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]

Higgins needs a couple of chances but seals the frame in the end. He'll be relieved and pleased to go into the mid-session interval 11-9 up.

[CaledonianCraig]

Robertson pulls a frames back and he trails 11-10.

[CaledonianCraig]

Higgins in with a great chance but can't take it. Only nine points there. Time to play safe.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Robertson in with a very good chance himself.

[CaledonianCraig]

Another shot missed with the rest gives Higgins a chance.

[CaledonianCraig]

Higgins can't take it. But has the upper hand in a safety bout with a ten point lead.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Higgins takes the frame to lead 12-10. He's one frame away from his tenth Crucible semi-final.

[CaledonianCraig]

Slack safety from Higgins gives Robertson first chance in the 23rd frame.

[CaledonianCraig]

Robertson runs out of position and plays safe with 30 on the board.

[CaledonianCraig]

Higgins opens with a great long pot and has a chance here to close out the match.

[CaledonianCraig]

Golden chance now.

[CaledonianCraig]

A break of 101 sees him across the line to win 13-10. What a great performance from John Higgins.

[Duty281]

Superb victory for Higgins. Very well deserved. Robertson missing with the rest in the 20th frame - the difference between 10-10 and 9-11 at the interval - was, I felt the key moment.

Admittedly, I haven't seen a lot of Gilbert so far, but I think both Higgins and Trump are strong favourites to advance to the final, a rematch of the 2011 battle.

[CaledonianCraig]

Higgins has that supreme quality to play each match on his terms. He uses his tools to the very best of his ability and he knocked Robertson out of his stride.

[CaledonianCraig]

The Semi-Final line-up:-

David Gilbert (Eng) V John Higgins (Sco)

Gary Wilson (Eng) V Judd Trump (Eng)

[No name Bertie]

Neil Robertson commented that for the table they were using and the chalk that John Higgins uses - he was worried that Higgins chalk would spread around the table and give rise to the kicks and bounces he said occurred.  

Neil Robertson said when two players use a brand of chalk called "Taom chalk" you don't get any kicks or big bounces but that Higgins still uses the old chalk because he has a hard tip & probably finds the old chalk grips better for that tip.

Robertson also said he felt that for the remaining players in the draw he could tactically outmanoeuvre them except for Higgins on that sort of table - a table that had inconsistent bounce and produced kicks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJPyiaMKm8M

In conclusion it seems that Taom chalk is an example of technology improving a sport - this case snooker - which should lead to more consistent bounce and less 'kicking' - which will favour break building (over 'scrappy' tactical play).

[CaledonianCraig]

Yes I heard all of that talk but I don't buy it. I mean why did the table not misbehave in any of Higgins' other matches at The Crucible where he was using the same chalk. The bounces off the cushion were disturbing Higgins as well so the conditions were unique to that match. Unless it was set by a unique set of events as in Robertson's chalk and Higgin's chalk interacting to cause the bad bounces.

[CaledonianCraig]

The semis kick get under way at 1pm with David Gilbert taking on John Higgins.

This evening at 7pm Gary Wilson and Judd Trump begin their semi.

From this evening up until Saturday I won't be on to update you all so will leave it in Duty's or 88Chris's hands.

[CaledonianCraig]

Right now my money would be on John Higgins.

First of all the semis - David Gilbert has far exceeded even his expectations (I am sure) getting this far. He has a solid all-round game and more a match play type player. By that I mean he can win tactical frames, score heavy if need be and has a good safety game. However, here he is playing the greatest match play player I think snooker has ever seen or certainly since Steve Davis. Higgins to win 17-13.

Gary Wilson has also far exceeded everyone's expectations and joins an elite group of qualifiers to reach a World semi-final. He has a very good temperament and can score heavy when in but at times his positional play can go awry. I see Judd Trump just having too much firepower for him and take Trump to win 17-10.

I feel a Higgins V Trump final looks a sure thing. Trump is great when chances are presented to him no doubt about that but again I come back to Higgins supreme matchplay ability. He has the knack (as he did against Robertson) to play more frames on his terms. If frames get tactical (which they will) Higgins will bamboozle Trump. Trump is like Ronnie - looks great if you give him the chances and his potting eye is in but break up his rhythm and play with his mind and his game will struggle. Trump the more dynamic player but Higgins has more facets to his game - ie can win in one visit or win tactical frames.

I'd take Higgins to win 18-14.

[No name Bertie]

I was going to post something else but saw Neil Robertson post match interview and got side-tracked trying to understand what he was talking about (including Town ? / Tam ? chalk - which I had to google to find "Taom").

I was originally going to say - good luck to John Higgins and that it would be quite a story if he were to win his fifth World Championship (especially given he was runner-up in 2017 and 2018).

[Beer]

Taom chalk is such a con. Annoys me that they use it as an excuse.

I've used Triangle for years, most of the top players still do. If it's so good, why are they already on the 3rd version, and give it out like candy.

[CaledonianCraig]

Until Taom chalk is proven and made compulsory by the WPBSA for all players to use there is no case to answer. As I said Higgins had no problem with the tables in his first two matches and neither did his opponents. Now if it was a case of it being the Taom chalk Robertson uses interacting with the chalk Higgins uses then do we blame the Taom chalk for this?

