Cazoo Champion of Champions 2021

Joe_ Public

16 players, non ranking and live from 1pm today on ITV4. Judd Trump v world seniors champ David Lilley followed by Ryan Day v Stephen Maguire. Winners square off tonight for place in sf.

No Mark Allen for "personal" reasons so a welcome inclusion for Ding given how little match practice he's had of late. Given he hasn't been beyond the qf in any event since winning the UK two years ago, it does feel a bit of a misnomer, but it's the same every year. Bingham the other to benefit after the already qualified Neil Robertson claimed the English Open.

Joe_ Public

Full draw for the week:

Group A Monday

J Trump v D Lilley

S Maguire v R Day

Group B Tuesday

M Selby v D Gilbert

S Murphy v Y Bingtao

Group C Wednesday

R O'Sullivan v S Bingham

J Higgins v Ding Junhui

Group D Thursday

N Robertson v M Williams

K Wilson v J Brown

Arthur Daley

I had thought that Reanne Evans got a spot in this. But it seems that was a one off in 2019.

It's a tough school for the likes of the Woman's World champion or David Lilley as seniors champion. And Jordan Brown will do well to pick up much from that Group. Still the prize money is a bonus I'm sure.

Joe_ Public

Both the womens and seniors world championships were added to the qualifying list in 2019, the womens was ahead in the pecking order. Don't know if that still pertains, the CoC website has no link to the criteria, but the womens world championship hasnt been played since 2019 so it's hard to know.

Not ideal to have 4 players qualifying off the rankings, but given we had less tournaments played over the last year, it's understandable to some extent. Maybe fairer if they went on a one-year list rather than current world ranking, but I imagine they're happy enough to have Ding in there instead of a lower ranked like Gary Wilson or whoever else might be in contention.

Joe_ Public

Ken totally bamboozled by a few of Judds shot choices there. Wasn't a good opening frame from him at all.

Arthur Daley

These polo shirts are a bit of a Darts look. Not as much as the Shootout, but still. It's mid November in Bolton, are lots of people really going around in short sleeve shirts. Change for the sake of change I think.

Arthur Daley

I see both players are using the same rest again now. Probably was a dubious risk of spread anyway, they both put their hands on the same cloth/rails etc.

That was a savage pot on the red up in baulk from Trump... He's playing dire by his standards though.

waynescales1

T-shirts for a prestige event like the Champion of Champions? Dunno about this at all.

Joe_ Public

That was a great snooker from robbo to steal the opening frame from 0-69. Thought he'd messed up by potting the green, but did always look on.

Joe_ Public

Second steal in a row for robbo, good clearance but that last red was a bit lucky, these rasson tables are very forgiving.

Was a great clearance... Going for that red along the cushion into the black pocket early on in his clearance was a stroke of something - it really befuddled Fouldsy.. Got nicely onto the yellow into the middle bag from it, and everything worked out nice in the end for Robbo..

He deserved to get one on the board for all his efforts thus far, did Willo. Some nerve to pot the 4th (I think) last red into the middle, after being a bit unlucky on the position...

Can hear balls clacking in the background... Confusing, as I thought only 1 game was going on at a time.. Only looked as if one table was in operation when the players were being introduced at the start - maybe it's a practice table behind the scenes...

Arthur Daley

Only one match table there. Practice tables and itv studio probably very open so that is what can be heard.

Joe_ Public

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118175077#Comment_118175077

Could be Ken getting in some sneaky practice for the uk later this month! Definitely audible alright, I'd say the practice table is close to commentary booth and being picked up by their mic rather than the one by the table.

That could be it alright.. 'Krafty' Ken bashing a few around 😁

Good match this.

Hendry not really on his game today 😊 Early on in frame 1 he thought the red was 'unmissable' on account of the pink being 'so close' to the pocket... Even from the first angle, it looked as though the pink was close to a cm too far up the table, in order to make that red unmissable...

Very strange how he thought Wilson wouldn't be able to get on the black from the pink... Looked to be enough angle there, and sure enough, there was. Maybe he needs glasses..

Both these playing poor enough so far.. Robbo to beat the winner by at least 4 tonight, I'd say...

Snooker's on ITV3 for some reason... Think they mentioned it earlier on after the 2nd match.. Don't think it was scheduled to be on the no. 3 channel - at least not according to my TV guide..

Wilson with the most chances, but missed 2 relatively easy pots... A good break of 73 from Robbo gives first blood to the Aussie.

Arthur Daley

They did mention the move to itv3 briefly last night

Oh right.... I missed the snooker last night, so just half heard the one mention early on this evening 😊 Wilson playing a lot better tonight than in his earlier match. Uphill for Robbo now.. Still think he nicks it.. I reckon Kyren has a few misses in him yet 😋

waynescales1

Shaun Murphy really struggling out there, looks like he’s gained a bit of weight.

AllForIt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118182052#Comment_118182052

Wasn't he supposed to be loosing weight for charity I seem to recall - but Higgins was the one who lost all the weight.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118182052#Comment_118182052

There's nowhere to hide in those tshirts. Tight across the chest. Very unflattering to say the least. I wouldn't be surprised if he has lost a few kg but the waistcoat masks a fair bit.

