Scrappy stuff, but I can't see either of them suddenly taking off - I predict a decider
― StanM, Sunday, 1 May 2011 18:50 (thirteen years ago) link
Rapidly becoming a fan of Trump's spectacular style, though.
― StanM, Sunday, 1 May 2011 19:19 (thirteen years ago) link
Yeah, he's good, but a little too cocky.
― not_goodwin, Sunday, 1 May 2011 20:48 (thirteen years ago) link
So this Trump guy...
― xyzzzz__, Monday, 2 May 2011 11:57 (thirteen years ago) link
Onimo otm based on last night's session - Higgins looks spent really.
― xyzzzz__, Monday, 2 May 2011 11:58 (thirteen years ago) link
First time I've watched more than 10 minutes of snooker for about 10 years.
― Chewshabadoo, Monday, 2 May 2011 12:19 (thirteen years ago) link
Watched a bit of this last night, I was struck by how many of Trump's ridic long pots go right into the centre of the pockets. I ended up just betting Trump to win as my bookie didn't have a "more than 3 frames" thing, only had correct score books.
Higgins is twitching on long pots - beginning of the end of his career.
― abbottabadass (onimo), Monday, 2 May 2011 13:00 (thirteen years ago) link
BBC filler guy being sent to knock the players' dressing room doors wtf. This "let's get the boys on the baize" thing is no "ready to rumble" is it?
― abbottabadass (onimo), Monday, 2 May 2011 13:07 (thirteen years ago) link
BBC filler guy manages to be more inane than Hazel's 'what is going through your mind' - type questions.
― xyzzzz__, Monday, 2 May 2011 13:25 (thirteen years ago) link
Oh for fuck's sake don't resurrect this Snooker Loopy shite!
― abbottabadass (onimo), Monday, 2 May 2011 14:00 (thirteen years ago) link
Don't want to use the dreaded r-word again but it's frankly amazing that Higgins has levelled this match. I've never seen him miss so many balls but he keeps coming back with these frame winning breaks. Trump's giving him lots of chances, of course - if he could tighten his safety up and resist at least some of the higher risk shots I think he'd be out of sight.
― abbottabadass (onimo), Monday, 2 May 2011 15:08 (thirteen years ago) link
yeah, trump needs to try to curb something he's not had to curb before in this situation.
that blue in an early frame this afternoon, he thought for 3 minutes what to do, and he still went with the high risk shot. sounds like it's been downhill since then.
if he can play percentages then he'll have higgins working a lot harder to win.
― nultybutnice (whatever), Monday, 2 May 2011 15:56 (thirteen years ago) link
What a roaring crowd! Amazing!
― StanM, Monday, 2 May 2011 18:10 (thirteen years ago) link
C'mon Higgins :)
― not_goodwin, Monday, 2 May 2011 18:57 (thirteen years ago) link
If Trump loses this it'll be by his own doing but if he plays his cards right next year he'll be sure to get there eventually.
― StanM, Monday, 2 May 2011 20:06 (thirteen years ago) link
He's too busy whacking them in (which he does well), he's not focusing on the longer game.
― not_goodwin, Monday, 2 May 2011 20:11 (thirteen years ago) link
up the trump
― nultybutnice (whatever), Monday, 2 May 2011 20:17 (thirteen years ago) link
It's slipping away for the youngster.
― not_goodwin, Monday, 2 May 2011 20:34 (thirteen years ago) link
needs to turn the adrenaline tap down
― nultybutnice (whatever), Monday, 2 May 2011 20:40 (thirteen years ago) link
Yeah, he's not a great safety player yet by a long way. Great pots are great, but this is the world championship final, you need to be the best at multiple things at once.
― StanM, Monday, 2 May 2011 20:42 (thirteen years ago) link
Yeah, he's smacking shots all over.to be fair, he is only 21 and he is handling it pretty well considering.
When he calms down and learns more safety play, maybe over the next couple of years, he'll be untouchable.
― not_goodwin, Monday, 2 May 2011 20:44 (thirteen years ago) link
Higgins' steady perfection can be boring compared to the Trumps and Ronnies of this world, but boy does it get him frames you'd think were long gone
― StanM, Monday, 2 May 2011 20:57 (thirteen years ago) link
Not often you see Higgins pick the wrong shot - wtf was he thinking with that cut? He's been watching too much of that Trump fella.
― abbottabadass (onimo), Monday, 2 May 2011 20:58 (thirteen years ago) link
I don't see Higgins losing this now, not anymore.
― StanM, Monday, 2 May 2011 21:00 (thirteen years ago) link
No pressure at all here for Higgins!
― not_goodwin, Monday, 2 May 2011 21:01 (thirteen years ago) link
From BBC i player
From Russell, on text: "You probably won't publish this as it's not pro-Trump, but he's anti-snooker. He's a glorified pool player going for every shot without a thought for positioning. It's just thump thump thump in the hope the balls go in. Comparisons to O'Sullivan are an insult given his cue control. Unsurprisingly I'm very much in Higgins' camp."
― not_goodwin, Monday, 2 May 2011 21:03 (thirteen years ago) link
What a finish! Cost me a few quid but well done John Higgins.
