2021 Masters 10/01/21 -17/01/21

weemcd · 12-01-2021 7:13pm

Masters is wide open now. The top two players out already.

Will be an interesting week. Selby out tonight has to fancy his chances. I wonder what shape O'Sullivan will be in tomorrow? If he had his head screwed on at all he'd have a decent chance.

gormdubhgorm · 12-01-2021 7:18pm

Rothko wrote: »

Well done to Yan. He played very cleverly in that final frame.

Didn't know Yan was such a shrewd tactican, enjoyed it.

eric hoone · 12-01-2021 7:44pm

weemcd wrote: »

Masters is wide open now. The top two players out already.

Will be an interesting week. Selby out tonight has to fancy his chances. I wonder what shape O'Sullivan will be in tomorrow? If he had his head screwed on at all he'd have a decent chance.

Selby knocked his tip off last week so he might have a problem with that...

Brian? · 12-01-2021 8:03pm

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Didn't know Yan was such a shrewd tactican, enjoyed it.

His tactical play is excellent normally, if anything he can be too conservative sometimes.

Arthur Daley · 12-01-2021 8:05pm

waynescales1 wrote: »

They could be watching the snooker for P.E..

It could help arithmetic.

'Mark Allen is 64 behind with four reds on the table. How many snookers does Mark need?

Sandor Clegane · 12-01-2021 11:43pm

It just doesn't get any more careless than that...

De Bhál · 12-01-2021 11:50pm

This could be good now with Selby looking for snookers

Genghis · 12-01-2021 11:56pm

Enjoyable enough match tonight. Selby very much off boil and Maguire holding his cool, 6-3 probably about right.

So that's top seed (Covid), second and fourth seed (knocked out) gone.

zuutroy · 13-01-2021 1:52pm

Ronnie practicing 6 hours a day. This should be interesting!

The Nal · 13-01-2021 2:52pm

zuutroy wrote: »

Ronnie practicing 6 hours a day.

Doesn't show so far!

sligeach · 13-01-2021 2:52pm

BBC's coverage of the Masters is pitiful. They're not showing Ding v O'Sullivan until 3pm, and probably won't show it live. Just 2 hours and again 2 hours in the evening on BBC4. Why not show the match now on that channel? There's nothing on it until the snooker at 7pm.

weemcd · 13-01-2021 2:55pm

sligeach wrote: »

BBC's coverage of the Masters is pitiful. They're not showing Ding v O'Sullivan until 3pm, and probably won't show it live. Just 2 hours and again 2 hours in the evening on BBC4. Why not show the match now on that channel? There's nothing on it until the snooker at 7pm.

Do you have access to the red button or better yet iplayer? If you go to the site you get full uninterrupted matches.

PS Ding has started brilliantly here while Ronnie has only potted a handful of balls. Ding seems to be cueing well and taking his chances. Any time he's slightly out of position he's recovered well on the next shot.

Joe_ Public · 13-01-2021 3:01pm

Feels like typical ronnie. No idea whether he really is doing all that running or practising but if he'd said he'd been slobbing out and not picked a cue up since early december, he'd probably proceed to shoot the lights out!

The Nal · 13-01-2021 3:02pm

FYI

BBC red button for Sky.

Page 2 here.

https://ekayi.com/sky-channel-codes-all-you-need/

Joe_ Public · 13-01-2021 3:30pm

That was good cueing there. Was 98% convinced he'd miss that for miles. Better signs now, looks like he has been practising!

eric hoone · 13-01-2021 3:39pm

Great frame by o'Sullivan to go 3-2. Anyone's match now

weemcd · 13-01-2021 3:39pm

Ronnie with a very inventive break only to pot the white.

I get the feeling Ronnie hasn't played badly at all so far, it's just that Ding has played very well in his own right.

3-2. This looks like it will be a good session of snooker.

Joe_ Public · 13-01-2021 3:40pm

Didn't look much but that was excellent break from ronnie, 6-7 shots on the blue and finished perfectly top side every time. I don't think there are many pros in the game have that level of control, why he's as good as he is.

The Nal · 13-01-2021 3:49pm

Thats mental that Ronnie played Fred Davis.

Oul Fred was still nippy around the table in his old age!

(Not the Ronnie footage)
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=353602671679436

Joe_ Public · 13-01-2021 4:00pm

The Nal wrote: »

Thats mental that Ronnie played Fred Davis.

Oul Fred was still nippy around the table in his old age!

(Not the Ronnie footage)
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=353602671679436

Remember fred still being a fixture on the circuit well into the 80s when he himself was in his 70s. Beat alex in the worlds when he was 62. Amazing longevity.

