Bayley on the Baize

Back on home soil, Matt takes Valerie to the current (for now) home of the PTCs in Gloucester to participate in one of the great hopes for amateurs in the UK these days - catching up with old baize friends and new internet friends, while trying some Canadian grinding on the best tables in the world.Download this episode!Subscribe! The Snookerbacker BlogSB Classic 2013South West Snooker AcademyOnQ PromotionsAndrew Norman Bio @ Pro Snooker Blog

In two bars and a bus, in May and September, Matt talks about hanging out with the late Paul Hunter, watches his hero Ronnie win the Worlds and discusses with Valerie the new Canadian face on the global snooker scene...who hasn't yet shown his face. Download this episode!Subscribe!The Worlds 2012 Final Session @YouTubeFloyd Ziegler vs. Tom Finstad, Semi-Final, 2012 Canadians @YouTubeUpdate from Snookerline (see July 26 post)World Snooker Provisional Qualifying Criteria, 2012-3 Season (PDF)

With all the crap summer weather on both sides of the pond, we go back to February and a tournament in the frozen North(ish) with some very warm people. With a cameo by 1990 British Open champ Bob Chaperon.Download this episode!Subscribe!Sudbury TourismSnow Tournament Results @ SnookerlineSudbury Photo Gallery @ BaizealityIt's worth noting that for more than a few years, this tournament has been dedicated to the memory of Gabe Tarini, who was a very important part of the snooker community in that region, and helped make it what so impresses us today.Here's Chaperon after winning the 1990 British Open, along with the man he defeated: Alex Higgins. Yes, Bob's hair has improved since then.

Matt and Valerie brave the wilds of suburbia to join renowned cuesports tv commentator and player Jim Wych, who's bringing a positive energy back to Canadian snooker with his weekly 6-red tournament. With cameos by former Canadian champ Eddie Galati and pool goddess Grace Nakamura.Download this episode!Subscribe!Monte Carlo BilliardsOfficial Jim Wych SiteOfficial Grace Nakamura Site

At the time of the UK Championships, Matt and Valerie discuss what's "naughty" and what's just arrogant, along with reviewing some issues raised in the World Snooker season of changes so far.Download this episode!Subscribe!Trump vs. Allen: Frame 18 @ YouTube (other frames available from same channel)Ronnie O'Sullivan: points vs. money via BBC SportMark Allen's grievances at the UKs via The GuardianStephen Hendry on the state of snooker during the UKs on BBC:

It's been a while since the 2011 World Seniors Snooker Championship, but regardless Matt and Valerie cheer on the "fastest of the slow players," Cliff Thorburn: a Canadian player so famous, even Valerie had heard of him before meeting Matt. Meanwhile, another legend helps solve the mystery of Matt's missing cue.Download this episode!Subscribe!Cliff Thorburn Official SiteWorld Seniors report @ Peterborough UK TelegraphClive Everton @ WikipediaDoug Mountjoy @ World SnookerSnooker Legends Tour

After reading some interesting new rules for Ontario players qualifying for the Nationals, Matt and Valerie talk handicaps with a couple players who travel far for competition and talk memories with a man who played two Canadian snooker legends (possibly not who you'd expect).Download this episode!Subscribe!(Note: since some of the rules were read for the podcast, their wording has been changed and at least one line omitted, but the rules themselves seem to remain in place.)OSA @ SnookerlineBilliards @ Plaza Bowl in Sudbury (Ontario)George Chenier @ Canada's Sports Hall of FamePaul Thornley newspaper article from 1970Paul Thornley and current Canadian champ Alex Pagulayan (Billiards Digest, 1994)

Nursing an injured foot, Matt stays in to try out liveworldsnooker.tv and watch what he considers Ronnie O'Sullivan's "awesomest" 147 yet, then he ventures to the club to demonstrate brushing tables and explain why it's important.Download this episode!Subscribe!Watch the Ronnie video along with Matt!Brushes and blocks @ SnookerDirect.co.uk

While Matt puts on his first snooker tournament in Canada, he and Valerie look back on a visit to a Rileys Sports Bar in rainy Manchester UK and a trip to a downtown Toronto pool hall where Matt got a hard lesson in diplomacy.Download this episode!Subscribe!Weekly Annex Snooker Tournament Facebook pageOfficial Rileys SiteNew Times Square Billiards

The Canadian Snooker Championship TrophyA very personal odyssey through the national snooker championships includes a street festival, a discussion of regional challenges, singing Michael Jackson songs and - of course - coffee and donuts.Download this episode!Subscribe!(Hey, It didn't make it in the final edit but we want to give props to Denise Belanger and everyone else who helped with the Ustream channel at Shooters this year. It really added a lot to the event and brought in great interest. Thanks!)The Open Snooker Final Drawsheet (Matt was Group F)Canadian Cue Sports Championships @ CBSAVideo of Matt playing Day 3 @ UstreamAnd here's a minute from Day 1 (embedded via Facebook):

While on holiday back home in the UK, Matt takes Valerie to a club where he spent much of his "snooker youth" and talks with old friends about what went on behind the scenes at the Worlds, local leagues and tournaments still going strong, and a legend who got put in his place.Download this episode!Subscribe!Keynsham Snooker Centre siteKSC on FacebookThis Is Bath article on Judd Trump leaving KSC in 2009Jimmy White Exhibition, 2007

From suspiciously-obtained internet video streams, we watch the amazing World Championship journey of Judd Trump, with whom Matt shares a hometown, much tournament competition in nearby Keynsham, a past as a prodigy and a penchant for taking the big risky shot.Download this episode!Subscribe!Interview with Judd in The Guardian

Welcome! And don't judge us by this one! From the site of the Canadian Snooker Championships (er, in a couple months) to a Tim Horton's coffee place, we lay the foundations of the podcast to come.Download this episode!Subscribe!