Party Poker World Grand Prix - And the winner is...
Who has what it takes to win the Dublin double-in World Grand Prix?
In our preview of the Grand Prix the other day we asked the big question, who will be clutching the trophy a week on Sunday? We also suggested that we felt that the double in/double out aspect of this event heaped extra pressure on the competitors although this may make it easier to narrow the field of potential winners. So if we were to draw up a profile of the man most likely to win, what is the one key factor that needs to be taken into account?The most significant asset a player can possess for this event is of course to be consistent on the doubles. Some players struggle to hit the one at the end with regularity let alone having to hit two. So despite his power scoring ability the likes of Gary Anderson (who at 40/1 the bookies feel the same as me) and Barney can be set aside for the time being.
It is then no surprise that probably the most clinical finisher in the game Phil Taylor, who is 2/1 favourite, has won this event ten times. MVG won it last year and is priced at 4/1 for a repeat, James Wade won in 2011. The MVG bandwagon has slowed down which was inevitable really (with the benefit of hindsight) after his fantastic run of form. MVG is a reliable double hitter but his "slingy" style of throw, on occasion, lacks the precision of Taylor's finishing darts.
Wade is renowned for his double top and in particular his double ten accuracy as well as his "mental toughness" and his ability to win even when the odds seemed stacked against him. These traits are also in found in Taylor and Mighty Mike of course. The Machine is still too much of a "loose cannon" though for us to claim he has a good chance of winning, he is in Taylor's part of the draw and is priced up at 16/1 by Victor's office.
Jackpot is of course a contender. His no nonsense technique and seeming lack of any nerves as well as the reverse in his fortunes recently is possibly the biggest threat to MGV in his half of the draw. Lewis is available at 10/1 at Boyles, 8/1 elsewhere.
Outsiders
There are a number of contenders to be included in this section and of course in this day of betting exchanges you can still profit if your player just has a good run taking a few scalps on the way. First up is Steve Beaton. He won the last European Event which capped a recent resurgence in his game. When you watch Beaton it is a surprise that he hasn't been more successful. He has a superb technique, very simple, where not too much can go wrong.The Bronzed Adonis is available at a mouth watering 150/1 at Sporting Bet! He takes on James Wade in the first round so a very tough opener but, as we touched on earlier, a lot will depend on the James Wade that turns up in Dublin.
Chizzy has hit some form but seems better suited to one day or weekend tournaments than having to come back day after day to compete. The Thorn was touted as the best double top hitter in the World not long ago. It was one of those hyperbole infused commentator's observations that are never backed up with any evidence mind. He is good at double top though and if he can regain the form he showed in the Premier League then he can have a run. The Thorn faces Paul Nicholson first up.
Home Advantage
Brendan Dolan has been written off by the bookies again. We jumped on the Dolan Dublin express train last year at 125/1 and he made it all the way to the semi finals. So we mustn't under estimate the difference the Irish crowd can make to the outcome of a darts match. Last year Brendan beat Anderson in the first round and he beat Wayne Jones the year before that. He does have a toughie mind, Adrian Lewis, but Dolan knows he can win this match.The other home qualifier is Connie Finnan. Regular "Throw Like A Pro" blogger Aidan will be at the Grand Prix on Monday and Tuesday filled me in with some detail about Connie. He told me: "Connie is the only player at this point to be guaranteed two games on stage next week. He takes on Jenkins in round one of WGP, but also plays the final of the Irish Matchplay which precedes the WGP final on the Sunday. Technically, he could be in two finals on one night. Dolan had that magical run a couple of years ago so it could happen". "But, whilst I genuinely think Connie has a chance against Jenkins, I can't see him making a run to the final. He is one of Ireland's top players. He is a member of the 9 dart club which he hit against Newton in a Pro Tour event last year". You can follow Aidan and his updates from Dublin on Twitter here! The History Maker is 100/1 across the board and Connie is a 1000/1 outsider.
Taylor of course is the man to beat, 2/1 is skinny though but we can understand the bookies' reluctance to be more generous. In the other half of the draw Lewis at 10/1 makes a decent each way investment (providing he can get past Dolan of course) and appeals more than MVG at 4/1. For our "fun run" The Bronzed Adonis at 150/1 fits the bill nicely for the pound coin I found down the back of the sofa!