Snooker Season 2023/24

tomhammer..

Who's everyone's pick for Sheffield

O'Sullivan would be a big deal if he gets the 8

He tends to have an off day so id look past him if I was a betting person

Trump maybe

I hope the tables are not playing too easy making a joke of the game

The Nal

Ronnie and Trump favourites I guess. Although Ronnies beaten Trump 5 in a row.

Long old season for Trump. Wonder will he tire?

I see Hendry "wont bother" with qualifiers this year.

tomhammer..

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121950086#Comment_121950086

Ya mean Hendry figures he's not good enough?

The Nal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121950130#Comment_121950130

Not enough time between TV duties or something.

Genghis

For the Worlds, Ronnie is indisputably the favourite. Its not any old WC, its the historic 8th, and its not just the historic 8th WC, its the 3 Triple Crowns in the same season thing. Only Davis, Hendry (twice) and Williams have done that. Certainly since Ronnie won the UK champs I feel he has been targeting the 8-8-8, picking his tournaments, etc; once he is motivated on day 1 and stays that way until the end he won't be beaten, I feel. Odds: 5/2

Judd is the next favourite on paper, albeit he doesn't seem to be able to beat Ronnie, and also seems to excel more at the shorter format tournaments. His recent win in China could show the way for him - if Ronnie gets beaten by someone else before the semis, and Trump is still in, its his to lose. Odds: 7/2

Speaking of one time winners, Robertson has to be in with a shout. Looked good in China, best he has been all season, I actually thought during the Ding semi he would win the whole thing. Has something to prove now, the qualifiers can often be an advantage too. Odds: 12/1

I also think Mark Allen finally has a game that could go far in Sheffield. Incredibly composed these days, he plays his own game well and seems never phased by anyone or anything else. His demon is underperforming in Sheffield - out of 17 consecutive seasons being good enough to get in, he has only made the quarters 5 times, and the semis only twice. His ambition is to be No.1 and World Champion. I think he can go as far or farther than last years semi exit to Selby, (will have done him no harm to have recently out-Selbyed Selby in Riyadh). Odds: 12/1

For an outsider bet, Luca Brecel (16/1) can't be ruled out, Ding (16/1) should really have won it by now and still could, or Zhang Anda (28/1) who seems to not know nerves. Selby is a possible for sure, I just don't feel it (6/1).

Spiderpig92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121950249#Comment_121950249

Would certainly hold out on Robertson, 12s is crazy for someone that has to negotiate two qualifying rounds.

Arthur Daley

I'm expecting Mark Allen to make the final at this stage. 12/1 is an OK price.

Selby will get there again too, whether it's this year and three finals in four years remains to be seen. Got to be a little bit of value in that 6/1

Brian?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121950371#Comment_121950371

6/1 is too short for Selby. I’d take him at 10s.

I don’t think Trump has it in him. Ronnie always has a chance, but I’d love to see Zhang Anda win it.

Arthur Daley

This new girl Baipat and Mink, I seriously can't tell the difference.

John arse

The standard of the ladies isn't great tbf.

Arthur Daley

This mixed doubles has been brutal to watch. Can't see ITV having good viewing figures for this one.

And with the feast of snooker over the next 5 weeks even die hards will struggle to keep up the interest in it.

ArmaniJeanss

Tour Championship starts today. Top 12 players on the 1 year list. Best of 19 all the way. Table 1 on ITV4 and Table 2 on ITVx. Last event before Sheffield.

https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/sport/snooker/tour-championship-2024-schedule-order-of-play/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Tour_Championship#Tournament_draw

drury..

Best of 19 is a lot of snooker these days

Sullivan Carter possible matchup

Hopefully they're not clown tables like we've been seeing lately. Balls bouncing in off the jaws.

Arthur Daley

Tour Championship is a proper tournament. Great warm up for the Crucible.

If the venue in Central Manchester works out good this week, I might be heading there more, and cut back a bit on the Crucible if the ticket prices in Sheffield unfortunately get out of hand in the lead up to 2027.

drury..

Black bouncing in off the cushion to clinch the frame

mrunsure

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121961752#Comment_121961752

It turns out that table 2 isn't on ITVX after all. Surprising after they introduced table 2 coverage for the Players' Championship which is a less prestigious event.

ArmaniJeanss

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121963891#Comment_121963891

Oops, sorry for misleading info. It was an assumption on my part, seemed logical to me that they'd do it the way they had for the Players'.

Interesting debate amongst the players over the increase from 8 players to 12, with most of them against it including some of those who only got their place because of the expansion.

I think it's fine personally - allows them to have the two table set-up for a few days which guarantees snooker on TV as one game will be on session 1 whilst the other is on session 2. So even if the latter ends 10-0 there is still snooker for the fan/viewer to see.

And crucially it avoids a repeat of last year when none of Trump, Ronnie, Higgins or Williams were in the Top 8. Now obviously the 8 players who were there qualified on merit and the bigger players failed to qualify, so to an extent 'tough luck'. But commercial realities for sponsors/TV companies/ticket sales have to come into it as well.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_Tour_Championship#Tournament_draw

Spiderpig92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121961814#Comment_121961814

Used to be alright when 8 Players and 1 Tables - not so much anymore

Genghis

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121963891#Comment_121963891

Interesting. I had noticed they had ITV4 and ITVX on any graphic with match schedule, but also noticed that no presenter ever mentioned the second table would be on ITVX. Pretty bad form considering ITV has largely invested its reputation and future in offering dozens of streaming channels on ITVX. Would seem to be a no-brainer, they are capturing the video anyway, how hard would it be to put the stream up?

drury..

The captain in line for a tilt at O'Sullivan

I don't rate as him a player although he's performed well this year

O'Sullivan will likely beat him handily if they meet

drury..

Ive enjoyed itv tournaments reasonably well

The format wouldn't suit WCs where u want the top dogs Davis and Hendry supplying analysis between crucial frames

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121964461#Comment_121964461

Yeah Allen said the tournament was ruined by making it bigger. He said he would only mention it if he won yesterday

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121961796#Comment_121961796

Middle pockets at angle look very tough, so if the table's are playing "easy" why are the middle pockets not playing "easy"?

gormdubhgorm

I was caught out with the best of 19 sort of assumed it was best of 10 like they usually do in most tournaments. It makes the UK Championship even more of a lesser competition IMO. Starting to wonder should the UK be considered a "major" anymore. And this Tour Championship is more prestigious? More frames and difficult to qualify for etc.

drury..

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121965241#Comment_121965241

Ya middles tough corners easy from what I've been seeing overall

drury..

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121965252#Comment_121965252

Ya would catch U out the prestige of best of 19

drury..

Carter can play in full flow

Though as Roy Keane would say

He's not a top top player

drury..

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121965252#Comment_121965252

All good points

Spiderpig92

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121965332#Comment_121965332

He'd be a Top 5 Player and multiple major winner if his temperament was better.

Strikes the cue ball like a dream.

Genghis

For the good of the match it was a shame Hawkins did not win that 8th frame. He may get a couple early in the session but I don't think he has it in him today to get anywhere close to catching Carter.