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Maximum break
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{{Short description|Highest single score in the cue sport snooker}} {{good article}} {{EngvarB|date=April 2019}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}} [[File:Ronnie O'Sullivan PHC 2011-1.png|thumb|upright=1.1|[[Ronnie O'Sullivan]] holds the record for the highest number of maximum breaks achieved in professional competition (15), and also the fastest ever recorded (5 minutes and 8 seconds, at the [[1997 World Snooker Championship|1997 World Championship]]).]] A '''maximum break''' (also known as a '''maximum''', a '''147''', or orally, a '''one{{nbh}}four{{nbh}}seven''') is the highest possible {{cuegloss|break}} in [[snooker]] in normal circumstances{{efn|A break of up to 155 is possible if the referee awards a {{Cuegloss|free ball}} before any of the reds have been potted, but breaks exceeding 147 are exceptionally rare, having occurred only once in professional competition.<ref name="Burnett_148_Guardian" /><ref name="Burnett_148_BBC" />}} and is a special type of {{cuegloss|total clearance}}. A player compiles a maximum break by potting all 15 {{Cuegloss|Red ball|reds}} with 15 {{Cuegloss|Black ball|blacks}} for 120 points, followed by all six {{Cuegloss|Colour ball|colours}} for a further 27 points. Compiling a maximum break is regarded as a highly significant achievement in the game of snooker, and may be compared to a [[Nine-dart finish|nine{{nbh}}dart finish]] in [[darts]], a [[Hole in one|hole{{nbh}}in{{nbh}}one]] in [[golf]], or a [[perfect game (bowling)|300 game]] in [[Ten-pin bowling|ten{{nbh}}pin bowling]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Stats analysis: nine-darter, 147 break or hole in one. what's harder? |url=https://www.wst.tv/news/2024/december/20/stats-/ |work=[[World Snooker Tour]] |first=Christopher |last=Kempf |date=20 December 2024 |access-date=31 December 2024 |archive-date=31 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241231115119/https://www.wst.tv/news/2024/december/20/stats-/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=PDC world darts champion Luke Littler gives verdict on nine-dart finish in darts v 147 maximum snooker break debate |url=https://www.eurosport.com/snooker/pdc-world-darts-champion-luke-littler-verdict-nine-darter-v-147-snooker-break-debate_sto20068187/story.shtml |work=[[Eurosport]] |first=Becky |last=Hart |date=5 January 2025 |access-date=7 January 2025 |archive-date=7 January 2025 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20250107132347/https://www.eurosport.com/snooker/pdc-world-darts-champion-luke-littler-verdict-nine-darter-v-147-snooker-break-debate_sto20068187/story.shtml |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Joe Davis]] made the first officially recognised maximum break in a 1955 exhibition match in London. At the [[1982 Classic (snooker)|Classic]] in January 1982, [[Steve Davis]] achieved the first recognised maximum in professional competition, which was also the first in a [[Broadcasting of sports events|televised match]]. The following year, [[Cliff Thorburn]] became the first player to make a maximum at the [[1983 World Snooker Championship|World Snooker Championship]]. As of April 2025, over 200 officially recognised maximum breaks have been made in professional tournament play.<ref name="WPBSA_Official_List" /> [[Ronnie O'Sullivan]] holds the record for the [[#Total maximum breaks|most maximum breaks in professional competition]], with 15, and also holds the [[Guinness World Records|Guinness World Record]] for the fastest competitive maximum break, which he made at the [[1997 World Snooker Championship|1997 World Championship]] in a time of 5 minutes and 8 seconds.<ref name="Guinness_fastest" /><ref name="Deadspin_Tippett">{{cite news |url=https://deadspin.com/the-greatest-break-in-snooker-history-was-even-better-t-1794695566 |title=The greatest break in snooker history was even better than anyone realized |first=Ben |last=Tippett |date=27 April 2017 |website=[[Deadspin]] |access-date=25 April 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180426075929/https://deadspin.com/the-greatest-break-in-snooker-history-was-even-better-t-1794695566 |archive-date=26 April 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> Maximum breaks have become more frequent in professional snooker. Only eight recognised maximums were achieved in professional competition in the 1980s, but 26 occurred in the 1990s, 35 in the 2000s, and 86 in the 2010s. As of the [[2025 World Snooker Championship|2025 World Championship]], 62 officially recognised professional maximums have been made thus far in the 2020s.<ref name="WST_24_25_maximums" /> In the 1990s, some players received £147,000 for making a maximum break, but as the frequency of maximums increased, the reward was changed to a rolling prize pot that began at £5,000, leading to discontent among players. For the [[2019–20 snooker season|2019{{nbnd}}20 season]], [[World Snooker Tour]] chairman [[Barry Hearn]] replaced the rolling prize with a conditional £1 million bonus, to be awarded if 20 or more maximum breaks were attained in the season. The 20 maximums were not achieved. Thereafter, players who made a maximum would win or share a tournament's highest break prize, although some events still offer a separate bonus for a 147. The [[2022 World Snooker Championship]] offered a bonus of £40,000 for a maximum break made at the [[Crucible Theatre|Crucible]] and £10,000 for a maximum made in the qualifying rounds, in addition to the £15,000 highest break prize.<ref>{{cite web |date=4 April 2022 |title=Betfred World Championship - 147 bonuses |url=https://wst.tv/betfred-world-championship-147-bonuses/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220404082951/https://wst.tv/betfred-world-championship-147-bonuses/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 April 2022 |access-date=17 January 2023 |work=[[World Snooker Tour]]}}</ref> In 2023, the World Snooker Tour introduced a £147,000 bonus for any player making two maximum breaks during [[2023–24 snooker season|the season]]'s [[Triple Crown (snooker)|Triple Crown Series]]. The bonus could be awarded up to three times, for a total of £441,000, meaning that the same player could potentially win £441,000 by making six maximums in the events.<ref>{{cite web |title=£147,000 bonus offered for Triple Crown maximums |url=https://wst.tv/147000-bonus-offered-for-triple-crown-maximums/ |work=[[World Snooker Tour]] |date=16 November 2023 |access-date=16 November 2023 |archive-date=16 November 2023 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231116124444/https://wst.tv/147000-bonus-offered-for-triple-crown-maximums/}}</ref>
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