Redcafe Snooker

[Pexbo]

True, but someone could play just as well with a cheaper cue and do not need to go down the Parris type route unless they are a serious player.

You could and there is probably a level where you will begin to see a difference however I would argue that the process of having a bespoke cue weighted, balanced and tailored to your specifications and action would help anyone capable of stringing a few pots together and that’s probably the most valuable thing you’re paying for.

By the same logic though, given a good range of £50-£100 cues of varying weights, lengths and ferrule sizes to trial you’d probably find a queue that is as appropriate for you as any tailored £600 cue.

 

[Bondi77]

You could and there is probably a level where you will begin to see a difference however I would argue that the process of having a bespoke cue weighted, balanced and tailored to your specifications and action would help anyone capable of stringing a few pots together and that’s probably the most valuable thing you’re paying for.

By the same logic though, given a good range of £50-£100 cues of varying weights, lengths and ferrule sizes to trial you’d probably find a queue that is as appropriate for you as any tailored £600 cue.

I think between you and I we have provided a few good options for the original poster.

 

[Jake]

True, but someone could play just as well with a cheaper cue and do not need to go down the Parris type route unless they are a serious player.

It’s more the craftsmanship I’m after. Something I can hopefully pass down in the family at some point.

Obviously the performance is important too, but I just think a great cue is something that would last for years.

I should have mentioned that this was also a 30th birthday present from my partner. She said she would spend £500 and really I don’t need for anything, so I thought a proper pool/snooker cue would be nice seeing as we both love to play pool.

Are there any other great cue makers out there apart from Parris? I’m just thinking if I have to wait years for my cue it might ruin the enjoyment out of it

 

[Port Vale Devil]

Started playing snooker again a couple of years ago and personally I wouldn’t be spending £500 on a cue straight away. I got one off Amazon for £50 and it is adequate for my level. Maybe I will upgrade at some point as enjoy playing weekly but if you are just getting into the game then I would get a cheapo one to start with as you may enjoy playing regular but will your mate keep playing also.

 

[Bondi77]

It’s more the craftsmanship I’m after. Something I can hopefully pass down in the family at some point.

Obviously the performance is important too, but I just think a great cue is something that would last for years.

I should have mentioned that this was also a 30th birthday present from my partner. She said she would spend £500 and really I don’t need for anything, so I thought a proper pool/snooker cue would be nice seeing as we both love to play pool.

Are there any other great cue makers out there apart from Parris? I’m just thinking if I have to wait years for my cue it might ruin the enjoyment out of it

I am sure there are but I live in the Southern Hemisphere so would not be of any great help.
Just go into one of the good snooker halls in your area and get chatting to the good players and they should hopefully point you in the right direction.

 

[ChrisNelson]

Early German Masters exits for Lisowski, Bingham, Murphy, Ding, Selby and Brecel.

The draw is really heavily weighted towards the top half with Carter, Williams, Allen, Higgins and Trump up there.

The bottom half is very open and players like Gilbert (former finalist), Day (former semi-finalist and five time quarter-finalist) and Milkins (semi-finalist last year) will fancy their chances. Wilson and N. Robertson are also down there but would meet in the quarter-finals.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Another trophy win for Judd.

He's having another great season and has definitely learned, like all proven winners have to, how to win matches with a strong B game as he didn't always have his A game this week.

If it wasn't for Trump and O'Sullivan (as well as Covid and match fixing!), the inevitable Chinese domination would be much further down the line as they keep reaching semi finals and finals but then coming up against those two!

Good to see a bit of improvement in Neil Robertson this tournament. Hopefully he'll find his form again and get back to his best - he needs to quickly as there's a lot of ranking points dropping off his total and he could find himself dropping way down if he doesn't go deep into the remaining tournaments.

 

[ChrisNelson]

I think the Chinese takeover was stalled massively by the match fixing scandal. Yan was probably going to go on and become the most successful Asian player but then got banned.

So they've almost had to reset but it looks like Si is here to stay, the pressure was just a bit too much for him in the end and Judd revels in that Tempodrom, picking up a third win.

He's having a great season but I think Ronnie has cursed him by describing him as the player to beat, his tournament favourite. I think that's a leap personally because let's face it he's 34 and should have won more than one by now, his Crucible record is average at best.

As for Robbo he's been a shadow of the 2011 and century of centuries version of himself for a long time and I don't think he has the consistency to mount a challenge. The fact that he will probably have to qualify for the Worlds tells you all you need to know about his form.

I think it needs another James Cahill performance against Ronnie to stop him - James was totally fearless in a way very rarely seen against Ronnie, even the top players have a big mental block against him and play the player and not the table. It's just a shame James sank in to relative obscurity after that win (starting in the next round, I was there to see Stephen Maguire knock him out).

Robbo has even talked about it in a recent interview, saying how bad he's been and not getting any luck as his opponents put him away, but Ronnie has had an average season in terms of his quality on the table but players just aren't taking chances against him.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Yeah, the match fixing took two of the strongest three away at the time, in Yan and Zhao, with just Ding* as the one around the top 16. Though there's a good few coming through again that look like they'll win plenty over the years. And Zhang already reached the top 16 now.

*Regarding Ding, he's such a huge figure amongst the Chinese Snooker players - most practising at his club, seeing him as the Father / Grandfather / Godfather of the Chinese Snooker revolution - that it's an amazing thing that so many of them managed to do all that match fixing amongst them all without him even knowing a thing about it. But he mustn't have done, of course, as haven't players (Jamie Jones one) got banned in the past just for knowing about the actions of others and not reporting them? So somehow he must have been oblivious to it all.

 

[Jake]

Has anyone ever played with an O’Min cue made in Thailand?

I’ve heard they are really good and they have a warehouse in Bangkok so thinking I might visit when I’m there in a few weeks to pick one up. Cheaper than a Parris and they should have stock for me to try out etc. Just wondering if anyone on the caf has heard of them / used one?

 

[cyberman]

Has anyone ever played with an O’Min cue made in Thailand?

I’ve heard they are really good and they have a warehouse in Bangkok so thinking I might visit when I’m there in a few weeks to pick one up. Cheaper than a Parris and they should have stock for me to try out etc. Just wondering if anyone on the caf has heard of them / used one?

I swear I was researching this a few months ago and came across this post on Reddit

 

[Jake]

I swear I was researching this a few months ago and came across this post on Reddit

I’ve only heard really good reviews about them and think it would be interesting to visit the factory and buy one straight from there. Seriously thinking of picking one up with a case so can bring back to the UK.

They still aren’t cheap though!

 

[Brophs]

File this under utterly needless.

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[Bertie Wooster]

Interesting match going on (for me, anyway!) between Alexander Ursenbacher and Liam Davies.

I like seeing players from other European countries on the tour, so hoping Ursenbacher can pick up enough points to stay on it this time. And I'm a fan of young Liam Davies, and keep wanting him to get on the tour.

There were four I was hoping for in the last couple of years - Moody, Mertens and Leclercq have all made it on to the tour, Davies just keeps falling short. But he's still only 17 so plenty of time.

He's certainly started well so far - won a pre-qualifier yesterday 4-0, and breaks of 74 and 119 have given him an early 2-0 lead.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Interesting match going on (for me, anyway!) between Alexander Ursenbacher and Liam Davies.

I like seeing players from other European countries on the tour, so hoping Ursenbacher can pick up enough points to stay on it this time. And I'm a fan of young Liam Davies, and keep wanting him to get on the tour.

There were four I was hoping for in the last couple of years - Moody, Mertens and Leclercq have all made it on to the tour, Davies just keeps falling short. But he's still only 17 so plenty of time.

He's certainly started well so far - won a pre-qualifier yesterday 4-0, and breaks of 74 and 119 have given him an early 2-0 lead.

Great effort from Liam Davies to get another 4-0 win. Though, on the flip side, worrying signs for Ursenbacher!

