We are recording another podcast next week and will be answering your questions.
Therefore, please send any you have to snookersceneblog@aol.com.
They can be about players, tournaments, current issues, the game in general or whatever you like.
Please leave your first name and where in the world you are.
28.2.09
27.2.09
JIMMY'S BIG DAY...UPDATE
Jimmy White today made his highest break in the World Championship for 11 years but still trails Vincent Muldoon 5-4 going into the final session.
White's 134 total clearance in the last frame of the opening session helped him recover from 5-2 down.
But the match is still in the balance ahead of the 7pm resumption.
White's 134 total clearance in the last frame of the opening session helped him recover from 5-2 down.
But the match is still in the balance ahead of the 7pm resumption.
JIMMY WHITE'S BIG DAY
I don't know whether Tony Knowles is still regarded as the housewives' favourite but there will doubtless be many nostalgics pleased to see him come through the first stage of the World Championship qualifiers.
Knowles beat Stefan Mazrocis 10-9 to advance to the main tour section, where he will face Rodney Goggins.
But today is all about another star of yesteryear who has done as much as anyone - including those who actually have won it - to popularise the World Championship.
I refer, of course, to Jimmy White, who faces Vincent Muldoon.
Vinnie is just 18 and so won't remember any of White's six world final defeats, which is a sobering thought, and not just for Jimmy.
No doubt he will put his army of fans watching the live scoring through the usual agonies today.
Knowles beat Stefan Mazrocis 10-9 to advance to the main tour section, where he will face Rodney Goggins.
But today is all about another star of yesteryear who has done as much as anyone - including those who actually have won it - to popularise the World Championship.
I refer, of course, to Jimmy White, who faces Vincent Muldoon.
Vinnie is just 18 and so won't remember any of White's six world final defeats, which is a sobering thought, and not just for Jimmy.
No doubt he will put his army of fans watching the live scoring through the usual agonies today.
26.2.09
DING'S DOUBLE
A strange incident in last week's Welsh Open has been brought to my attention.
In the third frame of his match against Stephen Maguire, Ding Junhui appears to pot two reds in succession - that is without potting a colour in between.
You can view the footage here.
There has been speculation on the internet that the video has been faked. However, I have watched the original and unedited BBC footage of the frame and it is genuine. Indeed, it was logged at the time by a member of the production team.
Ultimately, no harm was done. Although Ding won the frame he lost the match.
Maguire had no reason to spot it. The non-striker is waiting to come back to the table, not intently following every shot.
The referee, Colin Humphries, can be forgiven for making a mistake. Who amongst us does not?
What I find odd is that Ding himself lost concentration to the extent that he forgot he was on the black.
A weird business, then, and proof that, in the internet age, there's always someone out there who will spot these things.
In the third frame of his match against Stephen Maguire, Ding Junhui appears to pot two reds in succession - that is without potting a colour in between.
You can view the footage here.
There has been speculation on the internet that the video has been faked. However, I have watched the original and unedited BBC footage of the frame and it is genuine. Indeed, it was logged at the time by a member of the production team.
Ultimately, no harm was done. Although Ding won the frame he lost the match.
Maguire had no reason to spot it. The non-striker is waiting to come back to the table, not intently following every shot.
The referee, Colin Humphries, can be forgiven for making a mistake. Who amongst us does not?
What I find odd is that Ding himself lost concentration to the extent that he forgot he was on the black.
A weird business, then, and proof that, in the internet age, there's always someone out there who will spot these things.
25.2.09
PODCAST#3...PHIL YATES
The third Snooker Scene podcast features myself and my colleague Phil Yates answering your questions - albeit ones sent in a long time ago.
Click here to hear Phil's views on Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O'Sullivan, whether the game should go open, Michael Holt's career prospects and hiding from Alex Higgins among many other subjects.
For reasons that will become clear, I should point out it was recorded before Ali Carter won the Welsh Open.
You will have to have registered to listen.
We will be answering more questions very soon, so if you have any please send them to snookersceneblog@aol.com.
Click here to hear Phil's views on Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O'Sullivan, whether the game should go open, Michael Holt's career prospects and hiding from Alex Higgins among many other subjects.
For reasons that will become clear, I should point out it was recorded before Ali Carter won the Welsh Open.
You will have to have registered to listen.
We will be answering more questions very soon, so if you have any please send them to snookersceneblog@aol.com.
DREAMING OF THE CRUCIBLE
The first ever match in the World Championship was held in November 1926. Melbourne Inman beat Tom Newman 8-5.
