UK Championship Barbican York, 12th - 20th November BBC, Eurosport

Joe_ Public

They're both a bit slack tonight really. If hossein could buy a long pot, he'd have built up a lead but I think he must be on 0% and he's had a fair few gos! It's there for one of them to pull away after the interval i think, whoever gets even a half decent rhythm going.

Strumms

How did Vafaei not snooker Selby behind the black ? Careless. Next shot dreadful too. Very slack indeed, very.

Brian?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119879044#Comment_119879044

Terrible match. Really poor standard.

as I said that Vafaei gets a huge fluke.

Joe_ Public

Both are off their game, just how it is. Vafaei really jammy to get snooker behind the green there. Be a long night if one of them doesn't find a gear i fancy.

Joe_ Public

Just flashing over to other table, Murphy levels match on respotted black and looks very pumped up. Dave taking quite a long time over his shots it has to be said.

Brian?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119879258#Comment_119879258

Not a great standard on either table. Off to bed for me (I’m an hour ahead)

Arthur Daley

I think it's 6 of the top 16 have gone by now. And they don't get a penny or ranking points for losing their first match.

For some of them, it's careful what you might wish for with this new format.

Joe_ Public

Is that stipulated they don't get paid? I assumed they still get the cheque as usual, just not the ranking points. With a flat 128 draw, you'd probably expect round about 8 top 16s to be gone by now, so maybe not that much of a difference either way as it's turning out!

gormdubhgorm

I had to laugh at Davis in commentary saying - 'Far be it from me to criticise Mark Selby tactically'.

And I was thinking you are Steve Davis! Of course you can!

Arthur Daley

Can't say for sure that top 16 losers don't get paid, but you'd imagine the outcry from the lower rungs on the ladder if they've spent years without getting a penny for turning up and losing, but the top 16 collect here when they fail to win a match.

I'd say WST sold the new format to the lowest ranked players on the basis that if Trump or Ronnie turn up here and lose, that's it, it was a wasted trip for them as well. Same as everyone else. No favouritism.

Joe_ Public

It's the same as world championship, you'll still get paid, just won't earn the points. I guess they'd say they've earned the cash by dint of reaching the top 16 and earning the privileges that come with it. Not saying it's fair exactly, always thought players getting nothing for first round losses wasn't right, given bookies, for one, are making money off the back of them.

Selby definitely in need of the ranking points tonight anyway as he's losing a shed load this season, including his world champs points. He wouldn't even be in the Grand Prix qualifying list if he loses here which would be a pretty grim state of affairs with just 2 qualifying events left.

Sweet Talkin Romeo

Steve McQueen be proud of that one 😁

hon Hussein !

Strumms

Vafaei in the last 5 mins making a lot of mistakes, playing tired snooker. Not playing the obviously easier and more comprehensive safe safety.

Joe_ Public

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119879502#Comment_119879502

Don't have the commentary but was he criticising Selby for pushing the yellow into a safe position? That was such an odd, un-Selby like shot to play and subsequently came back to bite him on the ass.

Strumms

O’Sullivan coming out with his usual “ I don’t want to play snooker at the moment “…routine

a 350 mile round trip from his home. And people paying to watch…and putting in time and miles on themselves and they have to read that crap after forking out.

an incredibly dislikable character regardless of his abundant talent. The “am I bovvered yeah ? ” routine is getting a bit repetitive….

https://www.rte.ie/sport/snooker/2022/1114/1336128-osullivan-i-dont-want-to-play-snooker-at-the-moment/

it feels like an ego thing, “ I couldn’t give two shîts but I’ll beat whoever anyway… “

kirk.

Constant interviews after every match he plays he must run out of stuff to say in fairness

He doesn't try very hard with his brand image for whatever reason

The Nal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119880024#Comment_119880024

Same interview hes been giving for 15 years. I dont get the criticism. Its clearly just his way of coping with it all. Tough being held up as the top player in your sport for 20 years when you have Ronnies chequered history of mental health.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFYt6fBaZpw&ab_channel=SnookerDaily

Strumms

Yeah, Maybe it’s deflection but I think it does come across as rather unsporting really… an opponent try’s hard against you and people invest money and time to see you.

