Snooker: World Championships 2009

[WoodyTHFC]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 Two for me today: Ebdon -2.5 frames 5/6 lad 10 pts Im slightly weary that a seeded player is surely going to go out soon and a month ago Ebdon could have been a prime candidate even bearing in mind Bond's shocking season. However after a poor season for Ebdon that had his top 16 place in real threat in jeopary for a long time, he bounced back to form to win in china. Winners of the last event prior to the worlds dont have a great record here but Ebdon should still fancy his chances of getting past Bond. I doubt there are many players with a record as bad as Bond this season, maybe Doherty. He has just won two matches all season, one of them to get here, the other in China and when he did face quality there, he got thrashed 5-0. He won his qualifying match 10-7 so maybe has found a bit more form but quite frankly that is nothing like the form Ebdon reached in the last event and Im going for Ebdon to win this one with a bit to spare. Higginson +2.5 frames 6/5 wh 10 pts This is a match Murphy should win really but it has to be said he has not been anywhere near as consistent this season as the previous season where it seemed every event he would get to the semis. Thats not been the case this season. He won the UK somehow and has got to the last two q/fs with fairish draws but in all the other events he has gone out straight away. Even in the last event when it looked like he was finding form, he got dumped out in q/f 5-0. Higginson has done nothing really in his career bar one welsh open final and hasnt been amazing this season. However saying that he has had a much better season this year when compared to last and he has won a few matches, albiet at a lowly level. He won his two matches to get here including a good 10-4 win in his last qualifying game and as I sense a shock is due in this first round somewhere, the outsider could push the fav here.

[theboybroon]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 Bit dissapointed liang didn't win that tbh and had he taken his chance to go 9-7 in front i think he would have went on and won. Maybe i was wrong about his shot selection being better though, and the cut he played to middle in the final frame was just ridicoulous, clearly the wrong shot, and ultimately cost him the match. The pressure probably reversed when he hit the front, but all in all was a great effort from the young chinese. Fair play to ding though, with serious pressure on him,from nowhere he dug deep to take the last 3 frames with some excellent breaks, but with his fragile temperament, he's certainly not a guy i will be backing this year. At least i had the overs, so not all bad.

[JimmyHarris1980]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 :nana That will do us nicely, the boy comes good and I think everyone who had a bet on that match from this thread has collected :cheers I dropped the top break tip but no bother, my Cope at 8s for furthest progressing qualifier is sitting pretty now.

[theboybroon]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 I wish jimmy, 1 frame short unfortunately for the overs. looked good all the way too until perry's game went to pot. No doubting Cope deserved to win though so well done all who backed him.

[JimmyHarris1980]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 3 pts Ryan Day to score the first century vs Stephen Lee @ evs Paddys Can't make my mind up on the outrights for this one, the one area where I do give Day a clear advantage is in the break building. The Welshman is up with the best of them when in full flow and should probably be a shade of odds on in this market. 1 pt Jamie Burnett to beat Stephen Maguire +4.5 @ 10/11 StanJ's Maguire has to go down as a good thing to win this. However as we all know the first round of the crucible often sees players taking time to get into full stride and at such a dismissive mark in the handicap Burnett is worthy of support. It wouldnt surprise me if Maguire would be happy to see this one finish quite close in light of the recent betting scandel between the two. Minimum stakes only advised as Maguire could just as easily take this 10-2, 10-3. 2 Pts John Higgins vs Michael Holt highest break above 119 @ 5/4 StanJ's The wizard should have little trouble accounting for his opponent here. I'm not denying Holt has talent but his temprement is more than a little suspect. A couple of instances of choking on this very stage spring to mind, not least when he completely bottled a second round encounter with the nugget a few years back when he had built up what seemed an unassailable lead. Higgins should pull away and as the pressure is lifted his talent can shine through, total clearances common place when he is really firing and the odds against looks tasty.

