The Snooker Thread

[niko_cee]

The Hawk's got "maximum in mind"!

[niko_cee]

Oh Barry.

[Yevrah]

That was gutting.

Stunning that black was lunacy.

[niko_cee]

Some absolutely lamentable play from Wilson so far.

[Yevrah]

He's got more than a whiff of Ronnie's first round approach about him.

[Yevrah]

So we have to leave a live snooker broadcast to watch a programme fronted by Alistair McGowan (who is an absolute arse hole by the way) about Snooker?

Is the same person in charge of the electrics at Sheffield responsible for the scheduling?

[Boydy]

So we have to leave a live snooker broadcast to watch a programme fronted by Alistair McGowan (who is an absolute arse hole by the way) about Snooker?

Is the same person in charge of the electrics at Sheffield responsible for the scheduling?

Yeah, I'd just put it on and then that happened. What the fuck?

You can still watch it live here - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/snooker/47311062

Stupid though.

[igor_balis]

Very interesting semis.

I really dislike Higgins but I was pleased he won tonight cus I really want Gaz Wilson or Dave Gilbert to win, and I think they both have a better chance against the fat headed cheat.

I think whoever wins of Wilson and Trump wins the whole thing, and who wins of those two is down to which Trump turns up. I don't think Wilson's gonna bottle it, I've been hugely impressed by his mentality, but if Trump's at his best it won't matter.

[Yevrah]

Robertson should be absolutely kicking himself. Completely schooled by Higgins.

[Gray Fox]

Anyone but Higgins from here please, but I'm not exactly Trumps biggest fan either.

[igor_balis]

Anyone but Higgins from here please, but I'm not exactly Trumps biggest fan either.

My thoughts exactly, brother. In order of preference it's:

Wilson

Gilbert







Trump















































Higgins

[niko_cee]

I'm sure I saw that 5live/C5 guy (Colin Murray?) on Eurosport the other day going on about how it was no longer a game being dominated by 40 year-olds (after Trump, Robertson et al were looking great) so Higgins is bound to scheme his way to the title the giant bastard.

I want the taxi driver to win I think.

[Boydy]

Yeah, I wanna see Wilson win it.

David Gilbert annoys me though because he looks quite a bit like someone I used to work with who was very annoying.

[igor_balis]

FUCK ME, the way the audience members with earpieces at the crucible just can't help themselves giggling at the hilarious comments from the bbc commentators is doing my head in. Often at really inappropriate moments as well, feel sorry for the players, must be very distracting.

[Gray Fox]

This is turning into a shitfest.

[Shindig]

"One of Scotland's greatest ever Sportsmen." Get that on a t-shirt, John.

[Yevrah]

Dave Gilbert is such a monumentally dull player.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I've watched him 2-3 times in this and he just comes across as a mid ranking regen player. He has a regen name and face as well.

[-james-]

I didn't realise O'Sullivan did commentary for Eurosport. He doesn't half talk some shite.

[Ian]

He's a useless charisma vacuum and is literally only there because of who he is.

I recall him referring to some match or another as a battle / war "of nutrition."

[igor_balis]

I watch the eurosport coverage, but they're not great either. At first this tournament I was waxing lyrical to my mates, but tbh the only reason I like them is they're less worse than the bbc bunch.

[igor_balis]

I also can't help but be annoyed by BBC hiding it behind the red button (even though i understand why they do it). At this stage I'd almost advocate the opposite of what I do for cricket; maybe selling it all to sky would be a better option.

[Yevrah]

I've watched him 2-3 times in this and he just comes across as a mid ranking regen player. He has a regen name and face as well.

Those things are true, but the way he brings the cue back and forth about 6 times on every shot, like they did in the 70s is so annoying to watch.

[Ian]

I can't profess to always be giving it my full attention but I don't think I've noticed a commentator on either BBC or Eurosport who isn't liable to spout absolute tosh.

[Yevrah]

I generally really like the BBC ones, but "he's decelerated on that shot" as a reason for missing it can die in a fire.

[-james-]

I find Dominic Dale generally pretty enjoyable. McManus is the best of the BBC lot.

[Boydy]

Dennis Taylor and Ken Doherty together is music to my ears.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I also can't help but be annoyed by BBC hiding it behind the red button (even though i understand why they do it). At this stage I'd almost advocate the opposite of what I do for cricket; maybe selling it all to sky would be a better option.

