Gibraltar Open snooker betting tips: Trump to rock

Recommended bet: Gibraltar Open

2pts Judd Trump to win the Gibraltar Open at 13/2 - can consider himself unfortunate not to win last month's Welsh Open and capable of going one better here

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Most of snooker's top stars are in the unusual setting of Gibraltar this week for the latest of the season's ranking tournaments.

The British Overseas Territory has hosted a major event in the past, back in 2015, when it was part of the Players Tour Championship. That tournament was won by Marco Fu who beat Welshman Michael White in the final.

But now the Gibraltar Open has been given full ranking status and there is added significance with players battling it out to be in the top 16  in the world rankings come the start of April. Those in the elite 16 then will be guaranteed a spot at the World Championships in Sheffield.

It is another big field with 128 players involved and certainly the countdown to the Crucible is very much on with only three more events before it gets under way.

Plenty of the more established stars appear to be struggling for form at the moment, including world number one Mark Selby, Ronnie O'Sullivan and Neil Roberston.

But one player who has been one of the most consistent on the circuit this season is Judd Trump and I like his chances this week.

The crowd-pleasing Bristol left-hander goes into the tournament in good form, having just been pipped in the final of the Welsh Open by my 33/1 pick Stuart Bingham at the end of last month in Cardiff.

It is understandably difficult to pick out the positives from a narrow loss in a major final, but apart from a wretched start where he trailed 4-0, Trump dominated long spells of the Bingham match only to fall short down the back straight as he was edged out 9-8.

In some ways it has been the story of his season.

“I think the whole season I’ve been pretty consistent," he told the official World Snooker website. "In tournament wins I haven’t been the best, but in terms of overall standard I’ve  played the most consistently of anyone.

"It has taken superb performances  to beat me this year. You have to take something from that and if you keep playing that well eventually you will win a lot of tournaments. 

“I can play badly and win events and then play better than most people and lose in the first round. I think it shows that players tend to raise their game against me. I’m bringing the best out of everyone.  

"In most tournaments my matches are the best, the closest and the highest standard. That is certainly a positive. I know if I can find that extra five per cent on my game I have a great chance to win a lot more events.”

Most players would settle for what the 27-year-old has achieved this season.

He won the European Masters by beating O'Sullivan 9-8 in a tense final in Bucharest after trailing 8-6 and also reached the final of the English Open in Manchester, where he was beaten by Liang Wenbo.

Trump reached the semi-finals of the International Championship and Scottish Open, plus the last eight of the Riga Masters and Champion of Champions.

For several years he has been expected to really push on and become one of the game's powerhouses, yet he will be the first to admit that six ranking titles is below the target he will have set for himself.

But time is very much on hs side and at present he looks the only one capable of challenging Selby and his long run as world number one.

Trump definitely has the game.

His long potting is simply outrageous, he is a prolific break builder and I feel he is now less reliant on having to take on so many risky pots.

This is because his safety play has matured beyond all recognition. In the past he simply tried to pot his way out of trouble and while it worked for much of the time, eventually your luck will run out against a Selby or an O'Sullivan.

But now he is prepared to participate in a safety battle in order to draw a mistake from his opponent.

Yet he has been in 13 major finals and won just six - less than a 50 per cent strike rate - so there must be a flaw in his mindset which surfaces in these big games.

For years Trump has carried the expectation of being the 'next big thing' on young shoulders and I'm sure that has played a part.

But I think he will overcome this as he gets older and wiser and it is fair to say that when Trump fires on all cylinders few in the game can live with him.

A long run in Gibraltar will be the perfect way to get over his disappointment at the Welsh Open and with all matches being best-of-seven frames, I think this tournament will suit Trump's attacking syle.

If you take recent and current form into account then you would have to say Trump is the man to beat and at a stand-out 13/2 with Stan James he is my fancy to be the rock in Gibraltar.

Where to watch on TV: Eurosport 2

Posted at 1600 GMT on 01/03/17.