The 2018 Q School event kicked off on Monday with the British contingent enjoying a positive start in Burton. With a two-year card for the World Snooker Tour up for grabs many of the British competitors have already sealed their place in round two. World number 115 Jamie Curtis-Barrett made easy work of his opening match as he eased past Belgium’s Hans Blanckaert 4-1.
Curtis-Barrett had lost his last two trips to the table at the Gibraltar Open and World Championship, however, he showed no signs of a struggle at the Meadowside Leisure Centre in Burton. The 34-year-old will take on compatriot David Craggs in the second round following his comfortable triumph over Ireland’s Aaron Holland. Craggs’ progression never looked in doubt as he ran out a 4-1 winner to provide hope of claiming a Tour card.
Meanwhile, Blackpool potter James Cahill proved far too strong for India’s Himanshu Dinesh Jain. The 22-year-old, who is the nephew of seven-time World Championship winner Stephen Hendry, will go up against Estonia’s Andres Petrov in the next round after running out a 4-0 winner. Sean Maddocks had to show some girt and character to overcome Sweden’s Belan Sharif 4-3 and he is set to go head-to-head with fellow Englishman Joshua Cooper on Tuesday. William Thomson wrapped up his opening match with Jaspal Barmotra in quick fashion to advance courtesy of a 4-1 win. The Scot goes up against England’s John Whitty on Tuesday after he was handed a bye into the second round.