Literally the only reason snooker is still a going concern is that they get beautiful teatime BBC exposure and the consequent huge audience of grandmas and bored people.

[niko_cee]

I have a tremendous amount of nostalgia for the final and semis of this based on it being smack bang in the middle of when you should be revising/cramming your heart out for exams, and thus you, and everyone, become(s) lifelong snooker fans, at least to some extent.

[Shindig]

And sometimes the finals went on forever.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I googled Anthony Hamilton the other day. Still fucking playing, as are they all.

[Yevrah]

Higgins is having an absolute shocker here.

[-james-]

I do think the semis and final are a bit too long. I was watching Trump and the other guy slogging it out at five frames each earlier, and it dawned on me that there were probably another twenty frames of it still to come.

[Gray Fox]

Gilbert has played the back end of this fame like an idiot.

The amount of times he's tried to power the pot in and stuck it somewhere Higgins can get a snooker back is hugely annoying. Just roll it into the jaws at worst for fucks sake.

[niko_cee]

Yeah, he was lucky to get away with that in the end.

Felt like it would have been fatal if he hadn't.

[Yevrah]

The way John Virgo shouts ton-up like a frightened autistic never ceases to make me lol.

[Shindig]

It's dementia. 50 First Breaks.

[igor_balis]

Ha, just came in here to make exactly the same point as Gray Fox and niko_cee, what a fucking mug, I almost wanted Higgins to win the frame by the end.

[igor_balis]

The way John Virgo shouts ton-up like a frightened autistic never ceases to make me lol.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgYY0uyMKV8

[Gray Fox]

He's getting worse.

WHERE'S THE ORANGE BALL GOING?

[Yevrah]

This is brilliant.

[Gray Fox]

I love deciding frames like that.

Shame for Gilbert but he got away with about 7 shots there.

[Yevrah]

Getting goosed by Rob Walker when you're an emotional wreck having just lost a final frame decider must be a real low point in life.

[Boydy]

Gilbert has played the back end of this fame like an idiot.

The amount of times he's tried to power the pot in and stuck it somewhere Higgins can get a snooker back is hugely annoying. Just roll it into the jaws at worst for fucks sake.

My da and me were shouting at the tv about that. Fucking infuriating.

[niko_cee]

Got to go with Trump from here.

Higgins versus the cabbie will have a crushing and depressing inevitability to it.

[Yevrah]

Yep, it's the only option.

Nice contrast in styles between Trump and Higgins too.

[Yevrah]

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

[Gray Fox]

I mean it seems almost obvious Ebdon was doing it on purpose, but to go through all that bollocks just to miss on 12 is quite pathetic.

Ebdon was always infuriating to watch.

[Yevrah]

It's when he gets the white cleaned (again) on 12 that got me. The look he gives the ref is one of "yes, really".

[Gray Fox]

I didn't even notice he had it cleaned twice. Detestable player.

The Dott v Ebdon world final(I think '06?) was probably a low point of snooker for me.

[Yevrah]

Such a shame that, but always going to be so hard to come back down to earth after that double.

[Disco]

That's World Champion Peter Ebdon :drool:

I distinctly remember someone playing Tony Drago (I want to say it was Ronnie) in the first few rounds and in the time it took them to play an entire match Terry Griffiths had managed a single frame.

[Ian]

This'll be a daft 147 if he manages it.

[Ian]

Well that was pretty comprehensive.

[Giggles]

Over at half 7? What was the score?

[Ian]

18-9.

Trump was largely unplayable from what I watched.

[Boydy]

He was brilliant in what I saw but christ, he was dull as fuck when talking to Hazel Irvine there.

[niko_cee]

Bit of a shame as for a session and a half it looked like it might be a classic.

[Yevrah]

Highest quality final for ages that and Trump was properly good.

[Yevrah]

Hearn's annual press conference, usually good value.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJK6OpL9MQ4

[Boydy]

Anyone watching this?

Saw Mark Allen complaining about the table there on the highlights show. The way he was asked made it sound like there's been a lot of complaints. What's wrong with it exactly? I've not seen enough of the tournament to see or hear other complaints.

[Gray Fox]

Of all places, Snooker has now taken up the chance for blood money.

10 year deal for a Saudi ranking event with top prize matching that of the World Championship.

[Giggles]

I’m all for Saudi Arabia after all the fucking wailing about the boxing this week.

