The 2023 Tour Championship starts today, featuring only eight players and none of the Class of 92. It’s the last ranking event before the World Championship, and one that carries a lot of money and ranking points. It is particularly important for three players: Ding Junhui, Gary Wilson and Ryan Day.

Indeed as it stands all three have a chance to avoid qualifications for the World Championship.

Here is a piece by WST explaining the possible permutations:

It’s Two From Three In Crucible Race

Next week’s Duelbits Tour Championship in Hull is the final event before the top 16 seeds are confirmed for the Cazoo World Championship. Ryan Day, Ding Junhui and Gary Wilson are in contention for the last two spots.

The top 14 in the race, down to Stuart Bingham (note that Zhao Xintong will not be among them as he cannot enter), are secure and will be at the Crucible in April.

Wilson would have been sure of joining them if he had reached the final of the WST Classic, but he suffered an agonising 5-4 defeat to Pang Junxu in the semi-finals, which meant he missed out on a place in the top eight of the one-year list and a trip to Hull. He is still 15th in the Crucible race so could be a seed for the first time in his career, but that depends on other results next week. The permutations are:

Ding loses to Mark Allen on Monday: Wilson and Day go to the Crucible
Ding beats Allen then Day loses to Mark Selby on Thursday: Wilson and Ding go to the Crucible
Ding reaches the final and Day beats Selby: Day and Ding go to the Crucible
Ding and Day both win their first match, then Ding loses in the semi-finals: Wilson and Day go to the Crucible

As you will have understood the match today is particularly important for both Ding and Day.

The outcome of this tournament will also determine the seeding at the Crucible. Mark is currently second on the official two-year list but will go to world number one if he reaches the final this week. Mark Allen also has a chance to become world number one for the first time in his career if he wins the title. Ronnie will remain the seed number one going into the Crucible , no matter what happens this week because he is the defending champion. Mark Selby will remain seed number two even if he becomes World Number one. If Mark Allen becomes number one though, he would then become seed number two, swapping his spot with Mark Mark Selby. Because neither Neil Robertson, nor Judd Trump qualified for the Tour Championship, those two can’t be caught, they will be seeds two and three at the World Championship.

Also, I saw posts by WST claiming that snooker is going to Hull for the first time. This is untrue. The Seniors tour has held UK Championships in Hull in the past, and in the very same venue that will host the Tour Championship this week.