How many world titles can Selby win?

With 4 now and having the perfect game tailored for the Crucible I think he can go on and break Hendry's titles.

Over 4 sessions it's impossible to stop him. Only way to beat him is to literally go for broke and hit and hope shots because that's how good Selby is.

For me Selby's already the GOAT. He's got less world titles but has the more impressive and hardest competition in his world finals.

This will be his last world title.

Selby the GOAT

Iranu wrote:Selby the GOAT

He has faced the toughest competition out of anyone to win his world titles. Only 2016 being the weakest but he faced a 5x champion in 2014, 4x champion in 2017 and 1x champion in 2021. All world Champions. It's the most impressive CV.

I think if he faced Jimmy White multiple times or Ali Carter/Barry Hawkins multiple times in world finals he'd be on 8 by now. Unfortunately he didn't get that luxury.

Selby isn't even in the same paddock.

Not even Top 5 of all-time, let alone the GOAT.

I would expect him to pick up one more though, providing Judd and Neil don't get their Crucible games in order.

Granite wrote:

Iranu wrote:Selby the GOAT

He has faced the toughest competition out of anyone to win his world titles. Only 2016 being the weakest but he faced a 5x champion in 2014, 4x champion in 2017 and 1x champion in 2021. All world Champions. It's the most impressive CV.

I think if he faced Jimmy White multiple times or Ali Carter/Barry Hawkins multiple times in world finals he'd be on 8 by now. Unfortunately he didn't get that luxury.

How do you win 8 World titles without being in 8 finals?

Granite wrote:

Iranu wrote:Selby the GOAT

He has faced the toughest competition out of anyone to win his world titles. Only 2016 being the weakest but he faced a 5x champion in 2014, 4x champion in 2017 and 1x champion in 2021. All world Champions. It's the most impressive CV.

I think if he faced Jimmy White multiple times or Ali Carter/Barry Hawkins multiple times in world finals he'd be on 8 by now. Unfortunately he didn't get that luxury.

Selby was also competing in the tournaments in which Carter and Hawkins reached the final. He didn’t. In fact he lost to Hawkins in both 2012 and 2013.

The opponents he’s beaten in finals are impressive, that’s for sure.

Reg Varney wrote:Not even Top 5 of all-time, let alone the GOAT.

Hendry, Ronnie, Higgins, Davis + who else?

Iranu wrote:

Reg Varney wrote:Not even Top 5 of all-time, let alone the GOAT.

Hendry, Ronnie, Higgins, Davis + who else?

Ray Reardon.

Holden and SnookerEd are correct, Reardon.

Reg Varney wrote:Holden and SnookerEd are correct, Reardon.

I disagree i hate Selby but he is 5th all time I have said it for awile and people were saying willo.

Not even top 10.

Ronnie79 wrote:

Reg Varney wrote:Holden and SnookerEd are correct, Reardon.

I disagree i hate Selby but he is 5th all time I have said it for awile and people were saying willo.

It would be a boring world if we all agreed on everything.

Ronnie79 wrote:

Reg Varney wrote:Holden and SnookerEd are correct, Reardon.

I disagree i hate Selby but he is 5th all time I have said it for awile and people were saying willo.

Reardon completely dominated his era despite only turning pro when he was 35. He created the blueprint for Steve Davis and all the great players who came after him. Steve Davis said he learned everything about winning titles from watching Reardon. In 2004 Reardon turned the great Ronnie O'Sullivan into an even better player. There is no way you can put Selby above Reardon.

I know all about the game why can't I put Selby above Reardon. You have John Higgins above Reardon he has won the same amount of World titles and triple crowns as Selby ?. Reardon was a fantastic player I have watched lots of his videos seen him play top class

Ronnie79 wrote:I know all about the game why can't I put Selby above Reardon. You have John Higgins above Reardon he has won the same amount of World titles and triple crowns as Selby ?. Reardon was a fantastic player I have watched lots of his videos seen him play top class

In my opinion, it wouldn't be wrong to put Reardon above Higgins as well.

