Ronnie O’Sullivan vs Elliot Slessor | Group 7 | Championship League Snooker

The Rocket Ronnie O’Sullivan takes on Elliot Slessor in group 7 of the BetVictor Championship League Snooker in Leicester.

#championshipleaguesnooker #snooker #ronnieosullivan

Let’s concentrate on table one as we normally do Rono Sullivan against a double thorn in side in the past Eliot seser the reason I’m saying that seser beat him 4-1 in the last 32 of the 2017 Northern Ireland open 6-2 in the last 64 of the 2018 China

Oen of Sullivan 4-0 down made a47 as you do but to give you the full story of their head-to heads in their most recent meeting o solivan prevailed 4-1 last 64 of the 2020 Northern isand opening played nicely breaks of 97 78 76 and 57 before the match

Gets heavily involved Sean must ask you last week of course it was the The Players Championship your good friend Mark Allen lifted the trophy but you were defending champion and unable to be there because you didn’t qualify yeah I was absolutely gutted Phil thanks for

Bringing that up so early in the day uh no I was devastated not to make it I’ve got to be honest um actually happened to me um in the very first place Championship way back when I I won it in Dublin and didn’t get to defend it the

Next year it’s one of those idiosyncrasies of the players series with the reducing field events normally the defending Champion would come back as number one seed be automatically there but uh not the case in in those events and that’s the the beauty of those tournaments everyone has the same

Chance at the start of the season to get in them and you know I haven’t done well enough this year to to deserve my place in them so um I go to the World open as we see the fluke there the raise of the hand from Elliott I go to the World open

In a couple of weeks think I need to win it or get to the final to make it to the tour Champs which of course I’m defending as well so um with a double embarrassment if I don’t make it there I will say this he played very nicely at the Tour

Championship but at the Players Championship for me that’s the best you’ve ever played you were entirely dominant last year it was in terms of pure standard I think even better snooker from you than when you won the World Championship oh yeah without question yeah thank you very much um

Yeah definitely you know had the the week of my life there um talking of weeks in my life that was the shot of his day so far he didn’t mean to flick the pink into Play Over the middle pock it but he’ll take it not sure if it’ll

Spot on its own spot here look like it’s pretty congested not sure if it’ll go on the black spot either very Paul ker coming around to have a look nice to see Paul back out with the gloves on actually we don’t get to see him very often these days he’s

Progressed into more of a tournament director’s role with the tour nice to see him with the gloves on could not agree more he’s one of the best in the business as indeed is Yan vas who refereed the final of the Players Championship on Sunday it was great to see him out

There 18 and when you’ve got a good referee it really does help because a safe Pair of Hands mean it’s almost sure there’s going to be no controversy 90 he’s just coming around to see the Reds by the pink obviously the one three from the pink above it pots into both

Corners the one two from the pink is the one he’d love to get on if it pots which it may or may not do that would lead him to be able to move the red next to the pink away but sure he would have played for that by now if it was

Available going to get on the red next to the black here may have the angle in pot in this red to nudge the one next to the pink out of the way just Taps his table there as he walks past that’s a little giveaway to say he’s not quite where he wanted to

Be yeah I couldn’t move the red by the pink so black this time and of course Remember The Pink Spot was occupied so the Pink goes on the black spot when the black’s potted it’ll go in behind that pink should still be poble though this could turn into a nice

Chance pretty quickly here for Elliot he had a very nice chance in the semi-final of group six last night deciding frame against Pang Junu he was in first stretching over over cut a pink to the top left hand pocket and Pang made 70 to advance very disappointed slesser in fact he was so

Disappointed that when pan was on 32 70 and with a chance for a century conceded 33 can tell you the Jordan Brown did take the first frame against Jo o Conor on table two Elliot 33 a poor Miss from Elliot there he’d be very disappointed with that mistake perhaps was concentrating on the

Cannon forgot to B the black one of the oldest cliches in the book dare I say a lapse of concentration they’re coming out early today Sean I’m saying nothing Phil I’m saying nothing get on the green gives O solivan A CER at the red two from the pink here and cut it into

This left corner black waiting yeah may not have gone for it missed it by so far will give him the benefit of the doubt but that kiss on the brown left Elliot a similar shot as long as he gets close to the pot here the Q ball should avoid the

Pink but he Sid spin on it to avoid The Two Reds in open play as well goodness well he’s not played it so I can only assume that the natural angle would have collided with the pink I’m not saying this is going to happen but the environment for a

