2005–06 snooker season

The 2005–06 snooker season was a series of snooker tournaments played between 17 May 2005 and 10 May 2006. There were six ranking tournaments, and the British Open and Irish Masters tournaments were removed from calendar.[1][2] The Northern Ireland Trophy was held for the first time as non-ranking tournament,[3] and the Pot Black was held again after a 12-year hiatus.[4]

2005–06 snooker season
Details
Duration17 May 2005 – 10 May 2006 (2005-05-17 – 2006-05-10)
Tournaments24 (6 ranking events)
Triple Crown winners
UK ChampionshipChina Ding Junhui
MastersScotland John Higgins
World ChampionshipScotland Graeme Dott

New professional players

Countries

Note: new in this case means that these players were not on the 2004/2005 professional Main Tour.

Calendar

The following table outlines the results and dates for the ranking and major invitational events that took place.[7]

World Snooker Tour

StartFinishCountryTournament nameVenueCityWinnerRunner-upScoreRef.
17 Aug21 Aug  NIRNorthern Ireland TrophyWaterfront HallBelfast Matthew Stevens Stephen Hendry9–7[8][9]
8 Oct16 Oct  ENGGrand PrixGuild HallPreston John Higgins Ronnie O'Sullivan9–2[10]
29 Oct  ENGPot BlackRoyal Automobile ClubLondon Matthew Stevens Shaun Murphy1–0[11]
20 Nov23 Nov  WALMasters Qualifying EventPontin'sPrestatyn Stuart Bingham Ali Carter6–3[12]
15 Sep4 Dec  ENGPremier LeagueG-Mex CentreManchester Ronnie O'Sullivan Stephen Hendry6–0[13]
5 Dec18 Dec  ENGUK ChampionshipBarbican CentreYork Ding Junhui Steve Davis10–6[14]
15 Jan22 Jan  ENGMastersWembley Conference CentreLondon John Higgins Ronnie O'Sullivan10–9[15][16]
30 Jan5 Feb  MLTMalta CupHilton Conference CenterPortomaso Ken Doherty John Higgins9–8[17]
27 Feb5 Mar  WALWelsh OpenNewport CentreNewport Stephen Lee Shaun Murphy9–4[18][19]
20 Mar26 Mar  CHNChina OpenBeijing University Students' GymnasiumBeijing Mark Williams John Higgins9–8[20][21]
15 Apr1 May  ENGWorld ChampionshipCrucible TheatreSheffield Graeme Dott Peter Ebdon18–14[22]
Ranking event
Non-ranking event

World Ladies Billiards and Snooker Association

StartFinishCountryTournament nameVenueCityWinnerRunner-upScoreRef.
24 Sep25 Sep  ENGBritish OpenSavoy Snooker CentreSnodland June Banks Reanne Evans4–0[23]
29 Oct29 Oct  ENGUK Ladies ChampionshipLandywood Snooker HallWalsall Reanne Evans Maria Catalano4–0[24]
26 Nov26 Nov  ENGEast Anglian ChampionshipCambridge Snooker CentreCambridge June Banks Reanne Evans4–3[25]
4 Feb4 Feb  ENGNorthern ChampionshipRegal Snooker CentrePreston Maria Catalano June Banks4–1[26]
25 Feb25 Feb  ENGConnie Gough MemorialRileys Snooker ClubLuton Maria Catalano Reanne Evans4–3[27]
1 Apr6 Apr  ENGWorld Women's ChampionshipCambridge Snooker CentreCambridge Reanne Evans Emma Bonney5–3[28]

Pontin's International Open Series

StartFinishCountryTournament nameVenueCityWinnerRunner-upScoreRef.
17 May21 May  WALPIOS IPontin'sPrestatyn Tian Pengfei Martin Gould6–3[29][30]
17 Jun21 Jun  WALPIOS IIPontin'sPrestatyn Mark Joyce James Leadbetter6–3[31][32]
2 Sep7 Sep  WALPIOS IIIPontin'sPrestatyn Liu Song Stephen Rowlings6–1[33][34]
14 Oct19 Oct  WALPIOS IVPontin'sPrestatyn Colm Gilcreest Mark Joyce6–3[35][36]
28 Nov1 Dec  WALPIOS VPontin'sPrestatyn Chris Melling Paul Davison6–5[37][38]
17 Feb20 Feb  WALPIOS VIPontin'sPrestatyn Liu Song Paul Davison6–3[39][40]
6 Mar9 Mar  WALPIOS VIIPontin'sPrestatyn Tian Pengfei Liu Song6–3[41]
8 May10 May  WALPIOS VIIIPontin'sPrestatyn Andrew Higginson Jamie O'Neill6–3[42]

Other events

StartFinishCountryTournament nameVenueCityWinnerRunner-upScoreRef.
20 Jul24 Jul  GERWorld GamesSaalbau BottropDuisburg Gerard Greene Ding Junhui4–3[43][44]
1 Oct3 Oct  GERFürth German OpenStadthalleFürth Mark King Michael Holt4–2[45]
22 Oct26 Oct  IRLIrish Professional ChampionshipSpawell Sport & Leisure ComplexTempleogue Joe Swail Ken Doherty9–7[46]
25 Nov27 Nov   SUISwiss OpenBillard Center Im FunkenZofingen Ricky Walden Ken Doherty5–3[47]
17 Dec18 Dec  NEDDutch OpenDe Dieze's-Hertogenbosch Bjorn Haneveer Michael Holt6–1[48]

Official rankings

The top 16 of the world rankings, these players automatically played in the final rounds of the world ranking events and were invited for the Masters.[49][50][51]

No.Ch.PlayerPoints 2003/04Points 2004/05Total
1 Ronnie O'Sullivan266502316249812
2 Stephen Hendry208002133742137
3 Stephen Maguire140251972533750
4 Matthew Stevens184501972533712
5 Paul Hunter189251320032125
6 John Higgins162121581232024
7 Peter Ebdon155251565031175
8 Jimmy White181751278730962
9 Mark Williams169121283729749
10 Stephen Lee140251562529650
11 Ken Doherty132371588729124
12 Alan McManus128251597528800
13 Graeme Dott148121350028312
14 Joe Perry159001125027150
15 Steve Davis112121577526987
16 Ian McCulloch120751453726612

World ranking points

The rankings for the 2006–07 season were based on the total points from the 2004–05 and 2005–06 seasons. There were 6 ranking events during the 2005–06 season.

Points distribution

2005/2006 Points distribution for world ranking events:[52]

TournamentRound →L96L80L64L48L32L16QFSFFW
Grand Prix[53]Unseeded loser400900140019002500320040005000
Seeded loser250450
UK Championship[54][55]Unseeded loser60097513501725210028503750480060007500
Seeded loser3004886758631050
Malta Cup[56][57]Unseeded loser4006509001150140019002500320040005000
Seeded loser200325450575700
Welsh Open[58]Unseeded loser4006509001150140019002500320040005000
Seeded loser200325450575700
China Open[59][60]Unseeded loser4006509001150140019002500320040005000
Seeded loser200325450575700
World Championship[61][62] Unseeded loser8001300180023002800380050006400800010000
Seeded loser40065090011501400

Notes

References