Pink Ball's top 125 matches of 1979-2019

SnookerFan wrote:

Pink Ball wrote:121. 2019 World Championship first round: Stuart Bingham 10-9 Graeme Dott

Pink Ball wrote:120. 2017 World Championship first round: Marco Fu 10-9 Luca Brecel

Out of interest, why these ones?

I'd guess because of the huge comebacks? Fu came back from a 1:7 deficite. And Dott almost made a bigger comeback by forcing the decider after Bingham led 8:1.

TheRocket wrote:

SnookerFan wrote:

Pink Ball wrote:121. 2019 World Championship first round: Stuart Bingham 10-9 Graeme Dott

Pink Ball wrote:120. 2017 World Championship first round: Marco Fu 10-9 Luca Brecel

Out of interest, why these ones?

I'd guess because of the huge comebacks? Fu came back from a 1:7 deficite. And Dott almost made a bigger comeback by forcing the decider after Bingham led 8:1.

Ah yes.

My memory is going.

I remember Bingham vs Dott now. I think I may have been watching the other table. Shows what I know.

rekoons wrote:Pink Ball, have you actually seen all these matches?

Yes, Rekoons. Not every single frame of every single match, but certainly the majority of all of them, and always the conclusion. Some of these matches were not actually broadcast, I don't think, but I was at them. Went to a lot of snooker in the '80s and '90s, my dad spending far more money than he should have to bring me to events.

In fact, I've been very strict on including matches I did not watch. There was a fantastic Goya Matchroom final between Jimmy White and Cliff Thorburn in 1986, I think. White should have gone 8-0 up in that match, lost that eighth frame after Throburn needing snookers, and Thorburn won the match, I think, 12-10. I was gutted to miss it, but more gutted at the final result. Surely a contender to be in the top 50 here otherwise.

Another notable game I missed was the second day of the 1982 final! The mother made us go to Knock, a religious site in Ireland, because our American cousins were around! idiots.

Wow that's impressive...

Pink Ball wrote:Another notable game I missed was the second day of the 1982 final!

#PartTimeFan

#Casual

I've never been to a live professional match, I was abroad during the 2011 Antwerp Open final (PTC event at the time, now canceled) between Trump & O Sullivan. That was my best bet to see some live snooker within driving distance from home

rekoons wrote:I've never been to a live professional match, I was abroad during the 2011 Antwerp Open final (PTC event at the time, now canceled) between Trump & O Sullivan. That was my best bet to see some live snooker within driving distance from home

#PartTimeFan

#Casual

guilty as charged

How much weighting does the final frame have in calling the ‘85 final the best match ever? Was it an extraordinary match prior to that? Just curious because I know Dennis came back from 8-0 down as well.

Remind me.

Who won the 1985 final? Was that one with Joe Johnson?

Iranu wrote:How much weighting does the final frame have in calling the ‘85 final the best match ever? Was it an extraordinary match prior to that? Just curious because I know Dennis came back from 8-0 down as well.

Cannot be overstated.

The 1985 final would not have been the greatest match of all time but for that frame. The quality was utter horse rubbish throughout, but the combination of an incredible comeback by a good-but-unspectacular player against the best player the game had ever seen and an incredibly tight and tense second day made it a thriller throughout.

That final frame, though, was the clincher. It was unbearable.

I've often fallen into the trap of trying to be a hipster about it and saying it was overrated, but it was pure drama, and its impact on the game was greater than any other game in history.

Pink Ball wrote:

Iranu wrote:How much weighting does the final frame have in calling the ‘85 final the best match ever? Was it an extraordinary match prior to that? Just curious because I know Dennis came back from 8-0 down as well.

Cannot be overstated.

The 1985 final would not have been the greatest match of all time but for that frame. The quality was utter horse rubbish throughout, but the combination of an incredible comeback by a good-but-unspectacular player against the best player the game had ever seen and an incredibly tight and tense second day made it a thriller throughout.

That final frame, though, was the clincher. It was unbearable.

I've often fallen into the trap of trying to be a hipster about it and saying it was overrated, but it was pure drama, and its impact on the game was greater than any other game in history.

I do think opinions of it have probably been soured by the insane overexposure it constantly gets.

As you intimate, it’s not ‘cool’ to like the ‘85 final, or at least it’s ‘cool’ to take the snake hiss out of it.

Iranu wrote:

Pink Ball wrote:

Iranu wrote:How much weighting does the final frame have in calling the ‘85 final the best match ever? Was it an extraordinary match prior to that? Just curious because I know Dennis came back from 8-0 down as well.

Cannot be overstated.

The 1985 final would not have been the greatest match of all time but for that frame. The quality was utter horse rubbish throughout, but the combination of an incredible comeback by a good-but-unspectacular player against the best player the game had ever seen and an incredibly tight and tense second day made it a thriller throughout.

That final frame, though, was the clincher. It was unbearable.

I've often fallen into the trap of trying to be a hipster about it and saying it was overrated, but it was pure drama, and its impact on the game was greater than any other game in history.

I do think opinions of it have probably been soured by the insane overexposure it constantly gets.

As you intimate, it’s not ‘cool’ to like the ‘85 final, or at least it’s ‘cool’ to take the snake hiss out of it.

Yeah, it's the anti-hipster choice. Meaning it's the correct choice.

It's coming up on a year since I put this list together. I've taken time to view some other classics that I hadn't seen before and trying to place them objectively into this list. Not to mention, we've had a few new classics in this time as well. I'll be re-evaluating the list.