[shyamshah]

When does the new season start?

[green.tea]

http://www.espnstar.com/other-sports...r-of-the-Year/

[green.tea]

I realise this database isn't perfect, but it does give a good indication of the extent to which O' Sullivan has the capability to beat virtually any player more often than not.

O' Sullivan 20 - 15 Higgins:

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=7&ID2=18

O' Sullivan 22 - 8 Williams:

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=17&ID2=18

O' Sullivan 11 - 6 Selby:

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=2&ID2=18

O' Sullivan 20 - 10 Hendry:

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=18&ID2=10

O' Sullivan 21 - 6 White:

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=18&ID2=36

O' Sullivan 18 - 0 Davis (this shows up the slight inaccuracy of the database as Davis beat O' Sullivan in 1997):

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=18&ID2=69

O' Sullivan 7 - 3 Ding:

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=18&ID2=3

O' Sullivan 9 - 4 Robertson:

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=18&ID2=16

O' Sullivan 8 - 2 Murphy:

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=4&ID2=18

O' Sullivan 13 - 1 Carter (bit ominous for the potential world final):

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=6&ID2=18

O' Sullivan 14 - 4 Maguire:

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=18&ID2=29

O' Sullivan 9 - 5 Dott:

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=27&ID2=18

O' Sullivan 4 - 1 Bingham:

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=21&ID2=18

O' Sullivan 13 - 4 Stevens (not including in-play match):

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=18&ID2=19

O' Sullivan 8 - 2 Lee:

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=18&ID2=5

O' Sullivan 2 - 0 Gould:

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=18&ID2=26

O' Sullivan 4 - 1 Cope:

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=18&ID2=23

O' Sullivan 10 - 5 Ebdon:

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=8&ID2=18

O' Sullivan 4 - 1 Hawkins:

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=18&ID2=32

O' Sullivan 4 - 2 Day:

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=9&ID2=18

O' Sullivan 13 - 7 Fu:

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=30&ID2=18

O' Sullivan 8 - 4 Doherty:

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=38&ID2=18

O' Sullivan 8 - 1 Hamilton:

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=18&ID2=43

O' Sullivan 5 - 1 Holt:

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=18&ID2=68

O' Sullivan 5 - 1 McManus:

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=73&ID2=18

O' Sullivan 6 - 1 Wattana:

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=18&ID2=53

The only players I could find with a marginal winning record over O' Sullivan were Mark Allen and Judd Trump.

O' Sullivan 1 - 2 Allen:

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=18&ID2=22

O' Sullivan 5 - 6 Trump:

http://www.cuetracker.net/pages/h2h.php?ID1=18&ID2=1

http://www.thesnookerforum.com/board...-Underachieved

[thegodofgod]

Hey, has anyone on this thread undertaken a professional snooker refereeing course (for a professional qualification)?

I play quite regularly at my local snooker club, and I'm going to be taking a gap year from 2012-13, and I've been thinking of taking the course so I could get the lowest/easiest qualification (for now).

Cheers all!

[shyamshah]

(Original post by thegodofgod)
Hey, has anyone on this thread undertaken a professional snooker refereeing course (for a professional qualification)?

I play quite regularly at my local snooker club, and I'm going to be taking a gap year from 2012-13, and I've been thinking of taking the course so I could get the lowest/easiest qualification (for now).

Cheers all!

I haven't yet but I plan to do a course this summer. http://www.englishsnooker.com/admin/...%20referee.pdf

[Matthew_Lowson]

(Original post by thegodofgod)
Hey, has anyone on this thread undertaken a professional snooker refereeing course (for a professional qualification)?

I play quite regularly at my local snooker club, and I'm going to be taking a gap year from 2012-13, and I've been thinking of taking the course so I could get the lowest/easiest qualification (for now).

Cheers all!

http://www.englishsnooker.com/referees.php

I'm a Class Three referee with the EASB - English Association of Snooker and Billiards.

It's a great way to be involved in the game and I thoroughly enjoy being involved in the game in this way.

If you become a referee you begin at Class Three and then need to do a couple of years before you can take an exam which could lead to a promotion to Class Two. - Some more experience and another exam and you can be nominated for Class One referee which is essentially what all of the well known referees are.

It's not easy, but it is a great job.

[green.tea]

(Original post by Matthew_Lowson)
http://www.englishsnooker.com/referees.php

I'm a Class Three referee with the EASB - English Association of Snooker and Billiards.

It's a great way to be involved in the game and I thoroughly enjoy being involved in the game in this way.

