Riga Masters (Including Qualifications)

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Qualifications get underway in the morning for this. I will have a look at the outright markets on this after the quallies I think as it's very unlikely any of these are going to end up winning the event so it's not like we'll miss a big price.

10am matches :
4 matches at 10am and the one I like is Anthony McGill. He faces Yan Bingtao. Bingtao is looking like a player whom you could potentially stick in the "overrated" corner. He has had a very "up & down" year. He got to the last 32 of the Grand Prix and then was knocked out by Ursenbacher in the 1st round of the Welsh Open (a player who was fighting for his tour card only last week)

He got beat 4-0 by Lu Ning going out of the Indian Open and then at the China Open, which is an event you would expect him to perform at, he went out to Peter Ebdon in Round 2.

He faces Anthony McGill, who had a good World Championship and got to the last 32 (beaten 10-7 by Ding) prior to that he had got to the Last 16 of the China Open. So he is on more of an up-curve in his form. The stat I like most about this match though is the head-2-head. These two have played 4 times and McGill has won all 4. This includes a 4-0 whitewash in 2016 and a 6-2 win only last year, in Bingtao's home country.

I think you know where I'm going with this. 

1pm matches :
Ricky Walden goes off as a favourite against Si Jiahui and ofcourse he should. But he faces a real talented young Chinese player here. Crazy to think that he is not even 17 until next month. He really caught the eye in his scoring and results at Q-School. He scored quite a few centuries in the events and if Ricky isn't in the mood tomorrow then anything could happen.

4pm matches :
Mike Dunn faces Mitchell Mann at 4pm. Dunn has beaten Mann both times they have played eachother including only last year at the China Open. Mann hasn't looked a great player in his results on tour and although Dunn is abit of a journeyman he should be solid enough to win this one. 

7pm matches :
Of the matches in the final session I will take Jak Jones to beat Thor Leong. They have played once before and Jones won 4-3 at the Q-School event last year. Since the he had some decent results beating the likes of Dott, Stevens & Walden and I think he has the edge over Thor.

5pts A.McGill to beat Y.Bingtao 11/10 Ladbrokes
2.5pts Si Jiahui to beat R.Walden 12/5 Betfred
5.5pts M.Dunn to beat M.Mann 8/11 Ladbrokes
5pts J.Jones to beat T.Leong 4/5 Ladbrokes
 

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2 out of 4 today. I will let off the 16yr old but McGill was cr*p. small profit. Looking at Day 2 tomorrow..

4pm matches :
I'm going to take Mark Joyce to beat Baird. Joyce has beaten Baird 2 times in a row including here at the Riga Masters 2 years ago,

7pm matches :
Steadman takes on Dom Dale A player he beat not long ago in the China Open 6-5. Steadman is a good solid scorer and he got a century and 5 50+ in those 6 frames. I'll take him to get the double here.

5pts M.Joyce to beat S.Baird 6/5 bet365
5pts C.Steadman to beat D.Dale 4/5 bet365