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Minor Tournament Discussion 2019/20

24

Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 19,873 ✭✭✭✭El_Duderino 09


    I used to hope Ken would get a few match wins here and there. But now I really don't expect it anymore. He must have won a few quali rounds to get to the event so fair play.

    And obviously it's his career and he can do exactly what he likes. But I always feel a bit sad to see him struggle on.


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    Only a top 16 invitational so he didnt win any matches to qualify. My honest opinion i kinda wonder sometimes why Ken still wants to go on playing at this stage, but at same time if he's enjoying it and gets a kick out of competing, then why not. He did give O'Sullivan a right scare in the UK Champs last year so he's still capable of a good level on his day. On the one hand it kind of shows you how ordinary the level is lower down in the rankings, but i still think he's doing well to be able to stay in the top 64 and keep his tour card. Craft and experience goes a long way when your facing some of those rookie pros who just dont seem to know how to win matches at that level.

    That guy Ben Mertens is interesting, remember him from beating Cork lad Aaron Hill in the under 18 world championships either last year or year before. Another Luca Brecel in the making potentially!


  • Registered Users Posts: 19,873 ✭✭✭✭El_Duderino 09


    Only a top 16 invitational so he didnt win any matches to qualify. My honest opinion i kinda wonder sometimes why Ken still wants to go on playing at this stage, but at same time if he's enjoying it and gets a kick out of competing, then why not. He did give O'Sullivan a right scare in the UK Champs last year so he's still capable of a good level on his day. On the one hand it kind of shows you how ordinary the level is lower down in the rankings, but i still think he's doing well to be able to stay in the top 64 and keep his tour card. Craft and experience goes a long way when your facing some of those rookie pros who just dont seem to know how to win matches at that level

    I'd agree. And it's absolutely up to Ken. If he's enjoying himself then good for him. I watched a qualifier in Barnsley last year and I saw White v O Brien. Standard was very low. Highest break in the couple of hours I saw was 14.

    As you said, once you drop down the order the standard falls off rapidly. I'd say ken wins a lot of scrappy frames through experience and craft. Fair play.


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    I'd agree. And it's absolutely up to Ken. If he's enjoying himself then good for him. I watched a qualifier in Barnsley last year and I saw White v O Brien. Standard was very low. Highest break in the couple of hours I saw was 14.

    As you said, once you drop down the order the standard falls off rapidly. I'd say ken wins a lot of scrappy frames through experience and craft. Fair play.


    Not sure that's White as in Michael or Jimmy. Michael White looked like a serious prospect 3 or 4 years ago, really believed he'd develop into a top player but has fallen off a cliff. As for Jimmy....whatever about ken, i find it a bit sad seeing jimmy getting regularly tonked by lesser players, but he wants to do it and his pal Barry keeps giving him a dig out as he can still draw a crowd.


    I suspect Ken still dreams of one more crucible appearance before the curtain is finally drawn. Wouldnt have surprised me if he'd made it this year if he'd officially announced his retirement after he'd got beat. Might give it a couple of more gos, or until he loses his card, and then sayonara... Think that might be his target. Would be a nice way to go i think.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭Frank O. Pinion


    I think Ken should definitely retire at the end of this season, barring a deep run in a lucrative ranking event. He turns 50 next month, and provisionally he's outside the Top 64.

    Iulian Boiko, a 13 year old from Ukraine won the German Snooker Tour event today, to get the final place in the Paul Hunter Classic.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 19,873 ✭✭✭✭El_Duderino 09


    Not sure that's White as in Michael or Jimmy. Michael White looked like a serious prospect 3 or 4 years ago, really believed he'd develop into a top player but has fallen off a cliff. As for Jimmy....whatever about ken, i find it a bit sad seeing jimmy getting regularly tonked by lesser players, but he wants to do it and his pal Barry keeps giving him a dig out as he can still draw a crowd.

    Ah yes. It was jimmy white v o brien. I was working in Barnsley for the week and bumped into Michael white in the hotel. That's how I found out the tournament was on. Absolute bonus to have live snooker every night. If you've ever been to Barnsley, you'll know what I mean!


  • Registered Users Posts: 19,873 ✭✭✭✭El_Duderino 09


    I think Ken should definitely retire at the end of this season, barring a deep run in a lucrative ranking event. He turns 50 next month, and provisionally he's outside the Top 64.

    Iulian Boiko, a 13 year old from Ukraine won the German Snooker Tour event today, to get the final place in the Paul Hunter Classic.

    13 year old winner! Must be one to keep an eye out for. They allowed a few children who won domestic events into the snooker shootout last year too. It must cause some embarrassment when they beat established players. I'd say they'd love to put laxatives in his Ready Brek.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭Frank O. Pinion


    Well, Ken lost in the 1st round (along with the 4 amateur teenagers), 4-1 to Luca Brecel. Kyren Wilson nearly successfully defended his title, but lost 4-3 in the final to Barry Hawkins.

