This was 1997. The £147,000 was only awarded if it was done during the World Championship. The prize money for a 147 started falling when Ronnie O'Sullivan came on the scene! By 2017 the prize had dropped to £15,000 and Ronnie made a protest by deliberately potting a pink instead of a black late in a break where a 147 seemed a certainty, so that he "only" scored a 146!
No, he potted the black for the 147. He had asked the referee what the prize money was for a 147 and when he wasn't impressed at the amount, it looked like he would deliberately not make the 147. The referee (John ????) reminded him that all his fans would want to see him making another 147 and so he potted the black for the 147.
@@wfe1947 no, there was another time when he potted the pink instead as a protest. The one you are thinking of I think is when he asked what the prize was after 2 shots, they were different games.
I think somebody else asked the same question once, and decided to put the black down for the 147 - on a double as a protest! Can't remember who it was though.
Of course it will. As long as snooker continues to exist, and no new rules are introduced to slow the game down, it's INEVITABLE that it will one day be broken. Ronnie could have played this one faster himself just by walking a bit faster after some of the potted reds. Or the ref could have re-spotted the balls a bit faster on the shots where Ronnie had to wait for him.
@@ashscott6068if anyone breaks it, it will be Ronnie. Records are made to be broken but this one won't be - not in live tournament play. Astonishing performance.
@ashscott6068 you say of course it will like players has gifted has Ronnie come around all the time.....thats so difficult to hit a 147 never mind playing at speed....that record will stand for centuries
His snooker brain is faster than any other player and he's going that fast because he can. Pure and simple. He's the most talented man to pick up a cue.
They say that Ronnie's brain is working out where his White ball will end up FIVE moves ahead! The worlds best ever snooker player, but he sometimes has issues that make him look very average at times and some lowly ranked players have beaten him comfortably. He is going through one of those periods right now but it will pass, then watch out. The World Championships are coming up and I wouldn't be surprised if he wins it for a record EIGTH time! By the way, he is nearly unbeatable even if he plays left handed, so most of the time he doesn't use the rest, he just plays left handed.
@@glennaustin37 I'm luck to make a break of three!. Although in pool, only once, i got 10 game wins in a row. A couple of years ago I was in the local working-mans-club, and another young lad was on his 9th win in a row. I played him next, and I beat him. Only just, it was close. But when I won, he just stood staring at the table, mouth agape. I bought him a pint, only seamed fair.
One of reasons he goes straight to the next shot is that he has set it up with previous shot. Positioning the next shot is the hardest part of snooker.
@@robertbarrett5699and also why it looks so easy (especially to the untrained eye as is the case here), because his positional play makes the next shot easy. But all the hard work is in the cue ball
I know the feeling: I can't even play pool to save my life, but one evening in the pub, a mate and I played a game against two girls. The embarrassment as we missed shot after shot was terrible, until finally they were down to black and we still had four balls on the table. Fortunately she missed, and by the most incredible luck ever - I cleared all four then sank the black. They thought we'd just been pretending to be no good, just so we could have a laugh at their expense, and went off in a huff. Little did they know....
Ronnie once won a game by playing a left handed shot (he is right handed). The snooker officials called him up on disciplinary proceedings for trying to make his competitor look a fool. Ronnie played a best of 5 against a former world champ on the panel but he played left handed thr entire time and won 3-0. They dropped the charge after 😂
It was more than one shot. He played the last frame left handed. Got fined for unsportsmanlike conduct as his French opponent was left handed. Ronnie played better and the French bloke got salty. He later entered a tournament left handed as is then coach Ray reardon suggested it would prove how good he really was
A frame of snooker can take about an hour depending on how tactical it gets so just over 5 minutes to get the highest score possible is incredible. And a record that will probably never be beaten.
In this competition there was another set up next door, this was such a magnificent run that those players halted their game to watch him make this record breaking frame
There's something about snooker that just grabs certain people in a way I've never quite been able to explain. It's not for everyone, but if you like it you'll generally end up becoming fascinated by it.
My friends can't understand how I can watch snooker day after day, 7 - 10 hours per day, for 6-7 days until the winners trophy is presented. Back in the day when Steve Davis was tops he was playing the World Championship final against Dennis Taylor and it was watched by 18 million people and only finished after 1.00 a.m.
Happy you finally watched this! What an epic historical sporting moment.147s in 1997 were indeed very rare - as the commentators said, there'd only been 3 at the Crucible at that point, the theatre in Sheffield where the World Championship has been held since 1977 (so 20 years!) However, nowadays the 147 is much less rare, as the overall standard of play has increased massively. Nowadays you seem to get a 147 most years at the Crucible, (in 2023 there were two!). So they don't get the £147,000 prize any more, the prize is much smaller now. But yes usually they are going to take their time over it a lot more - the care-free manner in which Ronnie took this break is the really remarkable thing, that means it is a record that will likely never be broken.
,Ronnie O'Sullivan gained the nickname "The Rocket" after winning a best-of-nine frame match in a record 43 minutes during his debut season as a professional.
I dont think I am exaggerating when I say snooker is 3 times more difficult to play than pool. The balls are bigger the pockets are smaller ( even smaller again on a championship table like this one . The table is huge. The skill level is off the charts . A 147 is probably the equivalent of getting 3 x 300 games of ten pin bowling back to back, or maybe shooting a 59 at golf. To do it in this time as well is utterly nuts.
@@scoobsean Yeah, you are right. Snooker balls are smaller. But snooker pockets are smaller. I don't think anyone who likes snooker and pool should be trying to determine which is "more difficult". Although, snooker players do like to test the theory by playing professional pool. Whereas pool players rarely compete in games of snooker with professional snooker players. .
