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TOM'S LOOKING FOR CUE CLUES
Storm, 38, one of the seeded players in Group 15, lost his opening match on one of the outside tables as he went down to Jang su Lee of Korea at the Cardiff International Arena. Needing some sustenance before a later TV table meeting against Greece's Vangelis Vettas, Tom headed out into Cardiff and the nearest burger bar to fill up. However, when he returned to his table from a visit to the toilets, his bag was gone and with it his set of highly prized cues. Storm headed back to the arena and with borrowed cues proceeded to beat his Greek opponent 5 - 4. During the match, organisers Matchroom Sport put out an appeal on BBC Radio Wales for a return of the cues and afterwards Tom was interviewed by the local constabulary for any clues. "It's a big disappointment when something like that happens because these are the tools of my trade, he said. "Hopefully, they will be returned when someone has a change of heart. "I did better with my friends cues than I did with my own but I don't think you can read too much into that." Elsewhere, big name players were struggling with played two, lost two records, including two time Mosconi Cup player Charlie Williams who suffered a 5 - 3 bashing at the hands of Cardiff's own Rob McKenna in front of a jubilant CIA crowd. Hungary's Sandor Tot, also sports a 0 - 2 record after the early session. On the winner's side, previous champions,
Efren Reyes and Mika Immonen have both played two and won two. 2001 has been the home countries best year yet, with 11 players making it through to the knock-out stages and whilst that figure looks unlikely to be bettered, there are plenty of players in a good position to make it through to the last 64. In pole position is Leicester-based veteran Tommy Donlon who has racked up four wins from four starts in Group 11 and looks a certainty to qualify. Steve Davis, who has never yet lost out in the group stages, has a perfect record from three matches and that is matched by former English Professional Billiard Champion Roxton Chapman of Peterborough who only qualified as a 'Lucky Loser' from the qualifying stages. "I'm very pleased with my progress because whoever you get in your group it will always be tough, Davis said. "Some of the Americans like Johnny Archer and Charlie Williams have taken a hiding over the first two days and their position looks very dodgy indeed. "I'm pleased to see that almost all the other British players are still in with a shout and it would be great to have a big representation in the knock out stages. Penzance-based junior qualifier Dominic Clemens, who stunned Mosconi Cup captain Oliver Ortmann on Saturday, continued the good work with two further wins to take second spot in Group 12 at the halfway stage of qualifying.
There were mixed fortunes for the two Welsh representatives as home-town hero Rob McKenna suffered two defeats leaving him with it all to do in Group 5 and World Snooker Champion Mark Williams recorded a solid win over Vilmos Foldes of Hungary and then went down to Marko Lothander of Finland. Mark has one win from three starts in Group 1. CHECK
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European
No.1 Tom Storm of Sweden suffered a disaster at the 2003 empirepoker.com
World Pool Championship when he had his cue bag stolen whilst grabbing
a bite at the local Burger King.
After
two days of intense action at the 2003 empirepoker.com World Pool
Championship, the Union Jack is flying high over the Cardiff International
Arena with the home contingent of 9-ball hopefuls faring up favourably
compared to some other nations. 
Others
with three wins include Peckham Potter Kevin Smith, Steve Knight,
a previous quarter finalist here, and Wolverhampton-based qualifier
Kevin Uzzell.Spread Betting Training Ground - Click Here
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