2011 World Snooker Championship

[David Agnew]

Relax, it's not here yet - the tournament doesn't start until April 16th, but the draw* was made this morning, and it's really good draw with a handful standout of matches:

Neil Robertson (3) v Judd Trump (24)
Marco Fu (16) v Martin Gould (26)
Graeme Dott (9) v Mark King (19)
Ali Carter (8) v Dave Harold (45)
Ding Junhui (5) v Jamie Burnett (37)
Peter Ebdon (12) v Stuart Bingham (17)
Stephen Hendry (13) v Joe Perry (30)
Mark Selby (4) v Jimmy Robertson (61)
Mark Williams (2) v Ryan Day (20)
Jamie Cope (14) v Andrew Pagett (78)
Mark Allen (11) v Matthew Stevens (18)
Stephen Maguire (6) v Barry Hawkins (25)
Shaun Murphy (7) v Marcus Campbell (32)
Ronnie O'Sullivan (10) v Dominic Dale (31)
Ricky Walden (15) v Rory McLeod (35)
John Higgins (1) v Stephen Lee (21)

*Only the matchups and the order of play were actually drawn, as the seeded side of the draw takes it's traditional format

There's a couple of points to note - this season is the first season with the new rolling world rankings, and whereas Ryan Day, Mark King and Liang Wenbo would normally have been seeded based on their performances between 2008-2010, all three have had to qualify, with Peter Ebdon, Jamie Cope and Ricky Walden all benefiting from good seasons.

Secondly, the new rankings have changed the order of the top 16 too, and no-one benefits from this, more than Mark Selby. Under the old system, he would have run into Mark Williams (Selby was 9th seed at the start of the season, Williams was 8th). However, the rankings couldn't have fallen better for him, with his toughest path to the final being a struggling Stephen Hendry, Ding Junhui (who hasn't really performed in the ranking tournaments this season) and Crucible-cursed Neil Robertson. Compare that to the lower half of the draw, where just about every player is either on form (Williams, Maguire, Murphy, Higgins), just plain resurgent (Day, Stevens, Dale, Lee) or in the form of their lives (Walden, Campbell), but that could change between now and the start of the tournament, with the China Open taking place next week. With one major exception (more on that in a minute).

One match to look out for, is Stephen Hendry v Joe Perry. Hendry has had a season of two halves. Just over half of the tournaments have been minor ranking events, grouped under the Players Tour Championship (PTC) banner, and these were intended to fill the calendar, offer some prize money, and create a new ranking tournament (for the top 24 players across the 12 PTC events). However, some players have taken them more seriously than others, Hendry has played in seven of them (pretty badly it has to be said), and has only earned just 920 ranking points from them as a result. To put that in perspective, he gets 980 just for turning up to the China Open, and 1400 just for turning up at the Crucible. However, the average seeded player picked up over 4000 points from the PTCs (Selby and Murphy both picked up over 12000), and Hendry's shortfall (only eight of the 97 professionals this season picked up fewer points) have made a huge difference to his world ranking, dropping him from 10th (where his form in the tradition events would put him, despite his struggles with snooker's version of the yips), to 18th, and his first drop outside of the world's top sixteen since he first entered snooker's elite in 1988. And Hendry is on record as saying that (unlike every other player who has dropped out of the top 16) if he drops out of the top 16, he's not interested in qualifying for events and would rather retire, and make way for the newer players - so, depending on how the next couple of weeks pan out, this year's World Championship may be the last we see of snooker's greatest ever player.

The other tie to look at is Ronnie O'Sullivan v Dominic Dale. One of the oft-repeated questions of snooker in recent years has been "Which Ronnie will turn up?". This season, it's been more of a case of "Will Ronnie turn up?", as he's withdrawn from (or failed to enter) twelve of the seventeen ranking events so far this season, including every tournament abroad (which bodes well for the China Open). O'Sullivan has only played two non-ranking tournaments this season, and the Premier League has not only provided him with his last win of any kind (way back in November), but also his only two wins of the season in best of 9 (or greater) matches. In ranking tournaments, his last win was back in September (3-1 against Peter Ebdon in the World Open), but he's only won best of 7 and best of 5 matches on the ranking stage this season. He's been very vocal about the lack of Maximum Break prizes, and the reduction in highest break prizes under Barry Hearn's regime, which have been very lucrative for O'Sullivan over the years - last season a 147 would have netted £157k, this season it generates just £19k (and the £147k isn't on offer elsewhere in the tournament as all other prizes have remained the same). Given how rusty he's looked when he's played this season, and how he's conceding frames as soon as he requires snookers, it wouldn't surprise me to see O'Sullivan leave the sport sooner, rather than later.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

2011 World Snooker Championship

Robertson's really benefitted from being bumped up into the number one seed position as holder there, hasn't he? Higgins and Williams are the two in red-hot form, but now they can't meet in the final.

