2016 Northern Ireland Open

[JimMalone]

I'm not really that interested in this tournament. It's short format for the first rounds and many of the very best players don't play there. But it's a ranking tournament, so it deserves a thread.
In fact it is probably one of the easiest chances to win a ranking event. Mark Selby, Stuart Bingham, Judd Trump - the three top-ranked players in the world - all opted, not to play here. As well as Neil Robertson, Ali Carter and Martin Gould. That means four of the worlds eight best players and two more of the worlds top 20 ranked players are not here. With all those players out Ding Junhui, John Higgins, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Shaun Murphy and maybe Liang Wenbo and Mark Allen are probably the favorites here. But as the path for other players opened up, chances are also higher we could get a surprise winner here.

Here's a link to the draw:
http://https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_Northern_Ireland_Open

This would be the possible quarterfinals:

Stephen Maguire - Liang Wenbo
Ronnie O'Sullivan - John Higgins
Shaun Murphy - Joe Perry
Mark Allen - Ding Junhui

[cueman]

Yes I agree, the calendar for snooker has been badly managed for this time of the season. Apart from one week in October, the whole month of October and November had tournaments on. Okay two of those were invitational events, but the fact is the top players are justified in pulling out of this event.

Of course, I think that was the point of the million pound prize on offer, it was absolutely impossible given the calendar and how these events have been put on. I find these home nations events actually a bit of a gimmick. They are like so many events, just glorified PTC events. I'd much rather they cut the amount of events down to about 10, with the big 3 still the main events along with the C of C and other events. So that winning a ranking event is actually an achievement.
What we are seeing now is overkill. Way too many tournaments on all after each other. Why would anyone want to watch yet another tournament after the last one finished yesterday, which started a day after the one before that, and a day after the one before that!

[trains]

I wonder if Mark Allen will start whining about living out of a suitcase again when he's just won £75k in the last two weeks ?

[gavpowell]

What we are seeing now is overkill. Way too many tournaments on all after each other. Why would anyone want to watch yet another tournament after the last one finished yesterday, which started a day after the one before that, and a day after the one before that!

Yeah, I love snooker but I wouldn't want to watch it day in, day out, week in, week...hang on a minute, yes I would!

[ace man]

There can never be too many tournaments. Bring them on!
Look at ATP level tennis. It's a perfect role model for any individual sport. Apart from end of the year there are tournaments all the time. I don't think snooker will get quite that big as a sport or international to that extent, but one may dream. Just imagine snooker grand slams with millions of prize money for the winner!

[shmeeko69]

Should the players that pulled out of this UK ranking event not be fined unless they genuinely aren't feeling well?

How many of these players would have been available had it been on the UK mainland as opposed to Belfast?

[shmeeko69]

Yeah, I love snooker but I wouldn't want to watch it day in, day out, week in, week...hang on a minute, yes I would!

When Hearn got involved with snooker again he said he would open it up and make it a full-time sport and put a question mark on the lazy players.
This is exactly what's happened!

[jw147]

Hopefully jim and ron win tonight, will set up a nice wee round 2 match ))))))))

[DeanH]

Is the venue next to an airport (a la Gibraltar)?
Or under some railway arches?

[shmeeko69]

Hopefully jim and ron win tonight, will set up a nice wee round 2 match ))))))))

Now that would be a bonus.

[streamer45]

Brecel on fire, great to watch

[jw147]

Now that would be a bonus.

It would be a whirlwindish rocketish kinda bonus! And would DEFINITLY be on the main table! Fingers crossed they win tonight, but jims mind might be on the 2nd round match, and things might go bad, but hopefully he keeps his focus and secures a wonderful 2nd round match up

[shmeeko69]

It would be a whirlwindish rocketish kinda bonus! And would DEFINITLY be on the main table! Fingers crossed they win tonight, but jims mind might be on the 2nd round match, and things might go bad, but hopefully he keeps his focus and secures a wonderful 2nd round match up

Are u really Irish with the jims and ron kind of patter?

[jonny66]

John Higgins' cue seems to make a lot of noise when he wipes it down.

[trains]

Brecel on fire, great to watch

That was only Brecel's 7th win this season,last season he got 31,he probably wont get close to that again this season.

Murphy only scored 8 points in this match,is that some kind of record low for a top 8 player even if its only a best of 7 ?