2013 Welsh Open

Here's the draw: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Welsh_Open_%28snooker%29

Anyone watching it? There's some limited coverage in Wales, the BBC Red Button and the BBC website, plus more coverage on Eurosport. Come on Christopher Dale!

Bloody hell Angles McManus is still in it! Thought he'd have given up by now.

Dom won last night. Get in!!!!

Overjoyed to hear Terry in the box. I would love it if Terry and Dom teamed up.

I think they have in the past. If (when...) Dale goes out I think he turns pundit.

I can't believe Marco Fu is 35

The Special Juan wrote:I think they have in the past. If (when...) Dale goes out I think he turns pundit.

Has Mark Williams or Matthew Stevens ever commentated? Anyway it seems that Wales have got 2 very good prospects now in Michael White who played in the UK Championship and Daniel Wells. Are there any other young Welsh players out there who people need to keep an eye on as possible future superstars of the game?

gboycottnut wrote:

The Special Juan wrote:I think they have in the past. If (when...) Dale goes out I think he turns pundit.

Has Mark Williams or Matthew Stevens ever commentated? Anyway it seems that Wales have got 2 very good prospects now in Michael White who played in the UK Championship and Daniel Wells. Are there any other young Welsh players out there who people need to keep an eye on as possible future superstars of the game?

I know MJW hasn't commentated and I'm not sure about Matthew but I don't think he has. MJW was asked recently and said he'd never go into commentary which is a shame for 2 reasons: 1) Because it would be nice to have one of Snooker's Golden Trio (Williams/Higgins/O'Sullivan) in the box and 2) Because he's such a character, although I'm not sure the BBC would risk it. Get the bleeps ready!!

White looks a great prospect and I expect to see more of him over the next couple of years. I don't think there are any other Welsh players up and coming at the moment.

The best young (under 24) players look to be:

Trump (obviously)
Lisowski
White
Brecel

The Special Juan wrote:

gboycottnut wrote:

The Special Juan wrote:I think they have in the past. If (when...) Dale goes out I think he turns pundit.

Has Mark Williams or Matthew Stevens ever commentated? Anyway it seems that Wales have got 2 very good prospects now in Michael White who played in the UK Championship and Daniel Wells. Are there any other young Welsh players out there who people need to keep an eye on as possible future superstars of the game?

I know MJW hasn't commentated and I'm not sure about Matthew but I don't think he has. MJW was asked recently and said he'd never go into commentary which is a shame for 2 reasons: 1) Because it would be nice to have one of Snooker's Golden Trio (Williams/Higgins/O'Sullivan) in the box and 2) Because he's such a character, although I'm not sure the BBC would risk it. Get the bleeps ready!!

White looks a great prospect and I expect to see more of him over the next couple of years. I don't think there are any other Welsh players up and coming at the moment.

The best young (under 24) players look to be:

Trump (obviously)
Lisowski
White
Brecel

What about Daniel Wells?

He's 24 so isn't "young" young but still has oodles of time to improve. Apparently he played atrociously v Higgins, which caused much sledging from MJW and Darren Morgan!!

The Special Juan wrote:He's 24 so isn't "young" young but still has oodles of time to improve. Apparently he played atrociously v Higgins, which caused much sledging from MJW and Darren Morgan!!

In snooker 24 is still considered young as players can play on and compete well into their 40's to 50's.

Absolutely but he's not exactly being touted as the next big thing like Brecel, Lisowski and White.

Come on, Angles v Doherty final please.

The Special Juan wrote:Come on, Angles v Doherty final please.

It's Dom's time.

Sorry then, Dale v Doherty final please.

ANGLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He beats Barry Hawkins and will next face Perry/Selby.

sMurphy is out.

The Special Juan wrote:Come on, Angles v Doherty final please.

Would that match actually ever end?

Interesting to see Pankaj Advani beating Murphy. Perhaps he's ready to jump out of his small pond and give snooker a real go. Would be good for the game if an Indian player started to do well.

