Qualifiers Wanted For World Open

World Snooker and Rileys have released details of how to enter the pre-qualifying competitions for the new World Open.

This fantastic and innovative tournament is giving amateur players the chance to rub shoulders with the likes of Ronnie O'Sullivan, Stephen Hendry and Neil Robertson if they can go all the way to the televised stages. It's snooker's version of the FA Cup, with the possibility of a rags-to-riches story if one of the club players can reach the business end.

Competitions will be staged by 20 different clubs, ten Rileys and ten independent (listed below), around the UK over the coming weeks. Each competition will produce one winner, who will go through to the professional qualifying rounds at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield from August 21-24. They will then be battling for a place in the televised stages, at the SECC in Glasgow from September 18-26, when the sport's star names will be fighting for the trophy and a prize fund of £500,000.

A spokesman for World Snooker said: "This is a chance of a lifetime for anyone who has dreamed of playing snooker on the biggest stage to step up and show us what you've got! We're encouraging anyone who fancies their chances to get in touch with the nearest club staging a competition, enter it, get practising and then see how far you can get. There have to be 20 club players going through to the professional stages and IT COULD BE YOU! It would be fantastic if just one of those got all the way to the TV phase.

"We're delighted to be working alongside Rileys and other independent clubs on this brilliant initiative which we hope will generate more interest in playing and watching snooker thoughout the UK and beyond."

Rileys Chief Executive Maurice Kelly said: “Rileys are delighted to support snooker's new World Open. Initially, all 120 Rileys clubs nationwide will be participating. Players who win their opening-round matches go through to our ten regional finals. The ten winners then go into the competition proper.

“The knock out format is definitely going to throw up some surprises when the minnows come up against the big boys! And the £500,000 prize fund guarantees everyone will be on top of their game. Rileys and World Snooker are working to make sure the World Open gets off to a flying start.”

For more information, including the rules of entry, visit www.worldsnooker.com/qualifierswanted.

Tickets for the final stages at the SECC in Glasgow are now on sale, for details call 0844 395 4000 or visit www.worldsnooker.com/tickets.

The World Open receives equal funding and support from EventScotland and Glasgow City Marketing Bureau.

Participating Clubs:

RILEYS

Plymouth
4a Courtenay Street
Off New George Street
Plymouth
Devon
PL1 1EP
01752 222836

Leicester (Willie Thorne)
Attenborough House
Charles Street
Leicester
Leicestershire
LE1 1FA
0116 2626239

Middlesbrough
234-254 Linthorpe Road
Middlesbrough
North Yorkshire
TS1 3QP
01642 220764

Norwich
77-87 Magdalen Street
Norwich
Norfolk
NR3 1AA
01603 617456

Stevenage
Letchmore Road
Stevenage
Hertfordshire
SG1 3HU
01438 729212

Glasgow, Ledard Road
130 Ledard Road
Battlefield
Glasgow
Glasgow City
G42 9RA
0141 6361944

Cardiff, Wellington Street
Wellington House
Wellington Street, Canton
Cardiff
Wales
CF11 9BE
02920 390322

Preston
Lowthian House, Starch House Square
Market Street
Preston
Lancashire
PR1 2ES
01772 203228

Dunfermline
25 Queen Anne Street
Dunfermline
Fife
KY12 7BA
01383 733555

Guildford
11 Haydon Place
Guildford
Surrey
GU1 4LL
01483 505599

INDEPENDENT

Ivy Rooms Snooker Club
Barrow Valley Retail Park
Sleaty Road
Graiguecullen
Carlow
Republic of Ireland
059 913 7714

Keynsham Snooker Club
Chew Park
Temple Street
Keynsham
Bristol
BS31 1HE
0117 9861375

Grove Snooker Centre
1 Faringdon Grove
Faringdon Avenue
Romford
RM3 8TD
01708 377778

South West Snooker Academy
The Aquarius Centre
Waterwells
Gloucester
GL2 2FC
01452 729380 (Liz Lane)
The event will take place on July 31st 2010

The Q Club (West End)
101 St Georges Road
Glasgow
G3 6JA
0141 333 9035

Northern Snooker Centre
Kirkstall Road
Leeds
West Yorkshire
LS3 1LT
0113 2433015



The remaining independent clubs will be listed shortly at www.worldsnooker.com/qualifierswanted.