Local snooker and pool star Mark Gray starts the defence of his Legends Tour title

The Champions Trophy, sponsored by The Chalkboard restaurant on Embankment Road, is the first event of the six-tournament series, and sees 16 of the region’s best players compete in four knock-out groups, with the winner of each progressing through to the semi-finals, before the final two battle it out over a best-of-five frame match to lift the trophy and secure the £250 first prize.

Gray will have to overcome Players Championship runner-up Jim Howe in his first match, where victory would set up a potential group decider against Nottingham’s Bash Maqsood, if he overcomes local player Matt Prentice.

Also competing are Cambridge-based Australian Ryan Thomerson, former professional Lewis Roberts, Boston’s Chris Taylor and Peterborough’s most successful ever champion, Gavin Cork.

Gray, who is a world-ranked nine-ball pool player, was a multiple winner on the Legends Tour in 2021.