Davies' first 4-0 win was in a pre-qualifier, so that Ursenbacher game was a delayed qualifying (1st round) match. He's now into the last 64 against Duane Jones - who was a replacement for Judd Trump, so a great chance for either to get into the last 32 of a ranking event (where they'd face a tough game v Matt Selt).

 

[LawCharltonBest]

File this under utterly needless.

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Well the headline makes it seem worse than it is IMO. The comment seemed to be aimed at snooker players generally rather than the one in question specifically.

And he's spot on with the comments I think. But very blunt which a lot of people don't like because it can seem nasty.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Well the headline makes it seem worse than it is IMO. The comment seemed to be aimed at snooker players generally rather than the one in question specifically.

And he's spot on with the comments I think. But very blunt which a lot of people don't like because it can seem nasty.

Yeah, I think it's just that difficult balance between pundits being too bland / too outspoken.

So many pundits use a lot of words to say very little of note. Especially at a sport like Snooker, where it's a smaller community and they don't want to be too critical of any of the players - particularly those down the rankings or top up amateurs. So they're more positive about them than they're performances merit. So when you get someone like Ronnie being quite frank and blunt about those level of players, it comes across even worse as no one else wants to say it.

He shouldn't say players should give up though - he said similar about Daniel Wells last year (that he should stay an amateur as he's not really good enough for the tour), and he's having a good first season back on it. But I've no problem with him having a high standard for those on tour, and being blunt about those hardly picking up any wins at all. Maybe he goes too far at times, but it's more interesting and valid points being made than the bland nicey-nicey approach most adopt.

 

[ChrisNelson]

As someone who keeps playing the mental health card his comments are a disgrace, but not at all unexpected.

This is the guy who isn't playing because of stage fright and anxiety but happy to sit in a TV studio in front of the cameras and tell a fellow professional to quit the sport.

I really am starting to detest the man.

Good win earlier for Milkins who I've always followed since I saw him at the Crucible during his first run of appearances there (he qualified 2002 - 2005 but then not again until 2013). He's the defending champion too. He could get Lisowski in the last 16.

For saying there's no Trump or O'Sullivan the draw still looks good and evenly weighted between top and bottom half.

Interestingly for @Bertie Wooster Moody and Leclercq are on a collision course in the last 16, with Mertens also in that quarter.

 

[Hugh Jass]

A little bit of gratitude and humility would be due from ronnie.

 

[ChrisNelson]

A little bit of gratitude and humility would be due from ronnie.

You'll be waiting until hell freezes over for that mate.

He treats the sport and his fellow pros like crap and just comes across as an awful human being - this is exactly the type of thing why he's not considered for SPOTY.

 

[Pexbo]

Love how Ronnie rattles Chris

 

[Bertie Wooster]

As someone who keeps playing the mental health card his comments are a disgrace, but not at all unexpected.

This is the guy who isn't playing because of stage fright and anxiety but happy to sit in a TV studio in front of the cameras and tell a fellow professional to quit the sport.

I really am starting to detest the man.

Good win earlier for Milkins who I've always followed since I saw him at the Crucible during his first run of appearances there (he qualified 2002 - 2005 but then not again until 2013). He's the defending champion too. He could get Lisowski in the last 16.

For saying there's no Trump or O'Sullivan the draw still looks good and evenly weighted between top and bottom half.

Interestingly for @Bertie Wooster Moody and Leclercq are on a collision course in the last 16, with Mertens also in that quarter.

Milkins v Lisowksi would be a very entertaining last 16 game - though don't fancy Jack getting past Gary Wilson in the last 32. He's been in really rubbish form for a while now, and yet needs a very good end to the season if he's to end it in the top 16.

Any of Moody, Mertens or Leclercq reaching the last 16 would be great. Though they all have tough last 64 matches against the likes of Vafaei, Brown and Zhengyi - so they've got their work cut out to get to the last 32 let alone the last 16.

 

[ChrisNelson]

As things stand Lisowski is level on ranking points with Wilson so would need to go further than him to enter the top 16 at his expense.

He's got a lot of players breathing down his neck that remain in the draw.

It's certainly going to be an exciting run in to the Tour Championship as only the top 12 on the one-year list qualify for that and players 1-4 are seeded straight in to the QF's.

