1986 Classic (snooker)

The 1986 Mercantile Credit Classic was the seventh edition of the professional snooker tournament.[2] The tournament was played at the Spectrum Arena, Warrington, Cheshire, and was televised on ITV from the last 16 round which started on 3 January 1986.[3]

1986 Classic
Tournament information
Dates3–12 January 1986 (1986-01-03 – 1986-01-12)
VenueSpectrum Arena
CityWarrington
CountryEngland
OrganisationWPBSA
FormatRanking event
Total prize fund£225,000
Winner's share£45,000
Highest break Jimmy White (ENG) (117x2)[1]
Final
Champion Jimmy White (ENG)
Runner-up Cliff Thorburn (CAN)
Score13–12
1985
1987

The earlier rounds (Pre last 16) were played between 8–13 November 1985. Defending champion Willie Thorne lost at the last-64 stage to Tony Jones 3–5.[2]

Cliff Thorburn beat Doug Mountjoy 9–6 in the first semi-final. Thorburn led 5–2 after the first session and then 7–3 before Mountjoy won two frames in a row. Thorburn won the match in the 15th frame with a break of 72.[4] Jimmy White beat Rex Williams 9–7 in the second semi-final, Williams having led 6–5.[5]

Jimmy White won his first ranking event beating Cliff Thorburn 13–12 in the final, winning on the final black ball. White had been 7–8 behind at the end of the first day's play in the final, including a one frame penalty for arriving two minutes late for the start of the Saturday evening session.[6][7]

The tournament had a prize fund of £225,000, with the winner receiving £45,000.[1]

Main draw

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Results are shown below.[2][8]

Last 16
Best of 9 frames
Quarter-finals
Best of 9 frames
Semi-finals
Best of 17 frames
Final
Best of 25 frames
            
  Bill Werbeniuk (CAN) 3
15   Doug Mountjoy (WAL) 5
15   Doug Mountjoy 5
  Neal Foulds 3
    Neal Foulds (ENG) 5
  John Campbell (AUS) 1
15   Doug Mountjoy 6
4   Cliff Thorburn 9
  Eugene Hughes (IRL) 1
16   Joe Johnson (ENG) 5
16   Joe Johnson 4
4   Cliff Thorburn 5
11   Tony Meo (ENG) 1
4   Cliff Thorburn (CAN) 5
4   Cliff Thorburn 12
8   Jimmy White 13
3   Steve Davis (ENG) 5
  Peter Francisco (RSA) 0
3   Steve Davis 2
8   Jimmy White 5
  Marcel Gauvreau (CAN) 2
8   Jimmy White (ENG) 5
8   Jimmy White 9
  Rex Williams 7
5   Tony Knowles (ENG) 2
  Rex Williams (ENG) 5
  Rex Williams 5
10   Alex Higgins 2
10   Alex Higgins (NIR) 5
2   Dennis Taylor (NIR) 4

Final

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Final: Best of 25 frames..
Spectrum Arena, Warrington, England, 11 & 12 January 1986.[1]
Jimmy White
  England
13–12 Cliff Thorburn
  Canada
First session: 78–44, 107–24 (67), 70–52 (Thorburn 52), 62–43, 23–59, 39–67, 18–63 (54)
Second session: 0–1 (forfeit), 8–72, 44–66, 84–8 (69), 18–111 (107), 0–80 (60), 71–11, 71–16 (63)
Third session: 22–97 (87), 80–14 (56), 82–19, 75–30, 117–14 (117), 59–64 (White 53), 47–54, 70–58, 41–70, 57–55
117 Highest break 107
1 Century breaks 1
6 50+ breaks 5

Qualifying

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Qualifying took place in November 1985. The leading 32 players started at the last 64 stage. Results are shown below.[9][10]

