2020 World Snooker Championship

[roderick]

14 hours ago, mikeyboy said:

hI  Roderick  ,

A " Kick "  is a bad contact between the cue ball and any object ball .   Has been the bane of snooker for a long time .

Can occur when particles of chalk dust transfer from cue to white ball and then impact with the object ball .  Generally what happens  is the object ball straightens up , or goes in a straighter line than intended .  One or both balls can also jump on contact as a tell tale sign of bad contact . 

Also humidity they say can cause kicks so that is regulated in each tournament venue , but not down your local club .    

My excuse  

Thanks Mikeyboy.

In the old days, I'd often watch Pot Black - especially when Eddie Charlton was playing. Prior to taking up professional snooker, Charlton had been a pro boxer and rugby player - he must have been a great athlete in his day. On the professional snooker tour , he was known as the man with the worst toupe on the circuit. But I digress 

Back then, I cant remember a commentator ever using the term "kick" to describe a bad shot !! Is this something new to the spot  and if it isn't , you wonder why it wasn't so prevalent in the days of black and white television !  

 

 

 

 

14 hours ago, mikeyboy said:

 

 

 

 

[mikeyboy]

7 hours ago, English rose said:

Wilson/Selby final with Selby winning although O'Sulluvan can never be counted out...will he be up for a stern talking to for punching the table....again.

 

I love this game and can only aspire to be half as good as they are..it is truly a game of perfection.

 

A question...why is there such a strict dress code? I'm sure these guys   could/would really fire up if the played in t shirt, shorts and flip flops (well, maybe some other foot attire) but why black and with a waist coat and bow tie? I play pool and both me and the table are cover in chalk and talc..

 

Agree with all the above .

Spit and sawdust on the floor would be another improvement 

Have financial interest on Selby and Wilson to reach the final in each way bets .  Placed them before the tournament started .

They have good chances , but does O'Sullivan really believe he can beat Selby ?  If so then he might just .

Don't know what to make of MaGill , but he won't give up .

Michael Holt broke his hand  a few years ago thumping the table .  Not clever and not insured for stupidity .

Mikeyboy

Edited August 14, 2020 by mikeyboy
addition

[Red-Devil]

O'Sullivan looking much sharper at the start of this evenings session...

...C'mon Ronnie...!

[Red-Devil]

Absolutely brilliant snooker by O'Sullivan,  well done Mate....

 

[mikeyboy]

Unbelievable day of snooker drama .   

Kyren Wilson 17  Anthony MaGill  16

Ronnie O'Sullivan  17  Mark Selby  16

Brilliant play from all four players , wonderful entertainment that even left the commentators gobsmacked .

 

[mikeyboy]

Pleased that a limited number of Spectators will be allowed in to watch the final starting tomorrow 

Mikeyboy

[BigLicks]

What a sore fckn loser Selby is,  he had every chance to win that game, the whole snooker world knows Ronnie is prone to wild shots now and again, that is his temperament and always has been,  it could be said that is why the public love to watch him because of his unpredictability, for Selby to say he was disrespectful because of a wild shot is laughable and sour grapes,... he also said something about a movement by Ronnie somewhere in the middle of the match, seems Ronnie had the mental edge and the ability over him, man up Selby ffs, you lost an epic and fabulous match.

What a day of top snooker.

[Eric Le Roi]

Moments of both madness and brilliance from the Rocket, much better than the ultra cautious attritional stuff from the "Jester"(who the fuck gave him that nickname)

Well done Ronnie and a shout for Wilson and McGill too, top stuff.

[English rose]

I didn't stay up for the whole of the Sullivan/Selby game but did watch the 1st 2 games and Ronnie was certainly the better player..I did however watch the Wilson/McGill game to the end...wow....that green just drained Kyron, the emotion could be seen  rushing from his face, over 10 hours in total being decided on that last frame to come down to that green but still could have gone either way, brilliant and well done to Anthony for making the whole match epic. 

Final...monies would have to be on Ronnie but I've always been an underdog kind of man so I'm going for Kyron.

Edited August 15, 2020 by English rose
Addition

[jocky king]

8 hours ago, BigLicks said:

What a sore fckn loser Selby is,  he had every chance to win that game, the whole snooker world knows Ronnie is prone to wild shots now and again, that is his temperament and always has been,  it could be said that is why the public love to watch him because of his unpredictability, for Selby to say he was disrespectful because of a wild shot is laughable and sour grapes,... he also said something about a movement by Ronnie somewhere in the middle of the match, seems Ronnie had the mental edge and the ability over him, man up Selby ffs, you lost an epic and fabulous match.