To get an idea of just how much skill is involved, watch the cue ball (white) after it has hit the object ball. It may roll on, stop dead, spin back, or any number of variations. But it's different every time, and is always to position the cue ball for the next shot--and at Ronnie's level, he planning several shots ahead, such as planning when he is going to break up that little cluster of reds.
A very difficult game to get even slightly good at, with zero room for error as the pockets are really small compared to ball size . O'Sullivan is a machine and this was a legendary performance
Tyler, I played snooker most of my adult life. My highest break ever was 49 points & that was in my good days. For two poor players a frame of snooker can take 40 to 50 mins. For two fairly decent players, as I was 15 to 25 mins. Professionals, can range immensely, but usually around 10 to 20 mins. 147's are rare & particularly in competitions. The only thing I can compare it too, is like a Soccer Star getting a Hatrick in a World class Final. Although, I'm sure Professional do it regularly in the practice room, no pressure! The thing is with snooker, it teaches you concentration & patience. Any one starting out, who is not prepared to concentrate & wait for when the time is right. It's not the game for you!The tactics are incredible, but if you the only player potting with you first visit to the table it can be done quiet quickly, but never this fast. Has to be a World Record, that will stand for many decades to come!
There have been 206 tournament 147 maximums since 1982 (42 years), that's less than 5 per year average. Ronnie has 15. They no longer offer a "special" prize for a maximum, just a single prize for the highest break of the tournament.. In 1997 this was only the 20th. This year 2024 there have been 12 so far!
A 147 is very rare. The first wasn't recorded until 1982. It's now more common due to higher standards and more tournaments. In terms of officially recorded maximums: 1980's: 8 times 1990's: 26 times 2000's: 35 times 2010's: 86 times 2020's: 51 times (so far)
This achievement is without equal in any other sport at any other time within sporting history. Records will always be beaten in sport, however this is one record that could stand forever. Fans of snooker could be talking about this for as long as snooker is played, it really is that remarkable.
See if you can find Alex Higgins, a somewhat damaged man who made snooker popular. Snooker came to TV when BBC2 started colour broadcasts in I think around 1969, I'm not going to look it up, what better demonstration of colour TV than a sport whose basis s different coloured balls. Not sure they showed competition snooker originally, there was a show called Pot Black, which was one match, around 25 minutes. There were some iconic players but Alex "Hurricane" Higgins made it "sexy". A Northern Irishman who had some of the issues associated with men from my home, but boy did he electrify the sport
8 Ball pool table is 6' by 3' 9 ball pool table is 8' by 4' Snooker table is 12' by 6' But what makes Snooker hard isn't the size of the table, although it does contribute. It is the smallness of the pockets, they are much smaller than 9 ball pockets, about half the size. The balls are smaller too. In Snooker the aim is to alternate between potting red and the other coloured balls. A 147 occurs when a black ball is potted after each red, and then the rest of the balls are cleared in order. The luck the commentators were talking about is whenever a player splits the pack of reds, they never quite know how it will break up. In this case the pack split nicely and left him on.
And the word snooker itself is when you've left a player without any option but to hit the wrong colour ball .. hence the snooker ... Say you've got to hit the last red but the black is in the way, intentionally from the previous player forcing a foul and (4 points to the opposite player) which could win you the match ... When you've snookered a player it's a very skillfull shot
The gesture you asked about was that he threw his chalk to the audience, so he needed a new one. Later he gestures that he will sign the chalk for the one who catched it.
I thought that he actually dropped his chalk under the table during the break and kept going so he didn't interrupt his flow - so he didn't chalk his cue for a lot of the break. The chalk that he threw into the crowd was the one he dropped under the table
The 147k was paid by the sponsor, Embassy cigarettes. Since there was no tobacco sponsorship allowed the amounts in the game dropped rapidly. Also when this was on, cable or satellite tv was quite rare, and no tv via Internet, so these programmes would be watched by millions. Snooker was often practiced daily by these players, and they practise getting high breaks like this.
Ronnie "The Rocket" has made 15 Maximum Breaks, the most ever in the history of Snooker "Officially Recognized" and that being ONLY in regulation international play and does not include Maximum Breaks made in exhibition matches and non-sanctioned events. There can be arguments made that even Michael Jordan isn't the GOAT, nor even Tom Brady also not being the GOAT, but there IS NO QUESTION that Ronnie O'Sullivan is not the undisputed GOAT of "Stick and Ball Sports"! PERIOD and MIC DROP!
Ronnie 'The Rocket' O'Sullivan in fine form there. That's his rhythm, that's the pace he plays the game. The most naturally gifted player to ever pick up a snooker cue. You have to understand the cue ball control, it's not just making the pot, it's where the cue ball ends up and he knows precisely where that will be; he is also thinking several or more pots in advance. A note to Americans: not only is the table about four times the size of a pool table the pockets are much smaller and set deeper.
Ronnie gets into a rhythm where he just keeps going at his preferred pace. He's been known to complain when umpires take too long to replace color balls as it can break the 'tempo" as you call it. Like many pros, he has an incredible ability to map out a break several shots in advance, meaning no time is wasted between shots, especially when everything keeps going to plan. Potting the balls is one thing, placing the cue ball "on a dime" to simplify next shot is his greatest strength. I think the 147 pound was specific for the event - world championship level. It was quite rare at the time. The standard since then has risen to point where several are made each year, so prize money is generally orders of magnitude less. Ronnie has been in a permanent state of protest against organizers lowering prize money for this achievement. Ironically, it may largely been his own doing. He subsequently completed another 12+ and just continued raising the bar to push other players to similar heights. This was possibly the most perfect 147 you could ever see. i.e. every single positional shot was perfect, which just makes it all look like a walk in the park. I've seen many, where a less than perfect positional shot has required some near miraculous shot to regain position on next red or black. These are amazing in their own right, but this one is just absolutely flawless. Existing on eastern side of Atlantic, I am not familiar with perfect baseball plays, but 147s have often been compared by many with a 9-dart finish in a 501 darts leg. (Through 3 consecutive visits, the player hits predetermined high trebles, usually 17-20 with each of 8 darts, and finishes with required double)
That is Ronnie's usual pace. His nickname is The Rocket. Another important facet of the game is to 'snooker' your opponent, if you are unable to pot a ball with your next shot. This is the skill to 'hide' the white ball behind one or more colours to try to prevent your opponent from scoring and possibly causing them to make a foul shot which costs them a points deduction. This is called tactical safety play and Ronnie is a master at it. A frame (game) can easily last an hour or more.
He certainly still can be that good, but only when he wants to be. The thing with Ronnie is he's effectively two different players; one who will absolutely dominate his opponents, and one who will struggle to find his way past a middle of the road opponent, and there's no telling which of those Ronnies will turn up to a match. That being said, when he is at his best, he's pretty much unstoppable
@@richardhodgson6711 Using your logic there he is effectively 4 different players....because he is exactly what you said but he can also do those left-handed!! 😆
Snooker tables are 6ft x 12ft and the pocket "jaws" are a lot tigher than an american pool table. That being said, props to those at the top of their pool game :) 15 reds + 15 blacks + 6 colours = 36 balls to pot So potting a ball in under 9 seconds per ball :O
I have seen this game like a hundred times. Ronnie is an unbelievable snooker star. I love to watch snooker in total silence, not disturbed by anything or anyone, so this time the commenting made me feel really unconfortable. But my reaction just proved how much I love snooker❤ Thank you for showing the game;) Best regards from Finland
After potting a red you must play for a colour (non red), different colours have different points if potted - yellow at just 2, black has the most of all colours with 7. Pot a colour and you get to play for a red ball again. After all the reds are cleared, you play the colours in ascending order of points value
it took 20 years to make the first 147 on TV .. or so... than the flood began.. but it was still rare.. usually it takes like 20 minutes to make 147.. and most snooker players cant make 147 unless they are top pro... I think im gonna do a snooker best games page on my website.. because snooker can be boring and snooker can be amazing.. it depends
He dominates his sport in a way comparable only to others who answer to such names as Gretzky, Cazaly, Tendulkar, Bradman, Ruth, Jordan, Pele, and Shumacher.
Saying Bradman is a good comparison, his batting average (99) was so good no-one since has got anywhere near him. Ronnie in snooker is the same greatness, and will be forever remembered in the same way Bradman is. 18:29
The snooker programme Pot Black was first broadcast on BBC2 in July 1969. My Dad loved it so we all watched it. My Dad was a billiards player so he appreciated the skill. Unfortunately we had a black and white tv not a colour one but you soon got used to the different shades you could pick out in black and white. I think the tv coverage made sn-OO-ker enormously popular and it remains so today. There are players from all over the world. A UA-cam of trick shots would probably interest you - get searching!
For most players even at a pro level maximum breaks are maybe a once in a career thing. To do it as quickly and nonchalantly as Ronnie does here is really very special. He's the GOAT.
There used to be some real entertainment watching the snooker back in the day, “cocaine” Kirk Stevens didn’t used to hang around either, then old Bill Werberniek guzzling about 15 pints of lager and smoking about 40 fags a match, Cliff “The Grinder” Thorburn take about 3 hours a frame……used to love it back then.
Strictly speaking, you have to sink a red (1 point) then go for any other colour (yes colour, we're British). Yellow=2, Green=3, Brown=4, Blue=5, Pink=6 and Black=7. As long as you can keep 'potting' a red then a colour, you stay on the table, racking up your score. Miss a shot or play a foul shot (by missing your intended pot, missing the ball completely or hitting/potting a wrong ball accidentally) and your opponent steps up. As you said, 147 is the maximum, made up of all the reds plus a black each time. If you can't make a shot, the plan is to play a safety shot, putting the white in an impossible position for your opponent (usually up the other end of the table) or obscuring a valid shot by putting it behind another ball, which is called a 'snooker'. Hence the old term 'being snookered' when being blocked in your planned action.
I grew up with a snooker table in our dining room, it was 6ft, akin to a pool table. It's a beautiful sport. Relaxing to watch, and when someone perfectly clears the table..❤
All the pots were standard for a player like him, it was the pace and pin point positioning that made it special. He was never out of position. that's the rarest thing to see in a 147.
There’s a video on UA-cam where all the balls are set up for a 147. Halfway through the break he asks the ref what the prize is for a maxi… the ref didn’t know so he had to check. Ronnie wasn’t happy with that prize so on the last red, he pots the pink and clears up… Legend
@@CMc-v7z yeah that was with Jan the ref and even Jan was shocked he was being asked. And it delaid that match for a good 5 10 mins b4 I tell Ronnie it was a shit prize of 5k. But he still did the 147 for the fans and Jan
Growing up watching Ronnie play was what got me into watching snooker. Incredible. I think I read/ heard somewhere that he spoke to the ref before hand saying he wanted to do this so wanted them to place the black in a speedy manner as they usually take a bit longer to do it.
Some small facts: The first part of the game alternates the red balls and the other balls. Once all red are pocketed, there is a strict order in which to pocket the remaining balls. The other balls give different amount of points of two to seven in the order of yellow (2), green, brown, blue, pink and black(7) A 'snooker' is when you place the cue ball in such a position where the opposing player cannot directly hit their target ball (hitting a non target ball is a penalty) One foot must always be touching the floor unlike pool whe you can lie on the table. There is an extra long cue for really long shots and a cross cue to use as support.
Back in the day when there were only 4 channels of TV in the UK, the Snooker World Championship Final was watched live by 18 million people. That's nearly half the adult population of the UK at the time (1980s). It is completely addictive and so pleasing to watch. Extremely popular in CHINA incidentally.
