1987 Classic (snooker)
# 1987 Classic (snooker)

The 1987 Mercantile Credit Classic was the eighth edition of the professional snooker tournament which took place from 2–11 January 1987. The tournament was played at the Norbreck Castle Hotel, Blackpool, Lancashire. Television coverage was by ITV with weekday afternoon coverage on Channel 4.

Qualifying took place in November 1986. The leading players started at the last-64 stage and had to win two matches to reach the last-16 televised stage in January. Only five of the leading 16 seeded players reached the last-16 including defending champion Jimmy White and Steve Davis

In the first semi-final Jimmy White beat Dean Reynolds in the deciding frame after fluking a red and then making a break of 74. Steve Davis beat Stephen Hendry 9–3 in the second semi-final.

Defending champion Jimmy White made it to the final again but lost to Steve Davis in another 13–12 result. Davis won the first prize of £50,000 while White took the runners-up prize of £30,000 and another £5,000 for the high break prize for his break of 126 in the semi-finals.

## Main draw

| Last 16 Best of 9 frames | Last 16 Best of 9 frames | Last 16 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 17 frames | Semi-finals Best of 17 frames | Semi-finals Best of 17 frames | Final Best of 25 frames | Final Best of 25 frames | Final Best of 25 frames |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Jimmy White (ENG) | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Steve Duggan (ENG) | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Steve Duggan (ENG) | 2 | 1 | Jimmy White | 5 | | | | | | |
| | | | 10 | Terry Griffiths | 3 | | | | | | |
| 10 | Terry Griffiths (WAL) | 5 | 10 | Terry Griffiths | 3 | | | | | | |
| | John Campbell (AUS) | 3 | | | | | | | | | |
| | John Campbell (AUS) | 3 | | | | 1 | Jimmy White | 9 | | | |
| | | | | | | | Dean Reynolds | 8 | | | |
| | Wayne Jones (WAL) | 3 | | | | | | | Dean Reynolds | 8 | | | | |
| | Cliff Wilson (WAL) | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Cliff Wilson (WAL) | 5 | | Cliff Wilson | 1 | | | | | | |
| | | | | Dean Reynolds | 5 | | | | | | |
| | Barry West (ENG) | 3 | | Dean Reynolds | 5 | | | | | | |
| | Dean Reynolds (ENG) | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Dean Reynolds (ENG) | 5 | | | | | | | 1 | Jimmy White | 12 |
| | | | | | | | | | 3 | Steve Davis | 13 |
| 3 | Steve Davis (ENG) | 5 | | | | | | | | | | 3 | Steve Davis | 13 |
| 11 | Tony Meo (ENG) | 2 | | | | | | | | | |
| 11 | Tony Meo (ENG) | 2 | 3 | Steve Davis | 5 | | | | | | |
| | | | | John Parrott | 4 | | | | | | |
| | Eddie Charlton (AUS) | 4 | | John Parrott | 4 | | | | | | |
| | John Parrott (ENG) | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| | John Parrott (ENG) | 5 | | | | 3 | Steve Davis | 9 | | | |
| | | | | | | | Stephen Hendry | 3 | | | |
| | Danny Fowler (ENG) | 4 | | | | | | | Stephen Hendry | 3 | | | | |
| | Stephen Hendry (SCO) | 5 | | | | | | | | | |
| | Stephen Hendry (SCO) | 5 | | Stephen Hendry | 5 | | | | | | |
| | | | 12 | Silvino Francisco | 0 | | | | | | |
| 12 | Silvino Francisco (RSA) | 5 | 12 | Silvino Francisco | 0 | | | | | | |
| | Peter Francisco (RSA) | 1 | | | | | | | | | |

## Final

Final: Best of 25 frames. Referee: . Norbreck Castle Hotel, Blackpool, England, 10 & 11 January 1987. :

| Steve Davis England | 13–12 | Jimmy White England |
| - | - | - |
| First session: 52–61, 25–65, 66–36, 95–29, 74–12 (70), 56–66 (Davis 55), 65–21 Second session: 54–62, 68–66 (53), 6–69, 123–0 (119), 67–43, 37–71, 28–73, 69–58 (Davis 55, White 58) Third session: 73–22 (72), 7–107 (74), 72–2 (53), 7–94 (50), 71–0 (60), 36–47, 1–75 (75), 65–35, 55–80, 75–35 |||
| 119 | Highest break | 75 |
| 1 | Century breaks | 0 |
| 7 | 50+ breaks | 5 |

## Qualifying

### Last-64 round

| Jimmy White (ENG) | 5–4 | Steve Newbury (WAL) |
| - | - | - |
| Malcolm Bradley (ENG) | 5–1 | David Taylor (ENG) |
| Steve Duggan (ENG) | 5–3 | Neal Foulds (ENG) |
| Bill Werbeniuk (CAN) | 5–1 | Jack McLaughlin (NIR) |
| Terry Griffiths (WAL) | 5–1 | Joe O'Boye (NIR) |
| Dave Martin (ENG) | 5–4 | Geoff Foulds (ENG) |
| John Spencer (ENG) | 5–3 | Willie Thorne (ENG) |
| John Campbell (AUS) | 5–2 | Paddy Browne (IRL) |
| Wayne Jones (WAL) | 5–2 | Dennis Taylor (NIR) |
| Tony Kearney (IRL) | 5–0 | Murdo MacLeod (SCO) |
| Les Dodd (ENG) | 5–4 | Doug Mountjoy (WAL) |
| Cliff Wilson (WAL) | 5–4 | Ian Williamson (ENG) |
| Kirk Stevens (CAN) | 5–3 | Bob Chaperon (CAN) |
| Barry West (ENG) | 5–4 | Frank Jonik (CAN) |
| Cliff Thorburn (CAN) | 5–0 | Graham Cripsey (ENG) |
| Dean Reynolds (ENG) | 5–4 | Warren King (AUS) |
| Steve Davis (ENG) | 5–0 | Graham Jenkins (AUS) |
| John Virgo (ENG) | 5–3 | Mark Bennett (WAL) |
| Tony Meo (ENG) | 5–4 | John Rea (SCO) |
| Steve Longworth (ENG) | 5–3 | Terry Murphy (NIR) |
| Rex Williams (ENG) | 5–2 | Mario Morra (CAN) |
| Eddie Charlton (AUS) | 5–0 | Mick Fisher (ENG) |
| Alex Higgins (NIR) | 5–2 | Colin Roscoe (WAL) |
| John Parrott (ENG) | 5–2 | Tony Jones (ENG) |
| Danny Fowler (ENG) | 5–4 | Tony Knowles (ENG) |
| Mike Hallett (ENG) | 5–3 | Bernie Mikkelsen (CAN) |
| Stephen Hendry (SCO) | 5–3 | Ray Reardon (WAL) |
| Jon Wright (ENG) | 5–4 | Eugene Hughes (IRL) |
| Silvino Francisco (RSA) | 5–4 | Jimmy van Rensberg (RSA) |
| Bob Harris (ENG) | 5–3 | Jim Wych (CAN) |
| Joe Johnson (ENG) | 5–0 | Eddie Sinclair (SCO) |
| Peter Francisco (RSA) | 5–3 | Marcel Gauvreau (CAN) |

### Last-32 round

| Jimmy White | 5–0 | Malcolm Bradley |
| - | - | - |
| Steve Duggan | 5–0 | Bill Werbeniuk |
| Terry Griffiths | 5–4 | Dave Martin |
| John Spencer | 3–5 | John Campbell |
| Wayne Jones | 5–1 | Tony Kearney |
| Les Dodd | 4–5 | Cliff Wilson |
| Kirk Stevens | 3–5 | Barry West |
| Cliff Thorburn | 4–5 | Dean Reynolds |
| Steve Davis | 5–2 | John Virgo |
| Tony Meo | 5–0 | Steve Longworth |
| Rex Williams | 4–5 | Eddie Charlton |
| Alex Higgins | 2–5 | John Parrott |
| Danny Fowler | 5–4 | Mike Hallett |
| Stephen Hendry | 5–1 | Jon Wright |
| Silvino Francisco | 5–3 | Bob Harris |
| Joe Johnson | 3–5 | Peter Francisco |

## Century breaks

(Including qualifying rounds)

* 140, 112 – Cliff Thorburn
* 136, 122, 111 – Stephen Hendry
* 131 – John Parrott
* 126 – Jimmy White
* 122, 102 – Mark Bennett
* 119, 108 – Steve Davis
* 112 – Danny Fowler
* 109 – Tommy Murphy
* 106 – Peter Francisco
* 104 – Steve Duggan
* 104 – Neal Foulds
* 103 – Terry Griffiths
* 100 – Jon Wright
