Minor Tournaments Discussion 2018/19.

waynescales1 · 22-02-2019 3:52pm

"he had spent the night with an escort girl, Abigayle, he had met at a religious youth group." - what?

Inviere · 22-02-2019 4:21pm

Frank O. Pinion wrote: »

Class act off the table?

Murphy moved to Rotherham during the 2004 season to be with his fiancée, Clare, whom he married in July 2005. Murphy's wife filed for divorce in 2009 on the grounds of infidelity after The People newspaper published an exposé revealing he had spent the night with an escort girl, Abigayle, he had met at a religious youth group. Murphy's then manager, Brandon Parker, issued a statement confirming that Murphy had slept with the woman but denied he had been unfaithful, stating that Murphy did not have sex with her.

Their romp came after he walked out on Clare, cruelly leaving a note on the stairs of their £400,000 home in Rotherham, South Yorks. Clare, who met Murphy in an online Christian chatroom, is now divorcing him on the grounds of adultery with Abigayle.

I was referring to how he handles himself in interviews, how he speaks of other players, and of the game in general. His own personal life is his own, and the above is not necessarily the full story either. Nobody bats an eyelid to Stephen Hendry leaving his wife for a younger girl, or Ronnie muttering to a Chinese interviewer if she’d like to “nosh on this” etc, so whatever relationship issues Shaun was having then, are his own business.

Joe_ Public · 22-02-2019 6:00pm

I wouldn’t personally be his biggest fan, nothing against him either, but ive heard Shaun give a few interviews where he talks about mistakes he’s made in his life and how he’s tried to be a better person. The chalk incident with Stephen Maguire is something that coloured my attitude against him but, like above described episode, it happened a long time ago and think he learned from it. Everybody entitled to a second chance far as I’m concerned.

Frank O. Pinion · 22-02-2019 6:35pm

Yep, just a weird story, I thought. He plays tonight in the Shoot-Out against Mark King.

Another weird fact: Ronnie O'Sullivan is a Grandad...

Inviere · 22-02-2019 6:42pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

I wouldn’t personally be his biggest fan, nothing against him either, but ive heard Shaun give a few interviews where he talks about mistakes he’s made in his life and how he’s tried to be a better person. The chalk incident with Stephen Maguire is something that coloured my attitude against him but, like above described episode, it happened a long time ago and think he learned from it. Everybody entitled to a second chance far as I’m concerned.

What happened, didn’t hear that one...

Joe_ Public · 22-02-2019 6:47pm

Inviere wrote: »

What happened, didn’t hear that one...

Not his finest hour it has to be said.

http://snookerscene.blogspot.com/2008/09/maguire-and-murphy-like-chalk-and.html

Inviere · 22-02-2019 7:12pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Not his finest hour it has to be said.

http://snookerscene.blogspot.com/2008/09/maguire-and-murphy-like-chalk-and.html

Yeah bit of a schoolyard vibe off that one, think I do remember it now actually.

Joe_ Public · 22-02-2019 7:57pm

Inviere wrote: »

Yeah bit of a schoolyard vibe off that one, think I do remember it now actually.

Worst thing about it, iirc, was murphy insisting afterwards that ganley had been called in by the match ref when it had been well established that it was the player himself who had insisted on it. Not sure what on earth he was thinking in that situation.

AllForIt · 25-02-2019 12:01am

Un-nooh wins the Shoot Out.

Didn't particularly enjoy the dumbing down of snooker myself.

Although I did enjoy the game I played with myself which was which animal does the shout outs from the crowd most sound like, sometimes a chicken, a monkey...

Arthur Daley · 25-02-2019 12:03am

It can be a bit of fun, and again it gives some lesser known players a bit of table time on TV. But once a year is enough for it.

Inviere · 25-02-2019 7:40am

Is that the tournament with the shot clock and the darts audience?

Frank O. Pinion · 25-02-2019 3:59pm

Great win for Un-Nooh, who was 40/1 at the start of the tournament, beating Michael Holt 74-0. He made a 139 break in his semi-final against Jamie Clarke, which is a new Shoot-Out highest break record. That got him an extra £2,000 on top of his winner's prize of £32,000. And a place in November's Champion of Champions event, where he'll get another £12,500, even if he loses in the first round.

A player from the Shoot-Out to look out for, 16 year old, Ryan Davies, who made it to the last 16. Ronnie was very impressed with him, potted some fantastic long shots.

Next-up on the tour is the Indian Open. It was due to take place last September, but was postponed due to the Kerala floods. Starts this Wednesday, 27th February and finishes on Sunday, 3rd March. No TV channel is listed as airing this event, but it will be available on the Eurosport player. Winner's prize is £50,000, John Higgins is the defending champion. A qualifying round took place in August 2018, so the event starts with the round of 64, plus some held over matches.

