Stephen Hendry snooker blog
Elisabeth
This user hasn't shared any profile information
Posts by Elisabeth
Magic number is 147 for Davis
0733 days
by Elisabeth
in Uncategorized
Anyone who is a fan of snooker should try and find some time to read the autobiography of the legendary Joe Davis, the player who organised the first world snooker championship in 1927 and won it himself 15 times. Davis was without a doubt a snooker pioneer who probably did more for the sport than any other player. The book is called The Breaks Came My Way and can be read for free over at the EABA website.
Reading the book you realise how different everything about the sport was back then. One of the things that seems strange to today’s fans is the fact that snooker players back in Davis’s glory days didn’t even think about the possibility of making a maximum break. When Davis participated in the 1947 championship at the Leicester Square Hall, his brother Fred Davis played against a player named Scot Walter Donaldson who was famous for having made a 142 break on one occasion. This was something quite remarkable that people and players talked a lot about.
More than a decade earlier, Davis had made a break of 138 and was genuinely happy to break that record by two points in 1948 at the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow against Donaldson. A few months later he beat the new record by another point. He was getting closer to the maximum but at this point he didn’t even think it was possible for anyone to do it.
Then a player named George Chenier came along and made a 144 break. Davis was amazed and thought that this record was unbeatable. He had made over 350 centuries without ever getting more than that. It may be a human factor but as soon as someone else has shown that a certain feat is possible, it suddenly gets easier to get there yourself. This is exactly what happened to Davis only one month after Chenier’s 144 break. He made a break of 146, in a match against Chenier of all people and pushed the record further by two points. If he hadn’t been forced to play a pink instead of a black somewhere in the middle of the frame, he would have compiled the first maximum. But players back then didn’t seem to go out there with the intention to do it, much because they didn’t think it was possible.
After having scored 600 centuries and won 15 world championships, the only ambition left for Davis was to score the 147. He had done virtually everything a player could dream of doing in snooker except for that so this clearly must have been a big goal for him.
On January 22nd 1955 he finally did it during one of the last matches played at the Leicester Square Hall before it was closed. He describes it as one of the greatest moments of his life. This time he had the maximum in mind early on in the frame and took quite a few crazy chances. The audience saw it coming and encouraged him to try which helped him pot a few seemingly impossible balls. A few moments later, the world’s first officially recognised maximum break was completed. His mentor and opponent, Willie Smith, gave him a hug and the spectators were cheering and came down to the table to shake his hand. The first thing Davis did afterwards was to call his wife. He almost couldn’t speak but she understood he had done it. They both started crying from happiness.
That’s how elusive the first 147 seemed to these players of the past. Since then countless maximum breaks have been made by innumerable players and nobody thinks of it as impossible anymore. It is, however, still a quite unusual thing that far from all players can brag about having done.
There will always be an aura of magic around the maximum even though it won’t ever be quite as extraordinary as it was back in the days of Joe Davis.
Snooker’s record breakers keep on coming
0734 days
by Elisabeth
in Uncategorized
Snooker is a sport that is slow enough to encourage pondering. Every now and then we find ourselves wondering if what we’re seeing is something unique and spectacular or just a common occurrence.
Keeping track of all the records and statistics isn’t easy when it comes to a sport that has been played professionally for decades.
There have been quite a few stunning records throughout the years, yet still new players keep breaking them. One kind of record that seems to be beaten constantly are in the “youngest player ever to…” category. For example we had grown used to the fact that Ronnie O’Sullivan was the youngest player to score a maximum break but then Judd Trump beat that record in 2004 and in 2007 Ding Junhui became the youngest player to score a televised maximum break.
So, what is the most impressive snooker record ever, all categories? Well, Joe Davis’s 15 World Championship titles is a fair candidate, you can’t argue with that. But then again, Stephen Hendry’s seven titles in modern times might be even more amazing considering the big increase in competition since 1946 when Davis won his last World Championship. Hendry’s 36 ranking titles is also a jaw-dropping achievement. Despite Steve Davis’s legendary status he’s quite far behind with his 28.
