CueSport TV - The Blog

Back last year we trialled some HD streaming using our platform and the results were very nice. The response to the videos was also excellent. It always was the plan to complete full length matches in high definition.

Due to the nature of the web and the fact that people are generally watching on a smaller screen to their TV we have opted to rollout out the full length videos in 720p high definition.

The data rates of streaming a HD video mean a download speed of around 4meg is required to watch the videos without buffering.

The first of these full length matches is now available and is the first round match (Chris Melling v James Kay) at the GB9 British Grand Prix Pro Cup event last year. Please do tell us if we are wrong but we also think that this is a web first. Cuesport TV has become the first streaming channel to provide a full length 9-ball pool match in high definition.

The rest of this tournamnt, a further four matches, will also be HD encoded.

For those viewers that struggle to watch the HD versions due to low bandwidth then a standard version is also available for viewing.

Please let us know your thoughts on the videos and if you experience any problems. The best way to find out if you can view them without buffering is to run a speedtest.

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Live on Sky Sports Extra in the UK at 7pm and also a Mosconi cup live stream here. (external link we are not responsible for).

Todays Matches:

Match 6 - Van Boening/Archer v Souquet/Feijen

Match 7 - Deuel v Hohmann

Match 8 - Dominguez/Hatch v Appleton/Immonen

Match 9 - Archer v Appleton

Match 10 - Hatch/Deuel v Feijen/Hohmann

I reckon Europe could still be in with a shout if they win the session 3-2 tonight!

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To be honest on paper I thought it was a foregone conclusion that Europe would romp away with this years Mosconi Cup. There are still three days to go of course but the USA dominated in last nights first session.

After taking the team match (a format I have to say I don’t like as it lacks fluidity and does not allow the players to settle) 6-4, they never really looked back and went into the last match of the evening with a 4-0 scoreline.

Ralf Souquet, ever the European stalwart, managed to claw one back for Europe in the final singles game of the night - he beat USA rookie Oscar Dominguez 6-5.

Play continues tonight at 7pm and Europe could do with a 3-2 or 4-1 scoreline in order to stay in contention.

One thing I did like about this years opening night was the addition of the Captain’s pick, instead of picking for their own team Alex Lely and Nick Varner had to select a player from the opposition side. I was very surprised to see Souquet selected by Varner and thought he may well have opted for Darren Appleton (Europe’s only Mosconi Cup rookie this year).

Team USA 4-1 Team Europe

You can follow updates on Twitter.

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The order of play for tonights action at the Mosconi Cup is as follows:

M1: Team USA v Team Europe (all 5 players)

M2: Johnny Archer/Dennis Hatch v Niels Feijen/Darren Appleton

M3:Shane van Boening v Mika Immonen

M4:Corey Deuel/Oscar Dominguez v Ralf Souquet/Thorsten Hohmann

M5: Captain’s Pick v Captain’s Pick

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Along with many of you out there I am sure, I will be watching the Mosconi Cup which starts in about 6 minutes at time of typing. Each year I try to provide live updates and posts on the blog but I am going more interactive this year and am going to do live updates via my Twitter account.

@cuesporttv (Twitter link) I will be using the hash tag #mosconicup make sure you use it as well and see if we can get a bit of a buzz going online.

I want to hear from all of you either on this blog or via the Twitter account.

Oh and go Europe!

Great to see Darren Appleton get the spot he fully deserves for Team Europe plus USA have two exciting rookies in Dennis Hatch and Oscar Dominguez as well

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Today see’s the delayed launch of GB9 Leagues a new amateur league structure for 9-ball pool players in the UK.

I was originally involved when this was first tried in the UK and after 12 months due to lack of support from sponsors and venues it failed to get beyond 12 months.

This time under the tutelage of Tony Weafer, a player on the GB9 Ball Tour and successful businessman, the league structure has much more planning and impetus to be successful behind it. Tony has worked tirelessly with Rileys (the UK’s leading pool and snooker provider) to bring them on board en masse. What this means is that the leagues will launch in around 100 venues simultaneously in January 2010.

It is an important time for such a scheme to get started, Britain as a nation has been achieving great results on a professional level with the likes of World Champions, Darren Appleton and Daryl Peach plus excellent performances from the likes of Imran Majid, Karl Boyes and more recently Chris Melling and Craig Osborne.

GB9 Leagues in my opinion will help us further strengthen our position internationally by developing the game and the interest at grassroots level. Yes, it will be full of amateur players wanting to have some fun, and why should it now be? However, it will also be a proving ground for young players and players moving across from other cue sports like snooker and English Pool.

Never has there been a better time in the UK’s history of 9-ball pool than now. Our professionals are performing better than ever and our official tour has announced plans to move into hotel venues for 2010 and beyond.

I wish the leagues every success and will actually be using them to get myself playing pool regularly again. The prize money, the county selection and ultimately spots on the GB9 Tour are all reasons why this will be a success.

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This weekend see’s the final event in the 2009 calendar for the GB 9-Ball Tour. This event will once again be held in the fantastic club that is Rileys Barnsley.

Rarely do we hear or see nice words being said about Rileys clubs but with this one, credit where credit is due. The manager is awesome, tables are kept immaculate and the club is clean and welcoming. I think Rileys as a whole should be taking note on what George Vetters and his team does.

Cuesport TV will be on site again to provide recorded coverage of the tour, we are itching to do these events live and with news of possible changes to the tour next season it looks hopeful for 2010. Different venues have been whispered and I am sure the organisers will make announcements soon.

