That’s it - They’re certain that something was there prior to the removal/cleanup. The cue tech brought it out and asked if I’d put a pad on the shaft.
The BKIII(3) was an advanced predecessor to the Revo, having a similar design and style. The BKII did not have that technology. The reason I added a picture of the shaft is to clearly validate the cushion and vault plate. All of the Predator break cues have the same or similar configuration.
I’d asked the cue repair shop if they worked on Predator cue repair. I was told YES. I really shouldn’t be going down a rabbit hole about who was better equipped to fix my cue. All I’m expecting is to replace what had been erroneously removed. I’m getting educated about cue technology, and people who telling me that it doesn’t matter are misinformed.
While the path of the cue ball does tell the story for this shot, it is not one of the simpler situations, like shooting between two frozen balls. I can see how the ref could be unsure about what a shot would look like if close to a simultaneous hit.
Clearly ref should have reviewed like Nigel Rees in the foul in that Bustamante -Daryl Peach match. Though in that match Rees only reviewed after someone shouted "Foul"
Thanks. I think I still have it around somewhere although I don't know what I would possibly play the tape on now, if it would even still play.
I guess Dr Dave is probably taking up the mantle on that now. Although I haven't really looked at that much of his stuff does he have the kind of high-speed stuff you were doing?
But now he won again with a foul in the final rack.
I don't know whats up with Yapp and winning the final rack on a foul, however this one isn't his fault - he knew its a foul, he waited for the ref to call it, the ref was just so bad that she didn't know how to distinguish a foul/good shot in pocket billiards when balls are close, just like that other referee dude I forgot his name where he squints too hard to try & see which ball is hit first, thats not how to determine a foul in pool...EVER
The way to tell if its a foul or not is by the cueball reaction, very very very simple. You don't need to squint, you dont need to see both balls and eye-ball it to see which was hit first. It is very easy if you have pool knowledge, just look at the cueball and from a mile away you can see if its a foul or not (That goes for any two closely balls, or also a ball & rail very closely together) check the cueball reaction and you would know.
In a million years if he hit the 8ball first the cueball would NEVER follow the 8ball in its direction, literally you can see the whity going after the 8ball which indicates he hit the pueple first, if you hit the 8ball first then the purple 2nd then the cueball would react differently either going in between both balls (direction wise) or following the purple in its direction.
No need to zoom in, no need to squint, and for viewers with no knowledge about pool please dont try to zoom in, thats not how you determine this.
Clip of the shot in question. Login to view embedded media
(I don't know if i stamped it correctly, its the last shot of the match).
P.S. I love Yapp please don't get me wrong. Grats to him for winning the tournament, very well deserved, this time it's the ref fault. I know i mentioned this but look at his face when the 8ball was going to the pocket, he was waiting for the foul call he stared at the ref....also FSR knew its a fault but he's such a gentelmen and followed by what the ref called & went on with it as the crowd kept cheering, he didn't want to ruin the moment for Yapp, FSR is such a nice guy.
Zhao and Ronnie are solid bets . Though I think Zhao may fall to Crucible Curse I think Ronnie will win it this year and retire but he is in very tough top half of draw.
If not Ronnie, I think either Mark Selby (in form this year) or Trump https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_World_Snooker_Championship#Main_draw
40 years ago is too long ago for folks like me. Let us talk about more current active best players of these last 2 decades who have not won a major.
For this exercise, major is defined as only WPA/PBS/WNT 8B,9B,10B majors, includes World Games (poor man’s version of Olympics) , PBS Las Vegas Open (longest running leg of PBS tour). Excludes team events,All Japan, invitationals (like World Pool Masters, PLP, Big Foot 10B).
Conclusion:
The players with highest finishes in majors who have not won a major are: Alex Kazakis (2nd W8B, 2nd W10B, 3rd W9B) and Kuo Po Cheng (2x runner up+ 1x semifinalist at W9B) followed by are Oi, Raga, He.