The Snooker Thread

[Jimmy Floyd]

Jonathan Liew did an interview with him pre-tournament which portrayed him as a sort of depressive with a troubled childhood and pretty much all his loved ones are dead (except his wife and child). On that basis, not sure where 'Jester from Leicester' came from.

[John Arne]

Aye, Selby looked gutted. Perhaps he was just exhausted and relieved.

[John Arne]

Anybody been watching any of the recent events?

Trump won the European Open - with Ronnie looking very good throughout, but being tipped in the final by a consistent Trump.
Liang Wenbo just beat Trump in the final of the English Open (in Manchester). The English Open is part of the new "Home Series" of events - if anyone wins all 4 tournaments, they pick up a bonus 1 million quid. The attendances in Manchester were a bit rubbish until the final (not helped by tickets being $55).

I also noticed that the commentators kept referring to Liang Wenbo informally as Liang - whereas, they really should be addressing him directly as Wenbo.

[-james-]

Luca Brecel's hairline. :humb:

[-james-]

Actually, he's not receding at all, is he? It's just a very strange hair cut.


#snooker

[Ian]

I've played snooker a few times recently, after not having played it since about 2004. I think I am perhaps naturally decent at cue sports (I was once actually very good at pool when I was able to practice regularly) as in each session my mate has crushed me in the opening frame or two but then I've become more competetive after that. Having only played pool for so long I still struggle with the angles a bit at distance (I tend to over-compensate) but it's just such a better game than pool. I'd love to be able to play more regularly than I do.

[John Arne]

Love a bit of this....


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVy-5rwEz24

[Jimmy Floyd]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Framed-Ronnie-OSullivan/dp/1409151298/ref=tmm_hrd_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

I'm strangely fascinated by that.

[Ian]

"The first crime novel from the UK's most charismatic sporting genius "

Which are the other sporting geniuses from the UK he's competing against? Andy Murray? Gareth Bale? Lewis Hamilton? Jason Roberts?

[Yevrah]

He's probably actually the only 'sporting genius' the UK has.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I'm just worried that if it proves a hit with readers and critics alike, he doesn't have anywhere else to go with titles for the rest of the series. 'Break Off'? 'On Cue'? 'Into the Pack'?

[Jimmy Floyd]

He's probably actually the only 'sporting genius' the UK has.

It's between him and Sprinter Sacre.

[Disco]

I'm hoping for series where Bill Werbeniuk and Cliff Thorburn solve crimes by night. Len Ganley guest stars as their DCI.

[Giggles]

Mark Allen has fairly hit the pies.

[Giggles]

Don't deserved an even bigger tonking just for that suit.

[Boydy]

This Perry - Hawkins game is brilliant.

[7om]

How did it play out? I switched over to Match of the Day just as Perry was making a comeback.

[Yevrah]

Came back from 5-2, including needing a snooker in the eighth frame, to win the match.

[7om]

That girl staring at Hazel non-stop was a little spooky.

[Yevrah]

O'Sulliva's now playing like he's in a practice session.

[Giggles]

:D

https://www.balls.ie/snooker/ronnie-osullivan-robotic-interview-358577

[7om]

Yeah, saw this today. I found it a little awkward but hilarious at the same time. He's a mental genius.

[Jimmy Floyd]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/39619481

I can only assume Barry Hearn isn't thick - though I wouldn't rule it out - but I can't find any other explanation for why he would want to wage a shitty war on his biggest draw.

[Disco]

The week leading up to the Worlds I assumed it was all a publicity stunt.

[Boydy]

Did anyone just see that little bit about Steve Davis DJing? :cab:

[Giggles]

It was on in the background but I was already comatose from this Murphy Yan shitfest.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Steve Davis is a proper geezer. There's an hour long 'Sporting Legends' doc with him floating around the Sky Sports channels occasionally in which he comes across brilliantly.

[-james-]

Judd stinking it up here. In danger of going out to Muslim ISIS fan McLeod.

