markfinn
Sire
Event Prediction
event-prediction.com
Snooker
- Thread starter The Uncouth
- Start date
The Hare
Gelding
Hello Mark and Del...... yes that is certainly a true fact Mark, but the way the prize money is portioned out, particularly in the final, can it be stated as truly fair. Very often I feel that the winner is way ahead of what the runner up eventually gets. Maybe as a start the prize money in events should be a lot more evenly distributed than it currently is. I for one would like to see all runners up get a fairer share than they do now. Makes more sense to me.
Attached are the current World Rankings, basically prize money earned in the last 2 seasons, for those coloured Green and Grey at the bottom it is just this season and those in Orange and Jak & Jamie Jones and Jordan Browne are 1 season plus current as still yet to complete their 2nd season.
The only other Prize Money is Masters - Top 16 or were at the time & Champions of Champions for Tournament winners or top ranked players. Losing First Round in both of those adds £27,500. A Top 16 player earns close to £150,000. A player around 40th £50,000 a season or 70th maybe £25,000 a season. Fine with sponsorship, probably goes to Top players again mostly for TV coverage but there are maybe 30-40 players scraping a l;iving after expenses without backing. Very top heavy.
markfinn
Sire
Would be interested to see an updated page or list of managers
snooker.org: Managers
www.snooker.org
Delboy99
Dam
…. Are we ever likely to see one of those. I should imagine that whatever eventually reaches their coffers, will remain a definite trade secret.
markfinn
Sire
pretty sure its a closed shop if you can spot the younger players that go on to be scooped up by the main gangs you could have confidence that you were on the right track…. Are we ever likely to see one of those. I should imagine that whatever eventually reaches their coffers, will remain a definite trade secret.
Delboy99
Dam
..... all you need is one or two promising bright stars of the future and you are made. Pockets lined with Silver.
Delboy99
Dam
The BetVictor Northern Ireland Open promises to be an incredible experience for local amateurs Christopher Clifford and Robert McCullough - but big guns Mark Allen and Jordan Brown carry the hopes of a first ever home victory in the £405,000 showpiece at the Waterfront Hall.
The
The easing of Covid restrictions should make for a superb atmosphere at one of the finest venues on the professional snooker circuit with the prestigious Alex Higgins Trophy going to the winner.
The late Higgins won the World title in 1972 and 1982 with fellow Ulsterman Dennis Taylor following up with the global crown in the famous 1985 black ball final against the legendary Steve Davis, highlighting Northern Ireland’s rich snooker heritage.
The tournament starts today - with the final next Sunday - and NI U21 champion Clifford, whose day job is making aluminium window frames, is the first local into action when he takes on Gao Yang tonight, while tomorrow is snooker’s very own Super Sunday with Allen tackling Si Jiahui, Brown facing Gary Wilson and McCullough playing Sam Craigie while the great Ronnie O’Sullivan, defending champion Judd Trump - who has incredibly beaten the Rocket 9-7 in the last three NI finals - and World champion and global number one Mark Selby also begin their campaigns.
McCullough replaces local rising star Robbie McGuigan, who is competing in the European U21 Championships in Portugal, and will fancy his chances of giving the experienced Craigie a run for his money, while fellow amateur Clifford has the game to pose teen sensation Yang a few problems.
Brown is pushing to break into the World top 32 after his heroics in last season’s Welsh Open when he edged out O’Sullivan in a dramatic last frame decider in the final at Celtic Manor, played behind closed doors due to Covid restrictions.
But the man known as the ‘Antrim Ferrari’ admits that a good run at the NI Open - like many tournaments switched to the secure bubble of the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes last season due to the pandemic - would surpass even his astonishing triumph as a 750-1 outsider then ranked 81 in the world.
“The support the home players receive in the Northern Ireland Open is very special,” said Brown, whose rise to prominence has been an inspiring one, the cueman working in a petrol station for 14 years before his stunning breakthrough.
“I certainly never thought it would happen. I’ve said a couple of times that I had some dark days working in there,” admitted the 33-year-old.
“It was hard, but it gave me the extra mental strength to have that determination and go on to be successful. I won a few fans that week at the Welsh Open. To come from being an ordinary working person, to then achieve what I did, hopefully inspired a few people to never give up and follow their dreams.
