The Masters

[owenclass]

I always look forward to this tournament. Shame it wont have a crowd 

[owenclass]

Should be good

[Fader]

Judd Trump has pulled out of The Masters. Robertson looks a good shout now but at 3/1 that's far too short for me. Selby at 5/1 looks just as likely really with better odds on the table. In the other half, Higgins is in good form and could face Ronnie. Kyren Wilson will have something to say about that though.

I'll give Higgins and Allen a chance here. Allen's odds are huge and in any event if he is on song, he can beat anybody. We saw that only a month or two ago.

1pt E/W J.Higgins to win The Masters 14/1 willhill
1pt E/W M.Allen to win The Masters 16/1 paddypower 

[Fader]

In the top half, I will go with Murphy. It's huge value really. He looks likely to get to the semi-final in my eyes, where he will be facing the winner of Selby/Robertson. On his day he can do that.

1pt E/W S.Murphy to win The Masters 20/1 willhill

[Fader]

Kyren Wilson takes on Gary Wilson at 1pm and I like the look of Kyren Wilson to win here. Gary Wilson has been struggling with his form at the Championship League snooker and has been getting quite peeved off with it, too. I think Kyren is still in decent form right now. 

2pts K.Wilson pot first ball, most century breaks and win 4/1 paddypower
2.5pts K.Wilson (-2.5 frames) to beat G. Wilson evens paddypower

[charliepie]

Hope we have a good tournament, I had a dream the other night about Bingham and Ronnie in the final so might pop a few quid on them just in case! 

[Fader]

Wilson covers the handicap but Gary potted the 1st ball for a small 0.5pt profit. A hard one to call tonight as Joe Perry takes on Dave Gilbert. Both players are pretty much out-of-form but I will side with Gilbert tonight. Perry comes into this at the last minute after taking Judd Trumps spot. Gilbert has been practicing alot where as Perry openly admits that he only started practicing on Wednesday. I think Gilbert is a better player but his form has let him down. I'm hoping tonight that the good fortune of playing Perry instead of Trump will energize him and more importantly, get him focused.

2.75pts D. Gilbert to beat J. Perry 8/11 bet365

 

[charliepie]

Good call so far as he's 3-0 up and cruising - should be an easy winner!

[Fader]

Yeah, Perry's lack of match practice was evident. +2pts

Tomorrow's matches are Bingham against Un-Nooh and Murphy takes on Mark Williams. The later match could be a real 50/50. It will really depend on how much practice the pair have had.

Bingham played Un-Nooh in the Championship League and won 3-0 in that match. Bingham hit a 147 and has hit five centuries in his 12 matches. Bingham was in alot of deciding frame matches in Group 1 and then in Group 2 he came last. Only beating Selt. Once again though, he had many matches that were quite tight. Un-Nooh hit 4 centuries in 6 matches. If you take out all the gimmicky tournaments then we'd see Bingham beat Un-Nooh 4-3 at the 2018 English Open and 4-2 at the 2014 Welsh Open. 

I think Bingham comes through this 6-3 or 6-4. I couldn't decide between the over 9.5 frames in this match or Bingham to win on the -1.5 handicap. In my mind, I think Bingham wins this and at similar odds, I think it's more likely he win without needing a deciding frame than he is on getting 4 frames.

3pts S. Bingham (-1.5 frames) to beat T. Un-Nooh 5/6 bet365 
2pts Bingham, Murphy, Robertson & Selby all to win 4/1 paddypower

Masters bets +2.5pts
Snooker 2021 +8.5pts

[Fader]

0.5pts A century break in the first 2 frames 22/1 paddypower
0.5pts each player to hit a 1+ century in the first 4 frames 7/1 paddypower

[Fader]

Mr Unreliable, Stuart Bingham wins 6-4. Lucky for Bingham, Un-Nooh goes for everything.

Tonight's match could be a real cracker as Mark Williams takes on Shaun Murphy. Murphy has taken the last three head-2-heads between the two but two of those have been deciding frames and both in 2019. Both of these players seem like they're winding down now in their careers and in my eyes, Snooker isn't at the forefront of their minds. I can see a close match. I can see why anybody would take a punt on Williams here but I have a 4-fold with Murphy involved and I'll stick with that.

One bet I do think is worth going for is with the consecutive frame market at bet365. I can't imagine this being anything more one-sided than a 6-3.

