The Snookerbacker Blog

Mark J Williams - A Cool Customer

This event is a minefield. There are busloads of players, all capable of beating each other on any given day, which makes it an event that only the most ardent baize fan would consider a bet on and only a fool would back with any real confidence.

There are any number of permutations of how things can go. Will Ronnie give it a go or is he just there to plug the event? Will the lesser players be giving it more effort in an attempt to get an early lift up the rankings? Who has had the summer off? Who has been nailed to the table?

Yesterday I posted up some early thoughts on the event, but this was only after a cursery look at the draw. Now I have looked into the draw in full I’m even more confused.

There are players that like this type of event and seem to enjoy the more relaxed surroundings. Of the top boys Shaun Murphy and Stephen Maguire spring to mind and I was tempted to tip up Maguire, who won an early Pro-Challenge event last season as a possible winner, but at 11/1 I think he’s a bit too short. Similarly with Murphy, a recent winner over in China, the 10/1 just seems a little skinny given that he has potentially tricky ties against Rory McLeod and Graeme Dott.

What I’ve just said makes a bit of a mockery of who I am tipping to win the event though. Given the draw that he has I think the 7/1 on Mark Williams might be worth a few quid. I have no idea how he is playing but he will have been lifted this week by the news of his Premier League inclusion. In my view he could have a pretty straightforward ride to the semi-finals and I am of the theory that Ronnie will be out by then and on his way home for the England match. Leaving Selby or possibly Ryan Day to beat. So I am happy to play him in the win market.

For each way bets. I will start with Crucible runner-up Graeme Dott at 20/1. He is in a quarter with Murphy and the same half as Maguire but is used to playing qualifying events, which they aren’t. I’d say if he brings his shooting boots with him he has every chance of meeting Williams in the final.

So, there are my two finalists, I’m probably way off the mark so I’m going to just go with four other big priced players in the each way market to upset the applecart.

Zhang - Good things come in small packages

I will start with a bit of blind loyalty after his near heroics last week and once again stick with a man in a bit of form in Jimmy White at 66/1. He is clearly relishing the new season and has a decent draw up to a meeting with Jamie Cope who may be too strong for him but at 14/1 represents no value whatsoever. He will then be up against either Ronnie, Selby or Day (who he beat last week) but I’m prepared in an event like this to give him another chance. 

I’ll then do a double take on the Mark Williams section and look at Zhang Anda at 100/1. He was deadly in the World Championship Qualifiers before running Hendry close at the Crucible and a repeat of that form again here would make him a handful for anyone, so that price is too big to pass up.

My final two are both 100/1 shots too. World Number 15 Mark King is another with a good draw up to the later stages when he could face an old favourite of ours in Pinner Potter Martin Gould, who I thought about making one of my team, but 33/1 against Gould or 100/1 against the more experienced, higher ranked King changed my mind for me. King’s price is too long for a player with his experience and he’ll be fighting like a lion for ranking points to stay in the elite top 16 for yet another year.

Finally, blog favourite Rory McLeod has to be considered given his record in qualifying events. We all know his faults when he gets on the TV but off it, he is a dangerous opponent that none of the others like playing against. He’s in the section with Murphy and Dott but if on a roll he can beat anyone away from the glare of the camera.

The Entertainers

So that’s Team Snookerbacker, Williams, Dott, White, Zhang, King and Mcleod. In the spirit of the World Cup my subs bench would consist of Stephen Maguire at 11/1, Martin Gould at 33/1, Mark Davis at 50/1 and Tom Ford at 66/1.

Confidence in one of these winning I’d say is about 3 out of 10. But it’s worth a couple of quid I suppose given that Skybet are going 1/4 odds on the final four.

Good Luck if you end up playing.

My Belgian isn't that hot but I think even I know what this headline says.

The Rocket, Ronnie O’Sullivan who a few of you have pointed out may be mistaken by expecting ‘huge audiences’ on entering the empty Sheffield Academy on Friday has been priced up by Skybet as 11/2 favourite for the first Players Tour Championship Event.

The two Marks; Williams and Selby are also single figure odds at 7/1 and 9/1 respectively, with the other big guns Murphy and Maguire just behind them in the betting.

If you fancy an upset in this, which is not beyond the realms of possibility by any means in this type of format there are some attractive prices available on some of the lower ranked players.

