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Here's the draw and format for the first Q School event, as well as the format for events two and three.

CLICK HERE FOR THE DRAW AND FORMAT

The draws for Events 2 and 3 will be performed after the completion of the EBSA Qualifying Tour Play-Off which takes place on Sunday 28 April 2013.

Anyone who has dreamed of being a professional snooker player...now is the time to enter Q School 2013!

The deadline falls TOMORROW Friday (April 12) at 12pm.

With the World Snooker tour increasing to 128 players next season, we anticipated fewer entries for Q School this time, and that has been the case with less than 60 entries so far. So with TWELVE two-year tour cards up for grabs, the odds are in your favour!

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: "We have just announced the calendar for next season and there can't be many better jobs in the world than being a pro snooker player competing on the World Snooker Tour.

"There are over 30 events and £8 million in prize money up for grabs. It really is an incredible and exciting global sport to get involved in right now. Anyone who has talent and - more importantly - dedication and ambition - needs to get their name down for Q School and give it a try. If you don't take the chance, you'll never find out if you're good enough. Within a few weeks you could be on the tour, starting in round one against Ronnie O'Sullivan or Judd Trump.

"The conditions at Q School are first class and everyone gets three bites at the cherry. I'm looking forward to seeing some new talent coming through."

There will be 12 places available for the professional circuit and all 12 qualifiers will be given a TWO YEAR TOUR CARD which guarantees their place on the pro circuit for a minimum of 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons. These will be awarded to the four semi-finalists in each of three tournaments. Players entering Q School can play in all three tournaments so they have three chances to qualify.

Q School is due to start on May 11th 2013. The full dates will be confirmed once all entries have been received. It will be at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield, which houses eight Star tables with outstanding playing conditions.

Any amateur player from anywhere in the world, male or female, can enter. Any professionals who drop off the Tour at the end of the 2012/13 season can enter subject to entry details.

The entry fee is £1,000, which will gain entry to all 3 Q School tournaments in 2013.

So don't forget...enter Q School today, and chase your dream! For more details see www.worldsnookerqschool.com

#chasethedream

Follow Barry Hearn on Twitter @BarryHearn

Fraser Patrick is looking forward to competing in Q School again this season – but first he faces the task of trying to stop Belgian Bullet Luca Brecel in the Betfair World Championship.

Glasgow’s 27-year-old Patrick aims to put a premature end to Brecel’s bid to reach the Crucible for the second consecutive season when they meet in the first qualifying round on Saturday in Sheffield.

“People don’t seem to be giving me much of a chance,” said a quietly confident Patrick. “He might have qualified for the World and the UK, but he still has to start at round one. I have only been practising for the last few days because I had a crack in my cue so I sent it away to get repaired and it took six weeks. But now I’ve got it back I feel good about my game. I have the chance to practise with the likes of John Higgins, Graeme Dott, Jamie Burnett and Stephen Maguire so I’m very lucky.”
Patrick played in Q School last season and just missed out on gaining a tour card, losing 4-3 in the final round of the last event to Michael Wasley.

He intends to enter again this year. It's just ONE WEEK until the closing date for entries to Q School, Friday 12 April at 12 noon. In fact, just missing out on a tour card made little difference for Patrick as he finished high up on the Q School ranking list which meant that he had the chance to enter virtually every main tour ranking event this season.  The same system will be used this year: a ranking list will be compiled during Q School with players earning 1 point for every frame won. During the season, should the number of entries in any event fall below the required number of entrants, subject to commercial agreements, the highest ranked players from the Q School ranking list will be used to top up to the required number of entrants.

“After losing in Q School I wasn’t expecting to play in ranking events this season, so it has been a boost,” said Patrick. “I feel as if I’m well prepared for Q School this year. I like the format, and it’s good that it only takes three weeks, not like the old PIOS tour where you had to go to Pontin’s six times a year.

“Everyone likes playing under great conditions with referees. If you don’t make it then you’ve got no one to blame but yourself.”

