World Snooker Championship 2023

Snake Plisken

Here we go draw below begins this Saturday through to bank holiday Monday

https://twitter.com/WeAreWST/status/1646421169954758656?s=19

Snake Plisken

Thanks to @ArmaniJeanss first round draw

Ronnie O'Sullivan v Pang Junxu

Ding Junhui v Hossein Vafaei

Luca Brecel v Ricky Walden

Mark Williams v Jimmy Robertson

------------

Judd Trump v Anthony McGill

Jack Lisowski v Noppon Saengkham

Robert Milkins v Joe Perry

Shaun Murphy v Si Jiahui

------------

Mark Allen v Fan Zhengyi

Stuart Bingham v David Gilbert

Ali Carter v Jak Jones

Neil Robertson v Wu Yize

------------

Kyren Wilson v Ryan Day

John Higgins v David Grace

Gary Wilson v Elliot Slessor

Mark Selby v Matthew Selt

ArmaniJeanss

Top half looks marginally tougher, although Ronnie and Judd have had poor enough seasons (albeit Judd has done damage in the non-ranking events). Section 3 in particular looks weak enough, with Robbo not liking the venue and Mark Allen losing his form recently.

Rough odds for anyone who gambols.

4/1 Ronnie. 6/1 Trump, Selby, 7/1 Robbo, 9/1 Murphy, 14/1 Allen, 16/1 K Wilson, 18/1 Higgins, 20/1 Williams, Ding. 28/1 bar.

Tomaldo

Is the Rocket worth backing 4 to 1, Murphy has found form lately 9/1, Allen has lost a lot of weight, will that help him 14/1 or maybe K Wilson 16/1. Asian players have been knocking on the door, but aren't some of them are banned

StevenToast

Ronnie O'Sullivan could win it or could get beaten in the first round.

The magic of the man. You just dont know what he will do!

Arthur Daley

Never really like Ronnie on alternative years. He only defended the title once.

Backing Selby this time.

Genghis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120472388#Comment_120472388

I have backed him. Still have a few quid in the snooker bet wallet from his win last year, so going again.

In relation to form, fully agree he could drop on day one or win on 1 May with a session to spare. I listened to a Eurosport podcast - the best interview I think I eve heard with him, and I feel he is very much up for it. I also think he has been strategising with tip / elbow issues to appear more out of form than he is, possibly even happy he was not in the Tour champs, etc (out of limelight). He also took time to create a massive distraction with the WST attach a few weeks out. All part of his preparation to deflect from defending/ eighth.

I am also putting a few quid on Allen, yes poor form recently but in great shape this season if has had time to recover / rebuild. Never been in better form for it, but maybe more likely in a few years if he keeps the form going.

Outsider is Lisowki. I went e/w on him because, you know! But it would be like him to make the WC the one he breaks his duck on.

Didn't bet on Robertson, Ding, Williams or Judd, but think they are all possibles.

ArmaniJeanss

Schedule for the weekend, final session in bold

Saturday

10:00 Ronnie O'Sullivan v Pang Junxu. Stuart Bingham v David Gilbert

14:30 Luca Brecel v Ricky Walden. Neil Robertson v Wu Yize

19:00 Ronnie O'Sullivan v Pang Junxu. Ali Carter v Jak Zones

Sunday

10:00 Ding Junhui v Hossein Vafaei. Stuart Bingham v David Gilbert

14:30 Mark Williams v Jimmy Robertson. Neil Robertson v Wu Yize

19:00 Luca Brecel v Ricky Walden. Ali Carter v Jak Zones

Monday

10.00 Ding Junhui v Hossein Vafaei. Mark Allen v Fan Zhengyi.

14:30 Mark Williams v Jimmy Robertson. John Higgins v David Grace

19:00 Robert Milkins v Joe Perry. Mark Allen v Fan Zhengyi

Arthur Daley

Crucible eve. Surely one of the best times of year.

Let's join Eddie Charlton for 5 mins as he takes us on a tour backstage in 1989.

https://youtu.be/0SfvX-O6UFw

Loafing Oaf

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120472247#Comment_120472247

Rough odds for anyone who gambols.

