General Snooker Thread

[Baddar]

Anyone following the final? It's on from 2.30pm today. I'll try and watch as much as possible, but the problem always comes when it's close and the nearest a player is to winning is another 7 or 8 frames by the final session on Monday night. With work early on Tuesday, that isn't good.

EDIT: Oh, and c'mon Murphy!

Edited May 3, 2009 by Baddar®

[Scott McFly]

Apologies for the bump, but I work in a shop at Edinburgh Airport and I served JOHN FUCKING HIGGINS this morning!

The shop is tiny and the till we've got is basically just a tiny ledge that you can walk behind so he was practically standing next to me. And I wasn't even sure it was him, I sort of did a double take when I was ringing the stuff up and was tempted to say something but it was weird because he looked more like someone that just looked like John Higgins rather than the man himself... but I only realised it definitely was him because his wife was in soon afterwards with their 3 kids (again, wasn't sure it was them) and mentioned one by name so I looked them up when I got in and sure enough, it was her. Wow, I'm sounding like a right stalker here, I can assure you I was just checking. >_>

So yeah, John Higgins. Even if I knew it was him though I don't think I would've asked for an autograph or anything because he looked jetlagged as hell (or maybe just in a down mood ) and I wouldn't have wanted to bother him. He probably had an early morning since he was flying in (I'm assuming since the shop's in UK arrivals).

[Baddar]

Very jetlagged from his long flight back from Portugal. >_>

[hugobomb]

Just watching the Steve Davis/Dennis Taylor one frame 'rematch' that took place the other day. Without any doubt the most entertaining game of Snooker I've ever seen. I've pay good money to see Masters Snooker, with Steve Davis acting as the Snooker version of Behrami (sorry Mister Behrami). There's a one frame match between Davis and Taylor going in Waterford in a couple of weeks, was thinking about getting tickets before, now that I've seen this: Want Tickets, want them badly even if they are 20 euro.

[METALMAN]

I do not get the Behrami bit.

[hugobomb]

He's a Masters Tennis player, friggin hilarious to watch. Once corrected an umpire who called him Bahrami (I mis-spelt it) with 'That's MISTER Bahrami' and a few seconds later the scoreboard changed to 'Mister Bahrami'

[Gazz]

I thought you were talking about the West Ham left back.

[hackerjack]

The "rematch" was not a match of any description, just a scripted comedy scene.

Masters snooker will only work if they restrict it to proper retired players, not the likes of Ebdon as happenned this time.

[Starvinho]

This got started yesterday but then disappeared. If there is anyone else interested in snooker this is the place.

Today sees the finish of the last 16 matches;

Mon 1300 Rory McLeod (Eng) 5-10 John Higgins (Sco)

Mon 1300 Mark Selby (Eng) 12-4 Stephen Hendry (Sco)

Mon 1900 Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng) 9-7 Shaun Murphy (Eng)

Mon 1900 Ding Junhui (Chn) 7-9 Stuart Bingham (Eng)

Tomorrow the quarter finals start;

Tue 1000 & 1900/Wed 1430 Judd Trump (Eng) v Graeme Dott (Sco)

Tue 1000 & 1900/Wed 1000 Mark Williams (Wal) v Mark Allen (NI)

The winners of McCleod/Higgins and O'Sullivan/Murphy will play each other as will the winners of Selby/Hendry and Ding/Bingham. Those matches will have an afternoon session tomorrow and finish up on Wednesday.

[Asuka's Gonna Kill You]

Really hoping Ding can pull it back and advance, easily my favorite player in the game right now. And of course O'Sullivan to knock out Murphy, who I'm not really fond of.

The main thing is that Dott beats Trump, who I cant stand. Plus, Dott is awesome.

[Starvinho]

Yeah I don't think anyone likes Murphy, not even the rest of the players! Ronnie should finish him off tonight then we should be treated to Ronnie vs Higgins tomorrow.

Ding has under-performed in his career so far in my opinion, with the talent that lad has he should have won everything by now. Hopefully he can pull through because I am a fan of the way he plays.

As for Trump I quite like him. He is young and cocky and could easily take the tour my the scruff of the neck and win everything. I also like Dott though and would never rule him out at the latter stages of the World's where he has always performed.

My pick for the title though is Selby, if he carries on playing like he has been then who can beat him? He is knocking centuries in for fun at the moment and just as I type he has beaten Hendry to advance to the quarters. So Selby to win for me but I'd never rule out an in-form Ronnie!

[Rich]

I went to see it twice last week, saw Selby demolish Robertson, the guy looked amazing. Dott looked good and very very calm live, even if he did give me evils. Williams pot selection was out of this world at times. I want Selby or the Rocket to win.

[Baddar]

Dott's a bit bland. I prefer players with some sort of character.

I was gonna have a bet on Trump to win it outright from the start, but I didn't see much value in 25/1 (he'd just won in Shanghai, which is why the odds had shortened) considering he had to face the current World Champion in the first round.

There's not much point in watching the two matches this afternoon, unless I hear of a comeback in the McLoed-Higgins game - the wheels started to come off last night though, so I doubt he'll be able to pull that one back. And I'm sorry, but no-one is beating Selby from 12-4 down, especially given the form that he's apparently (I say apparently, because I haven't watched any of his matches so far) in. I read on BBC that he's hit 6 centuries in that match so far, and 50-odd this season, which is a record. Always liked Selby.

I'll watch tonight, more than likely - the first frame is vital in Ronnie's match. If he takes it, you'd fancy him to go on to win. As for Bingham-Ding, which I watched some of last night, it's the first session that's important. If Bingham can come out level 2-2 to lead 11-9, he'll have a chance, but I have a feeling Ding's gonna power back to win that one.

For the tournament on the whole, for obvious reasons I'd like Mark Williams to win - so glad that he's found his game again after years in obscurity. Trump is cocky, but he's not a complete douche like Ronnie, and the game needs new players with Ronnie threatening to quit every five minutes. NO ONE FUCKING CARES, YOU CUNT!

Yeah, I do actually like Ronnie () but he's such an attention seeker at times, and thinks he's bigger than the sport.

[Starvinho]

I forgot about Williams, he's been playing awesome for a while now. Really anyone of the eventual last 8 could win this, the quality of the snooker of the tour right now is proberly at the highest standard ever.

[Rich]

I also got a post published on Truelad because of the snooker and how people go to it dressed like they just got out of bed

[Starvinho]

McBoring making a bit of a comeback, 12-7 at the interval.

[Starvinho]

Selby through 13-4 against Hendry and Higgins through 13-7 against McBoring.

[Baddar]

Is he boring because he is black?

You big racist.

[Starvinho]

I would never be racist me, especially against someone with such a cool beard! He just play so negatively that he makes good players like Higgins just wanna die before the match is even finished.

[Rich]

I met him on Tuesday, he was a dull celebrity to meet.