2022 Championship League (invitational)


The 2022 Championship League Invitational was a professional non-ranking snooker tournament that took place from 20 December 2021 to 4 February 2022 at the Morningside Arena in Leicester, England. It was the 18th staging of the Championship League.
Kyren Wilson was the defending champion, having beaten Mark Williams 3–2 in the final of the previous invitational edition of the tournament. His defence of the title ended in the Group 7 semi-finals, where he was beaten 3–1 by John Higgins.
John Higgins went on to win the tournament for the third time, beating Stuart Bingham 3–2 in the final.

Prize fund

The breakdown of prize money for the 2022 Championship League is shown below.
;Groups 1–7
  • Winner: £3,000
  • Runner-up: £2,000
  • Semi-final: £1,000
  • Frame-win : £100
  • Frame-win : £300
  • Highest break: £500
;Winners' Group
  • Winner: £10,000
  • Runner-up: £5,000
  • Semi-final: £3,000
  • Frame-win : £200
  • Frame-win : £300
  • Highest break: £1,000
  • Tournament total: £184,400

Group 1

Group 1 was played on 20 and 21 December 2021. Liang Wenbo won the group and qualified for the Winners' Group.

Matches

Jack Lisowski 3–1 Zhou YuelongGraeme Dott 3–1 Tom Ford
  • Jack Lisowski 0–3 Gary Wilson
  • Ryan Day 1–3 Liang Wenbo
  • Zhou Yuelong 1–3 Graeme Dott
  • Gary Wilson 2–3 Liang Wenbo
  • Jack Lisowski 1–3 Graeme Dott
  • Tom Ford 2–3 Ryan DayGraeme Dott 3–1 Gary WilsonZhou Yuelong 3–1 Tom Ford
  • Gary Wilson 2–3 Ryan DayJack Lisowski 3–2 Liang Wenbo
  • Tom Ford 1–3 Liang Wenbo
  • Zhou Yuelong 1–3 Ryan DayTom Ford 3–1 Gary WilsonGraeme Dott 3–2 Ryan Day
  • Zhou Yuelong 2–3 Gary WilsonGraeme Dott 3–2 Liang WenboJack Lisowski 3–1 Ryan DayZhou Yuelong 3–2 Liang Wenbo
  • Jack Lisowski 1–'''3 Tom Ford'''

Group 2

Group 2 was played on 22 and 23 December 2021. Graeme Dott won the group and qualified for the Winners' Group.

Matches

  • Xiao Guodong 1–3 Lu NingJoe Perry 3–2 Gary WilsonXiao Guodong 3–2 Graeme Dott
  • Ryan Day 2–3 Jack LisowskiLu Ning 3–0 Joe PerryGraeme Dott 3–2 Jack Lisowski
  • Xiao Guodong 2–3 Joe Perry
  • Gary Wilson 0–3 Ryan DayJoe Perry 3–1 Graeme Dott
  • Lu Ning 2–3 Gary Wilson
  • Graeme Dott 2–3 Ryan DayXiao Guodong 3–2 Jack Lisowski
  • Gary Wilson 1–3 Jack LisowskiLu Ning 3–2 Ryan Day
  • Gary Wilson 0–3 Graeme Dott
  • Joe Perry 0–3 Ryan Day
  • Lu Ning 1–3 Graeme DottJoe Perry 3–2 Jack Lisowski
  • Xiao Guodong 1–3 Ryan Day Lu Ning 3–1 Jack LisowskiXiao Guodong 3–2 Gary Wilson

Group 3

Group 3 was played on 3 and 4 January 2022. Mark Williams was due to take part in this group, but withdrew and was replaced by Zhao Xintong. Zhao won the group and qualified for the Winners' Group.

Matches

  • Mark Selby 0–3 Zhao Xintong
  • Stuart Bingham 2–3 Xiao Guodong
  • Mark Selby 2–3 Ryan Day
  • Joe Perry 2–3 Lu NingZhao Xintong 3–1 Stuart Bingham
  • Ryan Day 0–3 Lu NingMark Selby 3–2 Stuart BinghamXiao Guodong 3–2 Joe PerryStuart Bingham 3–0 Ryan DayZhao Xintong 3–2 Xiao Guodong
  • Ryan Day 2–3 Joe PerryMark Selby 3–1 Lu NingXiao Guodong 3–2 Lu NingZhao Xintong 3–0 Joe PerryXiao Guodong 3–1 Ryan DayStuart Bingham 3–2 Joe PerryZhao Xintong 3–0 Ryan DayStuart Bingham 3–2 Lu NingMark Selby 3–0 Joe PerryZhao Xintong 3–1 Lu NingMark Selby 3–0 Xiao Guodong

Group 4

Group 4 was played on 5 and 6 January 2022. Barry Hawkins was due to take part in this group, but withdrew and was replaced by Scott Donaldson. Stuart Bingham won the group and qualified for the Winners' Group.

Matches

  • Judd Trump 0–3 Scott DonaldsonKyren Wilson 3–1 Lu Ning
  • Judd Trump 2–3 Stuart BinghamMark Selby 3–2 Xiao GuodongKyren Wilson 3–2 Scott DonaldsonStuart Bingham 3–1 Xiao Guodong
  • Judd Trump 2–3 Kyren WilsonMark Selby 3–2 Lu NingKyren Wilson 3–1 Stuart Bingham
  • Lu Ning 2–3 Scott DonaldsonMark Selby 3–1 Stuart BinghamJudd Trump 3–1 Xiao Guodong
  • Xiao Guodong 2–3 Lu NingMark Selby 3–0 Scott Donaldson
  • Stuart Bingham 2–3 Lu Ning
  • Mark Selby 2–3 Kyren WilsonStuart Bingham 3–0 Scott DonaldsonKyren Wilson 3–0 Xiao GuodongMark Selby 3–0 Judd Trump
  • Xiao Guodong 1–3 Scott DonaldsonJudd Trump 3–0 Lu Ning

Group 5

Group 5 was played on 7 and 8 January 2022. Mark Selby was due to take part in this group, but withdrew and was replaced by Jordan Brown. Scott Donaldson won the group and qualified for the Winners' Group.

