The 2018 Championship League was a professional non-ranking snooker tournament taking place from 2 January to 29 March 2018. It was the 11th staging of the tournament.
The defending champion John Higgins retained his title with a 3âÂÂ2 final win over Zhou Yuelong. As in the previous edition of the tournament Higgins had entered the competition in Group 7 and from there won his way through to the Winners' Group.
Martin Gould and Luca Brecel both made their maiden official maximum breaks in this tournament. Gould achieved his maximum in the deciding frame of his Group 6 round robin match against . Brecel achieved his in the third frame of a 3âÂÂ0 whitewash of defending champion John Higgins in their Group 7 round robin match. These were the 135th and 136th official maximum breaks and the fourth and fifth of the 2017/2018 season. It was the fifth consecutive year that a maximum was made in the Championship League, and the second consecutive year that two were made.
Prize fund
The breakdown of prize money for the 2018 Championship League is shown below.
Group 1âÂÂ7
- Winner: ã3,000
- Runner-up: ã2,000
- Semi-final: ã1,000
- Frame-win (league stage): ã100
- Frame-win (play-offs): ã300
- Highest break: ã500
Winners' Group
- Winner: ã10,000
- Runner-up: ã5,000
- Semi-final: ã3,000
- Frame-win (league stage): ã200
- Frame-win (play-offs): ã300
- Highest break: ã1,000
- Tournament total: ã180,300
Group 1
Group 1 was played on 2 and 3 January 2018. Zhou Yuelong was the first player to qualify for the Winners' Group.
Matches
- Kyren Wilson 3âÂÂ1 Stephen Maguire
- Ryan Day 1âÂÂ3 Zhou Yuelong
- Anthony Hamilton 3âÂÂ1 Kyren Wilson
- Mark King 2âÂÂ3 Michael Holt
- Stephen Maguire 3âÂÂ1 Ryan Day
- Zhou Yuelong 3âÂÂ2 Mark King
- Michael Holt 1âÂÂ3 Anthony Hamilton
- Kyren Wilson 1âÂÂ3 Ryan Day
- Stephen Maguire 3âÂÂ2 Zhou Yuelong
- Mark King 3âÂÂ2 Anthony Hamilton
- Michael Holt 1âÂÂ3 Zhou Yuelong
- Ryan Day 3âÂÂ1 Anthony Hamilton
- Kyren Wilson 3âÂÂ1 Michael Holt
- Stephen Maguire 3âÂÂ2 Mark King
- Ryan Day 1âÂÂ3 Michael Holt
- Zhou Yuelong 3âÂÂ0 Anthony Hamilton
- Kyren Wilson 0âÂÂ3 Mark King
- Stephen Maguire 2âÂÂ3 Anthony Hamilton
- Ryan Day 3âÂÂ2 Mark King
- Stephen Maguire 3âÂÂ1 Michael Holt
- Kyren Wilson 3âÂÂ0 Zhou Yuelong
Table
Play-offs
Group 2
Group 2 was played on 4 and 5 January 2018. Mark Selby was the second player to qualify for the Winners' Group, recording his 500th career century in the Group 2 final against Barry Hawkins.
Matches
- Mark Selby 3âÂÂ1* Neil Robertson
- Barry Hawkins 3âÂÂ2 Kyren Wilson
- Stephen Maguire 1âÂÂ3 Mark Selby
- Ryan Day 3âÂÂ0 Anthony Hamilton
- Neil Robertson 3âÂÂ2* Barry Hawkins
- Kyren Wilson 1âÂÂ3 Ryan Day
- Mark Selby 2âÂÂ3 Barry Hawkins
- Neil Robertson 3âÂÂ2* Kyren Wilson
- Ryan Day 1âÂÂ3 Stephen Maguire
- Anthony Hamilton 1âÂÂ3 Kyren Wilson
- Mark Selby 2âÂÂ3 Anthony Hamilton
- Neil Robertson 3âÂÂ0* Ryan Day
- Barry Hawkins 3âÂÂ1 Anthony Hamilton
- Kyren Wilson 3âÂÂ0 Stephen Maguire
- Mark Selby 2âÂÂ3 Ryan Day
- Neil Robertson 2âÂÂ3* Stephen Maguire
- Barry Hawkins 3âÂÂ1 Ryan Day
- Mark Selby 3âÂÂ0 Kyren Wilson
Note
* Neil Robertson had to pull out of the Championship League for personal reasons after his fifth match. Results from Robertson's previous matches were removed from the group table.