What a day of top snooker.

Yeah he was ... there’s no rules against a player slamming the balls everywhere .. just getting a Foul points if error had been made in the table ... Selby was seen fist pump after his second session win (9-7) , that had pissed Ronnie off .. I knew he was going to fix him on the next day ...  Never celebrate during the match , that’s also respectful... Selby should know that ... 

Kyren Wilson will beat Ronnie ( I hope not ) . 

[English rose]

What I think is a bit of a farce is that the referee is not allowed to touch any of the rests, only the player can..the ref' is wearing gloves and the players aren't...what was great to see after the Kyron v Anthony game was they actually shook hands, such was the emotion of the ending and not touched elbows.

[Somchai1]

Was lucky to be off yesterday and watched  all drama unfold .That was just sensational dramatic sport right there. I can not remember a day at any snooker championship like it...ever.

McGill should take a lot of credit, both for the way he has played in this tournament, he was friendless in the betting market, even when ahead, and for how gracious he was in defeat. He grew on me as the tournament progressed.

Kyren Wilson was excellent in his post match respect for McGill and his acknowledgment for what had just passed and the element of luck he had when he fluked the green.

I needed a lie down after that drama, but no, it was coming thick and fast at us, with the final session of Selby v The Rocket. Ive never liked Selby, don't know why, you just sometimes take a dislike to a player from afar without really knowing them , maybe its unfair, but i was rooting  for Ronnie.

Those last 3 frames coming back from 16-14 down no other player either past or present would have been able to do imho. Some of those long pots on opening reds were just off the scale.

He did get a bit of luck getting out of the snookers Selby had laid but you need that bit of luck in all sports now and again and Selby  is the sort of player that when he gets a bit of luck fluking a red and is out of position tucks you up behind a baulk colour and walks off smirking.

I think Shelby will regret his post-match interview where he saidRonnie was disrespectful smashing the balls around, it was incredibly mean-spirited. Effectively he tried to win the game by grinding Ronnie down, He thought it was working when Ronnie went into his ‘I can’t be bothered with this’ mode. 

Then Ronnie comes back from a pee break and blitz’s the next two frames, keeping Selby in his chair. The last frame was close but i think Selby was rattled and made errors to allow Ronnie to win it, thankfully.

[overseas516]

3 hours ago, jocky king said:

Yeah he was ... there’s no RULES against a player slamming the balls everywhere .. just getting a Foul points if error had been made in the table ... Selby was seen fist pump after his second session win (9-7) , that had pissed Ronnie off .. I knew he was going to fix him on the next day ...  Never celebrate during the match , that’s also respectful... Selby should know that ... 

Kyren Wilson will beat Ronnie ( I hope not ) . 

Ronnie will beat Kyren Wilson.  

[PR1977]

Probably the right final I think...despite getting a bye in R1 Wilson quite easily beat Martin Gould who was one of the best of the qualifiers, kept defending champ Judd Trump at arm's length in the Q and then somehow held it together in THAT epic match v McGill. 

O'Sullivan has been unplayable at his best, despite his troughs v Williams and Selby when it almost appears he just doesn't care, but he then just seems to hit the switch and reels off 4-5 frames in a row in no time without missing a ball.

In frame 30 against Selby when he started messing around on the pink it looked as if he had given up and he then came out and blitzed him, best I've seen Ronnie play since the semi against Stephen Hendry in 2006 or 2008 when he won 17-6 I think and virtually ended Hendry's career as a top player. I think Selby's comments afterwards might have just been because of what had just happened, he looked in shock after I think he thought he had the game in the bag. I suspect he'll probably apologise to Ronnie.

Compare that to Anthony McGill, who was an absolute gent in defeat and respect to Wilson too for his humility in victory; I hope McGill kicks on again now and these two can have a good rivalry over the next decade or so. Their frame has gone viral by all accounts, ok standard wasn't great but the drama was just something else...and yet it could have finished all so tamely if McGill's split on the pack at 39 had gone better...or Wilson had just knocked in that easy red to the middle. Hopefully that will raise the game's profile anyway. 