Last week’s Pink Ribbon winner Michael Holt starts as a 50/1 chance with runner up Jimmy White at 66/1, two players that are match fresh at least, Holt seemingly knocking centuries in for fun at the moment. World Number 15 Mark King is a 100/1 chance as is the Chinese Crucible sensation Zhang Anda. Take away the TV cameras and you have a very different player in 100/1 shot Rory McLeod, who won through to last year’s Masters in a very similar event to this, so there is some value there.

Also in action is a player already being touted as a future world champion, 15 year old Belgian Luca Brecel beat Jimmy White and Ken Doherty before losing 5-4 to Graeme Dott in the quarter-finals of the fated World Series in Portugal last summer.

Camera Shy: 100/1 shot Rory prefers this type of event.

Dotty, who is also in action here has said: “Luca is an exceptional talent and, considering his age, he is amazingly calm and focused. Without a doubt, he should have a very bright future in the game.”

Brecel, who takes on Marco Fu in Round One (a match that Skybet have also priced up) is also a cautious 100/1 while Dott himself is also an understandably cautious 20/1.

Look further down and you find some massive prices about names that are familiar to snooker devotees but hardly anyone else, Shokat Ali for instance is a 300/1 chance, new German professional Patrick Einsle is also priced up at 300/1, while former world number 12 ‘Mr Underpants’ David Gray finds himself at 400/1, just ahead of the dangerous Hugh Abernethy at 500/1. It could be Hugh’s chance to hit the big time for his devout follower, you know who you are.

I’ll be having a good look at the draw today and trying to weed out the value, but a few I’ve mentioned already are worth a look (not Hugh though), I think Rory will be one selection and Holt another.

While this is not the sort of event that I will be risking the profit and loss stakes on with recommended bets I’ll probably go for a four or five against the field to very small stakes. Then leave it up to you if you’d like to follow me in after the ‘hit the bar’ 50/1 poke on Jimmy last week fell at the final fence.

It’s the equivalent of playing an early season lottery and I’m afraid that a few of the events this season are going to be similar, including the newly formatted World Open which is now not a betting event, which is a shame.

But at least we know that a few players have been playing during the last few weeks. For anyone considering a bet on either Ronnie or Selby, be aware that they will meet in the last 32 if they are both successful.

Once again the full draw can be viewed here. I’ll post my five against the field tomorrow once England are ermm, safely through to the knockout stage….

Look out for comments/updates from the Sky odds compiler in the comments section below.

The Long Wait is Nearly Over

Barry Hearn has confirmed to the Scottish Herald that the investigation being carried out by David Douglas into the John Higgins affair is now close to completion and will be passed on to an independent tribunal which he says should reach a conclusion ‘within a month’.

Since promising swift action on this when the story broke at the beginning of May, Bazza has been busy securing the confidence of the players to take forward his big plans for the sport. Meanwhile, his best man, Douglas of the Yard who is a former Metropolitan Police Chief has had his ear to the ground and his nose to the wall in an attempt to sniff out the facts.

The latest article from Sportingintelligence recently revealed that those naughty reporters at the News of the World had edited the tape to suit their story and yesterday Roy Greenslade revealed in the Guardian that they might have also got our John pissed up against his will. Newspapers misbehaving and acting disrepectfully? Whatever next?

But while both articles make good points, particularly the Nick Harris one, they do little to refute or alter the basic premise of the investigation. Namely, why did John/Pat not inform the Board of the meeting before the expose and, if there are doubts about the authenticity of the tape why has John not issued a statement to say this?

Barry said “We have to be painstaking in the way we carry this out, and both John and Pat Mooney, will get the chance to put their side of the story, because everybody is innocent until proven guilty.”

“We have done all we can to make sure this investigation is done independently of the WPBSA, because I’ve known John for nearly 20 years and this matter has to be left to other people. I hope, as much for John’s sake as anybody else’s, that the tribunal will be able to arrive at a judgment within a month of receiving the submission from David” he added.

Let’s hope that this is the case as it’s doing nobody any good it going on too long. One would assume that once the conclusions are drawn it will be up to Bazza to administer a suitable punishment. If found guilty, Higgins can surely expect a ban, the length of which will be open to speculation. There will also need to be some clarification on how things will work with regard to his ranking. Is he simply ignored and players promoted or is he still officially the World Number 1 until overtaken? If the latter we may get to a situation where anything less than a season long ban will see John back at the Crucible next April, perhaps even as a seeded player, would that be good for the game?

