Kyren Wilson leads the way in Group 7 of the 2022 BetVictor Championship League Snooker Invitational at the Morningside Arena, Leicester live on FreeSports in the UK and broadcasters worldwide.
The Warrior claimed the 2021 title and has collected the most prize money so far this year and continued his momentum with four wins from four dropping only one frame along the way with whitewashes over O’Sullivan, Gould, and Ding as well as a 3-1 win over Walden. Those four wins meaning he has already qualified for tomorrow evening’s playoffs.
Carter sits inside the playoff spots alongside Ding and Higgins with Carter overcoming Higgins and Walden so far. Ding meanwhile beat Gould and Carter by the scoreline of 3-1 on both occasions before falling to the imperious Wilson. O’Sullivan sits outside of the playoff places in fifth whilst Walden is all but out with four losses.
The tournament carries a prize fund of £205,000 with players earning £100 per frame won with significant bonuses for their final group position and increased prize money in the Winners’ Group. A place in the 2022 Cazoo Champion of Champions is also on the line with each group featuring seven players with matches being held over two days.
Winners’ Group gets underway on Thursday, 3 February to Friday, 4 February with Graeme Dott, Wenbo Liang, Zhao Xintong, Yan Bingtao, Stuart Bingham, and Scott Donaldson already booking their places.
Gould will meet Carter in tomorrow’s opening clash from 11 am on FreeSports in the UK and Ireland as well as networks worldwide. Table 2 is available globally on Matchroom.Live excluding the Nordic and Baltic regions with Wilson taking on Ding first up.
Where to Watch
Foxtel – Australia
FreeSports – UK and Ireland
Nova – Czech Republic & Slovakia
NTV – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenia, and Uzbekistan
Sky Network – New Zealand
SuperSport – Africa
Sportklub – Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Kosovo, and Slovenia
TVP – Poland
Viaplay – Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania
Viaplay – Iceland
Viaplay – Scandinavia
Zhibo.TV – China
Matchroom.Live – Table 1 is available exclusively to those outside of the countries listed above. Table 2 will be available live on Matchroom.Live excluding the Nordic and Baltic regions
The tournament will also be live on betting websites around the world
First gameplay trailer revealed for the most authentic depiction of the sport ever created
March 14th 2019, Liverpool, United Kingdom – Ripstone Games, in collaboration with Lab42 and World Snooker, today announced that Snooker 19 is launching in Spring 2019 for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. The announcement has been accompanied by the first gameplay trailer for Snooker 19, showcasing the Unreal Engine 4 powered visuals, incredible physics and 3D facial scanning technology, bringing the game to life like never before. Furthermore Snooker 19 will be playable to consumers at the ‘Powered by Unreal Engine’ booth for the first time at EGX Rezzed at Tobacco Dock, London from April 4th – 6th.
Developed by Leamington Spa based Lab42, Snooker 19 will feature 128 of the world’s top players including Ronnie O’Sullivan, Judd Trump, Mark Selby and Ding Junhui as they take to the table at iconic venues including The Crucible and Alexandra Palace. In the most in-depth simulation of snooker ever seen, players can choose from a full suite of offline and online modes to master every official tournament. These include global online tournaments that link in real-time with the live World Snooker calendar, quick play online match-making, and fully customised matches of full snooker, 6-red snooker and fast-paced Shoot-Out snooker.
Made in Unreal Engine 4, Snooker 19 is the most authentic depiction of the sport ever created, and players can expect a full TV-style presentation in the game alongside evocative visual details of the players, arenas and equipment. Player likenesses have been meticulously created using 3D facial scanning technology while the subtle yet detailed wood grain of the cues and tables is rendered impeccably. With the glare of the spotlights reflecting accurately off the polished balls, Snooker 19 sets a new visual standard for the snooker video game. Players can soak up its atmosphere while the advanced physics and AI engines ensure the action remains tense, thrilling, and most importantly, true to real life.
