Gauteng’s finest snooker players vie for the Ken Shaw Championship title
Day 1 of the 2026 Ken Shaw Gauteng Snooker Championships dazzled at the Wanderers Club, as gentlemen across the province battled for glory on the green baize.
Day 1 of the 2026 Ken Shaw Gauteng Snooker Championships, held at the Wanderers Club on April 18, was a success, as gentlemen from across the province, dressed to the nines, competed.
Rafique Limbada, The Wanderers Club Snooker chairperson, explained that the championship honoured a late administrator in the sport. “It’s run under the auspices of the Gauteng Snooker and Billiards Association, which comprises Gauteng North, South, West, and Sedibeng.
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“This tournament has been held over two weekends. This weekend, the 18th and 19th, and then we host the round robin, where we’ll have qualifiers from eight groups that will then move into the knock-out section, or the knock-out phase, of the tournament, which will be held next week, Friday and Saturday.”
Limbada added that snooker championships, as well as tournaments, don’t get much funding in terms of prize money. The prize money is made up from the entries that are received. “It’s something gentlemen look forward to, because it’s a Gauteng tournament. If you’re a Kevin Shaw champion, you’re a Gauteng champion. It’s really competitive. We also have upcoming youngsters.”
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Professional pool player Thamsanqa Jabavu explained that it was his fourth year playing snooker. “The difference with snooker is that snooker has bigger tables than pool. Snooker is more challenging compared to pool, because in pool the area we need to cover is smaller than in snooker.”
@caxtonjoburgnorth WATCH: Gauteng’s finest snooker players compete for the 2026 Ken Shaw Championship title. Video: Asanda Matlhare #Pool #Rosebank ♬ original sound – Caxton Joburg North
Jabavu added that pool has taken him to the World Championships six times. He explained that he was happy to participate in today’s league tournament and would return if he progressed in his other games.
The Wanderers Club is also excited to host the All-African Snooker Championships in June. Locals are encouraged to visit the Club’s social media platforms for more information.
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