Snooker tournament
The 2020 Championship League (also known as the BetVictor Championship League Snooker 2020 ) was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place from 13 September to 30 October 2020 in the Ballroom, Stadium MK in Milton Keynes , England.[ 1] [ 2] The event featured 117 players from the World Snooker Tour as well as ten players from the 2020 Q School Order of Merit. It featured three rounds of round-robin groups of four, before a best-of-five final. It was the 15th edition of the Championship League , and it was a ranking tournament for the first time.
Ryan Day made his second career maximum break in the final frame of his match against Rod Lawler , and John Higgins made his 11th career maximum in the final frame of his match against Kyren Wilson .
Kyren Wilson won the tournament with a 3–1 final victory over Judd Trump . This was Wilson's fourth ranking title. He ended Trump's 10-final winning streak.
There were 127 players taking part in the event. The competition began with 32 rounds of group matches with each group consisting of four players.[ 3] Two groups were played to a finish every day during two blocks of eight days, from 13 to 20 September and from 28 September to 5 October, using a two-table setup in the arena. The groups were contested using a round-robin format, with six matches played in each group. All matches in group play were played as best-of-four frames, with three points awarded for a win and one point for a draw. Group positions were determined by points scored, frame difference and then head-to-head results between players who were tied. Places that were still tied were then determined by the highest break made in the group.
The 32 players that topped the group tables qualified for the group winners' stage, consisting of eight groups of four players. The eight winners from the group winners' stage qualified for the two final groups before the final took place later on the same day. The winner took the Championship League title and a place at the 2020 Champion of Champions .
Prize fund
The breakdown of prize money for the tournament is shown below.[ 1]
Stage One
Winner: £3,000
Runner-up: £2,000
Third place: £1,000
Fourth place: £0
Stage Two
Winner: £4,000
Runner-up: £3,000
Third place: £2,000
Fourth place: £1,000
Stage Three
Winner: £6,000
Runner-up: £4,000
Third place: £2,000
Fourth place: £1,000
Final
Winner: £20,000
Runner-up: £10,000
Tournament total : £328,000
Stage One
Stage One consisted of 32 groups, each containing four players.[ 4]
Order of play
Group 1
Group 1 was played on 13 September.
Matches
Judd Trump 3 –1 Fan Zhengyi
Alan McManus 1–3 David Lilley
Alan McManus 2–2 Fan Zhengyi
Judd Trump 3 –0 David Lilley
David Lilley 0–3 Fan Zhengyi
Judd Trump 2–2 Alan McManus
Table
Group 2
Group 2 was played on 13 September.
Matches
Ryan Day 3 –1 Rod Lawler
Matthew Stevens 2–2 Paul Davison
Matthew Stevens 2–2 Rod Lawler
Ryan Day 3 –0 Paul Davison
Matthew Stevens 3 –1 Ryan Day
Rod Lawler 3 –0 Paul Davison
Table
Group 3
Group 3 was played on 14 September.
Matches
Robert Milkins 3 –0 Chen Zifan
Gary Wilson 3 –0 Jamie Jones
Gary Wilson 2–2 Chen Zifan
Robert Milkins 0–3 Jamie Jones
Gary Wilson 0–3 Robert Milkins
Chen Zifan 1–3 Jamie Jones
Table
Group 4
Group 4 was played on 14 September.
Matches
Barry Hawkins 3 –0 Ben Hancorn
Sam Craigie 2–2 Jackson Page
Sam Craigie 2–2 Ben Hancorn
Barry Hawkins 3 –1 Jackson Page
Jackson Page 2–2 Ben Hancorn
Barry Hawkins 0–3 Sam Craigie
Table
Group 5
Group 5 was played on 15 September.
Matches
Stephen Maguire 1–3 Leo Fernandez
Louis Heathcote 0–3 Dominic Dale
Louis Heathcote 1–3 Leo Fernandez
Stephen Maguire 2–2 Dominic Dale
Dominic Dale 3 –1 Leo Fernandez
Stephen Maguire 2–2 Louis Heathcote
Table
Group 6
Group 6 was played on 15 September.
