My hopes for 2010

1. I hope that Barry Hearn can bring in a young, vibrant fanbase without alienating the traditional fans who have stood by the game through thick and thin.

2. I hope he introduces new, exciting formats. How about an open draw FA Cup style tournament with all 64 players? A World Matchplay competition where you must win by at least 2 frames (but limit how long it can go on for, like a sudden death set at the World Darts Championship, otherwise it could become a bit farcical)? A European Championship ranking tournament, held at a different venue in Mainland Europe each season? A tournament with a sets format (each set best of 5 frames)? A propper shot clock tournament? A 6-reds World Championship with added prestige attached? All avenues to be checked out.

3. I'd love to see snooker being played all over the world. Keep the 15-ranking events a year idea, in far-flung destinations that WILL fill out (unlike Bahrain).

4. A lengthened UK Championship. Best of 17 for the first three rounds, Best of 25 semi-finals and a best of 31 final.

5. Packed out venues, with fans that are knowledgable, respectful but by no means snobby.

6. Increased prize money, these guys provide so much entertainment for us in such a skilled game, they deserve their just rewards.

7. Good sponsorship for each tournament. Pukka Pies was a slightly embarassing sponsor for the second biggest tournament I'm afraid to say.

8. I hope the Star tables stay. The UK Championship was the best tournament I've seen for ages, and the tables had a big part to play. It was getting very tedious knowing that just about every shot was going to go in...the tension had gone.

9. A World Championship that gets people all over the country excited. Dramatic late night finishes, devestating performances from the top players and above all, high quality potting, breakbuilding and safety.

10. Clive Everton back as the main commentator.

11. That all forum users can at least try to get along and we return to genuine snooker debate.

12. A streamlined tour. 48 players on a 'Premier Tour', 48 on a Championship tour, and a young players tour. Bottom 6 on the premier tour to go down automatically, with the top 3 in both feeder tours promoted automatically. Players ranked 39th through 42nd to join the 5th and 6th ranked player on both feeder tournaments in a league competition to decide the final 2 tour spots.

13. That players will express their personalities more

14. That I can go the World Championship

A World Matchplay competition where you must win by at least 2 frames

A tournament with a sets format (each set best of 5 frames)


Very nice ideas tubberlad! I've not heard either suggested before and I've been on forums for years. I love both ideas. Sets would have to be best of 3 though.

my hopes for 2010 are

robbo to win the masters and the worlds

stevens and selty to qualify for the worlds

My hopes are:

Liang Wenbo wins a ranking title.

Mark Selby wins the World Championships.

Lots and lots of tournaments counting towards the rankings.

I'd also like to see Wenbo win a ranking event, because I'm actually starting to enjoy watching him play, and the consistency is creeping in slowly but surely. I'd like to see Ronnie win the World Championship, four World titles would be far more fitting to a man of his talent than three. If he can't do it though, I'd like to Robbo or Ding win out, they're by far the two best players challenging Higgins and O'Sullivan IMO.

I'd fancy Selby to beat Robbo and Ding

Sonny wrote:I'd fancy Selby to beat Robbo and Ding

Sonny wrote:I'd fancy Selby to beat Robbo and Ding

Selby is a great player, but has been seriously off the boil of late. I like the guy, he's got a good personality and interacts with the crowd well, but I'd still prefer to see Robbo and Ding going well. Ding because he's immensely talented, a special player, and Robbo because he's not only a brilliant potter and great to watch, but he's got an attitude that makes him atand out as a character. That's good for the game's popularity, it's not Alex Higgins, but it's a start.

I know what you mean. I like both of those players too but when push comes to shove, I still fancy Selby to beat the pair of them in a proper big match. We'll see at the Masters anyway because Selby has Ding in round 1.

Sonny wrote:I know what you mean. I like both of those players too but when push comes to shove, I still fancy Selby to beat the pair of them in a proper big match. We'll see at the Masters anyway because Selby has Ding in round 1.

Cracker

Sonny wrote:A World Matchplay competition where you must win by at least 2 frames

A tournament with a sets format (each set best of 5 frames)


Very nice ideas tubberlad! I've not heard either suggested before and I've been on forums for years. I love both ideas. Sets would have to be best of 3 though.

i agree those are two excellent idea's without going shot clock 6 red route i think theres room for shot clocks and 6 red don't get me wrong but these two ideas from the tubberlad are the best new ideas ive herd and they could give these Ranking status because it has nothing to do with how fast or slow you play shots.

wildJONESEYE wrote:

Sonny wrote:A World Matchplay competition where you must win by at least 2 frames

A tournament with a sets format (each set best of 5 frames)


Very nice ideas tubberlad! I've not heard either suggested before and I've been on forums for years. I love both ideas. Sets would have to be best of 3 though.

i agree those are two excellent idea's without going shot clock 6 red route i think theres room for shot clocks and 6 red don't get me wrong but these two ideas from the tubberlad are the best new ideas ive herd and they could give these Ranking status because it has nothing to do with how fast or slow you play shots.

there is no place for the rubbish clock in proper snooker

there are plenty of valid ideas and options it isnt one of them

Anyone else got opinions on the following ideas:

World Matchplay:
Matches to be won by two clear frames, unless the maximum number of frames has been reached.
First round, 2nd round, quarter-final: First to 5, maximum 15 frames to be played.
Semi-final: First to 6, maximum 17 frames to be played.
Final: First to 9, maximum 23 frames to be played.

