2015 World Championships - Discussion Thread

[CaledonianCraig]

First topic message reminder :

So another world championship at The Crucible is upon us. Who will emerge victorious and be crowned the world champion? For me a lot depends on the early rounds. Players who will get better as the tournament goes on I feel will be the likes of Neil Robertson, Mark Selby and John Higgins so them avoiding an early exit will put them right in contention. Obviously, Ronnie O'Sullivan will be one of the favourites and his chances will hinge on avoiding top notch match play players ie Mark Selby and John Higgins in the latter stages. Ronnie is at his best in matches against expansive shot players who play an open game and whose misses leave chances. This year it is wide open I think so here is hoping we have a great fortnight of snooker. Enjoy and start discussing here when the matches get under way........

[CaledonianCraig]

Murphy beats Hull 10-3. He was on a maximum until breaking down after ten reds and nine blacks in the last frame.

[CaledonianCraig]

Higgins takes a 3-1 lead over Ding into their mid-session interval.

[CaledonianCraig]

Higgins takes a 5-3 lead into tomorrow over Ding. An observation - the age/concentration thing seems John's problem. In both of his matches so far he has started all of his sessions brightly but ended them with mistakes growing and glaring misses creeping in. That strikes me as mental fatigue/concentration.

[Mike Selig]

Hey Craig, you seem a bit lonely here

I've watched a bit of the action on and off. Hard to say too much at this point. Of the favourites:
- Selby got through an almighty scare, but we all know the guy's resilient so you needn't read that much into it necessarily
- Ronnie and Robertson looked good albeit against not much opposition. I quite fancy Robertson without really knowing why
- Trump looked hot and cold. Not sold on him as a potential winner
- Higgins looks a bit past his best. However when he turns it on him and Selby are probably the only players you'd fancy to beat Ronnie

Of the rest:
- I thought Carter was cueing it nicely
- Murphy looked hot, but then Murphy so often looks on it early on. He's one player who frankly I always think should have won more
- Stevens played some great stuff
- Ding remains an enigma. When he plays well he's as good as anyone, but he's already played so much poor stuff. Hard to see him winning enough of the big matches on the trot, but I can see him taking out Higgins.

[CaledonianCraig]

Hey Craig, you seem a bit lonely here

I've watched a bit of the action on and off. Hard to say too much at this point. Of the favourites:
- Selby got through an almighty scare, but we all know the guy's resilient so you needn't read that much into it necessarily
- Ronnie and Robertson looked good albeit against not much opposition. I quite fancy Robertson without really knowing why
- Trump looked hot and cold. Not sold on him as a potential winner
- Higgins looks a bit past his best. However when he turns it on him and Selby are probably the only players you'd fancy to beat Ronnie

Of the rest:
- I thought Carter was cueing it nicely
- Murphy looked hot, but then Murphy so often looks on it early on. He's one player who frankly I always think should have won more
- Stevens played some great stuff
- Ding remains an enigma. When he plays well he's as good as anyone, but he's already played so much poor stuff. Hard to see him winning enough of the big matches on the trot, but I can see him taking out Higgins.

Hi Mike. I can't disagree with too much of what you have posted. All pretty much spot on. The Crucible jinx would leave me perhaps ruling Selby out and Ronnie will be there or thereabouts but depends a lot on the type of players he plays late on. Robertson looking very good as did Matthew Stevens but I'd rule out his chances on the grounds that he wasn't unseeded for a reason (that speaks volumes for his consistency more than anything). Murphy looked very good as well and seems to be a bit of a dark horse this year. Ding is just far too inconsistent from what I've seen so far and his shot choice is questionable. Trump you always feel lacks it in the safety department but rumours say he's improved in that area so does have an outside chance. We shall see how things pan out. At the moment I'd go for Robertson as winner but would like to see a Scot win or wouldn't mind Selby breaking the jinx - like the way he plays the game with a smile on his face.

