Premier League line-up announced - 16/05/2011

WITH A dynamic new format in place for the 2011 PartyCasino.com Premier League Snooker, Matchroom Sport can announce the ten players scheduled to appear in this year’s event. With the tournament kicking off on Thursday 18th August, the field has been increased from the traditional seven players to ten to accommodate the winners of every major event in the snooker calendar.

The players have been seeded from 2 to 10 based on their end of season World Ranking, with the reigning champion assuming the No.1 seeding.

#1 Ronnie O’Sullivan (Defending Champion)
#2 Mark Williams (German Masters Champion)
#3 John Higgins (World, UK & Welsh Open Champion)
#4 Ding Junhui (Masters Champion)
#5 Neil Robertson (World Open Champion)
#6 Ali Carter (Shanghai Masters Champion)
#7 Shaun Murphy (PTC Champion)
#8 Judd Trump (China Open Champion)
#9 Matthew Stevens (Championship League Champion)
#10 Jimmy White (World Seniors Champion)

*Players appear subject to contract.

Each player will play on four of the ten nights of play in what will be a mini-tournament consisting of two semis and a final. Each match will be the best of five frames with the decider played to Sky Sport’s Shoot-Out rules.

Players will receive points for frames won and at the conclusion of the league section, the top four will advance to the play-offs which take place at Potters Leisure Resort over the 26th and 27th November.

Commented Matchroom Sport Chairman Barry Hearn; “Last season was a watershed year for snooker and one of the consequences has been the incredible standard of play, and the number of players now operating at the very highest level of the sport.

“With the Premier League moving forward with an expanded field, it seemed only right to invite the winners of every major championship last season. With Ronnie attempting to win his tenth League title, he will be facing stiff competition from the likes of Higgins, Williams, Trump, Ding, Robertson and Murphy.

“We’ve even managed to include the World Seniors Champion in the qualifying line-up and I’m sure over the quick fire format, Jimmy will cause a few surprises. I think though, that any one of the ten players is in with a chance which is what makes it such an exciting event.”

Now entering its record-breaking 26th season, Premier League Snooker is the world’s only major snooker tournament played to a league format. There are ten nights of play, each one featuring a mini-tournament featuring four of the ten players. The two semi-finals and final are over the best of five frames with any decider played to quick fire ‘Shoot-Out’ rules.

Players are awarded points for frames and following the round robin section of play, the top four players move forward to the big money play-offs in November. The total prize fund is £210,000, broken down as follows:

Winner £60,000
Runner-Up £30,000
Semi Final Losers £20,000 (x2)
5th Place £17,500
6th Place £15,000
7th Place £12,500
8th Place £10,000
9th Place £8,000
10th Place £ 6,000

In addition, there is a highest break prize of £1,000 for each night of the League and a similar high break prize at the Play-Offs.