2023 Cazoo World Snooker Championship Prediction Contest

Welcome! Welcome one and all to the 2023 Cazoo World Snooker Championship Prediction Contest
This year marks the 16th World Championship Prediction Contest and also marks the 14th World Championship contest to have been held on Snooker Island.

Over the years, there have been 12 different World Championship Contest winners. Will 2023 see the Contest find its 13th winner? Or will we see someone double their tally? In the case of a select trio, will we see an unprecedented Third World Championship contest victory?

The target for all competitors will be naturally to get more points than anyone else, but the targets for those seeking a record is 234 in the current format, achieved last year - a year which saw the three highest scores in the contest's history. For those looking at a record winning margin this is 30 - achieved in 2018.

The roll of honour list is as follows:
2008 - Armchair de Critique/Smart - (606 Forum)
2009 - Casey - (Break-Off)
2010 - Alex0Paul
2011 - Jadechelsea
2012 - Wildey
2013 - Random05
2014 - SavoMilosevic
2015 - McChazzz
2016 - Wildey
2017 - SnookerFan
2018 - SavoMilosevic
2019 - SteveJJ
2020 - Alex0Paul
2021 - PLtheRef
2022 - YanFan

Format
The format for the 2023 World Championship Prediction Contest will remain the same tried and tested format which has been used over the years. Albeit with a new twist that I am trying this year.

1. Match Winner Predictions:
6 Points - Seed defeats qualifier
7 Points - Seed defeats Seed
7 Points - qualifier defeats qualifier
8 Points - qualifier defeats Seed

This system will run throughout the tournament.

2. Correct Score Predictions:
Round 1, Round 2 and Quarter-Finals
4 Points - Correct Scoreline
2 Points - 1 Frame out

Semi-Finals and Final
5 Points - Correct Scoreline
3 Points - 1 Frame out
1 Point - 2 Frames out

Matches which don’t take place won't be scored
To be eligible for the Correct scoreline, you must predict the correct winner of the match.

Joker Rules (New for 2023)
- Each entrant is given 3 Jokers which can be played on Matches during the 2023 World Championship - One for a 2-session match, One for a 3-session match and One for a 4-session match.
- When predicting an outcome please state clearly if it is a match you wish to play your Joker on.
- If your prediction on a Joker wins the match then you score double points for that match (including any correct scoreline points)
- If your prediction on a Joker loses the match then you score -5 points.
- Note, you are under no obligation to play all or any of your Jokers.

3. Maximum Break Game:
- Pick any number of players to make a maximum break
12 pts - if a player you've nominated makes a maximum break
3 pts deducted - if you nominate a player who fails to get a maximum break
- If you do not predict a maximum break you receive no points

(A maximum break is defined as a 147 with 15 reds or a 155 with 15 reds + free ball red)

4. Hi Break and Centuries Game:
- Pick a player to score the 2023 Cazoo World Championship's highest break.
- Pick the Score of the highest break
- Pick the total number of centuries that will be scored in the 2023 Cazoo World Championship

(For clarity, the Highest Break maker, Highest break and number of centuries are for the Crucible stages of the World Championship)

6 Points - If your chosen player scores the highest break
6 Points Max - If your chosen highest break is correct (1 point less per point out - e.g. a predicted HB of 145 with a correct HB of 143, receives 4 points)
6 Points Max - If your chosen number of centuries is correct (1 point less per each century out - e.g. 81 centuries with a correct total of 77 centuries, receives 2 points)

5.Tournament Winner Predictions:
Each entrant may choose any 2 names for overall victory.
12 Points - predicting the player who wins the 2023 Cazoo World Championship
6 Points - predicting the player who is runner-up in the 2023 Cazoo World Championship

6. Best performing qualifier:
Nominate a player who you think will be the best performing of the 16 qualifiers and how many of the 16 qualifiers you think will win their First Round Matches
6 Points - predicting the best performing qualifier*
6 Points Max - if your chosen number of qualifiers winning their First Round Matches (1 point less per qualifying winner out - e.g. predicting 3 qualifiers to win, with a correct total of 5, receives 4 points)

*Best performing qualifier is determined by the qualifier who reaches the furthest round, or if there is more than one, who wins the most frames e.g. if 2 qualifiers reached the QF and one lost 13-9 and the other 13-6, the qualifier losing 13-9 would receive the points as the best performing qualifier - in the event more that one qualifier reaches the furthest round and lose by the same margin, both would receive the 6 points as best performing qualifier.

7. Tie-breaking Criteria
- Most correct predicted winners
- Most correctly predicted scores
- Highest total of bonus points

The deadline for naming your bonus predictions: 147 maker; Highest break maker, score and centuries; tournament winners and best performing qualifiers is 10am Saturday 15th April.

