2019 World Snooker Championship Thread

by CaledonianCraig Sat 20 Apr 2019, 7:06 pm

First topic message reminder :

The Crucible is alive again to the sound of cues smashing into the cueball for the 2019 Snooker World Championship.

On Day One the champion Mark Williams got off to a steady start to lead Martin Gould 6-3. Ding Junhui also leads 6-3 against Anthony McGill and Neil Robertson is home and hosed leading debutant Cypriot Georgiou 9-0.

by CaledonianCraig Tue 23 Apr 2019, 7:53 pm

The third frame of the evening and Bingham had chances but missed them. Dott takes the frame and is now 8-4 behind.

by CaledonianCraig Tue 23 Apr 2019, 8:27 pm

Bingham will feel much better now going into the mid-session interval. He leads 9-4 and is a frame away from victory.

by Duty281 Tue 23 Apr 2019, 9:41 pm

Just seen Dott's clawed it back to 9-7 after Bingham forfeited a frame by virtue of the three-miss-rule. And Allen's pretty dismal recent WC record looks set to continue as he's 5-0 down.

by Duty281 Tue 23 Apr 2019, 10:49 pm

8-1 up to 9-9, but Bingham has shown immense fortitude to get over the line and win.

Great drama. Great sport.

by Duty281 Wed 24 Apr 2019, 11:14 am

Trump wins three of the first four frames in a scrappy opening session. Un-Nooh has had plenty of chances, but not capitalised.

by Duty281 Wed 24 Apr 2019, 1:08 pm

Trump squeezes through 10-9, an outrageous double setting him on his way in the final frame. Very gallant showing by Un-Nooh, but he crumbled during the pressure moments with plenty of regulation misses. He's reminiscent of Jimmy White - very attacking, anything is pottable, anything is missable.

Trump will need to improve against Ding - could be the tie of the second round.

Great tournament so far, excellent advert for the game.

by CaledonianCraig Wed 24 Apr 2019, 2:36 pm

I am not doubting Trump's talent just his mentality. I have seen him look mercurial then throw in mental meltdowns and you cannot afford these if you want to beat the very best players.

by CaledonianCraig Wed 24 Apr 2019, 2:40 pm

This afternoon Scott Donaldson starts his match against very talented youngster Kyren Wilson. On the other table Zhou Yuelong resumes with a healthy lead 7-2 over Mark Allen.

by CaledonianCraig Wed 24 Apr 2019, 3:22 pm

Kyren Wilson looking good and leads 2-0. Zhou now looks good to go 9-2 up on Mark Allen. Very surprising. In recent years Allen had been touted as a future world champion but that flame does not seem to be there now.

by **superflyweight** Wed 24 Apr 2019, 4:06 pm

The GOAT debate is always going to come down to personal preference. Once you boil the debate as to who is the greatest down to a few candidates, subjectivity will take over and people will focus on the criteria to make the best argument for their preferred candidate.

In snooker I think the debate has boiled down to Hendry v O'Sullivan and I think there's valid arguments for both and there's clearly cause for ongoing debate.

Personally, I'd still lean towards Hendry (more World Championships, stronger mental game, stronger match-play and ability to grind it out when behind and in trouble and I suspect that if you took both players at their peak and put them in a World Championship Final, then Hendry would find a way to win).

Read an interesting interview with Jimmy White in the Guardian. He says that Ronnie is clearly the best player he's ever seen, but he thinks that he had more natural talent than Ronnie. You could argue that he would say that of course, but I don't think White is necessarily a blowhard.

by CaledonianCraig Wed 24 Apr 2019, 4:12 pm

Allen is hanging on by his fingertips trailing Zhou 9-5. Is there to be another comeback from the dead?

by CaledonianCraig Wed 24 Apr 2019, 4:21 pm

A great steal for Donsldson. He looked all ends up to be going 4-0 down but snatches the frame with a decent clearance. He trails 3-1.

by CaledonianCraig Wed 24 Apr 2019, 4:27 pm

Allen may just be starting to believe. He is scoring big and reeling off frames and now trails 9-6.

by CaledonianCraig Wed 24 Apr 2019, 4:53 pm

Zhou had a good chance in the next frame but couldn't take it and Allen right back in this now. He trails 9-7.

by Duty281 Wed 24 Apr 2019, 4:59 pm

Another unlikely comeback starting to build.

The games in this tournament so far have either been complete demolitions or real close affairs - no middle ground, we've had four final-frame deciders already.

by CaledonianCraig Wed 24 Apr 2019, 5:08 pm

Zhou in with another chance in frame 17. Is this the moment?

by CaledonianCraig Wed 24 Apr 2019, 5:09 pm

Zhou in with another chance in frame 17. Is this the moment?

by CaledonianCraig Wed 24 Apr 2019, 5:10 pm

Wilson leads Donaldson 4-1.

by CaledonianCraig Wed 24 Apr 2019, 5:11 pm

Another chance spurned. However, holds a handy 21 point lead as a bout of cagey safety play breaks out.

by CaledonianCraig Wed 24 Apr 2019, 5:22 pm

Very tense frame this. Balls have gone awkward and Allen just has edge on safety and Allen forces a chance.

by CaledonianCraig Wed 24 Apr 2019, 5:23 pm

Who ever pots this last red wine the frame for me. Zhou with a one point lead. Another safety battle ensues.

by CaledonianCraig Wed 24 Apr 2019, 5:29 pm

Donaldson pinches another frame. Wilson leads 4-2.

