truly amazing to hold it together like that for 8? racks with the pressure of the moment and the score
Honestly I thought SVB would rally back to make it respectable and then wilt under the mounting pressure of the comeback. But man, his level of composure was off the charts. He drilled some of the types of shots he usually misses at the Mosconi Cup under pressure. I was particularly worried about that slow roll shot off the rail in the last rack.truly amazing to hold it together like that for 8? racks with the pressure of the moment and the score
They’ve resisted the trend and stuck with a winner break format which creates environment where such matches can occur. Even if Mika makes that 5 ball, it’s a great run out and a great story or the tournament.But wait, what has Matchroom to do with it? Mika makes that 5 ball, end of story. I mean, in order to get such amazing comebacks (nothing to take from SVB here) you gotta have a huge lead being built firsthand.
And the point I was making earlier today, after an afternoon session, finally got to the climax. How could one praise Matchroom for a great tournament while they did not care to provide a freaking ball marker for every referee at the venue?! Even if we make an assumption MR don't have a clue about that, they hired the head referee (Leymahn?) who should have required those markers. This is ridiculous organization at this level.
was that the last live match for today?Incredible clutch performance by SVB.
Lest we forget, Ko Pin Yi beat SVB in the final of the WPC in 2015, so there's some history here.ko pin yi also had a comeback of sorts vs jayson. so both svb and ko will have that in the luggage when they tee off tomorrow
Not sure anybody is playing better pool right now than Chang, but tomorrow is another day and we'll see if he can maintain the super-human level of play with which he's often been associated.meanwhile, chang made how many BNR's on the tv table?! stats said 10
Then again, yes, 8 and out to win a match is great. Just great! At the same time winner's vs alternate break has been discussed inside out, pros and cons are well known. I believe current setup (1-ball on the spot with a template, race to, etc.) does not provide proper environment for winner breaks. Bring a good triangle, and it is a totally different achievement.They’ve resisted the trend and stuck with a winner break format which creates environment where such matches can occur. Even if Mika makes that 5 ball, it’s a great run out and a great story or the tournament.
The lack of ball markers is indeed an oversight, but you have to partially put the blame on their head referee or tournament director.
Triangle is coming up in last 16! It was announced a long time ago.Then again, yes, 8 and out to win a match is great. Just great! At the same time winner's vs alternate break has been discussed inside out, pros and cons are well known. I believe current setup (1-ball on the spot with a template, race to, etc.) does not provide proper environment for winner breaks. Bring a good triangle, and it is a totally different achievement.
As for resistance, I feel Matchroom have resisted way too many 'trends' Someone posted here at AZB the other day, and I fear the same: the main problem with Matchroom is they can choose to turn the sport into something entirely different from what it is now. I'd even say, different from what we all used to love.
Chang's performance through tonight's matches is by far the best of the field:Not sure anybody is playing better pool right now than Chang, but tomorrow is another day and we'll see if he can maintain the super-human level of play with which he's often been associated.
## 1 Chang Jung-Lin (917 performance): 40 W-11 L against avg. 731
## 2 Alexander Kazakis (885 performance): 40 W-18 L against avg. 770
## 3 Darren Appleton (878 performance): 40 W-18 L against avg. 763
## 4 Albin Ouschan (865 performance): 40 W-18 L against avg. 750
## 5 Ko Pin Yi (863 performance): 44 W-27 L against avg. 793
## 6 Joshua Filler (855 performance): 40 W-24 L against avg. 781
## 7 Oliver Szolnoki (852 performance): 31 W-17 L against avg. 765
## 8 Ralf Souquet (851 performance): 35 W-20 L against avg. 770
## 9 Robbie Capito (845 performance): 27 W-16 L against avg. 770
## 10 Naoyuki Oi (842 performance): 40 W-23 L against avg. 762
Respectfully, I’m not sure I agree with you after looking at his most recent results coming into this. A few weeks ago he only made it into the second round of the elimination stage of the Alfa Las Vegas open. And then he didn’t even make it to the top 32 at the world 10ball a few days after that. It’s a different game (10ball vs 9ball) but those aren’t exactly two stellar results.Not sure anybody is playing better pool right now than Chang, but tomorrow is another day and we'll see if he can maintain the super-human level of play with which he's often been associated.
Well said. While I'll admit that I'm enjoying winner breaks very much, the template makes the break so easy that one must whether it's fair. I've generally contended that as long as a referee is racking the balls, winner breaks format is best, but why on earth would a referee use a template?Then again, yes, 8 and out to win a match is great. Just great! At the same time winner's vs alternate break has been discussed inside out, pros and cons are well known. I believe current setup (1-ball on the spot with a template, race to, etc.) does not provide proper environment for winner breaks. Bring a good triangle, and it is a totally different achievement.
As for resistance, I feel Matchroom have resisted way too many 'trends' Someone posted here at AZB the other day, and I fear the same: the main problem with Matchroom is they can choose to turn the sport into something entirely different from what it is now. I'd even say, different from what we all used to love.
Agreed 100% in this regard. In fact, all the Taiwanese players are coming off a long layoff and are in the process of rediscovering the superb form they showed before the pandemic.Respectfully, I’m not sure I agree with you after looking at his most recent results coming into this. A few weeks ago he only made it into the second round of the elimination stage of the Alfa Las Vegas open. And then he didn’t even make it to the top 32 at the world 10ball a few days after that. It’s a different game (10ball vs 9ball) but those aren’t exactly two stellar results.
But if you’re limiting it to this tournament alone, then I will defer to your judgement and experience and won’t debate you there. I haven’t seen enough of this event to know either way.
Yeah, I'd say it's been announced in 2021 at the WPC and US Open, when the audiences were puzzled about the switch, which was actually declared under the format published.Triangle is coming up in last 16! It was announced a long time ago.
Thanks, I hadn't realized this. Things are much fairer this way and the cream is more likely to rise to the top.Triangle is coming up in last 16! It was announced a long time ago.
This ain't the Mosconi Cup brother. LOL.Honestly I thought SVB would rally back to make it respectable and then wilt under the mounting pressure of the comeback. But man, his level of composure was off the charts. He drilled some of the types of shots he usually misses at the Mosconi Cup under pressure. I was particularly worried about that slow roll shot off the rail in the last rack.
Pressure is pressure. He didn't have a thousand drunk Europe fans ready to go ballistic if he missed but he did have the pressure of coming back from being down 10-3 and not making it all for nothing on that shot (and several others that were major testers).This ain't the Mosconi Cup brother. LOL.