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2019 World Snooker Championship (Mod Note Post One)

Frank O. Pinion

Mod Note: From here on out, any mention of Higgins match fixing stuff will result in a card, fair enough you don't like him but it's already caused enough derailment of this thread and it's really just boring at this stage

Only 12 days until the biggest Snooker event begins, but the qualifying rounds start in two days.

2019 World Snooker Championship Qualifiers
Wednesday, 10th April - Wednesday, 17th April
Eurosport Player

2019 World Snooker Championship
Saturday, 20th April - Monday, 6th May
BBC & Eurosport

Winner: £500,000
Runner-up: £200,000
Semi-Final: £100,000
Quarter-Final: £50,000
Last 16: £30,000
Last 32: £20,000
Highest break: £10,000
Maximum break: £5,000

Top half:

Mark Williams (defending champion) v TBD
David Gilbert v TBD
Barry Hawkins v TBD
Kyren Wilson v TBD
John Higgins (last year's runner-up) v TBD
Stuart Bingham v TBD
Shaun Murphy v TBD
Neil Robertson v TBD

Bottom half:

Mark Selby v TBD
Luca Brecel v TBD
Jack Lisowski v TBD
Mark Allen v TBD
Judd Trump v TBD
Ding Junhui v TBD
Stephen Maguire v TBD
Ronnie O'Sullivan v TBD

Top half looks like an "easy" path to the final for Robertson, with how good he's been playing lately. I'll be rooting for Williams to at least make the final again, although that's not very probable. Barry Hawkins in the top half would be a dark horse to go deep again. It'd be very surprising if Shaun Murphy got past the first/second round.

Bottom half is death. O'Sullivan, Trump, and Allen, three of the four best players all season (Robertson being the other), plus Selby who could grind out a decent run. Ronnie/Trump could meet in the QFs. Dark horse from bottom half is Luca Brecel, Stephen Maguire has no chance.

Bookies have O'Sullivan, Trump, and Robertson as 1st/2nd/3rd favourites. I'd agree with those three, but Robertson more of a favourite than Trump. Possibility of an O'Sullivan/Robertson final, which has already happened twice this season. Overall, O'Sullivan is the clear favourite, especially since his recent Tour Championship semi-final win over Trump. I do hope he wins, and gets his sixth World title, equalling Steve Davis' record.

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DJIMI TRARORE

I doubt he'll ever win the worlds or even get to many WC finals

Say Your Number

Ding is the most frustrating player to follow, all the talent in the world, but this infuriating inconsistency, about a decade ago I thought he'd be a nailed on World Champion, now I'm beginning to doubt that.

The Iron Giant

Both winners back in action tomorrow at 2.30 is fairly harsh.

I know it's the schedule but such a quick turnaround and then for Higgins or Bingham to face into Robertson...ouch.

gormdubhgorm

Ding got jammy covering that yellow , jayus it's great tension.

gormdubhgorm

martyos121 wrote: »

One of the best centuries of the tournament from Trump there, couple of great canons along the way. He’s looking like a potential champion tonight, but doing it for one session isn’t enough, this form has to continue.

I think he blows to hot and cold not consistent enough to win it.
Of course I could look very foolish after this post is read on the 6th of May.

Edit: Trump just missed and broke down at 51 leading 12 frames to 9.

martyos121

One of the best centuries of the tournament from Trump there, couple of great canons along the way. He’s looking like a potential champion tonight, but doing it for one session isn’t enough, this form has to continue.

The Nal

What a century there from Trump. Ding going home soon.

gormdubhgorm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

I've tended to be a little against K Wilson in the past, just always looked a bit workmanlike to me to be considered a potential world champion, but definitely wont be making that mistake again. Very impressive in closing out that match today, not many young guys i see as having the grit and mental stamina for these long matches, but he's definitely one of them. No reason for him to fear any opponent from here on in.

Ronnie O'Sullivan tipped Kryon Wilson as future world champion sometime earlier this year because he has the 'bottle' etc.

xi5yvm0owc1s2b

Ding hasn't shown up tonight. Trump wins all four frames before the midsession interval to lead 11-9.

Loafing Oaf

Evalyn Ripe Canvas wrote: »

Ding would need to pick up his game here.

The way Trump is playing it doesn't like it would make any difference...

xi5yvm0owc1s2b

Trump wins the first two frames of the evening to level at 9-9. Ding would need to pick up his game here.

Loafing Oaf

Two balls wiped their feet before dropping for Trump at a crucial stage of the first evening frame there. Good omen for him perhaps...

Joe_ Public

I've tended to be a little against K Wilson in the past, just always looked a bit workmanlike to me to be considered a potential world champion, but definitely wont be making that mistake again. Very impressive in closing out that match today, not many young guys i see as having the grit and mental stamina for these long matches, but he's definitely one of them. No reason for him to fear any opponent from here on in.

