10-year-old Talent Competes in Billiard Debut at Woking in 2022…

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The English Amateur Billiards Association visited Woking Snooker Centre in Surrey over the weekend.

The small group of 14 eager players included an enthusiastic 10-year-old called William Thomson, who was making his debut there in the tournament on Sunday in the EABA South Region events where there were also events in the north as well.

When SnookerZone first saw the boy holding a long black cue case, we initially thought he was there to support his dad playing in the event – despite looking very smart.

However, when we saw the lad line up to play on the tables, it was a shock.

But, according to the results from the EABA Facebook page, Thomson is clearly a billiards talent in the making, who scored over 100 points in every match with a top effort of 162. Well done to the lad from SnookerZone.

Nathan Mann, a committee member of the EABA, who joined the committee to modernize the social media and the game a bit, said players like talented William were the future of the game as they’re few and far between.

We’ll be interviewing Nathan soon on SnookerZone.

Zoe Chen Thomson, replied on the EABA Facebook Page: “William really enjoyed it. What an amazing experience for him!”

She added: I think he will be playing in more billiards events from now for sure.

According to Zoe, William is playing in a Taylors of Boston English Regional Junior Billiards Tour Event in Eastleigh next weekend. Good luck William.

For SnookerZone, seeing a 10-year-old competing in a billiards tournament is a breath of fresh air, especially in a world where kids have every type of technological distraction at their fingertips.

SnookerZone will try to follow that where we can.

Ryan Mears, who SnookerZone has interviewed before, a Woking and Byfleet League Aldershot hotshot was also in the tournament as a replacement.

Snooker and Billiards hotshot Mears, who plays in anything he can get to, like a few, will be flying out to Singapore this month for the World Billiards Championship held at none other than the newly created Ronnie O’Sullivan Snooker Academy which has held the likes of snooker pro exhibitions and players such as Zhao Xintong and Mink Nutcharut, World Women’s Champion.

O’Sullivan, of course, won his fourth Champion of Champions snooker title over the weekend.

And Martin Goodwill, an airline pilot, and one in a long line of achievements of 6 times amateur billiards champion couldn’t make the event because of work commitments.

From the Facebook page:

There were 2 groups of 5 and 1 group of 4.

Group A:

Terry Azor, Geoff Barrett, Dave White, David Riley

Group B:

Chris Mitchell, David Gillingham, Matt Sutton, Jamie Wayman, William Thomson

Group C:

John Mullane, J Hoad, Mick Kunzi, Korbin Lowe, Ryan Mears

Top 2 from each group and best third-place qualified.

Results:

Session 1

Geoff Barrett 163 Terry Azor 207 (60)