2023 World Snooker Championship is underway

The 2023 World Snooker Championship – officially the 2023 Cazoo World Championship – is underway, running from April 15 to May 1 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.
2023 is the 47th consecutive year the prestigious championship has been staged at the Crucible Theatre.
Snooker’s roots go back to 1875 by members of the British Army in the Indian town of Jubbulpore. The sport became popular, and in 1927, the World Professional Snooker Championship was held for the first time at Camkin’s Hall in Birmingham. The tournament was won by Joe Davis, who defeated Tom Dennis 20 -11. Davis netted £6 for his Championship win. In 1946, Joe Davis retired having been undefeated in a record 15 World Championships.
Snooker was televised by the BBC for the first time in 1950 from Leicester Square Hall. In 1969, the sport was broadcast on colour TV for the first time as ‘Pot Black’ and was commissioned by the then BBC2 controller, David Attenborough.
In 1975, the Masters was held for the first time at the West Centre Hotel in London. It was won by John Spencer, who beat Ray Reardon 9 – 8 in the final. In 1977, the World Championship was held at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre for the first time.
In the 1980s, the sport became incredibly popular, with iconic figures like Alex Higgins, Jimmy White, and Steve Davis, battling it out and injecting new life into the game.
In 1990, Scotland’s Stephen Hendry became the youngest ever player to win snooker’s World Championship, defeating Jimmy White 18-12. In 2015, Ronnie O’Sullivan became snooker’s all-time leading century break maker, overtaking Stephen Hendry’s record of 775 at the Dafabet Masters. Four years later, Ronnie O’Sullivan became the first player to compile more than 1,000 century breaks in professional competition at the Players Championship.
Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan hold records of seven wins each in the modern era.
This year, Ronnie O’Sullivan is bidding for a record eighth title of the modern era. Though in-form Mark Allen, who has shone out this season by winning three tournaments, is attempting to break the Crucible run. Planning on stopping them both is Kyren Wilson, the world number seven, who in the first round completed a memorable 147 maximum break in a win against Ryan Day. The Englishman potted 15 reds, 15 blacks, and all the colours for the 13th total clearance in Crucible history. If the break is not equalled at this year’s tournament, Wilson stands to earn £55,000 in additional prize money.
With all eyes on the iconic snooker venue in Sheffield, the Championship highlights the importance of insurance for snookers halls and venues. The right insurance is vital to ensure all players, spectators, coaching teams, commentators, TV crews and more, are protected in case an incident occurs.
Though it’s not just large, high-profile venues that require the right insurance. All snooker halls, no matter how big or small, need to be adequately protected with the right insurance.
The Nelson Sports, Social, Health & Leisure product is available on a commercial combined, property or liability only basis, and is designed to cater for a variety of amateur sports clubs, private member social clubs, health, leisure, including snooker halls and venues.