Ronnie O’Sullivan and Luca Brecel choosing to use a certain brand of chalk is an ‘irritation for all the other players,’ says Stephen Hendry, after John Higgins branded the situation a nightmare.
TAOM chalk has become the dominant brand in the game, with the vast majority of players using the round pieces.
Previously Triangle chalk was the most popular choice, the traditional cubes which can be seen in snooker clubs around the country.
The move to TAOM has reduced the amount of kicks in the game, when there is a bad contact between cue ball and object ball, often ruining shots.
There are also far fewer chalk marks on the table since most players moved over to TAOM.
O’Sullivan and Brecel still sticking to Triangle chalk has been blamed for kicks and unusual bounces on cushions, not only in the games they play in, but also in matches that follow them on the same table.
Higgins got a kick in his win over Xiao Guodong in the second round and told the BBC: ‘Do you know why I got a kick? Because Luca was on previously. Luca doesn’t use the [TAOM chalk].
‘They brushed [the table] but it’s still really messy. It’s difficult when you play guys like Ronnie and Luca and they’re using the Triangle chalk. It’s a bit of a nightmare.’
During O’Sullivan’s quarter-final clash with Si Jiahui, Hendry pointed out that the rest of the tour do find the fact that the old chalk is still being used irritating.
‘I know it’s an irritation for all the other players that Ronnie continues to use the old chalk that does give bad contacts and bounces off the cushion,’ Hendry said on the BBC. ‘Luca Brecel is the other player who uses it.
‘I know from speaking to all the other players it does get very annoying. Because the table starts to play a little bit heavier. Kicks become a factor, cushions become a bit unpredictable, so it’s something that Si Jiahui has got to be patient with.’
Stuart Bingham spoke out about the issue at this season’s UK Championship and said something to O’Sullivan about it when he got the chance.
I saw Ronnie in the Eurosport studio and I said: “It’s these club players that use Triangle Chalk!”
‘You see at the Worlds, the table plays nicely, and then you follow someone like Ronnie or Luca and the table conditions play totally differently.
‘It’s up to them what they do. Ronnie has won seven world titles using that. So, why not?
‘The new TAOM Chalk is great, it has revolutionised the game. It has made a hell of a difference to the conditions.’
Shaun Murphy has also suggested the choice of the Rocket and the Bullet can be something of a ‘spoiler’ in games.
‘I’ve absolutely no idea why some players still use what is obviously a bit of a spoiler,’ Murphy told SportsBoom.com.
Asked about his choice, O’Sullivan tolt TNT Sports earlier this season: ‘Why do I not use the round chalk? Because I don’t believe in it.
‘I believe this [Triangle] is the king of all chalks. This you can buy a piece for maybe 20p, the other stuff 15 quid. I just don’t like it. I think this is still the best stuff.’