Ten years in the past this week, snooker launched into an experiment that has since turn into a everlasting fixture on the calendar.
On October 10, 2016, the primary balls had been struck on the inaugural English Open in Manchester, marking the start of the Dwelling Nations Sequence.
It’s maybe stunning to grasp that the idea is now a decade previous.
The thought got here at a time of change on the skilled circuit, with the Gamers Tour Championship (PTC) collection discontinued after a number of years of offering a succession of occasions across the UK and Europe.
There was due to this fact a need to take care of a stronger regional presence for skilled snooker throughout the UK and Eire.
The Welsh Open was already a longtime rating event, having first been staged in 1992, whereas there had additionally been varied incarnations of the Scottish Open over time.
However the English Open and Northern Eire Open had been formally launched in 2016, and mixed they created a brand new four-event collection.
The tournaments had been additionally given a robust connection to the sport’s historical past by their trophies.
The English Open silverware was named after Steve Davis, the Northern Eire Open after Alex Higgins, the Scottish Open after Stephen Hendry, and the Welsh Open after Ray Reardon.
There was one notably eye-catching incentive hooked up to the brand new collection too, with any participant who might win all 4 occasions in the identical season to obtain a bumper £1 million bonus.
It was typically thought to be a promotional gimmick moderately than one thing that was genuinely anticipated to occur.
Profitable 4 particular rating occasions in a single season was all the time going to be an unlimited and unlikely problem, notably with a brief format within the opening rounds.
No person managed it earlier than the bonus was finally scrapped in 2020, though the thought actually succeeded in producing loads of consideration.
The inaugural champions additionally offered an fascinating snapshot of the snooker panorama on the time.
Liang Wenbo and Mark King secured their sole rating successes on the 2016 English Open and the 2016 Northern Eire Open respectively.
Marco Fu later took the honours on the Scottish Open whereas Stuart Bingham lifted the primary Welsh Open trophy below the Dwelling Nations banner.
Probably the most dominant competitor of the Dwelling Nations period up to now has been Judd Trump, who has gained six titles throughout the collection.
Mark Selby follows with 5, whereas Mark Allen and Neil Robertson have every collected 4, which means simply 4 gamers have accounted for nearly half of the overall Dwelling Nations crowns.
A complete of 23 totally different gamers have gained at the least one Dwelling Nations occasion over the last decade.
For Selby, Robertson, and Allen, the trio have claimed three out of the 4 titles – needing only one extra of the trophies to finish the profession set.
The £1 million prize could also be lengthy gone, however the opportunity of finishing the four-event set due to this fact stays an fascinating little subplot.
The collection has additionally produced its fair proportion of drama within the remaining levels.
Ten Dwelling Nations finals have gone all the best way to a deciding body, whereas one other ten have completed 9-7. (Click on right here: each Dwelling Nations Sequence remaining end result)
Remarkably, all 4 finals through the 2018/19 season ended 9-7, whereas two of the 4 finals final season had been additionally settled within the remaining body.
There have been loads of particular story traces, together with Jack Lisowski ending his rating occasion hoodoo in final yr’s Northern Eire Open and maiden victories for Jordan Brown and Lei Peifan on the 2021 Welsh Open and 2024 Scottish Open respectively.
Gary Wilson’s three rating titles have all are available in Dwelling Nations occasions, profitable back-to-back Scottish Open titles along with the Welsh Open crown.
The person prize funds have by no means been notably spectacular by trendy snooker requirements, with £100,000 at present going to the winner of every occasion.
The tournaments have nonetheless typically attracted good attendances and have turn into occasions that almost all main gamers are eager to win, which is arguably a greater measure of the success of the unique concept than the dimensions of the winner’s cheque.
The Dwelling Nations idea has advanced in different methods too.
The unique £1 million problem was finally deserted, however for the reason that 2024/25 marketing campaign there was a £150,000 bonus for the participant who performs most constantly throughout the 4 tournaments.
Robertson gained the primary prize earlier than Lisowski claimed the jackpot through the 2025/26 season.
The unique concept was finally about placing skilled snooker in entrance of audiences round England, Northern Eire, Scotland, and Wales.
A decade later, the 4 tournaments stay established elements of the calendar, with their very own identities and more and more prolonged histories.
Subsequent up for the 2026/27 season would be the Northern Eire Open, which returns to the Waterfront Corridor in Belfast from October 18 to 25.
Featured picture credit score: WST
