On the World Championship's Eve ...

Is that time of the year again and I'm buzzing with excitement as the 2015 World Championship edition is about to kick off in a few hours’ time.

Everything is put in its place, the tables are set, the draw has been published (with the additional drama), the tickets are sold out (or few remain), the BBC setting in the Winter Gardens is ready, the players are enjoying their last hours of liberty and ... here we go with the Crucible madness!

It feels like Christmas time and I dare day it is, at least in the world of snooker, so excuse me while I check that everyone's cue cases are clean and neat in order to receive a well-deserved present from Barry "Father Christmas" Hearn.

Jokes aside, this is the most thrilling event of the entire calendar and as much as we like to fool around the point our fingers and this and that, criticize certain people or laugh at certain decisions, I think I speak for the main majority when I say our snooker-devoured hearts skip a beat when the Worlds Championship "are coming to town".

For 17 days we shall witness LIVE, or in the comfort of our homes or pubs the "history in the making". 32 players will cross their cues and give their best in order to pave their path to grab the Holy Grail.

The path is difficult and no many have prevailed the test of the Crucible, but those who did have lived to tell the story.

Of course that this year, the plot thickens by the evergreen "Crucible curse" so not only does Mark Selby have to put out with the pressure of defending his title, but he also has to do with the fact that none first-time Crucible champion defended his title.

To be quite honest, I like the fact that not many people fancy the fact that he's going to break the curse. That way, when it happens all will be in awe of him. 

Just joking, I don’t have any super powers to see into the future and I also don't care about any curse. I do however, care about snooker and that's all I'm going to say and ... write about during the following days.

So, here's how it's going to be:

10am
Mark Selby v. Kurt Maflin
Marco Fu v. Jimmy Robertson

2.30pm
Stephen Maguire v. Anthony McGill
John Higgins v. Robert Milkins

7pm
Mark Selby v. Kurt Maflin
Ricky Walden v. Graeme Dott

 *all hours are UK time

Cue the action! 

P.S. This year Betfred.com returns as the main sponsor, so a big hurrah! is in order here.