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Snooker

What is a maximum break in snooker? Who scored the first? Who has scored the most 147s?

What is a maximum break in snooker? Who scored the first? Who has scored the most 147s?Getty Images

On Sunday, Mark Selby became the first player to make a maximum break of 147 in a World Championship final.

Speaking after the session, he said: "The atmosphere when I potted that final black was electric. It is incredible. Just to make a 147 here is hard enough.

"I always thought that if I got in that position I would be shaking like a leaf. It was amazing how calm I felt."

You can watch the 2023 World Snooker Championship final live on DAZN (in the US and Brazil).

What is a maximum break in snooker?

A maxmimum break is the most amount of points you can score in a single visit to the table in snooker, which, without fouls as part of the break, is 147.

A player will need to pot all 15 reds, followed by a black each time, followed by the remaining colours and finishing on the black again.

Who scored the first maximum break?

The first maximum recorded was in practice by Murt O'Donoghue at Griffith, Australian Capital Territory, Australia, on 26 September 1934.

The first official maximum was scored by Joe Davis against Willie Smith in an exhibition match on 22 January 1955 at Leicester Square Hall, London.

In competition, Rex Williams made the first maximum break in a match against Manuel Francisco, on 23 December 1965 in Cape Town.

The first professional maximum was made by John Spencer on 13 January 1979 at the Holsten Lager Tournament against Cliff Thorburn, but it was not officially ratified due to oversized pockets.

The first officially ratified maximum in professional competition was made by Steve Davis in the 1982 Lada Classic against Spencer.

Cliff Thorburn was the first player to make a maximum break at the World Snooker Championship.

How many maximum breaks has Mark Selby scored?

He has five after his effort in the final.

Who has the most maximum breaks in snooker?

  • Ronnie O'Sullivan - 15
  • John Higgins - 12
  • Stephen Hendry - 11
  • Stuart Bingham - 9
  • Judd Trump - 8
  • Shaun Murphy - 7
  • Ding Junhui - 6
  • Mark Selby - 5
  • Neil Robertson - 5
  • Tom Ford - 5
  • Marco Fu - 5

Has anyone scored more than a 147 break in professional snooker?

In October 2004, during qualifying for the UK Championship, Jamie Burnett became the first and only player to score a break in excess of 147 in tournament play, when he scored 148 against Leo Fernandez. He potted the brown as a free ball, then sunk the brown again followed by the 15 reds with 12 blacks, two pinks and a blue, then the six colours.