Bradford hosts the new World Seniors event, which runs next weekend from November 5-7 at the Cedar Court Hotel.The seniors event carries the prestige of a world title, as well as a top prize of £20,000, not to be sniffed at.

Many of snooker’s legendary figures will be competing for a share of the £50,000 prize fund, including Steve Davis,Cliff Thorburn, Dennis Taylor, Jimmy White, John Parrott and local hero Joe Johnson.

The matches are best of three frames in the first round and anything can happen in such short games.

Players from the main tour Peter Ebdon, Ken Doherty and Nigel Bond compete with the champions of yesteryear.

Power Snooker came onto the air with a bang last Saturday, fast, brash, loud and in your face. Its great that we are now beginning to see some innovative approaches to revive interest in the game that we all love. But a word of warning is probably in order before we get carried away with the razzamatazz.

The new PTC events which have opened snooker up over recent months and given up and coming players a chance to match themselves against some of the top names from the world of snooker. The events also give fringe players a chance to compete. Players like Barry Pinches have shone in the first to 4 format.

Jimmy White who is on the comeback trail stunned snooker's man of the moment Neil Robertson with a 4-2 victory to reach the last 32 of Euro Players Tour Championship event two in Belgium. He will now play Shaun Murphy in the next round.

Having attended a number of snooker events over the last few months the promoters need to think harder about whats on offer for the attending fans. At Glasgow for the World Open and at Preston Guild Hall at the Premier League the viewing positions for my money were too far removed from the table. Front row seats at the venues were 30ft plus from the table. Television might be king but remember the atmosphere makes the event memorable.

On top of that in Glasgow some of the warm up antics were just over the top and several people were made to feel uncomfortable. Why should people pay to be treated like an unthinking herd that will put up with anything.  World Snooker needs to hire someone more familiar with snooker than the local gobshite who warmed up the crowd on first Sunday, he perfomed like alternative comedian that just was not funny.

 If you want an atmosphere look at the arena layout and the position of the seats. Dont try the get some media clone waving his hands about and expecting the rest of us to comply by cheering like idiots. It borders on mockery.

The World Snooker Rankings have just been published as a new world order takes place in snooker. The old guard are pushed out and new a fresh broom revises the players rankings at regular intervals throught the season. Neil Robertson takes the number one position having won the World Championship in May and now the World Open in September.

There will be more focus on every ranking event as they progress as players attempt to stay in the top 16 or 32 to avoid the dreaded qualifiers. As Barry Hearn stated that no-one has a right to be there, it has to be earned.

The world open reaches a crescendo this evening as the final match is between the current World Champion Neil Robertson and the snooker genius in form Ronnie O'Sullivan. The match might produce fireworks in potting and breakbuilding as both players have shown spectacular form. The match now switches from the best of five to the best of nine frames.

Read Article to Play the Magic 147 Break on screen.

Saturday's quarter-final draw and schedule is:

1pm
Mark Williams v Ding Junhui
Peter Ebdon v Martin Gould        

7pm
Ronnie O'Sullivan v Stephen Maguire
Ricky Walden v Neil Robertson

The Paul Hunter Foundation Snooker Roadshow will be in Glasgow on Saturday September 25, offering FREE coaching and fun for budding young players.

Mark Williams has been demonstrating the temperament of a champion this week at the World Open in Glasgow in both matches played so far. He looked in devastating form in his match against Ali Carter. In the best of 5 format this may well suit Mark's temperament and attitude to the game. In the first few days of the competition the SECC has been labelled "twitch city" as nerves and confidence play a big part in seeing through a win. 

Within minutes of snooker supremo Barry Hearn giving a press conference on maintaining and developing the integrity of the game of snooker, snooker's golden idol Ronnie OSullivan was treating the game and its fans with some contempt.

Having got down to the final ball on the table at 140, he was going to leave the arena having not completed a maximum break. Referee Jan Verhass quickly rescued what would have been an embarrassing and difficult situation for the WPBSA, in what has already been a difficult last three months.