There will be 12 places available for the professional circuit and all 12 qualifiers will be given a TWO YEAR TOUR CARD which guarantees their place on the pro circuit for a minimum of 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons. These will be awarded to the four semi-finalists in each of three tournaments. Players entering Q School can play in all three tournaments so they have three chances to qualify.

Q School is due to start on May 11th 2013. The full dates will be confirmed once all entries have been received. It will be at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield, which houses eight Star tables with outstanding playing conditions.

Any amateur player from anywhere in the world, male or female, can enter. Any professionals who drop off the Tour at the end of the 2012/13 season can enter subject to entry details.

The entry fee is £1,000, which will gain entry to all 3 Q School tournaments in 2013.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: "There has never been a better time to be a professional snooker player. The sport is growing rapidly all over the world and we have increasing numbers of tournaments across the globe. Prize money has more than doubled over the past three years and is set to grow further. For the successful players, the rewards will be massive."

And remember that the first 50 players to enter will each receive TWO FREE TICKETS to the World Championship at the Crucible in Sheffield.

So don't forget…enter Q School today, and chase your dream! For more details see www.worldsnookerqschool.com

#chasethedream

Hailing from the home of the Beatles, Liverpool's Rod Lawler could be forgiven for choosing 'When I'm 64' as his walk-on music the next time he qualifies for a venue.

But he might want to change the lyrics to 'When I'm In The Top 64' having gained a place in that section of the world rankings against all the odds this season.

Last April, Lawler was facing the end of his 22-year professional career having dropped off the main tour. He decided to enter Q school to give himself the chance to regain his place on the circuit, and he did just that. He lost 4-3 to Ian Burns in the final round of the first event but picked himself up and came through the third and final event, beating Joe Delaney 4-0 in the last round.

It's just TWO WEEKS until the closing date for entries to Q School, Friday 12 April at 12 noon. CLICK HERE for the online entry site and follow the instructions.

This season, Lawler has continued his momentum, and won a pro tournament for the first time, beating Marco Fu 4-2 in the final of UKPTC3. That saw him qualify for the Dafabet PTC Grand Finals in Galway, and, watched by millions live on Eurosport, he reached the last 16 with a 4-2 win over Cao Yupeng before losing 4-3 to Kurt Maflin. Those results have helped Lawler jump to 63rd on the ranking list.

"Everyone said that none of the players starting from zero would be able to get into the top 64 this season, so I'm very proud to have done it," said 41-year-old Lawler. "I really enjoyed being back on the big stage in Galway. I thought I played pretty well, although I was disappointed to lose to Kurt in the end.

"Last season I was struggling but I did win matches in the China open and World Championship qualifiers, so although I dropped off the tour, I didn't feel as if I my game had gone. I still loved the game and wasn't ready to retire so I decided to give Q school a try. Winning there gave me the confidence I needed to do a lot better on the main tour this season."

Lawler, who was runner-up to Stephen Hendry at the 1996 International Open and beat Denis Taylor and John Parrott to reach the last 16 of the World Championship in 1995, is urging all players thinking of Q School to get their name down.

"You've got to give it a try," said the likeable Scouser. "If you win a place on the tour there are great opportunities now. The fact that you get a two year tour card takes a bit of pressure off you in the first year and that has helped me to do well. Plus next season we are moving to flatter structures which means the lower-ranked players will need to win less matches to get to the big venues, and could be taking on the likes of John Higgins or Ronnie O'Sullivan in the first round."

There will be 12 places available for the professional circuit and all 12 qualifiers will be given a TWO YEAR TOUR CARD which guarantees their place on the pro circuit for a minimum of 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons. These will be awarded to the four semi-finalists in each of three tournaments. Players entering Q School can play in all three tournaments so they have three chances to qualify.

Q School is due to start on May 11th 2013. The full dates will be confirmed once all entries have been received. It will be at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield, which houses eight Star tables with outstanding playing conditions.

