1964–68 World Snooker Championships

With the agreement of the Billiards Association and Control Council the World Snooker Championship was revived by Rex Williams on a challenge basis after a six-year absence in 1964. The 1957 World Champion John Pulman played seven challenge matches against various opponents in the next five years, until the tournament reverted to a knock-out tournament in 1969.

The World Professional Snooker Championship was revived in 1964 with a match between John Pulman and Fred Davis. The match was of 37 frames played over 3 days from 20 to 22 April at Burroughes Hall in London. The official world championship had not been played since 1952. 40-year-old Pulman had won the 1957 World Professional Match-play Championship, the last unofficial championship while 50-year-old Davis had won the official championship three times and the World Professional Match-play Championship five times. Davis had not played in the 1957 Championship.

Pulman took an early 4–2 lead but Davis led 7–5 at the end of the first day. Davis maintained his two frame advantage after the second day, leading 13–11. Davis made a break of 108 on the final afternoon but Pulman won 4 of the 6 frames to level the match at 15–15. In the evening session, Pulman won the first 3 frames to lead 18–15 and, although Davis won the next, Pulman won the fifth frame of the evening to win the title 19–16.

John Pulman, the holder, and Rex Williams, the challenger, met in a match later in 1964. The match was of 73 frames, played over 6 days from 12 to 17 October, again at Burroughes Hall. As a young professional, Williams had played in a number of Match-play Championships and News of the World Tournaments in the 1950s with little success.

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