They were contesting a silver trophy bought and ultimately won by Joe Davis using half of the entry fees for the tournament.
This trophy is still presented today and represents the Holy Grail for professional snooker players.
There are only 23 names engraved upon it.
Today, in the Badminton Hall of the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield, a few short miles from the city’s Crucible Theatre, the 2009 championship gets underway.
These are uncertain economic times. There is no sponsor. The last time the championship failed to attract a backer was 34 years ago when it was held in Australia. The last time it was unsponsored in the UK was 1972.
There are still two months until the televised phase. Let’s hope a replacement for 888.com is found in the interim.
Yet for all the worries about the lack of sponsorship and the message it will send about the state of snooker to the wider world, the players taking part in the qualifiers will be thinking of one thing and one thing only: how to get to the Crucible.
This provincial theatre-in-the-round is, in many ways, an unlikely sporting Mecca. It is small, cramped and seems to belong to another age. No promoter would take snooker’s biggest event there today.
And yet the Crucible is frozen in time for all those who remember the iconic moments it has produced: Alex Higgins in tears after his 1982 triumph; Cliff Thorburn’s painstaking 147 in 1983; Dennis Taylor sinking the black to beat Steve Davis in 1985; Stephen Hendry’s victory as the youngest ever winner in 1990; Hendry’s duels with Jimmy White; Ronnie O’Sullivan’s magical exhibition of perfection in his five minute, 20 second maximum in 1997...
These are highlights from a much, much longer list. For all the grumbles about the Crucible’s suitability, come April 18 everybody wants to be there.
Indeed, a number of those who have helped make the Crucible – and by extension snooker – such a vivid centrepiece of British sporting life will be among those trying to get through to the televised phase this year.
Tony Knowles plays today, White starts out on Friday and John Parrott, Davis, Mark Williams and Ken Doherty are all to come.
The championship would benefit from the qualification of younger starlets such as Ricky Walden, Jamie Cope, Liang Wenbo and Judd Trump.
To be thought of as international it needs non-UK players like Liu Chuang – a qualifier at 17 last year – to get through.
Yet there will be many who fall by the wayside in the hard fought qualifying jungle.
For all but 16 of the 95 players taking part in the qualifiers, the dream of reaching the Crucible will be dashed over the coming fortnight.
But dream they will until the point in which the last ball is potted and their challenge is snuffed out for another year.
For snooker players, there is nothing like the World Championship and nothing like the Crucible.
They were contesting a silver trophy bought and ultimately won by Joe Davis using half of the entry fees for the tournament.
This trophy is still presented today and represents the Holy Grail for professional snooker players.
There are only 23 names engraved upon it.
Today, in the Badminton Hall of the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield, a few short miles from the city’s Crucible Theatre, the 2009 championship gets underway.
These are uncertain economic times. There is no sponsor. The last time the championship failed to attract a backer was 34 years ago when it was held in Australia. The last time it was unsponsored in the UK was 1972.
There are still two months until the televised phase. Let’s hope a replacement for 888.com is found in the interim.
Yet for all the worries about the lack of sponsorship and the message it will send about the state of snooker to the wider world, the players taking part in the qualifiers will be thinking of one thing and one thing only: how to get to the Crucible.
This provincial theatre-in-the-round is, in many ways, an unlikely sporting Mecca. It is small, cramped and seems to belong to another age. No promoter would take snooker’s biggest event there today.
And yet the Crucible is frozen in time for all those who remember the iconic moments it has produced: Alex Higgins in tears after his 1982 triumph; Cliff Thorburn’s painstaking 147 in 1983; Dennis Taylor sinking the black to beat Steve Davis in 1985; Stephen Hendry’s victory as the youngest ever winner in 1990; Hendry’s duels with Jimmy White; Ronnie O’Sullivan’s magical exhibition of perfection in his five minute, 20 second maximum in 1997...
These are highlights from a much, much longer list. For all the grumbles about the Crucible’s suitability, come April 18 everybody wants to be there.
Indeed, a number of those who have helped make the Crucible – and by extension snooker – such a vivid centrepiece of British sporting life will be among those trying to get through to the televised phase this year.
Tony Knowles plays today, White starts out on Friday and John Parrott, Davis, Mark Williams and Ken Doherty are all to come.
The championship would benefit from the qualification of younger starlets such as Ricky Walden, Jamie Cope, Liang Wenbo and Judd Trump.
