Cao Yupeng to beat Joe Perry 5/4 (2.25)
I have a feeling that when the main firm price up this match, Cao Yupeng will go off favourite. The bookmakers make Yupeng 100 points shorter in the outright market so go figure?
Either way, any odds against Cao Yupeng beating Joe Perry has to be snapped up for several reasons. To bullet point them, Yupeng is enjoying a far better season on his return to the tour and has accumulated twice as much prize money/ranking points. Yupeng’s break building has been far superior to his better-known opponent so any odds against about high break scorer may also be worth a modest bet.
Jamie Jones to beat Kyren Wilson 4/1 (5.00)
Over 7.5 frames Kyren Wilson v Jamie Jones 6/4 (2.50)
Having watched yesterday’s high-quality win over Zhou Yuelong in Welsh Open qualifying, I believe Jamie Jones will be in good spirits for a rematch of last season’s Scottish Open quarter-final. On that occasion, Jones run out an easy winner, though it’s fair to mention Kyren Wilson had suffered a serious car crash travelling to the match. Funnily enough, this week’s venue of MK arena in Milton Keynes is the same one, and Jamie Jones will be pleased to be returning to a favourite venue after a below-par season. Equally, it’s prudent to point out Jamie Jones could be suffering from Second Season Syndrome after last year’s superb return to the WST tour after suspension. Yes, we know he’s no rookie but he’s still likely to be susceptible to his expectations being elevated out of all normal proportions after an outstanding return to professional snooker. With a price as big as 4/1 (5.00) on Jamie Jones, I like to twin a bet on the total frames which is often more than the handicap price.
Nigel Bond to win frame 1 vs. Ronnie O’Sullivan @ 5/2 (3.50)
Nigel Bond +48.5 frame 1 Handicap @ 5/6 (1.83)
An interesting spot for a bet has popped up on my radar for Tuesday’s qualifying round between Ronnie O’Sullivan and Nigel Bond.
Ronnie O’Sullivan is a habitual slow starter these past couple of seasons and rather amazingly lost 66% (18 from 26) of frame 1s pre-Xmas of the 2020/2021 season. This trend looks to have continued somewhat in recent months as he prefers to leave his entry late into many venues. In Coventry, pre-Xmas when winning the Grand Prix, he famously nearly got penalised in an early round when enjoying afternoon Scones and Tea at the local cafe.
Alternatively, Nigel Bond still plays a mean game despite the advancing years and last week’s Welsh Open saw him quickly out of the blocks with a 50 break in frame 1 vs. Si Jiahui. Importantly, those years of experience will help the Matlock man if Ronnie O’Sullivan is a little lacklustre in frame 1. Split stakes between Frame 1 win at 15/8 (2.88) and the frame 1, handicap of +48.5 because although Ronnie leads their head-to-head 6-0, more importantly, this handicap bet would have been profitable on four of those occasions.
