The Championship League 2018 was an invitation-only snooker tournament as part of the Snooker Main Tour of the 2017/18 season , which took place between January 2 and March 29, 2018 in the Ricoh Arena in Coventry , England , as a round-robin tournament (mode: everyone-against -Every , eng. round-robin tournament ) was held. It was the eleventh edition of the Championship League . Defending champion was the Scot John Higgins . He won Group 7 and then repeated his previous year's success with a 3-2 final win over the Chinese Zhou Yuelong in the Winner's Group .
Prize money
Since the Championship League is an invitation-only tournament, the prize money did not count towards the world snooker ranking . As in previous years, a total of £ 205,000 was awarded for the tournament.
Groups 1-7 |
Prize money
|
winner |
£ 3,000
|
finalist |
£ 2,000
|
Semi-finalist |
£ 1,000
|
Bonus per frame win (knockout phase) |
300 pounds
|
Bonus per frame win (group games) |
100 pounds
|
Highest break |
£ 500
|
Winners' Group |
Prize money
|
Tournament winner |
£ 10,000
|
finalist |
£ 5,000
|
Semi-finalist |
£ 3,000
|
Bonus per frame win (knockout phase) |
300 pounds
|
Bonus per frame win (group games) |
£ 200
|
Highest break |
£ 1,000
|
Qualification groups
In each of the seven groups, seven players competed against each other in round robin mode . The first four players in each group qualified for a knockout phase in which the group winner was determined. Only this qualified for the final Winners' Group . The defeated players in the knockout phase and the player placed in 5th place started again in the following group. The last two in the group are eliminated from the tournament.
Group 1
The first group games took place on January 2nd and 3rd, 2018.
Group games
table
Item
|
player
|
opponent
|
Lots
|
Frames
|
Points
|
Prize money NB
|
Scotland LIKE
|
China People's Republic ZHO
|
Wales DAY
|
England HAM
|
England WIL
|
England KIN
|
England HOL
|
1
|
Scotland Stephen Maguire
|
|
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
3
|
4: 2 |
15:12 |
4th |
£ 3,100
|
2
|
China People's Republic Zhou Yuelong
|
2 |
|
3 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
3
|
4: 2 |
14:10 |
4th |
£ 6,200
|
3
|
Wales Ryan Day
|
1 |
1 |
|
3 |
3 |
3 |
1
|
3: 3 |
12:13 |
3 |
HB£ 3,300 HB
|
4th
|
England Anthony Hamilton
|
3 |
0 |
1 |
|
3 |
2 |
3
|
3: 3 |
12:13 |
3 |
£ 4,700
|
5
|
England Kyren Wilson
|
3 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
|
0 |
3
|
3: 3 |
11:11 |
3 |
£ 1,100
|
6th
|
England Mark King
|
2 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
|
2
|
2: 4 |
14:14 |
2 |
£ 1,400
|
7th
|
England Michael Holt
|
1 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
|
2: 4 |
10:15 |
2 |
£ 1,000
|
|
Qualification for the semi-finals of Group 1
|
|
Qualification for group 2
|
NB The prizes from the knockout phase are included in the prize money
HB including a bonus for the highest break
Knockout phase
Group 2
Group 2 games were played between January 4th and 5th, 2018. Seated were Neil Robertson , Mark Selby and Barry Hawkins . Anthony Hamilton , Stephen Maguire , Ryan Day and Kyren Wilson came from Group 1 . Neil Robertson dropped out of the tournament after 5 out of 6 preliminary round matches for family reasons. The results were annulled, but he still received the prizes for winning the questions.
