Dafabet Masters Build up and General Discussion !!!!

Sunday 12th - Sunday 19th of January at Alexandra Palace in London

During the Masters there will be individual discussion threads for each Match. and the First Match Threads will be up on Saturday 11th of january but in the meantime lets Build up to the 40th Staging of the Masters a tournament first won by the late Great John Spencer. In Total there have been 20 Players that's won this great event in the last 39 years.

Mark Selby will be defending his title this year against 4 other players that's Picked up the Title John Higgins, Neil Robertson, Ding Junhui and World Champion Ronnie O Sullivan.

But the draw is full of Quality so will a new name be on the famous trophy or will one of 5 previous champions Pick it up again?

DRAW

ORDER OF PLAY

I got Robert Milkins on the Snooker Forum lucky dip game. Think I'll win?

Robbo is fav for this title

He will be confident after UK and Aussie sport is on a real roll and he will take inspiration from that.

GJ wrote:Robbo is fav for this title

He will be confident after UK and Aussie sport is on a real roll and he will take inspiration from that.

How does Mark Allen fell about playing Australians?

GJ wrote:Robbo is fav for this title

He will be confident after UK and Aussie sport is on a real roll and he will take inspiration from that.

Get real. You win a few cricket matches and you think Aussie sport is on a 'roll'.

Robbo will be lucky to get past the second round.

I'd like to see a Ronnie O'Sullivan vs John Higgins/Mark Selby final (with a victory of Ronnie obviously).

Probably Ronnie vs Higgins more because it's just something special when they two play against each other.

TheRocket wrote:I'd like to see a Ronnie O'Sullivan vs John Higgins/Mark Selby final (with a victory of Ronnie obviously).

Probably Ronnie vs Higgins more because it's just something special when they two play against each other.

I agree that the Higgins and Ronnie rivalry has been special, but at this moment in time I don't think Higgins has the form to beat Ronnie. Ronnie would beat John Higgins easy in that final, in my opinion.

Mark Selby it could go either way. Mark Selby isn't afraid to play Ronnie in a big match, so there's more chance of him beating Ronnie at present.

Part of me wants a Neil Robertson vs Mark Selby final again, as they're getting quite the rivalry going at the moment and it'd be hard to pick a winner.

Though as a slight Ding fan, I'd like to see Ding win the tournament also. I certainly would have no objection to a Ding vs Selby semi-final.

I can see Ronnie winning his first two games pretty handily. He'll certainly beat Milkins without too much trouble.

Who do people rate as more likely to beat Ronnie out of Stuart Bingham and Ricky Walden?

Ronnie v Higgins never really excited me years ago i doubt they will now.

SnookerFan wrote:I can see Ronnie winning his first two games pretty handily. He'll certainly beat Milkins without too much trouble.

Who do people rate as more likely to beat Ronnie out of Stuart Bingham and Ricky Walden?

Bingham for me. Just beat him five weeks ago over a format used in the Masters at the UK Championships. Walden could beat him, but the Shanghai final seems like a distant memory

TheRocket wrote:I'd like to see a Ronnie O'Sullivan vs John Higgins/Mark Selby final (with a victory of Ronnie obviously).

Probably Ronnie vs Higgins more because it's just something special when they two play against each other.

It is, but I would slightly prefer Ronnie facing Selby and get his revenge after that such agonizing loss at the Masters 2010, with Selby getting a taste of his own medicine and Ronnie coming back from 9-6 down or similar to beat him Wouldn't that be something TR...

And if Higgins were to somehow reach the final and face Ronnie, I really don't think he would get beaten easily like some suggested. He always ups his game against him, only a Ronnie at his best could beat him, even considering the two 10-3 results he had in the Masters final back in 1995 and 2005.

Both though as you said would be cracking macthes that's a certainty.

Wildey wrote:Ronnie v Higgins never really excited me years ago i doubt they will now.

You have said that other times I remember, but really can't see a major reason for why their matches shouldn't be cracking ones to watch. They really have had some amazing matches down the years, both bring the best out of each other and they have a lot of close matches. It's one of my favourite rivarlies, not THE favourite but up there.