Possible rack is there when the Black is over the pocket like that because the the Reds tend to congregate around it I at the Welsh open Shan what about that match that struggle to start Martin O’Donnell Anthony Hamilton the first frame they recked twice and it was nil nil without

A ball officially potted 1 hour 20 minutes after they had broken off that was one for the purists wasn’t it a lovely shot from O Sullivan there really really nicely played appreciated by Elliot as he comes to the table that was nicely done yes in snooker there’s

Lots of euphemisms one for the purists is definitely a euphemism yeah wasn’t it great though to see Martin O’Donnell progress to his first final player that was off the tour not that long ago who knows how many other players that that type of run might encourage in

Their own Journey yes and he did so brilliantly beating funnily enough Elliot seser in the the semi-final with a superbly constructed and very composed sentury in the decided well as you predicted Phil all the reds are starting to move that way aren’t they towards that side of the

Table problem with this is it’s so hard to trap your opponent when the balls go in this type of position yes he can get the Q ball behind blue and green maybe but to what end and the other interesting Dynamic here is that sles has got no incentive

Whatsoever to think about a rack being 33 ahead sure you play this red to the left hand side of the table the Reds up to the right of the Pinker the natural Reds but you always wear knocking the black in so choosing this red over here no risk with this one played it

Nicely Ronnie when he plays this similar figure of eight shot in behind blue and green this is like a breakoff needs to be careful one of the Reds doesn’t knock the black in just caught that a little bit on the thin side we had a a rack incident in the ranking

Championship League back in the summer here Mah High long against mink nut it was obvious it was going to be a rack and what seemed like an age before eventually the referee stepped in this much less obvious it could be resolved yeah good line there from Ronnie and Elliot squeez through to the

Red to the left of the pink no he can’t so this is my point though yeah you might snooker your opponent but when the balls end up near the cushions such as this it’s always straightforward to just come off a cushion and rest up to a red there’s absolutely no risk

Here it’s very very hard to rectify this situation the overwhelming majority of RS these days occur through mutual consent between the two players this will not be one of them if the referee determines that it’s a a stalemate situation he will give both players a certain number of

Shots and tell me Phil where do you think the onus lies here who whose responsibility here in terms of the players where does the responsibility lie to move the game on is it is it in Ronnie’s hands as the one who’s trailing to come and Chase the

Game or is it Elliot’s is it under Elliot’s control to push on and try and win the frame I think it’s the latter where does the responsibility lie I think it’s the latter because he’s got the advantage of course we had a very famous incident at The Crucible years ago

Between the late Willie Thorne and Andy Hicks when Thorne was over 50 points ahead and the referee gave them a certain number of shots well that obviously went completely wrong both players have made a few safety eras here on the thin side that was another one Elliot didn’t hit

Enough of that red that tells me that when they’re playing with Sid spin the Q ball isn’t taking the path that they’re intending it to that’s what we call heavy when the conditions are heavy uh of course it is very cold at the moment here in Leicester it’s it’s it’s all of

The right conditions to make the tables play that way but the players will adapt to that as the day goes on yeah I’ve always I’ve always found that a funny one in terms of uh rxs because Elliot here he’s got the 33 points he’s done that in my opinion it

It’s the job of the chasing player to come get him and but that doesn’t seem to to be the overriding opinion everyone else seems to think it’s the other way which I’m happy to uh debate but it’s a funny one well Clive Everton for many years the great commentator had the idea that

In a rer situation you take the points earned into the restart that seems to make sense to me faintest of rubs on the yellow there just put Elliot in a bit of trouble here but he’s he’s trying to get on the red here is the pink looks a bit wide I just wonder

Whether I was going to say Ronnie might have a go at the red here just to try and move play on a little bit but he’s not doing and it’s interesting isn’t it this type of frame gives us the time to sort of look at the evolution of a player like

Ronnie o solivan who you know not that long ago just would have had no interest in this type of frame just wouldn’t have carried on in you know would have just hit a red to the black probably on purpose to move the frame on you know uh

And of course the very famous tie up with Ray re and changed him and reshaped his game he’s really evolved as a player I think the same thing the penny dropped with Jud Trump as well the more good safeties you play the better you have it in terms of giving yourself break building

Chances yes everyone loves to pot balls and score heavy what’s the best way to do it play good safety in the first place oh the black nearly went in there we can’t see the players faces but I’m sure there’s a Ry smile on one of their faces there that black teet on the

