Steve Davis v Tony Knowles, 1982

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:00:42. > :00:48.We tend to remember finals, but you know the early rounds can sometimes

:00:49. > :00:54.produce just as much excitement and intrigue at the start of snooker's

:00:55. > :01:01.annual marathon. And so it proved in the early rounds in 1982. We will

:01:02. > :01:05.relive a first round match between Steve Davis and Tom Knowles. Steved

:01:06. > :01:09.turn up as the champion, the world number 1. He was the first of his

:01:10. > :01:15.six crucialable crowns that previous year and he dominated the season

:01:16. > :01:20.leading up to the championship. He'd won six events, including the UK and

:01:21. > :01:24.Masters titles. He was widely expected to complete the set of

:01:25. > :01:29.snooker's big titles that season. He was up against a qualifier from

:01:30. > :01:35.Bolton, who had been to the Crucible before and knocked out in the first

:01:36. > :01:38.round by Graham Myles. But he had yet to win a match. As it got closer

:01:39. > :01:42.to the championship I started to feel the heat a bit. I had a bad

:01:43. > :01:48.performance against Ray in a smaller event. I think I lost 5-0. All of a

:01:49. > :01:52.sudden I started to unravel mentally. That effectively was the

:01:53. > :01:57.worry of defending the title. The fact that I had been so dominant, I

:01:58. > :02:03.wanted to keep that dominance, and I started to feel the heat. Well, that

:02:04. > :02:15.was evident early on when Steve fell 3-0 behind, something was up with

:02:16. > :02:18.the rumford Robot's motor E the his opponent has take even year to win

:02:19. > :02:20.any match. The good looking qualifier did not seem to be phased

:02:21. > :02:22.in the slightest qualifier did not seem to be phased

:02:23. > :02:25.in the slightest by playing the world number 1 today. This is round

:02:26. > :03:25.4. Unlucky with that. Not being kind to

:03:26. > :04:30.him at the moment. Just take the cue ball back down

:04:31. > :04:37.behind those three colours. No, he's not. He is going behind the green.

:04:38. > :06:59.The wry smile that tells you he's not happy about that either.

:07:00. > :08:23.That was a great shot! APPLAUSE

:08:24. > :15:07.He is looking to the ceiling for something.

:15:08. > :16:36.Tony playing extremely well. Some solid snooker.

:16:37. > :16:49.That touch of brilliance is just missing at the moment. Steve

:16:50. > :18:28.fighting the bowls will -- with almost every shot.

:18:29. > :20:35.APPLAUSE Keeping his cool.

:20:36. > :21:49.That's extraordinary! How cruel this game of snooker can be.

:21:50. > :22:26.That's the type of thing that the world champion is fighting...

:22:27. > :22:55.Good one! APPLAUSE

:22:56. > :23:17.That puts him 30 points ahead. APPLAUSE

:23:18. > :24:01.Oh, dear, oh, dear. And so, once again, Mark Davis finds himself --

:24:02. > :24:17.Steve Davis finds himself in trouble. A great performance by

:24:18. > :24:24.The world champion yet to chalk up a frame in defence of his world title

:24:25. > :24:47.'82. Tony making few mistakes in these

:24:48. > :25:00.first four frames. Steve obviously disappointed.

:25:01. > :25:19.APPLAUSE Steve leaves the arena and it is

:25:20. > :25:24.Tony who goes out to the interval. Steve was just at the racing, hadn't

:25:25. > :25:28.settled and was desperate to get a frame on the board, as quickly as he

:25:29. > :25:30.mulled over the proceedings at the mid-session interval. This is frame

:25:31. > :26:17.5. Gradually the pattern of the game is

:26:18. > :26:21.changing and I think Steve is trying very hard to break down the run of

:26:22. > :26:25.the balls that Tony has had. And with which, one must say, he's

:26:26. > :26:30.played very well indeed. And... Steve was open-mouthed there,

:26:31. > :26:48.thinking he'd gone enough again. Well, it did go. And he is on the

:26:49. > :27:30.black. And this time the remaining three

:27:31. > :28:24.reds are a bit little -- are a little bit easier.

