There were a record 15 entries for the Championship. The numbers in the competition proper was increased from 8 to 12. A qualifying competition was again used, with the four selected players competing for a place in the final twelve. Although the competition itself was played at Thurston's Hall, the players were themselves responsible for organising the qualifying matches. The main event started after the final match of the 1938/1939 Daily Mail Gold Cup, being held over a six-week period from 23 January to 4 March at Thurston's Hall. The first match was between Sidney Smith and Sydney Lee. Smith led 6–4 and 13–7 and, by winning the first three frames on the final day, took a 16–7 winning lead. The final score was 21–10. Qualifier Walter Donaldson then played Claude Falkiner. The match was level at 5–5 after the first day but Donaldson won eight frames on the second day to lead 13–7. On the final day Donaldson took a 16–8 winning lead and ended up 21–10 ahead. The second week started with a match between Tom Newman and Alec Mann. Newman led 6–4 and 13–7 after two days. Newman made a 71break in the opening frame of the final day before a "kick" ruined his chance of a century. Newman took a winning 16–10 lead by taking the first frame of the evening session and finished 19–12 ahead. Fred Davis and Conrad Stanbury met in the last first round match. Davis won the first six frames and led 13–7 at the start of the final day. Davis took a winning 16–9 lead and eventually won 19–12. Alec Brown met Horace Lindrum in the first quarter-final. Brown had recently won the Daily Mail Gold Cup. He had beaten Lindrum 46–25 in that tournament but had received a 21-point start in each frame. Brown took a 6–4 lead and extended this to 13–7 after two days. Brown won the last frame on the final afternoon to win the match 16–9. Lindrum won 5 of the evening frames to give a final score of 17–14. Sidney Smith played Donaldson in the second quarter-final. Smith took a 6–4 lead and extended this to 9–5 on the second day. Donaldson then won five frames in a row to lead 10–9 before Smith levelled the match at 10–10 overnight. Donaldson led 13–11 and 14–13 but Smith then won two frames to lead 15–14. Donaldson then won frame 30 to level the match again. Smith led 43–34 with one red left and, taking the red and then a blue and the colours to the pink, won the frame 69–34 to win the match 16–15. The next match was between Fred Davis and Newman. Davis had won the first six frames in his opening match and on this occasion he won the first seven frames. Davis won the first six frames on the second day to lead 14–2 then led 15–5 overnight, just one frame from victory. Davis won the second frame on the final day to win the match 16–6. The final score was 21–10. Joe Davis played his first match of the Championship in the last quarter-final, meeting Willie Smith. Davis took a 6–4 lead on the first day. Smith then won the first four frames of the second day to lead 8–6 but Davis won the final six frames to lead 12–8 overnight and, winning the first four frames of the final day, took a winning 16–8 lead. Davis extended his run to 11 frames before Smith won four of the six evening frames to give a final score of 19–12. The first semi-final was between Sidney Smith and Brown. The pair had met in the Daily MailGold Cup the previous month. On that occasion Brown had won 40–31 receiving a 7-point handicap, so a close match was anticipated. Brown took a 5–1 lead and led 6–4 overnight. Smith then won the first seven frames on the second day to take an 11–6 lead; the second day ending with the score at 12–8. Smith continued to dominate on the final day winning the match 16–9 by winning the last frame of the afternoon session. The final score was 20–11. Brothers Joe and Fred Davis met in the second semi-final. Fred made a good start, leading 3–2 but Joe led 6–4 overnight. Fred regained the lead on the second afternoon but Joe won four of the evening frames again to lead 11–9. Joe won the first frame on the second day but Fred then made a 113 clearance in the next. Fred's break, a new record for the World Championship, included 12 reds, 6 blacks, 3 pinks, 2 blues, a brown and then all the colours. Fred won the next frame but Joe then won the following four to win the match 16–11. The final score was 17–14. Joe Davis met Sidney Smith in the final for the second successive year. The final was extended from 61 to 73 frames, 6 frames being played per session. Davis won the first five frames and ended the day 8–4 ahead. He extended the lead to 15–9 and 20–10 before Smith won all six frames on the third evening to reduce Davis's lead to 20–16. The fourth afternoon session was shared but Davis won five frames in the evening to lead 28–20. Davis was in impressive form early on the fifth day, making breaks of 73, 64, 69 and 95 in the first 7 frames. Davis ended the day 35–25 ahead, two frames from victory. Davis took the first two frames on the final day to win the match 37–25. The remaining 11 frames were played leaving a final score of 43–30. Davis was presented with the Championship trophy by Compton Mackenzie.
Main draw
Sources:
Final
Qualifying
met Herbert Holt in the first qualifying match at the Lion Hotel, Blackpool from 8–10 December 1938. Holt led 11–9 after two days but only won two frames on the final day, Donaldson taking a winning 16–13 lead and finishing 18–13 ahead. the match between Dickie Laws and Stanley Newman was played at Thurston's Hall. The match was played on 28, 30 and 31 December 1938, there being a charity event organised for the 29th. The match was level at 5–5 after the first day but Laws led 13–7 after the second day. Newman reduced Laws lead to 14–12 on the final day but Laws won the remaining frames to take a winning 16–12 lead with a final score of 19–12. The final of the qualifying event was played in Liverpool on 11–13 January. Laws took a 6–4 lead but Donaldson won eight frames on the second day to lead 12–8. Donaldson extended his lead to 15–10 after the final afternoon session and, by winning the second frame of the evening session, took a winning 16–11 lead. The final score was 18–13.