Matches
Ricky Walden 3 –1 Gerard Greene
Zhou Yuelong 2–2 Zhao Jianbo
Zhou Yuelong 3 –0 Gerard Greene
Ricky Walden 1–3 Zhao Jianbo
Zhou Yuelong 2–2 Ricky Walden
Gerard Greene 2–2 Zhao Jianbo
Table
Group 7
Group 7 was played on 16 September.
Matches
Ben Woollaston 0–3 Si Jiahui
Matthew Selt 3 –1 Gao Yang
Matthew Selt 3 –1 Si Jiahui
Ben Woollaston 2–2 Gao Yang
Matthew Selt 2–2 Ben Woollaston
Si Jiahui 2–2 Gao Yang
Table
Group 8
Group 8 was played on 16 September.
Matches
Shaun Murphy 3 –0 Peter Devlin
Martin O'Donnell 3 –1 Jimmy White
Martin O'Donnell 3 –0 Peter Devlin
Shaun Murphy 3 –0 Jimmy White
Jimmy White 2–2 Peter Devlin
Shaun Murphy 3 –1 Martin O'Donnell
Table
Group 9
Group 9 was played on 29 September.
Matches
Mark Allen 2–2 Jamie Wilson
Luo Honghao 3 –1 Billy Castle
Luo Honghao 3 –0 Jamie Wilson
Mark Allen 3 –0 Billy Castle
Billy Castle 2–2 Jamie Wilson
Mark Allen 2–2 Luo Honghao
Table
Group 10
Group 10 was played on 17 September.
Matches
Liam Highfield 2–2 Nigel Bond
Zhao Xintong 3 –0 Oliver Brown
Zhao Xintong 3 –1 Nigel Bond
Liam Highfield 2–2 Oliver Brown
Zhao Xintong 0–3 Liam Highfield
Nigel Bond 2–2 Oliver Brown
Table
Group 11
Group 11 was played on 28 September.
Matches
Alexander Ursenbacher 3 –1 Riley Parsons
Anthony McGill 2–2 Lukas Kleckers
Anthony McGill 0–3 Riley Parsons
Alexander Ursenbacher 3 –0 Lukas Kleckers
Alexander Ursenbacher 2–2 Anthony McGill
Riley Parsons 2–2 Lukas Kleckers
Table
Group 12
Group 12 was played on 18 September.
Matches
Stuart Bingham 3 –0 Pang Junxu
Yuan Sijun 1–3 James Cahill
Yuan Sijun 3 –1 Pang Junxu
Stuart Bingham 3 –0 James Cahill
James Cahill 3 –1 Pang Junxu
Stuart Bingham 3 –0 Yuan Sijun
Table
Group 13
Group 13 was played on 19 September.
Matches
Ian Burns 3 –0 Fraser Patrick
Jack Lisowski 0–3 Rory McLeod
Jack Lisowski 3 –1 Fraser Patrick
Ian Burns 2–2 Rory McLeod
Jack Lisowski 2–2 Ian Burns
Fraser Patrick 0–3 Rory McLeod
Table
Group 14
Group 14 was played on 19 September.
Matches
Graeme Dott 2–2 Zak Surety
Liang Wenbo 3 –1 Soheil Vahedi
Liang Wenbo 3 –0 Zak Surety
Graeme Dott 3 –1 Soheil Vahedi
Soheil Vahedi 1–3 Zak Surety
Graeme Dott 3 –1 Liang Wenbo
Table
Group 15
Group 15 was played on 20 September.
Matches
Daniel Womersley 0–3 Jamie O'Neill
Michael Holt 0–3 Sean Maddocks
Michael Holt 3 –0 Jamie O'Neill
Daniel Womersley 2–2 Sean Maddocks
Michael Holt 1–3 Daniel Womersley
Jamie O'Neill 3 –1 Sean Maddocks
Table
Anthony Hamilton was originally due to take part in this group, but withdrew and was replaced by Daniel Womersley.[ 5] [ 6]
Group 16
Group 16 was played on 20 September.
Matches
Mark Selby 3 –1 Fergal O'Brien
Lyu Haotian 2–2 Brandon Sargeant
Lyu Haotian 3 –0 Fergal O'Brien
Mark Selby 3 –1 Brandon Sargeant
Brandon Sargeant 2–2 Fergal O'Brien
Mark Selby 2–2 Lyu Haotian
Table
Group 17
Group 17 was played on 28 September.
