How Snooker and Chess are similar.

[PeterTurland]

Hello,

Currently watching Ding and Fu competing in the Masters.

I have long suspected that there is a resonance between chess and snooker.

I might have found it, it is silence, darts does not seem to need silence!

Perhaps what the two sports of chess and snooker need for success is the Zen of focus.

One does not need distractions whilst trying to understand a position, likewise one does not need a naked women run across your field of view, whilst you are trying to put the black in, as the last ball of a 147, at the crucible.

Please try to imagine a football match final in silence?

[Joey Stewart]

Have you noticed now tactical and positional play mean completely the opposite thing in chess and snooker.

[PeterTurland]

Have you noticed now tactical and positional play mean completely the opposite thing in chess and snooker.

Very funny

[Alex Holowczak]

One does not need distractions whilst trying to understand a position, likewise one does not need a naked women run across your field of view, whilst you are trying to put the black in, as the last ball of a 147, at the crucible.

I remember the 1997 Masters Final, Ronnie O'Sullivan v Steve Davis. Ronnie led 3-0 (or something like that), there was a streaker, it went to 8-4, but Davis won 6 on the trot to win 10-8. So you're right, it didn't help Ronnie...

First time that two Chinese have played each other in the Final of a Major Championship; albeit not a ranking event. Not sure I count Marco Fu as Chinese (he's a Hongkonger), but still a sign of things to come from the Far East... Not sure why we don't have any Canadian or South African players anymore.

[PeterTurland]

One does not need distractions whilst trying to understand a position, likewise one does not need a naked women run across your field of view, whilst you are trying to put the black in, as the last ball of a 147, at the crucible.

I remember the 1997 Masters Final, Ronnie O'Sullivan v Steve Davis. Ronnie led 3-0 (or something like that), there was a streaker, it went to 8-4, but Davis won 6 on the trot to win 10-8. So you're right, it didn't help Ronnie...

First time that two Chinese have played each other in the Final of a Major Championship; albeit not a ranking event. Not sure I count Marco Fu as Chinese (he's a Hongkonger), but still a sign of things to come from the Far East... Not sure why we don't have any Canadian or South African players anymore.

Yeah true, but, if only chess earned as much bread as other sports, I still maintain we need a world government, that would implement a chess metaphor tax, for every time a sports commentator, uses chess as a metaphor.

Congrats to Ding

[Joey Stewart]

I am very impressed with Marco Fu - for years he was one of these types that you could count on seeing in the early rounds but would be seen off fairly easily by the top 16 but then he suddenly got very good in the space of a year or two.

[Alex Holowczak]

I am very impressed with Marco Fu - for years he was one of these types that you could count on seeing in the early rounds but would be seen off fairly easily by the top 16 but then he suddenly got very good in the space of a year or two.

He's always been quite good, but had spells of quality performances. I remember he made the Semi Finals of the Grand Prix in 1998, for instance. He's been in and around the top 16 ever since, without ever really establishing himself. The form you describe is true of his performances in the events covered by the BBC, but he's actually been pretty consistent over that duration. He started working with Terry Griffiths, and that helped him win the UK that he won. This was his best run in a tournament since then, really.

[PeterTurland]

For a while Steve Davis was President of the BCF, I've looked and looked but can find no evidence of his grade, how sad?

[Alex Holowczak]

For a while Steve Davis was President of the BCF, I've looked and looked but can find no evidence of his grade, how sad?

To be fair, he was probably quite a bit better at snooker.

[PeterTurland]

For a while Steve Davis was President of the BCF, I've looked and looked but can find no evidence of his grade, how sad?

To be fair, he was probably quite a bit better at snooker.

Yeah, but how did he end up president of the BCF?

At least De Mooi has a discoverable grade, the question is, why did Davis end up running our sport, when he did not have a recognisable proficiency at pushing wood?

[Alex Holowczak]

He had a considerable interest in the sport. Given he was a professional snooker player, world number 1 for a decade, and six-time World Champion, and was prepared to promote chess, I don't think it's a problem worth worrying about, to be honest. Indeed, from what people have said on here, he did a good job.

[Brendan O'Gorman]

For a while Steve Davis was President of the BCF, I've looked and looked but can find no evidence of his grade, how sad?

To be fair, he was probably quite a bit better at snooker.

Yeah, but how did he end up president of the BCF?

At least De Mooi has a discoverable grade, the question is, why did Davis end up running our sport, when he did not have a recognisable proficiency at pushing wood?

Have a look here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Steve-Davis-Pla ... 0713478136 The book is a reasonably good read - worth picking up if you find one second hand or remaindered.

[PeterTurland]

He had a considerable interest in the sport. Given he was a professional snooker player, world number 1 for a decade, and six-time World Champion, and was prepared to promote chess, I don't think it's a problem worth worrying about, to be honest. Indeed, from what people have said on here, he did a good job.

So why am I still subtly arguing with my daughter, who is a deputy head mistress, as to the benefits of learning semiotics, to a 5/6 year old?

[PeterTurland]

For a while Steve Davis was President of the BCF, I've looked and looked but can find no evidence of his grade, how sad?

To be fair, he was probably quite a bit better at snooker. [/quote]

Yeah, but how did he end up president of the BCF?

At least De Mooi has a discoverable grade, the question is, why did Davis end up running our sport, when he did not have a recognisable proficiency at pushing wood?[/quote]

Have a look here: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Steve-Davis-Pla ... 0713478136 The book is a reasonably good read - worth picking up if you find one second hand or remaindered.[/quote]

Now you have made me giggle, I have already bought it a good while back and think I could give Steve Davis, a good hiding over the black and white squares.

[Alex Holowczak]

He had a considerable interest in the sport. Given he was a professional snooker player, world number 1 for a decade, and six-time World Champion, and was prepared to promote chess, I don't think it's a problem worth worrying about, to be honest. Indeed, from what people have said on here, he did a good job.

So why am I still subtly arguing with my daughter, who is a deputy head mistress, as to the benefits of learning semiotics, to a 5/6 year old?

Do you mean teaching semiotics to a 5/6 years?

I think if you have a figurehead role - which the old role of ECF President could be - and a well-known person wants to be involved with it, I don't really see why you'd turn him down.