Sky Shootout This Weekend

zack01

This Friday sees the second staging of the popular shootout event. It's starts this Friday evening with live coverage throughout the weekend on Sky.
Although it is not a ranking event it is a welcome addition to the snooker calendar and let's the audience and viewers see the entertaining and funny side of snooker.

Here's the link for the draw and playing schedule.

http://www.worldsnooker.com/staticFiles/8e/94/0,,13165~169102,00.pdf

syngindub

Ronnie sitting this one out?

zack01

Sure is, he pulled out of it back in November. As it's a non ranking event he wasn't fined etc.

ArmaniJeanss

Why did Ronnie not take part Zak? Whilst its clearly a total crapshoot I'd have thought the structure is better for him than most players. Its decent money (£500 mimimum, potential £32K for a mere 6 frames of snooker if you get extremely lucky) and I'd have thought its the sort of event his sponsors would expect him to turn up at. Looks like a good social occasion as well, Stephen Lee seemed nicely merry coming to the table for the last game.

***********
Enjoyable first night - no last gasp games like McLeod/Drago last year but its a fun format and the crowd involvement was good natured.
And Ebdon and Gould answered a rules question I've always wondered about, if a player hangs a color over a pocket and then blows it in does it get respotted or replaced where it stopped? The latter apparently!

zack01

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Why did Ronnie not take part Zak? Whilst its clearly a total crapshoot I'd have thought the structure is better for him than most players. Its decent money (£500 mimimum, potential £32K for a mere 6 frames of snooker if you get extremely lucky) and I'd have thought its the sort of event his sponsors would expect him to turn up at. Looks like a good social occasion as well, Stephen Lee seemed nicely merry coming to the table for the last game.

***********
Enjoyable first night - no last gasp games like McLeod/Drago last year but its a fun format and the crowd involvement was good natured.
And Ebdon and Gould answered a rules question I've always wondered about, if a player hangs a color over a pocket and then blows it in does it get respotted or replaced where it stopped? The latter apparently!

He pulled out last November, nothing to do with ill health etc, he has his kids every weekend and I suppose when he had the choice of a weekend with his kids instead of a weekend in Blackpool playing snooker, the decision came easy to him.

As for the ball hanging over the pocket, I remember an instance years back in an amateur event when the blue ball was left hanging, the player who missed then decided to hit the cushion with his fist, the ball then dropped and he went to play his next shot, the referee duly called a foul stroke and awarded his opponent the five points and replaced the blue back where it was.

It's a nice escape from reality this event, the players enjoy it most notably Steve Lee as you mentioned and it's a chance for the spectators and viewers to see a more relaxed side of the players.

oneillMan999

Love this tournament simply because we get a chance to see all the top 64 players in action.

I reckon Drago has a good chance to win it, only problem with him is he needs to get 70+ in front cause theres usually 5 mins left after hes finished he plays so fast!

Silvio.Dante

Hawkins/Dott Final coming up...

elgriff

Thought it was very good all in all. Pity some of the top players were knocked out early, but good to see some off the less familiar faces all the same

Silvio.Dante

elgriff wrote: »

Thought it was very good all in all. Pity some of the top players were knocked out early, but good to see some off the less familiar faces all the same

I agree with all of that. It was poignent to hear Barry Pinche's joy at winnnig £4K because he needed the money. A far cry from the spoilt brat mentality of O'Sullivan...