The Snookerbacker Blog

It’s time for another irregular feature following on from Ali Carter’s Captain’s Log and the Answers on a Postcard slots. I have now enlisted the help of none other than Australian Open Champ Stuart Bingham to spill the beans on what really goes on in the snooker world.

In his opening address our Bingo tells us all about his season to date, what really happened with Mark Allen and what was going through his mind in the Australian Final in that dramatic finish against Mark Williams.

Feel free to give Stuart a warm welcome to the blog in the comments section, I know he drops by here now and again.

Hi everyone,

I thought you might have had enough of that boring ‘Captains Log’ so I suggested to SB that I try and bring some fun into the blog and slag all the other players off! Surprisingly he agreed!

Well, not quite but I will try and give you an insight of the tour from a player perspective instead of just talking about myself, which I like to do but not as much as Michael Holt does. He never stops! Anyway, I thought I’d tell you all about my season so far, it’s been busy.

Well, where did the season start for me?

I was invited to the Phuket Cup with Alfie Burden (who was a pain all week!) I played some good stuff considering I’d had a few weeks off after the World Championship and eventually got beat in the final by Thepchaiya Un-Nooh – I think that’s how you spell it anyway.

It was a nice trip because a week later the first PTC was on. There I got beat by Ronnie O’Sullivan in the quarters in a quite high standard match and he went onto win it, so that softened the blow a bit!

A few days after PTC 1 we were back up to Sheffield where we had the Australian Open qualifiers and I played my good friend Hitman Holt. I continued the good standard and came through that match 5-2 victorious.

There were a couple of invitation events before Australia so I had some time to put some practice in. After the long trip down under there were 4 of us in the mini bus going to our hotel and for people who don’t know me, I’ve gotta be the most annoying person on the tour! Everyone was tired and dropping off in the mini bus but I was poking them and shouting to keep them all awake. Nigel Bond, Mark Davis and Joe Perry weren’t that happy with me.

We got to the hotel about 2 am and went straight to sleep, well tried to because it was about 1 degree outside and the shorts I brought with me weren’t keeping me warm! lol

We had a few days to get over the jet lag so I went and see a mate that I haven’t seen for 20 odd years which was nice and we went to the famous Ramsey Street! (Had to be done!) Well, Pin Oak Court is its real name!??! What’s that all about then?

But back to the snooker. My first game was against Ding Junhui and with what happened in our previous meeting where I lost 13-12 in the worlds I was well up for getting revenge. That I did with a good 5-2 victory. 2nd round was against Tom Ford and I won comfortably 5-0. THEN and I mean a big THEN was the grudge match with Mark Allen!!!!

I found out recently where all this might have come from but I can’t say or I’ll have to kill you all! But the first I knew of it was in the UK Champs last year. He beat me 9-7 and I was gutted. If I had won that match I would not just getting into my first semis but into the top 16 too so it was the biggest match of my life.

We shook hands after the match and I just turned round and walked off! (I didn’t say well done or good luck! Sorry but I could have cried! lol)

An hour later I saw him in the bar and said ‘well done you lucky c*@t’ but with a smile on my face so it was meant in a good way! When I got back to my room, I went online and looked on World Snooker and saw what he said about the match! I was fuming and thinking, what an idiot! (and a little more!)

So what he said before our match in Australia went against him to say the least! I went into the match, not thinking it was a quarter final but thinking I’m just gonna try and win no matter what I have to do! I said to myself that I wasn’t going to acknowledge him in any way! I wasn’t going to say ‘good shot’ or ‘sorry’ (for a fluke) or anything!

When we shook hands at the start of the match he gripped my hand a bit tight and I just laughed! I turned to look at him but he just turned away…

The start of the match didn’t go to plan but who could blame me as I was trying way too hard! Once I let it go and played freely I steam rolled him to win 5-3! The sweetest feeling I’ve ever had as a pro I think!

Obviously the press wanted me to say something about the match but I just let the snooker do the talking in the end. I was dying inside to slag him off but that’s just not me, I answered with the win and my first semi!

The next day was the 2nd biggest game of my life against another one of my good friends Shaun Murphy and I’ve never been so nervous before a game.