― abbottabadass (onimo), Monday, 2 May 2011 21:04 (thirteen years ago) link
Worthy winner, but the end of a generation, possibly? That Ding/Trump match was some taster of what's to come, imho.
― StanM, Monday, 2 May 2011 21:06 (thirteen years ago) link
Fuvk you, Hazel. You got him to cry by dragging his dad into this again. Hope you're happy.
― StanM, Monday, 2 May 2011 21:09 (thirteen years ago) link
What poor sod has to hoover all that up :(
― not_goodwin, Monday, 2 May 2011 21:12 (thirteen years ago) link
Fuvk you, Hazel.
Seriously.
― abbottabadass (onimo), Monday, 2 May 2011 21:14 (thirteen years ago) link
The Crewcible cru will. Xpost
― StanM, Monday, 2 May 2011 21:15 (thirteen years ago) link
lol typo, but you know what I mean. This whole "tears = zoom in = emotion = good TV" formula pisses me off every damn time.
― StanM, Monday, 2 May 2011 21:18 (thirteen years ago) link
cheat came good, we're all happy.
― nultybutnice (whatever), Monday, 2 May 2011 21:20 (thirteen years ago) link
That Hazel Irvine shit was some shameless tear-chasing bullshit.
― ailsa, Monday, 2 May 2011 21:22 (thirteen years ago) link
Awesome finish! It was really nice of John to say that Judd was the better player (in a convincing manner n'all). He knows that this victory was due in a large part to more complete matchplay and experience to get him over the line.
Wouldn't say 'glorified pool player' but his cue control gets rough at points (why he needs those long pots!), which lapses into pressure that lead to that pink missed off the spot. But Judd's cue control, shot selection and safety (cause they all need 'em) will get better.
I'd say Murphy's run of potting to win the title unexpectedly a few years ago was far more underrated just as Judd's run to become runner-up is overrated. And to just compare to past players he is certainly not as exciting as Ronnie or Mark. The former had amazing cue control (and was just so fast! and then we found out he could play left handed!), the latter was just a revelation as a long potter (and had an even better temperament). And when John first arrived, his shot selection and safety were incredible, too.
― xyzzzz__, Monday, 2 May 2011 21:26 (thirteen years ago) link
300k pays for a lot of tears
― nultybutnice (whatever), Monday, 2 May 2011 21:26 (thirteen years ago) link
twat bastard bollocks twat bastard
― bell hops (Noodle Vague), Monday, 2 May 2011 23:08 (thirteen years ago) link
Lu Ning looks like a possible One To Watch. The 18-year-old wildcard entry to China Open just knocked in back to back centuries vs Murphy to lead 4-2.
― A BIG JOE JORDAN TYPE OF POSTER (onimo), Wednesday, 28 March 2012 13:27 (twelve years ago) link
He's "Lu Ning" ("learning") the game fast!
― good luck in your pyramid (Neil S), Wednesday, 28 March 2012 13:46 (twelve years ago) link
Luca Brecel just beat Mark King 10-8 and has now qualified for the final. He will be the youngest player ever at 17 and one and a half months old (Hendry was 17 and three months) - and the first Belgian ever too, obv.
― StanM, Sunday, 15 April 2012 18:30 (twelve years ago) link
Heard of Brecel before Trump.
Can't wait to see him.
― xyzzzz__, Sunday, 15 April 2012 18:35 (twelve years ago) link
so yeah, here's some infographics to explain snooker to Belgians: http://www.standaard.be/extra/snooker
― StanM, Sunday, 22 April 2012 09:26 (twelve years ago) link
Is Hendry suddenly back to his best?
Don't want.
― xyzzzz__, Sunday, 22 April 2012 09:43 (twelve years ago) link
John Higgins must have made a fortune this week eh?
― we are not bemused (onimo), Saturday, 28 April 2012 18:51 (twelve years ago) link
Not even as joke please - you'd send Steve Davis on suicide watch.
― xyzzzz__, Saturday, 28 April 2012 21:10 (twelve years ago) link
Beyond seeds crashing the erm, 'culture clash' has been of interest.
― xyzzzz__, Saturday, 28 April 2012 21:12 (twelve years ago) link
I liked Hearn's quote about Mark Allen's "cheating Chinese" tweets:
"Now is a very good time to be a snooker player, it's not a good time to be an idiot."
― we are not bemused (onimo), Saturday, 28 April 2012 21:25 (twelve years ago) link
Terry Griffiths has been a bit mental in his commentary - he said something yesterday about a player (either Higgins or Cao, can't remember) losing confidence after a run of needlessly lost frames that went something like "you lose faith in yourself... you question your value... you feel utterly worthless inside... and that's being kind..."
He also said a player should "open the doors in his mind to positive thoughts".
― we are not bemused (onimo), Saturday, 28 April 2012 21:29 (twelve years ago) link
I wish John Virgo would stop going WHERE'S THE CUE BALL GOING all the time when it's clearly not going to go in.
― StanM, Monday, 30 April 2012 15:01 (twelve years ago) link