Group games
kl. = without a fight
table
Item
|
player
|
opponent
|
Lots
|
Frames
|
Points
|
Prize money NB
|
England HAW
|
Wales DAY
|
England SEL
|
England WIL
|
England HAM
|
Scotland LIKE
|
Australia ROB
|
1
|
England Barry Hawkins
|
|
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
0 (2)
|
5-0 |
15: 60
|
5 |
£ 4,900
|
2
|
Wales Ryan Day
|
1 |
|
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
0 (0)
|
3: 2 |
11: 90
|
3 |
£ 2,100
|
3
|
England Mark Selby
|
2 |
2 |
|
3 |
2 |
3 |
0 (3)
|
2: 3 |
12:10 |
2 |
£ 6,300
|
4th
|
England Kyren Wilson
|
2 |
1 |
0 |
|
3 |
3 |
0 (2)
|
2: 3 |
09:10 |
2 |
£ 2,400
|
5
|
England Anthony Hamilton
|
1 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
|
3 |
0 (3)
|
2: 3 |
08:11 |
2 |
£ 1,100
|
6th
|
Scotland Stephen Maguire
|
0 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
0 (3)
|
1: 5 |
04:13 |
1 |
0.£ 700
|
7th
|
Australia Neil Robertson
|
0 (3) |
0 (3) |
0 (1) |
0 (3) |
0 (0) |
0 (2) |
|
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
HB£ 1,700 HB
|
|
Qualification for the semi-finals of Group 2
|
|
Qualification for group 3
|
NB The prizes from the knockout phase are included in the prize money
HB including a bonus for the highest break
Knockout phase
Group 3
Group 3 games took place on January 8th and 9th, 2018. Seated were Allister Carter , Tom Ford , who replaced Anthony McGill , and Mark Allen . Welshman Ryan Day and the three Englishmen Barry Hawkins , Kyren Wilson and Anthony Hamilton came from Group 2 .
Group games
table
Item
|
player
|
opponent
|
Lots
|
Frames
|
Points
|
Prize money NB
|
Northern Ireland ALLES
|
England HAW
|
England WIL
|
England FOR
|
England CAR
|
England HAM
|
Wales DAY
|
1
|
Northern Ireland Mark Allen
|
|
1 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3
|
4: 2 |
15: 80
|
4th |
£ 4,700
|
2
|
England Barry Hawkins
|
3 |
|
3 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
2
|
4: 2 |
14: 90
|
4th |
£ 2,700
|
3
|
England Kyren Wilson
|
1 |
0 |
|
3 |
3 |
3 |
3
|
4: 2 |
13:13 |
4th |
HB£ 6,600 HB
|
4th
|
England Tom Ford
|
1 |
3 |
2 |
|
0 |
3 |
3
|
3: 3 |
12:11 |
3 |
£ 2,800
|
5
|
England Allister Carter
|
0 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
|
3 |
3
|
3: 3 |
11:13 |
3 |
£ 1,100
|
6th
|
England Anthony Hamilton
|
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|
3
|
2: 4 |
12:15 |
2 |
£ 1,200
|
7th
|
Wales Ryan Day
|
0 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
|
1: 5 |
09:17 |
1 |
0.£ 900
|
|
Qualification for the semi-finals of Group 3
|
|
Qualification for group 4
|
NB The prizes from the knockout phase are included in the prize money
HB including a bonus for the highest break
Knockout phase
Group 4
Group 4 games took place on January 10th and 11th, 2018. Shaun Murphy , Liang Wenbo and Judd Trump were seated. In addition, from Group 3 there were Mark Allen , Barry Hawkins , Tom Ford and Allister Carter . Mark Allen abandoned the tournament after the first of 6 preliminary round matches for family reasons. The result was annulled, but he still received the prize money he had won for winning questions.
Group games
kl. = without a fight
table
Item
|
player
|
opponent
|
Lots
|
Frames
|
Points
|
Prize money NB
|
England TRU
|
England HAW
|
England MUR
|
England CAR
|
China People's Republic LIA
|
England FOR
|
Northern Ireland ALLES
|
1
|
England Judd Trump
|
|
1 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
0 (3)
|
4: 1 |
13: 40
|
4th |
£ 2,600
|
2
|
England Barry Hawkins
|
3 |
|
3 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
0 (3)
|
4: 1 |
13: 70
|
4th |
£ 3,200
|
3
|
England Shaun Murphy
|
0 |
2 |
|
1 |
3 |
3 |
0 (3)
|
2: 3 |
09:12 |
2 |
£ 4,400
|
4th
|
England Allister Carter
|
0 |
0 |
3 |
|
2 |
3 |
0 (3)
|
2: 3 |
08:10 |
2 |
£ 5,900
|
5
|
China People's Republic Liang Wenbo
|
0 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
|
0 |
0 (3)
|
2: 3 |
07:12 |
2 |
HB£ 1,500 HB
|
6th
|
England Tom Ford
|
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
|
0 (3)
|
1: 4 |
07:12 |
1 |
£ 1,000
|
7th
|
Northern Ireland Mark Allen
|
0 (0) |
0 (1) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
0 (0) |
|
0-0 |
0-0 |
0 |
0.100 pounds
|
|
Qualification for the semi-finals of Group 4
|
|
Qualification for group 5
|
NB The prizes from the knockout phase are included in the prize money
HB including a bonus for the highest break
Knockout phase
Group 5
The group 5 games took place on January 23rd and 24th, 2018. Martin Gould , Ricky Walden and Mark Williams were seated. Of the players who qualified through Group 4, only Judd Trump competed . Shaun Murphy , Barry Hawkins and Liang Wenbo waived. For they jumped David Gilbert , Joe Perry and Ben Woollaston one.