[phonics]

I just walked by this on TV and saw that it's Trump vs Yuan which is quite topical.

[Giggles]

1216751330829705216

[Shindig]

Virgo's having that etched into his tombstone.

[Ian]

Robertson looks furious.

[Yevrah]

Distinctly underwhelmed by that.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I saw it described as a 'double fluke' earlier before watching it. If the white had screwed off somewhere else and potted another red I might have been impressed.

[John]

He should get the sack for describing that as amazing.

[Giggles]

This shoot out thing is some bucket of piss.

[niko_cee]

Is that the one where they have a limited amount of time per shot/per frame and some asian guy always ends up donning it?

[Jimmy Floyd]

I don't understand the concept of that or why anyone agrees to play in it. You get £250 for going out in the first round (which 50% of the field does). Why would you bother?

[Shindig]

It's not even a skill that matters. "Look at me, I can take shots quickly. I'm sure people want to get home."

[Giggles]

Is this snooker on ITV4 live?

[Shindig]

Probably. Snooker resumed today.

[Giggles]

Judd Trump is desperately trying to hold on to the illusion of a bit of hair. There must be a whole bottle of hairspray in it.

[Yevrah]

:D

I saw that earlier. Just get it stitched, he's clearly got the money.

[Boydy]

Are there no fans at all in the crucible today?

[niko_cee]

Government changed the rules yesterday.

[Yevrah]

Looks like Trump may have had some hair stitching.

[niko_cee]

I was a bit disappointed the other day when I read a headline along the lines of "Trump tells O'Sullivan to stay at home if he doesn't like it" and I'd half forgotten Judd existed.

[-james-]

They need to get some of that fake crowd noise on the go. Can't be hard, a scale of 1 to 5 on the clapping intensity and a button to quickly fade it out when Virgo explains that the white's run out of position. Maybe a soundboard with "come on Judd!" and "go on Ronnie!" for the semis onwards.

[Shindig]

"COME ON, RONNIE!" <mobile sounds>

[Giggles]

Missed this during the broadcast this morning.

1290244771361878016

[Ian]

That's relatable content.

[Ian]

I haven't seen a huge amount of Jack Lisowski but he's absolutely shat this today.

EDIT: I think I posted that exactly as he started this large break. #timing

[Ian]

I love shit snooker nicknames.

Apparently Elliott Slessor's nickname is THE SILENCER.

Righto.

[Disco]

Nowhere is that less necessary than snooker.

In NJ Dick Togo is known as The Spoiler, we assume he either does for all your dairy products or ruins the end of films you want to watch.

[Ian]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_snooker_player_nicknames

Surely nobody's calling Ding "Pot Noodle"? :face:

[Yevrah]

In a similar way, who the fuck is calling Ken Doherty 'Scarface'?

[Ian]

Ken Doherty when he's looking in the mirror trying on a new leather jacket he can't quite bring himself to wear outdoors.

EDIT: This list is amazing. "Full of Eastern Promise" is not a nickname.

And what the fuck is "The Angry Farmer" all about? That's not a snooker player, that's a mid-90s WWF wrestler who's losing in 30 seconds to Hulk Hogan.

[Giggles]

I thought his nickname was just ‘Ken Dockerty’.

[Jimmy Floyd]

There are so many questionable ones in there. 'Wenbo Selecta' for Liang Wenbo is a lowlight, as is 'Mr Poombastic'.

As for 'The Albino Assassin' for someone who appears not to be albino...

[Disco]

Ken Doherty when he's looking in the mirror trying on a new leather jacket he can't quite bring himself to wear outdoors.

EDIT: This list is amazing. "Full of Eastern Promise" is not a nickname.

And what the fuck is "The Angry Farmer" all about? That's not a snooker player, that's a mid-90s WWF wrestler who's losing in 30 seconds to Hulk Hogan.

Scarface? That's like calling Peter Ebdon 'That bald boring fucker'

Is it just what the dickhead BBC announcer says when he introduces the players? I don't think they should be allowed to qualify as proper nicknames.

[Ian]

They come from all sorts of sources on that Wiki article but The Silencer I heard from the BBC twat.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I've been watching Yan Bingtao and The Silencer do tippy tappy on the top cushion for what feels like about ten minutes now. What a sport.

[Don]

BBC have the Ding-O'Sullivan starting at 19:00. Is there a chance they go at an earlier session depending on others?

[Yevrah]

None whatsoever.

[Yevrah]

What's your angle here Don?

Gambling or gash?

[Don]

:D

Just glad I'm resting so I ain't ten beers deep tomorrow by 19:00 and can actually enjoy it.

[Yevrah]

Looking at the draw, Trump may have the easiest route to the final in crucible history.

[Don]

Fuck off, UEFA.

I'm gonna have to iplayer this, looking tasty.

[niko_cee]

O'Sullivan's playing like an absolute madman.

[Yevrah]

He's been shit, but Selby getting through earlier has probably put paid to any chance he had of getting to the final.

[Shindig]

O'Sullivan's playing like an absolute madman.

What else is new?

[Yevrah]

What a shambolic sequence that was.

[niko_cee]

All going to pot in the other game as well.

[John Arne]

Neil Robertson really is getting a little too old to be still dying his hair.

[Don]

Left it at 1-2 yesterday, snuck in a frame for 1-3 at HT and BBC had removed it from iplayer by FT. Just caught highlights now. What's the timings for the rest? 8 frame at 14:30 tonight and then finish at 19:00 tomorrow?

[Ian]

*McGill bitches to the ref about Clarke standing in his eyeline*

Jason Mohammed: "Let's not sensationalise this"
Also Jason Mohammed, the same sentence: "but these are extraordinary scenes!!!"

Snooker players aren't have a lot of snippy twats.

[Don]

Look at the wee angry Scot :D

[Ian]

As if Martin Gould is coming out to The Game. :D

[igor_balis]

As if Martin Gould is coming out to The Game. :D

The only time triple h has done anything plausibly gouldesque was during the katie vick scene.

[Ian]

Was it in here I saw somebody else make a comment about him being a wrong'un? Has he been up to no good in the past?

[igor_balis]

Was it in here I saw somebody else make a comment about him being a wrong'un? Has he been up to no good in the past?

Nah, poor bloke just looks like the kind of bloke who kills prostitutes.

[Ian]

Nah, poor bloke just looks like the kind of bloke who kills prostitutes.

:D

Fair enough.

[niko_cee]

Plotting every detail as he (inevitably) sits in his seat for long periods.

The frame he finally won yesterday was a fairly phenomenal effort seeing as he was out of position on virtually every shot. No word of a lie one of the best 15 breaks you'll ever see.

Just realised I'm the same age as him. Good god.

[Don]

Ronnie's interview :D

[niko_cee]

This McGill/Clarke game is tragic.

The latter seems an absolute spanner.

[Giggles]

Ronnie's interview :D

That's quality.


1292565010108030983

[Shindig]

I haven't seen him so happy. :D

[Ian]

This McGill/Clarke game is tragic.

The latter seems an absolute spanner.

There was a period of play at 11-each last night when McGill was being enormously jammy with every snooker attempt from either player and he still looked absolutely seething.

[niko_cee]

:D

It was amazing. It did pick up a little but that last frame was so error strewn and yeah, McGill was funny being so visibly angered by any small slice of luck that didn't go his way. Clarke looked suicidal towards the end, I kind of felt bad for him.

[Yevrah]

That sort of needle is exactly what the sport needs.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Ronnie is right about the standard, and I can't see how it'll ever pick up again given snooker halls have all been bulldozed since the 80s when those players were teenagers.

[Ian]

It's not massively cheap to play either at any of the snooker halls I'm aware of near me. There are days when I'm bored enough that I'd quite happily go along and fart about by myself on a table for a few hours but the hourly rates soon pile up.

[Yevrah]

It was already waning, but the smoking ban put the final nail in the coffin.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The one I used to play at is now new build flats going for £350,000 each, and that's in a shit piece of land behind a reservoir.

The guy who used to run it is now a sad-looking member of staff at the nearby pub, which has now tarted itself up into a gastropub selling lid pies for £16.85.

[Don]

I'm about to hit my local gaff up daily during the next 3 weeks but Ian is right, costs make it too prohibitive for your common man where they do survive. Plus, they need more bishes and mixed race urban youth.

[Ian]

How much is it at yours out of curiosity?

I think mine is about £8 an hour for a snooker table which just feels like a ripoff.

[Giggles]

I spent most of university in one that was constantly rammed with 20 full size tables and 8 US pool ones. It's a complex of takeaways now.