:28:25. > :28:31.And it is amazing what a little potting success will do to a player.

:28:32. > :28:34.Even of Steve's calibre, he is now letting the cue go through the shot

:28:35. > :28:58.and getting his pots nice and clean. Oh, dear! That was unfortunate.

:28:59. > :29:04.Still, Steve has a convincing lead now. 83. Tony Knowles, eight. A

:29:05. > :29:09.pretty relieved 24-year-old Steve Davis taking on this man - he isn't

:29:10. > :29:14.a youngster, he is two years Steve's senior in Tony Knowles. With a frame

:29:15. > :30:16.on the board, surely normal service will be resumed now?

:30:17. > :30:25.Well, that was a mistake by Tony, but whether he's left one, I

:30:26. > :31:45.wouldn't say this is an easy putt. But it's there to be taken.

:31:46. > :31:52.Looked as if Steve might get back in there, but a bad miss on the pink. A

:31:53. > :32:30.chance for Tony now. Well, he's got to do a little dink

:32:31. > :32:51.swerve here to get the pink, and he's not too happy with it.

:32:52. > :33:02.Well, a very risky shot at this stage of the procedures.

:33:03. > :33:11.And this, of course, is when Tony must really fight hard, because

:33:12. > :33:16.Steve Davis is desperately trying to chau his way back into the match --

:33:17. > :33:34.claw his way back into the match. APPLAUSE

:33:35. > :34:49.He won't be happy with that shot. And another chance for Tony.

:34:50. > :35:21.APPLAUSE Just went in. But he is on the

:35:22. > :36:34.black. And Steve must be wondering what

:36:35. > :36:37.he's got to do. He's made a mistake and he's being made to pay for it.

:36:38. > :37:25.He missed an easy pink. And this so far is the mayest break

:37:26. > :38:00.of the match -- highest break of the match - 51.

:38:01. > :38:11.I was hoping he split the reds up there, but just missed them. And

:38:12. > :38:47.snookered. So, Mark Davis now requiring --

:38:48. > :38:52.Steve Davis now requiring a snooker. 4-0 down before I got my first frame

:38:53. > :38:56.on the board. Then Tony Knowles made it importantly 5-1 after that. And I

:38:57. > :39:01.just - in the end of the session, I just wanted the ground to swallow me

:39:02. > :39:05.up. Sheer agony. No little embarrassment for Steve at this

:39:06. > :39:09.stage and his grip on the world championship trophy is loosening at

:39:10. > :39:11.an alarming rate by this point. He has a chance, though. Frame 7,

:39:12. > :39:16.an alarming rate by this point. He has a chance, though. Frame 7, to

:39:17. > :39:24.lunch a counterattack. He may have left a red on here. Thin cutting.

:39:25. > :39:32.And he goes enough! How unfortunate. Things just aren't going right for

:39:33. > :39:45.Steve tonight. So 55 behind and Steve in trouble

:39:46. > :40:31.again. Well, this is a day that Steve will

:40:32. > :40:57.want to forget. A chance of a snooker here, I would

:40:58. > :42:17.think. APPLAUSE

:42:18. > :42:27.Well, that is a little more like it! But he's got an awful lot to do yet.

:42:28. > :42:57.A bit short again there. Tony can swerve this. Snooker would have been

:42:58. > :43:23.much more advantageous. GASPS

:43:24. > :44:18.Steve concedes. 6 frames to 1. APPLAUSE

:44:19. > :44:26.This looks like a possible chance for Steve here. Just hold for the

:44:27. > :45:12.black. And Steve very unhappy with that

:45:13. > :45:16.shot. Meant to hold the white in the more of a direct line with the

:45:17. > :45:54.corner pocket, but has to take a risk here.

