2025 World Snooker Championship (No More DAZN)

[skogstokig]

Been loving the tournament as usual and for only 7 pounds its a bargain to watch every frame. Also enjoyed lurking the thread as usual, thanks everyone for providing content!

Was really hoping for Judd vs. Zhao, just a pure battle of generational lefties but old man willy had to spoil the fun.

How is it pool can/will never match this? What makes this game/tournament so much more elite in every aspect? is it the crowd? The camera work? The size of the table? The pockets? The sheer Englishness of it all? Are Americans too far gone to appreciate something this slow?

Ah the questions confound...

the snooker tour is many decades old and the 9-ball tour is in its cradle.. add to that the BBC top notch production, the prize money on the line, and i find it very hard to compare the two. it's maybe more fair to look at snooker's championship league, which has a much lower budget

as for the game itself, i think it depends on who's playing. last year's WC was very forgettable.. at least i have forgot who played the semis, or the final goings between jak jones and kyren. whereas i still remember the 2017 US open 9-ball final between filler and wu jiaqing in detail.

this guy zhao is box office. players like him and luca are what both snooker and pool need

 

[skogstokig]

better session this for mark. trailing 5-11. might still make a match out of it

 

[markjames]

yes but 5-11?
i’d have hope at 6-10 or 7-9

 

[CanadianGuy]

Mark made this a match, he did enough all things considering

this is a grind for Mark

 

[markjames]

down 11-6 overnight?
a comeback is possible but not probable

 

[Bob Jewett]

down 11-6 overnight?
a comeback is possible but not probable

Yeah, he has to get to 12 before Zhao gets to 7. If you assume they are about 50-50 for each frame, Mark has about a 12% chance, or 1 in 8.

 

[markjames]

but, if williams comes out as if he has nothing to lose and starts knocking reds in from a mile away it’ll be 12-10 in no time!

 

[markjames]

(very interesting opening break shot)

 

[Bob Jewett]

(very interesting opening break shot)

Everyone in heavy overcoats. I think Williams was complaining about the cold. HVAC is hard.

 

[JohnnyOzone]

(very interesting opening break shot)

only using 10 reds. great clearance though

 

[markjames]

only using 10 reds.

i noticed that
and the opening the pack break off shot
and the enormous side pockets
and the ashtray being The Floor

and it’s an exhibition

 

[mjantti]

If someone it’s Williams who knows what is essential today so he’s going into battle despite abysmal start. He was most likely drained yesterday after the Trump battle but most likely will have some gas left in the tank for today.

 

[Flakeandrun]

If someone it’s Williams who knows what is essential today so he’s going into battle despite abysmal start. He was most likely drained yesterday after the Trump battle but most likely will have some gas left in the tank for today.

One of the most down to earth, humorous and talented players to do it. Hope he comes out swinging.

 

[skogstokig]

(very interesting opening break shot)

tough crowd. won't applaude, or even smile, for anything less than a 68 break.

 

[Fatboy]

UGH, looking like Williams is dumping his backer. Score should be tied and he is down 5-1. Hopefully he can eke out a couple before the break to make this afternoon a better sweat.

My exact words:

Look’s like a dump


It’s more profitable if the kid wins as it will stimulate the Chinese market.

I’m 99% certain it’s not a dump. I think Mark shot his load on his last 2 matches and is just wore out. It looked like that as well. Having said that, I really hope he makes a comeback as he only has the pressure of the British empire on his shoulders at this historical moment in snooker. No pressure

Fatboy

 

[skogstokig]

I think Mark shot his load on his last 2 matches and is just wore out. It looked like that as well. Having said that, I really hope he makes a comeback as he only has the pressure of the British empire on his shoulders at this historical moment in snooker. No pressure

Fatboy

yea i was thinking that, mark has played two long and draining matches, zhou had a day off on saturday.. but that's part of the game too.

it's not impossible to turn it around. if mark gets within two, and zhou starts choking..

 

[Fatboy]

Yeah, he has to get to 12 before Zhao gets to 7. If you assume they are about 50-50 for each frame, Mark has about a 12% chance, or 1 in 8.

That’s how we score backgammon

It’s called the “away score”

This way you look only at what you need, not what you have. Once you get used to scoring like that it’s soooo much better than the “what you have” score.

What you have isn’t a measure of what you need to win. Well it is but not as clear as “what you need to win” or “win by”.

Just a superior way to score anything that has a predetermined finish point. It will never catch on in pool, just like the metric system isn’t used in America (much)

Fatboy <———not the score keeper

Edit: you can calculate the match winning chances with a match equity table if you know the scores as Bob mentioned assuming it’s a 50/50 proposition of winning for each player.

 

[Fatboy]

yea i was thinking that, mark has played two long and draining matches, zhou had a day off on saturday.. but that's part of the game too.

it's not impossible to turn it around. if mark gets within two, and zhou starts choking..

I really hope Mark wins.

I’d give him a 10% chance right now. Let’s see how the first session goes. If he can click off 4/4 it’s a match.

This years tourney overall has been fantastic no matter who wins.

 

[George the Greek]

I watched the kid on youtube when he was very young and his potting ability was amazing. Mark has his hands full with him. Saying C"mon Mark might be in vane.

 

[gregcantrall]

IT'LL Be a good fight though.