Q School
With 12 places on the World Snooker Tour up for grabs, 2020 Q School gives all snooker players around the world the opportunity to chase their dream.
David Gilbert came through Q School and is now one of snooker’s top stars
Government guidance on Covid 19 is constantly evolving, so the following plan is provisional and further information will be provided in line with the guidance.
Q School will start on Monday August 3rd, with three tournaments to be played consecutively. The four semi-finalists in each event will earn a place on the World Snooker Tour for the 2020/21 and 2021/22 seasons.
Q School will take place at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield – the same venue as the Betfred World Championship qualifiers. All matches will be best of seven frames.
It is open to all players from around the world, regardless of nationality, age or gender, providing they are in good standing with their national federation. The entry fee is £1,000.
Current professionals who are at risk of relegation from the tour at the end of the season will have the chance to enter before the Betfred World Championship qualifiers. Those players will then be included in the draw for the first event, though if they keep their place on the Tour they will be removed from the draw.
WST Chairman Barry Hearn said: “Despite the current challenges the world is facing, we have shown relentless determination to keep our tour going, and to keep opportunities available for players. This includes aspiring players. There are many players who have been building towards Q School for a long time, and our firm intention is that it should go ahead.
“We have already proved that we can stage events safely and successfully, with this month’s Championship League. That fantastic tournament has given confidence to all players and officials that their own health and safety is our highest priority. This principal will be upheld at all events in the coming months, including Q School.
“Our close dialogue with the UK government is ongoing. We do not know what the next few weeks have in store, so we can only make provisional arrangements for Q School at this stage. All players well be kept informed of any amendments, and any player who has entered but then wishes to withdraw because of a change to the plan will be able to do so before the draw and receive a full refund.
“The strict regulations we are following will allow all players to feel confident in focussing on snooker and putting all of their talent and desire into competing at Q School and trying to win one of those 12 coveted Tour Cards.
“Plans for the 2020/21 season are still developing but we will strive to make sure that tour players have plenty of opportunities to compete in tournaments and earn prize money.
“Q School has been running since 2011 and has proved the best and fairest way for players to qualify for the Tour. In that year, David Gilbert was a graduate and he is now among the world’s top 16 and living the dream. Last year we saw talented youngsters such as Si Jiahui and Louis Heathcote earn a place on the World Snooker Tour for the first time.
“We are delighted that Q School will go ahead and all players should relish this chance.”
A separate ranking list will be compiled during Q School with players earning one point for every frame won. During the 2020/2021 season, should the number of entries in any WST event fall below the required number of entrants, subject to wildcards and commercial agreements, the highest ranked players from the Q School ranking list will be used to top up to the required number of entrants.
There will also be further opportunities for Q School players through a revised Challenge Tour series to be run under the WPBSA. Full details will be released in due course.