Site News
Topic: *Industry News* 2015 - 2024

WORLD PROFESSIONAL BILLIARDS AND SNOOKER ASSOCIATION SIGN COMPREHENSIVE INTEGRITY AGREEMENT WITH SPORTRADAR

The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), the governing body for both snooker and billiards worldwide, has selected Sportradar to provide its extensive integrity-focused services for the next three years.

This direct partnership will see Sportradar apply its award-winning Fraud Detection System over snooker’s thousands of matches each year, but will also see the company, headquartered in Switzerland, provide an annual Education Workshop to WPBSA stakeholders, as well as intelligence and investigatory support as required.

Speaking about this new partnership, WPBSA Vice Chairman, Nigel Mawer QPM said: “We have had the chance to work with Sportradar over the last few years so we were delighted we could convert that experience into a stronger and closer relationship. Sportradar continue to develop new services and improve the sharpness of their existing products, which means that this partnership should enable us to preserve the most robust defences against those who would look to undermine our sport.”

Sportradar’s Managing Director Integrity Services, Andreas Krannich had this to add: “We have really enjoyed working closely with snooker’s world governing body. Fans and stakeholders of the WPBSA should feel reassured that they have such a committed and forward-looking team protecting these two sports. This development is really encouraging and we look forward to doing our bit to ensure snooker remains an exciting world class sport.”

Sportradar Integrity Services have partnerships with some of the world’s key sporting stakeholders, such as UEFA, AFC, World Rugby, ICC, NBA and NHL. Altogether, Sportradar monitors over 230 football leagues and competitions worldwide. 

NOTES TO EDITOR

ABOUT THE WORLD PROFESSIONAL BILLIARDS AND SNOOKER ASSOCIATION

The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association Limited (WPBSA) is the governing body for both Snooker and Billiards worldwide.

The WPBSA governs these sports through regulation and application of the rules of the association.

For more information about the WPBSA, please visit: www.wpbsa.com

ABOUT SPORTRADAR

Sportradar is a global leader in understanding and leveraging the power of sports data and digital content for its clients around the world.

The company’s Security Services operation provides the Fraud Detection System (FDS) to several federations, including the AFC, UEFA, World Rugby, NHL and NBA. This unique system allows the Security Services team to monitor betting behaviour and patterns worldwide and to identify suspicious activities. Those findings prove invaluable for sports federations and law enforcement agencies that are looking to pinpoint match-fixers. The Security Services also include the Fraud Prevention Service (FPS) through which Sportradar offers education tools and services that have been delivered to leagues and clubs around the world. These have been show to increase awareness of illegal betting and match-fixing among those involved in sport.

More than 800 businesses in over 80 countries rely on Sportradar’s data depth and quality services in their daily business. Headquartered in Switzerland, Sportradar has offices in 30 other cities and employs over 1,650 highly experienced staff worldwide.

For more information about Sportradar, please visit: www.sportradar.com.

For further press enquiries:
Alex Inglot
Director of Communications and Public Affairs
Sportradar AG
P: +44 203 695 22 14
E-mail: a.inglot @ sportradar.com

CSI Events Calendar

The updated CSI Events Calendar is below.

Since this is a monthly rolling list, NEW or UPDATED items are listed with a DOUBLE ASTERISK, for your convenience.

01/04 – 08/2017
2017 CSI Arizona State 8-Ball Championships
Casino Del Sol Resort
5655 West Valencia Road
Tucson, AZ 85757
Contact: CueSports International
Online Registration: www.playcsipool.com/2017-az-state-championships
(702) 719-7665

02/18-19/2017**
21st Jay Swanson Memorial 9-Ball
On Cue Billiards
8308 Parkway Dr.,
La Mesa, CA
Online Registration: www.playcsipool.com/2017-swanee.html
(619)463-8759

03/9-11/2017**
Fourth Annual Chinook Winds Open
Chinook Winds Casino Resort
Lincoln City, OR
Entry Forms: www.westernbca.org
Information: Mike Jensen, 360-703-4081

03/12-19, 2017**
23rd Annual Western BCA Regional 8-Ball Championships
Chinook Winds Casino Resort
Lincoln City, OR.
For information: www.westernbca.org

