Snoooooooker

[Good Intentions]

hooray! best thread returns

[Nick Ink]

John Higgins                                            Liang Wenbo

Day 1!

Proven cheat and Scottish serial tonguer, John Higgins starts the defence of his title against one of the four Chinese players at this year's competition, the enigmatic Liang Wenbo.

Higgins has lifted the trophy 4 times in his career, placing him behind only legends Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry in terms of achievements in the modern era of the game. However, for most snooker fans, the match-fixing scandal that enveloped Higgins in 2010 was scandalously whitewashed after the snooker governing body accepted Higgins' excuse that he had acted out of fear for his safety. Having seen the video, I find his explanation hard to accept, and personally think he should have received a life ban.

As a timely reminder, here's an excerpt of the transcript from Higgins and his manager's meeting in a Kiev hotel room with a reporter posing as a match-fixer:

REPORTER: "Well you tell me. I mean ... you can't lose against a Ukrainian player here and then go to Warsaw and lose against a Polish, go to bloody Prague and lose against a Czech. That's stupid, that's plain stupid. And it doesn't make financial sense for these guys [betting syndicates financing the proposed events]
"It has to be against somebody that is ..."
HIGGINS: "Against somebody that's goodish and it's easier."
REPORTER: "Against someone like one of the other boys [other players]. No one needs to know."
HIGGINS: "It's easy. Its easy."
MOONEY: "You make one mistake ..."
HIGGINS: "You don't even have to make a mistake."
REPORTER: "You have to be sure if you're going to tell him 'Frame three I'm going to lose."
HIGGINS: "Oh yeah. Frame three I'm going to lose, yes, yes."
REPORTER: "Yeah, but I mean what if he gets a good break? What's the risk factor I mean?"
HIGGINS: "No risk. No, because you can miss."
[The reporter once again checks that Higgins understand he is to lose four separate frames, one per tournament]
HIGGINS: "Yes!"


Liang Wenbo is China's number 2 behind Ding Junhui. He first appeared at the Crucible four years ago, as a rather green but exciting 17 year-old, winning lots of friends with his attacking style as well as endearing himself to many by getting lost on his way to the table, and surprisingly reaching the quarter final. Since then, not too much has been seen of him.

At the mid-session interval Higgins leads 3-1 in the first-to-10 match. COME ON WENBO!

[Nick Ink]

A live snapshot of Martin Gould's mood as he trails fellow no-hoper former potato-farmer* Dave Gilbert 6-3 after the first session of the only other match to have started. Martyin Gould's nickname is, apparently, "Solid Gould", and he used to be a debt collector.

More images of Martin Gould's mood swings as they happen...

--------------------------------------------

On that other table, after a tense start to the match Liang Wenbo has settled down to win 3 in a row, but Higgins has just made a gritty clearance, and it's now 4-4.

* post edited due to incoming new information on Dave Gilbert

[Nick Ink]

The second pair of matches has started now, and there are two former world champions trying to reclaim the glory days in action..

7-time World Champion, Stephen Hendry leads Stuart Bingham 2-0 and has just knocked in a century, while Ken Doherty, the likeable Irish 1997 champ, more commonly found in the commentary box these days, just missed the 14th red when set for a maximum 147 break - so close! Still, a good sign for the in-form Doherty, who levels at 1-1 with the much-fancied Australian, Neil Robertson.


Stephen Hendry (a welcome return for this photo, I felt)    Ken Doherty

Finally, there has been a very exciting development on the refereeing side of things, as Zhu Ying becomes the first Chinese referee at the Sheffield venue....


Zhu Ying (aka Ivy Zhu)

[coldforge]

Damn, woman, assorted cue, ball and pocket puns

[Nick Ink]

UNBELIEVABUBBLE!

STEPHEN HENDRY TAKES 15 REDS, 15 BLACKS AND ALL THE COLOURS TO MAKE A MAXIMUM 147 BREAK, WINNING £50,000 IN THE PROCESS!!!!

 

[Nick Ink]

Stephen Hendry rolling back the years against Bingham, taking an 8-1 lead with breaks of 61, 78, 89, 100 , and of course that wonderful maximum 147. Bingham has been utterly steamrollered and Hendry is running riot and oozing confidence. Astonishing stuff.

The match resumes tomorrow night with Hendry needing 2 more to seal a second round match against the winner of that match between defending champion (and proven cheat) John Higgins and Liang Wenbo.

You have to feel a bit for Bing. Universally agreed to be a great guy, he was genuinely pleased for Hendry when the maximum went down and jumped up to congratulate him, all smiles. Also, if he goes out we lose the enticing possibility of a Bing V Ding final.

