World Snooker Championship 2021

[Izzy]

Just now, The Bear said:

Selby really is a tedious watch at times. As soon as he's under any pressure from his opponent playing well he resorts to slowing things down and trying to affect his opponent. I'm loathe to call it gamesmanship, but it's akin to a darts player deliberately slowing down to frustrate a quick player's rhythm. 

I love his tactics, grit, patience, safety play, and general pain in the arseness towards his opponents.

 

But if he wasn't a Leicester fan and live on the same road as my parents, I'd probably hate him 

[The Bear]

Just now, Izzy said:

I love his tactics, grit, patience, safety play, and general pain in the arseness towards his opponents. 

You could easily be describing Peter Ebdon there. And I bet you don't love him. 

[String fellow]

16 minutes ago, The Bear said:

You could easily be describing Peter Ebdon there. And I bet you don't love him. 

Terry Griffiths was a very slow player. Tbh, although slow play can be boring, rapid-fire O'Sullivan-style break-building can be just as boring, because it all seems so inevitable. 

[EastAnglianFox]

For me this is far more entertaining to watch than seeing Ronnie or Judd hit a quick fire ton frame after frame, once they get to 70 odd points the frame then becomes pretty pointless

[SouthStandUpperTier]

I kinda like Judd's Saturday morning hangover commentary voice.

[purpleronnie]

I wish Selby wasn't from Leicester, I find him as dull as dish water to watch.  Don't care who wins this year just hoping for a tight match.

[RowlattsFox]

You don't mind the odd frame being a tactical battle. But becomes a chore if every frame becomes like it. It's up to his opponent to beat him, he can't control them if they keep potting balls. 

Problem is so many frames have a 60 break and then takes 20 minutes to finish it off. 

 

If this goes to a decider it will finish tomorrow 

[isaidno]

12 minutes ago, RowlattsFox said:

You don't mind the odd frame being a tactical battle. But becomes a chore if every frame becomes like it. It's up to his opponent to beat him, he can't control them if they keep potting balls. 

Problem is so many frames have a 60 break and then takes 20 minutes to finish it off. 

 

If this goes to a decider it will finish tomorrow 

If it goes to the final frame they surely won't finish the match.

[RowlattsFox]

3 minutes ago, isaidno said:

If it goes to the final frame they surely won't finish the match.

Certainly won't finish before the evening session. With the other semi final close as well they might not get back on the table tonight until midnight. 

[The Bear]

Given that they'll potentially have to come back in the morning to start the final, surely they'll have a bit of dinner and try and get an hours kip before they have to come back late tonight. 

[kingfox]

If it ends up being Mark vs Kyren, then it will be the first World Championship final that will finish at Christmas.

[Lionator]

59 minutes ago, purpleronnie said:

I wish Selby wasn't from Leicester, I find him as dull as dish water to watch.  Don't care who wins this year just hoping for a tight match.

This is why he wins the big ones though. His game is absolutely solid in pressure situations. The semi last year was the only time I’ve seen him crack and that was simply the genius of Ronnie.

[Facecloth]

Selby has thrown this frame away. Poor safety let Bingham back in.

[foxes_rule1978]

They will have to come back late tonight, not great preparation for the final 

[RowlattsFox]

Not seen Murphy play this well for a long time. 

[EastAnglianFox]

The Murphy "stomp" in full flow

[foxes_rule1978]

Murphy looking good, I expected this match to be much longer.. guess Selby will be back on shortly 

Edited 1 May 2021 by foxes_rule1978

[Facecloth]

Considering the number of attempts Bingham had to hit that green, and how close he got, that was a really poor final attempt to leave the pot for Selby.

[Chiltern Fox]

Yes! Go on mark

[The Bear]

Well done Selbzzzzzzzzzzz 

 

Wilson v Bingham could have been a great final. 

[foxes_rule1978]

Almost made a final where I would just be looking at updates, thank you Selby for making it one to watch ... don’t like Murphy or Bingham  

[The Bear]

How bizarre. Murphy and Selby both have the same bloke coaching them.

 

Kind of awkward for him tomorrow!

[RowlattsFox]

I don't understand why other players think someone needs to speed up to please them. Bingham average shot time was the same. 

 

Selby Murphy is a good final. Don't know if they are friends or not but my instinct tells me they could piss each other off 

[Langston]

I can fully get on board with the notion that Selby is the pantomime villain of snooker. Makes me like him beyond the Leicester connection tbh. 

[Facecloth]

7 hours ago, RowlattsFox said:

I don't understand why other players think someone needs to speed up to please them. Bingham average shot time was the same. 

 

Selby Murphy is a good final. Don't know if they are friends or not but my instinct tells me they could piss each other off 

Also sport in general isn't just about raw talent, its about mental fortitude to. Some players might be more attacking as they are better at some of the difficult pots then Selby, but he'll play hours long safety battles and force them to get impatient and make a rash decision and make a mistake. He could have gone for that green last night, and I'm sure he's probably got the talent to pot it, but it a tough shot. Miss it and Bingham is probably winning the frame. Instead he snookers Bingham and forces the error out of him to ensure he take the frame. Like you say it not up to Selby to play at a pace to suit his opponent, just play the way he feels gives him the best chance of winning. Obviously it doesn't always work or he'd win every tournament, but the the cavalier style doesn't always work either or we'd be watching O'Sullivan take on Trump today. Selby was number one for something like 6 years though, its clearly an effective tactic.