[Gray Fox]

Back in Liverpool there didn't used to be one that was really reachable for teenage me. Then a Rileys opened up in a 10 minute walk away and it was great. The Snooker tables weren't the best but you actually had some to play on. A fair few US and English pool tables in there too. Wasn't bad price wise.

Then I moved here and there again wasn't really one until another Rileys opened. But that has since closed down and re-opened under a new name a bout 4-5 times now. I think the virus has killed off this incarnation of it too. When that's not open there just really isn't anywhere to play. My cue has been sat gathering dust for a while now.

[Andy]

We used to have 3 snooker places and they're all gone now. One is a gym, one flats and the other offices.

We barely even have pubs with pool tables anymore. There was a pool table in one of the sports bars in town but they got rid of it to get a shuffleboard table in.

[Ian]

Yeah I dunno when I last went to a pub that had a pool table. If I want pool or snooker has to be a place dedicated to it.

[Ian]

Kurt "The Viking" Maflin.

Because he's of scandi descent, you see. How desperately original.

Anthony McGill meanwhile just got called "The Tartan Nugget." :D The fuck even is that.

[Ian]

Would lol if O'Sullivan ends up out.

[Yevrah]

This might sound a bit fanboy, but Williams, while playing well has had some serious run of the ball here.

[Yevrah]

That was a cracking break.

Ronnie looks in full on wanker body language mode again.

[Ian]

O'Sullivan at his best is amazing to watch but he's also an insufferable twat who I find it impossible to root for.

[Shindig]

Nah, I like him. You don't get many sportsmen who openly love the sport but vocally and visibly hate the baggage that comes with being the best at it.

[niko_cee]

The one I used to play at is now new build flats going for £350,000 each, and that's in a shit piece of land behind a reservoir.

The guy who used to run it is now a sad-looking member of staff at the nearby pub, which has now tarted itself up into a gastropub selling lid pies for £16.85.

:D

Was waiting for the Tony Blair denouement that never came.

[Ian]

Nah, I like him. You don't get many sportsmen who openly love the sport but vocally and visibly hate the baggage that comes with being the best at it.

That doesn't bother me but he's also a whiny twat about things he doesn't need to be and full of his own importance.

[Jimmy Floyd]

There used to be a nice selection of books on the shelves at that pub - old encyclopedias, guides to moths and butterflies - and, on the walls, artful watercolours of local landmarks. Now the shelves are gone, the walls are red, and you get pints brought to your table by the aesthetic cream of the local graduate failures (female). The male ones all work at the nearby gym complex which is built entirely of glass, so much so that you can be walking down the street fifty yards away and look into the whites of their eyes as their dreams slide sweatily off cross-trainers.

I think it's just implicit now.

[Boydy]

I suppose that's where all the disaffected youth go these days - to the gym to get pumped full of steroids.

[Shindig]

Might explain how our youth is overpowering adults from other countries.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-53722531

[Yevrah]

In response to O'Sullivan's comments Steve Davis (who is a dreadful pundit btw) said this:




"Wait until these young players are in their mid-thirties before you make a judgement on them. The likes of Jack Lisowski and Zhao Xintong are talented but effectively raw compared to John Higgins and Ronnie O'Sullivan."

They're not raw, they're just shit. I'd have had him down for early 20s, but a quick Google shows me that Jack Lisowski is so old he's not even young enough to be my son. Twenty-fucking-Nine.

He's been a professional for over 10 years now and made just over seven hundred grand. When you factor in all the travel/hotels and whatever tax you have to pay on that he's probably not doing what could even be described as 'well', in any walk of life. No idea how he's number 11 in the world either. He's made one final from seventeen ranking events this season, and that's it. Not even a quarter-final anywhere else in sight.

Then you look at Zhao Xintong, who is 23. Four years as a professional and he hasn't even been good enough to keep his tour card for the duration of his short career without going to Q school to get it back. One semi-final, two quarter-finals and under two hundred grand made in prize money to date. If he lives in China and has to fly over here every time he's probably barely earning enough to be making a living.

If these two are the best response to Ronnie's comments then it's probably even worse than he made out.

[Shindig]

When I think about top talent that's come through, I can only name Ding and Trump.

[Don]

Surely, Yan the Man > X-Factor, why's The Golden Nugget omitted him?

Also, Ian, ours was about £6 per hour. Managed to squeeze in 2 frames in just under 3 hours. 53-40 and 70-38 with a highest break of 8 for both players. Looking to spend 1000 hours and manage a 3-ball break.

