Hull is set to join Sheffield and York as the latest Yorkshire city to host a major snooker event.

The top eight players on snooker’s one-year ranking list will descend on the Bonus Arena in Hull, between Monday March 27 to Sunday April 2, for the Duelbits Tour Championship.

With a top prize of £150,000, five players - Mark Allen, who won the UK Championship in York, Shaun Murphy, Ali Carter, Kyren Wilson and Ryan Day - have all secured their places in Hull.

Three spaces remain, with the likes of Ronnie O’Sullivan, Judd Trump and Neil Robertson looking to gatecrash the top eight - currently occupied by Robert Milkins, Sheffield-based Ding Junhui and Mark Selby - with success at this month’s WST Classic in Leicester, March 16-22.

Northern Ireland's Mark Allen poses with the winner's trophy after the snooker final of the 2022 Cazoo UK Championship at the York Barbican in York (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)

“It’s shaping up to be a fantastic line-up as we look ahead to staging a major event in Hull for the first time,” a World Snooker Tour spokesman said.

“It’s an elite field with only the best eight players of the season so far earning a place, so those at the peak of their form are rewarded.

“It will be exciting to see the last counting event, the WST Classic, unfold as there are plenty of players who still have a chance to qualify.

“We are thrilled to be heading for Hull as the Bonus Arena is clearly an outstanding venue.

Shaun Murphy heads to Hull as part of the top eight in the world (Picture: Dan Istitene/Getty Images)

“This is a chance for local fans to see world class sporting action and the tickets represent fantastic value for money.

“We hope to see the arena packed so that the players will experience a superb atmosphere.”

Former world champion Murphy – the Crucible champion in 2005 – will be one of the players to watch in Hull, having beaten Ali Carter 10-4 to win the Players Championship in Wolverhampton last weekend.

He clinched his 10th ranking title, after also finishing runner-up at the recent Welsh Open.

It was his first ranking title in three years and Murphy admitted: “The last few seasons I have really struggled, but you have to keep going and persevere.

“There has been very little to get excited about in the world of snooker for me over the past few seasons.”

The tournament comes just a fortnight before the World Championship cues off at the Crucible in Sheffield, with the best-of-19 frames matches broadcast live on ITV.

York traditionally stages the UK Championship in November.

Tickets, starting at £22, are now on sale. For details visit www.wst.tv/tickets

Snooker stars descend on Hull for Tour Championship