(Poll). Short matches or long matches?

[bestof35]

Years ago there was best-of 145 frames matches, and the "short" matches was best-of-37 frames matches

Now, most are 1 session match (best-of-9 of best-of-11) but the finals and all matches in UK and WC. Longer is best-of-35 world championship final.

It should be longer the matches or shorter?

-The first choice is that all matches it should be of 1 session (best-of-7, best-of-9 and best-of-11, no longer). For example, all tournaments best-of-7 and the final best-of-9. The UK championship best-of-9 and final best-of-11 and world championship all matches best-of-11

-The second choice is one and two sessions, but no longer. All tournaments close to now, the final may be one or two sessions. And the world championship, close to the current UK, all two sessions match. But matches no longer than best-of-19

-The third choice is current. Tournaments are best-of-9 frames, semifinals best-of-11 and finals best-of 17. The UK all matches best-of-17 but the final best-of-19. World championship best-of-19 the first round, best-of-25 last 16 and quarterfinals, best-of-33 the semifinals and best-of-35 the final (4 sessions longer match)

-The fourth choice is like old times. There are many choices. Even get longer the first round best-of-25 or the final get longer than best- of-35 (best-of-49 in three days for example) or even more

[davis_greatest]

I think they have them about right.

Longer matches have the advantage that they give more chance for the better player to win and take out more of the random "chance" factor (no one takes the one-frame shoot-outs of Pot Black, for instance, seriously). They also give more time for drama to develop - one player with a big lead, then the other player coming back.... who will win? etc.

However, if the matches are too long, they lose excitement (except perhaps towards the very end), as each frame counts for so little. No one is going to care much about losing the first frame or two in a best-of-145 frame match, but in a best-of-9, it does matter a lot more.

So, there is a balance to be struck between making the matches long enough to have drama and weighted towards the better player, and short enough to keep excitement and make each frame important. Overall, I think the current lengths are about right, except that I would prefer to see a return to best-of-31 for the UK Championship Final and also best-of-31 for the World Championship semi-finals (the best-of-33 they have now for the World semis are too similar to the Final's best-of-35 - so having a difference seems pointless).

[bestof35]

About UK final and semis of world championship I thought the same as you.

-Now in UK there are all matches (even qualifying) best-of-17(8/9), and just the final best-of-19(now 8/11, before 9/10). There´s no so difference. I suppose they wanna just 1 day final, and longer final need 2 days). I didn´t know snooker when finals are best-of-31 (I don´t know what format they use, but I suppose 4 sessions in 2 days)

-The semifinals change to best-of-33 because now they aren´t sessions of less than 8 frames. When the change was made, the final changed its format (7/9/8/11 to current 8/8/8/11). I think the same as you about the semifinals best-of-33 and final best-of-35 there´s no difference. But I prefer a longer final in 3 or 4 days (best-of-51 for example...8/8/8/8/8/11) or like the first years in Crucible (best-of-47 or 49)

[kellie-text]

I think for format for all tournaments is about right these days.

I would maybe like to see the UK final a bit longer but thats only nit-picking.

The best-of-9 works well in the early rounds of events, best of-11 is good for the semi's and best-of-17 is about right for the finals.

The world and uk championships deserve to be much longer as they are the important tournaments and test much more than a player's ability on the table.

Sheffield is a 17-day marathon of the mind and whoever comes out on top deserves to be Champion of the world.

Leave the formats how they are - lets just hope we see a couple more ranking events added to the calendar soon!

[xxwolf]

I think long matches,but shorter time every frame, must <=30 minutes.

[Monique]

I think the current format is about right. However, I'd like to see the WC extended over a slightly longer period of time. While the first week involves very long idle periods for some players, the second week is extremely packed. There is a risk of "burn out" for some players who are unlucky to have a not so favourable schedule (like Ali Carter and Mark Selby in the last edition) ... and I'm not interested in a endurance test (yes Mark ... you good at this, we know that!)

Improvements that I' like to see? (not foreseen in this poll)
More round robins in early stages: it gives young players and qualifiers more opportunities to play the top guys and to become "visible". It is also in my opinion more fair than just direct elimination ...
Shot clock. Yes I do like it! (good there are no more reed reps !!!). I think it shows a different type of game, more intuitive, and maybe more mediatic, more accessible to the not so "hard core" audience. Snooker could do with it!
It highlights different abilities ... So yes, one ranker in shot clock ...
And don't tell me that's not compatible with the intellectual game snooker is: blitz format exist in chess ...

[elvis93os]

i think they've got the format right. mabybe the uk and world championship could be a bit longer but i ain't complaining.

[Cyril]

The UK final should definitely be best-of-31. There were some great 2-day UK finals years ago:

1982 Griffiths beat Higgins 16-15
1983 Higgins beat Davis 16-15
1985 Davis beat Thorne 16-14
1987 Davis beat White 16-14
1990 Hendry beat Davis 16-15

[missneworleans]

I think it's quite right c'os World cHampionship gives more points som must be longer! I think it's quite right now!

[davis_greatest]

I think long matches,but shorter time every match, must <=30 minutes.

Might be quite hard to have long matches if you want them all to be over within 30 minutes?

[xxwolf]

Too long time prevent snooker to a world-wide sport, every frame must <=30 minutes.

[xxwolf]

Might be quite hard to have long matches if you want them all to be over within 30 minutes?

Sorry, i think every frame must be controlled below 30 minutes.

[davis_greatest]

How would one make every frame be over within 30 minutes, though? Get Jeremy Paxman to start shouting "Come on, come on!" at the 29-minute mark? Sweep up all the balls if the 30-minute timer rings and go to a commerical break?

[bestof35]

I´m gladly surprise

I didn´t think that people like long matches (I thought I have a very strange idea). But people that voted long matches, what is his idea?

-Like now but a longer UK and World Champ Final (best of 31 frames like old UK), and a 3 days final in World Champ (best of 49 or something like that)

-Or a big structure format change in world champ, returning the old times. The longest format was played: (8 players, 1st round and semifinals in a best-of-71 frames match, in 6 days, 12 sessions) and the final in a best-of-145 frames final (13 days, 24 sessions in 12 days-7th day rest). And all frames were played, even when somebody achieves a winning lead

Imagine a Dinh Junhui-Ronnie now starting playing a match tomorrow and finishing in 2 weeks Nice match

[PaulTheSoave]

The only change I would like to see is The UK format, Seems strange from round 1 till the semis it is best of 17, and final only to be best of 19.

quarters, semis and final should include more frames than previous rounds.