[JimmyHarris1980]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 3 pts Stephen Hendry to beat Ding Junhui @ 6/4 Sportingbet This is a repeat of last years second round meeting when Hendry's greater experience won the day against an edgy and to my eye slightly overawed Ding every chance of a repeat scenario 12 months on. Neither player in particularly good form but Hendry knows how to get the job done in these three session marathons and at an industry best price is solid value. 4 pts Ronnie O'Sullivan to beat Mark Allen -3.5 @ 8/11 Paddys The type of player to cause O'Sullivan problems during these longer matches are the tactically astute solid match players. Ebdon, Higgins and Dott have all had this measure in past Crucible encounters, Allen does not fit this profile. He is an open, attacking player and I can see the pattern of this match falling into Ronnie's hands. Allen will effectively be trying to take Ronnie on at his own game and with all due respect he isn't good enough to do it. A 13-9 victory will be good enough and I can see the rocket achieving this with room to spare.

[kevshat]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 Some cracking matches to look forward to in the 2nd round. My 1st bet is tomorrow afternoon. Never a fan of backing outrights in matches but this is too good to miss I believe. 3pts S.Hendry to beat D.Junhui 6/4 Sportingbet This could be a very high quality encounter. In their 1st round matches, Hendry hit no less than 8 half century breaks while Ding popped in 6 half centuries and a ton against his gung-ho compatriot Liang Wenbo. Hendry has been written off by so many but he's always in good nick when he comes here. Ding's had a poor season so far by his high standards and he could well remember losing to Hendry in this round last year. If it came down to potting balls Ding would probably have the advantage but Hendry has the better all round game. Last year he got on top of Ding from the off and I believe he can do that again here. He's got so much experience at this venue and he'll see the draw is open for him to go well this fortnight. Ding won't get as many chances in this match as he did against Wenbo and I fancy Hendry to edge out the youngster in a potentially thrilling last 16 clash.

[WoodyTHFC]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 Hendry 6/4 spo 10 pts I was against him in the last round but Im going for the Scot here who is too big for me against a player who is nowhere near the top of his game so far. To be fair Hendry isn’t near the top of his game either, far from it in fact but Im not quite sure as to why the difference in price here. Hendry wasn’t vintage in his first game but did enough to beat a tough player in Williams, if not a player suffering with tip problems. He got 8 half centuries in that game although no centuries and a Hendry near his pomp wouldn’t have let that happen nor the amount of times he failed to win a frame in one visit even in some of those half centuries. However I still like him here because he is playing a player who has been mediocre by the standards capable of himself for a long time really, arguably since Ronnie thrashed him in a masters final. He laboured in parts during his win over liang and to be fair he did pull it out when he had too but still he didn’t look himself for most of the game. Hendry beat Ding here last year when the younger player was totally fazed by the occasion and he could do so again.

[JackJarvis]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 Hi Guys, Great work so far. What do you think of Marco Fu at EVS tomorrow to beat an out of sorts Shaun Murphy? It looks fantastic value too me. Considering other things are going through Murphys head (wife going for a divorce) and he only just scrambled over the line to beat Higginson.

[2damnhype]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 I am having a dreadful WC this year, it seems the opposite of what i think ends up happening! So Fu v Murphy, I was looking to back Fu, but cannot really make much of a case for backing him at Evens - I really was expecting at least 6/4. This is a long Championship and as long as you do enough to get through there is time to play your way into form. I wish you the very best with the Fu selection, but i will not be backing him.

[JimmyHarris1980]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 5 Pts Ryan Day vs Nigel Bond over 1.5 centuries @ 8/11 Paddys Ryan Day knocked in a 120 in his first rounder against Stephen Lee and looked to be in excellent touch. He is well capable of dominating this match if getting into full swing and I am more than confident he can get two or more tons on the board over a best of 25. Secondly, Paddys quote of 8/11 appears on the generous side the other two firms who are currently offering this bet go 4/7 and 1/2. The value has to be taken advantage of when its there so a hefty 5 pointer is the call for me.

