The snooker season goes quirky again for four days this weekend, starting on Thursday, as 128 of the leading players in the game head to the Watford Coliseum for the 2019 running of the Snooker Shootout, the fast and furious event which mixes entertainment and the ability on the baize.
This tournament has its detractors but for once in a year it is good fun and can do the winner the world of good with £32,000 going on their ranking. It is an open draw this week and whoever pockets the big prize will have played 70 minutes of snooker for it. Michael Georgiou did just that last year and landed the title.
Recent Winners
2018 – Michael Georgiou
2017 – Anthony McGill
2016 – Robin Hull
2015 – Michael White
2014 – Dominic Dale
2013 – Martin Gould
2012 – Barry Hawkins
2011 – Nigel Bond
The Rules
It is snooker but not quite as we know it this week. Each match is 10 minutes long with the first five minutes having a 15 second shot close which reduces to 10 seconds for the final five minutes. With every shot a ball must be potted or hit a cushion or else a foul will be called. All fouls in this tournament result in the other player having cue ball in hand. Players lag to see who breaks and whoever is ahead after the 10 minutes wins the match. If the scores are tied after 10 minutes a blue ball shootout decides the winner. There is a random draw for each round.
The Format
The one thing which is pretty easy to follow and assess this week is the format. Every match is one frame, or 10 minutes, whichever ends first. The 128 players in the field have been drawn out already with the winner taking £500 to their ranking. Each match a player wins their prize money doubles resulting in the champion landing £32,000 on Sunday evening. That is £32k for no more than 70 minutes work!
Profile
There are many ways to skin a cat in terms of finding the winner this week. You can apply an ounce of logic to it which might help or you can pin the runners and riders to a dartboard and get your bets by throwing darts and seeing who you end up with! However you go about finding bets this week this tournament comes down to one thing from a punting point of view – lots of luck.
I think the first thing to look for are players who cue fluently and see a shot quickly. There is no time to be thinking about which shot to play or going through weird pre-shot routines in this tournament. I also prefer scorers but ones which a decent long game. If you get in early in these matches and make 30 or so you’re in control of your own destiny. You also need to be light-hearted. The crowd are in play this week so that is another thing to factor in. So pick out players with a good long game who score well and who aren’t too serious.
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Main Bets
With that in mind I’ve come up with a couple of main bets this week. I’m not sure how Dave Gilbert hasn’t won a tournament yet but he is perfect for this tournament. He has a wonderful long game, scores brilliantly in the balls and won’t let the crowd get to him. Gilbert is seventh in 50 breaks in 2019 and in the top 15 in 50s per frame which highlights his scoring prowess so if he can get in early in a frame he should be able to control it. A bit of luck in the draw and he can go very deep.
If I’m honest, I’d like Zhao Xintong to be a little more cannier in the tactical department should there be a need for him to defend when 30 or so in front but he’s such a good long potter and scorer that I’m prepared to take the chance on him anyway. You only have to look at the nifty shoes he wears to know he’s a bit of a character which will help this week. There is a danger some old canny player ties him up but at the same time he could easily score four or five 50s and cruise through. We’ll pay to see.
Outsiders
I’ll throw my darts at four outsiders although each fit my criteria. Matt Selt banged in a couple of centuries in China Open qualifying this week and you only do that sort of scoring if you are hitting the ball well so that should stand him in good stead this week. He has enough nous to keep players in the long grass and the character to take on the challenge. At 80/1 he could give us a run for our money.
Sam Craigie has started 2019 in spectacular form. He had a couple of wins in Cardiff last week and only lost out in a high scoring epic to Jack Lisowski. He then qualified for the China Open and in terms of 50 breaks per frame in this calendar year he sits fifth and three of the four above him are not in this tournament. I think there is something in that and if he gets himself in from distance when needed we could see him enjoy a decent run here.
Xu Si and Ashley Hugill both caught my eye with a couple of centuries each in China Open qualifying. As with Selt, you don’t make those kind of breaks without hitting the ball well so both could be worth a go at insane prices this week. Hugill has Ali Carter in the first round which won’t be easy but should he get in and get himself ahead he could coast home and 300/1 could be a massive price. These are both huge outsiders but hitting the ball well might be half the battle this week which makes both appeal at the prices.
Tips
Back D.Gilbert to win Snooker Shootout (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 41.00 with Betfair (1/4 1-4)
Back him here:
Back Z.Xintong to win Snooker Shootout (e/w) for a 1/10 stake at 51.00 with BetVictor (1/4 1-4)
Back S.Craigie to win Snooker Shootout (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 101.00 with BetVictor (1/4 1-4)
Back X.Si to win Snooker Shootout (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 176.00 with BetVictor (1/4 1-4)
Back A.Hugill to win Snooker Shootout (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 301.00 with BetVictor (1/4 1-4)
Back them here:
Back M.Selt to win Snooker Shootout (e/w) for a 0.5/10 stake at 81.00 with Betway (1/4 1-4)
Back him here:
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