Snooker Season 2024/25

ArmaniJeanss

A few ranking events completed already. World Champion Kyren Wilson took a £180K pot in China, and Judd Trump won the mega £500K first prize in Saudi.

Calendar here 2024–25 snooker season - Wikipedia

On-going is the first of the Home Nations series, with the English Open in Brentwood. Coverage on Eurosport.

Semi-finals today. Chris Wakelin is the highest ranked player remaining (not a sentence often typed) and tonight plays Neil Robertson who is hopefully having a return to form. In the afternoon Wu Yize is up against Ishpreet Chadra. The latter is a new name to me anyway, Indian lad from Mumbai in his late 20s. Got to be good for the game if another country can get involved at a high level. Hasn't had a soft run by any means, beating Dott, Jak Jones, HossVaf and Mark Selby, so must have something to his game.

Brian?

Wu Yize is making the best comeback in ever seen.

extra-ordinary_

Is that a sprung floor or what, with the noise of Robertson striding around?

The Nal

Cheap floor aside, nice to see Robbo back winning

cudsy1

Aaron hill in a decider with ding

Rothko

Great win for Aaron over Ding

The Nal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122646461#Comment_122646461

Williams lost. Ronnie pulled out 2 hours before his match

Arthur Daley

Good win for Aaron, bit unlucky to draw Mark Allen in last 64, but that's the flat draw for you.

Allen wasn't happy with the tables at all today, so may be out of sorts here.

Willo all over the shop with that hollow sounding cue he has for the last 2 weeks. Aluminium ferrule, he didn't sound too convinced. Hendry says he's been paid plenty for it, but if he keeps going home early, it'll soon turn into a liability.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122647511#Comment_122647511

I watched a bit of that Williams Thor match noticed the sound of Williams cue straight away, then started thinking maybe I was imagining it, surely he wouldn't play with a cue that was that bad etc.

But they commented on it at the analysis post match. Hendry basically said the noise goes "through him" "like a nail on a blackboard". Plus implied Williams was paid money to play with that cue.

Also said Williams was stubborn and won't change even if was not working. I never saw that Thor fella play before (even though he is around awhile), although Williams was poor, Thor played some solid/sensible sort of snooker.

I didn't see the Hill/Ding match but will watch back highlights. I like the way Hill talks about his game seems enthusiastic willing to learn/improve.

Genghis

Anyone know if Allen / Hill is on the TV table? I reckon Hill has a chance if Mark is not playing Table 1 (a lot of his rant yesterday was to do with him not being happy to not be on the main table, I reckon he will be fuming if he is on the same table today).

cudsy1

On itv4

Sporting a pair of ons I believe

cudsy1

Not at the races. Hendry and main comms being nice to him

Rothko

At least he got a frame on the board now.

Arthur Daley

Stan Moody into the last 16 with a win over Zhang Anda.

Moody has just turned 18 and he is moving up the rankings, should be into the top 64 soon if he keeps this up.

Brian?

I don’t understand the British open. It’s a home nations event that isn’t a home nation’s event.

I’m generally not a best of 7 fan, so 2 weeks in a row is a real turn off for me

The Nal

RIP

Remeber being delighted he got to commentate on Ronnies 1000

https://www.rte.ie/sport/snooker/2024/0927/1472305-voice-of-snooker-everton-dies-aged-87/

Arthur Daley

Clive got to a big age, he was commenting right up to when the lockdown shut the sport in Feb 2020.

Been reading his book, he really loved the sport, a legendary commentator.

The British Open trophy presented on Sunday is named after him and everyone around the tour will be sad this week.

The Nal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122655894#Comment_122655894

You and everyone else. Luca Brecel the other night. Recent world champion and I doubt there were 20 people at it. It looked like a covid tournament.

Arthur Daley

Trump hitting his 1,000th century. Years ahead of O'Sullivan amd Higgins did it.

