TheSnooker Shoot Out is a professionalsnooker tournament played under a variation of the standard rules. Each match consists of one frame, played over a maximum of 10 minutes, with a shot clock in effect. First staged in1990 as theShoot-Out, the event was revived in2011 and renamed the Snooker Shoot Out. Held from 2011 to 2016 as a non-ranking event with 64 competitors, it became aranking event in2017 for an expanded field of 128 players.[1]
The event is notable for its wildcard entrants, including young amateur players.Liam Davies first competed in2019 when he was 12 years old, making him the youngest player to feature in a professional ranking event.[2] At the2023 edition, 14-year-old Vladislav Gradinari became the youngest player to win a televised match at a ranking event, beatingNg On Yee in the first round, continuing his run by beating Pan American Snooker Champion Victor Sarkis, reaching last 32 before losing to Tom Ford[3] andReanne Evans became the first female player to achieve the same feat.[4] The current champion isMark Allen, who defeatedCao Yupeng inDecember 2023 to become the firsttop 16 player to win the Shoot Out.[5]Stuart Bingham,Mark Selby, andMark Williams have also all reached finals.[6]
Unlike other major snooker tournaments, the audience does not remain silent during play, and the event has become known for its boisterous atmosphere.[7]
Single frame snooker competition was a staple of early televised coverage of the sport, and largely responsible for bringing the game to the mainstream of British sport, primarily through the BBC's popularPot Black programme. Extended televised coverage of longer professional tournaments, however, had caused the format to become jaded, with the lastPot Black tournament taking place in 2007.
A similar event known asShoot-Out was first held in September 1990, when, except in the final, all matches were decided over a single frame. With the demise ofPot Black, the event returned in 2011 with several innovations, and was renamed toSnooker Shoot Out.[8] It was sponsored byCaesarsCasino.com.[9]
It was a one-frame shoot-out with a random draw, where the winner is given £32,000. The top 64 players in the world rankings contested the tournament, which was shown onSky Sports andITV4. The2011 event was the first time that Sky Sports had shown aWorld Snooker Tour event live since 2004.[10] From 2011 to 2015 the event took place at theCircus Arena inBlackpool.[11][12][13] The event was sponsored byPartyPoker.com in 2012,[14] byBetfair in 2013,[15] by888casino in 2014,[16] and byBetway in 2015.[17] The tournament was held at the Hexagon in Reading for 2016.[18] From 2016 to 2018, the tournament was broadcast by ITV and was sponsored byCoral.[19][20][21] In 2017, the tournament became a ranking event for the first time, open to all 128 professional players.[22] At the end of the season, the players voted to keep it as a ranking event.[23] From 2017 the tournament was staged at the Colosseum in Watford.[24][25] In 2018, the event agreed a long-term deal withEurosport andQuest to broadcast the event in the United Kingdom until 2026, beginning with the2019 Snooker Shoot Out.[26]
In January 2023,Reanne Evans became the first female winner of a Snooker Shoot Out match as well as the first woman to win a televised match at a ranking event.[27] In December 2023,Shaun Murphy made the first ever Shoot Outmaximum break in his first-round match againstBulcsú Révész.[28]
There is ashot clock. For the first 5 minutes of the match, players have 15 seconds per shot, but for the last 5 minutes this is reduced to 10 seconds.[32] Prior to2013, the shot clock was set at 20 seconds per shot for the first 5 minutes and 15 seconds for the last 5 minutes.[29] Failure to strike the cue ball within the time allowed results in a minimum 5 points penalty or the value of the "ball-on", whichever is greater. Prior to2018, it was always a 5 points penalty.[33] In 2021, normal rules regarding foul points were used.
Players must hit acushion (with any ball) or pot a ball with every shot.[32] Prior to 2013 either thecue ball or theobject ball needed to hit a cushion.[29] Failure to do so results in a minimum 5 points penalty or the value of the "ball-on", whichever is greater. Prior to 2018, it was always a 5 points penalty.[33]
In an event of a tie theblue ball shoot-out determines the winner. The blue ball is placed on its spot and the cue ball can be placed anywhere within the"D". The winner of the lag decides who goes first. The players make alternate attempts until one player has potted the blue more times than his or her opponent after taking the same number of shots. The blue must be potted directly, without touching a cushion other than the jaws of the intended pocket. This prevents a player from winning with afluke.
Michael Holt has played (42) and won (30) the most matches in the tournament's history.
Paul Davison has entered the tournament 7 times without winning a match.
Robin Hull has the best winning record in terms of percentages, winning 87.5% of his matches (7 out of 8 played).
When it comes to the winners trying to defend their title, as of the 2023 tournament, 5 of the winners have lost in the 1st round the year after winning the trophy; the best performance by a defending champion was byBarry Hawkins, who reached the quarter-final stage.
The highest break in Shoot Out history is147 byShaun Murphy in December 2023.
The lowest aggregate score is 8, recorded whenElliot Slessor beatMostafa Dorgham 7-1 in 2024; this match also holds the record for the lowest winning score of 7.
Only one century break has been recorded in a final, byChris Wakelin in 2023.
As of 2024, no player has won a frame when requiring 'snookers'.
Tom Ford (ENG)
