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31-676: Prior to 1951, when the first "world amateur" championship was held under the auspices of the Billiards Association and Control Council (based in London), this event was called the [British] Empire Billiards Championship . In 1971, after many years' discussion, the World Billiards & Snooker Council was formed, changing its name in 1973 to the International Billiards & Snooker Federation. The name change came about because of

62-412: A billiards player, challenged Kentfield. There was much controversy over the table and the pockets to be used, and Kentfield declined to play, so Roberts styled himself as champion, a title he held unchallenged until 1870 , when he lost to William Cook . Cook beat Roberts's son John Roberts Jr. in a match in 1869, and challenged Roberts Sr. for the title. As this was the first actual match for

93-471: A single competition, the title is one of the oldest sporting world championships, having been contested (though irregularly) since 1870. From 2012 to 2014 there were separate timed and points divisions, with the tournament held in association with the International Billiards and Snooker Federation . In those years, there was no separate IBSF World Billiards Championship . The rules adopted by

124-546: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about a sporting event is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . World Professional Billiards Championship The World Billiards Championship is an international cue sports tournament in the discipline of English billiards , organised by World Billiards , a subsidiary of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA). In its various forms, and usually as

155-474: The red ball from its spot was weakened. Cook was nonetheless considered the favourite, and the 20-year-old had improved much from his win over Roberts Jr the previous year. Before the match he wrote a letter to the Sporting Life , stating that he believed that the smaller pockets would not affect his game. At 1:38 a.m. on the morning of 12 February 1870, Cook defeated Roberts 1,200-1,083 to win

186-632: The World Billiards Championship . Tournaments were held in both points and timed format. In 2015, the IBSF withdrew from World Billiards Limited and reinstituted its own championship. David Causier (with six titles), Pankaj Advani (three titles), and Peter Gilchrist are other multiple title winners in the modern game. Main sources: English Amateur Billiards Association, A History of Billiards (Clive Everton), Cue Sports India Additional Source: Billiards (1899) by Joseph Bennett As there

217-463: The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) on 12 December 1970, and declared itself the governing body for the professional game, recognising Williams as champion. Driffield and Karnehm were, at first, the only two professionals who recognised the BA&;CC as having continued authority over the game. In the 1970s, there were further challenge matches for the title. Williams

248-530: The 1980s, most notably Robby Foldvari (winner 1986, runner-up 1987) and Eddie Charlton (twice runner-up, 1984 and 1988). In November 2011, WPBSA formed a subsidiary called World Billiards (Limited), to administer the sport worldwide. As of 2012, the distinction between professional and amateur players was removed and the WPBSA World Professional Championship was merged with the former IBSF World Billiards Championship and simply became

279-787: The Billiards Association in 1899 are essentially the rules still used today. The tournament has been played on a regular annual schedule since 1980, when it became administered by the WPBSA. The event was known as the World Professional Billiards Championship until 2010, and has had other names in the past, e.g. Billiards Championship of the World . In addition, the World Ladies Billiards Championship has been played since 1931 (with interruptions) and organized by World Ladies Billiards and Snooker since 1998. In

310-468: The World Championship, the players themselves drew up a special set of rules for the game. Roberts managed to have the pocket width reduced to 3 inches (from the original 3 5 ⁄ 8  inches), and the "D" and spots were adjusted so that Cook's spot stroke strength, derived from his proficiency at consecutively potting the red ball from its spot, was weakened. Cook

341-428: The World" tournament. The tournament was played in heats, with the heat between Mitchell and Peall proving decisive on each occasion. The Billiard Association organised separate championships for "all-in" and "spot barred" formats. The Billiards Association published a new set of rules 1 October 1898 that prohibited the push shot stroke, and promoted one championship rather than two. The Billiard Control Club

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372-437: The challenger became World Champion. There was still the issue of the rules, however. Many players preferred the "spot-barred" style with limitations on the number of consecutive pots of the red that were allowed, but some preferred the "all-in" rules that did not include this restriction. Repeated potting of the red was a great strength for William Peall in particular. There were three all-in competitions held separately from

403-471: The championship on four further occasions between 1871 and 1874, by beating Roberts in three finals, and Joseph Bennett in another. On 24 May 1875 he was beaten again by Roberts, who would go on to dominate billiards for the next thirty years. This biographical article relating to sports in England is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This biographical article related to billiards

434-416: The competition, but the tournaments went ahead regardless. The "championship table" that had been created by Roberts Sr. was abandoned, and the normal table was used instead. Peall held the all-in title unchallenged, whereas Mitchell dominated the spot-barred competition. In 1899, after five years with no challenges to the titles, the Billiards Association changed the rules of the game. After two spot strokes,

465-654: The disquiet of many overseas national associations that the same body should oversee both the English domestic game and the game at international level. Consequently, the IBSF took control of the organisation of the non-professional championships of both snooker and billiards. The first winner from outside the British Commonwealth did not occur until 1999. From 2012 to 2015, the IBSF World Billiards Championship

496-402: The dominance of Roberts Sr., as a wave of new players took over the game. The February 1870 match initiated the World Championship, and led to many challenges for the title. Roberts Jr. and Cook were the dominant players of the era. There were occasional uncontested matches. The rule said that a player had to accept a challenge within two months of it being issued; if the challenge were ignored,

