Attacking Amal brings a new feel to Kerala snooker

Youngster gains plenty from a one-frame encounter with Pankaj Advani)

Amal Razak was a decent sprinter and basketball player at school. But a casual visit to a pool parlour changed his life. He got hooked to it and slowly, to snooker too.

The 20-year-old from Thiruvananthapuram has made some big moves that he hopes will carry him far in the sport.

“Three years ago I moved to Bengaluru mainly for snooker. I felt I could have exposure to better players there,” said Razak, Kerala’s most promising junior, in a chat with The Hindu on the sidelines of the State Championships at the Regional Sports Centre here.

“I train for nine hours every day at three centres in Bengaluru, at KBSA, East Cultural Association and Bangalore Academy. As I’m studying BA psychology through Open university, I can put in the hours to play snooker.”

Bengaluru also offered Razak a precious encounter with multiple World champion Pankaj Advani.

“We had an exhibition frame...he thrashed me nicely, it’s on YouTube too. He gave me a couple of tips and it helped me mentally get through the game a lot better,” said Razak who is sponsored by Nest Digital.

Razak’s presence has brought a new feel to the championships.