2020 World Snooker Championship

Rothko

Delighted for Maflin. He deserves it.

Joe_ Public

That last safety shot won it for him, fabulous shot that put higgins in trouble and forced him to go for a very difficult pot. Very well deserved victory, did it in style.

gormdubhgorm

Am I just imagining it? Or is the standard of snooker really high this year? So many good matches.

Brian?

Unbelievable performance by Maflin. Delighted for him.

Brian?

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Am I just imagining it? Or is the standard of snooker really high this year? So many good matches.

I'm convinced the lack of audience is easing the pressure and allowing the lower ranked players to play more freely.

They're all phenomenal snooker players, the top players are the ones who can handle the pressure better. Take that pressure away and it evens out.

Arthur Daley

I think the lack of crowds means players are more relaxed. With a full house the likes of Maflin may be more inclined to bottle it.

c.p.w.g.w

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Am I just imagining it? Or is the standard of snooker really high this year? So many good matches.

I have been able to watch a lot due to being off site due to covid19...I can't remember so many close games...Looking at the draw...Maflin is surely favourite to make the semi's at this rate...

Maflin & Gould have been very impressive and i think Noppon has be brilliant too so far and really putting it upto Selby

gormdubhgorm

Arthur Daley wrote: »

I think the lack of crowds means players are more relaxed. With a full house the likes of Maflin may be more inclined to bottle it.

I expected Mafflin to wobble a bit in the last frame, no sign of it. 57 straight away. Looked so calm.

DJIMI TRARORE

That performance from Maflin reminds me of Joe Johnson the year he won it. He potted everything he went for and look at ease

Joe_ Public

One big factor in the Maflin story - lockdown. He was stuck in the uk for past couple of months, had Jimmy as mentor and practice partner and spent days playing other top players too. None of the distractions of home, just total focus on his snooker. Sure that must've helped him. He's kind of this years Dave Gilbert, no question of ability, just putting it all together over a sustained period. Martin Gould has spoken how much lockdown helped him too. Just one interesting angle maybe.

gormdubhgorm

DJIMI TRARORE wrote: »

That performance from Maflin reminds me of Joe Johnson the year he won it. He potted everything he went for and look at ease

To my shame I thought he was from Iceland not Norway! Looked at the little flag on snooker.org and got colours mixed up in my head . Only when I heard commentator mention Oslo...

Anyway I think they will be swapping skis for cues, the way Mafflin is going so far.

gormdubhgorm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

One big factor in the Maflin story - lockdown. He was stuck in the uk for past couple of months, had Jimmy as mentor and practice partner and spent days playing other top players too. None of the distractions of home, just total focus on his snooker. Sure that must've helped him. He's kind of this years Dave Gilbert, no question of ability, just putting it all together over a sustained period. Martin Gould has spoken how much lockdown helped him too. Just one interesting angle maybe.

Sorta like a snooker retreat/boot camp I suppose. I think Williams said the lockdown stopped him feeling sorry for himself and has changed his attitude. Now he wants to play until 50 and see where it takes him.

Joe_ Public

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

Sorta like a snooker retreat/boot camp I suppose. I think Williams said the lockdown stopped him feeling sorry for himself and has changed his attitude. Now he wants to play until 50 and see where it takes him.

Sure it probably helped loads of them but i think in maflins case, he'd just have been back home in Oslo doing the normal things he'd be doing every year and that never led to him going very far in a major tournament. I think there might have been particular value for him to be stuck in the uk. I'd say jimmy would be a good coach/mentor type figure at this stage too.

gormdubhgorm

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Sure it probably helped loads of them but i think in maflins case, he'd just have been back home in Oslo doing the normal things he'd be doing every year and that never led to him going very far in a major tournament. I think there might have been particular value for him to be stuck in the uk. I'd say jimmy would be a good coach/mentor type figure at this stage too.

