It's nearly time for what I personally consider to be the bee's knees tournament. Loaded with the top 16 players in the world (ranked at the end of the UK Championship), it's big match time from day one. The Pally welcomes Lian Wenbo after his marvelous run to the UK final, where he faced Robertson, who was in monster form throughout the tournament and is the red hot player of the season so far. Amazingly, The Masters will feature another first; Ronnie's inaugural tournament of 2015/16. When Ronnie last took so much time out, a whole season as it was, I backed him at 12/1 to win the World Championship, a nice earner and the most satisfying bet I've ever placed; me mates thought I was crazy! This Master's, the odds are not so generous on a perfect comeback, punters and the bookies are wise to Ronnie's long holidays, so the odds come in to 9/2 and he's slight favourite over Robbo. It's still amazing to have these odds on someone who has missed half the season doing exhibitions and enjoying time practicing with friends instead. Why someone with so much talent and ability to win tournaments would do such a strange thing is like asking why the sun comes up each day; it just does. As Dennie Taylor says; the beauty of Ronnie is you never know what he's going to do next, he's mesmerizing.
The Class of '92 all feature and their longevity again points to these three being true greats, perhaps the three most talented tournament players ever. For me, they embody the greatest all round player, the best match player and the best potter. And the usual suspects from the generation below are all there, though Ding's fall from grace sees him push out to 20/1, more than double his odds a couple of seasons ago. I don't see much value in Judd at 6/1, he was embarrassed at the UK by his standard but he can be black and white, rubbish at one tournament, incredible at the next, so maybe the bookies are wise? And being World Champion doesn't count much when form has dipped considerably, so Bingo slips down to 25/1. Mags is looking good value at 33/1; if he'd only fulfill some more of that fine cueing talent. Selby and Smurf can't be counted out as last year proved and they're sitting pretty as proper contenders at 8/1. I can't see Robbo being anything other than the cream on this pint of Masters gold top at 5/1 but I'm sticking a tenner each way on Wenbo anyway, he's in form and the odds are too generous to refuse.
Who's going to do well, who's going to make the semis and final, and who will triumph?
Best Odds on The Runners and Riders (Xmas day):
Ronnie 9/2
Robbo 5/1
Trump 6/1
Selby/Smurf 8/1
Higgins 14/1
Ding 20/1
Allen/Bingo 25/1
Mags 33/1
The Hawk/Fu 45/1
Tricky Ricky 50/1
Perry 55/1
MJW 66/1
Liang Wenbo 100/1
Masters Snooker 1st Round Draw
Shaun Murphy v Mark Allen
Barry Hawkins v Joe Perry
Judd Trump v Stephen Maguire
Neil Robertson v Marco Fu
Mark Selby v Ricky Walden
Ronnie O'Sullivan v Mark Williams
John Higgins v Liang Wenbo
Stuart Bingham v Ding Junhui
Incredibly, the first weekend features Ding on Sunday at 7pm, when China is in bed and Ronnie on Tuesday at 1pm, when the UK is at work. So that's the two big potential TV audiences of the first round scuppered. Great scheduling WS!
The Masters 2016 10-17 January
The Class of '92 all feature and their longevity again points to these three being true greats, perhaps the three most talented tournament players ever. For me, they embody the greatest all round player, the best match player and the best potter. And the usual suspects from the generation below are all there, though Ding's fall from grace sees him push out to 20/1, more than double his odds a couple of seasons ago. I don't see much value in Judd at 6/1, he was embarrassed at the UK by his standard but he can be black and white, rubbish at one tournament, incredible at the next, so maybe the bookies are wise? And being World Champion doesn't count much when form has dipped considerably, so Bingo slips down to 25/1. Mags is looking good value at 33/1; if he'd only fulfill some more of that fine cueing talent. Selby and Smurf can't be counted out as last year proved and they're sitting pretty as proper contenders at 8/1. I can't see Robbo being anything other than the cream on this pint of Masters gold top at 5/1 but I'm sticking a tenner each way on Wenbo anyway, he's in form and the odds are too generous to refuse.
Who's going to do well, who's going to make the semis and final, and who will triumph?
Best Odds on The Runners and Riders (Xmas day):
Ronnie 9/2
Robbo 5/1
Trump 6/1
Selby/Smurf 8/1
Higgins 14/1
Ding 20/1
Allen/Bingo 25/1
Mags 33/1
The Hawk/Fu 45/1
Tricky Ricky 50/1
Perry 55/1
MJW 66/1
Liang Wenbo 100/1
Masters Snooker 1st Round Draw
Shaun Murphy v Mark Allen
Barry Hawkins v Joe Perry
Judd Trump v Stephen Maguire
Neil Robertson v Marco Fu
Mark Selby v Ricky Walden
Ronnie O'Sullivan v Mark Williams
John Higgins v Liang Wenbo
Stuart Bingham v Ding Junhui
Incredibly, the first weekend features Ding on Sunday at 7pm, when China is in bed and Ronnie on Tuesday at 1pm, when the UK is at work. So that's the two big potential TV audiences of the first round scuppered. Great scheduling WS!
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