04/10-14/2017
2017 US Open Straight Pool Championships
Pool Table Magic
75 Ella Grasso Turnpike
Windsor Locks, CT
Online Registration: www.playcsipool.com/2017-us-open-straight-pool
860-627-8494

05/25 – 29/2017
2017 BCAPL Wisconsin State Championships
Chula Vista Resort
2501 River Road
Wisconsin Dells, WI 53965
Contact: CueSports International
Online Registration: www.playcsipool.com/2017-wi-state-championships
(702) 719-7665

07/19-29/2017
2017 BCAPL National Championships
Rio All-Suite Las Vegas Hotel & Casino
3700 W. Flamingo Road
Las Vegas, NV 89103
Contact: CueSports International
Registration Not Available Yet
( 888 ) 746-6955

07/19-24/2017
2017 USAPL National Championships
Rio All-Suite Las Vegas Hotel & Casino
3700 W. Flamingo Road
Las Vegas, NV 89103
Contact: CueSports International
Registration Not Available Yet
( 888 ) 746-6955

10/9-15/2017**
20th Annual Western BCA Regional 9-Ball Championships
Chinook Winds Casino Resort
Lincoln City, OR
Registration Not Available Yet
www.westernbca.org

12/10-16/2017
2017 US Bar Table Championships
Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino
3000 Paradise Road
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Contact: CueSports International
Registration Not Available Yet

UK Championship Peaks At 2.5m On BBC

The final of snooker’s Betway UK Championship scored a peak viewing figure of 2.5 million on BBC Two earlier this month.

The titanic clash between Mark Selby and Ronnie O’Sullivan, which Selby won 10-7, attracted a peak audience which was 800,000 higher than last year’s peak of 1.7 million.

The average audience during the final session was 1.7 million – an increase of 300,000 on 2015.

There was also an increase on online traffic on snooker content on the BBC Sport website, with 2.9 million browsers during the tournament, up 300,000 on last year.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: “These figures underline the growing popularity of our sport in the UK. The Betway UK Championship final in York was an all-time classic with an incredibly high standard so it’s no surprise that the figures are so high. We look forward to working closely with the BBC on bringing our sport to an ever expanding audience.”


Selby beat O'Sullivan 10-7 in a superb final

Coral To Donate £3,300 to Jessie May

Last week’s Coral Scottish Open produced 66 century breaks, which means a further £3,300 donated by Coral to Jessie May Children’s Hospice at Home.

Coral, title sponsor of all four Home Nations events, is donating £50 for every century break made to World Snooker’s official charity.

There were 63 tons made at each of the Coral English Open and Coral Northern Ireland Open, and that was surpassed in Glasgow last week, partly thanks to champion Marco Fu who made 11 centuries himself.

The total donation so far this season now stands at £9,600.

Jessie May Children’s Hospice at Home, based in Bristol, has become World Snooker’s official charity partner for the 2016/17 season. Jessie May provides a hospice at home service for terminally ill children, offering care to families in the Bristol area.

Lindsey Horton, Corporate Partnerships Officer for Jessie May, said: “This is really a fantastic sum of money and we can’t thank Coral enough for their remarkable generosity. We were cheering every century break because we know how much the money helps us to give support to children and families.”

Simon Clare, Coral PR Director, added: “The Coral Scottish Open was another brilliant tournament with an exceptional standard of play. We were delighted to see the record for the most centuries at a Home Nations event broken and we are thrilled to continue to support Jessie May’s amazing work.”

For more information about Jessie May visit www.jessiemay.org.uk

Strachan Launches Innovative New Anti-KickTM Snooker Cloth

Strachan, the Stroud based snooker and pool cloth specialist, has been testing a genuine innovation in snooker cloth designed to significantly reduce the number of kicks or poor contacts in the game. World Snooker, in conjunction with the professional sports governing body the WPBSA, has been using the new cloth on all of this season’s professional tournaments and qualifiers.