Joe_ Public · 25-02-2019 6:47pm

Inviere wrote: »

Is that the tournament with the shot clock and the darts audience?

Remember watching one of the first years it was on while Martin Gould was playing and there were 4 or 5 morons singing that line out of the Spandau Ballet song over and over again until everybody was fed up except themselves who thought they were being hilarious. Knew there and then this was never going to be for me.

Inviere · 25-02-2019 6:49pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Remember watching one of the first years it was on while Martin Gould was playing and there were 4 or 5 morons singing that line out of the Spandau Ballet song over and over again until everybody was fed up except themselves who thought they were being hilarious. Knew there and then this was never going to be for me.

The shot clock I could live with as a once off tournament, but the drunken yobbish carry on belongs nowhere near a professional snooker table.

Joe_ Public · 25-02-2019 6:58pm

Inviere wrote: »

The shot clock I could live with as a once off tournament, but the drunken yobbish carry on belongs nowhere near a professional snooker table.

Yeah the format could be ok, but having to listen to a bunch of fools shouting “yellooow” every time a red is potted is too much for me. A ranking tournament? Wtf??

Also hope the fuss doesn’t go to that 16 year olds head. Pots a couple of balls in a one frame match and suddenly he has ronnie osullivan tipping him for stardom. Wouldn’t be the first time ronnies been wrong about that! Good luck to him all the same, snooker needs good young players but it’s a tough route to the top.

Frank O. Pinion · 28-02-2019 11:02am

Slightly less Snooker during March than February, for ranking events anyways. 21 days out of 31 have matches for ranking events. If you include the Championship League (non-ranking) and the Seniors Tour, that adds up to 28 days of Snooker in March.

1st-3rd: Last three days of the Indian Open (Eurosport Player)
3rd: Seniors 6-Red World Championship (FreeSports)*
4th-10th: Players Championship (ITV4)
11th-12th: Championship League: Group 7 (betting sites)
13th-14th: Championship League: Winner's Group (betting sites)
13th-14th: Gibraltar Open Qualifiers (I don't think these are televised)
15th-17th: Gibraltar Open (Eurosport)
19th-24th: Tour Championship (ITV4)
25th-29th: World Seniors Championship (haven't seen a TV listing yet)

*2019 Seniors 6-Red World Championship is a new addition to the Seniors Tour. Held in Belfast, it's a winner-takes-all event, with the winner receiving €20,000. A one-day event on Sunday, 3rd March, Freesports online listing shows them airing it live on Sunday, although on my Humax FreeSat box, it has no listing for Sunday, instead it has it listed airing the next day, on Monday. Freesports is channel 252 (FreeSat), 429 (SKY), and 553 (Virgin).

Jimmy White v Jonathan Bagley
Stephen Hendry v Joe Johnson
Ken Doherty v Patrick Wallace
Aaron Canavan v Tony Drago

Frank O. Pinion · 03-03-2019 9:16am

Indian Open Semi-Finals:

John Higgins v Matthew Selt
Lyu Haotian v Anthony Hamilton

Besides Stuart Bingham and Shaun Murphy, defending champ Higgins was the only "big" name to make it through qualifying for this event, as a lot of the Top 16 skipped the event. Although, Higgins is currently 3-2 down in a best-of-7 (live on Eurosport player). The final later today is a best-of-9, and Haotian/Hamilton will at least win £25,000/ranking points.

EDIT:

Higgins loses to Selt 4-2. So Selt/Haotian/Hamilton will win a ranking tournament. Hamilton is the only one of the three that has won a ranking tournament before, the 2017 German Masters.

The Nal · 03-03-2019 9:11pm

Mad seeing Hendry vs Jimmy here.

Joe_ Public · 03-03-2019 9:31pm

Tony Drago was some sight to behold earlier. Wouldn’t have recognised him if they hadn’t put his name up on the screen, lost a serious amount of weight. Not helped his game much it has to be said.

Frank O. Pinion · 03-03-2019 11:52pm

Matthew Selt won the Indian Open earlier, defeating Lyu Haotian 5-3. With the win, Selt jumps up to #17 for the season.

Jimmy White v Aaron Canavan in the 6-Red final starting live now.

Frank O. Pinion · 15-03-2019 10:45am

Martin Gould defeated Jack Lisowski in the non-ranking Champions League final yesterday. Along with his £20,300 total prize money, Gould will get a spot in the Champion of Champions.

The Gibraltar Open has started on Eurosport, this morning. Top prize is £25,000. Lowest value ranking tournament on the tour now, as I believe the Paul Hunter Classic (£20,000) in August is moving to a non-ranking event. So of course a lot of the top players are skipping the event, but it is a very important event for Stuart Bingham, Kyren Wilson, and David Gilbert, concerning Tour Championship qualification, for next week.

