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Anthony Hamilton who suffers from asthma and qualified for the tournament has withdrawn due to COVID-19 and the fact there will be fans attending.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

Liang Wenbo pounces to take the final frame of the session with a gutsy century break of 113. Great character. I think he'll be far the happier with the scoreline than Robertson. Robertson wins their first session 5-4.

[CaledonianCraig]

This afternoon's matches sees Ronnie O'Sullivan open his campaign against Thailand's Thepchaiya Un-Nooh. On the other table John Higgins resumes with a 6-3 lead over Matthew Stevens.

I will leave other posters to post updates this afternoon if they wish.

[CaledonianCraig]

O'Sullivan punishing his Thai opponent and leading 5-0. On the other table John Higgins seems on course for a place in the Second Round as he leads Matthew Stevens 8-5.

[CaledonianCraig]

Un-Nooh at least gets a frame on the board. O'Sullivan leads 6-1. Stevens looks good to haul a frame back on the other table reducing Higgins lead to 8-6.

[CaledonianCraig]

O'Sullivan 7-1 up on Un-Nooh who is having a bit of a 'mare.

[CaledonianCraig]

The back of the match broken for Ronnie. Leads 8-1 at the end of their first session.

[CaledonianCraig]

On the other table Higgins needed snookers to win the 14th frame and he has got them so the frame back in the balance.

[CaledonianCraig]

Stevens takes on a risky yellow when an easy safety shot was an option and misses. Higgins clears up to win the frame on the black. Higgins now leads 9-5.

[CaledonianCraig]

John Higgins books his place in the Second Round winning 10-5 - a scoreline that flatters John a bit but he was solid enough. Higgins will play either Dave Gilbert or Kurt Maflin in the next round.

[CaledonianCraig]

This evening's matches sees Dave Gilbert resume trailing qualifier Kurt Maflin 5-4. On the other table Neil Robertson resumes his match leading Liang Wenbo 5-4.

[CaledonianCraig]

A superb break from Liang Wenbo of 82 sees him win the opening frame of the evening session to level against Neil Robertson at 5-5.

[CaledonianCraig]

Robertson hits back with break of 97 and he goes back ahead 6-5. Kurt Maflin leads Dave Gilbert 6-5 too.

[CaledonianCraig]

Gilbert levels at 6-6 against Maflin. Crazy standards being set. In the last five frames there have been four centuries and a break of 93.

[CaledonianCraig]

Robertson just looking the likelier to finish a frame in one visit. Scoring heavily again in the 13th frame and wins it to go 7-5 up. Danger signs for Liang Wenbo. You feel he must win the next frame.

[CaledonianCraig]

The writing appears on the wall. Liang Wenbo in with a chance and blows it. Robertson clears up to lead 8-5 at their mid-session interval.

[CaledonianCraig]

Neil Robertson turned what looked like it could be a very tricky evening session into a comfortable one. He beats Liang Wenbo 10-5.

[CaledonianCraig]

Kurt Maflin on a maximum - 11 reds and 11 blacks.

[CaledonianCraig]

13 reds and 13 blacks but out of position. Pots the red but unable to get on the black. Maflin levels at 8-8.

[CaledonianCraig]

This Maflin V Gilbert match has been the match of the tournament so far. Packed with centuries (5 or 6), maximum attempt and very tightly fought. Could go either way.

[CaledonianCraig]

Kurt Maflin holds his nerve to take the 17th frame and edge into a 9-8 lead. He is one frame away from his first win at The Crucible.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Kurt Maflin has come through 10-8 in what was a cracking match to win his first match at the Crucible. The seeded Gilbert exits. Kurt Maflin plays John Higgins in the Second Round.

[CaledonianCraig]

This morning sees Ronnie O'Sullivan resume 8-1 up on Thailand's Thepchaiya Un-Nooh. On the other table Jack Lisowski takes on qualifier Anthony McGill.

[CaledonianCraig]

O'Sullivan 9-1 up and a frame away from the Second Round. On the other table McGill looks a good bet to go 1-0 up.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ronnie wraps up a 10-1 win over Thepchaiya Un-Nooh. McGill leads Lisowski 1-0.