“It was a rollercoaster for me that week. On the morning of the final, it was still sinking in and I was still processing what I had achieved. Reality then kicked in pretty sharply, I realised that I was about to face Ronnie O’Sullivan in the final of a ranking event and had to think about how I was going to go about trying to beat him. He played phenomenal snooker that week, but I needed to remember what I had done to get there myself. I earned my place and thought that there was no reason why I couldn’t go that one step further.
“I had a lot of belief that I was going to win that match. I was probably one of only a select few that did think I could win. Nobody gave me much of a chance, which was understandable as it was a bit of a David v Goliath contest. All I could do was focus on myself.
“We were just confined to our rooms afterwards because of Covid rules, so there couldn’t be an afterparty. I didn’t have anything to drink, but one of the snooker staff managed to drop off a couple of cans of Carling at the door and the hotel staff left a little surprise and a card in the room. The reception staff were so nice throughout the event. They were asking how I was getting on and looked after me. That wee note they left in the room will live long in the memory. I at least had a wee celebration to myself.
“My phone never stopped the whole night. I think if I had to guess there were about 500 messages. Normally after matches I get a few from close friends and family. I could tell that everybody I knew from Antrim went out of their way to watch that. Antrim snooker has a great following and it made me think that I have a great support base back home. It was very humbling.
“I played well and got 4-1 ahead. I was giving Ronnie a really good battle and a lot to think about. I really thought I could win at that point.
“I was delighted to be 5-3 up after the first session. I remember in the interval I didn’t speak to anyone. There was just one person who I called, my friend (and fellow snooker player) Declan Lavery. I didn’t want to talk about snooker, I wanted to distract myself from the magnitude of what I was doing.
“We were obviously in a bubble due to Covid, but I knew everyone in the outside world would be watching and talking about it. I didn’t need those distractions.
“The one text I read was from Mark Allen. It was just a message to say to keep doing what I was doing, not to look at my phone and get something to eat. He has been in so many big finals and his advice was definitely worth listening to.
“Once I got to eight frames I tried hard not to get carried away. I knew I still had to get another frame on the board. He forced the decider with a century, but I knew in the back of my mind that I had won four deciding frames to get to that point. I’d coped with the pressure all the way throughout the week and there was no reason I couldn’t do it again. I am normally quite good with pressure. The experience of previous matches that week kept me calm.
“I honestly just said to myself to concentrate 100% on every shot. I didn’t think of the occasion, what it would mean to me and my family at home, or who I was playing. I couldn’t allow myself to have those thoughts. It helped me in that decider, otherwise I couldn’t have done it under that pressure. I am very proud of how I handled myself. I think you could see the relief flooding out at the end.
“It didn’t sink in for a while. The initial thought was that I couldn’t believe someone like me had done that. I’m just an ordinary guy who happens to play snooker for a living.”
Brown added: “It finally hit me a week or so afterwards. I struggled in the events that followed after that because it was a massive deal to me. That is only natural and I’m sure a lot of other first time winners have had that experience.”
The
The easing of Covid restrictions should make for a superb atmosphere at one of the finest venues on the professional snooker circuit with the prestigious Alex Higgins Trophy going to the winner.
The late Higgins won the World title in 1972 and 1982 with fellow Ulsterman Dennis Taylor following up with the global crown in the famous 1985 black ball final against the legendary Steve Davis, highlighting Northern Ireland’s rich snooker heritage.
The tournament starts today - with the final next Sunday - and NI U21 champion Clifford, whose day job is making aluminium window frames, is the first local into action when he takes on Gao Yang tonight, while tomorrow is snooker’s very own Super Sunday with Allen tackling Si Jiahui, Brown facing Gary Wilson and McCullough playing Sam Craigie while the great Ronnie O’Sullivan, defending champion Judd Trump - who has incredibly beaten the Rocket 9-7 in the last three NI finals - and World champion and global number one Mark Selby also begin their campaigns.
McCullough replaces local rising star Robbie McGuigan, who is competing in the European U21 Championships in Portugal, and will fancy his chances of giving the experienced Craigie a run for his money, while fellow amateur Clifford has the game to pose teen sensation Yang a few problems.
Brown is pushing to break into the World top 32 after his heroics in last season’s Welsh Open when he edged out O’Sullivan in a dramatic last frame decider in the final at Celtic Manor, played behind closed doors due to Covid restrictions.