Matches

  • Martin Gould 0–3 Scott DonaldsonDavid Gilbert 3–1 Lu NingMartin Gould 3–2 Ali Carter
  • Kyren Wilson 0–3 Scott Donaldson
  • David Gilbert 2–3 Ali CarterKyren Wilson 3–1 Jordan BrownMartin Gould 3–1 David GilbertJordan Brown 3–2 Lu Ning
  • David Gilbert 1–3 Scott DonaldsonAli Carter 3–1 Lu NingJordan Brown 3–2 Scott DonaldsonKyren Wilson 3–1 Martin GouldKyren Wilson 3–0 Lu Ning
  • Ali Carter 0–3 Jordan BrownLu Ning 3–2 Scott Donaldson
  • David Gilbert 2–3 Jordan Brown
  • Ali Carter 0–3 Scott Donaldson
  • Kyren Wilson 2–3 David Gilbert
  • Martin Gould 0–3 Jordan Brown
  • Kyren Wilson 1–3 Ali CarterMartin Gould 3–1 Lu Ning

Group 6

Group 6 was played on 17 and 18 January 2022. Ricky Walden was due to take part in this group, but withdrew and was replaced by Matthew Selt. Yan Bingtao won the group and qualified for the Winners' Group.

Matches

Yan Bingtao 3–1 Ali CarterMartin Gould 3–2 Matthew SeltYan Bingtao 3–1 Ding Junhui
  • Kyren Wilson 2–3 Jordan Brown
  • Matthew Selt 2–3 Ding JunhuiAli Carter 3–0 Jordan Brown
  • Yan Bingtao 2–3 Matthew SeltMartin Gould 3–2 Kyren WilsonAli Carter 3–0 Matthew SeltDing Junhui 3–2 Martin Gould
  • Ali Carter 1–3 Kyren WilsonYan Bingtao 3–0 Jordan BrownMartin Gould 3–2 Jordan Brown
  • Ding Junhui 0–3 Kyren WilsonMartin Gould 3–1 Ali CarterKyren Wilson 3–0 Matthew SeltDing Junhui 3–1 Ali Carter
  • Matthew Selt 1–3 Jordan BrownYan Bingtao 3–0 Kyren WilsonDing Junhui 3–2 Jordan BrownYan Bingtao 3–0 Martin Gould

Group 7

Group 7 was played on 1 and 2 February 2022. Neil Robertson was due to take part in this group, but withdrew and was replaced by Ricky Walden. John Higgins won the group and qualified for the Winners' Group.

Matches

  • Ronnie O'Sullivan 0–3 Kyren Wilson
  • Ricky Walden 0–3 Ali Carter
  • Ronnie O'Sullivan 0–3 John Higgins
  • Martin Gould 1–3 Ding Junhui
  • Ricky Walden 1–3 John HigginsKyren Wilson 3–0 Martin GouldRonnie O'Sullivan 3–2 Ricky Walden
  • Ali Carter 1–3 Ding Junhui
  • Ricky Walden 1–3 Kyren Wilson
  • John Higgins 0–3 Ali CarterKyren Wilson 3–0 Ding Junhui
  • Ronnie O'Sullivan 2–3 Martin Gould
  • Martin Gould 1–3 Ali CarterJohn Higgins 3–2 Ding Junhui
  • Kyren Wilson 2–3 Ali Carter
  • Ricky Walden 2–3 Ding Junhui
  • Kyren Wilson 1–3 John HigginsRicky Walden 3–2 Martin GouldRonnie O'Sullivan 3–2 Ding JunhuiJohn Higgins 3–1 Martin Gould
  • Ronnie O'Sullivan 2–'''3 Ali Carter'''

Winners' Group

The Winners' Group was played on 3 and 4 February 2022. John Higgins won the Championship League for a third time, beating Stuart Bingham 3–2 in the final.

Matches

John Higgins 3–2 Graeme DottStuart Bingham 3–2 Yan BingtaoJohn Higgins 3–1 Zhao XintongLiang Wenbo 3–0 Scott Donaldson
  • Zhao Xintong 0–3 Stuart Bingham
  • Graeme Dott 0–3 Scott Donaldson
  • John Higgins 2–3 Stuart BinghamYan Bingtao 3–0 Liang WenboStuart Bingham 3–2 Graeme DottZhao Xintong 3–2 Yan BingtaoGraeme Dott 3–2 Liang WenboJohn Higgins 3–2 Scott DonaldsonYan Bingtao 3–0 Scott DonaldsonZhao Xintong 3–1 Liang WenboYan Bingtao 3–0 Graeme Dott
  • Stuart Bingham 0–3 Liang Wenbo
  • Zhao Xintong 1–3 Graeme DottStuart Bingham 3–0 Scott DonaldsonJohn Higgins 3–1 Liang Wenbo
  • Zhao Xintong 2–3 Scott Donaldson
  • John Higgins 0–'''3 Yan Bingtao'''

Century breaks

A total of 127 century breaks were made during the tournament.143, 138, 125, 122, 100 Zhao Xintong
''Bold: highest break in the indicated group.''

Winnings

Green: Won the group. Bold: Highest break in the group. All prize money in GBP.
Parenthesis: Ranking prior to tournament start, 19 December 2021.
Notes
Mark Selby withdrew from the tournament prior to group 5 play.