Snooker [Latest - UK Championship, Barbican Centre, York 26 November to 8 December)

[Reilly]

Amazing, shame I missed it. Hopefully it's on Snooker Extra later, it should definitely be featured in the Highlights show though.

 

Am I the only one who gets a little bit annoyed at the little online polls they keep plugging?

 

"Who was the best left handed player at the Crucible?" Who gives a shit!

[Reilly]

Martin Gould 12-10 up, could be the 2nd big shock today.

[Guest howyousawtheworld]

He still has more than enough left in his pocket does Steve!

[Reilly]

Ugly bastard lost!

 

Well it was a shock result nomatter what, either Gould getting through or Robertson coming back from 6 frames down, amazing.

[Guest howyousawtheworld]

Ugly bastard lost!

 

Charming!

[Reilly]

Sorry, but the only good thing about Gould not winning is that I don't have to look at his horrible face anymore.

 

I wish he had won, Robertson will probably relish playing against Steve Davis and pick his game up, Gould would've been trembling just as he did in the final frames today. Some of those frames were totally amateur on both sides though.

 

Well done Robertson in the end, huge comeback.

[busybeeburns]

Neil Robertson is currently second favourite FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP, I know he's one of only a few through to the QF but come on!!

 

http://www.oddschecker.com/other-sports/snooker/world-championship/world-snooker-championship/win-market

[Reilly]

The way most of the players have been playing, anyone has a chance. Watching Hendy vs Selby now and the standard's pretty low so far, and I haven't seen any truely great competitive matches so far (Gould v Robertson was a mess towards the end, and Higgins didn't perform anywhere near his best).

 

Surprised there's been so many centuries considering the standard.

[Reilly]

Wow this died. Burns dead or summit?

 

It was good to see Davis somehow pull it back for a third session, lighthearted feel to this mornings with the announcer accidentally calling him Dennis Taylor, haha where did that come from?

 

Steve was actually unlucky to lose some frames in the initial trouncing, good to see him bring back a more respectable 5. Robertson looks sharp.

 

Ronnie just went out to Selby, and to be honest, I can't be arsed with O'Sullivan sometimes. Although it can be funny to have a character like him in the game, he is a total cock. He started the game by missing poor shots and watching Carter vs Murphy, as if to say "Look at how much I don't need to care right now" and then bitching about whether there was a touching ball or not made him lose concentration, ended up bowing down to pressure. I guess it would just be great to see someone with a decent attitude, who is humble, and had Ronnie's talent.

 

Ali Carter's just beat Sean Murphy in what's been my favourite match of the tournament. Lots of quality.

[Guest howyousawtheworld]

I'm so disappointed that O'Sullivan got beat tonight. He should never have got beat yet stupidly throws it away by once again not caring about the match. He took no time over his shots and the shots he did play suffered as a result. He should start thinking about his fans who pay good money to see him play only for him not to bother.

 

Personally, I hope it's going to be a Dott v Robertson/Carter final. Don't mind either way who wins the Carter/Robertson match. But I can see Dott winning it. He's been supreme and deserves it after a difficult few years.

[Reilly]

Yay! Someone cares. I thought I'd have to ask MARK to post here, honest to god, MARK.

 

After the match Selby was a bit uncharacteristic, not his gentleman self, he mentioned how O'Sullivan doesn't like people competing with him, so generally he doesn't talk much with Selby. It's a fair observation as everytime Ronnie loses we always look at what went wrong with him, not what the winning player did to get the victory- Selby played brilliantly, he won 8 out of the last 10 frames, and against anyone at the WC that's quite a feat.

 

Anyway, what I'm getting at is that he was calling Ronnie out, he showed his confidence off the table for once, and next time I think he wants Ronnie to actually play him to the death. Afterall, Ronnie gave up when only needing 2 snookers to go level, I think he'd rather bow out looking like he doesn't care then scrapping for a victory (When it's very low percentages for someone to come back needing snookers).

 

I'd also like to see Dott win, there's no reason why he can't. People tarnish his 2006 victory because there weren't many players on top form, of course it was also overshadowed by it being Paul Hunter's last performance. To be honest I don't think the standard this year has been top quality either, but it wouldn't matter, if Dott were to be a 2 time World Champion he has to be considered one of the great players of the last decade.

 

Carter just pulled back a frame against Robertson, he's 5-1 down. Burns did you have money on Neil or something?

