why have a long match tournament just before the worlds??

It's all money I suppose, they get paid 20k for turning up and losing first round. Wish I had that job.

But I also agree, odd timing.

Other than having it after the World's/at the start of next season, when else would you host a tournament that celebrates the players who have done the best in that particular season?

Everybody is inside the Top 32, so worst case scenario, those going the distance in this will get a full two-weeks minimum off before Sheffield.

You just seem to want less snooker, full stop.  As I've said before, no-one is forcing you to watch it. 

LOL, Monday morning brain fart moment, 17-32 do have to play a qualifying round, of course, but with Xiao currently suspended, one of Ding/Ryno might have to play one of them, depending what happens here.

It's actually a decent concept I'd say and maybe a case for having it after the worlds if it's truly based on the seasons best players. Also seems as good a way to prepare for Sheffield as anything, rather be in it than not anyway, hardly as if anyone has been over extended these past months. Would be even better if they kept the BO25 final. IIRC they said reducing it to 19 was a temporary measure due to covid but i think it suits the tv schedule better so they'll stick with it.

As I viewer/gambler I don't mind having another tournament for sure. But I think the point was also why have it long format - why not playing to 6 instead for example, up to the final?

The really worrying thing for the game is that this you couldn't sell this field in advance, ITV must be absolutely screwing that they've ended up with such a useless and dreary bunch.

True jed - Mark Allen number 1 seed

Milkins and Day in there too

tbf if everybody played snooker like the milkman it wouldn't be dying on its arris.

Fancy Ding to beat Allen here though at the odds against...

It's been such a strange season for the "top" players and this field kind of emphasises that. But it is what it is and to be fair, they are all their on "merit" so to speak.

Anyway, proper snooker (no BO7's) on 34 out of the next 36 days.

Bring it on - I love it.

Don't fancy Ding anymore,

The gap between Dings best and his worst is wider than Gemma Collins knickers! - Apologies if I have spoilt anybodys lunch!

Far from spoiling my lunch old boy, I've just brought it back up to enjoy all over again.

That was a nice little shot

Mar 27, 2023 -- 1:41PM, The Management wrote:

The gap between Dings best and his worst is wider than Gemma Collins knickers! - Apologies if I have spoilt anybodys lunch!

Hard as it is to believe, I think it might actually be wider than that!

Ding totally screwed me over this match, backed him he goes 2-0 down, lay off he wins next two - ffs.

And Gemma Collins knickers would be (slightly) less rancid in the changes of quality. I think

stu - if he was a horse, timeform would give him a double squiggle!

Still not sure how he won the 6-reds tourney the other week - it reminded me of that time when Judd won the Turkish Open with his D-game. It was like nobody wanted to beat him. Even winning that, he still missed all sorts of sitters and balls off the spot.

Afternoon all.

The crowds look poor for this tournament so far!

BM for Ryno!

He took it well too!

Day makes a 147 blimey!

Selby mostly played cr@p, and leading 6-2

Well, this is starting to get a bit more interesting!

And then it wasn't.... (barring snookers)

Wilson on fire against Ding...

If he sees this through to the end, it'll be one hell of a statement victory.  This is very good indeed.

I thought his only major contribution to snooker would be that it was he who focused Judd's mind, but fair play, he has clearly worked very hard on his positional play and break-building. Changes things for me, because the rest of his game is decent.

Selby v Murphy an odd game to assess - neither played well first round IMO.

At the odds, I'd have to have a small one on Murphy here though, as it's 50-50 IMO.

3/1 to win it outright Murphy and then lay off if he wins this match,that was surely the better bet..

With the other finalist already determined, surely the respective bets would each pay virtually the same?  Hard to imagine Shon is going to be shorter than 1.8 v Kyren if he gets there?

Not sure exactly, just thought it was simpler way to oppose Selby at the odds.

Logically, if Shon was 4.0 before this match and he was 2.2 to win this match, it's because the market reckons he'll be 1.82 in the final. 

Your method is absolutely fine for me, unless you think Shon wins the whole thing, which clearly isn't what you were trying to bet on.

With the form currently wondering why Wilson wouldn't be fave in the final against either of these?

Plenty of players fail to back up career best performances, and both Shon and Selby have winning records against Kyren.

Yeh fair enough.

Just wondering why they are shouting an interview in front of the audience right now...

Market here is dead.  Selby 2.3 at 365, 2.08 to lay here!

2.37 365 v 2.18 to lay here....

Whoever's controlling the market is well ahead of the pics....

The market has been on life support all week Lats - I really hope (and think it will) pick up for the Worlds but I worry for the future...................

I must admit, mate, I've not been doing much.  The first half of these long-format matches, I generally sit on my hands anyway. 

There have been a few extra voices popping up, which bodes well.