PLtheRef wrote:
Bingham for me. Just beat him five weeks ago over a format used in the Masters at the UK Championships. Walden could beat him, but the Shanghai final seems like a distant memory

Sorry, I meant Hawkins not Bingham.

The winner of Ronnie and Milkins plays the winner of Hawkins and Walden.

I don't know what it is about me. For some reason I have a mental block about Barry Hawkins, I always call him Bingham.

Andre147 PGC wrote:
You have said that other times I remember, but really can't see a major reason for why their matches shouldn't be cracking ones to watch. They really have had some amazing matches down the years, both bring the best out of each other and they have a lot of close matches. It's one of my favourite rivarlies, not THE favourite but up there.

Wild prefers matches with needle.

Higgins vs Ronnie played some of the best matches I've ever seen. Usually close. Often ones where somebody is way behind then comes charging back. And on the occasions where that doesn't happen one seems to blitz the other, so you see high quality snooker even if it's not close.

Personally I quite enjoy that, because when they played you were guaranteed a good match. If I'm watching a high quality exciting match, I tend not to care too much what the players opinions of each other is.

Other people want to see players who dislike each other play each other because it'll gee them up to try harder. Which I think is what Wild likes. (Without meaning to speak for him.)

Higgins and O'Sullivan have certainly had some good matches over the years, I think the 2006 Masters final is still my favourite snooker match of all time.

But what's interesting with these two is that they haven't met in any major final since then, unless you count the Premier League. They've won six of the last eight World titles and pretty much passed the "best player in the world" mantle between them, but their major matches have mostly been semi-finals and quarter-finals, and even those have not been all that common.

So I would love a Higgins-O'Sullivan final, but I guess at this point in time it's not THE pairing anymore, so there are other combinations that would be just as special.

I want a Ronnie v Selby final to complete the trilogy. With a Selby win obviously.

Andre147 PGC wrote:

TheRocket wrote:I'd like to see a Ronnie O'Sullivan vs John Higgins/Mark Selby final (with a victory of Ronnie obviously).

Probably Ronnie vs Higgins more because it's just something special when they two play against each other.

It is, but I would slightly prefer Ronnie facing Selby and get his revenge after that such agonizing loss at the Masters 2010, with Selby getting a taste of his own medicine and Ronnie coming back from 9-6 down or similar to beat him Wouldn't that be something TR...

And if Higgins were to somehow reach the final and face Ronnie, I really don't think he would get beaten easily like some suggested. He always ups his game against him, only a Ronnie at his best could beat him, even considering the two 10-3 results he had in the Masters final back in 1995 and 2005.

Both though as you said would be cracking macthes that's a certainty.

Yeah. And I mean, people seem to forget that if Higgins indeed reaches the final you can surely expect that he played well to do this. He has to beat Bingham who is in great shape and then probably Selby and Ding/Trump to get to the final. With the way he played the last few months, he obviously won't manage it.

But if Higgins comes back to form, O'Sullivan vs Higgins matches will be as good as ever.

And yes, I think, it's fair to say that O'Sullivan Higgins matches past their peak and we surely won't see many matches between them anymore but I still have the feeling that we still will be witnessing 1 or 2 special matches between them in the future.

Andre147 PGC wrote:

TheRocket wrote:I'd like to see a Ronnie O'Sullivan vs John Higgins/Mark Selby final (with a victory of Ronnie obviously).

Probably Ronnie vs Higgins more because it's just something special when they two play against each other.

It is, but I would slightly prefer Ronnie facing Selby and get his revenge after that such agonizing loss at the Masters 2010, with Selby getting a taste of his own medicine and Ronnie coming back from 9-6 down or similar to beat him Wouldn't that be something TR...

And if Higgins were to somehow reach the final and face Ronnie, I really don't think he would get beaten easily like some suggested. He always ups his game against him, only a Ronnie at his best could beat him, even considering the two 10-3 results he had in the Masters final back in 1995 and 2005.

Both though as you said would be cracking macthes that's a certainty.

Dare I be picky and point out that Ronnie only beat Higgins 9-3 in 1995 in the Masters last ever best of 17 frame final.

PLtheRef wrote:

Andre147 PGC wrote:

TheRocket wrote:I'd like to see a Ronnie O'Sullivan vs John Higgins/Mark Selby final (with a victory of Ronnie obviously).

