Sunday
Today's final brings together two of snooker's most experienced players. Ebdon has been a professional since 1991 and has seven ranking titles to his name, while Higgins turned pro a year later and has won 19; fourth on the all-time list behind Stephen Hendry (36), Steve Davis (28) and Ronnie O'Sullivan (21). It's not often these days that two players over the age of 30 contest a ranking final. It happened at the Northern Ireland Trophy when O'Sullivan beat Dave Harold, but prior to that you have to go back to the 2006 Maplin UK Championship when Ebdon beat Hendry. The last time Ebdon and Higgins met was the semi-finals of that event when Ebdon won 9-7 with what he described as one of the best performances of his career. Higgins relaxed last night by watching the film Defiance in his hotel room, and he'll certainly need that quality today, against snooker's grittiest match player.
Higgins and Ebdon will be fifth and 12th in the latest rankings going into the World Championship, regardless of the result today. Stephen Maguire can still overtake Ronnie O'Sullivan for the official world No 1 spot, but he has to win the tournament and hope the Rocket loses to Stuart Bingham in the first round.
Ebdon, not adverse to histrionics in the arena (remember his 'come on's against Stephen Lee at the Crucible, and lying on the floor against Jamie Cope at the Royal London Watches Grand Prix) jumps up and down as if on a pogo stick during the third frame against Higgins, trying to urge the cue ball forward to nestle against a red after escaping from a snooker off three cushions. Both players and the crowd see the funny side of his antics.
Michaela Tabb is today refereeing her second ranking final; the first was the 2007 Welsh Open. She also took charge of the 2008 Masters final.
Below is a list of the number of matches won in ranking events this season for all 32 players who will compete in the televised stages of the World Championship. This includes matches won in this event as well as the World qualifiers. Note that two of Ricky Walden's wins were in wild card matches. Michael Holt is the only one of these to win at least one match in every event.
Ricky Walden 19
John Higgins 16
Ronnie O'Sullivan 15
Ali Carter 15
Michael Holt 15
Martin Gould 13
Stephen Maguire 12
Liang Wenbo 12
Ryan Day 11
Neil Robertson 11
Steve Davis 11
Mark Williams 10
Barry Hawkins 10
Jamie Burnett 10
Shaun Murphy 9
Mark Selby 9
Marco Fu 9
Stephen Lee 9
Andrew Higginson 9
Jamie Cope 8
Rory McLeod 8
Joe Swail 7
Stephen Hendry 6
Peter Ebdon 6
Joe Perry 6
Mark Allen 6
Gerard Greene 6
Stuart Bingham 5
Ding Junhui 4
Graeme Dott 4
Mark King 4
Nigel Bond 2
Big moments in frame six. Higgins had several chances to win the frame but couldn't get over the line. Ebdon battled back to within 15 points on the brown, then played a poor safety. Higgins slotted home the frame-ball brown, only to watch in despair as the cue ball travelled the length of the table and dropped into the diagonally-opposite baulk corner. Ebdon made no mistake with his clearance and now leads 4-2.
Higgins also gave away frame eight after a loose positional shot from yellow to green. He finished the session with a superb 140 total clearance, equalling the high break target set by Ricky Walden, but will be annoyed with himself to be 5-4 behind going into this evening's conclusion.
In frame 12, Ebdon needed a snooker on the blue and trapped his opponent behind the pink. The blue was close to a baulk corner but Higgins just missed it and sent the cue ball into the pocket. He had a reprieve as Ebdon's position from blue to pink lacked precision and he missed the pink to the centre, Higgins potting it for 6-6. We've had some late finishes to finals this season and this could be another; it's 9pm now with a possible seven frames plus an interval still to come.
Rarely can a final have had so much drama on the colours. Higgins has just missed the brown along the baulk cushion at 42-43 in frame 15, the other balls at his mercy. Ebdon took advantage to go 8-7 ahead.
What this match has lacked in high-quality break-building, it has certaintly made up for in excitement. Frame 16 goes down to a long safety battle on the pink. Ebdon eventually makes a mistake, trying to double it the length of the table, and Higgins converts pink and black to level at 8-8.