by CaledonianCraig Wed 24 Apr 2019, 5:31 pm

Zhou wins the safety battle and here is his chance to complete the coup de gras.

by CaledonianCraig Wed 24 Apr 2019, 5:33 pm

And Zhou completes the 10-7 win. Credit to the youngster.

by CaledonianCraig Wed 24 Apr 2019, 5:36 pm

Kyren Wilson surely set to make it 5-2. At the table and everything at his mercy.

by CaledonianCraig Wed 24 Apr 2019, 5:37 pm

But no. He fluffed a golden chance. Can Donaldson complete another steal.

by Duty281 Wed 24 Apr 2019, 5:39 pm

Another contender knocked out of the bottom half of the draw, then. Credit to Zhou. Selby, despite his struggle for form, has quite a soft run to the semi-finals, on paper at least!

by CaledonianCraig Wed 24 Apr 2019, 5:50 pm

Tough pill to swallow for Donaldson. Had a chance or two but Wilson pinches it on the black to lead 5-2.

by CaledonianCraig Wed 24 Apr 2019, 6:22 pm

Kyren Wilson wins the final frame of the session to lead 6-2.

by CaledonianCraig Wed 24 Apr 2019, 6:28 pm

This evening's matches see Barry Hawkins resume 8-1 ahead of Li Hang. On the other table Jack Lisowski and Ali Carter begin their match.

by Duty281 Wed 24 Apr 2019, 7:16 pm

Good chance for Lisowski to round off a promising season and make a deep run at the Crucible.

by CaledonianCraig Wed 24 Apr 2019, 7:18 pm

Barry Hawkins moves to 9-1 up on Li Hang. Done and dusted.

by CaledonianCraig Wed 24 Apr 2019, 7:31 pm

Hawkins through winning 10-1. Impressive.

by CaledonianCraig Thu 25 Apr 2019, 10:11 am

The Second Round draw is now taking shape. This is how it currently looks:-

Mark Williams (Wales) V David Gilbert (Eng)

Barry Hawkins (Eng) V Kyren Wilson (Eng) or Scott Donaldson (Sco)

John Higgins (Sco) V Stuart Bingham (Eng)

Shaun Murphy (Eng) V Neil Robertson (Aus)

Mark Selby (Eng) V Gary Wilson (Eng)

Jack Lisowski (Eng) or Ali Carter (Eng) V Zhou Yuelong (Chi)

Judd Trump (Eng) V Ding Junhui (Chi)

Stephen Maguire (Sco) V James Cahill (Eng)

The first of the second round matches begin later today.

by CaledonianCraig Thu 25 Apr 2019, 11:21 am

Play today begins at 1pm with the completion of a first round match and the start of a second round match.

Jack Lisowski resumes trailing Ali Carter 5-4. On the other table Shaun Murphy and Neil Robertson take on each other in a second round match that looks a mouth-watering match on paper.

by CaledonianCraig Thu 25 Apr 2019, 1:36 pm

Neil Robertson takes the first frame which got off to a cagey start with a century break. On the other table Ali Carter has extended his lead to 6-4 over Jack Lisowski. Lisowski had his chance to pinch it but could not take it.

by CaledonianCraig Thu 25 Apr 2019, 1:51 pm

Robertson looking in great form knocks in a break of 79 and leads Murphy 2-0.

by CaledonianCraig Thu 25 Apr 2019, 1:53 pm

Meanwhile, Ali Carter looks set to put another frame on the board against Lisowski.

by CaledonianCraig Thu 25 Apr 2019, 1:58 pm

Lisowski all over the place at the moment. Carter leads 7-4.

by Duty281 Thu 25 Apr 2019, 2:06 pm

Early days, but Murphy in danger of getting completely blown away.

by CaledonianCraig Thu 25 Apr 2019, 2:21 pm

All one way traffic as Robertson moves into a 3-0 lead Murphy having scored only a handful of points this session. Superb all-round performance.

by CaledonianCraig Thu 25 Apr 2019, 2:23 pm

Ali Carter now 8-4 up. Lisowski looks a beaten man already. He looks lost.

by CaledonianCraig Thu 25 Apr 2019, 2:47 pm

A much closer 4th frame and Murphy takes it to go into the mid-session trailing 3-1. On the other table Lisowski continues to miss chances. Carter clears up the last floor colours and goes 9-4 up. This match is all but done as they head to their mid-session interval.

by CaledonianCraig Thu 25 Apr 2019, 3:28 pm

Lisowski clinging on by his fingertips wins a scrappy 14th frame but still trails 9-5 after Carter misses matchball black.

by CaledonianCraig Thu 25 Apr 2019, 3:39 pm

A quickfire century follows and Lisowski looks a different player. He still trails Carter 9-6.

by CaledonianCraig Thu 25 Apr 2019, 3:42 pm

On the other table Robertson leads Murphy 4-2.

by CaledonianCraig Thu 25 Apr 2019, 3:52 pm

Carter in with a great chance to seal the match in frame 16.

by CaledonianCraig Thu 25 Apr 2019, 3:56 pm

Another century from Robertson and he stretches his lead to 5-2 over Shaun Murphy. Carter edging towards the winning line on the other table.

by CaledonianCraig Thu 25 Apr 2019, 3:57 pm

Carter will need to wait for another chance but has a 48 point lead.

by CaledonianCraig Thu 25 Apr 2019, 4:05 pm

Carter wraps up a 10-6 win. He will play Zhou Yuelong in the second round.

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