Judd Trump to play U.S. Open.................
- Thread starter garczar
- Start date
I don't follow snooker and hadn't heard of Judd Trump, but just went to YouTube to check him out and . . . holy schneikes, the guy can hit hard and control the cue like crazy on those huge tables. He at least has the power to have a monster break.
I think it’s great cross promotion. I’d like to see similar opportunities for pool players though. Snooker players get to play from the first round in major pool events but pool players have to go through a gruelling qualification system to try snooker. Why not offer a wild card to the current world 9 ball champion every year or something?
.. and also Youtube only started in 2005. Unlike the minor attempts by O'Sullivan etc., nowadays, players can watch thousand's of hours of 9-ball played by the world's best, so that must be a big help in doing homework.
I hope he does well, but have no expectations that he'll dominate.
Two small nits... The tournament is in Atlantic City and the format is double elimination up to the final 16. I think Judd is certainly going to have at least three matches. I'd bet on at least five. Here's the format as listed in the players' contract:
In the last US Open, all 15 of the SE matches were on a single table and all broadcast. I wonder if they are going to be showing two matches at a time this year.
Exactly... and it begs the question of why he's bothering. I wouldn't bet against the notion that Matchroom has provided some level of incentive.
Power in the break shot is much ado about nothing these days. Even if they switch to hand racking in the later rounds, for the most part the booming break has gone by the way side of something more controlled.
There's only two aspects of the game I think Trump may find himself out gunned.
1, is the jump shot. That said, and based on available equipment. I think he'll hit nearly all attempts, but make only the most basic.
2, is the moves game. Zero doubt that Trump can place the CB behind an obstruction easy enough. However snooker players don't need worry about offensive kicks and jump cues. I wouldn't be surprised to see Trump taken aback by the aggressive nature of pool players when snookered. Generally snooker players don't concern themselves with parking the CB on a snookering ball, just getting behind it.
Should be fun to watch
Geosnookery
Well-known member
Ha! True
White talked about having to remind Alex Higgins of the rules when they were playing in the Musconi Cup ‘way back’. The same with OSullivan…he knew no nine ball strategy other than to sink balls and safeties,
Trump is ‘studious’ but might mess up.
Geosnookery
Well-known member
It would be humiliating.
It’s not that a 9 ball champion isn’t a great billiards player but because he just lacks fundamental needed skills. It would be like the Tour de France cycling winner competing in a Triathlon but never having learned to swim.
Having said that, a British snooker-trained Champion 9 ball player would likely be given a wild card entry ‘if’ he lobbied for it. However, he would know better unless he had spent hours each day at a Snooker table over the past year….even then might still lose 4-0 in the opening round.
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if the break isn't hard to learn, then why are shane, tyler, jayson, fedor etc practising it so diligently? one would think they'd know how to break by now.. lol
trump will most likely be lacking in the break, jumping, banking, kicking. shotmaking and pressure control is great but only if you get to shoot.
I get what you are saying. I think the way to break it down is that making a ball with the template, or even triangle racking on a table with newish cloth is not rocket science. Getting shape after the break and running out does take skill, even with the template rack.
Based on old videos, admittedly, the power break seemed to be a problem for snooker players. I think the observation is that the power behind the break isn't really an issue anymore. Of course, you are correct to state that power alone is just one element of a good break and that the elite do put a lot of effort into practicing their break to maximize run out opportunities.
What size table is being used at the US Open this year? I think they were 7 footers in 2019?
I don't recall saying the break was easy to learn. (Did this thread get sucked into aiming forum...?) I said, "power" in the break isn't such a big deal these days. Better racking and better/faster equipment places emphasis on control. Which Trump will have spades. (spades = a lot)
Kicking angles will be a non-issue. However controling the OB/CB after the hit may be something else.
Banking is a tiny part of the game that I'd push that to almost inconsequencial. He'll probably opt for a safe play if the bank is anything beyond elementary. Which is the better way to play anyway.
I think you might see some better results in something like this past British Open with random draws and best of 5s. There are certainly players on the tour at the lower levels that someone like Kaci can beat, especially in that short race format.
The US Open (9-Ball) has never been played on 7-foot tables. In 2019 at Mandalay Bay they had 33 Diamond 9-foot tables with one-piece slates.
Why would matchroom bother? Becuase he's got tons of fans in the UK and other parts of the world that follow snooker that will watch just to see how he does against the yanks...
Jaden
Yeah, MR is really promoting it on social media - like they dropped Jaws in a guppy tank. It's no so overt as that, but you kind of get that feeling. At the very least, it probably nets them a few extra streaming dollars.
Overall, I think its great - generate some buzz and hey, if it turns out snooker players raise the standard, then, well that's life. I imagine the UK would be very pleased if Judd brought back a US Open title. I think that would be great for pool if we expand the audience even more. I get some people want to see a Yankee bring it down, but nothing is free.
Matchroom is not known for taking on things out of charity. Matchroom is also known for it's event promotion acumen, so I would be guessing there's a good chance of matchroom being in the process of marketing for a US pro tour. Might be jumping the gun but mark my words, the moment a truly viable US tour pops up, you're going to see some players jump out of the wood work in the U.S. that no one knew about.
Jaden
Steve Davis, Chris Melling and Phil Yates give their thoughts here
wst.tv
Can Trump Conquer Pool? - World Snooker
Three cue sports experts – Steve Davis, Chris Melling and Phil Yates – have given us their opinions on how Judd Trump will fare when he competes in the US Open Pool Championship. Matchroom Multi Sport announced on Wednesday that snooker’s 22-time ranking event winner Trump will swap green baize...
Here is an interview with Judd about his budding pool career: