The 2020 Championship League (also known as the BetVictor Championship League Snooker 2020) was a professional ranking snooker tournament that took place from 13 September to 30 October 2020 in the Ballroom, Stadium MK in Milton Keynes, England. The event featured 117 players from the World Snooker Tour as well as ten players from the 2020 Q School Order of Merit. It featured three rounds of round-robin groups of four, before a best-of-five final. It was the 15th edition of the Championship League, and it was a ranking tournament for the first time.
Ryan Day made his second career maximum break in the final frame of his match against Rod Lawler, and John Higgins made his 11th career maximum in the final frame of his match against Kyren Wilson.
Kyren Wilson won the tournament with a 3âÂÂ1 final victory over Judd Trump. This was Wilson's fourth ranking title. He ended Trump's 10-final winning streak.
Tournament format
There were 127 players taking part in the event. The competition began with 32 rounds of group matches with each group consisting of four players. Two groups were played to a finish every day during two blocks of eight days, from 13 to 20 September and from 28 September to 5 October, using a two-table setup in the arena. The groups were contested using a round-robin format, with six matches played in each group. All matches in group play were played as best-of-four frames, with three points awarded for a win and one point for a draw. Group positions were determined by points scored, frame difference and then head-to-head results between players who were tied. Places that were still tied were then determined by the highest made in the group.
The 32 players that topped the group tables qualified for the group winners' stage, consisting of eight groups of four players. The eight winners from the group winners' stage qualified for the two final groups before the final took place later on the same day. The winner took the Championship League title and a place at the 2020 Champion of Champions.
Prize fund
The breakdown of prize money for the tournament is shown below.
Stage One
- Winner: ã3,000
- Runner-up: ã2,000
- Third place: ã1,000
- Fourth place: ã0
Stage Two
- Winner: ã4,000
- Runner-up: ã3,000
- Third place: ã2,000
- Fourth place: ã1,000
Stage Three
- Winner: ã6,000
- Runner-up: ã4,000
- Third place: ã2,000
- Fourth place: ã1,000
Final
- Winner: ã20,000
- Runner-up: ã10,000
- Tournament total: ã328,000
Stage One
Stage One consisted of 32 groups, each containing four players.
Order of play
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Group 1
Group 1 was played on 13 September.
Matches
- Judd Trump 3âÂÂ1 Fan Zhengyi
- Alan McManus 1âÂÂ3 David Lilley
- Alan McManus 2âÂÂ2 Fan Zhengyi
- Judd Trump 3âÂÂ0 David Lilley
- David Lilley 0âÂÂ3 Fan Zhengyi
- Judd Trump 2âÂÂ2 Alan McManus
Table
Group 2
Group 2 was played on 13 September.
Matches
- Ryan Day 3âÂÂ1 Rod Lawler
- Matthew Stevens 2âÂÂ2 Paul Davison
- Matthew Stevens 2âÂÂ2 Rod Lawler
- Ryan Day 3âÂÂ0 Paul Davison
- Matthew Stevens 3âÂÂ1 Ryan Day
- Rod Lawler 3âÂÂ0 Paul Davison
Table
Group 3
Group 3 was played on 14 September.
Matches
- Robert Milkins 3âÂÂ0 Chen Zifan
- Gary Wilson 3âÂÂ0 Jamie Jones
- Gary Wilson 2âÂÂ2 Chen Zifan
- Robert Milkins 0âÂÂ3 Jamie Jones
- Gary Wilson 0âÂÂ3 Robert Milkins
- Chen Zifan 1âÂÂ3 Jamie Jones
Table
Group 4
Group 4 was played on 14 September.
Matches
- Barry Hawkins 3âÂÂ0 Ben Hancorn
- Sam Craigie 2âÂÂ2 Jackson Page
- Sam Craigie 2âÂÂ2 Ben Hancorn
- Barry Hawkins 3âÂÂ1 Jackson Page
- Jackson Page 2âÂÂ2 Ben Hancorn
- Barry Hawkins 0âÂÂ3 Sam Craigie
Table
Group 5
Group 5 was played on 15 September.
Matches
- Stephen Maguire 1âÂÂ3 Leo Fernandez
- Louis Heathcote 0âÂÂ3 Dominic Dale
- Louis Heathcote 1âÂÂ3 Leo Fernandez
- Stephen Maguire 2âÂÂ2 Dominic Dale
- Dominic Dale 3âÂÂ1 Leo Fernandez
- Stephen Maguire 2âÂÂ2 Louis Heathcote
Table
Group 6
Group 6 was played on 15 September.
Matches
- Ricky Walden 3âÂÂ1 Gerard Greene
- Zhou Yuelong 2âÂÂ2 Zhao Jianbo
- Zhou Yuelong 3âÂÂ0 Gerard Greene
- Ricky Walden 1âÂÂ3 Zhao Jianbo
- Zhou Yuelong 2âÂÂ2 Ricky Walden
- Gerard Greene 2âÂÂ2 Zhao Jianbo
Table
Group 7
Group 7 was played on 16 September.
Matches
- Ben Woollaston 0âÂÂ3 Si Jiahui
- Matthew Selt 3âÂÂ1 Gao Yang
- Matthew Selt 3âÂÂ1 Si Jiahui
- Ben Woollaston 2âÂÂ2 Gao Yang
- Matthew Selt 2âÂÂ2 Ben Woollaston
- Si Jiahui 2âÂÂ2 Gao Yang
Table
Group 8
Group 8 was played on 16 September.
Matches
- Shaun Murphy 3âÂÂ0 Peter Devlin
- Martin O'Donnell 3âÂÂ1 Jimmy White
- Martin O'Donnell 3âÂÂ0 Peter Devlin
- Shaun Murphy 3âÂÂ0 Jimmy White
- Jimmy White 2âÂÂ2 Peter Devlin
- Shaun Murphy 3âÂÂ1 Martin O'Donnell
Table
Group 9
Group 9 was played on 29 September.
Matches
- Mark Allen 2âÂÂ2 Jamie Wilson
- Luo Honghao 3âÂÂ1 Billy Castle
- Luo Honghao 3âÂÂ0 Jamie Wilson
- Mark Allen 3âÂÂ0 Billy Castle
- Billy Castle 2âÂÂ2 Jamie Wilson
- Mark Allen 2âÂÂ2 Luo Honghao
Table
Group 10
Group 10 was played on 17 September.
Matches
- Liam Highfield 2âÂÂ2 Nigel Bond
- Zhao Xintong 3âÂÂ0 Oliver Brown
- Zhao Xintong 3âÂÂ1 Nigel Bond
- Liam Highfield 2âÂÂ2 Oliver Brown
- Zhao Xintong 0âÂÂ3 Liam Highfield
- Nigel Bond 2âÂÂ2 Oliver Brown
Table
Group 11
Group 11 was played on 28 September.
Matches
- Alexander Ursenbacher 3âÂÂ1 Riley Parsons
- Anthony McGill 2âÂÂ2 Lukas Kleckers
- Anthony McGill 0âÂÂ3 Riley Parsons
- Alexander Ursenbacher 3âÂÂ0 Lukas Kleckers
- Alexander Ursenbacher 2âÂÂ2 Anthony McGill
- Riley Parsons 2âÂÂ2 Lukas Kleckers
Table
Group 12
Group 12 was played on 18 September.
Matches
- Stuart Bingham 3âÂÂ0 Pang Junxu
- Yuan Sijun 1âÂÂ3 James Cahill
- Yuan Sijun 3âÂÂ1 Pang Junxu
- Stuart Bingham 3âÂÂ0 James Cahill
- James Cahill 3âÂÂ1 Pang Junxu
- Stuart Bingham 3âÂÂ0 Yuan Sijun
Table
Group 13
Group 13 was played on 19 September.
