Ronnie O’Sullivan raised the bar still further with his audacious 147 yesterday that once again reaffirmed his instinctive snooker genius.
This was his ninth. Stephen Hendry has made eight. There are only seven years between them so it seems likely to be the only substantive record O’Sullivan will take from the game’s all time great.
In some ways it is indicative of his personality. Easily bored, he thrives on the euphoric thrill of a great moment rather than taking satisfaction from, say, a consistent season.
It was Ronnie’s third Crucible maximum and, not for the first time, he made the game look ridiculously easy in completing it.
The crowd reaction was a sight to behold. The usual quiet of the Crucible arena gave way to one of the loudest roars ever heard there as the spectators rose as one to applaud O’Sullivan off the stage.
When any of the multitude of sneering, metropolitan broadsheet columnists deride snooker as being boring or in decline in the future, send them the tape of Ronnie’s 147.
And when they say, ‘well Ronnie’s all you’ve got,’ send them a tape of the extraordinary conclusion to the Liang Wenbo-Joe Swail match last night.
This was a Crucible thriller to rate alongside all the great games you can think of. Liang thought he’d won it on potting the blue at 12-10 but later struggled over the line 13-12.
It proved that snooker can still deliver great excitement, even from two players who are not high profile.
Yes, there has been plenty of complaints from players about various matters but the controversy has only added to what is already one of the best World Championships ever.
29.4.08
28.4.08
SIR RODNEY'S TABLE TALK
Sir Rodney Walker, the chairman of World Snooker, has missed the point about the row over playing conditions at the 888.com World Championship.
In response to John Higgins’s trenchant criticisms following his Crucible defeat to Ryan Day, Walker told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Sportsweek programme on Sunday that, as the table was the same for both players, Higgins’s comments may merely have been a reaction to losing.
“Ryan Day was playing on the same table and lots of other players have played on it,” Walker said.
“Maybe – and I’m not saying John didn’t have a legitimate complaint – with the benefit of hindsight he may not have been quite so critical as he was at the time.
“Emotions were running high. Overall, as John did say at one point, it’s the same for both players so they’re both affected equally.”
Yes, it was the same for both players but, as I wrote yesterday, this doesn’t mean it’s a level playing field.
I take nothing away from Day at all because he deserved to win but only the best conditions produce the best quality snooker.
If the grass on Centre Court at Wimbledon has not been cut, it would be the same for both players but conditions would not be conducive to top quality tennis.
Ditto if someone digs up the greens at St. Andrews or covers an F1 track with oil.
The main problem at the Crucible was odd bounces off cushions that were impossible to predict and a high number of bad contacts.
Higgins allowed this to get to him and has admitted that he shouldn’t have.
However, I don’t believe his comments were down to sour grapes on his part. He first complained to World Snooker officials when he was leading 5-3.
Peter Ebdon has also complained and he’s still going in the tournament.
Walker is not an expert on playing conditions – neither does he claim to be – but he would be better advised to listen to what the top players are saying rather than shrug off their complaints.
In response to John Higgins’s trenchant criticisms following his Crucible defeat to Ryan Day, Walker told BBC Radio 5 Live’s Sportsweek programme on Sunday that, as the table was the same for both players, Higgins’s comments may merely have been a reaction to losing.
“Ryan Day was playing on the same table and lots of other players have played on it,” Walker said.
“Maybe – and I’m not saying John didn’t have a legitimate complaint – with the benefit of hindsight he may not have been quite so critical as he was at the time.
“Emotions were running high. Overall, as John did say at one point, it’s the same for both players so they’re both affected equally.”
Yes, it was the same for both players but, as I wrote yesterday, this doesn’t mean it’s a level playing field.
I take nothing away from Day at all because he deserved to win but only the best conditions produce the best quality snooker.
If the grass on Centre Court at Wimbledon has not been cut, it would be the same for both players but conditions would not be conducive to top quality tennis.
Ditto if someone digs up the greens at St. Andrews or covers an F1 track with oil.
The main problem at the Crucible was odd bounces off cushions that were impossible to predict and a high number of bad contacts.
Higgins allowed this to get to him and has admitted that he shouldn’t have.
However, I don’t believe his comments were down to sour grapes on his part. He first complained to World Snooker officials when he was leading 5-3.
Peter Ebdon has also complained and he’s still going in the tournament.
Walker is not an expert on playing conditions – neither does he claim to be – but he would be better advised to listen to what the top players are saying rather than shrug off their complaints.
27.4.08
LOGO AREAS, BAD BOUNCES AND SPIN
Today marks the mid point of what has thus far been an engrossing 888.com World Championship but much of the publicity surrounding the tournament remains negative.
This is partly due to the nature of what makes ‘news’ and partly because of problems in the way in which the sport is administered.
This story in the News of the World highlights growing unrest over player logos. However, the BBC has been unfairly blamed for this is my view.
Their guidelines limit players to two logos but it was not their decision to award one logo space to 888.com. This was down to World Snooker, as Barry Hearn makes clear in the NOTW article.
The BBC has taken a battering over this. A word of warning: if they pull out of snooker the professional circuit as we know it will be dead in the water.
The other major controversy has been the playing conditions.
Anyone who has watched the championship will have witnessed bad bounces off cushions and a high number of kicks.
Why are kicks now accepted as just part of the game?
Why is there no concerted effort to eradicate them?
John Higgins was scathing about the cushions and laid the blame at the door of World Snooker tournament director Mike Ganley for not re-covering the tables before the second round.
World Snooker issued a bland, meaningless statement at the same time that Ganley went in front of the BBC cameras to answer questions from Hazel Irvine, where he admitted he had been “disappointed” by the way the table had played.
“We always try to ensure the best conditions and it’s disappointing to have inconsistent bounces for the players,” he said.
“Years ago we only used to re-cover the tables before the semi-finals but it is disappointing, even if it’s the same for both players.
“We have sheets for the players to fill in after their matches if they have any comments to make. John has done so, as has Peter Ebdon but not many others. The boys need to knock on the door a bit more often.”
Credit to Ganley for being honest enough to admit the conditions weren’t good enough. Much thought needs to go into what will be done at next year’s World Championship because this cannot keep happening every year.
Yes, it’s the same for both players. But if Roger Federer and Andy Roddick turned up at Centre Court at Wimbledon to find the grass had not been cut would their match really be a true reflection of their talents?
Shaun Murphy last night heavily criticised playing conditions but readers of worldsnooker.com, the website of the governing body, would not think so.
Here’s what he said: “We have a gambling sponsor, why don't we take the championship to a casino and have a real game of chance?
"This is the world championship, the gala event we all look forward to. Yes, I'll hold my hands up, I missed some shots I shouldn't have but there were a lot of problems out there that cost me the match.
"It's not just me and John Higgins having a problem with it and it's not just because we lost. It will look like sour grapes but it's not and it will cost other players.
"The comments have been made backstage for days. The cloth is so thin and light it's only good for three days' play.
"After three days you get bad bounces and balls going where they shouldn't be and it makes a mockery of the biggest tournament we've got.”
Here’s what worldsnooker.com quoted: “I just think there are a whole mixtures of things that have gone on that have made the match that way and a lot of talk about the conditions and the playing conditions that we are all under but I’m not really that bothered at losing because I know I’ve played well all season, I’ve prepared as well as I’ve ever done to come to the Crucible, I played well against Dave and I know I played a lot of good shots out there today but the playing conditions weren’t beneficial to me at all.”
Leaving aside the fact that this comes across as gibberish, ‘not beneficial’ does not necessarily mean ‘poor’ and this sort of spin hardly enhances World Snooker’s reputation. Either quote what he said properly or don't quote him at all.
Thank goodness the snooker remains high quality as we enter the second half of the Crucible marathon.
This is partly due to the nature of what makes ‘news’ and partly because of problems in the way in which the sport is administered.
This story in the News of the World highlights growing unrest over player logos. However, the BBC has been unfairly blamed for this is my view.
Their guidelines limit players to two logos but it was not their decision to award one logo space to 888.com. This was down to World Snooker, as Barry Hearn makes clear in the NOTW article.
The BBC has taken a battering over this. A word of warning: if they pull out of snooker the professional circuit as we know it will be dead in the water.
The other major controversy has been the playing conditions.
Anyone who has watched the championship will have witnessed bad bounces off cushions and a high number of kicks.
Why are kicks now accepted as just part of the game?
Why is there no concerted effort to eradicate them?
John Higgins was scathing about the cushions and laid the blame at the door of World Snooker tournament director Mike Ganley for not re-covering the tables before the second round.
World Snooker issued a bland, meaningless statement at the same time that Ganley went in front of the BBC cameras to answer questions from Hazel Irvine, where he admitted he had been “disappointed” by the way the table had played.
“We always try to ensure the best conditions and it’s disappointing to have inconsistent bounces for the players,” he said.
“Years ago we only used to re-cover the tables before the semi-finals but it is disappointing, even if it’s the same for both players.
“We have sheets for the players to fill in after their matches if they have any comments to make. John has done so, as has Peter Ebdon but not many others. The boys need to knock on the door a bit more often.”
Credit to Ganley for being honest enough to admit the conditions weren’t good enough. Much thought needs to go into what will be done at next year’s World Championship because this cannot keep happening every year.
Yes, it’s the same for both players. But if Roger Federer and Andy Roddick turned up at Centre Court at Wimbledon to find the grass had not been cut would their match really be a true reflection of their talents?
Shaun Murphy last night heavily criticised playing conditions but readers of worldsnooker.com, the website of the governing body, would not think so.
Here’s what he said: “We have a gambling sponsor, why don't we take the championship to a casino and have a real game of chance?
"This is the world championship, the gala event we all look forward to. Yes, I'll hold my hands up, I missed some shots I shouldn't have but there were a lot of problems out there that cost me the match.
"It's not just me and John Higgins having a problem with it and it's not just because we lost. It will look like sour grapes but it's not and it will cost other players.
"The comments have been made backstage for days. The cloth is so thin and light it's only good for three days' play.
"After three days you get bad bounces and balls going where they shouldn't be and it makes a mockery of the biggest tournament we've got.”
Here’s what worldsnooker.com quoted: “I just think there are a whole mixtures of things that have gone on that have made the match that way and a lot of talk about the conditions and the playing conditions that we are all under but I’m not really that bothered at losing because I know I’ve played well all season, I’ve prepared as well as I’ve ever done to come to the Crucible, I played well against Dave and I know I played a lot of good shots out there today but the playing conditions weren’t beneficial to me at all.”
Leaving aside the fact that this comes across as gibberish, ‘not beneficial’ does not necessarily mean ‘poor’ and this sort of spin hardly enhances World Snooker’s reputation. Either quote what he said properly or don't quote him at all.
Thank goodness the snooker remains high quality as we enter the second half of the Crucible marathon.
26.4.08
DING FALLS TO THE KING
Stephen Hendry seems certain to beat Ding Junhui at the Crucible this afternoon and thus stop him from assuming his own mantle of youngest ever world champion.
Resuming 11-5 up, it's very unlikely Hendry will lose given the excellent form he is in.
Ding should have been no worse than 9-7 down but missed the black to win the 11th frame and frame ball red in the 15th.
Make no mistake, though: he is a man under intense pressure.
Ding is the standard bearer of the Chinese snooker revolution. Around 30 accredited Chinese journalists are at the Crucible and millions (and I do mean millions) are following it live on TV.
He won his three ranking titles before the close scrutiny he is now under began and seems to be struggling to cope with it.
What he needs - and what is happening with the emergence of Liang Wenbo and others - is more talented Chinese players doing well in the pro ranks to take some of the weight off his shoulders.
And what of Hendry?
He started the match with a century and made a vintage clearance to win that 15th frame. It was just like the old days.
Crucially, his concentration is back and, cueing as nicely as he is, he can beat anyone in the field.
Is an eighth world title on the cards?
There are still plenty of top class players left in the field who can prevent him but he must know that this is his big chance to land the game's top prize once again.
Resuming 11-5 up, it's very unlikely Hendry will lose given the excellent form he is in.
Ding should have been no worse than 9-7 down but missed the black to win the 11th frame and frame ball red in the 15th.
Make no mistake, though: he is a man under intense pressure.
Ding is the standard bearer of the Chinese snooker revolution. Around 30 accredited Chinese journalists are at the Crucible and millions (and I do mean millions) are following it live on TV.
He won his three ranking titles before the close scrutiny he is now under began and seems to be struggling to cope with it.
What he needs - and what is happening with the emergence of Liang Wenbo and others - is more talented Chinese players doing well in the pro ranks to take some of the weight off his shoulders.
And what of Hendry?
He started the match with a century and made a vintage clearance to win that 15th frame. It was just like the old days.
Crucially, his concentration is back and, cueing as nicely as he is, he can beat anyone in the field.
Is an eighth world title on the cards?
There are still plenty of top class players left in the field who can prevent him but he must know that this is his big chance to land the game's top prize once again.
23.4.08
UNDER PRESSURE
Have we ever had a more exciting start to the World Championship than the first few days this year?
Close finishes, comebacks and tension a-plenty. It can only be the Crucible.
Ronnie O’Sullivan was clearly feeling the pressure this afternoon against Liu Chuang this afternoon, missing pots and misjudging position.
Let’s lay one myth to rest: ‘Ronnie can win if he wants to.’
The fact is, he does want to. This is why he felt the pressure. If he couldn’t care less, he wouldn’t feel any at all.
I think he’ll still beat Liu but he isn’t the certainty he appeared to be this morning.
It’s a worrying sign for Ronnie because it follows three close defeats in as many tournaments.
In the Masters in January he missed a blue he should have potted in the decider against Stephen Maguire and lost 6-5.
He led Mark Selby 8-5 in February’s Welsh Open final but missed chances to win and was beaten 9-8.
He played kamikaze snooker in losing 5-4 to Marco Fu in the China Open last month.
None of this means he has ‘gone.’ He made two good clearances under pressure to hold off Liu. Everyone knows how good he can be when it all comes together.
However, O’Sullivan will be looking to improve in tomorrow’s final session to regain what appears to be lost confidence.
Close finishes, comebacks and tension a-plenty. It can only be the Crucible.
Ronnie O’Sullivan was clearly feeling the pressure this afternoon against Liu Chuang this afternoon, missing pots and misjudging position.
Let’s lay one myth to rest: ‘Ronnie can win if he wants to.’
The fact is, he does want to. This is why he felt the pressure. If he couldn’t care less, he wouldn’t feel any at all.
I think he’ll still beat Liu but he isn’t the certainty he appeared to be this morning.
It’s a worrying sign for Ronnie because it follows three close defeats in as many tournaments.
In the Masters in January he missed a blue he should have potted in the decider against Stephen Maguire and lost 6-5.
He led Mark Selby 8-5 in February’s Welsh Open final but missed chances to win and was beaten 9-8.
He played kamikaze snooker in losing 5-4 to Marco Fu in the China Open last month.
None of this means he has ‘gone.’ He made two good clearances under pressure to hold off Liu. Everyone knows how good he can be when it all comes together.
However, O’Sullivan will be looking to improve in tomorrow’s final session to regain what appears to be lost confidence.
22.4.08
GOLDEN GREATS SERVE UP VINTAGE DAY
All sports rely on an influx of fresh, new talent but you can’t quite beat the legends rolling back the years for excitement.
Yesterday’s play at the 888.com World Championship was thrilling as first Stephen Hendry, then Steve Davis evoked memories of their respective heydays by hitting the comeback trail at the Crucible.
Hendry pulled it off, rallying from 6-3 and 9-7 down to see off Mark Allen 10-9.
Davis just came up short, losing 10-8 to Stuart Bingham after fighting from 8-3 adrift to 8-8.
Hendry’s recovery proved that the Crucible has inspired him to produce close to his best form. Although Allen slipped up, the Scot finished off in style, in one visit in the decider.
“There are a lot of good players capable of winning the title but as long as I’m still in it they’ve got a headache,” he said afterwards.
And who could possibly argue with that?
Davis lost out after messing up position from blue to pink in an extraordinary 17th frame. He had Bingham on the ropes and failed to land the knockout blow but what a great performance it was.
Gone are the days 50 year-old Davis is booed at venues. The support he enjoyed from the crowd last night was amazing.
Nobody can go on forever, but Hendry and Davis are a breed apart because the competitive fire burns deeper in them than any of the players who have followed them.
They would always look to the next tournament after picking up a trophy. They never got comfortable.
Hendry believes he can land an eighth world title. As long as he remains in the event then this possibility cannot be written off.
As for Davis, he will have to qualify next year. Regardless, I repeat what I said in my closing line of commentary for Eurosport last night: He’s walked off the Crucible stage for what may be the last time, but hasn’t he left us with some wonderful memories.
Yesterday’s play at the 888.com World Championship was thrilling as first Stephen Hendry, then Steve Davis evoked memories of their respective heydays by hitting the comeback trail at the Crucible.
Hendry pulled it off, rallying from 6-3 and 9-7 down to see off Mark Allen 10-9.
Davis just came up short, losing 10-8 to Stuart Bingham after fighting from 8-3 adrift to 8-8.
Hendry’s recovery proved that the Crucible has inspired him to produce close to his best form. Although Allen slipped up, the Scot finished off in style, in one visit in the decider.
“There are a lot of good players capable of winning the title but as long as I’m still in it they’ve got a headache,” he said afterwards.
And who could possibly argue with that?
Davis lost out after messing up position from blue to pink in an extraordinary 17th frame. He had Bingham on the ropes and failed to land the knockout blow but what a great performance it was.
Gone are the days 50 year-old Davis is booed at venues. The support he enjoyed from the crowd last night was amazing.
Nobody can go on forever, but Hendry and Davis are a breed apart because the competitive fire burns deeper in them than any of the players who have followed them.