[Duty281]

Un Nooh will never amount to much if his safety game remains that poor.

RoS v Ding should be the best tie of the second round.

[CaledonianCraig]

Ronnie tends to thrive against open, attacking players and he thrived on Un-Nooh in this match. Down through the years Ronnie's Achilles Heel has been the all-round match players who have a great safety game and deprive Ronnie of chances. Un-Nooh ain't one of those. I think Ding will suit Ronnie next up.

[CaledonianCraig]

Lisowski wins a scrappy second frame to level at 1-1.

[CaledonianCraig]

Scrappy stuff early on here. Neither player being clinical when given a chance. Lisowski looks warm favourite to go 2-1 up.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Lisowski does lead 2-1.

[CaledonianCraig]

Better from McGill but still no one visit frame win. Two mid-sized breaks from him sees him level it up at 2-2 at their mid-session interval.

[CaledonianCraig]

McGill has the edge as the scrappy frames continue. McGill leads 3-2.

[CaledonianCraig]

Lisowski misses a sitter when in and McGill hits back with the highest break of the match of 87 to go 4-2 up.

[CaledonianCraig]

Lisowski recovered somewhat to end up trailing McGill 5-4 at the end of their morning session. They play to an end tonight.

This afternoon's matches are underway. Shaun Muphy looks set to go 2-0 up against Thailand's Noppon Saengkham. On the other table Yan Bingtao has stretched his lead to Eliot Slessor to 8-1.

[CaledonianCraig]

An unexpected miss when in by Murphy and Saengkham pounces to win the frame with a great clearance of 64. They are level at 1-1.

[CaledonianCraig]

Saengkham again punishes Murphy for an error with a break of 67 and he moves into a 2-1 lead.

[CaledonianCraig]

Yan Bingtao on the brink of the Second Round leading Slessor 9-3. Slessor winning his 3rd frame with a clearance of 123.

[CaledonianCraig]

Murphy needs to get a grip of this slump in form as he chucks in more errors and Saengkham takes advantage and heads into the mid-session interval with a 3-1 lead.

[CaledonianCraig]

Drama building in the Yan Bingtao match. He led 9-2 and in the 14th frame potted the match winning pot only to go in off and Slessor took the frame to pull it back to 9-5. Bingtao should still get over the line but his butterflies will be growing.

[CaledonianCraig]

Saengkham putting Murphy to the sword at the moment and leads 4-1.

[CaledonianCraig]

Finally, something to lift Murphy's spirits with a break of 75 he takes the sixth frame and trails 4-2.

[CaledonianCraig]

Murphy now finding that form and slams in a century break and reduces his deficit to 3-4. Slessor with a handy lead in frame 15 but the table has gone scrappy.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Elliot Slessor continues on the comeback trail winning the 15th frame. From 9-2 down he now trails 9-6.

[CaledonianCraig]

The incredible turn around continues. Slessor wins a scrappy frame and wins his fifth frame on the bounce. Bingtao now leads 9-7.

[CaledonianCraig]

Saengkham pinches the eighth frame and leads 5-3.

[CaledonianCraig]

There is a good chance this will be the last frame of the session so if Slessor keeps the match alive and hauls it back to 9-8 they will be hauled off and have to come back tonight to finish it.

[CaledonianCraig]

Bingtao looks set to wrap up his match and misses Slessor handed another lifeline. Saengkham takes a very handy 6-3 lead into their second session tomorrow morning.

[CaledonianCraig]

Slessor now in deep trouble. Needs snookers and his brave fight looks like ending here.

[CaledonianCraig]

And Bingtao finally wins 10-7 having led debutant Elliot Slessor 8-1 and 9-2. He plays Judd Trump next.

[CaledonianCraig]

In this evening's matches Anthony McGill resumes 5-4 ahead against Jack Lisowski. On the other table Mark Selby begins his campaign against debutant Jordan Brown from Northern Ireland.

[CaledonianCraig]

Lisowski takes advantage of poor safety from McGill and weighs in with a big break to level the match up at 5-5.

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