But the man known as the ‘Antrim Ferrari’ admits that a good run at the NI Open - like many tournaments switched to the secure bubble of the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes last season due to the pandemic - would surpass even his astonishing triumph as a 750-1 outsider then ranked 81 in the world.
“The support the home players receive in the Northern Ireland Open is very special,” said Brown, whose rise to prominence has been an inspiring one, the cueman working in a petrol station for 14 years before his stunning breakthrough.
“I certainly never thought it would happen. I’ve said a couple of times that I had some dark days working in there,” admitted the 33-year-old.
“It was hard, but it gave me the extra mental strength to have that determination and go on to be successful. I won a few fans that week at the Welsh Open. To come from being an ordinary working person, to then achieve what I did, hopefully inspired a few people to never give up and follow their dreams.
“It was a rollercoaster for me that week. On the morning of the final, it was still sinking in and I was still processing what I had achieved. Reality then kicked in pretty sharply, I realised that I was about to face Ronnie O’Sullivan in the final of a ranking event and had to think about how I was going to go about trying to beat him. He played phenomenal snooker that week, but I needed to remember what I had done to get there myself. I earned my place and thought that there was no reason why I couldn’t go that one step further.
“I had a lot of belief that I was going to win that match. I was probably one of only a select few that did think I could win. Nobody gave me much of a chance, which was understandable as it was a bit of a David v Goliath contest. All I could do was focus on myself.
“We were just confined to our rooms afterwards because of Covid rules, so there couldn’t be an afterparty. I didn’t have anything to drink, but one of the snooker staff managed to drop off a couple of cans of Carling at the door and the hotel staff left a little surprise and a card in the room. The reception staff were so nice throughout the event. They were asking how I was getting on and looked after me. That wee note they left in the room will live long in the memory. I at least had a wee celebration to myself.
“My phone never stopped the whole night. I think if I had to guess there were about 500 messages. Normally after matches I get a few from close friends and family. I could tell that everybody I knew from Antrim went out of their way to watch that. Antrim snooker has a great following and it made me think that I have a great support base back home. It was very humbling.
“I played well and got 4-1 ahead. I was giving Ronnie a really good battle and a lot to think about. I really thought I could win at that point.
“I was delighted to be 5-3 up after the first session. I remember in the interval I didn’t speak to anyone. There was just one person who I called, my friend (and fellow snooker player) Declan Lavery. I didn’t want to talk about snooker, I wanted to distract myself from the magnitude of what I was doing.
“We were obviously in a bubble due to Covid, but I knew everyone in the outside world would be watching and talking about it. I didn’t need those distractions.
“The one text I read was from Mark Allen. It was just a message to say to keep doing what I was doing, not to look at my phone and get something to eat. He has been in so many big finals and his advice was definitely worth listening to.
“Once I got to eight frames I tried hard not to get carried away. I knew I still had to get another frame on the board. He forced the decider with a century, but I knew in the back of my mind that I had won four deciding frames to get to that point. I’d coped with the pressure all the way throughout the week and there was no reason I couldn’t do it again. I am normally quite good with pressure. The experience of previous matches that week kept me calm.
“I honestly just said to myself to concentrate 100% on every shot. I didn’t think of the occasion, what it would mean to me and my family at home, or who I was playing. I couldn’t allow myself to have those thoughts. It helped me in that decider, otherwise I couldn’t have done it under that pressure. I am very proud of how I handled myself. I think you could see the relief flooding out at the end.
“It didn’t sink in for a while. The initial thought was that I couldn’t believe someone like me had done that. I’m just an ordinary guy who happens to play snooker for a living.”
Brown added: “It finally hit me a week or so afterwards. I struggled in the events that followed after that because it was a massive deal to me. That is only natural and I’m sure a lot of other first time winners have had that experience.”
Delboy99
Dam
Northern Ireland Open 2021 - Lee Walker ousts Anthony McGill in first shock at Waterfront Hall in Belfast
2020 World Championship semi-finalist Anthony McGill fought back from a three-frame deficit but would still lose 4-3 to Lee Walker in Belfast on the first night of the Northern Ireland Open. Elsewhere, Jimmy Robertson beat Zhou Yuelong in another shock result. You can watch the Northern Ireland Open and all the Home Nations events live and ad-free on the Eurosport app and Eurosport.co.uk
World number 16 Anthony McGill was beaten by veteran Lee Walker 4-3 on the first night of the Northern Ireland Open at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.McGill, a two-time ranking finalist, had the superior record against Walker coming into the first-round tie, having won five of their eight encounters. However, the world number 16 had lost all four of his matches thus far this season, and was soon at a three-frame deficit.
