Redcafe Snooker

[Bertie Wooster]

It's gone without saying until now, but congratulations to Judd Trump for a fine Champion of Champions victory - losing just 5 frames in 4 matches.

The UK Championship starts today. One of those mad scheduling runs were, after mostly just qualifiers for a couple of months, we suddenly have 4 consecutive tournaments - without even a day's break between them for the last three.

So 27 days of consecutive Snooker coming up, and 34 days out of 35 counting the recent Champion of Champions. Drooling at the thought of it now but I'd prefer them spread out a bit more so we don't have such lengthy periods of no tournaments (I know the Turkish Masters was postponed, and I at least got to watch the qualifiers on Eurosport Player, but it's not great for players or fans going so long without a tournament).

 

[ChrisNelson]

It's this time of year where the Eurosport Player comes in to its own with the UK Open and Scottish Open (held in Wales...) back to back.

I think the top players breathe a sigh of relief to see best of 11 matches from the start, although they have been generally coping well with the shorter matches so far this season.

If Trump plays how he did at Bolton then no one will get close to him, but he's been on runs like this before and had us thinking he will win pretty much every ranking tournament all season only for someone to come along and surprise him.

I'll be in York at least once and probably Wales too, I'll wear something red .

 

[One Night Only]

Murphy saying amateurs shouldn't be allowed to play in tournaments guess who just got beat by an amateur

 

[ChrisNelson]

I really thought Si had bottled it when he got those 3 snookers, but missed the last blue on his clearance (the snookers were really tough too, Murphy must have been very frustrated but he did well on most of them, just not enough!).

That will have messed with his head, especially with him not even being on the main tour so it was a huge moment for him.

For Murphy to then get it back to a decider but then Si to get over the line was good old fashioned digging in.

 

[DavidDeSchmikes]

I'm at a loss with Murphy's rant. He's annoyed about amateurs in the tournament, yet he loses to one

 

[Dan_F]

I'm at a loss with Murphy's rant. He's annoyed about amateurs in the tournament, yet he loses to one

He’s basically saying they have no pressure on them as it’s not how they make a living. Apparently a lot of amateurs are better than low ranked pros.

The article reads as a parody though. I’m sure it has valid points, but as someone who barely watches more than a few matches a year, he comes across so badly.

 

[V.O.]

He’s basically saying they have no pressure on them as it’s not how they make a living. Apparently a lot of amateurs are better than low ranked pros.

The article reads as a parody though. I’m sure it has valid points, but as someone who barely watches more than a few matches a year, he comes across so badly.

Yeah, I'm sure the skint amateur trying to take his shot to make it at a major tournament is 'under less pressure' than Murphy with his several millions of pounds of prize money in the bank.

He couldn't have come off as more of a sore, whinging loser if he'd have tried.

 

[Dan_F]

Yeah, I'm sure the skint amateur trying to take his shot to make it at a major tournament is 'under less pressure' than Murphy with his several millions of pounds of prize money in the bank.

He couldn't have come off as more of a sore, whinging loser if he'd have tried.

Yeah I know. Plus, he’s free to go out and get a second job, like the amateurs, if he’s really struggling to make ends meet as a pro.

 

[Nico87]

Yeah I know. Plus, he’s free to go out and get a second job, like the amateurs, if he’s really struggling to make ends meet as a pro.

Apparently he himself also joined a pro golf tournament as a designated amateur.

 

[Pexbo]

Murphy has always been a pompous prick. Can bear the porcine cnut.

 

[V.O.]

Apparently he himself also joined a pro golf tournament as a designated amateur.

I'm sure he stuffed Phil Mickelson on the basis of not having to worry about playing full-time golf.

 

[Dan_F]

Apparently he himself also joined a pro golf tournament as a designated amateur.

I'm sure he stuffed Phil Mickelson on the basis of not having to worry about playing full-time golf.

Maybe that’s where United are going wrong. We should go and get a load of amateurs to play instead of the highly paid professionals…actually…

 

[ChrisNelson]

He’s been on Talksport this afternoon talking to Andy Goldstein.

Didn’t really help his cause much if I’m honest.

A former World Champion and winner of this event should have enough in the locker to defeat an amateur.

I appreciate that China produces so many players that the amateurs are probably better than some pros, however he still comes across badly.

