Kunal said he had a chance to win the title but missed it narrowly. ``In the crucial match against Shahbaaz I was leading by 23 points. But he came up with an unfinished break of 45 to seal the match in his favour,`` recalled Kunal, who had also finished runner-up in National sub-junior billiards championship two years ago. A protege of eminent coach Arvind Savur, the Orissa cueist put up a modest performance in junior snooker by reaching the pre-quarterfinals. He will next compete in the senior billiards event, where he has been placed in a tough group that includes heavyweights Geet Sethi and Savur. A student in chartered accountacny, Kunal has been in good form this year. Before the National championship, he cemented his place as the No 1 cueist of Orissa by retaining both the junior and senior state billiards titles.