2015 World Championships - Discussion Thread

[CaledonianCraig]

So another world championship at The Crucible is upon us. Who will emerge victorious and be crowned the world champion? For me a lot depends on the early rounds. Players who will get better as the tournament goes on I feel will be the likes of Neil Robertson, Mark Selby and John Higgins so them avoiding an early exit will put them right in contention. Obviously, Ronnie O'Sullivan will be one of the favourites and his chances will hinge on avoiding top notch match play players ie Mark Selby and John Higgins in the latter stages. Ronnie is at his best in matches against expansive shot players who play an open game and whose misses leave chances. This year it is wide open I think so here is hoping we have a great fortnight of snooker. Enjoy and start discussing here when the matches get under way........

[CaledonianCraig]

Mark Selby off to a solid start as he leads Kurt Maflin 6-3 after their first session. Seeded Marco Fu not having it all his own way as he trails Jimmy Robertson 4-3. This afternoon's all Scottish affair of Maguire V McGill should be interesting.

[CaledonianCraig]

A weird match between Higgins and Milkins thus far. Higgins started very well to forge into a 5-1 lead but Milkins fought back and looked poised to get out of the session trailing just 5-4 but broke down when on a break of 50+ allowing Higgins chances to get back into the frame and he snatched it and leads 6-3.

In the other match the seeded Steven Maguire has a scrap on his hands as he trails Anthony McGill 6-3 after their first session.

[CaledonianCraig]

Mark Selby looks set to be the first man through to the Second Round as he leads Maflin 8-4. Dott takes the first frame against Ricky Walden.

[CaledonianCraig]

Selby leads 8-5 and Walden strikes back with a break of 135 and leads Dott 2-1.

[CaledonianCraig]

Kurt Maflin staging a comeback against defending champion Mark Selby and it is now back to 8-6 whilst on the other table Ricky Walden looking good and leading 3-1 at their mid-session interval.

[CaledonianCraig]

Selby under the cosh now and Maflin has cut the lead to 8-7 and is in first in the 16th frame Graeme Dott was on a maximum potting nine reds and nine blacks before breaking down and he now leads Walden 4-3.

[CaledonianCraig]

All square in both matches this evening. Waden 4 Dott 4 and Seby (who led 8-4) is now level at 8-8 against Kurt Maflin - the player who knocked Steve Davis out in the qualifiers.

[CaledonianCraig]

Graeme Dott leads Ricky Walden 5-4 overnight and what a comeback from Kurt Maflin - he leads champion Selby 9-8 after trailing 8-4. I must say that Selby has had the most horrendous run of the balls over the last five frames that I can ever recall seeing. In offs, bad kicks, fluked snookers against him - he has had it all. He has to put that out of his head though or the Crucible curse will strike again.

[CaledonianCraig]

Wow Mark Selby comes back from the dead and pulls off the comeback to win 10-9. That took guts especially considering he was toiling and got a terrible run of the balls. Hard lines Maflin.

[CaledonianCraig]

In this morning's matches Marco Fu looks to be on the brink of joining Selby in the next round as he leads 9-6 against Jimmy Robertson. On the other table Barry Hawkins leads Matthew Selt 5-2.

[CaledonianCraig]

Fu wins 10-6 and Hawkins leads Selt 7-2.

[CaledonianCraig]

This afternoon's session is well under way and Ricky Walden now edging towards a 7-6 lead over Graeme Dott and Neil Robertson in fine form leading 3-0 against Jamie Jones.

[CaledonianCraig]

Graeme Dott beats Ricky Walden 10-8 and Neil Robertson is looking set to take a 7-2 lead into his second session over Jamie Jones. Walden is the first seed to bite the dust this year.

[CaledonianCraig]

In this evening's session both matches are at their mid-session interval and John Higgins leads Robert Milkins 8-5 and on the other table Steven Maguire trails Anthony McGill 8-5. Maguire exasperating to watch as when he gets frustrated he really does not play with the right degree of attention to the shot in hand. McGill looks cool enough but for me needs a bit of work on the tactical side of his game.

[CaledonianCraig]

John Higgins through to the Second Round after beating Robert Milkins 10-5. Looked very good in patches.

[CaledonianCraig]

On the other table McGill mopping up frames that Maguire has had chances in and leads 9-5.

[CaledonianCraig]

Maguire fighting back and has pulled it back to 9-8 and his head seems in a much better place. The closer the match has got the better he has played whilst McGill is now really under the cosh.

[CaledonianCraig]

As this match looks set to go down to a final frame decider how about this for a crazy statistic? Five times Maguire has lost in the First Round at The Crucible and four of those he has lost 10-9 and in the last two years he has lost 10-9 in the First Round. Incredible. Will history repeat itself or will this be a happier outcome for Maguire?

[CaledonianCraig]

Incredible. It has happened again - Maguire loses 10-9 in the First Round for the third year in succession. Anthony McGill (on his debut at The Crucible) seals the final frame decider with a break of 122.

