Tai Pichit

Chuchart Trairatanapradit, popularly known as Tai Pichit (born 10 January 1963) is a Thai former professional snooker player.

Tai Pichit
Born (1963-01-10) 10 January 1963
Thailand
Sport country Thailand
Professional1994–1997, 1998/1999
Highest ranking124 (1998/1999)
Best ranking finishLast 16 (x1)

Pichit participated at the World Snooker Championship three times, reaching the first round in 1995. Pichit's best overall ranking finish was at the 1994 Thailand Open, where he reached the last 16 stage.

Career

Pichit turned professional in 1991. His first tournament was the 1991 Thailand Open, where he was eliminated 4–5 in the first round by Allison Fisher. Pichit's best run came in 1994, when he participated in the Thailand Open, beating Colin Morton and Stephen Hendry 5–2, before losing to Morgan 4–5 in the second round.

One year later, he participated at his first World Snooker Championship, qualifying for the 1995 edition of the tournament. In so doing, Pichit became the second Thai player, after James Wattana, to play at the Crucible Theatre. Pichit defeated Mark Whatley 5–3, Adrian Rosa 5–1, Mike Dunn 5–2, Warren King 10–0, Stuart Reardon 10–8, Alex Higgins 10–5, Euan Henderson 10–6 and Mike Hallett 10–8 to set up an encounter with Willie Thorne. In the event, Pichit led 2–0 and held Thorne to 4–4 and 6–7, but eventually lost 6–10.

He also participated in the 1996 UK Championship, defeating Jimmy White 9–7 in the first round, and advanced to the second round, where he was defeated by Joe Johnson 6–9.

In 1998–99, Pichit was ranked 124th, the highest ranking in his career, but ended the season at 150th, with his final tournament at the 1999 China International, where he lost 0–5 to John Giles. He lost his professional status immediately thereafter, aged 36.

Personal life

Pichit was a Buddhist monk(bhikkhu) before he became a professional snooker player.[1]

Performance and rankings timeline
Tournament 1990/
91		 1991/
92		 1993/
94		 1994/
95		 1995/
96		 1996/
97		 1998/
99
Ranking[2][nb 1] [nb 2] [nb 2] [nb 2] [nb 3] 171 140 [nb 3]
Ranking tournaments
Grand Prix A A A LQ LQ LQ LQ
UK Championship A A A LQ LQ 2R LQ
Irish Open[nb 4] A A A LQ LQ LQ LQ
Welsh Open A A A LQ LQ LQ LQ
Scottish Open[nb 5] Not Held A 1R LQ LQ LQ
Thailand Masters[nb 6] A A 2R LQ WD LQ LQ
China International Tournament Not Held LQ
British Open A A A LQ LQ LQ LQ
World Championship A A A 1R LQ LQ LQ
Former ranking tournaments
Asian Classic[nb 7] A A A LQ WD LQ NH
German Masters[nb 8] Tournament Not Held LQ LQ NR
Former non-ranking tournaments
Kent Cup SF Tournament Not Held
Thailand Masters[nb 6] R 1R Ranking Event
Hong Kong Challenge A 1R Tournament Not Held
Indian Challenge NH 1R Tournament Not Held
Performance Table Legend
LQ lost in the qualifying draw #R lost in the early rounds of the tournament
(WR = Wildcard round, RR = Round robin)		 QF lost in the quarter-finals
SF lost in the semi-finals F lost in the final W won the tournament
DNQ did not qualify for the tournament A did not participate in the tournament WD withdrew from the tournament
NH / Not Heldmeans an event was not held.
NR / Non-Ranking Eventmeans an event is/was no longer a ranking event.
R / Ranking Eventmeans an event is/was a ranking event.
  1. It shows the ranking at the beginning of the season.
  2. He was an amateur
  3. New players on the Main Tour don't have a ranking
  4. The event was called the European Open (1990/1991–1996/1997)
  5. The event was called the International Open (1993/1994–1996/1997)
  6. The event was called the Asian Open (1990/1991–1991/1992) and the Thailand Open (1993/1994–1996/1997)
  7. The event was called the Dubai Classic (1990/1991–1994/1995) and the Thailand Classic (1995/1996)
  8. The event was called the German Open (1995/1996–1996/1997)

Career finals

Pro-am finals: 2
Outcome No. Year Championship Opponent in the final Score Ref.
Runner-up 1. 1991 Southeast Asian Games Thailand Praput Chaithanasakun 1–5 [3]
Runner-up 2. 1993 Southeast Asian Games (2) Thailand Praput Chaithanasakun 0–5 [4]

Amateur finals: 6 (2 titles)
Outcome No. Year Championship Opponent in the final Score Ref.
Runner-up 1. 1989 Thailand Amateur Championship Thailand Udon Khaimuk 5–8 [5]
Winner 1. 1991 ACBS Asian Snooker Championship India Yasin Merchant 8–3 [6]
Runner-up 2. 1992 ACBS Asian Snooker Championship Thailand Praput Chaithanasakun 7–8 [6]
Runner-up 3. 1993 ACBS Asian Snooker Championship (2) Thailand Praput Chaithanasakun 5–8 [6]
Winner 2. 1993 IBSF World Snooker Championship Thailand Praput Chaithanasakun 11–6 [7]
Runner-up 4. 2010 World Amateur Championship - Masters Wales Philip Williams 4–6 [8]

References
  1. "How genius Alex Higgins took snooker to all new level and inspired stars of the future - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk".
  2. "Ranking History". Snooker.org. Archived from the original on 19 December 2018. Retrieved 17 June 2019.
  3. "Scoreboard". Manila Standard. 5 December 1991. p. 21. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  4. "Yesterday's results". The Straits Times. 20 June 1993. p. 29. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  5. "Udon takes over in Wattana's absence". Pot Black. Brentwood: Pot Black Publishing. July 1989. pp. 28–29.
  6. "Asian Snooker Championship: Roll of Honour". Global Snooker. Archived from the original on 25 May 2014. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  7. "Past Champions". International Billiards and Snooker Federation. Archived from the original on 20 January 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
  8. "World Masters Snooker Championship". International Billiards and Snooker Federation. Archived from the original on 25 December 2010. Retrieved 2 December 2022.
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