2020 World Championship Thread

[CaledonianCraig]

First topic message reminder :

How about a thread to discuss the 2020 World Snooker Championships at The Crucible.

The delayed tournament starts today with a limited audience allowed in to watch the matches. The draw is as follows:-

Judd Trump (1) v Tom Ford
Yan Bingtao (16) v Elliot Slessor
Stephen Maguire (9) v Martin Gould
Kyren Wilson (8) - BYE
John Higgins (5) v Matthew Stevens
David Gilbert (12) v Kurt Maflin
Jack Lisowski (13) v Anthony McGill
Mark Allen (4) v Jamie Clarke
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Mark Williams (3) v Alan McManus
Stuart Bingham (14) v Ashley Carty
Ding Junhui (11) v Mark King
Ronnie O’Sullivan (6) v Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
Mark Selby (7) v Jordan Brown
Shaun Murphy (10) v Noppon Saengkham
Barry Hawkins (15) v Alexander Ursenbacher
Neil Robertson (2) v Liang Wenbo

Anthony Hamilton who suffers from asthma and qualified for the tournament has withdrawn due to COVID-19 and the fact there will be fans attending. This means Kyren Wilson gets a bye through to the Second Round.

This year there are five players making their Crucible debuts those being Elliot Slessor (England), Jordan Brown (Northern Ireland), Ashley Carty (England), Alexander Ursenbacher (Switzerland - the first Swiss player to play at the Crucible) and Jamie Clarke (Wales).

[CaledonianCraig]

Much better from McGill. A break of 65 helps him seal the 11th frame and he edges back ahead 6-5.

[CaledonianCraig]

In first again and McGill building another lead. The opening frame on the other table is still on-going with the pink and black left on the table in a safety exchange.

[CaledonianCraig]

McGill breaks down on 33. Lisowski gifted a chance.

[CaledonianCraig]

Selby wins a 39 minutes first frame to lead 1-0. Lisowski hits back with a break of 84 to level it up at 6-6.

[CaledonianCraig]

McGill once more gets in first. A great break of 70 seals him the last frame before the mid-session interval and he goes back ahead 7-6. On the other table Jordan Brown's impressive break of 76 brings him level at 1-1 against Mark Selby.

[CaledonianCraig]

A bitty third frame but Brown takes it convincingly and Jordan Brown leads Mark Selby 2-1. A very good start by the debutant.

[CaledonianCraig]

McGill now leads 8-6 and in again on a break. This match is slipping away from the No 16 seed Jack Lisowski.

[CaledonianCraig]

McGill takes the frame and leads Lisowski 9-6.

[CaledonianCraig]

Mark Selby wins a tactical frame which he should have lost. He is level at 2-2 against Jordan Brown. Jack Lisowski at the table and with a decent chance to win the frame.

[CaledonianCraig]

Lisowski stays afloat and now trails Anthony McGill 9-7.

[CaledonianCraig]

Lisowksi in first with a chance but cannot take it. McGill at the table and a chance to complete the win but runs out of position - only a lead of 14 points. Lisowski breathes again.

[CaledonianCraig]

A cracking long pot from Lisowski and he is in with another good chance to make it 9-8.

[CaledonianCraig]

Great break under pressure from Lisowski of 102 helps him over the line. McGill 9 Lisowski 8.

[CaledonianCraig]

Anyone fancy a last frame decider? Lisowski really motoring now. A break of 45 and good safety. McGill under the cosh.

[CaledonianCraig]

McGill gone right off the boil and Lisowski in again and 9-9 it is. A final frame decider we go to. On the other table still 2-2.

[CaledonianCraig]

If momentum is anything to go by then Lisowski will walk this last frame decider. McGill needs to find something good or else he will be heading out.

[CaledonianCraig]

Lisowski offers up a chance to McGill. He puts in a break of 24 before missing a pink. Now what can Jack do?

[CaledonianCraig]

Only a break of 35 before missing a red. A half-chance for McGill to counter.

[CaledonianCraig]

Only 14 before he has to play safe with one red left on the table. Lisowski 35 McGill 38

[CaledonianCraig]

Lisowki is snookered and gives away 16 points. McGill 54 Lisowski 35

[CaledonianCraig]

Another sloppy safety from McGill. Another chance for Lisowski.

[CaledonianCraig]

Hmm Lisowski misses a blue and McGill back at the table but not straight-forward.

[CaledonianCraig]

McGill misses a mid-range yellow and Lisowski back in with a chance. He pots green and brown and plays safe more safety. Lisowski 45 McGill 54. Tricky safety shot for McGill to negotiate.

[CaledonianCraig]

A fabulous long blue wobbles and drops and McGill pots the pink to win 10-9. Fantastic last frame. You feel for Lisowski.

[CaledonianCraig]

Meanwhile, on the other table, Selby and Jordan Brown are level at 3-3.

[eirebilly]

Snooker used to get a decent reaction from people on this forum. Good to see you keep this section alive Craig

As for the World Championship, for some reason known only to myself, i feel that Mark Allen will do well but fear it may be the oulde guard again come the end...