All 31 matches will have their own deadline (start of play) with a template to be posted for all 16 First Round matches on the morning of Thursday 13th April following the draw - though feel free to post predictions once the draw has been made.

Reserve Prediction Rules
- Any matches which do not take place will not be scored. In the event a Joker is placed on a match which doesn't take place, then the Joker will be refunded and can be used on another game.
- In the event that a player nominated to make a maximum withdraws from the tournament, no points will be deducted. Should a nominated player be knocked-out of the tournament then 3 points will be deducted as normal.
- Predict your number of centuries on the basis all 31 matches take place. In the event that not all of the matches take place then the number of centuries shall calculated pro-rata to give a total based on 31 matches and scored as normal (E.g. 73 centuries in 29 matches = 2.51 centuries per match x 31 = a total of 78 centuries rounded to the nearest whole number)
- Please also predict the number of winning qualifiers based on all 16 First Round matches taking place. In the event that not all 16 of the First Round matches take place then the number of qualifiers winning shall calculated pro-rata to give a total based on 16 matches and scored as normal.

Good Luck to All Entrants! - Lets have a great World Championship

2023 Cazoo World Snooker Championship Prediction Contest -

As a trial for 2023, the Spreadsheet I use for the prediction contest will be shared as a Google Sheet.

Just a heads-up. You might want to remove Yanfan from the roll of honour. He was banned for waging a campaign of malicious sock accounts. Yanfan, Raiel, Raziel, Doc and so on - they’re all the same pathetic troll. And he always reappears under a new sock account. As he already has.

Sorry to interrupt your thread with something so negative, but I just thought you should know.

Roll on Saturday. This should be good fun.

Prop wrote:Just a heads-up. You might want to remove Yanfan from the roll of honour. He was banned for waging a campaign of malicious sock accounts. Yanfan, Raiel, Raziel, Doc and so on - they’re all the same pathetic troll. And he always reappears under a new sock account. As he already has.

Sorry to interrupt your thread with something so negative, but I just thought you should know.

I see. That is a real shame.

I was aware that YanFan had been banned from SI - which is why I didn't make any reference to him in the original post.

maybe whomever came second should be on teh roll of honour for 2022?

It wasn't me in case anyone was thinking why I am suggesting this!

He may be a troll, but he did win it fair and square so I don't think any revision is necessary.

Maybe people are missing the point. Sock accounts enable people to enter multiple times to a competition. Think about it.

McManusFan wrote:

Prop wrote:Maybe people are missing the point. Sock accounts enable people to enter multiple times to a competition. Think about it.

Ah, was there a double entry last year?

Entirely possible.

Anyway. I’m ducking out of this now. It’s not up to me how it’s run. As you were.

SnookerFan wrote:2017 when I won?

Where does time go?

usually the past

I love you too Iranu

Minimum Break wrote:He may be a troll, but he did win it fair and square so I don't think any revision is necessary.

McManusFan wrote:I agree. There are other unsavoury former members on the roll of honour too.

Prop wrote:Maybe people are missing the point. Sock accounts enable people to enter multiple times to a competition. Think about it.

To answer all of the above points.

I agree that it is a bit of a tricky one because, even though YanFan has subsequently been banned, there isn't anything (at this stage based on the names Prop gave) to suggest that he has used Sock accounts in the Contest he won or in the previous prediction contests he took part in. Should this change, then I would remove him from the roll of honour and disqualify him from the contest.

McManusFan, not sure I completely agree with you regards other members being 'unsavoury' . - As far as I know, there is one other member on the roll of honour who was subsequently banned from Snooker Island, likewise they have been included in italics - similar to Yan Fan.

Prop is absolutely right with his comments about Sock or 'dupe' accounts - as it goes against both the rules and spirit of the competition. Thankfully it seems to be a very rare issue - I know those who have been involved with prediction contests going way back to the original competition on 606 - there seemed to be a problem with someone suspected accused of having several accounts. The matter was dealt with very quickly
It got dealt with very quickly.

Anyway, predicting time

So being a troll can also make you a good predictor of snooker matches.... who knew?

