Jamie Jones 4-0 Simon Lichtenberg - After a long battle for snookers, which lasted nearly as long as the first three frames combined, Jones pots the blue after being put under serious pressure by some excellent snookers by Lichtenberg, including one behind the pink that was over the corner pocket. Unfortunately for him his inexperience showed a little and perhaps a bit too much of an aggressive approach cost him. Either way it was a thorough performance from Jones who'll be more than happy with that start to the season. Lichtenberg will improve I'm sure with more experience and game time.
It's last chance saloon time for Lichtenberg but he just hasn't taken his chances today. Jones has a foul called against him for touching a red while stretching for the blue (which he missed anyway) but Lichtenberg only makes 8 before another miss comes. Could be a longer frame now with the safety pushing reds towards the blue which is over the yellow pocket.
Frame 4 - Once again Jones earns the first chance of the frame. However, he only makes 30 before running out of position and playing safe. Hopefully for Lichtenberg, being on the brink of defeat will free him up a bit because it would be nice for him to get a frame on the board in his pro debut.
Frame Jones - Another frame quickly dispatched by Jones with the best break of the match so far, as he makes Lichtenberg pay. A run of 64 puts the Welshman within one of a season opening win and a place in Riga. 3-0.
Frame 3 - Early chances go begging for Jones and he leaves Lichtenberg in. However he misses a very tricky plant on 20 and leaves his opponent right in amongst them. Once again the German's attacking play could cost him.
Frame Jones - Lichtenberg loses the safety battle after missing a long red and leaving all of the reds on. It looked like a comfortable clearance until Jones over hit his shot from blue to the yellow and nearly snookered himself, but this time he gets away with it and makes a break of 50 to double his lead. Lichtenberg leaves the arena to gather himself ahead of a must win third frame. 2-0 Jones.
After running out of ideal position Lichtenberg takes on a risky pink, misses but gets a huge bonus by leaving Jones tucked up on a red and unable to pot anything. A key safety battle here now, certainly for the German you feel.
Frame 2 - Jones had the first chance here but could not take advantage running out of position on 25. Lichtenberg in now for his first real chance of the match, and this is an opportunity now for him to settle any first match nerves.
Frame Jones - An additional 28 helps Jones to get well over the line in this frame and make sure Lichtenberg will not play on for snookers. He has played on for the table time which in the opening frame is always wise. 1-0 Jones.
The Welshman makes a nice 40 until failing to bring the black away from the reds and playing safe off the pink. You could see before he played the red and cannon that he was not in the position he wanted to be. However a plant on a red over the corner gets him back in again quickly with an opportunity to kill this frame off.
Frame 1 - After a miss each on tricky pots early on, Jones gets the first chance of the match and has the reds in decent positions to settle himself with an early contribution.
The new snooker season is here and that means it's time to see all the new players who will be trying to crack the code on tour. The first of those that I'm going to be watching today is Germany's Simon Lichtenberg as he takes on Jamie Jones.
Lichtenberg is now one of two players from Germany on the tour, both of whom I'll be live blogging today, and it would be great to see someone from a country where snooker is so popular climb the rankings and tackle the big boys.
As for Jones he'll have his sights set on continuing the great form that saw him end with wins over Liang Wenbo and then at the Crucible against Shaun Murphy in the World Championship. With that extra bit of confidence he's a player that is more than capable of winning a ranking event this season, having come close in the past with a couple of semi finals to his name.
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