Saturday
Few people could have predicted all of yesterday's results correctly, as each of the four quarter-finals went in favour of the lower-ranked player. The tournament is now wide open, with both semis tough to call. Peter Ebdon is vastly more experienced than today's opponent, competing in his 29th ranking semi-final, whereas Stuart Pettman had never previously been past the last 16. But Pettman is playing the best snooker of his life so there's no reason why he can't keep his run going. Like many of the players in China, especially those outside the top 16, he has come out here on his own, and will have no family or friends present even if he reaches the final. "I'm getting a lot of support from home though," said the 33-year-old. "When I switch my phone on in the morning, the number of texts I'm getting saying good luck or well done is unbelieveable, they just keep coming and coming."
There are always a few odd questions put to the players by the Chinese media, and Ryan Day was on the receiving end last night when he was told he looks like footballer Steven Gerrard and asked if he is friends with the Liverpool captain. Day replied that he had never met Gerrard, and that in fact he supports Manchester United.
John Parrott, who qualified for Beijing but sadly had to pull out of the event because of back and neck problems which have bothered him for several months, describes his passion for horce racing in the Liverpool Echo
There's a Chinese word which is pronounced jia-you, which means perseverance in the face of adversity. If ever a snooker player embodied the spirit of jia-you, it's Ebdon. He'd had a poor season up until this week and was in danger of dropping out of the top 16 after 15 consecutive seasons among the elite. Away from the table, he has suffered the break-up of a 20-year relationship with wife Deborah, which he announced in January. The Wellingborough-based cueman has continued to work relentlessly in practice and put 100% effort into every match. His game now looks to be coming together and he's on course for the final having taken a 3-1 lead over Pettman.
After beating Ronnie O'Sullivan last night, John Higgins said that if he played as badly against Ryan Day he'd be on his way home. In the first two frames against Day, his predicition looked accurate as he missed several easy pots and lost them both. However, the Wizard has just made a 121 clearance to win the third - could that be the spark that ignites his challenge?
Friday
It's an intriguing quarter-final line with six players who have won the World Championship among the last eight. Two of the matches are repeats of previous Crucible finals: Stephen Hendry v Peter Ebdon (1996 & 2002) and Ronnie O'Sullivan v John Higgins (2001). The line up also features six of the top nine players in the world. Outsider of the octet is world No 62 Stuart Pettman, but he has little pressure on him and is well capable of beating Graeme Dott. "I'm treating the game with a lot more respect this season. I'm practising harder than I have done for years and it's paying off," said the Lancastrian after beating Ali Carter yesterday.
The Sheffield Star looks ahead to the exhibition of snooker-related paintings by pop artist Pete McKee, to take place during the World Championship. You'll be able to read more about Pete, who has produced art for Oasis, the Arctic Monkeys and Acme Studios, in the World Championship programme.
Working as a translator in the media centre this week is Yun, who comes from Seattle but has lived in Beijing for three years. He explains that Chinese people who deal with English-speakers often give themselves Western names for convenience. For example, journalists in the media centre are known as Celia, Vicky, Sonia and so on. Yun knows one person called Celery, and has a teacher friend with boys in his class who call themselves Ronaldo and Michael Owen. "I also know a missionary who looked after a couple who don't speak any English but wanted to give their first child a name from the bible," says Yun. "They found the name Lucifer and really liked it. Fortunately when it was explained to them what it meant, they changed their minds."
Hendry makes a mess of a safety shot on the brown at the end of the third frame and Ebdon capitalises to go 3-0 up. It's been a miserable season so far for Ebdon, but he often talks about peaking for the World Championship, so could it be that he's got his timing just right? Meanwhile Pettman is still in his purple patch - he's raced into a 3-0 lead over Dott.
Steady now Stuart...he goes for a green in frame four with such velocity that it jumps off the table. Dott pots a free ball blue and adds the green but then misses frame-ball brown with the long rest. Pettman clears up to go 4-0 ahead. Having never been past the last 16 before, he's on the brink of the semi-finals. It's what's known on the curcuit as 'doing a Higginson', after Andrew's miraculous run to the 2007 Welsh Open final.
Cakes are being handed out in the media centre, although World Snooker officials are treating them with some trepidation. Earlier in the week, what looked like Danish pastries were distributed, but biting into them revealed a strong fish-flavoured topping. Nothing fishy about Ryan Day's performance tonight as he has raced into a 4-0 lead over Shaun Murphy. Tomorrow he could face a repeat of the Royal London Watches Grand Prix final against John Higgins, as the Wizard leads Ronnie O'Sullivan 3-1.
