2014 World Championship - Discussion

[P.Smith]

Yes, of course, that's why Power and Premier Snooker were such a roaring success

I never implied there should be a shot clock. Some shots warrant a lot of thought and a lot of time. Intentionally playing slow on relatively simple shots is a completely different matter. Personally I think players should be discouraged from doing so.

[statto]

Looks like Dom's pulled yet another one back.

A great session by Dom. Well done.

Barry Hawkins is getting nervy about the prospect of another drubbing at Ronnie's hands so he's tanking.

[Where's Willie?]

Well you'll never hear complaints about a player playing too fast but you'll hear plenty when it comes to deliberate slow play so make your own mind up about which is less acceptable!

This is a spectator sport now and at the end of the day they have a duty to entertain the paying audience and TV and sponsors because without them they'd have nothing. If every player employed gamesmanship, slow play and toilet breaks we wouldn't have a game.

It is a spectator sport and I'm a spectator and not all of us want to see just lightning fast play and sessions over after an hour. I like to see a match and the contrast in styles and the dreaded word 'tactics' is part of that. I like to see how quick players deal with slow players and vice versa. If I wanted to see only players sprinting around the table and slamming in balls I'd go to an exhibition or watch re-runs of Big Break!
I want to see chess with balls and this match is all the more intriguing for the contrast in styles and seeing who handles it best.

[Kevycanavan]

Snooker is a beautiful thing. Why would you want to rush it?

[Forman]

Can anyone tell me how long the mid session interval is?

[mythman69]

Good comeback from both Dom and Neil. Getting exciting!

[Kevycanavan]

Enjoy the fact frames and enjoy the tension of the slow ones.

[Kevycanavan]

Fast even...

[Billy]

It is a spectator sport and I'm a spectator and not all of us want to see just lightning fast play and sessions over after an hour. I like to see a match and the contrast in styles and the dreaded word 'tactics' is part of that. I like to see how quick players deal with slow players and vice versa. If I wanted to see only players sprinting around the table and slamming in balls I'd go to an exhibition or watch re-runs of Big Break!
I want to see chess with balls and this match is all the more intriguing for the contrast in styles and seeing who handles it best.

I honestly couldn't have put this better!

What cueman says about the players having a duty to entertain the crowd is just wrong. More accurately, what he means by that is that players should be forced to play fast and 'naughty' snooker, which isn't always possible. Not only that, it's not even the style of many of the players, and the game is all the better for that fact.

[dino]

I love Dale, there is something crazy about the guy. That smile on his face that is always there. Weird, but so cool He's different, a character!

[Kevycanavan]

15 minutes i think

[Billy]

It is a spectator sport and I'm a spectator and not all of us want to see just lightning fast play and sessions over after an hour. I like to see a match and the contrast in styles and the dreaded word 'tactics' is part of that. I like to see how quick players deal with slow players and vice versa. If I wanted to see only players sprinting around the table and slamming in balls I'd go to an exhibition or watch re-runs of Big Break!
I want to see chess with balls and this match is all the more intriguing for the contrast in styles and seeing who handles it best.

I honestly couldn't have put this better!

What cueman says about the players having a duty to entertain the crowd is just wrong. More accurately, what he means by that is that players should be forced to play fast and 'naughty' snooker, which isn't always possible. Not only that, it's not even the style of many of the players, and the game is all the better for that fact.

[P.Smith]

Enjoy the fact frames and enjoy the tension of the slow ones.

Tension doesn't come into play during a simple break or safety shot. I felt no tension watching Neil takeover 1 minute on some simple shots.

[cyberheater]

I think the problem with Robbo and his speed of play is this. Folks don't mind watching a naturally slow player. I actually do enjoy the slow Ebdon frames almost as much as the quick Ronnie ones. But when you have a naturally quick player like Robbo deliberately slowing down his game it does make you wonder why. I can understand that he's behind and that he's trying to be accurate and careful. On the other hand. I do feel that there is a touch of gamesmanship going on here.

[statto]

If you're going to allow players to deliberately play very slowly in an attempt to break the rhythm of their opponent, and you argue that it's all part of the game, then you also need to accept the trash talking prior to the game from people like Judd and Ronnie as just part of the mind games to throw their opponents off.

Both could be argued as being unsportsmanlike, but it's hypocritical to accept one and not the other.