At what point does a maximum transform into a one-eighty? When it's Ronnie O'Sullivan, writing more history. That's when.
In a season when snooker's maximum break, once viewed as rare as the Abominable Snowman, has made frequent appearances for the cameras, it fell to O'Sullivan to prove that no one does it better. Completing his second 147 in just over 120 minutes at the a recent tournament in August, O'Sullivan pocketed a historic £180,333 in bonuses.
As his 50th birthday arrives in December, O'Sullivan possesses an daring streak that sets him apart. Almost three decades after his iconic lightning-fast maximum at the Crucible, he continues to be must-see entertainment.
But O'Sullivan, who starts his quest for a unprecedented ninth title, is in good company in knowing the route to a maximum. There have been an staggering twenty-five already on the professional tour in 2025, obliterating the previous annual record of 14.
'Any tour professional is now capable'
"Picture Moira Stuart in 1983 coming on the Six O'Clock News and telling the nation Cliff Thorburn's had a 147 at the Crucible. It would now get missed because it's just like, 'oh, there's been another 147'."
That's the view of Shaun Murphy, ranked fourth on the historical rankings with 10 maximums. He is not wrong. Thorburn's maximum was a defining moment for 1983's television viewer. It was only the second official maximum, with Steve Davis making the first. Davis' prize? One of the sponsor's cars.
There were just eight 147s across the whole 1980s, a snooker decade full of soap opera drama and towering characters. For pure technical standard, nothing touches the current one.
"Professionals are pursuing their career records and the tour is offering incentives out there," says Murphy. "Players are more aware of these challenges. They're practising for them."
Legendary figures like Alex Higgins never had a maximum break on tour. Nor did other world champions. Yet promising talent Aaron Hill made two inside four weeks. The 23-year-old is amazed that Higgins never managed one.
Hill says: "There will be a lot of players who are still waiting. It was always a goal to have my name on the list. The buzz is unreal. Everyone on the tour now has the potential. We're almost expecting one in every tournament. It's everyone pushing one another."
How do you make a 147?
"I think if there is a secret, it's recognizing the opportunity quickly," explains Shaun Murphy. "If you come to the table early and pot a couple of reds and a couple of blacks, and you see the black's available to both pockets... we all think 'hang on a minute, there's a 147 on here'.
"I remain proud of the one I made in the Shoot Out because I tried to make it from the very first pot. To have the personal challenge and then achieve it in the cauldron of the Shoot Out was pretty special."
Murphy reflects on the unique atmosphere: "When you're on a maximum, everyone in the room knows it and it intensifies their attention. Everyone's focus fixates on you." Is the 147 losing their magic? "Not in my view."
What's next if the 147 code has been cracked?
- Snooker awaits its first official maximum by a woman. China's Bai Yulu compiled a 145 at a recently held championship.
- Two 147s in the one contest has been achieved. Two in successive frames next?
- The one-five-five (a 147 plus eight points from a foul shot at the start) has never been achieved in competition. Footage exists of a player making one in practice.
- The one-six-seven is "probably the next step," says Murphy, referring to a new format involving a special bonus ball for a huge financial prize.
The chase for the record is on
Murphy proposes the surge of maximums is easily explained. "I just think everyone's getting better. Some of the players down the rankings that the average fan have never heard of, on their day they can beat anyone."
The improving "standard and reliability of playing conditions" is also credited as a factor. But ultimately, the players are the ones sinking the balls.
Hill now owns two maximums. O'Sullivan possesses the record of 17. "Look out Ronnie, he's coming for you." It is said in jest, but Hill welcomes the challenge.
"At the end of my career, I believe I'll be well up there with maximum breaks," he declares. At the very least, players now go about their daily business with the idea that the next frame is full of potential.
Pot the red, follow with the black. Rinse and repeat.
