Emma Richards
Emma Richards covers the stories behind the snooker. From tournament drama to player profiles, she brings the human side of the sport to life. A NCTJ-qualified journalist with a passion for growing the game.
Articles by Emma Richards
Twenty Years On: The Boy From Leeds Who Made Snooker Fall in Love With Itself
Twenty years after Paul Hunter's death, those who knew the Leeds-born snooker star remember a player who made the game fall in love with itself — one century break, one smile at a time.
The Queen Is Dead, Long Live the Queen: Channoi Stuns Evans to Claim Women's World Crown
Panchaya Channoi became Women's World Snooker Champion with a commanding 6-2 victory over twelve-time champion Reanne Evans in Dongguan, China, announcing herself as the sport's next great force.
Teenage Sensation Panchaya Channoi Writes History With Women's World Title
Eighteen-year-old Panchaya Channoi produced a stunning performance in Dongguan to beat 12-time champion Reanne Evans 6-2 and claim the 2026 World Women's Snooker Championship title.
John Virgo: The Boy From Salford Who Found His Life on the Baize
John Virgo, who has died aged 79, was a UK Champion, a Crucible finalist, and one of snooker's most beloved personalities — a man who found his calling at twelve years old in a Salford snooker club his father called a den of iniquity.
Kyren Wilson's Audacious Trick Shot Puts the Gloss on a 142 Break at the Welsh Open
Kyren Wilson rounded off a stunning break of 142 against Liu Hongyu at the Welsh Open with an audacious trick shot on the final black, producing one of the tournament's most memorable moments.
'He Had It All': Dennis Taylor's Heartfelt Farewell to John Virgo
Dennis Taylor has paid an emotional tribute to the late John Virgo, who passed away earlier this month at 79, saying simply: 'He had it all.'
O'Sullivan Hails Snooker 900 as 'The Sweet Spot' After Winning Inaugural Global Championship
Ronnie O'Sullivan won the inaugural Snooker 900 Global Championship with a five-century display against Luca Brecel, then declared the format could be 'here to stay forever' — and Brecel agreed.
Beyond the Maximum: Ronnie O'Sullivan Rewrites History With a Staggering 153
Ronnie O'Sullivan produced the highest break ever recorded in professional snooker at the World Open in Yushan, compiling a staggering 153 to surpass Jamie Burnett's two-decade-old record of 148.
Eight Queens Remain in Dongguan as the World Women's Championship Enters Its Final Act
Just eight players remain at the 2026 World Women's Snooker Championship in Dongguan, with five of the world's top six still in contention and Reanne Evans yet to drop a frame in her pursuit of a record-extending 13th world title.
O'Sullivan vs Brecel: Two Champions Chasing Very Different Things in Reading Final
Ronnie O'Sullivan faces Luca Brecel in Sunday's inaugural Snooker 900 Global Championship final in Reading, with O'Sullivan chasing a third consecutive invitational title and Brecel desperate to rediscover his best form.
Bruges Delivers Champions Across the Board as WDBS Tour Roars Into 2026
The Belgian Open returned to The Trickshot in Bruges for a seventh time, crowning champions across every classification group as the WDBS Tour opened its 2026 ranking season in style.
Rocket, Brecel and a Reading Venue: Everything You Need to Know About the Inaugural Snooker 900 Global Championship
The inaugural Snooker 900 Global Championship is underway in Reading, with Ronnie O'Sullivan, Kyren Wilson, and Luca Brecel among the headline acts competing for a £100,000 prize fund.
From 4-0 Down to 147 Glory: Un-Nooh Produces the Snooker of His Life to Stun O'Sullivan
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh fired in a maximum 147 and finished with three consecutive centuries to overturn a 4-0 deficit and beat Ronnie O'Sullivan 10-7 in the World Open final in Yushan.
The Crucible Is Getting a £45m Facelift — And Snooker's Soul Stays in Sheffield
A £45 million refurbishment will add up to 500 seats to Sheffield's iconic Crucible Theatre, securing the World Snooker Championship at its spiritual home until at least 2045.
Jimmy White Rolls Back the Years to Claim Snooker 900 Champions Week Title
Jimmy White defeated Reanne Evans 5-3 in the Snooker 900 Champions Week final in Reading on Thursday, with a crucial 120 break during the round-robin stage proving the difference between the two players.
Twelve Tour Cards, One Dream: Q School 2026 Throws Open Its Doors
Q School 2026 is under way, with 12 World Snooker Tour cards available across four events in Bangkok and Leicester — and Robert Milkins among the big names fighting to reclaim their professional status.
