With the agreement of the Billiards Association and Control Council the World Snooker Championship was revived by Rex Williams on a challenge basis after a six-year absence in 1964. The 1957 World Champion John Pulman played seven challenge matches against various opponents in the next five years, until the tournament reverted to a knock-out tournament in 1969.
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April 1964 match
The World Professional Snooker Championship was revived in 1964 with a match between John Pulman and Fred Davis. The match was of 37 frames played over 3 days from 20 to 22 April at Burroughes Hall in London. The official world championship had not been played since 1952. 40-year-old Pulman had won the 1957 World Professional Match-play Championship, the last unofficial championship while 50-year-old Davis had won the official championship three times and the World Professional Match-play Championship five times. Davis had not played in the 1957 Championship.
Pulman took an early 4–2 lead but Davis led 7–5 at the end of the first day. Davis maintained his two frame advantage after the second day, leading 13–11. Davis made a break of 108 on the final afternoon but Pulman won 4 of the 6 frames to level the match at 15–15. In the evening session, Pulman won the first 3 frames to lead 18–15 and, although Davis won the next, Pulman won the fifth frame of the evening to win the title 19–16.
October 1964 challenge match
John Pulman, the holder, and Rex Williams, the challenger, met in a match later in 1964. The match was of 73 frames, played over 6 days from 12 to 17 October, again at Burroughes Hall. As a young professional, Williams had played in a number of Match-play Championships and News of the World Tournaments in the 1950s with little success.
Williams led 8–4 at the end of the first day but Pulman won 11 of the 12 frames on the second day to lead 15–9. Pulman extended his lead to 31-17 after four days and won the match on the fifth day, taking a 37–23 winning lead. Pulman made a break of 109 in frame 57. The remaining 13 "dead" frames were played on the final day with Pulman finishing 40–33 ahead.
March 1965 challenge match
Fred Davis met John Pulman again in early 1965. The match was again of 73 frames, played over 6 days from 15 to 21 March at Burroughes Hall. The match was close throughout. Davis led 7–5 after the first day but Pulman took the lead after the second day at 13–11 Pulman pulled further ahead but Davis recovered to level the match at 18–18 by the end of the third day. Pulman made a break of 100 on the fourth day but the score was still level at the end of the day 24–24. The players were level again after the fifth day at 30–30 with Davis making a break of 105. Eventually Pulman won the match 37–36.
Challenge matches in South Africa
In late 1965, John Pulman and Rex Williams played a long series of short matches in South Africa. Pulman won 25 of the 47 matches to retain the title. In November in East London, Williams made a break of 142, breaking the official tournament record of 136 set by Joe Davis in 1946. The break was made in the 24th game of the match, a game which Williams won by 4 frames to 3. Although equalled by Bill Werbeniuk in 1979, this remained the highest break at the World Championship until Doug Mountjoy's 145 in the 1981 tournament. After winning this series of matches Pulman played the South African Fred Van Rensburg, winning 39 frames to 12.
April 1966 challenge matches
Fred Davis met John Pulman for the third time in early 1966. There were seven separate matches, each of five frames, played in Liverpool. Pulman won four of the first six matches to retain the title on 22 April. He won the last match the following day to finish with five wins to Davis's two.
March 1968 challenge match
Eddie Charlton challenged John Pulman and the pair met in a 73-frame match in Bolton, played from 4 to 9 March 1968. The score was level at 6–6 after the opening day's play but Pulman led 13–11 after the second day. Charlton made a break of 122 in frame 21. After Pulman had potted the first red, Charlton potted the 14 remaining reds with 7 blacks, 6 pinks and a green and then all the colours except the black. Pulman retained a 19–17 lead after the third day and extended his lead to 28–20 after the fourth day. Pulman led 34–26 after the fifth day, needing 3 of the remaining 13 frames. Pulman won 3 of the first 5 frames on the final afternoon to win the match 37–28. The remaining dead frames were played, the final score being 39–34.