A snooker tournament in honour of a Tasmanian legend attracted a strong field last week, as the sport enjoys a resurgence of popularity around Australia and the world.

The inaugural Ron Atkins Classic snooker championship lured 76 of Australia's best snooker players to Launceston to compete for $12,000 in prize money and points that count towards national rankings.

Tournament director Paul Cosgriff said it was the biggest-ever field to enter a snooker tournament in Tasmania.

"We think it's because of the fact that it is the Ron Atkins Classic," he said."Ron was a legend of our game, and therefore there are people who have come from interstate."

Atkins is regarded as Tasmania's best-ever snooker player and amassed a formidable list of titles during his career, culminating in three Australian Amateur Snooker Championships and 15 Tasmanian championships.

Atkins, who was also runner up in the 1980 World Amateur Snooker Championship in 1980, died in August 2017, aged 80.