Action from Day 3 of the 2017 Betfred World Snooker Championships

The end of the Easter weekend saw the action continuing at the Crucible.

Referee Maike Kesseler

 Shaun Murphy, ahead 6-3 after yesterday's session, breaks off at the start of the 10th frame in his match against Yan Bingtao.

 At the end, Murphy survived a comeback from the 17 year old qualifier to win 10-8.

 On Table 2, four-time champion John Higgins was taking on qualifier Martin Gould.

The Top 16 Snooker players gather at the Crucible

In a scene reminisent of last year, the day before the 2017 Betfred Snooker World Championship gets underway, the Top 16 players gathered for a photo call before the press conference that started the tournament.

Gathered together were: Mark Selby, Ryan Day, Neil Robertson, Marco Fu, Shaun Murphy, Ronnie O’Sullivan, Liang Wenbo, Ding Junhui, Stuart Bingham, Kyren Wilson, Mark Allen, John Higgins, Barry Hawkins, Ali Carter, Anthony McGill, Judd Trump

World's top 16 Snooker players at the Crucible

Friday 15th April 2016 - for the first time ever, the world's top 16 snooker players gathered together at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield for a press conference in advance of the World Snooker Championships.

Mark Selby, Stuart Bingham, Shaun Murphy, Neil Robertson, Judd Trump, Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Allen, John Higgins, Ricky Walden, Joe Perry, Barry Hawkins, Martin Gould, Mark Williams, Marco Fu, Michael White, Stephen Maguire - all in place on the stairs at the Crucible.

Snooker prints at Chesworth Cues in Sheffield

Based in the home of the Snooker World Championships, Chesworth Cues is a well-stocked shop for the snooker aficionado.

I met Martin Chesworth the owner recently and he wanted some snooker prints to display in the shop.  I produced one of Ronnie O'Sullivan playing with a rest off the table (shown below); Mark Selby entering the Crucible this year as defending champion; Shaun Murphy playing in this year's final and Dominic Dale from 2014.

They are now on view/for sale at Chesworth Cues, 702 Abbeydale Road, Sheffield.

See more at:  http://www.chesworthcues.com/

Stuart Bingham - Snooker's new world champion coming to terms with his win

Four months after beating Shaun Murphy 18-15 to become the Snooker World Champion, Stuart Bingham who started the tournament as a 50-1 outsider, is coming to terms with what this means.

All of the long hours and travel mileage of the many years of his career came to a fruition in early May 2015 as he put aside any tag of being a 'journeyman' and with that broad grin which came with the win, accepted his position at the top of the pile.

Stuart Bingham holds aloft the World Snooker Championship trophy, Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, May 2015

His intention is to continue to enter many events on the tour as "...it is a numbers game...your number might come up once or twice..."  He is on the lookout now to add the UK Championship or the Masters to the trophy cabinet.

We all look forward to seeing him back at the Crucible next April.

It's over...the Betfred 2015 World Snooker Championship has it's gripping finish!

On a late night at the Crucible theatre in Sheffield, Stuart Bingham finally overcame Shaun Murphy 18-15  to win his first World Championship.

Beginning the session with a  14-11 lead, Murphy started a comeback that, at 15-15, had him the bookies favourite.  The 31st frame was an epic 63 minute 31 seconds long but Bingham eventually took it to close in on victory.

He made a steady break of 65 to go 17-15 in front and clinched the title with a brilliant 88.   In doing so, he became the oldest champion since 45 year old Ray Reardon in 1978.

Collecting £300,000 as the winner, he should rise from tenth to second in the world rankings.

 Stuart Bingham salutes the crowd who had cheered him on both days of the final.

 It had been a good final, enjoyed by both players who were genuine in their respect of each other.

 Barry Hearn, who has done so much in the last five years to turn around world snooker, and Kell Brook (IBF welterweight world champion).

 Fred Done of Betfred who were so welcome back to the Crucible this year.

World Championship Snooker - Shaun Murphy holds a 9-8 lead

2005 champion Shaun Murphy holds a slender 9-8 lead over Stuart Bingham after a thrilling first day of the Betfred World Snooker Championship final at the Crucible theatre, Sheffield.

Playing in his maiden World Championship final, Stuart Bingham has been on the comeback trail all day - fighting back from 3-0 and 8-4 down to leave it as evenly balanced as it could be going into the final day.


Some photos from this evening's session:

World Snooker Championship - action from Day 9

Images from some of the matches going on today, Monday 27th April 2015, from the World Snooker Championships at the Crucible theatre in Sheffield.

 Shaun Murphy using the rest in his match with Joe Perry

 Joe Perry playing down the table in his match with Shaun Murphy

 Referee Olivier Marteel shares a joke with the crowd before officiating the match between Ronnie O'Sullivan and Matthews Stevens

 Ronnie O'Sullivan breaks off in frame 17 of his match with Matthew Stevens

 Matthew Stevens plays out from under the cushion

 Ronnie O'Sullivan and Matthew Stevens chat between frames

Ronnie O'Sullivan wrapping up a 13-5 win to move into the quarter finals