Red x 15 = 1 point each Yellow = 2 points Green = 3 points Brown = 4 points Blue = 5 points Pink = 6 points Black = 7 points Pot all the reds. After each red you can pot a colour to the value of that ball - obviously black has the highest value so ideally you want black each time if possible You keep playing until you miss, then your opponent comes to the table Once all the reds have been dispatched, you have to pot the colours IN ASCENDING order of value. Ie. Yellow, green, brown, blue, pink & black LAST ! Obviously the highest break possible is to pot every red with the black ie 1 + 7 repeat 14 times, then the coloured balls IN ORDER That is a 147 break 👍
There is another break that is possible in snooker of 155 which has never been telivised but if an opponent fouls when no reds are potted and leaves all reds covered so both sides of a single red can not be stuck a free ball could be taken potting this would count as a red and then black followed by a normal 147 would score 155.
No it's not, that's a term Americans use in pool. In snooker it's called putting 'side' on the ball or spin. They'll play a shot with top spin, or left hand side etc etc.. As snooker came from England, they're hardly going to say putting 'English' on a ball, when they're English themselves . The term originated from an English salesman who travelled the States selling billiards table and equipment, so as he demonstrated various shouts putting spin on the ball, the spin got known as English as it was this English man showed the all the shots
Many do not understand just how big a snooker table is especially in comparison to a pool table. The size difference is astronomical. The spacial awareness needed. Understanding of the power needed the amount of spin on a ball. The speed of a ball lost when bouncing off the cushion. Just to hit a ball in a straight line is exceedingly more difficult. Pool is such a walk on the park compared to snooker.
If a pool player hits the numbered ball with the white ball and his aim is off by2 or 3 degrees it won't make much difference and will still go into the pocket, but if on the much larger snooker table, the player's aim is off by 2 or 3 degrees it will never go into the pocket.
Happy to see you enjoying Snooker. My Particular favourite 147 was also by Ronnie, in the 2008 World Championship. Not nearly as fast as this one (which is widely regarded as among the safest records in all sport). However, the problem solving, cue power, potting, positional play . . . It is off the scale. The Shot from black to "cannon" the red and pink (with barely any angle, and at pace) freeing them both up and landing on the other . . . Probably the best shot I've ever seen. And I've seen a lot. I recommend you cover it 🙂
Steve Davis was the first person to hit a perfect 147 on televised snooker back in 1982 and was well known for achieving this great feat in snooker 🎱. 🎉😊❤
Ronnie has 15 147s on live TV. Ronnie is a legend in the UK. I was 17 when he made this everybody in school was talking about it , it's a popular sport in Ireland where I live .
Rules are to pott a red ball (worth 1 point each), then another colour (worth 2-8 points in order yellow, green, brown, blue, pink, black- I think) then back to another red and another colour etc until all reds sunk, finally all remaining colours in order, so maximum score is black after each red, then remaining colours finishing again with black. Miss a pot, turn passes to your opponent, max score when all balls potted wins. Wikipedia compares the rarity of a Maximum break to a perfect strike run of 300 points in 10 pin bowling- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximum_break
In snooker the points per colour is Red-1 yellow-2 green-3 brown-4 blue-5 pink-6 black-7 For a 147 you do red, black in that order till reds are gone then after the last black, you go yellow, green, brown, blue, pink, black, hope that helps
Ronnie was ' in the zone'. it's a wonderful feeling in sport when you have that touch, feel and play execution going perfectly. You can almost switch off and go on auto pilot, relying on your practice and experience. Additionally, the tactical aspect of the sport is mind-boggling.
I never tire of watching this frame. It still gives me goosebumps every time I watch it. Watch it again. Look out for odd bounces that seem to break the laws of physics - that's spin. That's Ronnie ("The Rocket") setting up the next shot. When he walked around the table, he was looking 3 or 4 shots ahead, wondering how he was going to break up the pack. And the endgame, when all the colours are on their spots, don't worry, professionals practice that time and time again, so he was on familiar territory. One other thing: when setting up their next shop, professionals think in terms of the area they want the cue ball to end up: which side of the target ball they want to be,and judge the weight and the spin from that. And Ronnie is a pure genius at that.
He said in an interview much later, he was so nervous, just for the match, he was playing in fear! and that is what he produced! he has had quite a turbulent life, but he is literally the greatest player to ever pick a cue up, and still is, and if you know your snooker history there have been some amazing players, but he eclipses all of them, by quite a lot! an absolute legend of the sport. and a top bloke on top of that too! I doubt this will ever be beaten, not in a professional tournament, no way! the skill level is off the charts!
Huge table, tiny pockets, and small balls are just a part of the difficulty of this game, it is all about que-ball control and positioning, and Ronnie is one of the best at that, you will ever see. I saw this 147 live on tv at the time, but this was not my favorite match by Ronnie, the one that sticks to my mind the most is a match he actually lost. He played against a legend of snooker, Steve Davis, and he was owning Steve hard and was ahead like 17 to 11 or so in a best of 35 frame match, he only needed one more frame to beat Steve (it was either semi finals, or the finals, not sure on that), and this is when the legend showed Ronnie how to play safety shots to win the fight. Steve, who was on the attack to catch up up till that moment, decided to change his tactics and started to play more conservatively and when the occasion called for it, he'd execute perfect safety shots, forcing Ronnie to play exceedingly more difficult shots and forcing him into making mistakes. He kept to this strategy and ground down Ronnie's lead frame by frame, till he reached 17-17 and needed 1 more frame to beat Ronnie and take home the win. By this time he had gotten inside Ronnie's head and needless to say, he had broken him and Steve won the final frame and the match. The reason i find that to be one of the greatest games is not only because Steve Davis showed he still had that masterclass in him, but more so because this match was the key teaching moment for Ronnie, making him go from a great player (which he already was) to an amazing player destined to become a snooker legend (he is). After that match you saw Ronnie grow in his safety play, he actually started to "practice" it in matches as well, he most definitely had took the lesson from the old fox and made it his own. If Ronnie is switched on during a match.. there is nobody who can beat him, other than he himself.
after each red you can pot any colour (for a 147 max you need to pot the black ball after every red for maximum points) when all the reds are down the colours must be potted in sequence (yellow, green, brown, blue, pink & black)
Professionals know how to put back spin and 'side' on the white ball, to put it in a position for the next shot - looking three and four shots ahead. These guys practice every day.