Even though I started with a ton I never seemed to settle through the whole match and somehow (with some bad luck for Shaun) came through a 6-2 winner and got into my first Final!

Doing the press after the match I broke down and cried my eyes out for about 5 minutes just through emotion! Being a pro for 16 years and seeing other players getting to finals over the years, thinking will my time ever come just got the better of me. It had to happen.

Then came the final against Mark Williams. I felt more relaxed than the semis and started like a house on fire. A ton in the first frame again settled me a bit and went to the interval 3-1 in front! The worst thing ever happened then, I was thinking about if I could end the first session 6-2 or even 7-1 with the way I was playing would be amazing! Of course then the wheels came off a little and MJ started to play.

I was lucky in the end to finish 4-4 but I thought that my chance had gone (this is how quickly a players mind can change. Well, my mind can change that quick anyway!) lol

Going into the final session my hopes felt a bit gone because my game had dropped but I always thought if I picked it up again I always stood a chance. After losing 3 out of the first 4 frames it was not looking good for me against the world number 1 and the interval couldn’t have come at a better moment.

I got on the phone to my manager (Gary Purkiss) and he said ‘You’ve had a great week to get here so go out and try to enjoy it! If that happens you might turn this around!’

After the interval I lost the next frame and I was thinking it was all over. The next frame went the same as all the evening session, I got in first, fell down on 30 odd and Mark got in. He didn’t land on a colour so he snookered me, so I thought instead of trying to land on the red I might as well hit and hope a little. I snookered him back and said sorry with a little chuckle but he showed no emotion. (Normally Mark sees the funny side to everything!) He got out of it and stuck it up and I cleared up (somehow!) to make it 8-6. He went to the toilet and I watched as he left the arena and he looked gutted (which I would have been to be fair but he showed it and that got me going a bit)

As I waited for Mark to return I was thinking to myself, that could turn this whole match around! The next frame started and a few safety shots later I found a plant, I went all out for it and got it and won the frame with a 60 odd. 8-7.

Mark broke off in the next and left a long red out, I thought I might as well go all out if I want to win this and potted it. The balls opened up lovely a few shots later and I made a frame winning 70 odd. 8-8.

I remember coming back from the toilet and wiping my cue and I looked at Michaela Tabb and just saying ‘Wow’. The crowd were clapping and the buzz was amazing!

The final frame started and we were both a bit edgy, Mark was winning the safety battle and he put me in all sorts of trouble. I was looking for an escape somewhere but couldn’t see anything. I walked to the baulk end to have a look that end but still didn’t see anything. I even asked the crowd ‘Has anyone got a clue?’ lol. As I walked back to the cue ball I spotted a cross double that was most probably a 1 in 5 chance but it’s all I had. It went in clean as you like and I was on the yellow. I was thinking this is it, this is your chance to win a major ranking event.

I somehow potted the yellow and made a 40 break and then went in-off! . But a few shots later, I left myself a double to win and got it. Mark only needed 1 snooker so I knew it wasn’t over, he got me in a good one and I needed 2 cushions to escape and got it. He potted the yellow, tried snookering me behind the brown but got a kick on the green. The rest is HISTORY!

I thought I would have cried but I was actually ok. The best feeling in snooker bar none! No one can ever take that away from me.

Not bad for someone with no bottle eh?

I got back home to a warm welcome from my family and friends but the feeling was gone! The buzz of it all wasn’t there and I was a little tired to be fair! lol

I had a couple of days off before I practiced again because I had the Shanghai Masters Qualifier which I played Tom Ford again. I lost the first frame but came out a well deserved 5-1 winner with 3 tons I think.

PTC 2 & 3 wasn’t great as I went out in the 2nd round of both. But it was nice getting recognition from all the other players for what I did down under. Steve Davis got down on one knee and bowed which was unbelievable! James Wattana said ‘about time!’ They all mean a lot especially from the people I look up to and respect.

PTC 4 Furth, I was gutted to miss this because this is one of the best tournaments of the season I think and I’ve been going for the last 6 or 7 years. But looking back it was the best decision of my life. Sunday 28th August at 12.59pm my son Shae Terry Bingham was born into this world and made me the happiest and proudest dad in the world. By 5.30 we were all home eating KFC celebrating! Lol (I do know how to celebrate!)