“It’s been way too long since the last flagship snooker title,” said Justin Forrest of Lab42. “We’re hugely excited to finally give players a snooker simulation worthy of this increasingly popular sport. The combination of official World Snooker licensed content, high quality, authentic gameplay and TV-style presentation, Snooker 19 is the complete package for both newcomers and hardcore fans.”
"Partnering with Lab42 and World Snooker to bring players Snooker 19 marks a significant step-change for us," said Phil Gaskell of Ripstone. "The sport has grown exponentially in the years since the last official snooker title. Our game is built from the ground up for new and old fans alike, and we feel it's the right time to create a game that reflects where snooker and the gaming industry is today."
Snooker 19 will be launching in Spring 2019 for PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.
About World Snooker
World Snooker is the commercial entity responsible for the commercial exploitation and promotion of professional snooker events across the world and is the custodian of the sport’s commercial rights.
About Ripstone Games
Ripstone® is a global independent video games label founded in 2011 by game and film industry veterans. They fully fund the development, distribution and marketing of video games made by elite creative teams. They have financed and published 17 games across 45 SKUs, with global sales of over 10 million units.
Ripstone's back catalogue includes Ironcast, Stick It To The Man, Pure Pool, Pure Hold’em and Chess Ultra. At their home in Liverpool, England they also have a world-class internal development team, whose credits include Plague Inc, Chess Ultra and The Spectrum Retreat.
The whole company focuses on providing a total, personal support service for developers, empowering them to make the very best PC and console games, ensuring gamers know about them, then rewarding the teams for success. They are particularly noted for their outstanding ability to nurture new and small developers. www.ripstone.com
About Lab42
LAB42 is a videogame development studio based in the heart of Royal Leamington Spa. A subsidiary of You42, Inc. and part of the Kiz Studios family Lab42 is an experienced video games and entertainment developer.
Lab42’s network works closely across three locations building original and licensed IP alongside collaborating with publishers and developers around the world on a wide variety of titles, shipping numerous flagship titles on PC and Nintendo Switch. www.lab42.games
World Snooker is delighted to announce Kreativ Dental as the new title sponsor of the Ruhr Open European Tour event.
The tournament will take place in the city of Mulheim in the Ruhr region of Germany from November 19 to 23.
Many of snooker’s top stars will enter at the last 128 stage, with the last three days of the event to receive extensive live coverage from Eurosport. Mark Allen won the title last year by beating Ding Junhui in the final.
Based in the Hungarian capital of Budapest, Kreativ Dental is one of Europe’s leading dental centres and attracts customers from across the continent.
Former World Champion Ken Doherty said: “It’s great to have a new sponsor on board and Kreativ have recognised the potential of snooker to generate exposure to a vast audience through the coverage on Eurosport.
“I have got to know the manager of Kreativ, Attila Knott, he absolutely loves snooker and he knows our sport is a fantastic vehicle for promotion. I’ve also been to his clinic in Budapest and it’s an amazing place. The quality of treatment is five-star and I’d recommend it to anyone.”
The European Tour series comprises six events across the continent, with the top 24 on the final Order of Merit to progress to the Grand Finals to chase the £100,000 top prize.
Snooker ace Ronnie O’Sullivan admits the BetVictor Welsh Open is one of his favourite tournaments on the calendar, and hopes the event will be a success at its new home in Cardiff.
The world ranking event will run from February 16-22 in 2015 and will take place in the Welsh capital for the first time in over a decade, having moved from Newport to the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff.
Tickets are ON SALE NOW and start at just £8, incredible value for the chance to see the world’s best players in action. Book immediately as tickets for many sessions will sell out fast, plus there’s a HALF PRICE OFFER for the first four days of the event (Monday February 16 to Thursday February 19) and the offer ends soon so don’t miss out!
The tournament will feature 128 players, all starting in the same round, and with 11 tables in the arena, fans will have the chance to watch several matches in one day.
O’Sullivan has won the Welsh Open three times, most recently in March this year when he thrashed Ding Junhui 9-3 in the final, and capped a supreme display with a stunning 147 in the last frame, the 12th maximum break of his career. He conceded just ten frames in seven matches on his way to winning the £60,000 top prize.