Group games
table
|
Qualification for the semifinals of group 5
|
|
Qualification for group 6
|
NB The prizes from the knockout phase are included in the prize money
HB including a bonus for the highest break
Knockout phase
Group 6
Group 6 games took place on January 25th and 26th, 2018. Li Hang , Michael White and Graeme Dott were added as new players. Judd Trump , Ben Woollaston , Ricky Walden and Martin Gould were left over from Group 5.
Group games
Martin Gould won his last round game with a maximum break . It was the first 147 break in his career and the seventh in Championship League history.
table
Item
|
player
|
opponent
|
Lots
|
Frames
|
Points
|
Prize money NB
|
England GOU
|
England TRU
|
England WHALE
|
China People's Republic LIH
|
Scotland DOT
|
Wales WHI
|
England WOO
|
1
|
England Martin Gould
|
|
3 |
3 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
3
|
5: 1 |
16: 8 |
5 |
£ 6,900 HB
|
2
|
England Judd Trump
|
2 |
|
3 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
3
|
4: 2 |
14: 7 |
4th |
£ 4,300
|
3
|
England Ricky Walden
|
0 |
0 |
|
3 |
3 |
3 |
3
|
4: 2 |
12:13 |
4th |
£ 2,200
|
4th
|
China People's Republic Li Hang
|
2 |
3 |
2 |
|
3 |
3 |
1
|
3: 3 |
14:11 |
3 |
£ 3,000
|
5
|
Scotland Graeme Dott
|
3 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
|
3 |
3
|
3: 3 |
13:14 |
3 |
£ 1,300
|
6th
|
Wales Michael White
|
1 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
|
3
|
1: 5 |
8:15 |
1 |
£ 800
|
7th
|
England Ben Woollaston
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
|
1: 5 |
7:16 |
1 |
£ 700
|
|
Qualification for the semi-finals of Group 6
|
|
Qualification for group 7
|
NB The prizes from the knockout phase are included in the prize money
HB including a bonus for the highest break
Knockout phase
Group 7
With the games of Group 7 on March 26th and March 27th, the qualifying phase for the winners' group of the tournament ended. John Higgins , Luca Brecel and Robert Milkins were seated. Judd Trump and Ricky Walden were added from Group 6 . Graeme Dott and Li Hang would also have come from Group 6, but they waived. Dominic Dale and Jimmy Robertson stood in for them .
Group games
In the first game of the tournament, Luca Brecel managed a maximum break to beat John Higgins 3-0 . It was the first official 147 break in the Belgian’s career.
table
|
Qualification for the semi-finals of Group 7
|
NB The prizes from the knockout phase are included in the prize money
HB including a bonus for the highest break
Knockout phase
Winners' Group
Group games
The winners of the seven groups had qualified for the group stage of the final round. They played in round robin mode for a place in the semi-finals.
