Top amateur stars set to compete at Finals Weekend for snooker's longest-running title
Away from the professional circuit and the ongoing Tour Championship in Manchester, there is a huge weekend of action coming up at the 2025 English Amateur Snooker Championship.
The English Amateur Snooker Championship is the sport’s longest-running competition having first been won in 1916 - 11 years before Joe Davis triumphed at the first World Snooker Championship.
A plethora of very famous snooker names have won this prestigious title including John Pulman, Ray Reardon, John Spencer, Terry Griffiths, Jimmy White and Stuart Bingham.
In more recent times, Jimmy Robertson, Jack Lisowski, Gary Wilson and Joe O'Connor are amongst those to feature on the champions’ roll of honour.
In 1991, a teenage Ronnie O’Sullivan reached the final, although he was denied the title by Steve Judd.
Who is playing in the 2025 English Amateur Snooker Championship?
The English Amateur Snooker Championship is now organised by the English Partnership for Snooker and Billiards - the national governing body for snooker in England, who run a series of amateur events for all ages.
This latest edition of the competition is the 104th in its history.
The competition is open to all amateur players who are eligible to become a member of the EPSB. This 2024/25 staging actually began several months ago with regional heats held in the north, midlands and south.
A total of 151 players entered, although that field has been whittled down to just 16 for the upcoming Finals Weekend (April 5 & 6) that takes place at the Landywood Snooker Club, where the champion will be crowned.
There is a very interesting line-up for Landywood, with the last 16 and quarter-finals taking place on Saturday, and the semi-finals and final scheduled for Sunday.
Several of the remaining contestants are former professionals, including defending champion Steven Hallworth, and Liam Highfield, who are both set to return to the top tier later this year having recently come through the Global Q Tour Playoffs in Antalya, Türkiye.
Hallworth won this title for the first time last year when he defeated Callum Downing 6-4 in the final. The 29-year-old - who has been commentating for ITV Sport this week on the Tour Championship, and will be playing in the World Championship qualifiers next week - is aiming to become the first player to win back-to-back English amateur titles since Terry Griffiths did so in 1978.
Alongside Hallworth in the top half of the draw is the father and son duo of Barry and Luke Pinches. Former PTC event winner on the professional tour, Barry Pinches is aiming to win his second English Amateur Snooker Championship crown 37 years on from his first in 1988.
In the bottom half of the draw is last year's runner-up Downing who plays Ryan Davies. Within the past decade, Davies has won national titles at under-14, 16, 18 and 21 levels, and will want to add to his domestic collection.
Vladislav Gradinari is the youngest player left in the competition. The 16-year-old won his latest national title only a few weeks ago at the English under-18 championship. Gradinari will play former professional Peter Devlin.
Craig Steadman and Highfield will be amongst the hot favourites for the trophy; as well as his Q Tour success in Türkiye, Highfield also recently won the European Amateur Snooker Championship, so will be aiming for a unique double.