If you become a referee you begin at Class Three and then need to do a couple of years before you can take an exam which could lead to a promotion to Class Two. - Some more experience and another exam and you can be nominated for Class One referee which is essentially what all of the well known referees are.

It's not easy, but it is a great job.

It sounds great. Hope i see you refing at the world champs one day.

It must need such concentration. Not something i could do in a million years.

[green.tea]

What would you do if someone played a red so hard that it broke the red in half and half of it went in the pocket?

[thegodofgod]

(Original post by green.tea)
It sounds great. Hope i see you refing at the world champs one day.

It must need such concentration. Not something i could do in a million years.

I suppose after refereeing for some time it just becomes like second nature

Did you see the match in the World Championships (this season) where Michaela Tabb picked up the white ball instead of one of the colour balls which was potted and had to be replaced back onto its spot?

Was quite funny tbh

Also, quick question, come someone explain the 'miss' rule? I know about the 'foul' bit, but always hear the commentators commenting that it's unfair, but I'm not too sure why

[marcusmerehay]

Aren't the chances of that even less minimal than winning the Lottery jackpot though?

I guess it would go down to interpretation - personally I'd see it as the ball being potted, while it could be seen as aggressive play (akin to damaging the cloth).

Can't wait for Uni to be over, three more weeks and I can pick up my cue again - hopefully I can make it back to somewhere near the semi-pro standard like I was a couple of years ago.

[thegodofgod]

(Original post by Matthew_Lowson)
http://www.englishsnooker.com/referees.php

I'm a Class Three referee with the EASB - English Association of Snooker and Billiards.

It's a great way to be involved in the game and I thoroughly enjoy being involved in the game in this way.

If you become a referee you begin at Class Three and then need to do a couple of years before you can take an exam which could lead to a promotion to Class Two. - Some more experience and another exam and you can be nominated for Class One referee which is essentially what all of the well known referees are.

It's not easy, but it is a great job.

Thanks for the detailed response!

Do you think whether it would be worth it, if I did this as a hobby (on the side) rather than as a full-time professional?

Cheers

[green.tea]

(Original post by marcusmerehay)
Aren't the chances of that even less minimal than winning the Lottery jackpot though?

I guess it would go down to interpretation - personally I'd see it as the ball being potted, while it could be seen as aggressive play (akin to damaging the cloth).

Can't wait for Uni to be over, three more weeks and I can pick up my cue again - hopefully I can make it back to somewhere near the semi-pro standard like I was a couple of years ago.

Refs gotta be prepared for all eventualities. Id get weighing scales to determine whether more than 50% of the ball was potted and base it on that.

[green.tea]

(Original post by thegodofgod)
I suppose after refereeing for some time it just becomes like second nature

Did you see the match in the World Championships (this season) where Michaela Tabb picked up the white ball instead of one of the colour balls which was potted and had to be replaced back onto its spot?

Was quite funny tbh

Also, quick question, come someone explain the 'miss' rule? I know about the 'foul' bit, but always hear the commentators commenting that it's unfair, but I'm not too sure why

Id be interested to know that too. How much discretion do the refs have?

[Hopple]

(Original post by thegodofgod)
I suppose after refereeing for some time it just becomes like second nature

Did you see the match in the World Championships (this season) where Michaela Tabb picked up the white ball instead of one of the colour balls which was potted and had to be replaced back onto its spot?

Was quite funny tbh

Also, quick question, come someone explain the 'miss' rule? I know about the 'foul' bit, but always hear the commentators commenting that it's unfair, but I'm not too sure why

The miss is meant to stop players from deliberately taking the less probable escape if it means a higher chance of leaving the white safe.

Say shot option A has a 10% chance of hitting the right ball, but a 70% chance of leaving the table safe if the shot is successful or the white misses, and option B has a 90% chance of hitting the right ball but only a 5% chance of leaving the table safe, without the miss rule the player is always going to go for option A, which you could say is similar to a deliberate foul. The commentators may say it's unfair because they perceive the percentages to be close. It's up to the ref to either assume a player is capable of hitting the right ball but is trying a more difficult shot (more cushions, a thin contact, rolling up etc), or see if they can think of an easier shot themselves to the one that is being played.

[Matthew_Lowson]

(Original post by thegodofgod)
Did you see the match in the World Championships (this season) where Michaela Tabb picked up the white ball instead of one of the colour balls which was potted and had to be replaced back onto its spot?