To be thought of as international it needs non-UK players like Liu Chuang – a qualifier at 17 last year – to get through.
Yet there will be many who fall by the wayside in the hard fought qualifying jungle.
For all but 16 of the 95 players taking part in the qualifiers, the dream of reaching the Crucible will be dashed over the coming fortnight.
But dream they will until the point in which the last ball is potted and their challenge is snuffed out for another year.
For snooker players, there is nothing like the World Championship and nothing like the Crucible.
24.2.09
TONY KNOWLES RETURNS TO ACTION
By far the most recognisable name in action on day one of the World Championship qualifiers tomorrow is that of Tony Knowles, a three-times semi-finalist at the Crucible in the 1980s.
Knowles was one of snooker’s pin-up boys in the boom time. No doubt to women of a certain age he still occupies that category.
He was also a very good player but never quite landed one of the game’s really big titles.
A couple of ranking event victories did not lead to a triumph at, say, Sheffield or Wembley.
This certainly looked a possibility when Knowles sensationally beat Steve Davis, the then defending champion, 10-1 in the first round of the 1982 World Championship, which is still considered to be one of the biggest shocks of all time.
His first Crucible semi-final came in 1983 and he was very unlucky not to go through after Cliff Thorburn fluked what was effectively match ball to beat him 16-15.
In 1985, he came a cropper to Dennis Taylor and went down to Joe Johnson the following year.
Part of the reason why he didn’t achieve as much as he may have done was undoubtedly the attention he received for what Snooker Scene called a “three-part part farrago of sexual boasting” in a tabloid newspaper.
Indeed, Knowles was fined over this for “bringing the game into disrepute” – perhaps the most bogus offence in sport bearing in mind the disreputable elements that often end up in positions of power in various governing bodies.
Knowles is not renowned for brevity when it comes to giving his point of view. I once asked him, in all innocence, if he thought he could get back to the top of the game and he replied, “well, they ruined the game when they changed the tables in 1986.”
Decades passed, or so it felt, as Tony detailed every single development he believed had taken the game backwards.
He turned up at the qualifiers one year with bandages on his back after somehow tipping a jug of boiling water over himself.
His cult status was assured when Peter Kay named one of Brian Potter’s suites after him in the Channel 4 sitcom Phoenix Nights.
Knowles, now 53, faces Ali Bassiri in the first qualifying round tomorrow.
He won’t reach the Crucible but it speaks volumes for his love of snooker that he has entered the game’s biggest event once again.
Knowles was one of snooker’s pin-up boys in the boom time. No doubt to women of a certain age he still occupies that category.
He was also a very good player but never quite landed one of the game’s really big titles.
A couple of ranking event victories did not lead to a triumph at, say, Sheffield or Wembley.
This certainly looked a possibility when Knowles sensationally beat Steve Davis, the then defending champion, 10-1 in the first round of the 1982 World Championship, which is still considered to be one of the biggest shocks of all time.
His first Crucible semi-final came in 1983 and he was very unlucky not to go through after Cliff Thorburn fluked what was effectively match ball to beat him 16-15.
In 1985, he came a cropper to Dennis Taylor and went down to Joe Johnson the following year.
Part of the reason why he didn’t achieve as much as he may have done was undoubtedly the attention he received for what Snooker Scene called a “three-part part farrago of sexual boasting” in a tabloid newspaper.
Indeed, Knowles was fined over this for “bringing the game into disrepute” – perhaps the most bogus offence in sport bearing in mind the disreputable elements that often end up in positions of power in various governing bodies.
Knowles is not renowned for brevity when it comes to giving his point of view. I once asked him, in all innocence, if he thought he could get back to the top of the game and he replied, “well, they ruined the game when they changed the tables in 1986.”
Decades passed, or so it felt, as Tony detailed every single development he believed had taken the game backwards.
He turned up at the qualifiers one year with bandages on his back after somehow tipping a jug of boiling water over himself.
His cult status was assured when Peter Kay named one of Brian Potter’s suites after him in the Channel 4 sitcom Phoenix Nights.
Knowles, now 53, faces Ali Bassiri in the first qualifying round tomorrow.
He won’t reach the Crucible but it speaks volumes for his love of snooker that he has entered the game’s biggest event once again.
23.2.09
ALI CARTER: WELSH OPEN CHAMPION
The way he has played this last year, it was obvious Ali Carter was good enough to win a ranking title but before he actually managed this feat the doubts, perhaps his own self doubts, remained.