Douglas of the Yard: '"He's a Geordie, he's down to earth, and it's all about facts with him, not emotions. Don't mess with this geezer, he ain't got a sense of humour" Barry Hearn.

Barry also found time to have a go at a few players when asked about the Players Tour Championship which starts the first of twelve events across the UK and Europe on Friday.

“One or two of the older guard have told me, ‘This is an awful lot of hard work’, but, if that’s their attitude, I’m happy to see the back of them.”

So that’s telling them then. Stephen Hendry has obviously upset him.

The first Players Tour Event starts on Friday in Sheffield with a very strong field taking part including Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Selby, Mark Williams and Hugh Abernethy.

Hopefully a few of the firms will price it up. The usual suspects would be Sportingbet and Skybet but hopefully some of the others will get involved too in the twelve event initiative.

Perhaps, for the odds compilers that read this you might even consider pricing up the PTC Order of Merit? After all this is the beginning of a whole new seperate ranking list as well as a feeder into a televised event. More on the format and workings of the PTC can be viewed on an earlier post here.

The full draw for the first event has just been announced by World Snooker and can be viewed here.

Event 1 will be played behind closed doors in Sheffield with later events scheduled around Europe.

Roll Up Roll Up, but not tight behind a baulk colour, that's not allowed.

Regular readers on here will know that I don’t like the Premier League.

If you like your snooker fast and furious. If you despise safety duels, want the eradication of the dump shot to the history books and would rather the players wore roller skates around the table then it’s the event for you.

The pockets are templated using a direct cast of Stephen Lee’s arse, the breaks come thick and fast and Ringmaster Barry Hearn has somehow managed to convince the masses that this is snooker’s showpiece event.

I won’t be covering it in great (or any) detail on here as I dislike the whole event, this isn’t snooker, this is pool on a snooker table and as one of the type of fans that Barry’s new plan doesn’t seem to prioritise, I won’t be watching it either.

But I realise that not everyone is as bloody miserable as I am when thinking about Barry’s Travelling Clownfest so I will therefore dutifully list below the runners and riders and the places that you are able to catch the freak show.

At least Selby got an invite this year and you had to chortle at Barry’s fake smile when Marco Fu won the Championship to qualify for this, you just know he wanted Mark Allen to win it. John Higgins is obviously persona non grata, the beginning of his financial demise I think.

2010 PartyCasino.com Premier League Snooker

The Premier League 2010 players: Ronnie O’Sullivan, Shaun Murphy, Neil Robertson, Ding Junhui, Mark Selby, Mark J. Williams and Marco Fu.

All events run from 7.30pm to 11pm apart from the one in Preston on September 30. This begins at 6pm and finishes at 11pm. Toffee Apples and Candy Floss stalls will be available at all events and John Higgins will be locked in the stocks for people to throw tomatoes at during the interval (50p a bucketful). All covered live on Sky.

Week 1 – September 2 – Southampton Guidhall
Shaun Murphy v Ding Junhui, Ronnie O’Sullivan v Marco Fu

Week 2 – September 16 – Plymouth Pavilions
Mark Selby v Mark Williams, Ronnie O’Sullivan v Ding Junhui

Week 3 – September 30 – Preston Guild Hall
Marco Fu v Shaun Murphy, Ding Junhui v Mark Williams, Neil Robertson v Mark Selby

Week 4 – October 7 – Brentwood Leisure Centre, Essex
Mark Selby v Ding Junhui, Ronnie O’Sullivan v Shaun Murphy

Week 5 – October 14 – Inverness Leisure Centre
Mark Selby v Marco Fu, Neil Robertson v Mark Williams

Week 6 – October 21 – Spiceball Leisure Centre, Banbury, Oxfordshire
Neil Robertson v Ding Junhui, Marco Fu v Mark Williams

Week 7 – October 28 – Penrith Leisure Centre
Marco Fu v Ding Junhui, Ronnie O’Sullivan v Mark Williams

Week 8 – November 4 – Hutton Moor Leisure Centre
Marco Fu v Neil Robertson, Shaun Murphy v Mark Selby

Week 9 – Nov 11 – Grimsby Auditorium
Shaun Murphy v Mark Williams, Ronnie O’Sullivan v Neil Robertson

Week 10 – November 18 – Venue Cymru, Llandudno, Wales
Ronnie O’Sullivan v Mark Selby, Shaun Murphy v Neil Robertson

Semi-finals Nov 27 Potters Leisure Resort, Hopton on Sea, Norfolk
Semi-finals are the first to five.
1st v 4th
and 2nd v 3rd
http://www.pottersholidays.com

Final – Nov 28 – Potters Leisure Resort, Hopton on Sea, Norfolk
The final is the first to seven.
Winner of semi-final 1 v winner of semi-final 2.
http://www.pottersholidays.com

Talking of lost causes I also noticed that the Belfast Telegraph reports that a top loyalist in Northern Ireland is calling for Alex Higgins to receive an MBE ‘before the shrivelled snooker legend dies’. Nice.

