It’s Off

Pink Ball wrote:

Iranu wrote:

Cloud Strife wrote:

Pink Ball wrote:To be fair, if it pans out like this, it ain't as good as your typical World Championship but would be by far the best tournament of the season.

The more I think about it the more I believe it must happen.

But not be called the World Championship.

While I agree it’s not as good as your normal World Championship, it’s still the World Championship. Hearn would also be mad to have this opportunity and NOT bill it as the biggest tournament of them all.

This would be a throwback to earlier Crucible World Championships. Those winners don’t have asterisks next to their names.

If it’s limited to a certain number of players, no ranking points though.

I don’t believe the World Championship should have a limited field.

How is it the World Championship, then?

Iranu wrote:

Pink Ball wrote:

Iranu wrote:

Cloud Strife wrote:

Pink Ball wrote:To be fair, if it pans out like this, it ain't as good as your typical World Championship but would be by far the best tournament of the season.

The more I think about it the more I believe it must happen.

But not be called the World Championship.

While I agree it’s not as good as your normal World Championship, it’s still the World Championship. Hearn would also be mad to have this opportunity and NOT bill it as the biggest tournament of them all.

This would be a throwback to earlier Crucible World Championships. Those winners don’t have asterisks next to their names.

If it’s limited to a certain number of players, no ranking points though.

I don’t believe the World Championship should have a limited field.

How is it the World Championship, then?

If it has the best players competing then it is the World Championship, as far as I'm concerned.

Personally, I couldn't give a monkeys what it's called. I just care that it happens.

Top 16 were the only ones guaranteed to qualify so, in the deeply unfortunate circumstances that have occurred, it probably makes more sense than inviting the top 32. You’re then picking 16 players who may not have been there.

Iranu wrote:I don’t believe the World Championship should have a limited field.

How is it the World Championship, then?

They will invite the top players on the ranking list. Players who aren't invited didn't qualify. It's easy for them to fudge the issue and call it a World Championship. They just need to ensure:


(1) All the big names agree to play (i.e. Trump, O'Sullivan, Higgins, Williams, Selby, Robertson and Murphy

(2) They play multi-session matches (best-of-19, bo25, bo33, bo35 as appropriate)

(3) It's held at the Crucible

(4) At least one non-UK player is present (Neil Robertson)

(5) John Virgo and Dennis Taylor are commentating (even if only virtually)

If it looks like a World Championship, and quacks like a World Championship, ...

lhpirnie wrote:

Iranu wrote:I don’t believe the World Championship should have a limited field.

How is it the World Championship, then?

They will invite the top players on the ranking list. Players who aren't invited didn't qualify. It's easy for them to fudge the issue and call it a World Championship. They just need to ensure:


(1) All the big names agree to play (i.e. Trump, O'Sullivan, Higgins, Williams, Selby, Robertson and Murphy

(2) They play multi-session matches (best-of-19, bo25, bo33, bo35 as appropriate)

(3) It's held at the Crucible

(4) At least one non-UK player is present (Neil Robertson)

(5) John Virgo and Dennis Taylor are commentating (even if only virtually)

If it looks like a World Championship, and quacks like a World Championship, ...

How does that look like the World Championship?

Having the best 16 players isn’t what the World Championship is about. You’re all describing the Masters. Or the Shanghai Masters. Or the Champion of Champions. Or the Players Championship.

By all means have a tournament at the Crucible over two weeks. But if you can’t do the full tournament, don’t call it the World Championship, it’s quite simple. Give it a different name.

Hell, invite the top 16 on the one year list and call it an expanded Tour Championship.

Will Ding feel his 2020 World Championship is tainted if Jimmy Robertson isn’t in the field?

Pink Ball wrote:Will Ding feel his 2020 World Championship is tainted if Jimmy Robertson isn’t in the field?

Ding himself won't be in the field.

Pink Ball wrote:Will Ding feel his 2020 World Championship is tainted if Jimmy Robertson isn’t in the field?

Ding Junhui might not be back in time. He's still in quarantine in Shanghai in order to get into China. He would then have to apply for a permit to come back (essentially a VISA). Then if he can somehow find a way back to the UK, it will be another 14 days quarantine here at least. Those two quarantines mean he's unable to practice at all. And there can't be any cast-iron guarantee it will happen after all, with government guidelines still unclear.

Ding is the most likely player to withdraw. Yan Bingtao has stayed in Sheffield, in isolation, so he would be available if they invite the top 16. I can definitely see the logic for them to have at least one Chinese player in the 'World' Championship.