Sheffield also seems to come around quicker every year!

 

[Bertie Wooster]

@ChrisNelson, how do you rate Oliver Lines?

He's one I can never work out (along with Sam Craigie), as to whether he should be doing better than he is? Craigie has come close to the top 32 recently, but has dropped away again. Lines is round about low 50's, but that's about as high as he's got so far.

I get the feeling there's a potential top 32 player in both, especially Craigie. Or do you think one or both is lacking something to achieve that?

 

[ChrisNelson]

@ChrisNelson, how do you rate Oliver Lines?

He's one I can never work out (along with Sam Craigie), as to whether he should be doing better than he is? Craigie has come close to the top 32 recently, but has dropped away again. Lines is round about low 50's, but that's about as high as he's got so far.

I get the feeling there's a potential top 32 player in both, especially Craigie. Or do you think one or both is lacking something to achieve that?

I think you could argue both have let time get the better of them and I'm not sure they could sustain a top 32 place even if they had a freak tournament in which they went deep and propelled themselves upwards.

One is 28 and the other 30 and I know that isn't particularly old, Trump was 29 when he won the World.

I've seen a bit of each of them, more Lines than Craigie and I think Lines a few years ago might have been able to make a push, especially as his house will have been literally all snooker with his dad only recently retired from the main tour!

I actually thought Craigie had dropped off the tour for a year or two but must have been thinking of someone else (Michael White probably).

They're those types of player that you expect to see maybe win the odd first round match in the main tournaments but as soon as they come up against a decent player they're out - I'm struggling to think of a landmark victory by either player.


Do you think any of your young mob have a World in them one day?

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Do you think any of your young mob have a World in them one day?

That would be a huge shout if I predicted that!

While my slight favourite amongst them is Ben Mertens, if I had to guess right now which one is more likely to win more trophies (including the World's?) then I'd for Stan Moody.

Although the current World Champion is obviously Belgian, it's often rightly said how it's much tougher for the non-UK players (and now there's so many players and tournaments in Asia I'd add them to the UK ones as well). So Mertens and Leclercq face that tougher task.

Right now there's an intriguing battle for them both looking to stay on the tour. Leclercq is just in the top 64, Mertens just out. And both in and amongst it on the one year list. Looks like, especially with Mertens, it's going to come down to having to get through a few rounds of the world championship qualifiers.

Liam Davies looks a solid player as well, and I'm a surprised he's not yet joined the others on the tour. He's often there or thereabouts in the later stages but hasn't yet managed it. He's currently 2nd in this year's Q Tour table, but will have to go into the play offs with the others as Michael Holt has run away with it winning 3 of the 6 tournaments.

 

[ChrisNelson]

I think that's an interesting point about the Belgian players, Brecel winning it will have given the other players a huge boost!

Although his form since probably won't have!

I agree about Moody and he's barely out of nappies so has loads of time! He feels like the Luke Littler of snooker.

The other thing is that when Trump came through as a generational talent he still had to contend with peak Ronnie who has almost certainly been the difference between Trump becoming a multiple champion and not.

By the time Moody is being talked about as a top seed, the Class of 92 will be well past their best if not retired.

 

[Bertie Wooster]

Good point about Stan Moody not having the Class of 92 to contend with by the time he's (hopefully) hitting his prime. Though by then he'll probably have to deal with plenty of top Asian talent, and with much of the tour in Asia (Saudi Arabia 'buying the 4th Major' is a sign of what's ahead!)

Great win for Moody this morning against Jordan Brown. It looked like he might have an Amateur opponent in the last 32 in Alfie Davies, but Dominic Dale fought back from 3-1 down to win 4-3. So the complete opposite - a very experienced opponent instead.

 

[ChrisNelson]

I can't remember seeing such a heavily weighted draw as this is in the top quarter. It contains:

Milkins
Gilbert
Lisowski
Wilson
McGill
M. Williams
Walden (won 4-3 from 0-3 down)
N. Robertson

That's an insane amount of talent for one quarter in a Home Nations event.

