Thoughts On The Crucible

Pidge

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I watched the Higgins McManus match. I had the best seat in the house for this match. In between the pink and blue spot. The standard was about average, it wasn't world class by any means but it was solid professional play. Couple of decent breaks and I couldn't pick who was going to win.

The venue is not to my liking. It's outdated and too small if the game wants to progress. Holds 900,the seats are in bad shape with rips and stains, and although it is nice to be right on top of the action in such a small venue the atmosphere it creates is that of a snooker club... Not the world's best tournament.

Onto the players...

I noticed a real flaw in Higgins that I've never noticed before. As he pulls back his grip shakes. Then as he pauses at the back it shakes even more. I've always thought of him to have as perfect of a technique as was humanly possible but that made me realise he hasn't... And yet he is still one of the best players in the world. I don't know what causes his shakes, but I'm sure if he cured it 10 years ago he would have won more world's.

McManus... Oh McManus. He had me just watching in awe. He looked miserable as sin for the most part but every now and again he would cracking a smile to someone, or make a joke with the crowd. You can't help but like him. He is technically God awful. I E never seen someone in person play that good with that many weird and quirky habits. He raises up significantly on every single shot as he is in the rear pause. His grip looked like he had something wrong with his hand. His thumb instead of being straight was bent as much as it could possibly be and didn't make contact with any fingers. He gripped primarily with just the index finger as he pulled back to his bridge on almost every shot so he had to release the middle index and pinky fingers. One of the most obscure grips I've seen. On to the biggest thing I see wrong in amateurs that can't progress.... Sight! He cued up to every shot he planned on hitting centre ball with a tip of right hand side, and he was lined up a tip to the right of where he intended to hit on every shot. He managed to correct this though and hit where he intended every time he played a centre ball shot. I think him raising up caused him to pull the cue out at the butt to correct it because it seemed to me he cued perfectly straight. He clearly has sighting issues but it hasn't effected him as it would with anyone else.
 

galipeau

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think it's been great fun to watch. I know what you mean when you say the venue is a bit of a let down. The last Mosconi Cup in England was a bit like that for me. Blackpool was pretty gross.


As far as the mechanics go, you make some interesting points. I've seen a few players pause at the back stroke (which is normal), then slightly pause again at the beginning of the forward stroke... I don't get it.
 

Cameron Smith

is kind of hungry...
Silver Member
I think when you learn to play as children and young teenagers, you are better able to make these quirks work for you. I mean, Judd Trump is one of the best potters ever but yet he pulls his cue offline. The rest of us, especially those of us who started in our 20's or later often can't get away with that kind of thing.

As for the tournament, I'm probably in the minority but I'm really hoping for a McManus - Fu final. Truth be told, I'd be happy with any of the semi-finalists as winners.
 

GideonF

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I noticed a real flaw in Higgins that I've never noticed before. As he pulls back his grip shakes. Then as he pauses at the back it shakes even more. I've always thought of him to have as perfect of a technique as was humanly possible but that made me realise he hasn't... And yet he is still one of the best players in the world. I don't know what causes his shakes, but I'm sure if he cured it 10 years ago he would have won more world's.

I wonder whether this is a medical problem that developed more recently?

As to being able to play with it, pool players Dick Lane and Stevie Moore both have noticeable shakes but still played top class pool, although I recognize that potting is more difficult in snooker.

Gideon
 

markjames

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The crucible just got ten more years, home to the world championship through 2027.
 

smashmouth

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The crucible just got ten more years, home to the world championship through 2027.

10 years too many imo and we're now around 5 years past where i should be....China that is

the venue is dated and hinders the biggest tourney in cue sports, Ronnie's been saying this for years

this was one of the more boring tourney's, defence all day and all night, yeah the safety shots are beyond belief but long potting has suffered greatly

the high standards demonstarted by today's amazing players unfortunately does not lend itself to either exciting snooker nor growth ...guys are just so damn good that you no longer take chances for fear of losing the frame to one mistake

these are good problems for the game to have, but problems none the less
 

pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
10 years too many imo and we're now around 5 years past where i should be....China that is

the venue is dated and hinders the biggest tourney in cue sports, Ronnie's been saying this for years

this was one of the more boring tourney's, defence all day and all night, yeah the safety shots are beyond belief but long potting has suffered greatly

the high standards demonstarted by today's amazing players unfortunately does not lend itself to either exciting snooker nor growth ...guys are just so damn good that you no longer take chances for fear of losing the frame to one mistake

these are good problems for the game to have, but problems none the less

I enjoyed the Crucible all to hell...the finals had a good mixture of century running and excellent safety play.....if you like one-pocket, you like the strategy in snooker.

One of the highlights for me was when Selby made a ball in the final game (yeah, yeah, I know, FRAME) which left Ding requiring a bunch of snookers....he pointed to to his wife in the stands....she was ecstatic...I think they have a great relationship.


And I think the Crucible is a great venue....I've seen much bigger venues in China with a lot of empty seats....the Crucible, with less than a thousand seats, gets crammed.
You know you're doing something right when the scalpers are making a living.

