Crucible Curse

The Crucible Curse is a phrase widely used in professional snooker. [cite news | date=2006-04-14 | url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml?xml=/sport/2006/04/15/sosnoo15.xml&sSheet=/sport/2006/04/15/ixsport.html | title=Murphy aiming to exorcise the Crucible curse | publisher=The Daily Telegraph | accessdate=2007-04-21 | author=John Dee] [cite news | date= | url=http://nationmultimedia.com/2006/04/28/sport/sport_30002733.php | title=Cruise for Ebdon as Crucible curse strikes champ | publisher=nationalmultimedia.com | accessdate=2007-04-21 | author=] [cite news | date= | url=http://www.sportinglife.com/snooker/worldchampionships2003/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=snooker/03/04/30/SNOOKER_World_2nd_Nightlead.html | title=Crucible Curse Strikes Ebdon | publisher=Sporting Life | accessdate=2007-04-21 | author=]

The term refers to the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, venue of the World Snooker Championship since 1977, and the fact that no first-time champion has ever successfully defended his title there the following year, hence the "curse".

Of the seventeen players to have won the championship at the Crucible Theatre, five lost in their first match as defending champion (John Spencer in 1978, Terry Griffiths in 1980, Steve Davis in 1982, Dennis Taylor in 1986 and Graeme Dott in 2007) and only two have reached the final: Joe Johnson in 1987 and Ken Doherty in 1998.

The curse

Pre-Crucible

Even before the world championship was staged at the Crucible, no player in the modern game successfully defended the title after winning his first championship.

Only Joe Davis, his brother Fred and John Pulman have accomplished the feat. Joe in 1928, Fred in 1949 and Pulman during his challenge match in 1964 prior to 1969.

Notes