Highest snooker break

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In snooker, a break is the total score achieved by a player in a single visit to the table. A player's proficiency at building big breaks, particularly century breaks (scores over 100), is widely used as a measure of their overall skill.

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[edit] Maximum break without fouls

The highest snooker break possible without the benefit of an opponent's foul is 147. This is known as a maximum break and also regularly called a 'One-Four-Seven'. The 147 is amassed by potting all 15 reds with 15 blacks for 120 points then all six colours for a further 27 points. The maximum break possible is 155. This can only occur while all 15 reds are still on the table. If an opponent fouls but leaves the player snookered on all 15 reds then he may elect any other ball as a red, this is called a "free ball". By potting that free ball followed by a colour, then all of the reds followed by blacks, then all six colours, the player achieves a break of more than 147. If the free ball is followed by a black, and the player goes on to clear the table following all the reds by blacks, the total score for the break is 155.

[edit] Breaks exceeding 147

At least five breaks in excess of 147 have been recorded. A 149 by Tony Drago in West Norwood, London in 1998 is recorded by the Guinness Book of Records as the highest in this category. In that match Drago was foul snookered and chose the brown as the free ball, to score one point. He then potted the brown again, for four more points, before potting 13 reds and 13 blacks, a red and a pink, a red and a blue, then all the colours. In October 2004, during qualifying for the UK Championship, Jamie Burnett achieved a 148 against Leo Fernandez, becoming the first player to achieve a break of more than 147 in a professional match.[1] Jamie Cope was reported to have made a break of 155 in a practice frame during 2005.[2]

[edit] Prizes

In professional tournaments, there is usually a substantial prize awarded to any player achieving a 147 break, typically as an amount containing '147', e.g. £147, £1470, £14700 or £147,000 depending on the prestige of the tournament. As an extreme case, Ronnie O'Sullivan's 1997 maximum earned him £165,000 – or £515 per second.

[edit] List of official maximum 147s

Date Player Opponent Event
1 January 22, 1955 Joe Davis Willie Smith Exhibition match at Leicester Square Hall, London[3]
2 December 23, 1966 Rex Williams Mannie Francisco Exhibition match, "Professionals vs Amateurs", Cape Town[3]
3 January 11, 1982* Steve Davis[4] John Spencer Lada Classic
4 April 23, 1983* Cliff Thorburn Terry Griffiths Embassy World Championship
5 January 28, 1984* Kirk Stevens Jimmy White Benson & Hedges Masters
6 November 17, 1987 Willie Thorne Tommy Murphy UK Championship
7 February 20, 1988 Tony Meo Stephen Hendry Rothmans Matchroom League
8 September 24, 1988 Alain Robidoux Jim Meadowcroft European Open
9 February 18, 1989 John Rea Ian Black Scottish Professional Championship
10 March 8, 1989 Cliff Thorburn Jimmy White Matchroom League
11 January 16, 1991 James Wattana Paul Dawkins Mita World Masters
12 June 1991 Peter Ebdon Wayne Martin Strachan Open
13 February 1992* James Wattana Tony Drago British Open
14 April 22, 1992* Jimmy White Tony Drago Embassy World Championship
15 May 9, 1992 John Parrott Tony Meo Matchroom League
16 May 24, 1992 Stephen Hendry Willie Thorne Matchroom League
17 November 1992 Peter Ebdon Ken Doherty UK Championship
18 September 1994 David McDonnell Nic Barrow British Open
19 April 27, 1995* Stephen Hendry Jimmy White Embassy World Championship
20 November 25, 1995* Stephen Hendry Gary Wilkinson UK Championship
21 January 5, 1997* Stephen Hendry Ronnie O'Sullivan Liverpool Victoria Charity Challenge
22 April 21, 1997* Ronnie O'Sullivan Mick Price Embassy World Championship
23 September 1997 James Wattana Pang Wei Guo Catch China International
24 May 16, 1998* Stephen Hendry Ken Doherty Doc. Marten's Premier League
25 August 10, 1998 Adrian Gunnell Mario Wehrmann Thailand Masters
26 August 13, 1998 Mehmet Husnu Eddie Barker China International
27 January 13, 1999 Jason Prince Ian Brumby British Open
28 January 29, 1999* Ronnie O'Sullivan James Wattana Regal Welsh Open
29 February 4, 1999 Stuart Bingham Barry Hawkins UK Tour Event
30 March 22, 1999 Nick Dyson Adrian Gunnell UK Tour Event
31 April 6, 1999* Graeme Dott David Roe British Open
32 September 19, 1999* Stephen Hendry Peter Ebdon British Open
33 September 21, 1999 Barry Pinches Joe Johnson Regal Welsh open 2000
34 October 13, 1999* Ronnie O'Sullivan Graeme Dott Grand Prix
35 November 4, 1999 Karl Burrows Adrian Rosa Benson & Hedges Championship
36 November 22, 1999* Stephen Hendry Paul Wykes UK Championship
37 January 21, 2000* John Higgins Dennis Taylor Nations Cup
38 March 24, 2000* John Higgins Jimmy White Irish Masters
39 March 24, 2000 Stephen Maguire Phaitoon Phonbun Regal Scottish Open
40 April 5, 2000* Ronnie O'Sullivan Quinten Hann Regal Scottish Open
41 October 25, 2000* Marco Fu Ken Doherty Regal Scottish Masters
42 November 7, 2000 David McLellan Steve Meakin Benson & Hedges Championship
43 November 19, 2000 Nick Dyson Robert Milkins UK Championship
44 February 25, 2001* Stephen Hendry Mark Williams Malta Grand Prix
45 October 17, 2001* Ronnie O'Sullivan Drew Henry LG Cup
46 November 12, 2001 Shaun Murphy Adrian Rosa Benson & Hedges Championship
47 October 28, 2002 Tony Drago Stuart Bingham Benson & Hedges Championship
48 April 22, 2003* Ronnie O'Sullivan Marco Fu Embassy World Championship
49 October 12, 2003* John Higgins Mark Williams LG Cup
50 November 12, 2003* John Higgins Michael Judge British Open
51 October 4, 2004* John Higgins Ricky Walden Grand Prix
52 November 17, 2004 David Gray Mark Selby UK Championship
53 April 20, 2005* Mark Williams Robert Milkins Embassy World Championship
54 November 22, 2005 Stuart Bingham Marcus Campbell The Masters qualifiers
55 March 14, 2006 Robert Milkins Mark Selby 888.com World Championship qualifiers
56 October 23, 2006 Jamie Cope Michael Holt Royal London Watches Grand Prix
57 January 14, 2007* Ding Junhui Anthony Hamilton Saga Insurance Masters
58 February 16, 2007* Andrew Higginson Ali Carter Welsh Open
59 September 19, 2007 Jamie Burnett Liu Song Royal London Watches Grand Prix qualifiers
60 October 14, 2007 Tom Ford Steve Davis Royal London Watches Grand Prix
61 November 8, 2007* Ronnie O'Sullivan Ali Carter Northern Ireland Trophy
62 December 15, 2007* Ronnie O'Sullivan Mark Selby UK Championship
63 March 29, 2008* Stephen Maguire Ryan Day China Open
64 April 28, 2008* Ronnie O'Sullivan Mark Williams 888.com World Championship
65 April 29, 2008* Ali Carter Peter Ebdon 888.com World Championship
66 May 8, 2008 Stephen Lee Dave Harold Matchroom League

* Televised.

[edit] List of most 147s

Player Number Last 147
1 Ronnie O'Sullivan 9 2008
2 Stephen Hendry 8 2001
3 John Higgins 5 2004
4 James Wattana 3 1997
5 Stephen Maguire 2 2008
Stuart Bingham 2 2005
Cliff Thorburn 2 1989


[edit] Records and Trivia

  • On April 29, 2008 Ali Carter made his first 147 break against Peter Ebdon in their quarter-final match of the 2008 888.com World Snooker Championship. This was the first time a 147 break had been made twice in the same World Championship, following Ronnie O'Sullivan's maximum during the previous day's play.
  • On April 28, 2008 Ronnie O'Sullivan made his ninth 147 break made in competition during the 888.com World Snooker Championships. It was the final frame of the match which he won 13 frames to 7. This break also took him past Stephen Hendry's record for the most 147 breaks made in competition - taking him to 9, against Hendry's 8.
  • Ronnie O'Sullivan compiled each of the 5 fastest 147 breaks ever recorded, the fastest of which took 5 minutes and 20 seconds.
  • John Higgins became the first player to record a 147 in successive ranking events and matches; he made one in his 9-5 defeat by Mark Williams in the LG Cup final at Preston, and then one in the British Open, both in 2003
  • Stephen Hendry, Mark Williams and Ronnie O'Sullivan are the only players to have made a maximum break in the deciding frame of a match. Hendry is the only player to make a maximum break in the deciding frame of the final of a tournament.
  • Ken Doherty is so far the only player to have had a televised final black miss on a 147 attempt, at the 2000 Masters final.
  • In 1983, Cliff Thorburn became the first player to make a maximum break at the World Championships, a feat that has since been repeated by Jimmy White, Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O'Sullivan (three times), Mark Williams and Ali Carter.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Scot Burnett compiles 148 break", BBC Sport, 2004-10-16. Retrieved on 2007-01-21. 
  2. ^ Everton, Clive. "Murphy shows the form and confidence of a champion", The Guardian, 2005-10-12. Retrieved on 2007-01-21. 
  3. ^ a b The 147 Club. Global Snooker Centre (2007). Retrieved on 2008-04-29.
  4. ^ The first player to compile a 147 in a major tournament was John Spencer at the 1979 Holstein Lager Tournament, but the break was never ratified as the table was found to have oversized pockets. The tournament was being televised but due to union "work-to-rule" action, the cameras were switched off when Spencer made his break.


[edit] External links

World Championship 147s video archive

World Snooker