    Snooker in September:

    Monday, 2nd - Saturday, 7th: Six-Red World Championship (Eurosport Player)
    Monday, 9th - Sunday, 15th: Shanghai Masters (Eurosport)
    Monday, 23rd - Sunday, 29th: China Championship (Eurosport)

    September onwards is where the tour starts to pick up momentum. 20 out of 30 days with pro Snooker.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,854 ✭✭✭zuutroy


    Really curious to see what sort of Ronnie returns. I wonder has he been putting the hours in to try wrestle the torch back from Trump, for another while at least. He did beat him last time they met! It would be great if they had 3-4 years of a proper rivalry. Haven't really seen a good one in snooker for a long time.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭Frank O. Pinion


    Ronnie returns to defend his two-time title in the Shanghai Masters, where he will most likely face Ali Carter in the second round (first time since the "shoulder barge"), and if all goes well, could meet Trump in final. He smashed Trump 10-3 in the 2017 Shanghai Masters.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 6,854 ✭✭✭zuutroy


    I see Ronnie (5/2) is slight favourite for Shanghai over Trump (11/4). Must be because of how the betting has gone rather than a true representation of their respective chances of winning. Amazing that it represents a better than 50/50 shot that one of them will win it. Social media seems to suggest Ronnie is putting a good bit of practice in.


  • Registered Users Posts: 13,023 ✭✭✭✭Joe_ Public


    Definitely an interesting one alright. No idea how bookies price up these events, but i cant see there's a whole lot between the top two here. Trump has current form in the book, but outside of worlds last year Ronnie won 5 of the 10 tournaments he entered and was beaten finalist in two more, so he remains a formidable presence everywhere bar the crucible i would say. Be interesting to see how he faces the emergence of Trump as the man to beat now, whether he'll be keen to lay down a marker that he hasn't gone anywhere yet, be a great final if we get it.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭Frank O. Pinion


    The Six-Red World Championship (non-ranking event) started today in Thailand, shown on the Eurosport player. Kyren Wilson is the defending champion, winner gets 3,500,000 ThaiBaht (over £80,000) plus a spot in November's Champion of Champions. Not just the style of Snooker is different, but the tournament format as well. Eight groups of 4 players, with the top two from each group advancing to a round of 16.

    30 men and 2 women have entered, including in one group Ding Junhui, Joe Perry, Noppon Saengkham, and Women's World Champion, Reanne Evans. Group H has Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, Mark Williams, Graeme Dott, and the other female player, Ng On Yee. Others include Jimmy White, John Higgins, Mark Selby, and even Ken Doherty.

    Irish time, it's live from 5am-3pm. Finale is Saturday, 8:30am-2pm.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭Frank O. Pinion


    Six-Red World Championship Quarter-Finals (best-of-11s):

    Ali Carter v Stephen Maguire
    Ding Junhui v Gary Wilson
    John Higgins v David Gilbert
    Stuart Bingham v Mark Williams

    Higgins, Maguire, and Bingham have already secured their places in the Champion of Champions, the other five men have not. Reanne Evans will be rooting on the Scots and Bingham so her place in the event is confirmed.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭Frank O. Pinion


    Stephen Maguire won the Six-Red World Championship for the second time, defeating John Higgins today, 8-6. Both men won the World Cup together back in June, so were already in the Champion of Champions.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭Frank O. Pinion


    Along with getting confirmed for the Champion of Champions yesterday, Reanne Evans defeated Maria Catalano 4-2 to win the Women's UK Championship for a record ninth time.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭Frank O. Pinion


    Major announcement from World Snooker for this season concerning a series of European events, which they're calling the "2020 European Series".

    It involves four events already on the Snooker calendar, the European Masters (mid-January, recently held in Belgium, but moving to Austria), the German Masters (late January-early February, in Berlin), the Shoot-Out (late February, in Watford), and the Gibraltar Open (mid-March, on the rock).

    Firstly, three of the events are getting a big boost in prize money, the European Masters up to £80,000 (from £75k), the Shoot-Out winner claiming £50,000 (up from £32k), and the Gibraltar Open winner taking £50,000 (up from £25k). The German Masters top prize remains at £80,000.

    Secondly, and more importantly, the four events make up the new "European Series", where a separate ranking list will be kept over the four events, with whoever at #1 on the list after the Gibraltar Open, receiving a bonus of £150,000!