DelBoy Trotter · 13-01-2021 4:04pm

sligeach wrote: »

BBC's coverage of the Masters is pitiful. They're not showing Ding v O'Sullivan until 3pm, and probably won't show it live. Just 2 hours and again 2 hours in the evening on BBC4. Why not show the match now on that channel? There's nothing on it until the snooker at 7pm.

If you read back a few posts you'll see the reason the coverage isn't starting until 3 is due to home schooling programmes

weemcd · 13-01-2021 4:41pm

It's official I've heard my first Virgo "where's this cueball goingggggg" of the year even though the white ended up nowhere near the pocket.

Ronnie on the ropes here. Ding in but it doesn't look like a frame winning opportunity...

I could see this frame getting very scrappy now.

weemcd · 13-01-2021 4:48pm

First sign of nerves on Ding there...

This is enthralling stuff. Ronnie may bring it back to 5-4...

Joe_ Public · 13-01-2021 4:49pm

Ding hasn't missed much but that was virtual match ball and somehow he contrived to miss it. Head can't be great after that.

eric hoone · 13-01-2021 4:58pm

Cliffhanger!

weemcd · 13-01-2021 4:59pm

Another wobble from Ding potting the white.

Another scrappy frame coming.

I wonder can Ding hold it together? Can Ronnie capitalise?

weemcd · 13-01-2021 5:03pm

5-5

zuutroy · 13-01-2021 5:04pm

Best Ronnie's played in about 2 years.

eric hoone · 13-01-2021 5:05pm

Dings still playing well enough to win but I think he has a mental block about o'Sullivan

Genghis · 13-01-2021 5:07pm

eric hoone wrote: »

Dings still playing well enough to win but I think he has a mental block about o'Sullivan

Happens him practically every match. Early lead to Ding, Ronnie evens up, Ding charges forward to within a ball of the win, Ding wilts.

Reckon Ding is already goosed here, despite his good play.

Joe_ Public · 13-01-2021 5:10pm

That was tough red. Thought he might have left it.

The Nal · 13-01-2021 5:14pm

Steady stuff from Ronnie. Ding lost that though. Should've put him away.

Great match!

Joe_ Public · 13-01-2021 5:15pm

Was a good match, but old twitchy eye definitely lost it. Should have been home and hosed 6-3. Have to fancy ronnie to win it out now.

eric hoone · 13-01-2021 5:16pm

Ronnie's cuing very well

mrunsure · 13-01-2021 5:53pm

sligeach wrote: »

BBC's coverage of the Masters is pitiful. They're not showing Ding v O'Sullivan until 3pm, and probably won't show it live. Just 2 hours and again 2 hours in the evening on BBC4. Why not show the match now on that channel? There's nothing on it until the snooker at 7pm.

It sounds logical to use BBC Four and would be possible on satellite but not on digital terrestrial TV in the UK because the capacity is shared with CBeebies. The BBC has a policy of platform neutrality so satellite viewers can't have an advantage over terrestrial.

If you listen to Dave Hendon's latest podcast (Snooker Scene) he points out that CBBC is still showing regular children's programmes between 1 and 3 and suggests that could be used for education programmes instead of BBC Two.

Genghis · 13-01-2021 6:01pm

eric hoone wrote: »

Ronnie's cuing very well

His whole demeanour looks positive. He always does well where he joins a tournament late in the first round, he benefits from the near consecutive run of match days to a final; win today, then quarter Friday, semi Saturday, final Sunday. Definite contender for the championship.

sligeach · 13-01-2021 6:03pm

Ding is the perennial bottler. He threw that away and played some shocking stuff in the latter half of the match. He'll never win the World Championship. He should have won 6-3 and blew it.

Arthur Daley · 13-01-2021 6:17pm

mrunsure wrote: »

If you listen to Dave Hendon's latest podcast (Snooker Scene) he points out that CBBC is still showing regular children's programmes between 1 and 3 and suggests that could be used for education programmes instead of BBC Two.

You just know that anyone who suggests putting snooker on over Children's programming at the moment would be rounded on en masse, so they are on a hiding to nothing. Get Eurosport or watch on the website would be the answer.

TheHopeful · 13-01-2021 6:21pm

Ding ding ding. So frustrating to watch. It's seems like every time I see him play Ronnie it's a case of the match is at his mercy and he throws it away every time.

Ronnie played some lovely stuff at times. The 4th frame in particular he had some fantastic brave attacking longish pots.

weemcd · 13-01-2021 6:25pm

Higgins v Allen tonight, makings of another brilliant match.

