The International Championship gets underway this weekend and while there is a lot on the line in Nanjing, places in York are at stake as well.

The tournament in China saw Wu Yize lift the trophy 12 months ago and win a ranking title for the first time.

It looks like it is going to be the first of many as the 23-year-old has since become world champion and added the Wuhan Open to his collection.

Wu won the £175,000 top prize last year and that is what is on the line again this time round, a sum which could have significant ramifications for the upcoming UK Championship.

The International Championship is the last ranking event before the UK, so is the last chance to grab a spot in the top 16 and secure a spot at the Barbican.

All the players outside the world’s top 16 will head to qualifiers in Leicester and battle it out for the chance to join the elite in York.

The qualifiers, especially the last round on the two Judgement Days, are great viewing for fans, but players would much rather avoid them than face the tension of the Mattioli Arena.

Most of the top 16 are already safe in the knowledge they will be at the Barbican, but not all of them.

World number 15 Ding Junhui needs a brilliant week in Nanjing to keep hold of his place as he won this tournament two years ago and the ranking points he claimed for that fall off next week.

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The Chinese legend will need a run to the final to remain in the top 16 and guarantee a spot in York, a place he loves to play, having won the UK Championship twice there.

The 39-year-old has not been to a final since he beat Chris Wakelin in the 2024 International Championship showpiece, though, so it would be remarkable for him to do so again in Nanjing next week.

With Ding likely to slide out of the top 16, Jak Jones is in prime position to take his place, having won the Championship League and British Open already this season and reached the Northern Ireland Open final. These successes have put him 16th in the provisional seedings.

The Welshman came through qualifying to reach Nanjing, where he will take on Wang Xinbo in the last 64.

Jones could be budged out of the top 16 by anyone down to number 32 in the rankings, though, if any of those players can spring a surprise and win the International Championship.

The £175,000 top prize would catapult anyone down to Hossein Vafaei at number 32 in the world right the way up into the top 16.

Players just outside the top 16 could barge their way into the elite group without even lifting the trophy in Nanjing, with the likes of Zhou Yuelong and Chang Bingyu not far behind in terms of ranking points.

Current world number 17 Jack Lisowski will not be barging into anything next week, though, as he failed to qualify for Nanjing, losing to Ashley Carty in Leicester.

Elliot Slessor is in the same boat after being knocked out by Yao Pengcheng at the Mattioli.