Shirley Ang, Tournament Director, for the majority of the last two seasons has been told one way or another that her services are no longer required and Lee Rigby will be taking over the role for the final event and into 2010. Shirley has done wonders for the tour and will be a huge asset missing for next year.

Lee has helped with most of the running of the tour anyway so no doubt will step into the role very well as the UK’s own tour rolls into 2010.

A great club and great people this last event will hopefully live up to its billing and give us a good send off (from the main action at least, qualifiers for 2010 start in November) from the 2009 season lookinf forward to pastures new in 2010.

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I don’t like to dwell too much on the fact that I am the only person working in this business full-time, but one thing this does mean is that video-on-demand content is always slower to be released than I would like.

However, by changing the way we record things from the live broadcasts it has meant certain matches and tournaments have been quicker to make available, especially where commentary has been recorded on site.

I thought with this post I would use it as a bit of an update post, these are the files that have been added over the last few weeks, some are free and some are only available to subscribers.

Please watch the latest videos and rate and review them if you get chance:

• Paul Davies 127 Break at TCC Snooker Pro-am (Snooker TV - FREEVIEW)
• Mickey Lambert v Harjeet Singh - 8 Ball Super Tour (Cuesport TV - FREEVIEW)
• Martin Chapman v Imran Majid 1 of 2- GB9 Southern Masters Semi Final (Cuesport TV - Subscription)
• Martin Chapman v Imran Majid 2 of 2- GB9 Southern Masters Semi Final (Cuesport TV - Subscription)
• Craig Osborne v Imran Majid 1 of 3 - GB9 Southern Masters Final (Cuesport TV - Subscription)
• Craig Osborne v Imran Majid 2 of 3 - GB9 Southern Masters Final (Cuesport TV - Subscription)
• Craig Osborne v Imran Majid 3 of 3 - GB9 Southern Masters Final (Cuesport TV - Subscription)
• Ben Davies v Arfan Dad - 8 Ball Super Tour Last 32 (Cuesport TV - Subscription)
• Chris Melling v Ronan McCarthy - 8 Ball Super Tour Quarter Final (Cuesport TV - Subscription)
• Emma Cunningham v Ronan McCarthy 1 of 2 - 8 Ball Super Tour Semi Final (Cuesport TV - Subscription)
• Emma Cunningham v Ronan McCarthy 2 of 2 - 8 Ball Super Tour Semi Final (Cuesport TV - Subscription)

Please leave any comments below as well.

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Over the next two weekends (August 8th and August 15th/16th) Cuesport TV are involved in live streaming three separate big money match ups.

Burford vs Gray - Saturday 8th August, 5pm (UK Time) - Cuesport TV

The first on August 8th features, European Junior 9-ball Champion, Phil Burford and former European number 1, Mark Gray. These two stalwarts of the British 9-ball scene go head-to-head for £1000 per man. The game is 9-ball and it will be a race-to-30, winner breaks.

The action for this event will be live over at Cuesport TV to paid up subscribers, something you can do for as little as £2.95. The action starts at 5pm with an undercard match between Andy Appleton (brother of World Number 1 Darren Appleton) and young up-and-coming player Louis Clarke. They are playing for £500 per man race-to-21 I believe and will be live also in advance of the main event.

£10,000 Scotch Doubles Challenge - Saturday 15th August, 5pm (UK time) American Pool TV

Another evening of entertainment that starts with a tasty undercard match, UK Pro players Scott Higgins and Alan Millership match up for £500-per-man. Race-to-15 9 Ball action. A good precursor for what is to come at around about 7pm.

The big match up on the cards on this particular night is an interesting one. Rarely do we see scotch doubles matches outside of the Mosconi Cup so this will be a treat.

Karl Boyes & Chris Melling take on World number 1 Darren Appleton & Imran Majid.

The Prize?

A killer £10,000 winner-take-all pot. The match is 10 ball with a race-to-35 in operation, I expect a very close match, Boyes/Melling have a 5 rack start to make it even more interesting.

This live event will be the first one shown on American Pool TV where you can buy the match in advance for £4.99 or on the night for £7.49 make sure you buy it, amazing match up.

Simon Ward v Craig Reynold’s - Sunday August 16th, 3pm (UK Time) Cuesport TV

Another match for Cuesport TV subscribers.

Simon Ward, one of the most consistent players of the 2008 season plays renowned money player and IPA professional Craig Reynol’ds for a £6,000 pot.

Played to WEPF World Rules this one will appeal to the small-ball fans throughout the UK and Europe, possibly further afield.

To watch this one a subscription is required.

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At the weekend myself and my wife travelled to Shepherd’s Bush in London for the latest GB Ball Tour event.

We have been covering this tour since it’s inception in January 2008 and the tour has grown from strength to strength in terms of the organisation and the plyer depth.

This event was held in a Rileys club with only 12 american pool tables, this caused a very late finish, that was not helped by allowing a long wait until the quarter finals started. There were a couple of matches in the challenge division that were being waited on. If I was running the tournament, as long as players and tables are available I would get matches on. This could have saved around 1 hour in the pro cup.

I got a distinct feeling of tension at the tournament this weekend both from some of the players and some of the organisers. If the tour is to develop then these issues need to be solved asap.

Cuesport TV support this tour for no financial reward so there is a possibility that in the future we will no longer offer the coverage.

Well done to Mark Gray who lifted his first Pro Cup title with a 9-6 victory over Darren Appleton. He exorcised a few demons after the Nations Cup issues. You can watch all the matches from this tournament very soon on Cuesport TV.

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