World Billiards Championship (English billiards)

In its various forms, and usually as a single competition, the title is one of the oldest sporting world championships, having been contested (though irregularly) since 1870.

From 2012 to 2014 there were separate timed and points divisions, with the tournament held in association with the International Billiards and Snooker Federation.

[2] John Roberts Sr., who had spent years touring and establishing his reputation as a billiards player, challenged Kentfield.

There was much controversy over the table and the pockets to be used, and Kentfield declined to play, so Roberts styled himself as champion, a title he held unchallenged until 1870, when he lost to William Cook.

As this was the first actual match for the World Championship, the players themselves drew up a special set of rules for the game.

Cook was nonetheless considered the favourite, and the 20-year-old had greatly improved since his win over Roberts Jr. the previous year.

At 1:38 a.m. on the morning of 12 February 1870, Cook defeated Roberts to win the title, and won a newly created trophy, £100, and a Maltese cross.

This gave rise to the modern version of English billiards that is still played (with minor revisions) today.

While on a trip to Australia in 1968, Rex Williams decided to travel to Auckland to challenge the reigning champion Clark McConachy for the billiards title.

[4] Leslie Driffield, a member of the BA&CC, was present at a meeting where the Council nominated him as the challenger to Rex Williams for the professional Billiards Championship.

On 1 October 1970, the Professional Billiard Players Association (PBPA)—which had been re-established in 1968 by Williams and seven other players—disaffiliated from the BA&CC.

In November 2011, WPBSA formed a subsidiary called World Billiards (Limited), to administer the sport worldwide.

The Billiard Association organised separate championships for "all-in" and "spot barred" formats.

The Billiards Association published a new set of rules 1 October 1898 that prohibited the push shot stroke, and promoted one championship rather than two.