Snooker

[Hesi]

Anyone follow this, with the World Champs on at the Crucible in Sheffield.

Probably like a few on here, I was a youngster in the days of snooker halls everywhere, and of course pool tables in public bars.  Played well enough, and know the game pretty well, so can appreciate, and are astounded at the skill of these top players.  Clearly they have to be good potters, but their almost inch perfect control of the cue ball, in playing safety and positioning is unbelievable.  I always thought is must take years of practice to achieve that, yet several players are quite young

[ngakonui grass]

Loved playing snooker and billiards in my younger days but when our local hall shut down that was the end for me.Wasn't interested in joining the clubs.

As far as young talent goes i presume its just practise,practise  practise and having a determination and a belief that you can succeed.

 

[Gordy]

I am a Ronnie O’Sullivan fan. He has made the 1/4 finals, so here’s hoping.

I have watched this clip a few times.

 

[pete]

Ted Lowe was the greatest of snooker commentators responsible for this gem:

Fred Davis, the doyen of snooker, now 67 years of age and too old to get his leg over, prefers to use his left hand.

[pete]

And this:

For those of you who are watching in black and white, the pink is next to the green

[Hesi]

26 minutes ago, Gordy said:

I am a Ronnie O’Sullivan fan. He has made the 1/4 finals, so here’s hoping.

I have watched this clip a few times.

 

Thanks for that Gordy.  I have never watched a 147 break before, I imagined it would take 10 min plus.  The amazing thing, is that he had it under control all the way

[Hesi]

Remember Pot Black and that well known snooker referee Sydney Lee

[Globederby19]

His fastest 147 is really 5 min 20 secs, not 5min 8sec. I had a missent youth on snooker tables, that's all we did and it kept us out of trouble . That was unless you beat the coconuts at snooker kelly pool, then you ran once you had the money.lol. The snooker hall we played at is still there in Courtenay Place upstairs and a pool hall. Have recently resurrected the career at the Mens club, and giving them a fright. We took the game seriously so learnt all the tricks, stun,side check etc. half and full english and so on. Great game. And Ronnie is unmatched in snooker history and hasnt finished yet.

[Globederby19]

51 minutes ago, Hesi said:

Thanks for that Gordy.  I have never watched a 147 break before, I imagined it would take 10 min plus.  The amazing thing, is that he had it under control all the way

He has made 15 of them Hesi. 6 more than Stephen Hendry and about 1500 century's, miles ahead of the next best. One of the most accurate players I have seen, and his ball control is mindboggling when he is in full flow and makes it look incredibly easy. In fact most of those at that level have incredible ball control.

The young guys (asians) are very good at the moment for there age, as Mark Selby found out. Robinson is gone as is Kyle Wiilson. Who knows a 7th title for the Rocket. My pick is Williams, real character and playing aggressive snooker for him as he tended to be soft at rolling them in but now attacking the pocket with speed. Great to watch for snooker fans.

[Hesi]

The commentators must all be former top players.  Very astute comments, from what a player should be doing next, how he is going to do it etc etc.  A loose shot is very rare and treated with disdain

[Globederby19]

Yes the commentators are all previous top players. Love listening to Stephen Hendry commentating as he almost dissects the players mind and  gives a view into his planning ahead for the nxt shots, and the type of shot.  Best way to do it and adds to the tension and excitement.

[Hesi]

Reading up about a few of the previous personalities that I can recall.

Steve Davis - reigned supreme for a while, but not liked because of that deadpan demeanor

Alex Hurricane Higgins - the total opposite, and probably the biggest personality the game has had.  Has passed on unfortunately at 61 from throat cancer.  Him and George Best would have got on, both Belfast born, both highly talented, but both with that self destructive streak.

[Steve P]

Steve 'interesting' Davis - a Spitting Image Classic.

Youtube it, very funny.

[VC!]

if anyone ever deserved to win The World Championships at the Crucible it was Jimmy White 6 time loser 5 consecutive 

Dene O'Kane  reached the QFs twice in his career

[Hesi]

Higgins’s last world championship title came in 1982 when, in that unforgettable semi-final, White was 15-14 ahead. White was 51-0 up in the next frame, which would have won him the match, when he gave Higgins, who had been drinking heavily, a chance. Taking on shots that needed outrageous courage and daring, Higgins cleared the table with a break of 69. “That was his best. There were three or four shots in there which – under the pressure – will never be repeated. The drunker he got, the calmer he got.”

White looks away, lost in the memory. “I was in awe of him. I was watching my hero playing. That clearance is the best ever made.”

Snooker fans drool over the brilliance of Higgins, White and Ronnie O’Sullivan. But who does White consider the best of a troubled trio? “O’Sullivan. I’ve probably got more natural talent than both of them. But what O’Sullivan done was special. He took a bit of Higgins, a bit of me and a bit of [Steve] Davis, and made his game complete. Perhaps his greatest gift is his positional play.”

[Globederby19]

18 hours ago, Hesi said:

Perhaps his greatest gift is his positional play.”

Cant disagree with that. The guys positional play is other worldly, and in full flight a mesmerising player to watch, with the speed he works out the shots to play and work his way through pack. Like Tiger Woods, Muhammed Ali, Michael Jordan, absolutely the GOAT. And he looks like getting through to the semis ,as he has Steven McGuire's number. Could see a Williams /O Sullivan final  , but who knows . Great to watch.

 

[Globederby19]

Well,  O,Sullivan is destroying Trump in the snooker final 12-5 at the moment. Ronnie is a machine and on another planet. I haven't seen Trump miss so many balls and play so many poor shots. He looks very tentative and star struck, a Possum caught in the lights. It will take a comeback of monumental proportions to down Ronnie in this form. The funny thing is, that in Head to Heads ,Trump is 13-12 up.  The GOAT has a record equalling 7th World title at his fingertips.

[Hesi]

I watched the early sessions of Trump vs Bingham quarter final, and Trump was potting like an amateur, so was surprised to see him take it.

TAB have made their mind up, O'Sullivan at 1.01

[Globederby19]

Ronnie has an off session and Trump comes storming back. Its all on now . 

[Gordy]

Ronnie is the man, must be the greatest player ever. I wonder how much of the 1/2 a million pounds winners cheque the tax man takes.

[Hesi]

25 minutes ago, Gordy said:

Ronnie is the man, must be the greatest player ever. I wonder how much of the 1/2 a million pounds winners cheque the tax man takes.

Not even close, Joe Davis

[Globederby19]

On 5/3/2022 at 8:46 AM, Hesi said:

Not even close, Joe Davis

Not in yr dreams Hesi. One has to remember that back then, there where not that many players and the world Champs sometimes had only two competitors and some of those he played he hand picked. You had better go back and read the  real history. Good in his era, but wouldn't blow smoke up Ronnies arse.

[Globederby19]

Another thing about O,Sullivan is that he perfected his left hand play very early and as an 18 yr old contemplated playing the circuit left handed. He actually as an 18 yr old, beat Peter Ebdon then reining world champion 10-6 playing left handed. Genius. Having said that , some of these up and coming Asian players will practice for hours playing their opposite hand. The Michelangelo of Snooker.....