Here goes

If you wish to play a Joker - please indicate this clearly at the side of the match you wish to play it on. Remember you have 1 joker which can be played on a 2-session match and playing the joker is optional. -

Matches Starting on Saturday 15th April
First Round Matches - Best of 19 Frames
10-10 Ronnie O'Sullivan [1] ENG v Pang Junxu CHN [Deadline 10am]
10-10 Stuart Bingham [14] ENG v David Gilbert ENG [Deadline 10am]
10-10 Luca Brecel [9] BEL v Ricky Walden ENG [Deadline 2:30pm]
10-10 Neil Robertson [6] AUS v Wu Yize CHN [Deadline 2:30pm]
10-10 Allister Carter [11] ENG v Jak Jones WAL [Deadline 7pm]

Matches Starting on Sunday 16th April
First Round Matches - Best of 19 Frames
10-10 Ding Junhui [16] CHN v Hossein Vafaei IRN [Deadline 10am]
10-10 Mark Williams [8] WAL v Jimmy Robertson ENG [Deadline 2:30pm]

Matches Starting on Monday 17th April
First Round Matches - Best of 19 Frames
10-10 Mark Allen [9] NIR v Fan Zhengyi CHN [Deadline 10am]
10-10 John Higgins [10] SCO v David Grace ENG [Deadline 2:30pm]
10-10 Robert Milkins [13] ENG v Joe Perry [Deadline 7pm]

Matches Starting on Tuesday 18th April
First Round Matches - Best of 19 Frames
10-10 Jack Lisowski [12] ENG v Noppon Saengkham [Deadline 10am]
10-10 Gary Wilson [15] ENG v Elliot Slessor ENG [Deadline 10am]
10-10 Judd Trump [5] ENG v Anthony McGill SCO [Deadline 2:30pm]

Matches Starting on Wednesday 19th April
First Round Matches - Best of 19 Frames
10-10 Kyren Wilson [7] ENG v Ryan Day WAL [Deadline 10am]
10-10 Mark Selby [2] ENG v Matthew Selt [Deadline 2:30pm]
10-10 Shaun Murphy [4] ENG v Si Jiahui [Deadline 7pm]

Bonus Predictions - Deadline 10am - Saturday 15th April
Tournament Winner:
Tournament Winner:
Maximum Break Makers (optional):
Highest Break Maker:
Highest Break:
Number of Century breaks:
Best performing qualifier:
Number of qualifiers to reach Round 2:

Good Luck Everyone!

Juddernaut88 wrote:Sorry I wasn't supposed to put a reserve down for best performing qualifier, I don't even know why I put Stephen Maguire down when he hasn't even qualified

If he turns out to be the best performing qualifier I'll let you win the contest automatically!

Matches Starting on Saturday 15th April
First Round Matches - Best of 19 Frames
10-5 Ronnie O'Sullivan [1] ENG v Pang Junxu CHN [Deadline 10am]
10-8 Stuart Bingham [14] ENG v David Gilbert ENG [Deadline 10am]
10-6 Luca Brecel [9] BEL v Ricky Walden ENG [Deadline 2:30pm]
10-4 Neil Robertson [6] AUS v Wu Yize CHN [Deadline 2:30pm]
10-6 Allister Carter [11] ENG v Jak Jones WAL [Deadline 7pm]

Matches Starting on Sunday 16th April
First Round Matches - Best of 19 Frames
10-6 Ding Junhui [16] CHN v Hossein Vafaei IRN [Deadline 10am]
10-5 Mark Williams [8] WAL v Jimmy Robertson ENG [Deadline 2:30pm]

Matches Starting on Monday 17th April
First Round Matches - Best of 19 Frames
10-6 Mark Allen [9] NIR v Fan Zhengyi CHN [Deadline 10am]
10-7 John Higgins [10] SCO v David Grace ENG [Deadline 2:30pm] JOKER
8-10 Robert Milkins [13] ENG v Joe Perry [Deadline 7pm]

Matches Starting on Tuesday 18th April
First Round Matches - Best of 19 Frames
10-9 Jack Lisowski [12] ENG v Noppon Saengkham [Deadline 10am]
10-8 Gary Wilson [15] ENG v Elliot Slessor ENG [Deadline 10am]
10-8 Judd Trump [5] ENG v Anthony McGill SCO [Deadline 2:30pm]

Matches Starting on Wednesday 19th April
First Round Matches - Best of 19 Frames
10-9 Kyren Wilson [7] ENG v Ryan Day WAL [Deadline 10am]
10-4 Mark Selby [2] ENG v Matthew Selt [Deadline 2:30pm]
10-8 Shaun Murphy [4] ENG v Si Jiahui [Deadline 7pm]

Bonus Predictions - Deadline 10am - Saturday 15th April
Tournament Winner: Mark Selby
Tournament Winner: Ronnie O'Sullivan
Maximum Break Makers (optional):
Highest Break Maker: Mark Selby
Highest Break: 145
Number of Century breaks: 108
Best performing qualifier: Joe Perry
Number of qualifiers to reach Round 2: 1