Strachan Championship No. 10 cloth has featured on the tables at the World Championships for over thirty six years and offers the professional players the ultimate playing conditions. The cloth has incredible levels of speed, response, touch and control.
The conditions now provided at tournaments are so precise and technically perfect that any chalk particles trapped between two balls can grip on impact. This occasionally results in an irregular contact and this is the phenomena known as a kick.

Stuart Gardiner, the UK Sales Manager for Strachan cloth, Simonis Cloth and Aramith balls, feels that kicks are probably the biggest issue in the modern game causing genuine frustration amongst the professional players.
“We have been working hard to understand and eliminate the causes of kicks for many years now and there have been a lot of theories as to what exactly causes the bad contact. We have explored all of these theories in our search to find a solution and have concluded that there is probably more than one cause. We now strongly believe that the biggest cause of kicks is static electricity which attracts chalk particles to the cue ball. These tiny particles cause the two balls to grip and jump on impact, resulting in a different and unpredictable contact, often leaving the player badly out of position.” said Gardiner. “Anti-KickTM technology stops the balls from carrying charge and holding chalk particles, which in turn leaves the balls clean and greatly reduces the incidence of kicks”.



World Snooker Director and WPBSA Chairman Jason Fergusson added: “Professional tournament conditions are now at a near perfect level with cloth, balls, tables and venues controlled to incredibly high tolerances. Yet the kick remains a huge source of frustration, the new Anti-KickTM cloth that Strachan has developed eliminates the static build up and massively reduces the number of kicks. Despite taking our events to some challenging locations, the new cloth has reduced kicks by as much as 80% whilst maintaining the incredible playing conditions that we are now used to”.

“We at World Snooker are delighted by the work that has been carried out by our partner WSP Textiles, the manufacturer of Strachan, to improve the conditions and to significantly reduce the number of kicks. As an ex-professional player myself I can fully understand the importance of this brilliant new innovation in cloth, it is a massive step forward in the sport as we strive to make conditions as near to perfect as we can for the current top professional players” concluded Ferguson.

Strachan cloth with Anti-KickTM technology will soon be available on the Strachan premium snooker cloth range from our distributors around the world.

Anti-KickTM is a Trademark of WSP Textiles and is patent pending.

Issued by WSP Textiles Ltd. Contact us at www.wsptextiles.com
Pictured: WPBSA Chairman, Jason Fergusson.

EAG & VAE 2017

Announce Largest Ever Seminar Programme

17-19 January 2017 ExCel London Exhibition Centre

For 2017, both BALPPA and bacta have been involved in creating the largest ever seminar programme, reflecting the issues facing the industry.

The seminar programme will run throughout Tuesday 17th and Wednesday 18th January and participation is free to visitors and exhibitors.

www.eagexpo.com

WPBSA Statement - Alfie Burden

After a hearing before the WPBSA Disciplinary Committee that took place on 19th December 2016 Alfie Burden admitted to the following breaches of the WPBSA Betting Rules:

Prior to August 2009 the WPBSA Members Rules stated:
    
2.7 A Player shall not bet or lay bets on the result, score or any other aspect of any snooker or billiards match in which he is playing or cause any such bet to be placed or laid on his behalf.

Post August 2009 The WPBSA Members Rules Betting Rules state:

2. Betting misconduct
     2.1 It shall be a breach of these Rules for a Member to do any of the following:
         2.1.1 Betting:
         2.1.1.1 to place, accept, lay or otherwise make a Bet with any other person in relation to the result, score, progress, conduct or any other aspect of the Tour and/or any Tournament or Match in events sanctioned by the WPBSA, WSL or WBL;

He was suspended from playing in WPBSA sanctioned events for a period of six months. This suspension is suspended in full until 1st January 2018 and will only be invoked upon a proven breach of the WPBSA Members Rules, Section 2, Betting Rules. He was fined £5,000.

The facts of the case are that between 30th September 2006 and 4th February 2010 Mr Burden placed in the region of 50 bets on snooker with an online betting operator. Between 30th September 2006 and 22nd November 2007 Mr Burden placed 5 bets on his own matches. In each case the bet was for him to win as was part of an accumulator with other snooker matches from the same tournament.