Matches
Neil Robertson 1–3 Ken Doherty
Andrew Higginson 3 –1 Eden Sharav
Andrew Higginson 0–3 Ken Doherty
Neil Robertson 2–2 Eden Sharav
Eden Sharav 2–2 Ken Doherty
Neil Robertson 3 –0 Andrew Higginson
Table
Group 18
Group 18 was played on 18 September.
Matches
Hossein Vafaei 3 –1 Jak Jones
Xiao Guodong 3 –1 Farakh Ajaib
Xiao Guodong 2–2 Jak Jones
Hossein Vafaei 3 –1 Farakh Ajaib
Xiao Guodong 3 –0 Hossein Vafaei
Jak Jones 0–3 Farakh Ajaib
Table
Group 19
Group 19 was played on 29 September.
Matches
Sunny Akani 3 –1 Peter Lines
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 3 –1 Lee Walker
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 2–2 Peter Lines
Sunny Akani 3 –0 Lee Walker
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 3 –1 Sunny Akani
Peter Lines 2–2 Lee Walker
Table
Group 20
Group 20 was played on 4 October.
Matches
Stuart Carrington 0–3 Jordan Brown
Yan Bingtao 3 –0 Michael White
Yan Bingtao 2–2 Jordan Brown
Stuart Carrington 0–3 Michael White
Yan Bingtao 2–2 Stuart Carrington
Jordan Brown 3 –1 Michael White
Table
Group 21
Group 21 was played on 17 September.
Matches
David Gilbert 3 –1 Aaron Hill
Lu Ning 2–2 Xu Si
Lu Ning 3 –1 Aaron Hill
David Gilbert 2–2 Xu Si
Xu Si 1–3 Aaron Hill
David Gilbert 2–2 Lu Ning
Table
Group 22
Group 22 was played on 30 September.
Matches
Scott Donaldson 3 –0 Ashley Carty
Chris Wakelin 3 –0 Barry Pinches
Chris Wakelin 2–2 Ashley Carty
Scott Donaldson 3 –1 Barry Pinches
Barry Pinches 2–2 Ashley Carty
Scott Donaldson 2–2 Chris Wakelin
Table
Group 23
Group 23 was played on 30 September.
Matches
Mark King 2–2 David Grace
Jimmy Robertson 3 –1 Allan Taylor
Jimmy Robertson 1–3 David Grace
Mark King 3 –1 Allan Taylor
Jimmy Robertson 1–3 Mark King
David Grace 1–3 Allan Taylor
Table
Group 24
Group 24 was played on 3 October.
Matches
Kyren Wilson 3 –0 Kuldesh Johal
Duane Jones 3 –0 Kuldesh Johal
Kyren Wilson 3 –0 Duane Jones
Kyren Wilson 3 –0 Kuldesh Johal
Duane Jones 1–3 Kuldesh Johal
Kyren Wilson 3 –0 Duane Jones
Table
Daniel Wells was withdrawn from the group after a positive COVID-19 test.[ 7]
Group 25
Group 25 was played on 1 October.
Matches
John Higgins 3 –1 Brian Ochoiski
Joe O'Connor 3 –0 Amine Amiri
Joe O'Connor 2–2 Brian Ochoiski
John Higgins 3 –0 Amine Amiri
Amine Amiri 0–3 Brian Ochoiski
John Higgins 2–2 Joe O'Connor
Table
Group 26
Group 26 was played on 1 October.
Matches
Martin Gould 3 –1 Igor Figueiredo
Kurt Maflin 3 –1 Simon Lichtenberg
Kurt Maflin 2–2 Igor Figueiredo
Martin Gould 1–3 Simon Lichtenberg
Kurt Maflin 1–3 Martin Gould
Igor Figueiredo 3 –1 Simon Lichtenberg
Table
Group 27
Group 27 was played on 2 October.
Matches
Tom Ford 3 –0 Ashley Hugill
Luca Brecel 3 –0 Mitchell Mann
Luca Brecel 3 –1 Ashley Hugill
Tom Ford 2–2 Mitchell Mann
Mitchell Mann 3 –1 Ashley Hugill
Tom Ford 3 –1 Luca Brecel
Table
Group 28
Group 28 was played on 2 October.
