Cazoo World Championship 2024

[fkhan]

Here we go then. The most awaited showdown of the '23/'24 season.

Who do you fancy to win it?

https://www.snooker.org/res/index.asp?event=1460

[vmax]

I wonder how big the pockets will be this year, too big last year which was part of the reason for Brecel's triumph, weather conditions will also be crucial, a lot of rain and the tables will play poorly which then rules out Trump and Allen and Ronnie could get his 8th, but the forecast for next week is dry and cold with little humidity with the possibility of radiation spreading from the middle east

[PatBlock]

Ding v Jack, interesting, I can't see either of them winning that one.

And no Robertson, can't say I'm surprised, I didn't expect him to get through the quals. He looked shell-shocked yesterday, I wonder how he'll respond to going out? Will he fight back, drift into obscurity, or maybe even retire?

-

[cueman]

I think the pocket argument is sometimes a little overstated. I think with the crucible being so tight, the camera positioning means they cannot do anything but have a fairly close shot of the pockets which often makes them appear bigger than they are. Also, the cloths get changed more often at the world champs, both bed and cushions, so balls will slide in easier, it does make conditions more conducive to break building, but given the duration of the event, the last thing we need is for long drawn out matches and lots of misses and players losing confidence.

As for who wins, well I've had a good look at the draw, current form, record at crucible etc, and I was really anticipating many qualifiers knocking out the seeded players. However the draw disappoints me a little, I think the seeds will be relatively happy with who've they've got, the qualifiers too will feel they've got a good chance, yet I can't help think that the majority of seeds will win comfortably.

The only 3 seeds I foresee losing are Selby on recent form and the fact O'Connor is a regular practice partner of his, his match sharpness I think will help. I think John Higgins struggles to get over the line this season will cast doubt on him and Jamie Jones fresh from his win against Robertson will fancy his chances. Finally I think Vafaei will be a man on a mission, so Judd Trump is going to have to play his best, which he rarely ever does in the first round, so that makes him very vulnerable.

As for the rest, I fancy a Murphy vs Allen semi in the one half, with Williams vs O'Sullivan in the other. I'll probably get every prediction wrong, so please take it with a large pinch of salt!

[neuronic]

Ding v Jack, interesting, I can't see either of them winning that one.

And no Robertson, can't say I'm surprised, I didn't expect him to get through the quals. He looked shell-shocked yesterday, I wonder how he'll respond to going out? Will he fight back, drift into obscurity, or maybe even retire?

-

Yeah, I was wondering the same thing... obviously a big blow to Neil, this surely will leave a permanent dent in his notoriously fragile posture when it comes to handling of pressure situations. I would not be suprised at all if he failed to completely recover from that last season and a half and rather sooner than later prematurely calls it a day. He's just not Mark Williams.

[snookerfollower]

Some good first round matches but also quite a few duds.

Looking forward to Selby v O'Connor - Judd Trump v Hossein Vafei - Mark Williams v Si Jiahui and Ding Junhui v Jack Lisowski most though.

[Cue crafty]

This interview is even more poignant now......for those who haven't listened to Neil here...

[Cue crafty]

I think the pocket argument is sometimes a little overstated. I think with the crucible being so tight, the camera positioning means they cannot do anything but have a fairly close shot of the pockets which often makes them appear bigger than they are. Also, the cloths get changed more often at the world champs, both bed and cushions, so balls will slide in easier, it does make conditions more conducive to break building, but given the duration of the event, the last thing we need is for long drawn out matches and lots of misses and players losing confidence.

As for who wins, well I've had a good look at the draw, current form, record at crucible etc, and I was really anticipating many qualifiers knocking out the seeded players. However the draw disappoints me a little, I think the seeds will be relatively happy with who've they've got, the qualifiers too will feel they've got a good chance, yet I can't help think that the majority of seeds will win comfortably.

The only 3 seeds I foresee losing are Selby on recent form and the fact O'Connor is a regular practice partner of his, his match sharpness I think will help. I think John Higgins struggles to get over the line this season will cast doubt on him and Jamie Jones fresh from his win against Robertson will fancy his chances. Finally I think Vafaei will be a man on a mission, so Judd Trump is going to have to play his best, which he rarely ever does in the first round, so that makes him very vulnerable.

