The second leg of the Coral Series takes place this week when the leading 16 players in this season’s money list head off to the Guild Hall in Preston for the Players Championship, a lucrative event with a great format designed for excellent snooker.
This is pretty much the last big money event ahead of the Tour Championship where only the top eight on the one year list competes so those not yet in that elite number need a big week here. Ronnie O’Sullivan had just that last year and he’s here to attempt to defend the title.
Recent Winners
2018 – Ronnie O’Sullivan
2017 – Judd Trump
2016 – Mark Allen
2015 – Joe Perry
2014 – Barry Hawkins
2013 – Ding Junhui
2012 – Stephen Lee
2011 – Shaun Murphy
The Format
It is solid, long course snooker all the way this week with the first round, quarter finals and the semi-finals all the best of 11 frames before the champion will be determined on Sunday over the space of two sessions in a best of 19 frames final where the winner will pocket a tidy £125,000. The draw is pre-determined with the players being put into the bracket in order of their position on the one year money list.
Top Quarter
Mark Allen has won more money than anyone in ranking events this season and he is the number one seed and in this top quarter as a result. His form has tailed off since he won in Scotland though so the other three in this part of the draw should be looking at this and fancying their chances. Those three are Stephen Maguire, Dave Gilbert and Stuart Bingham. The latter two occupy spots eight and nine in the draw so their first round clash could decide who makes it into the Tour Championship.
Second Quarter
In football there is always a group of death and in snooker there is a quarter with the same name. In this tournament it is this second quarter, which is headlined by the defending champion Ronnie O’Sullivan. His appearance in it is enough but you also have the world number one Mark Selby, legend that is John Higgins and Barry Hawkins, who when he is the lowest ranked player in it you know it is a tough section.
Third Quarter
The third quarter is the one where the world champion Mark Williams will look to get the jump leads out on his season. He is joined in this section of the draw by the Welsh Open champion Neil Robertson, World Grand Prix finalist Ali Carter and Joe Perry, who is having a very consistent season to the extent he is very close to breaking into the top 16 in the main rankings ahead of the cut off for Sheffield.
Bottom Quarter
The bottom quarter of the draw has three tournament winners in it as well with The Masters, World Grand Prix and Northern Ireland Open champion Judd Trump being joined by German Masters and Paul Hunter Classic winner Kyren Wilson and the European Masters successor Jimmy Robertson. Jack Lisowski can’t exactly be described as making up the numbers as he has been one of the form men on the circuit for the most part this term.
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Betting
I’m going to take a bit of a punt this week that the penny has dropped for Mark Williams that with the World Championship only six weeks away he needs to put the work in if he is going to do himself justice when he defends the title next month. To be fair to the Welshman, there have been one or two signs that he is coming to life but the best of seven lottery format has gone against him. I think we might see the best of him here.
3 146s today first time I done tha
— MARK WILLIAMS M.B.E (@markwil147) February 26, 2019
I know you have to take sportsmen’s tales of practice form with a pinch of salt but Williams isn’t exactly someone who needs to big himself up, neither does he normally do it so the above tweet caught my eye heading in here. He’s clearly hitting the ball well and with the SightRight stable having another winner on Sunday he won’t lack for inspiration here. Williams remains a class act when he is focused and with Selby, Higgins and O’Sullivan all in the other half of the draw I think the world champion could be ready for a run at 14/1.
Tips
Back M.Williams to win Players Championship (e/w) for a 1.5/10 stake at 15.00 with Betway (1/2 1-2)
Back him here:
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