Even though maximum breaks don’t automatically mean you will win the match (we have seen enough matches ending in favour of the player who didn’t make the maximum to establish that) they still cause the most awe among spectators. The two players who have provided us with the most maximum breaks are O’Sullivan and Hendry who have both scored nine each. However, they have yet to score a 155 break, the absolute highest break possible in snooker. The only player who has reportedly made one is Jamie Cope. Except for the obvious skills needed to make a maximum break, luck is also required to compile a “super maximum break” of155. A free ball has to be involved which is something you can’t exactly control by yourself.
The fastest maximum break was made by Ronnie O’Sullivan in 1997 and was over in five minutes and 20 seconds. Will it ever be beaten? However, quite surprisingly O’Sullivan doesn’t hold the record for the fastest frame, no, it was made by Tony Drago in 1996 who won a frame in three minutes and thirty-one seconds.
The most annoying attempt at a maximum was probably that of Ken Doherty in 2000 when he missed the final black off its spot at the Masters.
A record that might not be very flattering is the one for the longest frame. It was played in the 2008 China Open between Shaun Murphy and Dave Harold and lasted 93 minutes and 12 seconds. The longest match was one of the most classic and famous matches ever played, namely the 1985 World Championship final between Dennis Taylor and Steve Davis. It lasted 890 minutes and went to the final black ball. But the match will most likely be remembered as the most exciting rather than the longest.
No matter how many complicated records you break (such as “the second-youngest player to win five consecutive frames in a professional tournament”), entertainment value might still rate higher. After all, people will remember exciting matches first and foremost and tend to forget exact figures.
Sweden needs to bring more snooker talents to the table
0746 days
by Elisabeth
in Uncategorized
Snooker is still a very small sport in Sweden. The number of snooker tables available to the public in the entire country, 55, probably says it all.
Until about five years ago, many Swedes didn’t even know what snooker was. It wasn’t until 2002 that something finally started happening. Eurosport has been part of the base selection of many television cable companies in Sweden ever since cable tv was introduced to the country. So when they started showing snooker in the beginning of the 2000s, it was only natural that people came across matches when randomly zapping between channels.
But the thing that originally caught their attention might not have been the game itself as much as the commentator. This man truly stood out with his drawling voice, slightly sarcastic comments and hilarious understatements. People would stay on Eurosport for a while just to listen to him talk. Paying attention to the match at the same time they soon realised what a fascinating and intriguing game snooker really is.
The commentator’s name is Kim Hartman and he might very well be one of the biggest reasons why the sport is finally getting attention in Sweden. He has a background as a referee in the World Amateur Snooker Championship as well as in one of the biggest snooker clubs in Stockholm where he has been a driving force for many years. He was also responsible for importing the first snooker table to Sweden and held receptions in Stockholm for guests like Stephen Hendry in the 80′s. In 2004 he won Eurosport’s commentator of the year award.
Despite the low number of tables, a few Swedish tournaments are being held throughout the year. The most important tournament is the Swedish Championship that usually takes place after the professional World Championship. Other tournaments are the Swedish Championship for ladies, the Swedish Championship for youths, the Swedish Championship for seniors and a few smaller ranking tournaments.
Sweden has a few good players, none of which are professional, and quite a few very talented youths. Some of the most well-known players today are Kevin Zarakani, Farhan Mirza, Nils Böhling and Ann-Sofie Löfgren. It’s quite remarkable that the highest ranked female player is 32nd in the rankings. In 2009 Swedish player Suleman K Salam won the Junior International Snooker Open in Ireland.
Apparently, Sweden is loaded with snooker talent, so what could be done to increase the popularity of the sport and get more people to play? First of all, Eurosport is no longer in the tv cable basic selection due to price negotiation problems. The Eurosport web tv service costs money and is still experiencing some problems with freezing and delays.
This might slowly cause the interest in snooker to decrease among Swedes. Another problem might be the amount of tables in Sweden. If snooker tables in addition to pool tables became a natural part of the Swedish pub life, more people would be exposed to the sport. Of course, international success such as that of Salam in 2009 helps tremendously.
