| Tournament Name: | Pot Black 81 |
| Dates: | (Broadcast) |
| Venue: | Pebble Mill Studios |
| Location: | Birmingham |
| Country: | England |
| Format: | Non-Ranking event |
| Winners Share: | £2,500 |
| Highest Break: |  Kirk Stevens (79) |
| Winner: | Cliff Thorburn |
| Runner Up: | Jim Wych |
| Score: | 2–0 |
| Previous: | 1980 |
| Next: | 1982 |
The 1981 Pot Black was a professional invitational snooker tournament, which was held between 28 and 31 December 1980 in the Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham.[1] 8 players were competing in 2 four player groups. The matches are one-frame shoot-outs in the group stages, 2 frame aggregate scores in the semi-finals and the best of 3 frames in the final.
Broadcasts were on BBC2 and started at 21:00 on Tuesday 30 December 1980 [2] Alan Weeks presented the programme with Ted Lowe as commentator and top referee John Williams replaced Sydney Lee after 13 years after Lee retired to ill health.
First time players this year are Canadians Kirk Stevens and Jim Wych. The latter made the final against fellow Canadian Cliff Thorburn before losing 0–2.[3] [4]
| Player 1 | Score | Player 2 | Broadcast Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ray Reardon | 1–0 | Cliff Thorburn | 30 December 1980 | |
| Kirk Stevens | 1–0 | Steve Davis | 13 January 1981 | |
| Cliff Thorburn | 1–0 | Kirk Stevens | 27 January 1981 | |
| Ray Reardon | 1–0 | Steve Davis | 10 February 1981 | |
| Cliff Thorburn | 1–0 | Steve Davis | 24 February 1981 | |
| Ray Reardon | 1–0 | Kirk Stevens | 3 March 1981 |
| Player 1 | Score | Player 2 | Broadcast Date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Eddie Charlton | 1–0 | Alex Higgins | 6 January 1981 | |
| Jim Wych | 0–1 | David Taylor | 20 January 1981 | |
| Eddie Charlton | 0–1 | Jim Wych | 3 February 1981 | |
| Alex Higgins | 1–0 | David Taylor | 17 February 1981 | |
| Eddie Charlton | 1–0 | David Taylor | 24 February 1981 | |
| Alex Higgins | 0–1 | Jim Wych | 3 March 1981 |