Minor Tournaments Discussion 2018/19.

Frank O. Pinion · 14-02-2019 5:51pm

waynescales1 wrote: »

I see. Aren’t the China Open qualifiers on next week?

Oh yeah, forgot about those, thought his qualifier might be held over to be played in China, but no, he'll be playing Jak Jones next week some day between 18th-21st. So not quite 18 days straight off, just that one match though.

Joe_ Public · 15-02-2019 12:50am

Delighted for Hossein Vafaei - late of this parish - into last 16 after 4-3 win over selby. Great break in the decider to nick it.

Sorry into qf, that was last 16 match!

Frank O. Pinion · 15-02-2019 12:00pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Delighted for Hossein Vafaei - late of this parish - into last 16 after 4-3 win over selby. Great break in the decider to nick it.

All the other tables had finished, most people were gone, but Selby was there trying to grind out a victory until midnight. He hasn't won an event on UK soil in nearly 2 years (2017 World Championship), and his #1 world ranking is in jeopardy.

Quarter-Finals, best-of-9s

Stuart Bingham v Zhao Xintong, today at 12pm
John Higgins v Joe O'Connor, today at 2pm
Hossein Vafaei v Scott Donaldson, tonight at 7pm
Neil Robertson v Kurt Maflin, tonight at 7pm

At world #103, Joe O'Connor is the lowest ranked player left, and making the QFs of this tournament is his best ever run in any event so far. I'd like for him to knock out the defending champ. I'm hoping for a Xintong/Donaldson final, as I'm not a huge fan of the three remaining seeded players. I love Donaldson's "don't give a crap" attitude.

Rooting for an underdog win anyways, and to get in the Top 16 for the season, and the Players Championship.

AllForIt · 15-02-2019 10:17pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Delighted for Hossein Vafaei - late of this parish - into last 16 after 4-3 win over selby. Great break in the decider to nick it.

Sorry into qf, that was last 16 match!

Yeah just caught up with that match, great clearance from 58 - 12 behind to win it.

Joe_ Public · 15-02-2019 10:57pm

AllForIt wrote: »

Yeah just caught up with that match, great clearance from 58 - 12 behind to win it.

Super (near) clearance alright, quite impressed with that performance, vafaie going the right way. Joe O’Connor was mighty impressive too in beating higgins today. Taking out higgins, ding and kyren wilson in the same tournament in your rookie season is a feather in anyone’s cap. Hate blowing lads up but definitely have to be keeping a sharp eye on this lad.

liamoreilly · 16-02-2019 3:15pm

...Extremely poor semi final so far, that 2nd frame was a shocker!!!...Hope it picks up, and would love to see O'Connor go close...

Joe_ Public · 16-02-2019 6:59pm

O'Connor not up to scratch today, race already run but a fine week for him nonetheless. Hope for better from Vafaei this evening, but a fairly big ask for him to take down Robertson.

AllForIt · 16-02-2019 9:20pm

Looking ominous for Vafaei, Robertson 4 - 0 up at the internal. Robertson playing very well although has had a bit of run. Can't see much changing after the interval. Occasion has got to him I'd say.

Incidentally I didn't know Robertson has been playing with a new cue and apparently is very happy with it.

waynescales1 · 17-02-2019 3:43pm

Bingham needs to get his act together in the interval.

The Nal · 17-02-2019 4:23pm

waynescales1 wrote: »

Bingham needs to get his act together in the interval.

Not happening is it? Hes all over the place.

waynescales1 · 17-02-2019 4:41pm

The Nal wrote: »

Not happening is it? Hes all over the place.

Shame because on his day he’s a classy player. He’s just broken down on 50 in frame 6.

waynescales1 · 17-02-2019 5:30pm

“I have played this game before y’know” - gas

The unlikeliest of centuries for 5-3. Some awful stuff from Bingham, he was a foot or more out of position sometimes.

AllForIt · 17-02-2019 9:32pm

I missed the controversial incident in that frame but what from the commentators were saying later I guess it's the case that the ref warned Bingham for banging the table?

If this is what happened then I'd agree with the ref not so much for the single bang but for his behavior throughout this whole final when things weren't going well for him.