[kevshat]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 One for tomorrow to go along with the Hendry bet which finishes tomorrow. 4pts M.Fu to beat S.Murphy Evs VC Marco Fu played some excellent snooker in despatching of Joe Swail while Shaun Murphy, with other things on his mind, struggled to see off Andrew Higginson. Fu rattled in 3 tons and some other high breaks in a very impressive performance over the Welsh Open finalist. To be fair to Murphy he scored fairly well in his 1st match but he never once looked as impressive or as assured as Fu. Murphy's off table interferences are well documented and there's always a chance he could be put off in this match but whatever's happening away from the table, I think Fu is looking much more solid on the table, as he has done all season and I'll take him to progress to the quarter finals from this match.

[WoodyTHFC]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 Two for tomorrow including one outright: Fu to beat Murphy evens vc 10 pts. Already on Fu and I like the way he is playing and also the way the draw is shaping up, he has every chance to be in the semis at least for me, if not further. I like him here against Murphy in a repeat of the uk final which was no classic and Murphy in slightly fortunate circumstances won. Bar that tournament Murphy has been poor this season. He did get to two q/f recently with nice draws but he was beaten easily once facing higher quality there and it could be a similar story here. In all the other events its been first round exits. I dont know if its issues off the table or Murphy just making excuses (he makes enough of them!) but he hasnt really played that well consistently for a while now. Round 1 was no exception as he crawled past a player who was playing poorly on his crucible bow and looked a bag of nerves. Fu in contrast has been solid this year. He looked in top form in the first round in beating a tough player in Swail in easy fashion and 3 centuries showed Fu's form. Fu for me here. Day -4.5 frames to beat Bond 1.95 boy 10 pts I was against Bond in the first round and it backfired as he beat Ebdon pretty easily in the end. In the early part of that game I thought he played pretty decent stuff, he knocked in a few breaks but in the end he sort of crawled over the line against an opponent in Ebdon who was in his normal form of the season and not his China open form (history is increasingly showing the last event before the crucible really is a bad guide for this event.) However I feel Day is step up from Ebdon in terms of the break building capacity which really is what is favoured when it comes to handicaps like this; rattling off quick frames is important. Day can certainly do just that. He has been a bit mixed at times this season since an early final but he was an encouraging semi finalist in the last event and looks in good touch now. He showed that in round one when an easy winner over a tough if not slightly disappointing opponent in Lee. It remains so that Bond in general this season has been poor depsite a couple of wins now in this event effectively, bar this event he only won one match in china and thats been it. Day to win this for me and with a fair bit to spare.

[JackJarvis]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 Allen was magnificent this morning. Go on my son. :D I now await O'Sullivans comments saying he is fed up with the game and is going to quit... how many times have we heard it after he gets knocked out... :lol

[JimmyHarris1980]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 Allen was indeed superb and throughly deserved a great victory. He has certainly forced me to swallow the humble pie :(. I hope O'Sullivan has the grace to accept he was beaten by the better man, and I think he will tbh. He has matured a fair bit in the last few years and his tantrums and feeling sorry for himself attitude have been fewer and far between. Tourny wide open now, :hope for Cope to overcome Higgins and Carter to get it down against Robertson.

[Kevhickie80]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 Ive stayed away from the early rounds of the snooker but have now identified Ryan Day at 10/1 as my selection for the tourney.With Ronnie out of the equation, that opens up his side of the draw and he was impressive enough in cruising past Bond in his most recent match.He also reached the quarters last year, and so seems to have the composure to play at the crucible 3pts Ryan Day at 10/1 Boylesports

[JimmyHarris1980]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 Interesting selection on Day. No doubt he is in the harder half of the draw and well he looks to be playing well he hasn't had to beat much to reach the last eight. I'm anticipating a cracker against Allen providing the O'Sullivan match hasn't taken too much out of the young Irishman. Day has built a bit of a reputation as a bottler in finals and is still looking for his maiden title it would be some feat to achieve it at the crucible. On balance I think the 10/1 is probably on the short side, we shall see how it unfolds.