They would always look to the next tournament after picking up a trophy. They never got comfortable.
Hendry believes he can land an eighth world title. As long as he remains in the event then this possibility cannot be written off.
As for Davis, he will have to qualify next year. Regardless, I repeat what I said in my closing line of commentary for Eurosport last night: He’s walked off the Crucible stage for what may be the last time, but hasn’t he left us with some wonderful memories.
21.4.08
BARRY POTTER AND THE CASE OF THE LONG WAIT
It was Mike Ganley’s call to bring Ali Carter and Barry Hawkins off at 9-9, causing a two hour wait before the resumption.
Ganley is World Snooker’s tournament director and had to weigh up the various factors governing the decision.
Had they carried on when it went 9-9 at 6.35pm, they would most likely have run into the final session.
The other view is that, as it was a decider, they should have remained out there, not least so that the crowd who had stuck with it could see the end.
In Ganley’s job, you are never going to please all of the people all of the time. Certainly, Hawkins wasn’t happy because he had just won three successive frames and the momentum was clearly with him.
However, to read some of the coverage you would think that such a pull-off is unprecedented. It isn’t. It happens every year.
The cut-off point for starting another frame is 40 minutes before the following session.
Therefore, Ganley was right to bring them off.
He could have used his discretion but may then have got it in the neck from those waiting to play the evening session.
Ganley is World Snooker’s tournament director and had to weigh up the various factors governing the decision.
Had they carried on when it went 9-9 at 6.35pm, they would most likely have run into the final session.
The other view is that, as it was a decider, they should have remained out there, not least so that the crowd who had stuck with it could see the end.
In Ganley’s job, you are never going to please all of the people all of the time. Certainly, Hawkins wasn’t happy because he had just won three successive frames and the momentum was clearly with him.
However, to read some of the coverage you would think that such a pull-off is unprecedented. It isn’t. It happens every year.
The cut-off point for starting another frame is 40 minutes before the following session.
Therefore, Ganley was right to bring them off.
He could have used his discretion but may then have got it in the neck from those waiting to play the evening session.
20.4.08
HIGGINS SHOWS HIS CLASS
As great champions do, John Higgins raised his game when the pressure was on to see off Matthew Stevens in what turned out to be a very interesting first day encounter at the 888.com World Championship.
Having seen his 7-2 lead reduced to just 7-5, Higgins fired in breaks of 75, 120 and 103 to win 10-5. It was reminiscent, as he himself said, of his finish against Mark Selby in last year's Crucible final.
Few have tipped John to win the title this year. Then again, few tipped him to win it last year.
He hasn't practised as hard as he usually would this season but, like a student cramming for exams, has been putting the hours in at the Craigpark Masters in Glasgow these last three weeks.
If he hits top form in Sheffield he could well land a third world title. Ask the other players and many, if not most, would say he is a better all round player than Ronnie O'Sullivan when at his best.
When Higgins won the title in 1998, I assumed, as did many others, he would be a three, four or even five time winner.
That's not what's happened so far and, as he told me himself in an interview for the Sunday Herald, time is not on his side, even though he's still only 32.
“I’m capable of winning the world title again but I know time is running out,” Higgins said. “I’ll have to do it in the next few years because it gets harder as you get older.
“You look at Jimmy White. Four years ago he won the Players Championship, now he’s almost off the tour. Mark Williams looks like losing his top 16 place and for a while was in danger of falling out of the top 32, which would have been ridiculous because just a few years ago he held the game’s top four titles. It just shows how quickly it can all disappear.”
Who is to say that, now safely through what looked like a tricky opening round encounter, Higgins can't become the first player in 12 years to successfully defend the greatest snooker prize of them all?
(There is a full account of the first day's play here)
Having seen his 7-2 lead reduced to just 7-5, Higgins fired in breaks of 75, 120 and 103 to win 10-5. It was reminiscent, as he himself said, of his finish against Mark Selby in last year's Crucible final.
Few have tipped John to win the title this year. Then again, few tipped him to win it last year.
He hasn't practised as hard as he usually would this season but, like a student cramming for exams, has been putting the hours in at the Craigpark Masters in Glasgow these last three weeks.
If he hits top form in Sheffield he could well land a third world title. Ask the other players and many, if not most, would say he is a better all round player than Ronnie O'Sullivan when at his best.
When Higgins won the title in 1998, I assumed, as did many others, he would be a three, four or even five time winner.
That's not what's happened so far and, as he told me himself in an interview for the Sunday Herald, time is not on his side, even though he's still only 32.
“I’m capable of winning the world title again but I know time is running out,” Higgins said. “I’ll have to do it in the next few years because it gets harder as you get older.
“You look at Jimmy White. Four years ago he won the Players Championship, now he’s almost off the tour. Mark Williams looks like losing his top 16 place and for a while was in danger of falling out of the top 32, which would have been ridiculous because just a few years ago he held the game’s top four titles. It just shows how quickly it can all disappear.”
Who is to say that, now safely through what looked like a tricky opening round encounter, Higgins can't become the first player in 12 years to successfully defend the greatest snooker prize of them all?
(There is a full account of the first day's play here)
19.4.08
THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH
This is an interesting story reflecting the global interest in the 888.com World Championship but it does not change the fact that of the 32 competitors at the Crucible, 27 are from the UK and Ireland.
The game is actually less international now than it was 20 years ago when various Canadians and Australians were part of the scene. Thailand, Finland, Malta and Iceland are among the other countries to have been represented at the home of snooker.
What can be done?
It would take a complete overhaul of the format to enable individual qualifying in different countries but one thing that will help is if players such as Ding Junhui and Neil Robertson continue their success.
Neil tells me snooker in Australia is starting to pick up after years in the doldrums. He's getting some recognition and his profile is gradually growing.
Ding has, of course, already inspired Liang Wenbo and Liu Chuang, who will be making their Crucible debuts next week.
Fast forward 20 years the field may well be dominated by non-British stars.
Then we'll have situation as in tennis where the British sporting public are rooting for a couple of home grown stars, with the inevitable heartbreak ensuing.
The game is actually less international now than it was 20 years ago when various Canadians and Australians were part of the scene. Thailand, Finland, Malta and Iceland are among the other countries to have been represented at the home of snooker.
What can be done?
It would take a complete overhaul of the format to enable individual qualifying in different countries but one thing that will help is if players such as Ding Junhui and Neil Robertson continue their success.
Neil tells me snooker in Australia is starting to pick up after years in the doldrums. He's getting some recognition and his profile is gradually growing.
Ding has, of course, already inspired Liang Wenbo and Liu Chuang, who will be making their Crucible debuts next week.
Fast forward 20 years the field may well be dominated by non-British stars.
Then we'll have situation as in tennis where the British sporting public are rooting for a couple of home grown stars, with the inevitable heartbreak ensuing.
18.4.08
ALL EYES ON THE CRUCIBLE
Soon the talking will, thank goodness, be over and we can actually get on with the 888.com World Championship.
The build up in the newspapers this year has been low key to say the least.
This may reflect a decline in interest from the British media in general but I expect coverage to pick up once the tournament begins. It tends to be that all the people and publications that ignore snooker throughout the season suddenly decide it’s worth covering after all.
Let’s hope it’s covered properly.
The BBC website has a large section on the event. It’s a shame, then, that they have the draw in the wrong order and Ali Carter and Barry Hawkins playing three sessions in their first round match (do they know something we don’t?).
The BBC also has an extremely late nightly highlights programme (midnight most nights and contrary to their own listings) during the first week having come off air at 8pm with the evening session just getting interesting.
They are showing it all live on their interactive service but this doesn’t include a presenter or interviews with players.
Eurosport will be showing pretty much every session live and there is a full coverage on their website.
However you are following the tournament – at the Crucible, on TV or via live scoring – I hope you enjoy it.
The build up in the newspapers this year has been low key to say the least.
This may reflect a decline in interest from the British media in general but I expect coverage to pick up once the tournament begins. It tends to be that all the people and publications that ignore snooker throughout the season suddenly decide it’s worth covering after all.
Let’s hope it’s covered properly.
The BBC website has a large section on the event. It’s a shame, then, that they have the draw in the wrong order and Ali Carter and Barry Hawkins playing three sessions in their first round match (do they know something we don’t?).
The BBC also has an extremely late nightly highlights programme (midnight most nights and contrary to their own listings) during the first week having come off air at 8pm with the evening session just getting interesting.
They are showing it all live on their interactive service but this doesn’t include a presenter or interviews with players.
Eurosport will be showing pretty much every session live and there is a full coverage on their website.
However you are following the tournament – at the Crucible, on TV or via live scoring – I hope you enjoy it.
16.4.08
BLIND DATES
Next season’s Shanghai Masters will start on a Wednesday and finish on a Tuesday (October 1-7). This will be the first time a ranking event has ever ended on a Tuesday, unless you count the last two world finals, which both finished post-midnight on successive May Bank Holiday Mondays.
It is unusual but there’s a reason for it: the day in question is a public holiday in Shanghai, just as we have the May Day holiday in the UK.
When you think about it, there’s no real reason why events always have to end at the weekend, apart from that it is when people are less likely to be working and can therefore attend.
However, such is the competition with other sports for media coverage that a midweek final could end up being a huge plus.
What is less easy to comprehend is how the Shanghai tournament fits in with the rest of the schedule.
When it finishes, there will be just four days until the Grand Prix in Scotland. After that, the next ranking event – the UK Championship – will not be staged for another two months.
Remember, next season’s first ranking event – the Northern Ireland Trophy – is on from August 24-31 so there will be a whole month between this and Shanghai.
Of course, there may be – and we all hope there will be – more events to be slotted in, but this seems unlikely given that Matchroom have already published their Premier League dates.
Twenty years ago, indeed ten years ago, you knew where you were. Each tournament had a recognisable sponsor, venue and slot in the calendar.
If it was October, it’d be the Rothmans Grand Prix in Reading. February would mean the B&H Masters at Wembley, and so on.
Now, tournaments are moved about with such regularity that you need Sat Nav to find them.
And the huge gaps between them hardly convince a sceptical media that we have a thriving circuit.
This is not meant as explicit criticism of World Snooker. Staging ranking tournaments is hard work and securing venues not a piece of cake. World Snooker’s on site tournament team do a good job and rarely get any praise for this.
But to have a month between next season’s first and second tournament, four days between second and third and then two months between third and fourth is going to strike almost everybody – not least the players – as very odd indeed.
There has been criticism in the press – albeit anonymously – from players of late and this only seems likely to continue until new tournaments are announced.
Edit (on April 24): I'm now assured that the Shanghai Masters will now end on Sunday, October 5 after all, having been moved forward two days
It is unusual but there’s a reason for it: the day in question is a public holiday in Shanghai, just as we have the May Day holiday in the UK.
When you think about it, there’s no real reason why events always have to end at the weekend, apart from that it is when people are less likely to be working and can therefore attend.
However, such is the competition with other sports for media coverage that a midweek final could end up being a huge plus.
What is less easy to comprehend is how the Shanghai tournament fits in with the rest of the schedule.
When it finishes, there will be just four days until the Grand Prix in Scotland. After that, the next ranking event – the UK Championship – will not be staged for another two months.
Remember, next season’s first ranking event – the Northern Ireland Trophy – is on from August 24-31 so there will be a whole month between this and Shanghai.
Of course, there may be – and we all hope there will be – more events to be slotted in, but this seems unlikely given that Matchroom have already published their Premier League dates.
Twenty years ago, indeed ten years ago, you knew where you were. Each tournament had a recognisable sponsor, venue and slot in the calendar.
If it was October, it’d be the Rothmans Grand Prix in Reading. February would mean the B&H Masters at Wembley, and so on.
Now, tournaments are moved about with such regularity that you need Sat Nav to find them.
And the huge gaps between them hardly convince a sceptical media that we have a thriving circuit.
This is not meant as explicit criticism of World Snooker. Staging ranking tournaments is hard work and securing venues not a piece of cake. World Snooker’s on site tournament team do a good job and rarely get any praise for this.
But to have a month between next season’s first and second tournament, four days between second and third and then two months between third and fourth is going to strike almost everybody – not least the players – as very odd indeed.
There has been criticism in the press – albeit anonymously – from players of late and this only seems likely to continue until new tournaments are announced.
Edit (on April 24): I'm now assured that the Shanghai Masters will now end on Sunday, October 5 after all, having been moved forward two days
15.4.08
WHITE TAKES CENTRE STAGE
Jimmy White fans – and there are, of course, many of them – can’t watch their hero in next week’s 888.com World Championship but he will be in action in the Championship League on Wednesday and Thursday.
White joins Mark Selby and Gerard Greene in Group 6. There are no seats for spectators but all the action is screened live on the internet on three betting websites – Betfair.com, Bet365.com and Williamhill.com.
Jimmy was beaten 10-3 by Mark King in the final qualifying round of the World Championship and has not been invited to the Premier League next season.
However, he will still get in if he gets into and then wins the Champions Group next month.
White will doubtless have mixed feelings about playing with the World Championship coming up but I’m sure his army of supporters will be willing on his every shot.
White joins Mark Selby and Gerard Greene in Group 6. There are no seats for spectators but all the action is screened live on the internet on three betting websites – Betfair.com, Bet365.com and Williamhill.com.
Jimmy was beaten 10-3 by Mark King in the final qualifying round of the World Championship and has not been invited to the Premier League next season.
However, he will still get in if he gets into and then wins the Champions Group next month.
White will doubtless have mixed feelings about playing with the World Championship coming up but I’m sure his army of supporters will be willing on his every shot.
14.4.08
SNOOKER ISN'T IN CRISIS...SAY WORLD SNOOKER
World Snooker have hit back at the 'mystery' player who criticised them in the News of the World with a statement on their website.
In this, they defend their actions and point to the various positives since Sir Rodney Walker was made chairman in 2004.
Personally, I wouldn't take issue with any of them and it's actually refreshing that the governing body should defend its position rather than say nothing at all, which has all too often been their stance in the past.
However, to talk about 'discussions' for events in the Middle East and Europe is not a good idea because we've been hearing this for, literally, four or five years and such 'discussions' have not yet borne any fruit at all in terms of actual tournaments.
World Snooker have previously announced events in Brazil, Thailand, Macao and Holland that have simply never taken place.
I think players have every right to complain in public if they are unhappy with how their sport is being run but would add that they should do so on the record rather than anonymously.
However, the notion, as suggested in the last paragraph of the statement, that players should only say nice things about the governing body - regardless of what they feel about them - is, frankly, ludicrous.
In this, they defend their actions and point to the various positives since Sir Rodney Walker was made chairman in 2004.
Personally, I wouldn't take issue with any of them and it's actually refreshing that the governing body should defend its position rather than say nothing at all, which has all too often been their stance in the past.
However, to talk about 'discussions' for events in the Middle East and Europe is not a good idea because we've been hearing this for, literally, four or five years and such 'discussions' have not yet borne any fruit at all in terms of actual tournaments.
World Snooker have previously announced events in Brazil, Thailand, Macao and Holland that have simply never taken place.
I think players have every right to complain in public if they are unhappy with how their sport is being run but would add that they should do so on the record rather than anonymously.
However, the notion, as suggested in the last paragraph of the statement, that players should only say nice things about the governing body - regardless of what they feel about them - is, frankly, ludicrous.
CUETUBE
This week, to get us in the mood for Ronnie O'Sullivan's 888.com World Championship meeting with Liu Chuang, some footage of their only other meeting.
This was in last season's China Open in Beijing when Liu was a wildcard.
I'm sure he's hoping Ronnie doesn't turn it on like this at the Crucible...
This was in last season's China Open in Beijing when Liu was a wildcard.
I'm sure he's hoping Ronnie doesn't turn it on like this at the Crucible...
13.4.08
SNOOKER ISN'T IN CRISIS
This story in today's News of the World claims that a number of leading snooker players are 'fed up' with World Snooker, the governing body.
It quotes a top player as saying: "I'm fed up with world snooker, sometimes I wonder whether they have the best interests of the game at the top of their agenda.
"Prize money is down and there are not as many tournaments as there used to be, which frustrates me and a lot of the other players.
"I remember when there were 15 tournaments in a season and there was a lot more money on offer.
"At one point this season there was a two-month break between tournaments. That's not the way to run the game."
The newspaper does not name the player because he feared disciplinary action so neither will I, but I can tell you he has had a love/hate relationship with World Snooker throughout his career.
However, his comments do not mean that 'a string of top players' are 'fed up.' He speaks for himself, nobody else.
Everyone would like more tournaments but although World Snooker have done themselves few favours over the years, the fault for all this is not theirs and theirs alone.
In 2001, 110sport won a court ruling which meant any promoter could stage events without a World Snooker sanction.
But very few have been staged since by anyone other than the governing body.
Why?
Because getting tournaments on is hard work. You need a venue, sponsor, broadcaster and top players, and it's hard to get, say, the first without already having the second and vice versa.
If the top players really are 'fed up' then why haven't they voted out the World Snooker board in the various elections of the last few years?
They've had ample chance to organise themselves to take proper action. Almost uniquely, snooker is run by the players, at least in theory.
I don't believe snooker is 'in crisis' as the story suggests. It could be doing much, much better but it could equally be doing far, far worse.
It quotes a top player as saying: "I'm fed up with world snooker, sometimes I wonder whether they have the best interests of the game at the top of their agenda.
"Prize money is down and there are not as many tournaments as there used to be, which frustrates me and a lot of the other players.
"I remember when there were 15 tournaments in a season and there was a lot more money on offer.
"At one point this season there was a two-month break between tournaments. That's not the way to run the game."
The newspaper does not name the player because he feared disciplinary action so neither will I, but I can tell you he has had a love/hate relationship with World Snooker throughout his career.