:45:55. > :46:11.APPLAUSE Well, he got out of trouble there

:46:12. > :46:51.and he's on the black. But he has to play these shots very carefully.

:46:52. > :47:29.CROWD GASPS Black dangerously near the top

:47:30. > :48:08.pocket there, but didn't go in. Steve really must be very unhappy

:48:09. > :48:45.with those misses. It's not at all like him.

:48:46. > :48:50.The pink goes on the highest available when it won't go on its

:48:51. > :49:12.own spot. And again, Tony, is punishing Steve

:49:13. > :49:53.for another careless miss. And that's a little indication that

:49:54. > :50:14.Tony is really beginning to feel confident.

:50:15. > :50:24.The reds are so positioned he could clean-up this frame.

:50:25. > :51:06.To Tony goes into the lead, and as we were saying, every opportunity

:51:07. > :51:37.here to make sure of the frame. He wanted to get just the other side

:51:38. > :51:48.of the blue there. But he shouldn't have much problem with this.

:51:49. > :52:37.He should have got that, because he's not safe yet.

:52:38. > :52:48.It is rather a risky shot. Perhaps look for a quick way to finish this

:52:49. > :52:54.frame. But perhaps he should be a little bit more patient.

:52:55. > :53:25.Steve trying a snooker there, but it hasn't come off. And... Tony

:53:26. > :53:44.probably just plays safe again here. Many a time we have seen Steve clear

:53:45. > :53:59.up from a situation like this now. I wonder if he can do it.

:54:00. > :54:05.There you see probably the greatest player of the day. Once that little

:54:06. > :54:21.bit of confidence goes, it makes all the difference in the world.

:54:22. > :54:56.I don't think we have seen Steve play like this for a long time, he

:54:57. > :54:58.is really underperformed the night. Again, he should have capitalised on

:54:59. > :55:29.that. Another chance for Steve. That was a bad miss my Tony, if

:55:30. > :55:35.Steve does clear up here than he will rue that this. One always has

:55:36. > :56:36.the feeling that as Steve Davis begins to play, Tony Knowles might

:56:37. > :56:55.Not a good shot at all.

:56:56. > :57:10.APPLAUSE. Steve for the snooker. Not too difficult about, what will he

:57:11. > :57:44.live? slick but there's just missed it.

:57:45. > :57:53.There may be a pot here for Steve. Not easy, but could leave the white

:57:54. > :58:47.says if he misses it. -- the white save.

:58:48. > :58:54.He really vital ball is the red Bull, and Steve has left that honour

:58:55. > :59:47.for Tony. And this ball will be it. And that

:59:48. > :00:06.really puts Steve in trouble again. APPLAUSE. That surely tells us it

:00:07. > :00:08.will be 7-1 to Tony. Watton unfamiliar situation for Steve

:00:09. > :02:20.Davis. APPLAUSE. If ever Steve Davis needed to win a

:02:21. > :02:35.frame, it is this one because it is the first player to the ten that

:02:36. > :03:12.wins of this 19 frame match. APPLAUSE.

:03:13. > :03:57.I think he is a little unfortunate there, at that spot. 14.

:03:58. > :04:40.22. Tony Knowles now is begin to play with the sort of confidence we

:04:41. > :04:45.know he can play with. My word, he has really helped himself together

:04:46. > :04:52.very well. Because whatever happens, this has been a tremendous match of

:04:53. > :05:02.Drescher for him. -- pressure for him. One thing we are sure of,

:05:03. > :05:14.whatever happens, it shall be sensational because Steve Davis who

:05:15. > :05:17.started 5-2 on to win the tournament, shall have to win

:05:18. > :05:24.everything tomorrow if he is going to pull this match out of the fire.

:05:25. > :05:28.Yes with the buildup that Steve Davis has had Jack, it must be

:05:29. > :05:48.particularly tough for Tony Knowles. 41. 43.