Matches
- Ian Burns 3âÂÂ0 Fraser Patrick
- Jack Lisowski 0âÂÂ3 Rory McLeod
- Jack Lisowski 3âÂÂ1 Fraser Patrick
- Ian Burns 2âÂÂ2 Rory McLeod
- Jack Lisowski 2âÂÂ2 Ian Burns
- Fraser Patrick 0âÂÂ3 Rory McLeod
Table
Group 14
Group 14 was played on 19 September.
Matches
- Graeme Dott 2âÂÂ2 Zak Surety
- Liang Wenbo 3âÂÂ1 Soheil Vahedi
- Liang Wenbo 3âÂÂ0 Zak Surety
- Graeme Dott 3âÂÂ1 Soheil Vahedi
- Soheil Vahedi 1âÂÂ3 Zak Surety
- Graeme Dott 3âÂÂ1 Liang Wenbo
Table
Group 15
Group 15 was played on 20 September.
Matches
- Daniel Womersley 0âÂÂ3 Jamie O'Neill
- Michael Holt 0âÂÂ3 Sean Maddocks
- Michael Holt 3âÂÂ0 Jamie O'Neill
- Daniel Womersley 2âÂÂ2 Sean Maddocks
- Michael Holt 1âÂÂ3 Daniel Womersley
- Jamie O'Neill 3âÂÂ1 Sean Maddocks
Table
Anthony Hamilton was originally due to take part in this group, but withdrew and was replaced by Daniel Womersley.
Group 16
Group 16 was played on 20 September.
Matches
- Mark Selby 3âÂÂ1 Fergal O'Brien
- Lyu Haotian 2âÂÂ2 Brandon Sargeant
- Lyu Haotian 3âÂÂ0 Fergal O'Brien
- Mark Selby 3âÂÂ1 Brandon Sargeant
- Brandon Sargeant 2âÂÂ2 Fergal O'Brien
- Mark Selby 2âÂÂ2 Lyu Haotian
Table
Group 17
Group 17 was played on 28 September.
Matches
- Neil Robertson 1âÂÂ3 Ken Doherty
- Andrew Higginson 3âÂÂ1 Eden Sharav
- Andrew Higginson 0âÂÂ3 Ken Doherty
- Neil Robertson 2âÂÂ2 Eden Sharav
- Eden Sharav 2âÂÂ2 Ken Doherty
- Neil Robertson 3âÂÂ0 Andrew Higginson
Table
Group 18
Group 18 was played on 18 September.
Matches
- Hossein Vafaei 3âÂÂ1 Jak Jones
- Xiao Guodong 3âÂÂ1 Farakh Ajaib
- Xiao Guodong 2âÂÂ2 Jak Jones
- Hossein Vafaei 3âÂÂ1 Farakh Ajaib
- Xiao Guodong 3âÂÂ0 Hossein Vafaei
- Jak Jones 0âÂÂ3 Farakh Ajaib
Table
Group 19
Group 19 was played on 29 September.
Matches
- Sunny Akani 3âÂÂ1 Peter Lines
- Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 3âÂÂ1 Lee Walker
- Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 2âÂÂ2 Peter Lines
- Sunny Akani 3âÂÂ0 Lee Walker
- Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 3âÂÂ1 Sunny Akani
- Peter Lines 2âÂÂ2 Lee Walker
Table
Group 20
Group 20 was played on 4 October.
Matches
- Stuart Carrington 0âÂÂ3 Jordan Brown
- Yan Bingtao 3âÂÂ0 Michael White
- Yan Bingtao 2âÂÂ2 Jordan Brown
- Stuart Carrington 0âÂÂ3 Michael White
- Yan Bingtao 2âÂÂ2 Stuart Carrington
- Jordan Brown 3âÂÂ1 Michael White
Table
Group 21
Group 21 was played on 17 September.
Matches
- David Gilbert 3âÂÂ1 Aaron Hill
- Lu Ning 2âÂÂ2 Xu Si
- Lu Ning 3âÂÂ1 Aaron Hill
- David Gilbert 2âÂÂ2 Xu Si
- Xu Si 1âÂÂ3 Aaron Hill
- David Gilbert 2âÂÂ2 Lu Ning
Table
Group 22
Group 22 was played on 30 September.