“The Welsh Open has been good to me over the years, I always enjoy it and I’ve played some of my best snooker there,” said the five-time World Champion. “That 147 against Ding is up among the high points of my career. I’ve watched it back on YouTube a few times since, particularly the last red which is one of the best shots I’ve ever played.
“I always liked the venue in Newport. But I understand the event needs to grow, and we need space for more tables and more players, and hopefully that will help create a great atmosphere. I remember playing in Cardiff when the event was there before, it’s a good place.”
O’Sullivan also won the Masters, the Champion of Champions and the Paul Hunter Classic last season, though he finished it on a low note, losing 18-14 to Mark Selby in the World Championship final. He is yet to confirm his schedule for 2014/15 but added: “I want to play in as many events as I can. I just have to look at the calendar and structure my season properly.”
Matchroom Sport are delighted to announce that snooker’s Champion of Champions will return to the Ricoh Arena in Coventry, November 3-9, live on ITV4, with tickets on sale on April 25.
Ronnie O’Sullivan will be among the names invited to compete in this year’s event, having won the inaugural tournament in Coventry last year.
The Champion of Champions boasts a prize fund of £270,000 with £100,000 going to the winner, and the 16 competing players will be reigning champions on the World Snooker tour.
Ticket prices have been frozen from 2013 and early bookers can benefit from a half-price discount available on group stage tickets, meaning fans can see some of the world’s greatest players from as little as £5. Tickets go on sale on Friday, April 25via TheTicketFactory.com (search ‘snooker’).
As well as reigning champion O’Sullivan, players who have already earned an invite for this year’s tournament include UK Championship winner and world number one Neil Robertson, Ding Junhui, whose five ranking titles in the 2013-14 season included success at the German Masters and China Open, and Championship League victor Judd Trump.
Matchroom Sport Chairman Barry Hearn said: “The first year of the Champion of Champions was an unqualified success, and we are thrilled to be bringing the tournament back to ITV4 and the people of Coventry this year.
“ITV produced a fantastic show in 2013, and I am very pleased they will once again bring this top new tournament to free-to-air television in November.”
A full list of tournaments used to determine qualification for the Champion of Champions can be found at www.ChampionOfChampionsSnooker.com.
The playing schedule for the 2014 Dafabet World Championship has been announced, with defending champion Ronnie O’Sullivan to play in the opening session.
O’Sullivan will start his bid for a third consecutive title – and sixth in all – at 10am on Saturday April 19 in the first session of the 17-day tournament. His first round match will conclude in the evening session on the same day.
The £1.2million tournament at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield runs until May 5, with 32 players battling for the famous trophy.
Chinese ace Ding Junhui, chasing a record equalling fifth ranking title this season, will start on Sunday April 20 at 2.30pm, with his second session at the same time the following day.
World number two Mark Selby plays in the morning and evening sessions on Monday April 21, while potting ace Judd Trump starts his first round match on the afternoon of Tuesday April 22 and plays to a finish the following morning.
World number one Neil Robertson launches his attempt to win a second Crucible crown on the afternoon of Wednesday April 23, and finishes the following evening.
A spokesman for World Snooker said: “Now that the line-up of top 16 seeds is confirmed we can see the draw taking shape and it is promising to be a fascinating tournament. There are so many contenders for the title and every day in the first week will see the best players on the planet striving to get past the first hurdle.
“Most sessions are already sold out but fans who want to enjoy the unique Crucible experience should call the box office on 0844 6565147 or visitSheffieldtheatres.co.uk as there are still seats available for certain matches. Now that the draw is out they won’t last long, so book immediately!”
The top 16 will be joined by the 16 players who come through the qualifying rounds, which run from April 8 to 16 at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre. For ticket details call 0114 2233777 or visit www.worldsnooker.com/tickets
The Dafabet World Championship is supported by Sheffield City Council.
World Snooker is a delighted to announce that the sport’s biggest tournament, the World Championship, will be sponsored by Dafabet for the first time this season.