:05:49. > :07:12.Seven. He only played a very deep screw them, but could not get a hold

:07:13. > :07:14.of it. What a wild one from Steve Davis, that is not at all like him.

:07:15. > :07:55.He only scores seven. APPLAUSE. A round of applause there

:07:56. > :08:13.for a very good shot. Tony Knowles 47, Steve Davis seven.

:08:14. > :08:18.Tony Knowles having a little talk to himself there, he is still not

:08:19. > :10:09.satisfied. APPLAUSE. One. A bad miss from Steve there, he

:10:10. > :10:11.usually makes those. They are all on here for Tony Knowles if he can keep

:10:12. > :10:27.his nerve. On. here for Tony Knowles if he can keep

:10:28. > :10:46.his nerve. One. Eight. A bit dangerous, but he got

:10:47. > :10:48.away with it. APPLAUSE. That was a very important red ball because it

:10:49. > :11:29.puts Steve Davis in trouble again. 11, quiet please. 13. 38 points as

:11:30. > :11:40.the lead. 16. This is surely going to be an 8-1 lead for Tony Knowles,

:11:41. > :11:58.and what a day Steve Davis has the face tomorrow. APPLAUSE.

:11:59. > :12:21.A rather desperate effort by Steve Davis for any snooker they are,

:12:22. > :12:27.knowing it is a witty hopeless task. One cannot take away from Tony

:12:28. > :12:48.Knowles, they truly wonderful performance. APPLAUSE. 11. He won't

:12:49. > :12:55.be worrying about the black, that is 8-1 to Tony Knowles, eight trillion

:12:56. > :13:01.magnificent performance. Tony Knowles shakes hands with Steve

:13:02. > :13:07.Davis. What a session that was for Tony Knowles. The crowd were excited

:13:08. > :13:14.there was a shock on the cards. They were loving it, baying for blood.

:13:15. > :13:18.There was me, the ice blooded robot falling apart in front of the rise.

:13:19. > :13:24.The crowd was getting more behind Tony Knowles, I really went into my

:13:25. > :13:27.shell and hated every moment of it. Quite a story. The defending

:13:28. > :13:31.champion Steve Davis was 8-1 down overnight. They wonder if he got

:13:32. > :13:35.much sleep that evening. When they came back the following day, we knew

:13:36. > :13:40.we were in for either one of the greatest comebacks in the history of

:13:41. > :13:56.the Crucible, or one of the biggest surprises. Four, Tony Knowles. The

:13:57. > :14:04.most unusual start thereby Steve Davis.

:14:05. > :14:06.Four, Tony Knowles. The most unusual start there by Steve

:14:07. > :14:46.A nice confident start by Tony Knowles.

:14:47. > :15:59.Steve Davis has got a slight problem here, it will not be easy to get

:16:00. > :16:53.back to the ball cushion. Tony Knowles seems to have started

:16:54. > :17:09.exactly the same way this morning as he finished last night, looking very

:17:10. > :17:15.relaxed. Steve Davis is a little hesitant so far, but naturally he

:17:16. > :18:13.has everything to do and cannot afford to make many mistakes.

:18:14. > :18:23.Eight. Just having a look to see if the black will clear into the corner

:18:24. > :19:03.pocket. Nine. Steve Davis actually played there to

:19:04. > :19:12.stop the black from being potted, he is watching with bated breath but

:19:13. > :20:32.unfortunately it will spot. 16, Steve Davis.

:20:33. > :20:44.Of course in simple terms Steve Davis needs nine frames and Tony

:20:45. > :20:51.Knowles needs just two frames. But Steve Davis has nothing to play with

:20:52. > :20:54.at all, he has to virtually win everything in this session, they

:20:55. > :21:42.colossal task ahead of him. No easy way for him to get back

:21:43. > :21:55.here. Only went for the pot as well, hoping for safety. APPLAUSE.

