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.gif) Ricky is starting a 3 week tour of the Far East early in July.
First off, he's heading to Thailand to defend his SangSom 6-red Snooker International title. The tournament will take place from July 7-12 in Montien Riverside Hotel, Bangkok.
Next on the schedule is The 2009 General Cup International, a brand new invitational event that will be staged over five days at the General Snooker Club in Hong Kong from the 13th to the 17th July.
"I am delighted to fit this new tournament into my schedule and would like to thank the efforts of Ken Hui in helping to get it off the ground," said the Shanghai Masters champion. "I love playing in Asia and will always have special memories after winning my first major title out there last year. I have not been to Hong Kong before, so am really looking forward to this one".
For more details regarding this tournament, visit Global Snooker.
As the culmination of his tour, Ricky will take part in the World Games in Kaohsuing, Taiwan between 22 and 26 July 2009. The schedule for the event can be found here.
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| Ricky announces the opening of The Q Bar Chester + Competition. |
COMPETITION
The Q Bar Chester (formerly Chester Snooker Centre) opens its doors again in a few weeks. The Q Bar, world #20 Ricky Walden's practise base, offers Snooker and Pool tables of excellent standard as well as Poker and Sports bar.
But before the club begins a brand new life under a brand new sign, we would like to announce a COMPETITION for new logo/sign design. It's free for everyone to enter and the winner won't go without a prize! But we need it FAST. So put on your creative hats and get your entries coming in!
To do so, please register at www.rickywalden.co.uk and submit your design as a .jpeg file HERE
The deadline for the competition is Sunday June 14 2009.
UPDATE
The winners have now been announced. Thanks all for your participation.
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| Ricky Walden ready for debut at World Championships at the Crucible |
Ricky speaks to Chester Chronicle about his preparations and expectations ahead of the Betfred.com World Snooker Championship.
The moment Ricky Walden has been waiting all his life for arrives this weekend when he walks out at the Crucible for the first time.
The Chester-born 26-year- old makes his World Championship debut on Sunday against Mark Selby at the legendary Sheffield venue.
Walden will be the underdog for the first-round clash with the world number four and 2007 runner-up.
But he is confident practice sessions with world number three Shaun Murphy, the qualifier who stunned snooker by winning the 2005 championship, will help him cause an upset.
“Everything is in place and I just can’t wait to get there now and play my first match at the Crucible,” said world number 35 Walden, who sealed his maiden trip to the BBC-televised event by defeating world number 31 Anthony Hamilton.
“My preparations could not have gone any better. I’ve been practising with Shaun Murphy over in Sale in Manchester. We played together as juniors so I’ve known him for a long time.
“He’s based up north now so it’s given me the chance to go over this week and practise. He’s a former world champion and without doubt one of the best players in the world, so it’s been a big help.
“The Crucible is the place where you’ve got to step up to the plate, like Shaun did a few years ago. Given the way my preparations have gone, I’m confident I can do that and show that I have what it takes to become a world champion.”
Walden beat Selby, one of his closest friends in the sport, on the way to winning his maiden ranking title at the Shanghai Masters in October.
Selby avenged that defeat, however, by knocking former Sealand Snooker Club player Walden out of The Masters on his Wembley debut in January.
It will be Selby’s fifth successive appearance at the Crucible, but Walden – 19th in the provisional world rankings – does not believe that will give him an advantage.
“As long as you go there and prepare in the right way, I don’t see any reason why you should treat it differently to any other tournament,” said Walden, who is the Chester Snooker Centre’s resident professional.
“It’s not a different type of snooker, it’s still the same table, you’ve just got to adjust to the atmosphere and the venue.”
Walden, whose hopes of making it back-to-back triumphs in the Far East were dashed by Stephen Hendry in the China Open earlier this month, will practise with Murphy tomorrow before making his way to Sheffield on Sunday morning.
Tune in to BBC2 at 2.30pm on Sunday for coverage of Ricky Walden’s World Championship debut.
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| Ricky Makes Crucible Debut |
 www.flintshirechronicle.co.uk
Ricky Walden has sealed a maiden trip to the World Championship – where the first man standing in his way will be one of his best friends.