The 2020 World Championship semi-finalist did contribute a 57 in frame two but Walker managed to nick that and frames one and three on the back of runs of 60 and 67. McGill is nothing if not tenacious and the Glaswegian Gladiator lived up to his moniker as he tore back into contention with breaks of 73 and 137 before coming out on top of a terse, tactical frame six to set-up a tense finale.
However, Walker would hold his nerve making a 53 to progress to the second round.
Elsewhere, in another shock result, Jimmy Robertson - ranked 48th - held off a spirited fightback from world number 17 Zhou Yuelong to win 4-2 as he made three breaks of 50, 70 and 59. In the night's other match, world number 80 Gao Yang made light work of amateur and local hope Christopher Clifford beating him 4-0 courtesy of breaks of 85, 81 and 58.
First-round matches involving the world’s top 16 and three Northern Irish players - Clifford, Robbie McGuigan and Jordan Brown – were held over to be played between October 9 and 11 while the rest of the first-round matches were completed before the official start of the tournament.
That quirk in scheduling has thrown open a bumper Sunday of action.
Defending champion Judd Trump begins his campaign against Andrew Pagett at 19:00 with O'Sullivan playing Stuart Carrington after him. Mark Williams is also in action in the evening session, facing Mark Joyce. Earlier in the day - starting at 13:00 - John Higgins takes on Joe O'Connor, Mark Selby faces Mark Lloyd, Mark Allen takes to the baize against Si Jiahui and Neil Robertson comes up against Barry Pinches. Coverage of these matches start at 12:45 on Eurosport 1 on Sunday.
The Hare
Gelding
Well 1 game to go in Round 1 - tomorrow morning. Leaving this draw for Round 2 - 2 withdrawals as marked. If Shaun Murphy loses in morning the alternative game is at the bottom of the list. Nearly all the Top 16 got through so should be good standard from now on. Cao Yupeng still on a high rating, just 14 games in the last 2 years on my data for him so treat with caution!
Delboy99
Dam
..... very good presentation as usual
The Hare and still a lot left in there with a good chance. According to your ratings it looks like Selby is going to have a tough time against Cao Yupeng and is off a pretty high rating as well as the odds being in his favour. Looks like the bookies fancy his chances.
Delboy99
Dam
Brilliant Judd Trump thrashes Gao Yang in faultless showing at the Northern Ireland Open
Trump pounced on early errors from the Chinese starlet to capitalise and secure a 4-0 victory. Yang failed to pot a ball in a chastening defeat for the youngster with Trump virtually perfect in producing some of his finest snooker with the world number two setting up a meeting with Yang's compatriot Lu Ning in the last 32.
Judd Trump produced four frames of scintillating snooker to thrash Chinese starlet Gao Yang 4-0.The defending Northern Ireland Open champion began the defence of his crown in perfect fashion with a near faultless performances as his opponent failed to pot a single ball in a chastening defeat for the teenager.
Recapturing some of his finest form on the baize, Trump capitalised on early errors to seize control of the match.
Having been invited into the contest after Yang missed a tough long red in the opening frame, Trump required a couple of trips to the table to eventually secure the opening frame with a break of 54.
- Ronnie O'Sullivan: I wasn't bothered if I won or lost against Andy Hicks
- Stuart Bingham beats Sam Craigie as David Gilbert dazzles in Belfast
- Northern Ireland Open 2021 - Schedule, results, draw
Playing with confidence, Trump unconventionally dismantled the pack off his opening red in frame three and appeared all set to again register a century break after over-complicating a pink in a bid to stay in ideal position.
But Yang could not capitalise and Trump was soon back to the table to add a further 30 and secure the frame and a 3-0 lead inside half-an-hour of the match beginning.
While another missed pink ended another break of supreme control for a tally of 63 in the fourth, Yang was in no mood to prolong the encounter and was content to shake hands without striking a ball for the pocket in anger.
The 17-year-old is considered one of snooker's most promising talents with an attacking style, but this was a disappointing defeat.
Yang had also lost to Trump without securing a frame at the last 64 stage of last year's competition.
Trump will next face Yang's compatriot Lu Ning for a place in the last 16 in Belfast.
He is seeking his fourth Northern Ireland Open crown in a row.