[Disco]

Steve Davis is a proper geezer. There's an hour long 'Sporting Legends' doc with him floating around the Sky Sports channels occasionally in which he comes across brilliantly.

Plus he trolled Alex Higgins to death, how is he not knighted yet?

[Boydy]

Neil Robertson was addicted to Diablo 2 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/39654115).

:D

Fucking nerd.

[Disco]

That's less tragic than the article I read which had it as FIFA.

[John]

He mentions in that article that he was addicted to FIFA 14 too, 'trying to win the title against other players'.

Though he does mention that his mum had to make a Diablo account to keep an eye on him, so I think it might be more tragic than a million FIFA addictions.

[Giggles]

That's class.

855144045714079748

[Ian]

Fucking hell. That's sexual.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Fair play to JV for spotting and calling the shot as he lined it up.

[Shindig]

He probably did it on TV 20 years ago whilst Jim Davidson was racially abusing a contestant.

[John Arne]

That little smirk at the end was perfect.

[Yevrah]

I missed that. Fuck me, what a shot.

[Giggles]

Shitter kick for Allen there but that's a tidy clearance by Higgins.

[-james-]

They're doing a segment/reenactment of that time Dennis Taylor beat Steve Davis in the final in 1985.

Like they do every fucking year.

Why?

[-james-]

Looking at the quarter final draw and I really feel like they could save everyone a couple of days and just get on with the O'Sullivan - Selby and Higgins - Hawkins last four instead.

[Boydy]

Nah, Ding's winning it. I put a fiver on at the start so he has to.

[Ian]

Messy at times and they both tried to chuck it on a few occasions but from what I saw Robertson and Fu was very entertaining.

[John Arne]

Ding must be the most (biggest?) "confidence player" on the tour. Playing brilliant, 3-0 against Ronnie.... now 3-3 and Ding has fallen apart and can't pot a ball.

[-james-]

Ronald has been properly shit.

[Giggles]

Thank God for Eurosport or I'd see fuck all of this with the BBC and their red button shite.

[Ian]

I'm glad they're showing so much of it but they don't half bang on about the prize money sometimes. They were talking as if O'Sullivan taking the lead for the £10k "biggest break" prize was going to have ruined Selby's day.

[John Arne]

I fancy Selby to do a number on Ding, here. 17-5

[Giggles]

This frame needs to end.

[Yevrah]

So does this one.

Fuck me watching Selby is painful.

[Dark Soldier]

Selby is a boss.

[Yevrah]

He's an absolutely fantastic player and possibly the best match player the game's ever seen - his frame management (yep, I just did that) is absolutely unreal. But, and it's a big but, it's fucking dull as hell to watch.

[Yevrah]

And I say that just before he plays two absolutely fantastic shots. :moop:

[Ian]

Other than "because shit sports do nicknames do add 'excitement'" is he called The Jester from Leicester(!) for any special reason? Because he seems such a dour cunt.

Also, played a load of snooker today. Had one of the best games I've ever played (no special breaks or high scores, just significantly less shit than normal) and in another won on a long pot on a black ball. :cool: Fuck the Crucible, a rubbish pool/snooker hall in Glasgow is where the real shit goes down.

[Giggles]

I miss a game of snooker/pool. Never see tables any more.

[Dark Soldier]

I miss a game of snooker/pool. Never see tables any more.

Snooker Hall about a thirty second walk from me, I'm shit but go fairly regular. £2.70 a pint, bacon butties made in the back, full of old cunts and no women. Its glorious.

[Giggles]

You'd never see drink in a snooker hall here, not that many survived anyway. Hard to get a pool table in a pub either unless you go out of the city.

[Dark Soldier]

Ah Radcliffe is a shit hole, hence the alcohol. I think the library gives you a shot of whiskey with each book you lend. Anything to end the dreariness.

[Shindig]

We've got a one in town that's alright. Can't remember the prices, though. It's Durham so it's probably £3 minimum.

[Yevrah]

That was the most mentally resolute I've ever seen Ding last night.

The second semi-final is a bit of a shit-off, but the first (resuming to a close at 2pm) has been mustard so far.

[Ian]

The one I go to is £7.20 an hour, plus a couple of quid to get in.

Which isn't bad split between a few of you but on weekends when I had naff all else on I'd quite happily go and spend a few hours by myself at it but £20's a bit steep.

[igor_balis]

not watched any of it this year but i bloody love ding, hope he wins. higgins can get fucked

[igor_balis]

selby's safety play does make me wet though

[John Arne]

Virgo really needs to fuck off with this "where's the x ball going" on every third fucking shot.

[Ian]

"Sometimes it's a war of nutrition", says Ronnie. Well said.

[Dark Soldier]

Higgins bang on form today.

[Ian]

At what point do you say Selby's definitely out of it? I've not really had chance to see any of it, just looking at the score and seen a few bits and pieces but I'm surprised Selby hasn't managed to grind out an extra frame or two here as he's normally so good at it. I know four down is far from insurmountable this early but Higgins looks/sounds to be in great nick.

[Dark Soldier]

About 13-2 and I'd say he's out of it. Selby has a long history of insane comebacks, and if needs be he can grind a frame for an hour or two.

[Giggles]

This should finally see Higgins seen as up there with the greats. He has always been criminally underrated.

[Yevrah]

Ian

6-2 down in the first session is nothing.

Taylor was 7-0 down vs. Davis in 85, Hendry 14-8 down against White, Selby miles behind Ronnie in 2015. The list of much bigger deficits being overcome in finals is endless.

[Yevrah]

That said, Higgins is probably the only player in the whole tournament that won't be arsed coming up against Selby and his nega-grinding style.

[Ian]

Ian

6-2 down in the first session is nothing.

Taylor was 7-0 down vs. Davis in 85, Hendry 14-8 down against White, Selby miles behind Ronnie in 2015. The list of much bigger deficits being overcome in finals is endless.

I know it's nothing at this stage, I just don't watch enough snooker to know when a healthy lead veers into inevitable fisting territory.

[Giggles]

If he was playing most other players then I'd say it's a good bit away, but Higgins won't let him back easily.

[Yevrah]

In finals, you can usually tell around the 2nd mini-session of the second session, but as far as Selby's concerned, it'd take a lead that I couldn't conceive of happening for me to write him off.

He's such a horrible competitor to play against.

[Dark Soldier]

Higgins well up for a drawn out bore fest here, can't wait :drool:

[Yevrah]

There's serious OCD shit with all that looking up to the box.

[Yevrah]

Higgins well up for a drawn out bore fest here, can't wait :drool:

Indeed, he's experienced and level headed enough to not be fussed when Selby plays on needing 5 snookers. Ronnie would be climbing the walls by now.

That was a shocker though.

[Giggles]

There's serious OCD shit with all that looking up to the box.

It's complete over analysis.

[Dark Soldier]

Aye snooker is an odd one for all that. Some where going radge that Selby celebrated beating Ding a bit too enthusiastically last night, ffs. He shouted Yes twice and tapped the table.

Old, old men.

[Giggles]

It was over at 9-3.

[Yevrah]

It was over at 9-3.

It really wasn't.

[Giggles]

It really wasn't.

IF it had got to 9-3 then, you pedantic molly.

[Yevrah]

IF it had got to 9-3 then, you pedantic molly.

You misunderstand me. Nothing is ever over at 9-3 in a best of 35 match. I seem to have this discussion with someone every time a reasonable lead is opened up early on in a crucible final.

[Giggles]

Nah, Higgins would have had it. He most likely does now as it stands anyway.

[Yevrah]

Nah, Higgins would have had it. He most likely does now as it stands anyway.

Oh he's in the driving seat no doubt, but he's not playing particularly well, it's just that Selby's been dogshit and his usual grinding approach won't be as effective against Higgins.

[Giggles]

Selby looks like he know's he's done here.

[Yevrah]

If Higgins does pown him, hopefully it'll herald a new, more attacking Selby from next season.

[Yevrah]

Good break, if he wins the next two it's very much game on. Even one of them and he's still in it.

[Dark Soldier]

And Selby is back, doing what he always does.

[Giggles]

Why did they not stop after 16?

[Yevrah]

Because there's 9 frames in this session.

Higgins really needs to pull his fucking finger out here.

[Ian]

I'd rather Higgins win but that leaves things nicely in the balance for tomorrow.

[Yevrah]

Higgins is fucked here.

[Yevrah]

Boy did he need that.

These Chinese tables really are dogshit, the amount of balls that hit the cushion on the way down but still go in is unreal.

[John Arne]

This being on terrestrial TV has been annoying from a streaming point of view. Had to VPN it and watch iPlayer.

[Giggles]

Hopefully this means neither Taylor or Virgo tonight.

[Giggles]

Selby shits the bed when in touching distance again. He won't get ahead of Higgins.

[Yevrah]

I still think he'll win.

And Virgo is class.

[Giggles]

He's a blowhard who talks like he was a whole lot better than he actually was.

And even if none of that was true, his "where's the ___bal going?" all the fucking time will always make him shit.

[Yevrah]

I don't mind a bit (ok, a lot!) of WHERE'S THE BALL GOING, and while I'd agree he was a journeyman pro at best (think UK Championship was his greatest success) he reads the game very well and knows his commentating onions.

[Dark Soldier]

Higgins is done.

[Yevrah]

Higgins has been absolutely piss poor for the last 8 frames, and let's call a spade a spade, today's been dreadful.

[Dark Soldier]

Yup its one of the worst finals in recent memory tbh. Can see this shitting itself to a 1am finish.

[Giggles]

Really poor quality. Has there been a one-visit frame win?

[Dark Soldier]

There's been a couple of centuries but they've come off the back of 5-10 minutes of safety. There's been no break > player comes in and clears.

[Yevrah]

Selby's disgusting brand of ruin the table snooker doesn't help, but you have to hand it to him, it's very effective.

There's no one left in the game that can stop him at the moment, so by rights he should probably notch another 2 or 3 of these by the end of the decade.

[Yevrah]

And with that, this final is over.

[Dark Soldier]

Robertson of a few years ago is the only one who can halt him and match him grind for grind, but he's gone to shit of late.

Trump is nowhere near the hype he came into the game with, and the rest aren't at the level of Selby. Feels like it could be a Hendry style period again where one player is so ahead of the rest.

[Yevrah]

Watching Higgins shit his way to breaks of 20 and 30 is starting to get painful.

[Yevrah]

8 visit snooker. :drool:

[Dark Soldier]

Very unlucky on that heavy contact earlier in the frame

[Giggles]

Could be Masterchef time.

[Giggles]

I thought the black very slightly moved there.

Ref should have stuck first time round though without flipping twice.

[CJay]

I think the ref was right. Could be an exciting finish on the cards here. Late night snooker. :drool:

[Giggles]

I'm back to work in the morning so I don't think I'll make it to the end. Yev already seems to have given up on it too, be a pisser to leave it and look back to see it was 18-17.

[Clunge]

Getting exciting this now. Thought Higgins was buried.

[Yevrah]

I'm watching, just not posting.

Been a cracking match since 16-12.

[Dark Soldier]

I reckon Selby has another 3-4 championships in him.

[Yevrah]

Yeah, I'd reckon so too.

I've been banging on for years about snooker not having a proper world number 1, so it's nice to finally see one.

[Ian]

Bit gutted I never saw any of this today, though I'd have only been groaning at the point when Higgins was getting himself buried.

[Ian]

I haven't heard of Elliot Slesser before but he played some really good stuff against Higgins there.

[Ian]

I was in the process of saying that O'Sullivan was in full pisstake mode in whatever this Champion of Champions thing and then he flubbed a green I thought he'd get in this form.

Not that Murphy did a lot wrong when he lost those frames on the bounce, just that every time O'Sullivan got in he looked unstoppable.

[Giggles]

Some yank has absolutely shit the bed in the last Mosconi match of the day.

[Ian]

I've never heard of this "Sunny Akani" weirdo that O'Sullivan is playing but it's been a good match so far.