In snooker, in effect you have to go red-colour-red-colur-red-etc. Potting a red ball is worth 1 point. A colour is one of the six balls (yellow -2 points, green-3, brown-4, blue-5, pink-6, black-7. If you pot a red ball it stays in the pocket. If you pot a colour it returns to the table. Once you've potted the last red, you may pot a colour and it returns to the table. But after that, if you pot a colour it stays potted, and the colours must be potted in order. The point is not, as with pool, to pot any 8-ball, but to score enough points to pull ahead of your opponent. There's more to it than that; unless you watch a full match of say best of 35 frames, you won't understand it.
His white ball control is what makes this fast. He makes the pots easy, and gives natural paths for the white to make the next pot easy (or as easy as possible...its very hard. Similar to golf in a way)
It looks easy because his positional play is so good. He sets up relatively easy shots time after time, by appearing to have the white ball on a string. I was 8 when this happened and at 35 I'm still watching him.
Loved Ronnie since he came onto the scene. And he has come close to his fastest 147 loads of times. Ronnie is the best when you consider he is suffering through depression and has not enjoyed most of his games because of it not resulting in bad scores. His ability had shown throughout his carees
Thing to remember about snooker that's easy to overlook in this video with just one player doing all the action, is that it's a competitive game, played in a "best of X frames" format. He's not just playing to win the current frame, he's playing fast like this to try to utterly crush his opponent's confidence of winning any of the next frames either. Also where he speeds up at the end and you say the shots are harder... slightly the reverse is true. The sequence of coloured balls after the final red is potted is fixed, and the most static and practiced parts of the frame for any player. Where at the start each shot was unique and new, once he'd got the white up to the top end of the table mostly where he wanted it, it was all mostly shots he'd done tens of thousands of times before and he could rely more on muscle memory.
Watched this match live at my grandma's house when I was 12 years old on an old tv with an aerial made out of a makeshift coat hanger and wire, i am now 40 in 3 days and it is still a record time for a 147 break 27 years later. It is still amazing to watch now and i have lost count of how many times I have seen it 😂😮
The 147 prize is varies per tournament. The first televised 147 was cliff thorburn. A Canadian. Last 20 years it happens more often but a snooker table is big and pockets are smaller than pool.
147s are still fairly rare and always as exciting but with improved play, tables and contidions they are much more common. When this happened it was still really rare, but O'Sullivan and his peers really made it a much more common thing (thinking Higgins & Hendry in particular)
A simple reason ronnie is so quick is because he knows exactly where he wants the white ball to end up and has the ability to put it there ready for his next shot, most snooker players in general play 2 or 3 shots ahead in there mind
Instructions for Americans
First say : Snoopy
Now say : Snooker
You mean 'Snupy'?
Snup Doggy Dog
In fairness, most other words spelled ‘ook’ are pronounced ‘uhk’.
Took
Booker
Cooker
Hooker
Looker
@@KevinStansfield
Joking yes...hopefully 👍🤔🤭🖖
He can't say houses ever 😂😂😂
This was 1997. The £147,000 was only awarded if it was done during the World Championship. The prize money for a 147 started falling when Ronnie O'Sullivan came on the scene! By 2017 the prize had dropped to £15,000 and Ronnie made a protest by deliberately potting a pink instead of a black late in a break where a 147 seemed a certainty, so that he "only" scored a 146!
No, he potted the black for the 147. He had asked the referee what the prize money was for a 147 and when he wasn't impressed at the amount, it looked like he would deliberately not make the 147. The referee (John ????) reminded him that all his fans would want to see him making another 147 and so he potted the black for the 147.
@@wfe1947 no, there was another time when he potted the pink instead as a protest. The one you are thinking of I think is when he asked what the prize was after 2 shots, they were different games.
I think somebody else asked the same question once, and decided to put the black down for the 147 - on a double as a protest! Can't remember who it was though.
@@robertwilloughby8050 ,Me neither
If you really want to make a protest you should deliberately pot the cue ball!
5 minutes is not just fast but absurdly ridiculously fast, that record will never be broken again ever
Nobody cares it's shit😂
Of course it will. As long as snooker continues to exist, and no new rules are introduced to slow the game down, it's INEVITABLE that it will one day be broken. Ronnie could have played this one faster himself just by walking a bit faster after some of the potted reds. Or the ref could have re-spotted the balls a bit faster on the shots where Ronnie had to wait for him.
Never say never, but it is a tall order...
@@ashscott6068if anyone breaks it, it will be Ronnie. Records are made to be broken but this one won't be - not in live tournament play.
Astonishing performance.
@ashscott6068 you say of course it will like players has gifted has Ronnie come around all the time.....thats so difficult to hit a 147 never mind playing at speed....that record will stand for centuries
His snooker brain is faster than any other player and he's going that fast because he can. Pure and simple. He's the most talented man to pick up a cue.
And to be able to do it with either hand!!!! He’s on a different level to most people.
