1933 World Snooker Championship

The 1933 World Snooker Championship was a snooker tournament held between 23 March and 16 June at various venues in England, with the final beginning on 12 June 1933 at Joe Davis's Saloon in Chesterfield, England. Joe Davis won his seventh World title by defeating Willie Smith 25–18 in the final. The highest break of the final was 72 made by Davis.

World Snooker Championship

Tournament information
Dates	23 March–16 June 1933
Venue	Joe Davis Saloon
City	Chesterfield
Country	England
Organisation(s)	BACC
Highest break	Joe Davis (72)
Final
Champion	Joe Davis
Runner-up	Willie Smith
Score	25–18
← 1932 1934 →

Schedule

Match	Dates	Venue, city
Walter Donaldson v Willie Leigh	23–25 March 1933	Lounge Hall, Nottingham
Willie Smith v Tom Dennis	10–12 April 1933	Burroughes and Watts Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne
Joe Davis v Walter Donaldson	29–31 May 1933	Joe Davis Saloon, Chesterfield
Joe Davis v Willie Smith	12–17 June 1933	Joe Davis Saloon, Chesterfield

Detail

There were five entries: Walter Donaldson (Glasgow), Willie Leigh (Derby), Tom Dennis (Nottingham), Willie Smith (Darlington) and defending champion Joe Davis (Chesterfield).

Donaldson and Leigh played their first round match at the Lounge Hall, Shakespeare Street, Nottingham from 23 to 25 March. Donaldson was then living in New Ollerton while Leigh was then living in Nottingham. The score was eight frames all after the first two days[1] but Donaldson eventually won 13–11 on the final day.[2]

Smith and Dennis played their semi-final at the Burroughes and Watts Hall in Newcastle upon Tyne from 10 to 12 April. Smith moved into a 6–2 lead on the first day, winning both sessions 3–1.[3] On the second day Smith again won the both sessions 3–1 to lead 12–4.[4] Smith won the first frame of the third day to win the match 13–4. The remaining dead frames were played and Smith finished 16–9 ahead.[5]

The other semi-final and the final were played at Joe Davis's Saloon in Vicar Lane, Chesterfield. Davis met Donaldson in the semi-final scheduled for 29 to 31 May. Davis took a 3–0 lead before Donaldson won frame 4. Davis then won all four frames in the evening to lead 7–1 with breaks of 54 in frame 7 and 67 in frame 8. Davis continued to dominate and extended his lead to 11–1 in the afternoon. In frame 11 Donaldson led 60–6 but Davis made a 57 clearance to win the frame. He then won the first two in the evening to win 13–1, winning the match a day early. Donaldson won the two dead frames which finished the evening session.[6]

The final between Davis and Smith was originally planned for 6 days with 8 frames per day (9 on the final day).[6] Davis won all four afternoon frames on the first day but Smith won three in the evening to leave Davis 5–3 ahead. On the second day Smith won all four afternoon frames to lead 7–5. At this point it seems that the match was reduced to five days since six frames were played in the evening. Davis won five of these to lead 10–8. He had a break of 53 in frame 14. On the third day Smith won three of the five afternoon frames while each player won three frames in the evening to leave Davis 15–14 ahead. Davis won three of the five frames on the fourth afternoon to leave the score at 18–16. Davis then won four of the five in the evening to extend his lead to 22–17. He had a break of 55 in frame 37.[7] On the final afternoon Davis made a break of 72 to win frame 40, the highest of the match. He then won the next to lead 24–17 and, although Smith won the third, Davis won the last in the afternoon to take the match 25–18. Five dead frames were played in the evening after which the Mayor of Chesterfield, Arthur Swale, made the presentations. The referee was Mr A Marshall, "the one-arm champion".[8]

Main draw

Sources:[2][5][6][8]

	Round 1 Best of 25 frames					Semi-finals Best of 25 frames					Final Best of 49 frames
							Joe Davis	13
		Walter Donaldson	13				Walter Donaldson	1
		Willie Leigh	11									Joe Davis	25
												Willie Smith	18
							Willie Smith	13
							Tom Dennis	4

Final

Final: Best of 49 frames. Joe Davis Saloon, Chesterfield, England, 12–16 June 1933. Referee: A Marshall.[7][8]
Joe Davis  England	25–18	Willie Smith  England
Day 1: 52–34, 46–44, 103–23, 81–31, 25–72, 43–69, 68–22, 61–71 Day 2: 13–45, 38–53, 33–49, 21–63, 78–19, 70–15, 116–15 (53), 68–31, 29–66, 66–22 Day 3: 32–82, 81–10, 30–62, 69–33, 35–76, 45–57, 90–25, 86–33, 25–56, 49–57, 86–25 Day 4: 87–14, 56–66, 66–46, 21–72, 74–61, 79–31, 54–75, 89–14 (55), 72–18, 79–11 Day 5: 105–5 (72), 66–54, 27–58, 90–16

References

1. "Snooker Championship – final sessions of Nottingham match". Nottingham Evening Post. 25 March 1933. Retrieved 19 November 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive.
2. "Snooker Championship – final sessions of Nottingham match". Nottingham Evening Post. 27 March 1933. Retrieved 19 November 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive.
3. "Snooker Championship". Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette. 11 April 1933. Retrieved 20 November 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive.
4. "Snooker Championship". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 12 April 1933. Retrieved 20 November 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive.
5. "Smith's progress". Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette. 12 April 1933. Retrieved 20 November 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive.
6. "Joe Davis – To meet Smith in snooker final at Chesterfield". Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald. 3 June 1933. Retrieved 20 November 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive.
7. "Snooker Championship – Joe Davis and Willie Smith in final at Chesterfield". Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald. 17 June 1933. Retrieved 20 November 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive.
8. "Snooker Champion – Joe Davis secures title for seventh time". Derbyshire Times and Chesterfield Herald. 24 June 1933. Retrieved 20 November 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive.