2012 UK Championship

First topic message reminder :

Draw here under the column "Last 32":

http://www.prosnookerblog.com/calendar/201213-drawsheets/uk-championship-2012-tournament-draw/

Or alternatively:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2012_UK_Championship_%28snooker%29

Couple of crackers in the first round such as Day v Ding, Dott v Gould and Bingham v Lisowski. I can definitely see Gouldie winning v Dott. Also a welcome return to TV for Hitman Holt; it's been a while

Luca Brecel will be hoping to make an impact against Ricky Walden but the winner should play MJW which is a scary prospect.

Potential Winners? The big guns probably: Higgins, Trump, Selby and Robbo. My outside tip is Stephen Maguire but I can't see a winner coming from outside those 4. I think Higgins is now the man everyone wants to avoid, like Ronnie previously was, and is in some good form so will be very difficult to stop.

Honorable mentions to Steve Davis who plays Ali Carter, Premier League Champion Stuart Bingham who is playing the snooker of his life and Christopher "Dominic" Dale because he's wonderful.

Round 1
Trump 6-5 Joyce
Carter 6-2 Steve Davis
Bingham 6-2 Lisowski
Maguire 6-2 O'Brien
King 6-3 Williams
Walden 5-6 Brecel
Gould 5-6 Dott
Murphy 6-3 Milkins
Higgins 6-4 Holt
Mark Davis 6-1 Yupeng
Stevens 6-1 Dale
Allen 3-6 Fu
Robertson 6-1 Ford
Hawkins 6-4 Wenbo
Ding 4-6 Day
Selby 6-3 White

Round 2

Joyce 2-6 Carter
Bingham 6-4 Maguire
King 4-6 Brecel
Dott 2-6 Murphy
Higgins v Davis
Stevens 6-4 Fu
Robertson 6-2 Hawkins
Day 4-6 Selby

Quarter Finals

Carter 6-4 Bingham
Brecel 5-6 Murphy
Davis 6-4 Stevens
Robertson 6-4 Selby

Semi-Finals (Best of 17)

Carter 8-9 Murphy
Davis 4-9 Selby

Final (Best of 19)

Murphy v Selby

Pretty Much Confirmed - Dale had shingles.

Ah okay, he usually goes out in the first or second round from waht I've seen.

Should be some good snooker tonight.

Poor Ricky, always looks so nervous for some reason!!

Luca is playing far too fast. I know he's a fast player but there's fast and there's just plain rushing.

MJW out. Stop cursing people billy 6-3 to King, got to say I fancied that upset as MJW has been ordinary at best this season. I wonder if this is the last season we'll see him.....

Well done Luca, always nice to see that.

Well, well done Luca Brecel. Beats Ricky Walden 6-5.

Ali beats Joyce 6-2 and looks in good nick. Currently 4-3 Stevens v Fu and it's a very scrappy match.

Matchu wins 6-4

I predicted after this years World Champs that I couldn't see MJW carrying on much longer and sadly it looks like I was right.

I did also say the same about "Honest" John but he still seems to be battling on. Maybe more in need of the dough.

Innocent

I don't see MJW carrying on either, but if he did it wouldn't surprise me at all.

Bingham is looking inspired tonight and will probably beat Mags. Absolutely amazing what confidence can do to a player. Dotty in trouble at 4-1.

Mark has said on his twitter today that its a load of rubbish and that he only mentioned he was retiring because Hendry was in the room as a bit of banter. I agree that he doesn't really look like winning another major tournament but then again, if he turns it on he's still one of the best in the world. Is still world no.5.

Presuming he maintains his ranking and qualifies automatically for the World Champs (I've no idea how the ranking systems work at the mo and frankly don't care) I'd be surprised if he didn't give those a whirl but I'd be equally surprised if he survives the first round.

I feel terrible about it but I just cannot get enthused about the offerings from the UK Champs now the Juddernaught is out.

I've lost my snooker mojo dammit.

Dotty on his way home now. 5-2 going on 6-2. Mags hauls it back to 4-3 but I'll be amazed if he wins this match.

