QUIZ! Most appearances in the UK Championship

The 2022 UK Championship is the sport’s second-oldest ranking event, but who have made the most appearances in the famous tournament?

The UK Championship dates back to 1977 when Irishman Patsy Fagan emerged with the inaugural title in Blackpool.

For the first seven editions, only players from the UK or those with permanent residency there were allowed to participate.

It wasn’t until 1984 that the competition was opened up to allow international players to enter, prompting its upgrading to ranking event status.

Since then, all of the best cueists in the world have lined up each year at various homes for the tournament – from Preston to Bournemouth, and from Telford to York.

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For the last decade the UK Championship has been staged at the Barbican Centre, aside from a brief pit stop at the Marshall Arena in Milton Keynes as a result of the pandemic in 2020.

Throughout its existence it has had varying formats too, with this year’s edition reverting back to the old tiered qualification system and 16 seeds after several seasons of a flat draw in which every professional participant entered the fray in the same round.

The overall reaction to that alteration from players on the main tour has been mixed.

Joe Perry and Jordan Brown – two qualifiers from the preliminary phase this year – were two to voice their support.

“I think really we should have more tiered systems in more tournaments,” Northern Irishman Brown said, as reported by Metro Sport.

“It gives the players lower down more chance to progress because in the flat draw you’re risking drawing one of the top boys first round. It’s not easy for these guys.”

Matthew Selt, another lower-ranked competitor who emerged from the qualifiers, wasn’t too convinced, however.

“I personally think this format is absolutely dreadful for everyone outside the top 16 – that’s my own opinion.”

“The draw cannot possibly open up now at York, you’re always going to be playing a top player.”

Selt duly lost to Kyren Wilson in the venue, but his opinion that the draw couldn’t open up didn’t materialise as seven qualifiers reached the last 16.

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Back to today’s quiz then, and you are required to name the players with the most appearances in the UK Championship’s history.

Prior to 2013 and again in 2022, preliminary rounds were generally held separately from the venue stages and at a different location.

But for the purposes of this teaser, let’s include any time a player participated in the tournament at all – either by entering the qualifying rounds or by featuring in the main draw.

According to snooker stats website CueTracker, a total of 67 competitors have competed in the UK Championship at least 20 times.

The question is, can you name them all of them from the list in the allotted ten-minute time frame?

Click here if you can’t see the quiz

Featured photo credit: World Snooker Tour