Following the draw for the 2013 Shoot Out last Friday evening, World Snooker have today published the order of play for the three-day event, confirming that Barry Hawkins will open the proceedings as he looks to defend his first televised title in Blackpool.
Perhaps of more interest however is the news that the following amendments have been made to the rules:
“New shot clock rules for the Betfair Shoot-Out: 15 seconds for the first 5 min, then 10 seconds for the next 5 min”
While my reaction would be very different if such rules were imposed upon any other event, as far as the Shoot Out is concerned, I don’t see any harm particularly and can see the reasons for the change. After the first season when the tournament was new and some terrific matches were served up, the 2012 edition felt comparatively flat, perhaps as the players learned the format and how best to approach the ten minute matches tactically.
With just ten seconds for the final five minutes of the matches however, expect some carnage as the players will have little time to think about their shots and be forced to play very much on instinct. It is hard to imagine that the quality of the snooker on display will not be significantly affected, but ultimately the Shoot Out isn’t about quality snooker and it will add something different into the mix for three days in January.