So, with the 2010 champion Robertson also buzzing, this is the state of play in those 4 first round matches after the first two sessions:

John Higgins 5 v 4 Liang Wenbo
Stuart Bingham 1 v 8 Stephen Hendry
Martin Gould 3 v 6 David Gilbert
Neil Robertson 7 v 2 Ken Doherty

Tonight, Higgins and Liang play their match to a finish, while Mark Allen and newcomer Ciao Yupeng start theirs.


Cao Yupeng

[Nick Ink]

UNBELIEVABUBBLE!

STEPHEN HENDRY TAKES 15 REDS, 15 BLACKS AND ALL THE COLOURS TO MAKE A MAXIMUM 147 BREAK, WINNING £50,000 IN THE PROCESS!!!!

 

In case anyone wants to see it, it's up on youtube now. You have to picture me pumping my fist in the air in sync with Stephen as the last black goes down.

[coldforge]

That really is thrilling to watch. Especially the final run, as he just methodically makes his way down the length of the table.

[Nick Ink]

That really is thrilling to watch. Especially the final run, as he just methodically makes his way down the length of the table.

Are you being sarcastic?

[coldforge]

No!

[Nick Ink]

No!

Sorry, my man. I thought the juxtaposition of 'thrilling' and 'methodically' suggested that it had been a spectacle which may not necessarily translate to the non-enthusiast. I shall not doubt you again.

[Nick Ink]

No!

Sorry, my man. I thought the juxtaposition of 'thrilling' and 'methodically' suggested that it had been a spectacle which may not necessarily translate to the non-enthusiast. I shall not doubt you again.

I think the context made it all the more nail-biting for me. Back in the 90s when Hendry routinely destroyed everyone in sight, I'd almost always be rooting for his opponent, but now he's sunk down the world rankings, he's 80/1 with the bookies, had to go through the ignominy of the qualification process and is a man grappling with the very essence of life's tragedy, the fading of a once-imperious talent. He's become the underdog, and you know how we feel about them over here. He's my age too, so I relate to the heroic decline into middle age.

[dieblucasdie]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Pje34fUgLQ

[Nick Ink]

What a first day! After the excitement of Hendry's maximum, we now have a 19th frame decider on table 2.

Yes, it's:

John 'Cheating Weasel' Higgins 9  v  9 Liang Wenbo Wenbo Wenbo Wenbo Wenbo (All My Colours)

"Who's your money on?" asks Steve Davis in the commentary box.

[Nick Ink]

John 'Cheating Weasel' Higgins 9  v  9 Liang Wenbo Wenbo Wenbo Wenbo Wenbo (All My Colours)

Liang is in with the first big chance, but to his horror plays a push shot (i.e. the cue, the cue ball and the object ball were all touching each other at the same time). It's a criminal error, and a horrible way to lose after 6 hours, if that's his last shot.....cheating weasel is in amongst he balls with the frame and match at his mercy.

[Nick Ink]

Higgins misses the a cut red into middle pocket with only 44 points on the scoreboard. The frame is alive again!

[Nick Ink]

Higgins misses the a cut red into middle pocket with only 44 points on the scoreboard. The frame is alive again!

Wenbo makes a terrific plant into the opposite middle bag, and now it's the young cueman from China who's in the driving seat! All the balls are there, he just needs to hold himself together. It's edge of the seat stuff.

[Nick Ink]

John 'Cheating Weasel' Higgins 9  v  9 Liang Wenbo Wenbo Wenbo Wenbo Wenbo (All My Colours)

10-9 Higgins. Who said cheats never prosper? A watching nation sadly shakes its collective head and averts its eyes at the shame.

Tomorrow morning, Luca Brecel from Belgium, the youngest player ever to appear at the finals.

[Antero]

Liang Wenbo Wenbo Wenbo Wenbo Wenbo (All My Colours)

Whhhhaaaat

[Nick Ink]

Liang Wenbo Wenbo Wenbo Wenbo Wenbo (All My Colours)

Whhhhaaaat

Sorry, whenever I hear Wenbo's name I immediately start humming Echo & The Bunnymen's All My Colours (Zimbo).


This morning's matches are both underway. On table 1, part-time debt collector and genuinally disturbing geezer Martin "Solid Gould" Gould trails 4-7 to Dave Gilbert, so there's a potential upset on the cards there.

