The second stage of the Championship League Snooker tournament begins on Monday when eight players return to the Morningside Arena in Leicester looking to book their spot at the final day of the event on Friday.
Everyone involved on Monday have already won one group and are now looking to win another and make it through to the last day of the opening tournament of the season. Big names come thick and fast beginning on Monday.
Group E
Fixtures
Kyren Wilson vs Sanderson Lam
Chris Wakelin vs Anthony Hamilton
Kyren Wilson vs Anthony Hamilton
Chris Wakelin vs Sanderson Lam
Anthony Hamilton vs Sanderson Lam
Kyren Wilson vs Chris Wakelin
Preview
The action on the main table comes from Group E where the European Masters winner from last season, Kyren Wilson, will headline proceedings. There probably isn’t a thing as an uncompetitive group in this stage but if there is it certainly isn’t this one as the Shootout champion Chris Wakelin is a second seed in this section. He represents a decent enough opposition to Wilson but the veteran Anthony Hamilton is certainly no walkover as a third seed. The lowest ranked player in this group is Sanderson Lam. He came out of a group containing Barry Hawkins in the first stage so he needs to be respected.
Group F
Fixtures
Mark Williams vs Barry Pinches
Robbie Williams vs Martin O’Donnell
Mark Williams vs Martin O’Donnell
Robbie Williams vs Barry Pinches
Martin O’Donnell vs Barry Pinches
Mark Williams vs Robbie Williams
Preview
There is a good group taking place on Table Two where it is something of a Williams day with the former world champion Mark Williams the top seed in a section he will be expected to come through. His namesake Robbie Williams is the second seed and while he is capable, there will be much stronger second ranked players in sections this week. Martin O’Donnell is the third seed in this group. He is returning to the tour so while he won’t lack for motivation, it will be interesting to see if he is good enough to be competitive here. Barry Pinches is one of just two amateurs left in the competition and he is the fourth seed in this group.
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Group Betting
I think the longer this week goes on it might be that group betting is the way forward but with odds on favourites in both groups on Monday I’m not so sure it is the positive move on the opening day of the second round. This isn’t like the first stage where players are coming in cold, here they have played a day and will feel in the tournament so odds on shots feel short, although to be fair they are two class acts heading Group E and Group F.
Kyren Wilson is one of the odds on shots and his record in this tournament merits enough respect that he probably is likely to come through his group. Over in the other group, Mark Williams doesn’t have as good a record in this tournament but he cruised through his first stage day and has enough talent to be hard to oppose. If I was opposing either it would be Williams but there isn’t really anyone I feel strongly enough about to take him on with.
Match Betting
In the first stage of the tournament I was taking on vulnerable higher seeds in the opening matches but I don’t think that plan works anymore because everyone has played out a group and won it so all of the players are in the same boat. As I’ve highlighted above I wouldn’t want to take on either top seed anyway. Kyren Wilson looks unopposable to me and Sanderson Lam probably isn’t the one to beat him in any case and I don’t give Barry Pinches much more hope against Mark Williams.
One match where I do think there could be some value is on the main table second up where Chris Wakelin takes on Anthony Hamilton. Wakelin is entitled to think he is in a new tournament having played on day two in his opening group which was almost three weeks ago. Hamilton played a full week later and scored much better than Wakelin. He had a couple of centuries in his group whereas Wakelin, who lost one of his matches 3-0, only made one break over 60 all day. Wakelin beat Anton Kazakov and Liam Pullen in his group, both low ranked players he should have beaten, but lost to Oliver Lines, the second seed that day. Hamilton is one of those players who you can tell whether he is up for the challenge by how heavy he scores so his two centuries are positive. His three wins from three in matches against Wakelin away from the Shootout is another tick in his box so without the draw in play I think the Sheriff is a fair price here.
Tips
Back A.Hamilton to beat C.Wakelin (DNB) for a 3/10 stake at 2.10 with Coral
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