# 2008 Bahrain Championship

The 2008 Bahrain Championship was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place between 8 and 15 November 2008 at the Bahrain International Exhibition Centre in Manama, Bahrain. It was the fourth ranking event of the 2008/2009 season.
Due to a clash with a previously arranged Premier League match-day, three leading players (John Higgins, Mark Selby and Ding Junhui) were forced to miss the event. This meant that they earned no ranking points, with Matthew Stevens, Ken Doherty and Jamie Cope (ranked 17, 18 and 19 respectively) qualifying automatically due to the extra spaces in the draw. Likewise, the players ranked from 33–35 and 49–51 played one qualifier less than usual. Additionally, Ronnie O'Sullivan withdrew three days before the tournament for unspecified medical reasons.
Steve Davis was also involved in Premier League action, playing on 13 November, but did not withdraw from the tournament. He played his qualifying match and received a walkover due to O'Sullivan's withdrawal, meaning that he reached the last sixteen. However, before his last 16 match he withdrew from the event as an ear infection prevented him from flying to Bahrain.
Liang Wenbo made the 65th official maximum break during his qualifying match against Martin Gould. This was Liang's first official 147. Marcus Campbell made the 66th official maximum break during his wildcard round match against Ahmed Basheer Al-Khusaibi. This was Campbell's first official 147.
Neil Robertson won his third ranking title by defeating Matthew Stevens 9–7.

## Prize fund

The breakdown of prize money for this year is shown below:

## Wildcard round

The 6 lowest ranking qualifiers played one wildcard match each. Matches were played at Bahrain International Exhibition Centre on Saturday, 8 November.
| Match | | Score | |
| WC1 | Robert Milkins (ENG) | 5–1 | Ahmed Saif (QAT) |
| WC2 | Barry Pinches (ENG) | 5–1 | Ahmed Ghuloom (BHR) |
| WC3 | Mike Dunn (ENG) | 5–0 | Ahmed Abdulla Asiry (KSA) |
| WC4 | Marcus Campbell (SCO) | 5–0 | Ahmed Basheer Al-Khusaibi (OMA) |
| WC5 | Rod Lawler (ENG) | 5–1 | Isa Ali Al-Hashmi (UAE) |
| WC6 | Mark Davis (ENG) | 5–0 | Habib Subah (BHR) |

## Main draw

| Round 1 Best of 9 frames | Round 1 Best of 9 frames | Round 1 Best of 9 frames | Round 2 Best of 9 frames | Round 2 Best of 9 frames | Round 2 Best of 9 frames | Quarter-Finals Best of 9 frames | Quarter-Finals Best of 9 frames | Quarter-Finals Best of 9 frames | | Semi-Finals Best of 11 frames | Semi-Finals Best of 11 frames | Semi-Finals Best of 11 frames | | Final Best of 17 frames | Final Best of 17 frames | Final Best of 17 frames |
| 1 | Ronnie O'Sullivan | w/d | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Steve Davis | w/o | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Steve Davis | w/o | | Steve Davis | w/d | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Dominic Dale | w/o | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Marco Fu | 3 | | Dominic Dale | w/o | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Dominic Dale | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Dominic Dale | 5 | | | | | Dominic Dale | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 14 | Matthew Stevens | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| 14 | Matthew Stevens | 5 | | | | | | | 14 | Matthew Stevens | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| | Stuart Bingham | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Stuart Bingham | 0 | 14 | Matthew Stevens | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 6 | Ryan Day | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 6 | Ryan Day | 5 | 6 | Ryan Day | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Dave Harold | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Dave Harold | 2 | | | | | | | | 14 | Matthew Stevens | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 4 | Stephen Hendry | 4 | | | | |
| 7 | Peter Ebdon | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | 4 | Stephen Hendry | 4 | | | | |
| | Robert Milkins | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Robert Milkins | 5 | | Robert Milkins | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Michael Holt | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 16 | Jamie Cope | 3 | | Michael Holt | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Michael Holt | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Michael Holt | 5 | | | | | Robert Milkins | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 4 | Stephen Hendry | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | Graeme Dott | 3 | | | | | | | 4 | Stephen Hendry | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| | Barry Pinches | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Barry Pinches | 5 | | Barry Pinches | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 4 | Stephen Hendry | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 4 | Stephen Hendry | 5 | 4 | Stephen Hendry | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Ricky Walden | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Ricky Walden | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | 14 | Matthew Stevens | 7 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | Neil Robertson | 9 |
| 3 | Shaun Murphy | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | Neil Robertson | 9 |
| | Mike Dunn | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mike Dunn | 5 | | Mike Dunn | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Barry Hawkins | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 15 | Ken Doherty | 3 | | Barry Hawkins | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Barry Hawkins | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Barry Hawkins | 5 | | | | | Barry Hawkins | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 13 | Mark Allen | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| 13 | Mark Allen | 5 | | | | | | | 13 | Mark Allen | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| | Judd Trump | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Judd Trump | 1 | 13 | Mark Allen | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Michael Judge | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 5 | Ali Carter | 3 | | Michael Judge | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Michael Judge | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Michael Judge | 5 | | | | | | | | 13 | Mark Allen | 4 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | 8 | Neil Robertson | 6 | | | | |
| 8 | Neil Robertson | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | 8 | Neil Robertson | 6 | | | | |
| | Marcus Campbell | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Marcus Campbell | 4 | 8 | Neil Robertson | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | Stephen Lee | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 12 | Mark King | 3 | | Stephen Lee | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Stephen Lee | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Stephen Lee | 5 | | | | 8 | Neil Robertson | 5 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | 2 | Stephen Maguire | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| 9 | Joe Perry | 5 | | | | | | | 2 | Stephen Maguire | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | Rod Lawler | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Rod Lawler | 1 | 9 | Joe Perry | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | 2 | Stephen Maguire | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 2 | Stephen Maguire | 5 | 2 | Stephen Maguire | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | Mark Davis | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |

## Final

Final: Best of 17 frames. Referee: Eirian Williams. Bahrain International Exhibition Centre, Manama, Bahrain, November 15, 2008. :
| Matthew Stevens (14) Wales | 7–9 | Neil Robertson (8) Australia |
| Afternoon: 0–129 (129), 13–117 (117), 4–108 (96), 69–68 (Robertson 68), 1–75 (75), 82–22 (51), 75–0 (70) Evening: 56–70 (63), 67–47, 115–0 (71), 32–64, 110–5 (110), 73–48, 61–64, 1–96 (53), 8–77 |||
| 110 | Highest break | 129 |
| 1 | Century breaks | 2 |
| 4 | 50+ breaks | 7 |

## Qualifying

Qualifying for the tournament took place at Pontins in Prestatyn, Wales between 27 and 30 October 2008.
| Round 1 Best of 9 frames | Round 1 Best of 9 frames | Round 2 Best of 9 frames | Round 2 Best of 9 frames | Round 3 Best of 9 frames | Round 3 Best of 9 frames | Round 4 Best of 9 frames | Round 4 Best of 9 frames |
| James McBain | 0 | Lee Spick | 2 | David Gray | 0 | Steve Davis | 5 |
| Atthasit Mahitthi | 5 | Atthasit Mahitthi | 5 | Atthasit Mahitthi | 5 | Atthasit Mahitthi | 4 |
| Daniel Wells | | Liu Song | 2 | John Parrott | 5 | Dominic Dale | 5 |
| bye | | Daniel Wells | 5 | Daniel Wells | 3 | John Parrott | 0 |
| Peter Lines | | Jimmy White | 2 | Alan McManus | 1 | Stuart Bingham | 5 |
| bye | | Peter Lines | 5 | Peter Lines | 5 | Peter Lines | 2 |
| Supoj Saenla | 4 | Mark Joyce | 5 | Rory McLeod | 5 | Dave Harold | 5 |
| Andrew Pagett | 5 | Andrew Pagett | 4 | Mark Joyce | 3 | Rory McLeod | 4 |
| David Grace | 2 | Andrew Norman | 3 | Robert Milkins | 5 | Joe Swail | 1 |
| Robert Stephen | 5 | Robert Stephen | 5 | Robert Stephen | 3 | Robert Milkins | 5 |
| Rodney Goggins | 5 | David Morris | 5 | Adrian Gunnell | 4 | Michael Holt | 5 |
| Michael Georgiou | 1 | Rodney Goggins | 1 | David Morris | 5 | David Morris | 0 |
| Chris McBreen | 2 | David Roe | 2 | Barry Pinches | 5 | Fergal O'Brien | 4 |
| Stefan Mazrocis | 5 | Stefan Mazrocis | 5 | Stefan Mazrocis | 1 | Barry Pinches | 5 |
| Paul Davison | 5 | Stuart Pettman | 5 | Jimmy Michie | 5 | Ricky Walden | 5 |
| Aditya Mehta | 2 | Paul Davison | 4 | Stuart Pettman | 2 | Jimmy Michie | 2 |
| Simon Bedford | 1 | Joe Delaney | 5 | Mike Dunn | 5 | Gerard Greene | 1 |
| Stephen Craigie | 5 | Stephen Craigie | 2 | Joe Delaney | 2 | Mike Dunn | 5 |
| Matthew Selt | 5 | Paul Davies | 5 | Jamie Burnett | 1 | Barry Hawkins | 5 |
| Liu Chuang | 4 | Matthew Selt | 4 | Paul Davies | 5 | Paul Davies | 4 |
| Kuldesh Johal | 4 | Scott MacKenzie | 2 | Judd Trump | 5 | Mark Williams | 2 |
| Vincent Muldoon | 5 | Vincent Muldoon | 5 | Vincent Muldoon | 4 | Judd Trump | 5 |
| Jamie Jones | | Martin Gould | 5 | Liang Wenbo | 5 | Michael Judge | 5 |
| bye | | Jamie Jones | 4 | Martin Gould | 1 | Liang Wenbo | 2 |
| Matthew Couch | 5 | Ian Preece | 4 | Marcus Campbell | 5 | Nigel Bond | 4 |
| Andy Lee | 3 | Matthew Couch | 5 | Matthew Couch | 2 | Marcus Campbell | 5 |
| Patrick Wallace | 2 | Andy Hicks | 5 | Tom Ford | 1 | Stephen Lee | 5 |
| Jin Long | 5 | Jin Long | 3 | Andy Hicks | 5 | Andy Hicks | 1 |
| Lewis Roberts | | Rod Lawler | 5 | David Gilbert | 2 | Ian McCulloch | 3 |
| bye | | Lewis Roberts | 1 | Rod Lawler | 5 | Rod Lawler | 5 |
| Li Hang | 5 | Mark Davis | 5 | Andrew Higginson | 3 | Anthony Hamilton | 2 |
| Wayne Cooper | 2 | Li Hang | 2 | Mark Davis | 5 | Mark Davis | 5 |