UK Championship 2025

class

looks like a free ball to me

very sporting

could hit that 2nd red full ball...therefore not a free ball

really good stuff that from selby & judd too tbf

wowsers

Wow

those red balls aren't touching its not a free ball

red & yellow not touching either

Had a few near misses in that break - Judd gets another back - 5-7

The Referees decision is final.
An act of lunacy by Selby.
Do you think that Trump would have interfered if it was the other way?
Not a chance

BTW,Wonders,the balls must not touch but you clearly know more than three World Champions

Selby has to have a danger of 'head gone' in this situation, losing from such easy lead is mind masher.

That free ball / no free ball debate was about as close to a fifty / fifty decision as it's possible to get in my view... it was on a knife edge.

As Olivier had the substitute balls positioned it did look like a free ball for sure, but two factors must also be considered. One... the temporary reds were not quite touching the live balls. And, two... the temporary red beside the yellow was not set at a right-angled tangent in relation to the line of the cueball and other temporary red.

For my money the true answer was probably within a tiny fraction of a millimetre either way.

It is not the score but clearly he should not have got involved

The technology to determine a free ball is about as simple as it gets. I'm surprised it hasn't been introduced.

VAR is perfect in theory.
Look how that has turned out

True, dear chap, but in this instance I think an unimpeachable electronic arbiter it would be justified and accepted by the players.

Mark was put in a very awkward situation there. He is a very kind-hearted and generous person and, even in the heat of battle, I believe that nature cost him dearly there.

He should not have got out of his chair as Hendrie said

Indeed, but I think it was more important to look as a courtesy to Judd... and then when it was so close to err in Judd's favour.

That is just in his nature, and it cost him.

More important (to him) that should have read.

Dec 7, 2025 -- 8:54PM, Pokermonster wrote:

That free ball / no free ball debate was about as close to a fifty / fifty decision as it's possible to get in my view... it was on a knife edge.As Olivier had the substitute balls positioned it did look like a free ball for sure, but two factors must also be considered. One... the temporary reds were not quite touching the live balls. And, two... the temporary red beside the yellow was not set at a right-angled tangent in relation to the line of the cueball and other temporary red.For my money the true answer was probably within a tiny fraction of a millimetre either way.

they were positioned incorrectly pm

Yes, they were.

Dec 7, 2025 -- 8:53PM, uptheirons wrote:

BTW,Wonders,the balls must not touch but you clearly know more than three World Champions

you must hit the extreme edge of the ball on, therefore if placing another ball on the table to judge if you can do that by definition they must be touching
otherwise its irrelevant

and he did it twice as well, the red & the red then the red & the yellow

In that situation, Mr W, the referee dare not move the object ball when using a temporary substitute, even by the tiniest fraction. It is reasonable therefore to goes as close as possible and then to make allowances for any gap in his decision.

The real error here was not placing the temporary red beside the yellow on a right-angled tangent.

I know the rules of snooker,wonders.
Clearly,you do not

For my money the true answer was so close as to be impossible to state with any confident authority. Overhead technology would determine it within seconds.

when he puts the new red next to the red you can hit the new red full on
therefore not a free ball

he then calls free ball because he doesn't understand the rule imo
then when challenged he gets the 3rd red out & puts it next to the yellow in such a way to justify his error
and he is called out for it by judd & then validated by selby

Dec 7, 2025 -- 9:30PM, uptheirons wrote:

I know the rules of snooker,wonders.Clearly,you do not

you know f all

Dec 7, 2025 -- 9:30PM, uptheirons wrote:

I know the rules of snooker,wonders.Clearly,you do not

think you know better than the 2 players ffs utterly clueless imbecile

incredible

Good night,cretin.
You are beyond help

laters

I really hope Mark wins, otherwise that controversial incident will have probably proven a pivotal moment.

It already has,pokermonster

the only controversial part is the referee's involvement

True, Mr U, but he'll be able to quickly forget about it if he wins!

could have taken advantage but its bad form

I sincerely hope he does but that was a self inflicted moment

I believe Judd saying it wasn't even close played a big role in his decision.

Which was a bit naughty because it clearly was very close, but perhaps understandable and forgivable given the pressure of the situation.

It is never bad form to abide by the referees decision

pm when the new red is placed next to but not touching the red, do you think he can hit the new red full?

Let us not argue over what has already been decided as it will not alter a thing

there's no arguing

Mr W... as Olivier had it set you could not hit it full ball, as discussed in the studio, hence his free ball decision.

The problem being, however, those temporary balls were not quite placed correctly. Had they been it would have moved matters towards not being a free ball. I don't know what the true answer really was... it was on a knife edge for me.

There is no arguing

Pokermonster • December 7, 2025 9:53 PM GMT
Mr W... as Olivier had it set you could not hit it full ball, as discussed in the studio, hence his free ball decision

even with his set up I think you could
and so did the players

then when he incorrectly placed the 3rd red next to the yellow there was small overlap "suggesting" a free ball
except its irrelevant due to the placement

do you remember that free ball incident with kessler a few years ago?

they should know the rules but its not a given!!

There are people that would argue that black is white and we have one here

Need the ref from the Real Madrid match this evening - sending a couple Real players off - booking others - taking no carp -would have told Selby to sit in his chair and shut up - I've made the decision

Perhaps we will have to agree to disagree, Mr W.

Maybe we can find some common ground on the fact it was very close indeed.

No, I don't recall the Kessler incident, sir.

I have, however, witnessed several referees apparently unaware of the tangent line's importance.

oh no disagreement on it being marginal he just handled it terribly

Mr U and Mr W...

On the subjects of arguments, I think you gentlemen mind find this thread of mine from fifteen years ago rather amusing.

https://community.betfair.com/chit_chat/go/thread/view/94038/23528278/snooker-discussion-putting-topspin-on-a-cueball?post_id=420583550#420583550

Mr U and Mr W...

On the subject of arguments, I think you gentlemen might find this thread of mine from fifteen years ago rather amusing.

https://community.betfair.com/chit_chat/go/thread/view/94038/23528278/snooker-discussion-putting-topspin-on-a-cueball?post_id=420583550#420583550

there's been no arguing pm just differing opinions expressed

ah the heady days of chit chat

I think covid put paid to that

topspin imparted on a snooker ball by a cue yes or no

...I'll leave that 1 to uti...he knows everything

Not that you are arguing

could be judd's last shot

Mile away with that one

woof

What a miss

Stephen - "Doesn't know how Mark recovers from that miss"

hendry full bank on judd

2.72 about a no offers shot

He clearly doesn't know Selby then

2.72 look v short to me

I've ditched the NFL for this GW.

1.65 per frame no thanks

that baltimore TD wiped off really p1ss me off

killer safety

well, IAC just finished but hasnt settled, if trump wins this frame i expect a picture, its been a while

Dec 7, 2025 -- 10:31PM, england_v_south_afri wrote:

I've ditched the NFL for this GW.

- Could take some time this

lucky barsteward

Both players under it.

Quality safety

Shot Judd !!

Could be here a while.

an hour long winona-1 followed by an hour long winona

who fancies him this time

helluva effort so far

hendry's full bank in grave danger

1 snooker + a free ball...of course it is

Granite Selby.
More bottle than United Dairies

well played The Hoover. great match

Bit of a wobble but we have a champion !!

judd 12 months w/o a win

showing off now

An excellent match played in good spirits

BF not even showing the after speech. miserable gits.

The mongrels don't earn from speeches

Very pleased for Mark. Bravo!

a great match !  #snooker'sthe#winner

Selby4Sheffield #WC2026 

:)