2019 World Snooker Championship Thread

[CaledonianCraig]

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.

[CaledonianCraig]

Murphy on a maximum.

[CaledonianCraig]

He misses the last red though but pulls it back to a 5-3 deficit to end their session. Top quality snooker.

[CaledonianCraig]

In this evening's matches we see the last first round match come to an end with Kyren Wilson leading Scott Donaldson 6-2. On the other table Mark Selby starts his second round match against Gary Wilson.

[Duty281]

Probably the best chance of an upset this round comes from Wilson against the out-of-form Selby.

[CaledonianCraig]

Probably the best chance of an upset this round comes from Wilson against the out-of-form Selby.

Not sure how much of a shock it would constitute but I could see Cahill beating Maguire.

[CaledonianCraig]

Scott Donaldson wins the first frame of the evening but still trails Kyren Wilson 6-3.

[CaledonianCraig]

Barring snookers Gary Wilson will go 1-0 up on Selby.

[CaledonianCraig]

A tight tenth frame in which both players had chances is won by Kyren Wilson. He restores his four frame lead at 7-3. Selby level at 1-1.

[CaledonianCraig]

Gary Wilson edges back ahead of Mark Selby at 2-1.

[CaledonianCraig]

The two Wilson's in command tonight so far. Gary Wilson leads Selby 3-1 and Kyren Wilson leads Scott Donaldson 7-3.

[CaledonianCraig]

Kyren Wilson gets very lucky and takes the 11th frame. He leads 8-3 and looks set for a place in the Second Round.

[CaledonianCraig]

Donaldson badly needed to win the 12th frame and he has done that. Kyren Wilson leads 8-4 at their mid-session interval.

Kyren Wilson, I reckon, has a similar trait to Judd Trump. He has a tendency to really hit pressure shots/pots overly hard and loses control of the cue ball as a result. Anyone else notice this?

[CaledonianCraig]

After a long tactical start to the 5th frame Selby is in with a decent chance. Can he win the frame in one visit?

[CaledonianCraig]

Selby runs out of position on 42 but looks good to seal the frame at the moment.

[CaledonianCraig]

Selby wins the 5th frame and now only trails 3-2 against Gary Wilson. Kyren Wilson looks set to go 9-4 up against Scott Donaldson.

[CaledonianCraig]

Kyren Wilson 9-4 up and Gary Wilson in with a decent chance in the 6th frame.

[CaledonianCraig]

Kyren Wilson wins 10-4 whilst the other Wilson (Gary) leads Mark Selby 4-2.

[Duty281]

A scratchy Selby misses two key reds in the final frame of the night, one was very simple, and Wilson counters magnificently, including a ridiculous shot on the green. Potential shot of the tournament, that, along with Trump's double.

5-3 overnight, should be 4-4.

[CaledonianCraig]

A scratchy Selby misses two key reds in the final frame of the night, one was very simple, and Wilson counters magnificently, including a ridiculous shot on the green. Potential shot of the tournament, that, along with Trump's double.

5-3 overnight, should be 4-4.

Should Selby lose it would not be that massive a shock. He has been in rotten form for a while struggling to knit wins together whereas Wilson is on the rise up the rankings.

[CaledonianCraig]

This morning's matches see Neil Robertson resume 5-3 up against Shaun Murphy. On the other table amateur James Cahill starts his match against Stephen Maguire.

[CaledonianCraig]

What a steal from Neil Robertson. A clearance of 67 and he pinches the frame from Murphy. He leads 6-3. That is the hallmark of champions.

[CaledonianCraig]

An edgy start from Cahill and Maguire goes 1-0 up.

[CaledonianCraig]

A fluke from Maguire sets him on his way to winning the second frame with a century break. On the other table Robertson had a chance to pinch another frame but Murphy looks well set to pull it back to 6-4. He needed that.

[CaledonianCraig]

Lovely response from Cahill. Solid break of 57 before running out of position. He looks set to get his first frame on the board.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Cahill takes the frame. Maguire leads 2-1. On the other table Robertson in with a chance to go 7-4 up in what has been a scrappy frame.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Robertson does make it 7-4.

[CaledonianCraig]

And the BBC coverage breaks down.....

[CaledonianCraig]

Cahill level at 2-2 but do not ask me how?

[CaledonianCraig]

Very scrappy 12th frame between Murphy and Robertson. Murphy needs this frame badly.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Murphy does take the frame and hauls it back to 7-5 to Neil Robertson.

[CaledonianCraig]

Maguire capitalises on a Cahill error and goes back into the lead at 3-2.

[CaledonianCraig]

Another missed opportunity for Cahill and Maguire mops up frame 6 to lead 4-2.

[CaledonianCraig]

Maguire beginning to take a grip on this match as he takes the 7th frame at a canter to lead 5-2. On the other table a tense frame is building with a couple of reds left on the table and a bout of safety play ensues. Murphy 54 Robertson 32.

[CaledonianCraig]

A very tense 13th frame this and the last three colours on the table with Robertson with thew slenderest of leads as another safety battle ensues.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Robertson seals the frame and leads 8-5. That was a frame that slipped through Murphy's fingers.

[CaledonianCraig]

Murphy takes that frame and reduces his arrears to 8-6.

[CaledonianCraig]

Cahill badly needed the final frame of the session and he takes it. He goes into this evening's session trailing Maguire 5-3.

[Duty281]

Murphy hanging in better than I thought he would, but he's losing too many frames from strong positions. 9-6 down, should be 8-7, massive difference.

[CaledonianCraig]

I would say Neil Robertson won't be pegged back from 10-6 ahead in the form he is in. This afternoon Selby is on a roll and now leads Gary Wilson 7-6. The reigning champion Mark Williams trails David Gilbert 3-1.

[CaledonianCraig]

Wilson levels at 7-7.

[CaledonianCraig]

Very impressive stuff from Gary Wilson back-to-back big breaks and he leads 8-7.

[CaledonianCraig]

On the other table Mark Williams now trails David Gilbert 4-3.

[CaledonianCraig]

Wilson's impressive form continues. He takes the final frame of the session and leads Mark Selby 9-7.

[CaledonianCraig]

David Gilbert leads champion Mark Williams 5-3 at the end of their first session.

[CaledonianCraig]

This evening's matches sees Stephen Maguire resume leading James Cahill 5-3. On the other table we will learn who is the first player through to the quarter-finals. Neil Robertson leads Shaun Murphy 10-6 going into their final session.

[CaledonianCraig]

Neil Robertson racing to the quarters here. He now leads Murphy 11-6.

[CaledonianCraig]

Cahill misses the last red and Maguire pinches the frame to lead 6-3.

[CaledonianCraig]

This is truly clinical, ruthless snooker from Robertson. Potting from everywhere and great safety when needed. He is now 12-6 up and a frame away from the quarters. On this form he is the man to beat here.

[No name Bertie]

I am an occassional follower of snooker.   I remember a while back watching Neil Robertson play - and he seemed invincible that I imagined he would rule / be a leading player in snooker for years to come.  But then he just seemed to fade away.  Many players have ups and downs during their career seemingly finding it difficult to maintain a very high level performance year in year out.

I remember watching another major tournament where Shaun Murphy performed at a high level throughout winning the tournament (Masters 2015).  He was interviewed where he said he felt like quitting the game several months back - because he had been in the wilderness for many years after originally performing at a high level (he won the World Championship in 2005). But following his 2015 Masters victory his form seemed to dip again.

[CaledonianCraig]

Neil Robertson steamrollers Shaun Murphy 13-6 to reach the quarter-finals. Great display.

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