The Crucible 2008: Cue blimey, what an exhibition of snooker brilliance!

What a brilliant tournament this year’s World Championships have been - and its still only day five! The first-round matches are coming to an end but what excitement and tension they have brought.

We have also had a number of upsets over the first few days. Last year’s finalist Mark Selby was defeated 10-8 by Mark King. Selby was many people’s favourite to win this year’s tournament in Sheffield but King, my favourite player on the snooker tour, showed some classy break-building to destroy the youngster’s hopes of a repeat of 2007.

Ronnie O’Sullivan has only just started his first-round match but looks in good form to be classed as the fans’ favourite.

Another great match in the first round was veteran Steve Davis playing against Stuart Bingham. Davis has never won in four matches against his younger opponent and when he went 8-3 down this trend didn’t seem to be about to stop. However, Davis showed some vintage form of old to peg back Bingham to 8-8 and in a tense 17th frame had the chance to lead 9-8.

Davis, though, was unfortunate to foul when only needing the pink and black to win the frame - and Bingham went on to win the match 10-8.

It was great stuff and my eyes where glued to the TV screen. Stephen Hendry, another multiple champion, was in trouble against Mark Allen but managed to turn the game around and defeat his Irish opponent 10-9 while another climatic match saw former winner Peter Ebdon scramble to victory over youngster Jamie Cope. It has been great viewing and in the second-round, the matches are won by the first to 13 frames so there are bound to be a few more marathon contests to come at The Crucible.

What is great to see is that it isn't just the home nations vying for success. China has an abundance of rising stars in the game, including the brilliant Ding Junhui, who defeated Marco Fu of Hong Kong in the first round 10-9  - and Australia has a rising star in Nathan Robertson, who is some fans’ favourite for an outside shot at this year’s tournament.

It’s great to see top-class snooker on the BBC again and I, for one, love the two weeks of the snooker World Championships. Having lived in Sheffield throughout my university years I know first-hand that there is a buzz around the city during the Crucible finals and TV viewing is just as exciting as actually being in the snooker theatre.

The commentators are brilliant about giving their opinions on which shot will or should be played and praise the players shot-making and tactics throughout the matches. The vast experience of  commentators such as Terry Griffiths, Willie Thorne and Dennis Taylor is a delight to listen to and let’s hope the rest of the tournament is just as good as the first round.  I am sure it will be - if not even better!