Well, not any more. Ali was sensational in recovering from 5-2 down to beat Joe Swail 9-5 and win the Welsh Open in Newport last night.
You wonder now if the floodgates will open and he will become a regular tournament winner, or as regular as the skeleton calendar allows.
He will certainly be among the favourites to lift the World Championship trophy in May although to do so he may have to pass one final test: beat Ronnie O’Sullivan, which he has failed to do in 11 meetings.
I was very impressed with his performance last night. Who wouldn’t be?
I think Terry Griffiths, his coach, deserves credit for helping to restore his positive attitude because late on in the first session Carter was clearly feeling fed up.
But his comeback included some terrific snooker and his victory was much deserved.
And it brought to an end a week that did snooker the power of good.
The atmosphere for the final was electric as Carter and Swail fought it out in front of a packed and enthusiastic crowd.
Indeed, crowds were good all week and it goes to prove two things:
1) People will come if you play tournaments in places where snooker is popular – and Wales is an established stronghold.
2) People will come if you tell them a tournament is on – and World Snooker did work with the local press to build up interest before it began.
Unfortunately, though, anyone who enjoyed the event and is looking forward to the next televised tournament will have to wait five weeks for the China Open.
The Championship League is on the internet in the interim but the world qualifiers aren’t.
Snooker needs to bolster its profile to attract sponsors but this is difficult when there are such big gaps between tournaments.
Anyway, that’s not something that will be sorted out overnight. For today, let’s pay tribute to Ali Carter for his first ranking title.
On the form he displayed last night it won’t be his last.
Well, not any more. Ali was sensational in recovering from 5-2 down to beat Joe Swail 9-5 and win the Welsh Open in Newport last night.
You wonder now if the floodgates will open and he will become a regular tournament winner, or as regular as the skeleton calendar allows.
He will certainly be among the favourites to lift the World Championship trophy in May although to do so he may have to pass one final test: beat Ronnie O’Sullivan, which he has failed to do in 11 meetings.
I was very impressed with his performance last night. Who wouldn’t be?
I think Terry Griffiths, his coach, deserves credit for helping to restore his positive attitude because late on in the first session Carter was clearly feeling fed up.
But his comeback included some terrific snooker and his victory was much deserved.
And it brought to an end a week that did snooker the power of good.
The atmosphere for the final was electric as Carter and Swail fought it out in front of a packed and enthusiastic crowd.
Indeed, crowds were good all week and it goes to prove two things:
1) People will come if you play tournaments in places where snooker is popular – and Wales is an established stronghold.
2) People will come if you tell them a tournament is on – and World Snooker did work with the local press to build up interest before it began.
Unfortunately, though, anyone who enjoyed the event and is looking forward to the next televised tournament will have to wait five weeks for the China Open.
The Championship League is on the internet in the interim but the world qualifiers aren’t.
Snooker needs to bolster its profile to attract sponsors but this is difficult when there are such big gaps between tournaments.
Anyway, that’s not something that will be sorted out overnight. For today, let’s pay tribute to Ali Carter for his first ranking title.
On the form he displayed last night it won’t be his last.
22.2.09
CARTER V SWAIL
The Welsh Open has been one of the strangest - and the best - tournaments I can remember.
The level of entertainment on offer has been extremely high and it's proven that you don't need century breaks flying in every frame to make snooker interesting.
You can't beat scraps on the colours, unexpected misses and players winning frames after getting snookers.
The final pits Ali Carter against Joe Swail.
Carter has lost a number of matches he should have won; Swail has won a number he should have lost.
The Belfast man becomes the first Northern Irishman to take part in a ranking tournament final since Dennis Taylor lost to Stephen Hendry in the 1990 Asian Open.
He would be the first Northern Irish ranking event winner since Taylor won the 1985 world title.
If he does come through expect tears, and not just from him.
Carter is in his second ranking final and, whatever happens, we'll have the sixth different winner from as many tournaments this season.
Snooker at the moment is unpredictable and this week has reminded us of its ability to serve up great slices of drama.
The level of entertainment on offer has been extremely high and it's proven that you don't need century breaks flying in every frame to make snooker interesting.
You can't beat scraps on the colours, unexpected misses and players winning frames after getting snookers.
The final pits Ali Carter against Joe Swail.
Carter has lost a number of matches he should have won; Swail has won a number he should have lost.
