Pukka Pies UK Championship Snooker

Pukka Pies UK Championship
Telford
December 5 – 13

Shaun Murphy, Mark Williams, Stephen Maguire and Mark King have all safely made their way through the second round of the UK Snooker Championships in Telford. The tournament, otherwise less-glamorously known at the Pukka Pies UK Championship, brings together the best in the world to try and claim this coveted title. The tournament is regarded as snooker’s second most important ranking event, as it rewards players with extra ranking points to that of other tournaments. The UK Championships is a long tournament, with all matches being the best of 17 frames. When it comes to the final on December 13th, it will be contested over the best of 19 frames.

Shaun Murphy began the defence of his title after beating Gerard Greene 9-5 in his opening match. One of the most interesting games of the first round however, is the meeting between the veteran Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry. The two have come together many times over the years, with Hendy largely having the upper hand. Davis is there at the televised event, courtesy of coming through final qualifying round, and now the popular 52-year old will relish the chance to pit his wits against another of snooker’s great legends. The legend that is Steve Davis will no doubt draw a lot of UK Championship betting behind his appearance, and it will be good for the game to see him back on TV in a major tournament.

Steve Davis won the UK Championship four times in a row in the eighties between 1984 and 1987, with a total of 6 victories in the decade. His last win in 1987 being the final time that he achieved glory at the prestigious event. But now the Romford Slim, as he was famously dubbed by vociferous Geordie commentator Sid Waddell, is back and looking in good shape. The Steve Davis vs. Stephen Hendy match takes place on Sunday with sessions at 1pm and 7pm. Hendy won the UK Championships five times himself, twice against Davis, and the last time he claimed the title was in 1996.

Ronnie O’Sullivan, always in the snooker headlines for one reason or another, will start his campaign against Welshman Matthew Stevens. Stevens won the UK Championship in 2003, and had to come through qualifying to set up his first round clash with four times winner O’Sullivan. Rocket Ronnie O’Sullivan is still ranked as the World’s Number One, and the main threat to him in this tournament should be the defending champion Shaun Murphy. The draw however, looks to have favoured O’Sullivan in his quest to win back the title of the UK Championships, after he lost the title to Murphy last year. O’Sullivan’s opponent Stevens also had to come through qualifying to get to the televised stage of the tournament, and he did so with a 9-1 thrashing of Adrian Gunnell 9-1.

Current World Snooker Rankings
1. Ronnie O’Sullivan
2. Stephen Maguire
3. Shaun Murphy
4. John Higgins
5. Allister Carter
6. Ryan Day
7. Mark Selby
8. Marco Fu
9. Neil Robertson
10. Stephen Hendry
11. Mark Allen
12. Joe Perry
13. Ding Junhui
14. Peter Ebdon
15. Mark Williams
16. Mark King

Steve Davis v Stephen Hendry
Even though Steve Davis has seemed to have gained more popularity since he become a TV pundit on the game and the pool circuit, it is great to see him back at the table in the UK Championships. His personality during his reign was of a boring machine, but his witty demeanour in his commentating and pundit roles has made people see him in new light. It would be nice to see him progress and make his mark in the tournament again, but Hendy is still in the World Top 10 for a reason. His is still a phenomenal and dangerous player, even though his is not the force he once was.
Davis to win: 9/4 at SkyBet
Hendry to win: 2/5 at Boylesports

Ronnie O’Sullivan vs. Matthew Stevens
The ambidextrous mercurial snooker talent that is Ronnie O’Sullivan can be a frustration and a joy to watch. When he is on top of his game he is untouchable, when he is not, he can still destroy opponents, even if his head may not be entirely in the game. Matthew Stevens has dropped a long way from his glory days, and while this could prove to be a great first round clash, O’Sullivan, as long as he is fresh, should still have enough form and quality to progress.
O’Sullivan to win: 1/3 at SkyBet
Stevens to win: 3/1 at Stan James

UK Championship Betting: Outright Winner Odds
Ronnie O’Sullivan – 4/1 at Bet365
Shaun Murphy – 6/1 at SkyBet
John Higgins – 7/1 at Totesport
Stephen Maguire – 9/1 at Totesport
Ding Junhui – 12/1 at 888Sport
Mark Selby – 14/1 at Ladbrokes

UK Championship first-round draw: (results in brackets)
Shaun Murphy (9) v Gerard Greene (5)
Ding Junhui v Mike Dunn
Mark Allen v Stephen Lee
Ali Carter v Rory McLeod
Marco Fu v Peter Lines
Mark Williams (9) v Graeme Dott (2)
Joe Perry v Stuart Bingham
Stephen Maguire (9) v Michael Holt (6)
Ronnie O’Sullivan v Matthew Stevens
Peter Ebdon v Judd Trump
Stephen Hendry v Steve Davis
Mark Selby v Jamie Cope
Ryan Day v Liang Wenbo
Mark King (9) v Anthony Hamilton (2)
Neil Robertson v Tom Ford
John Higgins v Ricky Walden