At what point does a 147 transform into a 180? When you're Ronnie O'Sullivan, crafting more history. Precisely then.
In a period when snooker's 147, once considered as mythical as the Himalayan Yeti, has made frequent appearances on television, it fell to O'Sullivan to demonstrate that no one performs it more masterfully. Completing his second 147 in just over 120 minutes at the a recent tournament in August, O'Sullivan secured a historic £180,333 in prize money.
As his 50th birthday approaches in December, O'Sullivan possesses an audacious streak that sets him apart. Almost three decades after his iconic five-minute 147 at the Crucible, he continues to be must-see entertainment.
But O'Sullivan, who begins his bid for a record-extending ninth title, is in good company in understanding the path to a maximum. There have been an astonishing twenty-five so far on the professional tour in 2025, shattering the calendar year best of 14.
'Everyone on the tour now could make one'
"Picture Moira Stuart in 1983 appearing on the Six O'Clock News and informing the nation Cliff Thorburn's had a 147 at the Crucible. It would now get overlooked because it's just like, 'oh, there's been another 147'."
That's the verdict of Shaun Murphy, fourth on the historical rankings with 10 maximums. He has a point. Thorburn's maximum was a defining moment for 1983's television viewer. It was only the second ratified 147, 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, few eras rival the current one.
"Players are chasing their career records and the tour is offering incentives out there," says Murphy. "People are more aware of these challenges. They're training specifically for them."
Legendary figures like Alex Higgins never had a maximum break on tour. Nor did other world champions. Yet rising star Aaron Hill made a pair inside four weeks. The 23-year-old is amazed that Higgins never managed one.
Hill says: "There are a lot of players who are still waiting. It was always a goal to have my name on the list. The buzz is incredible. Everyone on the tour now has the potential. We're almost expecting one in every tournament. It's everyone egging each other on."
What is the secret to 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 describes the special feeling: "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."
The future frontier if the 147 code has been cracked?
- Snooker is waiting for its first ratified 147 by a woman. China's Bai Yulu had a 145 at a recent championship.
- Two 147s in the one contest has been achieved. Two in back-to-back frames next?
- The one-five-five (a 147 plus eight points from a free-ball scenario at the start) has never been achieved in tournament play. Footage exists of a player making one in practice.
- The one-six-seven is "perhaps the next step," says Murphy, referring to a new format involving a golden ball for a huge financial prize.
The chase for the record is on
Murphy proposes the surge of maximums is straightforward to understand. "I just think everyone's getting better. Some of the players down the rankings that the general public have never heard of, on their day they can beat anyone."
The improving "quality and consistency of playing conditions" is also credited as a factor. But ultimately, the players are the ones potting the shots.
Hill has two maximums. O'Sullivan holds the record of 17. "Watch out Ronnie, he's coming for you." It is said in jest, but Hill fancies the chase.
"By the conclusion of my career, I believe I'll be ranked highly with maximum breaks," he declares. At the very least, players now approach their everyday matches with the idea that the next frame is full of potential.
Sink the red, follow with the black. Rinse and repeat.