Edge of the pocket and as you can see now the faintest collision between any of those Reds and the red and black over the pocket would see the black go in so Elliot here has to be very very careful but this is the problem with what you

Were saying there Phil is when you fight it out and have the full safety battle you get two players who are willing to stand there all day and do this this is what happens the balls go really messy see Ronnie there trying to progress play

On he tried to open up he just ran out of patience there and he has left this red to the middle pocket and so it’s Elliot seser that has won that little War six long way from the line here of course because he will need some of those Reds that are on the cushions and over by the black so not putting the bunting out just yet frame one Shake of the head there from ell like CU ball gone nearly two feet further than

He intended it to played for to be near the black spot not sure how it’s ended up there nice pot on the red means that he has the next shot 43 points the lead now worthwhile putting one of the colors on a cushion here a real value to pot in this pink

Yeah well alivan’s intentions very clear there let’s get on with this and you know he’s still in the frame 67 points on the table s’s lead only 51 yeah that was a that was a strange passage of play that I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone player such

An obviously deliberate foul there I I’m not I’m not sure sure about that one a great shot that’s a great shot though the blue knocking the black over the pocket not sure as we see the replay here no it was definitely red first very close to be blue first though that blue

Has gone over and knocked the black over the pocket I’m not sure if Ronnie can go cushion first here and still pop the black that would give the angle to get over by the Reds yeah nicely played say this is all from that shot a moment ago where just on purpose knocked the

Red and black in the pocket as I say I don’t think I’ve ever seen one that blatant is that within the rules Phil well Paul Coler did not do anything so I would say yes maybe it’s his prerogative tell you what if he clears up here they could give him the the

Freedom of the city when he came to the table nothing at all was in his favor now it’s looking a little brighter fabulous shot just sometimes get the sense with Ronnie that I wouldn’t say bored him I think he just enjoys the challenge of these situations I know certain professionals myself

Included sometimes finish practice sessions by literally getting the Reds and balls in the hand and throwing them around the table and wherever they finish trying to clear up as a bit of a random challenge it’s almost as if these types of situations really get his

Juices flowing you know can I do it from here and as you say freedom of the city if you clears up from here ready he’s produced so many extraordinary clearances down the years it’s impossible to them all but I recall one in the northern irand open or

Northern island trophy final as it was then against Dave Harold first session it was scary yeah slight Grimace there he played to go cushion first and knock the pink into play whilst having blue ball position he just come right across that played that with loads of left to try

And Fizz the Q ball in behind the yellow1 of saf far the QQ balls hit the brown so Elliot breathes again here here 20 points to the good yellow and green for the frame nicely played you could see the determination etched on the face of Elliot seser there just this green now

For a very hard for first frame can’t quite reach it needs his little extension which most players carry say most not all you got to be careful with this because it does change the Dynamics of the queue makes it longer heavier you get more spin get more throw easily miss this

Thick straight in the heart of the pocket 25 ahead then with 22 remaining will Ronnie carry on for Snookers I fancy not get well fair play he is coming back to the table I didn’t think he would with the play having lasted so long already in this first frame thought he might

Have wanted to get on with it trying to move that black into a more favorable snooker in position but he’s offered up this chance for Elliot to put this Frame to bed which he does that by Rono Sullivan standards was a very lengthy frame for Elliot slesser it

Was a very satisfying frame he draws First Blood welcome back to the matio arena in Leicester formerly the Morningside arena in Leicester now a very regular venue for professional snooker second frame Elliot sler to break it’s the familiar figure of Rono Sullivan who’s the star attraction in group seven of the bed Victor

Championship League he’s already gained a victory today 3-2 over Sam craigy but he finds himself trailing against Elliot lesser one to zero that might rectify the situation what a pot while you away by the way on the ad break I can tell you Joe o Conor and Jordan

Brown well it’s level pegging over there 1-1 perfectly played from Ronnie there angle on the red this time to dislodge the one next door seven and for any young players watching or amateur players trying to improve their game you should watch shots like the one Ronnie played on the blue

Because he finished high on that red on purpose that wasn’t a mistake or just you know the way the ball’s finished he intended to finish there so the sequence could continue very easy I think for amateur players to get sucked into this cliche of we always play for areas actually