4-4 now between Mags and Bingers. Mags showing a bit of fight here which I think is what he's missing from his game.

Superb 120 from Bingham means he leads 5-4 now. Splendid match.

Bingers wins 6-4 and looks in such terrific form. Arguably the man to beat this week.

Ryan Day wins a really scrappy frame v Selby to lead 1-0. M'on Ryan!!

3-0 Day. Selby is playing woefully. It must be the Kirk Stevens-tribute suit.

Heading for 3-3. Really poor quality match; sort of like Fu v Stevens

Ryan wins the frame, only to go on and lose it. Ooooooh dear. Well done Selby, I'm thinking 6-3 now.

Selby wins 6-4 (that pivotal 6th frame which Ryan should have won 3 times). Well done to Luca too who beat Mark King by the same scoreline (although I did think he'd win that one).

John'll be unlucky to lose this opening frame if he does but he did miss a reasonably easy red. Looks in good nick.

I wonder if there are any current players with a winning record v John.

Mark gets an outrageous fluke on the yellow to win the first frame.

Some good pots (and a bit of luck ) and Higgins squares it at 1-1.

Davis takes the lead again after winning an epic safety battle.

3-1 Davis.

4-2 Davis :/

Consecutive centuries, 5-2 now and Mark Davis is looking unstoppable. Pot success of 93% to boot too; unbelievable.

Robbo's tournament to lose now surely.

147 Higgins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

5-3 though

Well done Mark Davis, holds it together to win 6-5 in the end after John missed an easy pink by his standards.

Damn work is stopping me from watching the snooker

Thanks for all your updates Juan, much appreciated.

No problem

Ali Carter beats the in-form man Stuart Bingham 6-4 (Ali's not playing badly himself!!) and Shaun Murphy beats Luca 6-5 (Luca was leading 5-4 and missed arguably match ball). I saw the 2nd half of that match; great entertainment and if Luca had a bit more experience he would have won.

Don't like this thing Rob does where he speaks quietly THEN SHOUTS OUT THE PLAYER'S NAME.

Matchu playing well, Davis not so. I think he was a bit lucky to come through in the end last night even after leading 5-2 because he wasn't really in the 3 frames which made it 5-5. Robbo's started well tonight too.

Carter V Stevens final anyone?

2-0 Matchu as Neil pots an outrageous red.

Selby's problem this tournament is that he's not killing off frames in 1 visit like he normally does and his safety game is a bit awry. Putting it simply, he's not playing well. Robbo with a decent chance to make it 2-0.

Davis makes 2-1 with a century. These two aren't hanging around.

Robbo duffs up a chance to win the frame, Selby duffs up his chance to win the frame, Robbo misses a tricky blue (leaves it in the jaws), Selby duffs up his clearance but leaves a decent safety before sticking the pink over the pocket for Robbo to tuck away and take a 2-0 lead. Scrappy match.

Out of nowhere Davis levels at 2-2.

Cant see the that match Juan, i have Robbo and Selby on Eurosport.

2-0 Robbo

Better match than the scrappy Selby match. Davis on track for 3 in a row. No chance of winning the tournament but he's playing the snooker of his life now. One player (along with Bingham and Stevens) who has massively benefited from the increase in events.

Cant get anything other than Selby and Robbo match sadly

That's a real shame. I understand why they're showing it though.

Davis makes 80 and leads 3-2.

One thing that makes me think Selby will never be as good as he should be is that he can't grind out victories when he's playing badly and his opponent is playing well like Higgins can. Similar styles but Selby is very average when not on top form. Ok, he was bad against Day and won but Ryan threw that match away.

I was certain that Selby would have had a world championship under his belt by now.

Anyways, i have worked 15 hours today and this is putting me to sleep

Robbo has the third frame now, shocking frame for Selby to lose really. He looked more than favourite to win but some superb snookers saw Robbo collect 28 points in fouls and eventually force the mistake from Selby.

Matchu stops the rot and it's 3-3 now. 4-0 Robbo, I like Mark but have to say he's getting the hiding his play has deserved in this tournament.

4-3 Davis.

4-4

COME ON JIMMY!