[kevshat]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 I do too. I'll go with one tomorrow. 3pts A.Carter to beat N.Robertson 6/4 Blue Square I think now is the time to back Ali Carter in this match. He will go into the 2nd session 5-3 down but I think overall he's the more solid of the two players here. His safety is usually pretty good and if he can play some good safety in the rest of this match I expect him to come through. Neil Robertson's a potter of the highest degree but when he's slightly off he can leave himself wide open. Carter has developed into a really good matchplayer and the Welsh Open win has boosted his confidence no end. Hopefully he's got his bad session out the way and I expect him to hit back on Sunday and take this match on Monday.

[WoodyTHFC]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 Dott +3.5 frames evens lad 10 pts I feel Dott could make Selby work here. Selby is still an understandable fav but Dott impressed me in his last game. He scored as well as he probably has for a while in that game which was a high quality encounter against Hawkins. He knocked in 7 half centuries in that game and can play with less pressure on him now knowing he will be in at least the top 32. Selby looked pretty good in the first round two and 3 centuries showed that but he still gave Walden a fair few chances in that game which Walden will be a bit disappointed he didn’t do more with. Its a match Selby should still win but Dott is a gritty customer who is in better form for a while and could push him.

[JimmyHarris1980]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 I'm 16 points down on my last three tips including the boxing so I'm licking my wounds somewhat :spank. The old saying goes if you fall off the horse the best thing to do is get straight back on so here we go. 5 pts Mark Selby to beat Graeme Dott -3.5 @ evs Stan James Selby is the genuine allround package, unlike O'Sullivan and Maguire he is just as happy to win drawn out tactical frames as he is clearing up in one visit and this can work to his advantage against Dott. Graeme is one of the toughest matchplayers around and his success in 2006 was the perfect advertisement for sheer bloody minded determination. However, he is a long way short of that level presently and with Selby capable of out performing him in every area of the game I'll take the jester to win this by at least 4 clear frames. 2 pts Mark King to beat Stephen Maguire +4.5 @ 11/10 Lads King knows that the only way he can beat Maguire is to make this a scrappy tactical affair, if maguire is allowed to flow and string big breaks together this could be over quickly. I feel King is good enough to take Maguire out of his comfort zone, the Romford man is never going to win any popularity polls and as a consequence is possilbly slightly under rated. His victory over Selby last year showed what he can do, a small bet at a reasonable price is preferable to taking Maguire at cramped prices.

[Charlie Wong]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 King Vs Maguire King is a solid match player, but isn't in the the same league as Maguire, who i expect to win covering -4.5 frames @4/5. Great opportunity for Maguire now Ronnie's gone to go on and win it. Outright Mark Selby @ 5/1 Neil Robertson @ 12/1

[sir_tubbs]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 Not really to do with this but can someone help me put these pictures in order of when taken. http://www.stanjames.com/casino/promo.asp?xml=promo_snooker_timeline_240409.xml

[RuleBritannia]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009

Not really to do with this but can someone help me put these pictures in order of when taken. http://www.stanjames.com/casino/promo.asp?xml=promo_snooker_timeline_240409.xml

	Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage
	Most likely causes: You are not connected to the Internet. The website is encountering problems. There might be a typing error in the address.
	What you can try:
	Diagnose Connection Problems
	More information

[JimmyHarris1980]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 Only one way to describe how Higgins comeback made me feel :puke. My outright interests have gone now and to be so close to having a genuine runner at 66/1 is frankly gutting. Higgins is going to be hard to stop now but at no better than 9/2 I'm not tempted to have a bet. I going to sleep on it and have another look in the morning when I'm thinking straight again.

