Two members of the bet365 News group debate who the greatest gamer in snooker history is, Ronnie O'Sullivan or Stephen Hendry.

There's a case for both to be made, one established himself as the dominant force in the 1990s, winning an impressive 7 world titles across the decade, whilst the other has proven to possess a truly unparalleled longevity at the summit of the sport, remaining at the summit a staggering three decades on from catching his very first ranking crown.

It's a topic that draws a lot intrigue and interest each and every year, and an argument that could effectively rage on for ever more.

Sport isn't about talent, it has to do with winning, and no one knew how to win quite like Stephen Hendry, writes Liam Williams ...

While there's extremely little to different Ronnie O'Sullivan and Stephen Hendry, O'Sullivan himself - a guy it's not simple to draw out praise from - declared Hendry to be the much better of the 2, while Hendry concurred, saying that he 'd expensive himself over a four-session match to accomplishment each time.

O'Sullivan's psychological fights off the baize believe impacted his profession, and it's a testimony to his fortitude that he's kept a 30-year profession at the top of the video game. But a lot of snooker - definitely at the elite level-- is just as much about what goes on between your ears as on the table itself, and throughout his career, has actually been found desiring in a manner Hendry's was not.

Memorably at the 2005 World Snooker Championship, Ebdon's slow play left Ronnie irritated - Ebdon naturally wasn't an easy opponent, and really beat Hendry in a world last - with the Rocket losing all focus and blowing a lead to exit a tournament he probably should have won. It was a mental blip that Hendry just didn't have in his locker.

While there was a way to beat O'Sullivan - nevertheless unseemly - throughout the 1990s, Hendry was nearly robotic. He admitted he didn't hang out with any other players socially lest it shatter his invincible, ice-man aura, and while some players battle with having the target of being the world's finest gamer on their back, Hendry liked it, thinking there were lots of gamers who were beaten before playing a shot.

Hendry didn't simply have the capability to end up being the very best player worldwide, however the strength to ensure he stayed there.

From the 1989 UK Championship up until the 1996 UK Championship there were 22 Triple Crown events; Hendry won 13 of them. Playing the best players on the planet in a seven-year spell, Hendry would win more than half of snooker's greatest tournaments, including winning all 3 in 2 various seasons; in 11 years, Hendry won his record-setting 18 Triple Crown occasions, and while O'Sullivan would later eclipse him with 23, they were accumulated over 32 years.

Between 1989 and 1993, Hendry won 5 successive Masters titles. Between 1992 and 1996, Hendry won five successive world titles. Steve Davis never ever managed more than 3 world crowns on the bounce and O'Sullivan never ever handled more than two. It's a level of dominance we're not likely to see in the game again.

Hendry confessed that once he 'd lastly eclipsed Steve Davis's 6 World Championship wins, his appetite waned, though there were other issues, such as his hint being broken in transit and a suffering with the yips, but nobody has actually ever dominated the video game quite like Hendry.

When O'Sullivan has been at his best, he's been untouchable, playing the game in a manner simple mortals could only dream of. Unfortunately for O'Sullivan, that level hasn't been as frequently as it might have.