Meanwhile, the much discussed teen Walloon takes his bow against the more experienced but perennially underachieving Stephen Maguire. Maguire, once tipped by Ronnie O'Sullivan to "dominate snooker for the next 10 years" has stamped his authority on that one already, and leads 3-0.


Teen Belgian sensation, Luca Brecel (photo may not be up-to-date - need to check this)

Later this afternoon Mark Allen and Cao Yupeng finish their match. That one is nip and tuck, at 5-4 to the Chinese player. Shaun Murphy also starts his campaign against qualifier Jamie Jones. I have a sneaking feeling that Murph (winner in 2005, runner-up in 2009 and always dangerous) might go well this year.

 Then this evening, there are two matches that look to be formalities. Neil Robertson, leading 7-2 overnight, needs only 3 more to polish off the veteran Ken Doherty, while yesterday's man of the moment, Stephen Hendry is 8-1 over Stuart Bingham.

[Nick Ink]

This morning's matches are both underway. On table 1, part-time debt collector and genuinally disturbing geezer Martin "Solid Gould" Gould trails 4-7 to Dave Gilbert, so there's a potential upset on the cards there.

And after a brief threat of a fightback from Gould, David Gilbert has sealed the biggest win of his career with a 10-8 victory. He will play Neil Robertson (or Ken Doherty) in the second round.

Not much is known about Gilbert. Ranked just number 68 in the world, according to his wikipedia page, he's averaged an extremely modest £6,000 a year in winnings. A perhaps not entirely unrelated fact is that he "often helps out on his father's potato farm, and has also worked as a forester."

Still, he's in the second round, and therefore deserves a photo in the LPTJ snooker thread:


Dave Gilbert - Can he put his potato-farming days behind him?

Maguire still has young Brecel in a Vulcan death grip, by the way, up 6-3 at the end of play.

[Nick Ink]

Later this afternoon Mark Allen and Cao Yupeng finish their match. That one is nip and tuck, at 5-4 to the Chinese player. Shaun Murphy also starts his campaign against qualifier Jamie Jones. I have a sneaking feeling that Murph (winner in 2005, runner-up in 2009 and always dangerous) might go well this year.

Cao Yupeng has dominated this one and after a confident performance and a couple of impressive century breaks, leads 9-5, needing just one more frame for a major, major shock. Mark Allen, a top 8 player and a bit of a rising star, has never really got going today and, after Martin Gould earlier, looks certain to be the second seed dumped out on day 2.

[Nick Ink]

That’s that for Mark Allen then, after his world championships ended in sensational fashion. As he potted the final black looking for all the world to have clawed back another frame and made it 9-7, the white ball drifted down the table and into the pocket, giving Cao the match! Allen was walking away from the table in celebration when he noticed the white dropping behind him, while the entire arena was stunned into silence. A bizarre and cruel way to go out.

As Steve Davis said in commentary, Cao Yupeng looks to have talent, temperament and a bit of a killer instinct though. I’m a bit sorry to see Mark Allen go, as I always like watching him. Intriguingly though, Cao may well now have to play his compatriot and China’s golden boy, Ding Junhui, in a Best Of 25 second round match.


Ding Junhui

I have a tenner on Ding to win the whole thing, so he has no chance.

So, with 3 matches now concluded, and two more to end tonight, here’s a reminder of how that draw is panning out:

John Higgins 10 v 9 Liang Wenbo
Stuart Bingham 1 v 8 Stephen Hendry
Graeme Dott v Joe Perry
Stephen Maguire 6 v 3 Luca Brecel

Shaun Murphy 3 v 3 Jamie Jones
Stephen Lee v Andrew Higginson
Ali Carter v Mark Davis
Judd Trump v Dominic Dale

Mark Williams v Liu Chuang
Ronnie O'Sullivan v Peter Ebdon
Martin Gould 8 v 10 David Gilbert
Neil Robertson 7 v 2 Ken Doherty

Ding Junhui v Ryan Day
Mark Allen 6 v 10 Cao Yupeng
Matthew Stevens v Marco Fu
Mark Selby v Barry Hawkins

[Nick Ink]

Just a final note on the Cao Yupeng V Mark Allen match.

Allen has, in his post-match press conference, accused Cao of blatant cheating, alleging that he played a push shot (accidentally hitting the white twice) when it was 5-4. Snooker (despite the odd match-rigging scandal!) prides itself on its code of good sportsmanship. Players routinely call fouls on themselves and assist the referees when re-placing balls and so on. As Allen points out, Cao did appear to look at the referee waiting for a foul to be called, before carrying on. A sorry state of affairs really. The full story and video (UK only perhaps?) is here.