International Championship:
1st round, 2nd round, quarter-final: Best of 5 sets, each set best of 3 frames therefore (maximum 15 frames played)
Semi-final: Best of 7 sets (therefore maximum 21 frames played)
Final: Best of 9 sets (therefore maximum 27 frames played) played over two days

my reasoning on the shot clock is as follows

i saw during the premier league on numerous occassions robbo had a tricky shot on and say he used up all those silly time outs he would then have to rush the shot without giving it the thought it needed

this for me takes away the main aim of snooker which is a player taking each shot on its merit and taking longer if a shot requires more time

so for the shot clock would ruin snooker and only benefit 1 player and we know who that is and that is why a certain person loves the shot clock so much i cant see why else he promotes it so much because there are no other plus points to it.

the other things like 6 reds are different because everyone is on a level playing field for all players no silly shot clocks its just a shorter form of snooker and no player is disadvantaged by a silly shotclock rule

thats how i see it all

GJ: I HATE the shot clock. BUT, we need to cater for all tastes. Keep the Premier League, and introduce ONE non-ranking event with around 32 players. No harm done, traditional snooker still by far the most prestigious form, and rightly so. Your opinions on a sets event and a win by two event?

thetubberlad wrote:GJ: I HATE the shot clock. BUT, we need to cater for all tastes. Keep the Premier League, and introduce ONE non-ranking event with around 32 players. No harm done, traditional snooker still by far the most prestigious form, and rightly so. Your opinions on a sets event and a win by two event?

very good ideas hope they are brought in

as i say there are so many good ideas that could be used why in some quarters the shot clock is loved so much i dont know

hearn didnt actually introduce it sky suggested it was used due to time constraints so thats a positive

GJ

i totally agree with you thats why im totally against shot clocks for ranking tournaments...peoples careers are at stake therefore it has to be a level playing field for all to play shots at their pace.

I don't get the shot clock thing either myself, it's diet snooker in my opinion. But, it was a lack of understanding from those at the top that cost snooker dearly this decade, so we've gotta try to see things from others perspectives

Thing with the Sets and Win-by-two format, they've both been used in darts by Hearn to great success, so we could see it being used in snooker

They would have to be introduced in a format that fitted into a reasonable timeframe though tubberlad. Realistically the sets thing would be best of 3 sets with best of 3 per set until the latter stages where it went best of 5 and best of 7.

The Matchplay could work in best of 5 i.e. win by 2 clear frames from 3-1 upwards. You can't win 2-0.

I'd like to see both as major ranking events though.... I can see what you mean, but I don't want these formats to be used for some mickeymouse tournament.

thetubberlad wrote:I'd like to see both as major ranking events though.... I can see what you mean, but I don't want these formats to be used for some mickeymouse tournament.

yes but think of it as tennis same format and sets from first round through to final.

Just two main ones :

More tournaments, so many that we get bored
Ding continues winning form, so much that we get bored

Now the darts is on I've been thinking more of how snooker can work in Matchplay format and, well... the answer is 6 reds snooker and best of 5 per set.

Set play in darts is so great because in straight legs it's always a sprint to a known line, but in Matchplay a player can be one dart away from the match, miss and then you've got to start all over again in a new set. The psychological swings of this mean it's always great viewing because the player who loses a set by a small margin will have to dig deep in the very next leg with a probable momentum swing to deal with. Tennis is similar. Set play tests the mental aspect.

But I just feel 15 reds would be too long for it to work. If you had 6 reds format (or even 3) and with the emphasis more on the break-off it would be similar to a serve, so you'd have alternate break offs in each set, but the same player kicking off the odd number set and the other kicking off the even number set. Games are over quicker so ironically it lends itself to longer matches. If you had best of 7 sets that means you'd have to win a minimum of 12 frames but probably a lot more.

sonny

i think that is the best way to incorporate 6 red in to snooker.

at the moment its 15 reds game with balls missing but your idea is the best way.

im all for trying different ideas despite what seifer wants to believe but they got to be for the best of the sport and make tournaments different.

i dont see the point playing 6 reds under 15 reds rules or formats etc. i dont see the point playing shot clocks in ranking tournaments but in invitationals they could work.

we need different formats to keep it fresh without taking away the history and really what snooker has been built on.

Allen to win a ranking event and finish in the top 8

Hendry to win his first round match at WC's

I have to agree with GJ. I can actually see Robertson winning the worlds in 2010 (it will be tough with Higgins and Ronnie still hungry for it). I actually see him being a multiple World champ before he retires. Far too good a player not too.