The Belfast man becomes the first Northern Irishman to take part in a ranking tournament final since Dennis Taylor lost to Stephen Hendry in the 1990 Asian Open.
He would be the first Northern Irish ranking event winner since Taylor won the 1985 world title.
If he does come through expect tears, and not just from him.
Carter is in his second ranking final and, whatever happens, we'll have the sixth different winner from as many tournaments this season.
Snooker at the moment is unpredictable and this week has reminded us of its ability to serve up great slices of drama.
BEING SERVED BY MR HUMPHRIES
Congratulations and good luck to Colin Humphries who will referee today's Welsh Open final, his first.
It's a good omen. Colin often ends up officiating at exciting, high quality contests.
His first ever match at the Crucible saw Nigel Bond edge Stephen Hendry 10-9 on a re-spotted black in 2006.
He also donned the white gloves for Ronnie O'Sullivan's 5-2 defeat of Ali Carter in the 2007 Northern Ireland Trophy, in which Ronnie made five centuries including a 147.
It's good to see a new face being given a chance out in the middle.
It's a good omen. Colin often ends up officiating at exciting, high quality contests.
His first ever match at the Crucible saw Nigel Bond edge Stephen Hendry 10-9 on a re-spotted black in 2006.
He also donned the white gloves for Ronnie O'Sullivan's 5-2 defeat of Ali Carter in the 2007 Northern Ireland Trophy, in which Ronnie made five centuries including a 147.
It's good to see a new face being given a chance out in the middle.
20.2.09
PODCAST#2...JOHN HIGGINS
Our second Snooker Scene podcast features John Higgins talking about his career, how he got into snooker, his world titles, his greatest disappointment, the new Snooker Players Association and why his children are having tennis lessons.
You can download it here.
I'd appreciate any feedback - good or bad - as I'd obviously like to make these podcasts as good as possible.
You can download it here.
I'd appreciate any feedback - good or bad - as I'd obviously like to make these podcasts as good as possible.
CRUCIBLE TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE
I first went to the Crucible as a kid to watch and, like everyone else who has ever been there, was amazed at how small it was compared to what it looks like on TV.
Tickets are on general sale for this year's World Championship today and, if you can get one, I would very much recommend the experience.
The Crucible is the only snooker venue people outside the sport know. It has a mythology and aura all of its own.
The audience is so close to the players that it creates an intimate, even oppressive, atmosphere that adds to the drama.
It would never be chosen as the venue for our sport's premier event today but it would be a brave and controversial decision to take the World Championship somewhere else.
Further details here.
Incidentally, if you can't make it to the Crucible, the qualifiers at Sheffield's English Institute of Sport are well worth your consideration.
Look at the names in action: Steve Davis, Jimmy White, John Parrott, Mark Williams, Ken Doherty, Matthew Stevens, Judd Trump and Liang Wenbo to name but a few.
The final round - played from March 8-10 - is always full of drama as the players battle to get to the Crucible.
As it's not being streamed on the internet - which I find incredible - the only place to follow the twists and turns is at the venue itself.
Tickets are on general sale for this year's World Championship today and, if you can get one, I would very much recommend the experience.
The Crucible is the only snooker venue people outside the sport know. It has a mythology and aura all of its own.
The audience is so close to the players that it creates an intimate, even oppressive, atmosphere that adds to the drama.
It would never be chosen as the venue for our sport's premier event today but it would be a brave and controversial decision to take the World Championship somewhere else.
Further details here.
Incidentally, if you can't make it to the Crucible, the qualifiers at Sheffield's English Institute of Sport are well worth your consideration.
Look at the names in action: Steve Davis, Jimmy White, John Parrott, Mark Williams, Ken Doherty, Matthew Stevens, Judd Trump and Liang Wenbo to name but a few.
The final round - played from March 8-10 - is always full of drama as the players battle to get to the Crucible.
As it's not being streamed on the internet - which I find incredible - the only place to follow the twists and turns is at the venue itself.
ROBERTSON WINS CLASSIC
There's been much talk of late that snooker is dying but Neil Robertson's engrossing, entertaining and dramatic 5-4 victory over John Higgins in the last 16 of the Welsh Open last night proved that there is nothing wrong with the game on the table.
Robertson could have gone 3-0 down but employed a relentlessly positive attitude throughout and was, at times, awesome.
He took his eye off a pot that would have ensured 4-2 and had to survive several anxious moments before going two up with three to play.
Higgins, as he often has, showed his class to draw level before a tense decider.
