The UK Championships

First topic message reminder :

Now well under way at The Barbican Centre is The UK Snooker Championships. It has been expanded this year with more players making the TV stage and more tables in action at the same time. This format has been much-criticized by quite a few players with the tables being criticized and lack of atmosphere. However, I must say it is great to see some new faces get a chance to strut their stuff on TV. Anyway we are now nearing the Quarter-Final stage and today in action are Ronnie O'Sullivan, Neil Robertson, Graeme Dott and Peter Ebdon (four ex-world Champions) this afternoon.......Enjoy and discuss.

Hold the front page. Trump blows a golden chance on almost match ball and Maguire scrambles back to take the frame and he is now back in the match at 4-5.

You might be saved yet! I saw the miss out of the corner of my eye. Is he going to choke it?

If he does we can call this semi I'm a choking get me outta here.

Well Judd & Stuart would be joint winners...

The Special Juan wrote:Well Judd & Stuart would be joint winners...

Very true.

I'd take a really tight match over one filled with centuries any day.

Finally, Judd Trump gets the job done and seals a tense 6-4 win. Ronnie for the title for me. Very tense stuff tonight.

The Special Juan wrote:I'd take a really tight match over one filled with centuries any day.

Yes I love the tight and tactical frames - it tests the players nerve and tactical game.

Oh Mags... That was a great snooker by Judd at the end but what were the odds of the cueball going in the pocket?? I think he'll take the title now.

MotD for me.

The Special Juan wrote:Oh Mags...  That was a great snooker by Judd at the end but what were the odds of the cueball going in the pocket??  I think he'll take the title now.

MotD for me.

No for me Ronnie scores heavier than Maguire when in the balls and Trump will not get away with so many mistakes tomorrow. Ronnie to win.

Think Trump will win today. Ronnie hasn't been in top form all week, and most plaers have been beaten before they get to the table. If Trump gets out quickly, I'll back him not to let RoS back in.

This is a hard one for me. I don't particularly like either player so I just hope it's a good match to watch. Judd 10-7.

For me Trump is not battle-hardened enough (yet) to beat Ronnie. Also Ronnie has that aura that all sporting greats have in that a lot of the time their opponents struggle with the idea of beating a legend.

Poor from Judd there. I would have played that shot slower to just nestle on the red, rather than go for a hit and hope.

And that first frame emphasises what I mean. Ronnie hung in there best and won a scrappy frame and see Ronnie doing that more times than Judd. Ronnie leads 1-0 - first chance in frame two to Trump.

A superb long pot from Trump at the business end of the frame helps him take the second frame and we are level at 1-1.

Ha, that was a massive frame for Juddley. They're not hanging about today.

Also, O'Sullivan's "fans" who shout out every time he gets half a chance continue to be up there with the worst in sport.

The Special Juan wrote:

Also, O'Sullivan's "fans" who shout out every time he gets half a chance continue to be up there with the worst in sport.

Yes - I agree and so does Stuart Bingham who was on the other day saying there are snooker fans and there are Ronnie fans and Ronnie fans tend to go home once their man is knocked out.

Good on Stuart, I couldn't agree more with him. Sadly, Judd's going to inherit them shortly.

The Special Juan wrote:Good on Stuart, I couldn't agree more with him.  Sadly, Judd's going to inherit them shortly.

Yes but one or two of the pundits (DT I think) later were denying it saying they applaud other good shots as well.

Judd's normally the luckiest git ever on a snooker table so I'm surprised that one never came off.

Ugh the morons are out in force today.

The Special Juan wrote:Ugh the morons are out in force today.

Shhh you aren't allowed to say that.

Ronnie leads 3-1 at the interval. As I thought Judd just isn't scoring heavily enough when in.

Ronnie's kept the same level as he has all week and Judd is playing worse than he has. Whether that's because he's playing RoS, who knows. Probably. Some must win frames coming up for Judd, Ronnie is such a great fron runner. I suppose the positive is that Ronnie isn't winning frames in one chance, so Judd will get chances.

It's been scrappy and pretty ordinary so far. I'm expecting more tonight. Judd's now looking at getting out at 5-3 at the very worst.

Ah, I love a good montage!! Also, they're away to do the Masters draw.

Poor Ricky, there's another 6-0 already.

Pretty poor standard so far. Frames being won only after multiple chances, positional play off and safety not great but Ronnie in command.

Higgins or Williams or Hendry would never have let him get away with this.

10-1?

Even if Trump wins this frame to haul it back to 5-3 to end the session my money would still be on Ronnie. At times Judd is just a little too careless/wreckless.

This hasn't been great. Aside from some superb long potting, the safety's been poor, the scoring's been poor and both players are well below par.

The Special Juan wrote:This hasn't been great.  Aside from some superb long potting, the safety's been poor, the scoring's been poor and both players are well below par.

I agree. Of course there has been (as always) the tension but standard has been pretty poor. JV was spot on in this frame and underlines what I said about Trump being careless when he went for a crazy pot turning down an easy snooker that would have surely won him this frame by now.

Wow this frame is like an 'Excuse Me' dance. After you - no after you and Trump finally takes it. He will be mightily relieved and trails 5-3. My money is still on Ronnie to win tonight perhaps 10-5 or 10-6.

Great, we've started where we left off I'm A Celeb it is then.

The Special Juan wrote:Great, we've started where we left off  I'm A Celeb it is then.

Be like that then - it is Strictly Come Dancing for me.

Oh that's even worse!!!! Just don't put on Pop Idol.

The Special Juan wrote:Oh that's even worse!!!!  Just don't put on Pop Idol.

Na at least the celebs are tested artistically and good to see how they handle it. Love the costumes, the music and the atmosphere and is the only dance show on television.

Judd's making an arse of this. A terrible final in terms of quality but it's somehow gripping, knowing that one of them is capable of turning it on.

Moron just shouted "get in there". I hope he was ejected.

Unbelievable from Ronnie that was

Judd must make a century here.

Trump is not the type of player to cause Ronnie problems. He plays far too open a game going for crazy shots and giving Ronnie too many chances. Good tough match players are who cause Ronnie the most problems ie Selby and Higgins etc and Trump just ain't that type of player.

The H2H is surprisingly close (6-5 ROS) but I agree with you. Judd's doing his best Shaun Murphy impression - make just enough so that you've got a massive lead but the frame isn't over and somehow let your opponent clear up and pinch it.

But I bet Judd's wins have come in short matches and not in the pressure-filled matches like tonight. Ronnie hates playing grinders but Trump's style suits him down to a tee.

Yeah they have, the longest being over BO11. Good guess.

Maguire would have put up a better show than this.

The Special Juan wrote:Maguire would have put up a better show than this.

No comment.

Now these are the chances real great players mop up in one go. Can Trump?

And there you see why Trump still has some way to go before he can be classed a legend in the making.