World Snooker Championship 2016

[Jack_]

So after the qualifiers concluded yesterday with some big names including Mark Williams, Peter Ebdon, Graeme Dott, Steve Davis and Jimmy White failing to make the last 32, the draw for the first round took place earlier on today.

Those 16 matches are as follows:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bla6_kYCUAE5C1n.jpg:large

And here's the schedule for those first round matches:

Saturday 19 April

10:00
Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng) v Robin Hull (Fin)
Stuart Bingham (Eng) v Ken Doherty (Ire)

14:30
Shaun Murphy (Eng) v Jamie Cope (Eng)
Stephen Maguire (Sco) v Ryan Day (Wal)

19:00
Ronnie O'Sullivan (Eng) v Robin Hull (Fin)
Allister Carter (Eng) v Xiao Guodong (Chn)

Sunday 20 April

10:00
Stuart Bingham (Eng) v Ken Doherty (Ire)
Joe Perry (Eng) v Jamie Burnett (Sco)

14:30
Allister Carter (Eng) v Xiao Guodong (Chn)
Ding Junhui (Chn) v Michael Wasley (Eng)

19:00
Shaun Murphy (Eng) v Jamie Cope (Eng)
Stephen Maguire (Sco) v Ryan Day (Wal)

Monday 21 April

10:00
Joe Perry (Eng) v Jamie Burnett (Sco)
Mark Selby (Eng) v Michael White (Wal)

14:30
Ding Junhui (Chn) v Michael Wasley (Eng)
John Higgins (Sco) v Alan McManus (Sco)

19:00
Mark Selby (Eng) v Michael White (Wal)
Ricky Walden (Eng) v Kyren Wilson (Eng)

Tuesday 22 April

10:00
John Higgins (Sco) v Alan McManus (Sco)
Marco Fu (HK) v Martin Gould (Eng)

14:30
Barry Hawkins (Eng) v David Gilbert (Eng)
Judd Trump (Eng) v Tom Ford (Eng)

19:00
Ricky Walden (Eng) v Kyren Wilson (Eng)
Mark Allen (NI) v Michael Holt (Eng)

Wednesday 23 April

10:00
Barry Hawkins (Eng) v David Gilbert (Eng)
Judd Trump (Eng) v Tom Ford (Eng)

14:30
Marco Fu (HK) v Martin Gould (Eng)
Neil Robertson (Aus) v Robbie Williams (Eng)

19:00
Mark Allen (NI) v Michael Holt (Eng)
Mark Davis (Eng) v Dominic Dale (Wal)

Thursday 24 April

13:00
Mark Davis (Eng) v Dominic Dale (Wal)

19:00
Neil Robertson (Aus) v Robbie Williams (Eng)

Source (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/snooker/27073924)



Coverage begins on BBC2 at 10am this Saturday for Ronnie's opening match and continues over the next two weeks on the Red Button and online. All BBC schedule timings can be found here (http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/snooker/27069001)

Looking forward to this! :D can't believe it's come around so quickly though

[reece(:]

Stanning for Trump, Carter and Robertson

Robertson going against Robbie Williams :joker:

[Jack_]

Neil and Ronnie are finally at either ends of the draw so please can we finally get them in a World final, it'd be perfect :love:

[Locke.]

Finding it hard to care without Hendry around. I like Michael White and Trump but nowhere near as much.

[InOne]

Do you mind if we merge this with the one I made a few years ago? Sorry Jack didn't see this before I posted in mine lol

[Jack_]

I only made a new one cause this event usually has a few more followers so thought it might be good to have a separate thread :p

[DDRickyDD]

I hope Murphy wins his 2nd title, it'll probably be another win for O'Sullivan, though. Robertson is the only player that could push him close in the Final. Trump is massively overrated, he'll amount to nothing.