2pts Either player to win 3 frames in a row? No! 7/2 bet365

Masters bets +4pts
Snooker 2021 +10pts

[Fader]

Murphy wins a tight match. The 7/2 comes in. Nobody won 3 frames in a row. Robertson and Selby in action tomorrow

Masters bets +11pts
Snooker 2021 +17pts

[charliepie]

That 7/2 was a good shout, wish I'd seen it before the match started.

[Fader]

It was up here the night before the match, Charlie

Robertson takes on Bingtao at 1pm today. Selby takes on Maguire. I'm not going to go too mad today, as I have a 4-fold still running on Robbo and Selby. I'm hopeful of that coming in after the two hardest to call matches have come through.

Robertson was actually beaten 6-1 by Bingtao the last time they met, back in 2019. Robertson was well off that day though. He didn't even make one 50+ break. Robertson is coming off of a fantastic win at the UK Championship but has since gone out in the first round of the Grand Prix (Vs Milkins) and the German Masters (Woollaston) Those events are small fry for Robertson though. I fully expect him to turn up today and win. 

Bingtao is actually quite out of form right now. He has 4 of his last 6 since making the Quarter finals of the Northern Ireland Open. That includes going out in round 1 of the UK Championship to Zifan and surprising defeats to Jak Jones and Sam Craigie.

2pts 2 or more centuries in both matches (Robertson Vs Bingtao & Selby Vs Maguire) 3/1 paddypower
2pts Selby, Robertson and R.O'Sullivan all to have the most centuries in their individual matches 5/1 paddypower
 

[charliepie]

I probably didn't refresh the page in that case! I'm too slow most of the time:-)

[Robaldo]

Any news on Ronnie for Today? He seemed lost last tournament.. Although he can also be a genius without any preparations. This time he had time to think the tournament over so it left me clueless... I was planning to play the over 1.5 centuries line but only to play a not 100% Ronnie oriented bet...

 

[Fader]

Strange couple of matches yesterday. Despite my centuries bet not coming in, it's worked out quite well with Robbo AND Selby going out. That top half is wide open now.

Today's see's the final matches of the first round as Ronnie takes on Ding and Higgins takes on Allen. Ronnie played Ding 3 times last year and won all 3 of those matches. I really feel like he has abit of a voodoo hex on Ding because even when Ding was playing at his near best, Ronnie beat him on a decider. Whilst Ronnie is not really one to be backed in smaller events, I think one like this and after Selby and Robertson have done out. No Trump. This is his for the losing really.

6pts Ronnie O'Sullivan (-1.5 frames) to beat D.Junhui 4/6
2pts Ronnie to pot the first ball, most centuries and win 4/1 paddypower
0.5pts Ronnie to have a 50+ break in first 3 frames 16/1 paddypower
0.5pts Ronnie to win 6-2 skybet 11/2 skybet

[Fader]

Same old Ding losing his bottle once he gets ahead. I was tempted to go with "both to hit 2 centuries" and obviously wish I did now.  Needed Ronnie to get a century in the last frame to hit the 4/1.

Tonight's match should also be a cracker. Allen takes on John Higgins. I have them both as outright picks so I'm not interested in backing the winner (albeit Allen is value) but I will take Allen to hit 2+ centuries. I think Allen is absolutely brilliant amongst the balls, much like Ding and we should see more centuries tonight

2pts M.Allen 2+ centuries 3/1 paddypower

[Fader]

Allen got a century early to make the match 1-1 and should have had his 2nd when he was on 94-95 and couldn't be bothered to get the extension out. A good game though and perhaps better than Higgins wins because Allen still has a few issues with his new cue. His long potting looked dodgy at times.

Quarter finals start today. Gilbert takes on Kyren Wilson and tonight Murphy takes on Bingham. In the first match, around 1pm, I'll take Wilson on the handicap. Despite taking Gilbert to beat Perry, I was thinking more of a lay for Perry. I think when Gilbert is pushed today that he is going to come up abit short. 

6pts K.Wilson (-1.5 frames) to beat D.Gilbert 4/6 paddypower
1pt K.Wilson to pot first ball, most centuries and win match 5/1 paddypower

[mcsilks]

35 minutes ago, Fader said:

1pt K.Wilson to pot first ball, most centuries and win match 5/1 paddypower

 

50/50 bet but a great price.

What's your fancy for tonight's game? I feel that Bingham has the game suited to beat Smurf, as he is a low percentage player and Smurf always gives his opponent chances. Murphy is actually a very narrow favourite. Maybe too close to call, so a safer bet might be the way to go.