[CaledonianCraig]

On the third day's morning session Barry Hawkins is looking set for the Second Round as he leads Matthew Selt 9-7. In the other match debutant Robbie Williams (no not that one) but he is certainly entertaining you is level at 4-4 against Stuart Bingham.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ding having a nightmare of all nightmares. He trails qualifier Mark Davis 4-0 whilst Neil Robertson cruised through to the Second Round beating Jamie Jones 10-2. Ding is like Maguire in that they are always talked about as contenders but very rarely get into their stride at The Crucible.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ding stages a recovery and trails Mark Davis 4-3 in a session only able to fit in seven frames due to a number of them being lengthy affairs.

[CaledonianCraig]

This evening's matches are under way and Stuart Bingham leads Robbie Williams 7-6 whilst Ali Carter and Alan McManus are level at 2-2.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ali Carter playing some decent stuff now as McManus makes some errors and the seed leads 4-2. On the other table Bingham is well placed to go 9-6 up on Robbie Williams.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ali Carter takes a 6-3 lead into tomorrow's second session against Alan McManus.

[CaledonianCraig]

Stuart Bingham into the Second Round having beaten Robbie Williams 10-7.

[CaledonianCraig]

In this morning's session Ding leads Mark Davis 8-7 and looks good to make that 8-6. On the other table Mark Allen leads Ryan Day 4-3.

This afternoon's session sees Ronnie O'Sullivan in action - I am off to a funeral so feel free if anyone else wants to post updates.

[CaledonianCraig]

Okay catch up time. This morning Ding beat Mark Davis 10-7, in the afternoon Ali Carter beat Alan McManus whilst Ronnie O'Sullivan leads Craig Steadman 7-2 and this evening Mark Allen has completed a 10-3 win over Ryan Day whilst on the other table in the all-Welsh clash Matthew Stevens leads Mark Williams 3-1.

[CaledonianCraig]

Matthew Stevens handing out a sound beating to Mark Williams at the moment and he looks set to take a 7-2 lead over the seed into tomorrow.

[VTR]

Good to see Matthew Stevens going well. I would put him in the Top 3 players never to win the world title. I very much doubt he will change that at this stage of his career, but he is still good to watch when on form.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ronnie O'Sullivan comfortable in beating Craig Steadman 10-3. Next up for him it looks like being Matthew Stevens.

[CaledonianCraig]

Joe Perry romping away with his match against Zhang Anda - he leads 5-0.

[CaledonianCraig]

Joe Perry with one foot in the Second Round as he ends his session against Zhang Anda 8-1 ahead.

[CaledonianCraig]

Matthew Stevens playing some great stuff and thrashing Mark Williams 9-2. On the other table Shaun Murphy leads Robin Hull 1-0 as their match gets under way.

[CaledonianCraig]

Great performance from Matthew Stevens as he crushes Mark Williams 10-2.

[CaledonianCraig]

Shaun Murphy handing out a Joe Perry-esque thrashing to Robin Hull as he leads 7-2.

[CaledonianCraig]

This evening sees Judd Trump get his tournament under way and he has started well winning the first frame against Stuart Carrington. On the other table Joe Perry leads Zhang Anda 8-3 now.

[CaledonianCraig]

Trump and Carrington now level at 1-1. Perry (who led 7-0) now leads Anda 8-4 who has just hit a big century break.

[CaledonianCraig]

Judd Trump leads 3-1 and in the other match it is getting very interesting. Perry looks like losing the first four matches of the evening and Zhang Anda is on the most unlikely comeback trail and pretty soon will trail 8-5 but hold the phone.....Perry pinches the 13th frame and Perry leads 9-4.

[CaledonianCraig]

Joe Perry beats Zhang Anda 10-4 and on the other table Judd Trump leads Stuart Carrington 4-2.

[CaledonianCraig]

Judd Trump will take a 7-2 lead into tomorrow so in complete control of his match.

[CaledonianCraig]

Today's play start at 1pm with Judd Trump leading Stuart Carrington 7-2 whilst on the other table the Second Roud starts with defending champion Mark Selby taking on the Crucible rookie Anthony McGill.

[CaledonianCraig]

With play well under way Trump now leads Carrington 8-4 whilst McGill leads Selby 2-1.

[CaledonianCraig]

Carrington fighting hard and has won three of the first four frames today and trails 8-4. Selby showing signs of settling and is level at 2-2 with McGill.

[CaledonianCraig]

Stuart Carrington battles on trailing Trump 9-6 now. Selby level at 3-3 against McGill.

[CaledonianCraig]

Trump beats Carrington 10-6.

[CaledonianCraig]

In the Second Round match Selby is level at 4-4 with McGill at the end of their first session of three.

[CaledonianCraig]

In this evening's matches Shaun Murphy takes a 7-2 lead into his final session of his First Round match against Robin Hull. On the other table Ding Junhui and John Higgins start their Second Round match.

[CaledonianCraig]

Shaun Murphy almost through to the Second Round as he leads Robin Hull 9-3. On the other table Higgins leads Ding 2-1.

[Sponsored content]