Thursday
Despite the early fall of Ding, it's an exciting time for the Chinese media with Tian Pengfei and Xiao Guodong making their mark. China.org reports on these 'dark horses'.
According to CCTV's website, the tournament has three mascots called Sisi, Nuonuo and Keke.
Flying start from John Higgins as he makes a 132 to take the opening frame against Tian. Higgins came back from 4-0 down to beat Anthony Hamilton 5-4 in the first round. Players who survive close matchs early in tournaments often feel a release of pressure and a sense of freedom for the remainder of the event, which makes the Wizard of Wishaw a strong contender for the title.
Tian had a decent chance of a 147 in frame six but played a loose positional shot on the 12th red then missed the black on 89. He trails 4-2. Meanwhile on table three, Stuart Pettman made a 68 clearance to steal the sixth against Ali Carter, he's come from 2-0 down to lead 4-2 and is on the brink of his first ever ranking quarter-final.
Peter Ebdon's match against Dave Harold will get pulled off it goes 4-4. It's currently 4-3 at 6.45pm. The evening session starts at 7.30pm with a crowd of 2000 expected.
Wednesday
Happy Birthday to two stars of the snooker circuit - Ding Junhui and World Snooker tournament director Mike Ganley.
An interesting fact about the host city: the name Beijing (formerly known in the West as Peking) means 'northern capital'. Nanjing, one of the host cities for the Jiangsu Classic, means 'southern capital'.
Stephen Maguire's emphatic defeat yesterday could end his chances of claiming the official world No 1 ranking. He trails Ronnie O'Sullivan by nearly 5000 points in the provisional list, which means that if O'Sullivan were to win this tournament, he would be out of sight going into the World Snooker Championship. Third-placed Ali Carter, arguably the best player in the world on current form, is sure to narrow the gap of 5525 points between him and Maguire, while Shaun Murphy will also be aiming to cement his position in the top four before heading to the Crucible.
What a start for Stuart Pettman in his match against Mark Allen as he has made breaks of 60 and 87 in taking a 3-0 lead. The likeable Preston potter is something of a journeyman, having been a professional for 17 years but never reached a ranking event quarter-final. Victory today would put him through to the last 16 for the fourth time.
None of the three professional players up against Chinese wild cards today are having things all their own way; Marco Fu trails Tian Pengfei 3-1, Graeme Dott is 2-2 with Yu Delu (sounds like a Morrissey lyric) and Shaun Murphy is 2-1 up on Cao Xinlong. Over 20% of you who voted in our poll think that in five years time there will be more than five Chinese players in the top 32, and on this week's evidence that seems a real possibility.
Pettman, Tian and Graeme Dott take part in an autograph session after their matches. Hundreds of fans fill the public foyer, clamouring to get a signature from one of the players. Led by a posse of security staff through the mass of bodies, Pettman jokes: "It's just like when me and Ian McCulloch walk down Preston high street."
Tuesday
Joe Swail has just made a 127 to go 4-4 with Robert Milkins.
Home favourite Ding Junhui enters the fray today with a tough match against wild card Xioa Guodong, who has won two tournaments on the Pontin's International Open Series this season and player superbly last night to beat Michael Holt. To some extent, Ding has become a victim of his own success. In winning three ranking titles before his 20th birthday, he raised expectations to an extremely high level; predictions were even made that he could dominate snooker. Since then, he seems to have felt considerable pressure on his shoulders, particularly when he plays here in China. He has not reached a ranking semi-final since winning the Northern Ireland Trophy in 2006 and his top 16 status is under some threat. Today's China Daily asserts that Ding, who turns 22 tomorrow, is aiming to "revive his once-glittering career." The Wuxi-born cueman said: "I hope I can play better this time. I will try my best. I will not think of the past results or who I will face next round. I will play my game and try to have a good result. The top level players are very close in the sport. It's normal to win or lose against them. In snooker, even if you play very well, you might still lose because it's too close."
The World Snooker Championship is previewed in the Observer
Dave Harold has already ended Stephen Maguire's title defence in one ranking event this season, beating him in the quarter-finals of the Northern Ireland Trophy, and is now seeking to knock the Scot out again. Harold's off to a great start with a break of 115 in the opening frame, missing the last green when a 140 beckoned. Seconds later on table four, Ricky Walden does make a 140 against Joe Perry to set a decent target for the high break.