He then went on to raise the subject of his neck injury, saying he might not make the Scottish Open, so it was open season on excuses!

 

[LawCharltonBest]

He’s been on Talksport this afternoon talking to Andy Goldstein.

Didn’t really help his cause much if I’m honest.

A former World Champion and winner of this event should have enough in the locker to defeat an amateur.

I appreciate that China produces so many players that the amateurs are probably better than some pros, however he still comes across badly.

He then went on to raise the subject of his neck injury, saying he might not make the Scottish Open, so it was open season on excuses!

Taking the Wilder approach then

 

[DOTA]

A lot of players seem to agree with Murphy, so I am trying to get my head round it but not managing too well. A lot of it seems be conflating an issue that seems worth talking about, in terms of pro player income insecurity, with this weird point about carefree amateurs.

Mark Williams below...

It is a 128 [man] tour and we never get 128 entries. I think it should be smaller, definitely. I think if you make it on to the main tour, you should be guaranteed a living. The only way you can do that is by cutting it down.

Which I think is fair but not really an argument that it's unfair for amateurs to compete? In practice it would reduce amateur entry but it's just an argument that the main tour should only accommodate as many pro players as they can provide a liveable income to even if they lose all their matches that season. It's not about the 'unfair advantage' amateur players have.

 

[Stevondo8]

A lot of players seem to agree with Murphy, so I am trying to get my head round it but not managing too well. A lot of it seems be conflating an issue that seems worth talking about, in terms of pro player income insecurity, with this weird point about carefree amateurs.

Mark Williams below...
Which I think is fair but not really an argument that it's unfair for amateurs to compete? In practice it would reduce amateur entry but it's just an argument that the main tour should only accommodate as many pro players as they can provide a liveable income to even if they lose all their matches that season. It's not about the 'unfair advantage' amateur players have.

Perhaps irrelevant, but is there a rule in golf whereby if an amateur wins the tournament, they don’t get the prize money? Feel like I remember that being a thing when Justin Rose nearly won the Open as an amateur (so probably very out of date by now, if it was ever even true). Guess would discourage amateurs from entering pro tournaments other than to see if they’re good enough to go pro…

 

[DOTA]

Perhaps irrelevant, but is there a rule in golf whereby if an amateur wins the tournament, they don’t get the prize money? Feel like I remember that being a thing when Justin Rose nearly won the Open as an amateur (so probably very out of date by now, if it was ever even true). Guess would discourage amateurs from entering pro tournaments other than to see if they’re good enough to go pro…

Don't really know anything about golf but if you're gonna call your tournament 'the Open'...

 

[Stevondo8]

Don't really know anything about golf but if you're gonna call your tournament 'the Open'...

Name will pre-date professional golf I’d imagine, started in the 1800’s.

 

[Ekkie Thump]

Don't really know anything about golf but if you're gonna call your tournament 'the Open'...

"The slightly ajar" doesn't have the same ring.

 

[G-manc]

Isn't there a rule in snooker that places are filled by the top ranking amateurs if pros can't compete which i understand is the case here due to quarantine etc?

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Isn't there a rule in snooker that places are filled by the top ranking amateurs if pros can't compete which i understand is the case here due to quarantine etc?

Yeah, that's what happens. And performances at Q-school decide who gets the first opportunities - so the amateurs who did best at Q-school (excluding the ones who actually made it onto the circuit) are the first replacements, and so on.

Murphy, et al, obviously know that but I assume it's that rule that they're criticising. But I'm not sure if they want all the players to get a bye when others withdraw? If they think there should be fewer 128 player tournaments in the first place (especially with only 122 pros on the tour)? Or if they think there should be more spots for pros (at least 128) on the circuit so no need to include amateurs in the 128 player tournaments?

Personally, I like getting the opportunity to see the up and coming U21 amateurs I read about (such as Paul Deaville, Stan Moody, Ben Mertens, etc). And it provides good experience for them. But I guess I can see some validity in the comments when it's 30-50+ year old former pros playing as amateurs. But I wouldn't change it, especially it if it meant byes for players instead.

 

[Ayush_reddevil]

It’s a pretty needless controversy from an absolutely ridiculous argument put forward by Murphy & the other pros. You lost to an amateur so just praise him and move on rather than making a fool of yourself

 

[Parma Dewol]

Anybody else finding the yellow bar across the bottom of the screen distracting?

 

[ChrisNelson]

Anybody else finding the yellow bar across the bottom of the screen distracting?

It’s annoying isn’t it! No need for it to go all the way along!

 

[Parma Dewol]

It’s annoying isn’t it! No need for it to go all the way along!

It’s as though they’re insisting on screen burn.

 

[DavidDeSchmikes]

Hossein Vafaei 5-0 up on Selby

 

[Name Changed]

Hossein Vafaei 5-0 up on Selby

Lost 6-2.

 

[ChrisNelson]

That has to go down as one of the most inspired underdog performances.

Selby just couldn't get a sniff.

He joins Murphy, Robertson, Ding (whose world ranking could drop to somewhere in the 20s) and Yan as early high profile casualties.

The top quarter of the draw is now wide open, with Brecel to face Maguire in the next round and Walden against Hamilton.

Always good to see Maguire do well at York as I was there for the final in 2004 when he won it.

Not sure who we'll get to see this week though!

Edit: Mark Williams out too, who managed to fall asleep during his match! Must have ignored him following our Twitter disagreement last year .

 

[0le]

I watched half of the Selby game. In the last couple of frames I thought Selby would stage a comeback. The sixth and winning frame that Vafaei won was decided on a respotted black, after Selby potted it but made a foul when the cue ball went into the middle pocket. A really enjoyable game.

O Sullivan has also played pretty well so far.

 

[Ekkie Thump]

Graeme Dott looks like an absolutely furious brussels sprout.

This is my only observation.

 

[0le]

Wilson looks like he has just won the game by scoring two flukes in the final frame.

 

[BeforeKeanetherewasRobson]

I watched half of the Selby game. In the last couple of frames I thought Selby would stage a comeback. The sixth and winning frame that Vafaei won was decided on a respotted black, after Selby potted it but made a foul when the cue ball went into the middle pocket. A really enjoyable game.

O Sullivan has also played pretty well so far.

Ironic Vafaei won the respot after a double (unintentional) in the middle after respot was only needed after Selby went in off the black in the other middle.

Impressed with that lad.. calm, ticked away, good breaks.

 

[ChrisNelson]

Graeme Dott looks like an absolutely furious brussels sprout.

This is my only observation.

He's not a very good loser. He conceded a frame last night when he didn't need snookers and even if the black and some reds are safe that's not a cool move.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

He's not a very good loser. He conceded a frame last night when he didn't need snookers and even if the black and some reds are safe that's not a cool move.

Yeah, he never looks a bundle of laughs at the best of times and certainly comes across as a bad loser when things aren't going well - similar to the likes of Anthony McGill and Ali Carter (The King of Bad Losers).

The conceding a frame one was weird though. Jack Lisowski got a couple of big flukes in his break that left him 24 ahead with the colours on, and Dott was clearly wound up by it and so when he played a poor shot to leave the Yellow on for Jack he conceded - but then when he sat down he seemed to look at the scoreboard and reacted as if he'd just realised he could still win. So I think that was maybe a combination of his bad temper leading him to lose concentration and get the score wrong in his head?

 

[RobinLFC]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Incredible ball placement for the next red one, wow.

 

[Vernon Philander]

I'm really liking this new animation the BBC has between the TV shots

 

[ChrisNelson]

Trump is having a shocker here. Already looks like I'll be watching a couple of players from the Dog & Duck when I go on Thursday!

To be fair he's just had a horrible kick on a red, and he has a good lead in the frame but he's 2-4 down against Matt Selt.

 

[ChrisNelson]

This 8th frame is diabolical, I reckon I could beat them the way they're playing! So many bad shots and missed chances, Selt with a chance to finally seal it, nothing safe.

 

[V.O.]

This 8th frame is diabolical, I reckon I could beat them the way they're playing! So many bad shots and missed chances, Selt with a chance to finally seal it, nothing safe.

Shit snooker

Give me two players bottling it left and right and fighting over the last red for 20 minutes in a high stakes frame over them taking it in turns to pot centuries all day.

 

[Ekkie Thump]

Trump misfiring all over the place. 5-3 Selt.