Sometimes we do play for specific Reds to finish in specific positions and this is already turned into a a chance to level the scores here3 and Sean you’ve been into battle with Rono siliva on many occasions you’ve beaten him in finals 28 when he’s playing well it must be so

Intimidating yeah and it and it gets said a lot but it probably doesn’t get said enough the scoreboard changes so quickly when he goes on a run remember in the champion the Champions final years ago I had a really good lead and within no time at all we almost went to

A deciding frame and it’s it’s not just the the panach and the class and the shot selection and all those things it’s the speed at which it changes as well and of course he he never looks like he’s rushing and that primarily is because that Q ball control and we talk

About dingu and I think even Ron O Sullivan has said he thinks that ding’s cuq ball control is better than his I’m not sure about that myself I don’t think the stats necessarily backed that up Ron’s Q ball control is the best we’ve ever seen and of course when you’re

Constantly in the correct Place game becomes a bit more straightforward like playing golf off the Fairway 45 52 sure Ronnie will play the red to right middle here interesting to see how he goes about this next little sequence because may need to dislodge some more Reds

53 just a bit of a look of frustration there he wanted more angle on this pink only play for that loose red now will that pink now tie the red up next to its Spot Will that still be posable still lovely control again on that Q ball across the table being absolutely picky

Potentially finished wrong side of the pink but was still a nice shot I think from the right position the red near is the black wool pot as well he’s just wants to sight for the red next to the Pink So in and out of bul between brown and

Green and in no time at all all Two Shots away from the frame 60 73 74 it really is Exquisite the word genius has been used to describe O Sullivan and I think it’s entirely apt if he makes a century here it would be his 1,000th plus another

242 it would be his 40th this season from a limited schedule and it would be the 16th season Shan he’s made 40 centuries or more 97 98 there’s a 500 pans Ice Break prize per group of course it’s one of the OS synes of this event that there’s no crowd and so

That senty that wonderful senty was met with zero Applause maybe a tap on the table from tap on his leg from Elliot I should say is the usual courtesy out there 11 114 29 what’s 500 to Rono Sullivan you will not see a more cultured break than that

Chalk and cheese the first two frames in this match they’ve been shared it’s one-1 across the board at the matioli arena as group seven begins here today ends tomorrow then we will know the entire composition of the winners group schedule for this very venue here in Leicester on March 12 and

13 originally the winners group was supposed to be played on Friday and Saturday of this week but of course with the announcement of the very lucrative and exciting new invitation event in Saudi Arabia it was quite WI to to move the winners group and Sean it’s always wise to PO balls like

That very nice opening red from Elliot seser particularly having sat out that Sentry from Ronnie in the previous frame nice kiss on the brown to send this Q ball around the table looking to you see there with the right hand side on the cubble widening its AR into the side cushion nicely on

This red now would have liked to have been a bit nearer to it but Stone run through this one for the black well preferring just to stroke it in his choice now this black is always missable cutting it back like this this one similar to this in the first

Frame very nearly missed that one as well sometimes when you nearly miss one it can actually just give you that jerk of concentration you switch up a gear because you you very nearly ruined a chance so maybe he’ll go on to make a few here 40

For perhaps 95% of shots when you hit them sha you know full well whether you’ve poted them or not and that 5% of uncertainty as the ball’s going towards the pocket especially in important frames and big occasions it must make the hard skip a beat and it’s a funny one because you

Run your routine you do your sighting and your Technique and you hit the ball well and sometimes a real basic shot just goes in you think how did that happen what was different there what did I nearly do wrong there Elliot’s working these Reds nicely I think the one

Underneath the pink is available as well but he does have the perfect angle to split these Reds should he wish same with Back Spin so arcing the QQ ball around the red nearest to Black trying to push that to the corner he’s very very unlucky there see

That red next to the QQ ball he purposefully went round that as we see the replay Zips the qall into that Gap there and was on purpose trying to bring that Q ball and red back towards this corner pocket to not be on it is very unfortunate he thought he had the Gap

You would assume he was correct in that thought the red went anyway at least he’s played it with a a modum of caution yeah he has R can play this red up to the green pocket he himself can play it with a an element of safety leaves the Q ball there he only

Leaves this red should he miss it that’s exactly what’s happened he got that close it stayed near the pocket he wasn’t leaving much down at this end should it have not gone in that’s the problem you never know where that object Ball’s going to go Ron will be relieved to see this go

Wrong touching ball called by Paul Kier so he’s deemed to have already hit the yellow because he has to nominate the green as he has done don’t want to miss this now with the Reds everywhere played that nicely play ball across the table for choice of

