Snooker’s International Championship is only in its fifth year but is already the third most valuable tournament ranking event in the calendar with prize money of around £625,000.
However, one big name will be missing this year. Former world champion Stuart Bingham has been suspended by the World Professional Snooker and Billiards Association after being found guilty of placing bets on matches. The 41-year-old from Essex, still ranked ninth in the world, has been banned for six months, though three of those are suspended. However, he won’t be able to play again until January, meaning he misses the International Championship, the UK Championships and the Masters.
Daqing, in the Heilongjiang province of China, now hosts the International Championship with the tournament having moved from Chengdu in 2015.
Despite a sprained ankle and an unwarranted invasion of the arena by a fan in the early rounds, RONNIE O’SULLIVAN romped to the English Open title in Barnsley last week and is vying for favouritism with defending champion MARK SELBY with bookmakers to win the International Open, which starts this Sunday. However, The Rocket has never enjoyed the best of luck in the tournament, having failed to progress beyond the quarter-finals so far, and there is better value elsewhere next week.
DING JUNHUI is a superstar in his own country and won the International Open in 2013. He beat Ricky Walden, John Higgins and inaugural winner Judd Trump en route to last year’s final but came up against an inspired Mark Selby on the last day and lost 10-1 with the final being contested over 19 frames. The semi-finals are best of 17 but earlier rounds are decided by the first player to six frames. Ding is available at 9/1 with Bwin to win this year’s International Championship but JUDD TRUMP also has a solid tournament record and vies for favouritism with O’Sullivan, though can be backed at 6/1 in a place.
Of those available at bigger odds, SHAUN MURPHY and STEPHEN MAGUIRE make some appeal at 22/1 and 50/1 respectively in the Outright Winner betting with Bwin. Murphy’s record in the tournament has shown in in upward curve since it was moved to Daqing and he took Trump all the way in the quarter-finals last year.
International Open Winner Best Odds
Ronnie O’Sullivan 5/1, Mark Selby 11/2, Judd Trump 6/1, Ding Junhui 9/1, John Higgins 12/1, Neil Robertson 16/1, Shaun Murphy 22/1, Mark Allen 28/1, Barry Hawkins, Kyren Wilson and Mark Williams 33/1, Stephen Maguire 50/1, Ryan Day and Luca Brecel 66/1, Ali Carter, Anthony McGill and Liang Wenbo 70/1, Joe Perry 100/1, 125/1 Bar