Bingo celebrated in style

I had 6 nights at home with the family before heading off to Shanghai. I wasn’t heading there with much hope as I didn’t do a lot of practicing with the new arrival and all. I practiced with Mark Davis out there and even he was beating me which didn’t help with confidence!

But when match day came I started like a house on fire. Making another couple of tons and turning over Judd Trump 5-1! I was talking to Mark Davis that night and he got beat by John Higgins (my next opponent) and he was saying that he had chances and John didn’t play that well so I was thinking the way I played against Judd that I could get to another quarters. The worst thing I ever done!!! I had about an hour’s sleep that night because I was thinking that I was going to beat Higgins and have another run in a tournament. I know never to think like that again!!!

I had every chance of beating John because again, he didn’t play great but I was unbelievably bad. I think my pot percentage was 30% or something like that as I lost 5-2! lol

Got home Friday, just enough time to wash and iron my shirts as off to Brazil on the Monday!

A bit controversial the Brazilian Masters as a lot of the top 16 didn’t go, don’t know all the reasons but most was about the money side of it. Not sure if I agree with that side of it as I’ve always tried to do right for the sport, money or no money. I love being a part of snooker and everyone in the sport knows how much I love the game so for me I think the players that didn’t go are quite selfish if it was about the money. Don’t get me wrong, we all need money to survive but there’s 2 sayings Need and Greed!

Anyway, I got to Brazil on Tuesday and the practice tables got stopped at customs! They eventually arrived early Thursday morning just in time for the tournament to start so I had all of 20 minutes practice before my match with Mark Selby which I lost 4-3!

But the good news is that I won at tennis which was the highlight of my week. I beat Mark Davis (MD) 6-3 4-6 6-1 I think then beat Shaun Murphy (Smurph) 6-0! The next day me and MD took on Smurph and Brandon Parker and we won again, gutted as I can’t remember the score, just remember it was easy… But fair play to Smurph as he won the first Brazilian Masters trophy. I think I’d swap the bragging rights for that week from the tennis to the snooker! Lol

Then it was back home for all of 5 days before PTC 5 in Sheffield. I hit some good form while there beating Stuart Carrington and Fergal O’Brien before losing out 4-3 on the black to Barry Hawkins at 2.30am! The PTC’s are good but at Sheffield they’ve only got 8 tables and 2 are for live streaming so that makes just 6 really! All the other venues for the PTC’s seem to be ok with the start times but Sheffield you can fall 3-4 hours behind your playing times unless you’re Ronnie or John Higgins then you start at a specific time as they play all their matches on the TV tables! (That’s my rant over and done with!) lol

Poland was a new venue for PTC 6 and it was quite a nice place from what I saw of it but I struggled a bit there and lost out to Jack Lisowski in the 2nd round.

After PTC 6 was the first cut off for the rankings and I was officially (for the first time) in the top 16. Number 11 and that still sounds unbelievable but I don’t want to stop there. My aim now is to get into the top 8!

PTC 7 Gloucester was next and played ok. Beat Barry Pinches 4-0 in my 1st game but lost out to Liu Chuang 4-3 in a very good match. I was 2-1 up then miscued in the balls and went 3-2 as he made a ton and an 80+. I made a good 90 or so to level at 3-3 and felt very good. I had a couple of chances early on but the balls didn’t go kindly for me and he eventually won on the blue. I’d be happy to feel like that for the rest of the season but some days it doesn’t happen for you!

PTC Killarney was next and before the tournament I said that I needed a good run to the quarters to push me up the order of merit and that’s what exactly happened. Good wins over Alex Taubman, Jimmy White, Ricky Walden and Yu Delu before bowing out to Mark Selby 4-3 again!

I was gutted that I lost in the quarters as I did have a golden chance at 3-2 up but I did say before the event that I wanted a quarter final so it wasn’t too bad. Pushed me up to 26 on the order of merit so gives me a good chance of making the top 24!

That what’s been happening to me so far this season, hope that you like the read and hopefully I’ll tell you more in a few months time.

Ciao for now!