Can’t get your snooker fix? Are you aching for the thrill of a competitive game? You’re in luck – the Snooker World Open is on right now!
Find out where to watch, and how to get involved in this exciting event.
The Snooker World Open is an annual professional snooker tournament, organised by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. It is one of snooker’s Triple Crown tournaments alongside the UK Championship and the Masters. This tournament dates back to 1975 and it has been held in different locations all over the world throughout its history. The current venue for the event is Yushan National Park in China which was first used in 2017.
In 2021, the 19th edition of the event will take place from 15-21 October at Yushan National Park, with players competing for a total prize fund of £724,000 (approx $953,000). That makes it one of the biggest events on snookers calendar and a major opportunity for players to make their mark on their sport. With such high financial incentives coupled with a great venue and atmosphere it’s no wonder that this tournament has grown in stature among its competitors over the years.
History of The Snooker World Open
Snooker’s World Open tournament has a long and exciting history. From its origins in 1977, all the way through to the present day, there have been some memorable moments and incredible champions.
The World Open, first held in 1977 at Prestatyn Holiday Centre in north Wales, is now truly global – moving across continents over the years and arriving at its current location – Llandudno in north-west Wales. The event’s largest attendance was during Sunday’s final of the 2007 championship, when 8881 snooker fans packed into the venue to watch John Higgins battle Ronnie O’Sullivan for the title.
The World open has seen some amazing matches throughout its history. There have been battles between iconic figures such as Steve Davis versus Terry Griffiths, Neil Robertson versus Mark Allen and more recently Judd Trump against Ding Junhui for back to back titles (2015 & 2016). Throughout this time there have also been many remarkable individual achievements with Stephen Hendry winning seven consecutive titles between 1993-1999 which is still an unbeaten record today.
Today the Snooker World Open continues to capture the imaginations of players competing against each other on some of snooker’s finest tables aiming to become champion at one of the most prestigious and oldest competitions in snooker’s history.
Overview of The Current Snooker World Open
The Snooker World Open is an annual professional snooker tournament typically held in July or August. It was first held in 1972 and has since become a key event of the World Snooker Tour. The tournament is attended by players from all over the world, and includes professional, semi-professional and amateur players.
The current holder of the title is England’s Judd Trump who won the 2020 World Open event at Yushan International E-sports Center in China. The 2021 World Open will be held at the Guild Hall in Preston, England from 24-30 August 2021. Ramada by Wyndham Doha City Centre is being named as the official lodging partner for this tournament for two years running.
The total prize pot for this year’s event is £550,000 (approx $706,480) which will be given to winners across eight levels – eight groups of four players competing against each other over a number of rounds until a winner emerges from each group. The main winner will receive a top prize of £150,000 (approx $192,139). Additionally excusive awards such as highest break prize money (awarded for breaking 124) are also given out during this tournament.
Where is The Snooker World Open Currently Held
The 44th edition of the prestigious and longest-running professional ranking snooker tournament, the Snooker World Open, is currently taking place in Yushan, China. This year’s championship commenced on the 18th of July and will run until the 25th of July.
Yushan County is situated in the Yiyang prefecture in the Hunan province of China and sits on the western slopes of Yangling Mountains. This picturesque location provides a perfect backdrop for one of snooker’s most renowned events.
This tournament brings together some of snooker’s best players from across the globe, representing more than 20 countries with competitors vying for a monumental prize pool up to £500,000!
The venue for this event is Yushan Complex which has three halls – Chendu Hall, Wuxi Hall and Xi’an Hall – all designed to provide elite standards for professional athletes and fans alike. The complex is equipped with an advanced electronic scoring system as well as 146 superior commentary booths and seven LED screens providing real-time game updates to excited spectators!
Make sure you don’t miss out on this amazing event by following all the action live from Yushan’s very own Snooker World Open!
Rules And Regulations of The Snooker World Open
The Snooker World Open is an international professional snooker tournament which was first held in 1985. It is one of snooker’s Triple Crown events, alongside the UK Championship and the Masters, with a total prize fund of £1 million. The tournament takes place at various venues around the world each year and the current venue for 2021 edition is The Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes, England.
The format for the world open consists of a series of round robin matches involving 128 players in eight groups. Each player plays each other once and then the top two from each group progress to the single elimination knockout from last 32 onwards with best-of-nine frames semi final and best-of-seventeen frame final match.
In addition to this format, a number of additional rules apply to ensure fair play:
- Table size: all matches are to be played on 10-foot tables.
- Re-spotting: any foul shots that take place should be re-spotted immediately at the referee’s discretion.
- Player Conduct: All players must adhere to standard professional conduct throughout their matches as per WPBSA guidelines; any players who breach this rule will be disqualified and have their entry fee forfeit.
- On double yellow or free ball: when a free ball or double yellow has been awarded, it must be taken immediately or else it will be forfeited by default penalty points gained by opponent as applicable per standard WPBSA guidelines.
Participants of The Snooker World Open
The Snooker World Open is an international snooker tournament that has been held annually since 2020. It is organized by Matchroom Sport and sponsored by 888poker. Each year, the event attracts some of the best professional players from around the globe to compete for €100,000 in prize money. This year’s tournament will be held at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes, England from 10-16 August 2020. The participation in this tournament consists of 128 professional players representing 38 different countries including Great Britain, Ireland, China, Thailand and more. The event also includes a special invitation for one wild card player from each nation if applicable.
In addition to the main tournament draw, special events such as junior tournaments and celebrity appearances are added to help promote and celebrate the sport of snooker worldwide. Spectators can expect a great show with live music and entertainment followed by an after party in which players can socialize and drink complimentary beverages made available at concession stands located within the arena itself.
Prize Money And Awards of The Snooker World Open
The Snooker World Open is an international professional ranking snooker tournament, which has been held since 1982. The event is organized by World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) and usually takes place in April or May every year. The total prize money of the Snooker World Open is £1 million divided among five sessions, with the champion taking home a winner’s cheque of £250,000. There are also six runner-up prizes, ranging from £125,000 to £20,000. In addition to that, eight players receive awards for reaching various stages in the tournament.
For reaching the second round, players collect each £2,500; for reaching the third round each player collects a further £4,500; for reaching the quarterfinals every player earns an additional £10,000; for making it to the semifinals each competitor receives a further £25,000 and lastly making it to the final is worth an additional award of £30, 000 for both finalists.
The 2020 Snooker World Open is currently being held in Yushan, China. The event began on August 27th and will run until September 6th, with prize money totaling one million US dollars.
The Snooker World Open marks the first world ranking snooker event in China and features some of the world’s best players competing for the prestigious trophy. With several of the top ranked players taking part, as well as up and coming stars like Zhou Yuelong and Yan Bingtao, this promises to be a fascinating tournament and a great demonstration of snooker skills from around the globe.