Snooker could think about going down the tennis format, and still drawing its seeds out in brackets (so numbers 3 and 4 can be bracketed with either 1 or 2 in top or bottom half, numbers 5-8 with any of the top 4, numbers 9-16 into any of the eighth-finals). It retains the integrity of a seeding system, but maintains a bit of excitement in the draw itself - this "draw" was for the large part known before it happened this morning.

[David Agnew]

2011 World Snooker Championship

Snooker does that for every tournament bar the World Championship.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

2011 World Snooker Championship

Shame they don't for the "big one", then, in my opinion.

Btw, if this thread becomes (as it should) the official OTF thread for the tournament as it unfolds, can you edit your first thread title to read "Championship" not "Chamoionship"?

Or shall we just leave that as an ironic twist?

[Gerontophile]

2011 World Snooker Championship

LOVED the first post with one exception: Robertson is the champion. So, what's the problem?

He is going to be very close, and other than Higgins, I cant see anyone anywhere near.

How do you beat a champion?

[David Agnew]

2011 World Snooker Championship

Rogin the Armchair Fan wrote:

Shame they don't for the "big one", then, in my opinion.

Surely, if the seedings are to have true merit in them, the one time you use them to their truest meaning (in that if the top 16 all qualify, the number 1 seed should have the easiest game, the number 2 seed should have the second easiest game, etc), should be for the sport's World Championship? "Sorry, Neil, you've earned the top seed by being world champion, but you've randomly drawn someone from 9-16, and as chance would have it, you've drawn the number 9 seed, which this year, just happens to be Ronnie. Ali Carter's got Marco Fu instead".

LOVED the first post with one exception: Robertson is the champion. So, what's the problem?

The "Crucible Cursed" bit you mean? No first time World Champion has ever retained their title at the Crucible. Not Davis, not Hendry, not Higgins, not O'Sullivan, not Williams. It's just about the only snooker Tournament where it's never happened. Which considering that Robertson will be the fifteenth man to try and break it, is some record. In fact this season has seen the first successful defence of any snoo

And like a lot of first time Champions, he's had an drop in form that comes with the extra expectations of being World Champ (despite the fact that it guarantees a top 2 seeding for every tournament that uses the rankings). He missed the first two PTCs (due to them starting six weeks after last year's World Champion, and him being an Australian, with family to visit and promoting the sport in Australia and New Zealand), won the farcical best of 5 World Open (which carried more ranking points that the best of 9 German Masters), and then dipped. In all events, he's only ranked 10th for this season, in the traditional events, he's as low as 6th, with Williams, Selby, Higgins (even with his ban), Maguire (now there's a dark horse for the title) and Carter all performing better.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

2011 World Snooker Championship

The "Crucible Curse" thing for defending champions probably started in the early days of the present-day BBC coverage of the championship from Sheffield.

1977 champion John Spencer lost in the first round the following year to Perrie Mans, 1979 champion Terry Griffiths lost to a young Steve Davis, and then most famously of all Davis himself (having won in 1981) lost 10-1 to Tony Knowles on the opening day of 1982.

True enough no first-time champions since have retained their title, but that in itself hardly represents a "curse" in such a competitive sport. Some of them (Joe Johnson, in 1987, and Ken Doherty, in 1998) have if anything exceeded "second year" expectations by getting to the final again. I think Graeme Dott is the last first-time champion to go out in round one like the early ones did?

[David Agnew]

2011 World Snooker Championship

It was probably Davis losing to Knowles that started it (Spencer was already a two time champion when he won in 1977).

Davis was well known in snooker circles when he played Griffiths, having run Dennis Taylor close the previous season, and having beaten a pre-Yips Patsy Fagan two years on the trot, as well as performing well in the invitational tournaments (and having a nice little hustling sideline going on with Vic Harris).

That said, the year Griffiths' won the World Title, he won the Masters, the Irish Masters, an was runner up in the UK Championships and the Canadian Open. In fact the only tournament he didn't win that year was the weakest one he entered (the - Welsh Championship, where he was one of just four entrants, losing to Doug Mountjoy in the semi)

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

2011 World Snooker Championship

Mention of the Canadian Open begs the question, what has happened to snooker in Canada? Back in the day, they had three of the world's top ten, all of whom were legendary characters in their own way (Cliff Thorburn, Kirk Stevens and Bill Werbeniuk) and Jim Wych and Alain Robidoux also made regualar appearances in big events.