[Ian]

Last time I went I managed a break of about 13 and felt like a fucking king.

[niko_cee]

If it was a Martin Gould 13 that took you round all parts of the table that's still something to be proud of.

[Ian]

A "Martin Gould 13" isn't something to do with noncing is it?

Igor's made me wary.

[niko_cee]

:D

It looked a solid 35 at the very least.

[Yevrah]

I played quite a bit as a kid and got a fair few 40s, but at that stage you need to be able to open up packs of reds which is fucking hard.

[CJay]

Selby’s sessions really do take forever. It’s quite impressive how consistently dull and to type he is. And he’s probably going to win this thing. Against Anthony McGill. 😂

[Ian]

I should've been more careful there. United on one screen and Selby on the other is sedative enough to take down an elephant.

[Boydy]

Selby’s sessions really do take forever. It’s quite impressive how consistently dull and to type he is. And he’s probably going to win this thing. Against Anthony McGill. 😂

Isn't he playing Robertson too? At least one of the boring bastards will go out.

[CJay]

Isn't he playing Robertson too? At least one of the boring bastards will go out.

Is Robertson considered boring? I think he’s a bit inconsistent but fairly entertaining. He looks fed up out there tonight, which is understandable.

[Boydy]

I'd consider him so. Gets up and down about four times before playing a shot.

[Boydy]

Also has stupid fucking hair and is Australian. Not sure he has any redeeming qualities.

[Yevrah]

As Michael Sheen has just mentioned, Robertson isn't anywhere near this slow normally. Selby is just a horrible, horrible player to both watch and play against. Bloody effective though.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Is Robertson ever going to embrace the fact that he's ginger, or is he going to carry on having this hair into his 40s?

[niko_cee]

McGill's impassive middle distance stare after Maflin fluked that pink in was something else.

[Ian]

McGill's impassive middle distance stare after Maflin fluked that pink in was something else.

Yeah I spotted that. :D

I could hear the internalised seethe from here.

[SincereTheRebel]

My father was into snooker heavy. I never understood the watching interest but now he has gone, im more interested in it now too.

He always used to tell of a game where he stayed up late into the early morning to watch a player know as The Grinder (could be the wrong name). He used to take an age to take his shots and grind down his opponent.

[Yevrah]

Cliff Thorburn.

He'd be banned nowadays.

[Yevrah]

Trump out. The dickhead.

[Gray Fox]

Good. Don't mind who wins it from here to be fair.

[Yevrah]

And Ronnie pulls it back to 8-8 against Williams. Caught glimpses and he looked as focused as he has so far.

Selby will no doubt break him should he get through.

[Ian]

What was the ref deliberating over in the Williams / O'Sullivan match there? I don't understand what was going on.

[ScousePig]

Did O'Sullivan just change the ref's mind there?

[Giggles]

What was the ref deliberating over in the Williams / O'Sullivan match there? I don't understand what was going on.

Seeing if he had a free ball on the yellow after a Williams foul. He was using the two reds to eye it up.

[Giggles]

Christ he missed the blue.

[ScousePig]

What was the ref deliberating over in the Williams / O'Sullivan match there? I don't understand what was going on.

Whether or not it was a free ball. I think you have to be able to hit the other edge of both sides or something.

Now Ronnie's missing on purpose as he feels guilty.

[Giggles]

Did O'Sullivan just change the ref's mind there?

I don’t think the ref seen O’Sullivan at all during it. He changed his mind from the reverse angle. Probably shouldn’t have called it before going to the other side for a look.

[ScousePig]

Remember that foul Williams admitted to a few minutes ago...

[Yevrah]

That free ball decision was very tough.

Ronnie's missed blue was so reminiscent of the pink he spaffed in the final against Selby back in 2014.

[Giggles]

Could technology not be used there at that level?

[Yevrah]

Ronnie is bang on about Selby there. When the man is in form (which he appears to be) he's is a machine.

Curious to know what the odds are. Might be worth a cheeky bet.

EDIT: 3 runs at that. :moop:

[niko_cee]

Probably.

I think it was the right call. It didn't look to be a dead straight line through those balls. It's a brutal rule.

Scholesy labouring his way into the semi is mad. Hopefully he doesn't get completely mullered by Wilson if he gets there.

