2023 World Snooker Championship - 3rd April to 1st May

[ic1male]

Qualifying stages from Monday 3rd April to Wednesday 12th April at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield available to watch on EuroSport/Discovery+.
Final stages from Saturday 15th April to Monday 1st May at The Crucible, Sheffield available to watch on BBC/EuroSport/Discovery+.

Stephen Hendry off to a blinder this morning in his first match. Century break in the first frame! I hope he makes it all the way to the finals.

 

[ltron]

Qualifying stages from Monday 3rd April to Wednesday 12th April at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield available to watch on EuroSport/Discovery+.
Final stages from Saturday 15th April to Monday 1st May at The Crucible, Sheffield available to watch on BBC/EuroSport/Discovery+.

Stephen Hendry off to a blinder this morning in his first match. Century break in the first frame! I hope he makes it all the way to the finals.

Unfortunately that good form didn't last long and he is being steamrolled by his former nephew (an interesting turn of events). Hendry was my favourite player in the 1990s, I like winners; he has a pretty good YouTube channel now.

 

[robfosters]

Qualifying all done now and draw made. First round is as follows:

Ronnie O'Sullivan v Pang Junxu

Ding Junhui v Hossein Vafaei

Luca Brecel v Ricky Walden

Mark Williams v Jimmy Robertson

Judd Trump v Anthony McGill

Jack Lisowski v Noppon Saengkham

Robert Milkins v Joe Perry

Shaun Murphy v Si Jiahui

Mark Allen v Fan Zhengyi

Stuart Bingham v David Gilbert

Ali Carter v Jak Jones

Neil Robertson v Wu Yize

Kyren Wilson v Ryan Day

John Higgins v David Grace

Gary Wilson v Elliot Slessor

Mark Selby v Matthew Selt

No Barry Hawkins or Stephen Maguire for the first time in years.

Really struggling to see any upsets in that first round, looks pretty straightforward for the seeds. Possible exception for Trump as McGill is a canny player and has caused top players lots of problems at the crucible.

Ronnie’s not playing well enough this year and is still having tip issues. I can see a quarter final at best for him this year. Murphy stands out for me, he’s had a great year and is coming into it in great form. Allen has had the best year, but he’s tailing off form wise lately.

I can see the winner coming from either Selby or Murphy.

 

[ic1male]

Yup I reckon Trump will be out first round this year. I’ll still be rooting for Lisowski and Brecel as usual. Hopefully the latter can actually win a match this year.

 

[200sols]

Anyone but Ronnie

 

[Rickyw88]

I think Wilson Vs Day could go either way too tbh. Day is a decent player when he's on form, Kyren is better, but it just depends who's more game.

 

[ic1male]

April is going to be over in the blink of an eye when this starts at 10am tomorrow.

Here's a link to the sessions. I'll be watching Ronnie in the hopes he gets knocked out.

Sessions | World Snooker Live Scores

livescores.worldsnookerdata.com

 

[jaybee]

I'll be supporting Ronnie as always. He's the person that made me fall in love with the game and play it a lot in my youth. I respect a lot of the players though and support many. There are some that I can't stand though:

Selby: most boring player ever
Carter: just a massive bell
Higgins: should have had a life ban

 

[jaybee]

I'm going to ask a snooker question quickly whilst I'm here though... anyone ever heard of having a 2 piece cue remade so that the join is nearer the butt end rather than half way? The join on mine plucks chin hair out and means I have to shave to play snooker! :O I don't really want it as a one piece as it would be a pain to store. I want to retain the balance and keep using the cue as had it for life.

 

[chrismscotland]

Looking forward to this - always love April just wish I could get the chance to actually attend!
Personally I'd like to see the "old guard" competing to the end again (Ronnie, Mark W, Higgins, Bingham).

Murphy, Carter, Allen and Milkins have had good seasons though so we could see one of those come through. always different at the Crucible though when the longer matches come in the later stages!

 

[el_dazza]

Really struggling to pick a winner this year so plumped for Ronnie to make history and win his 8th. Can never rule him out, it all depends which Ronnie turns up.

 

[ic1male]

I thought Pang had Ronnie on the ropes at the start of this morning's play but he is getting flippin' whitewashed now.

 

[Stu999]

I thought JV said you can’t lay a snooker from a free ball (situation was a potential roll up behind the green). Is that correct?

 

[dave28]

Cant count out Mark Allan if he can get back on form, Murphy is the most recent player on fire and Ronnie always has a chance to win if playing very well.

But i have a feeling we could have an unexpected winner this year. Some of the usual top half dozen players are not at their best, what happened to Neil, Higgins and Williams. They dont seem to have been in many finals in the recent past.

 

[ic1male]

I thought JV said you can’t lay a snooker from a free ball (situation was a potential roll up behind the green). Is that correct?

Yes unless it’s just pink and black left.

 

[Feek]

Ronnie needs to get his eighth so he can then get his ninth and tenth.

 

[Pigeon_Killer]

Anyone but RonMeMeMe please.

 

[UTmaniac]

What a fluke of a pink to get Vafaei's first frame on the board, 2-1 to Ding so far!

 

[Quartz]

I thought JV said you can’t lay a snooker from a free ball (situation was a potential roll up behind the green). Is that correct?

If you're asking after the snookering ball, not quite. You can't lay a snooker behind the ball you nominate as the free ball unless there's only pink & black left. If you nominate the yellow as a free ball you can still lay a snooker behind the brown.

I don't know the situation with regards to the snookered ball - say the yellow in the example above.

 

[Feek]

Neil Robertson is playing well. Two x 146 breaks in the same session.