YES!!!

Jimmy White beats Stephen Hendry - oh joy - when was the last time that happened on TV?!

I dont know about you but I'm a fan of Jimmy White (when he's playing well) and although I acknowledge Stephen's dominance of the game in the 90's I always relish the prospect of seeing White showing him the door... this afternoon it happened!

Though its hardly going to banish memories of consecutive World Championship final defeats - I'm sure this was one of Jimmy's sweeter victories.

It was a tense affair and although the tournament is played at wembley I didnt expect such a football style crowd! At one point the Referee called for serurity to "chuck em out" when persistent shouting was clearly putting both players off.

The match reached its crescendo when at 5-4 (best of 11) Jimmy made a 51 break. Hendry was left a very very difficult long red but - in true hendry style - didnt flinch under pressure and clawed a not insignificant amount of points back. However missed red gave White a final chance to clinch the frame and match and to his, the crowd's, and my delight he put the match beyond Hendry at that visit.

Well done Jimmy.

He now faces Peter Ebdon or Quiten Hann in the quarter finals.

Ps Alex I was gonna have a bet with you on the progress of O Sullivan and Hendry - however this is now academic :D

Yep Ace, me old mate, what a fucking match that was. Despite being an avid Hendry fan (as you know), when he loses to a better man in a match like that, I don't take it away from anyone. It was fantastic, ebbed and flowed, and could have gone either way. Fantastic red from Hendry in the final frame and it would have been nice if it had gone to the wire, but hey ho.

Good luck to Jimmy I say - I'll be rooting for him next round. Although O'Sullivan will probably bung the refs a few quid here and there - spivviness is hereditary ;-)

Jimmy's class. Great player, great guy, and not a bad syrup either.

Yes the syrup is holding its own isnt it. I suspect Stubbsy has gone down the same road you know - how is he - 45?! With no sign of a receding hairline..... sounds a bit dodgy to me.

I expect O Sullivan to end White's charge in the next round but you never know. If Ronnie gets jittery then he may throw the rattle out of the pram and perhaps James could take the advantage.

My heart was in my mouth this afternoon when Jimmy kept going out of position - it seems he always makes it hard for himself to pass the finishing line - and when Hendry potted that red (AND got on position) - well I thought White had thrown it away!!!

Hopefully Hann will beat Ebdon - he has a maverick quality to him and honestly i think Ebdon is a boring tosser. Although he did make an appearance at my local club last year - living in Wellingborough he aint far from me.

Stubbsy's hair is all his own ace. Re Jimmy you're right, he never takes the easy way. Hann's a reformed character now. I think Jimmy's got the mark on son of a crim. You heard it here first.

Hann's a top bloke - met him in London about 18 months ago, he's sound as fuck.

Jimmy doesn't wear a wig - straight up! He had surgery a few years back where they cut his scalp and pulled it across his head so that the bit where hair grows moves. Effectively, they cut out his bald patch. Ingenious. I would say such treatment should be available on the NHS, but seeing as I've got a full head o' hair, fuck it - let the baldies suffer.

Bollocks Alex. It's a fucking syrup mate.

Nice. Jimmy White the young mans Alex Higgins?

Isaac - I swear to God!!! He's talked about it in interviews and everthing! I'll see if I can find 'em on the web.

Here ya go. From the Sun, 1997...

White was badly hit by the deaths of his beloved older brother Martin last autumn and his mother Lil just before Christmas.
He is also struggling to come to terms with a disastrous and painful hair implant operation. White's manager, Barry Hearn, said last night: "When his brother and then his mum died, Jimmy was absolutely slaughtered.
"But the one thing it all seems to go back to for me is having his bloody hair done.
"He had this phobia, with people saying to him 'you're going bald, you're getting old'.
"Now Jimmy has always been the Artful Dodger, Jack the Lad, always been 30-odd going on 17 and decided to get something done about it.
"But he had horrendous problems and was in a huge amount of pain. His face looked like a football, he had to have fluid taken out of his jowls and his face was all yellow and green.
"What they'd done was get the skin either side of his head and pull it up tight which was effectively cutting out the bald bit. But the skin on his face was so tight he could hardly talk.
"He did get it sorted out in the end, but it had screwed him up and completely thrown him."

