Snooker Season 2023/24

Arthur Daley

I see Aaron Hill beat Jimmy to qualify for the European Masters.

And Ken won his match tonight too. So he is into round 2.

Aaron Hill is at 71 in the World, so he is within striking distance of the top 64 and should target this to keep his tour card at the end of the season. He may well make further progress beyond these aims this year.

ArmaniJeanss

Calendar of the 23/24 season as it stands.

2023–24 snooker season - Wikipedia

Back to China for 3 events, all pre Christmas. The highlight of the year (The Shootout) also moves to a December slot.

March is effectively blank, so I'd expect a couple more to be added there (possibly China again)

Arthur Daley

I still find that snooker only really starts in September. And that is a fairly packed out calendar by the standard of most years, especially leading up to Christmas.

Arthur Daley

Interview with Ray Reardon - showing us how it's done at 90. Still playing a bit of Golf and Snooker.

https://youtu.be/t3DxFWIXRf4

ArmaniJeanss

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120902371#Comment_120902371

I suspect 'empty March' may be filled with this proposed Saudi Arabia tournament.

Barry Hearn: Snooker can be bigger than golf with huge Saudi Arabia tournament 'very close' - Eurosport

Some talk of it being an equal prize-fund to the Worlds with £500K up top. Indeed even some word on t'internet that the Saudi's were willing to go £1M to the winner, but WST doesn't want anything to have a bigger prize-fund than Sheffield.

Arthur Daley

They are going to China 11th-17th March for the World Open. Announced in past few days.

So that mighy be the calendar sorted now. It is pretty busy, I know players complain but to be honest I think there is also a limit to how much snooker punters can watch. And you are very hardcore if you believe there is still too little snooker on at this stage.

Arthur Daley

Plenty of of the top 16 getting dumped out of the first 'proper' ranking event of the season - the European Masters in Germany. Ronnie did a bunk a few hours before kick off, Robertson out, Lisowski losing 5-4 to Michael White, Vafaei whitewashed by some times MC Allan Taylor, and now Mark Allen gone too after a whitewash by Un Nooh.

Arthur Daley

Big 5-0 win today for Aaron Hill against Joe Perry in the Wuhan Open qualifier. Finishing with a 145.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.eurosport.com/snooker/how-shaun-murphy-plans-to-break-the-mould-with-multi-cue-innovation-to-adapt-to-playing-conditions_sto9780952/story.shtml

I've often wondered about this. Seems crazy to only use one cue for everything. It seems like an area crying out for innovation. I wouldn't be surprised if in 10 years time, they change cues between shots so often, they introduce rules to limit cue changes.

Once the young players get hold of this idea, it could really take off.

I've often wondered about players changing cues. Neil Robertson changed cue between seasons a couple of years back because he felt ot lost power. And Ken Doherty has played with the sake cue his enrire career. Either Ken's cue has long since lost its power, or Robbo is talking guff.

Fair play to Murphy on this. Credit where its due for having the courage to do things differently.

Spiderpig92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121074856#Comment_121074856

Load of nonsense to me - in essence you have to be completely comfortable with three different cues to the point where you're playing to a very high standard. Not possible in my book at the top end of the sport.

Murphy has had probably his best season on record last year playing some phenomenal stuff - he had one match where he followed a 146 with a 147.

The old adage 'if it's not broke don't fix it' springs to mind

loyatemu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121075908#Comment_121075908

shades of Padraig Harrington deciding to rejig his game after winning 3 majors in quick succession. He never got close to winning another.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121075908#Comment_121075908

Maybe. Well find out with Murphy this year and see if younger players adopt it in the coming years.

If its not broke don't fix it is fine, but it's not really the mantra that leads to innovation.

Spiderpig92

A bad workman always blames his tools....

Heighway61

Switched on Eurosport yesterday to watch the Shanghai Masters but the background noise was appalling. Sounded like my cooker hood fan. Put up with it for about twenty minutes then gave up.

Same today. Maybe a little bit better but still unwatchable for me.

It's not venue specific. Reddit and other forums were talking about this Eurosport issue at other events last year.

The Nal

Yeah sound is awful.

Ronnie vs Higgins Thursday morning 11am.

Who's the Irish commentator?

hayrabit

think it's Fergal O'Brien on co-comms duties; it was y'day anyhow

Selby/Vafaei match got interesting late on but Jester prevailed - pity that

cracking fixtures tomorrow - some good matchups today alright, thought yday the fare was poor enough

Wednesday 13th

07:00 Allen M. Fan Z.--11 F

07:00 Brecel L. Williams M.--11 F

12:30 Murphy S. Milkins R.--11 F

12:30 Robertson N. Ding J.--11 F

predictions: Allen , MJW , Murphy & Robbo . did small treble for an interest w/o the Aussie. pays just over 2/1

:)

Arthur Daley

Perrie Mans has died at the age of 82. Quite a single ball potter in his day.