But anyone interested in snooker is responsible for helping the sport gain popularity. We can’t just sit around and wait for a single enthusiast like Kim Hartman to do all the work.
For Maguire winning is a frame of mind
0747 days
by Elisabeth
in Uncategorized
When Stephen Maguire won the 2004 UK Championship commentators and snooker experts proclaimed him the new Stephen Hendry.
Not because they’re both Scottish and have the same first name, but because their techniques have certain similarities. They’re both minimalistic, offensive, accurate and extraordinarily gifted. They’re both excellent break builders and natural talents that often leave the audience in awe after clearing the table.
There is however one big difference. Hendry is a remarkably composed player who never allows himself to get too nervous or dwell on previous misses. He is famous for his poker face and will always display perfect sportsmanship. It’s not that he lacks emotions, not at all. There have been interviews when Hendry has been visibly affected by a negative match result. But at the table he usually gives the impression of being as calm as a cucumber at all times.
Maguire on the other hand has had some problems with nervousness and seems to suffer from mood swings during matches. He has the disadvantage of letting misses and frame defeats get to him. This might be due to his young age, but is probably just a part of his character as a human being. That said, there aren’t many snooker players on the tour today that share Hendry’s calm state of mind.
Could Maguire become snooker’s next big star and world number one? Does he have what it takes to win the World Championship?
He certainly possesses the aptitude but will his nerves hold out and allow him to win more big tournaments? In 2004 Maguire was seemingly unbeatable when he took the UK Championship title and Ronnie O’Sullivan predicted that he would be the next world champion.
He won the China Open in 2008 and is ranked number two in the world for the 2009/10 season. There is definitely a lot of potential. So, what are you waiting for, Maguire? It’s time to show them all!
Ronnie O’Sullivan – madman or genius?
1748 days
by Elisabeth
in Uncategorized
There’s a fine line between ingenuity and insanity and perhaps Ronnie O’Sullivan, one of snooker’s greatest prodigies ever, is the biggest proof of that.
Having been known to smash cues, smoke marijuana before matches and mumble obscenities during press conferences, the man obviously seems to have a personal issue or two.
But think about it – big, unforgettable artists like Vincent van Gogh and not entirely sane writers like Hunter S Thompson probably wouldn’t have been able to produce the things they did without being a little crazy. Sportsmen, however, are expected to be calm and focused and being a sportsman, O’Sullivan is a somewhat unusual case even if he could be seen as a true artist when performing at the table.
Snooker involves so much more than just potting balls. It is a sport that requires strategy, deliberation and creativity and this might be where O’Sullivan’s more “artistic” side comes in. He spots openings that were invisible to mere mortals and when he gets out of position he often comes up with a new creative idea. The audience marvels at his inventive nature as he clears the table in a way no-one thought possible.
Snooker has seen many talents during the years but most of them were just technical wizards. The kind of skill O’Sullivan possesses goes beyond technique and borders on artistry. Maybe that sort of rare talent just can’t exist without a twist?
Marking time – Williams chases past glory
0749 days
by Elisabeth
in Uncategorized
Mark Williams is one of those extraordinary players that have made an immortal impression on the snooker world. He is one of the rare talents and used to be right up there with John Higgins and Ronnie O’Sullivan.
But when you see Williams’ name on the draw nowadays you find yourself wondering what form he’s going to be in for the upcoming tournament.
Williams was known to produce stunning results. He’s won all the big tournaments – the World Championship twice, Grand Prix, Welsh Open, British Open, China Open, Irish Open and UK Championship, some of them several times. He’s also one of the few players who has won the Masters, the UK Championship and the World Championship titles in one season (2002/03). With 16 ranking titles Williams has shown us that he’s a player of amazing ability.
We know what he can do, we just want him to do it more frequently these days. Many of today’s snooker fans miss his performances in the glory days and wish he could find his way back to that form.
This season hasn’t exactly been brilliant. He only reached the fourth round of the qualifying event at Welsh Open. He didn’t manage to get past the last 32 of this year’s World Championship and China Open. At the Shanghai Masters he lost to John Higgins in the last 16.
