World Championship Qualifiers

Joe_ Public · 27-07-2020 5:55pm

bradolf pittler wrote: »

I know what you mean but should the likes of Bingham,Hawkins and Bingtao who are 14,15,and 16 really fear Slessor,Maflin or Ursenbacher?
Like i said famous last words and anyone can have an off day but theres a huge gulf in class between the top players and the lower ranked guys

I'm not sure where you picked up the idea this is potentially a good crop of qualifiers from my post. I never suggested it was. Just that of them Ursenbacher, if he closes the deal tonight, is one I'd prefer to avoid. I like what I've seen of him, he's fearless and goes for his shots which can go wrong but also makes him dangerous. I'd prefer a known quantity like Maflin or McManus, i know i can beat them.

The top 16 guys dont have to look down and fear anybody, but also at the same time nobody has to face the likes of Bingham or Bingtao quaking in their shoes exactly. There'll be 2 or 3 seeds minimum falling in the first round probably because thats what happens every year. Circumstances this year could even mean one or two more, hard to say.

El_Duderino 09 · 27-07-2020 8:36pm

Alexander Ursenbacher and Andrew Higginson playing each other and both have an average shot time below 20seconds.

ArmaniJeanss · 27-07-2020 8:43pm

Last 5 years. 16 seeds - 4, 6, 4, 7, 3 have lost in the first round.
Average just under 5. So definitely vulnerability there.

Joe_ Public · 27-07-2020 8:47pm

People say Trump was a great champion last year, with some merit to be fair, but forget he was within a single shot of exiting first round. Should have been gone.

El_Duderino 09 · 27-07-2020 8:52pm

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Last 5 years. 16 seeds - 4, 6, 4, 7, 3 have lost in the first round.
Average just under 5. So definitely vulnerability there.

Great knowledge. That's much higher than I'd have guessed. Given there are 16 first round matches, that's just less than one in 3 matches.

Joe_ Public · 27-07-2020 9:03pm

Some great shots there from Fergal. Longer this goes on more I'd fancy him to come through.

Joe_ Public · 27-07-2020 9:25pm

Another excellent frame, 8-7, ahead for first time in the match. Looking very strong.

bradolf pittler · 27-07-2020 9:26pm

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

Last 5 years. 16 seeds - 4, 6, 4, 7, 3 have lost in the first round.
Average just under 5. So definitely vulnerability there.

No doubt there have always been upsets but i just feel this year i'd favour the seeds and if there were to be upsets i think it could be from a more old school type like a McManus,Hamilton or Wenbo/O Brien.

By the way i'm really enjoying the Wenbo v O'Brien match.
Fergal 8-7 up

dfx- · 27-07-2020 9:44pm

I wonder how long that 16th frame would've gone on for without the re-rack

zuutroy · 27-07-2020 10:21pm

dfx- wrote: »

I wonder how long that 16th frame would've gone on for without the re-rack

Might have been quicker than this!

Peter File · 27-07-2020 10:50pm

Best of 3 now!!. Eurosport know that when Fergal plays they dont need to worry about early finishes!

Joe_ Public · 27-07-2020 11:04pm

Fergal gonna have to do it the hard way. Fair play to liang, good response after going behind, surprised me how patient he's been. Been an absorbing contest, still never write Fergal off.

fran38 · 27-07-2020 11:18pm

Fergal can have no complaints if he loses this. Missing middle distance pots and then overcutting that one to the centre pocket.

Wenbo looking the sharper of the two now.

fran38 · 27-07-2020 11:29pm

Gripping. One big effort Fetgal.

Joe_ Public · 27-07-2020 11:32pm

Great break under the circumstances. Torture watching this now, have a feeling going to be one long battle left here.

jams100 · 27-07-2020 11:44pm

Uh oh

fran38 · 27-07-2020 11:46pm

Nite nite

jams100 · 27-07-2020 11:51pm

Impressive last frame from Liang in fairness

Rothko · 27-07-2020 11:52pm

Pity, I would have liked to have seen Fergal make it.

Joe_ Public · 27-07-2020 11:55pm

Just gutted for him, when he went ahead i was confident he'd do it but liang dug in well to be fair to him. Hard one to take, just have to hope he doesn't lose the tour card as well but that looks precarious too.

Genghis · 28-07-2020 10:29am

The Wenbo O'Brien match was very enjoyable. Best I've seen from the qualifiers. Thought Fergal deserved the win on balance, but I like Wenbo too. It would be rough on Fergal to lose the tour card.

Joe_ Public · 28-07-2020 12:12pm

Give Jordan Brown a decent chance of an upset against Ryan Day. Not sure there have been many more brittle players than Day in proportion to his talent.

Joe_ Public · 28-07-2020 2:16pm

Thepchaiya fairly rattling through the frames today. AST 15 seconds!

100/1 for the title. Way too big, should be less than half that, talented player.

El_Duderino 09 · 28-07-2020 2:29pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Thepchaiya fairly rattling through the frames today. AST 15 seconds!

100/1 for the title. Way too big, should be less than half that, talented player.

That's incredible 15.05s. And his opponent Liam Highfield is also on 18.30s! That must be interesting to watch.

Joe_ Public · 28-07-2020 3:05pm

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

That's incredible 15.05s. And his opponent Liam Highfield is also on 18.30s! That must be interesting to watch.

Yeah its about as quick as you can get i think. Great to watch in full flow though sometimes can watch the likes of Lisoswski or Zhao Xintong and you feel they can be a touch too quick for their own good.

ArmaniJeanss · 28-07-2020 5:21pm

A shot by Wenbo in the final frame. It did look strange at the time.

It won't have made any difference to the frame in fairness, but doesn't show him in a good light.

https://twitter.com/HawleyMJ2/status/1287922146539376646

jams100 · 28-07-2020 5:27pm

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

A shot by Wenbo in the final frame. It did look strange at the time.

It won't have made any difference to the frame in fairness, but doesn't show him in a good light.

https://twitter.com/HawleyMJ2/status/1287922146539376646

Find it hard to believe that Liang didn't feel that.
As you say it didn't effect the outcome but it paints Liang in a bad light

bradolf pittler · 28-07-2020 6:45pm

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

A shot by Wenbo in the final frame. It did look strange at the time.

It won't have made any difference to the frame in fairness, but doesn't show him in a good light.

https://twitter.com/HawleyMJ2/status/1287922146539376646

Wow.
Didn't see that last night and being a player myself i know that he definitely would have felt it.
There's something about these Chinese players not calling fouls on themselves isn't there?????
Mark Allen got the hump over it with a player i can't remember and Marco Fu has been known to do it too.
As for not making a difference in the frame well it was before a ball was potted so it made a big difference if you ask me

Joe_ Public · 28-07-2020 6:58pm

It made negligible difference beyond 4 points. Fergal maybe could have put liang back in but i think he'd have played the next shot himself anyway. That's not great viewing for liang but when you get to that stage of a match, so much at stake, not all players will call it, that's the reality. Ronnie didnt a couple of years back when he whacked a ball with the rest and remember plenty rushing to his defence on that occasion.

bradolf pittler · 28-07-2020 7:04pm

I suppose it's the modern win at all costs mentality that certain players have these days

Joe_ Public · 28-07-2020 8:45pm

Dont think we'll be seeing wee Dottie grace the crucible with his presence this year. Thought he would be winning that match.

Rothko · 28-07-2020 11:56pm

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

A shot by Wenbo in the final frame. It did look strange at the time.

It won't have made any difference to the frame in fairness, but doesn't show him in a good light.

https://twitter.com/HawleyMJ2/status/1287922146539376646

How do you that it wouldn't have made any difference?

El_Duderino 09 · 29-07-2020 12:11am

bradolf pittler wrote: »

I suppose it's the modern win at all costs mentality that certain players have these days

Yeah well, I heard they didn't play for snookers in the past as it was seen as dishonourable. Now it's normal. In football, and most sports, it's up to the ref to call foul play. It's lovely that snooker has the aspiration to be self policing but in reality, it just gives an advantage to the players with least scruples.

I wonder if they'll look to fit senaors to cues if the technology becomes possible.

fran38 · 29-07-2020 4:52am

Anyone know if the draw for the world's is on tv or on a free website in the morning?

Joe_ Public · 29-07-2020 5:24am

fran38 wrote: »

Anyone know if the draw for the world's is on tv or on a free website in the morning?

Its on eurosport at 11. Also wstv or a couple of facebook links which i assume are free as per details below.

https://wst.tv/betfred-world-championship-2020-the-draw/

ArmaniJeanss · 29-07-2020 10:26am

Rothko wrote: »

How do you that it wouldn't have made any difference?

It was such a poor safety shot by Wenbo (because of the bad cueing) that the white didn't even reach the baulk line. So Fergal wouldn't have put him back in but would have just done what he (Fergal) actually did which is take the next shot. There was no free ball situation and it's obviously not 'a miss'.
Hence the game continued down the same path.
But obviously there's a thin case that the psychology of the 4 point foul may have affected someone's shot choice.

ebbsy · 29-07-2020 10:41am

The bottom line is the ref failed to see it and Wenbo certainly knew he fouled the red.

Mark Allen must be sitting back and laughing now.

El_Duderino 09 · 29-07-2020 12:07pm

Judd Trump v Tom Ford
Yan Bingtao v Elliot Slessor
Stephen Maguire v Martin Gould
Kyren Wilson v Anthony Hamilton
John Higgins v Matthew Stevens
David Gilbert v Kurt Maflin
Jack Lisowski v Anthony McGill
Mark Allen v Jamie Clarke
Mark Williams v Alan McManus
Stuart Bingham v Ashley Carty
Ding Junhui v Mark King
Ronnie O’Sullivan v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
Mark Selby v Jordan Brown
Shaun Murphy v Noppon Saengkham
Barry Hawkins v Alexander Ursenbacher
Neil Robertson v Liang Wenbo

Hard to see the upsets coming there. Ursenbacher could get one over Hawkins. Sean Murphy and Mark Williams haven't had great form recently. So they could be vulnerable.