Reds now if he can just hold on to his concentration for the next few minutes and tight control of that Q ball is a great chance to retake the lead here at 2-1 and obviously it goes wrong the minute I say that Phil you know I’m quite new still to this game of

Commentary but my commentator’s curse is epic well that’s the black that sha highlighted before he’s had problems with and that was a high tariff shot the only good thing about that the C Ball has come to rest on the right hand side cushion now though oh Sullivan is banging they’re barring something ridiculous

Happening Here You’ think Elliot’s only saving grace in this Frame will be the red that’s attached to that right hand cushion Ronnie will need it but it’s in a fabulous place to be moved played on or doubled so despite trailing by 20 and needing that red 14 Ronnie favorite

Here 50 better get there in there quickly because this is so rapid but Jordan Brown has gone two1 in front against jro Conor on table two what a surprising miss that was yeah he knew straight away we were only just talking about that what you

Know as soon as you strike the Q ball and Ronnie stay down there he knew that red was always high this is Elliot’s thirdd chance to win this Frame did this red potentially turn off very difficult to tell from there it was very close on a club table the nap takes it the

Other way that’s not the case on these super fine match cloths of course I have seen during the course of the Season quite a few occasions where aretta has gone what we call uphill yeah it’s a funny one because for people who don’t know you know the table’s

Constructed on eight legs and there’s a frame and then there’s five pieces of very thick slate bolted together and sanded and shaped and tried to make level and then covered and the cushions get bolted on and that design of the billed table now snooker hasn’t really

Changed for a hundred or more years and of course we’re rocking into venues week on week we get in the night before all the tables go up they’re constantly set into the floor and it’s very hard to keep them level it’s incredible that that design in that Tech hasn’t changed and we

Haven’t come up with a way of keeping tables level yet but we have come up with a way of reducing kicks and big bounces the new town chalk has been a revelation short yeah it’s been a complete Game Changer that as we see Elliot thread the Q ball through the ball colors perfectly

Onto this red by the pink yeah to be able to play with confidence now the Run throughs and the soft delicate shots and no you’re not going to get a kick is uh has really changed you know most players lives I think in the last few seasons because it it was costing

People you know matches and opportunities so we’ve arrived at frame ball for slesser 256 well I’ll tell you what at that pace on the standard that fell in 32 33 CAU so much of the left hand Jewel what a smashing shot on the black though 40 given the status within the game Ron

O Sullivan is not having things all his own way so far today he was taken to a deci by Sam craigy now he Trails Elliot slesser 2-1 it really is a good day at the bed Victor Championship League Rono Sullivan is out on the table sha Murphy is in the

Commentary box alongside me and we’ve had plenty of stuff to talk about next up by the way on table one the final match of this session Elliot lesser remains in action against ja Jones if he could go into that match with a win over O Sullivan that would be a real

Boost yeah I’m sure Ronnie be slightly annoyed there he collided with the yellow it’s left Elliot with a a look at this long red is he trying to get through the gap for the black into the same pocket well you can see he didn’t play that

Sort of tried to cover his bets there a little bit and play with an element of safety might have been better going for it full-blooded Le might have got closer to it anyway it’s out of his hands now he’s given this opportunity to Ronnie red pots to middle and corner I’m sure

He’ll play it to the corner nicely played and it has to be said Phil it’s one of the elements of Ronnie’s game that doesn’t get talked about at all because he plays so fluently with his opposite hand and was the s first I suppose player to do that

Of course Dennis Taylor and a few others had done it um Ronnie you know I suppose it’s not quite accurate to say he was the first to play with the opposite hand but he’s certainly the best people forget how good he is with the rest he’s actually one of the game strongest

With the rest he just uses it so infrequently you don’t see it well if you’re saying that Sean you’re very well qualified to talk about people’s ability with the rest because when it comes to the the conversation he was the very best you’re always in it I mean obviously he’s not

As good as myself and Kiren but you know he’s he’s okay I think he’s got a future modish Murphy thank you what was really interesting here this week Shan and I picked up on this right from the GetGo even though he won group six and played nicely in the end in the

Final kin Wilson yesterday for the most part was struggling but his rest Play Never deteriorated while the rest of his game was suspect until the final his rest play was out of this world of course I am told though now that kiran’s no longer the best rest