Table
Play-offs
Group 3
Group 3 was played on 8 and 9 January 2018. Kyren Wilson was the third player to qualify for the Winners' Group.
Matches
- Tom Ford 1âÂÂ3 Mark Allen
- Ali Carter 3âÂÂ2 Anthony Hamilton
- Kyren Wilson 3âÂÂ2 Tom Ford
- Ryan Day 3âÂÂ2 Barry Hawkins
- Mark Allen 3âÂÂ0 Ali Carter
- Anthony Hamilton 3âÂÂ1 Ryan Day
- Barry Hawkins 3âÂÂ0 Kyren Wilson
- Tom Ford 0âÂÂ3 Ali Carter
- Mark Allen 2âÂÂ3 Anthony Hamilton
- Ryan Day 2âÂÂ3 Kyren Wilson
- Barry Hawkins 3âÂÂ2 Anthony Hamilton
- Ali Carter 2âÂÂ3 Kyren Wilson
- Tom Ford 3âÂÂ0 Barry Hawkins
- Mark Allen 3âÂÂ0 Ryan Day
- Ali Carter 0âÂÂ3 Barry Hawkins
- Anthony Hamilton 1âÂÂ3 Kyren Wilson
- Tom Ford 3âÂÂ1 Ryan Day
- Mark Allen 3âÂÂ1 Kyren Wilson
- Ali Carter 3âÂÂ2 Ryan Day
- Mark Allen 1âÂÂ3 Barry Hawkins
- Tom Ford 3âÂÂ1 Anthony Hamilton
Note
Anthony McGill withdrew before the tournament and was replaced by Tom Ford.
Table
Play-offs
Group 4
Group 4 was played on 10 and 11 January 2018. Ali Carter was the fourth player to qualify for the Winners' Group. On the first day, Judd Trump made his 500th career century in his match against Liang Wenbo.
Matches
- Shaun Murphy 3âÂÂ1 Liang Wenbo
- Judd Trump 3âÂÂ0 Ali Carter
- Tom Ford 2âÂÂ3 Shaun Murphy
- Barry Hawkins 3âÂÂ1* Mark Allen
- Liang Wenbo 0âÂÂ3 Judd Trump
- Ali Carter 0âÂÂ3 Barry Hawkins
- Mark Allen w/dâÂÂw/o* Tom Ford
- Shaun Murphy 0âÂÂ3 Judd Trump
- Liang Wenbo 3âÂÂ2 Ali Carter
- Barry Hawkins 3âÂÂ1 Tom Ford
- Mark Allen w/dâÂÂw/o* Ali Carter
- Judd Trump 3âÂÂ1 Tom Ford
- Shaun Murphy w/oâÂÂw/d* Mark Allen
- Liang Wenbo 3âÂÂ1 Barry Hawkins
- Judd Trump w/oâÂÂw/d* Mark Allen
- Ali Carter 3âÂÂ0 Tom Ford
- Shaun Murphy 2âÂÂ3 Barry Hawkins
- Liang Wenbo 0âÂÂ3 Tom Ford
- Judd Trump 1âÂÂ3 Barry Hawkins
- Liang Wenbo w/oâÂÂw/d* Mark Allen
- Shaun Murphy 1âÂÂ3 Ali Carter
Note
* Mark Allen had to withdraw due to family reasons prior to his second match in the group. The result from Allen's first match in the group was removed from the group table.
Table
Play-offs
Group 5
Group 5 was played on 23 and 24 January 2018. Mark Williams was the fifth player to qualify for the Winners' Group.