[Jack_]

Ugh no I can't stand Murphy's game, I want Ronnie to push closer to Hendry's World titles record these next few years. Hope he's in good form

I'm gutted Luca Brecel didn't make it past the qualifiers, he was great at the UK Championship a few years back

[Jack_]

Interesting match up so far, Hull doesn't seem too bad at all

Like that new touch screen they have in the Winter Gardens studio :pipe:

[Jack_]

That pink along the cushion screwed back to get on the black :o what a shot to win a frame in which he needed a snooker

[Jack_]

Good start from Ronnie this morning, nice to see Ken Doherty reducing a 3-0 deficit to just 5-4 on the other side as well. Would be nice to see him win actually

[Jack_]

Glad Ken beat Bingham, some interesting matches since then too. The Ding/Wasley match has been great and still has two frames left to play later because they overran earlier and this Mark Selby/Michael White (who I'm starting to think is a great player and has a lot of nerve) is just about to go into a final frame decider

Seems a lot of the underdogs are holding their own against the seeds this year, good to see

[Jack_]

INCREDIBLE end to the Ding/Michael Wasley match, that last frame was thrilling to watch

Three great snookers for Ding with just the pink and black left but what a great victory for Michael :worship:

[Jack_]

Not looking good at all for Ronnie :sad: Joe Perry playing the best I've ever seen him...

[Crimson Dynamo]

http://postgradproblems.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/da8d1f88e61794325bdeb307f4be0a60.jpg

[Jack_]

Someone not seeing and understanding how interesting and tension-filled a snooker match can be...how surprising...

[DDRickyDD]

It looks like Perry will struggle to close it out. I can see O'Sullivan turning it around tomorrow, the greats usually save their best level for the most important moments of a match.

[InOne]

I was thinking that if they'd have played on tonight Perry would have probably lost. I can imagine Ronnie stepping it up a few gears tomorrow and the nerves getting to Perry

[Jack_]

Some good stuff the last few days, need to catch up on Ronnie's demolition of Murphy (which I am over the moon about, was worried he might take Ronnie out) earlier today. Close call during the Perry match though but those two centuries he pulled out to win 13-11 were awesome.

Amazing comeback from Dominic Dale to be trailing 11-5 and then go 12-11, how gutting it'd be to lose the final frame decider at that point :o

This Judd and Neil match has also been great and Neil's FINALLY got his 100th century of the season :D I was beginning to think he'd lose this match having only made 99, you would be so pissed off...

[Jack_]

Excellent stuff from Ronnie last night to see off Barry with a session to spare :pipe:

Really great match as well so far between Robertson and Selby. So, so hoping Neil can pull this one off so I can finally get the World final I've waited six years for :worship:

I have a feeling Mark may take this one though :(

[Me. I Am Salman]

bitch this is just snooker get that warning sign out the way

[Jack_]

Snooker is awesome bye

[reece(:]

Ronnie in the final yet again, slay a little

coming for that third consecutive win

[Alf]

Come on The Jester from Leicester

[Jack_]

Gutted Neil didn't make the final, probably never gonna have another chance to get the World final I've wanted for like six years :(

I'm starting to get really worried about this final now... :sad:

[Jack_]

Well this is very worrying indeed and is one of the reasons I wanted Neil/Judd in the final with Ronnie as a safety net

I do like Mark but slowing the frames up irks me after a while, it's a perfectly legit matchplay strategy but it's hard to get behind for me

I think he's going to take this though :(

[Black Dagger]

I love Mark Selby, he's one of my faves after Judd when I do watch it, not watched all of the final but saw bits, that shot that Ronnie missed :shock:

[Alf]

The Leicester Jester giving Ronnie a masterclass

[Legend killer]

IM afraid Ronnie fans the GOAT has been born into submission. Fair play to mark his 60 second shots and safety instead of any sort of difficult has taken its toll on Ronnie

Trying not to mention the run of the ball mark had in the afternoon which didn't help

[Legend killer]

Really don't know how you can support mark if your not from his neck of the woods litrelly the most boring negative player i have ever seen

[Legend killer]

Very similar to the welsh a couple years back where Selbore adopted the same approach to make Ronnie succumb

Snooker vs Anti Snooker at its best

[Alf]

Really don't know how you can support mark if your not from his neck of the woods litrelly the most boring negative player i have ever seen
Do you really think he cares that you don't like his style? a win is a win. Selby would be creating suicide trying to play Ronnie at Ronnie's game, why on Earth would he want to do that?

In the 80s when Steve Davis was dominating most players played in that style because they wasn't the great break builders as they are today, Davis himself was the master of safety play and it brought him 6 World titles and legendary status.

Ronnie plays the table, Selby plays the player a contrast of styles and so far Selby's style is coming out on top, but it over yet, getting over the finish line can produce all sorts of nerves.