@@jaredgriffiths1361 It's mad i didn't even mention that. 😊
That is why his nickname is Rocket Ronnie🎉🎉🎉🎉
They say that Ronnie's brain is working out where his White ball will end up FIVE moves ahead! The worlds best ever snooker player, but he sometimes has issues that make him look very average at times and some lowly ranked players have beaten him comfortably. He is going through one of those periods right now but it will pass, then watch out. The World Championships are coming up and I wouldn't be surprised if he wins it for a record EIGTH time! By the way, he is nearly unbeatable even if he plays left handed, so most of the time he doesn't use the rest, he just plays left handed.
hes certainly faster than this norbert on the pause button
As an amateur player, if you make a break of 24 you've done really well.
24? I dream of making 24!
My highest break is around 58. That was a day when it all went well until a kick. After that my concentration went.
@@glennaustin37 I'm luck to make a break of three!.
Although in pool, only once, i got 10 game wins in a row.
A couple of years ago I was in the local working-mans-club, and another young lad was on his 9th win in a row. I played him next, and I beat him. Only just, it was close. But when I won, he just stood staring at the table, mouth agape. I bought him a pint, only seamed fair.
@@jasonyoung7705 nice one!
If I hit the reds when I break I think I'm Steve Davis..
Ronnie is just magical, his cue ball positioning is nuts. He can also play with both hands
One of reasons he goes straight to the next shot is that he has set it up with previous shot. Positioning the next shot is the hardest part of snooker.
It's his white ball positioning is why he is the genius he is.❤
In Ronnie's case his brain is working FIVE shots ahead.
@@robertbarrett5699and also why it looks so easy (especially to the untrained eye as is the case here), because his positional play makes the next shot easy. But all the hard work is in the cue ball
Id say the pausing for dickhead comments & "Reaction " is the hard part - 18 min for a 5 min video !?
When I was at university, we had a snooker room with three full sized tables. I was happy if I could pot a ball. Just one.
Yes, same, I spent 3 years at university trying to make a break of more than 10!
I know the feeling: I can't even play pool to save my life, but one evening in the pub, a mate and I played a game against two girls. The embarrassment as we missed shot after shot was terrible, until finally they were down to black and we still had four balls on the table. Fortunately she missed, and by the most incredible luck ever - I cleared all four then sank the black. They thought we'd just been pretending to be no good, just so we could have a laugh at their expense, and went off in a huff. Little did they know....
@@JohnVDenleyI could have been king there with my magnificent 17
I have yet to learn about this game called 'snucker'
its similar to the game called 'Pul'.
Me too, considering he said snooker in the video.
@@seryph3140 He keeps saying snucker not snoooooooker
Its a cue not stick
Over the years our language has been destroyed by Americanisms.
Ronnie once won a game by playing a left handed shot (he is right handed). The snooker officials called him up on disciplinary proceedings for trying to make his competitor look a fool. Ronnie played a best of 5 against a former world champ on the panel but he played left handed thr entire time and won 3-0. They dropped the charge after 😂
I remember that😂
It was more than one shot. He played the last frame left handed. Got fined for unsportsmanlike conduct as his French opponent was left handed. Ronnie played better and the French bloke got salty. He later entered a tournament left handed as is then coach Ray reardon suggested it would prove how good he really was
He's probably the most talented man to pick up a cue. And then he built on that talent with hard work. There is nobody better in the sport.
His left handed arc was the best time ever - it was just rubbing salt into everyone's wounds
legend has it this yank watched a video once without pausing 46 times & talking utter nonsense all te way through
like a poundshop Rob Lowe
A frame of snooker can take about an hour depending on how tactical it gets so just over 5 minutes to get the highest score possible is incredible. And a record that will probably never be beaten.
Mark Selby deliberated over ONE shot in the time it took Ronnie to clear the table
ua-cam.com/video/v2EiVbvdwuo/v-deo.htmlsi=-DPpwGkNLU6DTKVg 😅
@@ShinobeNinjaMonk Ronnies' nick name is "Rocket:
You're thinking of Jimmy "The Whirlwind" White.
Nobody is better than Hurricane Higgins
Or Cliff the cyclone Thorburn 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Pot the red and screw back , for the yellow green brown blue pink and black
In this competition there was another set up next door, this was such a magnificent run that those players halted their game to watch him make this record breaking frame
His speed is why he's called the Rocket
Ronnie O'Sullivan holds the record for the most 147 breaks in professional snooker history with 15 in 32 years thats how rare it is
The first official 147 was Steve Davis in 1982.
As of 2024 there's been just over 200 147 completed in tournaments.
The pockets are only 2/3 size of Pool tables and trust me, when you go to take a long shot, that pocket looks about 75 yards away.
@@daveofyorkshire301 Definitely the first televised one, the first official 147 was made by Joe Davis, in the 1950s.
He's probably made 16 if you count the one time he potted a pink in protest to them reducing the prize money for a 147. That gave him a 146.
@@daveofyorkshire301
Sorry, it was 'The Grinder's from Canada.
Cliff Thorburn.
There's something about snooker that just grabs certain people in a way I've never quite been able to explain. It's not for everyone, but if you like it you'll generally end up becoming fascinated by it.
My friends can't understand how I can watch snooker day after day, 7 - 10 hours per day, for 6-7 days until the winners trophy is presented. Back in the day when Steve Davis was tops he was playing the World Championship final against Dennis Taylor and it was watched by 18 million people and only finished after 1.00 a.m.
Happy you finally watched this! What an epic historical sporting moment.147s in 1997 were indeed very rare - as the commentators said, there'd only been 3 at the Crucible at that point, the theatre in Sheffield where the World Championship has been held since 1977 (so 20 years!)
However, nowadays the 147 is much less rare, as the overall standard of play has increased massively. Nowadays you seem to get a 147 most years at the Crucible, (in 2023 there were two!). So they don't get the £147,000 prize any more, the prize is much smaller now. But yes usually they are going to take their time over it a lot more - the care-free manner in which Ronnie took this break is the really remarkable thing, that means it is a record that will likely never be broken.