[Dark Soldier]

O'Sullivan tonight from when it was 5-5 was just a whole other level. Murphy couldn't have done much more and Ronnie just destroyed him.

[Yevrah]

Yeah, it was awesome.

[Ian]

Murphy didn't do much with what few chances he got but then a player other than O'Sullivan in such daft form would have given him more chances.

[John Arne]

The first few frames O'Sullivan played against Akani looked like a genuine throw. Not just crap shots, but awful shot selection, too. Apart from those first few frames, he was pretty awesome throughout the tournament. 1000 centuries soon.....

[Ian]

Robertson is properly on it here, which is some going given the form Higgins is in. They just flashed up that he's scored 299 points without reply.

[John Arne]

Cao :drool:

https://gyazo.com/2f7d2055414805baf8d84d07e3ee3cbe.gif

[Ian]

Pity he completely shat his pants.

[John Arne]

Yeah, it is.

I hate Robertson, too.

[Ian]

I don't hate Robertson. In general I just want a good match but I'd never heard of Cao before Friday so I'd quite like to have seen him go on to win it.

[Ian]

This Trump / Ding match is good. Started with about four or five frames where whoever made the first mistake lost, then Trump looked in much superior form as Ding started to crumble, then an hour-long frame that in itself went from being a messy shambles to a Ding break to an edgy tactical thing.

[Ian]

I think this may be the first time I've heard Judd Trump speak. What's his accent all about?

[Disco]

Some say the Bristol accent is hauntingly beautiful. Some.

[Ian]

It doesn't even sound properly Brizzle though. I googled him epecting to find he'd got mixed parentage or had been born somewhere else or whatever. Just an odd voice.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's Bristolian mixed with Thick.

[niko_cee]

Bristolian then.

[Ian]

This Coral Shootout thing is absolute bollocks.

[Giggles]

'Shootout' has Hearn written all over it. What is it?

[Ian]

I assumed it was a Hearn effort.

Each match has a ten minute time limit, first five minutes shots have a 15-second timer and then after the halfway mark of the match they go down to a 10-second shot timer. Also the crowd appears to be full of drunken oiks who in this aren't told to shut the fuck up.

I think the "quiet please!" moments in proper tournaments are a bit lol given it's a pub game etc. but this is too far the other way.

Here comes Jimmy White and his old woman haircut.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The fact that Jimmy White still draws a crowd fully 30 years after his peak should tell you all you need to know about snooker. It's a sport that needs to be ramshackle and real to succeed. Darts will soon go the same way.

[Giggles]

Darts has passed it out of late.

[Ian]

I do like this BLUE BALL SHOOTOUT more than I should, even if it sounds like the title of something vile that Magic would be watching.

[Ian]

I missed this: https://twitter.com/WorldSnooker1/status/966687244072316928

Couldn't get it to do the Tweet thing properly.

[Ian]

Mark Selby in this form might be the most excruciating spectacle in sport. He's had one really good break but otherwise he's just grinding it out and hoping Ding shafts himself. Or possibly dies of boredom.

[Gray Fox]

Selby is out already. It might make this year a bit more interesting.

[niko_cee]

I was a bit gutted to read that (diamond) Joe Perry was from Cambridgeshire. I'd always had him pegged as Perry Groves bestie or the like. Must be the name.

At least O'Sullivan recovered so the tournament didn't tailspin on day 2.

[Giggles]

If he'd gone out too then BBC could have pulled the cameras for the rest of it.

[niko_cee]

Did Selby go out in the first round a few years ago (when also seeded 1)? It's either win of bust for him.

[Ian]

Robertson out too. Are there a lot of shocks or is it just that my knowledge of players isn't as closely tied to the ability of those players as I think it is?

[niko_cee]

Watching Ball-run Bingham seething himself to death as Lisowski won that last frame was quite funny.

[Ian]

Robertson reckons changing his tip cost him. Somebody recently reckoned they got booted out early because they'd not played a full match with this new cue they had.