Matches
Mark Joyce 2–2 Jamie Clarke
Jamie Clarke 3 –0 Haydon Pinhey
Mark Joyce 3 –0 Haydon Pinhey
Mark Joyce 1–3 Jamie Clarke
Jamie Clarke 3 –0 Haydon Pinhey
Mark Joyce 3 –1 Haydon Pinhey
Table
Player
1
Jamie Clarke (WAL )
4
3
1
0
11
3
+8
130
10
2
Mark Joyce (ENG )
4
2
1
1
9
6
+3
82
7
3
Haydon Pinhey (ENG )
4
0
0
4
1
12
−11
52
0
Mark Williams was to take part in this group, but withdrew and was replaced by Haydon Pinhey.[ 8] [ 9]
Lei Peifan was withdrawn from the group after an invalid COVID-19 test.[ 10]
Group 29
Group 29 was played on 4 October.
Matches
Joe Perry 3 –0 Steven Hallworth
Elliot Slessor 3 –0 Kacper Filipiak
Elliot Slessor 1–3 Steven Hallworth
Joe Perry 3 –0 Kacper Filipiak
Kacper Filipiak 0–3 Steven Hallworth
Joe Perry 1–3 Elliot Slessor
Table
Group 30
Group 30 was played on 3 October.
Matches
Mark Davis 2–2 Chang Bingyu
Ali Carter 3 –1 Jamie Curtis-Barrett
Ali Carter 2–2 Chang Bingyu
Mark Davis 3 –0 Jamie Curtis-Barrett
Ali Carter 0–3 Mark Davis
Chang Bingyu 3 –1 Jamie Curtis-Barrett
Table
Group 31
Group 31 was played on 5 October.
Matches
Tian Pengfei 2–2 Robbie Williams
Noppon Saengkham 0–3 Oliver Lines
Noppon Saengkham 2–2 Robbie Williams
Tian Pengfei 2–2 Oliver Lines
Noppon Saengkham 1–3 Tian Pengfei
Robbie Williams 3 –1 Oliver Lines
Table
Group 32
Group 32 was played on 5 October.
Matches
John Astley 2–2 Iulian Boiko
Li Hang 3 –1 Alex Borg
Li Hang 3 –1 Iulian Boiko
John Astley 3 –1 Alex Borg
Alex Borg 2–2 Iulian Boiko
John Astley 1–3 Li Hang
Table
Ronnie O'Sullivan was originally due to take part in this group, but withdrew and was replaced by John Astley .[ 11] [ 12]
Stage Two
Stage Two consisted of eight groups, each containing four players.[ 13]
Order of play
Group A
Group A was played on 26 October.
Matches
Judd Trump 3 –1 Robert Milkins
Barry Hawkins 3 –0 Ryan Day
Barry Hawkins 3 –0 Robert Milkins
Judd Trump 2–2 Ryan Day
Ryan Day 3 –1 Robert Milkins
Judd Trump 3 –0 Barry Hawkins
Table
Group B
Group B was played on 27 October.
Matches
Shaun Murphy 1–3 Dominic Dale
Zhou Yuelong 3 –1 Matthew Selt
Zhou Yuelong 3 –0 Dominic Dale
Shaun Murphy 3 –1 Matthew Selt
Matthew Selt 3 –1 Dominic Dale
Shaun Murphy 2–2 Zhou Yuelong
Table
Group C
Group C was played on 26 October.
Matches
Zhao Xintong 2–2 Alexander Ursenbacher
Stuart Bingham 1–3 Luo Honghao
Stuart Bingham 2–2 Alexander Ursenbacher
Zhao Xintong 3 –1 Luo Honghao
Stuart Bingham 0–3 Zhao Xintong
Luo Honghao 2–2 Alexander Ursenbacher
Table
Group D
Group D was played on 27 October.
Matches
Graeme Dott 3 –0 Jamie O'Neill
Mark Selby 3 –0 Rory McLeod
Mark Selby 3 –0 Jamie O'Neill
Graeme Dott 2–2 Rory McLeod
Mark Selby 2–2 Graeme Dott
Jamie O'Neill 3 –1 Rory McLeod
Table
Group E
Group E was played on 28 October.