Snooker pundits including John Parrot and Steve Davis looked on shocked and aghast as events unfolded. there was even lack of clariity as to whether a handshake represented the end of the match. This is clearly not the way for a top ranking professional to behave.

The first 2 days in glasgow at the World Snooker Open where the players have been subjected to the pressures of the best of 5 frame shoot offs. The venue and presentation within the arena have been excellent. The crowds however have been slightly disppointing even with the promotion of half price tickets.

The World Open starts in Glasgow this weekend with a rapid play format of the best of 5 frames until the final. One table in operation with a 5 minute turnaround. Somethjing to keep those members of the public involved that might have a low attention span.

The new rankings are now out and have an unfamiliar feel about them with Ronnie O'Sullivan outside the top 5 having withdrawn from the Shanghai masters for family reasons. Ali Carter having risen to number 2. The new rankings for the top 16 are as follows:-

1. John Higgins
2. Allister Carter
3. Neil Robertson
4. Ding Junhui
5. Shaun Murphy
6. Ronnie O'Sullivan
7. Stephen Maguire
8. Mark Williams
9. Mark Selby
10. Graeme Dott
11. Stephen Hendry
12. Mark Allen
13. Jamie Cope
14. Marco Fu
15. Mark King
16. Ryan Day

Jamie Burnett reached the final of the Shanghai Masters as he thrashed out of form Jamie Cope to win 6-1. The 35 year old Scot ran up a 4-0 lead as Cope failed to take any chances that came his way, failing to compile a break of more than 30 until the fifth frame.

Cope edged that one 63-48 and Burnett was far from fluent himself, but took full advantage of Cope's struggles.

Burnett will face either Ali Carter or Mark Selby, who meet in the second semi later on Saturday, in Sunday's final. It is Jamies birthday next week so he may be able to celebrate earlier than expected.

So John Higgins has been cleared of match fixing after a four month wait. It seems a distant memory since Barry Hearn appeared in the media the day after the News of the World printed the story along with the video footage that had been edited.

 Higgins in a statement said:-"I am pleased that Sport Resolutions and WPBSA have concluded, after a thorough and fair investigation, that I was not guilty of any dishonesty and had no intention to fix a match and no intention to do anything corrupt," . "If I am guilty of anything it is of naivety and trusting those who, I believed, were working in the best interests of snooker and myself."

Ronnie O'Sullivan has announced he will not defend his Roewe Shanghai Masters title next week.

The world number two defeated Liang Wenbo in last year's final but instead of travelling to China again he intends to spend time with his family.

O'Sullivan, 34, said: "This has been a very difficult decision to make, however I have a very young family and at this moment I need to spend more time with them.

"I'm truly sorry to my fans in China, I love meeting and playing in front of some of the most passionate people in the world. I very much look forward to returning to China soon."

Once again this week sport is taking the headlines because of alleged of corruption by bookmakers, agents and international cricketers. It was only 4 months ago that world number 1 John Higgins was under a similar spotlight due to stories and video footage presented by The News of the World. Next week John appears before an independent sporting tribunal to have his case heard, the outcome could have serious ramifications for both John Higgins and the future of snooker.

A profile of Alex and opinions from around the snooker world.

One man transfixed television viewers more than any other during snooker's golden age - his name was Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins.

This hour-long BBC Two documentary charts the remarkable rise and fall of snooker's first genius, from Alex's early days growing up in Belfast to the summit of the sport as two-time world champion, and back down again, as alcohol hastened his slide from grace and cancer ravaged his body.

Higgins' lifestyle as well as his unique approach to snooker will be as transfixing as usual. This should be good as a view of the rock & roll of snooker.

There are plenty of examples of players choking or bottling it in snooker. As soon as the winning line comes into sight, it seems to get further away. The key in this situation is just staying with the shot, just like any other shot, to ignore the stage in the game and treat it like the first shot.