Matches
- Scott Donaldson 3âÂÂ0 Ashley Carty
- Chris Wakelin 3âÂÂ0 Barry Pinches
- Chris Wakelin 2âÂÂ2 Ashley Carty
- Scott Donaldson 3âÂÂ1 Barry Pinches
- Barry Pinches 2âÂÂ2 Ashley Carty
- Scott Donaldson 2âÂÂ2 Chris Wakelin
Table
Group 23
Group 23 was played on 30 September.
Matches
- Mark King 2âÂÂ2 David Grace
- Jimmy Robertson 3âÂÂ1 Allan Taylor
- Jimmy Robertson 1âÂÂ3 David Grace
- Mark King 3âÂÂ1 Allan Taylor
- Jimmy Robertson 1âÂÂ3 Mark King
- David Grace 1âÂÂ3 Allan Taylor
Table
Group 24
Group 24 was played on 3 October.
Matches
- Kyren Wilson 3âÂÂ0 Kuldesh Johal
- Duane Jones 3âÂÂ0 Kuldesh Johal
- Kyren Wilson 3âÂÂ0 Duane Jones
- Kyren Wilson 3âÂÂ0 Kuldesh Johal
- Duane Jones 1âÂÂ3 Kuldesh Johal
- Kyren Wilson 3âÂÂ0 Duane Jones
Table
Daniel Wells was withdrawn from the group after a positive COVID-19 test.
Group 25
Group 25 was played on 1 October.
Matches
- John Higgins 3âÂÂ1 Brian Ochoiski
- Joe O'Connor 3âÂÂ0 Amine Amiri
- Joe O'Connor 2âÂÂ2 Brian Ochoiski
- John Higgins 3âÂÂ0 Amine Amiri
- Amine Amiri 0âÂÂ3 Brian Ochoiski
- John Higgins 2âÂÂ2 Joe O'Connor
Table
Group 26
Group 26 was played on 1 October.
Matches
- Martin Gould 3âÂÂ1 Igor Figueiredo
- Kurt Maflin 3âÂÂ1 Simon Lichtenberg
- Kurt Maflin 2âÂÂ2 Igor Figueiredo
- Martin Gould 1âÂÂ3 Simon Lichtenberg
- Kurt Maflin 1âÂÂ3 Martin Gould
- Igor Figueiredo 3âÂÂ1 Simon Lichtenberg
Table
Group 27
Group 27 was played on 2 October.
Matches
- Tom Ford 3âÂÂ0 Ashley Hugill
- Luca Brecel 3âÂÂ0 Mitchell Mann
- Luca Brecel 3âÂÂ1 Ashley Hugill
- Tom Ford 2âÂÂ2 Mitchell Mann
- Mitchell Mann 3âÂÂ1 Ashley Hugill
- Tom Ford 3âÂÂ1 Luca Brecel
Table
Group 28
Group 28 was played on 2 October.
Matches
- Mark Joyce 2âÂÂ2 Jamie Clarke
- Jamie Clarke 3âÂÂ0 Haydon Pinhey
- Mark Joyce 3âÂÂ0 Haydon Pinhey
- Mark Joyce 1âÂÂ3 Jamie Clarke
- Jamie Clarke 3âÂÂ0 Haydon Pinhey
- Mark Joyce 3âÂÂ1 Haydon Pinhey
Table
Mark Williams was to take part in this group, but withdrew and was replaced by Haydon Pinhey.
Lei Peifan was withdrawn from the group after an invalid COVID-19 test.
Group 29
Group 29 was played on 4 October.
Matches
- Joe Perry 3âÂÂ0 Steven Hallworth
- Elliot Slessor 3âÂÂ0 Kacper Filipiak
- Elliot Slessor 1âÂÂ3 Steven Hallworth
- Joe Perry 3âÂÂ0 Kacper Filipiak
- Kacper Filipiak 0âÂÂ3 Steven Hallworth
- Joe Perry 1âÂÂ3 Elliot Slessor
Table
Group 30
Group 30 was played on 3 October.
