World Championships 2016

To be honest, I'd be absolutely gobsmacked if Sullivan doesn't win it.

I'm just excited because this is the first world's that I will be following in it's entirety!

Reminder that the Crucible qualifying draw is tomorrow (Monday) at 11am UK time. Apparently streamed here: https://www.youtube.com/user/WorldSnookerOfficial

Will be interesting to see what players have entered...

it would be interesting to see what World Snooker can manage to do to cockerel things up in a way its never been cocked up before.


i bet even they are running out of ideas to mess things up

Some interesting matches!

Here's the draw on Snooker.org
http://www.snooker.org/res/index.asp?event=421

I agree! Interesting matches.
Good to see big Igor Figueriedo from Brazil in the draw! He's playing Matt Selt.
Steve Davis has got Fergal O'Brien.
Jimmy White will be 'busting a gut' to make the Crucible - but has a testing opening game versus Gerard Greene.
Ding's been drawn against Irish amateur Greg Casey. And Women's World Champion Ng On Yee will play Peter Lines.

Some first impressions of the draw. I think three first-round matches stand out:

Matthew Selt v Igor Figueiredo
Sam Baird v Thor Chuan Leong
Tian Pengfei v Hossein Vafaei Ayouri

I'm expecting a lot from those three matches - high standard and close battles.

Of the unseeded players, I exepct at least the following ones to have a close match against a seeded player:
Sean O'Sullivan (v Ross Muir)
Noppon Saengkham (v Michael Georgiou)
Scott Donaldson (v Joel Walker)
Zhao Xintong (v Rod Lawler)
Andy Hicks (v Ken Doherty)
Adam Duffy (v Mark Davis)
Jamie Clarke (v Jamie Burnett)

I think I'll write a few more words about the matches later on but the qualifier week is truly amazing time for a fan of the sport.

SnookerFan wrote:Steve Davis has been drawn with Fergal O'Brien.

Tough draw. For Fergal.

Dan-cat wrote:

SnookerFan wrote:Steve Davis has been drawn with Fergal O'Brien.

Tough draw. For Fergal.

I wonder how much snooker Steve Davis plays these days? Obviously, he'll put in some practice ahead of this, but a 'battle-hardened' O'Brien should have too much for Davis, certainly over 19 frames.

But, one thing's for sure, The Nugget will show glimpses of quality during the match and I'm sure certain aspects of his game will still be sound. I don't see why age should hamper tactical nous or shot selection, for example.
It's executing frame-winning opportunities that proves more difficult at Steve's age, particularly when short of competitive, match-sharpness. But, he's got absolutely nothing to lose!

However, I suspect it may end-up with a comfortable win for Fergal, possibly by as much as 10-3.
I would love to be completely wrong!

Here is the draw:

http://www.worldsnooker.com/wp-content/ ... e-draw.pdf

And format:

http://www.worldsnooker.com/wp-content/ ... format.pdf

Some selected times:

Ronnie playing Sunday Afternoon & Monday Morning
Selby - Monday Afternoon & Tuesday Morning
Trump - Wednesday and Thursday Afternoon
Robertson - Tuesday Morning and Evening
Higgins - Monday Morning & Tuesday Afternoon
Murphy - Saturday Afternoon and Sunday Morning

If Robbo gets through to quarters a nice 2 days break between 2nd round and quarters.

Strange they have 2 round 1 matches finishing on day 1 evening , I thought the rule was never to have 2 concluding sessions at same time in case of a quick finish to both.

Is this a normal draw? For example, the winner from the Ding - Casey match plays the winner from the Muir - S.O'Sullivan match?

Savo

Yes that's the draw in order its seeded for round 2 and 3

SnookerFan wrote:

GJ wrote:Strange they have 2 round 1 matches finishing on day 1 evening , I thought the rule was never to have 2 concluding sessions at same time in case of a quick finish to both.

Does that apply to the Qualifiers, or just for the Crucible stages where it's on proper television?

Legitimate question, by the way.

Im talking about day 1 at the crucible bingham and fu matches are finishing on day 1

GJ wrote:Savo

Yes that's the draw in order its seeded for round 2 and 3

So Jimmy has to beat Greene, Ebdon/Wattana, Jamie Jones/Burns to qualify? Doesn't seem like a mission impossible to me.

Last year as I remember Jimmy White was 7 - 1 up against Selt after the first session. Then he went to the pub.

Pink Ball wrote:To be honest, I'd be absolutely gobsmacked if Sullivan doesn't win it.

Sean or Ronnie? Or are you hedging your bets between the two?

"Steve Davis has got Fergal O'Brien."

Just read on another site that Steve's father, Bill Davis, has died so I can't imagine Steve will be in much mood for playing snooker. :(

snooker_loopy wrote:"Steve Davis has got Fergal O'Brien."

Just read on another site that Steve's father, Bill Davis, has died so I can't imagine Steve will be in much mood for playing snooker. :(

He entered last week at the last minute to honour his father.

Why is Ding qualifying? Did I go to sleep for 12mths?

Short answer hes been crap

Long answer = His confidence has been low although signs recently hes on the rise but Maguire easy draw in china knocked ding out of 16th spot.

Master Blaster wrote:Why is Ding qualifying? Did I go to sleep for 12mths?

not sure about you but ding has been asleep for two years now.

boris_the_butcher wrote:

Master Blaster wrote:Why is Ding qualifying? Did I go to sleep for 12mths?

not sure about you but ding has been asleep for two years now.

Ok, I always associated Ding being around 10th in the rankings but he's slipped a bit in the 15/16 season. This will be difficult for him to address. If he doesn't get to the Worlds and have a good run, it's bad news for China I feel. Which is something we don't need for many a reason.

There are some big movers in the rankings this season, Ford, Brecel, Pengfai, Wilson, Lisowski, Walker being noted:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snooker_w ... _2015/2016
Wenbo could also break in to the top 16 with a good Worlds.

Master Blaster wrote:Why is Ding qualifying? Did I go to sleep for 12mths?

The will he?; won't he? surrounding Ding has been the overriding narrative for the past week during the China Open. Further evidence that you're not the snooker fan you claim to be!

one day to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!