Joe_ Public · 29-07-2020 12:27pm

I think it's very unpredictable, you dont know how lads will fare coming in with precious little tournament action. Could be good for some, not so for others. Murphy has actually had his best season for a good while, I'm tentatively sweet on his chances.

waynescales1 · 29-07-2020 12:56pm

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

A shot by Wenbo in the final frame. It did look strange at the time.

It won't have made any difference to the frame in fairness, but doesn't show him in a good light.

https://twitter.com/HawleyMJ2/status/1287922146539376646

That's extremely disappointing from Wenbo, and possibly from the ref too. Clear view of the incident, his head is even in the shot.

Did that happen at 9-9? I disagree on the significance of the incident. A foul, however small, can potentially change the course of events. Even more gutted for Fergal now after seeing that.

El_Duderino 09 · 29-07-2020 1:02pm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

I think it's very unpredictable, you dont know how lads will fare coming in with precious little tournament action. Could be good for some, not so for others. Murphy has actually had his best season for a good while, I'm tentatively sweet on his chances.

Actually you're right about Murphy having a few good matches. He got to a final recently which was great. But I always see him as vulnerable to having a but of very poor form. Transitioning from being a top player - but still in the top 16.

Joe_ Public · 29-07-2020 1:15pm

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

Actually you're right about Murphy having a few good matches. He got to a final recently which was great. But I always see him as vulnerable to having a but of very poor form. Transitioning from being a top player - but still in the top 16.

Murphy to me this season has been a mini revelation. He's reached 4 finals, won 2 and several more sfs, very consistent and second only to Trump on the season rankings table. The work with Fergal has been well documented but he also quit his role with the wpbsa at the start of the year which was a huge move, that was a distraction and he took it very seriously. Now he's focussed on one thing only and i think its showing.

Of course he has his obvious flaws too so he's no sure thing. Seeded to meet Robertson which is tough but Robbo strikes me as a guy who is best with momentum behind him so the circumstances might not be ideal for him. Thats my theory anyway! Has a habit of going astray more often than not!

Arthur Daley · 29-07-2020 1:19pm

Can't see too many upsets there. Think Willo is on the wind down again, and so could see McManus take him, and the BBC make a big thing about his age. There are one or two other veterans there Anthony Hamilton, Mathew Stevens, Mark King. Seems like Fergal should be there too.

Fair point around lack of match sharpness for the top 16 under these circumstances. The ITV tournaments helped a bit, but its hardly the same. There will probably be 3 or 4 qualifiers going through in the end.

ArmaniJeanss · 29-07-2020 1:21pm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vL68jMu5lc

Shot is visible at real speed and full table context here. Go to 4:23:10.

Hold my hands up. I claimed that the white didn't reach baulk but that's clearly not true, I must have thinking of a different shot probably LWs next one which was short of baulk.
So there is definitely a case that FOB could have asked him to play again from where it finished if the foul had been called.

waynescales1 · 29-07-2020 1:29pm

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vL68jMu5lc

Shot is visible at real speed and full table context here. Go to 4:23:10.

Hold my hands up. I claimed that the white didn't reach baulk but that's clearly not true, I must have thinking of a different shot probably LWs next one which was short of baulk.
So there is definitely a case that FOB could have asked him to play again from where it finished if the foul had been called.

Hmmm.... Fergal's safety shot which gives Wenbo a chance at the long red was very, very poor.

Joe_ Public · 29-07-2020 1:36pm

The shot Liang played before white had struck green but left nothing on. A few shots before that he'd almost knuckled the white in corner pocket but got away with it. And Fergal caught that last shot too thick but another 3-4 inches and it's behind the yellow and Liang in trouble. Thats the margins when you get to that level.

Joe_ Public · 29-07-2020 2:12pm

One addendum to draw. Looking very much like if Ashley Carty beats Bingham that would knock Fergal off the tour. So one match to keep an eye on.

jams100 · 29-07-2020 3:36pm

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

Judd Trump v Tom Ford
Yan Bingtao v Elliot Slessor
Stephen Maguire v Martin Gould
Kyren Wilson v Anthony Hamilton
John Higgins v Matthew Stevens
David Gilbert v Kurt Maflin
Jack Lisowski v Anthony McGill
Mark Allen v Jamie Clarke
Mark Williams v Alan McManus
Stuart Bingham v Ashley Carty
Ding Junhui v Mark King
Ronnie O’Sullivan v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
Mark Selby v Jordan Brown
Shaun Murphy v Noppon Saengkham
Barry Hawkins v Alexander Ursenbacher
Neil Robertson v Liang Wenbo

I thought Ding wasn't travelling for some reason, thought I heard them saying that on Eurosport during one of the matches.

Upsets I can see are:
Gould, Maflin and McManus winning

Arthur Daley · 29-07-2020 5:10pm

Think it was Marco Fu who wouldn't travel to the qualifiers. He's been slipping down the rankings a lot since 2016.

gormdubhgorm · 29-07-2020 7:30pm

Rothko wrote: »

Pity, I would have liked to have seen Fergal make it.

Yeah. Solid pro, would make it awkward for most players, especially over the best of 19.

World Championship Qualifiers

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