1978 World Championship runner up. He knocked in one hell of a pink in that match, that was one of the best shots played in the early years of the Crucible.

1979 Masters champion. Where he famously won the event without making a 50 break. Still had to beat Alex in the final.

loyatemu

His is a name I remember seeing because of his success in those tournaments, but I don't recall ever seeing him play on TV. Did his form just drop off dramatically after the 70s? Most of his contemporaries like Mountjoy, Spencer, Reardon etc continued to enjoy some success into the 80s but not him. Even Patsy Fagan used to occassionally make to the televised tournaments in the 80s despite his oft-mentioned struggles with the rest.

Arthur Daley

He knocked about on the tour into the mid to late 80s but his peak was 1978-79.

Into the 80s he would have been second best to Silvino and Peter Francisco of the South African players.

He was ok all round, enough to live with Ray Reardon, Thorburn and Alex in the 70s, but a few players from that early TV era then found the standard was raised by the likes of Davis and Jimmy and when you'd slide out of the top 16 it would be impossible to get back up again, such was the talent coming through

The Nal

Cracking game on here with Ronnie vs Higgins. Ronnie looked down and out.

Amazing safety battle on the blue in frame 4. Good 15 minutes.

Edit - What a match!

waynescales1

O'Sullivan v Selby SF tomorrow at 7am? Bit early, hopefully be able to see the second session, wonder what time that's scheduled to start...

Genghis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121108116#Comment_121108116

Being completely honest, I was watching this at work and bailed out at 5-2 with Higgins around 43 up. Could not believe the notification I got at lunch to say Ronnie had won. Went back and watched the last 3 frames, very enjoyable.

Big win for Ronnie, tomorrow has a feel for me of the Friday in the 2020 WC, 2 sessions vs Selby. I think Ronnie will be dangerous, he very much stuck to plan and waited for his game to come today.

As for John, he was by no means wonderful but he certainly deserved to win based on first 9 frames. A major concern is that he did not win frame 4 (to lead 3-1 mid session), and he did not take frame 9 either to win. Higgins of old would have won today 6-1, he seems to have lost his edge altogether. Okay, he will undoubtedly still be top 16, even in a year or two, but he must be concerned about closing out big matches.

The Nal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121110020#Comment_121110020

Watching now. Great game so far.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121110432#Comment_121110432

Yeah John missed a few balls he wouldn't have missed 10 years ago. So did Ronnie though. Wasn't a great standard to begin but like you say, Ronnie just clicked into gear. Got that swagger around the table going.

Aircon sound still on Eurosport 🧐

5-4 Selby. Back on at 12.30pm.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121108116#Comment_121108116

And now Ronnie is in the final beating Selby, Ronnie able to stay in games really makes him a dangerous animal. No way would that have happened years ago.

The Nal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121114453#Comment_121114453

The way he played against Higgins in the first mini session would've sent him off the rails for a few tournaments years ago. Age 47, out roboting Selby!

Forgot to add, cant believe that pink Selby missed to go 8-6 up.

Arthur Daley

This was the Perrie Mans pink to black from 1978 that I was on about. Top drawer shot today, let alone on those cloths.

https://twitter.com/baizewatch/status/1703114492731691362?t=wYsGpMWHnLX5DAkgUIvA1A&s=19

gormdubhgorm

Fergal O'Brien is doing a good job at the commentary for the Shanghai Masters. I had to laugh at his comment that he is sorry it will be over soon (for him) as Hendon/Foulds will be doing the rest of it. O'Brien sounds like he is enjoying himself at the commentary gig anyway.

That Luca 'in off' last frame of the session (only colours left before yellow) will be looked on as turning point - Ronnie 6-4. Ronnie winning on matchplay which feels like and odd thing to say.

Spook80

Is this available to watch live? I thought it was on Eurosport at 12.30 or 13.30 but I’m only getting racing and coverage starts from 18.00

Arthur Daley

Not following it much all week, but I believe the 2nd session of the final is not on Eurosport, only Discovery+

Joke of a decision to only show session 1 of the final, but these American managers are probably trying to kill off Eurosport as a seperate brand anyway.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121121815#Comment_121121815

Feck it, your right I looked up entertainment.ie and under Eurosport 2 it just said highlights of the final at 18:00.

https://entertainment.ie/tv/eurosport-2/sport/?date=17-09-2023&time=all-day

I will have to scramble around and see if there is a youtube channel streaming.

The Nal

Great final this. Luca just doubled the black the length of the table to make it 10-8!