Chinese numbers boosted on pro snooker tour after Asia-Oceania Q School success for the Far East

Three players from China earned two-year World Snooker Tour cards over the past several days at the Kiatthada Billiards Snooker Club in the Thai capital city - two of which have claimed their professional stripes for the first time.

The fifth year of the Asia-Oceania Q School - open to all amateur players from those two continents - the concept somewhat mirrors the original Q School that has been held in the UK since its inauguration in 2011, with two knockout events and best of seven frame matches throughout. Two events are held, one after the other, with the finalists from both graduating and gaining promotion to snooker’s top-flight.

Young Chinese pair Deng Haohui and Liu Yang are set to make their bows on the pro tour in the coming weeks. The 2026/27 term begins in June with qualifying for the Wuhan and China Opens, and the opening stage of the Championship League Snooker Ranking Event.

Deng scooped the second ticket on offer at event one, although his participation in the tournament was nearly very brief as he needed to win the final two frames in order to get past compatriot Jiaxing Ren, 4-3, in his opening assignment.

The 23-year-old then eliminated Thitiphong Choolasak (Thailand) 4-0, Muhammad Ahsan (Pakistan) 4-2, and Mubashir Raza (Pakistan) 4-2 to set up a final round meeting with Iran's Amir Sarkhosh who was trying to immediately bounce back to the top-flight having been relegated from it just weeks ago.

Having taken the opening two frames, Deng reached the hill at 3-0 up by claiming frame three by a single point after a counter clearance of 67.

Sarkhosh got on the board with the fourth, but Deng completed the job done and realised a dream in the next as he registered a 4-1 victory and opened access for himself to the professional circuit.

Earlier this year, Deng won the Asian Snooker Championship in Qatar where he ousted Sarkhosh in the last four before a win over Indian cuesports legend Pankaj Advani in the final.

Having lost his opening match in event one without registering a frame, Liu completed a huge turnaround in fortunes in the second and final event a few days ago.

The 22-year-old won his first two matches via whitewash before 4-2 victories over Fung Kwok Wai (Hong Kong) and Thanaphon Bunplot (Thailand).

At the final hurdle, Liu faced fellow countryman Chen Ruifu and fashioned runs of 65 and 88 in a 4-2 verdict.

The other Chinese graduate from this year’s Asia-Oceania Q School is Huang Jiahao, who returns to snooker’s big-time just weeks after having been relegated from it during the 2026 World Championship qualifiers.

Huang emerged from event two in Bangkok, defeating Sahil Rana (India) 4-1, Yao Dongcheng (China) 4-1, Langyi Ryan Li (Hong Kong) 4-3, and recent professional Ma Hailong (China) 4-1 to reach the final round.

Against yet another Chinese player to reach this year’s final qualification round, Huang defeated Liang Xiaolong, 4-2 - wrapping up victory and avoiding the bother of a deciding frame finish with an effort of 93 in frame six.

30-year-old Huang - who made his bow as a professional in 2024 after qualifying through the Chinese Billiards and Snooker Association national rankings system - reached the quarter-finals of the Snooker Shoot Out later that year, although did not make it to the last 32 of any other ranking event throughout his first two seasons in the premiership.

He finished the 2025/26 term ranked 95th in the world - resulting in demotion - although he can look forward to an immediate return to snooker’s top tier.

Huang said: “This means a lot to me. I can now concentrate on playing better in the upcoming season. I would like to thank all the snooker fans in China for their support through social media, which helps keep me motivated. I now want to establish myself in the top 64 of the world rankings."

Thailand’s Thanawat Thirapongpaiboon - the youngest player ever to make a maximum 147 break in professional competition - was the other successful player from the 2026 Asia-Oceania Q School.

Thirapongpaiboon - whose match-fixing ban expired last year - last played on the pro tour over a decade ago.