:21:56. > :22:00.He will be very relieved about that one, the balls are in such a

:22:01. > :22:06.position that if that one had stayed it would have become a good position

:22:07. > :22:12.for Tony Knowles to score. Now, Tony Knowles is a negative trouble. If

:22:13. > :22:19.all of the bulls are roped in he has to somehow find one of the rebels,

:22:20. > :22:40.not only hit it that live Steve save.

:22:41. > :23:37.Lovely shot from Tony Knowles, played to perfection. He under a hit

:23:38. > :23:49.that on a little bit, but could go down a steady pot down on the pink,

:23:50. > :23:59.which is what he tried to do. Certainly Steve Davis would make

:24:00. > :24:09.short work of these in normal form. One. A very good chance for Steve

:24:10. > :24:39.Davis here I am sure, he has got a very good chance. Began a slightly

:24:40. > :24:46.careless shot, Steve Davis has left himself a little bit to do here.

:24:47. > :24:57.Could have been closer to the black. APPLAUSE. Steve Davis has not really

:24:58. > :25:03.put together any break at all, on its the feeling that this is what he

:25:04. > :25:05.needs, if he is going to get back into this match, just to get a

:25:06. > :25:35.little bit of confidence back. And in his preamble to the shot

:25:36. > :25:38.there, Steve has carelessly touched the cue ball, so it is a foul shot

:25:39. > :26:03.and that is a lettoff for Tony. Well, Tony didn't play that one very

:26:04. > :26:16.well. I am fairly sure he will just take the blue here - no. Not an easy

:26:17. > :26:20.shot. Yes, I think he'll opt for taking the blue and just leaving it

:26:21. > :26:34.tight behind the green ball. The blue is the easier one to play.

:26:35. > :27:15.And the referee declares that was a foul shot.

:27:16. > :27:22.It does seem that Steve Davis is doomed to a really bad match.

:27:23. > :28:03.Nothing seems to be going his way at all.

:28:04. > :28:10.Now Steve seems completely out of sorts with himself. Again, that

:28:11. > :28:18.safety shot hit much too thick and leaving Tony half a chance. And

:28:19. > :28:23.again, a very, very good shot by Tony

:28:24. > :28:31.Played to perfection. Perfect on the black. He didn't look very happy

:28:32. > :28:36.with that one because he didn't play it awfully well. Still a read on,

:28:37. > :29:27.but not as easy to get position as it might have been.

:29:28. > :29:34.And that was a cunning shot by Tony there. He almost covered the redses

:29:35. > :29:36.with the yellow. Just a little bit short of strength. So Steve has a

:29:37. > :30:52.reasonably easy safety shot here. He just played a tickle on the two

:30:53. > :32:19.reds, but unfortunately just missed it.

:32:20. > :32:24.And a very nice little cannon onto the red there. Beautifully played

:32:25. > :32:48.and that could well be a frame-winning shot.

:32:49. > :32:56.And that six from Tony puts him 17 points in the lead, which means the

:32:57. > :32:59.green and the yellow will be enough to make Steve only able to draw with

:33:00. > :33:15.the balls on the table. APPLAUSE

:33:16. > :33:19.And Steve there, I am sure, wondering what has happened last

:33:20. > :34:29.night and today. So Steve Davis now in deep trouble

:34:30. > :34:34.again. What a good frame Tony has played in this opening of the

:34:35. > :34:38.session. He has refused to be hustled and force the game at all.

:34:39. > :34:40.He's let Steve make the mistakes, knowing that he's got all of the

:34:41. > :35:07.pressure. Well, almost a snooker, but, of

:35:08. > :35:14.course, Steve can do very little, other than really struggle and try

:35:15. > :36:22.and get the snookers required. Just two snookers required.

:36:23. > :36:37.And that is just where Steve doesn't want it.

:36:38. > :36:41.Well, he tried very hard and concedes the frame.

:36:42. > :38:22.APPLAUSE Nine frames to one, Tony Knowles.