Player in his house I believe that one of his boys is a very good player extremely good with that Implement as well there’s quite a bit of footage on his socials uh with his family which is nice to see but K very very strong in all

Areas along with myself and a few others he’s not had greatest of seasons and I’m sure he’ll have more than one eye on Sheffield it’s only a matter of time between before kir picks up one of the Triple Crown events meanwhile Ronnie back in full

Float as we’re so used to seeing that Q ball on a dime shot there played for one of two Reds was always going to be on red to left middle underneath the pink over hit he’s on this one plays that shot better than anyone plays it on and off the cushion trying

To keep that Q ball as close to the middle of the table as possible doesn’t give himself chance to get stuck on the on the cushion see the pace he injects into that always searching for the middle to give himself options that wasn’t by luck that was by Design

And again control that Q ball beautifully 46 choice of Reds 47 hey looks like another deciders on the cards phille I think he money’s worth 5 I know Sean you’re good p with Mark Selby did you speak big two Mark after he’d beaten Ronnie because it wasn’t

Just the result it was the way it was achieved I thought it was magnificent from Selby I didn’t but 62 I just think you know you write Mark Selby off at your peril don’t you um 63 and of course having grown up with him you’re just never surprised to see him play like

That he’s been playing like that since we were boys four-time world champion one everything there is going and of course there’s the frame ball here in this Frame we are going all the way in this match but yeah last week against Ronnie was irresistible 71 a lot of players coming into good

Form just at the right time of year Phil be for a very interesting Crucible campaign this year impossible to call 79 868 clearly oh Sullivan doesn’t like the number one two 42 so wants another Century 94 now he was looking at that again maybe that ball as you suspected sha is

Tapering up towards the far jaw 100 three figures up for Rono Sullivan for the second time in the match but it’s far from one it’s going all the way Rono Sullivan two centuries in this match but on both occasions they’ve been made fighting back from a a one-frame

Deficit he was one- nil and 2-1 down to Elliot slesser now this contest is going into a deciding frame just as his first match of this group did if he just joining us he beat Sam craigy 3-2 he made breaks of 52 and 60 to take a two

Lead craigy came back very well with runs of 78 and 105 which was his 100th Century in professional competition he becomes the 80th player to reach that Mark but in the decider of Sullivan Fat’s range made 79 so if he could start off with two wins already you would be thinking he’s

Playoff band as for table two well it’s Joe o Conor against Jordan Brown and as I’m talking to you the fourth frame has just been conceded by Brown Conor won it by 78 points to nil so that one is also gone the distance the last match over there in

This session will be Jo Conor in action again against Sam craigy here Elliot slesser will take on Jack Jones after this will he be in a good mood or not in frame Sullivan always breaks off left-handed sha any scientific reason yeah it’s a it’s a funny one

Isn’t it I I remember asking Ray Reen that question because obviously they paired up together and I worked with W Ray for a little while watch Elliot sler try and Slot this red in must avoid the red by the black well done expertly played on remember Ray being of the

Opinion in a bit like a golf scenario for a right-hander it’s easier to hit a fade to make the ball go left to right seemed to remember Ray being of the opinion that as a left-handed player it was easier to play with right hand side than left hand side and I’ve got a

Feeling that might be why Ronnie chooses to break from between brown and yellow but use the other hand I think it might have come from ra that believing he could get more on begs the question why he didn’t just switch sides and play with right play right-handed but with left hand side

Between brown and green but he’s always done his own thing seven thing is these days though is what we’re seeing illustrates the breakoff has to be so accurate yeah the game’s changed you see B beyond all recognition really although although to the Casual Observer snooker doesn’t look to have changed over the

Years the table is still green has six pockets and 22 balls on the table every part of that equation has changed and one of those elements is the balls have got a lot lighter uh there’s a there’s a old footage on YouTube fly flying around of I think uh Doug

Mountjoy playing in pop black breaking off against pman he breaks off and almost reset sets the balls perfectly because the balls are now so light that can’t happen anymore and it’s become such an important shot because you it could that could be Ron ovan’s last shot in this

Match it is amazing that we haven’t yet as a body of players come up with a better option but I’m not sure what it it’s not for the lack of trying I can assure you well don’t want to go you into controversy Shan but what are your views

On the Mark Williams break he was employing earlier this season and last where he was coming off the top cushion into the the bunch yeah I think I think a lot of players have just become sick of potentially their breakoff being their last and only contribution to the

