STUART Bingham says his busy schedule will stand him in good stead as he bids to achieve back-to-back ranking tour successes.

The Vange potter begins his Haining Open tournament against A Bulajiang today in what promises to be a busy three weeks of snooker.

Two days after the Asian Tour event the recently-crowned Shanghai Masters champion will take part in the International Championship in Chengdu before returning to England for the Champion of Champions at the start of November.

And Bingham says he is looking for a response after a disappointing first round exit at the Bulgaria Open at the start of the month.

“The great thing about the tour is how quickly the next tournament comes,” said Bingham. “I had a bad time in Bulgaria but I have learned not to dwell on losses as they can affect your preparation for the next match.

“I need to be aiming for the quarter-finals or semi-finals of this tournament and that would set me up nicely for the International which comes straight after.

“This is a good stepping-stone for that event. I need to get some competitive games under my belt, as the best sort of practice for me is match practice.”

However, the 38-year old knows it won’t be easy, with a potential match-up in Haining with Yao Bingtao in Round Two – the same man who beat him 4-0 earlier in the season at the Yixing Open.

Bingham flew out to China a week before his first round match to play in several exhibitions matches although he says the busy schedule has taken its toll on him.

“I feel I have been tired since Shanghai,” he said. “Getting used to the different time zones is difficult as no sooner had I got back to the UK I had to go to Bulgaria and now China.

“Winning takes it out of you!”

And there will be no respite should he reach the final of the International Championship in Chengdu on November 2, as he will have to be back in Coventry the day afterwards to compete in the Champion of Champions.

And it is a tournament he has fond memories of – having reached the final last year before losing 10-8 to Ronnie O’Sullivan.

“It will bring back some good memories,” he said. “I may have come up a tad short in the final but I am hoping to go one better this time.”