The UK Championship didn’t go so well either. He won his last 32 match 9-2 but this was only because Graeme Dott had to withdraw due to illness. In his next match he lost 9-8 to Peter Lines, ranked 64th, and produced the biggest shock of the tournament.
Some hope was lit during this year’s Grand Prix though. It was almost as if it was the old Mark Williams playing. He seemed strong and made it to the semi final. He also made the highest break of the tournament (142).
This proves that his talent is still with him and that he might just need to put some more dedication into the game. Finding motivation with a career like Williams’s behind you and with fatherhood on top of everything isn’t easy. A year ago, Williams was even thinking of retiring if he dropped out of the top 32. But he thought better of it and realised that he still has what it takes to provide the world with excellent snooker.
Don’t give up, Mark.
Angry Allen must focus his aggression
0760 days
by Elisabeth
in Uncategorized
There has been a lot of buzz around 23-year-old Mark Allen from Northern Ireland lately. This young, upcoming star became professional only four years ago and despite his age,
Allen has already had a very impressive career. He is currently number 11th in the world rankings and on his record you’ll find a last 16 placement in the World Championship, a semi-final in the Northern Ireland Trophy, a quarter-final in the China Open and a victory over Ronnie O’Sullivan that took him to the quarter-finals in the World Championship. With all of the above and a Jiangsu Classic victory to boot, Allen has every reason to be proud.
But this natural-born talent has had some serious mood issues in the past. The Northern Ireland team banned him from the Pontin’s for banging his cue, hitting the table and behaving rudely to other people. In the 2007 Aberdeen Grand Prix, Allen took out his anger on the snooker table again.
He was warned by the referee but replied with cuss words which in turn resulted in Ken Doherty calling him “a disgrace” after the match. Doherty was later blamed for being a bad loser by Allen since he had recently lost to him.
But let’s hope Allen doesn’t forget that snooker is a gentleman’s sport. Temper tantrums are probably looked upon more seriously in snooker than in other sports and can lead to tournament bans. Besides, they might affect the game negatively.
After all, big snooker stars like Stephen Hendry and Steve Davis always seemed to be able to maintain their composure throughout the most trying situations. If Allen can learn from the legends, he might be able to reach his full potential. If he can avoid future bans, who knows how far he can go?
Watch out for Allen in the 2010 Masters. Last year he made it all the way from the wildcard position to the quarter-final. This time around he’s in the top 16 and is therefore automatically qualified for the tournament. His first match will be against John Higgins.
In honour of the Beckham of the Baize
0761 days
by Elisabeth
in Uncategorized
Paul Hunter, who died at age 27 in 2006, had almost become a symbol of The Masters tournament in recent years. Hunter lifted the Masters trophy in 2001, 2002 and 2004 and was on top of his career when it was abruptly ended.
He provided the spectators with great excitement as in all finals he came back after having trailed, winning 10-9. A lot of fans and other players were convinced that he would soon win the World Championship. But the battle against cancer became too hard.
A few months after Paul Hunter’s death, Jimmy White, who survived testicular cancer in 1995, suggested the Masters trophy should be renamed after Hunter. His widow, Lindsey Hunter expressed her approval for the trophy to be named the Paul Hunter Trophy.
However, World Snooker thought differently and decided against it. Instead the 2007 German Open pro-am was given the name Paul Hunter Classic. A scholarship with Hunter’s name on it was also created with the motivation that it was a more fitting tribute. The aim of the scholarship is to help a talented young player aged between 16 and 21 get elite training at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield to accomplish his goals. Saga Insurance, the sponsor of The Masters, helped with the funding. They donated 50 pounds to the scholarship for every break over 50 points at The Masters.
The Paul Hunter Foundation was also set up by Lindsey in the memory of her husband. It will provide disabled and disadvantaged children with a chance to play snooker. The Newcomer of the Year award that is administered by the Snooker Writer’s Association was also renamed in honour of Hunter.
Hunter was one of the most loved players on the professional tour. He was one of the players who was most responsible for the great popularity of The Masters tournament. Hunter had his whole life ahead of him but sadly we will never know how far he could really go. Hopefully a recipient of the Paul Hunter Scholarship will soon pass on his legacy in The Masters.