Probably Ronnie vs Higgins more because it's just something special when they two play against each other.

It is, but I would slightly prefer Ronnie facing Selby and get his revenge after that such agonizing loss at the Masters 2010, with Selby getting a taste of his own medicine and Ronnie coming back from 9-6 down or similar to beat him Wouldn't that be something TR...

And if Higgins were to somehow reach the final and face Ronnie, I really don't think he would get beaten easily like some suggested. He always ups his game against him, only a Ronnie at his best could beat him, even considering the two 10-3 results he had in the Masters final back in 1995 and 2005.

Both though as you said would be cracking macthes that's a certainty.

Dare I be picky and point out that Ronnie only beat Higgins 9-3 in 1995 in the Masters last ever best of 17 frame final.

No problem, at least got the 3 frames Higgins won right.

Sonny wrote:I want a Ronnie v Selby final to complete the trilogy. With a Selby win obviously.

Wouldn't mind a 3rd final at all, in fact that's what I'll be hoping for, but with a Ronnie win obviously And may I add with a Selby like comeback from Ronnie.

I'd like to see Stuart Bingham win the title more than anyone else, his play over the last two years deserves another title, but a Selby/O'Sullivan final (which would be an actual match) would be far more appealing than a Higgins/O'Sullivan final where O'Sullivan would demolish Higgins (he's done it twice in the past when Higgins was actually playing well).

It's raining pretty badly where I am at the moment. I wonder if the wether will hinder my travelling across London again.

At least it's not snowing like most years.

Alpha wrote:I'd like to see Stuart Bingham win the title more than anyone else, his play over the last two years deserves another title, but a Selby/O'Sullivan final (which would be an actual match) would be far more appealing than a Higgins/O'Sullivan final where O'Sullivan would demolish Higgins (he's done it twice in the past when Higgins was actually playing well).

I would like to see him win as well. Partly because it seems to annoy people when he's playing well.

When he first won the Australian Open in 2011, he got a lot of criticism for winning. People seemed legitimately upset at the guy for winning his first tournament. At the time it was thought that he was a journeyman who'd got lucky in one tournament, and would vanish. Even if that did happen, I can't understand why people would begrudge an honest pro his moment in the spotlight.

But a couple of years later, people still seem to write him off as a threat. The past couple of months he's had a decent run in the Champion Of Champions, getting to the final and beating Selby along the way. In getting to the semis of the UK, he knocked out Ronnie O'Sullivan and eventual winner Neil Robertson only won 9-8 over Bingham.

I think Stuart Bingham has become a more complete, difficult to beat player. And though I wouldn't necessarily make him favourite, it's not outside the realm of possiblity. And he has more chance than some.

I must say I was never a big fan of Bingo, but since he won the Aussie Open and his recent results have made me like his attitude towards the game and how he plays, very professional. And in fact believe or not I like him even more now after he knocked Ronnie out of the UK Champs, he turned that horrible head to head he had against him around and played very well indeed to win, and almost did the same at the CoC final.

His only 2 wins against Ronnie both at the UK Champs, a good omen for him I suppose, and this recent win will give him massive confidence ahed of future meetings between them.

He's definately a top 5 player right now in my book, wouldn't mind if he won another title, deserves one.

I love bingo! He's the perfect example of hard work = success. Hel never win a tournament not practising like a ronnie or Alex could do but the work he is putting in is cashing in and who knows how high hel reach. I'm gonna put a tenner on him because I think he's almost there.

Have to say, I like Bingo's attitude as well. Come to think of it, most of my favourite players are one who put in a lot of work and have a good attitude, like Selby and Smurph.

Mark Allen.....

Allen v Ding final would be great, if not then Robbo v Ding - top two players so far this year!

Picked up an All Day ticket when they were selling them at half price in the Summer for Monday, second visit to the Ally Pally for the snooker. Went there for the darts last month which was a cracking day out

simplysnooker wrote:Picked up an All Day ticket when they were selling them at half price in the Summer for Monday, second visit to the Ally Pally for the snooker. Went there for the darts last month which was a cracking day out

I must confess I'm not sold on the Ally Pally, but the only thing I've ever been to there is the snooker.

Is the darts in a different hall to the snooker?