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Your favourite ever match session at the crucible?

Postby Pink Ball

Three are jumping out at me.

The first is the final session of Steve Davis v John Higgins in 2010 - absolutely mind bendingly astonishing.

The second is Sullivan's obliteration of Hendry in the second session of their semi-final - still the best session of snooker I've ever seen from a player.

The third, and greatest in my opinion, is the final session of the 2006 final. To this day, I will never understand how Dott found it in himself to hold off THAT comeback from Ebdon.

Re: Your favourite ever match session at the crucible?

Postby Cheshire Cat

ROS v Robbo 2012 second session - it has sentimental value for me, but it still epitomises much of what makes snooker so captivating.

Robbo was pre tournament favourite, in serious form and led 5-3 after the first session. In no time at all Ronnie made it 5-5 and stormed on from there. Robbo just collapsed mentally. All of a sudden the break building, the potting, everything had gone and Robbo was at the mercy of an ROS onslaught.

The mental side of the game fascinates me. I loved seeing how such a poker faced and formidable player like Neil Robertson just imploded as ROS began front running. It might have been the 3rd session where Robbo played this daft negative roll up to a red near the black and left Ronnie a simple tap off the red to leave the cue ball tucked up behind the black. Virgo called it a schoolboy error from Robbo and it cost him the frame -- Robbo would have never made that mistake under normal circumstances, but it just showed the sheer pressure he was under from O'Sullivan.

Re: Your favourite ever match session at the crucible?

Postby vodkadiet

1. Terry Griffiths vs Joe Johnson 3rd and final session 1986
2. Tony Knowles vs Jimmy White 3rd and final session 1985
3. Peter Ebdon vs Ronnie O'Sullivan final session 2005
4. John Higgins vs Mark Williams 3rd session 2011
5. Stephen Hendry vs Ken Doherty final session 2002

Re: Your favourite ever match session at the crucible?

Postby Muppet147

vodkadiet wrote:1. Terry Griffiths vs Joe Johnson 3rd and final session 1986
2. Tony Knowles vs Jimmy White 3rd and final session 1985
3. Peter Ebdon vs Ronnie O'Sullivan final session 2005
4. John Higgins vs Mark Williams 3rd session 2011
5. Stephen Hendry vs Ken Doherty final session 2002


Some very good choices there, Vodka.

I remember watching the Johnson - Griffiths session. I think Joe was 12-9 down before winning...?

Re: Your favourite ever match session at the crucible?

Postby GJ

Even though it wasn't the result I wanted

The last session between robbo and hawk was quality last year , I recall wildey saying it was one of the best sessions ever seen at the crucible.

Re: Your favourite ever match session at the crucible?

Postby vodkadiet

Muppet147 wrote:
vodkadiet wrote:1. Terry Griffiths vs Joe Johnson 3rd and final session 1986
2. Tony Knowles vs Jimmy White 3rd and final session 1985
3. Peter Ebdon vs Ronnie O'Sullivan final session 2005
4. John Higgins vs Mark Williams 3rd session 2011
5. Stephen Hendry vs Ken Doherty final session 2002


Some very good choices there, Vodka.

I remember watching the Johnson - Griffiths session. I think Joe was 12-9 down before winning...?


Yes, he was Muppet. A great final 4 frames from Johnson. He was fated to win that year.

My first ever visit to The Crucible was the Knowles vs White quarter final in 1985. I remember vividly TK wearing his sparkly waistcoat! Jimmy was 12-9 down and snatched the next frame on the black, but TK won the next for a 13-10 win. Unfortunately he was abysmal against Taylor in the semi.
Last edited by vodkadiet on 15 Apr 2016, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Your favourite ever match session at the crucible?

Postby PLtheRef

For me it has to be the final session of Hunter and Doherty back in 2003.

We've had fantastic sessions before, and we've had fantastic sessions since and no doubt we'll see them again but there's something around that match and indeed that year of Doherty that makes 2003 something rather special. It's a match no one who was there will forget (and I'm lucky enough to have been someone there)

Re: Your favourite ever match session at the crucible?

Postby GJ

PLtheRef wrote:For me it has to be the final session of Hunter and Doherty back in 2003.

We've had fantastic sessions before, and we've had fantastic sessions since and no doubt we'll see them again but there's something around that match and indeed that year of Doherty that makes 2003 something rather special. It's a match no one who was there will forget (and I'm lucky enough to have been someone there)



Were you there for Robbo v Gould final session :-D

Re: Your favourite ever match session at the crucible?

Postby PLtheRef

GJ wrote:
PLtheRef wrote:For me it has to be the final session of Hunter and Doherty back in 2003.