[Jack_]

Why do I get the feeling if Ronnie loses he'll think about retiring for real this time because there's no drive to continue?

One of the main reasons I wanted him to keep winning these World titles :(

[Legend killer]

Selbore deserves victory better player on the day however he has defo had the run of the ball these last two sessions not seen anything like it. Hope he is good enough to mention this is any speech after game

[Legend killer]

Why do I get the feeling if Ronnie loses he'll think about retiring for real this time because there's no drive to continue?

One of the main reasons I wanted him to keep winning these World titles :(

Selbore has bored him into retirement in afraid don't blame him

[Alf]

I hope it goes to a decider, can't beat a nail biting deciding frame in the World final.

I was up watching the Steve Davis vs Dennis Taylor final in 85 just like most of the nation was, and I remember the Hendry vs White last frame decider both were sheer sporting drama at it's best.

[Legend killer]

And thas why snooker is losing viewers perfect angle on blue and plays the ****ng snooker

I am disgusted that negative chump is world champ

[Alf]

Selby wins


I always knew he'd be World Champion one day

[Legend killer]

Terrible news for the sport a player as negative as mark is its world champ

[Black Dagger]

Selby :lovedup:

[GiRTh]

Great win

[Stu]

Did he win? I didn't realize. Crowd are so ****ing indifferent to him the atmosphere just ****ed off.

Horrible night for sport :(.

[GiRTh]

Good night for sport all round.

[reece(:]

Ronnie was robbed from that irrelevant

[Jack_]

I've always liked Mark but I've just wanted Ronnie to edge closer to Hendry's 7 world titles record, I'm not so sure he can do it now or if he'll have the drive to

I like safety and could watch a tactical battle for an hour and still enjoy it so that's not it, but I just can't get behind slowing every frame down even if that strategy has worked, I admire his victory though especially having been trailing

[InOne]

My freeview died this morning and barely got to watch any of it. I know it was fairly close, was is a classic final or bit of a dud?

[Jack_]

You could argue it both ways really, I'd reluctantly say a classic though for drama alone but as I said I really can't get behind Selby deliberately slowing frames up so in that respect maybe a bit of a dud, I mean he won the match having made mostly 50 breaks and needing two or three visits to win frames...so make of that what you will.

Ronnie lost it when he should've been 11-6 up last night and the missed pink at 11-11 this afternoon didn't help matters either.

I have to say though some of the shots Ronnie played in the last few frames were unbelievable, that yellow down the side cushion into the bottom right pocket...unreal

[Alf]

My freeview died this morning and barely got to watch any of it. I know it was fairly close, was is a classic final or bit of a dud?
Selby was just too good for Ronnie on the day, Ronnie said himself the best player won and he said he tried is hardest but Selby was just to strong for him, he said it was really tough.

Wasn't a classic because Selby didn't give Ronnie the chance to show his class, but at the same time both players played some fantastic snooker at times in the match.

[DDRickyDD]

It's good to see Selby win it, he deserved a world title for his consistent performances over the last 2-3 years.

[Jesus.]

I've never really liked Selby. His voice is annoying, and commentators go on about him being a comedy genies, just because he smiles at the camera occasionally. Fair play to him for his safety play, but he's like the Chelsea of snooker - do whatever it takes to win, but **** me, it's dull. Who would pay money to watch Selby play Selby? Not many, so I hope it;s another 7 years before he's back in a world final again.

He definitely deserved it - All tournament, Ronnie hasn't looked at the same level as he was last year, or the fairly recent Welsh Open.

[Locke.]

Round 2 underway at the moment. Good game earlier between World #1 Mark Selby and first timer Anthony McGill, who is leading 10-6 currently.. Final session of that is at 7 tonight

[Jack_]

This has been a dreadful and disastrous tournament. All of my favourites (Judd, Neil and Ronnie) are now out after the first week :(

I know that's the way it goes and all credit to those who have knocked them out but to have so many of the top seeds falling so early really puts a downer on the whole thing in my opinion. That said, there have been some excellent matches and the Ronnie/Hawkins final session was incredible (I also got to watch Ronnie in action for the first time on Saturday afternoon, so that's something :D)

Not sure if I'll be invested much going forward but hoping for some of the old-timers like Williams and McManus to do well now, or for Kyren Wilson whom I'm still yet to watch to come through as a huge underdog

[Alf]

I'm gutted, because at the start I tipped Higgins, I wish now I'd have had a flutter. He's now the favourite.

