11/02/2013 Snooker: Welsh Open

# Look at my eyes, what do you see? Good evening, welcome to de Newport

Centre for the first evening session of the BetVictor Welsh Open

2013. Tonight, we will seek if Judd Trump can tramp Mike Dunn. We have

already seen some fantastic snooker. A day of mixed emotions for Matthew

Stevens, through to the first round after seeing off Alfie Burden.

always say I would really like a good run. But I can't put too much

pressure on myself. I'm just going to treat it like any other match.

But it is special, with your friends and family coming to

support. Ryan Day is out, beaten 4- 1 by Liang Wenbo. John Higgins won

4-1. And Mark Williams, the last Welshman to lift the trophy, beat

Liu Chuang. And a lot better than I have been for the last few months.

I've just been trying a couple of different things. Fingers crossed,

I can keep playing a lot better than I have been. Which is not

really hard! Darren Morgan was commentating on some of those

matches, along with Willie Thorne. Great to see you. Mark Williams and

Matthew Stevens, did you see anything that might suggest they

could mount a challenge later in the week? Well, I commentated on

the Mark Williams match. He looked in scintillating form. A couple of

dodgy shots here and there, but on the whole it was a fantastic

performance. He played very well, even though he lost a couple of

frames he probably should not have lost. Matthew, I had little

glimpses of the other table from the commentary box and he looked in

fine form as well. He's more of an inspirational player, really. Once

he gets on a run, he keeps it going. Mark came into the studio after the

match, he looks a very relaxed. With Matthew, is it more of a

confidence issue? Matthew has been getting back to form. Of late, he

has had a couple of good results and he's starting to build back.

Mark, it is expected, he has won so many tournaments that when he's not

winning it is a surprise. They about working hard at their games,

they love playing in Wales and they will be trying to win. What is it

like being a Welshman, competing in front of a Welsh audience? Does it

increase the pressure? It does a little. I have won a couple of

Welsh professional championships. I know what it is like to win, but I

also got hammered by Stephen Hendry in a semi-final, I know what it is

like to feel desolated at the end. You just want to jump into a hole

and bury yourself. There is pressure, because you want to do

well in front of your home crowd. But when you feel down and it is

not going right, they help you along. Thank you very much indeed.

The fans are looking forward to Judd Trump taking on Mike Dunn this

evening. They have played once before in

eight qualifiers for the 2006 World Championships. Since then, Judd

Trump has reached a world final and won the UK Championship. Dunn is

ranked 32, but has a tough job on It has been in my blood since I was

eight. I'm 41 now and I have been professional for a long time. Last

year was a difficult here. I had a lot of illness, a few trips to

hospital and missed a lot of events. I was considering retiring in

December. When I decided I was going to retire, it kind of... I

don't know, it gave me a shock to the system to carry on and realise

how fortunate I am to be playing a game I have done all my life,

travelling the world. It's a fantastic feeling when you get

approached by somebody to ask for autographs, a picture or something

like that. There are not many other things in life that give you that

privilege, to be honest. It's nice to be in that position. I'm very,

very consistent in the qualifiers. I win a lot of matches.

Unfortunately, the big stage in the UK events, the pressure sometimes

gets to me. I'll admit that. Sometimes, it is very difficult to

focus very clearly when you are under pressure. It's great to be

back on UKTV again. I hope it is the start of many, over the next

few years. It is nice to sometimes get the recognition that you

deserve, let people see way you have got to, what you have achieved

in your life. It's good to be there, it's good to be competing again.

The future is to get back to where I was. I think I was 28th in the

world, last January. I am now in their late 50s. In practice, I am

showing signs to getting back to where I was, now my form is coming

back, I hope to climb back to where So, the fans are ready, we are

ready, the players are ready. Let's join Rob Walker. Thanks, Jason.