I only gambol when I've won the bet😝

My only bet this year is a treble on the three Marks to reach the semis

The Nal

Im excited.

Arthur Daley

Tight couple of round one matches first up, day one. Pang could give Ronnie a match, and not a lot could seperate Bingham v Gilbert.

Round One not a gimme like it could be at times in the past.

Loafing Oaf

Bingham and O'Sullivan on this morning, Carter apparently back with a bang, really is a sport that gives hope to us mid-forties guys...

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120472255#Comment_120472255

Allen is great value each way. Long sessions suit him. Wilson I am not sure - he can be a bit flaky IMO and looks for excuses.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120480264#Comment_120480264

Robertson was the last fella to win it in his 20's?

loyatemu

tough run to the final for Allen if he gets through round 1 - potentially all former champions and long-match specialists.

Pick of the first round could be Ding-Vafaei, though if Ding shows up in the mood he should have too much for Vafaei.

It's been a while since we had a shock winner - Williams in 2018 was a surprise but he had won it twice before; Bingham would have to be the last really unexpected champion. Lisowski maybe, he looks great when he's on form but can he do it for 17 days?

gormdubhgorm

Nerves getting to Pang I think, playing the man/venue and not the table. Fluffing loads of chances. Ronnie just has to wait for errors. Ronnie 3-0 - so this frame is a big one to get Pang into it. Edit 4-0 now. Think match is over as a contest already unless Pang switches on.

Arthur Daley

Can't be missing blacks off the spot Pang. The inexperience showing through this morning.

Rothko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120480362#Comment_120480362

Trump was 29 when he won it

waynescales1

Pang pulls it back 9-6, O’Sullivan looks like he’s about to fall asleep. Will he able to get this over the line.

Arthur Daley

Ronnie struggling to get it done. 9-7 now

Arthur Daley

Brian Wright (Coventry city guy) first sighting this year.

He must be paying a pretty penny to sit in his usual seats beside the players these days. Think the front rows are Century club.

loyatemu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120482432#Comment_120482432

done now - 10-7

waynescales1

The absolute hack of O’Sullivan in the studio, haha! Last person I saw in a similar state was Eamon Dunphy when he’d show up on RTE pissed or hungover. How do you win a snooker match in that state.

hawaii501

You would usually take whatever Ronnie says with a pinch of salt when he's playing bad but he did look fairly wrecked in the studio so definitely believe him when he says he's sick.

Snake Plisken

Ali Carter vs Jack Jones should be a good watch tomorrow night Jack leads 5-4 and played well against Carter didn't leave the nerves get to him

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120482379#Comment_120482379

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120482468#Comment_120482468

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120482521#Comment_120482521

Amazed it ended up so close I stopped watching.

--

I looked at Jimmy White's predictions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cwn_s03g3ZY

Gas how clued in and/or enthusiastic Jimmy is about each match. Really loves the game still after all this time.

McGill - Lisowksi - Murphy - Kyren Wilson - seem to be Jimmy's outside picks.

The match he is really looking forwards to is Gary Wilson v Elliott Slessor (both practice partners)

He thinks final on paper will be O'Sullivan v Selby.

Arthur Daley

Slow enough play in Ding v Vafaei. Still 3 frames to play and the next session is less than 90 mins away.

Bingham finished off Gilbert handy enough 10-4, considering it was tighter at 6-4 early on this morning.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120483853#Comment_120483853

That Ding Vafaei match has been an odd one. Ding could have been three - nil only for that pink fluke by Vafaei. But in fairness to that point Ding was 'ball run Ding'. Missing loads of chances getting luck. But then after that Vafaei wakes up picking out plants etc looking compose.

Rothko

New record set by Neil Robertson today as he manages to complete two 146 breaks in a single session.

Btw, his thread seems awfully quiet so far, give it's the World Championship.

ArmaniJeanss

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120485118#Comment_120485118

We are roughly where we are last year. World Snooker Championship 2022 — boards.ie - Now Ye're Talkin' Post #30 was on the evening session on the Sunday.

