UK Open 2011 - The first Evening
The first evening is hectic - always. And this year it was even worse due to the number of participants and the shortened format. It was so hectic Dave Allen didn't manage to do his usual match reports. As a spectator you were very occupied and rushing from board to board hoping not to miss something special.
It was hectic for the players too who had no time to get used to the atmosphere and some of them, unluckily the German Jyhan Artut was one of those, were already eliminated before they had a chance to get into the match. Even faster Mensur Suljovic was eliminated who didn't manage to appear in time at his board. Magnus Caris only just managed to turn up for his first round match in time but got a telling-off by the board referee.
Crowd favourite was local hero Peter Hudson who played second round against Magnus Caris and had more or less already lost the match but fought on
and in the end got the win.
German Michael Rosenauer had no problems to win his preliminary round match but never had a chance in his second match against qualifier Jon Bott. I've no idea why. But I've an explanation why Barrie Bates played such a weak game as Barrie's middle finger at his throwing arm is swollen and hurts and he can't more or less throw at all. He has the problem for some weeks already.
Wayne Mardle and Peter Manley didn't survive the first evening. Roland Scholten did, he's still on his way to recover some form and will now meet in the third round another player who seems to get back into form - John Part. So we will see a repeat of the final from 2004.
Not much trouble to advance into third round had Colin Lloyd, James Wade and Dennis Priestley.
Most of the Speedy Hire qualifiers were thrown out of the tournament after their first match while 10 Riley's qualifiers reached third round. On of them was BDO player Andy Boulton.
Despite all those matches the evening ended around midnight with the draw for the third round. And I was (finally) on the way back to my hotel...