What an opening day we have already enjoyed here at the BetVictor Welsh

Open. Six scintillating matches. We round off the opening day in style,

with two more. Please welcome a player who has already shown great

character in his career, dropping off the tour and regaining his

place through cue school. European Championship winner in 2011, from

His opponent, two Time ranking event when a, one of the more

colourful personalities on the circuit. When he won the Shanghai

Masters in 2007, he sang My Way in the press conference. He's back,

playing some of the press to regain his career. Please welcome Dominic

Dale! -- playing some of the best Please welcome on Table 1, a player

in his 22nd year as a professional. He has reached the last 16 of two

ranking events, qualifying for the Cristobal 11 years ago. Great to

see him back to health, form and Finally, one of the most exciting

players of his generation. When L3 ranking event titles, including

this season's International Championship. He has invented his

very own brand of naughty snooker. Ladies and gentlemen, the ace in

I saw him earlier, talking to fans, looking very relaxed and cool.

Well, this is a match that Judd Trump is absolutely the one to

watch when he is playing at his very best, playing against a

That is a relatively good break. He's a player that has been around

for many, many years. He is yet to fulfil any potential, really. He's

not to be considered a junior men professional, but that television

stages he's not shown the form we Judd Trump, to be fair, hasn't had

the best of starts to the season. We know what a fantastic player he

is. He needs to just get a bit of As he does all the time, at the

first opportunity, straight into the bunch. Terry Griffiths is with

me in a commentary box. I know you are a big fan of his? Very much so.

He was on a bit of a bad run, not a disaster, because his opponent,

having lost 15 or 16 matches on the spin in qualifiers over the last

season and a half, that is a tough thing to go through. But I feel

Judd Trump has lost a little something because he has played

more safety. Not a lot. Let's be honest, he was a little bit on the

careless side with his shot From being so young in years, it is

hard to determine what is playing to open and what isn't. You need

somebody around you to tell you. That's his main problem, he just

pots so well. He feels every shot is one it he is right to get. --

I thought that was an easier pot to play into the yellow pocket, but he

decided to play it into the green pocket and it turned out OK, albeit

He plays those well. It's great when you can pot shots like that,

to get in. Hartley hit it. -- His cue action is beautiful, a

I don't know how he can avoid the kiss on the red on the cushion, if

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 47 seconds

That is a little bit unlucky, he Do a little unfortunate not to find

himself on a colour. This has got Trump in a little bit of trouble.

The way the balls are set, especially the three high colours,

blue, pink and black, they are not The red that is tight on the

He has to be careful he does not push this towards the corner.

was not a lot of room for error. He's hit the red, slightly mob-

Well, I certainly wouldn't have You see, he checks the ball up. The

white is close to the question, after making contact with the green.

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 47 seconds

Might not be on this red now. -- He has left the same safety shot

for Michael. And that is excellent, He can play a similar safety shot.

He would be pushing the red over the corner, that is why he's not

Similar situation Ford could Trump. He will be pushing that read over

the corner if he's not careful. That's why he's refusing it,

Certainly not the fast, blazing start that we expect from Trump. So

Who knows what goes on a Megamind? Clever shot, he knew that the red

would be covering the black. Made that pottable. The only easy read

his next to the pink. He has to avoid the one about his next to the

That is why you want the white took it, to make it more natural for the

Probably a little bit of value in playing the cannon into the five

reds. You can see, one shot, in a position where he can win the frame.

You have to take the bull by the horns, and that shot was played

He actually played for the pink in the middle and mishit it. He's

going to have to get the fishing In the good old days, you have to

play the long rest, a tape that had never been used, like a fruit

I would not know, I have never lost position like you! Yes, it must

have been tough getting those 20 He's about one shot away from the

He'll be able to get rid of that He feels he had a bad contact, but

normally a kick would slow the white Down. It wouldn't speeded up.