However, his comments do not mean that 'a string of top players' are 'fed up.' He speaks for himself, nobody else.
Everyone would like more tournaments but although World Snooker have done themselves few favours over the years, the fault for all this is not theirs and theirs alone.
In 2001, 110sport won a court ruling which meant any promoter could stage events without a World Snooker sanction.
But very few have been staged since by anyone other than the governing body.
Why?
Because getting tournaments on is hard work. You need a venue, sponsor, broadcaster and top players, and it's hard to get, say, the first without already having the second and vice versa.
If the top players really are 'fed up' then why haven't they voted out the World Snooker board in the various elections of the last few years?
They've had ample chance to organise themselves to take proper action. Almost uniquely, snooker is run by the players, at least in theory.
I don't believe snooker is 'in crisis' as the story suggests. It could be doing much, much better but it could equally be doing far, far worse.
12.4.08
DEPRESSED DOTT CONSIDERS CRUCIBLE WITHDRAWAL
Graeme Dott, the 2006 888.com world champion, has been diagnosed with depression and is reported to be considering withdrawing from this year’s Crucible event.
He has failed to win any of his last 15 matches in a run stretching back to last August’s Shanghai Masters.
In December 2006, Alex Lambie, Dott’s father-in-law and long time manager, died of cancer.
Dott’s wife Elaine had a cancer scare in January 2007 before being given the all clear.
This season, he was involved in a time consuming fight with World Snooker when they tried to discipline him for comments he made about Ian McCulloch.
It was clear all was not well at the Welsh Open in February when he broke off in one frame of his match with Michael Judge in such a negative mood that, trying not to disturb too many reds, he missed the pack altogether.
Last month at the China Open in Beijing he was close to tears when a journalist asked whether Lambie's death had affected his form.
“I desperately want to play but I’ve not been in the right frame of mind for some time as you can see from my results. I will only go to Sheffield if I feel I can do myself justice,” Dott told the Scottish Sun.
The 30 year-old is due to play Joe Perry on Tuesday, April 22 and Wednesday, April 23.
If he pulled out it would be the first time any player had failed to turn up for a Crucible match.
My gut feeling is that he will play, but it depends on how serious the diagnosis is.
Contrary to what some people believe, you can’t just tell depressed people to “cheer up.”
Graeme should do what is in his own best interests in this case. His health is more important than a snooker match.
He has failed to win any of his last 15 matches in a run stretching back to last August’s Shanghai Masters.
In December 2006, Alex Lambie, Dott’s father-in-law and long time manager, died of cancer.
Dott’s wife Elaine had a cancer scare in January 2007 before being given the all clear.
This season, he was involved in a time consuming fight with World Snooker when they tried to discipline him for comments he made about Ian McCulloch.
It was clear all was not well at the Welsh Open in February when he broke off in one frame of his match with Michael Judge in such a negative mood that, trying not to disturb too many reds, he missed the pack altogether.
Last month at the China Open in Beijing he was close to tears when a journalist asked whether Lambie's death had affected his form.
“I desperately want to play but I’ve not been in the right frame of mind for some time as you can see from my results. I will only go to Sheffield if I feel I can do myself justice,” Dott told the Scottish Sun.
The 30 year-old is due to play Joe Perry on Tuesday, April 22 and Wednesday, April 23.
If he pulled out it would be the first time any player had failed to turn up for a Crucible match.
My gut feeling is that he will play, but it depends on how serious the diagnosis is.
Contrary to what some people believe, you can’t just tell depressed people to “cheer up.”
Graeme should do what is in his own best interests in this case. His health is more important than a snooker match.
11.4.08
WILL THESE BE THE FINAL FOUR?
Here is my prediction for the semi-final line-up at the 888.com World Championship:
Ding Junhui v Mark Williams
Shaun Murphy v Neil Robertson
After this I predict Ding will beat Robertson 18-10 in the final.
Before anyone suggests therapy, I should point out that I used to have a very good record in tipping the winner of the world title. This was mainly because I always used to tip Stephen Hendry.
I also called it for Mark Williams and Ronnie O’Sullivan the years they won it and, in 2003, got all four semi-finalists right.
In the last three years, though, I don’t think I’ve got any of them right. The reason is quite simple: there are so few tournaments that form is irrelevant.
OK, so Murphy, Mark Selby and Stephen Maguire have been the three form players of the season but by the time the Crucible comes round none of them will have played for three weeks (apart from Selby’s two days in the Championship League).
The last three winners – Murphy, Graeme Dott and John Higgins – all had poor seasons heading to Sheffield before finding form over the 17 days.
Ding is my tip to win, which is strange, really, when you consider he has the hardest first round draw in Marco Fu.
He could lose this but if he doesn’t I fancy him to go all the way.
Williams has, of course, been off the boil of late but let’s not forget that its only five years since he won the biggest cheque in snooker history - £270,000 – in winning the title for a second time (incidentally, I’ve no idea what the winner gets this year as the prize money appears to be a state secret).
With Ronnie O’Sullivan’s tendency this season to struggle against the more methodical players, I think Williams has a great chance to take him out in the second round.
Murphy is Mr. Consistency and although he’s in a tough quarter that includes Selby and Peter Ebdon, I reckon he’ll come through it.
Robertson has done nothing of note all season but is the sort of player who could suddenly spring into life with devastating effect.
Maguire is favourite in this quarter but has been laid up this last week with flu and unable to practice – hardly ideal preparation for the game’s biggest event.
How many of my four tips will actually reach the semis?
Probably none, but who’d bet on snooker these days? It’s never been so unpredictable.
That’s why watching the championship will be so enjoyable – anything can happen.
Please post your own predictions below.
Ding Junhui v Mark Williams
Shaun Murphy v Neil Robertson
After this I predict Ding will beat Robertson 18-10 in the final.
Before anyone suggests therapy, I should point out that I used to have a very good record in tipping the winner of the world title. This was mainly because I always used to tip Stephen Hendry.
I also called it for Mark Williams and Ronnie O’Sullivan the years they won it and, in 2003, got all four semi-finalists right.
In the last three years, though, I don’t think I’ve got any of them right. The reason is quite simple: there are so few tournaments that form is irrelevant.
OK, so Murphy, Mark Selby and Stephen Maguire have been the three form players of the season but by the time the Crucible comes round none of them will have played for three weeks (apart from Selby’s two days in the Championship League).
The last three winners – Murphy, Graeme Dott and John Higgins – all had poor seasons heading to Sheffield before finding form over the 17 days.
Ding is my tip to win, which is strange, really, when you consider he has the hardest first round draw in Marco Fu.
He could lose this but if he doesn’t I fancy him to go all the way.
Williams has, of course, been off the boil of late but let’s not forget that its only five years since he won the biggest cheque in snooker history - £270,000 – in winning the title for a second time (incidentally, I’ve no idea what the winner gets this year as the prize money appears to be a state secret).
With Ronnie O’Sullivan’s tendency this season to struggle against the more methodical players, I think Williams has a great chance to take him out in the second round.
Murphy is Mr. Consistency and although he’s in a tough quarter that includes Selby and Peter Ebdon, I reckon he’ll come through it.
Robertson has done nothing of note all season but is the sort of player who could suddenly spring into life with devastating effect.
Maguire is favourite in this quarter but has been laid up this last week with flu and unable to practice – hardly ideal preparation for the game’s biggest event.
How many of my four tips will actually reach the semis?
Probably none, but who’d bet on snooker these days? It’s never been so unpredictable.
That’s why watching the championship will be so enjoyable – anything can happen.
Please post your own predictions below.
10.4.08
SHOCKS TO THE SYSTEM
There will no doubt be shock results at the Crucible, but what constitutes a shock?
For instance, would Mark Allen beating Stephen Hendry be a shock considering he did so at the same stage of this season’s UK Championship?
Would Marco Fu beating Ding Junhui be a shock? Or Matthew Stevens beating John Higgins?
The biggest shock of them all at Sheffield was Tony Knowles’s 10-1 trouncing of the then defending champion Steve Davis in 1982.
However, if Liu Chuang beats Ronnie O’Sullivan this year it will dwarf that and then some. It would be the most surprising victory in the sport’s history.
To qualify as a shock, the losing player must be one of the very top players and the winner has to be a virtual unknown, or someone whose career has been going downhill.
Stephen Hendry was famously ‘shocked’ twice in the first round, by Jimmy White in 1998 and Stuart Bingham in 2000. He also lost to Nigel Bond in 2006 but this wasn’t such a shock because Hendry was not considered the title favourite, as he had been the previous two times.
Ronnie O’Sullivan’s defeat to David Gray in 2000 was a surprise, as was John Higgins’s to Mark Selby in 2006.
Steve Davis was not expected to lose to Peter Ebdon in 1992 and John Parrott’s defeat to Rod Lawler in 1996 was a complete surprise.
So where will the shocks come this year?
Looking at the first round matches, I think Stephen Maguire could be vulnerable against Anthony Hamilton, which would be a surprise result because Maguire’s had a good season and just won the China Open.
Also, I wouldn’t rule out Mark King upsetting Mark Selby.
However, the whole point about shocks is that you don’t see them coming...
For instance, would Mark Allen beating Stephen Hendry be a shock considering he did so at the same stage of this season’s UK Championship?
Would Marco Fu beating Ding Junhui be a shock? Or Matthew Stevens beating John Higgins?
The biggest shock of them all at Sheffield was Tony Knowles’s 10-1 trouncing of the then defending champion Steve Davis in 1982.
However, if Liu Chuang beats Ronnie O’Sullivan this year it will dwarf that and then some. It would be the most surprising victory in the sport’s history.
To qualify as a shock, the losing player must be one of the very top players and the winner has to be a virtual unknown, or someone whose career has been going downhill.
Stephen Hendry was famously ‘shocked’ twice in the first round, by Jimmy White in 1998 and Stuart Bingham in 2000. He also lost to Nigel Bond in 2006 but this wasn’t such a shock because Hendry was not considered the title favourite, as he had been the previous two times.
Ronnie O’Sullivan’s defeat to David Gray in 2000 was a surprise, as was John Higgins’s to Mark Selby in 2006.
Steve Davis was not expected to lose to Peter Ebdon in 1992 and John Parrott’s defeat to Rod Lawler in 1996 was a complete surprise.
So where will the shocks come this year?
Looking at the first round matches, I think Stephen Maguire could be vulnerable against Anthony Hamilton, which would be a surprise result because Maguire’s had a good season and just won the China Open.
Also, I wouldn’t rule out Mark King upsetting Mark Selby.
However, the whole point about shocks is that you don’t see them coming...
9.4.08
POCKET MONEY
I’ve reviewed this book for the new issue of Snooker Scene and would heartily recommend it to anyone with an interest in the game.
Indeed, I would recommend any of Gordon Burn’s books because he’s one of those writers who can make you interested in just about any subject.
Pocket Money, which has just been reissued with an afterword by Snooker Scene editor Clive Everton, covers the 1985/86 season and is bookended by Steve Davis’s two world final defeats – on the black to Dennis Taylor and 18-12 to Joe Johnson.
On the way to the Crucible it takes on all points on a circuit that was flourishing at the height of the 1980s snooker boom.
Davis’s manager Barry Hearn becomes the main focus through his expanding Matchroom empire.
The money and prosperity sloshing about in the game then is hard to believe in these days of a disjointed circuit and groans over low prize money.
Pocket Money is not only a celebration of the golden days but also served as a warning that these days would not last forever – a warning that was ignored.
Indeed, I would recommend any of Gordon Burn’s books because he’s one of those writers who can make you interested in just about any subject.
Pocket Money, which has just been reissued with an afterword by Snooker Scene editor Clive Everton, covers the 1985/86 season and is bookended by Steve Davis’s two world final defeats – on the black to Dennis Taylor and 18-12 to Joe Johnson.
On the way to the Crucible it takes on all points on a circuit that was flourishing at the height of the 1980s snooker boom.
Davis’s manager Barry Hearn becomes the main focus through his expanding Matchroom empire.
The money and prosperity sloshing about in the game then is hard to believe in these days of a disjointed circuit and groans over low prize money.
Pocket Money is not only a celebration of the golden days but also served as a warning that these days would not last forever – a warning that was ignored.
8.4.08
CUETUBE
This week, the greatest player in the history of the game.
Stephen Hendry is this not just because he is the most successful but also because of his extraordinary natural ability - something that is, oddly, hardly ever referred to.
Consider this: he started playing at 12. At 16 he was at the Crucible.
This clip is from his 1987 quarter-final with Joe Johnson. It was this style of play that inspired a generation and helped move snooker on to be the ultra-attacking game it is today.
Stephen Hendry is this not just because he is the most successful but also because of his extraordinary natural ability - something that is, oddly, hardly ever referred to.
Consider this: he started playing at 12. At 16 he was at the Crucible.
This clip is from his 1987 quarter-final with Joe Johnson. It was this style of play that inspired a generation and helped move snooker on to be the ultra-attacking game it is today.
7.4.08
MEET THE MISSES
We can all think of great shots we’ve seen down the years but it’s often those spectacular misses that have turned frames, matches and even whole tournaments that live long in the memory.
In all sport, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory is fascinating to observe, even if it’s crippling to endure for the person screwing up in front of millions.
Here, then, are my five biggest misses in snooker history.
Please feel free to agree or disagree with any of the choices.
5) WILLIE THORNE’S BLUE, 1985 UK CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Thorne was leading Steve Davis 13-8 in this best of 31 frame final and looked certain to extend his advantage to six frames when clearing up in the 22nd.
However, he missed a straightforward blue he would pot 99 times out of a 100 and went on to lose 16-14 as Davis sensed blood, regrouped and ruthlessly punished him.
Willie never got over this and his career of underachievement – considering his great talent – came to be defined by it.
4) JIMMY WHITE’S BLACK, 1994 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
This was White’s sixth world final and at last, at long last, it appeared as if it would provide him with his first world title.
Up 37-24 with the balls well set in the decider, he snatched on a routine black. It was only pressure that caused him to miss it; pressure built up by the weight of expectation after so many failures at the Crucible’s final hurdle and the knowledge that so many millions were willing him on.
Hendry, as he always did in those days, cleared up from the miss and White never again featured in a world final.
3) REX WILLIAMS’S BLUE, 1972 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINALS
This was, without overstatement, one of the most significant shots in snooker history. Williams was well placed to win the deciding frame of his semi-final with Alex Higgins when he missed a relatively easy blue.
Higgins won the decider and went on to claim the title. His flamboyant, controversial, mercurial style lit the blue touch paper for snooker and undoubtedly accelerated the game’s march to the top of the TV ratings charts in the 1980s.
This would in all likelihood still have happened but, had Williams potted that blue, probably not anywhere near as quickly.
2) KEN DOHERTY’S BLACK, 2000 MASTERS FINAL
Doherty’s temperament has never been in doubt but it was surely only nerves that caused him to miss the black on 140 in the 2000 Masters final at Wembley. Had it gone in, he would have emulated Kirk Stevens’s maximum feat in 1984. To date, only Ding Junhui (2007) has added to the Masters 147 list.
The nerves were understandable. The Wembley Conference Centre was the game’s biggest venue, there were millions watching on TV and there was an £80,000 sportscar on offer for a max. The next day, a national newspaper took Doherty to a local snooker club and he successfully potted the black from the same position he had missed it ten times in a row.
But by then it was, of course, far too late.
1) STEVE DAVIS’S BLACK, 1985 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
It wasn’t dead simple but it was a ball the all-conquering Davis would have potted at any other time in any other frame.
As it was, at 17-17 and down to the last ball of his Crucible final with Dennis Taylor, he felt the pressure. He knew as he missed it - a little cut-back into a blind pocket - that he’d left it for Taylor. Watching it back, you can almost see all life drain from his features as he trudges back to his seat.
This uncharacteristic slip up proved that even the authentic greats are human and was further proof that, in snooker, it’s every bit as exciting when they miss and when the great pots are flying in.
In all sport, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory is fascinating to observe, even if it’s crippling to endure for the person screwing up in front of millions.
Here, then, are my five biggest misses in snooker history.
Please feel free to agree or disagree with any of the choices.
5) WILLIE THORNE’S BLUE, 1985 UK CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
Thorne was leading Steve Davis 13-8 in this best of 31 frame final and looked certain to extend his advantage to six frames when clearing up in the 22nd.
However, he missed a straightforward blue he would pot 99 times out of a 100 and went on to lose 16-14 as Davis sensed blood, regrouped and ruthlessly punished him.
Willie never got over this and his career of underachievement – considering his great talent – came to be defined by it.
4) JIMMY WHITE’S BLACK, 1994 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
This was White’s sixth world final and at last, at long last, it appeared as if it would provide him with his first world title.
Up 37-24 with the balls well set in the decider, he snatched on a routine black. It was only pressure that caused him to miss it; pressure built up by the weight of expectation after so many failures at the Crucible’s final hurdle and the knowledge that so many millions were willing him on.
Hendry, as he always did in those days, cleared up from the miss and White never again featured in a world final.
3) REX WILLIAMS’S BLUE, 1972 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SEMI-FINALS
This was, without overstatement, one of the most significant shots in snooker history. Williams was well placed to win the deciding frame of his semi-final with Alex Higgins when he missed a relatively easy blue.
Higgins won the decider and went on to claim the title. His flamboyant, controversial, mercurial style lit the blue touch paper for snooker and undoubtedly accelerated the game’s march to the top of the TV ratings charts in the 1980s.
This would in all likelihood still have happened but, had Williams potted that blue, probably not anywhere near as quickly.
2) KEN DOHERTY’S BLACK, 2000 MASTERS FINAL
Doherty’s temperament has never been in doubt but it was surely only nerves that caused him to miss the black on 140 in the 2000 Masters final at Wembley. Had it gone in, he would have emulated Kirk Stevens’s maximum feat in 1984. To date, only Ding Junhui (2007) has added to the Masters 147 list.