Matches
- Mark Davis 2âÂÂ2 Chang Bingyu
- Ali Carter 3âÂÂ1 Jamie Curtis-Barrett
- Ali Carter 2âÂÂ2 Chang Bingyu
- Mark Davis 3âÂÂ0 Jamie Curtis-Barrett
- Ali Carter 0âÂÂ3 Mark Davis
- Chang Bingyu 3âÂÂ1 Jamie Curtis-Barrett
Table
Group 31
Group 31 was played on 5 October.
Matches
- Tian Pengfei 2âÂÂ2 Robbie Williams
- Noppon Saengkham 0âÂÂ3 Oliver Lines
- Noppon Saengkham 2âÂÂ2 Robbie Williams
- Tian Pengfei 2âÂÂ2 Oliver Lines
- Noppon Saengkham 1âÂÂ3 Tian Pengfei
- Robbie Williams 3âÂÂ1 Oliver Lines
Table
Group 32
Group 32 was played on 5 October.
Matches
- John Astley 2âÂÂ2 Iulian Boiko
- Li Hang 3âÂÂ1 Alex Borg
- Li Hang 3âÂÂ1 Iulian Boiko
- John Astley 3âÂÂ1 Alex Borg
- Alex Borg 2âÂÂ2 Iulian Boiko
- John Astley 1âÂÂ3 Li Hang
Table
Ronnie O'Sullivan was originally due to take part in this group, but withdrew and was replaced by John Astley.
Stage Two
Stage Two consisted of eight groups, each containing four players.
Order of play
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Group A
Group A was played on 26 October.
Matches
- Judd Trump 3âÂÂ1 Robert Milkins
- Barry Hawkins 3âÂÂ0 Ryan Day
- Barry Hawkins 3âÂÂ0 Robert Milkins
- Judd Trump 2âÂÂ2 Ryan Day
- Ryan Day 3âÂÂ1 Robert Milkins
- Judd Trump 3âÂÂ0 Barry Hawkins
Table
Group B
Group B was played on 27 October.
Matches
- Shaun Murphy 1âÂÂ3 Dominic Dale
- Zhou Yuelong 3âÂÂ1 Matthew Selt
- Zhou Yuelong 3âÂÂ0 Dominic Dale
- Shaun Murphy 3âÂÂ1 Matthew Selt
- Matthew Selt 3âÂÂ1 Dominic Dale
- Shaun Murphy 2âÂÂ2 Zhou Yuelong
Table
Group C
Group C was played on 26 October.
Matches
- Zhao Xintong 2âÂÂ2 Alexander Ursenbacher
- Stuart Bingham 1âÂÂ3 Luo Honghao
- Stuart Bingham 2âÂÂ2 Alexander Ursenbacher
- Zhao Xintong 3âÂÂ1 Luo Honghao
- Stuart Bingham 0âÂÂ3 Zhao Xintong
- Luo Honghao 2âÂÂ2 Alexander Ursenbacher
Table
Group D
Group D was played on 27 October.
Matches
- Graeme Dott 3âÂÂ0 Jamie O'Neill
- Mark Selby 3âÂÂ0 Rory McLeod
- Mark Selby 3âÂÂ0 Jamie O'Neill
- Graeme Dott 2âÂÂ2 Rory McLeod
- Mark Selby 2âÂÂ2 Graeme Dott
- Jamie O'Neill 3âÂÂ1 Rory McLeod
Table
Group E
Group E was played on 28 October.
Matches
- Xiao Guodong 3âÂÂ1 Jordan Brown
- Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 2âÂÂ2 Ken Doherty
- Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 3âÂÂ1 Jordan Brown
- Xiao Guodong 1âÂÂ3 Ken Doherty
- Thepchaiya Un-Nooh 2âÂÂ2 Xiao Guodong
- Jordan Brown 2âÂÂ2 Ken Doherty
Table
Group F
Group F was played on 28 October.
