Now entering its eighteenth season, the Premier Snooker League is the longest running invitational tournament in the world of snooker and 2004's event - sponsored by Betfair - sees a continuation of the tried and trusted formula of pitting the biggest names in the game in a unique league format.

Played out over five weekends from January to March, the League visits different towns across mainland Britain, and is regularly rewarded with packed houses. It is a blueprint that also makes the League the most widely viewed televised snooker production as its 24 x 2 hour programmes are shown across the globe by a host of international broadcasters.

Last season Matchroom Sport introduced a 'cash for frames' element into the prize-money structure and this was such a success amongst players and fans alike that it returns for 2004. In short £84,000 of the £180,000 prize fund will be dished out at a rate of £500 per frame won. That means, for example, a player who wins a match 5 - 3 will receive £2,500 while the loser receives £1,500. The upside is that successful players can reap big money of up to £4,000 per match.

The downside is that with non-qualifying players being paid solely on a 'cash for frames' basis, it is theoretically possible for a player to complete the League section and not earn a single penny!

Defending Champion Marco Fu

Last year Hong Kong's stylish Marco Fu made the breakthrough in winning his first major title by coming from behind to defeat World No.1 Mark Williams 9 - 5 in the League Play-Off final in Sunderland. Marco will be back to defend and he will again be joined by Williams who is chasing one of the few major championships to have eluded him.

Arguably the world's greatest ever cueman, Stephen Hendry, is returning after a year's absence and he will be looking to add to his record haul of five Premier Snooker League Championships. John Higgins was a League winner back in 1999 but last year he failed to make it through to the knock-out stages so he will be hoping for a vast improvement this time round.

Steve Davis, a League ever-present since its 1987 inception, had a terrific 02 / 03 season as he climbed from 23rd to 11th in the World Rankings - the biggest ever return to the elite top 16. Jimmy White, is always a dangerous competitor in the League and the popular 'People's Champion' will have big support at all the venues.

This year's debutant is snooker pin-up boy Paul Hunter. Whether the Leeds-based potter can win the League at his first attempt is open to question but he certainly has talent to spare.

Matchroom Sport Chairman Barry Hearn admitted he can't wait for the action to get started: "Last year's attempt to introduce a more competitive element to what were potentially dead frames went down brilliantly. With plenty of bonus money floating about, the players fought tooth and nail down to the wire for that £84,000 bonus fund. Last year, Steve Davis won just 20 frames over six matches to bag ten grand, while on the other hand, Ronnie O'Sullivan, who is taking a League sabbatical this year, bagged the most with a £15,500 bonus cheque.

"I think that 'cash for frames' is such a good idea that other snooker events should certainly weigh up the possibilities of introducing it. You would have to make Mark Williams favourite this time round. Despite never having won it, he totally dominated snooker last year. Hendry is my second choice; he will be desperate to prove himself after a year out the competition. Although Jimmy and Steve are the outsiders, any of these players could win the 2004 Premier Snooker League - that's what makes it exciting."

THE FORMAT

- There are seven players participating. They play each other once, making a total of 21 matches.
- Each match is over the best of eight frames and it's two points for a win and one point for a 4-4 draw.
- The top four players qualify for the play-offs.
- In the event of a tie, League positions will be decided the most frames scored.
- The play-offs are contested as follows; the League winner will face the player who finishes fourth and the League runner-up will meet the player who comes third over the best of eleven frames. The two winners then meet over 17 frames to decide the 2004 Premier Snooker League Champion.

Winner: £45,000
Runner-up: £20,000
Semi-Final Losers: £12,500
Highest Break: £6,000
£500 per frame won in the League section
168 frames x £500: £84,000
Total Prize Fund: £180,000

PREVIOUS CHAMPIONS

1987 - Steve Davis
1988 - Steve Davis
1989 - Steve Davis
1990 - Steve Davis
1991 - Stephen Hendry
1992 - Stephen Hendry
1993 - Jimmy White
1994 - Stephen Hendry
1995 - Stephen Hendry
1996 - Ken Doherty
1997 - Ronnie O'Sullivan
1998 - Ken Doherty
1999 - John Higgins
2000 - Stephen Hendry
2001 - Ronnie O'Sullivan
2002 - Ronnie O'Sullivan
2003 - Marco Fu

SCHEDULE

Legends, Sunnybank Road, Crewe, Cheshire

Greenock Sports Centre, Nelson Road, Greenock, Scotland

Civic Hall, St. Stephen's Place, Trowbridge, Wiltshire

Peterlee Leisure Centre, St. Cuthbert's Road, Peterlee, County Durham

Colwyn Leisure Centre, Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay, Wales