Rocket, Rebels and a Reading Showdown: The Snooker 900 Global Championship Is Here
The inaugural Snooker 900 Global Championship begins in Reading this week, with Ronnie O'Sullivan leading a star-studded 20-player field that includes four other former world champions.
Three and Out: On Yee Ng Completes Remarkable British Open Hat-Trick
On Yee Ng claimed the Landywood British Open title for the third successive year, defeating world champion Bai Yulu 4-2 in a gripping final to move to 24 career titles and rise to second in the world rankings.
Paul Norris Holds His Nerve to Claim Asia-Pacific Crown in Albury Thriller
Paul Norris claimed his first continental title at the 2026 Asia-Pacific Snooker Championship, defeating Vinnie Calabrese 6-5 in a dramatic deciding-frame final in Albury, Australia.
Trump Ends Six-Year Tour Championship Drought With Gritty Win Over Allen
Judd Trump ended a six-year winless run at the Tour Championship with a hard-fought 10-8 victory over Mark Allen in Manchester, coming from 0-4 down to book his place in the quarter-finals.
Higgins Digs Deep to Deny Williams at Tour Championship
John Higgins came from 0-2 down to defeat Mark Williams 10-8 in the opening round of the Tour Championship, booking a quarter-final showdown with Mark Selby in Manchester.
Tour Championship 2026: How to Watch, Who's Playing and Why It Matters
Manchester Central hosts twelve of snooker's finest as John Higgins defends the Tour Championship title against a field including Judd Trump, Zhao Xintong and new World Open champion Thepchaiya Un-Nooh. Here's everything you need to know about watching the action.
The Rocket Rides Again: Snooker 900 Global Championship Set to Ignite Reading
The inaugural Snooker 900 Global Championship comes to Reading this week, with Ronnie O'Sullivan headlining a star-studded 20-player field fresh from his World Seniors title triumph in Sheffield.
The Mandy Fisher Trophy Is Up for Grabs: World Women's Snooker Championship 2026 Gets Under Way in Dongguan
The 2026 World Women's Snooker Championship is under way at the Changping Gymnasium in Dongguan, with defending champion Bai Yulu leading the field in a bid to retain the Mandy Fisher Trophy and a place on the professional World Snooker Tour.
The Rocket Launches Into Seniors History With Commanding Crucible Triumph
Ronnie O'Sullivan claimed the 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship on Sunday with a commanding 10-4 victory over Joe Perry at the Crucible, winning his debut Seniors Tour title in characteristically ruthless fashion.
Zhao Xintong Dismantles Higgins 10-1 in the Most Brutal Night of the Wizard's Career
John Higgins suffered the heaviest defeat of his 34-year career as Zhao Xintong swept him aside 10-1 in the Tour Championship semi-finals, setting up a mouth-watering final against world number one Judd Trump.
Sheffield's Second Act: The 2026 World Seniors Championship Is Here — and It's Never Looked Better
The 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship gets underway at the Crucible this week with a record 24-player field, an £80,000 prize fund, and Ronnie O'Sullivan making his long-awaited seniors debut.
'I know I'm probably going to get him again' — Ali Carter on dodging Ronnie at the Crucible
Ali Carter has booked his place at the 2026 World Snooker Championship for the 22nd time — and is already half-expecting the draw to hand him Ronnie O'Sullivan once again.
The Rocket and the Gentleman: O'Sullivan vs Perry Set for Seniors Showdown at the Crucible
Ronnie O'Sullivan and Joe Perry will meet in the final of the 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship on Sunday at the Crucible, after both came through 7-5 semi-final victories on Saturday.
O'Sullivan Chases History Against Crucible Debutant as World Championship Draw Delivers Blockbuster First Round
Ronnie O'Sullivan begins his pursuit of a record eighth world title against Chinese debutant He Guoqiang at the Crucible, as the 2026 World Snooker Championship draw delivers a blockbuster opening round.
The Crucible Curse: Why Winning the World Title Is Just the Beginning of the Hard Part
Since the World Snooker Championship moved to Sheffield's Crucible Theatre in 1977, not a single first-time champion has successfully defended their title the following year. Twenty have tried. Twenty have failed.
The Crucible Curse: Why No First-Time World Champion Has Ever Successfully Defended Their Title
Since 1977, not a single first-time World Championship winner has successfully defended their title at the Crucible — and the list of players who've tried and failed reads like a who's who of snooker greatness.
Ronnie, Rivalries and a Record Prize Fund: The 2026 World Seniors Championship Has Everything
The 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship brings Ronnie O'Sullivan, a record £80,000 prize fund, and an expanded 24-player field to the Crucible — making it the most compelling edition of the tournament yet.
Sheffield Said Goodbye to John Virgo — and the Snooker World Was There to Do It Properly
Sheffield Cathedral welcomed snooker royalty on Thursday as the sport gathered to remember John Virgo, the beloved commentator and former player who died in February aged 79.
