It appeared as if the match had been won and lost even before the players took the table. Chinese sensation Anda Zhang and his formidable rival Moh Keen Hoo were baffled by the change in lights when they walked into the hall for their crucial quarterfinal clash of the IBSF World Under-21 Snooker Championships here.
The change in the halogen lamp from white to yellow took both cueists by surprise. The tables behave differently to yellow lamps, and usually play a trifle faster. But then, it settles down for the better as the match progresses.
While the 15-year-old Zhang was quick to adjust to the new conditions, Hoo never got into his rhythm.  Besides, the new Chinese kid on the block came up with a brilliant show to score a surprisingly lop-sided 6-1 win over the Malaysian in the quarterfinals at the Bogmallo Beach Resort here on Thursday.
Up against Wells
In the semifinals, the 15-year-old Chinese takes on Daniel Wells. The Welsh cueist outplayed Jordan Brown of Northern Ireland 6-2. In the other semifinal, England's Michael Georgiou will clash with Ireland's Vincent Muldoon.
While Georgiou shocked favourite Yu Delu 6-1, Muldoon, who had a one-frame cushion after his opponent Pramual Jantad reported a minute late, overcame the Thailand player 6-4 in the other quarterfinal clash.
But it was the clash between Zhang and Hoo -- two of the best players on view -- that the small gathering had come to watch. It was a pity that the two had to meet so early in the tournament.
With Zhang in full cry and Hoo surprisingly off-colour, the match fizzled out into a no-contest. Though the spectators returned home a disappointed lot, Zhang did keep them entertained with a barrage of breaks. The error-prone Hoo only made it easier for the Chinese.
Zhang on song
Zhang came up with a well-constructed 69 in the opening frame of the best-of-eleven-frame encounter. The teenager followed up with another break of 69 in the second frame off another Hoo error. The Malaysian, still to come to grips with the speed of the table, was either missing sitter pots or losing position.
With the errors flowing thick and fast from Hoo's cue, Zhang had a relatively easy time. Down 0-2 and all at sea, Hoo sold a red to the top right-hand pocket in the third frame.
The Chinese teenager punished him with a 44 break and took the fourth frame as well with runs of 29 and 45.
The Malaysian utilised the five-minute break to get his focus and his game back, but without success. Though he pulled one frame back with miniscule runs of 16, 17 and 18, Hoo was never in control as he finished the first session 1-4 down.
Fluidity missing
The one-hour break after the first session seemed to play havoc with Zhang's game. The fluidity was sorely missing. But Hoo just could not up his game to alter the script. The Chinese teenager took the next two frames to set up a semifinal clash with second-seeded Wells.
Results: Boys: Quarterfinals: Michael Georgiou (Eng) bt Yu Delu (Chn) 6-1 (21-62, 66 (49) -19, 61 (50) -48, 76-15, 80 (45) -53, 82 (55) -6, 76 (55) -2); Vincent Muldoon (Ire) bt Pramual Jantad (Thai) 6-4 (first frame awarded to Muldoon as Jantad reported late, 61-12, 1-72 (44), 3-73 (54), 56-68, 29-69, 85-53, 60-52, 64-35, 59-19); Anda Zhang (Chn) bt Moh Keen Hoo (Mal) 6-1 (88 (69) -41, 69 (69) -38, 68 (42) -43, 74 (45) -1, 3-71, 56-47, 56-50); Daniel Wells (Wales) bt Jordan Brown (N Ire) 6-2 (32-68 (58), 84 (48) -12, 63-35, 81 (48) -0, 22-69, 68 (53) -17, 71-51, 64-18).
Pre-quarterfinals: M Georgiou bt Passakorn Suwannawat (Thai) 5-4 (117 (63, 54) -9, 16-81, 0-88 (87), 70-21, 80 (79) -0, 9-66, 64-32, 27-71, 88 (58) -0); Y Delu bt Kristof Vermeiren (Bel) 5-1 (64-35, 59-38, 22-60, 61-26, 78-15, 97-0); V Muldoon bt Chinnakrit Yaowannasri (Thai) 5-4 (11-59, 26-65, 77-11, 60-0, 41-64, 17-52, 52-41, 62-41, 63-35); P Jantad bt David Hogan (Ire) 5-3 (47-67, 78-49, 75-17, 39-72, 45-52, 128 (110) -11, 85 (85) -16, 68-48). MK Hoo bt Marc Davis (Sco) 5-0 (71-30, 102 (94) -0, 56-34, 65-1, 52-19); A Zhang bt Stephen Ellis (Wales) 5-3 (10-103 (89), 82 (61) -9, 81 (69) -26, 39-70 (63), 74-59, 85-23, 17-67, 64-54); J Brown bt Robbie Williams (Eng) 5-2 (73-33, 63-23, 51-11, 1-58, 16-76, 64-51, 65-9); D Wells bt Li Hang (Chn) 5-4 (47-73, 74-14, 66-9, 14-76, 61-63, 7-65, 78-30, 57-10, 66-41).
Girls: League: Ng On Yee (C-HK) bt Keerat Bhandal (Ind) 3-0 (67-33, 81-10, 47-37); Parsan Keynezhad (Irn) bt Hasani Armaghan (Irn) 3-1 (37-42, 79 (40) -6, 50-19, 42-5); Ramona Belmont (NZ) bt Lavanya B (Ind) 3-0 (72-51, 50-15, 62-49).