The Masters 2023 BBC, Eurosport 8th - 15th January

Arthur Daley

Thread for the Masters. 2,000 into Alexandra Palace, London town.

Up first Neil Robertson plays Shaun Murphy this afternoon.

Mark Selby v Hossein Vafaei 7pm tonight.

Strumms

Entertaining start. Murphy 2-1 up.

More morons in the crowd, Shouting out ‘come on Neil’ as Shaun is down on his break shot and as he strikes the white, a person still calling out. Not a word from Eckardt… poor refereeing..

Arthur Daley

Shaun seems to have turned a corner on form lately. Would like to see him do well again.

He needs to, and will need a good few months in the ranking events because his money from the 2021 World final will drop off at the end of this season.

Arthur Daley

Wonder if we get a bit of an update on the investigation from Jason Ferguson durning the interval.

Expected to be nearing a conclusion and not drag on too much longer.

The Nal

Murphy looking good here

Arthur Daley

Maximum now for Robbo ?????...

Arthur Daley

Needed to be nicer on that red off the black

Arthur Daley

Murphy onto BBC commentary this evening. Hardest working man in snooker these days.

HeidiHeidi

Nice win by Vafaei.... I wonder can he take it further?

Selby wasn't in the room, by the looks of it.

patrickc

2 of the favourites gone from the get go.

weemcd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120083161#Comment_120083161

Hardest working ego. I hate him on commentary.

The Nal

Ronnie well up for it today. Ate the table up.

Arthur Daley

Jack making a good start against Higgins.

Hendon and Dale on Eurosport commentary one of the top combos.

But that Australian Open ident is a bit of a pain.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120086734#Comment_120086734

Brecel will be very annoyed with those two frames he threw away to Ronnie. Brecel has to be one the most frustrating players in snooker up there with Lisowski. Just haven't got the concentration levels.

HeidiHeidi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120087224#Comment_120087224

Agreed on all three points!

Took me quite a while last night to cop what the rubbish in the top corner was about.

HeidiHeidi

I really wish they'd give over with the talk of maximums after 4 or 5 reds and blacks.

I'm sure Higgins has far bigger things on his mind - like winning the next 4 frames, or he's out!

HeidiHeidi

And if he didn't, more fool him!

Arthur Daley

Lisowski finishes him off. Could put a run together here.

AllForIt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120087758#Comment_120087758

I really wish they'd give over with the talk of maximums after 4 or 5 reds and blacks.

I don't see why not, I don't always notice it myself so it does peaks one's interest to be altered to the fact a 147 is on via commentary. They have become more common but still not THAT common.

Arthur Daley

Good to see Hazel back. Not a fan of sideshow Bob on Eurosport.

Hazel probably only back because the Pakistani girl is Keith Cheggars.

weemcd

Allen having an absolute mare here, and him arguably the form player of this season. Needs something to happen immediately at 4-0 down.

Arthur Daley

Allen is heading home 0-5. Hawkins enjoying the Masters as he did in last year's run.

When Barry gets in the mood for the big ones, he takes a bit of stopping.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120090548#Comment_120090548

Great match play from Hawkins John Higgins style stuff. I would not have called that result.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120090189#Comment_120090189

Not forgetting Dennis Taylor. I thought he was being phased out.

Arthur Daley

DT and JV were due to be finished on BBC after Sheffield this year.

But this might change again, or one or both may end up on ITV or eurosport for few years.

loyatemu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120088252#Comment_120088252

I was baffled to see JH going for the maximum last night while 3 frames down, and then missing a tricky black when there were easier options. He got away with it in that particular frame but still strange from such a seasoned player.

Mark Williams getting a 136 break frame one against Gilbert is exactly why you tune in 😅

that sick shot up to the right top corner was a joy to witness.

eric hoone

Gilbert giving it a good go from 4 nil down

Arthur Daley

Bit more of a match tonight. Willo looked in command.

AllForIt

Can't believe they haven't sorted out this flying bugs problem at this venue. It's not the season for wasps.

Arthur Daley

'What happened next' for Question of Sport

AllForIt

Brilliant finish by Willo there to get over the line.

AllForIt

I saw on the BBC Two highlight show they showed the wasp incident and presented it as a humorous moment. I don't think it's in the slightest bit funny rather it's a total shambles of an incident.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120092583#Comment_120092583

I agree it shouldn’t have happened at all but at the same time there was something quite funny about Higgins jumping around the arena and the ref bating a wasp off the cameraman 😂

farmingquestion

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120090637#Comment_120090637

He's one of the nicest lads you could ever wish to meet.

eric hoone

Day is a bit of a bottler

Shocked to see Judd performance. I wonder if he’s a bit distracted after those pool tournaments in the US😂

The Nal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120095144#Comment_120095144

Yup

Snake Plisken

Feel bad for Day but he had his chances

Was a very close match all the same just a shame about that free ball. It really did come down to that at the end of it

spurshero

I don’t get Murphy spending so much time on the pundit side of things while still in the tournament …. In the studio yesterday on commentary today …just seems strange .

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120095492#Comment_120095492

He is very good at it in fairness. Half thinking to myself he should commentate on his own games!

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120095336#Comment_120095336

Loads of them too many to mention Hendry had it spot on called it Day would get edgy if did not win 6-3. Turned out entertaining but was like watching a club match.

Even ‘flog it’ was entertaining after it. An auld wan sold an antique microscope and slides for 3800 was only supposed to go for 700. 😮

But when you put Ryan Day’s game v Trump under the microscope it was his positional play that let him down constantly IMO.

Strumms

Wilson 0-4 down and top break just 14.. considering the opportunities he’s had, that’s outrageously poor.

15 balls potted by Kyren vs 106 for Stuart.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120096007#Comment_120096007

I had this match down as a close one. If you asked me to put money on it I wouldn't have known who to call as the winner. Maybe it is just because I underestimate Bingham?

But he has gotten well over 550 centuries and has has had 9 maximums in his career that is some going.

mickdw

Bingham's showing unbelievable touch this evening. Alot of shots played that were rolling up inch perfect every time. Not alot wrong with table.

Arthur Daley

Bingham is a beautiful break builder when he turns up like this.

AllForIt

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120096061#Comment_120096061

Interesting what Murphy and Hendry were saying in the interlude there which was basically he has the top game but is inconsistent due to his unorthodox cue action which keeps him from wining more titles.

gormdubhgorm

Wilson living up to his warrior name at last. Fair play to him. 5-3 Bingham now.

Arthur Daley

Bingham should have been able to snick that red by the black in last frame. It wasn't that sharp an angle. Then he hit that yellow with the rest too hard needed to give it the chance to go in.

AllForIt

Think he's being more sarcastic than funny, and quite right too.

https://twitter.com/Magician147/status/1613116337349603369