The Seniors Are Coming to the Crucible: Everything You Need to Know About the 2026 JenningsBet World Seniors Championship
The JenningsBet World Seniors Snooker Championship returns to the Crucible from 6–10 May 2026, with Ronnie O'Sullivan, Jimmy White and defending champion Alfie Burden among the biggest field the event has ever seen.
Legends, Rivalries and Record Prize Money: The 2026 World Seniors Championship Is Here
The 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship gets under way at the Crucible from 6th May, with Ronnie O'Sullivan, Jimmy White and defending champion Alfie Burden among the stars competing for a record £30,000 winner's prize.
From a Windowless Flat in Sheffield to the World Final: The Remarkable Rise of Wu Yize
Wu Yize is one match from becoming world snooker champion after a semi-final victory over Mark Allen — a stunning rise for a player who arrived in Sheffield at 16 with next to nothing.
Barrier Jump, Phone Alarms and Protest Shouts: The Crucible's Chaotic Final
The World Championship final between Shaun Murphy and Wu Yize was briefly halted when a woman jumped over the barrier to protest the TV licence fee — the latest in a string of audience disruptions at this year's Crucible.
Wu Yize Joins an Elite Club — But Can You Name Every World Final Since 2000?
Wu Yize became only the 21st player to reach a World Snooker Championship final at the Crucible since 2000 — but how many of his twenty predecessors can you actually name?
Higgins Finds Another Gear When It Matters Most to Edge Murphy in Crucible Semi-Final
John Higgins closed out Friday's evening session with a century and a 70 break to edge into a 13-11 lead over Shaun Murphy, moving one session away from a record-equalling ninth World Championship final.
O'Sullivan, Williams and a Record Prize Pot: The 2026 World Seniors Championship Is About to Get Serious
The 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship arrives at the Crucible from 6th–10th May with an expanded 24-player field, record prize money of £80,000, and a headline draw featuring Ronnie O'Sullivan and Mark Williams making their seniors debuts.
Half a Million Pounds and a Place in History: What the 2026 World Snooker Champion Takes Home
The 2026 World Snooker Championship winner will collect £500,000 in prize money — a figure unchanged since 2019 — as part of a total prize pot of nearly £2.4 million spread across the entire tournament.
Allen Reaches World Semi-Finals But Questions Schedule That 'Isn't Fair on the Players'
Mark Allen battled past Barry Hawkins 13-11 to reach his third World Championship semi-final, but the Northern Irishman wasn't done talking — turning his fire on a schedule he says simply isn't fair on the players.
Quiz: Can You Name Every World Championship Quarter-Finalist Since the Crucible Era Began?
Since snooker moved to the Crucible in 1977, just 89 of the 236 players to have competed in Sheffield have reached the World Championship quarter-finals. How many of them can you name?
Three Reds, One Shot: Zhao Xintong Conjures a Moment of Pure Magic at the Crucible
Zhao Xintong produced one of the most extraordinary moments of this year's World Snooker Championship, potting three reds in a single shot during his quarter-final clash with Shaun Murphy at the Crucible.
Manic Monday Looms as Four Quarter-Final Spots Hang in the Balance at the Crucible
Four quarter-final spots remain up for grabs at the 2026 World Snooker Championship, with O'Sullivan, Trump, Robertson and Wu Yize all holding narrow leads heading into a potentially breathless Manic Monday in Sheffield.
Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters Axed After Just Two Editions — and Players Found Out by Email
The Saudi Arabia Snooker Masters has been cancelled after just two editions, with players including Barry Hawkins expressing fury at finding out via a brief email and receiving no explanation for the decision.
Murphy's Miracle: From Crowd Fury to Crucible Magic as The Magician Survives a Thriller
Shaun Murphy survived a deciding-frame thriller against Fan Zhengyi to reach the last 16 of the 2026 World Snooker Championship, completing a remarkable clearance on the final pink and calling it the best break he has ever made at the Crucible.
Kyren Wilson: Snooker Should Take a Leaf Out of Darts' Book on Atmosphere
Kyren Wilson has called on snooker to embrace more entertainment and crowd interaction, pointing to darts as a model worth following — comments made after a dramatic comeback win over Stan Moody at the 2026 World Championship.
Zhao vs Ding, O'Sullivan vs Higgins: Day Eight at the Crucible Serves Up the Lot
Day eight of the 2026 World Snooker Championship brings the Crucible to a boil, with Zhao Xintong facing Ding Junhui in a 4-4 thriller and the highly anticipated second-round clash between Ronnie O'Sullivan and John Higgins getting underway.