Between 5th July 2013 and 29th November 2016 Mr Burden placed 36 bets on snooker with another online betting operator. The bets were mainly accumulator style bets. None of these bets involved his own matches, but it did include bets on tournaments Mr Burden competed in.

Mr Burden’s betting on snooker has been largely unsuccessful. He has bet a total of £25,003.03 on snooker since 2006 and has to date has lost a total of £2,995.27.

At an early stage Mr Burden fully admitted betting on snooker in breach of the WPBSA Rules.

There is no suggestion whatsoever that Mr Burden was doing anything to influence match outcomes or engaged in any corrupt activity, he was solely betting on snooker.

Jason Ferguson the Chairman of the WPBSA said: “It is a key part of any sports integrity strategy that players cannot bet on their sport. Alfie Burden put his career at risk by so doing and it is only through his full admissions and his cooperation with the Disciplinary Committee that he has avoided a career ending suspension.”

2017 Mosconi Cup

First events announced for MC qualification


MATCHROOM SPORT can announce the initial three events on the Official Mosconi Cup Team USA Ranking for 2017. They are:


January 5/8 - Turning Stone Classic – Verona, New York

January 14/17 – World Pool Series – Astoria, New York

January 20/28 - Derby City Classic 9 Ball – Elizabeth, Indiana


The full list as well as the points allocation will be published in due course. The 2017 Mosconi Cup will take place at the Tropicana Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas from 4th to 7th December.

Murphy Targets Top Spot

Shaun Murphy has set his sights on becoming snooker’s world number one and knocking Mark Selby off the top of the rankings.

Murphy is currently ranked fifth in the world, having never been higher than third during his 19-year pro career.

World and UK Champion Selby is streaks ahead on the current list and next week he’ll celebrate 100 consecutive weeks as world number one.

But Nottingham-based Murphy, a winner of six ranking titles including the 2005 World Championship, is determined to close the gap.

“I’ve never been to the top of the rankings. I’ve never been able to say that I am the best in the world,” said 34-year-old Murphy. “I think it would be a great thrill to see the title of world number one beside my name. That is something that gets me out of bed in the morning. I’d like to try to push Mark from his perch at the top.

“There haven’t been many world number ones in snooker bearing in mind how long the rankings have been running. It’s something I’m very keen to do. To prove that over a period of time you are the best in the world at your chosen sport would be a very special feeling. If I don’t ever achieve that it won’t be for a lack of trying.”

For now, Murphy is looking ahead to snooker’s most prestigious non-ranking event, the Dafabet Masters which runs from January 15 to 22 at Alexandra Palace in London. He plays his first match against Barry Hawkins on Wednesday January 18th at 7pm, in the elite-16 man invitation event.

Murphy lifted the Masters trophy for the first time two years ago by thrashing Neil Robertson 10-2 in the final, a result which saw him join the small group of players to have won the World, UK and Masters titles.

“To beat Neil Robertson any time is a very good result so to beat him so convincingly and dominate the final is something I’m extremely proud of,” he added. “To complete the Triple Crown was something I had been striving for - for a very long time. To get that monkey off my back set me up for the rest of my career to try to win as many titles as I can.”

Ronnie O’Sullivan will be defending his title at Alexandra Palace with the likes of Selby, Robertson, Judd Trump and John Higgins also competing for the £200,000 top prize.

Certain sessions are already sold out, other days still have availability and there are still incredible VIP packages on sale. Fans must book fast – for the latest availability call the box office on 0871 620 7052 or visit www.worldsnooker.com/tickets

Inaugural Molinari Players Championship Supports the BEF!
Story by Alison M. Fischer

January 10, 2017 (Denver, CO): For many of the world’s top pool pros, the 2017 tournament calendar will kick off with an exciting new event in New York City—the World Pool Series (WPS). Founded by world-renowned touring pro Darren Appleton, the series will get underway with its inaugural event at Steinway Billiards in Astoria, NY on January 14-17. The event’s impressive lineup features acclaimed players including Thorsten Hohmann, Johnny Archer, Dennis Orcollo, Karen Corr, Mika Immonen, Ralf Souquet, Alex Pagulayan, and many others.

