Redcafe Snooker

Last 16 this evening in Belfast. Fair to say it's been a bad week for the top players - Higgins & O'Sullivan went out today. Hopefully a wake up call for the ridiculous scheduling which has seen them go Barnsley > China > Coventry > China > Belfast in consecutive weeks.

Yan Bingtao v Ryan Day
Ricky Walden v Robert Milkins
Tian Pengfei v Chris Wakelin
Liam Highfield v Lyu Haotian
Gary Wilson v Li Yuan
Sam Craigie v Elliot Slessor
Mike Dunn v Joe Perry
Mark Williams v David Gilbert

 
Nice chance for MJW to win a ranker.

And with O'Sullivan out, Scottish and Welsh open just became regular best-of-seven garbage tournies. Bet Scots and Welsh are pissed they are after England and Norn Ireland in the schedule.

They should give that million out to UK - International Championship - World Championship winner.
 
One of the worst matches I have ever seen, this one with Slessor v Li. Not that it's ultradefensive or such (which can be absolutely fascinating to watch), but just poor poor poor.

I get it though, it's a big thing for both, first time this far in any tournament, lots of money involved too.
 
Absolutely brilliant final, shame for Yan but I’m sure he’s going to be around for years, well done Mark, number 19.
 
UK Championship starts today.

Really a shame we don't have at least one other longer tournament like WC and qualifiers for it. Best-of-19 there from the very start, and the second *best* we have is UK and International Championship with best-of-11.
 
Mrs Smoker said:
UK Championship starts today.
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Do you happen to know if the first round ties are being shown on any free-to-view channel? BBC coverage doesn't appear to start until Saturday. Wouldn't mind having it on in the background while at work.
 
Parma Dewol said:
Do you happen to know if the first round ties are being shown on any free-to-view channel? BBC coverage doesn't appear to start until Saturday. Wouldn't mind having it on in the background while at work.
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Sorry, no idea. I do know that some betting sites cover some matches, like bet365. Fu and Ding's matches are on at the moment.

Not on tv, and that sucks.
 
Not because I hugely dislike him or anything. I don't even mind his play style as it's the variety of styles which make snooker intriguing. Just fancy a wee change this year :D
 
Can get that. :cool:

I don't mind him, and even if he's winning a lot last few years, still so far away of the Hendry/Higgins/O'Sullivan on the ranking tournament wins.



Donaldson is good, might lose on the first hurdle.
 
Last 32 gets underway today.

Scott Donaldson 1-6 Li Hang
Mark Williams 5-6 Ryan Day
Mark Joyce 6-5 Neil Robertson
Lyu Haotian 6-4 Marco Fu
Shaun Murphy 6-3 Jimmy Robertson
Kyren Wilson 2-6 Ricky Walden
Mark King 6-3 Luca Brecel
Yan Bingtao 3-6 John Higgins
Judd Trump 2-6 Graeme Dott
Liang Wenbo 5-6 Stephen Maguire
Joe Perry 6-3 Kurt Maflin
Peter Lines 4-6 Mark Allen
Ronnie O'Sullivan 6-1 Michael White
Barry Hawkins 0-6 Akani Songsermsawad
Martin Gould 6-4 Hossein Vafaei
Xiao Guodong 6-3 Noppin Saengkham

Some intriguing ties in there, none more so than Bingtao v Higgins. The up and coming star (and almost certain future World Champion) against the old master.
I also like the look of Liang v Maguire - should be a good match up and Maguire has a decent record in the UK Championship (I was there to see him win it in 2004).
 
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Last 16 time in York, 4 matches today and 4 tomorrow. Still the possibility of a Higgins v O'Sullivan final, although Ronnie has battered him twice recently. 2 other former World Champions remain. I'm off to York for tomorrow's afternoon session and fairly happy with the lineup I'll be seeing.

6 Dec

1.00
Mark King v John Higgins
Graeme Dott 2-6 Stephen Maguire

7.00
Li Hang v Ryan Day
Joe Perry v Mark Allen

7 Dec

1.00
Shaun Murphy v Ricky Walden
Martin Gould v Xiao Guodong

7.00
Mark Joyce v Lyu Haotian
Ronnie O'Sullivan v Akani Songsermsawad
 
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With so many top seeds out before the last 16, I'd quite like to see someone win their first UK championship.
 
What a game. Glued to it. Akani is good but his safeties were shit. :lol: Ronnie made a game of it because he wanted to go home to bed.

Certainly made it a classic for the year.
 
Incredible match, Akani was so unlucky when he knocked that blue in at 5-4. A bit of a 'name on the trophy' moment for Ronnie like that black Liang missed against him at the Masters this year.
 
What a performance by Sunny Akani, took Roonie to the limit tonight but it shows jus how good the rocket is when his opponent plays that well but still he finds a way to win.
 
So in the commentary I heard:
Sunny side up
Looking sunny
Sunny shines
Sunny's finding it funny
:rolleyes:

I just wanted him to lose after that. Imagine the next round. :nono:
 
Yeah I do tend to notice odd remarks from the commentators whenever a player's name isn't Mark, Steve or Andrew.

Still a cracking match. Akani was so, so unlucky to knock that blue in. Had played some cracking shots but you could see the pressure was getting to him near the end. Hope we see more of him in future tournaments.
 
Sunny Akani was brilliant and very unlucky not to go through. A lot of these young players fall to pieces when they play Ronnie, but I was hugely impressed with his composure and the way he dealt with the pressure. He was fearless and so attacking. He was so unlucky with that shot where he tried to knock the blue off the cushion but potted it. Most of the seasoned pros would have been too scared to go for that. I'm sure we'll see plenty more of the lad in the coming years.
 
Ronnie better win this against Fatty Muprh otherwise its a horible day of sport!!! 31 rankings leaves him like 5 of Hendry, which is only one of two things Hendry actually has left over Ronnie O'Sullivan. Bit of distance between him and bribe boy Higgins is always good too, just in case he starts practicing 8 hours a day again.
 
Fatty Smurph will be hurting inside, he was 49 up missed and then 'Wonnie' (lol) came in and swept up like a cleaner on speed. Am I being PC enough calling him Fatty Murphy or should I call him nice guy Shaun?
 
I missed the football, due to work. Was hoping the snooker would be a good watch. Ronnie playing brilliantly is not appreciated.
 
Must admit I thought Murphy would win after his impressive display last night. But Ronnie always seems to find something extra when he needs it (assuming e's in the right mood). It's not like Murphy has been bad, he's on 93% pot success after 14 frames. That would normally be enough to win a match...against anyone except Ronnie.

Can't help but wonder how many titles Ronnie would have won if he had this mentality throughout his 20's and early 30's. His natural talent is just ridiculous
 
DiseaseOfTheAge said:
I missed the football, due to work. Was hoping the snooker would be a good watch. Ronnie playing brilliantly is not appreciated.
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There’s no better watch in Snooker.

Especially when he’s sticking it to the porcine one.
 
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