[CaledonianCraig]

This morning's matches see Mark Selby and Anthony McGill resume at 4-4 in their second session of the Second Round match. On the other table Stuart Bingham and Graeme Dott get their Second Round match under way.

[CaledonianCraig]

Bingham leads Dott 2-1 and the other match is bubbling up nicely with McGill leading Selby 6-5.

[CaledonianCraig]

McGill leads Selby 7-5 at their mid-session interval. Bingham looks like going 3-1 up on Graeme Dott on the other table.

[Mike Selig]

Selby-McGill heating up. Selby brings it back to 6-7. McGill did get in but misjudged his canon and then missed a tricky black. Selby opened with a nice red and black into the middle and then cleaned up without any dramas.

[CaledonianCraig]

McGill still a work in progress - like Hendry says he needs to win more frames at one visit. However, looks to have a very good temperament, good long potter and plays the game with a smile on his face which is always nice to see.

[CaledonianCraig]

Much more like it from McGill with a clearance of 125 to win the frame and leads 8-6.

[CaledonianCraig]

Anthony McGill will take a 10-6 lead into the final session tonight against reigning champion Mark Selby - upset in the making?On the other table Bingham leads Dott 5-2 and Bingham back at the table in frame eight and looking good to seal a 6-2 lead.

[AlciG]

Anthony McGill will take a 10-6 lead into the final session tonight against reigning champion Mark Selby - upset in the making?

I wouldn't be shocked if McGill did win. I aggree with Ronnie that McGill could be a future world champion.
Having said that Selby is a tough cookie to crack and you're never safe against him until the last ball is potted.

Had to miss this session due to work but can't wait till tonight.

[Mike Selig]

Crucible curse striking again?

McGill played some really excellent stuff in that session. He did rather stumble over the line in his first match so it will be interesting to see how he goes trying to close out against one of the toughest match players out there.

[CaledonianCraig]

For me McGill is one of the better up and coming players so once the current generation decline (as they will) then he is well positioned. However, he is still a work in progress. On the plus side he looks to have a great temperament, is a very good long potter and his safety play isn't too shabby. Where he needs to work on his game is positional play and winning frames in one visit and hopefully that will come with time.

[CaledonianCraig]

This afternoon Barry Hawkins and Mark Allen get their Second Round match under way. On the other table John Higgins resumes 5-3 against Ding Junhui.

[Mike Selig]

Higgins looking a bit off colour. Ding back to 5-4 and with a great chance for 5 all.

[CaledonianCraig]

Higgins looking a bit off colour. Ding back to 5-4 and with a great chance for 5 all.

Patchy is the term I'd use. Gets the eleventh frame to edge back ahead 6-5. Mark Allen off to a flyer and leads Hawkins 2-0.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ding looking much better now and leads Higgins 9-7 with one session left to play tomorrow. Allen leads Hawkins 4-3 on the other table with the final frame of the session under way.

[CaledonianCraig]

Allen leads Hawkins 5-3 after their first session.

[monty junior]

Kind of sad to see John the way he is now, his safety play gave Ding chances time and time again. How he lost that last frame i'll never know, looking bleak for tomorrow!

[CaledonianCraig]

Kind of sad to see John the way he is now, his safety play gave Ding chances time and time again. How he lost that last frame i'll never know, looking bleak for tomorrow!

I'd say it is the natural progression of age. Concentration wanes over long sessions.

Tonight Selby fights to hold on to his title as he resumes trailing Anthony McGill 10-6. On the other table Bingham leads Dott 6-2.

[CaledonianCraig]

A superb break by McGill sees him take the first frame of the evening to lead Selby 11-6. That Crucible jinx is looming large. On the other table Dott won the first frame of the evening but still trails Bingham 6-3.

[CaledonianCraig]

Selby hits back with a break of character and McGill's lead is reduced to 11-7.

[CaledonianCraig]

Dott takes frame ten and hauls himself back into the match - he trails 6-4.

