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?

[Duty281]

Higgins leads 6-0 on the other table.

Lisowski has great potential. I hope that defeat doesn't hurt him too much.

[CaledonianCraig]

Higgins leads 6-0 on the other table.

Lisowski has great potential. I hope that defeat doesn't hurt him too much.

From the snippets I've seen its been John's matchplay that has been setting him up. And that is now 7-0.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ali in with a decent chance to wrap this match up and knock The Rocket out in the Second Round.

[CaledonianCraig]

A break of 51 from Carter and plats safe and puts the cueball on the cushion and he is now very close.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ronnie gets a chance to save the match but miscues on the blue.

[CaledonianCraig]

A cracking long pot from Carter and he rolls up behind the brown. A lead of 44 and Ronnie in trouble.

[CaledonianCraig]

A whitewash of a session on the other table. Higgins takes all eight frames.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Ali Carter has completed a great win for him. He beats Ronnie 13-9 and he is through to the QFs. Be interesting to see the handshake at the end.

[CaledonianCraig]

Amiable enough. Loved Ali's emotional celebration. Well done The Captain.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ronnie's post-match comments spot on. He was not in the form needed to win the world title and he scrapped but Carter was the better player.

[Duty281]

Well done Ali Carter. Great game overall.

Tournament wide open now: Ding 10/3; Higgins 7/2; Trump 6/1; Allen 7/1; Williams 15/2; Wilson 9/1; Hawkins and Carter 10/1

[CaledonianCraig]

Well done Ali Carter. Great game overall.

Tournament wide open now: Ding 10/3; Higgins 7/2; Trump 6/1; Allen 7/1; Williams 15/2; Wilson 9/1; Hawkins and Carter 10/1

So far the most impressive (from what I have seen) have been Ding and Mark Allen. Williams has looked tidy as well.

[eirebilly]

What happened between Ali and Ronnie? Did not look like much but there seems to be a lot being made of it on the interskip.

[CaledonianCraig]

What happened between Ali and Ronnie? Did not look like much but there seems to be a lot being made of it on the interskip.

It looked worse (I reckon) than it was. Judge for yourself:-

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43936492

There is needle between these two but both moved to diffuse it at the end of the match.

[eirebilly]

Not much of a shoulder barge to be fair and a few verbals. Just two competitive lads out there in a big pressure environment.

Cheers Craig

[CaledonianCraig]

Kyren Wilson on the brink of the QFs. He leads Jamie Jones 12-5. On the other table Robert Milkins has had chances to win the first frame against Mark Williams but he has spurned them.

[CaledonianCraig]

Mark Williams takes the first frame of the match to lead Robert Milkins 1-0.

[CaledonianCraig]

Milkins missing far too many chances and Mark Williams mopping up and leads 2-0.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Kyren Wilson completes a 13-5 win over Jamie Jones. Milkins gets his first frame on the board. Williams leads 2-1.

[CaledonianCraig]

Robert Milkins levels it up at 2-2.

[No name Bertie]

What happened between Ali and Ronnie? Did not look like much but there seems to be a lot being made of it on the interskip.

It looked worse (I reckon) than it was. Judge for yourself:-

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43936492

There is needle between these two but both moved to diffuse it at the end of the match.

It was Ali Carter's fault - there wasn't space for both of them & protocol dictates that you allow your opponent to pass before you try to take the same space.  It's simple courtesy, like when a car is parked over the kerb and onto part of the the pavement / sidewalk and there is only enough space for one person to pass, you don't barrel into someone who is already trying to pass between the narrow space.  If I was Ronnie I would have parked my cue where the sun don't shine from Carter.  That reminds me of a film called Get Carter.

ps I think it is about time Ding won this title - and I'll be pleased to see him win it.

[CaledonianCraig]

Williams and Milkins still tied now at 3-3.

[CaledonianCraig]

Mark Williams edges back ahead at 4-3.

[CaledonianCraig]

Williams pinches the 8th frame and ends the day leading Robert Milkins 5-3.

[Duty281]

Well done Ali Carter. Great game overall.

Tournament wide open now: Ding 10/3; Higgins 7/2; Trump 6/1; Allen 7/1; Williams 15/2; Wilson 9/1; Hawkins and Carter 10/1

So far the most impressive (from what I have seen) have been Ding and Mark Allen. Williams has looked tidy as well.

I make Mark Allen favourite, but only barely. Any of those 8 names could win it and I wouldn't be surprised.

[CaledonianCraig]

Trump lacks the mental strength for me. I have seen him throw away too many matches from strong positions against journeymen for my liking. Mark Allen's biggest flaw is his tactical side of the game. Hawkins and Carter are similar-type players who lack the mentality and true belief to win world titles for me. Ding used to fall into that category in my opinion but he seems more steely now and ready for the title. Higgins and Williams are the best matchplay players left in there but perhaps lack the scoring power they once had. Kyren Wilson could be a good outside bet but does he have the mental strength? At this early stage I would predict a Ding V Allen final with Ding winning.

