The final group of the Champion of Champions takes to the baize on Thursday when the last four men to get their tournament underway so do inside the Ricoh Arena. We’ve had some great groups so far in this competition but there is a strong case to be made that we’ve saved the best for last.
Four absolute top drawer players are on show for the right to face Kyren Wilson in Saturday night’s semi-final and whoever wins along the way we are guaranteed three tasty matches over the course of Thursday.
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Mark Selby vs Neil Robertson
Two former world champions meet to get the day underway on Thursday when Mark Selby and Neil Robertson collide for the second Thursday in succession. These two met in the International Championship last week which Robertson came out on top in so Selby might be on a revenge mission here.
There isn’t too much to choose between these two. We have to acknowledge that their recoveries from China will play a massive impact on this match and it might be the one who has acclimatised to home the best comes through here. If you pushed me I would take Selby in this match but his recent record in the UK is actually quite poor. There is a little too much guesswork involved for me to get stuck into this one so I’ll sit this out.
Barry Hawkins vs Mark Allen
The second group semi-final on Thursday sees the recent International Championship winner Mark Allen in action for the first time since he won that crown. He faces the Shanghai Masters finalist Barry Hawkins for a place in the group final later in the evening.
Hawkins was in China last week but he lost in the second round so he might just have an advantage in this match. Allen would still have been in China on Monday morning UK time and so he isn’t going to have been back in the UK for very long and he’s probably rightly celebrated his victory. He has to be jaded though.
Hawkins should be the fresher of the two and all things being equal he’s probably the classier in the truly major tournaments and I think he should be a warmer favourite for this match than the pick ‘em suggestions the bookmakers have it as.
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Group Betting
When it is 9/4 in a four horse race you know things are evenly matched. Even the outsider of the quartet is only 10/3 so if you are betting on the group there is no point looking for value. You just have to take the man you think will come through and accept the price or you don’t bet.
I’m going for the latter option. You could pick a guy in each semi-final and still not get a finalist given how tight this group is. If forced I would take Hawkins to come through but I don’t want anything to do with the price so I’ll leave the group betting alone.
Tips
Back B.Hawkins to beat M.Allen for a 4/10 stake at 2.00 with Bet365
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