Any amateur player from anywhere in the world, male or female, can enter. Any professionals who drop off the Tour at the end of the 2012/13 season can enter subject to entry details.

The entry fee is £1,000, which will gain entry to all 3 Q School tournaments in 2013.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: "There has never been a better time to be a professional snooker player. The sport is growing rapidly all over the world and we have increasing numbers of tournaments across the globe. Prize money has more than doubled over the past three years and is set to grow further. For the successful players, the rewards will be massive."

And remember that the first 50 players to enter will each receive TWO FREE TICKETS to the World Championship at the Crucible in Sheffield.

So don't forget...enter Q School today, and chase your dream! For more details see www.worldsnookerqschool.com

#chasethedream

Marc Robertson, brother of former World and Masters champion Neil, hopes to gain a place on the World Snooker Tour next season via Q School.

It's just THREE WEEKS until the closing date for entries to Q School, Friday 12 April at 12 noon.

Marc played in the event at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield last year and describes is as the "perfect" system for qualifying for the professional circuit.

"It's ideal for me because it's done over a three-week period rather than a whole season," said the 29-year-old Australian, who is 17 months younger than world number three Neil. "And the fact that there are three events means that the best players will get through. You might get someone who you wouldn't expect to get through but hits a purple patch and a good draw in one event and makes it, but overall at least the best six players in the event will win the tour cards.

"Last year it was a great experience for me and really enjoyable. The tables are in fantastic condition and they get reclothed after each event. I got to the fourth round of the first event so I was only two wins away from making it on to the tour.

"There's a lot of pressure because everyone is playing for their career. I was speaking to Neil and John Higgins about it and they agreed that there is more pressure in Q School than there is in the final stages of a ranking event. So you have to perform under those conditions, and that's the way it should be."

Marc played in amateur tournaments in Australia as a teenager, but decided not to try to turn professional at that stage. He is an outstanding eight-ball pool player and won his national title last year. But he has now decided to give himself a chance on the green baize oblong.

"I came over to the UK last year just to go to some of the events with Neil, and inevitably I picked up a cue and played a bit myself," he said. "One day Neil suggested I should give Q School a try. I wasn't really ready for it last year because I hadn't played snooker for ten years and I didn't have much practice before going to Sheffield. But this year I'll have had a good three months so I'll be much better prepared.

"I'm lucky enough to be able to practise on Neil's table against him and others like Joe Perry, so I have learned a lot. I played 11 frames against Neil this week and I only got two chances. I always tell him to give it 100 per cent against me because I wouldn't want him to take it easy. He is ruthless and clears the table every time. That reminds me that snooker is a skill game and if you are better than your opponent you'll end up winning.

"People tend to pay more attention to my results because I'm Neil's brother and I'm sure if I do get on the tour there will be a lot of interest in how I get on. I'm not sure whether that will work for or against me but it will be great to find out."

There will be 12 places available for the professional circuit and all 12 qualifiers will be given a TWO YEAR TOUR CARD which guarantees their place on the pro circuit for a minimum of 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons. These will be awarded to the four semi-finalists in each of three tournaments. Players entering Q School can play in all three tournaments so they have three chances to qualify.

Q School is due to start on May 11th 2013. The full dates will be confirmed once all entries have been received. It will be at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield, which houses eight Star tables with outstanding playing conditions.

Any amateur player from anywhere in the world, male or female, can enter. Any professionals who drop off the Tour at the end of the 2012/13 season can enter subject to entry details.

The entry fee is £1,000, which will gain entry to all 3 Q School tournaments in 2013.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: "There has never been a better time to be a professional snooker player. The sport is growing rapidly all over the world and we have increasing numbers of tournaments across the globe. Prize money has more than doubled over the past three years and is set to grow further. For the successful players, the rewards will be massive."

And remember that the first 50 players to enter will each receive TWO FREE TICKETS to the World Championship at the Crucible in Sheffield.

So don't forget...enter Q School today, and chase your dream! For more details see www.worldsnookerqschool.com

#chasethedream

Snooker stars Mark Selby and Steve Davis are urging all budding players to give Q School a shot this May.

