Snooker Season 2023/24

Brian?

Zhang playing some unreal snooker

Arthur Daley

Zhang Anda won't have a better chance of winning a ranking event 7-3 up against a Cold Trump.

Looking at 7-7 now and a best of three against a fully warmed up Judd Trump

The Nal

Two incredible comebacks from Trump this week. Great tournament.

ArmaniJeanss

Few of the top players skipping Belfast to play in Macau instead in an unsanctioned event. (Daily Mail story, so likely to have a few facts wrong and to be over-hyperbolic).

Snooker in crisis as sport's top stars including Mark Selby and John Higgins lead player mutiny after refusing to play in Northern Ireland in favour of a more lucrative event in China | Daily Mail Online

Arthur Daley

Mark Selby, John Higgins and Luca Brecel lead player mutiny with WST https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-12608091/Mark-Selby-John-Higgins-Luca-Brecel-lead-player-mutiny-shunning-Northern-Ireland-Open-play-lucrative-Macau-exhibition-Ronnie-OSullivan-accuses-WST-trying-scare-players.html?ito=native_share_article-nativemenubutton

Expect this story to rumble on for weeks. Part of the problem is how cluttered the tour calendar is now. Which is a sign of the success of the televised game.

And there is a rush back to China and other parts of Asia after nearly 4 years away. But the Northern Ireland Open needs a strong field, after a decade building up the tournament and most around the tour love the week in the Waterfront.

Arthur Daley

You wait around for a post on a breaking snooker story......

Snake Plisken

Just watching the highlight of Ronnie and Ken on the Eurosport YouTube channel anyone know who the Irish guy is doing co-commentary?

Arthur Daley

Probably Fergal O'Brien

Snake Plisken

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121215294#Comment_121215294

That's good for Fergal to get a bit of commentary work under his belt

Brian?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121216223#Comment_121216223

He’s quite good at it too.

Himself and Gentleman Joe together would be the dream team for me.

Genghis

Aaron Hill doing well in Wuhan. He is in final 16, which is his second time to get to ranking final 16 (and career best).

Aaron beat Ben Woollaston 5-1 R1, beat Martin O'Donnell 5-1 R2 and now faces 88th rank He Guoqiang for a spot in the quarters.

12.30 tomorrow, same time as Ronnie so probably only on Discovery plus, minus Comms.

I've checked Cuetracker, the £12k he has earned already by getting to last 16 beats his previous best pay day (£10k for reaching last 80 of WSC 2023). If he makes it to the quarters prize is guaranteed £16k.

Welcome ranking points too, even the 12k will put him in touching distance of top 64 and will over take Ken Doherty.

Arthur Daley

Yes he needs to secure top 64 this time and is on course for it. To avoid any risk of dropping off tour a 2nd time.

He was probably a bit lucky he ran into Martin O'Donnell instead of John Higgins.

B2021M

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121226072#Comment_121226072

Probably but O'Donnell has had good wins in last few weeks too.

Genghis

Aaron Hill match apparently not on Discovery+ or anywhere else. Lost first frame, won second so 1-1 currently.

Genghis

Aaron makes a 136 to go 4-2.

Heighway61

5-3. Good result. Going well.

Glenman

Yes, a great result for Aaron Hill into the last 8.

waynescales1

At long last Hill makes a QF, today was his first last 16 match since 2020 if I'm not mistaken. His progress has been pretty slow, it's 3 years since his win against O'Sullivan.

Wonder when the last time there was an Irish player in the QF of any tournament was. Looks like Hill's QF against Wu Yize is at 7:30am tomorrow, might try catch the end, surely it'll be on somewhere.

mrunsure

It has been on Discovery+ and now is also on Eurosport because the other quarter final has finished early. Hill currently leading 3-1.

Genghis

Catching up on Discovery+, he seems to be doing well today, not giving anything away.

mrunsure

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121231107#Comment_121231107

Hill is playing on when he needs 5 snookers.

Heighway61

Ahead 3 - 4 now. Momentum was with Wu, looking like he was going to take 3 in a row but brilliant comeback clearance in the seventh from Aaron stopped Wu in his tracks.

Winner to play Trump.

Heighway61

Decider.

Glenman

Unlucky 5-4 defeat

Heighway61

Could have won that. A semi-final would have been very nice. Was that his first quarters? Good week though. He's playing very well at the moment.

Genghis

Hope he views this as a major success (reaching a high-prize QF) and not a missed opportunity (one foot in the semi).

Should be very proud of himself. As well as getting to the QF, worth noting that last time I checked he had equaled the tournament high break (albeit his was in qualifying stage, Ali Carters 145 was in the main tournament .. so not sure he shares the prize).

The Nal

Ronnie going out here

weemcd

Does any one know what the rules are regarding using multiple cues in a match?

I see for some reason Shaun Murphy has three cues now. Probably thinks he's gonna reinvent the snooker, the knob. Just wondering would he bbe allowed to take three out with him?

Arthur Daley

No problem as far as I know, and Murphy said for a while now he was going to try this act.

Rothko

Well done to Ken on qualifying for the Northern Irish Open. Beat Highfield 4-3.