[CaledonianCraig]

This morning sees two more Second Round matches get started. Ding Junhui takes on Anthony McGill and on the other table Judd Trump plays Ricky Walden.

[CaledonianCraig]

A quality first frame is taken by Ding and he leads 1-0 whilst Trump also leads Walden 1-0.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ding on a max hunt. Ten reds and ten blacks.

[CaledonianCraig]

But breaks down on the 11th black. Frame over though and Ding looks in great nick in leading 2-0.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ding in control and looks a warm favourite to go 3-0 up whilst Trump and Walden are level at 1-1.

[CaledonianCraig]

McGill has been mince whilst Ding has been mercurial. Ding leads 4-0 at their mid-session interval.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ding sensing another max hunt? Five reds and five blacks and the reds split lovely.

[CaledonianCraig]

But breaks down on the 9th red. McGill miscues and he must want the ground to swallow him up right now. Ding makes it 5-0.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ding is like a tiger and McGill like a piece of raw red meat being ripped apart. It looks all set for 6-0 very shortly. Walden leads Trump 3-1 on the other table.

[CaledonianCraig]

Mightily impressive from Ding so far - 7-0 now. The man to beat this year I would say.

[CaledonianCraig]

Superb from Ding. He whitewashes Anthony McGill to lead 8-0 after their first session. On the other table Ricky Walden and Judd Trump are level at 3-3.

[CaledonianCraig]

John Higgins coasting as he leads Jack Lisowski 10-1 whilst on the other table Mark Williams leads Robert Milkins 6-4.

[CaledonianCraig]

A century break from Higgins puts him 11-1 ahead of Lisowski.

[CaledonianCraig]

Higgins smacks in a 146 and goes on to seal a 13-1 thrashing of Jack Lisowski. On the other table Mark Williams looks a good bet to go into an 8-5 lead over Robert Milkins.

[CaledonianCraig]

Mark Williams now in command and leads Milkins 9-5.

[CaledonianCraig]

What happened between Ali and Ronnie? Did not look like much but there seems to be a lot being made of it on the interskip.

It looked worse (I reckon) than it was. Judge for yourself:-

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/43936492

There is needle between these two but both moved to diffuse it at the end of the match.

It was Ali Carter's fault - there wasn't space for both of them & protocol dictates that you allow your opponent to pass before you try to take the same space.  It's simple courtesy, like when a car is parked over the kerb and onto part of the the pavement / sidewalk and there is only enough space for one person to pass, you don't barrel into someone who is already trying to pass between the narrow space.  If I was Ronnie I would have parked my cue where the sun don't shine from Carter.  That reminds me of a film called Get Carter.

ps I think it is about time Ding won this title - and I'll be pleased to see him win it.

Actually no it was evidently (if anyone) it was Ronnie's fault which he openly admitted on the microphones. This is what they picked up:-

O'Sullivan: "That's for being Mr Angry."

Carter: "Yeh?"

O'Sullivan: "Thought I would give you one back. It's all right Ali, take your go."

Carter: "Thank you very much. That's nice of you."

O'Sullivan: "Stop being angry then."

At this point, referee Paul Collier intervened and told the players to carry on playing.

O'Sullivan continued by saying: "I'm cool. I'm as cool as a cucumber."

Apparently, Ronnie was referring to a coming together earlier in the match that cameras and commentators never picked up on. Watch it as well and Ronnie's elbow comes out.

Still as I said earlier I do think it was a total storm in a teacup and afterwards both players played the incident down but by then it had been snowballed by the media.

[CaledonianCraig]

Good break of 70+ from Robert Milkins to pull a frame back and trails Mark Williams 9-6.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Mark Williams stamps his authority on the match by taking the final frame of the session and take a comfortable 10-6 lead into tomorrow's final session.

[CaledonianCraig]

A long first frame in the session is won by Ding and leads 9-0. He could finish this a session early like John Higgins earlier today.

[CaledonianCraig]

After another long frame Anthony McGill finally gets a frame on the board but trails Ding 9-1.

[CaledonianCraig]

On the other table it is even slower going with awalden winning the only frame completed so far and he leads Trump 5-4.

[Duty281]

Farcical first frame between Trump-Walden led to a rerack.

Trump is really struggling out there. Walden needs to put him away in this session - get it to 10-6 or better by the close tonight and there won't be a way back for his opponent.

[CaledonianCraig]

Walden now 6-4 up on Judd Trump. On the other table Ding has just gone off the boil or lost his focus not sure which but McGill takes another frame and trails 9-2. He needs to win another two frames this evening to prevent losing inside two sessions.

[CaledonianCraig]

Farcical first frame between Trump-Walden led to a rerack.

Trump is really struggling out there. Walden needs to put him away in this session - get it to 10-6 or better by the close tonight and there won't be a way back for his opponent.

Yes Trump was fortunate to come through his First Round match so no surprise to see him struggling here.

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