Steve Davis on the Masters

Six-time world champion Steve Davis answers your e-mails on the Benson and Hedges Masters.

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Steve was on hand throughout the tournament offering expert analysis as the world's top players, battled it out at Wembley for the prestigious Benson and Hedges Masters' title.

A thrilling final saw last year's winner Paul Hunter overcome Mark Williams to regain the title after a nail-biting final frame.

No stranger to success himself, Steve was perfectly placed to answer your e-mails.

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What a wonderful final we saw on Sunday. What did you make of it?

It was a marvellous final. I honestly didn't think from 5-0 in front that Mark Williams could possibly lose, or that Paul Hunter was in the form required to beat him. It was an absolutely magical recovery, and he did so well to show tremendous nerve under pressure.

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Edward Yates, England

I've heard commentators refer to the 'kick' phenomenom, most recently on the Williams - Hunter match. Could you please explain what it is and how it is caused?

There are various theories on why the balls don't react as they might normally do. My take on it is that the amount of chalk that is put on the tip, some of which transfers to the ball, means there is chalk on the cue ball.

And if there is any grit - which is effectively what chalk is - on the cue ball, then if that's in the way when the two balls meet, you're obviously going to get a bad contact. So the ball is taken off course, possibly more in the direction that the cue ball is traveling in to start with.

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Dominic Parker, England

How are the ranking points given to the players after the tournaments? I cannot understand how Stephen Hendry is now ranked sixth in the world even though he has won a record 33 ranking events.

Well, we get carried away with the ranking points because they do determine your ranking, but also who is invited to tournaments like the B&H Masters and the Regal Welsh, and others.

But there are only two or three invitation tournaments, the rest of the time we are playing for a top 16 place so we don't have to play so many qualifying rounds. So, we have ranking points allocated in nine tournaments of the year, although the B&H Masters is not one of them, that's an invitation tournament only.

So is the money an added pressure or is that just a bonus on top of the prestige of winning a title?

In a way it's a bonus - whether you win £190,000 or £95,000, whatever the outcome you've had a pretty good week's work! Obviously you'd like to win the larger amount, but that doesn't really cross your mind as much as the excitement of the occasion, that takes over. When it comes to the final, it wouldn't matter if there was no money at stake!

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David, Scotland

Do you think that one man will ever totally dominate the Benson & Hedges Masters at Wembley again like Stephen Hendry between 1989 and 1993?

I doubt we'll ever see anyone dominate snooker again at the same level, but then we keep saying that and someone else crops up! And a best-of-11 match or best-of-nine match is effectively more of a toss of a coin than it used to be, so you're going to see some to-ing and fro-ing, which doesn't lend itself well to somebody dominating. So I doubt very much that anybody will win five times on the trot as Stephen Hendry did.

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Dave Evans, Belgium

Ever since I was 12 years old at boarding school and used to get dressed in bed ready to leap downstairs to be first at the snooker table to get in a quick game before breakfast - it has puzzled me as to why cue chalk has always been in the form of a cube. Surely a cylinder would be more rational and not nearly so wasteful. What do you think?

He's got a point! I think companies in the past have done a round chalk. And you could say that a lot is wasted. But players don't grind the chalk in a circular motion, they just wipe it across the tip, so they're not really using it as a cylinder.

And in a way, it seems quite reassuring for the players to have the chalk in their pocket!

Yes, that's our worry rag - we like a little chalk-up! We probably chalk our tips about 30 or 40 times before we play our shot, it's ridiculous! But it can be a good way to compose yourself and take stock of the situation.

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Ste Carroll, UK

I know that over the years we had had some excellent comic moments on the snooker table, but what would you rate to be the best to happen between two players that was caught on camera?

One of the funniest was between a couple of guys called Paddy Brown and Frankie Chan. There had been an argument over the miss rule, and I think Frankie lost the frame. After a little bit of an argument, and discussion with the referee, Frankie put his cue on the table and walked off to the toilet.

When he got there was a sign on the door, and he had to go and use another one. So he was walking back, when Paddy Brown was heading for the toilet. So Frankie shouted "out of order Paddy, out of order". Paddy lost the plot for a second and got Frankie round the throat, and said "What do you mean out of order, I was perfectly entitled to a free ball!"

Presumably away from the cameras!

Yes, it was in a qualifying match, but it remains one of the funniest moments, I can just imagine it!

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Vic Merrill, UK

Has anyone ever 'nodded off' while waiting their turn at the table - in competition?

No, but there's been a few in the crowd, if the game has been a bit slow. It's quite a peaceful game and people do drop off in the afternoons if they've had a heavy night!

But some people have tried to make the statement that their opponent has been boring. On one occasion a guy turned his chair and faced the crowd while the other guy was playing his shot, and I think on a couple of occasions Dean Reynolds has got a newspaper out! Not on the television though.

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Faisal, Malaysia

According to Frank Callan, the most naturally talented players are Jimmy White, Ronnie O'Sullivan and Stephen Hendry in that order. Is this true?

Well, I'd have to put Alex Higgins in the equation as well. But there are many different types of natural talent, and Mark Williams and Paul Hunter have got to be up there as well.

It's whether you convert that natural talent into winning ability. And we only see the winners on the TV, there are plenty of players with incredable natural talent who perhaps aren't mentally right. So I'd agree and disagree.

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John Shaw, England

After reading the BBC web pages on snooker past masters I was eager to find out whatever happened to Cliff Thorburn.

Cliff slipped down the rankings, tried to play the qualifying rounds which was quite soul destroying for him, and eventually decided there was no point trying to play and continue living in this country, so he is now back in Toronto.

I think he has a snooker club, and does lots of corporate entertainment playing nine ball pool as well as snooker. And I think he's a lot happier now he doesn't have to make his living, living in this country.