Along with his ambitions to bring more top-caliber competition to life in the U.S. with this series, Appleton also aspires to support junior players and programs through his efforts. At this inaugural event, the WPS will have a number of great items up for auction, and 20% of the auction’s proceeds will go to the Billiard Education Foundation.

“It's our goal to bring professional pool back to America, and encourage kids and amateurs to progress and see that there is a future for the next generation to have ambition to be a professional and make a career from playing pool. Helping the Billiard Education Foundation is the least we can do. In future, once we are established, we will do more to encourage kids to take up pool,” Appleton explained.

Attendees of the WPS at Steinway Billiards will be able to show their support for the BEF and the future of pool by bidding on a series of exclusive items. For more information on the World Pool Series, visit them on the web at WorldPoolSeries.com and on Facebook at Facebook.com/WorldPoolSeries.

About the World Pool Series
8-Ball is the most recognized and most participated discipline of pool around the world. The World Pool Series: 8-Ball is designed for players and fans worldwide. My hopes for these events is that it will elevate the profession of pool to the level it should be and I will personally put forth all my efforts to do so!

About the Billiard Education Foundation (BEF)
The BEF was formed in 1993 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity committed to promoting a lifelong love of pool and building the next generation of players through youth programs and academic scholarships. Visit billiardeducation.org or call (303) 926-1039 to learn more about junior billiard programs in your area.

O'Sullivan Ready For Masters Challenge

Ronnie O'Sullivan believes his form has sharpened over recent months as he looks ahead to snooker's Dafabet Masters, which starts on Sunday.

Last year, O'Sullivan won snooker's biggest invitation event for the sixth time to equal Stephen Hendry's record, and he is now aiming for a seventh crown.

The tournament at Alexandra Palace in London runs from January 15 to 22 with the world's top 16 players contesting the trophy and a top prize of £200,000.

O'Sullivan made a slow start to the current season but feels he has since got close to his best form, particularly at the UK Championship where he reached the final before losing a classic match 10-7 against Mark Selby.

"My game is a lot better now than it was in September and October," said the Rocket. "That was one of the toughest periods I've had in snooker. I didn't really practise going into the start of the season and I paid the price for that.

"I had to be patient and wait for my game to come, and it has improved over the last few tournaments. At the UK Championship I thought I played very well, I just came up short in the final."

Chigwell's 41-year-old O'Sullivan will face China's Liang Wenbo in his opening match on Sunday at 1pm in front of a capacity crowd of 2,000, the session having sold out several weeks ago. He has traditionally received enthusiastic support from the London fans but O'Sullivan does not feel that gives him an advantage.

"It can go both ways," he added. "If it's not going for me then it can put more pressure on me to make something happen. If things are going my way then I can feed off the crowd's momentum. I have won a lot of tournaments away from London so it's not that big a factor - what's more important is whether my game is strong enough for the week."

Tickets and fantastic VIP packages are still available for certain sessions including the quarter-finals on Thursday January 19 and Friday January 20. But fans MUST ACT FAST TO BOOK SEATS.

A NEW RECORD has already been set for the most tickets sold prior to the Masters starting and this could lead to another record, by the end of the event, for the most tickets sold in the tournament's history.

For the latest availability call 0871 620 7052 or visit www.worldsnooker.com/tickets


O'Sullivan thrashed Barry Hawkins 10-1 in the final last year.

Dafabet To Donate To Jessie May

Masters title sponsor Dafabet will donate £100 to Jessie May Children’s Hospice At Home for every century break made during the eight days of the tournament.

The Dafabet Masters runs until Sunday at Alexandra Palace in London, with 16 of the world’s best players competing for the title.

Jessie May Children’s Hospice at Home, based in Bristol, has become World Snooker’s official charity partner for the 2016/17 season. Jessie May provides a hospice at home service for terminally ill children, offering care to families in the Bristol area.

Ronnie O’Sullivan, Ding Junhui, Mark Allen, Marco Fu and Joe Perry have all made it through to the quarter-finals of the tournament over the first three days, with 14 centuries made in the first five matches.

Lindsey Horton, Corporate Partnerships Officer for Jessie May, said: “This is a wonderful gesture from Dafabet and we are thrilled to receive their support in raising much needed funds for our facility.”