We've had fantastic sessions before, and we've had fantastic sessions since and no doubt we'll see them again but there's something around that match and indeed that year of Doherty that makes 2003 something rather special. It's a match no one who was there will forget (and I'm lucky enough to have been someone there)



Were you there for Robbo v Gould final session :-D


I wasn't actually - I was in Tudor Square during the morning following Higgins v Davis and then went out in the afternoon and came back and found it had just gone to the decider. From 5-11 down you knew who'd win once it had gone 12-12. - And all the talk surrounding Steve's win seemed to be mached with excitement of having a great chance to reach the semis

Re: Your favourite ever match session at the crucible?

Postby Muppet147

vodkadiet wrote:
Muppet147 wrote:
vodkadiet wrote:1. Terry Griffiths vs Joe Johnson 3rd and final session 1986
2. Tony Knowles vs Jimmy White 3rd and final session 1985
3. Peter Ebdon vs Ronnie O'Sullivan final session 2005
4. John Higgins vs Mark Williams 3rd session 2011
5. Stephen Hendry vs Ken Doherty final session 2002


Some very good choices there, Vodka.

I remember watching the Johnson - Griffiths session. I think Joe was 12-9 down before winning...?


Yes, he was Muppet. A great final 4 frames from Johnson. He was fated to win that year.

My first ever visit to The Crucible was the Knowles vs White quarter final in 1985. I remember vividly TK wearing his sparkly waistcoat! Jimmy was 12-9 down and snatched the next frame on the black, but TK won the next for a 13-10 win. Unfortunately he was abysmal against Taylor in the semi.


Yes, he got beaten by Taylor with a session to spare. Taylor is a bit of a twerp but he really did play well that year. I think he won his first ranking tournament that season (the Grand Prix) before coming to Sheffield and defeating Davis.

Re: Your favourite ever match session at the crucible?

Postby vodkadiet

Muppet147 wrote:My favourite was way back in 1984 when White began the third session of the final trailing Davis 12-4. By the end of the afternoon, he was only 13-11 behind. Still lost of course. But exciting.


Muppet. Yes, that session was ace! The match was over for all intents and purposes, and then it came alive. And then John Virgo did his comedy routine!

'Alec Higgins would play the black something like this....'

Re: Your favourite ever match session at the crucible?

Postby Dan-cat

SnookerFan wrote:I was going to pick that Steve Davis final session before I read your post.

Has it been six years? :shock:


I loved Steve's run in this. I remember posting 'C'mon Steve!!!!!!!!' as my facebook status, to deafening silence.

What a great man he is. He's DJing in a club near my house in May I'm gonna go give him a hug.

Re: Your favourite ever match session at the crucible?

Postby SnookerFan

Dan-cat wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:I was going to pick that Steve Davis final session before I read your post.

Has it been six years? :shock:


I loved Steve's run in this. I remember posting 'C'mon Steve!!!!!!!!' as my facebook status, to deafening silence.

What a great man he is. He's DJing in a club near my house in May I'm gonna go give him a hug.


At the time, I was living with a flat mate. I was sat there watching, when Davis was a few balls from winning, holding a pillow to my face almost too afraid to watch.

Flatmate and a mate walked in. Laughed and took the snake hiss. I told flatmate and friend to go buck themselves, and carried on watching from behind my cushion.

Re: Your favourite ever match session at the crucible?

Postby Muppet147

SnookerFan wrote:
Dan-cat wrote:
SnookerFan wrote:I was going to pick that Steve Davis final session before I read your post.

Has it been six years? :shock:


I loved Steve's run in this. I remember posting 'C'mon Steve!!!!!!!!' as my facebook status, to deafening silence.

What a great man he is. He's DJing in a club near my house in May I'm gonna go give him a hug.


At the time, I was living with a flat mate. I was sat there watching, when Davis was a few balls from winning, holding a pillow to my face almost too afraid to watch.

Flatmate and a mate walked in. Laughed and took the snake hiss. I told flatmate and friend to go buck themselves, and carried on watching from behind my cushion.


You were holding a pillow...? Were you in bed with your flatmate at the time?

Re: Your favourite ever match session at the crucible?

Postby SnookerEd25

ROS v Andy Hicks, 2nd round 2004, 2nd session; Ronnie steamrollered his way to the title that year, take out the Hicks match & his frame totals for the tournament were 58-19 (inc. 17-3 v. a still dangerous Hendry in the semi), yet Hicks lived with him and that middle session was like 2 boxers going toe-to-toe and just hammering away at each other. They resumed at 4-4, left at 8-8, and almost every frame seemed to be one-chance snooker. Took my breath away. Still can't understand how Hicks' 1995 SF remains his best ever performance; many 'lesser' players have won ranking events, in my opinion...

(Ronnie prevailed 13-11 in the end, btw; the final session wasn't bad either!)