I know it's probably because I'm an unqualified tosser but I'm always a bit surprised to learn that a cue isn't just a cue when you're at that level of snooker.

[-james-]

This Trump match is enjoyable. Trump about to go 8-3 up against literally who at one point. Has just missed the last black at 9-8 up. Deciding frame.

[Giggles]

Have the BBC pretty much given up on this? Used to be wall to wall coverage on BBC2 but I haven't stumbled across it at all this year.

[Giggles]

What an absolute twat going in off that pink.

[-james-]

Been online only for the most part so far, very disappointing. Fine if you have Eurosport though.

[Giggles]

:D That's was like something I'd do.

[-james-]

Hawkins. :face:

[Ian]

Is Carter supposed to have said something here or was O'Sullivan just having a strop because he's losing?

[CJay]

Is Carter supposed to have said something here or was O'Sullivan just having a strop because he's losing?

Apparently Carter was bit of a twat all match (according to my brother who’s working in the media at the Crucible).

Not sure who I want to win the thing now. Ding maybe.

[niko_cee]

Without knowing much about it, you'd have to think this is a big chance for Ding, so come on THE HAWK!

[Jimmy Floyd]

What the fuck is Mark Williams doing back in the top 8?

[Ian]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43936442


If someone is going to shoulder barge into me, what do I do? Keep walking around tip-toeing and do a curtsy as though he is the king? Sometimes you have to stand your ground. I am not a limbo dancer.

Alright, mate.


What the fuck is Mark Williams doing back in the top 8?

He's looked in pretty good nick over the last few months but his main quality in this tournament so far has just been not wetting the bed against an opponent he ought to be beating.

Dunno who I want to win from here other than not Judd Trump.

[Giggles]

This is a mad frame.

[niko_cee]

Come on the Hawk!

[Giggles]

The BBC measuring shots in feet and inches :D

[Yevrah]

The BBC measuring shots in feet and inches :D

A snooker table is measured in feet and inches so it makes perfect sense that they do that.

[Yevrah]

I haven't watched it yet, but he's always good value so it should be worth it.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoGWSnUpZyw

[Giggles]

This one has been brilliant watching.

EDIT: Was sure Higgins was heading for 11-all there.

[Giggles]

All the pies have brought out the best in Higgins.

[Ian]

Yeah, this has been a great match.I'd rather Higgins won but it'd be great if this went all the way.

[Ian]

Well this is thrilling stuff.

[Giggles]

It's excellent. Hope the final lives up to the past week.

[Giggles]

It's gone to absolute shit now but it's still stuff you can't take your eyes off.

[Ian]

It's excellent. Hope the final lives up to the past week.

Did you really think so? It was good enough because it was close but they were both prone to playing some proper crap shots from time to time and there's been an awful lot of grindy rubbish. And I'm not averse to a bit of safety play. There was a frame earlier that I think started when I was 11 years old.

[Giggles]

Did you really think so? It was good enough because it was close but they were both prone to playing some proper crap shots from time to time and there's been an awful lot of grindy rubbish. And I'm not averse to a bit of safety play. There was a frame earlier that I think started when I was 11 years old.

I love it. One of those sports that even when the standard is shite, it's brilliant watching when it's close.

[Giggles]

Also, Denis Taylor needs to be taken out the back and put in the boot of a car out of our lives forever.

[Ian]

I can get into a frame if it's good shots but some of it earlier was just turgid balls. Each to their own.

I can't honestly say I particularly like any of the commentators. I've watched most of tonight's muted on the laptop with other stuff on the telly. It'd hard to see past Higgins against either of these, for me.

[Giggles]

It's gone really really bad now. In retrospect it'll have been rubbish but at the moment it's good stuff. I'd agree on the Higgins thing though. If he shows up at all it's his.

[Ian]

Williams' caution won't don't him any favours against Higgins and Hawkins just seems too prone to dropping a bollock just as he's building up a nice string of shots.

[igor_balis]

I find attritional stuff a billion times more entertaining than break building, but only when it's cus of good safety play rather than shit potting.