The 26-year-old from Bagillt will fulfil a lifelong ambition when he competes at the famous Crucible in Sheffield next month for the first time in his career.
The world number 35’s reward for his qualifying-round victory over Anthony Hamilton on Monday is a first-round showdown with world number four Mark Selby.
And the April 20 clash will bring the memories flooding back for Walden as he and Selby shared the same dream to appear on the greatest stage of all when they were coming up through the ranks.
“I’ve finally got to where I want to be so it’s a really nice feeling,” said Walden, whose week to remember continued on Tuesday when he won big on the first race at the Cheltenham Festival and then watched his beloved Liverpool knock Real Madrid out of the Champions League.
“I’ve lost a few times at the final stage and that’s been so hard for me because it means finishing the season on a disappointing note.
“So to qualify for the first time is a massive weight off my shoulders.
“The Crucible is where every player wants to play, but it’s only when you become a professional that you realise you actually have a chance to play in it.
“It’ll be nice to face Mark as we’ve been playing snooker together since we were kids. We used to play on the same England teams and we’re good friends.
“He’s one of the top players in the world and I’m sure there are people out there who would say you’d want to avoid players like him in the first round, but I’ll fancy my chances and I’m sure he’ll be saying the same.”
Walden beat Selby on his way to his first ranking title at the Shanghai Masters in October.
But the 25-year-old from Leicester avenged that defeat by knocking the ex-Flint High School student out of The Masters on his debut at the Wembley Arena in January.
But Walden will be confident of overcoming the 2007 World Championship runner-up if he repeats the form he produced against world number 31 Hamilton at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.
The former World Under 21s champion won seven of the final nine frames, with breaks of 88, 93, 61, 103 and 90, to win 10-5.
“The pressure builds every year you don’t make it and after the year I’ve had, with winning my first ranking tournament and getting to The Masters, the pressure was even more intense,” said Walden, who will be back practising at the Chester Snooker Centre next week ahead of his appearance at the China Open.
“It’s been a great season for me but I’m not going to the Crucible just to enjoy it.
“Of course it will be a great experience, but I’m hoping to go as far as I can.”
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| Snooker ace donates table to Deeside College's holiday club |
 www.eveningleader.co.uk
Snooker ace Ricky Walden has donated one of his old tables to Deeside College's holiday club.
The world number 35, from Bagillt, who recently beat world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan to secure his first senior tournament win, popped into Deeside College to meet the children and give them some snooker tips.
He said: "I used to practice on this table when I was growing, and I just hope the children get as much enjoyment from it as I did.
"Who knows? We could have a world number one in the making!"
Emma Seath, who runs the holiday club, said: "I would like to thank Ricky for this kind gesture.
"The old snooker table we had was ripped and there was no life left in any of the cushions. We contacted Ricky and he was more than happy to offer us one of his old tables.
"The children enjoy playing on the new table and will all be rooting for him the next time they see him in action on the TV."
The holiday club is running over the school half term, from February 16-20, and offers activities ranging from sport to arts and craft.
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| Ricky Walden’s on his way to Wembley |
www.flintshirechronicle.co.uk
Ricky Walden is relishing the chance to dine at snooker’s top table.
The Bagillt Bombshell is off to Wembley after being handed the one remaining wild card entry for the BBC-televised Masters.
It is reward for the 26-year-old’s landmark success at the Shanghai Masters in October when he swept aside Stephen Hendry, Steve Davis, Mark Selby and Ronnie O’Sullivan to claim the first ranking title of his career.
It will be world number 35 Walden’s debut appearance at the sport’s most sought-after invitation event, which is reserved for the top 16 players on the planet.
And, having been given the nod over legends like Davis and Jimmy White, he is determined to make the most of the opportunity.
Walden said: “It’s brilliant news. I’m back practising hard and I can’t wait to get down to Wembley.
“Even though I’ve just won a ranking event, the wild card place could easily have gone to players like Davis or Jimmy because they still put bums on seats. But they’ve given it to me and hopefully I’ll go down there and do well.