John Cruces, Head of Sports Marketing and Sponsorships added: “We are delighted to be able to help Jessie May in any way we can so hopefully the century breaks will keep flying in all week.”

For more information about Jessie May visit www.jessiemay.org.uk

Masters 2018 Tickets On Sale Monday

Tickets for the 2018 Dafabet Masters at Alexandra Palace will be on sale from Monday January 23.

Snooker’s biggest invitation tournament will return to the North London venue for the seventh consecutive year from January 14 to 21 in 2018.

This week’s tournament has produced some sensational snooker from the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Selby, Neil Robertson, Marco Fu and Ding Junhui. And next year’s event promises more of the same as an elite field of the world’s top 16 players battle for the famous Paul Hunter Trophy.

But fans are strongly urged to BOOK FAST as certain sessions are sure to sell out quickly.

A spokesman for World Snooker said: “The Dafabet Masters is one of our Triple Crown events and it is growing year after year. Over the past two years we have increased the capacity of the arena to 2,000 and many sessions are selling out well in advance of the tournament. This year we set new records for ticket sales which proves that the appetite of fans to see snooker live is building each year.

“That’s why we decided to get tickets for the 2018 tournament on sale as soon as possible. The 2018 Masters might seems a long way off but seats will sell rapidly so supports must book now and then look forward to enjoying the thrill of live snooker.”

Tickets go on sale at 10am on Monday, to book call 0871 620 7052 (calls cost 13p per minute plus the network access charge) or visit www.worldsnooker.com/tickets


Ronnie O'Sullivan is defending the title this year

O’Sullivan And Selby Among Star Names Set For Preston

World Champion Mark Selby, crowd favourite Ronnie O’Sullivan, Judd Trump, John Higgins and defending champion Shaun Murphy are among snooker’s cue kings who have already confirmed their participation in next month’s Ladbrokes World Grand Prix in Preston.

The world ranking event will take place at the iconic Guild Hall for the first time, from February 6 to 12. It will feature 32 players from a one-year ranking list which has been running throughout the season.

There is still one counting event to go - the German Masters which runs from February 1 to 5 – after which the final line up will be confirmed.

But several top stars already assured of qualification have entered the tournament and the following matches have been scheduled in order to give fans the chance to buy tickets for their favourite players in advance.

Monday February 6
7pm
Judd Trump v opponent
John Higgins v opponent

Tuesday February 7
1pm
Stuart Bingham v opponent
Shaun Murphy v opponent

7pm
Ronnie O’Sullivan v opponent
Marco Fu v opponent

Wednesday February 8
1pm
Mark Selby v opponent
Neil Robertson v opponent

A spokesman for World Snooker said: “It’s shaping up to be an amazingly strong field at the Guild Hall, with so many great champions in line to qualify. And there will be a few exciting up and coming players in the mix as well. It will be all to play for at the final qualifying event in Germany to see who can nail down a spot in Preston.

“We have so much history at the Guild Hall, going back to 1978 when the UK Championship was staged there for the first time. It’s a wonderful venue and we’re looking forward to bringing the World Grand Prix there. For the fans in the arena it’s going to be a thrilling experience as the atmosphere at live snooker is totally unique.”

The event will receive extensive live coverage each day from ITV4.

Fans can book tickets, which start at £13, for every session including the showpiece final on Sunday February 12, but seats MUST BE BOOKED FAST as certain sessions will sell out soon. For full details call 01772 80 4444 or visit www.worldsnooker.com/tickets


Shaun Murphy beat Stuart Bingham 10-9 in a dramatic final last year

Free box of OB Chalk with OB Shaft purchase
For a limited time only, a freebie from OB Cues!

Who doesn't like free stuff? For a limited time only you can get a free two piece box of OB Chalk with the purchase of any OB shaft on our website at www.obcues.com

OB Chalk now comes in Blue, Tan or Green

    
OB Chalk just might be the next 'small' thing | | | | OB Plus Shafts available in 6 different styles

Please note that this offer is for a limited time only and may be discontinued at any time. Only applies to purchases made directly on the OB Cues factory website at www.obcues.com.