This year, I don't think there was a single Canadian player even entered in the qualifying draw of 96.

Are today's Canadian best cue sports guys all off playing the 9-ball pool circuit, or are they just not producing any at all?

[David Agnew]

2011 World Snooker Championship

There were quite a few scandals involving the Canadian players in the mid 80s to early 90s. First off, Silvino Francisco accused Kirk Stevens of being "on something", after a confrontation backstage in the last mid-session interval of their match in the 1985 British Open final. The WPBSA took a dim view, fined Francisco heavily, and deducted him 2 ranking points (back then, winning the Brtish Open only got you five). Only for Stevens to sell his story to the News of the World, saying that he was addicted to cocaine, because of how lonely and homesick he was. Cliff Thorburn made a similar confession (which of course did a great deal to promote the sport in Canada).

It didn't help that Jim Wych (probably the second best Canadian after Thorburn) often skipped events - especially if they clashed with North American pool tournaments - meaning that despite being a two-time World Championship Quarter Finalist, Wych never quite cracked the top 16 (his highest ranking being 17). But when Willie Thorne goes on about how there were only ever usually three qualifiers in the 1980s World Championships that would want to avoid in the first round, Wych was one of them (of those that never made the top 16, I'd assume Eugene Hughes and Dene O'Kane were the others).

It also didn't help that the WPBSA banned beta-blockers (possibly to get at Geoff Foulds through his son Neal, who had a heart problem, or even John Spencer who had a autoimmune neuromuscular disease called myasthenia gravis - snooker was very petty and political in the 1980s) which of course killed Bill Werbeniuk's career, as he needed Inderal to slow his heart down, in order to enable him to drink enough to enable him to play). Werbeniuk continued taking it, and failed a drug test, which caused him to be banned for four tournaments, the first of which being the first (and so far only) Canadian-based ranking event - the 1988 Canadian Masters. With 12 Canadians on the tour at the time (including those you mentioned, and Bob Chaperon, the last Canadian winner of a ranking tournament - the 1990 British Open) the WPBSA were expecting the "home" players to raise their game in the UK-based qualifiers. However, Werbeniuk was suspended, Frank Jonik withdrew, and nine other failed to qualify, leaving Thorburn (fresh from a two tournament bank for failing a drug test) as the only home based player to qualify. He bear tour newcomer Ian Graham in the first round, but then lost to Stephen Hendry in the quarter finals, and interest in the tournament died.

Since the tour opened up, few Canadians have even entered. The best of the six that entered the ranks in 1991 was Tom Finstad, and the best he ever ranked was 115 (and that was artificially inflated as he and five other foreign players were given byes when the tour was rescheduled in the late 1990s).

In the 2000s, the only ways a Canadian could enter the World tour, was by winning the World Amateur Championship (very tough, as it's usally won by a Pro Tour reject) or by being placed in the top 8 of the Pontins Tour (meaning that they had to base theirselves in England for a year, with little to no prize money, even if they were successful) or if they were especially talented, through a Wildcard. The new system (The Q school) is more attractive to foreign players, as they only need to base themselves over here for a month as an amateur. The Q school offers 12 tour places (but no prize money - that goes into prize money for the Pro tour), but no word on who has entered yet.

[David Agnew]

2011 World Snooker Championship

O'Sullivan turned up in China, only to lose 5-2 to Ryan Day in the first round. Afterwards, he said: "I've said I would retire before but haven't so I don't want to look silly but I can't continue to keep playing that way. I'm not going to say I'm retiring but you never know, it's not looking good."

[adams house cat]

2011 World Snooker Championship

These are really interesting posts DA. Keep 'em coming please.

[David Agnew]

2011 World Snooker Championship

Cheers, will do, once the Pc comes back.

It all starts tomorrow, and reckon the three seeds most likely to fall are Mark Allen, Ronnie, and Neil Robertson. Allen faces the most resurgent player on the tour in Matthew Stevens, Robertson has history, and the very in-form and recent China Open to contend with, and Ronnie's losing streak is too long to back against (yet Corals were offering 4-1 on Dominic Dale to beat him earlier in the week). A treble on those is around 22/1 now Ronnie's price has come down in the light of World Snooker revealing that Ronnie had asked to withdraw last week, only to change his mind a week later.

