World Snooker and the European Billiards and Snooker Association have joined forces to set up a new series of events which will give European amateur players the chance to qualify for the main tour.
The new EBSA Qualifying Tour will be a series of four events, staged concurrently with the following World Snooker European Tour events:
Paul Hunter Classic, Furth, Germany August 23-26
Antwerp, Belgium, October 19-21
Sofia, Bulgaria, November 16-18
Ravenscraig, Scotland, December 14-16
Entry into the EBSA Qualifying Tour can only be made by entering the World Snooker European Tour events. The EBSA events will only be open to amateur players registered with a national governing body of the EBSA.
A ranking system will run across the four events. The four event winners, plus the next eight players on the ranking list, will go through to the final play offs.
Those 12 players will then be separated into three quartets, who will play semi-finals and a final. The three winners will be handed a two year card for the World Snooker Tour in 2013/14 and 2014/15.
WPBSA Chairman Jason Ferguson said: "We are delighted to be working with the EBSA and to have secured three places on the World Snooker Tour for European amateur players.
"These events will be played on the world's best tables in professional tournament conditions. This will help ensure that Europe's elite performers will join the World Snooker Tour.
"Snooker is growing rapidly across the continent and we want to assist this growth at grass roots level by giving players the opportunity to play in events with real significance, and compete for a place on the professional circuit.
"We have seen young players like Belgium's Luca Brecel and Poland's Kacper Filipiak come through in recent years and I'm sure there is a lot more talent out there.
"I would encourage all amateurs to get their names down for the European Tour events as quickly as possible and they will then be able to play in two tournaments at each venue. There has never been more opportunity for amateur players to get top level experience and climb the snooker ladder."
Details of how to enter the European Tour events will be on www.worldsnooker.com
The Paul Hunter Classic is open for entry and the deadline is at 12 noon Thursday July 19. For details see http://www.worldsnooker.com/staticFiles/2/b5/0,,13165~177410,00.pdf
Tour Places for European Amateurs
July 12, 2012