Total frames: Smurf and Bingham Over 9.5 @ 10/11 paddypower

 

 

[Shauno123]

Not sure how Wilson lost that match. That's snooker for you. 

Who do we all fancy in the Bingham match? Think Bingham is value but Murphy was potting off the lampshades in the last match. 

[Fader]

mcsilks - yeah, I must admit that I hate the bet but the second portion and third portion (in my eyes) was such a certain that I was getting 5/1 on a 2/1 shot or so. I was wrong though because Kyren lost but my god the top half is open now. Murphy/Bingham/Gilbert to make the final. 

Tonight's match could be a real close one. Infact, I would be surprised if it's not. Bingham, on paper, looks to be in the better form. He started like a train against Un-Nooh but it's always hard to know how good that form is because Un-Nooh just goes for everything and so people tend to get big breaks against him quite alot. 

He did let him back into the match and if Un-Nooh played abit more defensively, it could easily have been 5-5 and a deciding frame but that's all in the past now. I also like over 9.5 frames. I'm hoping the form improves for Murphy as he was breaking down alot and doing some stupid stuff every now and again.

I'll try again with the "either play to win 3 frames in a row? No!" again with this match. I'll also take Bingham to get the highest break. He is hitting bigger scores right now.

2.75pts S.Bingham (highest break) 10/11 bet365
2.75pts Over 9.5 frames 10/11 bet365
2.5pts Any player to win 3 frames in a row? No! 12/5 bet365  
 

 

[Fader]

Whoever wins will be a favourite to make the final that's for sure. 

anybody who likes the look of over 9.5 frames and Bingham highest break. It's 3/1 for both to happen 

 

[Fader]

1pt S.Bingham 2 more centuries 4/1 paddypower

[Fader]

I thought Murphy was pretty awful lastnight. No safety game atall. Maguire takes on Bingtao in today's afternoon match. I like Maguire here. He has a good record against Bingtao, having beaten him in all 3 of their head-to-heads and I think Robertson really threw that match away. This tournament is a real strange one. You wouldn't say that anybody has played particularly brilliantly and certainly not consistently. 

5pts S.Maguire to beat Y.Bingtao 4/5 bet365
2pts S.Maguire to have highest break, most 50+ breaks and win 4/1 paddypower

[Robaldo]

20 minutes ago, Fader said:

I thought Murphy was pretty awful lastnight. No safety game atall. Maguire takes on Bingtao in today's afternoon match. I like Maguire here. He has a good record against Bingtao, having beaten him in all 3 of their head-to-heads and I think Robertson really threw that match away. This tournament is a real strange one. You wouldn't say that anybody has played particularly brilliantly and certainly not consistently. 

5pts S.Maguire to beat Y.Bingtao 4/5 bet365
2pts S.Maguire to have highest break, most 50+ breaks and win 4/1 paddypower

I thought they both should have lost but Selby was seemingly sick and Robertson made a fool of himself letting the match slip away. Anyhow, I like Maguire too since he will try to force Bingtao into the safety play and unless Bingtao comes up with stunning longpots every time, I see Maguire having the most of the chances here. I myself will try Maguire -1.5 frames at around 2.25 odd at betFIRST.

 

[Heisenberg68]

Maguire really got his chance in the last frame , but he did not succeed .

Bingtao seized his chance ?

[Fader]

sure did. I left the Higgins Vs Ronnie match alone as I already have an outright tip on Higgins and I didn't want to jinx him. After a good start to this tournament, I can't pick a winner. Bingtao VS Bingham in the afternoon match and it's a hard one to call because Bingham has beat players who have been pretty poor. Nobody has really tested him and Bingtao, it's the opposite. He has come back to beat Robertson, albeit an out form Robertson and then beat Maguire in a deciding frame. In both matches he has came back from being down. I think he has a chance today

5pts Y.Bingtao to beat S.Bingham 6/5 bet365

[ElPrincipito007]

Higgins wins Masters @2,05 (Unibet)

I don't think I have to add much. If he plays like he did against Ronnie, I don't think any player left will stop him.

[Heisenberg68]

4 hours ago, ElPrincipito007 said:

Higgins wins Masters @2,05 (Unibet)

I don't think I have to add much. If he plays like he did against Ronnie, I don't think any player left will stop him.

Bingtao can do it I think. He also plays very well ?