robin format led to the top two players progressing to the quarter finals.
In an exciting night of snooker, each venue produced some exciting matches and close calls for qualification but ultimately it came down to the last eight survivors.
The final stages were held in the Elgin Ex Service Club on January 9 and they served up some really exciting matches.
Gary Pope (Elgin Ex Service Club) managed to nick past Alan Stevenson (The New Club 2) in a close 3-1 win.
Simon Bremner (Forres Legion 2) dispatched Alan Taylor (Elgin Ex Service Club) 3-0 although the required to win a blue ball shootout to secure the first frame after the scores were tied after the 10 minute frame clock had ran out.
Adam MacLeod (The New Club 1) made relatively short work of Regan Campbell (The New Club 2) winning 3-1 whilst Sam Harrison (Elgin Ex Service Club) took the spoils over a deciding frame victory against Martin Cumming (Forres Legion 1) by virtue of a nice 21 break with only seconds remaining on the clock.
Pope took no time at all in his semi-final by dispatching Harrison to make the final.
The opposite was true in the other semi final. Bremner led 2-1 by virtue of two excellent total clearances from large deficits to win on the final black each frame.
He then had a big chance to seal the match win by potting a long blue. However as he potted the blue he looked on on horror as the white found the middle pocket to give MacLeod a life line in the match.
Macleod duly took the chance offered to win the deciding frame and meet Pope in final.
The final started out nervously with both players missing some straightforward chances.
MacLeod found his gear in the third frame as hit a 'mini maximum’ of a 75 break (six reds, six blacks, all colours) to take a 2-1 lead.
Rather than fold, Pope responded with a perfect blend of potting and safety play to equalise and then clear the table in the deciding frame to win the title.
The format for the comp was fast and fun so will definitely return next year.
