The British Open is a professional
snooker tournament, held as a
ranking tournament from 1985. The tournament had not been held since the
2004/2005 season, until the
2021/2022 season when it was confirmed as returning to the calendar after 17 years.
The tournament had various sponsors and venues over the years. It took place around November each year. Prior to the 1999/2000 season, it was held later in the season. As a result, two tournaments were held in 1999, one for the 1998/1999 season and one for the 1999/2000 season.
The reigning (2022) champion is Welshman
Ryan Day who defeated Northern Irishman
Mark Allen to take his first title. The record for the most titles is held by Englishman
Steve Davis
Steve Davis (born 22 August 1957) is an English retired professional snooker player who is currently a commentator, musician, DJ, and author. He is best known for dominating professional snooker during the 1980s, when he reached eight World S ...
with five, one ahead of Scots
Stephen Hendry
Stephen Gordon Hendry (born 13 January 1969) is a Scottish professional snooker player who dominated the sport during the 1990s, becoming one of the most successful players in its history. After turning professional in 1985 at age 16, Hendry ...
and
John Higgins
John Higgins, (born 18 May 1975) is a Scottish professional snooker player. He has won 31 career ranking titles, placing him in third position on the all-time list of ranking event winners, behind Ronnie O'Sullivan (39) and Stephen Hendry ( ...
.
History
The tournament began in 1980 as the British Gold Cup in the Assembly Rooms,
Derby
Derby ( ) is a city and unitary authority area in Derbyshire, England. It lies on the banks of the River Derwent in the south of Derbyshire, which is in the East Midlands Region. It was traditionally the county town of Derbyshire. Derby g ...
. It was a sixteen-man invitation event and was played on a round robin basis with the group winners advancing to the semi-finals.
The next year
Yamaha Yamaha may refer to:
* Yamaha Corporation, a Japanese company with a wide range of products and services, established in 1887. The company is the largest shareholder of Yamaha Motor Company (below).
** Yamaha Music Foundation, an organization estab ...
took over sponsorship and the tournament was renamed the Yamaha Organs Trophy. The next year the tournaments name was changed to International Masters. The top eight of the first round robin stage played in two further groups and the winners advanced to the final. For 1984 the field of the tournament was increased to 27 and nine three-man groups were organised. The winners played in three semi-final groups and the winners played in a three-man round robin final.
[
After ]WPBSA
The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) is the governing body of professional snooker and English billiards based in Bristol, England. It owns and publishes the official rules of the two sports and engages in promotion ...
decided to increase the number of ranking events in 1984/1985 and Yamaha withdrew its sponsorship the event was renamed the British Open. Dulux
Dulux is an internationally available brand of architectural paint originated from the United Kingdom. The brand name Dulux has been used by both Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) and DuPont since 1931 and was one of the first alkyd-based ...
was the sponsor of the event between 1985 and 1987.[ In the next six years the event had four different sponsors: MIM Britannia Unit Trusts in 1988, Anglian Windows in 1989, Pearl Assurance between 1990 and 1992, and Wickes Home Improvements in 1993. In 1990 FA Cup style draws were introduced from the last 32 stage of the event.][
In 1994 the tournament was moved to the ]Plymouth Pavilions
Plymouth Pavilions is an entertainment and sports complex in Plymouth, Devon, England. It has an ice rink and indoor arena. The arena is used as an entertainment venue and also for corporate hire.
The Pavilions is built on the site of the form ...
. Between 1994 and 2004 the event was sponsored in only three years by Castella in 1995 and 1996, and by Stan James in 2001. The event was moved to the first half of the calendar in 1999/2000. The event than moved to the Telewest Arena
The Utilita Arena Newcastle (formerly the Newcastle Arena, Telewest Arena and Metro Radio Arena) is a large indoor arena in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. Owned and operated by ASM Global and sponsored by Utilita Energy, it hosts m ...