The Masters: a guide
0762 days
by Elisabeth
in Uncategorized
The Masters. A tight clash between the top players and an opportunity for the audience to see the best snooker there is. High quality playing, excitement and prestige – that’s The Masters in a nutshell. It really is a great way to start the new year.
Although not a ranking tournament, this is still one of the most prestigious tournaments a player can win, just as the name indicates. Only the top 16 are automatically invited, as well as a few wildcards who are determined through a special qualifying tournament. The prize fund in The Masters is the second biggest after the World Championship and it’s also the tournament that has been around the longest after the World Championship.
There have been two main sponsors of the event during the years. Benson & Hedges, a cigarette brand, sponsored The Masters until 2003 when a new restriction on tobacco advertising took effect. The tournament was without a sponsor in 2004 but then Riley’s, a billiard club, became the sponsor for one year. In 2006 Saga Insurance, an insurance company that deals with health, travel, home and car insurance among other things took over.
The first Masters was held in 1975, at the Wembley Conference Centre in London moving to Wembley Arena in 2007, and the winner of this very first version of the tournament was John Spencer, an English player who together with Ray Reardon dominated the game in the 1970s. He played the final against Reardon and won 9-8 after a re-spotted black.
The player who has won The Masters the most times is Stephen Hendry with his six victories. Between 1989 and 1993 Hendry took the trophy five consecutive times. His latest Masters victory was in 1995. Ronnie O’Sullivan isn’t very far behind with his four Masters wins. Both Steve Davis and the late Paul Hunter have won three times. The latter has almost become associated with the tournament because all of his finals were exceptionally exciting, ending 10-9.
Hunter, who died in October 2006, may be most famous for his Masters victories and it was the biggest tournament he ever won. Jimmy White even started a campaign to have The Masters renamed after Hunter as a tribute. World Snooker, however, decided that The Paul Hunter Scholarship was a more appropriate mark of respect. The scholarship will be used to help a young talented snooker player improve and accomplish his goals. In 2007 a foundation in Hunter’s memory was founded and the Paul Hunter Foundation has since then aimed to give young players, and especially disabled youngsters, an opportunity to play snooker.
Only two maximum breaks have ever been made in The Masters. The first 147 was made in 1984 by Kirk Stevens in the semi-finals, and the second was made by Ding Junhui in 2007 in the wildcard encounter against Anthony Hamilton. The first century ever made in the tournament was made in 1979 when Alex Higgins made a 132 break. Ken Doherty, who had also been in the final the year before, was extremely close to making a maximum break in the 2000 final. He was just to pot the final black ball when he missed it and later lost the match to Matthew Stephens.
In the 2009 Masters the four wildcards were Mark King, Judd Trump, Mark Allen and Ricky Walden of which the latter two proceeded to the knockout stage. The 2008 Masters winner Mark Selby, John Higgins, Maguire Maguire and O’Sullivan were the four semi-finalists. Selby and O’Sullivan proceeded to the final that went all the way to 10-8 in favour of O’Sullivan that managed to take his fourth Masters title. 18 centuries were made during the qualifying stages and 32 during the television stages. The highest break was 140 and was made by John Higgins.
There have been quite a few spectacular finals in The Masters over the years. Hendry has been in eight finals and finished as the runner-up in just three of them. In 1991 he managed to come back after 7-0, winning the match 9-8. Davis made a pretty good comeback in the 1997 final after having trailed 8-4 against O’Sullivan. The match eventually ended 10-8 in the favour of Davis. The 1998 final between Mark Williams and Hendry was decided after a re-spotted black. Hunter is probably one of the most famous Masters finalists after having provided the audience with true nail biters time and time again. In 2001 he managed to win even though his opponent, Fergal O’Brian had led 6-2. In the 2002 final Mark Williams had led 5-0. Paul Hunter then found his form, came back 5-5 and won the tournament. In 2004 he came back and won after having trailed 6-1 against O’Sullivan.
The winner of the first Masters tournament received £2000 in prize money while the victorious player in 2009 received as much as £150,000. The total prize fund was £480,000. 1991 was the first year when the winner’s prize reached six figures.