I doubt now how he ended up low on He's just trying to catch at paint

on the opposite side. As it is now, he might still play the pot. --

that pink. He needs to be a little He's reluctant to play one of the

Well, that is a clever shot. Not only has he got it safe, he's

So, half a chance for him to get a few points on the board and get

It's not the easiest of shots. He had to put a bit of spin and side

on to get with the high value Not quite. I wonder what percentage

of players that are left handed use the rest right-handed? Does every

left-handed player do that? I can't I don't know, ask me a question I

Just make sure of the colour and Clever shot, he tried to get high

on the blue. That would guarantee him an angle to bring the red

interplay. Still managed to force an angle. That is the talent this

He tried to swing it around the Nothing really sizable from Judd

Trump. Got a bit scrappy with half chances. But Judd Trump get in for

the second time and wins the opening frame.

A good start, solid start by Judd Trump? Yes, he looks like he's in

good form. He is a character, you know? I met him properly for the

first time, spent some time with him, he is a very funny young lad.

He loves his game, he likes to entertain the crowd on the that is

what he was doing, playing a couple of flash shots towards the end.

World Snooker needs people like Judd Trump. I saw him signing

autographs, talking to the youngsters that idolise him, he's a

boy with a lot of talent? So it should be, more the merrier. We

haven't seen Ronnie on the screens for a little while, there has been

a bit of a void. We have the likes of Judd Trump, and somebody after

him will come along. You need characters and you need people that

will light up the screens. As well as the characters, as far as the

sport is concerned we need entertaining players like him.

he's very entertaining, you don't get much more entertaining. Judd

Trump plays attacking snooker, that He has lost his way in tournaments

at the moment. So much is expected of him. He sees the shot, doesn't

he? It didn't look a shot to nothing. He's very unlucky to have

finished on the baulk cushion. Earlier in the season he would play

He's having a joke about it now. He didn't even get close to the green.

That usually happens when you're not confident. I don't think I've

ever seen him do that. Not only did he not get close, he wasn't even in

In our day the cloth was a bit thicker. Even if you hit the green

he would only move half-an-inch. These day it is very tough to get

The safety shot does not look straight forward. I suppose he is

worried about Judd knocking this long red in.

Surely it would have been a lot easier to play for the black. He

has got in amongst the balls. Mike Dunn by his own admission said that

he does not play that well in front of the television. In the

qualifiers, when there is nobody about, it is a different request.

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 47 seconds

In front of the TV cameras the The two reds above the black is

what he is trying to pot. The bottom one will definitely pot but

the top one of the two... He is taking a bit of time, trying to

That is amazing. Can you over think? Can you look for negatives?

How many times are you going to miss that? But if you ING out of

there you can miss anything. -- if He played that nicely. He had to be

higher up on the red to stay for He is one of the top of ball

This afternoon Selby looked in immaculate form. He is the man at

That was risky. He could have screwed off the edge of the pack.

He could see enough of the pink to pot it. He will be disappointed

Very well played. That was a more difficult shot than the pink he

Judd Trump really took on a pink that was missable. You don't want

to be giving away easy chances when you are playing a player that on

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 47 seconds

If he has an angle on the pink, there is some value in playing the

pink to put the red over the pocket. He is going to have to do that in a

It is not bad on that side, the red. He is a right handed player so he

can get behind it if that chance I mentioned to Mike Dunn today that

when he played here years ago he was five frames behind and he came

back and won the match to qualify and go to the Chris it -- the

Crucible. He said, I can't believe you remembered that. I said, well,

This is the type of shot that you can almost get safe, so you can

almost forgive him for having a go at the red. If he gets it he can

roll the black in but potting the It does help if you can screw back

as well. And he has a snooker. What can you say? He missed this shot by

Mike Dunn knows this is a big shot. If he nudges the red at all it will

I don't know whether he has an angle to be able to do anything

Goodness me. This has gone in really high. They have not been

going in this season. Mark Selby had a shot which to be honest did

not look in. Normally if you get on the far jaw they are not going to

A little surprised he played for the black there. I thought he would

Because of that shot he has left himself plenty to do again.

