'Kaun banega the second snooker lakhpati of the season?' . The answer  to this question about the second winner of the Rs one lakh bonanza will be provided on Tuesday when Kamal Chawla  meets Aditya Mehta  in the final of the  HSBC Premier-Shyam Shroff Memorial Open Invitation Snooker Tournament at the Khar Gymkhana.  The first Lakhpati was Pankaj Advani winning the CCI Platinum title.

Yasin Merchant, is the title holder of the event commemorating India's 7-time national snooker champ of the 60s who later devoted his time to mentoring youngsters. He had beaten Aditya last year. The semis saw Yasin being slaughtered by Chawla 6-0. In fact with 14 reds left on the table, Yasin conceded the sixth frame so hopeless he felt.

Chawla is still to win a major title and he earned revenge for the defeat by Yasin in the Viresh Prabhu memorial at Juhu Gymkhana two years ago. He takes on Aditya Mehta, who will look for a boost ahead of the Asians in China next month. Aditya showed character when coming from 1-4 behind to beat Devendra Joshi 6-4. He reeled five frame in a row.

A surprise packet of the last eight round was Devendra  Joshi. He made light of the challenge of Rafath Habib with a 5-1 win. Joshi was 4-0 up and though Habib claimed the fifth on the black ball the outcome was never in doubt. Joshi had reached the PSPB final, losing to Aditya Mehta. He was last year's PSPB champ beating Pankaj Advani in the last eight.

Yasin Merchant beat Bengal champ and India No 4 Saurav Kothari 5-3. It was a great turnaround for Yasin who was in miserable touch in the opening stanza. "Am seeing the ball better as a result of which I can lay better snookers," said Yasin. Loser Saurav said, "I have met him just twice that's surprising. I have lost on both occasions." Saurav said his play got tentative because of the tight pockets. Yasin advised him to go for his shots if was to go far.

Aditya Mehta beat R Girish 5-3 while Chawla put out Geet Sethi 5-1.