[Ian]

Yeah matches where it's just whoever gets the first decent opening wins each frame are bollocks but there's a happy medium between that and some of this garbage. Just glad it's done. Some good shots in there but also some proper rubbish overall play.

[igor_balis]

Also the fact we're getting a Higgins Williams final in 2018 says a lot about the standard of the current generation.

[Ian]

The seeds have been unusually crap this year though. Couple of rounds ago I was sure it was Ding's year to at least make the final.

[igor_balis]

In fairness I've not really been paying attention for the last few years. Is Neil Robertson still any good?

[Ian]

Higgins needs to sort his shit out.

[Giggles]

Higgins needs to sort his shit out.

What's the score?

[Pleb]

5-3 to Williams.

[Yevrah]

Higgins needs to sort his shit out.

He's fine at this stage, the first session almost means nothing.

[Giggles]

Jesus I've just heard O'Sullivan on Eurosport. People hadn't done justice to just how bad he is.

[Ian]

He's fine at this stage, the first session almost means nothing.

I didn't realise he'd pulled it back to just being two behind. Four felt like a lot against somebody as grindy as Williams is capable of being.

[Giggles]

Higgins looks shaky here.

[Ian]

He looked proper pissed off with himself when he tried to swerve around that blue to get the red in the middle pocket earlier.

[Yevrah]

I didn't realise he'd pulled it back to just being two behind. Four felt like a lot against somebody as grindy as Williams is capable of being.

In a best of 35 frame match at this stage anything under a six frame gap isn't game over.

[Giggles]

Two of the next three to Williams and we can all tune out and get on with our lives.

[Giggles]

He's different league at the minute.

[igor_balis]

Mark Williams is playing so bloody well.

[Boom-Boom-18]

Higgins is on for a 147 here.

[igor_balis]

the poor positional shot where williams smacked the table is starting to look like a huge momentum shift now

[igor_balis]

yeah williams has lost it a bit

[Boom-Boom-18]

Great start to the evening session.

[Max Power]

“John Higgins has just thrown a hand grenade into Mark Williams brain” says Steve Davis :D

Wouldn’t go that far but great clearance and game on.

[Giggles]

Still can't see Williams not winning 3 frames, even if Higgins does make it close.

[Giggles]

Do they have to mention it every single time a player taps the table with his cue?

[-james-]

Fairly amazing how Williams has kept his head on here. Most would have folded mentally after that Higgins comeback.

[-james-]

He's missed tournament ball, Christ.

[Giggles]

This is fucking brilliant :drool:

[Max Power]

Higgins is ice cold man, clearing up for fun. Fancy him now.

[Boydy]

Fucking hell.

[igor_balis]

Brilliant final.

[phonics]

Is Snooker secretly the most laddish sport or is this Williamson guy a bit of a card?

[igor_balis]

Is Snooker secretly the most laddish sport or is this Williamson guy a bit of a card?

I've been enjoying looking at Williams's twitter. He strikes me as a bit of a nob, but a self-aware(ish) and funny one.

https://twitter.com/markwil147

[Yevrah]

https://twitter.com/markwil147/status/993795035727650816

That might be the best picture I've ever seen on Twitter.

[Boom-Boom-18]

Mosconi Cup is great entertainment.

First to 11 and USA were leading 10-6. Europe have pulled it back to 10-9.

[Boydy]

Superb tactical battle at the minute here between Hawkins and Murphy.

[niko_cee]

This Trump v Robertson semi is a compete clusterfuck.

It's one of the worst matches I think I've ever seen two professionals contest.

[Boydy]

No one's looked particularly good in this tournament (although I've not seen Ronnie). I imagine Ronnie will piss the final tomorrow.

[Boydy]

Well, I was wrong.

[igor_balis]

Watched the first half session before meeting my mate at the train station. Not sure I've seen a better isolated run of 4 frames than Judd's this afternoon.

[Yevrah]

I think O'Sullivan's about to get his 1,000th century on ITV4 now.

EDIT: Or not.

[Yevrah]

He did it in the final frame to win the tournament.