“I’ve never played at Wembley or even been there before so it’s going to be a new experience for me, but I’m going to be really well supported and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Walden, up to 21st in the provisional rankings, will take on Mark King at the Wembley Arena a week on Sunday for a place in the last 16 against his friend and defending champion Selby.
Former World Under 21 champion Walden hammered world number 15 King in the final of the Ravenace Pro-Am in Birmingham last summer. But he said: “He’s a really good player and it will be different this time as it’s the first time I’ve played him in a professional tournament. But as long as I settle down, I should be fine.”
Walden learned of his selection to The Masters after a heavy night out in Las Vegas, the trip he had promised his friends after he pocketed £52,000 for his victory in Shanghai.
He said: “We all got in at about 8.30am in the morning, Vegas time. I then got a call from World Snooker saying I’d got the wild card, so I went into other room, told the boys and we went straight back out again!”
Ex-Flint High School student Walden, whose career started in the Deeside League, is now back in training at a time when his friends and family are celebrating Christmas and New Year.
He said: “It is hard at this time of year as all you want to do is chill out. But to be honest, when you’ve got something like Wembley coming up, nothing else matters.”
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| Walden Awarded Masters Wild Card |
 Ricky called us from Las Vegas this afternoon (9am local time) after just arriving in from his belated Shanghai Masters Party. He received the news that he will be appearing at Wembley so thought it was only right to go back out and carry on the celebration.
Here's the official story on the WorldSnooker website.
We're so pleased for you Rick, what a fantastic Christmas present!
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 While all is quiet and calm in the Walden camp, there are a few new photos to look at in the gallery.
The pictures from 2008 Paul Hunter Classic that was held in Furth, Germany earlier this year, where Ricky had a decent run beating Steve Davis, Joe Perry and Michael Judge and only losing to Shaun Murphy in the semi-final, are kindly provided by the German cuesport magazine Touch-Magazine.
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In his latest entry in the Snooker Scene blog Dave Hendon gives his opinion on the potential wildcard candidates for the prestigious Wembley Masters.
Hendon considers Ricky Walden a strong favourite based on his recent win in Shanghai. We also think that for his impressive run in the asian tournament Walden deserves to be treated with a chance to play at Wembley.
Another option apart from being awarded the invite, would be to win the Masters qualifying tournament that will take place at EIS Sheffield on 21-26 November.
Either way, we're left to wait until the official announcement and keep fingers crossed for Ricky..
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 When Ricky steps off the plane today, he will be thrilled to hear that Leeroy Gorton is through to the last 64 of the Shropshire Star Championship.
Gorton, who heads up Ricky's management team was in "sparkling" form as he saw off Angus Way, three-frames-to one.
"It was a tricky opener, and I'm glad it's out of the way, but now I feel like I have the game to go all the way", Gorton said in a press conference afterwards.
Speaking exclusively to rickywalden.co.uk after the press conference, Gorton opened up a little more.
"Matthew Davies has won the title three times in the last four years, but this is the first time that I have been able to make the start line. Matthew is probably the best player in the county and is a former English champion, but I know that I have to beat the best in order to lift the title."
Gorton will find out his next opponent when the draw for the last 64 is done, but no doubt will be confident of taking the form he has been showing on the practice table forward.
Watch this space...
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| Ricky Goes Snooker Loopy! |
 Ricky has been experimenting with new techniques on the eve of the first ranking event ever staged in Bahrain.
Preparation for the Bahrain Championship has gone well for the Shanghai Masters champion, and he has even looked at ways of improving his technique.
Speaking exclusively to rickywalden.co.uk, he said, "I am always thinking that there is room for improvement, and the loop bridge is the latest way I have found of gaining better control on certain shots.
The loop bridge has been used for years in eight and nine-ball pool and I always admired the control that Jim Rempe managed to get, and so I started to try it out.
I have been a big fan of Jim Rempe for many years. He epitomizes Cue Sports and how it should be played.
Ronnie started playing left-handed a few years ago and now lots of players have started to do it. I think the loop bridge might be the same and in a few years you may see a number of the players using it".
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