Frame and I think I actually have nothing wrong with it I mean you know the breakoff is just to get the match started isn’t it’s just to start the frame and and that’s all that does uh you have to decide if you think the breakoff is an attacking shot or a

Defensive shot the idea being to get another turn well in which case Mark Williams’s break ticks all the boxes he didn’t lose many frames by doing it and that of course is the that’s the job isn’t it in our last segment of matches in the championship league here Neil Robertson actually employed that

Break on one occasion anyway the summon substance of this is that sesser’s got a great chance to get the verdict he’s just lost the QQ ball though at the wrong time you can see he stopped himself there in his tracks he’s not on this black correctly Black’s going to put him 45

Ahead where does the next red come from that one possibly available to the yellow pocket sure he wanted more angle than that to split the Reds just lost the Q ball at the wrong time that red that’s closest to the Q ball to be poble very tight past the other one

Shake it ahead from Elliot so that tells us that he’s not on that red correctly it’s very very tight may be able to pop the one next to it but Q ball will be running into traffic so that’s got risk attached and 45o Lead could evaporate in seconds

So possibly the biggest stage of the match right here always taught by dear friend John in the club where I grew up if in doubt play safe obviously I ignored him for most of my career but does this red go slasher 45 can see the reaction from

Elliot it’s as if he knew the red didn’t pop and yet he still went for it didn’t like it but played it anyway the mind of a snooker player Phil didn’t like this but still played it maybe it turned off don’t know well that one didn’t no suivant

Dispatching the red even at professional level you would think players would know better but even at this level the highest wishful thinking sometimes comes into it six do you think players from yester Year Phil you know from the 70s and the early 80s players obviously who are no

Longer around playing the game I think they would if they could see the way the game’s played today and the risks that players take would they cringe or would they be impressed some would cringe some would be impressed but I think the ones who were impressed would be the correct

Ones he wasn’t impressed with the result of that shot the Cub did seem to die off those two cushions still on this shed but not as he meant to be now he needs a good angle on the color here wants to avoid the brown and if he does get past

The brown he’ll be perfect on it and he is couldn’t put the Q ball better with his hand now pop the brown on and off the side cushion smidge of right hand side if he gets this cannon correct could be game over well he didn’t get the Cannon as

Blade and that’s not unlucky that’s he didn’t hit the red he meant to hit he meant to hit the one right in the middle of that Bunch but of course as we always say you got the pot that means he can play the first safety shot which isn’t one of his

Best goes without saying though Elliot on very thin ice here now to be very very careful very very nicely played there is nobody better in the game at this shot you can see he’s playing it with left hand side and that just means pairing the Q ball away from

The red as it comes down the table such a skillful shot that Run’s just played looks like a nothing shot that Q ball was always arcing away from the red didn’t go in a straight line was always pulling away to encourage that thin contact and that put Elliot seser in a world of

Trouble side he’s to play this to get around the blue CAU it way too thin needs cover needs cover hasn’t got it so that great safety shot from Ronnie that looked so innocent has now given him a chance to counter I think he’d enjoy building a decisive

Break here considering the way it was created always interesting watching Ronnie go about these breaks because there’s a correct sequence you to take the Reds in to make the brakes that bit much easier it’s not all about C ball control you can see purposefully played

The angle on the pink to get to the red on the black spot didn’t want to pop the black before this red was moved seems obvious but a lot of players miss it when they end up in trouble Not O Sullivan needs an angle on the next

Color to get to the other side of the table for the red in the opposite pocket by the black which he’s got perfectly on the pink and Elliot’s hopes now rest on the the black that Ronnie’s about to play to this next red because he’ll be holding

For the black looks at the angle there that’s where I want to be that leads to the cannon on The Two Reds on the cushion which should lead into the frame the next cannon on the black could be game over bear in mind he has missed one important red along that top cushion

Already that’s why you wanted to make that as simple as possible and talk about on the nose 29 30 just players who would have played that shot like that as we see action on table two Jordan Brown in the balls 43-point lead meanwhile O Sullivan with the frame and match at his Mercy

Now brown who’s claimed to fame was beating Rono Sullivan in a two session final at the Welsh open what an achievement that is 41 beating him over any distance is an achievement 15 in front make that 18 so the brown is framan match ball what we’ve seen Sha’s not here on a jolly

55 that was a brew of Brilliance and brinkmanship backto back 3-2 victories for Rono Sullivan he moves to the top of the group seven table