2020 Scottish Open

[Danger Steve]

Could be as much theatre as sport , great entertainment in prospect. I am prepared to wager half a bag of Walkers cheese n onion on Rocket Ronnie

I see your Walkers and raise you a can of Prawn Cocktail Pringles on Selby to win!

[mikee]

Don't think all chinese slate is crap and soft. I've never noticed any difference when I've played on the Star match table at my current or previous clubs.

It is crap compared to Italian ,and Italian is not as good as Welsh or Irish ,which are both very good but are not mined any more .Star tables use a two inch thick cut ,quarter of an inch thicker than Italian ,this is to try and make it more stable .Slates theses days are not hand floated ,it’s all to do with fast production .Chinese slate may not be crap ,but it’s crap for use in snooker tables .

[Billy]

Ronnie mentioned in his post match interview that the miss rule needs looking... Lets also not forget the negative rolling into the reds safety shot!

I can’t remember exactly what was said by the commentator in that UK final match (I think it was that match), something about they trialled a rule placing the cue ball on a side cushion after something had happened??? Does anyone know what that something was? I’m going to have to re-watch the match now just for that aren’t I!!

Yes, it was DT who explained it. I can't remember exactly what was said, either, but he did finish by saying something like "It wasn't popular / didn't catch on"

[Cue crafty]

I see your Walkers and raise you a can of Prawn Cocktail Pringles on Selby to win!

Steady on chaps!! Thats getting serious!!

[trains]

European masters final 27 sep
mark selby 9 - 8 martin gould
English open final 18 oct
Judd trump 9 - 8 neil robertson
Championship league final 30 oct
kyren wilson 3 - 1 judd trump
Champion of champions final 8th november 2020
Mark allen 10 - 6 neil robertson
Northern ireland open final 22 nov 2020
Judd trump 9 - 7 ronnie o sullivan
Uk championship final 6 dec 2020
Neil robertson 10 - 9 judd trump
Scottish open final 13 dec 2020
Mark selby vs ronnie o sullivan


Anyone else finding these tournaments a bit too predictable and the same old same old , the seven tournaments so far this season 6 of the finals have been contested by 6 of the top 9 ranked players and the one that wasn’t the number one lost in the semi final , i mean in this final we have one millionaire playing another for 70k , two players we’re tired seeing over the last decade , and they start another tournament approx 12 hours later for another hundred grand in a sport / game that can’t attract sponsorship anyway . < yawn >

[John Flaf]

I hope Quest get their Fu$%()g act together today, Was watching Selby Jones last night, 4-0 Selby Mid session interval, adverts come on so did Wheeler dealers end of snooker, No bye for now no warning just snooker off, gone, caput, finni, FFS why they bother showing snooker in the first place is a mystery.

[Danger Steve]

European masters final 27 sep
mark selby 9 - 8 martin gould
English open final 18 oct
Judd trump 9 - 8 neil robertson
Championship league final 30 oct
kyren wilson 3 - 1 judd trump
Champion of champions final 8th november 2020
Mark allen 10 - 6 neil robertson
Northern ireland open final 22 nov 2020
Judd trump 9 - 7 ronnie o sullivan
Uk championship final 6 dec 2020
Neil robertson 10 - 9 judd trump
Scottish open final 13 dec 2020
Mark selby vs ronnie o sullivan


Anyone else finding these tournaments a bit too predictable and the same old same old , the seven tournaments so far this season 6 of the finals have been contested by 6 of the top 9 ranked players and the one that wasn’t the number one lost in the semi final , i mean in this final we have one millionaire playing another for 70k , two players we’re tired seeing over the last decade , and they start another tournament approx 12 hours later for another hundred grand in a sport / game that can’t attract sponsorship anyway . < yawn >

So imagine your the man in charge trains... What are you suggesting should happen to improve things? Any ideas? It’s not like those lower down the ranking aren’t getting the opportunity, they just ain’t good enough?

I suppose also your casual snooker viewer wouldn’t tune in to watch Lee Walker vs Jamie Wilson that’s the other problem? They want to tune in on a Sunday afternoon after their large roast dinner and fall asleep to Selby vs Ronnie... (to be fair even the die hards struggle to stay awake watching Selby)

[vmax]

Ronnie mentioned in his post match interview that the miss rule needs looking... Lets also not forget the negative rolling into the reds safety shot!

I can’t remember exactly what was said by the commentator in that UK final match (I think it was that match), something about they trialled a rule placing the cue ball on a side cushion after something had happened??? Does anyone know what that something was? I’m going to have to re-watch the match now just for that aren’t I!!

They trialed a single fluked ball meaning end of break unless two reds were potted on the same stroke if one not being a fluke. If a colour then obviously back on its spot or as near as possible according to the rules, and any fluked red being replaced back on the table in the middle of the side cushion. This was in an event organised by Eddie Charlton in australia, Eddie hated flukes but was the first player to get one in that tournament, that's irony for you. The problem with a rule like that is that it doesn't account for bad luck in the same way, the shootout rule of a ball having to be potted or any ball made to hit a cushion on every shot is a great one imo, barring that maybe the US pool rule of being allowed a push out after a roll up snooker and no miss called, other snookers to be treated as they are now. Then again what about fluked snookers, where does it end ? nominating every shot including positional play ? luck really can't be legislated for but the roll up snooker is simply bad for the game with the miss rule as it is now.