Alex thats quite a find - although it wasnt printed on April 1st was it? Surely a hair transplant a la Elton might've been better (and less painful)?

Isaac sadly for all the White fans out there I think Son Of A Crim will be too much for him - too much talent!

White is past it and Ron is in his prime.... it'll be too intense for Whites jangling old nerves.

I'm glad to hear that Hann is a cool guy - I wish him all the best against that boring fucker Ebdon.

Ebdon
I'm all for reading self-help and self-improvement literature

Know what I mean?

Oh and a little post-script for you Alex - Arienne got beaten on the fucking Conundrum today!!!! FACK IT!!!! Ace

Yeah, I was switching between Countdown and the snooker too!!!!! Sad, moi?!!!

That article about his hair op is definitely genuine, I've seen him talk about it elsewhere but couldn't be arsed to find any more cuttings. I thought that would be enough to prove I wasn't bullshitting Isaac. I should have known better really...

Fuck fucking snooker.

Now i dont get my daily portion of The Simpsons

Only caught countdown this morning as I couldn't sleep, Arienne is a right fucking babe. BOT though re Masters. The table was fucked wasn't it? Even Jimmy complained about it and that's not like him.

Ah nowwe have the grumpy Welshman Mark Williams versus the "Pin-up Boy Of Snooker" Paul Hunter.

Now forgive me for not being patriotic here but I'd rather se Williams win thatn Hunter. All this about Hunter being a good looking laydees man and the "Beckham Of Snooker" makes me (to quote bitemynadz) "dry retch". The guy looks like Frankenstein Jnr - with dreadlocks! Or whatever stupid hairstyle he's sporting this week! his bulging eyes and gurning village-idiot smile remind me somewhat of the elephant man. I think its snooker trying to be hip and funky. Snooker is a damn good sport - it takes such skill and concentration but funky it aint. (see pbason's comment above).

It wouldnt be a travesty if Hunter was to take the title - but really - a man of his relatively modest talent taking THREE Masters titles really would gall me..... especially as he'd have to beat Ron on the way.

Agree re Hunter ace but Williams is downright fucking boring mate.

Nah Ize - he's the "best long potter in the game". I love it when he rattles in a long red - its pure genius! Sure his face doesnt suggest he's a multi-millionaire but I think that adds to the charm.

Surely you cant take Hendry above Williams? Now Hendry IS a boring fucker!

Hendry's ok. He's a good one for the sly jibes at the crim when he beats him. I don't understand your loyalty to O'sullivan mate. Sure he's good but thoroughly dislikeable.

I dont really have a loyalty to The Crim mate - in fact I used to despise the brute as much as you and Alex (well perhaps not THAT much). But his antics over the years have endeared me toward him - his playful piss-takes have made me smile - playing left handed against Robidoux some years back was hilarious!

His sheer natural brilliance on the table is something I just cannot help but admire - its the same with football Isaac - I'd take a Matt Le Tissier over an Alan Shearer any day!!

Jesus I hope Williams thrashes Hunter - just glanced at the TV - Hunter's "do" really makes me want to punch his (already disfigured) face to a pulp. And of course if Williams and O Sullivan are to meet later in the competition it will flare up that old rivalry. You know they bth hate each others guts dontcha?!

1-0 to Hunter so far - damn!!!!!

Cracking match so far 5-4 Williams - best of 11 - watching live is so much better.

Kinda hoping Hunter gets this frame so it goes to a decider. Both players looking great - playing great that is. Hunter's hair makes him look like a right twat.

Just to throw my hat into the ring re the "boring Hendry" row...

We can only really judge people as we find them. And yes, I have met him, and yes, he was a total gent and a great laugh. He even offered to play a quick frame against me (this was during his practice time at a tournament, incidentally) and gave me some helpful hints to improve my game.

Didn't work though - I still can't play for shit.