Matches
- Martin Gould 3âÂÂ1 Ricky Walden
- Mark Williams 1âÂÂ3 Ben Woollaston
- Judd Trump 3âÂÂ1 Martin Gould
- Joe Perry 1âÂÂ3 David Gilbert
- Ricky Walden 1âÂÂ3 Mark Williams
- Ben Woollaston 1âÂÂ3 Joe Perry
- David Gilbert 0âÂÂ3 Judd Trump
- Martin Gould 1âÂÂ3 Mark Williams
- Ricky Walden 3âÂÂ2 Ben Woollaston
- Joe Perry 1âÂÂ3 Judd Trump
- David Gilbert 1âÂÂ3 Ben Woollaston
- Mark Williams 0âÂÂ3 Judd Trump
- Martin Gould 3âÂÂ0 David Gilbert
- Ricky Walden 2âÂÂ3 Joe Perry
- Mark Williams 3âÂÂ0 David Gilbert
- Ben Woollaston 3âÂÂ2 Judd Trump
- Martin Gould 3âÂÂ1 Joe Perry
- Ricky Walden 3âÂÂ2 Judd Trump
- Mark Williams 3âÂÂ0 Joe Perry
- Ricky Walden 3âÂÂ0 David Gilbert
- Martin Gould 1âÂÂ3 Ben Woollaston
Note
Barry Hawkins, Shaun Murphy and Liang Wenbo withdrew from the tournament and were replaced by Joe Perry, David Gilbert and Ben Woollaston.
Table
Play-offs
Group 6
Group 6 was played on 25 and 26 January 2018. Martin Gould was the sixth player to qualify for the Winners' Group.
Matches
- Li Hang 3âÂÂ0 Michael White
- Graeme Dott 3âÂÂ1 Martin Gould
- Judd Trump 0âÂÂ3 Li Hang
- Ben Woollaston 1âÂÂ3 Ricky Walden
- Michael White 2âÂÂ3 Graeme Dott
- Martin Gould 3âÂÂ0 Ben Woollaston
- Ricky Walden 0âÂÂ3 Judd Trump
- Li Hang 3âÂÂ2 Graeme Dott
- Michael White 1âÂÂ3 Martin Gould
- Ben Woollaston 1âÂÂ3 Judd Trump
- Ricky Walden 0âÂÂ3 Martin Gould
- Graeme Dott 0âÂÂ3 Judd Trump
- Li Hang 2âÂÂ3 Ricky Walden
- Michael White 3âÂÂ0 Ben Woollaston
- Graeme Dott 2âÂÂ3 Ricky Walden
- Martin Gould 3âÂÂ2 Judd Trump
- Li Hang 1âÂÂ3 Ben Woollaston
- Michael White 0âÂÂ3 Judd Trump
- Graeme Dott 3âÂÂ2 Ben Woollaston
- Michael White 2âÂÂ3 Ricky Walden
- Li Hang 2âÂÂ3 Martin Gould
Table
Play-offs
Group 7
Group 7 was played on 26 and 27 March 2018. John Higgins was the seventh player to qualify for the Winners' Group.
Matches
- John Higgins 0âÂÂ3 Luca Brecel
- Robert Milkins 1âÂÂ3 Dominic Dale
- Ricky Walden 2âÂÂ3 John Higgins
- Jimmy Robertson 0âÂÂ3 Judd Trump
- Luca Brecel 1âÂÂ3 Robert Milkins
- Dominic Dale 1âÂÂ3 Jimmy Robertson
- Judd Trump 3âÂÂ1 Ricky Walden
- John Higgins 3âÂÂ1 Robert Milkins
- Luca Brecel 0âÂÂ3 Dominic Dale
- Jimmy Robertson 3âÂÂ0 Ricky Walden
- Judd Trump 3âÂÂ2 Dominic Dale
- Robert Milkins 1âÂÂ3 Ricky Walden
- John Higgins 3âÂÂ1 Judd Trump
- Luca Brecel 2âÂÂ3 Jimmy Robertson
- Robert Milkins 1âÂÂ3 Judd Trump
- Dominic Dale 2âÂÂ3 Ricky Walden
- John Higgins 2âÂÂ3 Jimmy Robertson
- Luca Brecel 0âÂÂ3 Ricky Walden
- Robert Milkins 1âÂÂ3 Jimmy Robertson
- Luca Brecel 1âÂÂ3 Judd Trump
- John Higgins 3âÂÂ0 Dominic Dale
Notes
Graeme Dott and Li Hang withdrew from the tournament prior to Group 7 play. They were replaced by Dominic Dale and Jimmy Robertson.
