The Shanghai Masters qualifiers start tonight with two preliminary round matches before the bulk of the action gets underway tomorrow.
Qualifying from round one is like swimming through glue: long, difficult and improbable.
However, Dave Gilbert proved it can be done by making it to the final stages of the Australian Goldfields Open.
Every player on the circuit has started in the first qualifying round at the beginning of their careers. The best make it to the top 16 so that they don’t have to qualify – whatever the system.
But I think it’s true to say that the circuit is much more competitive now because the increase in playing opportunities has led to more players who are match sharp. You have to play well from pretty much frame one of each match to make it out of the Sheffield quagmire.
And make no mistake: players this week will play really well and still not qualify.
Most of the qualifiers for the Australian Open were experienced players of several years standing. The young guns barely got a look in.
I’ve found over the years that the new, young players very often – whether they realise it or not – underestimate the older guard.
Maybe this is natural youthful arrogance: that old bloke can’t be much good, certainly not as good as me.
But the players often dismissed rather disparagingly as ‘journeymen’ are in fact hard as nails competitors, skilled in survival.
They may not necessarily excel in the main arenas but have the table-craft and experience to teach some of these young whippersnappers a green baize lesson.
The qualifiers are a kind of snooker apprenticeship. It’s where you really learn the game at the professional level, not just on the table but the psychological dimensions that affect your thinking and confidence.
Learning takes time, however much skill you have. But the cream will eventually rise to the top.
You can follow the qualifiers on worldsnooker.com and on the excellent WWWsnooker.
11 comments:
what do you make of some people thinking the staggered qualifying x 16 isn't fair on players ?
my thinking is now with the rolling rankings it keeps players with a genuine goal to get up a level and play less matches however the starter points need to be overhauled.
giving them points equivalent to Igor Figuiredo who was WN 80 puts new pros on the back foot with the goal of reaching the top 64.
I think it's a very difficult system but the same players tend to come through whatever the format
So, dare I ask, what is the deal with Ronnie? Is he competing?
eddie, youre a bit nuts...
i wonder how many players who qualify (either through rounds or by right) dont go and play....
santa, hopefully not!
leave it to players who WANT to go abroad and play WORLD snooker
Dave
i take it you had no idea the matches was being streamed on line ?
Yes and no: well no mainly.
I knew that live streaming was coming but was under the impression there was to be a big announcement and so kept quiet. There doesn't seem to have been any announcement and yet it has started as you say.
How come Global Snooker is not what it was when it comes to providing latest scores?
because things change jamie...
Just shows you how stupid World Snooker are, to invest all that time in streaming the qualifiers, charging money for it, and not advertising it anywhere. You couldn't really imagine Peter Jones or Duncan Bannatyne investing in this one, could you?
10.23 pm.
Im in.
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