Former world champion Graeme Dott is desperate to get back to the Crucible, but first faces the dreaded test of the Betfred.com World Snooker Championship qualifiers.

The Pocket Dynamo has been ever present at the Crucible since 2000, reaching the final in 2004 and then enjoying the best moment of his career in 2006 when he beat Peter Ebdon 18-14 in the final.

But after a loss of form in 2007 and 2008 which saw him go 16 months without winning a match in a ranking event, Dott dropped out of the top 16. He is now showing signs of getting back to his best, including a run to the last 16 of the Welsh Open.

However, the 32-year-old from Larkhall has been preparing for the world qualifiers with trepidation.

“It’s the worst match anyone can play in,” he said. “I won’t feel happy if I win, just relieved. It will probably be a very tough match, especially as I’ve not played in the qualifiers for quite a few years.”

The qualifiers run from February 26 to March 9 at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield. The likes of Steve Davis, Jimmy White, Ken Doherty, John Parrott, Judd Trump and Liang Wenbo will all be fighting for a place at the Crucible.

“I’ve never been to the qualifying venue in Sheffield, not even to watch, so I’m not sure what it’s like,” Dott added. “Unless Daniel Wells or David Gray get through from the first round I’m due to play either Andy Hicks or Jimmy Michie. They are both very hard opponents. It doesn’t really matter who you play, you just have to deal with the pressure.

“If you lose that match it kills you. Especially if you have already qualified for China, it must be heartbreaking to go out there and know you are not going to be at Sheffield.”

Dott, who is 20th in the provisional rankings, added: “I’m doing okay so far this season. I’m still a fair way off the top 16, but I’d love to get back in there so I don’t have to go through the qualifiers next season.”

Tickets for the qualifiers start at just £5 and can be bought by calling 0114 2565656 or visiting www.arenaticketshop.co.uk

Click on the Betfred.com World Snooker Championship 2010 Draw Poster  to view the full schedule for this year’s championship at the Crucible

Jimmy White has revealed he still has a “burning ambition” to reach the final stages of this year’s Betfred.com World Snooker Championship.

The six-time Crucible finalist goes into the qualifying rounds for snooker’s biggest tournament needing to win three matches to get to the sport’s Theatre of Dreams.

White plays his first match at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield on Wednesday March 3 against Patrick Wallace or Mark Boyle, and would then have to beat Ken Doherty and Joe Swail to reach the televised stages in April.

Recent defeats in the Welsh Open and China Open qualifiers have left 47-year-old White languishing in the lower reaches of the provisional rankings, with no guarantee of keeping his place on the professional tour for next season.

“I’m not thinking about that because I’m just concentrating on getting to the Crucible,” said the crowd favourite from London. “It’s my burning ambition to get there.

“The last few weeks have been painful for me. I played in the Masters and was overwhelmed by the support I got. But the table was faster than I’m used to, I couldn’t settle and the nerves got to me.

“Then in the Welsh Open qualifiers I was 4-0 up on Ian McCulloch, he made an amazing clearance and came back to beat me 5-4 on a respotted black. And in the China qualifiers I was 3-1 and 74 points up against Xiao Guodong but ended up losing 5-4 again.

“I was devastated by those two results. I’ve been practising for five or six hours a day.”

White’s confidence has since been buoyed by an exhibition he did in Grimsby where he made a 147 maximum break and a 146 in the last two frames.

“That was a special night and it shows I’m hitting the ball well,” added the former UK and Masters champion. “I just need to take some form into the World qualifiers.”

The Betfred.com World Championship qualifiers run from February 26-March 9 with the likes of Steve Davis, Graeme Dott, John Parrott, Judd Trump and Liang Wenbo, as well as White and Doherty, all fighting for one of 16 coveted places in the Crucible line-up.

Tickets for the qualifiers start at just £5 per day and can be bought by calling 0114 2565656 or visiting www.arenaticketshop.co.uk

Tickets for the Betfred.com World Snooker Championship at the famous Crucible Theatre in Sheffield go on general release on February 20.

The tournament, which runs from April 17 to May 3, is one of the highlights of the sporting calendar, as well as the most prestigious and coveted title in snooker.

All of the sport’s star names will be battling for the trophy and a first prize of £250,000, including ‘Rocket’ Ronnie O’Sullivan, Shaun Murphy, Mark Selby, Stephen Hendry, Sheffield-based Ding Junhui and defending champion John Higgins.

Fans are advised to book immediately for the best chance of getting tickets for the sessions required. To book your seats, call 0114 249 6006 or visit www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

A spokesman for World Snooker said: “For 17 days during the Betfred.com World Snooker Championship, the eyes of the globe turn to Sheffield to watch one of Britain’s great sporting occasions. It’s a fantastic tournament full of drama, exciting matches and brilliant play.

“Last year there were 83 centuries, smashing the previous record of 68, which shows how much the standard of play is improving. There are many contenders for the title this year and it promises to be another classic.

“The event will be televised live in over 60 countries worldwide, with a global audience of over 180 million. For the lucky few who are able to get tickets, the experience is a truly memorable one.

“The Crucible and Sheffield have become synonymous with snooker, having hosted the tournament for over 30 years, and we were delighted to announce last year that we will stay there until at least 2014.

“In April we’ll be welcoming thousands of dedicated fans from the region and much further afield. Certain sessions are sold out very quickly, so we advise anyone who wants to experience the greatest snooker show on earth to book their tickets now.”

The Betfred.com World Snooker Championship returns to the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, 17 April – 3 May 2010. 

Telephone and online bookings (general release) will be operational from 9.30am on Saturday 20 February 2010.

For telephone bookings call: 0114 249 6006

Online Bookings: www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

Details of the draw and format and ticket prices can be found on the downloadable poster at the bottom of the page.

Please be reminded that all tickets are non-transferable and not for resale, with the exception of those resold via the resale service offered by The Crucible Box Office.

World Snooker reminds you only to purchase tickets through officially appointed Box Offices.  Tickets brought from unauthorised sources may not be valid and admission to the event will not be permitted.  For details of authorised Box Offices, please visit www.worldsnooker.com

17 April – 3 May 2010 

The Betfred.com World Snooker Championship returns to the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield from 17 April – 3 May 2010.  This event is the richest, oldest and most important tournament in snooker.

The trophy is the one that all players dream of lifting and it is the title that marks the snooker greats out from the very good.

Staged at the famous Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, the event has a long-frame format and lasts a marathon 17 days, making it one of the longest events in all of sport.