Table
Play-offs
Winners' Group
The Winners' Group was played on 28 and 29 March 2018. In the final, John Higgins defeated Zhou Yuelong 3âÂÂ2 to retain his Championship League title and win it for the second time in his career.
Matches
- Zhou Yuelong 3*âÂÂ2 Mark Selby
- Kyren Wilson 3âÂÂ1 Ali Carter
- Mark Williams 3âÂÂ2 Zhou Yuelong
- Martin Gould 0âÂÂ3 John Higgins
- Mark Selby 3âÂÂ1 Kyren Wilson
- Ali Carter 3âÂÂ0 Martin Gould
- John Higgins 3âÂÂ2 Mark Williams
- Zhou Yuelong 3âÂÂ1 Kyren Wilson
- Mark Selby 1âÂÂ3 Ali Carter
- Martin Gould 3âÂÂ1 Mark Williams
- John Higgins 2âÂÂ3 Ali Carter
- Kyren Wilson 3âÂÂ1 Mark Williams
- Zhou Yuelong 2âÂÂ3 John Higgins
- Mark Selby 3âÂÂ0 Martin Gould
- Kyren Wilson 1âÂÂ3 John Higgins
- Ali Carter 3âÂÂ2 Mark Williams
- Zhou Yuelong 3âÂÂ0 Martin Gould
- Mark Selby 3âÂÂ0 Mark Williams
- Kyren Wilson 3âÂÂ2 Martin Gould
- Mark Selby 0âÂÂ3 John Higgins
- Zhou Yuelong 2âÂÂ3 Ali Carter
Notes
* Zhou Yuelong was awarded the first frame, due to Mark Selby arriving late.
Table
Play-offs
Century breaks
Total: 116
- 147 <small>(6)</small>, 140, 108, 106, 102, 101, 101 Martin Gould
- 147 <small>(7)</small>, 109 Luca Brecel
- 146, 138, 137, 121, 113, 105, 103 John Higgins
- 145 <small>(1)</small>, 122, 100 Ryan Day
- 144 <small>(5)</small>, 136, 133, 123, 111, 104, 100 Mark Williams
- 143, 103, 102 Li Hang
- 141 <small>(W)</small>, 131, 122, 111, 110, 105, 100 Zhou Yuelong
- 140, 137, 134, 125, 124, 120, 120, 118, 110, 109, 108, 104, 103, 100, 100, 100 Judd Trump
- 140, 137, 131, 129, 104 Ricky Walden
- 140 <small>(4)</small>, 115 Liang Wenbo
- 139 Tom Ford
- 139 Michael Holt
- 138, 129, 122, 114, 104, 103, 101, 101 Barry Hawkins
- 137 <small>(3)</small>, 137, 131, 129, 105 Kyren Wilson
- 136 Graeme Dott
- 134, 125, 116, 107, 103, 101, 101 Ali Carter
- 134 <small>(2)</small>, 116, 110 Neil Robertson
- 134, 116 Mark King
- 132, 128, 112, 111, 104, 103, 103, 101, 101 Mark Selby
- 125, 124, 102 Mark Allen
- 122, 121, 113, 101 Jimmy Robertson
- 120, 106, 103, 102, 101 Ben Woollaston
- 118, 103 Anthony Hamilton
- 115, 104 Stephen Maguire
- 113, 111, 100 Michael White
- 104 Shaun Murphy
<small>Bold: highest break in the indicated group.</small>
Winnings
<small> Green: Won the group. Bold: Highest break in the group. All prize money in GBP. <br>Notes <br><sup>(1)</sup> Neil Robertson withdrew for personal reasons after his fifth match in Group 2. <br><sup>(2)</sup> Mark Allen withdrew due to family reasons after his first match in Group 4. <br><sup>(3)</sup> Barry Hawkins, Shaun Murphy and Liang Wenbo withdrew from the tournament prior to Group 5 play. <br><sup>(4)</sup> Graeme Dott and Li Hang withdrew from the tournament prior to Group 7 play. </small>
References
External links
- http://www.championshipleaguesnooker.co.uk/players/