There are big names elsewhere but that's really competitive, especially for saying Trump and O'Sullivan aren't taking part.

 

[poleglass red]

Good to see UFC fighter Tony Ferguson referee the Brecel v O'Connor game

 

[WR]

I think that's an interesting point about the Belgian players, Brecel winning it will have given the other players a huge boost!

Although his form since probably won't have!

I agree about Moody and he's barely out of nappies so has loads of time! He feels like the Luke Littler of snooker.

The other thing is that when Trump came through as a generational talent he still had to contend with peak Ronnie who has almost certainly been the difference between Trump becoming a multiple champion and not.

By the time Moody is being talked about as a top seed, the Class of 92 will be well past their best if not retired.

With all respect to Moody it's a disservice to Littler to compare him to Moody. Littler got beat in his debut season in the WC final and has gone on to win 2 tournaments since. A more apt comparison to Littler might be 17 year old Ronnie breaking through and winning the UK championship!

 

[ChrisNelson]

Yeah that's probably a fair point but I'd be interested to see in 20 years how many major titles each of them has. I think that Littler's competition will ramp up a lot quicker than Moody's.

I've just watched an absolute paint-dryer of a frame between Dominic Dale and Stan Moody where Moody needed a snooker and put Dale in about 10 of them before losing one of the longest frames I've ever seen.

Dale then went on to win 4-1 but that frame was horrific, some terrible misses by both players.

 

[predator]

Fearing the worst for O'Donnell here against Wilson. Wouldn't be surprised if it ends a whitewash.

 

[Ayush_reddevil]

There has been a lot of conversation about playing on for snookers, I am all for it but would prefer if they stopped it at 2. Gary Wilson up 4-0 playing on needing 3 snookers seems just silly.

 

[Pexbo]

There has been a lot of conversation about playing on for snookers, I am all for it but would prefer if they stopped it at 2. Gary Wilson up 4-0 playing on needing 3 snookers seems just silly.

I think it should be entirely up to the player chasing. If they’re ten snookers behind, any competent opponent should be able to play percentage shots to chip away to the finish line and you make sure you keep the remaining colours spread out and against the cushions while you are at it. It’s really not difficult to win when you are a few snookers ahead.

 

[Shane88]

The way these lads are playing I'd fancy taking a frame or two off them.

 

[ChrisNelson]

There has been a lot of conversation about playing on for snookers, I am all for it but would prefer if they stopped it at 2. Gary Wilson up 4-0 playing on needing 3 snookers seems just silly.

All depends on where the balls are.

Let's say the baulk colours are bunched together, that's a good target and if the remaining target balls are close to the black that brings in to play a 7 point reward instead of a 4 point reward and also the possibility of a free ball.

So I don't think, as much as it would probably speed up the sport, that you can suggest removing a players ability to play on for snookers because the circumstances of each individual setup of the table are so unique.

 

[Jake]

Okay, after a lot of research I’ve landed on a Ton Praram cue from Bangkok. Heading over to Thailand for a holiday in 3 weeks so will have a test of his cue’s in his warehouse and order one to be shipped back.

Hopefully I don’t change my mind again!

 

[predator]

Selby whitewashes Ronnie 6-0. Madness. Selby is my favourite player so personally I am happy but at the same time would've preferred a good match between them. Hopefully Selby can kick on from this because he's been out of sorts lately.

I must say Ronnie looked old tonight, and with him pulling out of the Welsh open recently due to 'stage freight', I genuinely hope he is OK, despite not being his biggest fan.

 

[ChrisNelson]

Selby whitewashes Ronnie 6-0. Madness. Selby is my favourite player so personally I am happy but at the same time would've preferred a good match between them. Hopefully Selby can kick on from this because he's been out of sorts lately.

I must say Ronnie looked old tonight, and with him pulling out of the Welsh open recently due to 'stage freight', I genuinely hope he is OK, despite not being his biggest fan.

Was just about to put this on (following a standard pub quiz win ) and saw Selby had won 6-0!

Happy-ish because I can’t stand O’Sullivan but mad score that is.