Draw made for Hull Seniors Snooker 900 as star names set to feature

Taking place at the Connexin Live arena in Hull, England on Sunday 8th September, this unique, six-player event features shot-clock snooker and will be televised live on Channel 5 in the United Kingdom from 13:00BST.

Following the success of two amateur seasons, the 900 format was introduced to the World Seniors Snooker Tour last season and the two events completed at the Epsom Racecourse and Goffs both provided plenty of entertainment and drama.

What are the playing rules for the Seniors Snooker 900?

The rules for the Seniors Snooker 900 Series are different to traditional matchplay snooker.

Frames can only last a maximum of 15 minutes - 900 seconds, hence the name. As well as a frame-clock, there is a shot-clock, meaning players only have a certain amount of time each shot to strike the cueball.

Should the frame not be complete when the 15 minutes expire, whoever is leading in points, wins the frame. In the event of a tied frame, a blue ball shoot out will be played to decide the winner.

Competitors must strike a cushion with a ball or pot a ball on every shot, otherwise this is a foul.

All fouls result in ‘cueball in hand’, meaning the approaching player can place the cueball wherever they like for the opening shot of their visit. The 900 Series uses a spotted cueball.

In terms of the tournament format for the Seniors Snooker 900, the six players will be split into two round robin groups of three.

All matches in the groups are just one frame; the top two players from each group will qualify for the semi-final knockouts. The winner of Group A will play the runner-up from Group B and the winner of Group B will play the runner-up of Group A.

The semi-finals are also one-frame matches, although the final will be a best of three contest.

Should all three players be tied on wins in a group, qualification and positioning for the knockouts will be determined by whoever made the highest breaks during the group phase.

The players and draw for the Hull Seniors Snooker 900 event

Igor Figueiredo, Ken Doherty and Barry Pinches are pooled together in Group A - three of the four semi-finalists from the most recent World Seniors Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre.

In a repeat of the Tour's blue riband final, reigning World Seniors Snooker Champion Figueiredo from Brazil will face Doherty in the competition's opening match. 'The Darlin' of Dublin' Doherty - who has been in the Middle East playing in and commentating on the Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters - won the second seniors 900 event back in March on home soil at Goffs.

Whilst this is Pinches' first time in a seniors 900 event, he has experience of the format in the amateur version.

In Group B, three of snooker's most recognisable icons have been drawn together - Jimmy White, Stephen Hendry and Tony Drago.

Four-time World Seniors Snooker Champion White is the most successful player in seniors snooker history with a plethora of titles, but he is yet to win a 900 edition having been runner-up in the first two outings of the format.

In Epsom last year between Christmas and New Year, Hendry claimed his maiden accolade on the World Seniors Snooker Tour, pipping White in a thrilling final that went down to the colours.

Someone who will look forward to this quick-paced format is Drago, and the legendary cueist from Malta has proven in recent years that he still has the game and desire to compete for titles having reached the last four of the World Seniors Snooker Championship in each of the two most recent installments.