Already having enough of ROS. He really is the best thing about snooker and the worst thing about snooker...

[CaledonianCraig]

Cheers eirebilly. Good to see that someone other than Duty is listening to my ramblings.

Word is that having no fawning fans pestering him and less of a media circus will suit Ronnie. For me a lot depends on his route to the final. He is the bees knees against the attacking opponent but top match play snooker pros are the ones he comes unstuck against invariably at The Crucible. We shall see.

Anyway this morning's matches sees your tip Mark Allen start his match against Jamie Clarke (Wales). On the other table Shaun Murphy resumes his match in a bit of bother. He trails Thailand's Noppon Saengkham 6-3.

[CaledonianCraig]

A different day but same problem for Murphy. Missing easy shots and allowing his opponent in with a gilt-edged chance. Saengkham in with a great chance to make it 7-3. On the other table Mark Allen leads 1-0.

[CaledonianCraig]

Saengkham with a break of 50 makes it 7-3 (barring snookers).

[CaledonianCraig]

An unfortunate foul from Murphy lets Saengkham in and he needs no second invitation. Murphy in deep trouble 8-3 down. On the other table Jamie Clarke responds to Allen's two centuries in the opening two frames with a century of his own. Allen leads 2-1.Some standard being set here.

[CaledonianCraig]

Once again Murphy in with a good chance and he misses a pot. Noppon Saengkham back at the table and building a break. Murphy has to sit and suffer.

[CaledonianCraig]

A rare miss and Noppon Saengkham breaks down on 52. Murphy needs this frame badly. Can he take it?

[CaledonianCraig]

A gutsy steal from Murphy and he will feel a little better now. Still trails 8-4 but that will give him heart. Allen looks odds on to go 3-1 up in a scrappier frame.

[CaledonianCraig]

Wow. Jones needing three snookers in the 4th frame and he has dug them out and has a chance to steal the frame.

[CaledonianCraig]

Fabulous frame. What a steal. Allen and Clarke level at 2-2 at their mid-session interval. On the other table Murphy spurns another chance. Can Noppon Saengkham punish him?

[CaledonianCraig]

Noppon Saengkham holds his nerve with a break of 60 to take the 13th frame and heads into the mid-session interval leading 9-4.

[CaledonianCraig]

Jamie Clarke takes a tight fifth frame to lead Mark Allen 3-2. High quality match.

[CaledonianCraig]

And as has been the way throughout this match Murphy spurns a chance and Saengkham pounces and with a break of 76 he seals a place in the Second Round beating the seeded Shaun Murphy handsomely 10-4. That is a shock.

[CaledonianCraig]

On the other table Mark Allen takes the next two frames and edges back ahead 4-3 with another century break. Seven frames played and five centuries in it.

[CaledonianCraig]

Tense and tight frame. Amazing that on the last black Allen goes in off and it comes down to a re-spotted black. But Clarke misses a long pot and Allen takes it to lead 5-3. This match has had everything. Centuries galore, a frame stolen from a hopeless position and a re-spotted black. Last frame of the session coming up.

[CaledonianCraig]

An edgy final frame is finally won by Jamie Clarke who has acquitted himself very well on his debut. He trails Mark Allen 5-4 in a great session of snooker.

[CaledonianCraig]

This afternoon's matches sees Stephen Maguire begin his match against Martin Gould. On the other table Mark Selby resumes 5-4 ahead of debutant Jordan Brown.

[CaledonianCraig]

Martin Gould off to a flying start against Maguire. Weighs in with a 50+ break. Maguire under the cosh. Mark Selby looking a bit more fluent today and looks set to go 6-4 up in one visit.

[CaledonianCraig]

Selby does take the frame but in bits. Maguire fights back in the opening frame but Gould sees it out and goes 1-0 up.

[CaledonianCraig]

Maguire strikes back with a break of 62 and looks set to level it up at 1-1 against Gould.

[CaledonianCraig]

Maguire does indeed level at 1-1. Mark Selby on the brink of going 7-4 up and give himself breathing space without doing anything spectacular.

[CaledonianCraig]

Martin Gould hitting the ball really well here. Looks solid. A lovely century break of 78 and he leads Maguire 2-1. Brown pulls it back to trailing by two frames. Selby leads 7-5.

[CaledonianCraig]

Gould playing lovely stuff and Maguire will be getting concerned. Martin Gould takes the fourth frame comfortably and goes into the mid-session interval leading 3-1. Not bad for someone who last week was considering retiring from the game.

[CaledonianCraig]

Selby really struggling for form and fluency. Brown hauls a frame back and trails 7-6. Gould rolls on hitting another century break to lead Maguire 4-1.

[CaledonianCraig]

Gould playing imperious stuff. Maguire less so. He is now guaranteed an overnight lead as he leads 5-1 after another century break- his third of the match (he had made only three centuries all season so far).

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