The Dafabet World Championship will run from April 19 to May 5 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. The top 16 seeds plus 16 qualifiers will be competing for one of the most famous trophies in sport, as well as a record top prize of £300,000.
The 17-day tournament will be televised in over 70 countries worldwide to a global audience of over 300 million.
Ronnie O’Sullivan will be defending the title he won for a fifth time last year, with the likes world number one Neil Robertson, Chinese ace Ding Junhui, Judd Trump, Mark Selby and Shaun Murphy among the other leading contenders for the prestigious crown.
World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: “We are thrilled to bring Dafabet on board for our Blue Riband tournament. This is truly one of the great events on the sporting calendar and there are hundreds of millions of fans across the planet eagerly awaiting the moment when the defending champion steps out on the first morning.
“The atmosphere at the Crucible is unique in sport and those lucky enough to be inside the arena are going to experience something truly spectacular.
“Dafabet sponsored the Masters this season so they are well aware of snooker’s massive global appeal and the tremendous exposure they will receive during an event which receives hundreds of hours of television coverage. We look forward to working with their team.
“We have increased the prize money this year to £1,214,000 with the winner to receive the biggest cheque in the history of snooker. With so many top players in form and in contention, it’s going to be an incredible 17 days.”
Dafabet Managing Director of Online Betting and Gaming, Dimitris Karatzas, said: "We are very proud to be title sponsor of Snooker's Flagship event as the World Championship is rightfully recognised globally. We look forward to the excellent exposure we will receive over the duration of the tournament and of course seeing Dafabet at the iconic Crucible. Roll on April 19th and the start of the tournament, where no doubt further history will be made."
John Cruces, Head of Sports Marketing and Sponsorships at Dafabet, added: "The World Snooker Championship at the Crucible is one of most recognised events in the annual sporting calendar, so to offer our continued support is a privilege. We've been very proactive in pushing our brand in 2014, the exposure we are sure to receive from such a worldwide recognised tournament will help enhance this.
"We would like to thank World Snooker and wish all the players in the 2014 Dafabet World Championship the very best of luck."
Tickets for many sessions have already sold out but for the latest availability call 0844 65 65 147 or visit Sheffieldtheatres.co.uk
The qualifying rounds at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre in Sheffield run from April 8 to 16. For tickets call 0114 2233777 or visit www.sivtickets.com
The Dafabet World Championship is supported by Sheffield City Council.
Preston’s Guild Hall will stage a major snooker tournament for the first time in nine years next month, as the Players Championship Grand Final comes to the city.
Many of the world’s leading players will be at the £300,000 five-day world ranking event which runs from March 25 to 29.
The Guild Hall previously staged the UK Championship from 1978 to 1997 and the Grand Prix in 1998, 1999 and 2001 to 2005.
Tickets for the tournament will go on sale on Monday February 24 at 10am. For the first week once the box office is open, there will be a SPECIAL OFFER OF HALF PRICE TICKETS which means fans can book seats from just £5.
To book, call the Guild Hall box office on 0844 844 7710 between 10am-5.30pm or online at www.prestonguildhall.com 24 hours a day.
The Players Championship Grand Final is the culmination of the European Tour and Asian Tour series which has run throughout the 2013/14 season. There have been eight events across Europe, and the fourth and final Asian event in China runs from March 4 to 8, after which the final line-up of 32 players for the tournament will be confirmed.
World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: “We are delighted to bring a world class snooker tournament to Preston for the first time since 2005. The Guild Hall is a superb venue and we know that the Lancashire area is a hot-bed for snooker. This announcement is fantastic news for the fans in the area, who now have a chance to see the top stars competing for a major title.
“Tickets will sell quickly so anyone who wants to experience the action live should get their seats booked immediately.”
Councillor Peter Rankin, leader of Preston City Council, said: “It is great to welcome back the world’s best snooker players to Preston and back to the Guild Hall, a venue which has been synonymous with the sport over the years.