Of course a lot more frames now, but could Trump end up with 2,000 before he is done.

ebbsy

RIP Clive.

A cast iron legend.

TheChrisD

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122655894#Comment_122655894

It's never been a home nation event, though. Also since it was brought back in 2021, it's been the yearly "open random draw each round" tournament, like the UK Open in darts.

Brian?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122662664#Comment_122662664

I know all this.

My opinion is that it’s shite. Let’s just leave it there.

Arthur Daley

Selby vs this new Mark Allen, this could be a long old night

Brian?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122663886#Comment_122663886

I remember when Allen used to be one of the more attacking players to watch. He’s gone full Selby though.

Arthur Daley

Last session of the week moved to ITV3 because of La Liga football.

And ITV3 recently made a move on the satellite, so may need to be tuned in.

ITV3 is now on 11344 H 27500 if you manually tune in.

Arthur Daley

Good win for 62 year old James White beating Jackson Page to qualify for the Northern Ireland Open in Belfast.

Aaron Hill lost so won't be in Belfast in three weeks time.

gormdubhgorm

Nice to see Selby back, John Higgins as well. Seems to be same issue with Higgins when he gets to finals, he just gets knackered at the latter part of a match. That foul hitting black was a good example of what happens him.

Brian?

Poor Higgins has the yips. I think he’ll slip out of the 16 at the end of the year and retire.

El_Duderino 09

147s flying in this season. Already 11 this calendar year which is 2 more than last year.

Seems to be one a week for the last few weeks.

Interesting to see the 147s per year here.

Zhao Xintong made one this week in a Q School tournament so I'm not sure if it counts.

Mark Allen made back-to-back 147s in an exhibition in the few last weeks, which is pretty cool.

https://www.sportinglife.com/snooker/news/how-many-147-breaks-in-snooker-have-been-made-and-who-made-them/35800

Arthur Daley

Another good win for Stan Moody over 18 in the rankings Ryan Day.

That lad will be looking to target the 32 next year if he keeps this progress up.

Genghis

Aaron Hill whitewashed. He is not having a good start to the season by any means (Ding win aside) and without studying every probability, I think he will sadly be outside the top 64 by the end of the week.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122693378#Comment_122693378

I had a look the other day and he's bang around 60-64 at the moment.

But I thought he got a 2 year tour card at the end of last season which put him in for this season and next season. Open to correction on that.

Genghis

No, you are right @El_Duderino 09 he will have a card next year regardless, no panic yet! I was just commenting he will drop outside the top half, having fought so hard to be in the top half last season.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122696209#Comment_122696209

Yeah I get you. Would be nice to see him climb the rankings a bit. Being in the top 64 is good, but he doesn't want to be teetering in the edge every 2 years.

Spiderpig92

Hill's 2 Year card came to an end at the end of last season but obviously kept this place by being in the top 64 so essentially needs to stay inside the 64 all the time now. Good news is that on the season end list (a bit early yet but a good indicator) he is up to 55.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122690118#Comment_122690118

I am surprised a player has not really went for back to back 147's, or even two 147's in match, just to be the first.

I had to laugh at that list, I remember back in 1992 I was trying to have the video ready to record 147's when they replayed them (during the interval of a competition) in case you missed them etc. Jumping up out of the chair to press record. Times have changed in a lot of ways.

Notable how 1999 was a real outlier year with 10, that's common now.

Arthur Daley

https://youtu.be/iGbl1MJ6LRs?si=o7eNz1l-c9sb1_8V

Finn Ruane who runs Crossguns was on the Snooker Hall podcast this week. Includes a preview of the NI Open starting in Belfast on Sunday.

Arthur Daley

Dave Hendon also did the top 10 players from Ireland North and South on his Snooker Scene podcast this week.

All worth a listen for Irish snooker fans.

El_Duderino 09

Stephen Lee is coming towards the end of his 12 year snooker ban for match fixing. He could play next season if he wanted to go to que school.

