Dominic Dale ready to defend his Snooker Shoot-Out title in Blackpool
Last Updated: 27/02/15 3:50pm
Defending champion Dominic Dale is confident he can retain his Snooker Shoot-Out title when the unique tournament returns next week in Blackpool.
Welshman Dale defeated Stuart Bingham in last year’s final to claim the £32,000 top prize and believes he is well suited to the frantic format, which starts on Wednesday March 4 at the Tower Circus Arena, live on Sky Sports 3.
The 64-man knock-out tournament features matches lasting just one frame and a maximum of 10 minutes, with a shot clock of 15 seconds for the first five minutes and 10 seconds for the last five.
"You have to be a quick thinker to start with," Dale told World Snooker. "You need to be working out which shot you are going to play next while the cue ball is still rolling. In my amateur and early pro days, I was as fast as Ronnie O'Sullivan. That's why I read the game quickly.
"Just after the Shoot-Out last year, I played in a speed-snooker event in Germany with Ronnie, Jack Lisowski and Shaun Murphy. I won that as well so it shows how fast my natural game is. I just don't feel that's the way for me to play in the main ranking events.
"I just love the Shoot-Out because it suits my extrovert nature. It's a brilliant event and it gives snooker a new dimension."
Dale starts the defence of his title against Belgian teenager Luca Brecel, while top stars such as Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Selby, Judd Trump and Jimmy White are also taking part in the competition.
Live coverage of the Snooker Shoot-Out starts next Wednesday from 6pm on Sky Sports 3.
