Do you like this Neal Foulds, Neil Robertson and other players proposal for the WC?

[magicman]

It's all a bit random isn't it?

Last 32 - Best of 19
Last 16 jump 6 to best of 25's,
Qf no extra frames at all,
Sf jump 8 to best of 33's,
Final jump 2 to best of 35's.

Given the first round matches are always split into 9 and 10 frames, the Sf could be 3 sessions of 10,10,11 best of 31, 4 less than the final. The Qf's 9,9,9 best of 27, 4 less than the semi's. Last 16, 8,8,7 best of 23, 4 less than the Qf's and leave the last 32 as they are as best of 19's, 4 less than the L16.

[Mark187187]

It's all a bit random isn't it?

Last 32 - Best of 19
Last 16 jump 6 to best of 25's,
Qf no extra frames at all,
Sf jump 8 to best of 33's,
Final jump 2 to best of 35's.

Given the first round matches are always split into 9 and 10 frames, the Sf could be 3 sessions of 10,10,11 best of 31, 4 less than the final. The Qf's 9,9,9 best of 27, 4 less than the semi's. Last 16, 8,8,7 best of 23, 4 less than the Qf's and leave the last 32 as they are as best of 19's, 4 less than the L16.

I think morning and afternoon sessions of more than 10 would frequently run late and/or go unfinished for scheduling reasons. I think this year there were a couple of unfinshed 8 frame sessions.

[magicman]

The only 10 & 11 sessions suggested are at the Sf stage where they would be 3 sessions rather than 4, allowing for start time changes.

[Mark187187]

The only 10 & 11 sessions suggested are at the Sf stage where they would be 3 sessions rather than 4, allowing for start time changes.

Maybe, but they could also just leave it as it is. Once Barry Hearn starts shortening the format, he's not going to stop at saving 1 session.

I really don't get this. This forum spend 95% of the season moaning about short format, and how the UK championship has been ruined, then calls for shorter matches at the flagship tournament. If you can't handle watching 4 sessions, just don't watch the first.

[vmax]

I think morning and afternoon sessions of more than 10 would frequently run late and/or go unfinished for scheduling reasons. I think this year there were a couple of unfinshed 8 frame sessions.

Next season there's going to be a stampdown on slow play so no grinding allowed, matches will be quicker so more frames can be played in shorter 7 frame sessions with no mid session intervals to stymie a players flow.

To be outside of everyone else on this forum, probably the world, I would like to see the top four on the year list play best of 35 semi finals and best of 49 final over 10 days at The Crucible on the single table. If the world title is to mean anything it must be exactly that and not just the longest tournament which is what it is now. Yes it's nice to see Wilson and Gilbert coming good, but if either of them wins it do they really deserve to be champion of the world just for hitting form at a certain time of year when most of their opponents have been to the latter stages of most tournaments and are clearly more mentally fatigued as a result.

Yes Wilson had to play three qualifing rounds to get to the Crucible, but he surely approached them fresh with no exptectations, and if you're a top player and you fall ill for a couple of days just as it starts your season seems to be judged on this one tournament alone, in Ronnie's case his entire career.

The problem with this event is that when it started it was the only professional tournament there was and Joe Davis won it the first 15 times, then snooker died and when revived it became once again the only tournament there was but snooker has grown now and to be world champion must take more than just winning this one tournament from out of nowhere.

[cesard]

I do think the 4 sessions for the semi-final is too long and it could easily be 3 sessions with a reduced number of frames.

Yep, this is precisely the proposed idea. It is not to reduce world championship, it is just that they consider semi-finals are too long

Higgins was suggesting R2 should be best of 21. Maybe there is scope for tweaking the format a bit. The tournament is a test of stamina but it's not good if players are drained before the final. The finalists should be peaking and producing their best form. Not really got any opinions on this. Just love the tournament warts and all.

This would be a mistake, a best-of-25 round of 16 shows that you can´t be in quarter-finals if you are not a master. If best-of-21 would be in 2 sessions, and then later will be reduced because of lack of time to best-of-19

Three 9 frame session semi's, best of twenty seven, and increase the final to five seven frame and one eight frame sessions best of forty three with no msi except for the last session of eight frames.

At least this will require that final will be 3 days. I dont guess semis must be longer if it is three sessions than other rounds

It has always struck me as odd that the WC semis are a mere one frame less than the final.

Originally semis were best-of-31 (7-7-8-9 and 8-7-7-9) but this makes the format slightly weird and they change to a more standard 8-8-8-9

I think morning and afternoon sessions of more than 10 would frequently run late and/or go unfinished for scheduling reasons. I think this year there were a couple of unfinshed 8 frame sessions.

Agree, and if I should shorten something. I would only change the 1st roudn and qualifiers to a best-of-17 to reduce the risk of a final session that doesn´t finish in time, that now it is high

I would like to see the top four on the year list play best of 35 semi finals and best of 49 final over 10 days at The Crucible on the single table.

The 2 first years in Crucible uses this exact format, 5 session semi-finals best-of-35 in 5 sessions (in 3rd year best-of-37) and final best-of-49 in 3 days (in 3rd year best-of-47). But when bracket was expanded , it was needed to reduce semi-finals to final to a 4 session each

[Mark187187]

So.... which of you guys watching the final session of the first semi wished it had finished in the third session at 13-9? The slow build, and peaks and troughs of that match was exactly why nothing needs changing.

[MrRottweiler]

I would prefer it if there was a full days rest in-between the conclusion of both semi finals and the start of the final. Start the tournament a day earlier so it still concludes on the bank holiday Monday. It would hopefully lead to well rested players and closer scorelines.

[Delphiwizard]

Doesn't need to change in my opinion, although it's not such a crazy idea as the 'shot clock' that was talked about a while ago.

[snookerball]

I would prefer it if there was a full days rest in-between the conclusion of both semi finals and the start of the final. Start the tournament a day earlier so it still concludes on the bank holiday Monday. It would hopefully lead to well rested players and closer scorelines.

Dead set against this to be honest. The current schedule is fine.

The finals sessions should be more paced out though - as Higgins mentioned in his presser.

12pm and 7pm and 12pm and 7pm would be fine.

[cesard]

https://twitter.com/SHendry775/statu...21758085124098

[Mark187187]

https://twitter.com/SHendry775/statu...21758085124098

Agree with Hendry and the comments that follow. Why on earth anyone snooker fan would want less snooker at the only remaining long-format tournament is bizarre. There's plenty of short format tournaments for people who don't enjoy it. Why any snooker fan would want to encourage Barry Hearn to start tinkering with one of the finest tournaments in all sport is equally odd.

[P.Smith]

I think the Gilbert/Higgins match settles that question, one of the most dramatic matches in years and there is no way it would have been the same if the amount of frames was reduced. This is as the semi finals should be.

The only improvement I can think of in the worlds is possibly making the final longer to set it apart from the semis more.

[gavpowell]

To be outside of everyone else on this forum, probably the world, I would like to see the top four on the year list play best of 35 semi finals and best of 49 final over 10 days at The Crucible on the single table.

Until one of those players is Selby, at which point you'll complain he doesn't play properly so should be disqualified?

By the same token, why bother staging the tournament? Just use the one year ranking list and crown the top guy world champion.

[Steven G]

As it stands now, most frames are done in less than 20 minutes so I reckon a slight increase in round 1 matches wouldn't be such a bad idea. Maybe rounds 1 and 2 - 2 sessions best of 21 and QF/SFs 3 sessions best of 31 (both being played as a 1 table set up) and keeping the final as it is would be better. The paying public are increasingly getting less viewing time for their money. I'd even be up for a 3 week long tournament.