Pink Ball wrote:Will Ding feel his 2020 World Championship is tainted if Jimmy Robertson isn’t in the field?

Why start on Jimmy?

What's he done?

lhpirnie wrote:

Pink Ball wrote:Will Ding feel his 2020 World Championship is tainted if Jimmy Robertson isn’t in the field?

Ding Junhui might not be back in time. He's still in quarantine in Shanghai in order to get into China. He would then have to apply for a permit to come back (essentially a VISA). Then if he can somehow find a way back to the UK, it will be another 14 days quarantine here at least. Those two quarantines mean he's unable to practice at all. And there can't be any cast-iron guarantee it will happen after all, with government guidelines still unclear.

Ding is the most likely player to withdraw. Yan Bingtao has stayed in Sheffield, in isolation, so he would be available if they invite the top 16. I can definitely see the logic for them to have at least one Chinese player in the 'World' Championship.

Just ban all Chinese and be done with it TBH.

from what i've read there will be qualifying so i don't know where all this limited field rubbish has come from.

csprince wrote:from what i've read there will be qualifying so i don't know where all this limited field rubbish has come from.

Well then I stand corrected.


But in early July are you absolutely sure they can play 112 qualifying matches involving 128 players on 12 tables with 30 referees and officials. Where?

Plus, they have booked the Crucible for 16 days not 17. It can't be exactly the same plan as normal.

It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Ding)

If this goes ahead with Ding absent it'll be the second time he won the UK Championship and didn't get to play in the following World Championship.

lhpirnie wrote:

csprince wrote:from what i've read there will be qualifying so i don't know where all this limited field rubbish has come from.

Well then I stand corrected.


But in early July are you absolutely sure they can play 112 qualifying matches involving 128 players on 12 tables with 30 referees and officials. Where?

Plus, they have booked the Crucible for 16 days not 17. It can't be exactly the same plan as normal.

the thing i read on the sun website hearn mentioned qualifying.

They could do qualifying over a longer period of time so it wouldn’t have to be 12 tables. It’s not like venues are gonna be busy with other commitments. Hold the quals from now until July and have 1/2 matches per day or whatever. It doesn’t have to be over the normal period of time.

Iranu wrote:They could do qualifying over a longer period of time so it wouldn’t have to be 12 tables. It’s not like venues are gonna be busy with other commitments. Hold the quals from now until July and have 1/2 matches per day or whatever. It doesn’t have to be over the normal period of time.

that's basically what hearn mentioned should of said that in my post.

csprince wrote:

lhpirnie wrote:

csprince wrote:from what i've read there will be qualifying so i don't know where all this limited field rubbish has come from.

Well then I stand corrected.


But in early July are you absolutely sure they can play 112 qualifying matches involving 128 players on 12 tables with 30 referees and officials. Where?

Plus, they have booked the Crucible for 16 days not 17. It can't be exactly the same plan as normal.

the thing i read on the sun website hearn mentioned qualifying.

Yes, you are quite right. Barry Hearn did say he was planning to hold some events beforehand, including qualifying. I missed that when I first read the newspaper report.


We'll see. I suspect there are many things undecided. They probably have plans for the Crucible, and can imagine the later stages - semi-finals and final. This is the basis of their proposal to the sponsors and broadcasters. What precedes that is likely a problem they will look at once provisional agreements are in place.

But I still think the qualifying event is going to prove infeasible, unless there is some sudden change in government restrictions. Can they build a venue with 12 tables, with proper distancing, stay within the 'public gathering' limits, and designate those involved to be 'key workers'? If so, I'll take my hat off to them.

There are still problems with the overseas players: I counted 30 players who I know have left the UK, and several of the invited amateurs are also abroad. That means a quarter of the players would need travel permission, an available flight, and a 14-day quarantine.

we'll just have to wait and see what hearn has up his sleeve.

lhpirnie wrote:

Pink Ball wrote:Will Ding feel his 2020 World Championship is tainted if Jimmy Robertson isn’t in the field?

Ding Junhui might not be back in time. He's still in quarantine in Shanghai in order to get into China. He would then have to apply for a permit to come back (essentially a VISA). Then if he can somehow find a way back to the UK, it will be another 14 days quarantine here at least. Those two quarantines mean he's unable to practice at all. And there can't be any cast-iron guarantee it will happen after all, with government guidelines still unclear.