Hotblack Desiato

Yeah, Hawkins looked unstoppable in the first session, Wilson did well to catch up and eventually beat him. Can't warm to Wilson though for some reason.

Also, was harsh on Ding earlier, he's not a boring player I just didn't find that session yesterday very entertaining.

Joe_ Public

spurshero wrote: »

having watched a bit last couple of days the pockets are a joke . theres balls dropping that have no right to be . once you hit the edge or knuckle at all there in. makes a bit of a mockery of the whole thing

Sadly very true. Seems to have turned that way since around 2015 and it does put all the centuries players are getting into perspective once you consider there are probably one or two balls every break that just shouldn't be dropping. "I forgot we were playing on 9 ball pool tables," Dominic Dale said after one Kyren Wilson shot dropped that looked to bounce an inch from the jaw. It just shouldnt be happening.

It's not, as people might think, that the pockets themselves are bigger, but that the cloths they play on are now so ultra-thin that table fitters have to widen the arc of the pocket entry because the cloth would rip too easily upon repeated impact. That's not me explaining, but an actual table fitter who was interviewed on the bbc during last years championship. Also, the balls will slide more easily off the cushion and tend to catch the far jaws and drop in. It's not that there's an actual magnet inside the pocket or anything, it just looks that way sometimes!

waynescales1

Disappointed for Hawkins, likable guy. Run of 6 QFs in a row comes to an end.

zuutroy

zuutroy wrote: »

Just about to have a go at the challenge in winter garden

Won a medal! Heading to Bingham v Higgins later.

Loafing Oaf

And that's another Wilson through:pac:

zuutroy

Just about to have a go at the challenge in winter garden

waynescales1

Frame 21, missed straight forward pink from Wilson and Hawkins clears up, could be significant. 11-10.

The Nal

walshb wrote: »

Kind of noticed this

But surely they are made to a spec? Tested etc?

They are but the conditions change every day. Humidity, heat etc.

Every year theres some issue. A couple of years ago it was the bounce from the cushions.

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/othersport/950501/Snooker-World-Championship-Crucible

https://www.bbc.com/sport/snooker/36121634

walshb

spurshero wrote: »

having watched a bit last couple of days the pockets are a joke . theres balls dropping that have no right to be . once you hit the edge or knuckle at all there in. makes a bit of a mockery of the whole thing

Kind of noticed this

But surely they are made to a spec? Tested etc?

spurshero

having watched a bit last couple of days the pockets are a joke . theres balls dropping that have no right to be . once you hit the edge or knuckle at all there in. makes a bit of a mockery of the whole thing

xi5yvm0owc1s2b

No morning session today, but the four remaining second-round matches will all play to a finish later.

Afternoon session (1 pm):

Kyren Wilson 7-9 Barry Hawkins (winner plays David Gilbert)

Ali Carter 7-9 Zhou Yuelong (winner plays Gary Wilson)

Evening session (7 pm):

John Higgins 8-8 Stuart Bingham (winner plays Neil Robertson)

Judd Trump 7-9 Ding Junhui (winner plays Stephen Maguire)

The Iron Giant

Nuts102 wrote: »

From the front angle his waistcoat looks nowhere near the ball

Surely they had another angle and he is a very experiencd ref but it looked dodgy to me

I disagree, I think Verhaas would be extremely reluctant to call a foul in that instance unless he was 100% convinced there was a touch. Whilst I agree that no angles are there to show it, there are equally no angles to say otherwise and if he was wrong, itd be a big story

Backstreet Moyes

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

Terrible sessions tonight.

Fast forwarded through most of both of them and didn't miss anything.

Wilson, Carter, Bingham and Ding are so bloody boring to watch, hope they get knocked out.

Have to disagree regarding Ding he is great to watch in amongst the balls such a good break builder

They are pretty close on the average shot time, Trump hits the ball harder and trys to impress when the frame is over but that's it I think he is massively overrated

Loafing Oaf

Just stuck a few quid on Trump for the title at 'enhanced' odds of 6/1. Obviously not guaranteed to beat Ding at this stage, but if he does I can't see him not making the final. I'm already on Robertson and I'd fancy him against anyone else from the other half of the draw.

Backstreet Moyes

walshb wrote: »

Any more talk on Cahill’s foul on the pink yesterday?

Wax the referee correct?

From the front angle his waistcoat looks nowhere near the ball

Surely they had another angle and he is a very experiencd ref but it looked dodgy to me

Hotblack Desiato

Terrible sessions tonight.

Fast forwarded through most of both of them and didn't miss anything.

Wilson, Carter, Bingham and Ding are so bloody boring to watch, hope they get knocked out.

walshb

Any more talk on Cahill’s foul on the pink yesterday?

Was the referee correct?