The Championship League Snooker tournament resumes on Monday after having the weekend off, as another eight players get their new season up and running inside the Morningside Arena in Leicester.
We’ve seen some pretty decent action in this tournament so far when you consider how early in the campaign it is and the eight players on show on Monday will look to emulate what has gone before as they chase top spot in their respective group.
Group 16
Fixtures
Jimmy Robertson vs Peter Lines
Ben Woollaston vs Liam Graham
Jimmy Robertson vs Liam Graham
Ben Woollaston vs Peter Lines
Liam Graham vs Peter Lines
Jimmy Robertson vs Ben Woollaston
Preview
Group 16 will be played out on the main table on Monday and it should be an intriguing group as Jimmy Robertson looks to justify the billing as top seed in the section and get his season off to a decent start. His chief challenger will be Ben Woollaston who doesn’t have a bad record in this tournament and being a home event it might give him even more motivation to succeed. Liam Graham begins live as a tour professional in this event and he’ll be hoping to make a positive start and ease the pressure on his shoulders. Peter Lines dropped off the tour at the end of last season and has been commentating on this event so far but it is time for him to get the cue back out.
Group 32
Fixtures
Xiao Guodong vs Rory McLeod
Martin Gould vs Alexander Ursenbacher
Xiao Guodong vs Alexander Ursenbacher
Martin Gould vs Rory McLeod
Alexander Ursenbacher vs Rory McLeod
Xiao Guodong vs Martin Gould
Preview
Arguably the pick of the groups in the entire tournament will be the one being played out in Table Two on Monday as Xiao Guodong heads up a very competitive looking section which should provide plenty of entertainment. Guodong is the last of the top seeds in the tournament but he has been given a rough assignment with Martin Gould a very capable second seed at his best. In fact, the draw hasn’t been particularly kind to either of them as Alexander Ursenbacher, who kept his tour card via Q-School, is one of the more talented third seeds in the event. It isn’t like they have a guaranteed walk in the park against the weakest player in the group either as that player is Rory McLeod who knows his way around a table.
Special Offer
Sign up for a Boylesports account and bet £10 to get up to £20 in free bets! Perfect offer for this tournament! Click the image below for this great offer! New accounts only. 18+ T&Cs apply. Gamble Aware.
Group Betting
We should be in for a couple of very interesting groups and on the main table I quite like the chances of Ben Woollaston to come through. He came out of his group last year and as I say the tournament is in his home city so he has extra reason to play well with the event on his doorstep. I do think this group will be between the top two seeds. I’m expecting big things from Liam Pullen over the two years he is going to be on tour but it is a tough ask to go well in alien conditions here, as we saw a few times last week, while Peter Lines didn’t exactly sound confident about his chances while on commentary last week. The 6/4 Woollaston gets the better of Robertson in this group will do me.
There is something that tells me that Alexander Ursenbacher will use the confidence that he built up at Q-School to come through over on the other table but in a group which is 6/4 the field I was hoping for a bigger price than 3/1 on the Swiss ace coming through. To be fair, you could make a case for all four men in that section and I wouldn’t truly be surprised whoever comes through so it probably isn’t a group to bet on but more one to watch and enjoy.
Match Betting
If you read my previews last week you will know that I like to target vulnerable favourites with a player who is a bit of value early doors in these groups but there isn’t really one on Monday because the opening matches in both groups look fairly competitive. With the groups being as open and tightly matched as they are there isn’t really any standout prices which jump out and tempt me into opposing anyone.
If I was going to oppose one in the opening set of games I would probably oppose Martin Gould, who isn’t always in love with the game, when he meets Alexander Ursenbacher but the Swiss player isn’t exactly a huge price and isn’t guaranteed to win by any means should Gould fancy the job. I’m struggling to find a bet I like from the outset. We might see one as the day goes on the permutations change but until then the Woollaston bet will do me.
Tips
Back B.Woollaston to win Group 16 for a 2/10 stake at 2.50 with Boylesports
Back him here:
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2023
