China Open match discussions thread

[TheStranger]

Maguire runs off a break of 35 to open the decider, before making contact with the pack to leave very few options available for Murphy to start breakbuilding.

Murphy pots a red to begin his run at the table; however his break ends when he cannot pot the blue to top right.

Maguire pots a red and then gently runs the white to contact the blue, putting Murphy in a very precarious spot, playing from behind with the title on the line.

Shaun plays a beautiful double to get the white to zig zag with just enough velocity to contact reds on the lower end of the table.

Maguire responds by moving the white back behind the baulk line.

Murphy pots a red long and now appears to be going for a contact shot with the green on the near end. The white is now nestled between the blue and green, so Maguire will now be presented with a double situation himself.

Maguire avoids a foul by hitting the red on the lower right...but leaving a good opportunity for Murphy to swoop in and begin another break.

Shaun took the lead with a break of 38, but a long pot is available for Maguire to close in on the prize. He opts for a contact shot instead and Murphy returns to the table.

Murphy leaves Maguire snookered behind the black now. Stephen plays the red to lie along the baulk line, leaving Murphy with only one long option for potting.

Murphy misses the long pot; Maguire powers through with a long pot of his own to start a new break.

Maguire lays down a beautiful safety, putting a pink and black behind the lone red remaining for Shaun Murphy.

Murphy is able to three-cushion the white into the red, but Maguire now has the long pot available to retake the lead. While his pot attempt to lower left was not successful, the angle Murphy has to take on the red there doesn't result in a pot either.

Maguire now on his second turn after that leaves the red safe on the top of the table. Murphy successfully executes the contact shot.

After more tactical play, Maguire executed another good snooker on Murphy, leaving the red in front of the black.

Murphy makes contact and Maguire responds by getting the white to the top rail.

Shaun's attempt at the long pot is unsuccessful and the red kisses the black enough to give Maguire a clear shot at the bottom left pocket, which he does not miss.

Maguire has retaken the lead with the pink. Break of 7 so far.

Into the colors now with Maguire leading by 6; he uses the rest to send the green into the top right pocket. He's in very good position to end the match.

[Ekphantos]

Now, that was some reaction by Maguire there... pure frustration

[PaulTheSoave]

First blood to Mag. He belts one in!!

[PaulTheSoave]

Yes, NI semi final, 6-5 and I was there!

[João]

I'll be really gutted if Maguire doesn't make it. But on the bright side beating Murphy on a decider can taste even better. Come on Stephen!!!

[Mal]

9-9. And now the decider where the pressure is on both. Maguire has beat Murphy before in a decider earlier this season.

[PaulTheSoave]

Great clearance from Murphy. Frame decider coming up.

[Mal]

first real chance for the title for Maguire...

[doorag]

Now then! C'mon Maguire!

[TheStranger]

Powerful long pot by Murphy in Frame 18 to get a red into the lower left pocket, but the white looks awkwardly positioned against the near rail. Not sure how he's going to keep the break alive.

Instead, he chooses to play the white safe behind the yellow.

Maguire is forced to angle the white off the left rail and successfuly makes contact with the pack of reds. Shaun's in a bit of a difficult spot with the white so close to the pack and the pink, but the CGI graphics show a few possibilities for him. He chooses a safe play to send the white behind the headstring.

Another contact-only shot by Maguire to keep the white behind the line.

Murphy tries to break the reds in such a way as to send one of them to the bottom left, but instead the loose red kisses the rail, and Stephen is back on the table.

Maguire attempts a combo from one red to another, instead reshuffling the pack and sending the white towards the top rail again.

Now Maguire goes for the long pot on the lower left and can't get the red into the pocket; Murphy follows up with a similar non-pot on the lower right.

Stephen gets on the board with a red to center left. A blue to center right puts him in the lead for the frame, 6-5.

The white's now nestled against two reds, providing a challenge for Maguire to overcome if he is to extend the break. He plays the white in a line behind the blue to leave Murphy with very little to work with.

Maguire considering a tough angle on the red near the right rail, towards the center right. He does not pot the ball and the white now lies in a line behind the yellow, along the top rail.

Murphy goes for contact with the reds near bottom left. Maguire does not have many obvious options here to pot.

He has one shot available, a long red to top right, and successfully pockets it. With the rest, he then pots the green in the same area.

Break now up to 23. A nice long blue to top right and that's five more points closer to the China Open title.

Nice look at the blue to center right and Maguire has extended his break to 40. He cannot pot the red on center left and Murphy has a chance to strike back and keep the final going.

Shaun pots a red and the green in succession on the top right to get 4 points on the board. He follows up with a red to bottom left to extend the break, with very good position on the black. However, he is contemplating how to leave himself with a good shot at a loose red after he pots the black on the bottom right.

Murphy pots a red into the center right pocket and keeps the break going. With 51 points remaining on the board, he has a shot at taking the frame away from Maguire.

Good pot on the pink and a red is on a good line to the center left for Murphy to keep the break alive.

Pink on the lower right makes it a break of 26 - but the white now is lodged next to one red and at a tough angle for another. Murphy plays for contact with no obvious potting opportunities available, and Maguire is back on the table to try to close out the Open.

Maguire has no shots available either and instead plays for contact himself, leaving Murphy a straight long pot which he does not miss.

Murphy now pots the pink on center right to leave himself in good position for the color stage, putting the white at a decent spot to pot the yellow.

Good rebound on the green sets up an easy brown, where Murphy takes the lead in the frame. Now working on the blue after putting some screw in on the brown.

If Shaun can make this clearance, we will go to a deciding 19th frame.

Maguire concedes before the black. Level at nine!

[PaulTheSoave]

Yes, the sequence is 4,5,4, so its now Murphy's turn again.

[Mal]

9-8 in this topsy turvy final. Maguire still has the advantage, but the way things have turned round, it could well be swinging Murphy's way again.

[TheStranger]

Frame 17 commenced with a break of 21 by Shaun Murphy, before some tactical action involving the scattered reds at the far end. Murphy must win this frame for the tournament to continue.

Murphy finally finds a good angle to work with and uses the rest to pot a red on the bottom left corner. The black is good on lower right to extend his break to 8.

Break at 15 so far, good positioning on the lower end of the table should make this a very promising sequence for Murphy to stay close to the baize.

With a black to the bottom right, Murphy has extended his break to 45, and has the frame wrapped up. Still has a shot at a century.

Maguire concedes after the green. 9-8 for him now

[TheStranger]

Just woke up after a few hours of shuteye and I'm back watching the action

Maguire has a tough shot on the pink en route towards a century and misses, but has the frame won after a wonderful break of 89.

With that, he's one frame away from taking the China Open title.

[PaulTheSoave]

7-8 Maguire in the mean time.

Maguire taking 4 frames, then Muprhy 5, and Maguire looks to get his 4th frame in a row now. Funny how these kind of spells occur on a regular base.

Pity the best 3 players of the season are all in the bottom draw at Sheffield!
Another argument to change the ranking system.