Snooker 2015-16

[longeared]

There's snooker on terrestrial telly today, for the first time since May. It's the return of the Champion of Champions from Coventry on ITV4. This is one of Barry Hearn's super duper new events, and to be fair it's one of his better creations. It's basically a variation on the Masters, but brings together players who have actually won tournaments rather than by world rankings. This means that Ding Junhui has missed out on inclusion whereas Rory McLeod, Zhou Yuelong and Yan Bingtao (who was born in 2000) are all present. The latter two won the World Cup as not many people noticed.

The season has been plodding along anyway since about the end of June. John Higgins has been rolling back the years so far with wins in two of the biggest tournaments in China and Australia. The other main tournament was the Shanghai Masters which was won by the up and coming Kyren Wilson. Stuart Bingham reached the semis there but has otherwise shown very little form after his Worlds win. He's playing the aforementioned Yuelong this afternoon and defeat there would really set the alarm bells ringing.

Ronnie hasn't played a tournament at all this season. He's withdrawn from this event and opted not to enter the upcoming UK Championships (which are sticking to their much criticised “all 128 at the York Barbican” format). There's occasional rumours that he's retired but not publicly announcing it, although he may just be taking a sabbatical and returning for the Crucible like he did the other year.

(Apologies if DA has already started a thread and I couldn't find it)

[longeared]

Snooker 2015-16

Bingham did indeed manage to lose and sees his season lurch into CRISIS. What will concern him more is that Zhou didn't even play that well, indeed he performed exactly as you'd expect a 17 year old ranked in the mid 60s to do. Some good fearless pots, some poor shot selection and mixed safety play. He'll now play Wilson or Trump tonight.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Snooker 2015-16

How will Ronnie qualify for the Worlds if he hasn't played all year? Surely his ranking must be dropping like a stone? I thought it was just the top 16 who automatically got into that, or was it the top 16 at the start of the season?

[longeared]

Snooker 2015-16

Since the rankings went over to a money list (another Hearn creation) performance in the big events produces a higher ranking. Ronnie's still got both his runner up slot at the Worlds and his UK win from 2014 on his slate, so they go a long way to help him. Even if he doesn't play at all prior to the Crucible he'll keep his top 16 ranking, and would likely be somewhere around 9th seed.

Meanwhile the first two days of this tournament have produced some rather slow tables and the qualifiers for the semi finals have been Kyren Wilson and Joe Perry. With the greatest of respect to them they're probably not the box office names the organisers were hoping for.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Snooker 2015-16

Yan Bingtao knocks out Shaun Murphy, not a bad result for a 15-year-old ...

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Snooker 2015-16

Ding Junhui's English has come on leaps and bounds, if his post-match interview following defeat in the UK championships is anything to go by.

[longeared]

Snooker 2015-16

Earlier reports claimed it was "littered" with swearing. Perhaps it's not the sort of thing you'd say in a formal meeting, but it's hardly Reservoir Dogs either.

"It was crap. Fucking four tables and everything is going wrong.

"I don't want to say any more about this. It's just crap. It's for amateurs."

He needs some results though, the way things are going he might not qualify automatically for the Worlds. That's quite a decline for a player who won five major ranking tournaments a couple of seasons ago.

[longeared]

Snooker 2015-16

Bonfire of the big names so far in York, the last 16 starts tomorrow and only six of the players seeded to reach that stage have done so. Judd Trump has been the latest to go tonight, managing to lose five frames in a row to Liang Wenbo. We're now left with this:

Peter Ebdon (33) v David Grace (80)
Martin Gould (24) v Joe Swail (57)
Liang Wenbo (28) v Tom Ford (53)
Marco Fu (13) v Shaun Murphy (4)
Neil Robertson (3) v [strike]Shaun[/strike] Stephen Maguire (14)
Jamie Burnett (43) v John Higgins (6)
Luca Brecel (39) v Matthew Selt (23)
Dechawat Poomjaeng (47) v Mark Selby (2)

So the top half of the draw has opened up completely, we're going to get someone unusual in the semi finals, and whoever wins Fu v Murphy tomorrow will expect to be still there on Sunday. Bottom half of the draw looks much closer to call still. Going myself on Thursday and will get to see some players I didn't really expect.

Meanwhile tonight Thepchaiya Un-Nooh had a straightforward black for a 147, and...

[Medium Wave]

Snooker 2015-16

I was pleased to see that there was a Ken Doherty v Tony Drago fixture the other day. That was very reassuring for the corner of my mind in which it's still 1996.

[Various Artist]

Snooker 2015-16

Hah, I know just what you mean MW

Speaking of that time period:

longeared wrote: Shaun Maguire (14)

Please tell me this isn't a typo.

[longeared]

Snooker 2015-16

Saw Robertson v Maguire this afternoon. High standard snooker from Robbo, hit three tons in a comfortable win. He wasn't even on top form, took time (too much time on occasion) to select his shots, but, even so, looks ominously strong. On the other table Tom Ford looks like Marty Pellow and the ref was a chubby George Osborne.

Gould v Swail tonight. Slow burner early on with mediocre play from both, then Gould found his potting form and played some really good stuff for several frames to take a 6-3 win. I've always thought Gould was about 50, in fact he's younger than me.

Been a lot of complaints about tables this week. Did note it seemed unusually hot in the Barbican and the players had the cue ball cleaned an awful lot. Liang was also clearly unhappy with one cushion during the afternoon.

[Diable Rouge]

Snooker 2015-16

Liang v Grace literally crawling to a conclusion - let me remind you here that they began at one o'clock.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Snooker 2015-16

I saw the first frame of that. They were both playing like pub players. Grace twice had a fairly straightforward shot on the pink to finally win it and missed both times.

If Liang plays like that again there's a good chance this afternoon's final will be a whitewash.

[longeared]

Snooker 2015-16

Didn't see much of it, but it sounded like one of those matches where both players are not used to playing in a big match on a single table set up and in front of a big crowd.

It'll be easier for Liang today, no pressure on him at all. I don't expect a whitewash, but it might not get much past the interval in the evening.

[Diable Rouge]

Snooker 2015-16

Robertson gets a 147 - the lad who got 140 against him will hardly get a cut!

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Snooker 2015-16

I'll say something for John Virgo, and I know in that commentary box he's surrounded by people who won more than he did, but you hardly ever it mentioned (least of all by him) that he won this championship, in 1979.

When it comes to, for example, the tennis, it's all the commentators can do to go ten minutes without banging on about the finals they reached (and even lost) forty fucking years ago. You know who you are, John Lloyd.

[nmrfox]

Snooker 2015-16

Just wish he would shut the fuck up. Eurosport coverage much much better without him and Willie Thorne's constant inane chatter.

[longeared]

Snooker 2015-16

Masters week then, kicking off with Murphy opening the defence of his title against Mark Allen in a repeat of last year's semi. Tonight we've got Bingham v Ding, which could be absolutely anything given that neither player is in great form nor has either of them ever won a match in this tournament.

Ronnie OBE is back, he returned before Christmas by getting knocked out of the qualy for the German Masters, though he was apparently playing well in the Championship League (a tournament with a baffling format played behind closed doors) earlier this week. He's playing Mark Williams on Tuesday afternoon.

Do love this tournament though, all the best players, they don't fuck with the format, played in front of a London crowd. Definitely a sign of being in the middle of winter.

[longeared]

Snooker 2015-16

Murphy's just carelessly chucked a frame away by missing an open red three times in a row. You don't see that happen very often. Allen leads 4-2 and is in again.

[longeared]

Snooker 2015-16

Allen wins 6-4. Just in time for the football as well, nice one Mark.

Virgo called the pink the yellow at the end, which was particularly impressive given that there were only three balls on the table at the time.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Snooker 2015-16

I've just been doing some work while BBC2's been on in the background, left on from the Daily Politics. I didn't realise it was the snooker, and hearing the interview I thought it was Barry Shitpeas off Charlie Brooker's Screenwipe. Turns out it was World Champion Stuart Bingham. Try it for yourselves, they sound identical.

[longeared]

Snooker 2015-16

Absolutely stunning match between Robertson and Trump this afternoon. Over half the frames featured a century, including the decider which Judd won with a complete clearance. Most of the frames won at one visit, some tense safety and a high standard. Match of the tournament, maybe of the season.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

Snooker 2015-16

I don't normally get affected by advertising but every time I see Judd Trump's waistcoat I get an incredible urge for a Whopper and Fries.

[Diable Rouge]

Snooker 2015-16

longeared wrote: Absolutely stunning match between Robertson and Trump this afternoon. Over half the frames featured a century, including the decider which Judd won with a complete clearance. Most of the frames won at one visit, some tense safety and a high standard. Match of the tournament, maybe of the season.

The anti-match of the tournament, mostly in the early stage being Ronnie v Bingham. O'Sullivan found some form in the middle frames, but Hawkins can be quietly confident of taking the Rocket.

[steveeeeeeeee]

Snooker 2015-16

Looking one sided at the moment; Hawkins is nervy.