“There is a great appetite for snooker in the region and I am sure people will want to come out and see the top stars of the sport competing in the Guild Hall.”
The tournament was originally due to be staged in Bangkok, but has changed location due to political unrest in the Thai capital.
Rising snooker star Michael White hopes he can recapture the form he showed at last season's World Championship as he looks ahead to the BetVictor Welsh Open, which startstomorrow.
Neath's 22-year-old White showed his huge potential with a run to the quarter-finals in Sheffield last April, scoring a brilliant win over two-time champion Mark Williams on his Crucible debut.
So far this term, White has continued to give glimpses of his talent, notably in a run to the quarter-finals of the Indian Open, but he is still waiting for his major breakthrough.
"Overall I haven't played as well as I did at the World Championship," admitted White. "In spells I have played some great snooker and wiped the floor with people, then at other times I have been below average. Consistency is lacking in my game and that is what I'm trying to find. I'm practising really hard and hoping to finish the season strongly.
"At the start of the season I was ranked on the edge of the top 32 and my target was to get into the top 20. I'm 35th now so that's going to be difficult. But my main ambition is to win a tournament and that's what I'm working towards. I know I have got the game to do it."
The BetVictor Welsh Open runs from February 19 to March 2 at the Newport Centre, with 128 players battling for the £60,000 first prize including Ronnie O'Sullivan, Neil Robertson, Judd Trump, Mark Selby and Ding Junhui.
White, one of ten Welsh players in the event, faces Chris Wakelin in his opening match during the afternoon session this Saturday.
"It will be the first time I have played in Newport as I've never qualified," White added. "My dad will be there to watch me for the first time since he came to the Crucible so that will spur me on. Hopefully there will be good crowds to support the Welsh players."
Tickets for the tournament are ON SALE NOW and fans are strongly advised to book fast as many sessions are expected to sell out quickly. For full details call 01633 656 757 or visit www.worldsnooker.com/tickets
The BetVictor Welsh Open is supported by Newport City Council.
Ding Junhui will be looking to add to his recent haul of trophies when he competes in the Dafabet Masters next week, and is excited by the possibility of an all-Asian clash with Marco Fu.
Ding has been snooker's most successful player so far this season, winning a hat-trick of ranking titles at the Shanghai Masters, Indian Open and International Championship.
All three of those were all-Asian finals with Ding beating China's Xiao Guodong in Shanghai, India's Aditya Mehta in New Delhi and Hong Kong's Fu at the International in Chengdu.
The growing power of Asia in snooker is obvious, with Ding still leading the way, but several others challenging him to be the continent's top player. Fu had the best year of his career in 2013, highlighted by victory at the Australian Goldfields Open.
Ding has won the Masters once before, in 2011 when he beat Fu in the final, but he lost in the first round in 2012 and 2013.
"I am very confident I can achieve more this season," said the 26-year-old Chinese ace. "I have had a good rest for the past three weeks which was very important for me, half-way through the season. It has enabled me to recharge the batteries and I feel fresh to face the challenge ahead.
"The Masters is a very traditional event with a lot of history. It is very important for every player. Only the top 16 can play there, which makes it even more special."
If Ding wins his opening match against Shaun Murphy and Hong Kong's Fu overcomes Judd Trump, the two would meet in the quarter-finals next Thursday at 1pm at Alexandra Palace. Tickets for that session are still on sale – to book call 0871 620 7052 (calls cost 10p per minute, plus network extras) or visitwww.worldsnooker.com/tickets
"If that happens I hope we will have a fantastic match together," added Ding. "I am sure there will be many big matches between Asia's best players in the coming years. Alexandra Palace is a very good venue, especially the atmosphere as the fans are very passionate. I would love to see many Chinese fans there giving me support."
The tournament runs from January 12 to 19 and also features the likes of Ronnie O'Sullivan, Neil Robertson, Mark Selby and John Higgins.
Kyren Wilson leads the way in Group 7 of the 2022 BetVictor Championship League Snooker Invitational at the Morningside Arena, Leicester live on FreeSports in the UK and broadcasters worldwide.