It's just FOUR WEEKS until the closing date for entries to Q School, Friday 12 April at 12 noon. Go to http://www.worldsnooker.com/page/thismonth/0,,13165~2352329,00.html for the online entry site and follow the instructions.

Legend Davis, the six-time World Champion, is convinced that Q School is the ideal opportunity for keen players to chase their dream of making a career as a snooker professional.

"If you're not sure what standard you are at, Q School will give you a yardstick of how good you are," said Davis. "The standard is high and there's no guarantee that you're going to make it, but you get three cracks at it so if you are good enough you will have a chance. It's your immediate way to gain a place on the tour.

"If you're starting off as a young player now, if you can reach the top there will be enormous prize money by the time you mature as a player. It's exciting times ahead. In the 1980s snooker was strong in the UK but worldwide it is getting stronger as the years go on. If you make it as a pro you'll need to be prepared to travel overseas a lot so get a passport...in fact get two!"

Current UK and Masters champion Selby believes there has never been a better time to be a professional snooker player. The Jester from Leicester said: "Now Barry Hearn is in charge we have 25 or more tournaments a season and we're travelling around the world, going to places that we'd never see if we weren't playing snooker, and competing for a lot of money. Snooker is all I have ever wanted to do, so to get paid good money for something you enjoy...there's nothing better.

"There's a great opportunity at Q School. Next season everyone is going to be starting in the same round so the new players could be drawing the likes of myself and John Higgins in the first round, whereas before they would have had to win four matches to get to the venues."

There will be 12 places available for the professional circuit and all 12 qualifiers will be given a TWO YEAR TOUR CARD which guarantees their place on the pro circuit for a minimum of 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons. These will be awarded to the four semi-finalists in each of three tournaments. Players entering Q School can play in all three tournaments so they have three chances to qualify.

Q School is due to start on May 11th 2013. The full dates will be confirmed once all entries have been received. It will be at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield, which houses eight Star tables with outstanding playing conditions.

Any amateur player from anywhere in the world, male or female, can enter. Any professionals who drop off the Tour at the end of the 2012/13 season can enter subject to entry details.

The entry fee is £1,000, which will gain entry to all 3 Q School tournaments in 2013.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: "There has never been a better time to be a professional snooker player. The sport is growing rapidly all over the world and we have increasing numbers of tournaments across the globe. Prize money has more than doubled over the past three years and is set to grow further. For the successful players, the rewards will be massive."

And remember that the first 50 players to enter will each receive TWO FREE TICKETS to the World Championship at the Crucible in Sheffield.

So don't forget…enter Q School today, and chase your dream! For more details see www.worldsnookerqschool.com

#chasethedream

It's just five weeks until the closing date for entries to Q School, and players thinking of entering should bear in mind that even if they don't win one of the 12 two-year tour cards available, they CAN STILL PLAY IN MAIN TOUR EVENTS if they finish high enough on the Q School ranking list.

A ranking list will be compiled during Q School with players earning 1 point for every frame won. During the season, should the number of entries in any event fall below the required number of entrants, subject to commercial agreements, the highest ranked players from the Q School ranking list will be used to top up to the required number of entrants.

Gareth Allen played in Q School in 2012 and didn't win one of the 12 tour cards, but only two other players who didn't qualify finished above him on the Q School ranking list. That meant he was given the chance to play in six main tour ranking events this season, including the UK Championship and the Welsh Open.

In the latter, the 24-year-old from Flintshire in North Wales beat Rory McLeod to earn a place in the televised stages at the Newport Centre...and a dream meeting with four-time World Champion John Higgins. Allen lost the match 4-1, but it was an experience he will never forget.

"It was amazing, just to be introduced into the arena by Rob Walker in front of hundreds of people, plus millions more watching on TV," said the player nicknamed 'G Force'. "I found it on Youtube and I've watched it a few times since. It gave me a real buzz. I thought I played ok given that it was my first match at a ranking event venue. I was a bit tense at the start but then I started to enjoy it, and when I won the third frame I felt I had half a chance of winning. But John played well.

