What is the maximum break in snooker?
Quick answer
The maximum break in a standard game of snooker is 147. A player makes it by potting all 15 red balls, each followed by the black (15 × 8 = 120), then all six colors in order (2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 = 27), without missing. In rare cases with a “free ball,” a break of up to 155 is possible.
Snooker ball values
| Ball | Points |
|---|---|
| Red (15 balls) | 1 each |
| Yellow | 2 |
| Green | 3 |
| Brown | 4 |
| Blue | 5 |
| Pink | 6 |
| Black | 7 |
How a 147 adds up
| Step | Points |
|---|---|
| 15 reds | 15 |
| 15 blacks (one after each red) | 105 |
| Yellow to black in order | 27 |
| Total | 147 |
Famous maximums
- Joe Davis made the first officially recognized 147 in 1955.
- Steve Davis made the first televised maximum in 1982.
- Ronnie O’Sullivan made one in 5 minutes and 8 seconds at the 1997 World Championship, the fastest ever.
- O’Sullivan holds the record for the most official maximum breaks in professional competition, with more than 15.
Maximum breaks used to be rare; today, with higher standards, several are made each season.
Beyond 147: the free ball
If a player is snookered after a foul by their opponent, the referee may award a free ball: any color can be played as if it were a red. Potting it and then the black at the start of a frame can lead to a break of up to 155. Only a handful of 148+ breaks have been made in professional play.
Snooker vs pool
| Snooker | Pool | |
|---|---|---|
| Table | 12 ft × 6 ft (larger) | Usually 7–9 ft |
| Balls | 22 | 16 (in eight-ball) |
| Pockets | Smaller and rounded | Wider |
For other sports scoring terms, see what a hat-trick is. Snooker’s biggest events are often in Britain; check what time it is in London.
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