As for tournament winner, I'm reluctantly tipping Mark Williams. As I said above the draw is lopsided. Whoever wins through the bottom half will be exhausted, but in the top half, the one player that stands out in terms of form is Mark Selby - but he's adapted his style, and had become the best tactitian and shot selector in the sport, but it comes at a price. He's expending a lot of mental energy during games, and is mentally exhausting himself, even in one week tournaments, where the longest games have 19 frames, the same as the first round at the crucible. That could leave him as easy pickings in the quarters or semis, leaving someone like Ding Junhui, Ali Carter, Graeme Dott or even Judd Trump as the best tip for the final, and being in the "easier" half of the draw could leave them fresher whenthe final starts, especially as they will finish their semi-final first.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

2011 World Snooker Championship

What the hell has Judd Trump got on his head? He looks like he's wearing a hat made out of a live beaver.

[David Agnew]

2011 World Snooker Championship

it's called fashionable, Rogin. Have we ever had an emo World Champion before?

Trump ends a close, error strewn first session 5-4 up, while on the other table, Jamie Cope makes hard work of crucible debutant Andrew Pagett, also leading 5-4. Welshman Pagett looked to be one of the 24 players who drop off the tour with the fewest ranking points, and his only chance of avoiding that fate was qualifying for the Crucible, so anything that happens here really is a bonus. Pagett is wearing a bright pink waistcoat in aid of breast cancer awareness. Although so litte is known about Pagett that surely breast cancer should be raising awareness in Andrew Pagett.

[David Agnew]

2011 World Snooker Championship

Mark Williams begins his quest for a third World title in a few minutes against fellow countryman Ryan Day (there are seven Welshmen in the finals this year), which would be the pinnacle of his return to form since his mid 2000s slump that saw him drop to 22 in the world. Ryan Day chose the wrong time to enter a losing streak, with an almost weekly PTC tournament last Autumn, seeing him drop to number 30 in the world. He's back on form, but no match for Williams.

this afternoon also sees Ali Carter start off against veteran Dave Harold. Harold's drop down the rankings owes more to his great 2008/2009 season (which included his first major ranking final in 14 years in the Northern Ireland Trophy) being slowly removed from the ranking criteria than any poor play this season. Carter has everything a World Champion needs except big match temperament (both his ranking final wins were against players from outside the top 16), but should progress here.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

2011 World Snooker Championship

Ryan Day is the son of a cousin (whatever relationship that makes them) of someone I work with. So I'll be rooting for him.

Mark Williams looks like Droopy.

[Mumpo]

2011 World Snooker Championship

Just caught the 5th frame - great stuff; two solid breaks, then some nervy safety play and some doubles made and missed. Great snooker.

Are Davis & co. actually sat in the middle of the foyer? It looks for all the world like they are, but I'm sure I can see thin fuzzy 'bluescreen' lines around them. Not exactly 70's CSO grade, but noticeable, unless it's my imagination.

[Mumpo]

2011 World Snooker Championship

And are the BBC getting some kind of remuneration for this 'Pulse' thing?

[David Agnew]

2011 World Snooker Championship

Stoke fan Dave Harold gets his first frame on the board, and while the Potters play their first FA Cup semi in decades, the Potter will be trying to come back from 8-1 down.

Mumpo wrote:

Just caught the 5th frame - great stuff; two solid breaks, then some nervy safety play and some doubles made and missed. Great snooker.

Are Davis & co. actually sat in the middle of the foyer? It looks for all the world like they are, but I'm sure I can see thin fuzzy 'bluescreen' lines around them. Not exactly 70's CSO grade, but noticeable, unless it's my imagination.

It's your imagination - they're in the Winter Gardens over the road from the Crucible.

[David Agnew]

2011 World Snooker Championship

Mumpo wrote:

And are the BBC getting some kind of remuneration for this 'Pulse' thing?

I doubt it. If anyone will be it'll be the Independent production company.

[David Agnew]

2011 World Snooker Championship

Judd Trump misses an easy 'frame ball' shot in three consecutive frames, and Robertson makes him pay the first two times, but misses a black on the spot the third time. Trump should be 9-5 up, instead it's 7-7.

[Alderman Barnes]

2011 World Snooker Championship

Well I'm blowed - the Crucible Curse strikes again!

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

2011 World Snooker Championship

It's a shame their eras have been separated by a generation because I'd have loved to see a Trump - Reardon game. Or heard it. Reardon - Trump.

Sorry.

[David Agnew]

2011 World Snooker Championship

10-8 to Trump, and while he should have won more convincingly, it has to be said that Neil Robertson didn't play badly at all.

On the other table, Marcus Campbell has scored just 111 points so far, as he starts even worse than Dave Harold, trailing Shaun Murphy 9-0. There has only been one previous whitewash at the crucible - back in 1992 when Eddie Charlton (in his final appearance at the crucible) lost to then World Champion John Parrott.