The Hare
Gelding
Well 2nd Round completes this morning and straight into Round 3 in less than an hour. The top seeds nearly all through. a few scares along the way but the lower ranked players find it hard to kill the game off. Guess thats the difference between top and near top. Yupeng did well against Selby so not too far off his rating, he was 3rd before that on limited games but slips to 6th now though not much lower. Trump impressive yesteray could continue his long unbeaten record in the event.
Games for next round below
Games for next round below
Delboy99
Dam
…. looks like Trump is geared up to go all the way in this event judging by his early play. Would not be surprised to see him win the event overall the way he thrashed Gao Yang out of sight. Watched Murphy last night recover from a dire position to beat Taylor 4-3 in a pretty scrappy last two frames. Looks like he is lacking confidence.Well 2nd Round completes this morning and straight into Round 3 in less than an hour. The top seeds nearly all through. a few scares along the way but the lower ranked players find it hard to kill the game off. Guess thats the difference between top and near top. Yupeng did well against Selby so not too far off his rating, he was 3rd before that on limited games but slips to 6th now though not much lower. Trump impressive yesteray could continue his long unbeaten record in the event.
Games for next round below
View attachment 106801
markfinn
Sire
Well he would - was thinking about this - they need handicapping in order to make it watchable - Gao Yang £10,000 in winnings has to be over awed bu Trump and co - Ronnie O Sullivan "not bothered win or lose" - its a bit of joke really ?
The Hare
Gelding
Ronnie is always good for a laugh. He clearly practices with Burden a lot and for Ronnie at his best it is only the motivation needed to get past the early rounds. Once the money rises he takes a little more interest!
The interesting thing fro this competition, 2 in Belfast, 1 in Milton Keynes are the last 3 finals have all finished, Trump 9 O'Sullivan 7! That must be an astronomical odds. Still possible this year as well.
Delboy99
Dam
..... the sooner he starts taking it seriously again, the sooner he will be among the money. His current attitude leaves a lot to be desired from a guy who is obviously a genius when he says the word "Go". He obviously does not need the money that desperately or he would be buckling down a lot more than he does. He had a sports specialist working on his mental attitude a while back, but I don't know if he is still around or whether Ronnie thinks he is beyond help. In my humble opinion he has to go down as one of Snooker's greats, if not the greatest when at the peak of his game. Perhaps he thinks he does not owe any debt of gratitude to all those supporters who have hung around for years and still wanting him to turn out, be serious, and play his best, otherwise stop peeing about and retire to avoid making himself look inept and silly.
Delboy99
Dam
..... still a good looking bunch in there with a chance. For my money though I think Trump is geared and fired up to win with all the poor publicity he has been having lately, he will be itching to prove a point and will also want his number one spot back. I don't think he liked the situation a little while ago in the way he had to slip to number two and Selby placed ahead of him. Looks like he might still have the fire in his belly to breeze through the rest of these matches and get his spot back.
Totally agree I watched the match today, he was totally bored and didn’t care about making an effort, fans in the crowd paying good money wearing Ronnie T-Shirts etc would have been looking forward to watching a great of the sport, but what they got some someone going through the motions and giving nothing more than the bare minimum...... the sooner he starts taking it seriously again, the sooner he will be among the money. His current attitude leaves a lot to be desired from a guy who is obviously a genius when he says the word "Go". He obviously does not need the money that desperately or he would be buckling down a lot more than he does. He had a sports specialist working on his mental attitude a while back, but I don't know if he is still around or whether Ronnie thinks he is beyond help. In my humble opinion he has to go down as one of Snooker's greats, if not the greatest when at the peak of his game. Perhaps he thinks he does not owe any debt of gratitude to all those supporters who have hung around for years and still wanting him to turn out, be serious, and play his best, otherwise stop peeing about and retire to avoid making himself look inept and silly.
As a sports bettor you would have to be a maniac to ever bet money on a Ronnie match, his odds will always be short and you are just as likely he will put in an abject display as his genius best.
He is now short changing fans with his piss-poor attitude and should pack it in if he can’t be bothered.
Best player of a generation bit arguably an underachiever should have won at least 10 world titles with his talent.
Sometimes when sports people have a bit of attitude or flair it makes them all the more exciting, think Cantona and that is the case with Ronnie , everyone admires a player with flair and personality, but now his behaviour is starting to edge over into being a bore.