Ronnie79 wrote:I know all about the game why can't I put Selby above Reardon. You have John Higgins above Reardon he has won the same amount of World titles and triple crowns as Selby ?. Reardon was a fantastic player I have watched lots of his videos seen him play top class

Reardon was top class, and gets easily forgotten by many. He's above Selby for me.

I voted 5 by the way, I think he may win one more, but that will be it.

Ros, hendry, davis and Higgins are locks for top 4 you can argue about top 5 between Selby/Willo/Reardon

My opinion is the same as it was a month ago. If you'd asked me then to say how many world titles Selby will win, I'd have said four with an outside chance of five. That's still what I think.

As for where he ranks on the all-time great list currently, I would say sixth. Ahead of Reardon but still behind Williams, although he is now on the verge of overtaking Williams, who has won fewer majors but did play in snooker's toughest era.

I do think it is only a matter of time, however, and not even much time at that, before Selby overtakes him as well.

If we talking all time, Joe Davis 15,Fred Davis 8,John Pullman 8,then the crucible era. Hendry, readon ,Ros ,Davis superior records,Higgins, willo,better players. Number 9 another Davis, Freddie Parrot Face all better than Selby.

Dragonfly wrote:

Granite wrote:

Iranu wrote:Selby the GOAT

He has faced the toughest competition out of anyone to win his world titles. Only 2016 being the weakest but he faced a 5x champion in 2014, 4x champion in 2017 and 1x champion in 2021. All world Champions. It's the most impressive CV.

I think if he faced Jimmy White multiple times or Ali Carter/Barry Hawkins multiple times in world finals he'd be on 8 by now. Unfortunately he didn't get that luxury.

How do you win 8 World titles without being in 8 finals?

I was thinking that.

How can you say he would've won more World Titles if he'd played Hawkins, Carter or whoever in more finals, when he's literally only lost one World final than he's been in?

And that was more down to inexperience than who he faced, more than who he faced.

Maybe 5.

sas6789 wrote:Maybe 5.

That's what I voted.

People thought 2013 was Ronnie's last world title but he won it last year at the age of 44. Selby's 7-8 years younger and a better player at the Crucible over the distance. His game is suited for the Crucible.

He's going to have many, many more ahead of him I feel.

Only threat is Trump but he's inconsistent and doesn't focus on the big events as Selby does. Robertson will never win another world title, doesn't have the focus to do so.

I can't see who can stop Selby and even then...good luck. Selby's a master at the Worlds.

Granite wrote:People thought 2013 was Ronnie's last world title but he won it last year at the age of 44. Selby's 7-8 years younger and a better player at the Crucible over the distance. His game is suited for the Crucible.

He's going to have many, many more ahead of him I feel.

Only threat is Trump but he's inconsistent and doesn't focus on the big events as Selby does. Robertson will never win another world title, doesn't have the focus to do so.

I can't see who can stop Selby and even then...good luck. Selby's a master at the Worlds.

Ronnie had 5 world titles at 37 whereas Selby has 4 so I’m not sure how Selby is the better Crucible player!

Ronnie fans have fallen into the trap of getting cocky about Ronnie at the Worlds after 2013 - you should learn from our example. Selby’s an incredible player but he’s won one world title in four years, and the Worlds always pulls up surprises both in who does and doesn’t win.

I voted 8+ just to annoy lots of people.

Also, I'd love to hear all the reasoning for why Selby wouldn't be the GOAT. I'd expect:

Weak era.
Mind games.
Pockets larger than buckets.
All TCs are equal (ROS/Hendry still lead there).

Truth wrote:I voted 8+ just to annoy lots of people.

Also, I'd love to hear all the reasoning for why Selby wouldn't be the GOAT. I'd expect:

Weak era.
Mind games.
Pockets larger than buckets.
All TCs are equal (ROS/Hendry still lead there).

You missed the biggest one, though you alluded to it:

Not enough titles.