Last 64
Best of 9 frames
Last 32
Best of 9 frames
      
  Willie Thorne (ENG) 3
  Tony Jones (ENG) 5
  Tony Jones 3
  Bill Werbeniuk 5
  Bill Werbeniuk (CAN) 5
  Geoff Foulds (ENG) 3
  Doug Mountjoy (WAL) 5
  Warren King (AUS) 4
  Doug Mountjoy 5
  Dene O'Kane 3
  Dene O'Kane (NZL) 5
  Paul Medati (ENG) 0
  Silvino Francisco (RSA) 4
  Stephen Hendry (SCO) 5
  Stephen Hendry 4
  Neal Foulds 5
  Neal Foulds (ENG) 5
  Malcolm Bradley (ENG) 3
  Ray Reardon (WAL) 3
  Bernie Mikkelsen (CAN) 5
  Bernie Mikkelsen 2
  John Campbell 5
  John Campbell (AUS) 5
  Jim Donnelly (SCO) 2
  Kirk Stevens (CAN) 2
  Fred Davis (ENG) 5
  Fred Davis 3
  Eugene Hughes 5
  Eugene Hughes (IRL) 5
  Jim Wych (CAN) 2
  Joe Johnson (ENG) 5
  Bob Harris (ENG) 4
  Joe Johnson 5
  Perrie Mans 2
  Perrie Mans (RSA) 5
  Martin Smith (ENG) 4
  Tony Meo (ENG) 5
  Joe O'Boye (NIR) 3
  Tony Meo 5
  Barry West 1
  Mark Wildman (ENG) 2
  Barry West (ENG) 5
  Cliff Thorburn (CAN) 5
  Jack McLaughlin (NIR) 1
  Cliff Thorburn 5
  Mike Hallett 3
  Mike Hallett (ENG) 5
  John Rea (SCO) 2
Last 64
Best of 9 frames
Last 32
Best of 9 frames
      
  Steve Davis (ENG) 5
  Bob Chaperon (CAN) 1
  Steve Davis 5
  Jimmy van Rensberg 1
  John Parrott (ENG) 3
  Jimmy van Rensberg (RSA) 5
  Eddie Charlton (AUS) 1
  Peter Francisco (RSA) 5
  Peter Francisco 5
  Dave Martin 2
  Dave Martin (ENG) 5
  Tommy Murphy (NIR) 0
  David Taylor (ENG) 3
  Marcel Gauvreau (CAN) 5
  Marcel Gauvreau 5
  Paddy Browne 3
  Cliff Wilson (WAL) 3
  Paddy Browne (IRL) 5
  Jimmy White (ENG) 5
  Danny Fowler (ENG) 1
  Jimmy White 5
  John Virgo 2
  John Virgo (ENG) 5
  Matt Gibson (SCO) 3
  Tony Knowles (ENG) 5
  Gino Rigitano (CAN) 4
  Tony Knowles 5
  Murdo MacLeod 4
  Murdo MacLeod (SCO) 5
  Eddie Sinclair (SCO) 2
  Terry Griffiths (WAL) 3
  Vic Harris (ENG) 5
  Vic Harris 1
  Rex Williams 5
  Rex Williams (ENG) 5
  Mike Watterson (ENG) 0
  Alex Higgins (NIR) 5
  Mick Fisher (ENG) 0
  Alex Higgins 5
  Graham Cripsey 2
  John Spencer (ENG) 1
  Graham Cripsey (ENG) 5
  Dennis Taylor (NIR) 5
  Jack Fitzmaurice (ENG) 1
  Dennis Taylor 5
  Dean Reynolds 4
  Dean Reynolds (ENG) 5
  Pat Houlihan (ENG) 1

Century breaks

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A total of nine century breaks were made during the event. White received £1,125 for making the highest break of the pre-televised stage, 135.[10][1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Mercantile Credit Classic". Snooker Scene. February 1986. pp. 5–13.
  2. ^ a b c Hale, Janice (1987). Rothmans Snooker Yearbook 1987–88. Aylesbury: Queen Anne Press. pp. 229–232. ISBN 0356146901.
  3. ^ Everton, Clive (3 January 1986). "Foulds meets Australian No 1: Snooker". The Guardian. p. 21 – via ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Guardian and The Observer. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  4. ^ "Black mark for Mountjoy". The Glasgow Herald. 10 January 1986. p. 29.
  5. ^ "White holds off Williams". The Glasgow Herald. 11 January 1986. p. 16.
  6. ^ Everton, Clive (13 January 1986). "White nips in on last black: Snooker". The Guardian. p. 28 – via ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Guardian and The Observer. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  7. ^ "Classic finish by White". The Glasgow Herald. 13 January 1986. p. 7.
  8. ^ "Classic". Snooker Scene. Archived from the original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 9 June 2014.
  9. ^ "Higgins through to last 16". The Glasgow Herald. 14 November 1985. p. 23.
  10. ^ a b "Thorne falls at first fence". Snooker Scene. January 1986. pp. 23–27.