table
Item
|
player
|
opponent
|
Lots
|
Frames
|
Points
|
Prize money NB
|
Scotland HIG
|
England CAR
|
China People's Republic ZHO
|
England SEL
|
England WLS
|
Wales WLL
|
England GOU
|
1
|
Scotland John Higgins
|
|
2 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3 |
3
|
5: 1 |
17: 8 |
5 |
£ 15,200
|
2
|
England Allister Carter
|
3 |
|
3 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
3
|
5: 1 |
16:10 |
5 |
£ 6,200
|
3
|
China People's Republic Zhou Yuelong
|
2 |
2 |
|
3 |
3 |
2 |
3
|
3: 3 |
15:12 |
3 |
£ 10,500 HB
|
4th
|
England Mark Selby
|
0 |
1 |
2 |
|
3 |
3 |
3
|
3: 3 |
12:10 |
3 |
£ 6,000
|
5
|
England Kyren Wilson
|
1 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
|
3 |
3
|
3: 3 |
12:13 |
3 |
£ 2,400
|
6th
|
Wales Mark Williams
|
2 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
|
1
|
1: 5 |
9:17 |
1 |
£ 1,800
|
7th
|
England Martin Gould
|
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
3 |
|
1: 5 |
5:16 |
1 |
£ 1,000
|
|
Qualification for the semi-finals of the final round
|
NB The prizes from the knockout phase are included in the prize money
HB including a bonus for the highest break
Finals
Final: Best of 5 Frames Referee: Rob Spencer Ricoh Arena, Coventry , England , March 29th 2017
England
|
Scotland John Higgins
|
3 : 2
|
China People's Republic Zhou Yuelong
|
78 : 39, 1: 133 (100), 61 : 11, 17: 57 , 81 : 0 (81)
|
81
|
Highest break
|
100
|
-
|
Century breaks
|
1
|
1
|
50+ breaks
|
1
|
Century Breaks
116 Century Breaks were scored throughout the tournament, 23 of them in the final Winner's Group. Judd Trump scored 16 breaks of 100 or more points, more than anyone, but he also participated in 4 of the 7 groups. Barry Hawkins scored half as many Centuries in 3 competitions. In Group 6 and Group 7 there was a 147-point break by Martin Gould and Luca Brecel , respectively, the maximum breaks number 7 and 8 in the history of the Championship League.
Winner's Group
Qualification groups
Belgium Luca Brecel
|
147 7 , 109
|
England Martin Gould
|
147 6 , 108, 106, 102, 101 (2 ×)
|
Scotland John Higgins
|
146, 105
|
Wales Ryan Day
|
145 1 , 122, 100
|
Wales Mark Williams
|
144 5 , 136, 111, 100
|
China People's Republic Li Hang
|
143, 103, 102
|
England Judd Trump
|
140, 137, 134, 125, 124, 120 (2 ×), 118, 110, 109, 108, 104, 103, 100 (3 ×)
|
England Ricky Walden
|
140, 137, 131, 129, 104
|
China People's Republic Liang Wenbo
|
140 4 , 115
|
England Michael Holt
|
139
|
England Tom Ford
|
139
|
England Kyren Wilson
|
137 3 (2 ×), 131, 105, 101
|
Scotland Graeme Dott
|
136
|
|
Australia Neil Robertson
|
134 2 , 116, 110
|
England Mark King
|
134, 116
|
England Barry Hawkins
|
138, 129, 122, 114, 104, 103, 101 (2 ×)
|
Northern Ireland Mark Allen
|
125, 124, 102
|
England Allister Carter
|
125, 115, 107, 103
|
England Jimmy Robertson
|
122, 121, 113, 101
|
England Ben Woollaston
|
120, 106, 103, 102, 101
|
England Anthony Hamilton
|
118, 103
|
Scotland Stephen Maguire
|
115, 104
|
Wales Michael White
|
113, 111, 100
|
England Mark Selby
|
111, 104, 103, 101
|
China People's Republic Zhou Yuelong
|
110, 105
|
|
x the superscript number marks the highest break in group x
Individual evidence
-
↑ Prize money. In: championshipleaguesnooker.co.uk. Matchroom Sport , accessed June 27, 2015 .
-
↑ a b c d e f g h i Games & Results. In: championshipleaguesnooker.co.uk. Matchroom Sport , accessed March 2, 2017 .
-
↑ Game mode. In: championshipleaguesnooker.co.uk. Matchroom Sport , accessed January 4, 2017 .
-
↑ Century Breaks 2018. Matchroom Sport , accessed January 2, 2019 .
Web links