tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4132493922161563662024-03-13T14:40:50.924+00:00OnCueWelcome to On Cue snooker blog. Cutting-edge baize opinion at its finest, written by Gary Mossgarymoss87http://www.blogger.com/profile/04520461658426976800noreply@blogger.comBlogger662125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413249392216156366.post-31800427418272758842013-08-13T21:39:00.000+01:002013-08-13T21:39:12.863+01:00Ahead to IndiaIt appears justice has prevailed.
Aditya Mehta and Pankaj Advani will play in Delhi at the Indian Open. They came through matches, quite frankly, they should never have been playing at the Doncaster Dome to qualify.
They have saved World Snooker a blooper and can now, rightly, be the flag bearers for this exciting new event. It is no more than they deserve after the success they enjoyed on thegarymoss87http://www.blogger.com/profile/04520461658426976800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413249392216156366.post-75348976579214175492013-07-23T16:30:00.001+01:002013-08-13T21:12:56.034+01:00Williams back to winning waysIt was more than two years since Mark Williams won a ranking event until Rotterdam - but now he's back in the game.
The former world number one and two-time world champion Williams is one of the greats, a real favourite with the fans and he's made a welcomed return to the winner's circle.
He beat Mark Selby 4-3 in the Rotterdam Open final yesterday with a touch of class: taking the game to his garymoss87http://www.blogger.com/profile/04520461658426976800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413249392216156366.post-52232766106706534572013-06-23T19:23:00.002+01:002013-06-23T19:23:53.962+01:00Robertson raises the barNeil Robertson has set the standard for the season ahead.
The excellent Australian delivered the performance of a true champion to win the first full ranking event of the campaign in Wuxi.
He started the tournament well, got better and better and then produced one of his best ever displays in a final to land the silverware.
Picture by Tai Chengzhe
From 5-2 down, he won eight of the final garymoss87http://www.blogger.com/profile/04520461658426976800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413249392216156366.post-12419003190893798752013-06-22T19:23:00.002+01:002013-06-22T23:34:46.676+01:00Wuxi Classic final: Robertson v HigginsThis is the final we all wanted.
When Neil Robertson faces John Higgins in the Wuxi Classic, it will be the second time they've met in a final already this season - and it promises to be a blinder.
Picture by Monique Limbos
These two great champions have been the best players in the tournament by quite a distance.
Higgins has got here losing just six frames all week while Robertson has garymoss87http://www.blogger.com/profile/04520461658426976800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413249392216156366.post-82355616798235761502013-06-21T21:01:00.002+01:002013-06-21T21:31:25.354+01:00Walking tall in WuxiThe snooker season is still yet young but already we have two top players standing up above the rest.
Former world champions Neil Robertson and John Higgins met just a fortnight ago in the Bulgarian Open final and are odds on to lock horns again in another showpiece here in Wuxi.
Picture by Monique Limbos
The first major ranking event of the season carries an importance of its own and these garymoss87http://www.blogger.com/profile/04520461658426976800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413249392216156366.post-62677052964214881802013-06-19T19:27:00.002+01:002013-06-20T06:17:22.276+01:00Home hopesWuxi is some 6,000 miles from the UK, the place many professional players call home.
The mix of travelling and adapting to a completely different culture to normal can be daunting and tough, but one young Scot and another from Ireland have taken it all in their stride so far this week.
Scotland's Scott Donaldson and Ireland's David Morris have both progressed to the last 16 of a major ranking garymoss87http://www.blogger.com/profile/04520461658426976800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413249392216156366.post-16966534042791695152013-06-16T21:21:00.000+01:002013-06-16T21:25:21.719+01:00Perry gets that winning feelingWhen I interviewed Joe Perry almost two years ago to very day he spoke about getting back that winning attitude.
This weekend he really did enjoy that feeling of victory as he claimed his first ever ranking event win at the Asian Tour event 1, the Yixing Open.
Picture by Monique Limbos
Snooker fans call Perry 'The Gentleman' because of his likeable attitude, but that definitely shouldn't be garymoss87http://www.blogger.com/profile/04520461658426976800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413249392216156366.post-53011963023729334182013-06-10T21:28:00.001+01:002013-06-10T21:28:50.117+01:00To Bulgaria and backJohn Higgins looked back to his good old self in Bulgaria over the weekend - and ended it holding the first trophy of the season aloft.
