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568:. Peter Frankental, Amnesty International UK's Economic Affairs director, said: "It was just a matter of time before Saudi Arabia's huge sportswashing machine sucked in snooker along with almost every other major world sport. If the likes of
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857:
236:
500,000 (about £395,000) prize for the first player to compile a 167 break, but it was not given as no players achieved the feat, and the prize was increased to $ 1,000,000 (about £785,000) for the
445:
The matches were played under regular snooker rules, but the event introduced a new gold ball worth 20 points, called the "Riyadh Season ball". The gold ball was placed on the centre of the
1047:
576:
play in Riyadh, they shouldn't hesitate to speak out about human rights." Some players have also criticised WST of overly focusing on events featuring the top players. Amateur player
1545:
981:
797:
595:
chief sports writer Oliver Brown described the Saudi invention as "warping the very rules of the game for its own hubristic ends", calling it "frivolous, tasteless, wretched".
205:
was the first professional snooker tournament held in Saudi Arabia. The tournament introduced a special 20-point gold ball called the "Riyadh Season ball", which could only be
951:
1475:
1014:
275:. In January 2024, WST announced a new non-ranking tournament called the World Masters of Snooker, scheduled to take place from 4 to 6 March 2024 at the Boulevard Arena in
1119:
920:
895:
517:. The gold ball stayed on the table as long as it was possible for either player to complete a maximum break, then it was removed from the table until the next frame.
865:
1560:
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1550:
1555:
279:, Saudi Arabia. It is the first professional snooker tournament to be held in Saudi Arabia, amid the country's growing investment in various sports.
1112:
1055:
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182:
104:
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1512:
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tweeted: "Was starting to lose sleep with worry that the top eight players might run out of events and cash soon, thank God for this."
991:
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805:
1540:
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267:(WST) announced a 10-year deal with Saudi Arabia, including ranking tournaments that will be hosted in the country. However, no
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81:
19:
This article is about the snooker non-ranking tournament in Saudi Arabia. For the ranking event in the same country, see
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785,000, with the winner receiving £250,000, the second highest top prize in professional snooker, tied with
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journalist Luke Baker, who called it a "ludicrous gimmick" and "the sign of a desperate sport".
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952:"Saudi Arabia's lavish sports push will now embrace snooker — and introduce a new golden ball"
272:
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5–2 in the 2024 final, capturing his fifth professional title of the
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1015:"A golden ball and a 167 break: Saudi Arabia's mad snooker gimmick is a step too far"
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921:"Saudi Arabia set to welcome first pro snooker event with ground breaking 167 prize"
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1097:
1048:"Saudi Arabia's gaudy recasting of snooker's 147 is its worst gimmick yet"
504:
888:"Saudi Arabia to host new snooker event with added 20-point golden ball"
556:
chairman, Steve Dawson, was met with criticism accusing Saudi Arabia of
540:
first, and the rest based on their rankings. It also featured two local
488:
432:
271:
tournaments were held in Saudi Arabia in the next four years due to the
208:
982:"A maximum break of 167? Saudi snooker plans unveil 20-point gold ball"
268:
178:
1437:
828:"Saudi event to feature 20-point golden ball with 167 break possible"
798:"World Masters of Snooker event in Saudi Arabia to feature gold ball"
687:
276:
186:
63:
552:
The announcement of the event, hailed as a "huge breakthrough" by
767:"Saudi Arabia to host World Snooker ranking event for first time"
955:
544:, Ali Alobaidli from Qatar and Omar Alajlani from Saudi Arabia.
1178:
1101:
583:
The introduction of the 20-point gold ball was criticised by
497:
of 147, to extend the break to 167. It would be a four-point
564:
criticised snooker's involvement in Saudi Arabia, amid its
524:
featured 12 players, including the top ten players on the
16:
Snooker non-ranking tournament in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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55:
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42:
1546:Recurring sporting events established in 2024
1190:
1113:
858:"First invitational event in Saudi announced"
8:
28:
915:
913:
501:if the gold ball was potted earlier in the
1197:
1183:
1175:
1120:
1106:
1098:
730:
728:
220:The event features a total prize fund of
185:tournament held at the Global Theatre in
602:
286:
724:
197:festival in the entertainment district
27:
7:
1561:Snooker competitions in Saudi Arabia
1078:"Riyadh Season World Masters (2024)"
796:Caulfield, David (18 January 2024).
1551:2024 establishments in Saudi Arabia
217:of 147 to extend the break to 167.
927:. 29 February 2024. Archived from
765:Hafez, Shamoon (8 December 2019).
14:
1046:Brown, Oliver (19 January 2024).
990:. 19 January 2024. Archived from
950:Meredith, Sam (22 January 2024).
894:. 19 January 2024. Archived from
864:. 18 January 2024. Archived from
834:. 19 January 2024. Archived from
189:, Saudi Arabia. Organised by the
1556:Snooker non-ranking competitions
1495:
656:
635:
431:
412:
393:
374:
355:
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317:
298:
150:
34:
1013:Baker, Luke (19 January 2024).
