2021 Masters 10/01/21 -17/01/21

"Gravity always wins"

tanko

It's like last night, the least worst player is winning the frames.

Joe_ Public

That was pure shredsville. Shocking misses from both. Could nearly forgive higgins for the missed blue given how he had to play it, but position off brown earlier was terrible. Could get scrappy this match.

waynescales1

Anyone know if it’s 8 or 9 frames for the first session?

Mervyn Skidmore

waynescales1 wrote: »

Anyone know if it’s 8 or 9 frames for the first session?

Pretty sure it's 8.

tanko

waynescales1 wrote: »

Anyone know if it’s 8 or 9 frames for the first session?

Only guessing but is it not usually 9.

eric hoone

Higgins 2 up, expect him to maintain the gap till the end?

tanko

Mervyn Skidmore wrote: »

Pretty sure it's 8.

Looks like you're correct.
Bing tao needs to get going or it'll be as good as over before tonight.

Joe_ Public

If higgins is going to be handed 3 chances to win every frame, it wont be a late night. Was a cracking red there though for a fella with a 17% long pot success rate.

waynescales1

Mervyn Skidmore wrote: »

Pretty sure it's 8.

Grand, should get the job done by 4:30 so...

gormdubhgorm

Mysterypunter wrote: »

High quality all week, watching on Eurosport, Dominic Dale is excellent on commentary

He always makes me think he should have been born in Joe Davis' era he has the haircut and mannerisms of a fella from the 1920's/1930's.

tanko

That's more like it from Bing tao, if he could sneak the next frame it might get interesting tonight yet.

DelBoy Trotter

Quality break by Ding to win that frame

Mervyn Skidmore

DelBoy Trotter wrote: »

Quality break by Ding to win that frame

Eh what?

Joe_ Public

Wasnt sure about the shot choice but it was a brilliant yellow. He's been very positive today, even when he's been missing, he's stayed positive. Definitely like that about him. Doing a higgins on higgins in that frame will help, 4-4 would be massive for him at the interval if he can manage it.

Holy Diver

Ridiculous green to take on. Handing it to Higgins on a plate

tanko

Green was never the shot there, a real rush of blood to the head from Yan, could be very costly.

Gwynplaine

Taylor is painful, the nose breathing into the mic, and the "balloo and brine"

tanko

Gwynplaine wrote: »

Taylor is painful, the nose breathing into the mic, and the "balloo and brine"

True, Ken and Virgo are a dose also. Hendry is the only one on the BBC worth listening to.

tanko

Some rubbish safety play from Yan, just not good enough.
How did that last green go into the corner pocket, it really should have stayed out.

Joe_ Public

As i said earlier, he was determined to stay positive but that green was a step too far. Of course if he gets it and wins frame, we're all gushing. But gotta play percentages too, especially this stage of a tournament. Davis says he was naive in that session, hard to disagree i suppose.

gormdubhgorm

tanko wrote: »

True, Ken and Virgo are a dose also. Hendry is the only one on the BBC worth listening to.

I enjoy all three even their drawbacks, I got used to them.

Ken trying to sound sophisticated mixing up his words and metaphors.
'Taking the Bull by the scruff of the neck' - even Dennis still slags him about that one.

Ken likes aping the English speak now with the occasional 'shall' now I noticed instead of 'will'. Plus copies that Northern English speak 'does Ken' after Virgo and Dennis loves it as well 'does Dennis'.

Virgo with his anecdotes and 'where's the cue ball going' and the way he seems to think every shot is fairly easy - yet he only won one pro tournament. Back in 1979 - a non ranking UK Championship.

Hendry sounding uncomfortable and straight laced. Plus sounds extremely awkward when trying to engage in 'banter'/jokes. Dennis had one, one time 'I had not seen a plant like that Stephen, since I was in your garden'. Hendry replied with 'You were never in my garden Dennis'

Gwynplaine wrote: »

Taylor is painful, the nose breathing into the mic, and the "balloo and brine"

As for Dennis in general, I enjoy how he gets excited about the silliest things. Plus lands himself in it.

Holy Diver

I find Parrot the worst of the lot. Both commentating and as a pundit.

tanko

Joe_ Public wrote: »

As i said earlier, he was determined to stay positive but that green was a step too far. Of course if he gets it and wins frame, we're all gushing. But gotta play percentages too, especially this stage of a tournament. Davis says he was naive in that session, hard to disagree i suppose.

Yans inexperience showed with that shot. He was very frustrated after losing position on the blue and wasn't in the right frame of mind to take on a very difficult green.
I've no doubt Higgins would have played safe with that shot.

Rothko

DelBoy Trotter wrote: »

John to win 10-8 is my prediction

I was thinking that before the start of the match. I still feel like it'll end that way.

Joe_ Public

tanko wrote: »

Yans inexperience showed with that shot. He was very frustrated after losing position on the blue and wasn't in the right frame of mind to take on a very difficult green.
I've no doubt Higgins would have played safe with that shot.