It went the way of the Australian and rounded off the match of the tournament so far. Credit must go to both players for the high quality action they served up.
Crowds have been good, indeed up on last year. Part of the reason for this may be because it's half term.
Indeed, it's good to see so many kids present and equally good to see the players signing autographs for them after their matches.
Such scenes can only show snooker in a positive light, and that is much needed right now.
Robertson could have gone 3-0 down but employed a relentlessly positive attitude throughout and was, at times, awesome.
He took his eye off a pot that would have ensured 4-2 and had to survive several anxious moments before going two up with three to play.
Higgins, as he often has, showed his class to draw level before a tense decider.
It went the way of the Australian and rounded off the match of the tournament so far. Credit must go to both players for the high quality action they served up.
Crowds have been good, indeed up on last year. Part of the reason for this may be because it's half term.
Indeed, it's good to see so many kids present and equally good to see the players signing autographs for them after their matches.
Such scenes can only show snooker in a positive light, and that is much needed right now.
19.2.09
FU BEATS O'SULLIVAN...AGAIN
Marco Fu’s 5-3 victory over Ronnie O’Sullivan in the Welsh Open today means he now leads the world champion 8-7 in career meetings. They have played 17 times in total with two Premier League draws.
This is a record to be proud of for the Hong Kong potter. It’s interesting how some top players end up with bogey opponents they struggle against.
Stephen Hendry lost all three of his meetings with Mark Johnston-Allen, who was a good player but never a member of the top 16.
On the other hand Terry Griffiths, a former world champion and leading player for the best part of two decades, failed to beat Hendry once in 17 meetings.
Of course, Fu’s self belief was all the stronger having got the better of O’Sullivan so many times before, including in a major final (2007 Grand Prix).
O’Sullivan’s missed pink in the sixth frame was the clear turning point. Fu, who had struggled with the positional side of his game early on, grew stronger and credit to him for completing the victory with a century.
This is a record to be proud of for the Hong Kong potter. It’s interesting how some top players end up with bogey opponents they struggle against.
Stephen Hendry lost all three of his meetings with Mark Johnston-Allen, who was a good player but never a member of the top 16.
On the other hand Terry Griffiths, a former world champion and leading player for the best part of two decades, failed to beat Hendry once in 17 meetings.
Of course, Fu’s self belief was all the stronger having got the better of O’Sullivan so many times before, including in a major final (2007 Grand Prix).
O’Sullivan’s missed pink in the sixth frame was the clear turning point. Fu, who had struggled with the positional side of his game early on, grew stronger and credit to him for completing the victory with a century.
BEWARE OF CUEMAN FU
I've enjoyed the Welsh Open so far. The snooker's been good, the crowds have been good and we've had the right mix of shock results and top players getting through.
Marco Fu could well give Ronnie O'Sullivan problems today. He is 7-7 on career meetings with the world champion - an excellent record and better than most can boast.
Fu beat O'Sullivan 9-6 in last season's Royal London Watches Grand Prix final. He also won 5-4 at the China Open, although on that occasion O'Sullivan resorted to bashing the balls around in the decider.
O'Sullivan doesn't particularly like playing the Hong Kong potter because Fu is methodical and keeps his emotions inside, so that he remains an inscrutable presence at the table.
The latest chapter of O'Sullivan v Fu is live at 1pm UK time.
The other main TV match tonight pits John Higgins against Neil Robertson.
Higgins's form comes and goes. He didn't put much practice in for the event as he took his wife and three children to Center Parcs for a holiday over the weekend.
Nevetherless, the twice world champion is always a danger and Robertson will have to play better than he did against Jamie Burnett to stay on course for a second Welsh title, having won in Newport two years ago.
Marco Fu could well give Ronnie O'Sullivan problems today. He is 7-7 on career meetings with the world champion - an excellent record and better than most can boast.
Fu beat O'Sullivan 9-6 in last season's Royal London Watches Grand Prix final. He also won 5-4 at the China Open, although on that occasion O'Sullivan resorted to bashing the balls around in the decider.
O'Sullivan doesn't particularly like playing the Hong Kong potter because Fu is methodical and keeps his emotions inside, so that he remains an inscrutable presence at the table.
The latest chapter of O'Sullivan v Fu is live at 1pm UK time.
The other main TV match tonight pits John Higgins against Neil Robertson.
Higgins's form comes and goes. He didn't put much practice in for the event as he took his wife and three children to Center Parcs for a holiday over the weekend.
