15 November 2023

This handicap is reserved for the over 55’s.  That’s not to say the standard of snooker is going to be lower for it.  At 16, Jas Bhamra has one of the lowest handicaps in the club and Bali Chana, at 23 is not much higher.

Bhamra’s quality of potting was on show right from the start.  A difficult red cut precisely into the middle pocket, led to good positioning on, and the potting of, brown, red and black.  Chana’s handicap lead was wiped out. Missed reds and uncontrolled canons took 7 reds up the table passed the baulk line.  Hence the middle of the game was dominated by safety play and the cue ball spending most of the time on or near the ‘black’ cushion.   

A half chance then became available to Chana on a red, with a good angle to get onto the black.  The cue ball rolled into perfect position for the black, but alas the red was missed.  Frustratingly for Chana, as well as black, there were also a number of reds around the black which looked inviting for Bhamra to exploit.  He did, and a 17 point, three red/two black break materialised.  Both players then each scored similar small breaks, until Bhamra set to on another 17 break with considerable skill in the positioning of the cue ball.  Despite further potting and some good luck, Chana could not eat into Bhamra’s 30 + lead and only one red was left on the table.  Bhamra extinguished all hope for Chana when he potted the last red, along with brown, yellow and green.  With his 26 points compared to his opponents 67 points, Bali Chana conceded the Veterans handicap trophy to a well deserved winner Jas Bhamra.

Competitions Secretary Dave Sykes with Winner Jas Bhamra and Runner up Bali Chana

October 2023

The Prize Pairs 2023 final promised to be a thrilling pot-fest between two pairs of potting giants, namely Shiv Sibal and Jas Bhamra against James McManus and Dave Tierney. Will the giants stand tall or fall  short of their billing? 

As is often the case where one team took a good handicap lead into the match (18 in this case to McManus and Tierney), the match began very cagily. Neither team wishing to let the other impose themselves at the start.  The encirclement of the black and pink by red balls, and the somewhat below par play by all players, also didn’t help the potting flow.

And then, out of the blue (well yellow actually) the snooker hall was suddenly a buzz.  It came from the next table when attention happened to be drawn to an emaculate three cushion escape from a snooker on the yellow and the yellow was potted. The room exploded with applause.  This excitement and the freeing up of the black, ignited some better play from Tierney and McManus – both players striking some good red/black combos.

Sibal and Bhamra were 30 points behind with only a few reds left on the table. These last reds provided S&B with several opportunities to even up the score up. They were not taken full advantage of and most of the colours were required by S&B.  Sibal potted a good green and a fabulous brown from distance with the cue ball badly hampered by the black.  S&B were now only 6 points behind and your money was probably on them to play safe for the rest of the match and force T&McM into errors with safety play on the three remaining colours.   However, it was the other way round.  Tierney was left a half chance on the blue, which he calmly potted; clinching victory with a follow up pink. A 60 to 43 pt win, with black left un-potted, was recorded for Tierney and McManus.

Winners: James McManus and Dave Tierney

Bennett v McManus 25 October 2023

A mere 5 point handicap lead for Bennett, combined with McManus’s recent good form, including the bagging of the Prize Pairs trophy meant the bookies had McManus as slight favourite to win the Tony Stone Handicap this year.  Tight safety play dominated the start.  Then Bennett increased his lead with a couple of good breaks.  No need for McManus to panic and sure enough he returned the compliment with similar point scoring himself.  It was nip and tuck throughout, though both players deny any cosmetic surgery was involved. 

Only one point between them after all the reds were down, created a tense atmosphere on the colours.  It was too close to call.  McManus scored more heavily on the low scoring colours, leaving Bennett having to pot pink and black and McManus only needing the pink.  A half chance on the pink was just missed by Bennett and worse, the cue ball was perfect for the black.  Bennett’s head in hand, play continued until he played a very good safety with almost full table distance between the white (top cushion) and the pink on the baulk cushion.  Against the odds, McManus doubled the pink into the top corner pocket and the match was over.   Well played James and Ed.