The tshirts are strange. It's a uniform, just like the tuxedo style uniform. Like, who wears black slacks, shiny shoes and nylon tshirt in real life? So it's not casual in any sense.

The usual uniform makes them look like waiters in an old fashioned restaurant and this uniform is not like anything anyone wears, it's just weird.

Scrappy at times between yan and Murphy. Either player could have won it with only a decent number of mistakes.

waynescales1

I have a feeling the more casual clothing is being introduced due to pressure from some of the players. I remember Trump recently making a fair point that snooker must be the only sport in the world where players train in completely different clothing to that which they compete in, I see his point.

Still though, the shiny tees are awful looking.

Joe_ Public

Thought that was pretty emphatic personally, Yan outscored him nearly 3 points to 1, 94% pot success against somewhere in the mid 80s I think. Last frame could have made it interesting but 4-1 about right i thought, shauns season not been terrible but still not caught fire yet.

waynescales1

Yeah Bingtao was decent, Murphy really poor.

Joe_ Public

Yeah shaun was a bit off today, he mentioned he'd been having some trouble with his back lately but not sure if that affected his performance.

Joe_ Public

This is a real good scrap so far, both in good nick and a good test to see how Yan's progress is coming along. Doesn't seem to be phased by any of these top players at all.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118182843#Comment_118182843

Lovely tactical play. He's not a world beater bit he's just not making mistakes in the matchplay element. If he continues to imporve he could be a real contender in the longer format like the world championship

Joe_ Public

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118183181#Comment_118183181

What i love most is his attitude, not cocky or flamboyant (despite those gaudy outfits he used to wear!) but he's fearless playing these guys, like he knows he belongs. A few flaws, too many careless, casual shots creeping in, but not the kind i see as unfixable. Of all the younger talent, under 30 say, i think he's the only one I'd be quite confident of saying when not if when it comes to being world champion.

waynescales1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118183335#Comment_118183335

Yeah I was just thinking that to myself, with the lack of young talent coming through and the best players all 35+, you could see Yan becoming maybe even multiple World Champion by 30 years of age. Who’s gonna stop him in a few years when O’Sullivan, Higgins and Williams are 50+?

Joe_ Public

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118183369#Comment_118183369

The likes of Judd and Kyren will be around for another 15-20 years but i can't honestly see any other young players that are threatening to make a breakthrough anytime soon. It's a bit barren, unless there's a bolter among the emerging asian pack. Hard to know with the kids because they can all pot but just dont have the all round game. Rare you get one who's the full package like Yan; lisowski always had the talent, just not the same aptitude to grind out a match against a top player.

Joe_ Public

Some of Binghams misses today. Shocking.

eric hoone

Poor standard this afternoon. Hopefully the evening session will be better

waynescales1

You know you’ve made it when you’ve got your own brand of snooker cue tip chalk.

waynescales1

Wow, did anyone see the pink Higgins just missed? I actually can’t believe it.

It was worse than the one Bingham missed 😂

Loads of miscues this week.. How can the ref call it a 'miss' , I don't know

Joe_ Public

"He couldn't kill it off."

Wish I had a pound for each time a commentator has said that in relation to ding over the course of his career.

waynescales1

Ding just cannot pot a pressure ball anymore.

Arthur Daley

Go on John spend a fiver on the wee fitting for the top of the rest. Although I've not seen it many times since the 80s.

Thought he was going to take the double instead.

Steve Davis, I remember, used to have some of them little plastic type equipment accessories for use with the rest etc,, Would have been handy for Higgins about five minutes ago.. "For want of a nail... " 😋 All academic now, it would seem, with Ding needing snookers.. Not impossible though,,,

Joe_ Public

The lads can talk about higgins class and never say die attitude all they like, that was all about ding blowing it for me. That said, wouldn't surprise me to see a completely different higgins tonight, for all he said about not liking the table. Ronnie will have to up his game too.

eric hoone

O'Sullivan is obviously not practising enough

Arthur Daley

Ronnie fancies a weekend off clearly. Higgins hasn't played great today but he hasn't needed to be on top form.

Joe_ Public

Big difference from the afternoon, Higgins says, i was "sliding into my shots" a bit more, rather than "falling onto the table. I think I'll keep that going now." A follow up question would have been useful there!

Arthur Daley

Those camera angles from 1978 didn't catch on. Thank God

Joe_ Public

Stephen paying Alex his due. I like to hear that.

Arthur Daley

On the Snooker Scene podcast, I see Dave Hendon had some discussion on the 'Marmite' jerseys for Champion of Champions. Matchroom admit it's something they'll have a look at again, and the quality of the first batch sent over from China was even worse than the tops they are wearing. They do just have a bit of a cheap look, casual punters seeing the snooker on tv pick up on that.

waynescales1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118191954#Comment_118191954

The smart attire distinguishes snooker from pool and darts. And nobody watches pool.