Shaun Murphy and Stephen Maguire both exited the 2016 Betfred World Championship on Sunday at the Crucible. Opening day Saturday had witnessed the defending world champion Stuart Bingham knocked out in dramatic fashion and Murphy, the player who Bingham beat in last year’s final, followed suit after a 10-8 defeat[Read More…]
Tag: Anthony McGill
Carter Conquers Champion in Cliffhanger
Ali Carter beat the defending champion Stuart Bingham 10-9 as the opening day of the World Championship began in thrilling fashion at the Crucible. There had been much hype surrounding the build-up to this tie with the obvious queries concerning the Curse of the Crucible whereby there has never been[Read More…]
It’s There! The Return of Free Ball
Regular readers may remember that this time last year there was a ghostly (ghastly?) guest writer during the 2015 World Championship. Free Ball, as s/he mysteriously wishes to be known as, offered snippets of reflection on the various happenings at the Crucible that may have gone unnoticed to the untrained eye.[Read More…]
16 World Championship Qualifiers Confirmed
The World Championship qualifiers came to a conclusion on Wednesday with 16 players emerging from Ponds Forge to complete the last 32 line-up at the Crucible. As always, there was plenty of drama and tension in Sheffield as a coveted place in the main draw was at stake, and it[Read More…]
Walden’s International Championship Reign Ended Early
Ricky Walden’s defence of the International Championship ended before it really began as he was dumped out of the competition by Tian Pengfei on the opening day in Daqing. Walden’s qualifying round with the Chinese player was held over from Barnsley to the main event but the Englishman probably wishes[Read More…]
O’Brien Reaches Daqing
Another 16 players booked their places in the International Championship first round after coming through qualifying on a routine day in Barnsley. 2012 runner-up Neil Robertson was the highest profile player in action and survived a brief scare before coming from 3-1 down to beat amateur Kuldesh Johal 6-3. The Australian[Read More…]
2015 SHQ Awards: The End of Season Review
As we prepare for a new season that amazingly starts in a mere few days, there’s still just about enough time to reflect on the 2014/15 campaign. Over the last few years on SnookerHQ I have always done an end of season review in May and this year will be[Read More…]
World Championship: Quarter-Final Preview
In less than a week we’ll know who will be crowned as the 2015 world snooker champion. Eight competitors remain in this marathon championship as the quarter-finals take place on Tuesday and Wednesday. An impressive line-up has been assembled with three former world champions and two further ex runners-up left[Read More…]
It’s There! Character Building
Over the course of the World Championship I’ve challenged one snooker aficionado to highlight the best quirky, outlandish, unusual, laughable and questionable observations of each day. As if to further enhance his (or her!) alter ego as snooker’s sleeper, this spy has elected to go through the tournament in disguise. Read[Read More…]
Smiling Scotsman Stuns Selby
So the Crucible curse continues. Everybody must surely already be aware of the reality that defending champion Mark Selby’s reign ended on Friday at the hands of newcomer Anthony McGill. The debutant played superbly well to dethrone Selby and continue his own aspirations of joining the exclusive winners club in[Read More…]