THE venues and dates for the Rileys Amateur Qualifiers for the 2018 Coral UK Open have been confirmed, with 32 players set to win through knockouts being held in January and February.
The Rileys Qualifiers give any amateur player the chance to win a spot alongside the biggest names in the sport at the UK Open Televised Finals, which are held across three days at the Butlins Minehead Resort.
Next year's knockouts will be held from January 20 through to February 18, with 28 individual events being held which include four where two players will qualify.
The knockouts will be held in Rileys Sports Bars across the country, with Chester, Chorlton, Coventry, Greenock, Liverpool, London Victoria, Norwich, Nottingham, South Benfleet, Twickenham and Wolverhampton all staging two events.
Entry costs £7 per player per event, with the entry fee including a free drink. Entry can be made via www.rileys.co.uk/tournaments, or in person at the Rileys Sports Bars, with entries for each event closing at 5pm on the day before that specific knockout.
Players are permitted to enter more than one tournament. Players must be aged 16 or above to enter, and entry is not open to players who compete in the 2018 PDC Qualifying Schools. Full tourmament rules can be seen at www.rileys.co.uk/tournaments.
Basingstoke's Paul Hogan was the leading performer from the Rileys Amateur Qualifiers at the 2017 UK Open, defeating Keegan Brown, Jamie Lewis, Gary Anderson and Adrian Lewis during his run to the last 16.
The Rileys Amateur Qualifiers also proved to be Rob Cross' first step on the path to stardom after he starred at the 2016 UK Open - where he faced Michael van Gerwen - before joining the PDC circuit and rising to 20th in the world within a year as a professional.
2018 Coral UK Open
Rileys Amateur Qualifiers
Saturday January 20
Greenock Q1
Sunday January 21
London Victoria Q1 (Two players qualify)
Saturday January 27
Chorlton Q1
Norwich Q1
Nottingham Q1
Twickenham Q1
Wolverhampton Q1 (Two players qualify)
Sunday January 28
Leicester
Liverpool Q1
South Benfleet Q1
Saturday February 3
Chester Q1
Harlow
Sheffield
Worcester
Sunday February 4
Chester Q2
Coventry Q1
Greenock Q2
Solihull
Saturday February 10
Chorlton Q2
Sunday February 11
Twickenham Q2 (moved from Feb 10)
Saturday February 17
Aberdeen
Coventry Q2
Liverpool Q2
Norwich Q2
Nottingham Q2
Sunday February 18
London Victoria Q2 (Two players qualify)
South Benfleet Q2
Wolverhampton Q2 (Two players qualify)