So this is it, after all of the talk and all of the hype, tomorrow sees the start of the 2015 World Championship – not at the Crucible of course, but at Ponds Forge for the start of the qualifying rounds.
Due to the short timescale allowed by the publication of the draw yesterday, an extensive section by section preview is unfortunately not possible, but nevertheless I wanted to run through a few themes and offer a few thoughts about the qualifying rounds generally…
This year will mark the seventh year that I will have made the trip down to Sheffield for the pre-Crucible stages of the World Championship and as strange as it might seem, over those years in many ways I have come to enjoy those rounds just as much as the televised matches.
They might not always see the same standard that can be expected at the venue (although there are exceptions), but for those who have not made the trip to watch the World Championship qualifiers it is hard to understand just how tense these matches are and the unique pressure that comes in this competition.
Whether it is the best of 19 format, the fact the main tour places are in some cases on the line, the significant differences in prize money or the simple fact that these matches stand between those involved and the chance to compete at the Crucible Theatre, who knows. In truth it is probably a combination of all of those factors, but there is something inherently different about this tournament to anything else on the calendar.
So what can we expect to see in 2015?
In terms of the tour survival battle, all angles are of course covered here at PSB, with my tour survival blog which will be updated at the conclusion of each day’s play.
Of course, those to watch will be those either side of the top 64 cut-off, who will all be expected to win their opening round matches against inferior opposition – on paper at least. For me, the most interesting opening round match in that bracket will be Nigel Bond’s clash with Igor Figueiredo, with the Brazilian having made a mark on this competition in the past. Alfie Burden too faces one of the more challenging opening round matches against Mitchell Mann, while Jimmy White gets his campaign underway against James Wattana in a real treat for those who grew up watching their battles in the 1990’s.
Tour survival aside, it will also be interesting to see how the much-discussed new system will play out, with every player in the qualifying draw now required to win three matches if they are to make it to the Crucible this year. Perhaps surprisingly, even under the old system last year where those ranked 17-32 had to win only one match to qualify, only seven of those 16 players were successful and I have a feeling having looked at the seeded draw that the number might well be higher, rather than lower this time around.
This is because the draw is of course seeded this year, with the top 16 seeds in theory at least having easier draw than those below, while they will no longer be coming into the event cold, up against a player already with wins under their belt. We shall see, but for those who can come into the event with a positive attitude, rather than looking back to the old system and what they might perceive to have lost, then there is still an opportunity to make it back to the Crucible once again.
One question that I am often asked is which young or unknown players I fancy to possibly come through, or at least make their debuts at the Crucible this time around.
Looking at the draw, one player who I do think could make it through to the Crucible for the first time is Anthony McGill, the Scot having broken new ground this season with his quarter-final run at the UK Championship. With his attitude and maturity too, he is someone who I could see not only qualifying, but causing one of the seeds a real headache in a couple of weeks time.
Local lad Joel Walker would also be a terrific story if he could make it through the three qualifying rounds for the first time, while Yu Delu, David Morris, Kurt Maflin, Chris Wakelin and perhaps Zhou Yuelong are amongst though who I think could make it through the qualifying rounds.
Finally, it always promises to be a hectic final day at Ponds Forge next Wednesday, with all of the final round matches set to come to a finish on the same day, rather than spread across two as previously.
Many questions then and in a week or so we will have the answers. If you have not been to watch these rounds before, then take this as my recommendation to make the trip. You won’t regret it.