I think Jimmy should pursue this full time. Kind of sad to see him still killing himself in qualifiers. Great people person ideal coach, likes to see people do well in the game.

mdwexford

Think their could be a new name on the trophy this year with the way the outsiders are playing with no crowd.

6 former champions left from 15 players.

c.p.w.g.w

Mafllin 14/1 to win it...might be worth an E/W bet

Joe_ Public

Possible q/f line up for top half of the draw:

Yan v Gould
Maflin v Clarke

Unlikely you'd imagine, but i think it's very possible we could get at least 3 qualifiers in that section.

taytobreath

gormdubhgorm wrote: »

I think Jimmy should pursue this full time. Kind of sad to see him still killing himself in qualifiers. Great people person ideal coach, likes to see people do well in the game.

I actually think Jimmy is still on the tour not because of the money but because he genuinely loves the game.

Besides, he must make a lot more from euro-sport and exhibitions.

Joe_ Public

Williams going for everything this morning. 10 from 11 on long pots last 3 frames. Exciting to watch but came unstuck there.

Chalk McHugh

Pretty cagey affair with the reigning champion this morning. Dominic 'The Spaceman' Dale thinks Judd's rather ponderous average shot time is down to him donning Terry Griffith's old hair style. Suppose it's as good a reason as any.

Arthur Daley

Trump v Bingtao with longest frame of the tournament. Nearly 50 mins

Described by McManus as 'like something out of the Rotherham and district snooker league'

Chalk McHugh

Fergal O Brien disappointed the frame only lasted 50 minutes. If it's not at least 90 minutes long it doesn't get Fergal's juices flowing.

The Nal

Chalk McHugh wrote: »

Fergal O Brien disappointed the frame only lasted 50 minutes. If it's not at least 90 minutes long it doesn't get Fergal's juices flowing.

Fergal isn't interested in anything under a 30 second average shot time and a few slow play warnings from the ref. Bliss.

Chalk McHugh

Bingham did the donkey work in opening up the balls but after a poor miss Wlliams said 'thanks very much' as he cleared the table. Bit of a sickener.

Chalk McHugh

I never really heard of any Stuart Bingham fans. Heard of quite a few who dont seem to like him.

Joe_ Public

Ballrun piling on the assists for williams here.

Chalk McHugh

Of course the hooks for the rests are still there Parrot. Won't they be used whenever the virus is over? Whats he on about?

Joe_ Public

Chalk McHugh wrote: »

I never really heard of any Stuart Bingham fans. Heard of quite a few who dont seem to like him.

When he was winning the worlds in 15 i remember a few casual remarks to the effect he wasn't popular among his peers but couldnt see there was much substance to them. Allen had a bit of a beef with him but they subsequently made it up. Actually never heard a bad word about him otherwise.

Chalk McHugh

Humpty Dumpty is cracking up.

Chalk McHugh

Joe_ Public wrote: »

When he was winning the worlds in 15 i remember a few casual remarks to the effect he wasn't popular among his peers but couldnt see there was much substance to them. Allen had a bit of a beef with him but they subsequently made it up. Actually never heard a bad word about him otherwise.

A poster wrote on here that he was betting against himself to get highest break or something. Wasn't he banned for betting?

Chalk McHugh

I can't work Yan Bingtao out. One stepf orward, two steps back. Only one winner here.

Joe_ Public

Chalk McHugh wrote: »

A poster wrote on here that he was betting against himself to get highest break or something. Wasn't he banned for betting?

Yeah he got a few months holiday for betting infringements alright.

Joe_ Public

Magnificent frame that from Bingham. A 48 break that was as good as a lot of centuries you'll see. Still expected Williams to get that pink.

Chalk McHugh

Just googled it there. He was betting under his managers name for years. But paltry amounts compared to his earnings. Said he won 7K over a range of matches and backing his own high break of 140 to be beaten. Sounds braindead carry on.

ArmaniJeanss

In fairness betting against yourself for high break is a situational thing, and can be a no-brainer.
Like your man who made a 145 in qualifying and stood to win £15K - he should have been putting a couple of thousand on a 147 at 6/4.

