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
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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Anthony Hamilton who suffers from asthma and qualified for the tournament has withdrawn due to COVID-19 and the fact there will be fans attending.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]

Mark Williams settling down after edgy first four frames. Two sizeable back-to-back breaks sees him go into a 4-2 lead over Bingham.

[CaledonianCraig]

Bingham had a great chance to pinch the seventh frame but spurns it and Mark Williams extends his lead to 5-2. He is guaranteed an overnight lead.

[CaledonianCraig]

A cracking 50+ break under pressure from Bingham and Williams leads 5-3 overnight.

[CaledonianCraig]

This morning's matches sees qualifier Kurt Maflin resume 5-3 ahead of John Higgins in their second session. On the other table Mark Selby begins his Second Round match to Noppon Saengkham of Thailand.

[CaledonianCraig]

Impressive opening frame from John Higgins. No miss sooker. Maflin's lead now 5-4.

[CaledonianCraig]

Noppon Saengkham also off to an impressive start against Mark Selby. He seals the first frame with a break of 70.

[CaledonianCraig]

Selby looking better in the second frame levels at 1-1. Maflin unruffled striking back in the 10th frame with a 60+ break (barring a snooker) and he leads 6-4. Cracking standard of snooker here.

[CaledonianCraig]

Selby goes into a 2-1 lead. Maflin playing a really great all-round game here. In again in frame 11 and things well set. Visually, game-wise and circumstances-wise he reminds me of Joe Johnson.

[CaledonianCraig]

Maflin with a cracking break of 97 seals the 11th frame and leads John Higgins 7-4.

[CaledonianCraig]

Selby comfortably takes the fourth frame and goes into the mid-session interval leading 3-1.

[CaledonianCraig]

Higgins aims to hit back. At the table and building a decent lead.

[CaledonianCraig]

On a maximum with six reds and six blacks is Higgins.

[CaledonianCraig]

But out of position on 56. And he is left with a quandary. Tricky long red or safety.

[CaledonianCraig]

He pulls out a great pot to middle and the maximum attempt rolls on.

[CaledonianCraig]

The frame now safe and it is all about the maximum. Nine reds and nine blacks.

[CaledonianCraig]

Century up. 13 reds and 13 blacks.

[CaledonianCraig]

Now down to the colours all on the spots.

[CaledonianCraig]

John Higgins hits a 147 maximum. The first at The Crucible for eight years since Stephen Hendry in 2012. Great stuff the 11th maximum The Crucible has ever seen.

[CaledonianCraig]

They head to their mid-session interval with Maflin leading 7-5.

[CaledonianCraig]

Saengkham pulls a frame back and he trails Mark Selby 3-2.

[CaledonianCraig]

In the 13th frame both players have chances. Higgins spurned his and Maflin weighs in with a break of 57 but misses a red. Higgins produce a great pressure break of 55 to steal it. That is a trademark Higgins frame. Maflin still leads 7-6. Key frame coming up now. How will Maflin react?

[CaledonianCraig]

Noppon Saengkham levels at 3-3 on the other table. Interesting match building up there.

[CaledonianCraig]

Maflin, nerveless, in with the first chance hits a superb break of 81 seals it to lead 8-6. He cannot be behind going into the last session. This is just a superb standard of snooker.

[CaledonianCraig]

The 15th frame and Maflin misses a long tempting red and Higgins is in and building a handy lead.

[CaledonianCraig]

Higgins with a break of 71 seals the frame and Maflin leads 8-7.

[CaledonianCraig]

Noppon Saengkham playing some great stuff looks odds-on to go 4-3 up on Mark Selby.

[CaledonianCraig]

In a key final frame of the session Maflin forces a safety error from Higgins and he earns a chance.

[CaledonianCraig]

A break of 52 from Maflin but runs out of position on the blue. He has a great lead of 58 points though and Higgins with noting to go at. Looks like 9-7 lead for Maflin going in to their final session this evening. Cracking match this.

[CaledonianCraig]

Another Higgins counter? At the table and hauling himself back into the frame with a break of 29.....final red in a tricky position. Pulls out a long pot and screws back for the black. What another incredible steal of 63 and has hauled the match back to 8-8. Snooker from the gods this.

[CaledonianCraig]

A tactical battle in the last frame of the session on the other table. Some great safety. Selby with a decent points lead so my money is on this ending up 4-4 at the end of the session.

[CaledonianCraig]

Noppon Saengkham wins a long, protracted safety exchange and has a chance to steal the frame.

[CaledonianCraig]

Noppon Saengkham, with a break of 50, steals the last frame and takes a 5-3 lead over Mark Selby into their second session. Great quality in this match too.

[CaledonianCraig]

This afternoon's matches sees Judd Trump begin his match against Yan Bingtao whilst Mark Williams resumes 5-3 up on Stuart Bingham.

[CaledonianCraig]

Scrappy start between Trump and Bingtao. Anyone's opening frame still. Tight opener in the other match too. Bingham looks set to make it 4-5.

[CaledonianCraig]

Williams just pinches a tight frame. Williams leading 6-4.

[CaledonianCraig]

A real marathon opener between Trump and Bingtao. One red left on the table with 35 minutes play and a safety battle ensuing.

[CaledonianCraig]

Trump finally takes it to lead 1-0 after around 40 minutes.

[CaledonianCraig]

A top notch century break by Stuart Bingham and he reduces his arrears to 6-4.

[CaledonianCraig]

Much better second frame by Yan Bingtao. A lovely clearance of 133 and he levels the match up at 1-1.

[CaledonianCraig]

Bingham hanging in there and wins his second frame on the bounce and Mark Williams leads 6-5.

[CaledonianCraig]

Trump wins the third frame but Yan had his chances. Trump leads 2-1.

[CaledonianCraig]

Trump finally finds some fluency and hits in a 65 break and looks like heading to their mid-session interval with Trump leading 3-1.

[CaledonianCraig]

Williams in with a chance of a vital steal but he misses a makeable last red. Frame to Bingham and they are level at 6-6 at the mid-session interval and Trump having to work harder than it looked like for this 3-1 lead.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Yan steals the 4th frame from under Trump's nose. They are level at 2-2 at their mid-session interval.

[CaledonianCraig]

Tan looking the tidier player of the two so far. Sloppy shot from Trump and Yan in and building a lead.

[CaledonianCraig]

Bingham really on a roll with another large break to win his fourth frame on the bounce and now leads 7-6.

[CaledonianCraig]

Yan punishes Trump with a break of 91 and now leads 3-2.

[CaledonianCraig]

A tight 14th frame is pinched by Mark Williams - he needed that and will feel better now. 7-7.

[CaledonianCraig]

Trump's mediocre form continues and Yan now looking set to go into a 4-2 lead.

[CaledonianCraig]

Yan in again in the next frame and building another decent lead. 5-2 beckons. Is The Crucible curse going to strike again?

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