Some OB retailers may also choose to participate in this offer at their own discretion (it is not mandatory).
As always, please let me know if you have any comments, concerns or questions and we will be happy to help you. We can only get stronger with your help!

Regards,

Shane Sinnott
President
OB Cues
877-399-9901
972-578-9100
www.obcues.com
www.facebook.com/obcues

Dafabet Donate £2,600 To Jessie May

Masters title sponsor Dafabet will make a fantastic donation of £2,600 to Jessie May Children’s Hospice At Home thanks to the century breaks made during last week's tournament.

Dafabet pledged to donate £100 for every ton made during the eight days at Alexandra Palace, and there were 26 made. Marco Fu topped the charts with a 141 and made six centuries himself during the week, while Ronnie O'Sullivan lifted the trophy after beating Joe Perry 10-7 in the final.

Jessie May Children’s Hospice at Home, based in Bristol, has become World Snooker’s official charity partner for the 2016/17 season. Jessie May provides a hospice at home service for terminally ill children, offering care to families in the Bristol area.

Lindsey Horton, Corporate Partnerships Officer for Jessie May, said: “This is a fabulous gesture from Dafabet and we are thrilled by the amount of money raised. Every penny makes a difference in our work to support children and their families."

John Cruces, Head of Sports Marketing and Sponsorships at Dafabet, added: “It was an incredible tournament in London last week with a remarkable standard of snooker throughout. We were delighted to see 26 centuries flying in and we're only too pleased to make this donation to Jessie May and support the marvellous work they do."

For more information about Jessie May visit www.jessiemay.org.uk

Jojobet To Sponsor Snooker's Gibraltar Open

World Snooker is delighted to welcome Jojobet.com as the new title sponsor of the Gibraltar Open.

The Jojobet.com Gibraltar Open will be a full ranking event and it will run from March 3 to 5 at the Tercentenary Sports Hall.

World Champion Mark Selby, crowd favourite Jimmy White, Neil Robertson, Shaun Murphy, Ding Junhui, Barry Hawkins, Mark Williams and Kyren Wilson will be among the green baize kings competing in the tournament, which will be televised by Eurosport.

There will be 128 players in a flat draw, all battling for the prestigious trophy which was won last year by Marco Fu.

A spokesman for Jojobet said: “Jojobet.com is delighted to be the title sponsor for the Gibraltar Open. Snooker is very popular in Europe and around the world and we hope this sponsorship will connect our brand to many fans.”

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: “We are thrilled to give Jojobet a warm welcome as we work with them on snooker for the first time. Our sport is growing at a rapid rate across the globe with a television audience of hundreds of millions. The Jojobet.com Gibraltar Open will receive extensive coverage across the continent on Eurosport. It will be a top class event and we look forward to working with the Jojobet team at this tournament and in the coming years.”

The Jojobet.com Gibraltar Open is supported by the Ministry of Sports, HM Government of Gibraltar. Tickets are on sale now and start at just £20 for all-day tickets or £65 for a three-day pass. Buy tickets online now at www.buytickets.gi

Trump Targets Preston Success

Judd Trump feels he has been the World Snooker Tour’s most consistent player in 2016/17, and he is looking to add further silverware to his collection in the second half of the season, starting at next month’s Ladbrokes World Grand Prix.

The top 32 players on this season’s money list will take to the historic Guild Hall in Preston from February 6 to 12, aiming to claim the £100,000 top prize. Trump is in third place on that list, behind Ding Junhui and Mark Selby.

Trump said: “I think the whole season I’ve been pretty consistent. In tournament wins I haven’t been the best, but in terms of overall standard I’ve played the most consistently of anyone. It has taken superb performances to beat me this year. You have to take something from that and if you keep playing that well eventually you will win a lot of tournaments.

“I can play badly and win events and then play better than most people and lose in the first round. I think it shows that players tend to raise their game against me. I’m bringing the best out of everyone. In most tournaments my matches are the best, the closest and the highest standard. That is certainly a positive. I know if I can find that extra five percent on my game I have a great chance to win a lot more events.”