It was wrong shot, not enough percentage in it, but like i said, i thought yellow in previous frame was wrong shot too and he won the frame off it. But maybe it's the type of shot you contemplate when you're ahead in a match, not behind. Higgins wouldnt have played it, fairly sure you're right about that. Yans game plan seems to have been play aggressive, go for shots and try not to get bogged down into a tactical game, but frustration did get the better of him there I'd agree.

gormdubhgorm

Holy Diver wrote: »

I find Parrot the worst of the lot. Both commentating and as a pundit.

If you didn't know anything him you would think he was just an enthusiastic snooker fan. Really enjoys the game and talks in almost 'soccer pundit' speak a lot of the time.

Arthur Daley

5-3 is still tight. Tonight is a fresh session. Over egging it a bit on BBC to suggest Bingtao is up against it. Maybe if it was 6-2 yes.

Joe_ Public

I find with some of the older school bbc pundits you get impression they don't watch a huge amount of snooker outside of bbc events. Particularly noticeable at crucible when a new (ish) player is doing well and it's like they just dropped in off another planet. They did it with thepchaiya a couple of years ago, like he was a kid burst through from nowhere, when he was already in his 30s and had been around years. Could be wrong but that's impression i get anyway.

tanko

Rothko wrote: »

I was thinking that before the start of the match. I still feel like it'll end that way.

I think Higgins will give Yan chances but he needs to take more of them and improve his safety to have a chance. He could do with winning two out of the first three frames.

zuutroy

Joe_ Public wrote: »

I find with some of the older school bbc pundits you get impression they don't watch a huge amount of snooker outside of bbc events. Particularly noticeable at crucible when a new (ish) player is doing well and it's like they just dropped in off another planet. They did it with thepchaiya a couple of years ago, like he was a kid burst through from nowhere, when he was already in his 30s and had been around years. Could be wrong but that's impression i get anyway.

I wouldn't say Parrott watches a shot unless he's being paid to, and Davis probably only slightly ahead of him.

Joe_ Public

zuutroy wrote: »

I wouldn't say Parrott watches a shot unless he's being paid to, and Davis probably only slightly ahead of him.

What i dislike about parrotts punditry is it just seems entirely based on gushing about how great and fantastic everything is and there's not much genuine insight there. Davis is better, i do have respect for him but he does sometimes lapse into the same too. The likes of foulds, mcmanus, dale etc on the circuit full time just leave them in the shade for knowledge and incisive analysis time and time again.

zuutroy

In terms of commentary, I think Dale is sharpest on the shot by shot calling, closely followed by McManus but Dale talks a shade too much. BBC used to insist on commentators talking about every 3 shots on average back in the day and there's something to be said for it.
Foulds is the best at the 'big picture' colour commentary. Actually surprised to say I kind of missed Virgo when he was gone, now that he's back. There's a warmth and simplicity to his commentary that Eurosport doesn't manage. He used to drive me mad a bit. Even Dave Hendon who I think is great, is a little too analytical maybe. I enjoy most of them these days tbh, even Joe doesn't annoy me as much as he used to.

Joe_ Public

I suppose its personal taste, but beyond phil and dennis who both grate with me on commentary, there's not anyone i have any big problem with. I love virgo and hoping he'll be taking us home to the final frames tonight.

sligeach

Yan Bingtao really should be tied at 4-4. He's been a little unlucky and made some poor decisions, especially in the last frame taking on that long green.

Joe_ Public

He surely had options there, better ones anyway. Ended up doing nothing, a stephen maguire hail mary, just without the power.

newmember2

Holy Diver wrote: »

I find Parrot the worst of the lot. Both commentating and as a pundit.

Ha yeh...he's funny. He gets very worked up and critical when a player makes a mistake or takes a different shot to what he has judged to be the correct shot. I like them all though tbh, they all have something to contribute.

waynescales1

All this commentator talk has reminded me of Clive Everton. Wonder how he’s getting on these days. Had a bad fall or something last year, heard he wasn’t in good health.

newmember2

COME ON...YAN!

Class from Yan.

deisedav

Holy Diver wrote: »

I find Parrot the worst of the lot. Both commentating and as a pundit.

Yeah I tend to zone out when he's commentating on a match, he's very annoying

waynescales1

Higgins appreciated that clearance, it was like one of his.

sligeach

Terrific break from Yan for the respotted black. Hope it's not for nothing.

Joe_ Public

Wonderful clearance, absolutely first class . Gave him 15% chance of potting pink, superb cueing.

Majestic.

zuutroy

So much more composure than most of his compatriots.

sligeach

Fantastic frame won by Yan.

Awesome from Bingtao there.

Mervyn Skidmore

Brilliant potting from Yan, his position is a bit all over the place though. Game on.

newmember2

sligeach wrote: »

Terrific break from Yan for the respotted black. Hope it's not for nothing.

Yeh...great effort and gets his reward - will have given Higgins something to think about.