It would be a shade quicker than the Ebdon v Dott snooker final.

"Oooooooohhhhhooooooo Dom-i-nic Dale!"

Judd always gets flukes against Chistopher.

The Special Juan wrote:It would be a shade quicker than the Ebdon v Dott snooker final.

"Oooooooohhhhhooooooo Dom-i-nic Dale!"

Yeah that was a pi$$ poor final, I fell asleep watching that one. Thankfully Ebdon rarely qualifies for any events these days.

Angles v Doherty final it is then.

Also, what a joy to listen to Willie and Terry in the box. Funny how the two of the best weren't used for network coverage.

Selby is heading out

KenDo won again!!! Come on KenDo and Angles!!

In other news, Advani looks like a good player. I hear he's 7/8 times World Billiards Champion.

Amateur Billiards I meant. Also an amateur snooker World Champion once upon a time. He's the Stephen Hendry of the amateurs.

My word what a clearance from Bingham to win 4-3 against Robbo. Blue-Pink-Black were all immense!!

Angles on the brink of coming from 3-0 down to beat Perry 4-0. The dream final is on!!!

All down to Angles now. Let's turn the clock back to 1994.

A potential Ding v Trump final would be very good viewing. I hope not though. Come on Angles!

The Special Juan wrote:A potential Ding v Trump final would be very good viewing. I hope not though. Come on Angles!

By knocking out Dale and Advani, all Trump's done is cause an ill wind throughout the tournament.

He's not done much to improve my opinion of him, that's for sure.

We've all learned something today. The lower ranked players can beat anyone over a BO7 but if you get them into something longer then they will be crushed. 3-0 to Ding and Maguire.

The Special Juan wrote:We've all learned something today. The lower ranked players can beat anyone over a BO7 but if you get them into something longer then they will be crushed. 3-0 to Ding and Maguire.

Oh while we're at it, the World Open will be on ITV4. Clive Everton and Willie Thorne the comms. Starts 25 Feb.

My friend was saying. Hosted by Matt Smith no doubt!! Snooker at breakfast will be a nice change.

Could we get Dom, Tel, Willie and Darren in the box a bit more? The Virgo act is stale.

It's been quite refershing hearing them. Still think Dennis, Hendry and Davis are well worth listening to though.

I like them but I dunno if Morgan and Dale would ever get to full time status unfortunately. I like KenDo and Tel in the box. They have such wonderful voices for commentary. The only commentators I don't like are Clive and Foulds.

The Special Juan wrote:I like them but I dunno if Morgan and Dale would ever get to full time status unfortunately. I like KenDo and Tel in the box. They have such wonderful voices for commentary. The only commentators I don't like are Clive and Foulds.

CONTROVERSIAL!

Are you a fan of Clive, Foulds or both?

The Special Juan wrote:Are you a fan of Clive, Foulds or both?

I like Clive, indifferent to Foulds. It's just a comment on that Clive and Foulds are pretty much liked by everyone in the ISC. You're the first with a different view, at least on Clive!

Clive's a decent enough commentator but he really bores me. I can see why he's appreciated though; he knows a LOT about snooker and has been covering it since Joe Davis was a toddler.....

Come on Bingham and Mags (with Mags winning the title)!! Ding and Trump have spoiled my week too much.

We won't see much safety this weekend!!

Some of Bingham's safety shots and escapes in that frame were excellent and he takes a nervy 1st frame. 1-0.

No excuses for not making a century here!

But he doesn't and now Bingham is in....

What a superb counter clearance from Ballrun. It's 2-0.

Ding made 2 decent breaks in that frame including a superb Hendry-esque red to the middle. It's 2-1.

Hmmmmm.........................

It looks like 3-1 after a superb 74 break from Bingham.

It looked all the money like 3-3 but Bingham snatches a frame which he deserved to lose after an ill-judged plant and it's 4-2.

It's 4-4 now. What an outrageous fluke on the yellow by Ding. I've never seen anything like that in my life.