Snooker expert Richard Mann assesses the first round action in the China Open and has picked out a couple of value selections.
Recommended bets: China Open, round one
2pts win Mark Joyce to beat Graeme Dott at 6/5
2pts win Mike Dunn to beat David Gilbert at 13/8
For details of advised bookmakers and each-way terms, visit our transparent tipping record
The China Open continues apace and there are a couple of interesting betting opportunities in the last of the first round matches on Tuesday.
Mark Joyce appeals as a fair bet to beat an out-of-sorts Graeme Dott.
The Walsall potter has recorded some encouraging results of late and lowered the colours of Kyren Wilson at the Welsh Open.
Joyce pushed Ryan Day all the way when losing 6-5 in the quarter-finals of the UK Championship earlier in the campaign, giving another indication that he can mix it with the very best, and he enjoyed a good win over Peter Lines to seal his place in the first round here.
Dott, on the other hand, has gone off the boil since his runner-up finish in the Snooker Shootout.
The former World Champion really looked to be struggling with his game in his 4-2 loss to Joe Perry in the World Grand Prix and has since been routed twice by Ronnie O’Sullivan.
He isn’t the first to suffer that fate at the hands of O’Sullivan this season but will know he needs to find some form with the World Championship fast on the horizon.
Joyce looks the value and a similar case can be made for the Mike Dunn in his clash with David Gilbert.
The evergreen Dunn certainly knows his way around a snooker table and has been in good nick in recent months.
Dunn made the quarter-finals of the Northern Ireland Open in November and took the scalp of Luca Brecel on the way to reaching the last 16 of the Welsh Open.
Dunn didn’t play too badly when losing in the deciding frame against Matthew Stevens in the Gibraltar Open more recently and beat Mitchell Mann 6-4 to earn a place in round one here.
Barring quarter-final finishes at the World Open and European Masters, Gilbert has endured a miserable season with a host of early exits a sad reflection of his capabilities.
Despite his obvious potential, Gilbert has yet to fulfil that promise and struggled to find his best when making little impact at the World Grand and Welsh Open in his last couple of appearances.
At 13/8, the experienced Dunn looks worth chancing to cause an upset.
Posted at 1215BST on 02/04/18.