669:
648:
493:after a player had completed a
213:after a player had completed a
163:
742:. 6 March 2024. Archived from
1:
1481:List of withdrawn tournaments
1476:List of ranking title winners
201:within Riyadh, the inaugural
1234:Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters
1163:
232:. The 2024 event also had a
21:Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters
1459:List of snooker tournaments
1577:
1387:World Seniors Championship
1355:Six-red World Championship
1264:International Championship
243:The defending champion is
18:
1489:
1413:Snooker major tournaments
681:
678:
33:
1541:World Masters of Snooker
1345:World Masters of Snooker
1129:World Masters of Snooker
736:"Rocket rules in Riyadh"
676:5–2
485:balls. It could only be
175:World Masters of Snooker
29:World Masters of Snooker
1376:UK Seniors Championship
530:reigning World Champion
1513:Current world rankings
526:snooker world rankings
43:Tournament information
1502:Cue sports portal
1383:Seniors Irish Masters
1335:Champion of Champions
1259:Northern Ireland Open
562:Amnesty International
1299:Players Championship
1205:Active professional
509:, or hit before the
1418:Home Nations Series
1380:The Seniors Masters
1360:World Mixed Doubles
1350:Championship League
1224:Championship League
1207:snooker tournaments
1052:The Daily Telegraph
592:The Daily Telegraph
566:human rights abuses
453:, in line with the
30:
1443:World Seniors Tour
1403:World Snooker Tour
1323:Non-ranking events
1314:World Championship
1058:on 22 January 2024
1027:on 26 January 2024
994:on 27 January 2024
962:on 26 January 2024
925:World Snooker Tour
898:on 22 January 2024
868:on 23 January 2024
862:World Snooker Tour
838:on 26 January 2024
808:on 19 January 2024
777:on 6 December 2022
740:World Snooker Tour
436:Riyadh Season ball
265:World Snooker Tour
263:In December 2019,
230:World Championship
191:World Snooker Tour
177:is a professional
94:World Snooker Tour
1528:
1527:
1309:Tour Championship
1172:
1171:
717:
716:
643:Ronnie O'Sullivan
570:Ronnie O'Sullivan
443:
442:
273:COVID-19 pandemic
245:Ronnie O'Sullivan
171:
170:
158:Ronnie O'Sullivan
1568:
1500:
1499:
1498:
1396:Tours and series
1330:Shanghai Masters
1284:World Grand Prix
1239:European Masters
1229:Xi'an Grand Prix
1199:
1192:
1185:
1176:
1122:
1115:
1108:
1099:
1093:
1092:
1090:
1088:
1074:
1068:
1067:
1065:
1063:
1054:. Archived from
1043:
1037:
1036:
1034:
1032:
1023:. Archived from
1010:
1004:
1003:
1001:
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978:
972:
971:
969:
967:
958:. Archived from
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917:
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905:
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878:
877:
875:
873:
854:
848:
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845:
843:
824:
818:
817:
815:
813:
804:. Archived from
793:
787:
786:
784:
782:
773:. Archived from
762:
756:
755:
753:
751:
732:
673:
671:
662:
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641:
639:
638:
603:
578:Steven Hallworth
542:wildcard players
514:
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383:
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287:
210:
193:and part of the
167:
165:
156:
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146:
145:Current champion
134:
124:
114:
113:Total prize fund
90:
38:
31:
1576:
1575:
1571:
1570:
1569:
1567:
1566:
1565:
1531:
1530:
1529:
1524:
1496:
1494:
1485:
1447:
1423:European Series
1391:
1364:
1318:
1269:UK Championship
1209:
1203:
1173:
1168:
1164:List of winners
1152:
1131:
1126:
1096:
1086:
1084:
1076:
1075:
1071:
1061:
1059:
1045:
1044:
1040:
1030:
1028:
1020:The Independent
1012:
1011:
1007:
997:
995:
980:
979:
975:
965:
963:
949:
948:
944:
934:
932:
931:on 2 March 2024
919:
918:
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901:
899:
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871:
869:
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851:
841:
839:
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821:
811:
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795:
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790:
780:
778:
764:
763:
759:
749:
747:
746:on 7 March 2024
734:
733:
726:
722:
690:, Saudi Arabia
686:
679:Global Theatre
667:
657:
655:
646:
636:
634:
601:
586:The Independent
550:
516:
508:
492:
484:
476:
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385:
366:
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328:
309:
285:
261:
247:, who defeated
212:
161:
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144:
132:
122:
112:
89:Organisation(s)
88:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
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1558:
1553:
1548:
1543:
1533:
1532:
1526:
1525:
1523:
1522:
1521:
1520:
1518:ranking points
1510:
1508:Current season
1505:
1490:
1487:
1486:
