BILLIARDS Amenity Fees: €0.20 per 6 minutes. Guests: €2.50 per guest

What started as the 'PULA GROUP' Group competition run by Frank Fenech and Angelo Psaila has grown into something bigger and now the entrants are quite numerous in the Singles and Drawn Doubles handicap competition. This season Ronnie Cachia won the Singles title in a tournament marked by the majority of matches being very closely contested and often worn or lost by the black in the deciding frame. The handicapping could not be faulted in any way although the armchair critics at the start of the of the competition did air their opinions.

VICTOR'S JEWELLERY SHIELD Past Winners: 2000: J. Micallef 2001: A.J. Psaila 2002: R. Bartolo 2003: A. Delia 2004/2005: R. Pace Decasare 2006/2007 C. Simpson 2008/2009 R. Cachia

Ronnie Cachia was a deserved winner, qualifying through the group stages with an unbeaten record and having to dispose of strong opponents like the evergreen Franz Seychell, Maurice Stafrace and in the final, Victor Borg Busuttil. The latter, a seasoned and experienced player conceded a handicap of 20 in the final and there was nothing to choose between the two players, Cachia winning the best of five final by three frames to two after a dour contest.

Borg Busuttil had qualified for the final after close wins over Frank Fenech and George Bonello DuPuis and had also gone through the group stages without a defeat although always starting from scratch. His game against Fenech will long be remembered. The latter played a good tactical game throughout but the third and deciding frame he played a poor defensive shot on the deciding black and that was that. Nerves had played a good part in it.

Full results of the knockout stages were as follows:

At the time of writing the Doubles Drawn competition is in progress.

From the Billiards Hall – 17th October, 2008

The 7th Annual Pula Group Handicap Snooker Tournament commenced on the 22nd September and is well underway with daily games and quite a handsome interested audience. While I am writing this review there are 17 members gathered around Billiard Table 2, in absolute silence, watching Frans Seychell losing 0-25 against a newcomer to the snooker hall Robert Mercieqa. The time is 8.15 pm. I clearly remember, that before we started this tournament in 2002 the billiard hall used to be like a cemetery, after 8 pm, except for a few late comers led by il-Loys who used to meet well after 9 pm for a chat, a knock and a bet.

Then we started an evening pula and very soon the first Pula Group Snooker Tournament was organised followed by an Open Air Trophy Awards Dinner Dance in the grounds of the Old Union Club. A yearly event followed and accompanied by a Doubles tournament and a deluxe dinner dance with attendances of well over a hundred people for a guaranteed fun and leisure musical trophy awards evening. The trophies are personally ordered by the organisers from Spain – thanks to Michael Peresso - making sure that they are of the best quality and the latest in Europe. Fine Adidas shirts are occasionally given to the winners apart from the Peresso Trophies and we make sure that the semi-finalists are given trophies as well.

This year it has been a record turnout for the competition – 28 – the highest before that was last year – 23 competitors. Five of the previous champions are competing this year namely Joe Micallef (2002), Angelo Psaila (2003), Robert Bartolo (2004) Ronnie Pace Decesare (2006), and Chris Simpson (2007). Three of them have already been knocked out as they lost two matches out of the round robin three. But there are many favourites like Michael Borg Cardona, Maurice Stafrace, Joe Messina, Victor Borg Busuttil, Frank Fenech, Ronnie Farrugia, Ronnie Cachia – in fact everybody has a chance because of the handicap, scrupulously handed by one of the top snooker experts on the island, our own Wilfred Asciak.

Just for the record the 28 players were drawn into seven groups each having four players – they have to play each other – the winner and runner up of each section qualify to the knock out phase. Each game best out of three in their group phase and best out of five in the knockout phase. Albert Delia is the 2005 champion who because of family reasons was unable to participate this year. Thanks to George Camilleri our convenor, for this constant help.

Angelo Psaila
Tournament co-organiser

PULA GROUP HANDICAP SNOOKER TOURNAMENT
The draw of this tournament was made on Friday, 19th September, 2008 as follows:

George Camilleri
Friday 5th April, 2008 saw a very special presentation dinner dance held by the Snooker section Pool Group. Judging by the very convivial spirit of the fair sized occasion everyone must have enjoyed himself or herself.
The food provided by the Caterer Michele, was not only good but satisfyingly abundant – it is said that certain members had three or four helpings which in itself is an endorsement of the caterer’s proficiency!

Music by Giovanni added to the fun of the evening.

The competition prizes were awarded to the worthy winners who were:
Singles Winner: Christopher Simpson
Singles Runner-up: George O. Attard
Doubles Winners Paul Pandolfino and Edwin Zammit
Doubles Runners-up Ronnie Farrugia and Ronnie Mangion

A very enjoyable evening was had by all including a number of non-billiard members who were enticed there for the occasion by the prospect of unlimited pasta.