When does a maximum become a one-eighty? When you're Ronnie O'Sullivan, crafting more history. That's when.
In a year when snooker's maximum break, once thought of as elusive as the Abominable Snowman, has made frequent appearances on television, it was left to O'Sullivan to prove that nobody performs it more masterfully. Sinking his second maximum in barely two hours at the a recent tournament in August, O'Sullivan secured a record £180,333 in prize money.
As his 50th birthday arrives in December, O'Sullivan possesses an daring streak that sets him apart. Almost three decades after his famous five-minute 147 at the Crucible, he remains must-see entertainment.
But O'Sullivan, who begins his bid for a unprecedented ninth title, is in good company in knowing the route to a maximum. There have been an eye-watering 25 already on the professional tour in 2025, obliterating the previous annual record of 14.
'Everyone on the tour now could make one'
"You can imagine Moira Stuart in 1983 coming 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 all-time list with 10 maximums. He is not wrong. Thorburn's maximum was a seminal event for 1983's armchair sports fan. It was only the second ratified 147, with Steve Davis making the first. Davis' reward? One of the sponsor's cars.
There were just 8 147s across the entire 1980s, a snooker decade full of theatrical storylines and larger-than-life personalities. For pure technical standard, few eras rival 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 did not achieve a maximum break on tour. Nor did other world champions. Yet rising star Aaron Hill made two inside four weeks. The 23-year-old cannot believe Higgins never had one.
Hill explains: "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 anticipating one in every tournament. It's everyone egging each other on."
What is the secret to a 147?
"In my opinion if there is a secret, it's recognizing the opportunity quickly," says 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 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 pressure cooker of the Shoot Out was pretty special."
Murphy reflects on the special feeling: "When you're on a maximum, everyone in the room knows it and it heightens their attention. Everyone's focus fixates on you." Are maximums losing their magic? "Not in my view."
The future frontier if the 147 code has been cracked?
- Snooker awaits its first official maximum by a woman. The Chinese player Bai Yulu compiled a 145 at a recent 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 free-ball scenario at the start) has never been achieved in competition. Footage exists of a player making one in practice.
- The 167 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 suggests the explosion of maximums is easily explained. "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 ever-higher "standard and reliability of playing conditions" is also cited as a factor. But in the end, the players are the ones potting the shots.
Hill has two maximums. O'Sullivan holds the record of 17. "Look out Ronnie, he's coming for you." It is meant lightheartedly, but Hill welcomes the challenge.
"By the conclusion of my career, I believe I'll be well up there 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.
Pot the red, add the black. Again and again.