[Gray Fox]

Maflin was 7-1 down in this. He'll likely still lose but going down fighting.

[Yevrah]

Looks like double your money at least on Selby, with Ronnie favourite at 1.5 ish.

[Gray Fox]

Can't help but feel Selby will now wipe the floor with all before him. Unless Ronnie turns up in a great mood.

[niko_cee]

O'Sullivan has the don't give a fuck mentality to not be bothered by being ground down. Obviously that can go one of two ways. I don't usually hope he does well, but I hope he turns up in final session mode from the off and just fucks him up. No time for Selby whatsoever.

[Yevrah]

I'd love O'Sullivan to win as the Selby's and McGill's of this world will be the death of this tournament, but I just can't see it.

[Don]

��������

[Yevrah]

You aright there Don?

[Don]

Didn't work, was just a load of rocket emojis, top final frame drama and decent interview. Mon lad.

[Gray Fox]

So Ronnie v Selby and Wilson v McGill.

I fear McGill will bore Wilson to actual death there.

[Yevrah]

Could technology not be used there at that level?

It probably should be. Can't ever recall seeing such a marginal free ball decision at such a crucial stage of a match though.

[Ian]

Of who remains I might be forced to root for McGill's furious wee face to seethe its way to victory.

[Baz]

Looks like double your money at least on Selby, with Ronnie favourite at 1.5 ish.

£10.50 on Selby. C’mon.

[niko_cee]

Of who remains I might be forced to root for McGill's furious wee face to seethe its way to victory.

Having seen that he comes out to This Charming Man I'm sold.

Don't fancy his chances to much though, sadly.

[niko_cee]

That said, I'm softening on Wilson seeing as he's come out with a cup of tea.

[Ian]

Thought McGill was gonna go tonto on that fly or whatever it was he was flapping at there.

Reminds me of Sama telling me he once shouted "Fuck off you cunt!" at a wasp while he was walking down the street.

[niko_cee]

There was definitely an accusatory glance as if one of the non-existent spectators had thrown the fly at him.

Dott/Ebdon. :drool: Truly one for the ages. Glad they've put that on with McGill as he's definitely got a bit of the Dotts about him.

[Ian]

There was definitely an accusatory glance as if one of the non-existent spectators had thrown the fly at him.

He's definitely the sort who if you clocked him next to you at the bar you'd stare straight ahead in case accidental eye contacted elicited a WHIT THE FUCK YE LOOKIN' AT PAL EH?

[Yevrah]

Dott's highest break in that final was 68. :D

[Ian]

That was an absolute garbage shot from THE WARRIOR there.

[Boydy]

McGill is basically this:

https://i.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/307/189/6fe.jpg

[Yevrah]

This is exactly how Selby gets you over the longer length matches. Plays like a bit of a twat then turns into a relentless potter and tactician, before steamrolling away with it.

[niko_cee]

Is that face O'Sullivan does at the end of every frame he wins (maybe only the ones at the ends of sessions/mini-sessions) because he thinks the fake clapping is stupid or is there something else to it?

[niko_cee]

I hadn't appreciated that McGill is yet to make a century in the tournament. Hopefully he can go all the way and keep that stat intact.

[Don]

Our lad's bought some cueing action overnight :cool:

[Ian]

I don't suppose there's any way Selby and O'Sullivan can both lose?

[niko_cee]

Ronnie failing to go 5-1 up there has probably saved someone from being the victim of a hate crime. Selby looked like he was plotting in his chair.

[CJay]

Selby has been a bag of nerves here by the looks of it.

[Yevrah]

This is exactly how Selby gets you over the longer length matches. Plays like a bit of a twat then turns into a relentless potter and tactician, before steamrolling away with it.

And this is how it starts, by ruining frames.

[Yevrah]

And then continues with this sort of horrible shit.

[Don]

The jester can fuck off making me miss the last 10 minutes of PSG.

[Ian]

I've barely even brought up The Jester from Leicester in my nickname ramblings.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Where is that song? Someone find it on youtube, I'm on a phone.

[igor_balis]

https://youtu.be/fOPPVb_3gdE

Stumbling upon that fucking video is probably my greatest service to this stupid forum.

[Jimmy Floyd]

100% straight, 100% earnest. A magnificent artefact.

[igor_balis]

https://voca.ro/37HmOydcXL1

[igor_balis]

He also, adorably, has about 250,000 views on his 'retirement song'. The thought of that absolute wank getting played at actual retirement parties and shit makes me delighted and horrified in equal measure.


https://youtu.be/3pqVbzYayEQ

[wullie]

Has anyone ever seen Mark Selby with a second facial expression?

[niko_cee]

He's clearly got to Ronneth in this frame. What was that shot?

[Ian]

O'Sullivan looks like he's sick of this shit.


Has anyone ever seen Mark Selby with a second facial expression?

I hope you're not suggesting that THE JESTER is just some bullshit nickname and that he's not in fact a jovial, charismatic, raconteur-sort of person.

[niko_cee]

O'Sullivan's all over the place here.

[Yevrah]

This is horrible to watch.

[Ian]

O'Sullivan needs to get out of this session with whatever he can salvage and screw his head back on.

[wullie]

O'Sullivan looks like he's sick of this shit.



I hope you're not suggesting that THE JESTER is just some bullshit nickname and that he's not in fact a jovial, charismatic, raconteur-sort of person.

He's got to be one of those like Alan Shearer who seemed dull as anything but everyone would confirm he's a great laugh in the dressing room. At least with Peter Ebdon he left you in no doubt via the medium of song

https://images-eu.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51F46uigcdL._SR600%2C315_PIWhiteStrip%2CBottomLeft %2C0%2C35_PIStarRatingFIVE%2CBottomLeft%2C360%2C-6_SR600%2C315_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[niko_cee]

He'll need to be on the phone to Dr Steve Peters during the interval as his head's completely gone.

Maybe he'll come out throwing faeces.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Why doesn't (Hi everybody!) Dr Steve Peters just go out and hold his hand, he's like a support llama.

[Ian]

Kyren Wilson seems like a bit of a fanny in this thing they're showing.

"That's probably why people call me The Warrior."
(to his wife) "I mean there's a snooker Kyren and a home Kyren isn't there?"

Gosh, you're so deep!

[Giggles]

What did O’Sullivan hit?

[Yevrah]

The table.

[Giggles]

They showed it shortly after when it was over.

Also, someone needs to have an intervention with Jimmy white about that toupee.

[Ian]

yeah, White's hair is almost exactly like my sister's 60 year old mother-in-law.

[niko_cee]

Just tuned in and what the fuck has happened in this frame? Those reds are dreadful.

[Giggles]

Even looking at Gill makes me sleepy, let alone watching him play.

[Mellberg]

I've met the Jester. We talked about Higgins being bent as fuck. He's a nice bloke.

[niko_cee]

Tartan McNugget feels like he's reaching the end of his road here.

[Ian]

There was a point earlier where I felt like Wilson was taking silly risks because he was sick of McGill's shit but now he's ahead he'll probably coast it.

Not that he's beating whoever comes next anyway.

[Don]

The final's got a Wilson win written all over it, the loveable retard that he is with his collapsed skull.

[Ian]

I have to admire Selby's commitment to annoying O'Sullivan into submission.

[Don]

O'Sullivan with a magnificent 134 break...but Selby returns to the table needing 21 snookers and Satnav Selby is certainly capable of it.

[Ian]

Yeah I think he'd come back to the table for anything just in the hope of winding him up.

Also by the sounds of Alan McManus talking about Wilson there his criteria for somebody being a top fella is that he'll say "Morning, guys" to people he knows when he walks into a room.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Alan McManus is a real Proper Snooker Man.

[Don]

What O'Sullivan needs is to come out for the evening session with a white shirt. Selby's jumped on his black shirt hype and frankly, he needs to switch it up now and get that youthfull Rocket swagger back.

[Ian]

O'Sullivan spraying the colours all over the table is making him much more relatable all of a sudden.

[Gray Fox]

Stick a fork in this one. Selby has broken him.

[Don]

Some frame, that. Get this and we're still in it, you cunt.

[Giggles]

Do the BBC not have a latest score thing for this?

[Ian]

Not really, it's shite.


Stick a fork in this one. Selby has broken him.

It did look bad at the time but the timing of this was perfect. :D

[Gray Fox]

I thought Selby was ending this session on 15. Hell of a result that for Ronnie despite playing horribly.

[Yevrah]

I didn't see any of it, but it'll need to be one of his best ever career performances to win by at least 7-3 tonight.

[Don]

Some would put at least a 7-3 beyond even his abilities.

[Yevrah]

Maths fail, it's 6-3.