Picture by Monique Limbos
The Wizard of Wishaw - and four-time world champion - struggled to find his form at the end of last season and people can be forgiven for questioning whether his best was actually in the past.
But this was back to business for the garymoss87http://www.blogger.com/profile/04520461658426976800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413249392216156366.post-70938891754931226812013-05-26T12:27:00.001+01:002013-05-26T12:27:18.804+01:00Let's do it all againWelcome back snooker fans!
The new snooker season kicks off on this second May bank holiday weekend with the Wuxi Classic qualifiers in Gloucester.
It feels like a lifetime ago but it's actually only been three weeks since the bank holiday weekend earlier in the month when Ronnie O'Sullivan beat Barry Hawkins at the Crucible to claim a fifth world title.
Time on the beach is a premium these garymoss87http://www.blogger.com/profile/04520461658426976800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413249392216156366.post-91813545502120676452013-05-06T21:46:00.001+01:002013-05-06T21:46:14.959+01:00A master at workRonnie O'Sullivan's capture of a fifth world title will surely rank as one of his finest moments in the game.
Having played just one competitive match since he won the World Championship a year ago, the Rocket came back and did it all again when many said he couldn't.
He ripped through the field with relative ease and proved once again that he is the best out there and still the man to beat.
garymoss87http://www.blogger.com/profile/04520461658426976800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413249392216156366.post-22182639672848699442013-05-05T10:50:00.000+01:002013-05-05T11:01:10.652+01:00Final thoughts: O'Sullivan v HawkinsRonnie O'Sullivan arrives at the Crucible Theatre this afternoon as the odds on favourite to win a fifth world title.
Barry Hawkins has been all but written off.
Picture by Monique Limbos
The script says the stage has already been cleared for The Rocket to become the first player to defend at the Crucible since Stephen Hendry in 1996, go ahead of John Higgins on world titles won and just garymoss87http://www.blogger.com/profile/04520461658426976800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413249392216156366.post-44161951787007405112013-05-04T11:15:00.001+01:002013-05-04T11:30:50.897+01:00Mind your mannersWhat happened to snooker etiquette?
It appeared to go right out of the window last night in an evening of mild controversy during Ronnie O'Sullivan and Judd's Trump's semi-final third session at the Crucible.
The crowd were raucous and a minority sounded like they were trying to deliberately put Judd off on his shots. He had to realign a number of times and a few loud-mouthed Ronnie fans did garymoss87http://www.blogger.com/profile/04520461658426976800noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413249392216156366.post-88190305829086804242013-05-03T16:25:00.004+01:002013-05-03T16:25:50.719+01:00Crucible picture bookgarymoss87http://www.blogger.com/profile/04520461658426976800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413249392216156366.post-76742920903925709702013-05-03T15:41:00.001+01:002013-05-03T21:16:34.786+01:00Time to turn it onJudd Trump has kept himself in his semi-final against Ronnie O'Sullivan, but now it's time to step up on the gas.
Twice it has looked as if The Rocket was going to take the match away from his young Grove scholar and twice the Bristolian has found a way to hold onto the defending champion's coattails.
In the first session, Trump was 4-1 behind and struggling to score as easily as O'Sullivan. Itgarymoss87http://www.blogger.com/profile/04520461658426976800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413249392216156366.post-41593366271924549292013-05-02T18:31:00.001+01:002013-05-02T18:31:30.338+01:00O'Sullivan: "I'll be glad when it's over"garymoss87http://www.blogger.com/profile/04520461658426976800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413249392216156366.post-53111717533728381942013-05-02T15:57:00.000+01:002013-05-02T15:58:48.958+01:00Looking ahead: Hawkins v WaldenRicky Walden against Barry Hawkins may be playing second fiddle in this season's battle of the World Championship semi-finals - but walking out with the arena their own will be a proud moment for both.
I don't think you could have a found a single punter to predict these two would have both made it to the last four at the Crucible.
Picture by Monique Limbos
But here they are having battled garymoss87http://www.blogger.com/profile/04520461658426976800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413249392216156366.post-4655795474197177422013-05-02T11:54:00.000+01:002013-05-02T11:54:01.502+01:00Retirement talkRonnie O'Sullivan is hogging the media spotlight once again for what he's been saying off the table instead of his great ability on it.
The Rocket has always lived an unpredictable life in snooker but stunned quite a few when he declared in his press conference after thrashing Stuart Bingham 13-4 last night that he's had enough of the game again and plans to retire.