"When I failed to get through Q School last year I was devastated. But as it has turned out I have played in most of the ranking events this season anyway so it's almost as if I have been a professional. I have gained a massive amount of experience from playing in those events and I am a much better player than I was this time last year."

Allen, whose practice partners include Andrew Higginson, Rod Lawler and Robbie Williams, was the first player to enter Q School this year, and hopes he can earn a tour card this time. He added: "I'm playing full time now in the build up to Q School and confident about my chances. I just need to go one step further than last year."

To enter Q School just go to www.worldsnooker.com, look under ‘Featured’ on the home page and click ‘online entries' then follow the instructions. The closing date for entering Q School is Friday 12 April at 12 noon.

There will be 12 places available for the professional circuit and all 12 qualifiers will be given a TWO YEAR TOUR CARD which guarantees their place on the pro circuit for a minimum of 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons. These will be awarded to the four semi-finalists in each of three tournaments. Players entering Q School can play in all three tournaments so they have three chances to qualify.
Q School is due to start on May 11th 2013. The full dates will be confirmed once all entries have been received. It will be at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield, which houses eight Star tables with outstanding playing conditions.

Any amateur player from anywhere in the world, male or female, can enter. Any professionals who drop off the Tour at the end of the 2012/13 season can enter subject to entry details.

The entry fee is £1,000, which will gain entry to all 3 Q School tournaments in 2013.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: “There has never been a better time to be a professional snooker player. The sport is growing rapidly all over the world and we have increasing numbers of tournaments across the globe. Prize money has more than doubled over the past three years and is set to grow further. For the successful players, the rewards will be massive.”

And remember that the first 50 players to enter will each receive TWO FREE TICKETS to the World Championship at the Crucible in Sheffield.

So don’t forget…enter Q School today, and chase your dream! For more details see www.worldsnookerqschool.com

#chasethedream

The deadline for entering Q School is approaching fast, and we've got an amazing offer for the first 50 players to enter!

Each of them will receive TWO FREE TICKETS to the 2013 World Championship at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield! It's the biggest snooker show on Earth with the 32 best players in the world battling for the famous trophy at the sport's most renowned venue.

The tickets will be for a session of our choice and the trip to Sheffield will also include a free visit to the World Snooker Academy where Q School will take place!

So all players who are thinking of entering Q School are strongly urged to get their entry in NOW and take advantage of this fabulous chance to see the World Championship live. The atmosphere at the Crucible is sensational and must be experienced at least once!

To enter just go to www.worldsnooker.com, look under 'Featured' on the home page and click 'online entries' then follow the instructions. The closing date for entering Q School is Friday 12 April at 12 noon.

There will be 12 places available for the professional circuit and all 12 qualifiers will be given a TWO YEAR TOUR CARD which guarantees their place on the pro circuit for a minimum of 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons. These will be awarded to the four semi-finalists in each of three tournaments. Players entering Q School can play in all three tournaments so they have three chances to qualify.

Q School is due to start on May 11th 2013. The full dates will be confirmed once all entries have been received. It will be at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield, which houses eight Star tables with outstanding playing conditions.

Any amateur player from anywhere in the world, male or female, can enter. Any professionals who drop off the Tour at the end of the 2012/13 season can enter subject to entry details.

The entry fee is £1,000, which will gain entry to all 3 Q School tournaments in 2013.

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: "There has never been a better time to be a professional snooker player. The sport is growing rapidly all over the world and we have increasing numbers of tournaments across the globe. Prize money has more than doubled over the past three years and is set to grow further. For the successful players, the rewards will be massive."

Robbie Williams came through Q School last year and is now climbing the rankings having scored some excellent results this season. "I'm loving life on the main tour, I can't believe how good it is to play at venues in front of big crowds," he said. "It's everything I have dreamed of since I started playing snooker. It's fantastic just to rub shoulders with the players I watched on TV. My message to anyone thinking of entering Q School would be just to go for it. If you've got any aspirations of travelling the world to play in the main tournaments, this is your chance."