The past two days the event saw two rounds of amateur pre-qualifying, but the event starts properly today with the round of 128. Best-of-7s all the way through to the final Sunday evening. Ryan Day is the defending champion, defeating Cao Yupeng 4-0, last year.

Shaun Murphy has actually got through a first round match...as his opponent Matthew Stevens, withdrew from the event.

ArmaniJeanss · 17-03-2019 10:36pm

Stuart Bingham took the lolly, beating defending champion Ryan Day in the final.
David Gilbert had his usual consistent run, quarter finals for £4K, beaten by Day.
Kyren Wilson last 16 for £2K.

Not sure what effect that has on the rankings, presumably its great for Bingham.

Irish Shaun won an actual game, beating Dominic Dale before exiting next round. Small steps.

Frank O. Pinion · 17-03-2019 10:54pm

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Not sure what effect that has on the rankings, presumably its great for Bingham.

Bingham and Wilson secured their Tour Championship places, Gilbert missed out by just £4,500.

The last frame that Bingham won to win the match was dramatic and full of tension. Crazy to think Ryan Day hasn't won a match all year, (he made the QF in the Scottish Open in December, and then nothing since), but defending champion of this, and he reaches the final.

Frank O. Pinion · 25-03-2019 12:39am

Frank O. Pinion wrote: »

25th-29th: World Seniors Championship (haven't seen a TV listing yet)

The 2019 World Seniors Championship was due to start tomorrow, but now doesn't seem to be, no dates listed on Wikipedia. Anyone aware of what's happening with the event? Last year Aaron Canavan won the event, £10,000 and a place in the qualifying rounds for the World Championship. The winner's share is listed as going up to £25,000 this year, but the place in the World Championship qualifiers for this year is no longer listed, when it was previously.

Frank O. Pinion · 26-03-2019 3:32pm

Frank O. Pinion wrote: »

The 2019 World Seniors Championship was due to start tomorrow, but now doesn't seem to be, no dates listed on Wikipedia. Anyone aware of what's happening with the event? Last year Aaron Canavan won the event, £10,000 and a place in the qualifying rounds for the World Championship. The winner's share is listed as going up to £25,000 this year, but the place in the World Championship qualifiers for this year is no longer listed, when it was previously.

Well, I found out the answer to this, and in case anyone else here was wondering about it...

The 2019 World Seniors Championship due to take place in March 2019, had to be postponed for "logistic reasons" and will now take place during the "Summer". Meanwhile, the amateur player who is currently ranked #1 on the Seniors tour, Jonathan Bagley, got the invitation to play at the World Championship qualifiers next month.

Frank O. Pinion · 28-03-2019 10:49am

Snooker in April/May:

1st-7th: China Open (Eurosport)
10th-17th: World Championship Qualifiers (Eurosport Player)
11th: The Seniors Masters (Possibly Freesports, but unconfirmed)
20th April - 6th May: World Championship (BBC & Eurosport)

Just a little over 3 weeks until the Worlds.

zuutroy · 28-03-2019 11:16am

If Ronnie stays World No.1 for the WC that means he'll be on Table 2 for the duration right? If so, then if the order of play stays the same as last year then I should get to see the first session of his QF if he makes it.

Frank O. Pinion · 01-04-2019 9:03am

This year's China Open is underway on Eurosport. Not at all a "minor tournament", it's second only to the World Championship in terms of ranking points and prize money. £225,000 for the winner, £90,000 for the runner-up. It's the last event on the tour before the World Championship.

Mark Selby is the two-time defending champ, having defeated Mark Williams 10-8 in 2017, and defeated Barry Hawkins 11-3 last year.

A qualifying round took place in February, with some held over qualifying matches to be played in China. The event started today with the round of 64. Best-of-11s until the semis, which are best-of-19s, and the final is a best-of-21.

Ronnie O'Sullivan has chosen not to enter the event. Mark Allen, who was suppose to play a held over qualifier, has withdrawn from the event due to "personal reasons". His opponent, Pang Junxu, receives a bye into the last 64.

EDIT:

And...Mark Selby who needed to win the event to regain the #1 ranking from Ronnie, crashes out of the event losing his held over qualifying match 6-3 to Craig Steadman.

waynescales1 · 01-04-2019 8:21pm

KD unlucky to draw Mark Williams in the first round.

Joe_ Public · 01-04-2019 9:06pm

waynescales1 wrote: »

KD unlucky to draw Mark Williams in the first round.

Pity, could have done with another win here to get him into the top 64, probably unlikely but you never know, did (and maybe should have) nearly beaten Ronnie at same stage a while back. If he loses, it's looking like a tight squeeze to keep the card for next season. Possibly looking at his first round World Championship match as the decider. Fergal in a bit of trouble too it has to be said.

Minor Tournaments Discussion 2018/19.

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