:38:23. > :38:26.In this very important frame, Tony now has a chance, dare I say it, to

:38:27. > :38:43.finish in a blaze of glory. So far in the match it has been very

:38:44. > :38:52.noticeable that no breaks have been made, but I am sure that Tony won't

:38:53. > :39:20.be upset about that. APPLAUSE

:39:21. > :39:42.Tony there almost saw that ball drift and just miss the knuckle.

:39:43. > :39:53.A very good safety shot from Tony to put Steve in trouble again with all

:39:54. > :40:04.of the Reds scattered. Yes, I think he is trying to just

:40:05. > :40:08.play to this ball on the side cushion here. Just push it to the

:40:09. > :40:13.top cushion and leave his white on the back cushion here. He's played

:40:14. > :41:24.it fairly well. He will be pleased to get out of trouble.

:41:25. > :41:39.And Tony is playing some good safety shots here. Steve puts him into

:41:40. > :41:44.trouble and Tony plays well and says, "Let's see what you can do

:41:45. > :41:48.this time." On one of his good days, that would have gone in. Now he's

:41:49. > :42:13.left Tony a chance over the corner pocket.

:42:14. > :42:45.Well, this is the second opportunity that Tony has had to put a score

:42:46. > :42:53.together in this frame. Just a little over strength on to that

:42:54. > :42:55.shot. He should get this all right. The table seems pretty fast on the

:42:56. > :43:28.bed. And there the Embassy World champion

:43:29. > :44:17.seeing his title fade away. Tony, of course, is quite a prolific

:44:18. > :44:21.break maker. He is a superb player, but I don't think he's really

:44:22. > :44:27.worried about breaks at all in this match. He has played a very, very

:44:28. > :44:43.good game. He's played a real hard match game of snacker.

:44:44. > :45:05.ANNOUNCER: 24, Tony Knowles. APPLAUSE

:45:06. > :45:11.And when the balls run like this, there is nothing much that you can

:45:12. > :45:16.do about it. It is just going to happen that way and the only way to

:45:17. > :45:18.do it is to pot the balls and Steve is having that much trouble at the

:45:19. > :47:02.moment. Well, 10 minutes of play we've had

:47:03. > :47:07.in this frame and an indication of Tony's excellent safety play. Steve

:47:08. > :48:01.hasn't managed to plot a -- pot a ball so far.

:48:02. > :48:09.And with the balls set as they are, I think Tony is being very sensible.

:48:10. > :48:12.He is 42-nil in front and he wants the balls to remain safe so it is a

:48:13. > :48:25.real tight frame. APPLAUSE

:48:26. > :48:33.And now is he tempted to have a go at this one? I think the two reds

:48:34. > :48:36.near the green won't go into the pocket. So it could be nearly a shot

:48:37. > :48:59.for nothing. Well, a little smile came onto the

:49:00. > :49:04.lips of Steve there as Tony potted that excellent red. I think that was

:49:05. > :49:13.an indication that he feels that is it. #

:49:14. > :49:20.At least he has the consoling fact that he's a very young man and still

:49:21. > :49:35.has a long time to go. In terms of a playing career.

:49:36. > :49:39.And Tony just overdid the side a little bit there. Played for the

:49:40. > :49:59.outside red of that little cluster. ANNOUNCER: 11, Tony Knowles.

:50:00. > :50:03.APPLAUSE I should think that all Steve can do

:50:04. > :51:23.here is just drift behind the black and hope that he really gets tight.

:51:24. > :51:51.Well, a possible chance here, but not a good one.

:51:52. > :52:34.Well, he is 52 points behind and not a lot of reds to play with.