[Kikó]

Anyone come close to him on that?

[Yevrah]

Hendry made 775 in his career. Robertson is on 600 odd and Higgins on 700 odd, so no.

It's very short sighted to say records will never be broken, but given snooker is a dying sport this one might not be.

[Kikó]

How much do you watch these days?

[Yevrah]

I don't have Sky anymore, so not as much as I once did, but still a reasonable amount I'd say.

[Kikó]

General feeling? I haven't watched anything properly for a good couple of years now. Same for tennis and cricket tbh.

[Yevrah]

The promising youngsters from Britain appear to have dried up somewhat and the Chinese players are mostly crap. Maybe that's a generational thing, in that it'll take a few for them to come through, but at the moment it's looking a bit barren on the new talent front.

The old guard are so much better than the rest, which really shouldn't be the case for this long.

[Kikó]

I'm still massively surprised that John Higgins is still competitive considering he's about 45. I would have expected him to be on the decline like Stephen Hendry was.

[Giggles]

He did it in the final frame to win the tournament.

'Bad' hand and all (as if he has one) :cool:

1104850588762759168

[Jimmy Floyd]

The promising youngsters from Britain appear to have dried up somewhat

The smoking ban 2006 closed half the snooker clubs and probably, long term, killed the sport.

[igor_balis]

My mates starting a masters in York in September, and has bought us tickets for a full day of last 64 games in the UK championship in November :cool:

[Yevrah]

If O’Sullivan wins the tournament on this week he goes back to Workd Number 1.

A 6th World title is looking quite likely at the moment.

[igor_balis]

what a bloody frame

[Ian]

O'Sullivan going out in the first round to an amateur would be excellent. Not gonna happen but it'd be nice.

[Yevrah]

Other than during complete mental breakdowns, I’ve never seen O’Sullivan play worse than he did today.

If he doesn’t improve hugely, and a 10am start isn’t a good omen for him, he’ll stand a very real chance of going home tomorrow.

[Ian]

I think the commentators mentioned it but from what I saw while half-watching he just didn't look arsed with it. He'll turn up and try precisely as much as he needs to and go through I expect.

[Yevrah]

He’s going out.

[Gray Fox]

He's just been in to make it 9-9, but the last cannon to split the reds off a colour sent one straight into the corner. Just not his match.

[Yevrah]

I doubt you’ll find a bigger fan of him than me on the board, but he was a total disgrace in that match.

Awful body language, disrespected his opponent and generally played like a total wanker.

[Gray Fox]

His last frame summed it up really. He had 3/4 shots running where he should have been playing in safe, but kept going at the pot. Bad luck on the in-off but he shouldn't have been there.

[Ian]

Oh shit. :drool: Totally forgot about this.

He's such a cunt, happy to see him go out.

[Ian]

Imagine putting in all this fucking effort that Dott has only to lose it here.

Assuming Bingham doesn't have more bottling in him.

[igor_balis]

Imagine putting in all this fucking effort that Dott has only to lose it here.

Assuming Bingham doesn't have more bottling in him.

Well.

I actually called 10-9 to Bingham to my mate when it went 9-7 but BOTTLED putting money on it.

Great tournament so far though, with this game and the amazing last frame in wilson vs brecel. Mark Allen getting crushed is also excellent news.

[Ian]

Is it my imagination or do the ex-pros commentating on snooker not enjoy upsets (or the potential for upsets) with quite the same glee that commentators in basically every other sport (that I ever watch) do?

[niko_cee]

I reckon it's because they know, deep down, if (too many) upsets happen they'll be watching a best of 33 frame shitefest in the semis and/or boring walkovers for much of the rest of the tournament.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Those who were there for Walden-Hawkins know that it, and not flashy breaks, was the best snooker has to offer.

[Yevrah]

Watching Selby get out-Selby'd here by Gary Wilson is glorious.

Shame they're about to get pulled off.

[Yevrah]

The snooker commentators, who're normally impervious to bullshit buzzwords have now started saying "he decelerated on it" when a shot is missed.

Stop it.