Matches
Xiao Guodong 3 –1 Jordan Brown
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 2–2 Ken Doherty
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 3 –1 Jordan Brown
Xiao Guodong 1–3 Ken Doherty
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 2–2 Xiao Guodong
Jordan Brown 2–2 Ken Doherty
Table
Group F
Group F was played on 28 October.
Matches
Kyren Wilson 3 –0 Mark King
David Gilbert 0–3 Scott Donaldson
David Gilbert 3 –1 Mark King
Kyren Wilson 2–2 Scott Donaldson
Scott Donaldson 1–3 Mark King
Kyren Wilson 3 –0 David Gilbert
Table
Group G
Group G was played on 29 October.
Matches
John Higgins 3 –0 Jamie Clarke
Tom Ford 2–2 Martin Gould
Tom Ford 2–2 Jamie Clarke
John Higgins 0–3 Martin Gould
Martin Gould 2–2 Jamie Clarke
John Higgins 3 –0 Tom Ford
Table
Group H
Group H was played on 29 October.
Matches
Mark Davis 2–2 Li Hang
Joe Perry 3 –1 Tian Pengfei
Joe Perry 3 –0 Li Hang
Mark Davis 2–2 Tian Pengfei
Joe Perry 2–2 Mark Davis
Li Hang 2–2 Tian Pengfei
Table
Stage Three
Stage Three consisted of two groups, each containing four players.[ 14]
Group 1
Group 1 was played on 30 October.
Matches
Judd Trump 3 –1 Zhao Xintong
Mark Selby 1–3 Zhou Yuelong
Mark Selby 0–3 Zhao Xintong
Judd Trump 3 –0 Zhou Yuelong
Zhou Yuelong 2–2 Zhao Xintong
Judd Trump 0–3 Mark Selby
Table
Group 2
Group 2 was played on 30 October.
Matches
John Higgins 3 –0 Joe Perry
Kyren Wilson 3 –1 Ken Doherty
Kyren Wilson 3 –0 Joe Perry
John Higgins 0–3 Ken Doherty
Kyren Wilson 1–3 John Higgins
Joe Perry 2–2 Ken Doherty
Table
Key: P = Matches played; W = Matches won; D = Matches drawn; L = Matches lost; FW = Frames won; FL = Frames lost; FD = Frame difference; HB = Highest break
Final
Century breaks
A total of 90 century breaks were made during the tournament.[ 15] [ 16] [ 17]
147 , 126, 123, 107 – John Higgins
147, 100, 100 – Ryan Day
145, 143, 133, 116, 101 – Barry Hawkins
140 – Matthew Stevens
139, 122, 109 – Ken Doherty
139, 103, 100 – Graeme Dott
139 – Jack Lisowski
138, 112, 109, 102 – Joe Perry
135, 108 – Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
134, 134, 122, 119, 114, 109, 102, 100 – Zhou Yuelong
134, 128, 118, 118, 109 – Mark Selby
133 – Oliver Lines
132 – Gerard Greene
130, 112 – Jamie Clarke
130 – Michael White
129, 127 – Stuart Bingham
128, 111 – Luo Honghao
128 – Martin O'Donnell
126, 120 – Chang Bingyu
125, 124, 100 – Neil Robertson
125, 110, 104, 103, 100 – Kyren Wilson
125 – David Gilbert
125 – Hossein Vafaei
124, 118, 110 – Judd Trump
123 – Tom Ford
122, 109 – Tian Pengfei
121, 100 – Mark Davis
121 – Brandon Sargeant
121 – Xu Si
117 – Zhao Xintong
116, 102 – David Grace
114, 107 – Gao Yang
114 – Ian Burns
112 – Robbie Williams
111, 102 – Shaun Murphy
108 – Matthew Selt
107 – Scott Donaldson
107 – Joe O'Connor
106 – Mark Allen
105, 102 – Liang Wenbo
105 – Xiao Guodong
104 – Martin Gould
103 – Jamie Jones
102 – Lyu Haotian
100 – Michael Holt
References
External links
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