Crucible Classics #2

At number two in my countdown is:

2. 1982 Semi-final: Alex Higgins 16-15 Jimmy White
88-31; 11-106(60); 68-8; 80-54; 62-20; 24-94(63); 45-79(69); 28-85; 53-90(89); 33-66(52); 8-67; 50-69; 84(61)-1; 60-48; 71-64; 43-68; 59-47; 38-61; 1-90(89); 86-28; 58-3; 69(66)-39; 18-74; 67-57; 65-45; 20-97(70); 1-65; 8-78; 72(72)-17; 69(69)-59; 96(69)-16

Match progress: 1-0, 1-1, 2-1, 3-1, 4-1, 4-2, 4-3, 4-4, 4-5, 4-6, 4-7, 4-8, 5-8, 6-8, 7-8, 7-9, 8-9, 8-10, 8-11, 9-11, 10-11, 11-11, 11-12, 12-12, 13-12, 13-13, 13-14, 13-15, 14-15, 15-15, 16-15

What are your memories/observations of this Crucible Classic?

One of the best clearances ever by Higgins to stay in the match.

But White also should have won, and I think who knows... had he won v Reardon he could have had that monkey off his back early and been multiple world champion.

But even Reardon could still play to a high standard then... Higgins only beat him by 2 frames, and Reardon with his tremendous safety game could have tied White up in knots.

Andre147 wrote:One of the best clearances ever by Higgins to stay in the match.

But White also should have won, and I think who knows... had he won v Reardon he could have had that monkey off his back early and been multiple world champion.

But even Reardon could still play to a high standard then... Higgins only beat him by 2 frames, and Reardon with his tremendous safety game could have tied White up in knots.

Yeah, I think a lot of people presume White would have won had he made the final, but it would have been no foregone conclusion. 1982 might have been the start of the Jimmy nightmare -- not helped by the fact I bucking loathed Alex Higgins -- but it's nowhere near as big a sore point for me, speaking as a fan, as 1992 and 1994, especially 1994.

1992 was actually far more win-able than 1994, but 1994 was gut-wrenching as hell. 26 years on, it's probably the only match I think of every single day.

If Higgins hadn't made that clearance White would have won 10 world titles.

Interesting that if White had beaten Higgins, pretty much everyone assumes he'd have been WC in 1982, and probably a few times thereafter.

But after watching both '82 SFs over the last few days, I disagree; White lost to Higgins because he was too impetuous, inexperienced and pushed the boat out far too often. Against a similar player in Higgins, it very nearly was enough to get him over the line.

But wily old Reardon, over 35 frames, would have tied him up in knots, got inside his head and in my opinion would have run out a winner - thus becoming a seven time WC long before Hendry managed it.

Higgins was canny enough (and had played RR often enough) to change his approach in the final and actually played a very disciplined game at key times - he knew that what worked against Jimmy wouldn't have been conducive to playing Reardon and adapted his strategy accordingly.

Also, although he is best remembered for his largely unorthodox style of play, he actually had a very under-rated safety game and utilised it brilliantly when needed in the final.

It has been called the all time greatest clearance, and indeed it was at the time but other match saving and match winning clearances have been made since that have been better.

John Higgins winning the Masters from 0-60 in the deciding frame, Ebdon against Matthew Stevens in the sf in 2002 are two, and others too.

Higgins had plenty of charisma and supporters but lets not pretend he was a saint. In fact more times than not he could be extremely unpleasant.

I also agree that Reardon would have been heavy favourite in a Reardon-White final.

Another match for White that "got away" at the WSC. It became a habit.

Iranu wrote:I can’t explain why I think this, but if Jimmy had made the final in 82, regardless of if he’d won that final I think he would have won the title in the 80s.

He would have had to get passed Davis though. A very tall order.