Draw procedures

[Migtsf]

Can anyone please explain the standard draw procedures for ranking tournaments?

I already know the defending champion is put in the first slot of the top half of the drawsheet, but I’m not sure about the rest.

For instance, who is put on the last spot of the bottom half, the World Champion or World #1?

What happens next?

[The Statman]

For ranking tournaments, the defending champion is seeded 1, the world champion (if not the same player) 2, and everyone else in descending order of their official ranking.

The seeds are always arranged in the following order:

1
16
9
8
5
12
13
4
3
14
11
6
7
10
15
2

This means that, if the higher seeds win their matches, the last-16 will have pairings that add up to 17; the quarters will add up to 9, and the semis will add up to 5 (and indeed, of course, the final will add up to 3!).

In each case, the figure is the number of players in the round, plus one.

[Migtsf]

I thought this question was going to disappear unanswered.

Thanks a lot Statman.

[In-off]

Except he's wrong

That order only applies for the World Championship

In all other tournaments the top seed is at the top, fourth seed in the next quarter, third seed in the next and second seed in the next

Players seeded 5-8 are placed one in each quarter and then two players seeded 9-16 are placed in each quarter

[The Statman]

Except he's wrong

That order only applies for the World Championship

In all other tournaments the top seed is at the top, fourth seed in the next quarter, third seed in the next and second seed in the next

Players seeded 5-8 are placed one in each quarter and then two players seeded 9-16 are placed in each quarter

Is that so?

How does that differ from my illustration? 1-4 one in each quarter, 5-8 one in each quarter, 9-12 one in each quarter, 13-16 one in each quarter.

I assumed it was just a standard procedure, not limited just to snooker.

Sorry, not doubting you, just confused! (Doesn't take much)

[In-off]

A last 16 match could be seed 1 v seed 9, therefore it isn't quite as you said although you are right with 1 v 16 etc for the World Championship

I suppose they couldn't do it like that for all tournaments as all the matches would end up being the same

[crucible77]

A last 16 match could be seed 1 v seed 9, therefore it isn't quite as you said although you are right with 1 v 16 etc for the World Championship

I suppose they couldn't do it like that for all tournaments as all the matches would end up being the same

i think ronnie and joe perry have met in almost every second round so far!

[The Statman]

A last 16 match could be seed 1 v seed 9, therefore it isn't quite as you said although you are right with 1 v 16 etc for the World Championship

I suppose they couldn't do it like that for all tournaments as all the matches would end up being the same

Yes but I said "If the higher seed wins through" then it would be 1v8, if 9 beats 8 then it won't be the higher seed winning through.

[In-off]

I was talking about the last 16. 1 v 8 wouldn't be the last 16

I'm pretty sure it's not 1 v 8 for most events in the QFs anyway

Stephen Hendry is sixth seed for the China Open and he's due to play Stephen Maguire - the top seed - in the quarters

[The Statman]

Right, done a bit of quick research and I have to stand up and say sorry (but I am comfortable so I will just stay seated and say sorry).

This is the drawsheet for four tournaments in the 2007-08 season, seeds after names:

NI	Shanghai	UK	China
Ding 1 Maguire 10	Higgins 1 Selby 11	Ebdon 1 Maguire 10	Dott 1 Lee 13
Lee 13 Robertson 8	Williams 12 O'Sullivan 5	Williams 12 Hendry 8	Maguire 10 Hendry 8
Ebdon 7 Davis 15	Ebdon 6 Davis 15	Doherty 5 Ding 9	Ebdon 6 Williams 12
Hendry 9 Murphy 4	Carter 14 Doherty 4	Davis 15 Murphy 4	Day 16 Doherty 4
Dott 3 Day 16	Murphy 3 Day 16	Dott 3 Selby 11	Murphy 3 Ding 9
Greene 12 Doherty 5	Maguire 10 Robertson 7	Day 16 Robertson 7	Carter 14 Robertson 7
O'Sullivan 6 Carter 14	Hendry 8 Lee 13	O'Sullivan 6 Lee 13	O'Sullivan 5 Selby 11
Selby 11 Higgins 2	Ding 9 Dott 2	Carter 14 Higgins 2	Davis 15 Higgins 2

So 1, 2, 3 and 4 are in fixed positions at, respectively, top, bottom, lower middle and upper middle.

5, 6, 7 and 8 are always in the fourth, fifth, twelfth and thirteenth slots but in apparently random order.

9-16 occupy the remaining slots, again in apparently random order.

[Migtsf]

Interesting.

If this is the standard procedure then Perry meeting O’Sullivan in the last 16 a few times was just a coincidence, and all the criticism regarding the stiffness of the draw based on that example has no foundation after all.

[The Statman]

Indeed, especially as when they met in Belfast and Shanghai, O'Sullivan was top seed whereas at Telford O'Sullivan was second seed so at the bottom of the chart.

[Rane]

And last year it was Selby and Higgins meeting again and again.