I see that as totally different morally to say backing your direct opponent in a match (even if that could purely be for cover as well, it just looks wrong).

Joe_ Public

Joe_ Public wrote: »

Yeah he got a few months holiday for betting infringements alright.

Something to do with "insurance" I think.. He had a break in the low 140s once upon a time; which was the highest break at that point. He duly then I believe took the odds on himself to "not" get the highest break with the books. I think the bookies are/were rather accommodating in that regard.

There was a difference of opinion iirc among the pundits as to whether it was okay - there was a school of thought amongst some that it was semi-acceptable, or how it wasn't really "morally" wrong or something to that effect. Some, I think, thought otherwise. Memory a bit hazy, as comms don't really "reminisce" much about the "untoward" aspects of the game.

Didn't know he got a "holiday" for it though.

My own opinion is a player should be allowed to back himself to win a match or the competition outright, with no score betting, handicap betting etc allowed. I'm not sure if that is even allowed nowadays.

Anyway, great safety shot by Bingham which led to him winning the last frame, and level the match, that he looked about 2/7 to lose.

Chalk McHugh

ArmaniJeanss wrote: »

In fairness betting against yourself for high break is a situational thing, and can be a no-brainer.
Like your man who made a 145 in qualifying and stood to win £15K - he should have been putting a couple of thousand on a 147 at 6/4.

I see that as totally different morally to say backing your direct opponent in a match (even if that could purely be for cover as well, it just looks wrong).

I meant betting under his managers name was a bit braindead. And also the pretty small sums involved. Why jeopardise your career for small change bets when he's earning a fortune anyway. He was at it for years.

Chalk McHugh

Good match this. Williams such an intelligent, craft player. Rarely misses an important ball. Quality.

Chalk McHugh

All six frames won by Trump this morning. Judd slipping into 3rd gear. Ominous for the rest of the field.

Joe_ Public

It was stupid carry on and he could count himself lucky enough with the penalty he got. Betting on your own sport is just not the thing to do. Though i suspect plenty of them do it. I think Joe Perry had a bit of an issue with it too.

Great chance now for Mark.

Chalk McHugh

Ruthless stuff from Williams. What a killer instinct he really has. And it's great to have him still in this tournament.

Loafing Oaf

Bingham still alive. Just.

It's times like this, for filler TV should be showing interviews, or some punditry, instead of showing matches/sessions that are already over.

Williams match on BBC2 Now - Trump's recent session on Eurosport1.

I want to see Hendry/McManus/Davis/Foulds etc.. The opinions are sometimes as good as the matches - sometimes.

Here we go - Mark's on BBC2

Loafing Oaf

And Williams gets the job done. Pretty daunting route to another title for him though: likely O'Sullivan-Robertson-Trump

BBC2 and Eurosport1 showing Selby match.... No Clarke - McGill, not even on Eurosport2 - they're showing cycling of all things. Not everyone has access to player, or can "stream". Those 2 players should be getting their TV time too.

ArmaniJeanss

Deleted User wrote: »

BBC2 and Eurosport1 showing Selby match.... No Clarke - McGill, not even on Eurosport2 - they're showing cycling of all things. Not everyone has access to player, or can "stream". Those 2 players should be getting their TV time too.

Not sure I get you. You think Eurosport should show snooker x 2 and forget the cycling? It gets big viewer numbers and is a huge staple of their sporting schedule.
It's understandable that both BBC and Eurosport have prioritised the Selby game.
It's unfortunate, but no player is entitled to tv time.

68 apiece as of about 30 seconds ago frame 1 in other match.. must be down to last black

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

68 apiece as of about 30 seconds ago frame 1 in other match.. must be down to last black

And Clarke takes it... Go on Jamie!

Joe_ Public

Its probably a tv executive decision. Ronnie on the other table, absolutely. Anto McGill? What else we got going today?