Winner of that would have to be up there with the favourites.

I'd LOVE to see Higgins take it.

gormdubhgorm · 13-01-2021 6:26pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Was a good match, but old twitchy eye definitely lost it. Should have been home and hosed 6-3. Have to fancy ronnie to win it out now.

Poor auld Ding needs a Chinese Steve Peters I think.

gormdubhgorm · 13-01-2021 6:43pm

TheHopeful wrote: »

.
Ronnie played some lovely stuff at times. The 4th frame in particular he had some fantastic brave attacking longish pots.

Lovely touch shots time and again to open up the black spot. The best one I remember was when he was 3-0 down in the fourth frame. Completely opened up the table. He would have made a great Billiards player as well.

Has a great knack of knowing how to split the pack to without relying on luck as well. In the zone as Ronnie called it in his interview playing a bit quicker.

Joe_ Public · 13-01-2021 7:04pm

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Poor auld Ding needs a Chinese Steve Peters I think.

It's very strange, i never thought a lad who came to england at 15, on his own and without a word of the language, would ever struggle with his mental game but ding just seems to lack that necessary bottle at times. Pity really cos he has all the other requirements to be an all time great.

gormdubhgorm · 13-01-2021 7:17pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

It's very strange, i never thought a lad who came to england at 15, on his own and without a word of the language, would ever struggle with his mental game but ding just seems to lack that necessary bottle at times. Pity really cos he has all the other requirements to be an all time great.

Must be very frustrating for those close to him and his supporters. It has happened to many times to be a fluke at this stage. I think Hendry described the mad Brown he took on in the last frame as a 'head gone' moment. He had no way of getting nice on a red from it.

I wonder does he practice much with Yan? Because he took a small bit out of his book he would be the complete player.

It just shows in snooker a player has to have the four decent components to be the real top notch they need tactics, potting, mental strength and ruthlessness. Being weak one of those four and players don't do as well as they should.

Joe_ Public · 13-01-2021 7:34pm

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Must be very frustrating for those close to him and his supporters. It has happened to many times to be a fluke at this stage. I think Hendry described the mad Brown he took on in the last frame as a 'head gone' moment. He had no way of getting nice on a red from it.

I wonder does he practice much with Yan? Because he took a small bit out of his book he would be the complete player.

It just shows in snooker a player has to have the four decent components to be the real top notch they need tactics, potting, mental strength and ruthlessness. Being weak one of those four and players don't do as well as they should.

Ding is just hard to work out, that brown the way he played it made no sense on any level. Just trying to figure out what was in his head as he played it is impossible. His post match interview was strange too, seemed to suggest he's not really loving playing under these circumstances but that's not much of an excuse i don't think. A lovely guy but the old enigma wrapped in a puzzle etc definitely applies in his situation i'd say.

gormdubhgorm · 13-01-2021 7:37pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Ding is just hard to work out, that brown the way he played it made no sense on any level. Just trying to figure out what was in his head as he played it is impossible. His post match interview was strange too, seemed to suggest he's not really loving playing under these circumstances but that's not much of an excuse i don't think. A lovely guy but the old enigma wrapped in a puzzle etc definitely applies in his situation i'd say.

It was almost as if he was fighting off the tears in the interview afterwards, he knew he blew it, again.

Joe_ Public · 13-01-2021 7:38pm

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Lovely touch shots time and again to open up the black spot. The best one I remember was when he was 3-0 down in the fourth frame. Completely opened up the table. He would have made a great Billiards player as well.

Has a great knack of knowing how to split the pack to without relying on luck as well. In the zone as Ronnie called it in his interview playing a bit quicker.

Remember him doing a piece on pack splitting on one of his always interesting eurosport shows, explaining how he'd changed his approach over the years from all out busting reds everywhere to cherrypicking a couple to move each time when possible. Said it helped him keep better control of a break and less likelihood of going out of position. Fascinating insight.

waynescales1 · 13-01-2021 8:12pm

Fuming I had to miss Ding V ROS, sounded like a great match.

Will have to settle for the Pistol v The Wizard.

waynescales1 · 13-01-2021 9:40pm

“Some flukes are so embarrassing, you daren’t apologise.”

Dominic Dale is quality in the com box. The BBC were foolish to let him go.

AllForIt · 13-01-2021 10:05pm

waynescales1 wrote: »

“Some flukes are so embarrassing, you daren’t apologise.”

Dominic Dale is quality in the com box. The BBC were foolish to let him go.

I agree. One of my favourite commentators currently.

Dull match so far.

2021 Masters 10/01/21 -17/01/21

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