I think Ding could be the danger to him, but also don't count out this young guy Wilson, who's playing some nice snooker and looks like he has no fear.

[reece(:]

Not crusty Higgins

Let the newbies thru

[Jack_]

I think it's Higgins' to lose too now, hope not though cause then he'll be level with Ronnie on World titles and no thank you :umm2: nowhere near as entertaining to watch

Ding's got to be in with a shot at long last too, wouldn't count Selby out either though again please no...

Shall be rooting for the underdogs from here on out

[Jack_]

Delighted for Angles tonight! Back on the one table set up for the first time in 23 years, that's a great story

Rooted for Fu too so glad to see him pull through, but an incredible comeback from 9-1 from Barry in the end so fair play to him as well

Hoping for a Fu and McManus final now actually just for the randomness of it, expect it'll be Ding and Selby but that's dull so no thanks :sleep:

[MTVN]

Was a great night of snooker yesterday

[Alf]

Crazy Championship this year, the form book has been ripped to pieces.

Ding might not get a better chance to win it then he has now. But Selby is the only one left who knows what it takes to win it, having done it before. Neither of those two have had the best of seasons, but both find themselves with a great opportunity now.

It would also be nice to see McManus and Fu make it, they've both had long careers without massive success, and it would be reward for the perseverance of them both.

[MTVN]

Selby :clap1:

Real slog of a match that one and a heck of a last frame

[Jack_]

Was a great final frame, shame it didn't go to a decider cause I was rooting for Marco :(

Gutted for McManus earlier as well, luck just didn't go his way and Ding was too strong for there to be any chance of a comeback. He should be proud though cause what a great run, seems like a lovely guy too :clap1:

Ding for the win now for me, deserves it at last after the way he's played this tournament

[Alf]

If Ding doesn't freeze on the big occasion then I can't see him being beat, he's playing the better stuff.

The pressure is all on Ding, and the occasion just might get to him.

I'll be shouting for Selby, he's representing England.

[Alf]

Well done Selby!

Leicester is the sporting capital of the World Today.

[joeysteele]

Good final to be fair to both,amazing safety play last night and today with Ding getting so close levelling made great viewing.
Well done to Mark Selby again.

[MTVN]

Pretty good final although Ding was always playing catch up, however close he got you always had the sense that Selby was never going to let the lead slip. Ding can be very proud of his tournament though

[Jack_]

Do people really support people based on nationality in snooker? I didn't realise it was a thing, I couldn't care less where they're from - just support them based on how good of a player they are and if I enjoy watching them (Robertson is one). I mean it's not a team sport or the Olympics

Gutted for Ding really, had he won that last frame last night and the one this evening to go 16-15 I think the match might've turned but all credit to Mark, it's not a style of play I'm overly enthusiastic about and I think there's weight to the argument that it's a terrible advertisement for snooker, but he did what had to be done as a sportsman so fair play.

It's been a really disappointing tournament on the whole though

[Jack_]

Also fantastic news about both the BBC's snooker coverage extension till 2019 and securing the Crucible till 2027 (the 50th anniversary) :clap1:

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/36168958

http://www.worldsnooker.com/world-championship-stays-in-sheffield-until-2027/

Both integral parts of this sport

[Alf]

Do people really support people based on nationality in snooker? I didn't realise it was a thing, I couldn't care less where they're from - just support them based on how good of a player they are and if I enjoy watching them (Robertson is one). I mean it's not a team sport or the Olympics

Gutted for Ding really, had he won that last frame last night and the one this evening to go 16-15 I think the match might've turned but all credit to Mark, it's not a style of play I'm overly enthusiastic about and I think there's weight to the argument that it's a terrible advertisement for snooker, but he did what had to be done as a sportsman so fair play.

It's been a really disappointing tournament on the whole thoughYou are free to address me personally you know? I don't bite.

Yes some people do, amazing isn't it? But I am proof that it happens, who knows? there's maybe something wrong with me.

And guess what? some people also don't, again totally amazing.

Just goes to show, we're not all alike, if you can fathom that?