The Masters Qualifiers Discussion Thread

[MalJackson]

holt cant stop choking these days

really frustrating player

[spike]

Rory's through and Gray is out. Really expected a closer match than what the score turned out in the end..

[Rane]

How many can honestly say, that they expected this lineup for the semifinals ? I certainly didn´t. McLeod, Hamilton and Higginson are good players but with the lineup I hadn´t expected them to get this far.

[spike]

How many can honestly say, that they expected this lineup for the semifinals ? I certainly didn´t. McLeod, Hamilton and Higginson are good players but with the lineup I hadn´t expected them to get this far.

I wasn't expecting that either though i'm not so suprised with Higginson make it to the semi-finals..

[Monique]

I wasn't expecting that either though i'm not so suprised with Higginson make it to the semi-finals..

Had a chat with one of the players. The Star tables are much slower and tighter than the Rileys. The young never played that type of tables ... their game is essentially full ball and potting. Very one-dimensional. This probably explains it at least partially.

[spike]

Had a chat with one of the players. The Star tables are much slower and tighter than the Rileys. The young never played that type of tables ... their game is essentially full ball and potting. Very one-dimensional. This probably explains it at least partially.

I know they are tighter but hadn't realised that they are (much slower) than the Rileys. So are you going to tell us which player you spoke to?

[Forman]

Had a chat with one of the players. The Star tables are much slower and tighter than the Rileys. The young never played that type of tables ... their game is essentially full ball and potting. Very one-dimensional. This probably explains it at least partially.

I've never heard that they play slower before but most players comment that the middle pockets are tighter, Neil Robertson said this about the star tables on another forum:

"This will be interesting as the tables (star) play a fair bit different to Riley's as the corner pockets are a little bigger but the middles a touch tighter than the Riley's. These tables also play more square off the cushions aswell. Still very nice tables though"

I'm not sure the younger players failure at the masters qualifiers can be explained by the tables as the young attacking players are dominating the PIOS this year and they are playing on the exact same tables.....

[RGCirencester]

Thats basically what Higgins said in Kevs interview. The corner pockets are a little bigger, and the middle tighter. And they are definately a little slower, though I'm not sure about "a lot slower".

To my eyes the middle pockets seem tighter in general. The corner pockets look bigger when the ball is going straight into the heart of the pocket. However the jaws seem a lot less receptive to recieve balls at an angle, like down the cushion for instance. I think this is a good thing.

[Monique]

I've never heard that they play slower before but most players comment that the middle pockets are tighter, Neil Robertson said this about the star tables on another forum:

"This will be interesting as the tables (star) play a fair bit different to Riley's as the corner pockets are a little bigger but the middles a touch tighter than the Riley's. These tables also play more square off the cushions aswell. Still very nice tables though"

I'm not sure the younger players failure at the masters qualifiers can be explained by the tables as the young attacking players are dominating the PIOS this year and they are playing on the exact same tables.....

Interesting point about the PIOS. However I still wonder because this line-up is quite surprising. Obviously the "tough match players" have had the upper hand overall and slower/tighter tables would suit them. The GP qualifiers exhibited a bit of the same trend, albeit not so obviously. In fact I was the one to ask the question after reading Dave's blog yesterday and the tought came to my mind it could be related.

[RocketRoy1983]

C'mon anthony hamilton!!

[Forman]

C'mon Ben Woollaston, show those oldies how its done...ginger power!!

[Monique]

C'mon Andrew Higginson! lol!

[very.tee]

Yep! Come On Ben (lol ginger power...)

[MalJackson]

any head to head for these matches?

[superaussie]

i hope woolaston wins it not a fan of his but the other 3 especially higginson and mcleod are journeymen

time for ben to shine