Winner James McManus with Adrian Nock (President) and runner up Ed Bennett

Plans are underway to bring the Burns Night Celebrations back to the Parochial and Home Guard Club in January 2024. A piper, a fabulous band, food and whiskey as well as a well stocked bar are all in store. Come back for more details following our ticket launch in early October

Potter v Sibal

The handicaps of the two players meant that Shiv Sibal would give Ian Potter a start of 26 points before a ball was played.  This could be daunting for many players.  But for Sibal with his cool and calm persona combined with confidence in his own ability this is unlikely to be an issue here.

As expected with no obvious chances to pot a red, safety play dominated at the start.  This safety  game was on balance won by Sibal.  Potter, too often left the cue ball amongst the reds, and Sibal began to claw back the deficit.  The reds have now been spread all around the middle of the table; the sort of table that Sibal could well exploit.  And he did ……… with a break of 21, taking him into the lead.   Undeterred, Potter traded small breaks with Sibal from now on, restricting Sibal to a modest lead.  Sibal had more luck in the game than Potter with a few flukes which could have been a little irksome to the opponent.  For example,  a red went flying into the middle pocket at an incredibly acute angle when it was intended to be a safety shot bouncing off the side cushion to baulk.   After all the reds were down, Potter was 14 behind.  Yellow and Green were taken by Sibal (the latter a fluke) and Potter needed all the colours. Still fighting, Potter potted a long brown to the corner and a good blue to the middle.   He then had a choice of doubling the pink or putting it safe.  Potter by name, potter by nature, Ian went for the double. He missed and soon after Sibal potted the pink to win the match.

Congratulations Shiv.  Well done Ian for reaching the final.

Parochial and Home Guard Snooker Club Scratch Final: 14 June 2023.

Bhamra  v Brockway     

The Scratch tournament, with no handicaps and a best of three frame format, could be said to decide who the best player in the club is.  Whether or not this is the case, a Brockway v Bhamra final is certainly a clash of the titans:  Paul, the reigning champion of the Presidents Trophy and Jas, the reigning champion of the Spring Handicap.

And so frame one began, with both players respecting each other’s potting ability, ensuring their safety play took the cue ball consistently back to baulk.   A ‘cagey’ opening was then transformed with a free flowing break of 28 from Brockway.   It was a classy break of 4 reds, two blacks, a pink and brown.  After such good safety play this must have hurt Bhamra.  Soon Brockway was 42 with only a single red to his opponent’s name.   And yet there were still plenty of reds on the table, if only Bhamra could raise his game and shake off the nerves which seem to have taken away his natural game.  He couldn’t ………. and Brockway kept adding to his total.  Snookers now required, and an in off on the last red forced Bhamra to concede at a score of 58 to 9 with only 27 on the table.

A regroup was needed for Bhamra and sure enough he took a breath of fresh air before starting the second frame.    

The start of the second frame, unfortunately for Bhamra didn’t see an improvement in luck or nerves.   Pots he would normally ‘eat for breakfast’ were missed and another in off didn’t help.  Even when he potted a couple of good reds, the black was off its spot and pink tied up.   With Brockway calmly keeping the pressure on, his 20pt lead looked as though the frame might be going the same way as the first.  At last Bhamra showed more of his usual form and put together a decent combo of two reds and two blacks. The scores were close again and the game was back on.  An amusing interlude to the game broke the tension for a minute when an observant referee, Shiv Sibal, spotted a loitering insect on the yellow and sought permission to clean the ball.  Permission given, and on cleaning the yellow, a potentially calamitous ball drop onto the table was blamed on the quality of the white gloves.  Play resumed and the tension went up a gear when Bhamra potted the brown and went 4 ahead with only blue, pink and black on the table.  There was a real chance that the match could be levelled up at one frame all.  Brockway though, showed signs of pressure at all and was even able to call upon his ability to play left handed. He smoothly potted the blue and pink and left Bhamra needing the black for a re-spot (53/46).  After several safety shots and potting attempts on difficult angles, eventually the disposition of the black and white created a half chance.  The half chance was taken by Paul Brockway to win the match (60/46) and become the Scratch Champion of 2022. (The tournament had rolled over from 2022 into 2023).    

Congratulations Paul.  Well done Jas for reaching the final.

