27.6.06

THE LINKS EFFECT

There isn’t a great deal of news in between seasons because there are no professional tournaments going on. Also, the likes of me are spending their time watching the World Cup.

We forget, though, that snooker doesn’t merely exist on the pro tour. There are thousands of players around the world competing in all manner of tournaments at all levels.

We endeavour to report as many as these as we can in Snooker Scene but don’t always receive the necessary information.

However, one excellent source of results is www.globalsnookercentre.co.uk. This is the best website in the game because it’s rammed full of useful information from events that would otherwise be overlooked.

Janie Watkins is constantly updating content, including live scores from various events, not least the endless stream of tournaments being played at Pontin’s, Prestatyn.

Also worth checking out is www.worldsnooker.com, the WPBSA’s site, which carries various stories and features.

I should also mention www.laboremus.no/snooker, a site maintained by Hermund Ardalen, who had snooker on the internet long before most of us cold use a computer.

Snooker Scene’s own website (see link on the right) is being revamped to include various features we don’t have room for in the magazine itself.

For news on the professional scene, I’d recommend www.sportinglife.com and www.bbc.co.uk/snooker as the best places to visit.

I’m surprised more players don’t have a web presence in the form of sites. I know Ronnie O’Sullivan is having one developed but this is an area that remains largely untapped.

One player to have ventured into it is Neil Robertson (doubtless drowning his sorrows after Australia’s last minute exit from the World Cup). You can read all about Neil at www.neilrobertson.net.

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