World Snooker Championship

[EuroTroll]

It's that time of the year again!

My favourite player Stephen Hendry has become the first through to the quarters. Ronnie is playing Mark Allen now, and just had a reasonable chance for a 147. Didn't make it though, as he missed a black left-handed.

I hope Neil Robertson does well.

And I wonder if Shaun Murphy's wife will really serve him the divorce papers during a match, as she threatened.

[EuroTroll]

And Ronnie is out!

[Mark in Oshawa]

I remember the good ole days when Cliff Thorburn was a force in snooker.....us Canadians only knew of him when it was reported he won, or he showed up in the odd commerical.

Alas, snooker just doesn't get much play over here, nor darts, where John Part ("Darth Maple") of my hometown has won the world championships twice and is a star in the UK. Then he comes back here and is just another guy.....unless you find him in a pub and play him for money, then you find out in a hurry!!!

[Andrewmcm]

Ronnie didn't play too well today - it looks like he's in one of his "out of love with the game" phases. He will walk away from the game one day and snooker will be all the poorer for it.

Darth Maple is ace - I watch him every week on the Premier League Darts on Sky. I guess he's not well known in Canada as he isn't batting the darts at the board with a hockey stick!

[CaptainRaiden]

It would be a wonderful story if Hendry could do a comeback championship win after 10 years? Dunno how long has it been since his last world championship.

Although it looks kinda unlikely, as he had some clumsy moments against Ding. I'd have to say that with Ebdon and Ronnie out, Ryan Day suddenly looks like a very possible threat. But time will tell.

[BDunnell]

I've been in Sheffield this week and seen some of it at the Crucible. Long may it stay here! I am biased, as I love the city, but moving the championships anywhere else would be a travesty.

O'Sullivan looked poor in his first session against Allen, and I'm not surprised he's gone out. Maguire was much more impressive against Burnett, but will the spectre of the police investigation into their last meeting have any effect on his further progress? He looked very impressive on Thursday evening. It certainly appears to be a very open affair with Ding being knocked out.

[EuroTroll]

I've been in Sheffield this week and seen some of it at the Crucible. Long may it stay here! I am biased, as I love the city, but moving the championships anywhere else would be a travesty.

Wow, that's really cool! I hope I can do that too, some day.

Last year a Eurosport commentator mentioned something about the World Champs possibly being moved to China. That really would be a travesty.

I wonder what the plans are now..? And why is moving it away from Sheffield even being considered?

[BDunnell]

Wow, that's really cool! I hope I can do that too, some day.

Last year a Eurosport commentator mentioned something about the World Champs possibly being moved to China. That really would be a travesty.

I wonder what the plans are now..? And why is moving it away from Sheffield even being considered?

Money, potential viewing figures in other areas, etc. And comments by certain players (in my view, not those whose opinions are as balanced as they might be) that the game is somehow boring have fuelled the fire.

[Dave B]

Snooker seems determined to go down the same road as cricket, with "20/20" style matches to spice up the action. This may be an idea once in a while, but if it became the norm it would totally destroy the game as we know it.

As an aside, I'm just watching some classic frames on the Red Button and it's astonishing to see players clutching their packets of fags and - heaven forbid - smoking during a studio interview!

[BDunnell]

Snooker seems determined to go down the same road as cricket, with "20/20" style matches to spice up the action. This may be an idea once in a while, but if it became the norm it would totally destroy the game as we know it.

I agree. Some sports are just long, and people ought to be able to live with it. If attention spans are now so tiny that this isn't possible, we have a massive problem.