The next snooker tournament is the World Grand Prix which sees the leading 32 players on the one year money list making their way to the Guild Hall in Preston for a lucrative event. High quality is guaranteed both with the class of the field and the fact these players are the 32 form players of the present time so we should be in for a decent week.
This is a big week for those of a lower ranking as they have the chance to overtake players above them in the world rankings who are not here. Barry Hawkins won the event last year but he didn’t qualify for this renewal so we are guaranteed a different winner.
Recent Winners
2017 – Barry Hawkins
2016 – Shaun Murphy
2015 – Judd Trump
The Format
The first and second rounds of the tournament are played out over the best of seven frames with the distance moving up to the best of nine for the quarter finals. The two semi-finals will be the best of 11 frames with the champion being crowned over the best of 19 frames in a two session finale. Each match is straight knockout and the draw has already been predetermined.
[the_ad id=”16647″]
Top Quarter
The seedings for the tournament are done on the one year money list which means Ronnie O’Sullivan is the top seed. He is in the top quarter with John Higgins, the Masters champion Mark Allen and Martin Gould making up the other seeded players. The unseeded players are Yan Bingtao, Xiao Guodong, Robert Milkins and Ali Carter.
Second Quarter
China Championship winner Luca Brecel is the leading seed in this part of the draw with Champion of Champions winner Shaun Murphy not far behind him. Riga Masters champion Ryan Day and UK Championship semi-finalist Stephen Maguire are the other two seeds. The talented Jack Lisowski is one of the unseeded players in this section. Ricky Walden, Li Hang and last week’s Shootout winner Michael Georgiou make up the numbers.
Third Quarter
Judd Trump is the leading player in this quarter despite only having the European Masters to his name this season. World champion Mark Selby is also in this quarter and is the sixth seed. Scottish Open champion Neil Robertson and German Masters finalist Graeme Dott are the other seeded players. Joe Perry is one of the unseeded players here while Dave Gilbert, Jimmy Robertson and Michael White.
Bottom Quarter
It is the German Masters and Northern Ireland Open champion Mark Williams who leads the seedings in this quarter with Ding Junhui the other main seed despite a poor season so far. Anthony McGill and The Masters finalist Kyren Wilson make up this section in terms of the seeded players. The Scottish Open runner-up Cao Yupeng is one of the unseeded players with Mark Joyce another. Mark King has qualified for the event as has Stuart Bingham despite his three month ban.
[the_ad_group id=”3624″]
Betting
I’m going to take two outright bets this week. In the top half I like Stephen Maguire to continue his good form. A big week here could see him move into the top 16 in the world. With one or two above him not here he has the chance to boost his Crucible automatic qualification prospects here. He also has a nice early draw too. Li Hang is beatable and then in the second round Luca Brecel can’t decide what cue to use and Michael Georgiou may still be on cloud nine. An event like this becomes anyone’s at the quarter final stage onwards but at 50/1, off the back of a semi-final in the UK Championship and a quarter final in Scotland, he looks a nice price for a big week.
Kyren Wilson had the week of his life at The Masters and he has a nice draw for another big week here. Mark Joyce is a comfortable opening opponent and then Ding Junhui is far from at his best. Mark Williams might represent a tougher task in the quarter final but Wilson walloped him at Alexandra Palace. The Englishman is clearly in good form and with nobody in his half of the draw pulling up trees I think he’s worth a go at 33/1.
Tips
Back S.Maguire to win World Grand Prix (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 51.00 with Ladbrokes (1/2 1-2)
Back him here:
Back K.Wilson to win World Grand Prix (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 34.00 with Betfair (1/2 1-2)
Back him here:
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2018
