World Snooker Championship 2012 Draw

World Snooker Championship Draw came out today. That is the draw for the first round... (Updated: World Snooker Championship 2012 Results/Live, Draw & Match/TV Schedule)

Photo from http://www.telegraph.co.uk

Last 32	Last 16	Quarter-Finals	Semi-Finals	Final
John Higgins v Liang Wenbo
Stuart Bingham v Stephen Hendry
Graeme Dott v Joe Perry
Stephen Maguire v Luca Brecel
Shaun Murphy v Jamie Jones
Stephen Lee v Andrew Higginson
Ali Carter v Mark Davis
Judd Trump v Dominic Dale
Mark Williams v Liu Chuang
Ronnie O'Sullivan v Peter Ebdon
Martin Gould v David Gilbert
Neil Robertson v Ken Doherty
Ding Junhui v Ryan Day
Mark Allen v Cao Yupeng
Matthew Stevens v Marco Fu
Mark Selby v Barry Hawkins

Very interesting draw.The defending champion John Higgins got a tricky draw who faces Liang Wenbo in the first round, good luck to Higgins in avoiding to fall in the 'Crucible Curse'. Stephen Hendry, who will appear as a qualifiers for the first time in years draws Stuart Bingham, not a bad draw for the seven-time World Champion.

Luca Brecel

Stephen Maguire will be matched against Belgian Luca Brecel, the youngest player ever to qualify for the Crucible. That will be an exciting match as both players play attacking snooker. Stephen Lee who had a good run in recent years will play Andrew Higginson. Judd Trump got Dominic Dale, so that will be a re-match of UK Championship first round last year.

No doubt the most interesting match among the first round matches must be The Rocket versus The Psycho. Their quarter-final match on 2005 World Championship which Ebdon won 13-11 from 6-10 down. Ebdon received criticism on playing 'slowly' - at one stage taking three minutes over a shot and five minutes for a break of 12. Ebdon, who won the last tournament China Open had whitewashed Alfie Burden to qualify for The Crucible but The Rocket would surely want a revenge.

The Rocket mentally broken down

Neil Robertson draws Ken Doherty and it will be a competition between two former World Champions. The World Number 1 Mark Selby who withdrew from China Open in the second round due to neck injury will play Barry Hawkins. The Chinese Hero who is tipped by Jimmy White to win this year's world title will play Ryan Day in the first round of World Championship. Along with Ding, three Chinese will appear at the Crucible this year.

First round matches are best of 19.

The Crucible Debutants:
Luca Brecel (youngest player ever to qualify for the Crucible)
Jamie Jones
Cao Yupeng