Snooker to trial shorter format
A new shorter form of snooker is set to be trialled at the World Championship in Sheffield later this month.
The reduced version - provisionally titled 'Super6s' - will feature the same number of colours per frame as the regular format but only six reds.
It is hoped the new format will help snooker replicate the success of Twenty20 cricket.
It will be trialled with a contest between a legends team and a rising star side at the Crucible event.
"As an observer of snooker you cannot churn out the same diet year after year," said the chairman of World Snooker, Sir Rodney Walker. "Look at what Twenty20 has done for cricket.
"It has brought in a whole new audience so what we have in mind we think would be appealing to a younger audience.
"The working party who looked into this thought that a six-ball tournament with matches that take an average of six to seven minutes to play, with maybe the best of five, best of 10 frames," he added in the Guardian.
World Snooker has come in for some criticism of late for not doing more to keep the sport fresh or appealing.
World number one Ronnie O'Sullivan branded snooker a "dying" sport and called for it's governing body to seek ways to revitalise it.
Two-time world champion John Higgins has been particularly critical of the inability of the WPBSA to promote snooker overseas.
In August last year, the sport's two biggest sponsors - World Championship backers 888.com and Saga Insurance who supported the Wembley Masters - terminated their contracts, costing the game £1.5m.
However, on Wednesday, World Snooker announced online bookmakers Betfred.com had signed a four-year deal to sponsor the World Championship.
In fairness thats a load of balls. I for one shall not be cueing up for a ticket.
Speed snooker? Sure they will all need a rest.
6 reds? It would still take that arsehole Ebdon half a hour or more to complete the frame....It would probably make him even more safety conscious as 1 mistake almost definitely costs you the frame..
Mark allen doing well so far on Ronnie, one up and Ronnie missing easy ones
Quote from: milltown row on April 23, 2009, 08:37:57 PM
Mark allen doing well so far on Ronnie, one up and Ronnie missing easy ones
Back to 2-2 now... Ronnie missed some very pott-able shots in the first frame, doesn't look on his game
hey i was watching what i thought was live ya Ballix :o
Ronnie should kick on though steve davis talks some shite
Quote from: milltown row on April 23, 2009, 08:45:41 PM
hey i was watching what i thought was live ya Ballix :o
Ronnie should kick on though steve davis talks some shite
Thought you were a bit slow!! I was watching the Beeb website!! No more updates then...
6 each now, ronnie was 60 up on that last frame and Mark came back and stole it from him. maybe a shock on here
What do you all think of the new format?
Hendry 9 Ding 8. If Hendry wins the next frame its 1000 frames won at the crucible
Allen 10-9 up now
Won a classic frame
Was 60 odd points down, won on a respotted black
Great stuff
Quote from: Take Your Points on April 24, 2009, 08:30:06 PM
You may all be a bit young to remember that snooker started on B&W television as Pot Black which was a one frame competition that made snooker as a TV sport. It's popularity was down to the single frame format and hence sudden death.
diddnt it have the classic line that went something like, "for those watching in black and white, the blue ball is behind the pink!"
Ronnie going for a max 147
Ronnies on a 147 now http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/7661693.stm
Ah he missed the last black - super stuff
Quote from: Caid on April 25, 2009, 11:18:14 AM
Ronnies on a 147 now http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_sports/snooker/7661693.stm
Ah he missed the last black - super stuff
Yeah, very unlukcy for Ronnie but Mark Allen has been a made a superb start to this morning's session. If Alllen can get the lead, I fancy him to go on and win. He plays with no fear and rarely refuses a shot. Great to watch
11-11. This one is going to the wire.
Tremendous performance
12-11 to Mark Allen!!! Only one to go!
i dunno about Allen but i'm nervous! This is the first snooker i've seen this year too - great match
Quote from: Caid on April 25, 2009, 12:21:58 PM
i dunno about Allen but i'm nervous! This is the first snooker i've seen this year too - great match
I don't think I have ever seen O'Sullivan miss so many easy shots before. Allen at the table!! fingers crossed for him
sweet happy days
Quote from: Caid on April 25, 2009, 12:34:19 PM
sweet happy days
Superb stuff. Allen plays such an attacking game you wonder does he have the complete game to go on and win a major tournament but he'll be worrying about that today. The defending champion is out and the World Championship is blown wide open. Get your money on Stephen Maguire or Mark Selby.
bloody raging, was out at my kids training this morning (superb morning, wish i was 8 years old) and forgot all about it. how did it finish up? 13--12? or 13--11
Quote from: milltown row on April 25, 2009, 12:39:39 PM
bloody raging, was out at my kids training this morning (superb morning, wish i was 8 years old) and forgot all about it. how did it finish up? 13--12? or 13--11
It finished 13-11. Allen now plays the winner of Ryan Day or Nigel Bond in the next round. With Day only needing two more frames this afternoon, it looks like it will be a Allen v Day Quarter Final.
Allen was 33/1 before start of world championships. i've a few pounds on Ali Carter before it started 14/1 he's up today.
Quote from: milltown row on April 25, 2009, 12:58:52 PM
Allen was 33/1 before start of world championships. i've a few pounds on Ali Carter before it started 14/1 he's up today.
Carter at 14/1 is a good shout. He's at 7/1 now with Bet365. Allen at 9/1.
Hendry 4-2 up and going for 147
Hendry gets 147, and £157,000
Super pot on the pink. terrible celebration...
Quote from: anportmorforjfc on April 28, 2009, 12:37:15 PM
Hendry gets 147, and £157,000
Remember this heartbreak for Ken Doherty a few years ago?
Scroll to about 7.50 into the clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yb9fcfv8nv4
Quote from: Doogie Browser on April 28, 2009, 03:11:43 PM
Quote from: anportmorforjfc on April 28, 2009, 12:37:15 PM
Hendry gets 147, and £157,000
Remember this heartbreak for Ken Doherty a few years ago?
Scroll to about 7.50 into the clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yb9fcfv8nv4
You could see in Ken's eyes that he'd bottled it before he hit it. Hendry has balls of steel.
Mark Allen fought back tonight in the evening session against the wizard of wishaw, it is now 15-9 from 13-3, respectability at least now and you never know... Some positive press for Antrim town this week, when bigots have sullied its name again.
Higgins was fooked tonight, bit of hope tomorrow anyway. Back on tomorrow at 2.30pm, what is allens stage name? I mean like 'the sherrif of pottingham' (my favourite) or 'The outlaw'.
Edit: he is called 'all-in' or 'the pistol' according to wiki!
16-13 now....jaysus he couldn't could he?