Who will win this years World Championship?

First topic message reminder :

First topic message reminder :

Who's your favourite for this years title ?

One of the seeds ? Or will it be a qualifier ?


We're almost down to the last 4, so let us know who you think will finally clinch it.

12-11.. Carter not forcing the issue enough!

rugbydreamer wrote:First topic message reminder :

Who's your favourite for this years title ?

One of the seeds ? Or will it be a qualifier ?


We're almost down to the last 4, so let us know who you think will finally clinch it.

It looks like this year's World Final is going to be a terrible one-sided affair with Ronnie winning easily against whoever he plays that is left. Was looking forward since the start of the championship to a Judd Trump V Ronnie O'Sullivan World Final, however sadly that was not to be.

Ali Carter looking like he has overcome a gutsy fightback from Jamie Jones. On a break and looking a little more settled. Stephen Maguire awaits in the semis.

And Ali Carter holds his nerve to seal a 13-11 win over the impressive Welsh qualifier Jamie Jones and set up a semi-final against Stephen Maguire. His third world semi in five years. An impressive record.

Carter will have to play much better if he is to beat Maguire.. I give Maguire a 60/40 edge in the semi's.

I'd agree with that and maybe make it 70/30 in Maguire's favour.

pleased for carter- guy must be tired, he has played alot of games!

maguire is a big favourite form and playing wise- but carter looks like he has so much will to win. not sure if i can bet against that

A gritty competitor who makes the most of what he has got is Ali Carter.

he has consitantly played the right shots at the right times.

he really loves a safety shot or a shot to nothing.

His mannerisms have been odd in his last two games- he has been laughing and shaking his head at the luck from jones and trump- normally thats a sign of weakness- that hasnt really been proven with carter. he has stuck to his way of playing well

So its a
Ronnie v Stevens
Maguire v Carter

Semi final line up. I did not expect any of those players to make it this far to be honest. Its been a cracking World Championships.

It is interesting to note that we could have expected those 4 players to be in the semi final's 6 years ago.

Is snooker going backwards?

I really enjoyed the end of the Carter v Jones match last night, couldn't believe the safety shot Jones did that had the white nestled right on the lip of the pocket, I still don't understand how it didn't roll in!

I missed the last session as i had to be up early this morning. I will watch it later though

Big day for Matthew Stevens. Will you be watching tonight dreamer?

I certainly hope to be Billy!

You'll enjoy last night's snooker when you catch up with it, twas a v good seession of play

Looking forward to it.

I just hope that Stevens keeps his composure today because Ronnie is on a high and we all know how damaging he can be when on a high.

Aye he can be completely ruthless. Stevens will have to start well and get a couple of early frames under his belt so he has a nice platform then to work from. If Ronnie races into a 3-0 lead or something, it'll be very hard for Stevens to make up that deficit.

Personally i think that Stevens has to play an extremely safety orientated match early on. Really slow the match down and put Ronnie under the cosh. Matchplay beats Ronnie, not out and out attack. Matthew is an attacking player so i doubt that he will do that though.

Everyone left is an attacking player.

Yeah, it makes for some interesting matches

Shame, I like a good safety battle. Come on Matchu!!

I think if Ronnie pulls 3-4 frames ahead, I can't see Stevens coming back. Maguire v Carter is tough to call. Maguire could start well, but I would still back Ali to make a comeback.

I really think he could grind out a WC win like Dott and Ebdon did.

Any game beats ronnie if it beats ronnie-There are to many cliches littering this thread.

Players have to feel happy about the way they play this game- natural normally wins out- you only have to look at the list of champions to understand that. Ebdon grinded out the win- but that is his natural game.

Certain styles frustrate players, but as we have witnessed its not just the slow players , trumpy has also caused complaint with his style, ronnies fast style also boomboozles palyers.

The best players play natural, and stevens has a superbly natural game, By him taking his time and trying to frustrate will only make him worse off

I wouldn't put Carter in the same class as Dott or Ebdon but I think he does have that weapon if he needs it. If they both start missing shots they'll get angry and we could see a fight

TSC wrote:I wouldn't put Carter in the same class as Dott or Ebdon but I think he does have that weapon if he needs it. If they both start missing shots they'll get angry and we could see a fight

No neither would I, but the point I was making is Carter punching above his weight to beat (on paper) a better opponent. Rather like Ebdon and Dott did

We will see. I think Carter can cause an upset here.

What I love about the semi-finals.... We've only reached the half-way stage in terms of frames won to get here

Dott is very underated as far as i am concerned. In full flow i really loved watching him play.
As for Ebdon, i never tire of watching him. Ok he is slow but his shot selection is as out there as TSC predictions

I think that through the years watching Ronnie lose matches, the one clear trend is that he loses to players who play 'matchplay' snooker. I dont think that is a cliché...

Hey, I was right about the Hendry/Maguire score!!

Dammit all to hell, so you were

So are you trying to switch it and say slow grindy players have a better chance beating osullivan when he is on form.

(Lets take an out of form ronnie out of this equation- because he can get beat by anyone)

I would agree with that, but that is not the point you made!


Players that have beaten an in form ronnie have played to there key strengths.

Stevens isnt a grinder, therefore he shouldnt play that way.

Ali on the other hand.. thats a different story

So are we going to predict TSC?

Stephen Maguire 13 - 11 Ali Carter


Ronnie O'Sullivan 13 - 10 Matthew Stevens

well as long as he predicts the reverse of what you do he will be fine

Nah it's not first to 13 anymore, is it?

It is!!!? Since when?

Think its BO25 for the last few years...

It was Higgins 17-14 MJW last year in the semis. DAMN YOU BARRY HEARN!!

I could be wrong TSC.
I know the 1/4's have been BO25 for a few years
It can be BO33.

Well the BBC website have down BO25 but Wikipedia have BO33 down.

I am not sure anymore.

I want BO33

Stephen Maguire 17 - 13 Ali Carter


Ronnie O'Sullivan 17 - 12 Matthew Stevens

Stephen Maguire 17-15 Ali Carter

Ronnie O'Sullivan 2-17 Matchu Stevens

TSC wrote:Stephen Maguire 17-15 Ali Carter

Ronnie O'Sullivan 2-17 Matchu Stevens

Stephen Maguire 14-17 Ali Carter

Ronnie O'Sullivan 17-11 Matthew Stevens.

OH wait, I'm not taking into account the fact that Ronnie will win 90 frames in a row in the 2nd session.......

Only 90? Is he slipping

2 o'clock start (in the UK?)

carter and ronnie final.

ronnie to win by 6, carter to win by 1

1pm UK start i think , 2pm for me.

Oh yes...taking a late lunch and watching it on bbc website