Ding is the most likely player to withdraw. Yan Bingtao has stayed in Sheffield, in isolation, so he would be available if they invite the top 16. I can definitely see the logic for them to have at least one Chinese player in the 'World' Championship.

Really not seeing the problem. If Hearn has booked the Crucible for July, an announcement will have to be made pretty soon, and the 2020 World Champion will have plenty time to get to England, and he will.

Whatever about the others, Ding will have zero problem getting permission to travel.

Also a 16-man field would work in 16 days if it came to it... without an off-day.

Saturday, July 25
10am: R1M1 (first session)
2.30pm: R1M2 (first session)
7pm: R1M1 (to a finish)

Sunday, July 26
10am: R1M3 (first session)
2.30pm: R1M2 (to a finish)
7pm: R1M3 (to a finish)

Monday, July 27
1pm: R1M4 (first session)
7pm: R1M4 (to a finish)

Tuesday, July 28
1pm: R1M5 (first session)
7pm: R1M5 (to a finish)

Wednesday, July 29
1pm: R1M6 (first session)
7pm: R1M6 (to a finish)

Thursday, July 30
1pm: R1M7 (first session)
7pm: R1M7 (to a finish)

Friday, July 31
10am: R1M8 (first session)
2.30pm: QF1 (first session)
7pm: R1M8 (to a finish)

Saturday, August 1
10am: QF1 (second session)
2.30pm: QF2 (first session)
7pm: QF1 (to a finish)

Sunday, August 2
10am: QF2 (second session)
2.30pm: QF3 (first session)
7pm: QF2 (to a finish)

Monday, August 3
1pm: QF4 (first session)
7pm: QF3 (second session)

Tuesday, August 4
10am: QF4 (second session)
2.30pm: QF3 (to a finish)
7pm: QF4 (to a finish)

Wednesday, August 5
1pm: SF1 (first session)
7pm: SF2 (first session)

Thursday, August 6
10am: SF1 (second session)
2.30pm: SF2 (second session)
7pm: SF1 (third session)

Friday, August 7
10am: SF2 (third session)
2.30pm: SF1 (to a finish)
7pm: SF2 (to a finish)

Saturday, August 8
2pm: Final (first session)
7pm: Final (second session)

Sunday, August 9
2pm: Final (third session)
7pm: Final (to a finish)

Wasn't the Tour Championship supposed to be rescheduled for 21st July? so assuming everything gets better in the next few months or so I think it would make sense for the World championship to be in the middle of August and maybe having the final on the bank holiday weekend so Sunday 30th August and Monday 31st August.

Juddernaut88 wrote:Wasn't the Tour Championship supposed to be rescheduled for 21st July? so assuming everything gets better in the next few months or so I think it would make sense for the World championship to be in the middle of August and maybe having the final on the bank holiday weekend so Sunday 30th August and Monday 31st August.

Is there a bank holiday in the UK on those dates?

Pink Ball wrote:

Juddernaut88 wrote:Wasn't the Tour Championship supposed to be rescheduled for 21st July? so assuming everything gets better in the next few months or so I think it would make sense for the World championship to be in the middle of August and maybe having the final on the bank holiday weekend so Sunday 30th August and Monday 31st August.

Is there a bank holiday in the UK on those dates?

A 16-player field for the World Championship

Judd has spoken on the subject.

https://metro.co.uk/2020/04/03/snooker- ... -12505367/

Pink Ball wrote:

Juddernaut88 wrote:Wasn't the Tour Championship supposed to be rescheduled for 21st July? so assuming everything gets better in the next few months or so I think it would make sense for the World championship to be in the middle of August and maybe having the final on the bank holiday weekend so Sunday 30th August and Monday 31st August.

Is there a bank holiday in the UK on those dates?

Yes Monday 31st August is a bank holiday, remember we always have a bank holiday in August,

Iranu wrote:A 16-player field for the World Championship

Badsnookerplayer wrote:Judd has spoken on the subject.

https://metro.co.uk/2020/04/03/snooker- ... -12505367/

He'll have to get used to the idea. It's very likely the restrictions will come down in stages, in which case there will be a period of time where snooker tournaments can be played, but only behind closed doors. For sure, Barry Hearn would jump at the chance to hold such an event, because of the rewards at a time when football (etc.) is still impossible.


Whether there's a 'special atmosphere' or a 'different kind of pressure' with crowds in the Crucible isn't important so long as it's the same for both players.