I like the size of the Crucible....billiards can't handle a stadium...the game is played on too small of a surface....it's streaming and TV coverage that can make any form of billiards a world-wide success.
 

Scaramouche

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Ding had 15 centuries in Championship play.

The only player who has ever scored more - 1 more - is Stephen Hendry with 16.

The total number of centuries was 86 - one of the highest recorded.

So there was some potting power around. :D
 

vacation

Living Good.
Silver Member
McManus was sneezing constantly in the hallway, and mentioning it on Twitter. He didn't seem well going into the match w/ Ding...
 

pdcue

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I enjoyed the Crucible all to hell...the finals had a good mixture of century running and excellent safety play.....if you like one-pocket, you like the strategy in snooker.

One of the highlights for me was when Selby made a ball in the final game (yeah, yeah, I know, FRAME) which left Ding requiring a bunch of snookers....he pointed to to his wife in the stands....she was ecstatic...I think they have a great relationship.


And I think the Crucible is a great venue....I've seen much bigger venues in China with a lot of empty seats....the Crucible, with less than a thousand seats, gets crammed.
You know you're doing something right when the scalpers are making a living.

I like the size of the Crucible....billiards can't handle a stadium...the game is played on too small of a surface....it's streaming and TV coverage that can make any form of billiards a world-wide success.

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"One of the highlights for me was when Selby made a ball in the final game (yeah, yeah, I know, FRAME)"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tisk, tisk...

Good job on the frame part... but he POTTED a ball,

unless he had a micro manufacturing facility at the match:)

Dale
 

pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"One of the highlights for me was when Selby made a ball in the final game (yeah, yeah, I know, FRAME)"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tisk, tisk...

Good job on the frame part... but he POTTED a ball,

unless he had a micro manufacturing facility at the match:)

Dale
Okay, I admit it....that was pretty good.
...but I like out terms better....a combination is a PLANT over there....
...now do you really wanna talk about POTTING PLANTS? :scratchhead:

And what we call a bank, they call a DOUBLE...when I quizzed them on what they call a double bank...they weren't sure....a DOUBLE-DOUBLE?
A three in the side is called a COCKED HAT DOUBLE.

When I asked what they called a five banks in the corner...they looked like they had been struck by an ARTICULATED OMNIBUS on a GYRATORY CIRCUS.
 

markjames

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hampered. Confidence. Screw. Unwanted side. The reds. The yellow pocket. Off it's spot. Positional shot. Disturb the cluster. The double. Right in the heart of the pocket. And then you have the mark williams, roll it in from any distance, at any angle, dead weight.
 

Hidy Ho

Missed 4 rail hanger!!!
Silver Member
Okay, I admit it....that was pretty good.
...but I like out terms better....a combination is a PLANT over there....
...now do you really wanna talk about POTTING PLANTS? :scratchhead:

And what we call a bank, they call a DOUBLE...when I quizzed them on what they call a double bank...they weren't sure....a DOUBLE-DOUBLE?
A three in the side is called a COCKED HAT DOUBLE.

When I asked what they called a five banks in the corner...they looked like they had been struck by an ARTICULATED OMNIBUS on a GYRATORY CIRCUS.

And what we call "skid", they call it KICK and there are a lot of it in snooker.

And one can see why snooker needs Ronnie ... the guy is exciting to watch and a very fast player.
 

Pidge

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
And what we call "skid", they call it KICK and there are a lot of it in snooker.

And one can see why snooker needs Ronnie ... the guy is exciting to watch and a very fast player.
Don't forget the dreaded.... Chinese snooker....

Snooker needs players that interact with the fans. Too many times they just walk off centre stage with their head down. I'd like to see some fist pumps and some emotion towards the crowds.
 

SakuJack

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I noticed a real flaw in Higgins that I've never noticed before. As he pulls back his grip shakes. Then as he pauses at the back it shakes even more. I've always thought of him to have as perfect of a technique as was humanly possible but that made me realise he hasn't... And yet he is still one of the best players in the world. I don't know what causes his shakes, but I'm sure if he cured it 10 years ago he would have won more world's.

This is really interesting. Do you know if this is something he's developed recently, because it sounds kind of like the yips to me.
 

Pidge

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
This is really interesting. Do you know if this is something he's developed recently, because it sounds kind of like the yips to me.
I've no idea. I've seen him play lots of times up close but not for a good few years and this is the first time if spotted it. Could possibly be the yips, could even be severe nerves but it's doubtful due to all his past experience. I personally think he was just very tense. He didn't seem to have his usual fluent cue action.
 

SakuJack

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've no idea. I've seen him play lots of times up close but not for a good few years and this is the first time if spotted it. Could possibly be the yips, could even be severe nerves but it's doubtful due to all his past experience. I personally think he was just very tense. He didn't seem to have his usual fluent cue action.

I can't say I've ever noticed it, and I didn't catch any of Higgins' matches on TV this year.

Agree on the Crucible. It has a rich history, but if snooker is serious about moving on then it's time to leave (and has been for a while, I feel).
 
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