The nerves were understandable. The Wembley Conference Centre was the game’s biggest venue, there were millions watching on TV and there was an £80,000 sportscar on offer for a max. The next day, a national newspaper took Doherty to a local snooker club and he successfully potted the black from the same position he had missed it ten times in a row.
But by then it was, of course, far too late.
1) STEVE DAVIS’S BLACK, 1985 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL
It wasn’t dead simple but it was a ball the all-conquering Davis would have potted at any other time in any other frame.
As it was, at 17-17 and down to the last ball of his Crucible final with Dennis Taylor, he felt the pressure. He knew as he missed it - a little cut-back into a blind pocket - that he’d left it for Taylor. Watching it back, you can almost see all life drain from his features as he trudges back to his seat.
This uncharacteristic slip up proved that even the authentic greats are human and was further proof that, in snooker, it’s every bit as exciting when they miss and when the great pots are flying in.
3.4.08
PRECIOUS CHINA
This is an interesting story for three reasons:
1) For the way snooker has come to be seen as 'respectable' in China
2) For the suggestion that there may be as many as ten events in China in the future
3) For describing Jimmy White as a 'former world champion' - is the author the only person in the world who doesn't know about Jimmy's many Crucible heartbreaks?
1) For the way snooker has come to be seen as 'respectable' in China
2) For the suggestion that there may be as many as ten events in China in the future
3) For describing Jimmy White as a 'former world champion' - is the author the only person in the world who doesn't know about Jimmy's many Crucible heartbreaks?
2.4.08
MAGUIRE IN FORM FOR CRUCIBLE
Stephen Maguire's Beijing form certainly makes him one of the favourites for the world title but it's been ten years since the player who won the tournament immediately before the World Championship went on to triumph at the Crucible.
That was John Higgins, who won the 1998 British Open in Plymouth before landing the sport's greatest prize.
What does this mean? Probably nothing, as few players win back-to-back ranking titles in any case.
Maguire is in what appears to be the easiest quarter of the draw, which includes the struggling Graeme Dott and inconsistent Neil Robertson.
If he could get through this Shaun Murphy or Mark Selby could be waiting in the semis.
Whatever, it's good to see Stephen playing well again.
I'm going to crow here - because I get very little chance to do so - and republish something I wrote on this very blog last July:
Looking at the season as a whole I’m going to predict one player in particular to watch: Stephen Maguire.
You’ll recall the manner of his semi-final defeat to Higgins at the Crucible. Entering the final session leading 14-10 – having played superbly – he was beaten 17-15, missing the pink in losing a crucial 30th frame which would have put him 16-14 up.
I well remember Maguire turning pro in 1999. I interviewed him after his very first match. He seemed far too polite and reserved for this game but they breed them pretty tough in Glasgow and his personality soon came to the fore.
He’ll have been gutted by his Sheffield exit with the sure knowledge that he let a gilt-edged chance to become world champion slip.
And he’ll be back fighting harder than ever to prove himself as one of the game’s best, which he is, as proved by the manner in which he won the 2004 UK Championship.
I suspect he feels like a wounded animal at the moment and will want to get stuck into the new season to cast off the disappointments of the last campaign.
How things have turned round for him.
He heads to Sheffield in less than three week's time with the perfect chance to make amends for last year's disappointment.
That was John Higgins, who won the 1998 British Open in Plymouth before landing the sport's greatest prize.
What does this mean? Probably nothing, as few players win back-to-back ranking titles in any case.
Maguire is in what appears to be the easiest quarter of the draw, which includes the struggling Graeme Dott and inconsistent Neil Robertson.
If he could get through this Shaun Murphy or Mark Selby could be waiting in the semis.
Whatever, it's good to see Stephen playing well again.
I'm going to crow here - because I get very little chance to do so - and republish something I wrote on this very blog last July:
Looking at the season as a whole I’m going to predict one player in particular to watch: Stephen Maguire.
You’ll recall the manner of his semi-final defeat to Higgins at the Crucible. Entering the final session leading 14-10 – having played superbly – he was beaten 17-15, missing the pink in losing a crucial 30th frame which would have put him 16-14 up.
I well remember Maguire turning pro in 1999. I interviewed him after his very first match. He seemed far too polite and reserved for this game but they breed them pretty tough in Glasgow and his personality soon came to the fore.
He’ll have been gutted by his Sheffield exit with the sure knowledge that he let a gilt-edged chance to become world champion slip.
And he’ll be back fighting harder than ever to prove himself as one of the game’s best, which he is, as proved by the manner in which he won the 2004 UK Championship.
I suspect he feels like a wounded animal at the moment and will want to get stuck into the new season to cast off the disappointments of the last campaign.
How things have turned round for him.
He heads to Sheffield in less than three week's time with the perfect chance to make amends for last year's disappointment.
1.4.08
31.3.08
RANKINGS RIDDLE
There I am relaxing after the China Open and I'm asked for help with an intriguing query regarding the world ranking list.
Or more specifically, whether it's been worked out incorrectly.
This all goes back to the Royal London Watches Grand Prix in Aberdeen last October.
According to the official World Snooker ranking points schedule, the 16 qualifiers from Prestatyn earned 1,438 points. The seeded players (ranked 1-32) who finished third or fourth earned 1,750 points. The seeded players who finished fifth or sixth earned 719 points.
The key word here is 'seeded'. Nowhere on the schedule does it say that a qualifier finishing third or fourth receives 1,750 points.
However, four players who did just this - Rory McLeod, Stuart Pettman, Tom Ford and Jimmy Michie - did receive this amount.
I suspect that the schedule is merely ambiguously written and that any player finishing third or fourth was entitled to 1,750. This would certainly make sense because it rewards those who win two or three matches.
But the use of the word 'seeded' suggests this may not be the case.
And if it isn't the case, the four aforementioned players have been given too many points.
This would obviously have major implications for the ranking list, not least because McLeod, Ford and Michie are all perilously close to the 48 mark. If they dropped lower than this they would have to play an extra qualifying round in ranking tournaments next season.
To cut a very long-winded story short, does anyone know whether the list is right or not?
Or more specifically, whether it's been worked out incorrectly.
This all goes back to the Royal London Watches Grand Prix in Aberdeen last October.
According to the official World Snooker ranking points schedule, the 16 qualifiers from Prestatyn earned 1,438 points. The seeded players (ranked 1-32) who finished third or fourth earned 1,750 points. The seeded players who finished fifth or sixth earned 719 points.
The key word here is 'seeded'. Nowhere on the schedule does it say that a qualifier finishing third or fourth receives 1,750 points.
However, four players who did just this - Rory McLeod, Stuart Pettman, Tom Ford and Jimmy Michie - did receive this amount.
I suspect that the schedule is merely ambiguously written and that any player finishing third or fourth was entitled to 1,750. This would certainly make sense because it rewards those who win two or three matches.
But the use of the word 'seeded' suggests this may not be the case.
And if it isn't the case, the four aforementioned players have been given too many points.
This would obviously have major implications for the ranking list, not least because McLeod, Ford and Michie are all perilously close to the 48 mark. If they dropped lower than this they would have to play an extra qualifying round in ranking tournaments next season.
To cut a very long-winded story short, does anyone know whether the list is right or not?
MAGUIRE WINS CHINA THRILLER
What a match, what a frame and what an extraordinary shot from yellow to green by Stephen Maguire to win it.
He and Shaun Murphy served up the match of the season so far as their China Open final went the distance in Beijing.
It always had the look of a contest that was too close to call. In the end, Maguire’s shot to bring the green off the side cushion and away from the blue was the match winner. He could not have executed it any more perfectly.
The final finished at 00.20am but most of the crowd remained in their seats until the end.
Well done to Stephen, bad luck to Shaun and roll on the Crucible!
He and Shaun Murphy served up the match of the season so far as their China Open final went the distance in Beijing.
It always had the look of a contest that was too close to call. In the end, Maguire’s shot to bring the green off the side cushion and away from the blue was the match winner. He could not have executed it any more perfectly.
The final finished at 00.20am but most of the crowd remained in their seats until the end.
Well done to Stephen, bad luck to Shaun and roll on the Crucible!
30.3.08
CHALK AND CHEESE
Stephen Maguire and Shaun Murphy are never going to be best friends. This undoubtedly sharpens their on table rivalry and, for snooker, this is a good thing.
The ‘chalkgate’ incident has been done to death and should be put to bed but that doesn’t mean no one should point out the differences in personality between these two talented players.
Because today’s China Open final in Beijing is as much a personality clash as a meeting of two fine cuemen.
Maguire tends to wear his heart on his sleeve. Like Graeme Dott, he uses negative feelings as a positive. This is the first time he’s played Murphy in a final but you suspect it’s always a final to him when they clash cues.
Murphy is a more laid back character. He’s a great professional and a credit to his sport but not everyone’s cup of tea, certainly not Maguire’s if past quotes are anything to go by.
Snooker is a friendly sport. Yes, of course there are rows and bust-ups but most of the top players get on.
Socially, this is a good thing but all sports need rivalries and not just ones that end in the arena.
In snooker, of course, the players are warned by their governing body not to allow any off table enmity to surface in the public domain but when this does happen it only adds to the times when they do play.
Maguire and Murphy will always be rivals. Ahead of today’s Beijing final it was four apiece in career wins and I suspect there won’t be much between them at the end of their careers.
The late John Spencer, three times the world champion, once said he couldn’t understand why the top players that followed him practised together.
There’s little danger of Maguire and Murphy doing this.
The ‘chalkgate’ incident has been done to death and should be put to bed but that doesn’t mean no one should point out the differences in personality between these two talented players.
Because today’s China Open final in Beijing is as much a personality clash as a meeting of two fine cuemen.
Maguire tends to wear his heart on his sleeve. Like Graeme Dott, he uses negative feelings as a positive. This is the first time he’s played Murphy in a final but you suspect it’s always a final to him when they clash cues.
Murphy is a more laid back character. He’s a great professional and a credit to his sport but not everyone’s cup of tea, certainly not Maguire’s if past quotes are anything to go by.
Snooker is a friendly sport. Yes, of course there are rows and bust-ups but most of the top players get on.
Socially, this is a good thing but all sports need rivalries and not just ones that end in the arena.
In snooker, of course, the players are warned by their governing body not to allow any off table enmity to surface in the public domain but when this does happen it only adds to the times when they do play.
Maguire and Murphy will always be rivals. Ahead of today’s Beijing final it was four apiece in career wins and I suspect there won’t be much between them at the end of their careers.
The late John Spencer, three times the world champion, once said he couldn’t understand why the top players that followed him practised together.
There’s little danger of Maguire and Murphy doing this.
29.3.08
MAXIMUM FOR MAGUIRE
Stephen Maguire has just become the first player to make a 147 in a ranking event in China.
Maguire, who at the 2000 Scottish Open became the youngest ever player to compile a maximum at 19, made the perfect run in frame two of his China Open semi-final against Ryan Day. James Wattana knocked in a 147 in an invitation event in China in 1997.
Watch it here.
Maguire, who at the 2000 Scottish Open became the youngest ever player to compile a maximum at 19, made the perfect run in frame two of his China Open semi-final against Ryan Day. James Wattana knocked in a 147 in an invitation event in China in 1997.
Watch it here.
28.3.08
RONNIE NEEDS TO APOLOGISE
They say that those who the gods adore, first they make mad. If this is the case then the gods must really have the hots for Ronnie O’Sullivan.
His slapdash shot selections at the end of his 5-4 defeat to Marco Fu in the China Open this week raised eyebrows but his behaviour at the post match press conference defied belief.
You will probably have read his comments and maybe viewed the video footage. It was, as World Snooker chairman Sir Rodney Walker has said today, unacceptable.
Ronnie was obviously bored by the amount of time the Chinese journalists’ questions and his answers were taking to be translated between languages and amused himself by chatting to a World Snooker official.
At this point, he appeared not to consider he was being filmed and recorded but he must have known, on picking up the microphone and uttering a particularly lewd remark, that this would be picked up.
The blame for all of this lies with Ronnie and Ronnie alone. It’s easy to blame World Snooker officials and say that they should have stopped him but you can’t. He is, and always has been, his own man.
In a previous life, I was myself World Snooker press officer and we had O’Sullivan along to launch a tournament. His behaviour then was similar to how it was in Beijing this week. I aired my misgivings back at base but nothing was done then and very little has been done since.
Also, don’t blame the media for reporting it. There have been instances where Ronnie has said other outrageous things in press conferences and they have gone unreported.
However, in this case his comments were not only filmed but posted on the internet. They went around the web yesterday like a runaway train, impossible to stop.
It’s easy, of course, for newspapers to take the moral high ground. Although many people would have been offended by the footage, just as many will have found it hilarious.
However, Ronnie hasn’t done himself any favours and my advice to him now is very simple: issue an immediate apology and draw a line under the whole thing.
Nobody wants to drive Ronnie out of snooker but this has not been his finest hour and he will have to face up to whatever the consequences are.
His slapdash shot selections at the end of his 5-4 defeat to Marco Fu in the China Open this week raised eyebrows but his behaviour at the post match press conference defied belief.
You will probably have read his comments and maybe viewed the video footage. It was, as World Snooker chairman Sir Rodney Walker has said today, unacceptable.
Ronnie was obviously bored by the amount of time the Chinese journalists’ questions and his answers were taking to be translated between languages and amused himself by chatting to a World Snooker official.
At this point, he appeared not to consider he was being filmed and recorded but he must have known, on picking up the microphone and uttering a particularly lewd remark, that this would be picked up.
The blame for all of this lies with Ronnie and Ronnie alone. It’s easy to blame World Snooker officials and say that they should have stopped him but you can’t. He is, and always has been, his own man.
In a previous life, I was myself World Snooker press officer and we had O’Sullivan along to launch a tournament. His behaviour then was similar to how it was in Beijing this week. I aired my misgivings back at base but nothing was done then and very little has been done since.
Also, don’t blame the media for reporting it. There have been instances where Ronnie has said other outrageous things in press conferences and they have gone unreported.
However, in this case his comments were not only filmed but posted on the internet. They went around the web yesterday like a runaway train, impossible to stop.
It’s easy, of course, for newspapers to take the moral high ground. Although many people would have been offended by the footage, just as many will have found it hilarious.
However, Ronnie hasn’t done himself any favours and my advice to him now is very simple: issue an immediate apology and draw a line under the whole thing.
Nobody wants to drive Ronnie out of snooker but this has not been his finest hour and he will have to face up to whatever the consequences are.
25.3.08
CHINA OPEN LIVE ON THE NET
A reminder for those who don't know, you can watch live coverage of the China Open on the Eurosport website.
You can also ask the commentators, in particular former players Joe Johnson and Mike Hallett, questions in the forum.
Ideal if you're at work - just don't let your boss see you!
You can also ask the commentators, in particular former players Joe Johnson and Mike Hallett, questions in the forum.
Ideal if you're at work - just don't let your boss see you!
DO WE STILL NEED WILDCARDS?
I’ve always been a supporter of local wildcards in ranking events such as the China Open but I wonder if the time has come to get rid of them.
They are used for one reason and one reason only: to attract local interest to the event.
However, this did not happen yesterday in what transpired to be one of the most poorly attended days of any ranking event ever staged.
Why? I’d say the tournament has now outgrown the wildcard round. Ding Junhui is firmly established as part of the top 16 and, anyway, the Chinese crowds would rather see Ronnie O’Sullivan, Stephen Hendry and Steve Davis than their own local hopes.
This is because they have become fans of the top stars over the last few years, in the China event and through watching snooker on TV.
What happened yesterday gave snooker’s enemies the ideal opportunity to claim that the Chinese snooker boom is a myth.
It isn’t. I know this having been to China several times and seen some of the mania first hand.
But the crowds have become more discerning and aren’t interested in the eight lowest ranked qualifiers against the wildcards.
I have no doubt at all that it will be close to packed for Ding against Joe Perry and O’Sullivan’s match with Marco Fu.
It would have been better all round to hit the ground running with these top players coming in on day one.
They are used for one reason and one reason only: to attract local interest to the event.
However, this did not happen yesterday in what transpired to be one of the most poorly attended days of any ranking event ever staged.
Why? I’d say the tournament has now outgrown the wildcard round. Ding Junhui is firmly established as part of the top 16 and, anyway, the Chinese crowds would rather see Ronnie O’Sullivan, Stephen Hendry and Steve Davis than their own local hopes.
This is because they have become fans of the top stars over the last few years, in the China event and through watching snooker on TV.
What happened yesterday gave snooker’s enemies the ideal opportunity to claim that the Chinese snooker boom is a myth.
It isn’t. I know this having been to China several times and seen some of the mania first hand.
But the crowds have become more discerning and aren’t interested in the eight lowest ranked qualifiers against the wildcards.
I have no doubt at all that it will be close to packed for Ding against Joe Perry and O’Sullivan’s match with Marco Fu.
It would have been better all round to hit the ground running with these top players coming in on day one.
24.3.08
CUETUBE
Yes, it's a rubbish pun but the fact remains that there is a wealth of great archive stuff on Youtube.
Various folk have been recording snooker off the TV for decades and are now sharing some pure spun gold with the rest of us.
I shall post a few interesting links here from time to time.
We start in 1979 with a century break by Fred Davis. OK, the pockets were slightly more generous then than they are now but Fred was 65 when he made this break and it is, as you'll see, immaculate as befitting this great gentleman of our sport.
Also, the referee is something to behold, dressed in a bright yellow blazer and wearing a big old rosette as if he'd won best in show at Crufts.
Watch right to the end and you'll see him applauding Fred's century.
To be fair, it was a great effort.
Watch it here.
Various folk have been recording snooker off the TV for decades and are now sharing some pure spun gold with the rest of us.
I shall post a few interesting links here from time to time.
We start in 1979 with a century break by Fred Davis. OK, the pockets were slightly more generous then than they are now but Fred was 65 when he made this break and it is, as you'll see, immaculate as befitting this great gentleman of our sport.
Also, the referee is something to behold, dressed in a bright yellow blazer and wearing a big old rosette as if he'd won best in show at Crufts.
Watch right to the end and you'll see him applauding Fred's century.
To be fair, it was a great effort.
Watch it here.
20.3.08
DOTT ON THE LANDSCAPE
Graeme Dott and Michael Holt used to argue about who was the worst player when the snooker circuit travelled to China.
It was an argument Dott eventually lost when he won the China Open last season.
His mindset had, of course, been altered by having won the 888.com World Championship in 2006.
It heralded a huge improvement in form and fortunes. Last season, Dott not only conducted himself professionally as world champion but he played the best snooker of his career.
However, this season it has all gone wrong. He has failed to win any of his last 14 matches.
Indeed, his last victory was way back at the Shanghai Masters last August.
Why? In this article Dott mentions some personal problems. He suffered great anxiety when his wife, Elaine, had a cancer scare that mercifully transpired to be nothing more than a scare but Dott was obviously affected when his manager and father-in-law Alex Lambie passed away.
He also expended mental energy fighting World Snooker's absurd attempt to discipline him for making comments about Ian McCulloch at the launch of the 2007 Grand Prix.
Losing, like winning, can become a habit but Dott will know that his two appearances in the Crucible final - in 2004 and 2006 - came off the back of similarly disappointing runs of form.
He will go to Sheffield fresher than most so anyone writing off his title chances should be wary.
Dott, who in 2002 endured a hellish 36-hour journey to the China Open in Shanghai, after which he overslept because of jetlag and arrived late for his match, whereupon his was docked two frames, has gone to China early this year.
He is undertaking promotional work, part of his new approach to playing in this snooker-mad country.
Good for him and good luck to him in the tournament. An upturn in fortunes will come at some point.
Beijing would be as good a place as any.
It was an argument Dott eventually lost when he won the China Open last season.
His mindset had, of course, been altered by having won the 888.com World Championship in 2006.
It heralded a huge improvement in form and fortunes. Last season, Dott not only conducted himself professionally as world champion but he played the best snooker of his career.
However, this season it has all gone wrong. He has failed to win any of his last 14 matches.
Indeed, his last victory was way back at the Shanghai Masters last August.
Why? In this article Dott mentions some personal problems. He suffered great anxiety when his wife, Elaine, had a cancer scare that mercifully transpired to be nothing more than a scare but Dott was obviously affected when his manager and father-in-law Alex Lambie passed away.
He also expended mental energy fighting World Snooker's absurd attempt to discipline him for making comments about Ian McCulloch at the launch of the 2007 Grand Prix.
Losing, like winning, can become a habit but Dott will know that his two appearances in the Crucible final - in 2004 and 2006 - came off the back of similarly disappointing runs of form.
He will go to Sheffield fresher than most so anyone writing off his title chances should be wary.
Dott, who in 2002 endured a hellish 36-hour journey to the China Open in Shanghai, after which he overslept because of jetlag and arrived late for his match, whereupon his was docked two frames, has gone to China early this year.
He is undertaking promotional work, part of his new approach to playing in this snooker-mad country.
Good for him and good luck to him in the tournament. An upturn in fortunes will come at some point.
Beijing would be as good a place as any.
19.3.08
CHINA IN THEIR HANDS
Snooker in China has long been popular but there’s no doubt that Ding Junhui’s remarkable capture of the 2005 China Open sparked a boom.
The fruits of this are being seen in the emergence of other talented Chinese players making their marks on the professional circuit.
This season we’ve seen Liu Song reach the Grand Prix quarter-finals and Liang Wenbo and Liu Chuang qualify for the Crucible.
Fast forward five or certainly ten years and the circuit could well be dominated by Chinese cueists.
Next week, the 2008 China Open, sponsored by Honghe Industrial, takes place at the Beijing University Students Gymnasium.
An opening ceremony will be held at the futuristic Water Cube, next to the city’s Olympic stadium.
Players will be given the red carpet treatment – literally – and can expect any number of requests for media interviews and autographs.
The Beijing event is, of course, one of two ranking events now staged in China, alongside the Shanghai Masters.
These are considerable feats of organisation with many, many people to keep happy. Fortunately, World Snooker have a first rate executive, Simon Leach, permanently based in China to oversee all this.
In years gone by, some players openly expressed hostility to travelling to China.
Hopefully by now they recognise how important the country is in the general scheme of things and certainly for the sport’s future.
China is a snooker-mad place. Let’s hope the game’s great and good put on a show for them next week.
The fruits of this are being seen in the emergence of other talented Chinese players making their marks on the professional circuit.
This season we’ve seen Liu Song reach the Grand Prix quarter-finals and Liang Wenbo and Liu Chuang qualify for the Crucible.
Fast forward five or certainly ten years and the circuit could well be dominated by Chinese cueists.
Next week, the 2008 China Open, sponsored by Honghe Industrial, takes place at the Beijing University Students Gymnasium.
An opening ceremony will be held at the futuristic Water Cube, next to the city’s Olympic stadium.
Players will be given the red carpet treatment – literally – and can expect any number of requests for media interviews and autographs.
The Beijing event is, of course, one of two ranking events now staged in China, alongside the Shanghai Masters.
These are considerable feats of organisation with many, many people to keep happy. Fortunately, World Snooker have a first rate executive, Simon Leach, permanently based in China to oversee all this.
In years gone by, some players openly expressed hostility to travelling to China.
Hopefully by now they recognise how important the country is in the general scheme of things and certainly for the sport’s future.
China is a snooker-mad place. Let’s hope the game’s great and good put on a show for them next week.
17.3.08
THE BARE FACTS ABOUT HICKS
Andy Hicks, the world no.41 from Tavistock, is one of the snooker circuit's most experienced professionals.
In my opinion, he's one of the best players never to have been ranked in the top 16.
Within a year in 1995-96, he reached the semi-finals of the World Championship, UK Championship and Wembley Masters.
He proved last week in an exhibition in Cornwall that he can still play a bit when he compiled two maximums and nine centuiry breaks in total during 16 frames at St. Blazey Football Club.
However, his green baize prowess was not recognised by a woman celebrating her 50th birthday, whom Andy met coming out of the toilets.
Perhaps a little tired and emotional she believed, seeing him in his smart waistcoat and bowtie, that Andy was a stripper.
When he insisted he was not, she refused to believe him and suggested he 'get them off' before fondling his posterior.
At least this was friendly, unlike the conclusion to his first round match with Quinten Hann at the Crucible in 2004, where the two players had to be seperated by referee Lawrie Annandale after some rumbling ill feeling spilled over.
Hann told Hicks: "You're short and bald and always will be and I'll fight you outside for £50,000 any time you like."
Andy declined.
Boxing and stripping, it seems, still rank a long way behind snooker for this Devonian left-hander.
In my opinion, he's one of the best players never to have been ranked in the top 16.
Within a year in 1995-96, he reached the semi-finals of the World Championship, UK Championship and Wembley Masters.
He proved last week in an exhibition in Cornwall that he can still play a bit when he compiled two maximums and nine centuiry breaks in total during 16 frames at St. Blazey Football Club.
However, his green baize prowess was not recognised by a woman celebrating her 50th birthday, whom Andy met coming out of the toilets.
Perhaps a little tired and emotional she believed, seeing him in his smart waistcoat and bowtie, that Andy was a stripper.
When he insisted he was not, she refused to believe him and suggested he 'get them off' before fondling his posterior.
At least this was friendly, unlike the conclusion to his first round match with Quinten Hann at the Crucible in 2004, where the two players had to be seperated by referee Lawrie Annandale after some rumbling ill feeling spilled over.
Hann told Hicks: "You're short and bald and always will be and I'll fight you outside for £50,000 any time you like."
Andy declined.
Boxing and stripping, it seems, still rank a long way behind snooker for this Devonian left-hander.
14.3.08
ALI'S POCKET MONEY
Ali Carter wore a rueful smile after losing a third successive final in a deciding frame last night in the Championship League at Crondon Park Golf Club in Essex.
Ali was trying his best against Shaun Murphy - indeed he completed a 143 break - but the blow of losing was cushioned by the knowledge that he is coming back for Group 5 next month.
He has already earned £17,800 from the event and it could well turn into the most successful tournament financially he has ever played in.
This new League has proved hugely popular with the players, who have only seven ranking events to play in during a fragmented season.
Neil Robertson, who originally turned down an invite, has seen the light and will be in Group 5 alongside Stephen Lee, this season's Saga Insurance Masters runner-up.
Jimmy White will play in Group 6, as will Mark Selby, who pulled out of Group 4 due to prior commitments.
White's participation serves as confirmation that, for the first time since it began 21 years ago, he will not be invited to play in the Premier League.
Ali was trying his best against Shaun Murphy - indeed he completed a 143 break - but the blow of losing was cushioned by the knowledge that he is coming back for Group 5 next month.
He has already earned £17,800 from the event and it could well turn into the most successful tournament financially he has ever played in.
This new League has proved hugely popular with the players, who have only seven ranking events to play in during a fragmented season.
Neil Robertson, who originally turned down an invite, has seen the light and will be in Group 5 alongside Stephen Lee, this season's Saga Insurance Masters runner-up.
Jimmy White will play in Group 6, as will Mark Selby, who pulled out of Group 4 due to prior commitments.
White's participation serves as confirmation that, for the first time since it began 21 years ago, he will not be invited to play in the Premier League.
13.3.08
GET YOUR HANDS ON THE WORLD TROPHY
The 888.com World Championship trophy will be presented to the winner on May 5 by a member of the public.
The sponsors have been given the green light by World Snooker to run a competition, the winner of which will hand over the 82 year-old silverware, first presented in 1927.
You can enter the competition here: www.888snooker.com.
Is this a good way of getting the fans more involved with the game or demeaning to the dignity of the event?
Discuss...
The sponsors have been given the green light by World Snooker to run a competition, the winner of which will hand over the 82 year-old silverware, first presented in 1927.
You can enter the competition here: www.888snooker.com.
Is this a good way of getting the fans more involved with the game or demeaning to the dignity of the event?
Discuss...
12.3.08
WILL LIU MAKE THE GRADE?
Down here in rural Essex at the Championship League we've been debating how many frames Liu Chuang will win against Ronnie O'Sullivan in the first round of the 888.com World Championship - those long evenings just fly by.
Some think the 17 year-old will be blown away. I think he'll win at least five frames.
The reason? Against Ronnie, it'll be an open game, therefore Liu will get chances.
The romance of the Crucible means nothing to him. He's only been in the UK for a few months and, let's not forget, wasn't even born when Stephen Hendry won his first world title in 1990.
If he takes his chances, he can run Ronnie closer than many believe.
We'll find out in just over a month's time.
Some think the 17 year-old will be blown away. I think he'll win at least five frames.
The reason? Against Ronnie, it'll be an open game, therefore Liu will get chances.
The romance of the Crucible means nothing to him. He's only been in the UK for a few months and, let's not forget, wasn't even born when Stephen Hendry won his first world title in 1990.
If he takes his chances, he can run Ronnie closer than many believe.
We'll find out in just over a month's time.
11.3.08
INTERESTING...VERY INTERESTING
What an interesting first round draw for the 888.com World Championship.
Firstly, well done to the sponsors and World Snooker for doing such a professional job in webcasting the draw live on the net earlier today.
Mark Johnston-Allen was especially impressive in hosting it and this seems like the ideal way to conduct such an important occasion in future years.
So, to the draw.
John Higgins will hardly be looking forward to walking out on the first day to face Matthew Stevens.
Their April 19 meeting is too close to call bearing in mind Higgins's poor form this season and Stevens's general habit of playing well at the Crucible.
Stephen Hendry certainly won't be rubbing his hands together at the prospect of taking on the dangerous, aggressive Mark Allen, who beat him 9-4 in this season's UK Championship.
Similarly, Peter Ebdon has his work cut out to hold off the talented debutant Jamie Cope in what promises to be an intriguing clash of styles.
Ronnie O'Sullivan has already played Liu Chuang, who will become the first player born in the 1990s ever to compete at the Crucible.
They met in the first round of last season's China Open. I commentated on it for Eurosport and was very impressed by Liu, who won the first frame before losing 5-1.
I said at the time that we would hopefully see him in the future but could not have envisaged that he would come all the way from the first qualifying round to the Crucible in his very first season.
If - and it is, of course, a big if - he beats O'Sullivan it will be the biggest shock in Crucible history, if not snooker history.
My early tip, Ding Junhui, may well struggle to get past Grand Prix champion Marco Fu, who beat him at the Masters this season.
They are the highlights for the draw of what should, as ever, be a fascinating World Championship.
Who is going to win?
I've no idea, but it'll be fun finding out.
John Higgins v Matthew Stevens
Ryan Day v Michael Judge
Ding Junhui v Marco Fu
Stephen Hendry v Mark Allen
Ronnie O’Sullivan v Liu Chuang
Mark Williams v Mark Davis
Stephen Lee v Joe Swail
Ken Doherty v Liang Wenbo
Shaun Murphy v Dave Harold
Ali Carter v Barry Hawkins
Mark Selby v Mark King
Peter Ebdon v Jamie Cope
Neil Robertson v Nigel Bond
Stephen Maguire v Anthony Hamilton
Steve Davis v Stuart Bingham
Graeme Dott v Joe Perry
Firstly, well done to the sponsors and World Snooker for doing such a professional job in webcasting the draw live on the net earlier today.
Mark Johnston-Allen was especially impressive in hosting it and this seems like the ideal way to conduct such an important occasion in future years.
So, to the draw.
John Higgins will hardly be looking forward to walking out on the first day to face Matthew Stevens.
Their April 19 meeting is too close to call bearing in mind Higgins's poor form this season and Stevens's general habit of playing well at the Crucible.
Stephen Hendry certainly won't be rubbing his hands together at the prospect of taking on the dangerous, aggressive Mark Allen, who beat him 9-4 in this season's UK Championship.
Similarly, Peter Ebdon has his work cut out to hold off the talented debutant Jamie Cope in what promises to be an intriguing clash of styles.
Ronnie O'Sullivan has already played Liu Chuang, who will become the first player born in the 1990s ever to compete at the Crucible.
They met in the first round of last season's China Open. I commentated on it for Eurosport and was very impressed by Liu, who won the first frame before losing 5-1.
I said at the time that we would hopefully see him in the future but could not have envisaged that he would come all the way from the first qualifying round to the Crucible in his very first season.
If - and it is, of course, a big if - he beats O'Sullivan it will be the biggest shock in Crucible history, if not snooker history.
My early tip, Ding Junhui, may well struggle to get past Grand Prix champion Marco Fu, who beat him at the Masters this season.
They are the highlights for the draw of what should, as ever, be a fascinating World Championship.
Who is going to win?
I've no idea, but it'll be fun finding out.
John Higgins v Matthew Stevens
Ryan Day v Michael Judge
Ding Junhui v Marco Fu
Stephen Hendry v Mark Allen
Ronnie O’Sullivan v Liu Chuang
Mark Williams v Mark Davis
Stephen Lee v Joe Swail
Ken Doherty v Liang Wenbo
Shaun Murphy v Dave Harold
Ali Carter v Barry Hawkins
Mark Selby v Mark King
Peter Ebdon v Jamie Cope
Neil Robertson v Nigel Bond
Stephen Maguire v Anthony Hamilton
Steve Davis v Stuart Bingham
Graeme Dott v Joe Perry
9.3.08
HAMILTON HAS HIS SAY
Anthony Hamilton was unusually outspoken this evening after beating Scott MacKenzie 10-2 in the final qualifying round of the 888.com World Championship here at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield to reach the Crucible for a 12th time.
Hamilton is ultra laidback and uncontroversial but said he had been motivated because he considers the World Championship to be one of only two ‘proper’ tournaments on a circuit that features only seven ranking events.
“Apart from the Masters, the World Championship is the only proper tournament we’ve got,” he said.
“They are the only two sporting events we have. The others are just a pile of sh*t, playing for £30,000 first prizes. They’re tinpot. You only get 12 people in the audience.
“At the Crucible, you know it’ll be full of people who want to watch you play. Plus, they’re chucking cash at you.
“It’s a shame we don’t have the calendars they have in golf or tennis. This is what it’s all about for us.”
Actually, only the Northern Ireland Trophy carried a first prize of £30,000 this season, but it is certainly true that prize funds are lower than they were a decade ago.
That said, surely Hamilton considers the UK Championship to be a ‘proper’ tournament?
And the two ranking events in China are well attended and popular, even if the prize money is not as high as many of the players would like.
Still, whether you agree with him or not, Hamilton is perfectly entitled to his view.
Hamilton is ultra laidback and uncontroversial but said he had been motivated because he considers the World Championship to be one of only two ‘proper’ tournaments on a circuit that features only seven ranking events.
“Apart from the Masters, the World Championship is the only proper tournament we’ve got,” he said.
“They are the only two sporting events we have. The others are just a pile of sh*t, playing for £30,000 first prizes. They’re tinpot. You only get 12 people in the audience.
“At the Crucible, you know it’ll be full of people who want to watch you play. Plus, they’re chucking cash at you.
“It’s a shame we don’t have the calendars they have in golf or tennis. This is what it’s all about for us.”
Actually, only the Northern Ireland Trophy carried a first prize of £30,000 this season, but it is certainly true that prize funds are lower than they were a decade ago.
That said, surely Hamilton considers the UK Championship to be a ‘proper’ tournament?
