The hectic snooker schedule continues this weekend as the stars of the green baize head to the Rock for the Gibraltar Open. This is a huge week for so many players for plenty of different reasons. While there is a tournament to be won in its own right but others are playing for spots in the Players Championship next week, some for the top 16 heading into the World Championship and some for tour survival. There are a lot of sub plots to the tournament.
Recent Winners
2015 – Marco Fu
The Format
When the tournament was last held two years ago it was a PTC event and it plays to that format again this year. Half the field will play down to the last 16 on Friday while the other half does likewise on Saturday. Sunday sees the tournament conclude from the last 16 stage downwards.
The tournament has already been pre-drawn and will play out to those brackets. Every match from the first round to the final is the best of seven frames.
Top Quarter
There are some big names in the top quarter of the draw. They include the former world champion Shaun Murphy and the recent World Grand Prix winner Barry Hawkins. Mark Williams is another top player in this section.
It isn’t just the three top 16 players capable of doing damage in this part of the draw. Michael White was runner up here two years ago while Mark Davis nailed a maximum in the Championship League on Thursday so he’s in good form. Zhao Xintong and Sam Craigie will look to continue to enhance their reputations.
Second Quarter
This is a tough section of the draw. In terms of top 16 players it has the current world champion Mark Selby in it. Liang Wenbo, Kyren Wilson and Ricky Walden are also housed in this part of the draw.
Just like in the top quarter there are a number of dangers floating around this quarter. Anthony McGill heads here as the new Shootout champion while Zhou Yuelong is a talent for the future. Yan Bingtao and Robert Milkins are in good nick too.
Third Quarter
This is one absolutely brutal section of the draw. Mark Allen, John Higgins, Judd Trump and Ding Junhui are all in this quarter but they’re not the only dangers.
Two recent tournament winners in Mark King and Anthony Hamilton are in this quarter while Tom Ford is always a danger in these PTC type events. Matt Selt, Peter Ebdon and Dominic Dale all have tournament winning capabilities as well.
Bottom Quarter
There are still two big names saved for this section. In terms of the rankings the biggest names are Neil Robertson and Joe Perry but there are a number of players out to show the rankings don’t mean everything.
Ryan Day was a runner up in the Championship League on Thursday so he’s in top form while Jimmy White is playing well too. Ben Woollaston and Sam Baird are among those with star qualities too.
Betting
As in the past I always take a player from each quarter in the hope we get a couple through to Sunday where the tournament can be won by anybody. I’m going to stick to that plan.
In the top quarter I always like to be with Barry Hawkins at this time of year. He is an excellent player in the spring and having had a much needed break after a heavy schedule I fancy he will be ready to go again. We saw in the World Grand Prix that he can beat anyone on his day and if he has a couple of good days this weekend he is the one to be on in the top quarter.
The second quarter is a tough one but in terms of the big names it is loaded in the top half of it. The bottom half of the quarter lacks any big names so we are sure to have a highly ranked quarter finalist unless Kyren Wilson comes through. Who that will be is open to question. I fancy it could be the other Wilson, Gary. Gary Wilson keeps on running into nasty draws but we know he won’t have that until the quarter finals here. At the prices I’ll take a chance he’s the one to give us a huge run for our money.
Anyone could come through the third quarter but it could be that all the top names wear each other out and opens the door for someone at a big price. I’ve taken Tom Ford in these events before not least in the Paul Hunter Classic earlier in the year where he was the beaten finalist. He showed that weekend he can match anyone and he’s a big price to go well this weekend too.
I’m back to the established names in the bottom quarter. I’m adamant Neil Robertson has a title in him soon. He didn’t do much wrong in the Welsh Open recently when he ran into some horrible bad luck when exiting that event. There are certainly signs that his game is coming back into good order though and even at 11/1 I think he has an excellent chance from a nice part of the draw this weekend.
Tips
Back N.Robertson to win Gibraltar Open (e/w) for a 1.5/10 stake at 12.00 with Betfred (1/2 1-2)
Back him here:
Back B.Hawkins to win Gibraltar Open (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 19.00 with Titanbet (1/2 1-2)
Back him here:
Back T.Ford to win Gibraltar Open (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 201.00 with Boylesports (1/2 1-2)
Back him here:
Back G.Wilson to win Gibraltar Open (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 301.00 with Skybet (1/2 1-2)
Back him here:
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