I remember that, Graeme Dott was 11-1 in front on Maguire. Just goes to show the concentration needed, - if someone like Michaela can do that, then it shows how easy it can be done. What was great was that both players try and help the referee, and both see the funny side of the incident. The funny thing was that exactly the same thing happened in the next session on the other table, when someone lost from 11-5 up.

Also, quick question, come someone explain the 'miss' rule? I know about the 'foul' bit, but always hear the commentators commenting that it's unfair, but I'm not too sure why

The Miss is a newish introduction to the rules of snooker - the logic behind it is absolutely correct, to try and stop someone gaining an advantage from playing a foul shot. Which goes against the nature of the game. An example being if a player is snookered on the last red behind a baulk colour (and red is near pink and black) and decides to roll to a cushion as to not leave the freeball (which they could do if they went to try and escape off two cushions and ended up in baulk)

The rule is that if in the opinion of the referee (and this is where I think it's sometimes harsh) the player hasn't made his best effort to escape from a snooker then a miss will be called. Given most pros are capable of every shot om a table then it almost becomes automatic that miss will be called unless it's a mere mm or so away.

Sometimes it's relatively easy to judge, if a player can see an easier shot (or a red completely) and goes for a more difficult escape then he runs the risk of being called a miss. Sometimes, it's really hard to judge, in particular if it's missing by a fraction. Sometimes that's when discretion is needed.
Leo Scullion in the Semi-Final this year, 25th Frame between Carter and Maguire showed brilliant discretion when Carter had gone for an escape several times and finally just missed it)

[green.tea]

Very informative.



Skip to 5:15

Did they fix that?

[Hopple]

(Original post by Matthew_Lowson)
Leo Scullion in the Semi-Final this year, 25th Frame between Carter and Maguire showed brilliant discretion when Carter had gone for an escape several times and finally just missed it)

I disagreed with that one actually, there was a far easier (not one that I'd put money on making myelf, of course ) one cushion escape up off the baulk cushion maybe with some side. That is, if we're talking about the same one at about 3:30 here.

[green.tea]

(Original post by Hopple)
I disagreed with that one actually, there was a far easier (not one that I'd put money on making myelf, of course ) one cushion escape up off the baulk cushion maybe with some side. That is, if we're talking about the same one at about 3:30 here.

I agree with the commentator. The player should get the points from a difficult snooker.

Im just reading this:

Since jump shots are explicitly forbidden, it can happen that the ball on is physically impossible to hit even with a swerve shot. (This can happen, for instance, if the cue ball is crowded into a corner and closely surrounded by several reds after a red was potted. It is technically possible to drive one's opponent into a physically impossible snooker by dislodging several colours in one shot, but this is virtually unheard of.) In this case the player is nevertheless required to nominate a ball and attempt to hit it, i.e. to play in the direction that would hit it if the obstacles were not present. A foul shot will inevitably be called, but since the task was impossible, this will never be a miss, and the game continues normally.

I reckon thats unfair too. Its basically saying not to make snookers too good, which seems silly.

Why are jump shots banned?

Pool has them and seems to do ok.

[Hopple]

(Original post by green.tea)
I agree with the commentator. The player should get the points from a difficult snooker.

Which commentator? They seem to disagree

Im just reading this:



I reckon thats unfair too. Its basically saying not to make snookers too good, which seems silly.

An alternative I think would be alright is to allow the 'victim' of such a snooker to concede a frame (or the ref to do it for them) even if there are enough points left on the table. If it were a lucky 'ultimate' snooker then it'd spoil the game, but we've all seen plenty of frames decided by luck - snookers, flukes or otherwise - so it ought to even itself out as the saying goes

Why are jump shots banned?

Pool has them and seems to do ok.

They might mess up the table I guess, or effectively wipe out any snooker that doesn't have either the white or the target ball right next to an obstructing ball. Also, it becomes more about trick shots than judging angles off cushions and pace. I don't know why, but those would be my guesses

About the Carter snooker, I would have thought the ref shouldn't let Carter off the hook until he tried this shot (might need some side, but definitely easier than two or 3 cushions accounting for side after each bounce):



I know why Carter didn't attempt it, it's because it had a high chance of leaving the red on into the top right corner (looking from the baulk end). Hitting the red from either side means there's more likely to be some distance between the red and white when they come to rest.

[shyamshah]

There was a harder snooker set for Stevens by O'Sullivan and I can't exactly remember what happened but I don't think O'Sullivan made him retake it that many times. With some of the impossible snookers you can understand the player who set the snooker carry on and not making the other player keep on retaking it to make the game move on.