Welsh Open - 13-19 Feb

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Although the tournament doesn't start until Monday and I don't expect too much in the thread until the qualifiers are decided on Saturday I'll open the thread now in case anyone has any early thoughts on the event. The tournament will be broadcast live on BBC2 Wales (Sky 991) and on Eurosport all week and up until the QF's it is a best of 7 frame event going up to best of 9 for the QF's, best of 11 for the SF's and a best of 17 frame final. John Higgins defends the title he won last year. Draw can be found here: http://www.worldsnooker.com/staticFiles/b4/99/0,,13165~170420,00.pdf

[kevshat]

Re: Welsh Open - 13-19 Feb Right the draw has been made and I'm taking two outrights for the tournament. 1.5pts ew M.Allen to win Welsh Open 18/1 Bet365 (1/2 1,2) Mark Allen comes into this tournament in really decent form. He impressed me greatly in the UK Championship where his battling qualities were there for all to see. With that in mind I was disappointed with him in the Masters when he claimed Robertson bored him in their opening match. That's a slight concern this week as they could meet in the second round but at least it would only be over the best of seven frames were that to be the case. His attitude was a lot better in the Championship League last week though. I never really took much notice of the Championship League as a form guide but it's become a lot more serious this year with the Premier League spot at the end of it so that's a decent effort from Allen especially as he won one of the groups. Not only has he been winning matches but he's been keeping his cue arm well oiled which will give him an advantage over the rest of the top 16 bar those who were at Crondon Park. There isn't really a weak area of the draw this week but I would say the top half of the draw is slightly more the place to be and Allen has that to his advantage. With his form and temperament good I think the 18/1 on the Northern Irishman could look a big price towards the end of the week. 1pt ew B.Hawkins to win Welsh Open 66/1 Bet365 (1/2 1,2) 1pt B.Hawkins to win 4th Quarter 14/1 Bet365 Barry Hawkins could hardly be coming into this tournament in better form. He won the Shootout a couple of weeks ago and since then has been to Crondon Park and won a group of the Championship League which is no mean effort with the standard of snooker and the calibre of player who has entered that tournament this season. Hawkins also went to Germany in the middle of that and pushed Shaun Murphy as close as anyone did until Maguire blitzed the Magician in the semi final. Having needed to qualify for this event Hawkins did so with a 4-2 win over Gerard Greene on Saturday night in a match he hit a couple of tons in. Hawkins is scoring exceedingly well right now and although his draw is tough I don't think it's that tough that he should be this price. He would probably have to beat Stephen Maguire in the second round and maybe Mark Selby in the quarter final but the way he'll be feeling with his game right now he will feel as though he can beat anyone. At 66/1 I think he's well worth an each way punt with qualifiers fairly well known for going a long way in this tournament given it's short early nature and how close qualifying is to the event itself.