2017 World Snooker Championship

Frank O. Pinion

Starts Saturday, 15th April, and finishes on Monday, 1st May. The winner receives £375,000.

1st Round, (best of 19 frames):

Mark Selby (defending champion) v Fergal O'Brien
Ryan Day v Xiao Guodong
Neil Robertson v Noppon Saengkham
Marco Fu v Luca Brecel
Shaun Murphy v Yan Bingtao (youngest player at 17 years old)
Ronnie O'Sullivan v Gary Wilson
Liang Wenbo v Stuart Carrington
Ding Junhui v Zhou Yuelong
Stuart Bingham v Peter Ebdon (oldest player at 46 years old)
Kyren Wilson v David Grace
Mark Allen v Jimmy Robertson
John Higgins v Martin Gould
Barry Hawkins v Tom Ford
Ali Carter v Graeme Dott
Anthony McGill v Stephen Maguire
Judd Trump v Rory McLeod

paulie21

Hard to see any game to get excited about in the first round. Hopefully Ferg can pull off an upset

Cosmo Kramer

Going to two first round games on Monday - the matches involving Murphy and Ding, both against young Chinese players. First time at the Crucible after 25 years watching it on TV so really looking forward to it.

paulie21

Cosmo Kramer wrote: »

Going to two first round games on Monday - the matches involving Murphy and Ding, both against young Chinese players. First time at the Crucible after 25 years watching it on TV so really looking forward to it.

Enjoy. Planning on going next year. Is it difficult to get tickets?

mdwexford

Cosmo Kramer wrote: »

Going to two first round games on Monday - the matches involving Murphy and Ding, both against young Chinese players. First time at the Crucible after 25 years watching it on TV so really looking forward to it.

It's deadly. I went for the first time in 2015. Was just blown away when I walked in. Had front row seats for Selby v McGill and Ding vs Higgins. You could literally touch them when they're taking a shot.

paulie21 wrote: »

Enjoy. Planning on going next year. Is it difficult to get tickets?

If you're good to buy them the minute they are released you'll get great seats.

I got rows 4, 4 and 5 for my sessions this year.

emo72

Putting a small bet on Fergie, if he can beat Selby in the first round, then his confidence will soar, rightly so. Happy days.

ebbsy

Id say Fergal will be lucky to win 3 Frames.

emo72

ebbsy wrote: »

Id say Fergal will be lucky to win 3 Frames.

He could win zero! I'll mainly be rooting for the Irish guy though. Let me have this little bit of hope before a ball is even hit!

Arthur Daley

Fergal did ok in the UK this year. Plus top seeds start a bit cold over the longer matches. I'd expect 10-6 to Selby.

Must get to the crucible sometime. Sheffield is a nice little city too, see a bit of the peak district while you are at it. Red button all the way from 10am saturday. Love it

Holy Diver

mdwexford wrote: »

It's deadly. I went for the first time in 2015. Was just blown away when I walked in. Had front row seats for Selby v McGill and Ding vs Higgins. You could literally touch them when they're taking a shot.



If you're good to buy them the minute they are released you'll get great seats.

I got rows 4, 4 and 5 for my sessions this year.

If one was looking for tickets for next year - maybe semis or final - when do they go on sale?

Joe_ Public

Holy Diver wrote: »

If one was looking for tickets for next year - maybe semis or final - when do they go on sale?

Keep your eye on worldsnooker.com, its a poor website but it will have the details on it. Ticket sales for next year will likely open very soon after the last ball is potted in this year's final.

_feedback_

Holy Diver wrote: »

If one was looking for tickets for next year - maybe semis or final - when do they go on sale?

They went on sale immediately after the final last year. I got tickets but remember the website was tough to navigate. Plan in advance what sessions you want and stick to it.

Heading over for a few sessions on Thursday and Friday next week. Was there last year for the first time. Really recommend it, it's special!

Cosmo Kramer

paulie21 wrote: »

Cosmo Kramer wrote: »

Going to two first round games on Monday - the matches involving Murphy and Ding, both against young Chinese players. First time at the Crucible after 25 years watching it on TV so really looking forward to it.

Enjoy. Planning on going next year. Is it difficult to get tickets?

We got them a few days after they went on sale last year, we weren't too quick off the mark so we're about 8 rows back. They're easy enough to get as long as you are looking in early May when they go on sale.

FrKurtFahrt

paulie21 wrote: »

Hard to see any game to get excited about in the first round. Hopefully Ferg can pull off an upset

I think the McGill v Maguire is the pick of the first round. Other than that, the all Chinese match might be good.

Joe_ Public

Tie of R1 for me is Murphy v Yan Bingtao. It's Yan's first visit and he's still just 17 but he is likely to be the best of the emerging Chinese from the bit i've seen of him. Too many of the Chinese lads are hyped to an unreal extent, but I think this one is the genuine article. I doubt he'll have the smarts yet to take Murphy, but it could be a close enough run thing and a good game to watch.

callaway92

That Rob guy that introduces/announcing the players is some annoying fcker

emo72

What station is it on?