For example, he buckled at the legs when missing easy balls, staring at the table after missing that bit too long, putting his towel on his head when he went back to his seat, making comments to the audience as quoted earlier and made a remark to Robertson "is that one of your friends" when someone in the crowd got up to leave for a slash when he was down on the shot.

This type of ott reaction would be understandable if he say were new to the scene but he's an experienced winning player and you would think he'd have learned to keep himself together even when things aren't going his way. In other words I think all of this stuff is gamesmanship, playing the poor weak underdog, pretending to be loosing it to give his opponent a false sense of security and to get the audience on his side. Not impressed at all by him tbh.

ArmaniJeanss · 17-02-2019 10:09pm

Big frame for SB there, winning it in 50 minutes. 5-7 at the interval.

Arthur Daley · 17-02-2019 10:09pm

It looked like it could have been all over by now an hour ago. But with that last frame for Bingham it is a tight one now at 7-5

liamoreilly · 17-02-2019 10:12pm

...Absolutely huge last frame there...Robertson pots that Brown and it's match over really...How Bingham is only 2 behind I've no idea!!!...
...Just on post above...Bingham does seem alot more irritated and frustrated and doing little things he wouldn't normally, so probably was a warning in general just to calm down...Don't think Neil would've found his comment funny about the guy walking in the crowd...

waynescales1 · 17-02-2019 10:26pm

Amazing 12th frame, Robertson's missed brown developing the blue, for Bingham to clear up.

Didn’t feel Bingham’s warning was warranted. Seen far more aggressive wallops on the table go unmentioned. I think the nature of Bingham’s actions and comments have been misinterpreted here.

Joe_ Public · 17-02-2019 10:38pm

Comment to his opponent was a bit unwarranted alright, seen maguire and even ronnie do worse slaps on the table than that without a word. Doesn’t seem to have done bingham much harm anyway, looking very firm and focused out there now. If he gets level then I’d really fancy him.

waynescales1 · 17-02-2019 11:07pm

I thought his comment to Robertson was intended as a joke.

Anyway, Robertson’s safety game has completely deteriorated as the match has gone. If Bingham can keep putting him under pressure with good safety of his own and keep making 30-40 breaks he might get over the line.

Arthur Daley · 17-02-2019 11:11pm

Yeah they were having a joke at Robertson getting away with the duff safety there and every red covering another. Lol at Darren Morgan - Bingham had a dead straight plant but reds are a foot apart.

Joe_ Public · 17-02-2019 11:14pm

Bingham is bossing it at the moment. Always been of the opinion robbo isn’t a great safety player, far too passive and gets worse when under pressure. Just being outplayed right now.

AllForIt · 17-02-2019 11:58pm

What a fantastic opening red to make a winning break. Delighted Robertson won this match in the end.

Joe_ Public · 17-02-2019 11:59pm

Well, no messing around there. Great opening red and break, wd robbo.

The Nal · 18-02-2019 12:04am

Fair play to Bingham for coming back. Crafty veteran. Just too big an ask in the end.

waynescales1 · 18-02-2019 12:06am

Impressive from Robertson to clinch it, liked his aggressive attitude there in the final frame.

Terry Griffith the legend cantering into the arena to present the trophy.

Glenman · 18-02-2019 11:23am

That final session wasn't very entertaining to watch apart from the final frame.
I suppose there was good tension and good tactical play.

Frank O. Pinion · 20-02-2019 5:02pm

The 2019 Snooker Shoot-Out starts tomorrow, and moves from ITV4 to Quest and Eurosport. Now in its third year as a ranking event, the tournament runs from Thursday-Sunday. Winner gets £32,000 and a place in next season's Champion of Champions event (November 2019). Michael Georgiou is the defending champion, defeating Graeme Dott last year. 128 person (not man) tournament, only six of the Top 16 on the World Rankings have entered, (Kyren Wilson #7, Barry Hawkins #10, Shaun Murphy #11, Luca Brecel #13, Stuart Bingham #14, and Dave Gilbert #16), so there are a few wildcards.

Select 1st round matches:

Michael Georgiou (defending champion) v Peter Ebdon
Reanne Evans (11-time Women's World Snooker Champion) v Jimmy White
Matthew Stevens v Stuart Bingham
Yuan Sijun v Dominic Dale (2014 Shoot-Out Champion)
Emma Parker (19-year old, #10 on Women's World Rankings) v Laxman Rawat
Shaun Murphy v Mark King

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Snooker_Shoot-Out
http://www.worldsnooker.com/emma-parker-shoot-out-is-massive-opportunity

waynescales1 · 20-02-2019 6:18pm

Fergal O'Brien beaten 5-6 in his China Open qualifier. KD on tonight at 7.