527-490: The early 19th century, there was no recognised governing body or formal championship for English billiards . Jack Carr and Edwin Kentfield were prominent players when Carr challenged Kentfield to a championship game in 1825. Carr died on the eve of the match, and Kentfield hence assumed the title. He would remain unchallenged for 24 years. John Roberts Sr. , who had spent years touring and establishing his reputation as

558-535: The five-month time limit set by the BA&CC, which expired on 7 July 1970, thus forfeiting the title, which was then contested between Driffield and Jack Karnehm in June 1971. On 1 October 1970, the Professional Billiard Players Association (PBPA)—which had been re-established in 1968 by Williams and seven other players—disaffiliated from the BA&CC. The PBPA then changed its name to

589-400: The highest test of a champion would be a table on which the greatest accuracy was needed when playing pots. Cook was an expert at the spot stroke . The pocket width was reduced to 3–inches (from the original 3 5 ⁄ 8 –in), and the "D" and spots were adjusted so that Cook's spot stroke strength, derived from his proficiency at consecutively potting

620-415: The influx of new professionals and it became an annual tournament. Walter Lindrum won the title in 1934, after which the championship collapsed. Only two challenge matches took place over the next three decades, one in 1951 and another in 1964. While on a trip to Australia in 1968, Rex Williams decided to travel to Auckland to challenge the reigning champion Clark McConachy for the billiards title. This

651-545: The majority of his time to billiards until 1865. Cook beat John Roberts Jr , son of the dominant player of the time, John Roberts Sr , in a match in 1869, and then challenged Roberts Sr for the title. As this was the first match for the World Championship, five players, which included Cook, with Roberts taking the chair, formed a committee to draw up a special set of rules for the game. The committee also involved representatives from three leading billiard table manufacturers. The committee were persuaded by Roberts that

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682-424: The red would be replaced on the centre spot, to limit the repetition of "all-in" play. Although detrimental to his personal fortunes, Peall accepted this change and voted for the introduction of the new rule. This gave rise to the modern version of English billiards that is still played (with minor revisions) today. There were many challenges for the title before 1911, but the competition was then amended to cope with

713-521: The title held by Roberts, for which he was never challenged. Billy Mitchell and Peall excelled in the late 1880s. The Billiards Association (later the Billiards Association and Control Council or BA&CC) was formed in February 1885, and produced a new set of rules in September 1885. They sanctioned two championships, one with a "spot-barred" format and the other "all-in". Roberts Jr. showed no interest in

744-551: The title, and won a newly created trophy, £ 100 and a Maltese cross . The Prince of Wales attended the match at St. James's Hall. This match ended the dominance of Roberts Sr, as the wave of new players took over the game. Roberts Sr did not challenge for the championship again. But Cook was to meet his match in the son, John Roberts Jr , who beat him 1,200-552 in a challenge match for the Championship in April 1870. William Cook won

775-413: Was a professional player of English billiards in the 19th century. He won the World Championship on five occasions. William Cook began playing billiards at about the age of eleven, and played a lot with the professional Alfred Bowles. But because he did not leave school until sixteen, and was a chorister at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle , then later at St Saviour's, Paddington, he could not devote

806-461: Was dominant in this period. In 1980, Fred Davis won at the age of 67 to become World Champion. Since the 1980s, the world championship has sometimes been contested as a series of shorter games, for example in 150-up, the first player to win a designated number of games of first-to-150 is the victor. From 1989 to 2011, Mike Russell was the dominant player, closely followed by Geet Sethi who won five titles. Some Australian players were successful in

837-658: Was established in 1908 as a rival to the Billiard Association and organised a separate championship. After the 1919 Championship, the Billiard Association and the Billiard Control Club amalgamated and, as the Billiards Association and Control Club (later renamed as the Billiards Association and Control Council) organised an annual championship tournament. Books William Cook (billiards player) William Cook (15 June 1849 – 30 June 1893)

868-461: Was merged with the World Professional Billiards Championship . Under the name World Billiards Championship , tournaments were held in both points and timed format. Finals are listed below. Arantxa Sanchis [REDACTED]   India - R. Umadevi [REDACTED]   India 414-255 S. Shrikrishna [REDACTED]   India - Ishpreet Chadha [REDACTED]   India 731-525 Not held. This article related to cue sports

899-401: Was no governing body in place, the rules were agreed between players, with representatives of The Sportsman newspaper providing arbitration if required. These matches were arranged between the players, and not recognised by the Billiard Association. With the Billiards Association championship in abeyance, the billiard table manufacturers George Wright and Company organised a "Championship of

930-501: Was nonetheless considered the favourite, and the 20-year-old had greatly improved since his win over Roberts Jr. the previous year. At 1:38 a.m. on the morning of 12 February 1870, Cook defeated Roberts to win the title, and won a newly created trophy, £100, and a Maltese cross . The match at St. James's Hall in London was attended by Edward VII , the Prince of Wales . This match ended

961-477: Was the first contest since McConachy's 1951 win and, aged 73 by this time, his play was affected by his Parkinson's disease . In what turned out to be a poor-quality match, Williams won the title. Leslie Driffield , a member of the BA&CC, was present at a meeting where the Council nominated him as the challenger to Rex Williams for the professional Billiards Championship. Williams declined to play Driffield within

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