Joe_ Public

BBC2, Eurosport

begbysback

Will be amazed if fergal actually takes a frame from this match - it's selby against the table really

Arthur Daley

Fergal hasn't settled in to well. Needs to put a few balls together when he does get a chance. Match is a bit of a grind on both sides.

begbysback

Yea, Fergal is struggling, professional snooker seems to look infinitely more difficult the older the players get, not sure if it's the pressure of the event, but I guess Fergal at his best would struggle to match Selby

Hope he settles into it a bit more

mdwexford

O'Brien really is poor here.

Every shot looks a struggle. Be doing well to win 2-3 frames it seems at the moment.

Arthur Daley

Difficult to watch this now, coukd with this session ending here. Hope Fergal can avoid the whitewash anyway.

ArmaniJeanss

Won the 9th frame thankfully.

Joe_ Public

Not pretty to watch but at least he's still smiling towards the end there, a relief to avoid the dreaded whitewash at least. Game just wasn't there today, it happens in snooker and never certain how a player will emerge from the pressure of the qualifiers. Hendry a bit dismissive of his tactics, but then Hendry generally frowns on any player who isn't looking to attack every shot, needs to curb that side of his commentary I feel.

Mean Laqueefa

callaway92 wrote: »

That Rob guy that introduces/announcing the players is some annoying fcker

mikeoneilly

I'm not enjoying listening to Taylor again He's worse than I remembered

ebbsy

mikeoneilly wrote: »

I'm not enjoying listening to Taylor again He's worse than I remembered

Where is Clive Everton when ye need him. Ken does nothing for me either.

mdwexford

Pretty scrappy stuff today so far.

Not many frames being won in one visit. One century in 36 frames.

Arthur Daley

Fergal giving it a go here to make the score more respectable

Joe_ Public

Shame, he was beginning to hit his stride there, could easily have taken 1 or 2 more frames. It's not really an excuse but they could really have the qualifiers over and done with a week earlier, even if it means rejigging the calendar. It was fiercely unfortunate to be the last man off the table on Weds night/Thurs morning and be drawn first out on Saturday against the World No.1 and reigning champion.

Watched the highlights of Ronnie v Gary Wilson there. Good match. Gary was loosing 5-1 and it looked over. He won the last three frames though including the last one where he needed a snooker.

Glad to be able to watch some snooker again. Saw none last year only the final. Highlights at least this year plus some on Sundays

Permabear

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bajer101

After today's showing, I am happy enough with the 15/2 I got on Trump. Neither Ronnie or Selby amazed me.

Arthur Daley

Best walk on music?

So far:
David Grace with what's the story morning glory? By Oasis

And McGill's this charming man by the Smiths.

Lovely to watch Yan get a century there on his debut at the crucible.

mdwexford

3 centuries in 5 frames now. Back to back from Murphy.

Much more like it.

melon_collie

Fu under pressure. Brecel playing well

ebbsy

Ronnie firing a few rockets again I see.

mikeoneilly

ebbsy wrote: »

Ronnie firing a few rockets again I see.

The game needs him more than he needs it

Joe_ Public

mikeoneilly wrote: »

The game needs him more than he needs it

Ah no, it doesn't really. They said the same for years about Tiger Woods, but you know, golf will somehow survive and maybe even prosper without him. Snooker wants to start gettin used to life without O'Sullivan anyway because, to my mind, he's just about approaching the end. Not that he's too old now, but he's too many distractions and now that fewer and fewer players are refusing to be intimidated by his aura, he's going to have to cope with more battles and more stinging defeats and I'm not so certain he can deal with that.

Seems to me all this current nonsense is suspiciously like Ronnie getting his excuses for defeat in early, which he's done in the past. I do hope I'm proven wrong about that, but won't surprise me to see Murphy, assuming he beats Yan, take him out next round.

ArmaniJeanss

50%+ chance that this long-term Hearn/O'Sullivan enmity is something they concocted amongst themselves.

Permabear

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Peter File

I'm very impressed with Yan for not giving up when he was 9:5 down. I'm enjoying this game. Hope it goes to a decider

mdwexford

Sick fluke from Murphy to win. The young lad deserved better than that after his fightback.

Snake Plisken

I hope Brecel wins this very attack minded player

learn_more

Hoping Fu myself, has been in great form this season and hoping he'll keep it up. Favourite now after pulling it back to 8 - 8.

Permabear

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Arthur Daley

Do feel sorry for Luca. Just a little too loose and fast with his play. He may mature. Hard to see why he hadn't made the crucible in 5 years since his debut at 17.

Joe_ Public

Arthur Daley wrote: »

Do feel sorry for Luca. Just a little too loose and fast with his play. He may mature. Hard to see why he hadn't made the crucible in 5 years since his debut at 17.

I think you pretty much answered your own question there. Has always been a good potter and attacking player, but lets himself down with decision making and inability to hide the white. Same as a lot of the young players coming up.

Think that will bring Brecel on a fair bit, despite the pain he will be feeling. Good match for Fu too, I have Robertson down as a potential champion, but that hard match will stand to Marco, assuming Robbo gets past Noppon in the first place, which I think is hugely likely.

Peter File

A very unexpected comeback from Rory McLeod against Judd Trump this afternoon from 4 nil down to 4:4 with 1 to go this afternoon