So don't forget…enter Q School today, and chase your dream! For more details see www.worldsnookerqschool.com

#chasethedream

Have you ever dreamed of becoming a professional snooker player? Q School 2013 is your chance!

If you believe you have the talent and dedication required to succeed on the World Snooker Tour, you can earn a place on the circuit via Q School this May.

ENTRIES ARE NOW BEING TAKEN - just go to www.worldsnooker.com, look under ‘Featured' on the home page and click ‘online entries' then follow the instructions. All players are strongly advised to get their entry in as soon as possible. The closing date for entering Q School is Friday 12 April at 12 noon.

Two years ago, World Snooker introduced Q School as the new way of qualifying for the tour. It is widely considered to be the best and fairest way of gaining professional status.

Staged at the World Snooker Academy in Sheffield in May, Q School is three consecutive tournaments, open to all players. The semi-finalists in each of the three events are given a place on the tour. So that's TWELVE PLACES up for grabs! It is open to players of all ages and nationalities (subject to terms and conditions).

Just imagine getting through Q School then taking your place on the Tour...you could be taking on the best players in the world and competing for £8 million in prize money!

World Snooker Chairman Barry Hearn said: "There has never been a better time to be a professional snooker player. The sport is growing rapidly all over the world and we have increasing numbers of tournaments across the globe. Prize money has more than doubled over the past three years and is set to grow further. For the successful players, the rewards will be massive.

"Crucially for new players on the tour, next season we are changing the structure of eight of the 11 main ranking events to make it easier than ever for fresh talent to rise quickly up the rankings. All 128 players on the tour will start in the same round, which will mean that the lowest ranked player could face John Higgins, Judd Trump or Mark Selby in their first match! If you want to test yourself against the best, now is the time. And the lower-ranked players will only have to win two matches to get to the last 32, rather than four under the current system. We are getting everyone on a level playing field.

"Q School is the perfect system for qualifying for the tour. As opposed to previous systems, you only need to spend three weeks finding out whether you're good enough. This is significant for players from overseas who previously had to spend a whole year in the UK.

"So if you want a shot at glory, get your entry for Q School in NOW and start practising! It could change your life."

The 12 players who came through Q School last year were Martin O'Donnell, Ian Burns, Chen Zhe, Sam Baird, Daniel Wells, Jamie O'Neill, Paul Davison, Sean O'Sullivan, Joel Walker, Robbie Williams, Rod Lawler and Michael Wasley.

Many of these have gone on to achieve impressive results on the Tour this season. Burns, a 27-year-old from Preston, gained a place on the Tour for the first time thanks to his successful visit to Q School last May. He came through the first of three events, beating Rod Lawler 4-3 in the decisive match.

And he has gone on to succeed during his debut professional season. Earlier this month he reached the last 16 of the PTC event in Munich. And he has qualified for the final stages of the Haikou World Open so he'll be jetting out to China next month.

"I'm really pleased with how I have done so far and the way I have played," said Burns. "It is a big step up to the main tour, but I have been able to cope with it. The highlight for me so far was qualifying for Haikou, and I'm really looking forward to playing at a big venue for the first time. It will also be my first time in China, so I'm not sure what to expect but it is exciting.

"At the start of the season all I wanted to do was to get a few wins under my belt, but as the season has gone on I have grown in confidence, and now my target is to get as close to the top 64 as I can. And I would love to make it to the World Championship at the Crucible, that would be a dream.

"If anyone is undecided about whether to enter Q School, I would urge them to give it a go. All you need is one good tournament and it can lead to a massive change in your life. If you don't enter you'll never know whether you could make it.

"I think it is the fairest qualifying system. You have to win four or five matches at Q School against good players, but if you can do that then you deserve to have a chance on the tour."

So don't forget...enter Q School today, and chase your dream!