The one-sided nature of the matches this week hasn't helped.................

TBF this is a bit of an odd tournament isn't it...?

Apr 1, 2023 -- 7:50PM, Gin wrote:

The one-sided nature of the matches this week hasn't helped.................

Yeah, that's the main problem I have with long-format matches and one-table setup.  Unless the shape of the match is right, I'm probably going to sit there and do nothing, which feels like a waste of a day.

stu01 Apr 23 19:51Joined: 12 Jan 02 | Topic/replies: 17,964 | Blogger: stu's blog
TBF this is a bit of an odd tournament isn't it...?



It is a bit but this week has continued a recent trend in declining liquidity in snooker markets and it hasn't looked like picking up any time soon.

Drive a bus through there, can't ya?!

I could if I hadn't been on the beer/wine since 5.30!

There's been coughing on the player's backswing all week....

Was a proper filthy look from Selby.  Bit uncalled for given he got up off the shot and started again, IMHO.

What a massive frame that was.  Decent chunk must have been matched just before/as/after Shon missed the black, too, so a nice let off for someone.

Woooooooooooooow

LMFAO, Angles!  "Brilliant shot" 

Giiiiiiiiiiiiin!

Great effort, that, after the three frames that had gone before it.

Interesting (but meaningless) stat of the day:

Shon v The Chav

In all of their past 13 meetings - whoever wins the first frame, wins the match!

Shon leads the H2H 9:4 and the H2H frame score is 61:44 to Shon.

But Kyren has been looking a bit special (for Kyren!) this tourney with a lot less "scrambling" from pot to pot and some definite signs that he is much more in control of the cueball than usual.

Well, pleased I managed to get Murphy past Selby yesterday - but must admit I'm thinking 'no bet' for this final.

Murphy is starting to play better, and Wilson as we know played 'lights out' just recent. It's difficult to separate them and the betting suggests that mostly.

With Wilson, it's a similar kind of vibe to the Gareth Southgate vibe. His progress on the break-building/cue ball control continuum has been very noticeable in some minor events but I've yet to be convinced that he can produce his new form against the top players in the best competitions. Again though, his rhythm and timing here have looked high class, and it could be that this tournament and the confidence it gives him will make him a runner at Sheffield. For me he fell apart in the semi against Magill but just not as irreparably as Magill, and offered no resistance to Ronnie at all in the Final the last time he went close there.

For me these two are almost polar opposites - in basic offensive snooker skill Murphy has a massive class edge, but the mental and tactical sides to Murphy's game, and his horrible failure to correct what are basic faults in his near 20 years as a pro make him the weakest of the entire top echelon imo. His safety, his whole approach to tactical snooker, his due care and attention to each and every shot that isn't a pot, are all rubbish and there's no kind way of putting it. He's spent a lot of time over the years quite diligently tinkering with the bridge hand, grip, stance, etc but he's never stood in front of a mirror and told himself that it's not all about your Rolls-Royce cue action.   

Essentially, this is a terrible tournament in a horrendous hovel of a place, with two dudes I don't care for playing in the Final at the same time as the Leopardstown Guineas Trials. I don't care who wins but in the belief that this might be the time to be changing my view of Wilson, I think with a gun to my head I'd back him.

I might see the start, but I'm out till circa 2100, tonight, so hopefully it's still a contest on my return!

GL, all!

Agree with most of that jed - Even money each of two on here now - sums it up nicely!

Gun to head - I'd go for Shon - the lifetime frame H2H is fairly decisive in his favour (including a couple of proper duration games) and while I admire The Chav's undoubted recent improvement, I really just don't like him!

Another factor in this match is that Murphy only completed his semi 14 hours before starting this final wheras Kyren had a nice day off yesterday.

Don't start me off on that again Gin!

1:0 The Chav - so the (meaningless) stat of the day says he wins!

2-0

your stat may not be so 'useless'

or meaningless should say

The (meaningless) stat of the day has an incredible record on the snooker stu tbf - despite that though, I can assure you they are meaningless! GL.

Great! - Another one-sided match....................

**cough** - As you were................

WTF was wilson doing there, should have had easy last from for 5-3 - just dollied it up, awful. So much for the new player then.

The market has a massive hard-on for Shon!

Wow!  Kyren was 4-0 up?!? 

Wierd match,Wilson spoke as though he expected to lose at 4-4 very strange..

What a strange tourny for Wilson - plays like a god with everyone saying as such, then leads easy in the final, then goes back into choke mode when it matters.

I have a stray five quid on him from a while back on the worlds, not sure it's possible after watching this effort.

O'Sullivan v Wilson final again..

I'd hope so, but will he surpass Murphy/Selby etc in the long formats?

I've got a feeling Wilsons going to play his best,while others are going to underperform a bit like when Dott won it,we are due one of those..