Just had a shiver down my back... and I've watched this 147 so many times. Incredible
,Ronnie O'Sullivan gained the nickname "The Rocket" after winning a best-of-nine frame match in a record 43 minutes during his debut season as a professional.
I dont think I am exaggerating when I say snooker is 3 times more difficult to play than pool. The balls are bigger the pockets are smaller ( even smaller again on a championship table like this one . The table is huge. The skill level is off the charts . A 147 is probably the equivalent of getting 3 x 300 games of ten pin bowling back to back, or maybe shooting a 59 at golf. To do it in this time as well is utterly nuts.
Snooker balls are 2 1/16 inches and American Pool balls are 2 1/4 inches. English Pool balls are 2 inches (cue ball 1 7/8 inches)
@@scoobsean Yeah, you are right. Snooker balls are smaller. But snooker pockets are smaller. I don't think anyone who likes snooker and pool should be trying to determine which is "more difficult". Although, snooker players do like to test the theory by playing professional pool. Whereas pool players rarely compete in games of snooker with professional snooker players. .
The real skill in Snooker (pronounced : Snoooo-kah) is not only potting balls but positioning the white cue ball ready for the next shot……..😁
When you watch that break, he's actually lined up for the next short & waiting for cue ball to stop most of the time.
The real skill for Americans is pronouncing ‘snooker’ correctly.
And it's a cue ball, not a que ball
In North America (depending where you're from) it's pronounced snooker, with the r. It's like you're complaining how we pronounce water, not watah.
He enjoying a packet or 2 anyone who knows knows
To get an idea of just how much skill is involved, watch the cue ball (white) after it has hit the object ball. It may roll on, stop dead, spin back, or any number of variations. But it's different every time, and is always to position the cue ball for the next shot--and at Ronnie's level, he planning several shots ahead, such as planning when he is going to break up that little cluster of reds.
A very difficult game to get even slightly good at, with zero room for error as the pockets are really small compared to ball size . O'Sullivan is a machine and this was a legendary performance
Tyler, I played snooker most of my adult life. My highest break ever was 49 points & that was in my good days. For two poor players a frame of snooker can take 40 to 50 mins. For two fairly decent players, as I was 15 to 25 mins. Professionals, can range immensely, but usually around 10 to 20 mins. 147's are rare & particularly in competitions. The only thing I can compare it too, is like a Soccer Star getting a Hatrick in a World class Final. Although, I'm sure Professional do it regularly in the practice room, no pressure! The thing is with snooker, it teaches you concentration & patience. Any one starting out, who is not prepared to concentrate & wait for when the time is right. It's not the game for you!The tactics are incredible, but if you the only player potting with you first visit to the table it can be done quiet quickly, but never this fast. Has to be a World Record, that will stand for many decades to come!
Same, haha, HERE... best score, (REMEMBER, I used to play, for years', every Friday night), 28!
There have been 206 tournament 147 maximums since 1982 (42 years), that's less than 5 per year average. Ronnie has 15. They no longer offer a "special" prize for a maximum, just a single prize for the highest break of the tournament.. In 1997 this was only the 20th. This year 2024 there have been 12 so far!
The GOAT.
46 years at the Crucible, there have only been 14 maximum breaks.
AND HE PLAYES LEFT AND RIGHT HANDED....!!!!!!!!!
Yeah, loved it when he did that, as opponents could never make a shot awkward enough he couldn't play it..
He can also play with one arm tied behind his back as well.
Ambidextrous is the term
You can tie both of his arms behind his back and he goes all Christy brown on you and plays with his feet.
@@cornishbluebird Alain Robidoux hated it 😅
A 147 is very rare. The first wasn't recorded until 1982. It's now more common due to higher standards and more tournaments. In terms of officially recorded maximums:
1980's: 8 times
1990's: 26 times
2000's: 35 times
2010's: 86 times
2020's: 51 times (so far)
Over tens of thousands of frames played. It's truly rare.
This achievement is without equal in any other sport at any other time within sporting history. Records will always be beaten in sport, however this is one record that could stand forever. Fans of snooker could be talking about this for as long as snooker is played, it really is that remarkable.
Well you're right because the refs are slow now, this ref helped massively with this achievement.
@@frankfrank6631 And he could have been considerably faster!
See if you can find Alex Higgins, a somewhat damaged man who made snooker popular. Snooker came to TV when BBC2 started colour broadcasts in I think around 1969, I'm not going to look it up, what better demonstration of colour TV than a sport whose basis s different coloured balls. Not sure they showed competition snooker originally, there was a show called Pot Black, which was one match, around 25 minutes. There were some iconic players but Alex "Hurricane" Higgins made it "sexy". A Northern Irishman who had some of the issues associated with men from my home, but boy did he electrify the sport
GOAT. No one will ever be better.! Look at his top 50 shots.
8 Ball pool table is 6' by 3'
9 ball pool table is 8' by 4'
Snooker table is 12' by 6'
But what makes Snooker hard isn't the size of the table, although it does contribute. It is the smallness of the pockets, they are much smaller than 9 ball pockets, about half the size. The balls are smaller too.
In Snooker the aim is to alternate between potting red and the other coloured balls. A 147 occurs when a black ball is potted after each red, and then the rest of the balls are cleared in order.
The luck the commentators were talking about is whenever a player splits the pack of reds, they never quite know how it will break up. In this case the pack split nicely and left him on.
And on top of this excellent description, the entry of pockets are curved
Yep a snooker table is far bigger than any pool table.
