2017 and 2018 World Snooker Championship Thread

[CaledonianCraig]

First topic message reminder :

I am surprised no topic up here yet for the World Championship so here goes a few days too late.

Mark Selby looks like a good bet for a third world title. Where will the main challenge come from? Perhaps Judd Trump, John Higgins, Ding Junhui and Ronnie O'Sullivan.

Selby looked very good in his opening match as did Higgins. O'Sullivan's mental demons have resurfaced again in time for The Crucible and will need to improve to win again.

Thoughts?

[CaledonianCraig]

Maguire a frame away from victory as he leads 12-3.

[CaledonianCraig]

On the other table Selby looks certain to go 10-4 up.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Maguire does finish his match off a session early. He thrashes Rory McLeod 13-3.

[CaledonianCraig]

On the other table Selby leads Xiao 10-5 with the last frame of their session underway.

[CaledonianCraig]

Xiao takes the final frame of the session and will trail Mark Selby 10-6 going into their final session.

[CaledonianCraig]

Barry Hawkins takes the first frame of the evening to lead Graeme Dott 6-3. On the other table Neil Robertson with a handy lead in their opening frame of the evening against Marco Fu.

[CaledonianCraig]

Hawkins taking control now and leads 7-3 whilst Robertson leads Fu 5-4.

[CaledonianCraig]

Fu level at 5-5 and Hawkins now going into a point of no return for Dott. He leads 8-3 having won eight of the last nine frames.

[temporary21]

Both Selby and Hawkins through 13-6

[CaledonianCraig]

Only the one match on tonight following Maguire beating McLeod in two sessions. The only match on tonight sees Robertson and Fu  locked at 8-8 and playing to a finish to complete the last of the Second Round matches.

[CaledonianCraig]

Robertson takes a narrow 9-8 lead after a long, tactical first frame of the session.

[CaledonianCraig]

Almost a replica of the first frame and again Robertson takes it to lead 10-8. If this goes the distance it could be a late night.

[CaledonianCraig]

A far more straight-forward frame follows and a quality 78 break from Marco Fu means he trails 10-9.

[temporary21]

A real scrap this

[Taylorman]

Picked Fu from the start and great to see he's still in the running, massive last frame!

[Beer]

Delighted for Fu, truly a gentleman of the game, tough ask against Selby, but, if he switches on from the start he has a chance.

Sad for Robbo, his issues off the baize have clearly affected his game, needs a solid year behind him and hopefully he'll be back at the top table.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ding wins three of the first four frames against Ronnie to lead 3-1 at their mid-session interval. On the other table John Higgins leads Kyren Wilson 2-0 but Wilson in with a good chance to take the third frame.

[CaledonianCraig]

Kyren Wilson settling into this match nicely now and levels the match up at 2-2. Ronnie back to trailing 3-2 on the other table.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ronnie levels it up at 3-3.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ding wins the seventh frame on a re-spotted black and he edges back ahead at 4-3.

[CaledonianCraig]

Wilson misses a golden chance to win the frame and Higgins reciprocates. This is becoming an important frame.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ronnie looks set to level it up to end the session at 4-4. And Wilson spurns another golden chance in a tight 5th frame.

[CaledonianCraig]

And its Higgins that takes a tense frame to lead 3-2.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Ronnie takes the frame and ends his session with Ding level at 4-4.

[CaledonianCraig]

Kyren Wilson with a fine break secures the sixth frame and we are all square again at 3-3.

[Beer]

Ronnie can consider himself unlucky to not be 5-3 ahead, but agreed with Hendry on the respotted black, when the safety is just as tough as the pot, take the pot.

[CaledonianCraig]

A break of 62 from John Higgins sees him seal the seventh frame and he leads Wilson 4-3 with one frame left to play in the session.

[CaledonianCraig]

Higgins with a break of 59 in the boxseat but misses a black off the spot.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Higgins does lead 5-3 at the end of the first session with Wilson having problems with his tip.

[CaledonianCraig]

This afternoon sees another two QF's get underway. Defending champion Mark Selby takes on Marco Fu - a very interesting match. On the other table Barry Hawkins takes on Stephen Maguire.

[CaledonianCraig]

Selby takes the opening frame. Fu could suffer here from a draining match that finished late last night. On the other table Stephen Maguire hits a break of 81 and leads Hawkins 1-0.

[CaledonianCraig]

Selby keeping Fu devoid of chances and goes 2-0 up. Hawkins levels to go 1-1 against Maguire.

[CaledonianCraig]

Selby finding a good rhythm here now and leads 3-0. Danger signs for Fu.

[CaledonianCraig]

Fu suffering big time and looks sure to go 4-0 down against Selby. Hawkins (barring snookers) set to go 2-1 up against Maguire.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Hawkins leads 2-1 with Selby looking in total command and about to win all four frames of the mini-session.

[temporary21]

Fu looks shattered. He'll do very very well to only be 3-5 down

[CaledonianCraig]

Hawkins settling into a nice grrove and goes into the mid-session interval leading Stephen Maguire 3-1.

[CaledonianCraig]

Fu looks shattered. He'll do very very well to only be 3-5 down

It's damage limitation now for him. If he got out of the session 3-5 he'd be in dreamland.

[CaledonianCraig]

Selby in again and scoring - looks like 5-0 is on the cards.

[CaledonianCraig]

And 5-0 it is. This could turn ugly for Fu. Another frame where he has not potted a ball.

[CaledonianCraig]

Hold the phone - Fu has potted a ball.

[CaledonianCraig]

Fu gets a frame on the board. Hopefully, that will settle him down. He trails Selby 5-1.

[CaledonianCraig]

Maguire suffering in his match against Hawkins. He now trails 4-1 now.

[CaledonianCraig]

Marco Fu beginning to dig himself out of a hole - he takes the 7th frame to trail 5-2.

[CaledonianCraig]

Crunch frame this for Maguire. A frame he should have won is slipping away.

[CaledonianCraig]

And The Hawk now leads 5-1. Maguire not at the races.

[CaledonianCraig]

Maguire looking to pincs a much-needed frame from under Hawkins nose but he can't take it. Frame in Hawkins grasp for now. On the other table the final frame of the session is in the balance.

[CaledonianCraig]

Hawkins surely 6-1 up and almost half the way to a semi-final spot after one session if he wins this one. Maguire looked dead and buried in it needing two snookers but he has got them and he still has a chance of pinching it.

[CaledonianCraig]

Selby takes the final frame of the session and he leads 6-2.

[CaledonianCraig]

Wow what a turnaround in that frame. Maguire needed two snookers in that frame and looked odds on to be 6-1 down but is now back at 5-2. Boy did he need that. Final frame to play in this session. If Maguire can win it he'll feel much better with life.

[Sponsored content]