10-6 Ronnie O’Sullivan v Pang Junxu
10-8 Ding Junhui v Hossein Vafaei
10-7 Luca Brecel v Ricky Walden
10-6 Mark J Williams v Jimmy Robertson
10-8 Judd Trump v Anthony McGill
10-7 Jack Lisowski v Noppon Saengkham
7-10 Robert Milkins v Joe Perry
10-5 Shaun Murphy v Si Jiahui
10-7 Mark Allen v Fan Zhengyi
8-10 Stuart Bingham v David Gilbert
10-6 Ali Carter v Jak Jones
10-4 Neil Robertson v Wu Yize
10-6 Kyren Wilson v Ryan Day
10-5 John Higgins v David Grace JOKER
10-7 Gary Wilson v Eliot Slessor
10-6 Mark Selby v Matthew Selt

Tournament Winner: Mark Selby
Tournament Winner: Judd Trump
Maximum Break Makers (optional):
Highest Break Maker: Neil Robertson
Highest Break: 145
Number of Century breaks: 102
Best performing qualifier: David Gilbert
Number of qualifiers to reach Round 2: 4

Matches Starting on Saturday 15th April
First Round Matches - Best of 19 Frames
8-10 Ronnie O'Sullivan [1] ENG v Pang Junxu CHN [Deadline 10am]
6-10 Stuart Bingham [14] ENG v David Gilbert ENG [Deadline 10am]
9-10 Luca Brecel [9] BEL v Ricky Walden ENG [Deadline 2:30pm]
10-5 Neil Robertson [6] AUS v Wu Yize CHN [Deadline 2:30pm]
10-7 Allister Carter [11] ENG v Jak Jones WAL [Deadline 7pm]

Matches Starting on Sunday 16th April
First Round Matches - Best of 19 Frames
10-7 Ding Junhui [16] CHN v Hossein Vafaei IRN [Deadline 10am]
10-4 Mark Williams [8] WAL v Jimmy Robertson ENG [Deadline 2:30pm]

Matches Starting on Monday 17th April
First Round Matches - Best of 19 Frames
10-7 Mark Allen [9] NIR v Fan Zhengyi CHN [Deadline 10am]
10-6 John Higgins [10] SCO v David Grace ENG [Deadline 2:30pm]
8-10 Robert Milkins [13] ENG v Joe Perry [Deadline 7pm]

Matches Starting on Tuesday 18th April
First Round Matches - Best of 19 Frames
10-8 Jack Lisowski [12] ENG v Noppon Saengkham [Deadline 10am]
10-8 Gary Wilson [15] ENG v Elliot Slessor ENG [Deadline 10am]
9-10 Judd Trump [5] ENG v Anthony McGill SCO [Deadline 2:30pm]

Matches Starting on Wednesday 19th April
First Round Matches - Best of 19 Frames
10-8 Kyren Wilson [7] ENG v Ryan Day WAL [Deadline 10am]
10-5 Mark Selby [2] ENG v Matthew Selt [Deadline 2:30pm]
10-5 Shaun Murphy [4] ENG v Si Jiahui [Deadline 7pm]

Bonus Predictions - Deadline 10am - Saturday 15th April
Tournament Winner: Mark Selby
Tournament Winner: Shaun Murphy
Maximum Break Makers (optional): Ryan Day
Highest Break Maker: Neil Robertson
Highest Break:145
Number of Century breaks:125
Best performing qualifier: Ant McGill
Number of qualifiers to reach Round 2: 5

10-5 Ronnie O’Sullivan v Pang Junxu
7-10 Ding Junhui v Hossein Vafaei
8-10 Luca Brecel v Ricky Walden
10-5 Mark J Williams v Jimmy Robertson Joker
10-7 Judd Trump v Anthony McGill
10-9 Jack Lisowski v Noppon Saengkham
6-10 Robert Milkins v Joe Perry
10-6 Shaun Murphy v Si Jiahui
10-3 Mark Allen v Fan Zhengyi
10-8 Stuart Bingham v David Gilbert
10-7 Ali Carter v Jak Jones
10-2 Neil Robertson v Wu Yize
8-10 Kyren Wilson v Ryan Day
10-6 John Higgins v David Grace
10-8 Gary Wilson v Eliot Slessor
10-5 Mark Selby v Matthew Selt

Tournament Winner: Ronnie O'Sullivan
Tournament Winner: Mark Allen
Maximum Break Makers Ronnie O’Sullivan
Highest Break Maker: Ronnie O’Sullivan
Highest Break: 144
Number of Century breaks: 90
Best performing qualifier: Ryan Day
Number of qualifiers to reach Round 4