The final of the World Snooker Championship between Dennis Taylor and Steve Davis at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield in April, 1985, was arguably the most famous match in the history of the game. The dramatic deciding frame, which lasted over an hour, was not completed until after midnight and attracted a record television audience of 18.5 million viewers. My patience usually only stretches to a few exciting spins of a roulette wheel on kiwicasinos and so it’s quite something to admire masters at work!
In the best-of-35 final, Englishman Davis, who had already won the World Snooker Championship three times, in 1981, 1983 and 1984, completed dominated Northern Irishman Taylor, who had appeared in just one previous final, losing 24-16 to Terry Griffiths in 1979, in the early stages. Davis led 7-0 at the end of the opening session and extended his lead to 8-0 at the start of the second session before Taylor started to turn the tide on his opponent. All told, Taylor won seven of the nine frames played to trail 7-9 overnight and, on the second day, tied the match at 11-11, 15-15 and 17-17, to force a deciding frame.
Understandably, the final frame was a tense, nervous affair but, with the final four colours remaining, Davis led 62-44, such that Taylor required all four balls to win. Taylor potted a difficult brown, blue and pink to take the score to 59-62, before unsuccessfully attempting to cross double the black from its position under the side cushion. On his first bona fide attempt at the black, Taylor missed again, but Davis overcut his attempt into the top corner pocket, leaving Taylor with a straightforward, albeit nerve-wracking, mid-range pot into the same pocket.Taylor held his nerve and celebrated, in unsurprisingly emotional style, by waving his cue above his head and wagging his finger at the camera. I’m sure the prize money didn’t hurt either. On that note I best get back to my online slots real money shenanigans, to bring on a celebatory moment of my own!