2020 World Champs to run from July 31 to August 16

Even if it goes ahead in July, there's no way in hell Ding will miss it. Many of the Chinese players will, if not nearly all, but he won't.

Pink Ball wrote:Even if it goes ahead in July, there's no way in hell Ding will miss it. Many of the Chinese players will, if not nearly all, but he won't.

he might not have a choice theres so much to consider players might be in quarantine for 2 weeks etc etc after flying here it does seem today UK Governement changing tact at last.

if there is no crowd the winner of this WC will always have that nasty scar on his face.

If its a first time Champ even worse. I wouldnt want Ding to win it. They will always say the first time he won (and maybe only time he'll win it) it was without a crowd and without the pressure factor.

Wildey wrote:

Pink Ball wrote:Even if it goes ahead in July, there's no way in hell Ding will miss it. Many of the Chinese players will, if not nearly all, but he won't.

he might not have a choice theres so much to consider players might be in quarantine for 2 weeks etc etc after flying here it does seem today UK Governement changing tact at last.

July is a long time away. There is no way he isn't playing. And I'm not just saying that because he will win the championship this year, I'd say the same in a non-championship winning year. He's too big not to be able to get back. He'd also be Hearn's number-one priority with the possible exception of Ronnie O'Sullivan.

The rest of the Chinese players, yes, will find it more difficult.

Pink Ball wrote:

Wildey wrote:

Pink Ball wrote:Even if it goes ahead in July, there's no way in hell Ding will miss it. Many of the Chinese players will, if not nearly all, but he won't.

he might not have a choice theres so much to consider players might be in quarantine for 2 weeks etc etc after flying here it does seem today UK Governement changing tact at last.

July is a long time away. There is no way he isn't playing. And I'm not just saying that because he will win the championship this year, I'd say the same in a non-championship winning year. He's too big not to be able to get back. He'd also be Hearn's number-one priority with the possible exception of Ronnie O'Sullivan.

The rest of the Chinese players, yes, will find it more difficult.

Mate listen to experts if only July was a long time away.


With whats happening at the moment in the World it really really isnt.

I Really Hope the Experts is Wrong and Barry Hearn is right but how realistic is that?

Wildey wrote:Ding is in china.

as far as i know Yan Bingtao is the only chinese in the UK

Liang Wenbo, Lyu Haotian and Chen Feilong have also stayed over. It would be tough on Chen if he doesn't get to play in the World Championship, as his professional career will be over. He's 37 and ranked 94. So staying in the UK all this time might have been futile, although it's possible he might be able to play in a Q School.

Wildey wrote:

Pink Ball wrote:

Wildey wrote:

Pink Ball wrote:Even if it goes ahead in July, there's no way in hell Ding will miss it. Many of the Chinese players will, if not nearly all, but he won't.

he might not have a choice theres so much to consider players might be in quarantine for 2 weeks etc etc after flying here it does seem today UK Governement changing tact at last.

July is a long time away. There is no way he isn't playing. And I'm not just saying that because he will win the championship this year, I'd say the same in a non-championship winning year. He's too big not to be able to get back. He'd also be Hearn's number-one priority with the possible exception of Ronnie O'Sullivan.

The rest of the Chinese players, yes, will find it more difficult.

Mate listen to experts if only July was a long time away.


With whats happening at the moment in the World it really really isnt.

What do you mean listen to experts? buck off. I'm making the same sacrifices everyone else with a brain is making. This is a deadly serious virus and I'm bucking terrified of it. But I like thinking logically. There's crazy rubbish going on in the UK at the moment, but there are a few positives coming through (relatively speaking) and I think we can be positive about a World Championship going ahead – with changes, perhaps serious changes.

Wildey wrote:I Really Hope the Experts is Wrong and Barry Hearn is right but how realistic is that?

What experts are saying that the exact conditions in place now will be in place in July? I have not heard that once from any expert.

TheRocket wrote:if there is no crowd the winner of this WC will always have that nasty scar on his face.

If its a first time Champ even worse. I wouldnt want Ding to win it. They will always say the first time he won (and maybe only time he'll win it) it was without a crowd and without the pressure factor.

