Snooker · Guide

The 147 maximum break

A 147 is the highest break in normal play: every red followed by the black, then all six colours. It is snooker's perfect frame.

Where 147 comes from

What makes it so hard

Pot a pink or blue instead of a black just once and the maximum is gone. The player needs position on the black after every red, which usually means cannoning into the pack to split the reds open while staying in line for the black. Then all the colours have to go, in order, without a mistake. A single loose shot anywhere in 36 pots ends it.

Can you score more than 147?

Yes, but only if the opponent fouls. If a foul happens before any red has been potted and the next player is snookered, they get a free ball. Potted as a free ball, it counts as a sixteenth red, and it can be followed by the black. That makes the maximum possible break 155.

It is extremely rare in a tournament. Jamie Burnett made a 148 this way in qualifying for the 2004 UK Championship.

Famous maximums

• The first on television: Steve Davis, Lada Classic, 1982.
• The fastest: Ronnie O'Sullivan, 1997 World Championship, in just over five minutes.

Quick answers

Why is a maximum break in snooker 147?

Fifteen reds each followed by the black is 15 × 8 = 120. Then the six colours add 27. 120 + 27 = 147.

Can you score more than 147 in snooker?

Yes, but only after a foul. If a free ball is awarded at the very start, it counts as an extra red, and a free ball plus black adds 8, making 155 the highest possible break.

Who made the first televised 147?

Steve Davis, at the Lada Classic in 1982.

What is the fastest 147?

Ronnie O'Sullivan's at the 1997 World Championship, made in just over five minutes.