Nevetherless, the twice world champion is always a danger and Robertson will have to play better than he did against Jamie Burnett to stay on course for a second Welsh title, having won in Newport two years ago.
ANOTHER QUIET NIGHT FOT THE HURRICANE
Alex Higgins has reportedly been dropped from a charity event in Ireland after some unpleasant behaviour was alleged at a recent exhibition featuring Jimmy White.
Full story in the Irish Independent.
Full story in the Irish Independent.
18.2.09
MASTER V PUPIL
It’s 11 years since Steve Davis has beaten Ronnie O’Sullivan and he’s never beaten him in a ranking event.
There’s no reason to suggest those stats will change today.
It’s master v pupil but O’Sullivan has won their last 14 meetings.
One of the reasons for this is the respect he has for Davis. When his friends were cheering against him in the 1980s, Ronnie was solidly behind the then snooker king.
Therefore, he doesn’t take him lightly and, though he probably doesn’t derive much pleasure from beating him, would not insult him by giving him an easy ride.
There have been many shocks already at the Welsh Open this week.
I don’t expect another one here.
There’s no reason to suggest those stats will change today.
It’s master v pupil but O’Sullivan has won their last 14 meetings.
One of the reasons for this is the respect he has for Davis. When his friends were cheering against him in the 1980s, Ronnie was solidly behind the then snooker king.
Therefore, he doesn’t take him lightly and, though he probably doesn’t derive much pleasure from beating him, would not insult him by giving him an easy ride.
There have been many shocks already at the Welsh Open this week.
I don’t expect another one here.
HEND OF THE ROAD?
No true snooker fan would take any pleasure from the current plight of Stephen Hendry.
He is the game's greatest ever player but the glory days seem a lifetime ago. His 5-3 defeat to Martin Gould in the Welsh Open tonight means his top 16 place is now under threat with two tournaments to go this season.
It's not nice to witness but this has happened to all of snooker's great names and it will happen again, to John Higgins, even to Ronnie O'Sullivan.
The question now is whether Hendry can stave off relegation from the elite group this season.
If he can't, will he carry on in the qualifiers?
My view is that he would, at least for a season.
But as Ken Doherty will testify, the Pontin's set up is alien territory to players who have spent most of their careers playing on television and a place where reputations don't count for anything.
Make no mistake: this is a career crossroads for the seven times world champion.
Most snooker watchers will hope he turns it round but that is certainly not guaranteed to happen.
He is the game's greatest ever player but the glory days seem a lifetime ago. His 5-3 defeat to Martin Gould in the Welsh Open tonight means his top 16 place is now under threat with two tournaments to go this season.
It's not nice to witness but this has happened to all of snooker's great names and it will happen again, to John Higgins, even to Ronnie O'Sullivan.
The question now is whether Hendry can stave off relegation from the elite group this season.
If he can't, will he carry on in the qualifiers?
My view is that he would, at least for a season.
But as Ken Doherty will testify, the Pontin's set up is alien territory to players who have spent most of their careers playing on television and a place where reputations don't count for anything.
Make no mistake: this is a career crossroads for the seven times world champion.
Most snooker watchers will hope he turns it round but that is certainly not guaranteed to happen.
17.2.09
GILBERT'S GREAT PERFORMANCE
Dave Gilbert proved last night that a long time member of the game's supporting cast can assume leading man status if he believes in himself.
It was the best performance of Dave's seven-year professional career. He made two centuries - he had made only three all season prior to the match - and looked confident and composed throughout.
To beat Mark Williams 5-1 on home ground takes some doing, even if Williams himself made a few mistakes.
Dave has never been in the last 16 of a ranking event. Things don't get any easier at the Welsh Open: he has Joe Perry next.
Nevertheless, if he produces a similar performance he will prove a handful.
It was the best performance of Dave's seven-year professional career. He made two centuries - he had made only three all season prior to the match - and looked confident and composed throughout.
To beat Mark Williams 5-1 on home ground takes some doing, even if Williams himself made a few mistakes.
Dave has never been in the last 16 of a ranking event. Things don't get any easier at the Welsh Open: he has Joe Perry next.
Nevertheless, if he produces a similar performance he will prove a handful.
16.2.09
NO ORDINARY JOE
Among the first set of matches in the Welsh Open today is an all Northern Irish battle between Mark Allen and Joe Swail.
Allen is the rising star and certainly capable of winning the title.
But what of Swail?
