2019 World Snooker Championship

[arsalanjami]

He needs the cue power because the countless times he's out of position he needs a power shot to recover the break. He's not a master break builder like O'Sullivan, Higgins, Hendry or Ding.

I don't know about this. He made some incredible breaks and had that white ball on a string for most of the final. I do see your point and he does have some ways to go...but he has more tools and could potentially be better. Time will tell

[screw-back]

He has a tendency to play like an amateur club player at times. More often than not, he's on target but when he misses, he can look ridiculously bad. Glad he's got the monkey off his back though.

[Mark187187]

He has a tendency to play like an amateur club player at times. More often than not, he's on target but when he misses, he can look ridiculously bad. Glad he's got the monkey off his back though.

Average player in my club barely knows one end of the cue from the other.

[snookerball]

Are you interested in tips they may offer or just good reading? I think I still have a copy of Running by Ronnie - never read it as I was told it had nothing new to say. If I have you're welcome to that. If you haven't already, read Behind the White Ball, Jimmy White's first autobiography - it's absolutely riveting!

Second for the Jimmy Autobbiography. He also did a coaching book called Snooker Masterclass. Stephen Hendry also released a Snooker Masterclass which I prefered, it contains some interesting stories as well as the coaching stuff. Steve Davis- Successful Snooker has some decent tips and practice routines. I have Stephen Hendry's recent autobiography on audiobook which I'll post a review of one day. It's read by Hendry and he does a decent job. Probably more interesting having him read it than reading it yourself. Excellent for sending you off to sleep at night.

Just a massive thanks for these recommendations. Arrived this morning and I've already read thirteen chapters. It's fair to say there's a great deal of non-snooker talk in it, but it doesn't matter; his relationship with "Dodgy Bob" and Tony Meo as teenagers going round snooker halls coining it off people (and fruit machine raiding) is interesting. I wasn't aware of that. A pretty cool revelation is that he thinks one of his best matches was a non-professional match against Charlie Poole in 1977 - now whether that's embellished to help sell his other book (written by you guessed it Charlie Poole), I'll let you decide, but he makes a interesting point about being good at snooker and being a good pro being different. No mention of his drug habits, but I think he saved that for his second autobiography.

And I'm someone who rarely reads (the reason I was looking to buy snooker books is to get back into reading with a topic i'm interested in). Some absolutely gold tales from his early career, especially the stuff with Alex Higgins and Con Dunne in Ireland. I think I've only put it down to eat and come and thank you for the recommendation since I started reading it.

[Ronnington]

Stats from the final

Pot success:
J.Higgins: 92%
J.Trump: 92%

Long pot success:
J.Higgins: 61%
J.Trump: 74%

Safety success:

J.Higgins: 72%
J.Trump: 83%

[gavpowell]

No mention of his drug habits, but I think he saved that for his second autobiography

It's years since I read it, but I think he goes into his use of cocaine, but not crack. But I'm still not convinced by his crack stories - he went mad for it but then just gave it up, just like that? It seems unlikely.

[Ronnington]

Just read that Judd had laser eye surgery at 17yo and again at 25yo, does this fall into the 'performance enhancing' category?

Similar to when Tiger Woods having laser eye surgery to give himself better than 20/20 vision, there was some controversy around that. I'd do the same if I could afford it mind

Just read the match stats again I was surprised at John's safety success % being lower than Judd's.

Those stats show it was certainly a superb performance from Judd, but we have seen even higher quality finals from individuals in the past (Hendry UK '94, WC '93/'94, O'Sullivan Masters '05, WC '04/'12/'13), I understand why BBC are pushing the hyperbole as they need to act in a fluffy PR way to promote the game to general viewers

[Stormwatch]

Best WC final ever, my a%%...One sided match. We knew the winner from the first day. Some great shots from Trump though and it's always pleasant to watch Higgins taking a beating.

[vilkrang]

Stats from the final

Pot success:
J.Higgins: 92%
J.Trump: 92%

Long pot success:
J.Higgins: 61%
J.Trump: 74%

Safety success:

J.Higgins: 72%
J.Trump: 83%

Thank you. So, a great performance, but nothing we haven't seen before.

[SnookerFan]

Judd Trump won.

[snookerball]

Just read that Judd had laser eye surgery at 17yo and again at 25yo, does this fall into the 'performance enhancing' category?

Similar to when Tiger Woods having laser eye surgery to give himself better than 20/20 vision, there was some controversy around that. I'd do the same if I could afford it mind

Just read the match stats again I was surprised at John's safety success % being lower than Judd's.

Those stats show it was certainly a superb performance from Judd, but we have seen even higher quality finals from individuals in the past (Hendry UK '94, WC '93/'94, O'Sullivan Masters '05, WC '04/'12/'13), I understand why BBC are pushing the hyperbole as they need to act in a fluffy PR way to promote the game to general viewers

I'm not sure. My understanding is the surgery Trump had essentially gives him the same vision he had with contact lens without contact lens (20/20). If I could afford it and had an eyesight problem, I'd do it. Tyger's on the other hand was to give him 20/15 vision; which is a performance enhancement.

[DeanH]

I'm not sure. My understanding is the surgery Trump had essentially gives him the same vision he had with contact lens without contact lens (20/20). If I could afford it and had an eyesight problem, I'd do it. Tyger's on the other hand was to give him 20/15 vision; which is a performance enhancement.

that is the way I read it back when

[Mark187187]

Ha ha, this was beginning to read like a bionic-man type conspiracy theory. Maybe Martin Gould and Dennis Taylor were early prototypes.

[DeanH]

Ha ha, this was beginning to read like a bionic-man type conspiracy theory. Maybe Martin Gould and Dennis Taylor were early prototypes.

scary thought!

[vmax]

Don't know about pocket sizes etc, but surely, a pot at that angle can't go in other than off the far jaw. It's not like it hit the near jaw and went in.

It didn't just miss the near jaw though did it, was about 1/4 inch away from the near jaw and the far jaw grabbed it, on our match table the far jaw throws it across the pocket and it stays out, even at a slow pace.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AqFDlCmsBtY

Check out the pot Trump takes on into the green pocket at 1:51:00 in the video. Would that have gone in on most tables this season?

I remember that one also, again this goes down the cushion 1/2 inch off all the way and still drops.

There is always a line on just about any decent table where a ball down/near the rail will go in even at pace. The pace just reduces the tolerance and at high pace, it may need to be millimetre perfect

Practice just shooting the cueball straight into pockets from near the cushion at speed and it's amazing how hard they can be hit

Practice hitting it straight into the near and far jaw at various pace, and be mindful of any running side that will take it in off the far jaw. On our match table you can hit them at top speed along the cushion and they will go in, but anything other than hugging the cushion they won't.
When I practise line up I only put two reds above the black, and if I can get past those (for that's where I start) then I'm on for a decent practise break. OK so this table is a bit extreme but it really grinds that when a pro misses one, and it clearly touches the cushion before the jaw, Dennis Taylor chips in with that old adage, 'they don't go in off the jaws on these tight pockets' but shuts up when the next one does.