It is semi-final Saturday at the UK Championship, where both matches will take place on what looks like being something of a tasty day of snooker with four men who were not expected to make it to this stage competing at the Barbican Centre in York.
Places in the final on Sunday are the reward for the two winners and with three of the four players on show having made it to this final in the past, they will all be desperate to get back there. There is a talented youngster looking to make his first final here too so the day is beautifully poised.
Afternoon Session
Ding Junhui vs Yan Bingtao
The first semi-final of the tournament is an all-Chinese affair as the former champion Ding Junhui takes on the new kid on the block in Yan Bingtao, who will be looking to make it into his second final of the season after going all the way in the Riga Masters earlier in the term.
If you look at the list of victims that Bingtao has disposed of this week you would think he is in insane form. Jack Lisowski, Neil Robertson and John Higgins have all been dismissed by the Chinese ace, but actually none of the three had even their B games with them, so while he is clearly a huge talent, he has been flattered by those results somewhat. In fact I thought he was quite ordinary against Higgins on Friday.
I took Ding on in the quarter final but that was a mistake because so often Chinese players are beaten by him before they start, such a hero he is to them all. I suspect that might happen here too. I actually think Ding will win this one. Class acts tend to take their opportunities at this stage of a tournament and even without much form to speak of in recent times Ding is certainly one of those. Ding has made 10 50s and four centuries in his last three wins so he is closing in on his very best. Bingtao never made a single 50 in his win over Higgins has hadn’t made a break over 75 since the second round. I expect Ding to be far too good here.
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Evening Session
Stephen Maguire vs Mark Allen
The better of the two semi-finals is likely to be the one between the former champion Stephen Maguire and the man who has twice lost in the final of the tournament in the past, including 12 months ago, in Mark Allen.
These two are very good friends and will know each other very well, which adds a different dynamic to this match, but the main thing is both men are cueing well, scoring decently enough and look up for the battle this week. They are both fighters on the table anyway so I certainly don’t see this one being won very easily, in fact it has one of those lengthy Saturday night epics written all over it.
That makes me think we are going to collect on over 9.5 frames in this semi-final. 6-4 or 6-5 either way gets the job done for us here and I just think both have come too far to give this up without a right good go. Both are gutsy and deliver under pressure. This has all the ingredients to be a quality encounter.
Tips
WON – Back D.Junhui (-1.5 frames) to beat Y.Bingtao for a 4/10 stake at 1.80 with BetVictor
Back him here:
Back S.Maguire vs M.Allen – Over 9.5 frames for a 4/10 stake at 2.25 with William Hill
Back it here:
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