We now have quite a gap in the professional snooker calendar as the next event, the 2026 World Open, only starts on the 16th of March, i.e nearly two weeks from now. Such a big gaps was quite common in the 90th but now they are a rarity other than during the “spring/summer break” after the World Championship.

But there is plenty of snooker being played at amateur level, and some of these amateur events have already yielded results.

Clarke Earns World Snooker Tour Return at Q Tour

Jamie Clarke has secured a two-year World Snooker Tour (WST) tour card via the 2025/26 WPBSA Q Tour Europe ranking list.

The Welshman, who previously competed on the WST between 2018 and 2025, arrived at the Landywood Snooker Club in pole position to earn a return to the professional ranks and has confirmed his place with a run to Sunday’s quarter-final stage.

Clarke, a winner of Q Tour titles in both Leeds and Sofia, initially required reaching the final to guarantee his tour card, but an early exit for Peter Lines at the hands of Antony Parsons meant a last eight place would be enough for the 31-year-old.

Victories over Rory McLeod (4-0) and Jamie Wilson (4-1) saw Clarke through to the last 16 stage on Saturday afternoon.

There, he faced Belgium’s Sybren Sokolowski and the Welshman held his nerve under pressure to complete a 4-0 victory and earn a tour card for the next two seasons.

Following his victory over Sokolowski, Clarke said: “I’m relieved to be honest! I’ve found the Q Tour a really pleasant experience this year, but I’m pleased to get the job done sooner rather than later.

“Playing in the World Championship, UK Championship and all the big tournaments is brilliant but you’re already on a bit of prize money and ranking points so you can be a bit more relaxed. As strange as it sounds, at tournaments such as Q Tour or Q School it feels like ‘all or nothing’ and so in a way the pressure is even higher.”

Looking ahead to the next two seasons and beyond, Clarke added: “I’ve got two years on the Tour now and I’ve got a new outlook on the sport. I have my own academy now in Llanelli where I help out some of the youngsters, as well as having my own practice facility now, so I think think I will have a totally different approach this time around. I’ll just enjoy it, try my best and see how it goes.”

Jamie has always been well liked by the fans and I’m sure many will rejoice to see him back on tour.

Congratulations Jamie Clarke!

Hugill Lifts Landywood Q Tour Title

Ashley Hugill defeated Alfie Davies 4-2 at the Landywood Snooker Club to win the seventh WPBSA Q Tour Europe event of the season.

• Results

The Englishman won the first Q Tour title of his career to secure his place at the Global Play-Offs on the same weekend that fellow former professional Jamie Clarke earned a two-year World Snooker Tour (WST) tour card by finishing at the summit of the series ranking list.

The leading narrative heading into the seventh and final Q Tour Europe event of the 2025/26 season was the race to finish in top spot on the ranking list to earn an automatic two-year WST tour card.

Clarke led the race prior to the event in Walsall and knew that a run to the title match would guarantee himself a return to the professional ranks after being relegated from the Tour at the end of last season.

Ultimately, an early exit for leading chaser Peter Lines meant that a 4-0 quarter-final victory for Clarke over Belgium’s Sybren Sokolowski, with contributions of 131 and 104, earned the Welshman the series title and tour card.

Hugill, whose best run this season prior to this weekend was semi-finals in both Vienna and Mons, was already out of the running for top spot before the event but made his way to the final day with wins over Yaron Bodor (4-1), Harvey Chandler (4-2) and Oliver Sykes (4-2).

Sunday began strongly for the 31-year-old as he whitewashed Luke Pinches before setting up a title match meeting with Davies by downing Thailand’s Nattanapong Chaikul, the victor over Clarke in the last eight, by a 4-2 scoreline.

It was the former professional who took the opening two frames of the final with breaks of 64 and 97, but Davies hit back to restore parity at 2-2 with help from a visit of 77 in the third.

Hugill remained undeterred, however, and took two tightly contested frames to get over the line as a 4-2 victor and lift his maiden Q Tour crown.

Reflecting on the victory, Hugill said: “I’m relieved – I was desperate to win one of these this season so I’m happy to have done it. I knew if I won my first game then I was guaranteed to be in the Play-Offs, so that was a bit nervy, but after that I went from strength to strength.”

Looking ahead to the Q Tour Global Play-Offs later this month, he added: “I’m really looking forward to the Play-Offs in Spain, it’s a nice part of the world to be in March!”

“It would be great to get back on the Tour – I’ve been away for two years away now but I know that I am more than good enough to be on the Tour and I think it’s time I was back on there.”

The WPBSA Q Tour Global Play-Offs will take place on 15-17 March in Gandia, Spain. Further information including the draw and schedule will be available in due course.

But there is much more happening in Gandia, Spain, before those playoffs. Indeed there is an under-16 event, an under-18 event, an under-21 event, and the main championship to follow. You can follow it all here. Some matches are shown live on Youtube.

As you can see Michal Szubarczyk is playing in both the under-16 and under-18 events and, so far has won all his matches without losing a single frame…