The United States National Snooker Championship is making a welcome return to the Embassy Billiards Club after an absence of eleven years, as players from all across the United States assemble in San Gabriel, California, for the 2023 Championship.

The Championship has got underway with the number one seed player Steven Wong, the owner of the Embassy Billiards Club, starting out in Group A in defense of his title and The Tom Kollins Trophy, named in honor of the five-times Champion Tom Kollins who passed away in 2020.

Wong is one of four players in this Championship who has lifted the title, along with number three seed and two-time champion Ajeya Prabhakar in 2000 and 2014, the three-time champion Sargon Isaac who won back in 2012, 2015 and 2016, and the champion from 2007 Jack Kung.

A Championship record total of sixty-four players making it the largest ever contended have started in 16 groups, with eight of the groups containing a seeded player based on their performances in the three previous Championships.

The Championship is being played using an initial round-robin Group format of best-of-three-frame matches played on September 1 & 2, with the Group winner and runner-up advancing into the knockout stage starting with the Round of 32 commencing at 9am local time on September 3. The Round of 16 ties are scheduled from 2pm local time, and quarterfinals from 5pm local time.

The semifinals will commence at 9am local time on September 4, followed by the final from 2pm local time.

Alan Morris, the Executive Director of the USSA who is also Tournament Director of the Championship, commented: "I would like to offer my gratitude to Steven Wong for all the amazing work and investment he has put in to help host this great Championship, which will offer the players superb conditions when playing their matches.

"I would also like to thank all of the players for their enthusiasm and in such numbers which will make it the largest ever Championship played, and also Christian Youngers and David Burney for the outstanding quality of the Championship livestream which will open up the event to the world."

Snooker fans in the United States and around the world will be able to keep up-to-date with all the events from the Embassy Billiards Club with live scoring and streaming, and reports will appear here on SnookerUSA.com.

» Live scoring link

» Live streaming link