And the two ranking events in China are well attended and popular, even if the prize money is not as high as many of the players would like.
Still, whether you agree with him or not, Hamilton is perfectly entitled to his view.
8.3.08
OFF AND RUNNING
What an interesting first day of final qualifying it was for the 888.com World Championship here at the English Institute of Sport yesterday.
The first man through to the Crucible was Marco Fu, who made a century and seven half century breaks in beating Alan McManus 10-3.
It seems somewhat harsh Marco even has to qualify but, of course, only the top 16 in the official rankings are guaranteed their places.
Next through was Liang Wenbo, who became only the fifth Asian player and second Chinese to qualify for the Crucible.
Liang doesn’t speak much English but we didn't need a translator for the broad smile he wore after his 10-5 defeat of 2005 semi-finalist Ian McCulloch.
He said he wanted to draw Ding at the Crucible. Whether he does or not, his presence there takes some of the pressure off his more well known compatriot who is no longer flying the Chinese flag on his own.
Matthew Stevens was mightily relieved to have got through after being forced to pre-qualify for the first time since 1999.
“It was a horrible feeling having to play here but the rankings don’t lie and if you drop out of the top 16 you have to play this match. Even so, it was a weird feeling driving here knowing that if I lost I wouldn’t be at the Crucible and would have to suffer all summer,” Stevens said after beating Rory McLeod 10-5.
Joe Swail won Friday’s final match, beating Judd Trump 10-9 from 9-7 down.
This was the latest in a long line of matches Swail has won in deciders and from behind in the World Championship and served, once again, as testament to his battling qualities.
What he lacks in natural ability, the Belfast man more than makes up for in heart, fight and sheer courage.
He said afterwards that he drew inspiration from his past victories. It’s a little disappointing that 18 year-old Trump hasn’t qualified but nobody could begrudge Swail his place.
The set up here – four tables in a large sized hall – is excellent and there was a great atmosphere for yesterday’s opening four games.
This round means so much to the players that there’s a fair amount of drama, joy and disappointment.
All of which is likely to be multiplied considerably when Jimmy White enters the fray on Monday.
The first man through to the Crucible was Marco Fu, who made a century and seven half century breaks in beating Alan McManus 10-3.
It seems somewhat harsh Marco even has to qualify but, of course, only the top 16 in the official rankings are guaranteed their places.
Next through was Liang Wenbo, who became only the fifth Asian player and second Chinese to qualify for the Crucible.
Liang doesn’t speak much English but we didn't need a translator for the broad smile he wore after his 10-5 defeat of 2005 semi-finalist Ian McCulloch.
He said he wanted to draw Ding at the Crucible. Whether he does or not, his presence there takes some of the pressure off his more well known compatriot who is no longer flying the Chinese flag on his own.
Matthew Stevens was mightily relieved to have got through after being forced to pre-qualify for the first time since 1999.
“It was a horrible feeling having to play here but the rankings don’t lie and if you drop out of the top 16 you have to play this match. Even so, it was a weird feeling driving here knowing that if I lost I wouldn’t be at the Crucible and would have to suffer all summer,” Stevens said after beating Rory McLeod 10-5.
Joe Swail won Friday’s final match, beating Judd Trump 10-9 from 9-7 down.
This was the latest in a long line of matches Swail has won in deciders and from behind in the World Championship and served, once again, as testament to his battling qualities.
What he lacks in natural ability, the Belfast man more than makes up for in heart, fight and sheer courage.
He said afterwards that he drew inspiration from his past victories. It’s a little disappointing that 18 year-old Trump hasn’t qualified but nobody could begrudge Swail his place.
The set up here – four tables in a large sized hall – is excellent and there was a great atmosphere for yesterday’s opening four games.
This round means so much to the players that there’s a fair amount of drama, joy and disappointment.
All of which is likely to be multiplied considerably when Jimmy White enters the fray on Monday.
6.3.08
ALEX, JIMMY AND RONNIE
In the history of snooker, three players stand out as the great crowd pleasers.
Controversial but blessed with genius, they have helped to build the huge audience who follow the game worldwide.
Step forward Alex Higgins, Jimmy White and Ronnie O'Sullivan...
Alex, who turns 59 next week, is, among many other things, a great survivor and can now be booked for personal speaking and corporate engagements:
http://www.alexhurricanehiggins.co.uk/
The mind boggles.
Jimmy is on action on Monday as he tries to get to the Crucible for a 26th time. This excellent article in the Daily Mail reveals how he is cutting back on the wild times to give snooker one last shot:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/othersports.html?in_article_id=521388&in_page_id=1781
Ronnie has been left off the official poster for this month's China Open:
http://www.worldsnooker.com/news_latest-19225.htm
There can only be one reason for this: they don't think he's going to go.
However, I have it on very good authority that not only is Ronnie going to go but he's going to go early to attend a 'cultural dinner' with his new Chinese sponsors in Guangzhou.
Controversial but blessed with genius, they have helped to build the huge audience who follow the game worldwide.
Step forward Alex Higgins, Jimmy White and Ronnie O'Sullivan...
Alex, who turns 59 next week, is, among many other things, a great survivor and can now be booked for personal speaking and corporate engagements:
http://www.alexhurricanehiggins.co.uk/
The mind boggles.
Jimmy is on action on Monday as he tries to get to the Crucible for a 26th time. This excellent article in the Daily Mail reveals how he is cutting back on the wild times to give snooker one last shot:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/sport/othersports.html?in_article_id=521388&in_page_id=1781
Ronnie has been left off the official poster for this month's China Open:
http://www.worldsnooker.com/news_latest-19225.htm
There can only be one reason for this: they don't think he's going to go.
However, I have it on very good authority that not only is Ronnie going to go but he's going to go early to attend a 'cultural dinner' with his new Chinese sponsors in Guangzhou.
5.3.08
WORLD SERIES UPDATE
The fourth event of John Higgins's new World Series will be staged in Amsterdam.
The other three are confirmed for Moscow, Warsaw and Jersey with a grand final to follow at a venue to be confirmed.
All of these events, which begin in June, will be screened on Eurosport.
The other three are confirmed for Moscow, Warsaw and Jersey with a grand final to follow at a venue to be confirmed.
All of these events, which begin in June, will be screened on Eurosport.
HOPE FOR FURTH
Further to yesterday's post about the Northern Ireland Trophy in Belfast cutting across the Paul Hunter Classic in Furth, comes hopeful news for the German event.
The organisers have struck a deal with Ryanair which means that a number of tickets will be booked between Belfast and Nuremberg.
Therefore, every player playing in Belfast who gets knocked out can fly immediately to Germany.
Because of a re-arrangement of the schedule, anyone still in Belfast up to the end of the quarter-finals can still play in Germany, so the field should still be top class.
This is good news for snooker in Germany. The Furth tournament is always well attended by spectators, many of whom may be wondering how it is that there isn't a ranking event in their country given the extraordinary interest.
The organisers have struck a deal with Ryanair which means that a number of tickets will be booked between Belfast and Nuremberg.
Therefore, every player playing in Belfast who gets knocked out can fly immediately to Germany.
Because of a re-arrangement of the schedule, anyone still in Belfast up to the end of the quarter-finals can still play in Germany, so the field should still be top class.
This is good news for snooker in Germany. The Furth tournament is always well attended by spectators, many of whom may be wondering how it is that there isn't a ranking event in their country given the extraordinary interest.
4.3.08
AUGUST AND EVERYTHING AFTER
According to World Snooker, next season’s Northern Ireland Trophy is moving back from what appeared to be a successful November slot to its original home in August.
It will be held from August 24-31 and will thus start on the last day of the Beijing Olympics.
Snooker in Belfast in August did not attract much in the way of crowds in 2005 and 2006 because it is, technically at least, still summer.
Also, any pre-tournament publicity will be seriously affected by the Olympics.
But to be fair, booking busy venues such as the excellent Waterfront Hall is not a straightforward business and it appears this was the only slot available. It’s much better that the tournament is on this particular week than not on at all.
It could also be that this is the only slot available because there are more ranking events to be added later in the season.
However, the knock-on effect is that the Northern Irish event now cuts right across the Paul Hunter Classic in Furth, Germany from August 28-31.
As tickets for this have already gone on sale, it cannot be rescheduled, which will surely mean a much depleted field of top players for what has become a very popular few days for all involved.
It will be held from August 24-31 and will thus start on the last day of the Beijing Olympics.
Snooker in Belfast in August did not attract much in the way of crowds in 2005 and 2006 because it is, technically at least, still summer.
Also, any pre-tournament publicity will be seriously affected by the Olympics.
But to be fair, booking busy venues such as the excellent Waterfront Hall is not a straightforward business and it appears this was the only slot available. It’s much better that the tournament is on this particular week than not on at all.
It could also be that this is the only slot available because there are more ranking events to be added later in the season.
However, the knock-on effect is that the Northern Irish event now cuts right across the Paul Hunter Classic in Furth, Germany from August 28-31.
As tickets for this have already gone on sale, it cannot be rescheduled, which will surely mean a much depleted field of top players for what has become a very popular few days for all involved.
3.3.08
THE FOUR DAY TWITCH
Visitors to the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield later this week will have a chance to witness more twitching than they might find at a birdwatching convention as the final qualifying round of the 888.com World Championship takes place over four days.
For the players, this is one of the biggest matches of the year. The difference between qualifying and not qualifying is huge for a number of reasons.
Failure at the qualifiers means players miss out on the big financial rewards on offer at the Crucible as well as ranking points (almost double most other tournaments) that will help determine their positions for next season.
But disappointment at not qualifying can be boiled down very simply to this: you’re not part of the World Championship.
When it comes round, you have to either watch it on TV, pretend it’s not on or go away on holiday to escape it (not easy now it’s on so many channels around the world).
So who is going to get through?
Jimmy White will be the main focus of interest (unless you’re a reader of worldsnooker.com, who have instead focused on Mike Dunn, one of their own board members!).
Jimmy missed out last year and, at 45 years of age and well down the rankings, will probably be at the Crucible for the final time if he does beat Mark King a week today.
We all know that he’s never won it and lost six finals but this ignores the fact that, in his heyday, he had one of the best Crucible records and did as much as anyone, and more than most, to draw millions of TV viewers to the event.
No disrespect to King, but I’d love to see Jimmy qualify and draw Stephen Hendry in the first round. It’d give us nostalgics one last chance to wallow in one of snooker’s most fascinating rivalries.
John Parrott impressed last year but needs to beat Joe Perry – something he’s never previously done – to avoid going to Sheffield purely as a BBC broadcaster.
And what of the young guns? Jamie Cope, Mark Allen and Judd Trump would certainly enliven the championship.
Liang Wenbo and Liu Chuang would also take some of the pressure off Ding Junhui by helping him to fly the flag for China.
Cope, Liang and Liu are among seven players who could make their debuts at the Crucible next month.
The others are Adrian Gunnell (four times a loser in the final qualifying round), Scott MacKenzie, Ricky Walden and Rory McLeod.
Rory faces Matthew Stevens, runner-up in 2000 and 2005, and would become the first player of Afro-Caribbean descent ever to play at the Crucible if he beats him.
The draw is being held on March 11 when the 16 qualifiers are paired against the top 16.
Before that happens, there will be plenty of twitching, sweating and anxiety on display.
I for one can't wait.
For the players, this is one of the biggest matches of the year. The difference between qualifying and not qualifying is huge for a number of reasons.
Failure at the qualifiers means players miss out on the big financial rewards on offer at the Crucible as well as ranking points (almost double most other tournaments) that will help determine their positions for next season.
But disappointment at not qualifying can be boiled down very simply to this: you’re not part of the World Championship.
When it comes round, you have to either watch it on TV, pretend it’s not on or go away on holiday to escape it (not easy now it’s on so many channels around the world).
So who is going to get through?
Jimmy White will be the main focus of interest (unless you’re a reader of worldsnooker.com, who have instead focused on Mike Dunn, one of their own board members!).
Jimmy missed out last year and, at 45 years of age and well down the rankings, will probably be at the Crucible for the final time if he does beat Mark King a week today.
We all know that he’s never won it and lost six finals but this ignores the fact that, in his heyday, he had one of the best Crucible records and did as much as anyone, and more than most, to draw millions of TV viewers to the event.
No disrespect to King, but I’d love to see Jimmy qualify and draw Stephen Hendry in the first round. It’d give us nostalgics one last chance to wallow in one of snooker’s most fascinating rivalries.
John Parrott impressed last year but needs to beat Joe Perry – something he’s never previously done – to avoid going to Sheffield purely as a BBC broadcaster.
And what of the young guns? Jamie Cope, Mark Allen and Judd Trump would certainly enliven the championship.
Liang Wenbo and Liu Chuang would also take some of the pressure off Ding Junhui by helping him to fly the flag for China.
Cope, Liang and Liu are among seven players who could make their debuts at the Crucible next month.
The others are Adrian Gunnell (four times a loser in the final qualifying round), Scott MacKenzie, Ricky Walden and Rory McLeod.
Rory faces Matthew Stevens, runner-up in 2000 and 2005, and would become the first player of Afro-Caribbean descent ever to play at the Crucible if he beats him.
The draw is being held on March 11 when the 16 qualifiers are paired against the top 16.
Before that happens, there will be plenty of twitching, sweating and anxiety on display.
I for one can't wait.
29.2.08
IN A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
So I’m back from the Championship League at Crondon Park in Essex and am delighted to be able to report that this new event appears to be a worthwhile addition to the snooker calendar.
There were a few fears that the players wouldn’t take it seriously but, from early on, it was clear that they were.
Indeed, when Mark Williams played Matthew Stevens they fought every bit as hard as they did when they contested the 2000 world final.
When Mark missed out on the play-offs yesterday he was absolutely gutted.
This goes to prove that a round robin format will work if there is financial reward - £100 per frame in this instance – on offer.
This is a perfect event for the players. With such big gaps between tournaments, what they want is quality match practice. Even better, they are getting paid for it.
Joe Perry ended up with £7,700 and is still going in the event. Ryan Day pocketed £6,100 in just two days.
This begs the question: why on earth would any player turn down the chance to play in this – as Graeme Dott, Neil Robertson and Stephen Maguire did?
What else would they be doing other than practising in the club?
I suspect they didn’t quite appreciate the opportunity provided by the Championship League. If they speak to any of the players who did compete then I’d imagine they’d regret not accepting the invite.
Credit must go to Barry Hearn and his Matchroom team for making this innovation work. They are open, honest and good natured people who will also hold their hands up if things need changing.
This resulted in the semis and final being reduced to best of fives because the general pace of slow was slower than imagined. Next time, the matches will start at 1pm rather than 2pm. The cloths seemed a little on the slow side but this can be sorted out before the event resumes.
The matches were streamed on the web by Perform, an enthusiastic, hard working bunch who did an excellent job in producing live, high quality snooker on the internet all day, free for whoever wanted to watch it.
Shaun Murphy and Mark Selby are among the players coming into the next group.
They’ve certainly made the right decision in deciding to play.
There were a few fears that the players wouldn’t take it seriously but, from early on, it was clear that they were.
Indeed, when Mark Williams played Matthew Stevens they fought every bit as hard as they did when they contested the 2000 world final.
When Mark missed out on the play-offs yesterday he was absolutely gutted.
This goes to prove that a round robin format will work if there is financial reward - £100 per frame in this instance – on offer.
This is a perfect event for the players. With such big gaps between tournaments, what they want is quality match practice. Even better, they are getting paid for it.
Joe Perry ended up with £7,700 and is still going in the event. Ryan Day pocketed £6,100 in just two days.
This begs the question: why on earth would any player turn down the chance to play in this – as Graeme Dott, Neil Robertson and Stephen Maguire did?
What else would they be doing other than practising in the club?
I suspect they didn’t quite appreciate the opportunity provided by the Championship League. If they speak to any of the players who did compete then I’d imagine they’d regret not accepting the invite.
Credit must go to Barry Hearn and his Matchroom team for making this innovation work. They are open, honest and good natured people who will also hold their hands up if things need changing.
This resulted in the semis and final being reduced to best of fives because the general pace of slow was slower than imagined. Next time, the matches will start at 1pm rather than 2pm. The cloths seemed a little on the slow side but this can be sorted out before the event resumes.
The matches were streamed on the web by Perform, an enthusiastic, hard working bunch who did an excellent job in producing live, high quality snooker on the internet all day, free for whoever wanted to watch it.
Shaun Murphy and Mark Selby are among the players coming into the next group.
They’ve certainly made the right decision in deciding to play.
21.2.08
HOW TO WATCH THE CHAMPIONSHIP LEAGUE
Matchroom's new Championship League event will be screened live on in the internet on at least three betting websites.
Bet365, Betfair and William Hill have all signed up to show the new competition, which starts next Monday.
Other betting partners are expected to be announced shortly.
The Championship League, played at Crondon Park, Essex features seven groups, each containing seven players.
The winner of group one goes into a final winner's group while the bottom two players are relegated. The remaining four players go into group two where they are joined by three new players.
The process is repeated until the seven players are found for the winner's group. The eventual winner of this earns a place in the lucrative Premier League next season.
The first group features former world champions Ken Doherty and Mark Williams, as well as Joe Perry, Ali Carter, Ryan Day, Matthew Stevens and Barry Hawkins.
Nigel Bond, Anthony Hamilton and Joe Swail will join group two while Shaun Murphy and Mark Selby are among the top players to figure in the later groups. Players will receive £100 per frame.
The commentators will include Clive Everton, Phil Yates and myself.
Log on to the individual betting websites for how to watch the action live.
www.williamhill.com
www.betfair.com
www.bet365.com
Bet365, Betfair and William Hill have all signed up to show the new competition, which starts next Monday.