I think the thread only livens up when there the top players are involved in a close match, and/or when the second round gets going. And eventually we get the posters who give out relentlessly about the size of the pockets or call Selby 'Slowby'. Bless 'em.

Rothko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120485136#Comment_120485136

Ah, ok. Just thought it seemed quieter than usual.

waynescales1

This Carter v Jones match shaping up nicely. 5-6 now, neither player giving the other many chances, good standard. Could go all the way.

Edit: Carter misses a sitter blue to middle.

Edit 2: Carter bounces back well, 6-7.

hayrabit

nice hotshot there from Luca 😊

pots the green to leave Ricky needing two snookers - inadvertently lands behind blue down in bottom half of table; and escapes off two cushions with a one-handed shot 😂

Cetyl Palmitate

Couple of each way bets on Bingham and brecel, both at 50-1. Karen Wilson for the win even though I don't enjoy watching him play.

Arthur Daley

A few late night Crucible battles reach their final stages. Love it.

Brecel v Walden could go all the way

And Brecel has not had a win at the Crucible to date.

Snake Plisken

Great win by Jak Jones over Ali Carter. 10-6.

waynescales1

Frame 14 really knocked the stuffing out of Carter, looked like he was gonna make it 7-7, disappointing finish to the match.

Walden takes it to 9-9. A cheeky Round 1, Sunday night, final frame decider at the Crucible.

Arthur Daley

Well that's good for Luca, to break that winless record.

The Golden Miller

Hope O'Sullivan doesn't win it, couldn't stand the nauseating rubbish of everyone saying how he is the greatest ever. As chance would have it, watched a lot of Davis in the 80s falling asleep.

They say O'Sullivan at his best, would beat anyone, simply put, Davis at his peak would of beat him everytime. He was a robot, and as time passes, we forget. But rewatch Davis at his peak, he would of done O'Sullivan at his peak, 9/10 times. He was a robot. Any tiny mistake, was pounced on in ruthless fashion.

O'Sullivan does have a fluid natural ability, which has kept him at the top a long time. But he's fortunate, in that time, the standard dropped. Hammering guys like Dott in the final does nothing for me, Hendry too would of killed them at his peak. He's stayed consistent during eras where the competition hit the floor tbh.

It's depressing if O'Sullivan wins this year, we'll be indenuauated, with stuff like he was always the best. Reality was, he couldn't really cut it when snooker was in it's golden phase. He competed and was successful but didn't dominate, early 00's.

Alex Higgins was the greatest natural player ever, make no mistake. Hendry even said at his funeral, people don't actually realize just how good he was. His positional play was abysmal, which meant he was chasing the cueball most of the time, but the shots be pulled off every frame to keep a break going was unbelievable.

His positional play was atrocious because of how he was raised to play the game, did everything wrong and was under the influence, but for a natural eye for a pot, he had no peers.

When everyone raves about Ronnie being the best and most natural ever, it's simply not true. Higgins genuinely was, he pulled off pots repeatedly no other player was ever capable off.

O'Sullivan, Hendry , Davis, White etc, all know deep down, had Alex been raised and trained to play the game properly, he would of had no peers. O'Sullivan's consistency is scary, but watching Higgins, his potting ability had no peers

Arthur Daley

I love a bit of snooker nostalgia more than the next man, but the standard of snooker has never been higher, and it is certainly a good deal higher than it was when Steve was winning his 6 titles.

I just trust the top players in the history of the sport and Davis and Hendry and the current players admit that the strength in depth today is higher than ever before, and Ronnie is the greatest player we have seen, that has brought the game to higher levels post Hendry.

Arthur Daley

Rob Walker is a live wire. He announces the players into the arena and before the break off he has legged it into the commentary box to start his commentary on the match. Not even relying on Davis to fill in for him.

Strong start from Vafaei this morning. Ding has a battle on his hands.

gormdubhgorm

Fan seems to have some great snooker talent, if he channels it and becomes more experienced - who knows what he could achieve? Allen will be a worried man Fan can play with freedom and enjoy it - it seems. Edit: Allen leads first session 6-3.

