World Snooker Championship 2022

Brian?

I’ve no idea if he can keep it up, but we saw peak Ronnie tonight. He doesn’t really play better than that, which means no one does.

Hes currently as good as long haired Ronnie and Bette than shaven headed Ronnie. Which is unreal.

Arthur Daley

Steve Davis was suggesting Willo was playing at his peak too. We could be in for some competition yet heading into the second week.

HeidiHeidi

When are Ronnie and Williams scheduled to meet?

(Haven't seen the draw)

Pussyhands

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118963731#Comment_118963731

Final

Pussyhands

How on earth have the BBC let things go so bad to have Rob Walker and Radzi as commentators.

Rob Walker annoys me with him trying to make snooker sound like a fast paced sport. It's not darts, it's not jump out of your seat, high octane stuff. His commentary is so annoying too, just reels off stats.

Pussyhands

Higgins, Williams and Ronnie are great but their continued success is more about desire for money more than anything I think.

Look at Shaun Murphy, more interested in being a commentator and it results in him winning nothing.

Youngsters nowadays are not going to spend all the time required inside in dark snooker halls playing 7 or 8 hours a day when they have tiktok and women to be chasing.

Ronnie, Higgins, Williams are all 47.

Robertson is 40. Selby is 38. They'll both be around in 6 or 7 years time winning things.

Barry Hawkins is still reaching major finals at 42.

Stuart Bingham is 46 next month and still a threat in this tournament.

Hotblack Desiato

I didn't realise chasing women was a new thing 😝

Murphy could still be a top player if he was prepared to put the effort in, but he's spotted his opening at the BBC and we'll be fast-forwarding him for the next 20-odd years.

Brian?

Murphy is accepting his decline rather than giving up. The lads next is in a jock, he can’t put the practice hours in. He’ll retire soon.

Arthur Daley

This whole cue thing is a major change in recent years. Maguire switching cues quicker than hairstyles. Ken being old school has the same cue for 40 years. Most players viewed a cue change as their worst nightmare.

Dropping from the 16 and having to go through the qualifiers has done Maguire no harm at all.

ArmaniJeanss

I remember Alain Robidoux's career basically ended when his cue got smashed.

It always seemed a bit silly to me - i can't think of another sport where people would get so psychologically attached to one piece of equipment. A brand or make perhaps, but not an actual unit.

sligeach

I hope Zhao beats Maguire. He's 12-9 down but has won 4 of the 5 frames this morning. He's a far better player than Maguire and I think he'd give O'Sullivan a much better match.

Maguire is in here now, could be curtains for Zhao.

Arthur Daley

Even as a club player I soon played with a cue that I liked and recognkised and I would feel a difference if I had to pick up a cue that was too heavy or too light. At pro level the effect must be huge for many players.

Comic Book Guy

Really poor stuff in Trump McGill so far....

Shredsville in frame 3 😃, tough brown as freeball,, McGill should have put Trump back, or play the red from where white ended up,, that was a mistake

mon Anto!

Another one for the highlight reel there,, Anto speaks to a chap in the crowd, and all ends well,,

Trump doing well to not be 4-0 down at interval,,

Mon Ant'nee!

HeidiHeidi

I've only half an eye on it, but Trump seems to have come out swinging after the mid session interval....

Strumms

Dale : “he’s always been lucky Judd Trump”. I’m inclined to agree

then McGill with horrendous luck.

A poor positional shot, when among the balls, cost Lisowski there,,, Robbo clears up,, 2 nil to the Aussie

Comic Book Guy

What a cracking frame for Yan to win.

Selby smiling away to himself when the blue appeared to come to his rescue but that's a brilliant clearance of brown, blue and pink. Not the type of frame Selby loses. He has to win these 2 frames before the mid session interval.

waynescales1

Anyone hear what Bingtao asked the ref there when lining up the brown?

Great viewing the latter part of frame 18 on table one,, what a winning clearance by Yan there!! had comedy as well - asking the ref to clean cueball was mint 😂 took three minutes to go for the brown - and got it too!

hon Yan! 'Out-Selbyed Selby there' as commentator said 😃

Girly Gal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118967076#Comment_118967076

Great to see, two frames in a row now Selby looked favourite to win and let slip, nice to see him squirm a bit in his chair after that frame. He's close to the point of no return now, but, he won't give up until the bitter end, and looks in a good position to score heavily in this frame, could be a long night yet here.

