Redcafe Snooker

Ali Carter is the worst man in the sport. Thinks the whole world is against him. Nothing is ever his fault. Such a victim.
 
Ainu said:
We all have a player we don't like, I guess. For me it's John Higgins. Even without the whole betting controversy, he just rubs me the wrong way with his mannerisms (that tongue ffs). Annoyingly, he's also one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.
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Funny you say that, he recently did an interview with Si Ferry on youtube ironically on a show sponsored by William Hill, but he came across as a legit, sound bloke. Loves his football.
 
poleglass red said:
Funny you say that, he recently did an interview with Si Ferry on youtube ironically on a show sponsored by William Hill, but he came across as a legit, sound bloke. Loves his football.
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:lol:

Felt the same way, I wanted to hate Higgins for the betting stuff but he's too nice.
 
poleglass red said:
Funny you say that, he recently did an interview with Si Ferry on youtube ironically on a show sponsored by William Hill, but he came across as a legit, sound bloke. Loves his football.
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There is absolutely nothing rational about my dislike for him and it's based on having zero knowledge about his character. I'm probably a terrible person. :nervous:
 
On with the quarter-finals which conclude today, still first to 13:

10am
John Higgins 4-4 Neil Robertson
Gary Wilson 9-7 Ali Carter

2.30pm
David Gilbert 10-6 Kyren Wilson
Judd Trump 7-1 Stephen Maguire

7pm
John Higgins 4-4 Neil Robertson
Judd Trump 7-1 Stephen Maguire

Strange how the scheduling leaves Trump & Maguire to play back to back sessions when both of the evening matches were always going to be played to a finish anyway.

I can't see Trump having any problems finishing his match off. The Higgins match is fantastically poised with 2 great players. I fancy Carter and Wilson to mount comebacks today.
 
I'd like to see a new world champion, so I'm rooting for Wilson or Gilbert as they're the supposed underdogs in the quarter finals. Would have been nice to see an Asian player get a bit deeper into the competition - they bring so much to the game, yet an Asian world champion still seems some way off.
 
Parma Dewol said:
I'd like to see a new world champion, so I'm rooting for Wilson or Gilbert as they're the supposed underdogs in the quarter finals. Would have been nice to see an Asian player get a bit deeper into the competition - they bring so much to the game, yet an Asian world champion still seems some way off.
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6 Chinese players qualified this year which is a new record, so there's strength in numbers but like you say they don't seem to be making a huge impact at the deep end of the Worlds.

Yan Bingtao was, and may well still be the biggest prospect to come out of China but he lost in qualifying to Michael Georgiou who then went on to get thrashed himself in the first round proper.

As well as the 6 Chinese players who participated this year, 3 more lost in the final round of qualifying and 5 more in the round before that.
 
Ekkie Thump said:
Yeah, I dislike him for no readily identifiable reason too. I think it's got something to do with the shape of his head. Maybe also the comedy aspect of a stickman pretending to be Hercules with a cue. Totally unfair, but I always like him to lose.
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I think it was his whole "naughty snooker" thing he banged on about a few years ago, basically shit snooker with stupid high risk shots which lost him games, his stupid hairstyles, his spikey shoes he had, and him thinking he was a superstar athlete. Thinks he is bigger and better than he actually is. Prick.
 
Ainu said:
There is absolutely nothing rational about my dislike for him and it's based on having zero knowledge about his character. I'm probably a terrible person. :nervous:
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I also have an irrational hatred of him. I hate his face and I don’t know why.
 
ChrisNelson said:
6 Chinese players qualified this year which is a new record, so there's strength in numbers but like you say they don't seem to be making a huge impact at the deep end of the Worlds.

Yan Bingtao was, and may well still be the biggest prospect to come out of China but he lost in qualifying to Michael Georgiou who then went on to get thrashed himself in the first round proper.

As well as the 6 Chinese players who participated this year, 3 more lost in the final round of qualifying and 5 more in the round before that.
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Thanks for that, interesting to learn more about the numbers involved in qualifying. Still very early days for Yan Bingtao, but generally speaking, it does seem as though young snooker players are struggling to break through into the big time.

Going off on a tangent, I wonder if there would be any merit to taking the World Championship on tour. Can't argue against The Crucible Theatre as a fantastic venue, but as a one-off I'd be fascinated to see a tournament hosted in, say, China, Canada or Australia. Can only imagine the pressure the Asian players would be under if there was a World Championship on home soil.

Getting back to this year's tournament, hats off to Wilson, that was a great win over Carter and he looked so assured in the latter stages. Hoping he embraces the one-table setup in the semis, because Trump (or Maguire, you never know) is going to be a huge challenge. Has a qualifier ever gotten to the final? As far as I'm aware Wilson hasn't ever won a ranking event, this would be some way to get off the mark.
 
MemphisDepay said:
Yeah he's hella boring. Looks like he's on his way to the semis though, so maybe he can bore whoever he plays there to death. You can tell he thinks his watch is damn cool too.
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Yeah Gilbert in the semis :(

Shite players boring people to death. A win is a win though I suppose. Hope he gets smashed in the next round.
 
The final of the World Championship is a huge occasion and I would much rather see Higgins play Trump than the 2 unseeded players. Call me a snob but this only happens once a year and as well as they have done to get here, I want to see a clash of the titans.

It's a huge step up for Gilbert and Wilson today. The matches are spread over 3 days and they will jump from best of 25 to best of 33. The longest and biggest matches of their careers by some distance. Higgins and Trump have both been here before.

I'm honestly not sure how either will react but I don't see either match finishing before the final sessions.
 
While Gilbert - Wilson final would guarantee a winner that I wouldn't mind, the final might lack a certain pull indeed. Doubt I'd care about who'll win in that scenario.

So, need a villain there, just one of Higgins or Trump, please. But if somehow both of them get there, Higgins to win.
 
Gilbert looking very shaky already - it's his first taste of the one-table setup at the Crucible, and it shows. Really needs to get a frame on the board asap.
 
Fair play to Gilbert, he looked panic stricken not that long ago and will be absolutely delighted to be going into the interval at 2-2. Game on! :)
 
Gilbert will be delighted to get to the break level. Looked a bit jittery early doors but now he will feel part of the match and that he belongs at the one table setup. He has been to the Crucible a few times but this will feel totally different. This is his 5th visit but will fee like his first.
 
Gilbert leads 5-3 after the first session against Higgins, probably a fair scoreline. Neither totally fluid other than Gilbert's 147 effort (Scored 113 with 15 reds and 14 blacks before missing the last one).

Next up Trump vs. Wilson gets underway this evening.
 
Poor start from Higgins this morning, he's surrendered the first 2 frames and is 3-7 behind! So he only needs 1 of the last 6 and he's guaranteed not to be behind going in to this evening's session.
 
But can Gilbert take full advantage? He keeps letting Higgins back to the table, and that's not a good tactic. This frame feels huge, Gilbert should already be in the interval at 3-9.
 
That Gilbert v Wilson final is on.

Higgins is having a Ronnie moment.

Wilson still with a lot to do in his match but not out of it.
 
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