A World Title is a World Title at the end of the day, but yeah for me if there's no audience it really shouldn't happen in the first place. This is not like the Gibraltar Open, it's the biggest tournament we've got.

TheRocket wrote:if there is no crowd the winner of this WC will always have that nasty scar on his face.

If its a first time Champ even worse. I wouldnt want Ding to win it. They will always say the first time he won (and maybe only time he'll win it) it was without a crowd and without the pressure factor.

Ding will win, he won't have a scar on his face, and I won't give a rubbish.

Andre147 wrote:

TheRocket wrote:if there is no crowd the winner of this WC will always have that nasty scar on his face.

If its a first time Champ even worse. I wouldnt want Ding to win it. They will always say the first time he won (and maybe only time he'll win it) it was without a crowd and without the pressure factor.

A World Title is a World Title at the end of the day, but yeah for me if there's no audience it really shouldn't happen in the first place. This is not like the Gibraltar Open, it's the biggest tournament we've got.

All the more reason why they need to try and stage it.


For me it's the opposite: it's the people who think things can be just the same as normal who are in denial. Of course things won't be the same, perhaps for 12 months. We have to do what we can in these unprecedented times.

If the German Bundesliga have plans to start playing in two weeks' time, snooker can have plans to play in August. But of course those plans may fail, just as any other plans can fail right now.

TheRocket wrote:if there is no crowd the winner of this WC will always have that nasty scar on his face.

Ken Doherty to win it?

Pink Ball wrote:

Wildey wrote:I Really Hope the Experts is Wrong and Barry Hearn is right but how realistic is that?

What experts are saying that the exact conditions in place now will be in place in July? I have not heard that once from any expert.

Social Distencing will be in place until next year that wont change by july.


we could come out of lockdown and back in lockdown 3 or 4 times before christmas with no warning that has also been said.

lhpirnie wrote:

Andre147 wrote:

TheRocket wrote:if there is no crowd the winner of this WC will always have that nasty scar on his face.

If its a first time Champ even worse. I wouldnt want Ding to win it. They will always say the first time he won (and maybe only time he'll win it) it was without a crowd and without the pressure factor.

A World Title is a World Title at the end of the day, but yeah for me if there's no audience it really shouldn't happen in the first place. This is not like the Gibraltar Open, it's the biggest tournament we've got.

All the more reason why they need to try and stage it.


For me it's the opposite: it's the people who think things can be just the same as normal who are in denial. Of course things won't be the same, perhaps for 12 months. We have to do what we can in these unprecedented times.

If the German Bundesliga have plans to start playing in two weeks' time, snooker can have plans to play in August. But of course those plans may fail, just as any other plans can fail right now.

+1

lhpirnie wrote:

Andre147 wrote:

TheRocket wrote:if there is no crowd the winner of this WC will always have that nasty scar on his face.

If its a first time Champ even worse. I wouldnt want Ding to win it. They will always say the first time he won (and maybe only time he'll win it) it was without a crowd and without the pressure factor.

A World Title is a World Title at the end of the day, but yeah for me if there's no audience it really shouldn't happen in the first place. This is not like the Gibraltar Open, it's the biggest tournament we've got.

All the more reason why they need to try and stage it.


For me it's the opposite: it's the people who think things can be just the same as normal who are in denial. Of course things won't be the same, perhaps for 12 months. We have to do what we can in these unprecedented times.

If the German Bundesliga have plans to start playing in two weeks' time, snooker can have plans to play in August. But of course those plans may fail, just as any other plans can fail right now.

Football will no way be played in 2 weeks time in this country and very much doubt in Germany too they in total denial how can football adere to social distencing its impossible.

Maybe the audience can watch it via zoom.

Wildey wrote:Social Distencing will be in place until next year that wont change by july.

we could come out of lockdown and back in lockdown 3 or 4 times before christmas with no warning that has also been said.

Yes, that is probably correct.

Im snake hissed off theres no Snooker this Week i would be overjoyed if its played in July even September but cant see it happening and im sick about it. but i dont think having the Biggest event in our sport in limbo without a realistic plan is good at all.

