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.

[Beer]

Gilbert takes the first frame, but broken down with a 19 point lead in the 10th. Left a teaser for Higgins.

(Happy to help with Comms as watching today)

[Beer]

Stunning pot from Higgins, big chance here.

[Beer]

Loses position on a break of 36, safety battle incoming.

[Beer]

Gilbert in trouble here as Higgins takes a long red and nestles the white behind the blue in baulk. Get's it at the 4th attempt, but 40 point lead here.

[Beer]

Slack safety from Higgins, and Gilbert strokes in a long red, chance to steal this for a 4 frame lead.

[Beer]

Scrappy frame this, Gilbert misses a red, but gets lucky, another poor safety from Higgins leaves an easy red and you'd fancy Gilbert to take this now.

[Beer]

Even scrappier! Gilbert is short on position on the final red, safety exchange with both players missing pots. Gilbert leaves one and.... scenes!!! Higgins misses a simple black off the spot! Gilbert needs down to the blue.

[Duty281]

This is some of the worst snooker I've ever seen Higgins play.

[88Chris05]

Ominous signs for Higgins, who looks as if he's cracked a little so far this morning. 3-7 down.

[Beer]

This is some of the worst snooker I've ever seen Higgins play.

Seriously poor from both players, but Higgins looks woefully out of sorts.

[Beer]

Higgins with the first real chance in frame 11, needs to capitalise here.

[Beer]

Again another chance goes begging for Higgins. 37 point lead as he plays safe after losing position.

[eirebilly]

Higgins will fight through the poor start, he always does. For me, he is the only one that can stop Judd Trump from winning this years worlds.

[Beer]

Gilbert gets a chance but breaks down, Higgins in control here with a 21 point lead, but this red is tricky...

[Beer]

Plays safe but a nice Snooker escape by Gilbert lands Higgins with an awkward shot, double kiss leaves Gilbert the red to the middle and a chance to go 5 frames ahead, but the blue is awkward.

[Beer]

And Gilbert clears the table to take a 5 frame lead. Whatever happens he cannot be behind going into this evenings session.

[eirebilly]

Cheers for the updates Beer, stuck in the airport waiting for a flight with no stable internet to watch.

[Duty281]

This is now classified as big trouble for the Scot. A five-frame deficit is massive.

[88Chris05]

8-3. Even for Higgins, this is going to take some effort. Are they playing eight or nine frames in these second sessions? Whichever it is, Higgins desperately needs to win four of the remaining five / six.

[Beer]

Gilbert with the first chance of the frame here, into the pack but not a good split, might have one to the bottom left...

[Beer]

8-3. Even for Higgins, this is going to take some effort. Are they playing eight or nine frames in these second sessions? Whichever it is, Higgins desperately needs to win four of the remaining five / six.

8 frames mate.

[Duty281]

I think it's eight, meaning five left. If Higgins can take at least three of those, it'll be a start. But the way he's playing, I'm not sure where one frame is going to come from!

[Beer]

Poor from Gilbert leaving a long red which Higgins pots, blue gives him a chance to go into the pack and it's a nice split. Has to take this chance.

[Beer]

Higgins breaks down on 17, leaves a teaser for Gilbert who strokes it home. Have to say, the long potting has been decent, it's amongst the balls where they are poor.

Gilbert in here and should clear up to take a 6 frame lead.

[Beer]

More drama! Gilbert rattles a pink to the middle and Higgins has a chance. One red near the cushion on the right hand side, but a chance nonetheless.

Higgins goes for it, but it's not a nice angle. 31 the deficit...

[Beer]

Nails the pot, but kisses the green and no colour on, plays safe.

30 with 35 remaining, Gilbert flicks the red, but there's a chance here for Higgins...

[Beer]

Wow. This is so poor.

Higgins gets the pot, leaves a straight green and rattles it!! Green-Black remaining as safety ensues.

Really is a poor miss from Higgins.

[Beer]

Gilbert misses the Green from a snooker by a rizla paper, free ball and Higgins should finish.

[Beer]

And he does. Gilbert takes the mini session 3-1. Higgins trails 8-4. Needs to come back firing after the interval. 9-7 would be a good result.

[Duty281]

What a pinch by Higgins that is. And what a terrible standard of play for a semi-final. It's like a scrappy first-round clash between two Crucible debutants. Kinda sums up the whole tournament - high on drama, low on quality.

[Beer]

Hard to argue with that. Suffered from big name losses early on. Fair play to Wilson and Gilbert, they've played their part. Can't see anything other than a Trump win.

[Duty281]

Higgins looking about 500% better in that opening frame after the interval, with a break of 67. 5-8.

[88Chris05]

Higgins closes to 6-8. Still not vintage Higgins, but some signs of recovery. Gilbert doesn't seem to quite have that same composure he had this morning, perhaps sensing what a glorious opportunity this is for him given Higgins' average showing.

Big couple of frames now. Crucial for Gilbert that he wins at least one of them.

[Beer]

He's hit back. 58 point lead and a lovely split.

[Beer]

Woeful positional shot, pots the brown but he's making this very difficult. 63 ahead with 67 left...slams in a red, this should be 9-6 and guaranteed lead.

[Beer]

Higgins needs a snooker, but he's coming to the table.

[Beer]

Gilbert with a lovely long pot on the last red, 9-7.

[Duty281]

*Massive final frame klaxon*

7-9 and I'd still have Higgins as narrow favourite, 6-10 and Gilbert is a clear favourite.

[88Chris05]

Good response by Gilbert. A nice 70-odd break to effectively win the frame in one visit. He at least knows he's got a lead going in to tonight's session now, so the pressure is heaped back on Higgins for the last frame of the session. He'd have taken 7-9 earlier on given how much he was struggling, but 6-10? He'd be right up against it.

[Duty281]

Just looking at the stats - 67 is Higgins' highest break in the match so far! Shocking.

[Beer]

Gilbert in early, 25 points on the board but no red available, drops the white into the pack, bit of safety, tippy tappy stuff coming.

[Beer]

Lovely red from Gilbert who is nicely on the Green.

[Beer]

Awkward red to the middle drops, he's on the black and a big chance here.

[Beer]

Loses position, he's a ball roll off on most shots at the moment. Higgins with a poor safety, but that's worse from Gilbert, has he left anything... i don't think so...Higgins eyeing a tough red...

[Beer]

Right in the heart of the pocket. 49 points behind. Massive, massive frame now... he's left a plant..

[Beer]

He doesn't like it as it's close to another red, risky...

[Beer]

Jaws!!! No gimme here for Gilbert, but if he finds a pot, it's looking like 10-6...

[Beer]

Tries a plant, but safety in mind as the pot rattles but white is hampered...

[Beer]

Higgins misses, leaves a long red...

[Beer]

Gilbert has absolutely battered that, it's bounced around the table, sloppy shot even if it was a tough pot. Higgins should now be favourite for this..

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