[Charlie Wong]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 Maguire covers -5.5 no probs.:cow

[Charlie Wong]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 Mark Allen Vs Ryan Day This one could go either way, expect it to be close, been quietly impressed with Ryan Day, he's gone about his business professionally, winning both matches upto now easily. Mark Allen's showed against Ronnie his place in the top 16, is fully justified, ROS gave Allen alot of openings, his win against the rocket makes his price a bit short here, taking Day here. Ryan Day Win@ 10/11

[Corky7]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 S.Murphy vs S.Hendry Over 22 frames @ 11/10 Nailed on :dude

[kevshat]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 I thought that against Fu. Perhaps you could enlighten us as to why this is nailed on. I'm on Hendry who is a 13/10 shot at 12/1 so I'll leave that game alone but I'm going with 3 others tomorrow. 3pts M.Allen to beat R.Day 11/10 Stan James Mark Allen's win over Ronnie O'Sullivan has without a doubt shortened his price in this match but I still think he's a decent bet to beat Ryan Day. Mark Allen is one of those all or nothing players but he's probably more solid than most of those types. There will be a lot of pressure on Ryan Day's safety in this match and that's not an area of his game where he excels. Mark Allen is reminding me of Shaun Murphy when he won this event. Pots them from everywhere and scores very heavily but isn't the best safety player. Same goes with Day I suppose. Allen played stunning snooker in beating O'Sullivan though and held his nerve well - something I'm still not convinced Day is good at doing - and when this one is done I think it will be the young Northern Irishman who goes into the semis. 4pts M.Selby vs J.Higgins - Over 22.5 Frames Evs Boylesports This match looks the pick of the round on paper and both are such solid, gritty players that I can't see how this can end anything worse than 13-10 either way. Both players have just come through close matches in the last round, both are scoring well and the safety bouts in this match could be something to behold. They are both so well matched that I'd be surprised if either runs away with this. It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if this ends 13-12 but I do think it will be 13-10 at worst either way so the overs looks good to me. 3pts N.Robertson to win 1st session vs S.Maguire 9/4 Stan James Neil Robertson scored very well against Ali Carter in the last round. It must be said that in many cases he fed off Carter's mistakes or inabilities to get frames won but however the chances come the key is to score when you get them and the Aussie did that. Stephen Maguire has reached the quarter finals quite easily but this is a real step up from Jamie Burnett and Mark King. Although he beat Mark King 13-6, that was quite close for a while before Maguire pulled away. He's not firing on all cylinders still Maguire whereas Robertson is playing well. I was impressed with his safety against Carter and indeed Davis who isn't easy to beat in a tactical battle and although the 4-4 is a live danger, I'll side with Robertson to lead into Wednesday at a decent price.

[WoodyTHFC]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 Currently Im +6.5 with Fu a costly loss in the last round. Still got Maguire on the outright and now his tournament properly starts. One for this round: Day to beat Allen 10/11 bluesq 10 pts Mark Allen impressed everyone with a career best win to beat Ronnie in the last round. However this is a fresh game and whilst Allen has been impressive in this event, Day has been just as impressive, if not more. He has demolished his two opponents so far and made them look ordinary. He is a player who has been so close to winning a major for a while and it could just come this week. He encouragingly hit form in the last event and has maintained that through this event. Last year he completely froze at this stage but I think he can go at least one better this year and knock out ronnie's conqueror

[JimmyHarris1980]

Re: Snooker: World Championships 2009 :wall My 5 pointer on Selby loses by 1 frame. It was effectively lost on the re-spotted black, at 12-7 down the stuffing would surely have been knocked out of Dott and he would never have reached 10 frames. 2 pts Neil Roberson to beat Stephen Maguire @ 13/8 Sportingbet I agree with Kev's summary of this match and was very impressed with Robertson's temprement against Carter. To clinch so many frames when 60+ points behind is no mean feat in anybodys book and although the Aussie has flattered to deceive at times over the past few seasons he really looks zoned in this week. Two fabulously talented natural snooker players can serve up an absolute belter and I'll plump for Robertson at a slightly higher price than his current form merits.