1971 World Snooker Championship

The 1971 World Snooker Championship took place at Sydney, Australia. It was played in November 1970.

Notable moments

• This was the first time the championship was held outside Great Britain when it came to Australia. It was organised by Frank Holz on behalf of the Lewisham Hospital Sports Medicine Clinic. It would host over there again in 1975.

• The 1971 championship was also the only time when the championship was based on a round robin format.

• Matches were spread round Australia and thus involved competitors in a certain amount of air travel even, in some cases, on the day of a match.

• John Spencer won his second world title and earned £2,333. He beat Warren Simpson who, playing in his home country, reached the final at his first attempt.

Round robin stage

Each competitor played 37 frames against four of the other eight.

Ray Reardon	21-16	Eddie Charlton
Ray Reardon	22-15	Perrie Mans
Ray Reardon	21-16	John Spencer
Ray Reardon	*	Paddy Morgan
John Spencer	20-17	Perrie Mans
John Spencer	23-14	John Pulman
John Spencer	27-10	Norman Squire
Eddie Charlton	26-11	Perrie Mans
Eddie Charlton	23-14	Gary Owen
Eddie Charlton	27-10	Norman Squire
Gary Owen	26-11	Paddy Morgan
Gary Owen	26-11	Norman Squire
Paddy Morgan	21-16	Warren Simpson
Warren Simpson	19-18	Perrie Mans
Warren Simpson	19-18	Gary Owen
Warren Simpson	21-16	John Pulman

* Match was declared null and void, as Morgan missed final session

Table

Pos	Player	Pld	W	L	F	A	Pts	Notes
1	Eddie Charlton	4	3	1	92	56	6	Through to Semi-final
2	John Spencer	4	3	1	86	62	6	Through to Semi-final
3	Ray Reardon	4	3	0	64	47	6	Through to Semi-final
4	Warren Simpson	4	3	1	75	73	6	Through to Semi-final
5	John Pulman	4	2	2	81	67	4
6	Gary Owen	4	2	2	77	71	4
7	Paddy Morgan	4	1	2	44	67	2
8	Perrie Mans	4	0	4	61	87	0
9	Norman Squire	4	0	4	49	99	0

Knockout stage

	Semi-finals Best of 49 frames					Final Best of 73 frames
		Eddie Charlton	22
		Warren Simpson	27
							Warren Simpson	29
							John Spencer	37
		John Spencer	34
		Ray Reardon	15