Picture by Monique Limbos
garymoss87http://www.blogger.com/profile/04520461658426976800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413249392216156366.post-924428620716245822013-05-01T20:43:00.001+01:002013-05-02T11:25:49.084+01:00Looking ahead: Trump v O'SullivanFour-time and defending world champion Ronnie O'Sullivan against the master of naughty snooker Judd Trump in the semi-finals at the Crucible: It's a mouthwatering prospect.
That dream tie is now a reality after the world number three Judd came through a classic 13-12 against Shaun Murphy and Ronnie put Stuart Bingham to the sword 13-4.
Unmissable. That's the best word to use to describe it - garymoss87http://www.blogger.com/profile/04520461658426976800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413249392216156366.post-53379309730922341952013-05-01T12:53:00.001+01:002013-05-01T12:54:09.521+01:00Hawk talks of Crucible dreamBarry Hawkins is living the Crucible dream.
He's through to the one table format at the World Championship for the first time ever and is having quite a time of it Sheffield.
Picture by Monique
If his 13-7 win against Ding Junhui wasn't brilliant enough, it comes after knocking out world number one Mark Selby in the last 16. This is a fine double against two of the world's very best playersgarymoss87http://www.blogger.com/profile/04520461658426976800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413249392216156366.post-90020064555256923742013-04-30T17:08:00.000+01:002013-04-30T17:19:18.568+01:00Rocket powerIt's difficult not to jump aboard the Ronnie O'Sullivan bandwagon.
Picture by Monique Limbos
It's moving at 100 miles per hour and with an ungodly amount of class. As he strolled to a 7-1 lead in the first session of his quarter-final match against Stuart Bingham, it was difficult to do anything but sit back and enjoy the show.
As the cue ball glided effortlessly around the table and was garymoss87http://www.blogger.com/profile/04520461658426976800noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413249392216156366.post-86012928512431478132013-04-29T22:48:00.002+01:002013-04-29T22:48:25.938+01:00In close quartersIt's quarter-finals time at the Crucible.
The prospect of becoming world champion is beginning to become a real reality for the eight players who remain.
The greatest title in the game is only three wins away and this is the time to up it and stake a claim to lift the famous trophy.
The first two rounds of the tournament have produced an array of upsets but there are plenty of quality players garymoss87http://www.blogger.com/profile/04520461658426976800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413249392216156366.post-60978418307094095262013-04-27T18:38:00.002+01:002013-04-28T21:39:12.392+01:00Never underestimate the HawkBarry Hawkins has long been one of the most underestimated player on the professional circuit - but he's shown his class again.
The Hawk staged an excellent comeback to beat world number one Mark Selby 13-10, winning seven of the final eight frames from 9-6 down. He showed incredible fighting attributes when it mattered most.
Picture by Monique Limbos
This is now the second year running garymoss87http://www.blogger.com/profile/04520461658426976800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413249392216156366.post-19583652671388285992013-04-27T09:51:00.000+01:002013-04-28T18:57:03.985+01:00Coping with the Crucible pressureOne of the greatest appeals of the World Championship is the pressure that surrounds it.
The heat is on from the very first ball at the Crucible and having never played at this great venue I can't even begin to imagine its full effect.
I don't get huge pleasure from seeing a player struggle under pressure but it helps to create drama and, ultimately, the players who find a way to overcome it garymoss87http://www.blogger.com/profile/04520461658426976800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413249392216156366.post-76588478523156256402013-04-26T08:57:00.001+01:002013-04-28T19:00:18.791+01:00Renaissance RobertRobert Milkins has waited eight long years to get back to the Crucible and really made his return count.
The Milkman slayed 2010 world champion Neil Robertson 10-8 in a thrilling match giving him the biggest scalp of this year's World Championship first round.
Picture by Monique Limbos
The world number 19 reckons this was the biggest win of life and it signals that his career fightback garymoss87http://www.blogger.com/profile/04520461658426976800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-413249392216156366.post-45409845359193179662013-04-25T10:16:00.000+01:002013-04-25T10:42:12.930+01:00Time for Trump?Everything is going to plan for Judd Trump so far at the Crucible - and he has plenty to feel confident about.
The world number three played with great dominance and control to beat Dominic Dale 10-5 in round one and it looks like he's created a platform to go on and play even better.
Picture by Monique Limbos
Trump made two centuries in the match to take his 2012/13 tally to 56, which is a garymoss87http://www.blogger.com/profile/04520461658426976800noreply@blogger.com0