Snooker in January 2012

Time for some good, old snooker

It's here peeps! 2012 has settle in and even though many of us are still dreaming about their "white Christmas" and about how hard they rocked during the New Year's party, it's now time to let it all go and focus on what needs to be done. Well, actually I mean to focus on the obvious and that's … snooker ;-)

January is a busy month and by busy I really mean really, really busy. It doesn't matter that the New Year has just entered in our homes, for snooker is back in business baby! And that's how is should be, right? Since years after years we cried for more snooker. Well, here it is. Fresh and eager to entertain you.

As you all know, or at least some of you, we have some unfinished business from last year. Yep, I'm talking about Players Tour Championship Event 12. The last one of its series and the one that only had one stage that took place. Now, the second one is kicking off in Germany between 6 and 8, at the end of it the names of the 24 players that will get a place in PTC Grand Finals from Ireland being no longer a secret (not that is one at the moment, but some names still need confirmation, if you know what I mean ;-) ).

After Germany we shall return home, in Essex, where from January 9 the Championship League is taking place. For four days the lads will cross their cues in Crondon Park Golf Club in order to obtain as many points as possible and get a fair chance at a cosy spot in this year's Premier League.

But as the players are busy collecting points, a very important stage of a kind of new competition is taking place. From January 11 to 14, in the city that's madly in love with snooker (aka. Sheffield), the Haikou World Open Qualifiers is kicking off. As you all remember there was a competition last year in China’s Hainan, but it wasn't a ranking event nor it was sponsored by World Snooker.
However, things have changed and now we have a ranking event in front of us with its qualifiers just around the corner.

One of the most expected tournaments in snooker's calendar, the Masters, is also on our January list, the event taking place between January 15 and 22 at Alexandra Palace from London and featuring, as always, snooker’s crème de la crème.

On 23 of January the second week of the Championship League will follow, the end of the month being captured by the "fast and the furious" of snooker - the Shoot-Out tournament – that’s taking place from 27 until 29 in Blackpool.

So, are you ready for some action that involves snooker? Good, old snooker, as well as fast and furious one? If your answer is YES, then you're in luck, for just look at this month's schedule: it's packed with snooker activities.




When?: 6-8 January
Where?: Munich, Germany
Who's playing?: click here for the draw.
Prize money: winner (£10,000), runner-up (£5,000), losing semi-finalists (£2,500), losing quarter-finalists (£1,500), last 16 (£1,000), last 32 (£600) and the last 64 (£200).
Ranking points: winner (2,000), runner-up (1,600), losing semi-finalists (1,280), losing quarter-finalists (1,000), last 16 (760), last 32 (560) and the last 64 (360).



When?: 9-12 January
Where?: Crondon Park Golf Club, 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: -



When?: 11-14 January
Where?: Sheffield, UK
Defending champion: -
Who's playing: click here for the draw.
Prize money: -
Ranking points: -



When?: 15-22 January
Where?: Alexandra Palace, London, UK
Defending champion: Ding Junhui
Who's playing?: cluck here for the draw.
Prize Money: winner (£150,000), runner-up (£75,000), semi-finals (£30,000), quarter-finals (£20,000), last 16 (£15,000).
Ranking points: -



When?: 23-26 January 
Where?: Crondon Park Golf Club, 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: -



When?: 27-29 January
Where?: Blackpool, UK
Defending champion: Nigel Bond
Who's playing?: click here for the draw.
Prize Money: update needed.
Ranking points: -