Today at the World Seniors Snooker Championship 2026: Prize money, Saturday semi-final order of play, format, how to watch for free, odds

But there’s no need for snooker fans to go cold turkey because just two days later saw the launch of the World Seniors Snooker Championship – also played at the famous Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.

First played in 1991, the tournament has gone through a number of itinerations and formats but now features 24 of the game’s elder statesmen, including some of the most famous faces in the sport such as Jimmy White and Ken Doherty.

And this year’s competition was guaranteed to catch the eye of even casual fans, with Ronnie O’Sullivan making his seniors debut just days after playing the the World Snooker Championship (where he was beaten by Scotland’s John Higgins by a single frame in a thrilling second round match).

Yesterday saw him advance to the semi-finals, joined by Robert Milkins, Joe Perry and Craig Steadman.

Here’s everything you need to know about what’s happening today.

This year’s tournment takes place from Wednesday, May 6, to Sunday, May 10.

The minimum age to play in the seniors is a relatively youthful 40-years-of-age.

There is a prize pot of £80,000 up for grabs, with the winner getting a cheque for £30,000. Presumably Ronnie O’Sullivan is also being paid a pretty hefty appearance fee.

16 unseeded players face each other in the first round, with the winners taking on the seeded players in the second round. From then on it’s a straight knockout competition.

Up to and including the quarter-finals the matches will be the best of seven frames, with the semi-final the best of 13 frames and the final the best of 19 frames.

Interestingly there will not be deciding frames, with ties resolved with a black ball shoot out instead.

When is Ronnie O’Sullivan playing in the World Seniors Snooker Championship 2026?

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