Comic Book Guy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118967072#Comment_118967072

Asked him to clean the cue ball hoping it might have repositioned it slightly so he could pass the blue!

Made some serious pots in that frame.

Pussyhands

Yan 11-7 up now. 2 more. Selby needs to win 6-1 from here. Big ask.

waynescales1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118967113#Comment_118967113

That's what I thought, it looked like he might have been joking, which I hope he was.

I was interested in Selby's miffed reaction, as a few years ago he asked a referee to do exactly that in an identical situation and he wasn't joking either. Ref refused to clean it.

that last frame by Yan was outstanding alright,, was well behind, and he had to take on a few 50-50 (or worse) pots just to stay in contention,,

and against Selby too,, one for the scrapbooks/almanacs that one,,

Selby responding well here tho,, could be a late one this tbs 🙂

Looks like 11-9 on the cards,, interval discuss should be good ☺️

Comic Book Guy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118967225#Comment_118967225

Yeah this is a quality response from Selby.

Pussyhands

They're talking about the blue ball shot on Eurosport...they're pretty much implying Yan was in the wrong and they're calling it gamesmanship and calling up twitter criticism.

No way they'd be highlighthing this if it was a british player. Yan was smiling when he said it, not sure if he was really joking but if it was a Brit, they'd say it was a joke.

"Mark was miffed" ,, and he did the exact thing himself before , as mentioned upthread 😊

Selby apparently is exempt from criticism

waynescales1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118967276#Comment_118967276

Well if Yan was serious then it's really poor and they're right to bring it up, I thought it may have looked like he was joking though.

thought he was joking myself - his English wouldn't be the best,,

will put it down to 'lost in translation' - panel a bit harsh, and we don't know for sure if he asked to get cueball cleaned,, couldn't hear that particular convo.

Honn Yan

ebbsy

Actually Selby asked for the brown to cleaned once in the World champs, Alan Chamberlain refused as it could give an advantage to Selby.

Then John Virgo said the ref should have cleaned it no matter what....

HeidiHeidi

Whose heavy breathing area we listening to??

🥺

(on Eurosport)

Say Your Number

Great opening pot by Yan

That feckin' red blocking the green

waynescales1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118967374#Comment_118967374

The referee's unfortunately, poor old Rob Spencer. Good ref overall.

HeidiHeidi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118967430#Comment_118967430

I've never heard that before! Is his mike in the wrong place or something? Not great.....

Now that I've heard it i can't not hear it! Esp during a long safety bout like this....

(not a comment on his reffing! But someone - the director? - must be able to do something, surely?)

Say Your Number

Could be here all night with this frame

'Angles' be loving this safety exchange 😂

hopefully other sesh ends soon - more drama with the oohs and aahs 🤣

and Selby taking an age,, and misses 😁

Say Your Number

Oh a chance for Yan

HeidiHeidi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118967482#Comment_118967482

Had to laugh at them talking of 3am+ matches back in the good old days!

these frames are far better at business end,, they be compelling - in complete contrast to similar at start of match - just want them over 🤣

and a 'comfort break' midframe - if this don't make almanac, i don't know what will,,

up goes barrier,, this could be a crucible frame of firsts ,, both get the warning after two misses as well 😃

HeidiHeidi

What happens if the poor old ref wants to go to the loo??!!

HeidiHeidi

What a pot!!!

Selby, if he wins match: "now i know what it's like to play against me" 😃

Say Your Number

Standard of safety has been great in this frame

Strumms

Yan with Selbyesque luck that the red goes safe.

then Selby with luck and bad luck in the one shot.

PropJoe10

Just looking on Wikipedia, John Virgo is 76 now. Hard to believe. Always been a fan of John. Great enthusiasm for the game.

Mr. Guappa

This is rivetting stuff. Great standard of safety

PropJoe10

This is brilliant stuff from both players. Outstanding tactical play. Give me this sort of stuff over big break after big break anyday!