seemed he would have been better off going for the baulk. It all

looks easy to him. If Trump goes on to win it and gets a 2-0 lead he

will be more than happy. Just lost This is a frame that Mike Dunn

When you are the underdog you really need to get off to a good

start and knowing he should have won this frame, sitting there, he

knows he has a lot to do to get back into the match. Rather a

scrappy frame, both players having chances, but it is Judd Trump again,

he leads 2-0. Floyd Mayweather. I would say the

way he has dominated his sport. A lot of people don't like him but he

is a completely different person outside the ring to inside the ring

and he just liked -- lets his boxing do the talking. I like the

way he trains, no short cuts and things like that. Hopefully I tried

to apply that on my practice and I try to be the best I can be. Just

the cockiness he has, he knows he is the best, and I think that

scares other people. They going wanting to beat him too badly and

he just does his thing and he beats the Mark! -- beats them up! Floyd

may -- Floyd Mayweather, Judd's idol. At I think Judd Trump had

that to me now a season and a half ago. He has lost his way a little

bit. He is undoubtedly one of the top four players in the game but he

is just struggling to decide when it is right to have a go and when

it is not. When he gets his confidence back we will all be in

Judd Trump, having pinched the second frame, is not really at his

best yet. He has had a couple of It really is so nice to watch him

strike a ball that well. It makes you wonder sometimes how he ever

get beaten. -- get beaten. There is nobody about who does not get

You go to punch Floyd Mayweather and his head is never there. They

can't hit him, can they? A little He is trying to push the boat out

but there is something holding him back at the moment. You are

fortunate to get away with a shot like that. For you have no idea

where the red is going to end up. Snooker players would say that if

you left it on and you are unlucky It looks like he is playing the

That was different, I have to say. If he manages to avoid the green or

brown off the top cushion, he gained no advantage at all. All he

He could have won at least one of the first two frames. Just trying

to avoid the kiss on the red directly above the black. He has

missed that. He is playing a screw into the pack to miss the red but

these cloths are so fine that at less you really get into them,

unless you really hit them the better chance you have off getting

the shot. But when you hit a shot like that what difference does it

make? The slower you play this shot, the easier it is to miss the red.

Before the screw takes, it goes In the club conditions the cloths

are a bit thicker. It is not so Leave a nice open on the blue --

angle on the blue to open the reds out. A lot of balls being spread

Are they spread about enough for you? He hit those really well. He

has a red in the centre. He could have hoped for something a bit

luckier than that. There is nothing Those are always admissible. --

Mike Dunn had an excellent chance to win the second frame. This is an

excellent chance, maybe not to win this frame, but certainly to get 40

He has not had a lot of table time, to be played come -- to be fair,

and he played for the blue there. When you are under pressure you

He did not get the desired amount of screw on there. I don't know

whether he can get through to the Anything but next to the yellow is

OK. That is exactly what he did not They are the kind of chances you

really have to score 40 or above You can if you keep position but he

really did not do that, I'm afraid. Just measuring if the spot was

What happened at there? It is getting embarrassing for Mike Dunn.

Why didn't he play for the pink in the middle rather than forcing an

angle that wasn't really there? was an open pocket and he is just

To be fair, Judd Trump is also not playing anywhere near the standard

He has had to do precious little, Has he not screwed bad enough? Is

he going to be snookered? If he is, He obviously had to play with a

little bit of side to make the pot. He wouldn't risk potting a colour

And this is going to be pretty These might have to be replaced. I

Put them back. You are really delighted about that, madam, aren't

The referee has a chance to look at her picture behind the score board

and they can see exactly where the We may get a chance to tell you

That was pretty good, now put the other one on the cushion and we are

just about right. To where? just Taft -- has to put the red

8th eight out of 10 for effort. -- It has been quite sometime not

obviously she has to put the white behind the brown. I think she

deserves a round of applause for getting that right. Which she has

And that is all we have time for here on BBC Two Wales. Before we go,

let's show you how Dominic Dale is faring against Daniel Wells.

Dominic Dale is potting well and in control and he leads by two frames-