    Now, most players already usually enter the European and German Masters, but with bigger prize money and more ranking points available, plus the chance at the bonus, this move will make more of the top players think twice about skipping the Shoot-Out and Gibraltar events.

    https://metro.co.uk/2019/09/26/world-snooker-group-four-events-new-european-series-150k-bonus-offer-10812945
    https://snookerhq.com/2019/09/26/world-snooker-announces-new-european-series


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭Frank O. Pinion


    Snooker in October:

    Wednesday, 2nd - Saturday, 5th: World Open Qualifiers (Eurosport Player)
    Monday, 14th - Sunday, 20th: English Open (Eurosport)
    Thursday, 24th - Friday, 25th: Seniors UK Championship (FreeSports)
    Monday, 28th - Sunday, 3rd November: World Open (Eurosport)


    After the first 3 ranking events of the season, these are the top 16 players of the season so far:

    1. Shaun Murphy - £225,000
    2. Judd Trump - £188,000
    3. Mark Williams - £82,750
    4. Mark Selby - £68,000
    5. Yan Bingtao - £66,000
    6. Kurt Maflin - £43,500
    7. Mark Allen - £39,500
    8. Mark Joyce - £37,250
    9. Joe Perry - £36,500
    10. Hossein Vafaei - £34,000
    11. David Gilbert - £33,500
    12. Matthew Selt - £32,750
    13. Graeme Dott - £29,250 (tied)
    14. Tom Ford - £29,250 (tied)
    15. John Higgins - £26,500
    16. Ding Junhui - £26,250

    Last year, the cut-off for the World Grand Prix (top 32 of the season) was £48,600, so only the top 5 listed above are certain for that event. Ronnie plays his first ranking event of the season next week in the English Open.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,031 ✭✭✭Slippin Jimmy


    The money is very poor compared to what it used to be. I would expect a top 16 players to be over £100k anyway.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭Frank O. Pinion


    The money is very poor compared to what it used to be. I would expect a top 16 players to be over £100k anyway.
    The money amounts listed there, are only what they have earned this season (since July), over 3 ranking events.

    Shaun Murphy, for example, would have an extra £100,000 for being runner-up in the Shanghai Masters (non-ranking). His official two-year World ranking is #8, for earning £505,000 (ranking points/money), over the past 24 months. Which again, doesn't include invitational event money.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 6,031 ✭✭✭Slippin Jimmy


    The money amounts listed there, are only what they have earned this season (since July), over 3 ranking events.

    Shaun Murphy, for example, would have an extra £100,000 for being runner-up in the Shanghai Masters (non-ranking). His official two-year World ranking is #8, for earning £505,000 (ranking points/money), over the past 24 months. Which again, doesn't include invitational event money.

    Thanks for explaining that. I was wondering how the players could afford to live on those earnings :p.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭Frank O. Pinion


    Neil Robertson is having a rough start to his season. Missed flight to the Riga Masters when he was defending champ, broken tip in Shanghai against Ronnie, concedes match at the China Championship due to flu-like symptoms, and then today he missed his World Open qualifier in Barnsley against Ian Burns when he realised he was travelling to the wrong Barnsley!

    https://twitter.com/nr147/status/1180223441301102592


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,425 ✭✭✭Inviere


    Poor Neil :o He'll prob end up winning in the Crucible watch....


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭Frank O. Pinion


    This is what Ronnie is up to very recently...



  • Registered Users Posts: 7,425 ✭✭✭Inviere


    ^^ Absolutely masterful, what a performance. The final red was sublime, and another red with a lot of topspin and plenty of power too. Great to see that.

    Jesus the main camera angle though, I'd say if you were to actually measure it, less than a quarter of the screen is actually snooker table. Very very skewed angle.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,854 ✭✭✭zuutroy


    It's an exhibition in Romania, so we're doing well to be able to see it at all!

    That shot at 4:40 was incredible. Not sure I've seen one like it before.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7,425 ✭✭✭Inviere


    zuutroy wrote: »
    It's an exhibition in Romania, so we're doing well to be able to see it at all!

    Certainly true, but I find it an increasing problem even with properly televised tournaments. It's an effort to get more and more sponsorship on screens, so the angle seems to be getting tighter and tighter. The BBC covered events are usually the only ones that have a nice high angle these days.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭Frank O. Pinion


    That's one of the things that makes the BBC events special, the better viewing angle compared to other events. Of course, it's due to the BBC's advertising guidelines. Besides the Triple Crown, I also watch the Welsh Open on BBC Wales instead of Eurosport/Quest, because of the viewing angle. But, then I'm stuck with the likes of Darren Morgan and Dominic Dale commentating.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,854 ✭✭✭zuutroy


    Dale is good imo. Very honest , sometimes funny, and brings a decent bit of insight.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,584 ✭✭✭Frank O. Pinion


    zuutroy wrote: »
    Dale is good imo. Very honest , sometimes funny, and brings a decent bit of insight.
    He's alright, certainly not the worst. Can definitely be very funny with some of the things he comes out with. Neal Foulds is my favourite nowadays though, he's only on the Eurosport and ITV events.


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