He says he's asked every day whether he'll return or not. He didn't rule it out so I suspect he enjoys the speculation. But he's 55 and has been off the tour for 12 years so its unlikely.

Mostly a media story but interesting to see what happens.

ArmaniJeanss

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122732223#Comment_122732223

He was fined a big amount, and the tribunal costs awarded against him. Total was well over £100K. I doubt he's paid a penny of it - no legal compulsion to do so. But I guess they'd expect it paid if he came back, so it would likely be an unsurmountable barrier for him.

El_Duderino 09

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122732960#Comment_122732960

Yeah that's what Shaun Murphy said too. I've seen £125,000 as the outstanding dent.

HoHowever good he was, I don't know if he would make that kind of money if he came back for a few years. He's 55. Even if hes avoided becoming jaded by the travel and the lifestyle living out of hotels, he's likely to be too old to be a top 64 player anymore.

Number 64 earns about 90k a year. Given they have to pay tax and live and travel to events on that money, it's unlikely he could pay off the debt and have money left over. Probably not worth it even if he was able to play to a decent standard.

Arthur Daley

Trump looked what he is, the best player in the World again, got to be a strong favourite this week in Belfast.

Luca Brecel scrapes a nervy win. What a fall for him in 18 months. He has been in danger of falling out of the 64 if he doesn't knuckle down, get some form and rack up a few more wins.

And Stan Moody continues his progress, back to back tons and beating Ryan Day. This lad is the real deal I do think.

The Nal

Ronnie pulls out for "medical reasons"

Arthur Daley

Jimmy v Vafaei supposed to be a 3pm afternoon match. But like the 2010 World final Robertson v Dott went on.

So Jimmy started late, but still not over gone 8 o'clock and not even into a decider.

Brian?

great win for Jimmy. But he’s not looking too well at all.

Arthur Daley

He is 62 and the hard living will catch up with you. But has good stamina to battle through that long match and beat a top 20-24 player in Vafaei.

ArmaniJeanss

Thoughts on the Vafaei 'D foul'? Strange one really. The ref was repeatedly '100% sure' but it didn't look clearcut to me.

Apparently the rule is that the 'cue-tip must strike the ball within the D', and not just that the ball must be within the D. In which case the ref's call looks more accurate, but would also call into question hundreds of other such shots where a player has placed the ball on the yellow or green spot and shot into an opposite pocket.

Was the cue ball in the D? 'Never seen before' foul causes stir in 'nightmare' Jimmy White v Hossein Vafaei clash - Eurosport

loyatemu

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122748365#Comment_122748365

the ref doesn't mention the cue tip, so I don't think that's the issue. He's claiming HV placed the ball slightly off the yellow spot. In the article it says he could have asked the ref if the placement was OK, but presumably if he thought there was any risk he would have just moved the ball slightly to the left anyway. It does look like it might be a bit too far right.

ArmaniJeanss

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122748488#Comment_122748488

Yeah, the cue-tip thing may well be a red herring - fwiw I got it from here.

That cue ball looked on the line to me?! : r/snooker

I'd agree it looks like it might be out (and that's the majority view on the reddit thread) but it's really marginal. Not something you can casually glance at from a distance and make a definitive call. Obviously if the ref had done a close-up inspection then HV would have been aware and corrected. So the ref is in a bit of a bind as he can't interfere by warning a player he might be about to commit a foul.

Arthur Daley

Last night Mark Allen said he would always ask the ref before getting down on the shot for this very reason, so a lot of players would have come across this before.

In theory this rule could be used every frame at break off.

Muppet Man

well, I was looking myself today from a youtube still, overlayed with some shapes. In my view, the centre of the cue ball is outside the D, but only by a couple of millimetres…. I hadnt heard the rule about the tip striking the ball within the D, which honestly if correct, I feel has been compromised plenty of times and never called. In this instance, I think the ref was calling the cue ball outside the D, and I would be inclined to agree with him.

Hossein Foul.png