Trump, age 27, has one trophy to his name this season, having staged a dramatic fightback against Ronnie O’Sullivan in the final of the European Masters in Romania in October. He trailed 8-6 before hitting back to win 9-8. The six-time ranking event winner feels that he can now build on that victory in the second half of the campaign.

The left-hander from Bristol took home the World Grand Prix trophy in 2015, again beating O'Sullivan in the final. "It was great to get the better of him and win on that occasion," he added. "It gave me a lot of confidence and since then, even though I didn’t have a bad record before, I seem to have really taken off in my matches against Ronnie.”

Trump plays his opening match at the Guild Hall at 7pm on the opening day of the tournament - Monday February 6. Other top stars battling for the title will include Ronnie O'Sullivan, Mark Selby, Neil Robertson, John Higgins and defending champion Shaun Murphy.

Tickets, starting at just £13, are still available but fans must BOOK FAST. To ensure your place at Preston’s Guild Hall visit www.worldsnooker.com/tickets or call 01772 80 4444


Judd Trump won the World Grand Prix in 2015

Whirlwind Reflects On Resurgence

Jimmy White says his game has come on ‘leaps and bounds’ as he looks ahead to playing in the final stages of the F66.com German Masters this week.

Last season saw snooker legend White at a low ebb as he won just one match in 11 ranking events. But the 2016/17 campaign has seen a dramatic improvement for the 54-year-old as he has won 11 out of 21 matches and given himself hope of keeping his place on the professional tour for next season.

The Londoner beat Zhou Yuelong and Joe Perry to reach the last 32 of the German Masters and he’ll face Robin Hull at the iconic Tempodrom arena in Berlin on Wednesday.

White even has an outside chance of getting into the top 32 on this season’s one-year ranking list which would give him a place in next week’s Ladbrokes World Grand Prix in Preston, though to achieve that he would have to go all the way to the £60,000 top prize in Berlin.

“I’m happy with my form and confident that I can keep getting results,” said ten-time ranking event winner White. “When I look back on last year, my game was in bad shape and I was four stone heavier. I have lost a lot of weight and my snooker has come on leaps and bounds since then.

“Last year in Germany, I started working for Eurosport as a pundit. I wasn’t sure at first how I would do, but I have really enjoyed it. It has been great to be involved in tournaments on that side. And this time I’ll be there as a player as well.

“My main goal for the season is to qualify for the final stages of the World Championship in April. I want to keep my tour place of course but as long as I qualify for the Crucible I should achieve that as well.”

Among the other stars contesting the title in Berlin will be Ronnie O’Sullivan, Neil Robertson and Mark Selby.

World Pool Series Raises $1,000 for the BEF
Story by Alison M. Fischer

February 1, 2017 (Denver, CO): On January 14-17, the World Pool Series (WPS) held its inaugural event at Steinway Billiards in Astoria, NY. The 8-ball event, known as the Molinari Players Championship, brought in a field of pool's top international stars.

Among the 119 total players, thirty-five countries were represented in the battle for over $100,000 in prize funds. At the end of the four-day championship, Russia's Ruslan Chinahov earned the title and the $20,000 first prize after a 16-6 win over Lee Van Cortez of the Philippines.

Along with presenting some of the toughest competition in professional pool today, WPS founder Darren Appleton also made a fundraising initiative for the Billiard Education Foundation (BEF) through a series of raffles at the event. 20% of the raffle proceeds will go toward supporting the BEF's junior programs and events, and a total of $1,000 was raised.

The WPS plans to continue its support of the BEF at each of its forthcoming events in 2017. The next event is scheduled for April 4-7, and will also be held at Steinway Billiards. For more information, visit www.WorldPoolSeries.com.

About the World Pool Series
8-Ball is the most recognized and most participated discipline of pool around the world. The World Pool Series: 8-Ball is designed for players and fans worldwide. My hopes for these events is that it will elevate the profession of pool to the level it should be and I will personally put forth all my efforts to do so!

About the Billiard Education Foundation (BEF)
The BEF was formed in 1993 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charity committed to promoting a lifelong love of pool and building the next generation of players through youth programs and academic scholarships. Visit billiardeducation.org or call (303) 926-1039 to learn more about junior billiard programs in your area.