2024 UK Championship

[Cue crafty]

I'd love to see Jackson beat Allen today, can't really believe it will happen, but I do love Pages effortless style when he's playing well.

[snookerfollower]

Neither of this afternoons matches look like particularly great matches. Not sure which one I'll watch.

[vmax]

Xintong nowhere near his qualifying form, I think he got the vibe from Murphy that a cheater shouldn't be there on the first handshake and grimace on Murphy's face plus the fist pump after the first frame which was quite unneccessary.
I hope Xintong learns from this and puts Murphy resolutely and securely in his place the next time they meet, those without sin should cast the first stone.

Milkins last night was on and off like Shaun Murphy's fridge light, he needs to knuckle down and get a nice pause in before his delivery stroke or it will only get worse, it won't get better on its own.

[DeanH]

I'll probably watch the Allen/Page; don't know what it is but I just don't want to watch Carter/Ryan. 🤷♂️

[snookerfollower]

Xintong nowhere near his qualifying form, I think he got the vibe from Murphy that a cheater shouldn't be there on the first handshake and grimace on Murphy's face plus the fist pump after the first frame which was quite unneccessary.
I hope Xintong learns from this and puts Murphy resolutely and securely in his place the next time they meet, those without sin should cast the first stone.

Milkins last night was on and off like Shaun Murphy's fridge light, he needs to knuckle down and get a nice pause in before his delivery stroke or it will only get worse, it won't get better on its own.

Murphy has literally said he sees Xintong differently to the other players involved in the scandal and it's a good thing for the sport to have him back. I don't expect him to give Yan Bingtao the same sort of praise though when he eventually returns.

Just as the game was recovering from the scandal it's a bad look to be inviting people back who were implicated in it.

[PatBlock]

Xintong nowhere near his qualifying form, I think he got the vibe from Murphy that a cheater shouldn't be there on the first handshake and grimace on Murphy's face plus the fist pump after the first frame which was quite unneccessary.
I hope Xintong learns from this and puts Murphy resolutely and securely in his place the next time they meet, those without sin should cast the first stone.

Yeah well, Murphy's a committed Christian, so....

-

[fatfreddy]

Xintong shouldn't be playing in any WST/WPBSA events as he is not in good standing with his home federation, being under a CBSA ban still. This really pisses me off, not so much for WST events but rather for Q-tour events where the entry criteria as clearly stated on the entry forms is:

ALL ENTRIES ARE TO BE MADE THROUGH WPBSA SNOOKERSCORES: HTTPS://SNOOKERSCORES.NET/ YOU MUST BE IN GOOD STANDING WITH YOUR NATIONAL FEDERATION TO ENTER THIS EVENT

And that:
PLAYERS ARE REQUIRED TO ENTER IN ALL SEVEN Q TOUR EVENTS AND ARE EXPECTED TO COMPETE IN ALL EVENTS.

So in breach of their own rules WPBSA have allowed him to play on the Q-tour and not only that to parachute in @ event 3 and win both event 3 and event 4 to now lead the rankings. So basically the automatic tour card is his and all the others can hope for is a play-off place.

Clearly the WPBSA cares more about its Chinese exposure / revenue than it does about snooker being clean and are of the view all those clean players who have spent their own money to schlep all over Europe to try and get back on tour can get stuffed.

[trains]

Xintong shouldn't be playing in any WST/WPBSA events as he is not in good standing with his home federation, being under a CBSA ban still. This really pisses me off, not so much for WST events but rather for Q-tour events where the entry criteria as clearly stated on the entry forms is:

ALL ENTRIES ARE TO BE MADE THROUGH WPBSA SNOOKERSCORES: HTTPS://SNOOKERSCORES.NET/ YOU MUST BE IN GOOD STANDING WITH YOUR NATIONAL FEDERATION TO ENTER THIS EVENT

And that:
PLAYERS ARE REQUIRED TO ENTER IN ALL SEVEN Q TOUR EVENTS AND ARE EXPECTED TO COMPETE IN ALL EVENTS.

