Snooker in February 2012

We have a new month ahead of us and if you think that January was a busy one, well ... Ferbuary is worse. Which is actually better in my world of snooker-lover, so I'm guessing it will also be in yours.


Right from the very first day we shall need to pack our bags and fly all the way to Germany's Berlin for the second edition of the German Masters. Last year it was a total blast, with the audience that was practically mesmarised by each shot and the player who felt better than ever with such supporting fans by their side.


After five days spend abroad we are returning to Essex (because "The only Way is Essex") for the Championship League's Groups five and six (6-9 of  February), at the same time that week the qualifiers for the Welsh Open kicking off (8-11 of February), only to see the actual event starting on February 13 and ending six days later.


Just one single day to catch our breath (on 21st) and then we are going chaising the China Open "dream"with the qualifiers from 21-24 of February, while from 27 the brand new Haikou World Open tournament is taking us all the way across the planet on the Hainan Island.



When?: 1-5 February
Where?: Berlin, Germany
Defending champion: Mark Williams
Who's playing?: click here for the draw.
Prize money: winner (50,000 Euros), runner-up (30,000 Euros), losing semi-finalists (15,000 Euros), losing quarter-finalists (9,000 Euros), Last 16 (6,000 Euros), Last 32 (3,750 Euros), Last 48 (1,500 Euros).
Ranking points: winner (5,000), runner-up (4,000), losing semi-finalists (3,200), losing quarter-finalists (2,500), Last 16 (1,900), Last 32 (1,400 and *700), Last 48 (1,150 and *575).
*seeded loser.


When?: 6-9 February
Where?: Crondon Park, Essex, UK
Who's playing?: click here for the draw.
Prize money: For the group phase - £3,000 for the winner of each final, £2,000 for the runner-up in final, £1,000 for the losing semi-finalists, £100 per frame won and £500 for the highest break.                       For winners' group phase - £10,000 for the overall champion, £5,000 for the overall runner-up, £3,000 for the losing semi-finalists, £300 per frame won and £1,000for the highest break.
Ranking points: -

 
3. Welsh Open (the qualifiers)

When?: 8-11 February
Where?: Sheffield, UK
Who's playing?: click here for the draw.
Prize money: -
Ranking points: -


When?: 13-19 February
Where?: Newport Centre, Wales, UK
Defending champion: John Higgins
Who's playing?: click here for the draw.
Prize money: winner (£30,000), runner-up (£15,000), losing semi-finalists (£7,500), losing quarter-finalists (£5,600), Last 16 (£4,000), Last 32 ( £2,500), Last 48 (£1,600), Last 64 (£1,250).
Ranking points: winner (5,000), runner-up (4,000), losing semi-finalists (3,200), losing quarter-finalists (2,500), Last 16 (1,900), Last 32 (1,400 and *700), Last 48 (1,150 and *575), Last 64 (900 and *450).
*seeded loser.


When?: 21-24 February
Where?: Sheffield, UK
Who's playing?: click here for the draw.
Prize money: -
Ranking points: -



When?: February 27 - March 4
Where?: Hainan Island, Haikow, China
Defending chmapion: -
Who's playing?: click here for the draw.
Prize money: winner (£75,000), runner-up (£34,000), losing semi-finalists (£16,000), losing quarter-finalists (£10,000), Last 16 (£7,500), Last 32 ( £6,000), Last 48 (£2,300), Last 64 (£1,550). There's also a prize money for the highest break of £2,000.
Ranking points: update needed.