1484:
1483:
1478:
1473:
1472:
1471:
1466:
1455:
1453:
1449:
1448:
1446:
1445:
1440:
1435:
1430:
1428:Players Series
1425:
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1415:
1410:
1405:
1399:
1397:
1393:
1392:
1390:
1389:
1384:
1381:
1378:
1372:
1370:
1369:Seniors events
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1357:
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1326:
1324:
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1296:
1291:
1289:German Masters
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1095:
1094:
1069:
1038:
1005:
973:
942:
909:
879:
849:
819:
788:
757:
723:
721:
718:
715:
714:
709:
707:
705:
703:
697:
696:
691:
683:Boulevard City
680:
677:
674:
653:
632:
626:
625:
622:
619:
616:
613:
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597:
549:
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329:
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313:
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303:
295:
294:
291:
284:
281:
260:
257:
253:2023–24 season
228:and after the
206:
199:Boulevard City
169:
168:
147:
141:
140:
135:
133:Recent edition
129:
128:
125:
123:Winner's share
119:
118:
115:
109:
108:
101:
97:
96:
91:
85:
84:
79:
75:
74:
71:
67:
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60:Boulevard City
57:
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51:Global Theatre
49:
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40:
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15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
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1506:
1504:
1503:
1492:
1491:
1488:
1482:
1479:
1477:
1474:
1470:
1469:minor-ranking
1467:
1465:
1462:
1461:
1460:
1457:
1456:
1454:
1452:Related lists
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1279:Scottish Open
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594:
593:
588:
587:
581:
579:
575:
571:
567:
563:
559:
558:sportswashing
555:
548:Controversies
547:
545:
543:
539:
535:
531:
527:
523:
518:
515:
507:
500:
496:
495:maximum break
491:
483:
475:
467:
459:
451:
449:baulk cushion
438:
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411:
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246:
241:
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218:
216:
215:maximum break
211:
204:
200:
196:
195:Riyadh Season
192:
188:
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176:
159:
148:
142:
139:
136:
130:
126:
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116:
110:
106:
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83:
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76:
72:
68:
65:
61:
58:
54:
50:
46:
41:
37:
32:
26:
22:
1493:
1408:Triple Crown
1344:
1249:English Open
1244:British Open
1128:
1085:. Retrieved
1081:
1072:
1060:. Retrieved
1056:the original
1041:
1029:. Retrieved
1025:the original
1018:
1008:
996:. Retrieved
992:the original
987:The Guardian
985:
976:
964:. Retrieved
960:the original
945:
933:. Retrieved
929:the original
900:. Retrieved
896:the original
882:
870:. Retrieved
866:the original
852:
840:. Retrieved
836:the original
822:
810:. Retrieved
806:the original
801:
791:
779:. Retrieved
775:the original
760:
748:. Retrieved
744:the original
615:Final score
590:
584:
582:
551:
519:
444:
262:
242:
219:
174:
172:
73:Saudi Arabia
25:
1136:Tournaments
1082:Snooker.org
664:Luca Brecel
534:Luca Brecel
528:, with the
513:object ball
249:Luca Brecel
226:The Masters
78:Established
1535:Categories
1304:World Open
1294:Welsh Open
1254:Wuhan Open
1062:27 January
1031:27 January
998:27 January
966:27 January
902:27 January
892:Sky Sports
872:27 January
842:27 January
812:27 January
781:27 January
720:References
612:Runner-up
574:Judd Trump
522:2024 event
439:20 points
238:2025 event
203:2024 event
1274:Shoot Out
832:BBC Sport
802:SnookerHQ
771:BBC Sport
426:7 points
407:6 points
388:5 points
369:4 points
350:3 points
331:2 points
1433:Q School
312:1 point
127:£250,000
117:£785,000
56:Location
1464:ranking
1340:Masters
1215:Ranking
1157:Winners
935:2 March
750:7 March
712:2024/25
694:2023/24
624:Season
609:Winner
599:Winners
269:snooker
259:History
183:ranking
179:snooker
105:ranking
70:Country
1438:Q Tour
1217:events
1087:14 May
688:Riyadh
666:
661:
645:
640:
618:Venue
538:seeded
489:potted
477:, and
325:Yellow
293:Value
290:Colour
283:Format
277:Riyadh
209:potted
187:Riyadh
160:
155:
100:Format
64:Riyadh
621:City
606:Year
505:frame
481:black
457:brown
420:Black
363:Brown
344:Green
107:event
48:Venue
1148:2025
1143:2024
1089:2024
1064:2024
1033:2024
1000:2024
968:2024
956:CNBC
937:2024
904:2024
874:2024
844:2024
814:2024
783:2024
752:2024
701:2025
630:2024
572:and
520:The
499:foul
473:pink
465:blue
401:Pink
382:Blue
181:non-
173:The
138:2024
103:Non-
82:2024
670:BEL
649:ENG
554:WST
306:Red
164:ENG
1537::
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