UK Championship 2019 26/11 - 8/12 BBC/Eurosport

Chalk McHugh

Higgins being tactically outsmarted for a change. Hope Yan wins it out.

gormdubhgorm

They did a great bit of analysis on the red button - with McManus talking about Allen and then Higgins cue action.
They even went on about how Allen said years ago to Davis (the time he used to interview fellas in the car) that he wanted to lose weight. But they noted that he still has not done it.

They then theorised that the table becomes bigger when you are 'bulky' able to play less shots. Which they said was part of the reason that Allen is better at the business end of the table. With his short bridge etc.

As for Higgins - Davis said he has such a low cue action he sometimes has to raise the cue back up again through the stroke.Then could have a tendency to get 'caught' by the table itself. As a result they said that Higgins tries to keep his right shoulder up and not let it drop.

I find McManus and Davis great at that technical stuff - gives something to watch out for in games.

gormdubhgorm

Chalk McHugh wrote: »

Higgins being tactically outsmarted for a change. Hope Yan wins it out.

Yan seems like a real clever player, well able for Higgins on the match play stuff.
Hard to believe Yan is only 19 looks much older, and plays much more sensibly than you would think a fella his age would play.

nkl12xtw5goz70

Yan looking a bit nervy in this frame but I hope he hangs in there and wins it. Higgins has played poorly all tournament and doesn't deserve to make the semis. And I think Ding/Yan could be a great match.

Joe_ Public

Higgins awful today, looks uncomfortable on the table whether its cloth or cushions or something. But if you dont bury him as yan has failed to do, then his survival instincts kick in and getting over the line is a trial. Higgins in trouble now though!

Joe_ Public

Well this has to be it now.

nkl12xtw5goz70

And that's it! Yan is through 6-3.

Inviere

Mckenna Crashing Material wrote: »

And that's it! Yan is through 6-3.

A fitting result, Higgins looked rough out there.

nkl12xtw5goz70

Inviere wrote: »

A fitting result, Higgins looked rough out there.

He even admitted in the post-match interview that he was rubbish and deserved to lose.

Inviere

Mckenna Crashing Material wrote: »

He even admitted in the post-match interview that he was rubbish and deserved to lose.

He was an absolute monster on the baize for a long long time. Those two recent Crucible finals have changed him though, he's a shadow of himself. I suppose the years are catching up with him too, but he could very easily have been level with Ronnie with 5 Crucible wins. Anyway, it's nice to see fresh faces this far into a major, so there's that!

Joe_ Public

Inviere wrote: »

He was an absolute monster on the baize for a long long time. Those two recent Crucible finals have changed him though, he's a shadow of himself. I suppose the years are catching up with him too, but he could very easily have been level with Ronnie with 5 Crucible wins. Anyway, it's nice to see fresh faces this far into a major, so there's that!

He's one of the all time greats, top 3 or 4. But i think, along with mjw, he's probably a bit surprised to be still in world top 5 at this point of his career. Apart from judd no young players have as yet arrived to pass him out. He still feeds off their weaknesses when he gets the chance.

Inviere

Joe_ Public wrote: »

He's one of the all time greats, top 3 or 4. But i think, along with mjw, he's probably a bit surprised to be still in world top 5 at this point of his career. Apart from judd no young players have as yet arrived to pass him out. He still feeds off their weaknesses when he gets the chance.

Agreed, I hate to harp on about the cliche that is the Class of '92, but by God they were some students of the game. Monsters, absolute monsters. I'd go as far as to say Higgins is an all time great, and he seems passed his best now, but that chap was (and still is) as tough as they come.

Trump, if he keeps his head screwed on, could have a monumental amount of success over the next two decades. He has the sheer natural talent of Ronnie, has matured over the last few seasons and is seeing the results of that, and his potting is probably the best I've ever seen. Combine all that with an elite safety/tactical game, and the guy becomes actually scary.

Joe_ Public

Inviere wrote: »

Agreed, I hate to harp on about the cliche that is the Class of '92, but by God they were some students of the game. Monsters, absolute monsters. I'd go as far as to say Higgins is an all time great, and he seems passed his best now, but that chap was (and still is) as tough as they come.

Trump, if he keeps his head screwed on, could have a monumental amount of success over the next two decades. He has the sheer natural talent of Ronnie, has matured over the last few seasons and is seeing the results of that, and his potting is probably the best I've ever seen. Combine all that with an elite safety/tactical game, and the guy becomes actually scary.

What i always remember about Higgins was that as a kid his dad would drive him across scotland to practice with hendry and he'd keep getting pasted until he could hold his own and finally best the great man. He had the talent but the application too. Never convinced judd quite had that and just taken him that much longer to get there. Judds tactical game really has come on past couple of years, does make him a frightful prospect for sure i would agree.

Dante7

I'm actually really enjoying watching Matthew Stevens playing. His style is a bit different and he does have a wonderful touch. 1-0

ArmaniJeanss

Bond 3-1 at the interval, playing decent but game has been scrappy.

2-2 on the other table.

taytobreath

its probably just me, but does jimmy white look a bit hungover in his commentary stint

nkl12xtw5goz70

Allen back level at 3-3 now and playing much better. Things starting to look ominous for Bond, I feel.

FrKurtFahrt

How did Bond (and Stevens, for example) qualify for this tournament (having been unheard of for years) - one of the three elite tournaments of the year? I thought that it would have been particularly difficult to qualify here, given the pre-tournament rankings. I'm not being selective here, just genuinely curious.

Joe_ Public

FrKurtFahrt wrote: »

How did Bond (and Stevens, for example) qualify for this tournament (having been unheard of for years) - one of the three elite tournaments of the year? I thought that it would have been particularly difficult to qualify here, given the pre-tournament rankings. I'm not being selective here, just genuinely curious.

128 players were in the main draw so they were comfortably within the qualifying criteria. Anyone on the main tour would have been in it.

Chalk McHugh

taytobreath wrote: »

its probably just me, but does jimmy white look a bit hungover in his commentary stint

Looks like he's just back from a stag do in Chernobyl.

Chalk McHugh

Bond has that glow of a man who has spent 50 odd years skulking around dark, seedy, smoke filled dens of debauchery otherwise known as snooker halls.

Chalk McHugh

Quite a few hideous festive jumpers in the audience. You'd swear it's christmas or something.

Chalk McHugh

Wonder would the combined weight of Allen and Maguire trump Joshua and Ruiz? A battle of the beize heavyweights would not be for the feint hearted.

Chalk McHugh

We could be burning the midnight oil with this one. Bit of an old fashioned slugfest.

nkl12xtw5goz70

Maguire goes through, beating Stevens 6-4. Bond 4-5 down, trying to take this one to a deciding frame.

Chalk McHugh

Bond looks shaken but not stirred.

ArmaniJeanss

The cider.

nkl12xtw5goz70

Deciding frame coming up! This one really could go either way. Allen looks worn down.

Chalk McHugh

Come on Nigel! Rolling back the decades.

nkl12xtw5goz70

Bond messes up a safety shot and gifts Allen the first good chance.