Joe’s had a career that has swung between great inspirational moments and a fair degree of disappointment.
His exit at last season’s World Championship most definitely fell into the latter category. He fought back from 12-8 against Liang Wenbo but was beaten 13-12.
Two points about this defeat:
1) It was the first time he had ever lost a decider in the World Championship, having won something like eight or nine
2) Had he won he would have become the first player ever to drop out of the top 16 and top 32 and return to the top 16 on more than one occasion. Joe did this first a few years ago. Rex Williams also did it in the 1980s.
Swail has appeared in nine ranking event semi-finals but never a final.
In 2000, he was 9-6 down to Stephen Maguire in the final qualifying round of the World Championship but came back to win 10-9.
This was the start of a fairytale run through to the semi-finals at the Crucible, which included a 13-12 second round defeat of John Parrott from 12-8 down.
It was an emotional run, too. Swail’s mother, Josephine, had died of cancer and the public warmed to this sincere, dogged competitor attempting to land the greatest prize in snooker.
They saw him as human, not some inscrutable face on the TV. Joe is partially deaf and, though this does not necessarily affect his game, it added to the picture of a player battling the odds.
Matthew Stevens beat him in the semi-finals but a year later Swail was back in the last four again. This time, he had come from 10-6 down to beat Mark Williams 13-11 in the second round.
All this got him up to his highest ever ranking, tenth, but then he endured a nightmare run of results and was soon down to 40th.
Things turned back the other way. He won the Irish Championship, put some solid results together and last season, he came from 9-7 down to Judd Trump to reach the Crucible again and come close to a top 16 return.
If you watch him play you’d wonder how this was possible. His cue action is unorthodox to say the least.
But it works for him and that’s all that matters.
He has enjoyed a far better career than most, having turned professional after winning the 1990 English amateur title.
Joe also has one of snooker’s best, if most tenuous, nicknames: ‘The Outlaw.’ This was thanks to Alan Hughes, snooker’s best ever MC, who was a fan of the film ‘The Outlaw Josey Wales.’
His last major semi-final was at the 2001 LG Cup. Time isn’t on his side but don’t rule out another great run in a tournament soon.
He’s that sort of player and has had that sort of career.
Allen is the rising star and certainly capable of winning the title.
But what of Swail?
Joe’s had a career that has swung between great inspirational moments and a fair degree of disappointment.
His exit at last season’s World Championship most definitely fell into the latter category. He fought back from 12-8 against Liang Wenbo but was beaten 13-12.
Two points about this defeat:
1) It was the first time he had ever lost a decider in the World Championship, having won something like eight or nine
2) Had he won he would have become the first player ever to drop out of the top 16 and top 32 and return to the top 16 on more than one occasion. Joe did this first a few years ago. Rex Williams also did it in the 1980s.
Swail has appeared in nine ranking event semi-finals but never a final.
In 2000, he was 9-6 down to Stephen Maguire in the final qualifying round of the World Championship but came back to win 10-9.
This was the start of a fairytale run through to the semi-finals at the Crucible, which included a 13-12 second round defeat of John Parrott from 12-8 down.
It was an emotional run, too. Swail’s mother, Josephine, had died of cancer and the public warmed to this sincere, dogged competitor attempting to land the greatest prize in snooker.
They saw him as human, not some inscrutable face on the TV. Joe is partially deaf and, though this does not necessarily affect his game, it added to the picture of a player battling the odds.
Matthew Stevens beat him in the semi-finals but a year later Swail was back in the last four again. This time, he had come from 10-6 down to beat Mark Williams 13-11 in the second round.
All this got him up to his highest ever ranking, tenth, but then he endured a nightmare run of results and was soon down to 40th.
Things turned back the other way. He won the Irish Championship, put some solid results together and last season, he came from 9-7 down to Judd Trump to reach the Crucible again and come close to a top 16 return.
If you watch him play you’d wonder how this was possible. His cue action is unorthodox to say the least.
But it works for him and that’s all that matters.
He has enjoyed a far better career than most, having turned professional after winning the 1990 English amateur title.
Joe also has one of snooker’s best, if most tenuous, nicknames: ‘The Outlaw.’ This was thanks to Alan Hughes, snooker’s best ever MC, who was a fan of the film ‘The Outlaw Josey Wales.’
His last major semi-final was at the 2001 LG Cup. Time isn’t on his side but don’t rule out another great run in a tournament soon.
He’s that sort of player and has had that sort of career.
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