It's not a good day for the Scots - Maguire is 3-0 down to Harold while John Higgins trails Anthony Hamilton 4-0. Both have been well below their best. Meanwhile, Ronnie O'Sullivan has arrived at the venue to practise.
Tonight's session of play was preceded by the official opening ceremony, attended by the Mayor of Beijing Guo Jinlong. Shaun Murphy and Mark Allen joined dignitaries in the main arena and presented them with signed cues.
Ding against Xiao has been a scrappy match, both players seeming nervous. Ding should have made it 2-2 but missed the last pink in frame four, leaving it hanging over a baulk corner and conceding. Xiao has missed a host of chances in the next two frames and it's currently 3-2. It's standing room only in the media centre, with journalists packed into the room and groaning or cheering with every shot.
Ronnie O'Sullivan against Fergal O'Brien has been an entertaining and high quality match so far, the first four frames taking just 55 minutes. This tournament has been staged in Beijing for the past five consecutive years and O'Sullivan has won just three matches in that period; all of those in 2007 when he got to the semi-finals. He pulled out of the 2005 event for medical reasons and lost in the first round in 2006 and 2008 to James Wattana and Marco Fu respectively.
Monday
This is the seventh ranking event of the season and the last before the World Snooker Championship. The six events so far have produced six different winners: Ronnie O'Sullivan, Ricky Walden, John Higgins, Neil Robertson, Shaun Murphy and Ali Carter.
The weather in Beijing is dry but cold; around 10 degrees.
Last night's visit to one of the main universities in the city for a Q&A between students and Stephen Hendry, Mark Selby and Michaela Tabb underlined the enthusiasm for snooker here. Hundreds of excited students crammed into the lecture hall, and there would have been many more if the venue had been bigger. It was all too much for one particular male student, who said to Hendry: "You are my idol. You are very handsome." "And very scared," Hendry quipped. The same student told Tabb: "Michaela you are beautiful. I love you." Selby, however, didn't get such kind treatment, as the female host of the Q&A told him: "You look better on camera." The city's student population is vast - there are over 100 universities, some of which have up 40,000 undergraduates.
Judd Trump, who faces Tang Jun in the first televised match of the tournament, is rapidly becoming a favourite among the Chinese fans because of his attacking style of play and boy-band appearance. The 19-year-old is also a player in form, having won last week's Championship League to earn a place in the Premier League for the first time. However, Trump did not make it to the TV stages of the World Snooker Championship, losing 10-8 to Stephen Lee (from 6-2 up) in the final qualifying round, so this is the last tournament of the season for the Bristolian.
Here's some information about the Chinese wild cards in action today:
Tian Pengfei
Age: 22
Place of birth: Dalian, Liaoning Province
Best performance: Last 32 in 2006 Northern Ireland Trophy
Favorite player: Ronnie O’Sullivan
Cao Kaisheng
Age: 33
Highest break in competition: 142
Best performances: Winner of two China National Ranking Tournaments
Cao Yupeng
Age: 19
Place of birth: Guangzhou, Guangdong Province
Highest break in competition: 143
Best performance: Champion of 2008 National Under-21 Championship
Shi Hanqing
Age: 20
Place of birth: Tianjin
Best performance: Ranked No 12 among China's professional snooker players
Tang Jun
Age: 31
Place of birth: Yunnan
Highest break in competition: 141
Best performance: Rank No 5 among China's professional snooker players
Yu Delu
Age: 20
Highest break in competition: 140
Tang Jun is threatening a major shock against Trump - he led 4-2 and 29-0 when he missed a tricky black off its sport, allowing Trump to clear for 4-3. Turning point?
David Gray's match against Tian Pengfei is vitally important for the Londoner, as he is on the verge of the top 64 in the provisional rankings, and could drop off the Tour if he doesn't beat Tian and Marco Fu. The last few seasons have been sharp a fall from grace for Gray, who won the Scottish Open in 2003 and reached the UK Championship final the following year. It doesn't look good as he has just missed the final blue in the third frame and now trails 3-0.
What a day for the Chinese wild cards. Four out of six of them have beaten their professional opponents. They join Cao Xinlong - who received a bye after John Parrott's withdrawal - in the last 32.