Matches
- Kyren Wilson 3âÂÂ0 Mark King
- David Gilbert 0âÂÂ3 Scott Donaldson
- David Gilbert 3âÂÂ1 Mark King
- Kyren Wilson 2âÂÂ2 Scott Donaldson
- Scott Donaldson 1âÂÂ3 Mark King
- Kyren Wilson 3âÂÂ0 David Gilbert
Table
Group G
Group G was played on 29 October.
Matches
- John Higgins 3âÂÂ0 Jamie Clarke
- Tom Ford 2âÂÂ2 Martin Gould
- Tom Ford 2âÂÂ2 Jamie Clarke
- John Higgins 0âÂÂ3 Martin Gould
- Martin Gould 2âÂÂ2 Jamie Clarke
- John Higgins 3âÂÂ0 Tom Ford
Table
Group H
Group H was played on 29 October.
Matches
- Mark Davis 2âÂÂ2 Li Hang
- Joe Perry 3âÂÂ1 Tian Pengfei
- Joe Perry 3âÂÂ0 Li Hang
- Mark Davis 2âÂÂ2 Tian Pengfei
- Joe Perry 2âÂÂ2 Mark Davis
- Li Hang 2âÂÂ2 Tian Pengfei
Table
Stage Three
Stage Three consisted of two groups, each containing four players.
Group 1
Group 1 was played on 30 October.
Matches
- Judd Trump 3âÂÂ1 Zhao Xintong
- Mark Selby 1âÂÂ3 Zhou Yuelong
- Mark Selby 0âÂÂ3 Zhao Xintong
- Judd Trump 3âÂÂ0 Zhou Yuelong
- Zhou Yuelong 2âÂÂ2 Zhao Xintong
- Judd Trump 0âÂÂ3 Mark Selby
Table
Group 2
Group 2 was played on 30 October.
Matches
- John Higgins 3âÂÂ0 Joe Perry
- Kyren Wilson 3âÂÂ1 Ken Doherty
- Kyren Wilson 3âÂÂ0 Joe Perry
- John Higgins 0âÂÂ3 Ken Doherty
- Kyren Wilson 1âÂÂ3 John Higgins
- Joe Perry 2âÂÂ2 Ken Doherty
Table
Key:P=Matchesplayed; W=Matcheswon; D=Matchesdrawn; L=Matcheslost; FW=Frameswon; FL=Frameslost; FD=Framedifference; HB=Highestbreak
Final
Century breaks
A total of 90 century breaks were made during the tournament.
- 147, 126, 123, 107 John Higgins
- 147, 100, 100 Ryan Day
- 145, 143, 133, 116, 101 Barry Hawkins
- 140 Matthew Stevens
- 139, 122, 109 Ken Doherty
- 139, 103, 100 Graeme Dott
- 139 Jack Lisowski
- 138, 112, 109, 102 Joe Perry
- 135, 108 Thepchaiya Un-Nooh
- 134, 134, 122, 119, 114, 109, 102, 100 Zhou Yuelong
- 134, 128, 118, 118, 109 Mark Selby
- 133 Oliver Lines
- 132 Gerard Greene
- 130, 112 Jamie Clarke
- 130 Michael White
- 129, 127 Stuart Bingham
- 128, 111 Luo Honghao
- 128 Martin O'Donnell
- 126, 120 Chang Bingyu
- 125, 124, 100 Neil Robertson
- 125, 110, 104, 103, 100 Kyren Wilson
- 125 David Gilbert
- 125 Hossein Vafaei
- 124, 118, 110 Judd Trump
- 123 Tom Ford
- 122, 109 Tian Pengfei
- 121, 100 Mark Davis
- 121 Brandon Sargeant
- 121 Xu Si
- 117 Zhao Xintong
- 116, 102 David Grace
- 114, 107 Gao Yang
- 114 Ian Burns
- 112 Robbie Williams
- 111, 102 Shaun Murphy
- 108 Matthew Selt
- 107 Scott Donaldson
- 107 Joe O'Connor
- 106 Mark Allen
- 105, 102 Liang Wenbo
- 105 Xiao Guodong
- 104 Martin Gould
- 103 Jamie Jones
- 102 Lyu Haotian
- 100 Michael Holt
References
External links