I think these matches where he has to be switched on suit Allen - and will stand to him further in the tournament gets him battle ready - for the big guns.

By the way, fair play to Varfaei - seems like a character. Would love him to beat Ronnie.

Sultan of Bling

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120486218#Comment_120486218

What do you mean exactly by hammering people like dott in a world final does nothing for you.

It seems to be an annual thing on this thread dismissing Ronnie's win in the final v Dott as if Dott was somebody dragged off the street to play Ronnie in the final.

Dott is a former world champion and twice world championship runner up.

Off the six players Steve beat, I would not put any of them ahead of Dott except maybe Jimmy, but then again, Jimmy never won a world title.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120486218#Comment_120486218

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120486218#Comment_120486218

I think the Higgins nostalgia is a bit Rose tinted. He drew in the crowds but for what he won he was a wasted talent IMO. Not a very likeable fella as well to be honest. Bit of a gouger, Was he really as good as the hype justified? I am not so sure.

Like @The Golden Miller says Higgins positional play was awful.

But still some people rave about this 60 plus clearance Higgins made -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAO48WSZnRU

I find it more funny to watch than anything else. If Higgins was as good as it was said in his prime why did he not make more centuries?

According to cuetracker Alex Higgins made just 86 centuries from 1971 - 1995

https://cuetracker.net/players/alex-higgins/career-total-statistics

And guess which of his contemporaries of his era equalled him?

Terry Griffiths who also got 86 centuries between 1978 - 1995 - giving Alex a 7 year start!

https://cuetracker.net/players/terry-griffiths/career-total-statistics

Alex was basically set up as the pantomime villain to Steve Davis/Thorburn in the 80's.

Won in 1972 when the standard of game was low and extremely different to now. 1982 was a good win for Higgins in fairness having to beat Ray Reardon. But Higgins was very fortunate that Steve Davis lost early on v Knowles in that tournament. 1982 was really a one off.

I just don't buy into the Alex Higgins myth at all. His main legacy was been an oddity, and eccentric style caught people's attention.

I remember watching him in Goff's when he was at the tail end of his career with his Fedora hat and likes, playing the showman pantomime man again. It was great to watch as a youngster.

But now I think Alex Higgins was a bit of a nasty clown, with a talent for potting single ball pots, despite himself. A pathetic joke figure, in my opinion.

Rothko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120487401#Comment_120487401

I'd love it if he won against Ronnie

The Nal

Ronnie would absolutely murder peak Davis. They just didnt make as many frame winning breaks back then. Gave up too many chances. Same thing happened with Hendry, yips aside.

Davis made 338 centuries over a 40 year career. Ronnie, well, 1198 and counting.

Love Davis but lets not forget he was only in his early 30s when Hendry came in and dethroned him and the decline set in.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120487638#Comment_120487638

It will be interesting to see who the crucible crowd support in the O'Sullivan v Varfaei match.

Varfaei seems like a really happy go lucky fella

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQTfvGCArQ0

Compared that to the G.O.A.T Ronnie O'Sullivan with or without the bug. Ronnie can come across as mean spirted.

Ronnie brought up Varfaei's comments from the previous year saying Ronnie is 'bad for snooker' - meaning Ronnie's attitude etc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1PlpmQvgU4

--

Here is other snooker players reaction to Varfaei's comments this time last year. Note back then Ronnie pretended he was not bothered by the comments. But he seemed to be bothered a year on.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K1RYxTtM6E

Arthur Daley

Dallas with balls

loyatemu

I hadn't seen much of Vafaei previously but he's entertaining to watch, takes on tricky pots, showboats a bit when clearing up at the end of the frame. Probably not a good idea though to wind Ronnie up and give him any extra incentive.

Could we save "who's the GOAT" discussions for another thread btw - it's a real hypothetical rabbit-hole and pointless IMO on a thread about this years tournament.

Rothko

The match between Higgins and Grace seems to be all but over as Higgins goes into a 7-2 lead after the first session.