To be honest Robertson was just missing too many long pots and shots with the rest and you don't win matches at this stage of the tournament against a multiple world champion if you do not bring your A game to the table. That had nothing to do with bad bounces off of the cushions and in any case it was the same for both players. Higgins adapted and found a way to win whilst Robertson didn't.

Neil Robertson is a fabulous potter and has worked hard on his safety side of the game but like many other great potters drop them into a match against a top notch match player and they will find it mighty tough.

[Duty281]

Just looking at the H2H for Higgins-Trump, the expected final, and I'm somewhat surprised to see a very lopsided record, with Higgins winning 22 and Trump winning 9.

This is with a current 9 match winning run for the Scot, including last year's quarter-final in Sheffield. Over medium to long-haul matches (best of 11 frames or greater), the record is 6-0 in favour of Higgins.

[CaledonianCraig]

Just looking at the H2H for Higgins-Trump, the expected final, and I'm somewhat surprised to see a very lopsided record, with Higgins winning 22 and Trump winning 9.

This is with a current 9 match winning run for the Scot, including last year's quarter-final in Sheffield. Over medium to long-haul matches (best of 11 frames or greater), the record is 6-0 in favour of Higgins.

Snooker is more than just being a dynamic potter. You need much more to crack it. An ability to win scrappy frames, tactical frames, an ability to win frames even if your potting game is a little off. That is where your likes of Trump, Ronnie, Robertson and Kyren Wilson toil. Ronnie bucks the trend having five world titles as a dynamic player but look at the other multiple world champions such as John Higgins, Mark Selby and Mark Williams and they are all renowned for a top notch match play game and all-round strong games. Trump has some gaps in his game that he needs to fill in and he has improved in the tactical side but still not in the league of others.

[CaledonianCraig]

Higgins takes a scrappy first frame to lead 1-0.

[CaledonianCraig]

Oh dear. That should have been Gilbert's frame. Golden chance missed. Higgins leads 2-0.

[Beer]

I can't see them ever making Taom compulsory. It's also ridiculously expensive.

[CaledonianCraig]

Oh dear. Another straight-forward pot missed by Gilbert. He needs to settle and quick.

[Duty281]

Unforgivable for Gilbert to lose that second frame, when he had two golden chances to take it. His body language is pretty poor, which is a worrying sight early on. And he's fluffed a fairly routine shot in the third frame.

Scrappy stuff from both players, neither one looking too comfortable.

[CaledonianCraig]

That will help Gilbert a lot. He gets his first frame on the board at the third opportunity. Higgins leads 2-1.

[CaledonianCraig]

Gilbert settling into a rhythm now. Much better. A one visit break and the frame is his. 2-2 at their mid-session interval.

[Duty281]

Touch of class from Gilbert in that last frame. First bit of real quality in this semi-final.

[CaledonianCraig]

Boy oh boy. What a bizarre course of events. Crazy shot choice from Higgins and Gilbert looked set to pinch the frame when he needed snookers but he missed an easy green. Higgins leads 3-2.

[CaledonianCraig]

Whisper it. Gilbert on a maximum. Five reds and five blacks.

[CaledonianCraig]

Looking good but one red looks in an impossible position on cushion by middle pocket.

[CaledonianCraig]

Frame won as he goes onto tenth red and tenth black.

[CaledonianCraig]

Great response this regardless.

[CaledonianCraig]

Still on after 13 reds and blacks. Got to move that difficult red though.

[CaledonianCraig]

Trying a double on last red and gets it but is not on the black.

[CaledonianCraig]

Great effort. 3-3.

[Duty281]

Well it's great entertainment, but bizarre to watch. One frame Gilbert misses a fairly easy green, the next he sinks 15 reds and 14 blacks.

[CaledonianCraig]

Great chance for Gilbert to go 4-3 up. The way both players have played I would say it is imperative Gilbert wins session 5-3. Higgins has been so poor that Dave should be looking to win the session. 4-3 it is to Gilbert with one frame to play.

[CaledonianCraig]

Gilbert in with a 51 break before running out of position. Looks good to make it 5-3.

[CaledonianCraig]

Higgins has a chance to steal here.

[CaledonianCraig]

But he can't take it. Frame back in the balance though as a bout of safety play follows. Higgins 42 Gilbert 51 with three reds left on the table.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Gilbert mops up the frame and takes a well deserved 5-3 lead into tomorrow morning's second session.

[88Chris05]

Interesting session. Higgins is the one player you can guarantee won't panic, get disheartened or start playing rash shots when he's trailing, particularly in a long match such as this - but he looked well off the pace there.

[CaledonianCraig]

Interesting session. Higgins is the one player you can guarantee won't panic, get disheartened or start playing rash shots when he's trailing, particularly in a long match such as this - but he looked well off the pace there.

Yes whether he was drained from finishing his match late last night I don't know. Or maybe he just mentally relaxed too much and thought the hard work was done last night. Anyway it was a session he could and perhaps should have lost by even more so I don't think he'll be too unhappy.

[Duty281]

5-3, but it should be a greater advantage, and Gilbert has missed out on a 6-2 or even 7-1 lead. Though Higgins was poor, he has often turned in sessions like that through this tournament, and I expect him to come back successfully tomorrow.

[Duty281]

4-4 in the other semi-final, a lot more attacking snooker on display. Impressed with how well Wilson kept up with Trump. Good to see both semi-finals decently set after the opening session.

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