5-2 to Ronnie now, Wilson looks nervous but I think he can do it if he can stay in touch.

[Red-Devil]

The "Rocket" man leads... 7-2.

[jocky king]

3 hours ago, Red-Devil said:

The "Rocket" man leads... 7-2.

10-7 now .... Ronnie was lucky to get the last frame .. Still a match on . Looks likely it will go n to a last session tomorrow night ... Nice to see snooker fans there , makes atmosphere far better .

[jocky king]

7 hours ago, PR1977 said:

Probably the right final I think...despite getting a bye in R1 Wilson quite easily beat Martin Gould who was one of the best of the qualifiers, kept defending champ Judd Trump at arm's length in the Q and then somehow held it together in THAT epic match v McGill. 

O'Sullivan has been unplayable at his best, despite his troughs v Williams and Selby when it almost appears he just doesn't care, but he then just seems to hit the switch and reels off 4-5 frames in a row in no time without missing a ball.

In frame 30 against Selby when he started messing around on the pink it looked as if he had given up and he then came out and blitzed him, best I've seen Ronnie play since the semi against Stephen Hendry in 2006 or 2008 when he won 17-6 I think and virtually ended Hendry's career as a top player. I think Selby's comments afterwards might have just been because of what had just happened, he looked in shock after I think he thought he had the game in the bag. I suspect he'll probably apologise to Ronnie.

Compare that to Anthony McGill, who was an absolute gent in defeat and respect to Wilson too for his humility in victory; I hope McGill kicks on again now and these two can have a good rivalry over the next decade or so. Their frame has gone viral by all accounts, ok standard wasn't great but the drama was just something else...and yet it could have finished all so tamely if McGill's split on the pack at 39 had gone better...or Wilson had just knocked in that easy red to the middle. Hopefully that will raise the game's profile anyway. 

5-2 to Ronnie now, Wilson looks nervous but I think he can do it if he can stay in Touch.

I like McGill too ... I begin to like his gritting playing style.  He is ranked 49 in the world .. Was sad to see him go . 

[Eric Le Roi]

Usual session from Ronnie again tonight, going from the sublime to the ridiculous.

Never a dull moment though.

[Somchai1]

You fear a little for Ronnie after that first day. He will have been very happy coming out at 10-7, even with an 8-2 lead earlier in the session. But he looks like he’s playing two opponents out there, Wilson and his own mind.

I don't think he has any entourage or support with him  backstage which Is probably doing him no favours. He just looks like he doesn’t enjoy it anymore, but the idea of ‘what the hell do i do with myself if I’m not playing snooker‘ scares the shit out of him.

You can still get 21/5 odds on Wilson winning it which is great value at this stage  and with what has gone on so far. The Rocket is still heavily Odds-on to win 1/5 best price.

The ‘match’ inside the match today will be fought in Ronnie’s head, between the ‘I’m the best player that’s ever been so lets do this’ and the ‘I cant be bothered with this today’ Mindset.

Wilson is tough but I’m not sure he is ruthless enough to take advantage of Ronnie’s frailties should they appear. 

An interesting afternoon lies ahead for us snooker fans

[Eric Le Roi]

^^^^^^^

Excellent post.

It's all part of the enigmatic genius that is Ronnie O'Sullivan.

A never ending roller coaster ride...hold onto your hats.

[jocky king]

Ronnie steamrolled Wilson 17-8 with a frame left to win the World Championship tonight . Wilson need a miracle,10 frames in succession. I texted Ronnie this morning to make it quick cos The Europa match start at 8 pm  555 ... It was a tough route to the final , Beat Ding , Williams and Selby ( 6 world champions between  the two)  ,  I wonder if McGill would have given Ronnie a match ... McGill won two deciding frames and lost one .. Maybe he would . 

Edited August 16, 2020 by jocky king

[Eric Le Roi]

Hopefully Ronnie wins the 1st frame tonight, straight over for the Utd game 

[Red-Devil]

Thanks Gents for your comments and contributions to make this tournament more enjoyable.

Well done Ronnie.... 

[overseas516]

5 hours ago, Eric Le Roi said:

 

 

Edited August 16, 2020 by overseas516

[English rose]

A deserved win by a brilliant player and without signs of arrogance..and nice words from both players afterwards.

I'm looking forward to Kyren being number 1..he has age on his side.