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Re: International Championship Semi Final 2: Allen v William

Postby Clara8633

Snooker Overdrive wrote:
Skullman wrote:Some season Allen's having. November's just started and he's already in his fourth final.


This could be the season where he steps up from a good top 16 player to top 5 player.


So that means he'll overtake Hawkins, right?

Re: International Championship Semi Final 2: Allen v William

Postby Snooker Overdrive

Clara8633 wrote:
Snooker Overdrive wrote:
Skullman wrote:Some season Allen's having. November's just started and he's already in his fourth final.


This could be the season where he steps up from a good top 16 player to top 5 player.


So that means he'll overtake Hawkins, right?


I'm not just talking about rankings. Allen can rise to the top tier of players who are the favourites in every tournament, the likes of Selby, Ding, Ronnie and Robbo. Hawkins never really was a part of that elite group.

Re: International Championship Semi Final 2: Allen v William

Postby SavoMilosevic

Snooker Overdrive wrote:I just hope MJW bounces back from this defeat. What a player he is in full flow.


I can't believe he tried to escape from that snooker in frame 15 the way he did. The moment I saw his stance and position of the cue, I knew he was going to hit the black. Allen needed 2 4-point fouls, so why not play it dead weight (side cushion, bottom cushion) with no risk of hitting the black or leaving free ball? Ok, if it doesn't reach, it's an easy snooker behind the black, but still the red is going up the table and the eventual clearance is difficult. And that red it in the last frame looked in all the way.

Re: International Championship Semi Final 2: Allen v William

Postby Andre147

Snooker Overdrive wrote:I just hope MJW bounces back from this defeat. What a player he is in full flow.


Well... woke up early today, even before ES started their coverage this morning, so saw almost the entire match, and all I can say is it was indeed a classic match :hatoff: 3 hours and 40 minutes for 17 frames :clap: There are some Best of 9 matches longer than that, just wonderful standard this, in my top 10 of best Best of 17 matches for sure.

MJW will be kicking himself, he played like it was 2003 all over again but that missed red along the rail in the decider cost him... but then again, MJW shouldnt really have lost that frame when snookers were already required for Allen.

Like you say, hope MJW bounces back from this, a shame he won't be at the CoC but hopefully this result gives MJW confidence that he can win another ranking event, especially those abroad as he usually does very well in them.

Enjoyed every minute of this match, wonderful standard.

Re: International Championship Semi Final 2: Allen v William

Postby Andre147

SavoMilosevic wrote:
Snooker Overdrive wrote:I just hope MJW bounces back from this defeat. What a player he is in full flow.


I can't believe he tried to escape from that snooker in frame 15 the way he did. The moment I saw his stance and position of the cue, I knew he was going to hit the black. Allen needed 2 4-point fouls, so why not play it dead weight (side cushion, bottom cushion) with no risk of hitting the black or leaving free ball? Ok, if it doesn't reach, it's an easy snooker behind the black, but still the red is going up the table and the eventual clearance is difficult. And that red it in the last frame looked in all the way.


Exactly, coulndt have said it better myself. These China tables do seem a lot tighter than the UK tables for some reason (cough cough BBC tournaments) :john:

Re: International Championship Semi Final 2: Allen v William

Postby hendry_fan

Wildey wrote:Saturday 1st of November

11.30am

Mark Allen 9-8 Mark Williams





OMG!!,i,ve just seen the results of this match!. :dizzy:


I have to admit i only watched a few frames of this entire match,and that was in there first session.


So close,but so far for Williams.

I,ve said it many a time,losing 9-8 is verrrrry hard to take,especially at the age Williams is,this might have been his best chance of ever winning a ranking title again which will make it even more hard to take,ok,even it he won this match,he would still have had to win the final,but it was certainly a good chance.


Unlucky Williams.


Well done Allen. <ok>

Re: International Championship Semi Final 2: Allen v William

Postby Vallomas

What a great match!

MJW turned us back in early '00s, it must have been a long time since he has played so well. Far better performance than that again ROS, it's a pity that he lost the game. I wanted to see him in a final again, but Allen has shown some bottle and took almost all his chances.

I think that the problem with Williams was that he had full attacking mentality and when he missed some long reds, he left the table in good shape for Allen. Allen, in the other hand, had better percentage in long shots and this was one of the little circumstances that gave him the victory.

Anyway, great semi overall and I hope that MJW will stay in top form despite today's result.

Re: International Championship Semi Final 2: Allen v William

Postby Roland

I don't think Williams will be too down after the way he played. He'll be kicking himself for hitting the black when Allen needed 5 points in snookers to tie but how well was he playing? Some of the shots he pulled off were incredible. I had to look away on the last red he took on along the cushion, but you know he's never going to refuse it and he very nearly got it.

How exciting was that match though? Every credit to both players.

Re: International Championship Semi Final 2: Allen v William

Postby SavoMilosevic

The match is now on Youtube and watching again the last 3 frames, I still can't believe the shot he played when Allen was 2 snookers behind in frame 15. I'm pretty sure he could have even made a one-cushion escape with just a little bit of left-hand side.

Call me crazy, but if he keeps that kind of form, he will be a contender at the Crucible. His performance has nothing in common with Ebdon's China ranking wins when every match took 6 hours or more. Every time when MJW had a break-building chance, he made at least a 50, 3 century breaks (135, 120, 105) and some cracking long pots. Combined with his tactical genius... why not? I don't consider 39 an old age, in my country you are not even old enough to be a president. :D

As for Allen, he is playing some great stuff right now. I don't think his style is suited for Crucible's long matches, but he has every chance to win a UK or a Masters this year.

Re: International Championship Semi Final 2: Allen v William

Postby Roland

I'd go along with that Savo. It's crazy to think how close Williams came to winning the UK and Worlds only a couple of seasons ago when Higgins denied him both times, and that seems to have had an effect on his confidence since. But after today he looks like he's in the mood to contend the big titles this season. He has stiff competition from the likes of Robbo, Selby and Ding though but he's beaten all of those in big matches when they were playing well so why not again?

I had to watch again, well, the centuries from 2-0 to 2-2 for the first time, but from 7-4 to the end. Great match and great bottle from both players. Williams break at 8-7 after the way he lost the previous frame was unbelievable, and he was going along so well in the decider as well.

It just goes to show how hard those shots are along the cushion because you've got the best potter the game has ever seen in top form, and paying full attention to the shot, and he struck it smoothly and at the right pace and it still didn't drop and it cost him. But he didn't shy away from it, he played it as if he believed he was going to get it and he very nearly did.