Hard to Swallow: John could just give it to Alex?

Given Alex’s untarnished past, this is surely in the bag. In fact lets go the whole hog and give him a knighthood for services to the hairdryer industry. Or perhaps he can give young master Higgins a call and just change the ‘J’ to an ‘A’, as this would save the dear old Queen a bit of dosh and also save on the postage when she has to write to John to get his back off him. Just an idea from a loyal subject maaam (I know she reads this).

Holt - You can see his tie through his jumper.

Well it was nice while it lasted.

The 50/1 bet on Jimmy White went right to the wire but unfortunately the serial runner-up just couldn’t complete what would have been a wonderful comeback against Michael Holt, who ended up winning the Pink Ribbon Pro-Am event by 6 frames to 5.

A high quality match with four centuries, three for Holt which capped off what by all accounts was a very good event at an extremely good new snooker venue.

Jimmy said earlier in the week that he would be playing there three or four times a week and has renewed enthusiasm for the game since the arrival of the Messiah Barry Hearn.

He has obviously turned to superstition too as he spookily added that the venue in Gloucester was 147 miles from his house, or perhaps he was just showing off that he has finally worked out how to switch on the Sat Nav.

But congratulations to Holt who is another that seems to prefer these relaxed style tournaments and one that may benefit from the newly introduced Players Tour that starts next week.

As for Jimmy, I’m still chasing that 50p I lost on him in the 1984 World Championship, my latest losing figure is now somewhere approaching £6.5 million. But it’s been fun and who knows, perhaps this signals just one last piece of magic left in the Whirlwind?

Michael Holt 6-5 Jimmy White

75(41)-20, 45-61(56), 126(114)-0, 72-38, 127(127tc)-0, 0-90(55), 66-23, 25-62(61), 0-72(65), 14-110(110), 129(129)-0

Will we see Jimmy turn back the clock?

We are now down to the final four in the Pink Ribbon Pro-Am and from a decent field we find four familiar faces contesting the semi-finals.

My speculative punt on Jimmy White could look very exciting if he can somehow get the better of pre-tournament joint favourite Ryan Day and in the other semi-final Gerard Greene takes on the Hitman, Michael Holt.

While Ryan would remain a strong favourite I haven’t given up entirely on Jimbo, Holt also  seems to do very well in this type of event so could prove a danger but our Jimmy is an old hand at this type of caper so let’s hope he can bring home the vegetarian bacon for us 50/1 backers.

The event seems to have been a big success and is a decent form preview going into the first Players Tour event next weekend by which time England may well be out of the World Cup and all eyes will be on Rolf Harris and Stevie Wonder at Glastonbury.

Talking of the Players Tour Event I am tempted to hand out a very early pre-season Willie to the Daily Express here in the UK for ‘Laziest Snooker Journalism of the Closed Season’ as they report that Stephen Hendry and Neil Robertson have ‘snubbed’ Barry Hearn by not entering the first event.

Whilst Hendry just doesn’t feel like it, understandable as he probably basks somewhere far more exotic than Sheffield with his millions during the summer months, he says he’ll be entering later ones. Our Robbo is quite busy being a first time dad after his Crucible marathon and subsequent adventures on behalf of the game, including his vocal support of our man Baz. He is simply taking a well earned rest with his nearest and dearest back in Oz and doubtless sinking a few tinnies while throwing a few more shrimps on the barbie.

Another typically balanced piece of journalism from the Express

Rory McLeod has entered, he has it on good authority that no TV cameras are present and despite the very strong turnout which includes Ronnie O’Sullivan, the venue dictates that no spectators will be there either and I for one am a bit disappointed that Barry’s magic wand has not yet managed to wave in the direction of an internet live stream provider which would make these events a potential punt and give them greater profile.

