Championship League Snooker

[kevshat]

This is a new tournament which Barry Hearn’s Matchroom lot have come up with as a qualification event for the Premier League next season. It’s quite a complicated format which isn’t actually completed yet but the basics of it is that 25 players who are not yet in the Premier League will compete. There will be 7 groups of 7 players beginning with Group 1 which begins tomorrow. Everybody will play everyone once in a round robin format over a best of 4 frame match. The top 4 in the group then go into semi final and final playoffs which would be best of 7 frames. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

From Group 1, the 6^th and 7^th placed finishers in the league are ditched while the losing finalist along with the losing semi finalists and the 5^th placed player go into the next group and are joined by 3 new players to play out Group 2. That process continues for 7 groups. The winners of the 7 group finals so into a winners group on the same format. The winner of the final of that group will go into next season’s Premier League.

Each group is played over 2 days with 12 league matches on day 1 and the remaining 9 matches on day 2 along with the playoffs. Play will be between 2-10pm on all days. In the league matches it’s 2pts for a win and 1 for a draw. There’s decent enough prize money up for grabs so there should be extra incentive to do well.

It’s easily the most long winded and strangest snooker format I’ve seen. The tournament will be broadcast live on the internet. I know bet365 and William Hill are showing it on their site. There may not be much in the way of betting opportunities through the competition given each match is best of 4 frames but you never know. There isn’t a great deal of “other sports†on this week so I’ll take an interest. Bet365, Skybet, Paddy Power and William Hill are offering odds on this. I’ll keep stakes smaller than usual on bets I do have.

I’ll have a few bets in this group though because a couple of players look like they’ve been overlooked especially by bet365.

1pt J.Perry to win Group 1 10/1 Bet365

Group 1 consists of Ken Doherty, Ryan Day, Ali Carter, Mark Williams, Joe Perry, Barry Hawkins and Matthew Stevens. There’s no doubt that in a 7 runner field of which 4 qualify for the playoffs that Joe Perry’s price is too big here. Realistically in this company he’s no worse than an even money to make it to the playoffs. Matthew Stevens and Barry Hawkins are in no form at all and it’s hard to see them qualifying even over short sprint matches. Mark Williams is starting to pick up again and Ali Carter’s found a bit of form too. Ryan Day is always a mixed bag while Ken Doherty is a worthy favourite. Perry is good enough to get into the top 4 in this league though and once he’s there he knows he can beat anyone in this field and at 10/1 he has to be worth a small investment.

Onto the matches. Not too many for me but there are a few I’ll go with. All bets are DNB though because obviously over 4 frames the draw is a huge runner.

5pts J.Perry to beat B.Hawkins (DNB) 4/6 Bet365

I’ve already said in the outright bit that Hawkins isn’t in good form. That’s not the same as Joe Perry who let’s not forget has just come off the back of a quarter final at the Welsh Open 9 days ago so his form is good. Barry Hawkins won’t have had many matches recently and given that his game isn’t naturally attacking which I think this format will suit then I think he could struggle. Perry can make the big breaks and he can play the match play matches and if there is a winner of this match he looks the most likely.

5pts A.Carter to beat M.Stevens (DNB) 4/5 Paddy Power

Ali Carter has shown glimpses of good form in recent tournaments. Matthew Stevens hasn’t really. His 1^st round exit at the Welsh Open will have hurt him too having been 4-2 up on Tian Pengfei only to lose 5-4. Ali Carter made the quarter finals there and really should have taken out Ronnie O’Sullivan in the quarter finals. Carter’s shown that his game is there though and given Stevens’ lack of recent wins Carter is the call here DNB.

5pts J.Perry to beat M.Stevens (DNB) Evs Bet365

As I’ve said in the above writeup’s Perry is in good form and Stevens isn’t. Stevens’ game has seemingly disappeared beyond all trace in the last 18 months or so while Perry is fighting hard to get back into the top 16 with some good performances. Currently he’s the better player and I genuinely think he’ll win this but safety is telling me to take the draw out of play.

5pts A.Carter to beat R.Day (DNB) 11/8 Bet365

Ali Carter is a massive price here. 11/8 to beat a guy who can play really well but his tournament results generally don’t go beyond the last 16 mark in normal ranking events. Day can score heavily but his safety often leaves a lot to be desired. Carter’s all round game is very good and for me he’s the better player of the two and I’d have Carter favourite for this match with the draw not in play so with that in mind I really have to back the Essex man here.

[Ronnie]

Re: Championship League Snooker Great write up's Kev :clap Not too up on my snooker anymore but have had a little play on Perry after reading this :ok