Nomination snooker though would really open up our eyes to exactly what the payers are in fact attempting and we'd know for sure if they got lucky.

[trains]

So imagine your the man in charge trains... What are you suggesting should happen to improve things? Any ideas? It’s not like those lower down the ranking aren’t getting the opportunity, they just ain’t good enough?

I suppose also your casual snooker viewer wouldn’t tune in to watch Lee Walker vs Jamie Wilson that’s the other problem? They want to tune in on a Sunday afternoon after their large roast dinner and fall asleep to Selby vs Ronnie... (to be fair even the die hards struggle to stay awake watching Selby)

good question , first of all i'd extinguish the concept the public have suffered over the years that high street clubs do them any favours in terms of the pro game , shut them down or make it widespread that they're only social clubs which bare little or no relevance to the pro game , in other words whats the point of a keen young lad going into them , i'd try to encourage more facilities or units as jimmy white called them the other day for players to practice on pro tables , even pay for them , introduce more pro - ams and with the profits pay for more units for more of the public and youth to get to play proper snook and not the garbage on clapped out cheap tat that lads are only wasting their time with , world snooker is too top down no wonder ronnie is like a bug in a rug nowadays , he loves hearn and vice versa , its getting more and more chinese and the answer is staring at world snooker in the face but they only care about keeping o sullivans bank account propped up .

just to add i'm not sure its that young players aren't good enough they're just faced with super - experienced established players who are better and fiercer opponents than in say 1993 when o sullivan won the uk , even the biggest o sullivan homer would look stupid trying to deny that i think .

[mikee]

A far easier solution would be to alter the pro game ,use thicker cloths and bin the table heaters ,that would level the playing field a bit more .Even if you practice on a Star table ,unless you’re using the same cloth and changing it every 3 days ,what’s the point .Osullivan said the other day even the outside tables and practice tables play nothing like the main tv table .

[trains]

A far easier solution would be to alter the pro game ,use thicker cloths and bin the table heaters ,that would level the playing field a bit more .Even if you practice on a Star table ,unless you’re using the same cloth and changing it every 3 days ,what’s the point .Osullivan said the other day even the outside tables and practice tables play nothing like the main tv table .

fine with me , was the media ever our friend though ?

[Billy]

The attitude in this match, particularly from O'Sullivan, is all very silly. Not good to watch and not good for the game. O'Sullivan seemingly telling the teacher on Selby just now, for drinking his water!

[balkend]

The attitude, particularly from O'Sullivan, in this match is all very silly. Not good to watch and not good for the game. O'Sullivan seemingly telling the teacher on Selby just now, for drinking his water!

O Sullivan is becoming ridiculous , you could hear the tone of distain in Neil Foulds commentary . Ronnie doesn't miss sitters if his discipline and hours of practise have been done first. Doherty summed it up well in the interval. He has a very big mountain to climb tonight, it means a great deal to Selby to win this match . But never say never, .. its Ronnie.

[Mark187187]

good question , first of all i'd extinguish the concept the public have suffered over the years that high street clubs do them any favours in terms of the pro game , shut them down or make it widespread that they're only social clubs which bare little or no relevance to the pro game , in other words whats the point of a keen young lad going into them , i'd try to encourage more facilities or units as jimmy white called them the other day for players to practice on pro tables , even pay for them , introduce more pro - ams and with the profits pay for more units for more of the public and youth to get to play proper snook and not the garbage on clapped out cheap tat that lads are only wasting their time with , world snooker is too top down no wonder ronnie is like a bug in a rug nowadays , he loves hearn and vice versa , its getting more and more chinese and the answer is staring at world snooker in the face but they only care about keeping o sullivans bank account propped up .

Don't think closing clubs would help with anything. I live in a quite large city, and we only have one club and 1 or 2 small social clubs with a couple of tables. There's not the demand needed to start opening up numerous venues with better quality equipment, which would presumably make them more expensive. Sure, more academy type venues may work regionally, but in terms of town to town, they would only alienate the majority of players, myself included, who enjoy playing on any club quality table as long as it set up level. It's like football. Most people don't aspire beyond Sunday league, and don't bemoan not playing at Wembley each week.

[JimMalone]

i never really got what was colourful about o sullivan's character , not a criticism of him but putting a towel over his face , walking out during a match , playing left handed , gestures about ladies ***** , eating crisps , telford york or milton keynes , amongst a bunch of media nerds , ooh the character , good to watch but character ? hmm

Yeah. I agree with you. But for my part I totally mean it as a criticism.
Obviously he can play, we all know this. But he simply has no class and often shown that he has no respect for most players. Also his recent attitude of often just smashing around when being snookered is in stark contrast to the meaning of Snooker.

Really wished Li would have won yesterday. He also had a bit of bad luck with the run of balls (bad split, red in the pocket when playing colour, etc.), but also his safety game cost him in the end.