As for the rest, I fancy a Murphy vs Allen semi in the one half, with Williams vs O'Sullivan in the other. I'll probably get every prediction wrong, so please take it with a large pinch of salt!

Agree on pretty much all of that, especially re the pockets. I'm lucking enough to experience new cloths from time to time and that slide you get is amazing down the cushions!! You actually stop aiming at the far jaw and let them slide in off the cush!!

Don't last that long down the club but for these boys it's it's a pretty constant perk.

[vmax]

Agree on pretty much all of that, especially re the pockets. I'm lucking enough to experience new cloths from time to time and that slide you get is amazing down the cushions!! You actually stop aiming at the far jaw and let them slide in off the cush!!

Don't last that long down the club but for these boys it's it's a pretty constant perk.

This was last year, nothing to do with new cloths and cushion slide

[FredDavis'Leg]

This was last year, nothing to do with new cloths and cushion slide

I suppose one thing you could say in response to that is naturally any advantage or disadvantage is available to both players with the
'generosity' of the pockets?

[FredDavis'Leg]

Ding v Jack, interesting, I can't see either of them winning that one.

And no Robertson, can't say I'm surprised, I didn't expect him to get through the quals. He looked shell-shocked yesterday, I wonder how he'll respond to going out? Will he fight back, drift into obscurity, or maybe even retire?

-

I don't know if Robertson has made any comment since his loss? I know he had stated after his return from Australia that he felt his game was back. Sadly his
results have not backed that up. I agree it might be a turning point for him now, either he really does play every flat draw tournament, everything next year
and gets some results and gets back into the top 16 at least or it is hard to see his more selective approach working, unless he is happy to be more selective
and try and win the tournaments he wants to play in only. I personally think Murphy and Kyren Wilson are on borrowed time too, I just don't get Wilson at
all, it never seems to add up to me how he keeps in the top 16, it must be me being stupid or something. I can't see Murphy featuring late into the tournament if he is working for the
media as well, and it feels to me that if he doesn't win the World Championship again sometime soon, he really won't win it again. But as someone
else as said I probably am completely wrong!

I would really like to see Gary Wilson do well, not sure he can win the whole thing but he seems to have patches of great form. I am not sure about
Trump, I'd like to see him win it again, but not sure if this will be his year. ROS I suppose would be my pre-tournament favourite, maybe Mark Williams
second, not sure what the best Mark Allen has ever done at the Crucible but he doesn't seem to go great there, and do not want to have to watch a lot of
slow grindy play if that is what it comes down to, not least because it doesn't seem to me that that style can win the tournament overall. As for Brecel I suppose
no one had him down to win last year, so he has a chance. I liked Si Juahui last year, some of his pots were outrageous, very entertaining though to watch.

[DeanH]

I don't know if Robertson has made any comment since his loss?

He Tweeted yesterday, giving full credit to Jamie, sad obviously, upbeat for the new season.

[PatBlock]

....I just don't get Wilson at all....

I'm with you there, always struck me as a fairly solid journeyman, but that's it. So, he'll win it now I suppose.

-

[Cue crafty]

[QUOTE=vmax;n1037344]

This was last year, nothing to do with new cloths and cushion slide

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7c1JKDq9Dg" data-vcode="x7c1JKDq9Dg" data-vprovider="youtube" >

[/QUOTE]

Well maybe a good advert for a new venue as you've mentioned before around the platform the tables sit on at the Crucible. It's a stage right? No pocket width could've helped Higgins shot that's table level all day long. Every single one of those shots is top of table.... Coincidence?

[cueman]

One thing to say about the video on the pockets playing generous, every single shot there, the pot was played slowly enough and mostly along the cushion. On most tables across the season, you'll see this happen, in fact the most recent event in China, I think the table was easier than this example.

It's rare that a table plays like some people seem to want like an old billiard table, which is often why people criticise the tables in professional tournaments. The Welsh open is often the one event where quite often tables play tough, why that is, well frankly it's anyone's guess. I do find the table talk a little boring though, as a fitter once told me, a snooker table in an imperfect surface, when you keep setting them up and dismantling them across different venues, with different cloths, it'll never play the same. Players just have to adapt to it, but it is the same for both. You just have to accept it's part of the game.