Bernie catches a big fish

November's IBSF World Snooker Championships seem quite some time away from now. But the event has already been talk of the town for a long time now in Austria. Of course, the championships are staged in the Austrian city of Wels. Austria as the organizing country may be allowed to enter more than the usual four competitors per event [men, women, masters]. National federation ÖBSV has announced that its nominations will depend on the final standings in the ASL Rankings at the end of the current season. So, the top 4 will get a ticket for sure, and probably some more players when other countries don't use their full contingent. The only one already guaranteed a ticket is SEBC player Hans Nirnberger, who is sure to end the season as No. 1 after winning four titles. The other places are still open. In that respect, 15 Reds player Bernhard Müllner, who had slipped down to No. 8 last month, had a great result last weekend by winning the 6th ASL Grand Prix of the season at his home club KÖÖ7 in Vienna. Bernie is almost sure now to play at the championships, as is his club mate Chau Zi Kim. Sebastian Hainzl, Robert Bütof [both 15 Reds] and Alexander Pichler [Snooker Bulls Salzburg] are also likely to appear in the event, while Garry Balter, Christian Hackl and Felix Pleschek [both Top Snooker Graz] are still in with a good chance of qualifying.

...Bernhard Müllner trying to pot the final black of the fourth frame against Graeme Fish...

Müllner had to survive a scary start to the tournament. In his opening match, Bernie was upset by Stefano Bazana, 1-3, but he still advanced to the last 16 after beating reigning national champion Pleschek 3-0 with a fine 51 in the third frame. Müllner came back from behind to beat youngster Paul Schopf [1.UWBC] 3-2 before taking on Nirnberger. Jack went 2-1 up, but Müllner took the fourth and added a scrappy decider to become only the second player this season, after Kim, to beat Nirnberger. Jack, however, once more topped the high-break board with a great 95 from his last-16 match against ISC player Clausdieter Franschitz. Müllner met club mate Robert Bütof in the semifinals and had to fight back from behind again. Two breaks over 40 put him 2-0 up, but Bütof hit back with three frames in a row. Müllner recovered in time and clinched the last two for a tight 4-3 win.

...Graeme Fish knocks in a red and stuns over for position on the black...

Müllner's opponent in the final was Graeme Fish. The 10th-ranked player from Stadlau's ISC had two whitewashes in his round-robin group and dropped his first frame against SEBC youngster Alexander Gauss in the last 16, 3-1. In the quarterfinals, Fish was 2-1 down before beating SEBC's Robert Burda in a tense final-frame decider. Things got even better for Fish in the semis, where he stopped a good run by Balter. Fish took three close frames in a row before hitting a 38 in the fourth for a surprising 4-0 win. Balter finally finished fourth after losing the small final to Bütof, 3-2, while Fish entered his first Grand Prix final.

Müllner and Fish got off to a nervy start. After several unexpected misses by both players, Bernie took the first frame on the final black. Fish looked more settled in the second, but saw his break of 33 interrupted after missing a straight-foward black from the spot. Müllner came back in but missed a difficult rest-shot on a pink that was tight at the cushion, enabling Fish to level the score at 1-1. Müllner got his nose in front again as he won a third frame that was highlighted by a series of fluked pots and snookers by both players. Fish looked set to equal the score again in the fourth, but could not convert a useful lead. Müllner slowly narrowed the gap and finally snatched the frame with a fine double on the final black. After the interval, Müller hit a nice 45 to seal the victory _ his first Grand Prix title since winning the opening event of the 2006/07 campaign.

The Grand Prix circuit has its final destination in Graz next month. And what an event it promises to be. Not only because it's the final opportunity for some top players to book their World Championship ticket. But also because the tournament is likely to see the return of a special guest from CSC Innsbruck, named... Richard McHugh, who plans to use this Grand Prix as a preparation for the Irish Championships in Carlow in May.

6. ASL GRAND PRIX 2007/08
[Vienna, 08/03 - 09/03]

Results:

quarterfinals:
Bernhard Müllner - Hans Nirnberger 3-2
Robert Bütof - Chau Zi Kim 3-2
Graeme Fish - Robert Burda 3-2
Garry Balter - Christian Hackl 3-1

semifinals:
Müllner - Bütof 4-3
Fish - Balter 4-0

final:
Müllner - Fish 4-1

Break list:

- 95 Hans Nirnberger
- 73 Garry Balter
- 70 Robert Bütof
- 68 Alexander Gauss
- 62 Chau Zi Kim
- 53 Nirnberger
- 52 Bütof
- 51 Bernhard Müllner

Click here for full tournament results.

text & pictures: Eric Willemsen [Vienna]