By next Wednesday, 128 hopefuls will have been whittled down to just 16, who will then be waiting to find out which of the sport's top players they will face when the main event gets under way on April 21.
All of this takes place away from the glare of the BBC Sport cameras which will broadcast the 17 days of action at the Crucible to an estimated 400 million viewers worldwide, but it is within the confines of these 11 cubicles that dreams are realised and broken.
They are a cosmopolitan bunch, these 128 players; former World Champions, multiple ranking event winners, seasoned tour veterans, newcomers to the professional ranks and optimistic amateurs who have earned a shot at the big time.
For example, among the lesser-known competitors is a man with the nickname 'The Albino Assassin' – world-ranked number 96 Allan Taylor.
For More You Can Check: