Championship League Snooker returns in 2010 with a host of big names in the first group and bet365 will be streaming all games live for free.

Current World Champion John Higgins and reigning Premier League Champion Shaun Murphy are included, as is Judd Trump, who won the 2009 Championship League event.

The rest of the players in Group One, which will be held on Monday, January 4 and Tuesday, January 5, are Ryan Day, Mark Selby, Ali Carter and Stephen Maguire.

Championship League Snooker format
Seven groups of seven players produce seven winners who play in one further group where the eventual winner plays in the 2010 Premier League Snooker.

In each group every player will play each other once in a best of 5 frame match (21 matches) after which the top four players will contest in the play offs – semi finals and final over the best of 5 frames.

Players will be awarded 1 point for each match won, then most frames won and the least frames lost in the league series will determine their position in the league table. Dead frames will not be played in either the league or knock-out stages.

The play-off winner will progress to the final league of the Championship League Snooker while the players coming sixth and seventh in the group will be relegated and will not feature in any further group matches.

Therefore after the group has played its total 24 matches (21 League matches plus play offs semi finals and final) three players will leave and be replaced by a further three players.

Prize money - group phase
£3,000 Winner of each final. £2,000 runner-up in final. £1,000 losing semi-finalists. £100 per frame won.

Prize money - winners group.
£10,000 overall champion. £5,000 overall runner-up. £3,000 losing semi-finalists. £300 per frame won.

FIXTURES
Championship League Snooker 2010
Group 1 – Monday, January 4 and Tuesday, January 5
Featuring – Ali Carter, Ryan Day, John Higgins, Stephen Maguire, Shaun Murphy, Mark Selby, Judd Trump.

Matches by time (table number in brackets)
Monday, January 4 (all times are approximate)
First matches - 11am – Trump v Day (1), Selby v Carter (2)
Second matches – 12.15pm – Murphy v Maguire (1), Higgins v Trump (2)
Third matches – Not before 2pm – Day v Selby (1), Carter v Murphy (2)
Fourth matches – 3.15pm – Maguire v Higgins (1), Trump v Selby (2)
Fifth – Not before 6.30pm – Day v Carter (1), Murphy v Higgins (2)
Sixth matches – 7.45pm – Selby v Higgins (1), Maguire v Carter (2)

Tuesday, January 5 (all times are approximate)
First matches – 11am – Trump v Maguire (1), Day v Murphy (2)
Second matches – 12.15pm – Carter v Higgins (1), Selby v Maguire (2)
Third matches – Not before 2pm – Trump v Murphy (1), Day v Higgins (2)
Fourth matches – 3.15pm – Day v Maguire (1), Selby v Murphy (2)
Fifth matches – 4.30pm – Trump v Carter (2)
Sixth – Not before 6pm – Play-off 1st v 4th (1), Play-off 2nd v 3rd (2)
Seventh matches – 7.15pm – Final

Matches by table (all times are approximate)
Monday, January 4 – Table One
11am – Judd Trump v Ryan Day
12.15pm – Shaun Murphy v Stephen Maguire
Not before 2pm – Ryan Day v Mark Selby
3.15pm – Stephen Maguire v John Higgins
Not before 6.30pm – Ryan Day v Ali Carter
7.45pm – Mark Selby v John Higgins

Table Two (all times are approximate)
11am – Mark Selby v Ali Carter
12.15pm – John Higgins v Judd Trump
Not before 2pm – Ali Carter v Shaun Murphy
3.15pm – Judd Trump v Mark Selby
Not before 6.30pm – Shaun Murphy v John Higgins
7.45pm – Stephen Maguire v Ali Carter

Tuesday, January 5 – Table One (all times are approximate)
11am – Judd Trump v Stephen Maguire
12.15pm – Ali Carter v John Higgins
Not before 2pm – Judd Trump v Shaun Murphy
3.15pm – Ryan Day v Stephen Maguire
Not before 6pm – Play-off first v fourth
7.15pm – Final

Table Two (all times are approximate)
11am – Ryan Day v Shaun Murphy
12.15pm – Mark Selby v Stephen Maguire
Not before 2pm – Ryan Day v John Higgins
3.15pm – Mark Selby v Shaun Murphy
4.30pm – Judd Trump v Ali Carter
Not before 6pm – Play-off second v third

To watch the free live streams please visit bet365 > Sports > live streaming