England has the most wins in The Masters with 14 victories. Wales have won six times and Scotland nine of which six of the victories were those of Stephen Hendry. There have only been a few non-UK victories. In 1979 South Africa’s Perrie Mans beat Alex Higgins in the final and Cliff Thorburn of Canada won The Masters three times and was the runner-up once.
Something about The Masters that is always intriguing is the old and young players and how they are going to do in the tournament. With the prestige involved in The Masters we somehow expect the older players to win time and time again. At the same time we are aware that a shift of generations will be necessary at some point in the future.
A young player that has done very well three years in a row without being able to reach the final is Maguire. In 2007 he lost the semi-final 6-4 to O’Sullivan who won The Masters that year. The year after he came to the quarter final but couldn’t get past Mark Selby. Maguire then reached the semi-final in 2009 but lost 6-1 to O’Sullivan who went ahead and won the entire tournament. It seems like it would be Maguire’s turn to win this tournament soon. Who knows, if it hadn’t been for O’Sullivan he might have already.
Ding Junhui is another young player that was so close to taking the trophy but let it slip away. In 2007 he made an amazing performance throughout the entire tournament until the final when exhaustion took its toll.
Another young top 16 player who will appear in the 2010 Masters is Mark Allen. In 2008 he came to the third round in the qualifying stages where he lost to Liang Wenbo. The year after, however, he made a quite impressive performance when he, as a wildcard in the tournament, managed to reach the quarter final.
This year’s version of The Masters will have two true veterans in Stephen Hendry and Peter Ebdon. While Hendry’s past performances in The Masters are unprecedented Ebdon seems to have an affinity to quarter-finals. He has been in the Masters quarter-final no less than seven times. His best finish in the tournament were the semi-finals in 1995 and 2005.
The qualifying stages will take place October 26 to 31 2009 and the main 2010 Masters will be held between January 10 and 17 in Wembley Arena and will be broadcasted by both BBC and Eurosport. Don’t miss it.
An old-timer who’s still in the game
0763 days
by Elisabeth
in Uncategorized
“Stephen Hendry has been rubbish lately. He’s finished.”
These words have been uttered by more than the odd snooker fan or two in the last couple of years. People are disappointed in the former star, but are learning to accept the fact that even stars get old and start to lose it.
It’s not surprising that people react this way. Hendry used to make the impossible possible, over and over again. With seven world championship titles, 36 ranking tournament victories, nine maximum breaks and more than £8.5million in career winnings, this Member of the Order of the British Empire truly is worthy of the epithet “legend”.
And yes, looking back on his glory days it’s quite obvious that his technique has deteriorated. His most recent ranking success was in the 2005 Malta Cup and this year he fell outside the top eight for the first time in 11 years. It’s understandable that people are disappointed and expect more of him. Hendry used to be almost impossible to beat. He was a kind of snooker superhero, and now he’s just a regular player in the top 16.
A regular snooker player in the top 16. Wait. Something’s obviously wrong with that sentence. If Hendry is in the top 16, in fact tenth in the world rankings, he must still be amazing, right? Let’s look at it from another perspective.
Hendry reached the final at the 2006 UK Championship, the semi-final at the 2008 World Championship and the quarter final at the 2009 World Championship where he also compiled a maximum break.
These are all quite remarkable feats and if it weren’t for the fact that Hendry was an extraordinary player in the past and used to be much better, we would be very impressed. Let’s pretend for a second that Hendry was a young shooting star whose career had just begun.
We would congratulate him and probably predict a bright future for him instead of complaining. He would be seen as a young, upcoming talent and people would speculate about when he would take his first world championship title.
Nevertheless, the fact remains. Hendry is not getting any younger and he undoubtedly passed his peak a long time ago. His career will inevitably go into decline sooner or later, possibly sooner than that of the younger players in the top 16. But he’s still a damn good snooker player.
We should enjoy watching him just as we enjoy watching all the other top players. Every now and then we even get to see a glimpse of the old Hendry – always something that’s worth waiting for.