Joe_ Public · 20-02-2019 11:21pm

Good win for Ken. Bad news is he’ll likely face 2nd seed Mark Williams when tournament proper kicks off in china but still a guaranteed 5k to add to his pot and will help in his quest for the tour card.

Elsewhere Shaun Murphy trailing and at risk of his 10th first round defeat of the season.

Inviere · 21-02-2019 9:56am

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Elsewhere Shaun Murphy trailing and at risk of his 10th first round defeat of the season.

Christ, poor Shaun. What the hell has happened his game??

The Nal · 21-02-2019 10:14am

Inviere wrote: »

Christ, poor Shaun. What the hell has happened his game??

Moving over here seems to have wrecked it. Threw him out of his routine maybe.

Joe_ Public · 21-02-2019 10:26am

The Nal wrote: »

Moving over here seems to have wrecked it. Threw him out of his routine maybe.

Hard to say but moving to a new country is obviously a huge change in anyone’s life. He’s also doing a lot more media work and campaigned to get himself onto that players rep role on wpbsa which he takes very seriously. All are likely factors but still a scarcely credible slump for a player of his ability.

Inviere · 21-02-2019 10:32am

I'd hate to see him pack it in because of it. I always thoroughly enjoy watching Shaun play, he's a class act on and off the table.

Joe_ Public · 21-02-2019 10:40am

Remember MJW having a fairly similar season from hell around 5/6 years ago when he could barely get beyond first round, was out of top 16 and talking of packing it in. Decided to knuckle down and, well, we all know how the story ends...

Can’t see Shaun doing anything drastic, seems a positive kind of bloke overall and lots of time to turn all this around.

Inviere · 21-02-2019 10:43am

Joe_ Public wrote: »

seems a positive kind of bloke overall

He does, it's why I love watching him play. You can see shots that'd frustrate other players really badly, but Shaun might grimmace to himself and then just seems to compartmentalize it and get on with things. Very strong mentally. Same when he's talking, always positive and up beat. The total opposite of Ronnie at times.

Joe_ Public · 21-02-2019 10:58am

Inviere wrote: »

He does, it's why I love watching him play. You can see shots that'd frustrate other players really badly, but Shaun might grimmace to himself and then just seems to compartmentalize it and get on with things. Very strong mentally. Same when he's talking, always positive and up beat. The total opposite of Ronnie at times.

That’s all very true. I’ve always found Shaun a little odd, watching from a distance, and not in a bad way, more that I can’t really figure him out or the thought processes. I recall writing here or somewhere that the irish move could actually be great for him. He’s doing a lot of sessions with fergal and gets together with mark allen quite a bit (a blossoming friendship I’d never have predicted!). His life off the table seems great, all the ingredients seemed present for his career to blossom. Like i said, very hard one to work out.

zuutroy · 21-02-2019 10:30pm

Honestly can't hack this Shootout carry on. Absolute rubbish.

ArmaniJeanss · 21-02-2019 11:31pm

It's great fun.

Dante7 · 22-02-2019 12:36am

Joe_ Public wrote: »

That’s all very true. I’ve always found Shaun a little odd, watching from a distance, and not in a bad way, more that I can’t really figure him out or the thought processes. I recall writing here or somewhere that the irish move could actually be great for him. He’s doing a lot of sessions with fergal and gets together with mark allen quite a bit (a blossoming friendship I’d never have predicted!). His life off the table seems great, all the ingredients seemed present for his career to blossom. Like i said, very hard one to work out.

I don't think that it was just the relocation to here that is the issue. Soon after they arrived, his wife gave birth to their daughter and there were huge problems involving extended stays in Crumlin Children's hospital. It all seems to be ok now, but it had to have had a huge impact.

Frank O. Pinion · 22-02-2019 9:39am

Inviere wrote: »

I'd hate to see him pack it in because of it. I always thoroughly enjoy watching Shaun play, he's a class act on and off the table.

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.

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.

Minor Tournaments Discussion 2018/19.

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