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Snooker: Masters 2018

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    Snooker: Masters 2018

    For the third year in a row, me and two old friends are meeting up for a couple of days at Alexandra Palace.

    The tournament breaks off today. We're going tomorrow and Tuesday, afternoon and evening sessions on both days, which means we'll see O'Sullivan.

    Anyone else going or planning to watch?

    #2
    Oh I love the Masters. All the best players (well aside from Bingham being suspended and Robertson managing to fall out the top 16 in the week of the cut off), same format every year, the big London tournament in the middle of winter. Haven't had a decent final for a few years so hopefully that can be rectified this time round.

    O'Sullivan has been the player of the season so far, some of the stuff he's played has been as good as anything he's ever produced. Shouldn't have too many problems with Marco Fu in the opening round though his potential quarter final against Allen or Brecel should be a fascinating match. There's going to be a bit of a kerfuffle should he win the whole thing, he's threatened not to lift the trophy as part of his strange dispute with World Snooker about the retention of trophies in general.

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      #3
      I associate the Masters with days off sick from school in the early 80s, but also one of the tournaments the BBC did properly before snooker became a cheap schedule filler.

      I think it was played a bit later - mid February?

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        #4
        Used to be in February; shifted to its current slot about 15 years ago.

        Selby is taking control against Williams, he's just made a 70-something break to go 5-3 up. The last frame also included a splendid passage which was far too difficult to describe here but included Williams taking three minutes over a shot, use of VAR, the ref having to reset an awkward position and Williams hiding the cue ball in his trouser pocket.

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          #5
          Ahem. Selby got a kick at an unfortunate stage of the ninth frame and Williams cleared up, then won the next frame to go to a decider. Both players had chances then Selby missed a tricky red and didn't get back to the table. Excellent match to start the tournament and Selby's relatively indifferent season continues.

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            #6
            Virgo calls Ryan Day "Mark Selby". Tick!

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              #7
              Old image, but he's got a point, hasn't he?

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                #8
                Sensational stuff from Ronnie at the moment, 3-0 up after a shade over half an hours playing time and two centuries. Fu hasn't potted a ball yet!

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                  #9
                  Safety exchange, the balls get scattered, Fu goes for an ambitious cut into the middle, misses, Ronnie makes another ton. 4-0 and the interval.

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                    #10
                    Safety exchange, balls go awkward, Fu manages a few pots then misses a reasonably straightforward brown, Ronnie straight in and makes 75. 5-0.

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                      #11
                      I was at the match this afternoon. Fu punished for every error. Even when he played a decent safety shot (impressive given how long he was sitting down) O'Sullivan got straight back in.

                      Amazing performance to witness but boring as a contest, and left me with 4 hours to kill before this evening's match!

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                        #12
                        Just admire what you saw there, those first four frames were better than that famous time he whacked Ricky Walden in an hour and as close to sporting perfection as you'll ever see.

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                          #13
                          Indeed.

                          I'm currently in the Muswell Hill Wetherspoons and Steve Davis has just walked in.

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                            #14
                            Ah. He's in here with Kavus Torabi!

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                              #15
                              Originally posted by nmfnp1977 View Post
                              .

                              I'm currently in the Muswell Hill Wetherspoons and Steve Davis has just walked in.
                              Have I walked in to a Half Man Half Biscuit song?

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                                #16
                                Originally posted by nmfnp1977 View Post
                                Indeed.

                                I'm currently in the Muswell Hill Wetherspoons and Steve Davis has just walked in.
                                Interesting.

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                                  #17
                                  https://www.facebook.com/events/178671182865572/

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                                    #18
                                    All one way traffic in O'Sullivan v Allen this afternoon. Just not the way anyone really expected.

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                                      #19
                                      Masters Final Sunday then, probably my favourite sporting day of the year outside of the Tour of Flanders. Cue obligatory shots of Paul Hunter, the black ball respot and the ref patting Ken Doherty on the shoulder.

                                      No-one would have predicted Allen - Wilson as a final a week ago but that is where we've ended up at thanks to some excellent snooker from the former and the latter holding his nerve as Judd Trump yet again snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. One of them will win his first major today so hopefully neither of them will go to pieces under the atmosphere of the situation.

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                                        #20
                                        Not a brilliant final so far, lots of mid sized breaks and only two frames won in one visit - both by Wilson. Both players took a while to settle and have thrown away frames they might have expected to win. Allen's long potting has been a bit off and he's not really had the run of the balls. 4-4 is a fair score for the session.

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                                          #21
                                          Allen has settled quicker this evening and he's just made the first century of the match to lead 7-5 at the interval. Feel that Wilson needs to win the next frame, if the gap gets up to three frames his head might go down and start making mistakes.

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                                            #22
                                            Getting very interesting now. 8-7 Allen as Wilson bags a couple of frames that Allen really should have closed out. Not the greatest final in terms of quality but gripping stuff nonetheless.

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                                              #23
                                              Unfortunately, for various reasons, I've not seen much of the competition since being there on Monday and Tuesday.

                                              Only tuned into the final at 8-5, but Wilson seems to be in the ascendancy. I saw his match against Hawkins and when he was trailing I'd never have imagined him making the final. In fact, has Wilson come from behind in all his matches?

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                                                #24
                                                Hmmm... Having said all that... If Allen clears up here I can't see him losing 3 frames in a row.

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                                                  #25
                                                  Wilson led all the way against Williams in their shockingly poor quarter final.

                                                  Allen 9-7 now and he's in the balls again, although he's making quite hard work of controlling the cue ball.

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