Other betting partners are expected to be announced shortly.
The Championship League, played at Crondon Park, Essex features seven groups, each containing seven players.
The winner of group one goes into a final winner's group while the bottom two players are relegated. The remaining four players go into group two where they are joined by three new players.
The process is repeated until the seven players are found for the winner's group. The eventual winner of this earns a place in the lucrative Premier League next season.
The first group features former world champions Ken Doherty and Mark Williams, as well as Joe Perry, Ali Carter, Ryan Day, Matthew Stevens and Barry Hawkins.
Nigel Bond, Anthony Hamilton and Joe Swail will join group two while Shaun Murphy and Mark Selby are among the top players to figure in the later groups. Players will receive £100 per frame.
The commentators will include Clive Everton, Phil Yates and myself.
Log on to the individual betting websites for how to watch the action live.
www.williamhill.com
www.betfair.com
www.bet365.com
20.2.08
VICTORY FOR CLIVE
Our editor, Clive Everton, has won the Midland Amateur Billiards Championship for the 15th time - 46 years after his first victory in the tournament.
Clive, for many years a professional but now reinstated in the amateur ranks, beat Norman Routledge 250-98 in the final.
Clive, for many years a professional but now reinstated in the amateur ranks, beat Norman Routledge 250-98 in the final.
19.2.08
TWO MONTHS TO SHEFFIELD
It's never too early to start talking about the Crucible. Even if it is, I'm going to.
The 888.com World Championship gets underway in precisely two months time. I got to thinking about who might win it after someone remarked to me that it is ‘the most open World Championship’ ever.
I actually disagree with this and think it will come down to a straight fight between six players – five in their 20s and one in his 30s.
The 20-somethings are Stephen Maguire, Neil Robertson, Ding Junhui, Mark Selby and Shaun Murphy. The 30-something is Ronnie O’Sullivan.
Let’s deal with the latter first. It would be foolish to write off Ronnie’s chances after what happened at the Welsh Open. He suffered similar disappointment when he lost the 2004 Wembley Masters 10-9 to Paul Hunter from 7-2 up and bounced back to land a second world title at Sheffield.
If O’Sullivan comes good in April/May he will, as ever, take some stopping. We don’t know yet who he will play in the first round (the draw is on March 11) but after that it seems quite favourable until the semi-finals.
Maguire made the early running this season, winning the Northern Ireland Trophy and reaching the UK Championship final. Has he peaked too early? I’d say after his semi-final disappointment against John Higgins at the Crucible last year that he’ll get himself up for this year’s event like never before.
He will probably have to beat Robertson in the second round, which will be no easy task despite the Aussie’s lack of form this season.
I expect Robertson to start playing well soon and remember this: none of the last three winners (Murphy, Dott and Higgins) had any sort of season heading into the World Championships they eventually won.
Selby is, of course, on a roll and his tough, never-say-die style will take some beating. For someone being labelled by some as a plodding grinder, he can actually knock in the breaks as well (three in a row against Ebdon last year and four in the Masters final). I expect Selby to go close at the Crucible.
Murphy is Mr. Consistency but, like all top players, would prefer trophies. I’d be amazed if he didn’t feature in the quarter-finals at least.
And what of Ding? Right now, for various reasons, he’s my tip to win it. Yes, his form has dipped in and out of late but if he can bring it all together – as he has before – he’s as good as anyone.
The Chinese potter made his Crucible debut last year and was unlucky to draw O’Sullivan. This season he’s seeded straight through and can stay at home – or at least at home-from-home – at his Sheffield base, away from the circus that is the World Championship.
And I know this: in terms of the interest it would create, there could be no better winner for snooker.
The 888.com World Championship gets underway in precisely two months time. I got to thinking about who might win it after someone remarked to me that it is ‘the most open World Championship’ ever.
I actually disagree with this and think it will come down to a straight fight between six players – five in their 20s and one in his 30s.
The 20-somethings are Stephen Maguire, Neil Robertson, Ding Junhui, Mark Selby and Shaun Murphy. The 30-something is Ronnie O’Sullivan.
Let’s deal with the latter first. It would be foolish to write off Ronnie’s chances after what happened at the Welsh Open. He suffered similar disappointment when he lost the 2004 Wembley Masters 10-9 to Paul Hunter from 7-2 up and bounced back to land a second world title at Sheffield.
If O’Sullivan comes good in April/May he will, as ever, take some stopping. We don’t know yet who he will play in the first round (the draw is on March 11) but after that it seems quite favourable until the semi-finals.
Maguire made the early running this season, winning the Northern Ireland Trophy and reaching the UK Championship final. Has he peaked too early? I’d say after his semi-final disappointment against John Higgins at the Crucible last year that he’ll get himself up for this year’s event like never before.
He will probably have to beat Robertson in the second round, which will be no easy task despite the Aussie’s lack of form this season.
I expect Robertson to start playing well soon and remember this: none of the last three winners (Murphy, Dott and Higgins) had any sort of season heading into the World Championships they eventually won.
Selby is, of course, on a roll and his tough, never-say-die style will take some beating. For someone being labelled by some as a plodding grinder, he can actually knock in the breaks as well (three in a row against Ebdon last year and four in the Masters final). I expect Selby to go close at the Crucible.
Murphy is Mr. Consistency but, like all top players, would prefer trophies. I’d be amazed if he didn’t feature in the quarter-finals at least.
And what of Ding? Right now, for various reasons, he’s my tip to win it. Yes, his form has dipped in and out of late but if he can bring it all together – as he has before – he’s as good as anyone.
The Chinese potter made his Crucible debut last year and was unlucky to draw O’Sullivan. This season he’s seeded straight through and can stay at home – or at least at home-from-home – at his Sheffield base, away from the circus that is the World Championship.
And I know this: in terms of the interest it would create, there could be no better winner for snooker.
18.2.08
YES, SELBY IS TALENTED
Ronnie O'Sullivan did himself few favours with his post final comments after losing 9-8 from 8-5 up to Mark Selby in last night's Welsh Open.
"I don't know if Mark's talented," he said. "He plays a very negative game. He doesn't take a ball on unless he's going to leave it safe."
In O'Sullivan's defence, he said this literally minutes after he was defeated, when the frustration at having thrown away a big lead still burned deep.
However, any suggestion that Selby somehow won the title by default is ridiculous.
O'Sullivan was in first on 24 in the decider but failed to make a fairly simple cannon into the reds off the black.
At the end, he lashed out at a very risky double, from which he lost the match.
Selby applied pressure, which is what you have to do. He is more methodical in pace than O'Sullivan. This is how he plays. Why would he suddenly speed up?
His comeback was a tribute to his tenacity, his self belief and, yes, his talent.
He's a worthy winner.
"I don't know if Mark's talented," he said. "He plays a very negative game. He doesn't take a ball on unless he's going to leave it safe."
In O'Sullivan's defence, he said this literally minutes after he was defeated, when the frustration at having thrown away a big lead still burned deep.
However, any suggestion that Selby somehow won the title by default is ridiculous.
O'Sullivan was in first on 24 in the decider but failed to make a fairly simple cannon into the reds off the black.
At the end, he lashed out at a very risky double, from which he lost the match.
Selby applied pressure, which is what you have to do. He is more methodical in pace than O'Sullivan. This is how he plays. Why would he suddenly speed up?
His comeback was a tribute to his tenacity, his self belief and, yes, his talent.
He's a worthy winner.
17.2.08
RONNIE CAN BE BEATEN
Ronnie O'Sullivan raised his game to its highest level to repel the challenge of Shaun Murphy in the Welsh Open semi-finals at Newport last night.
It was thrilling, at times awesome stuff and typical of what he's capable of.
However, it does not make him a certainty for the title.
There has been a lot of nonsense written about Ronnie down the years. Much of it has been spiteful towards him and motivated, I suspect, by envy.
But then there's the much stated myth: 'if Ronnie plays his best he can't lose.'
This simply isn't true. He played his best in the 2006 Masters final and lost to John Higgins. In Newport just last year he was on form but outplayed by Neil Robertson. There are many other examples from over the years.
The other pointless statement often trotted out about him is 'if O'Sullivan had (for example) Ebdon's temperament he'd never lose.'
So what? If Ebdon had Ronnie's talent then Peter would never lose.
Sport isn't about ifs and buts, it's about what happens on the field of play.
Therefore, Ronnie is right to be regarded as the most talented player of all time but he isn't the greatest.
The only test of greatness in sport is this: what you've won.
Stephen Hendry won seven world titles in the 1990s. O'Sullivan played in five of these championships and failed to reach the final once.
He has won at the Crucible twice. Most would agree it should have been more (and of course still could be) but you don't get your name on the trophy because of opinions, only by actually winning the thing.
Mark Selby is an interesting player in that he seems to genuinely enjoy every aspect of being a professional.
He reminds me - and I don't say this lightly - of Paul Hunter. Selby's always looking to entertain and is generous with his time off the table.
He's also, as we saw yesterday against Hendry, in excellent form and full of confidence after his Masters victory.
He's beaten O'Sullivan before, in the 2002 China Open. No doubt some would argue that this doesn't count as if Ronnie had played his best he would have won.
But sport doesn't work like this and, however the Rocket plays today, he knows he's got his work cut out.
It was thrilling, at times awesome stuff and typical of what he's capable of.
However, it does not make him a certainty for the title.
There has been a lot of nonsense written about Ronnie down the years. Much of it has been spiteful towards him and motivated, I suspect, by envy.
But then there's the much stated myth: 'if Ronnie plays his best he can't lose.'
This simply isn't true. He played his best in the 2006 Masters final and lost to John Higgins. In Newport just last year he was on form but outplayed by Neil Robertson. There are many other examples from over the years.
The other pointless statement often trotted out about him is 'if O'Sullivan had (for example) Ebdon's temperament he'd never lose.'
So what? If Ebdon had Ronnie's talent then Peter would never lose.
Sport isn't about ifs and buts, it's about what happens on the field of play.
Therefore, Ronnie is right to be regarded as the most talented player of all time but he isn't the greatest.
The only test of greatness in sport is this: what you've won.
Stephen Hendry won seven world titles in the 1990s. O'Sullivan played in five of these championships and failed to reach the final once.
He has won at the Crucible twice. Most would agree it should have been more (and of course still could be) but you don't get your name on the trophy because of opinions, only by actually winning the thing.
Mark Selby is an interesting player in that he seems to genuinely enjoy every aspect of being a professional.
He reminds me - and I don't say this lightly - of Paul Hunter. Selby's always looking to entertain and is generous with his time off the table.
He's also, as we saw yesterday against Hendry, in excellent form and full of confidence after his Masters victory.
He's beaten O'Sullivan before, in the 2002 China Open. No doubt some would argue that this doesn't count as if Ronnie had played his best he would have won.
But sport doesn't work like this and, however the Rocket plays today, he knows he's got his work cut out.
15.2.08
WELSH SET FOR FINE FINISH
Mark Selby and Shaun Murphy have played the best snooker of the Welsh Open but this does not neccessarily mean that they will contest the final.
This is because their repsective semi-final opponents are a couple of up-and-comers by the names of Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan.
Hendry has cued really well from 4-3 down to Ryan Day in the last 16. His long potting is good, he's not taking on low percentage pots and, crucially, his concentration is strong.
The seven times world champion is through to a record 80th ranking event semi-final (Steve Davis is next on 58). This is his first since the Maplin UK Championship in December 2006 and he will be determined to make it count.
It also comes 16 years to the day since he won the inaugural Welsh Open in 1992.
O'Sullivan has coasted so far. He's not played his best snooker but hasn't had to as Judd Trump, Steve Davis and, in particular, Ali Carter each failed to take their chances against him.
Selby has been superb. He is doing what Davis said was crucial: playing like it means nothing when it means everything.
In a similar vein, Malta Cup champion Murphy looks cool, calm and collected every time he comes to the table.
Form points towards the two 20-somethings contesting the final but such are the reputations of their semi-final opposition that anything could happen.
What is certain is this: after the somewhat dispiriting start to the week we're set for a grandstand finish to the Welsh Open.
This is because their repsective semi-final opponents are a couple of up-and-comers by the names of Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O'Sullivan.
Hendry has cued really well from 4-3 down to Ryan Day in the last 16. His long potting is good, he's not taking on low percentage pots and, crucially, his concentration is strong.
The seven times world champion is through to a record 80th ranking event semi-final (Steve Davis is next on 58). This is his first since the Maplin UK Championship in December 2006 and he will be determined to make it count.
It also comes 16 years to the day since he won the inaugural Welsh Open in 1992.
O'Sullivan has coasted so far. He's not played his best snooker but hasn't had to as Judd Trump, Steve Davis and, in particular, Ali Carter each failed to take their chances against him.
Selby has been superb. He is doing what Davis said was crucial: playing like it means nothing when it means everything.
In a similar vein, Malta Cup champion Murphy looks cool, calm and collected every time he comes to the table.
Form points towards the two 20-somethings contesting the final but such are the reputations of their semi-final opposition that anything could happen.
What is certain is this: after the somewhat dispiriting start to the week we're set for a grandstand finish to the Welsh Open.
THE WHITE GLOVE BRIGADE
I was saddened to hear of the death of the referee John Bushby, whose passing was marked by Ian McCulloch wearing a black armband in his match with Shaun Murphy at this week's Welsh Open.
John was a real character. He was also an extra in Bridge on the River Kwai, although he told me he had never managed to spot himself on screen despite several viewings.
Snooker, mercifully, is not like football or, increasingly, cricket, where the officials are abused, sworn at and generally treated like dirt.
There are very, very few incidents of trouble between snooker players and officials. The men and women in the middle command great respect and rightly so.
It's a job that requires long hours of concentration and, at times, a lot of bottle in applying such unpopular things as the miss rule.
Michaela Tabb, I thought, was particularly good in silencing a rowdy Wembley Arena crowd at the end of the Saga Insurance Masters final last month by reminding them that Mark Selby was on track to equal the highest break, which he eventually did.
The refs of the 1980s were almost as well known as the players. Len Ganley even starred in commercials.
Len's son, Mike, now does an excellent job as WPBSA tournament director.
There are now some younger referees cropping up at main tour venues and a clutch of officials from outside the UK.
Where would the game be without them?
John was a real character. He was also an extra in Bridge on the River Kwai, although he told me he had never managed to spot himself on screen despite several viewings.
Snooker, mercifully, is not like football or, increasingly, cricket, where the officials are abused, sworn at and generally treated like dirt.
There are very, very few incidents of trouble between snooker players and officials. The men and women in the middle command great respect and rightly so.
It's a job that requires long hours of concentration and, at times, a lot of bottle in applying such unpopular things as the miss rule.
Michaela Tabb, I thought, was particularly good in silencing a rowdy Wembley Arena crowd at the end of the Saga Insurance Masters final last month by reminding them that Mark Selby was on track to equal the highest break, which he eventually did.
The refs of the 1980s were almost as well known as the players. Len Ganley even starred in commercials.
Len's son, Mike, now does an excellent job as WPBSA tournament director.
There are now some younger referees cropping up at main tour venues and a clutch of officials from outside the UK.
Where would the game be without them?
14.2.08
WILLIAMS SHOWS FIGHTING QUALITIES
What a great win for Mark Williams last night, 5-4 from 4-2 down against Marco Fu.
I said on commentary for Eurosport that the decider was one of the most important frames of his career. I didn't feel like an overstatement then and it doesn't feel like one now.
Had he lost it, he would have been no better than 35th in the provisional rankings and bang under pressure at the China Open. Now he's won it the Welsh left-hander is up to 29th with a chance to go higher.
What impressed me last night was Williams's attitude. Neither player was at the top of his game but Fu would admit that he had a great run of the ball. Everything seemed to go against Williams but he didn't once let his head drop or allow frustration to overcome him.
In the end, this is why he won.
Anyone who knows Mark will attest to how laid back he is but, on the table, he's always been a fighter.
Look at the two world titles he won - both by 18-16 margins.
Look at his Masters victory over Stephen Hendry ten years ago when he came from 9-6 down to win 10-9 on a re-spotted black.
Look at his capture of the Welsh title in 1999 when he edged Hendry 9-8.
Dropping out of the top 32 would be a huge blow to him. Indeed, he spoke darkly of retirement should it happen after losing at the Masters.
I don't think he would walk away even if he were consigned to life in the qualifiers.
Equally, I think Williams is now most likely to remain in the top 32 and, who knows, he may even scrape into the top 16 with a good finish to the season.
This is where a player of his class belongs.
I said on commentary for Eurosport that the decider was one of the most important frames of his career. I didn't feel like an overstatement then and it doesn't feel like one now.
Had he lost it, he would have been no better than 35th in the provisional rankings and bang under pressure at the China Open. Now he's won it the Welsh left-hander is up to 29th with a chance to go higher.
What impressed me last night was Williams's attitude. Neither player was at the top of his game but Fu would admit that he had a great run of the ball. Everything seemed to go against Williams but he didn't once let his head drop or allow frustration to overcome him.
In the end, this is why he won.
Anyone who knows Mark will attest to how laid back he is but, on the table, he's always been a fighter.
Look at the two world titles he won - both by 18-16 margins.
Look at his Masters victory over Stephen Hendry ten years ago when he came from 9-6 down to win 10-9 on a re-spotted black.
Look at his capture of the Welsh title in 1999 when he edged Hendry 9-8.
Dropping out of the top 32 would be a huge blow to him. Indeed, he spoke darkly of retirement should it happen after losing at the Masters.
I don't think he would walk away even if he were consigned to life in the qualifiers.
Equally, I think Williams is now most likely to remain in the top 32 and, who knows, he may even scrape into the top 16 with a good finish to the season.
This is where a player of his class belongs.