[busybeeburns]

No but I wish I did! I think the two semis will go down to the wire, if I had money on the championship I'd stick it on Dott, he seems to be playing the best snooker of the 4 including the 146 break

[mc_squared]

I don't really care who wins now..................................

[busybeeburns]

Robertson in to the final, great attitude and temperament, I hope he wins it now.

 

Robertson fan here for tomorrow!

[busybeeburns]

 

Robertson reaches Crucible final

 

Neil Robertson resisted an Ali Carter fightback to progress to his first World Championship final with a 17-12 semi-final win at The Crucible.

 

Resuming 15-9 up after dominating the first three sessions, the Australian saw Carter take the opening two frames. Robertson restored a five-frame cushion despite an outrageous Carter fluke, but the Essex man kept the match alive.

 

Robertson held his nerve though to become the first Australian since Eddie Charlton in 1975 to reach the final.

 

Number four in the provisional world rankings, Robertson could rise above Ronnie O'Sullivan to number two if he becomes the first player from outside the UK and Ireland since Canadian Cliff Thorburn in 1980 to claim the title.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/8652737.stm

[Guest howyousawtheworld]

I'm delighted Robertson's in the final. He's a crucial aspect in getting the game more popular around the world. Although I like Ali Carter, even more so after admitting that his TV hell was Hollyoaks and Friends. That man has taste - and he's a pilot! Great guy - but hopefully his time will come. Now I expect a Dott v Robertson final. Which should be a good spectacle!

[Reilly]

I also like Carter, huge talent when he's top of his game and I'm not surprised he pulled it back a bit, although I didn't see the snooker today, just caught Robertson tearing up a bit (Fair enough really, after everything he's been through to get to this stage).

 

I also think Dott will take it, and I hope so too. I have no doubt that Robertson will have other chances to win the WC, I also rate him as a better player then Dott (Of course not including the last few seasons where Dott has understandably not been focussed on the game). Dott's playing the best snooker of his life, well done to him.

[busybeeburns]

well its hotting up, 14-15 to Dotty

[busybeeburns]

 

Graeme Dott beats Mark Selby to reach Crucible final

 

Graeme Dott held off a late fightback from Mark Selby to seal a 17-14 win and book a World Championship final contest with Australian Neil Robertson.

 

Resuming 14-10 up, Dott lost four of the evening session's first five frames, as Selby closed the gap to one. But the Scot battled back to claim a closely-contested 30th frame, before wrapping up victory in the next.

 

In what is Dott's third Crucible final, he meets Robertson, who beat Ali Carter 17-12 in Saturday's other semi-final.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/8653074.stm

[Reilly]

Not a clue who's going to win this, but I feel that Dott's been slightly more consistent and beat tougher opponents.

[Guest howyousawtheworld]

I think Dott will win it. Fantastic form he's been on.

[busybeeburns]

Not a clue who's going to win this, but I feel that Dott's been slightly more consistent and beat tougher opponents.

Robertson might be a bit fresher for the final. He hasn't had a close finish since the second round. That said, Dott has been to this stage twice before. I'd say Dott is the favourite for that reason but I hope Robertson trounces his ass!

[mc_squared]

I think Dott will win it. Fantastic form he's been on.

 

After seeing the closing stages of the Selby-Dott semi and hearing about what he's gone through over the past few years, I would now like to see Dott win the final.;)

[Reilly]

Robertson might be a bit fresher for the final. He hasn't had a close finish since the second round. That said, Dott has been to this stage twice before. I'd say Dott is the favourite for that reason but I hope Robertson trounces his ass!

 

Haha! Just out of curiosity, why do you want Robertson to win so much? Just a big supporter? It kinda sounds like you just want Dott to lose badly haha, which would be kindof harsh considering what he's been through. Kinda funny though.

 

3-2 to Dott so far and I'm picking up a bit of nerves from Robertson, and although it's early days, I don't know if that will ever go away. It's Dott's third final afterall, and already being a WC he isn't feeling it as much, just by reaching the final to him it's been a success by his standards the last few seasons. For Robertson he probably feels that he HAS to win it, and when a player is like that, they only get settled for bits and bobs, not the entirety of the match.

 

Also to be noted that Dott seems tired, like you said Ian he's not as fresh. But he played so consistently against Selby late into last night, I'm not sure that he's even worried about fatigue.

 

I'm gonna say Dott will win this by 4 or 5 frames.

[Reilly]

Final session coming up, and I think Dott's going to storm this.