Players from 17 countries to compete in IBSF World Snooker Championships

Hyderabad: Snooker enthusiasts across the country are set for a feast as some of the best players from around the world arrive for the IBSF World Snooker Championships, scheduled to commence at Yeshwant Club here in Indore.

The nine-day extravaganza will be held in two stages for the men’s tournament. The first stage will consist of two events, with 16 cueists – the quarterfinalists from each event – advancing to the final stage, where 32 players have received direct entry.

While eight of the top Indian men, including three-time champion Pankaj Advani, will figure in the final stage, 16 cueists from the host country have got the nod for the first stage. Three of them – Laxman Rawat, S Shrikrishna and Kamal Chawla – are former World 6-Red Snooker champions. The 48-player draw will see competitors from 17 countries eyeing spots in the second stage.

Unlike the men’s tournament, the women’s event will be a one-stage affair beginning on Tuesday, November 17. Defending champion Anupama Ramachandran will lead the Indian challenge. In all, seven Indian players – including local cueist and top contender Amee Kamani – are in the fray.

Meanwhile, the snooker bash here will be the third and final big-ticket event hosted by the Billiards and Snooker Federation of India as part of its centenary celebrations. The federation successfully hosted the Heyball World Championships in Pune in August and the Commonwealth Cue Sports Championships in Ahmedabad last month.