Criticising the tournament set up in that video right after he says he doesn’t care…. “ not good enough for me “. … you either care, or don’t, which is it ? 🤔.. totally contradictory in an interview on Eurosport now.

ughhh, just, no..

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119881296#Comment_119881296

Too many excuses are made for that O'Sullivan fella. Just because as person has bipolar/depression etc does not give them a right to constantly act like a knobs. For example Ronnie has slagged off younger players loads of times in the past. I think that is disgusting to be honest. Compare that to Jimmy White he would constantly encourage younger players. And Jimmy has had his personal problems, but I never heard it spill over to nastiness.

I heard that Ronnie is practising with one of young Chinese lads. But the impression I got was he only did so because he was asked.

I think it is a lot like alcoholics there are good ones and bad ones. Alex Higgins or Bill Werbeniuk etc.

Even Ronnie's last interview after v Stevens, he was on in the BBC studio he was asked about the match he just played. All he had to do was mention a few shots and how the match went and leave. But no not him, he basically said I don't want to talk about analysis and went off on his usual 'routine'. He went down that interview path, not Hazel Irvine. It was odd.

ROS greatest player of all time on the table, but off the table he is a complete knob. From what I see there is an element on the internet the 'yahoo fans' who actually enjoy the latter part. Especially when it spills over onto the table - not going for 147's, not helping refs and so on.

He is a very poor analyst of snooker IMO as well, and only has the gig on Eurosport because of his 'name' so they can cut the clips into 'Ronnie said' clips.

Strumms

100%…

doesn’t want to play ball with those interviewing him but then he’s happy to take the cash for sitting in those same media position’s himself acting all professional and interested.

anyway he’s going to steamroll Zhou here…. He’s playing ok but Zhou all over the kip.

Joe_ Public

Not uncommon to see players a bit intimidated facing O'Sullivan, but been a while since I've seen it this bad. Zhou is still young but he's been around a while, hope it gets better for him but couldn't be too confident about it.

Strumms

Yeah. I wouldn’t be surprised if this is a whitewash.

4 frames in and Zhou hasn’t potted a ball. Missed some pots by a mile.

kirk.

I would say the easier pockets are probably more advantageous to Ronnie than other players these days

Just my observation on it

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119881655#Comment_119881655

More likely it is your misguided theory. I said it to you before. You may have not tried it yet.

But seek out a championship table in a club near you (play a few frames or even the line up) and come back to us with your findings v the normal club table.

Afterwards I suspect you will be less Kirk and more ‘beam me up scotty’ when the realisation hits you.

kirk.

When the balls are bouncing off side cushions and going into the pocket that's all the evidence I need

weemcd

Ronnie almost clinical here but Zhou completely capitulated. It was as if he was beaten from the first break. He'll probably talk complete rubbish in the interview now.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119881852#Comment_119881852

So your theory you repeat every tournament is based on nothing really. Why not test your theory? Because it just sounds uninformed/childish otherwise to be honest.

The Nal

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119881526#Comment_119881526

He answered all their questions. I dont see the issue. It was in interesting interview.

Just catching up from today. Christ, he ran through poor Zhou.

gormdubhgorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119881914#Comment_119881914

Poor Zhou looked like he was going to burst into tears. Thankfully Walker dialled down his normal over the top excitement.

As for Ronnie even when Murphy/Hazel tried to guide Ronnie towards praising/advising up and coming players, he basically said there is no Hendry/Davis/John Higgins who is consistent, and thrives under pressure. No one has got ‘it’ as far as he is concerned.

Some of the stuff Murphy said was far more interesting than Ronnie’s stuff. On how Zhou recovers etc. I think Murphy would make an excellent snooker coach for the younger players in particular.

As for the Zhou-ROS match itself I only caught the last frame. But what I was thinking was how many times has O’Sullivan won a match with a century? Seems to do it regularly.

weemcd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119882016#Comment_119882016

Honestly he was cruising in first gear there today, probably can't believe how easy it was. Even the odd miss he had Zhou let him back in again. When he has the upper hand on an opponent he rarely if ever lets them off. I think Allen and possibly Trump have a game for Ronnie atm, not sure if too many others left do. There's a lot of snooker to be played yet but I wouldn't be surprised to see him in the final on Sunday.