in Newcastle for 2001, the Telford International Centre for 2002 and the Brighton Centre for 2003 and 2004. The event was dropped from the calendar in 2005/2006.[
There have been seven ]maximum break
A maximum break (also known as a maximum, a 147, or orally, a one-four-seven) is the highest possible in a single of snooker. A player compiles a maximum break by potting all 15 with 15 for 120 points, followed by all six for a further 27 ...
s during the history of the tournament. James Wattana
James Wattana (; born January 17, 1970, as วัฒนา ภู่โอบอ้อม ''Wattana Pu-Ob-Orm'', then renamed รัชพล ภู่โอบอ้อม ''Ratchapol Pu-Ob-Orm'' in 2003) is a Thai former professional snooker pl ...
made the first in 1992 in the last 16 against Tony Drago
Tony Drago (born 22 September 1965) is a Maltese former professional snooker and pool player.
Known for his speed around the table, during his snooker career he won two professional titles: the 1993 Strachan Challenge Event 3 and the 1996 G ...
. The second and third came at the qualifying stage of the event. David McDonnell compiled it in the fourth round of the 1995 event against Nic Barrow and Jason Prince
Jason Prince (born 17 June 1970 from Derry) is a Northern Irish former professional snooker player.
Career
Born in 1970, Prince turned professional in 1990, having beaten Fred Davis 10–5 to qualify. During his first season, he reached the l ...
in the fifth round of the first 1999 event against Ian Brumby
Ian Brumby (born 17 September 1964) is an English former professional snooker player.
Career
Born on 17 September 1964, Brumby turned professional in 1989. His first season brought a run to the last 32 at the 1990 Classic, where he defeated ...
. Graeme Dott
Graeme Dott (born 12 May 1977) is a Scottish professional snooker player and snooker coach from Larkhall. He turned professional in 1994 and first entered the top 16 in 2001. He has won two ranking titles, the 2006 World Snooker Championship a ...
made the fourth at the same event in the last 64 against David Roe
David Roe (born 11 September 1965) is a former English professional snooker player, and a four-time ranking tournament quarter-finalist.
Career
Roe was born on 11 September 1965 in Derby. He began his professional career for the 1986–87 snoo ...
. The fifth was Stephen Hendry
Stephen Gordon Hendry (born 13 January 1969) is a Scottish professional snooker player who dominated the sport during the 1990s, becoming one of the most successful players in its history. After turning professional in 1985 at age 16, Hendry ...
's sixth official maximum break, which he compiled in the final of the second 1999 event against Peter Ebdon
Peter David Ebdon (born 27 August 1970) is an English former snooker player. The winner of the 2002 World Snooker Championship, Ebdon won nine world ranking events, placing twelfth on the all-time list of ranking tournament winners. In addit ...
. The revived 2021 event recorded two maximum breaks. John Higgins
John Higgins, (born 18 May 1975) is a Scottish professional snooker player. He has won 31 career ranking titles, placing him in third position on the all-time list of ranking event winners, behind Ronnie O'Sullivan (39) and Stephen Hendry ( ...
made one in the first frame of his first-round win over Alexander Ursenbacher
Alexander Ursenbacher (born 26 April 1996) is a Swiss professional snooker player from Rheinfelden. He is Switzerland's first professional snooker player (former professional Darren Paris represented England, in the mid-1990s, before moving to S ...
, while Ali Carter
Allister Carter (born 25 July 1979) is an English professional snooker player. He has twice been the World Championship runner-up, in 2008 and 2012, losing both finals to Ronnie O'Sullivan. He has won four ranking titles and briefly reached numb ...
made his during the second frame of his fourth-round match against Elliot Slessor
Elliot Slessor (born 4 August 1994) is an English professional snooker player.
In May 2013, Slessor qualified for the 2013–14 and 2014–15 professional Main Tour as one of four semi-finalists from the first Q School event.
Career
Slessor ...
.
Winners
[
]
Notes
References
{{Snooker tournaments
Recurring sporting events established in 1980
Recurring sporting events disestablished in 2004
1980 establishments in England
2004 disestablishments in England
Snooker non-ranking competitions
Snooker ranking tournaments
Sport in Brighton and Hove
Snooker competitions in England