:52:35. > :52:41.He is on the red. I think that red will just go past the groan. His

:52:42. > :52:45.problem is to get the -- green. His problem is to get the position on

:52:46. > :52:46.the collar to disturb those three reds on the right-hand side cushion

:52:47. > :52:55.there. APPLAUSE

:52:56. > :52:59.He's now with a bit of luck. He wants to put the yellow. He is

:53:00. > :53:04.perfect on the yellow to hit the Reds. Let's see if he will have a

:53:05. > :53:11.bit of luck this time. APPLAUSE

:53:12. > :53:15.I think that is the first time the bulls have really gone for Steve

:53:16. > :54:18.today. He played it very well. A very good chance here for him.

:54:19. > :54:30.Steve now moves to 22 points. 31 behind Tony. He needs the whole of

:54:31. > :54:31.the balls to win. Now he's finished just about perfect on the pink

:54:32. > :54:50.there. Just off straight. One good shot from Steve could

:54:51. > :54:52.really put him in with a chance of winning this frame.

:54:53. > :55:15.APPLAUSE He desperately needs to get on the

:55:16. > :55:20.yellow off the black and it is not as easy as it looks. He's got to

:55:21. > :55:28.force the cue ball a bit here. That was the problem. You see he had a

:55:29. > :55:28.lot of side on that cue ball. This gives Tony the opportunity.

:55:29. > :56:05.APPLAUSE And that little kiss on the brown

:56:06. > :56:33.there I think really seals the fate of Steve Davis.

:56:34. > :56:50.And a little wave of the hand indicates that the Embassy World

:56:51. > :56:53.champion has been defeated by Tony Knowles in a superb exhibition of

:56:54. > :56:58.match snooker. APPLAUSE

:56:59. > :57:02.Tony Knowles created one of the great stop sets in Crucible history

:57:03. > :57:05.and he went onto prove it was in fluke either. He reached the

:57:06. > :57:10.quarterfinals that year and, indeed, came back to reach through

:57:11. > :57:14.semifinals at the Crusaders. It was in some respects the -- the

:57:15. > :57:19.Crucible. It was in some respects, the launch pad to this young man's

:57:20. > :57:25.career. He went onto win two ranking titles and reach dizzying heights of

:57:26. > :57:30.world No. 2 in the world rankings. That famous day this was his

:57:31. > :57:32.reaction. Congratulations. Which was the more difficult, playing this

:57:33. > :57:38.morning or getting through last night? Well, after a big victory

:57:39. > :57:43.last night, a big lead of 8-1, it is hard to say how you are going to

:57:44. > :57:47.play this morning. I was glad to say that I got right back into the game

:57:48. > :57:51.again early on. Most people would have thought that last night with

:57:52. > :57:55.that lead you would have just gone back and sat down and read a book or

:57:56. > :57:58.something. But I gather you didn't? No, we ended up at the local

:57:59. > :58:06.nightclub last night. Until what time? Until about 2:00, 2:30. Is

:58:07. > :58:11.that the way you relax? Well, it was good to get away from the game, you

:58:12. > :58:15.know. It wasn't bad. It was an awful feeling having to suffer sitting in

:58:16. > :58:20.your chair at the championship when the underdog is battering you is a

:58:21. > :58:23.horrible experience. Yes, Steve's shock defeat against the underdog

:58:24. > :58:27.Tony Knowles is still talked about even today. We never let him forget

:58:28. > :58:33.it. Yes, the defending champion knocked out in Round 1. But, as it

:58:34. > :58:38.turns out, it is just one of many, many exits for defending champions.

:58:39. > :58:42.In fact, even to this day, no first-time Crucible champion has

:58:43. > :58:46.ever returned the following year and successfully defended the world

:58:47. > :58:50.crown. Strange. It is called The Crucible Curse and it is still very

:58:51. > :58:53.much a factor in today's championship. We hope that you have

:58:54. > :58:58.thoroughly enjoyed our little walk down memory lane. I am sure Tony

:58:59. > :59:09.did. I am not so sure about Steve, though!

:59:10. > :59:13.MUSIC: I Just Want To Celebrate by Rare Earth