[CaledonianCraig]

McGill with a break of 87 and he is a frame away from beating the world champion - he leads 12-7.

[CaledonianCraig]

Selby stays afloat to take the final frame before their mid-session interval and trails 12-8. Bingham, meanwhile, stretches his lead again and leads 7-4.

[CaledonianCraig]

Bingham looking odds on to go 8-4 up against Dott. A long way back now for the Pocket Dynamo.

[CaledonianCraig]

Selby continues to fight back and a great century break brings him back to 12-9 behind.

[CaledonianCraig]

Anthony McGill coolly knocks in a big break containing a number of pressure pots to seal the biggest win of his career. He beats Mark Selby 13-9 and the Crucible jinx strikes again. No first time champion has returned the following year to retain their crown. Great perforfance from McGill. Hard lines Selby - he will be back no doubt.

[CaledonianCraig]

Bingham in control now and leads Dott 11-5 and the end of their second session. The wring on the wall in this match now.

[EdWoodjr]

Dreadful miss on the black with the rest from Higgins and John Wayne dishes up to make it 10-7.
Looking ominous for the 4-time champ now.

[CaledonianCraig]

Dreadful miss on the black with the rest from Higgins and John Wayne dishes up to make it 10-7.
Looking ominous for the 4-time champ now.    

Yes it doesn't look good. Ding leads 11-8 now and you feel Higgins has to win this next frame. On the other table Mark Allen leads Barry Hawkins 7-5 at their mid-session interval.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ding with one foot in the quarters and leads 12-8.

[CaledonianCraig]

On the other table things are much tighter with Allen leading Hawkins 7-6.

[CaledonianCraig]

Higgins clinging on by his fingertips and a lot of luck. He pinches the 21st frame and trails 12-9. I do feel it is merely delaying the inevitable.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ding beats Higgins 13-9. An odd match in which Higgins led 5-1 at one stage but poor errors and misses littered his game and Ding was far more solid. I still don't see Ding as a real contender though as his game blows hot and cold too much for me.

[CaledonianCraig]

Allen takes a 9-7 lead over Barry Hawkins into their final session this evening.

This afternoon's matches sees Stuart Bingham resume 11-5 ahead of Graeme Dott and Ali Carter and Neil Robertson starting their Second Round match.

[CaledonianCraig]

Bingham on the brink of the quarters - he leads Dott 12-5. Carter takes the first frame against Robertson.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ruthlessly Bingham dispatches Dott 13-5. Looked really solid.

[CaledonianCraig]

Neil Robertson leads Ali Carter 3-1 at the mid-session interval.

[CaledonianCraig]

Robertson has extended his lead to 5-2 with one frame left to play in this session.

This evening Ronnie O'Sullivan starts his Second Round match against rejuvenated Matthew Stevens whilst Mark Allen resumes 9-7 up against Barry Hawkins.

[CaledonianCraig]

Robertson leads 6-2 after the first session against Ali Carter. A couple of centuries there for the Aussie.

[CaledonianCraig]

Matthew Stevens snatches the first frame to lead O'Sullivan 1-0. On the other table Allen leads 10-7.

[CaledonianCraig]

Stevens weighs in with a sizeable break and leads The Rocket 2-0.

[CaledonianCraig]

O'Sullivan gets his first frame on the board with a century break and trails Stevens 2-1. On the other table Mark Allen hits a century to lead 11-8.

[CaledonianCraig]

O'Sullivan and Stevens go into their mid-session break level at 2-2.

[CaledonianCraig]

Barry Hawkins takes a crucial frame to keep his hopes alive - he now trails Allen 11-9.

[CaledonianCraig]

O'Sullivan ahead now 3-2 and looking good. Frankly, over the longer format, Ronnie normally deals much better with Stevens-like players so I think he will come through here.

[CaledonianCraig]

O'Sullivan in control and leads 4-2. On the other table Allen's lead is cut by Hawkins it is now 11-10.

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