Wildey wrote:Football will no way be played in 2 weeks time in this country and very much doubt in Germany too they in total denial how can football adere to social distencing its impossible.

Yes, I most definitely agree about the Bundesliga! They have basically said that to put pressure on the authorities. But the players are in training, and they have signalled that they can be ready whenever they are given the go-ahead. I guess they want to be the first league to come back to life.

This is for those who think that The World Championships will be played over the aforementioned dates:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a2BF44HwFk

Wildey wrote:Im snake hissed off theres no Snooker this Week i would be overjoyed if its played in July even September but cant see it happening and im sick about it. but i dont think having the Biggest event in our sport in limbo without a realistic plan is good at all.

Everyone is in limbo. That's inevitable.


The biggest problem with 'in limbo' is that potentially overseas players could come back to the UK in early July to prepare for an event which is not guaranteed. They have a difficult decision to make.

Can you imagine a Chinese player who has just spent several weeks in quarantine return to the UK, spend two more weeks in quarantine here, and then it gets cancelled, so they go back to China... and then face another few weeks' quarantine there again?

Basically, apart from the four who have stayed, I think we can forget about the Chinese players for 2020.

The World Championship should be played in Wuhan this year. They have managed to get rid of the virus.

Wildey wrote:

Pink Ball wrote:

Wildey wrote:I Really Hope the Experts is Wrong and Barry Hearn is right but how realistic is that?

What experts are saying that the exact conditions in place now will be in place in July? I have not heard that once from any expert.

Social Distencing will be in place until next year that wont change by july.


we could come out of lockdown and back in lockdown 3 or 4 times before christmas with no warning that has also been said.

Correct, it will still be in place in July. And I really don't think that is beyond what can be organised for the World Championship at all. I don't see a full crowd there. There may be a reduced crowd, but I think even that could be optimistic. But behind closed doors? It's perfectly do-able.

TheRocket wrote:The World Championship should be played in Wuhan this year. They have managed to get rid of the virus.

Ding's best chance to win it.

Pink Ball wrote:

Wildey wrote:

Pink Ball wrote:

Wildey wrote:I Really Hope the Experts is Wrong and Barry Hearn is right but how realistic is that?

What experts are saying that the exact conditions in place now will be in place in July? I have not heard that once from any expert.

Social Distencing will be in place until next year that wont change by july.


we could come out of lockdown and back in lockdown 3 or 4 times before christmas with no warning that has also been said.

Correct, it will still be in place in July. And I really don't think that is beyond what can be organised for the World Championship at all. I don't see a full crowd there. There may be a reduced crowd, but I think even that could be optimistic. But behind closed doors? It's perfectly do-able.

Not with 2 tables it's not players sit 6 inches apart at best. Their hands all over the same table will that get the go ahead hairdressers are said to not open for 6 months because they can't social distance.

Playing in front of no crowd wouldn't bother me, as long as I could watch it on TV.

SnookerFan wrote:Playing in front of no crowd wouldn't bother me, as long as I could watch it on TV.

Some of the most exciting, Nerve wrecking matches have actually happened when hardly nobody watching but when you get to the final night at say 17-17 and nobody there you will miss it big time.

Wildey wrote:Some of the most exciting, Nerve wrecking matches have actually happened when hardly nobody watching but when you get to the final night at say 17-17 and nobody there you will miss it big time.

No, I get it would be strange playing in front of nobody. Especially at a venue as small as The Crucible. But, I don't think it would bother me as much as some are suggesting.

These people saying they'd rather not have it, than have it in front of nobody. I disagree.

Badsnookerplayer wrote:

Andre147 wrote:Crucible with no audience would be ridiculous.

On chat he had with Hendry the other day, ROS said imagine a final frame decider with no audience! And we thought the Gibraltar Open Final was bad, so you can get a picture of how bad it would be in the biggest stage of all.

I agree.

For me no tournament is better than no audience.

Hell no. With or without an audience, it must be played this year.
If not, ROS will be one year older the next time they stage it and thus his chances of winning it will be smaller.