At what point does a 147 transform into a 180? When you're Ronnie O'Sullivan, writing more history. Precisely then.
In a season when snooker's maximum break, once viewed as mythical as the Abominable Snowman, has repeatedly shown up for the cameras, it was left to O'Sullivan to show that no one performs it more masterfully. Completing his second 147 in just over 120 minutes at the Saudi Arabia Masters in August, O'Sullivan earned a record £180,333 in prize money.
As his 50th birthday approaches in December, O'Sullivan possesses an bold streak that sets him apart. Nearly three decades after his legendary 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 not alone in knowing the route to a maximum. There have been an staggering 25 so far on the professional tour in 2025, shattering the calendar year best of 14.
'Everyone on the tour now could make one'
"You can imagine 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 view of Shaun Murphy, ranked fourth on the all-time list with 10 maximums. He is not wrong. Thorburn's maximum was a defining moment for 1983's armchair sports fan. It was only the second ratified 147, with Steve Davis achieving the first. Davis' reward? One of the sponsor's cars.
There were just eight 147s across the whole 1980s, a snooker decade full of theatrical storylines and larger-than-life personalities. For sheer quality, nothing touches the current one.
"Professionals are pursuing their career records and the tour are putting incentives out there," notes Murphy. "People are more aware of these challenges. They're training specifically for them."
Legendary figures like Alex Higgins did not achieve a maximum break on tour. Nor did other world champions. Yet promising talent Aaron Hill made two inside four weeks. The 23-year-old cannot believe Higgins never managed one.
Hill states: "There are a lot of players who haven't had one. It was always a goal to have my name on the board. The buzz is great. Everyone on the tour now could make one. We're almost expecting one in every tournament. It's everyone pushing one another."
What is the secret to a 147?
"In my opinion if there is a knack to it, it's seeing it early," explains Shaun Murphy. "When you approach the table early and pot a couple of reds and some 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've always been 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 pressure cooker 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 zooms in on you." Are maximums becoming commonplace? "I don't think so."
What's next if the 147 code has been cracked?
- Snooker awaits its first ratified 147 by a woman. China's Bai Yulu had a 145 at a recently held championship.
- Two 147s in the same match 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 yet to be made in tournament play. Footage exists of a player making one in practice.
- The one-six-seven is "probably the next step," says Murphy, referring to a new challenge involving a special bonus ball for a massive financial prize.
The chase for the record is on
Murphy proposes the explosion of maximums is straightforward to understand. "My belief is 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 "standard and reliability 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 possesses the record of 17. "Look 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 well up there with maximum breaks," he says. At the very least, players now approach their daily business with the idea that the next frame is rich in promise.
Sink the red, add the black. Rinse and repeat.