13.2.08
GET WELL SOON, JACK
We here at Snooker Scene send our best wishes to Jack Lisowski, an outstanding junior player from Gloucester who has been diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma.
Jack, 16, underwent chemotherapy yesterday. It was his third such treatement in a cycle of 12 and the doctors are pleased with his progress.
I'm sure he's itching to get back to playing snooker soon. I'm equally sure that everyone in the snooker world hopes it's sooner rather than later.
Jack, 16, underwent chemotherapy yesterday. It was his third such treatement in a cycle of 12 and the doctors are pleased with his progress.
I'm sure he's itching to get back to playing snooker soon. I'm equally sure that everyone in the snooker world hopes it's sooner rather than later.
CAN RONNIE RESTORE CREDIBILITY?
I would never criticise the great game of snooker or run down tournaments but the fact remains that the Welsh Open has thus far been poorly attended and poorly organised.
This is the last thing we need at a time when the sport's integrity is being openly questioned, even if you believe, as I do, that claims of match fixing are mainly nonsense.
The acid test is what sort of crowd Ronnie O'Sullivan draws for his match with Judd Trump today. If he can't bring the punters in, nobody will.
Some will say the pre-tournament marketing has been poor but I'd argue the low crowds are more likely to be because of the scene outside the Newport Centre, where the main road is closed for major rebuilding work.
Walking over from the bus station, you can't even see the Newport Centre. It's hardly accessible and may have put a lot of people off.
World Snooker wouldn't put proper money into the Malta Cup - played in five-star luxury at the Portomaso Hilton - to make it a ranking event and yet have taken one here.
Inside the Newport Centre, it's a shambles. Countless people, including members of the public, traipse through the press room. The background noise at some press conferences is so loud it's sometimes hard to hear what the players are saying.
The day before the event when it was being set up a WPBSA laptop was stolen from the venue. On Monday, I found one of the security staff rifling through my papers on my desk.
The press room phones don't work. Neither does the ISDN line booked by BBC Wales. Neither does the software used to email score sheets to the outside world.
Which bright spark thought the schedule was going to work? How are two best of nines going to be done and dusted by 7pm with a 1pm start?
Last night, Stephen Maguire and Stuart Bingham didn't get on until nearly 9.30pm and were still going at midnight.
For whose benefit is this? The players? The spectators? The media?
Why don't we just play the first match in the morning? If it's good enough for the World Championship then it's good enough for the Welsh Open.
This is supposed to be a professional tournament but virtually everything about it - with the exception of what's actually happening on the table - is amateur.
This is the last thing we need at a time when the sport's integrity is being openly questioned, even if you believe, as I do, that claims of match fixing are mainly nonsense.
The acid test is what sort of crowd Ronnie O'Sullivan draws for his match with Judd Trump today. If he can't bring the punters in, nobody will.
Some will say the pre-tournament marketing has been poor but I'd argue the low crowds are more likely to be because of the scene outside the Newport Centre, where the main road is closed for major rebuilding work.
Walking over from the bus station, you can't even see the Newport Centre. It's hardly accessible and may have put a lot of people off.
World Snooker wouldn't put proper money into the Malta Cup - played in five-star luxury at the Portomaso Hilton - to make it a ranking event and yet have taken one here.
Inside the Newport Centre, it's a shambles. Countless people, including members of the public, traipse through the press room. The background noise at some press conferences is so loud it's sometimes hard to hear what the players are saying.
The day before the event when it was being set up a WPBSA laptop was stolen from the venue. On Monday, I found one of the security staff rifling through my papers on my desk.
The press room phones don't work. Neither does the ISDN line booked by BBC Wales. Neither does the software used to email score sheets to the outside world.
Which bright spark thought the schedule was going to work? How are two best of nines going to be done and dusted by 7pm with a 1pm start?
Last night, Stephen Maguire and Stuart Bingham didn't get on until nearly 9.30pm and were still going at midnight.
For whose benefit is this? The players? The spectators? The media?
Why don't we just play the first match in the morning? If it's good enough for the World Championship then it's good enough for the Welsh Open.
This is supposed to be a professional tournament but virtually everything about it - with the exception of what's actually happening on the table - is amateur.
12.2.08
TIME TO DITCH THE ROUND ROBINS
"Such formats are very popular on the WSA Main Tour. The Royal Watches Grand Prix last month also had the same format. It was a great success with the players and fans as it keeps the interest alive throughout the whole week."
So said Neal Stevens, World Snooker's Commercial Manager, at the launch of the Malta Cup, played using a round robin format.
I wonder if Mr. Stevens still believes this following the revelation in this morning's Guardian newspaper that the tournament is under investigation by the Gambling Commission after irregular betting patterns were reported.
Criminal prosecutions may follow if any hard evidence is discovered.
I doubt whether there was any malpractice. The problem is simple and applies throughout round robin snooker: players aren't motivated when there's no chance of getting through to the next stage.
Peter Ebdon, a World Snooker board member, was even smashing the pack against Mark Williams.
Bookmakers who offer betting on such matches are asking for trouble. Anyone who bets on a 'dead' match needs their head looking at.
What it all does, though, is create the idea in the public mind that the game is somehow corrupt.
It isn't but there is only one way to prevent this notion from festering: ditch the round robins.
Contrary to what Mr. Stevens asserts, most players don't like it. There's little evidence that spectators or TV viewers enjoy it either.
The Malta Cup should have been a ranking tournament once plans for one in the Middle East fell through.
It would be a shame if this established event fell by the wayside because of the fallout from last week.
(Guardian story here: http://sport.guardian.co.uk/snooker/story/0,,2255835,00.html)
So said Neal Stevens, World Snooker's Commercial Manager, at the launch of the Malta Cup, played using a round robin format.
I wonder if Mr. Stevens still believes this following the revelation in this morning's Guardian newspaper that the tournament is under investigation by the Gambling Commission after irregular betting patterns were reported.
Criminal prosecutions may follow if any hard evidence is discovered.
I doubt whether there was any malpractice. The problem is simple and applies throughout round robin snooker: players aren't motivated when there's no chance of getting through to the next stage.
Peter Ebdon, a World Snooker board member, was even smashing the pack against Mark Williams.
Bookmakers who offer betting on such matches are asking for trouble. Anyone who bets on a 'dead' match needs their head looking at.
What it all does, though, is create the idea in the public mind that the game is somehow corrupt.
It isn't but there is only one way to prevent this notion from festering: ditch the round robins.
Contrary to what Mr. Stevens asserts, most players don't like it. There's little evidence that spectators or TV viewers enjoy it either.
The Malta Cup should have been a ranking tournament once plans for one in the Middle East fell through.
It would be a shame if this established event fell by the wayside because of the fallout from last week.
(Guardian story here: http://sport.guardian.co.uk/snooker/story/0,,2255835,00.html)
8.2.08
THORNE IN THE SIDE
According to today's Sun newspaper, Willie Thorne is to appear on the new series of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here.
Willie, who last year tripped the light fantastic on Strictly Come Dancing, can expect to spend up to three weeks in the jungle eating grubs, wrestling with all manner of animals and sleeping in a tent.
He was due to go on the show a couple of years ago but the producers went with Jimmy Osmond instead, preferring a long haired lover from Liverpool to a bald headed snooker player from Leicester.
Willie, who last year tripped the light fantastic on Strictly Come Dancing, can expect to spend up to three weeks in the jungle eating grubs, wrestling with all manner of animals and sleeping in a tent.
He was due to go on the show a couple of years ago but the producers went with Jimmy Osmond instead, preferring a long haired lover from Liverpool to a bald headed snooker player from Leicester.
7.2.08
DING LOOKING GOOD
Ding Junhui has looked a million dollars so far in this year’s Malta Cup.
He kicked off with three successive centuries against Peter Ebdon and made another at the start of his match with Graeme Dott, even though he was eventually held to 3-3.
Ding again impressed today in beating Dominic Dale 4-2 and I’d be amazed if he didn’t get at least a draw – all he needs – to qualify for the semi-finals on Friday.
The Chinese prodigy suffered a dip in form last year after losing the Wembley Masters final to Ronnie O’Sullivan but this was always going to be a mere blip in form.
He’s far too good a player for it not to be.
Let’s not forget that Ding’s still only 20 and has already won three ranking titles.
He has, quite naturally, found it difficult to adjust to life far from home in Sheffield, where he lives and practises, and also has to cope with the huge weight of expectation from his army of fans back in China.
How he handles this in the next year or two is up for debate but what isn’t in dispute is his remarkable talent.
Watch how quickly he gets the reds open. Study his face and you can almost see his mind ticking over as he weighs up how to get a break going.
Here’s what Daniel Wells, recipient of the Paul Hunter scholarship who has been practising with Ding, told me for an interview in February’s Snooker Scene:
“I lose pretty much all of the time to Ding but I still learn a lot from picking out the balls.
“He’s very good at knowing when to go into the pack and figuring out which ball he’ll be on. He’s an expert at it. There’s only a few in the world who are that good.
“So I don’t mind picking the balls out for him because it’s an education and my standard has improved.”
Ding has a good chance to win the Malta Cup but I personally think the place to watch out for him this season is at the Crucible.
The first Asian world champion? The youngest ever winner?
Quite possibly.
He kicked off with three successive centuries against Peter Ebdon and made another at the start of his match with Graeme Dott, even though he was eventually held to 3-3.
Ding again impressed today in beating Dominic Dale 4-2 and I’d be amazed if he didn’t get at least a draw – all he needs – to qualify for the semi-finals on Friday.
The Chinese prodigy suffered a dip in form last year after losing the Wembley Masters final to Ronnie O’Sullivan but this was always going to be a mere blip in form.
He’s far too good a player for it not to be.
Let’s not forget that Ding’s still only 20 and has already won three ranking titles.
He has, quite naturally, found it difficult to adjust to life far from home in Sheffield, where he lives and practises, and also has to cope with the huge weight of expectation from his army of fans back in China.
How he handles this in the next year or two is up for debate but what isn’t in dispute is his remarkable talent.
Watch how quickly he gets the reds open. Study his face and you can almost see his mind ticking over as he weighs up how to get a break going.
Here’s what Daniel Wells, recipient of the Paul Hunter scholarship who has been practising with Ding, told me for an interview in February’s Snooker Scene:
“I lose pretty much all of the time to Ding but I still learn a lot from picking out the balls.
“He’s very good at knowing when to go into the pack and figuring out which ball he’ll be on. He’s an expert at it. There’s only a few in the world who are that good.
“So I don’t mind picking the balls out for him because it’s an education and my standard has improved.”
Ding has a good chance to win the Malta Cup but I personally think the place to watch out for him this season is at the Crucible.
The first Asian world champion? The youngest ever winner?
Quite possibly.
5.2.08
WHY NO HIGH BREAK PRIZE?
I'm enjoying the Malta Cup so far. Not everyone likes the round robin format but this isn't a ranking event and the quality of snooker has been high on the opening two days.
Just one question though: why is there no high break prize?
Surely World Snooker - who repeatedly tell us how flush with cash they are now - could have bunged a couple of grand into the pot for this?
There's £10,000 up for grabs for a 147 but this is the first tournament I can ever remember not having a highest TV break prize (feel free to correct me if I've got this wrong.)
By the way, you can watch all the matches from the televised table live on the Eurosport website, even when Eurosport is not broadcasting live.
Click here for full coverage:
http://www.eurosport.yahoo.co.uk/
Just one question though: why is there no high break prize?
Surely World Snooker - who repeatedly tell us how flush with cash they are now - could have bunged a couple of grand into the pot for this?
There's £10,000 up for grabs for a 147 but this is the first tournament I can ever remember not having a highest TV break prize (feel free to correct me if I've got this wrong.)
By the way, you can watch all the matches from the televised table live on the Eurosport website, even when Eurosport is not broadcasting live.
Click here for full coverage:
http://www.eurosport.yahoo.co.uk/
3.2.08
GOLDEN OLDIE
There have been various initiatives over the years to make snooker 'more appealing to young people.'
These are usually ill-thought through cosmetic exercises, such as when players removed their bowties a few years ago, which left most of them looking like they couldn't be bothered to get dressed properly.
These initiatives are pointless. Young people will either take to the sport or not. Gimmicks don't make the slightest difference. Also, if the powers-that-be really wanted youngsters to get into snooker they wouldn't play major finals so late at night.
Apart from that, it's also insulting to the significant number of older people who loyally follow the sport.
It stands to reason that the viewing audience on an afternoon will be mainly made up of retired people and the elderly.
I wonder, though, how many are as old as Catherine Cortis, who will be in the front row at the Malta Cup in Portomaso this week.
Catherine is 91 and profiled in today's Times of Malta. She avidly watches the game on Eurosport and has her favourites - Ronnie O'Sullivan and Stephen Hendry in particular.
Let's hope she enjoys her week at the tournament. The same goes for all those watching, whatever their age.
Here's the Times of Malta article:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080203/sport/91-year-old-granny-likes-snooker-and-hendry-too
These are usually ill-thought through cosmetic exercises, such as when players removed their bowties a few years ago, which left most of them looking like they couldn't be bothered to get dressed properly.
These initiatives are pointless. Young people will either take to the sport or not. Gimmicks don't make the slightest difference. Also, if the powers-that-be really wanted youngsters to get into snooker they wouldn't play major finals so late at night.
Apart from that, it's also insulting to the significant number of older people who loyally follow the sport.
It stands to reason that the viewing audience on an afternoon will be mainly made up of retired people and the elderly.
I wonder, though, how many are as old as Catherine Cortis, who will be in the front row at the Malta Cup in Portomaso this week.
Catherine is 91 and profiled in today's Times of Malta. She avidly watches the game on Eurosport and has her favourites - Ronnie O'Sullivan and Stephen Hendry in particular.
Let's hope she enjoys her week at the tournament. The same goes for all those watching, whatever their age.
Here's the Times of Malta article:
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080203/sport/91-year-old-granny-likes-snooker-and-hendry-too
2.2.08
WILLIAMS AND DOHERTY IN NEW LEAGUE
Former world champions Mark Williams and Ken Doherty have been confirmed for Matchroom's new Championship League, which will run over 16 days, starting at the end of February.
Williams and Doherty appear in the first of eight groups that will eventually produce a player for the Premier League, which is staged around Britain from September to December.
The other players in the first group will be Matthew Stevens, Ali Carter, Ryan Day, Barry Hawkins and Joe Perry.
The winner will go through to the final group. The bottom two will be eliminated. The other four players will go into group two to try again, where they will be joined by Joe Swail, Anthony Hamilton and one further player to be confirmed.
Shaun Murphy and Mark Selby will feature in later groups.
The League will be broadcast exclusively on the internet on betting websites.
For more details, visit the Matchroom site:
http://matchroomsport.com/articleDetail.asp?intArticleID=493
Williams and Doherty appear in the first of eight groups that will eventually produce a player for the Premier League, which is staged around Britain from September to December.
The other players in the first group will be Matthew Stevens, Ali Carter, Ryan Day, Barry Hawkins and Joe Perry.
The winner will go through to the final group. The bottom two will be eliminated. The other four players will go into group two to try again, where they will be joined by Joe Swail, Anthony Hamilton and one further player to be confirmed.
Shaun Murphy and Mark Selby will feature in later groups.
The League will be broadcast exclusively on the internet on betting websites.
For more details, visit the Matchroom site:
http://matchroomsport.com/articleDetail.asp?intArticleID=493
1.2.08
STAR OF MALTA SET TO SHINE ONE LAST TIME
Malta is a popular stopping off point for the snooker circuit. The Mediterranean setting makes a pleasant change from the UK events and everyone is well looked after by the promoters, Richard Balani and Joe Zammit.
This year’s Malta Cup is not a ranking tournament because World Snooker would not fund it sufficiently.
However, any snooker is better than none and the field in Portomaso is fiercely competitive with only two members of the top 16, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Steve Davis, missing.
It could be an emotional week – when isn’t it? – for Tony Drago, who seems certain to be relegated from the professional circuit at the end of the season.
Drago, Malta’s no.1 sportsman, is out of all of the campaign’s other events so his home tournament looks like being his swansong.
He’s landed in the toughest possible group – alongside Shaun Murphy, Stephen Hendry, Stephen Maguire and Mark Selby.
Tony is still great to watch when he’s playing well. He won a frame in the 888.com World Championship qualifiers last month in less than four minutes.
Unfortunately for him, though, he has become much more inconsistent as he’s got older. The difference between his best and worst form is probably wider than any player on the circuit.
However, at his best he was one of the most naturally gifted players ever to pick up a cue – up there with O’Sullivan and Jimmy White.
They call him the ‘Star of Malta.’ That star has waned in recent years but I’m sure his home supporters will be out in force to cheer him one last time.
This year’s Malta Cup is not a ranking tournament because World Snooker would not fund it sufficiently.
However, any snooker is better than none and the field in Portomaso is fiercely competitive with only two members of the top 16, Ronnie O’Sullivan and Steve Davis, missing.
It could be an emotional week – when isn’t it? – for Tony Drago, who seems certain to be relegated from the professional circuit at the end of the season.
Drago, Malta’s no.1 sportsman, is out of all of the campaign’s other events so his home tournament looks like being his swansong.
He’s landed in the toughest possible group – alongside Shaun Murphy, Stephen Hendry, Stephen Maguire and Mark Selby.
Tony is still great to watch when he’s playing well. He won a frame in the 888.com World Championship qualifiers last month in less than four minutes.
Unfortunately for him, though, he has become much more inconsistent as he’s got older. The difference between his best and worst form is probably wider than any player on the circuit.
However, at his best he was one of the most naturally gifted players ever to pick up a cue – up there with O’Sullivan and Jimmy White.
They call him the ‘Star of Malta.’ That star has waned in recent years but I’m sure his home supporters will be out in force to cheer him one last time.
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