I think live-streaming of events like this as well as qualifiers should be very high on his list of priorities in raising the global profile of the sport.

Anyway, I will I think award a pre-season Willie to the unnamed journalist (but having completed my investigations I can now name the culprit as Hector Nunns – Willie on it’s way to you sir) from the Express for not getting out of bed before writing this ridiculous story.

Now, COME ON JIMMY. I’ve lost so many ill advised heart over head pounds on you in the past you owe me one.

Semi Finals: Best of 9 frames commencing at 9.30am

Gerard Greene 0-5 Michael Holt

Jimmy White 5-4 Ryan Day WAHAY!

Final: Best of 11 frames commencing at 4.30pm

Michael Holt v Jimmy White

Real Sports Fans would be in Gloucester today. Wait a minute I know that face..........

The Pink Ribbon Event enters its final stages today with only one of my original five lottery picks still remaining, none other than the Whirlwind of Old London Town Jimmy White.

After the thrill a minute activity of England’s bore draw last night it’s time to get back to where the real action is. Any true sports fan would be thousands of miles from South Africa today and camped outside the new Snooker Academy just like footie shirt man at the Crucible every year, waiting for the cleaner to open up and sneak in to one of the cubicles to await the arrival of names such as Mark Joyce, Dave ‘The Flying Banana’ Harold and Anthony McGill.

One special mention should go to youngster Sam Craigie, who is having a right old time of it, showing some of the multi-millionaire superstars over in Africa the meaning of real sporting grit. The 16 year old has beaten Tony Drago and last season’s pro Simon Bedford without losing a frame.

But the last 16 is now dominated by professionals, making it a quite entertaining way to spend your sporting Saturday if you are in the Gloucestershire area.

This is the draw for the last 16:

David Grace v Gerard Greene

Mark Joyce v Judd Trump

Tom Ford v Michael Holt

Anthony McGill v Joe Perry

Ryan Day v Stephen Lee

Staurt Bingham v Dave Harold

Jimmy White v Ricky Walden

Rob Milkins v Sam Craigie

The Curious Case of John Higgins

A second analysis of the News of the World video purporting to show the world No1 snooker player, John Higgins, agreeing to lose frames for cash has concluded that sections of the film have been ‘pasted together’, leading to a misrepresentation of events.

A forensic musicologist, using specialist equipment to examine for sportingintelligence the way the soundtrack of the tape was put together, has found “at least some of the audio has been manipulated and rearranged.”

Also it states that:

• the NotW has not handed over unedited raw footage, for reasons including legal reasons surrounding protection of identities.
• the NotW is, however, continuing to assisting Douglas with his inquiry, and is believed to have more information than it has published or screened, withheld so far for reasons unknown.
• a media source says the paper was looking “for some months” at one or more other snooker players, and into allegations of match-fixing (nothing to do with Higgins), but failed to gather sufficient evidence for a story, and then switched attention to Mooney.
• the NotW has nonetheless, separately, been in possession of another story relating to allegations of match-fixing against another player, also for several months, and has yet to run it for reasons unknown.
• the NotW has used sources within the world of snooker for its work on Higgins and Mooney, raising questions whether snooker insiders involved in the sting or in provoking it – if identified – should also face charges relating to enticement into match-fixing.

To read Nick Harris’ full article click here.

Two of my picks that are still in contention

The action continues think and fast at the Pink Ribbon with 4 out of my 5 still standing.

This is the draw for the last 32 with Judd Trump already through and still a few amateurs left in the field, I’ll update as and when the results are known:

David Grace 4-3 James Loft

Gerard Green 4-2 Nigel Bond

Mark Joyce 4-2 Barry Hawkins (Boo)

Judd Trump 4-1 Kyren Wilson

Michael Wasley 0-4 Tom Ford (133)

Michael Holt 4-1 Martin O’Donnell

Anthony McGill 4-3 Mark Davis

Jak Jones 1-4 Joe Perry

Ryan Day 4-2 Alfie Burden (Booo, but two centuries for Ryan so fair play)

Stephen Lee 4-1 Matthew Selt

Martin Gould 3-4 Stuart Bingham (Boo)

Barry Pinches 2-4 Dave Harold (Standing room only for this one)

Jimmy Robertson 3-4 Jimmy White (Jimbo, last man standing)

Ricky Walden 4-3 Martin Ball

Andy Hicks 1-4 Robert Milkins

Simon Bedford 0-4 Sam Craigie