Penfold Doubles Tournament: Tuesday 18 April 2023.
Tierney and Hammond: Worthy Winners

The eagerly awaited doubles handicap tournament at the Parochial and Home
Guard Club was ready to roll. 18 players were signed up; the club’s new
Kirkstall Brewery pale ale and lager was proving a success with the members;
and an evening to commemorate former member, Harry Penfold was about to
unfold.
And yet, what format should the evening take? A one frame knockout had
worked in the past, but that meant the first round losers were stymied for the
rest of the evening. It was decided to have two leagues with all teams having
a minimum of three matches, based on handicaps. To ensure all matches were
completed that evening, the red triangle was reduced to six reds.
League games started with a mix of jocularity and steely competitive spirit. In
League 2, the defending champions, McWilliams and Jarvis (Jnr), got off to a
bad start with defeat, albeit a close black ball game. They won their other two
league games to post a competitive score which could put them in the final.
However, it was Tierney and Hammond who produced an unassailable three
wins out of three to be the worthy winners of this league.
League 1 comprised a number of the club’s best players based on their
handicaps and the lowest handicap team of Kumar and Brockway navigated
two wins out of their first two games. This was however followed by a defeat
to Walsh and Sykes, which when compared to Dawson and Hall’s 100 % record
meant the Kumar Brockway ‘bookies choice’ were not to reach the final.
And so Tierney and Hammond were to play Dawson and Hall in the final, with a
9 point start. With most games of the tournament going down to a black ball
finish and the handicappers patting themselves on the back, the final drew a
good crowd expecting a close game. Indeed, confident potting from both
teams early doors suggested this could happen. Then Tierney’s red after a
fortuitous canon on the brown, along with blue, red and black created distance
between the two teams. This put pressure on the other pair who weren’t
allowed any easy chances for the rest of the game. The final ended with

Tierney and Hammond running away with it and Dawson and Hall conceding
on the blue.
Many congratulations to Dave Tierney and Ben Hammond, the Penfold
Doubles Champions 2023. Finally, a big thank you to Harry Penfold, whose
legacy continues to provide us with a great annual tournament, and a drink to
boot. As was said on the night, Cheers Harry.
Reporter: Dave Sykes

Fast and Furious night is postponed from the 14th Feb to Tuesday 21st Feb. Apparently 25 members were threatened with divorce proceedings had it gone ahead on Valentines day

Click on the Events tab or click here to see all that The Parochial and Home Guard Snooker Club has to offer in the coming weeks

Tierney versus Wells

Sadly the sponsor of this trophy, Tony Stone, passed away earlier in the year.  Tony, an Honorary Life Member of the Parochial and Home Guard Snooker Club, set up this tournament, which has a restricted entry, to give those members of the club who hadn’t won a trophy a better chance to win.   A good deed by an honourable man. 

The final was played on 8 December between Dave Tierney and John Wells.  A Scotland v England match up.  Wells’ handicap gave him a 12 start. Would that be enough to keep ahead of Tierney, who, on reaching the final beat this year’s winner of the President’ Trophy? 

The first phase of the game saw some good safety play with the cue ball returning from the pack of reds to the baulk area of the table. Then Tierney was given a few opportunities to reduce the deficit, potted some good reds and colours, and overtook Wells on the scoreboard.  Just as it looked as if Tierney was to dominate the next phase of the game, he had some back luck – cannoning the pink into the pocket when playing a red.  This and a missed red which hit the middle pocket knuckles four times before staying out, suggested now was the time for Wells to put pressure on Tierney.    Unfortunately, whilst potting some reds, Wells wasn’t able to find his ‘A’ game and couldn’t take advantage of Tierney’s bad luck.

Both players looked to snookers on the last few reds and honours were pretty even on the scoreboard as a result.   Wells was still in touch with Tierney when the last red went down.  The score was 36 to 23.  However, snookers were required by the time the brown was potted.  Wells potted the blue and tried to get a snooker with the pink and black in mid table positions.  Alas, he failed and when Tierney potted the pink it was all over at 54 to 30.  On the day, Dave Tierney deserved his win and John Wells was disappointed with his performance. 

With this being an annual tournament, Tony Stone will be missed but not forgotten.         

Reported by Dave Sykes

12 December 2022.