So in breach of their own rules WPBSA have allowed him to play on the Q-tour and not only that to parachute in @ event 3 and win both event 3 and event 4 to now lead the rankings. So basically the automatic tour card is his and all the others can hope for is a play-off place.

Clearly the WPBSA cares more about its Chinese exposure / revenue than it does about snooker being clean and are of the view all those clean players who have spent their own money to schlep all over Europe to try and get back on tour can get stuffed.

Good post and i fully agree with you but i can't get over the servility of trapesing over Europe to play in these Q tour events in the first place.

In the same vein Stan Moody a 16 year old won his two year tour card having to go all the way to Australia in the WSF Junior Snooker Championship, mad.

There seems to be too much player power in the sport, I wouldn't give pro players a vote at all, turkeys don't vote for Christmas, they'll only vote for themselves.

Just keep all tour card events in the UK, keep things simple, i suspect a lot of these foreign venues are just WS staff enjoying paid holidays.

[Cue crafty]

Si V Wu boom 💥 hope this delivers some petrol engine octane entertainment!! CC incorporated also understands other opinions and styles of play are important to the snooker Fraternity, I thank you. 🙏

[trains]

^^ Mr CC #99 Just curious, any idea why Sydney Wilson didn't enter the 2024 Q School ?

He's from your neck of the woods or close, he was one of the stronger players in it the previous year.

[fatfreddy]

Good post and i fully agree with you but i can't get over the servility of trapesing over Europe to play in these Q tour events in the first place.

In the same vein Stan Moody a 16 year old won his two year tour card having to go all the way to Australia in the WSF Junior Snooker Championship, mad.

There seems to be too much player power in the sport, I wouldn't give pro players a vote at all, turkeys don't vote for Christmas, they'll only vote for themselves.

Just keep all tour card events in the UK, keep things simple, i suspect a lot of these foreign venues are just WS staff enjoying paid holidays.

I agree would be a lot easier but to have all in UK not really fair on the Europe based players. It costs @ 5-6k minimum to play the q-tour for a season, so by hosting across Europe i think it does even the costs up for the players somewhat. Money that's not easy to find for most up and coming / amateur players.

Stan had multiple routes to a card, some single event, some not. The WSF JSC was his quickest and easiest route to a card, as single event against junior opposition, so he went. Much easier than Q-tour / school.

Agree with your point on WSF staff enjoying paid holidays. The WSF championship is being held in Saidia Morocco this year. A venue that even once you've landed in Morocco is nigh on six hours away by car. Still, its at a wonderful 5 star all inclusive resort so i'm confident the WSF staff will enjoy their holidays.

[Cue crafty]

^^ Mr CC #99 Just curious, any idea why Sydney Wilson didn't enter the 2024 Q School ?

He's from your neck of the woods or close, he was one of the stronger players in it the previous year.

I've asked lad Glasby if he knows, I don't know him personally but he's about 35 now isn't he? Tough skool and maybe he's done his time "trying" 🤷♂️

[fatfreddy]

Si V Wu boom 💥 hope this delivers some petrol engine octane entertainment!! CC incorporated also understands other opinions and styles of play are important to the snooker Fraternity, I thank you. 🙏

I was going to watch Selby batter Jack but might switch over now.

[trains]

CC #102, ok, he lost to Liam Pullen, i watched that on a stream , there was nothing in it.

If that was me i'd just play in the Q School and nothing else, keep the expenses down and still perfectly realistic to get a card.

[Cue crafty]

CC #102, ok, he lost to Liam Pullen, i watched that on a stream , there was nothing in it.

If that was me i'd just play in the Q School and nothing else, keep the expenses down and still perfectly realistic to get a card.

Yeh, can't argue with that plan, de pressurise your sitch and keep learning on the way. Valuable experience to be gained.