And the word snooker itself is when you've left a player without any option but to hit the wrong colour ball .. hence the snooker ... Say you've got to hit the last red but the black is in the way, intentionally from the previous player forcing a foul and (4 points to the opposite player) which could win you the match ... When you've snookered a player it's a very skillfull shot
In the UK snooker is played on a billiards table. 🙂
@@johnwarr7552 we have Billiards as well ... Pretty sure we invented it ...(Not much British haven't invented especially sports)
The gesture you asked about was that he threw his chalk to the audience, so he needed a new one. Later he gestures that he will sign the chalk for the one who catched it.
I thought that he actually dropped his chalk under the table during the break and kept going so he didn't interrupt his flow - so he didn't chalk his cue for a lot of the break. The chalk that he threw into the crowd was the one he dropped under the table
Catched it??
@@dethtuimerika Caught it. :)
The 147k was paid by the sponsor, Embassy cigarettes. Since there was no tobacco sponsorship allowed the amounts in the game dropped rapidly. Also when this was on, cable or satellite tv was quite rare, and no tv via Internet, so these programmes would be watched by millions. Snooker was often practiced daily by these players, and they practise getting high breaks like this.
Ronnie "The Rocket" has made 15 Maximum Breaks, the most ever in the history of Snooker "Officially Recognized" and that being ONLY in regulation international play and does not include Maximum Breaks made in exhibition matches and non-sanctioned events. There can be arguments made that even Michael Jordan isn't the GOAT, nor even Tom Brady also not being the GOAT, but there IS NO QUESTION that Ronnie O'Sullivan is not the undisputed GOAT of "Stick and Ball Sports"! PERIOD and MIC DROP!
Ronnie 'The Rocket' O'Sullivan in fine form there. That's his rhythm, that's the pace he plays the game. The most naturally gifted player to ever pick up a snooker cue. You have to understand the cue ball control, it's not just making the pot, it's where the cue ball ends up and he knows precisely where that will be; he is also thinking several or more pots in advance. A note to Americans: not only is the table about four times the size of a pool table the pockets are much smaller and set deeper.
I watched this live on TV back in the day, it was as outrageous then as it is today!
I bet though that you were not using expressions like "back in the day" back then.
Ronnie gets into a rhythm where he just keeps going at his preferred pace. He's been known to complain when umpires take too long to replace color balls as it can break the 'tempo" as you call it. Like many pros, he has an incredible ability to map out a break several shots in advance, meaning no time is wasted between shots, especially when everything keeps going to plan. Potting the balls is one thing, placing the cue ball "on a dime" to simplify next shot is his greatest strength. I think the 147 pound was specific for the event - world championship level. It was quite rare at the time. The standard since then has risen to point where several are made each year, so prize money is generally orders of magnitude less. Ronnie has been in a permanent state of protest against organizers lowering prize money for this achievement. Ironically, it may largely been his own doing. He subsequently completed another 12+ and just continued raising the bar to push other players to similar heights. This was possibly the most perfect 147 you could ever see. i.e. every single positional shot was perfect, which just makes it all look like a walk in the park. I've seen many, where a less than perfect positional shot has required some near miraculous shot to regain position on next red or black. These are amazing in their own right, but this one is just absolutely flawless.
Existing on eastern side of Atlantic, I am not familiar with perfect baseball plays, but 147s have often been compared by many with a 9-dart finish in a 501 darts leg. (Through 3 consecutive visits, the player hits predetermined high trebles, usually 17-20 with each of 8 darts, and finishes with required double)
The commentator that is getting nervous is a former world champion.
John Virgo? He won the pairs once. Was there a co-commentator?
They don’t call him Ronnie “The Rocket” for nothing. GOAT
That is Ronnie's usual pace. His nickname is The Rocket. Another important facet of the game is to 'snooker' your opponent, if you are unable to pot a ball with your next shot. This is the skill to 'hide' the white ball behind one or more colours to try to prevent your opponent from scoring and possibly causing them to make a foul shot which costs them a points deduction. This is called tactical safety play and Ronnie is a master at it. A frame (game) can easily last an hour or more.
His nickname is 'The Rocket' and he plays that fast because he can because he is (still) that damn good!!
He certainly still can be that good, but only when he wants to be. The thing with Ronnie is he's effectively two different players; one who will absolutely dominate his opponents, and one who will struggle to find his way past a middle of the road opponent, and there's no telling which of those Ronnies will turn up to a match. That being said, when he is at his best, he's pretty much unstoppable
@@richardhodgson6711 Using your logic there he is effectively 4 different players....because he is exactly what you said but he can also do those left-handed!! 😆
Snooker tables are 6ft x 12ft and the pocket "jaws" are a lot tigher than an american pool table. That being said, props to those at the top of their pool game :)
15 reds + 15 blacks + 6 colours = 36 balls to pot
So potting a ball in under 9 seconds per ball :O
I have seen this game like a hundred times. Ronnie is an unbelievable snooker star.
I love to watch snooker in total silence, not disturbed by anything or anyone, so this time the commenting made me feel really unconfortable. But my reaction just proved how much I love snooker❤
Thank you for showing the game;)
Best regards from Finland
After potting a red you must play for a colour (non red), different colours have different points if potted - yellow at just 2, black has the most of all colours with 7. Pot a colour and you get to play for a red ball again. After all the reds are cleared, you play the colours in ascending order of points value
it took 20 years to make the first 147 on TV .. or so... than the flood began.. but it was still rare.. usually it takes like 20 minutes to make 147.. and most snooker players cant make 147 unless they are top pro...
I think im gonna do a snooker best games page on my website..
because snooker can be boring and snooker can be amazing..
it depends
The first 147 scored at the World Championships was done by Cliff Thorburn in 1983, it took him 15 minutes 21 seconds.
His nickname is "Rocket" - he is well known for the speed of his game. Also, the OO in snooker is pronounced the same as in pool, not as in book.
He dominates his sport in a way comparable only to others who answer to such names as Gretzky, Cazaly, Tendulkar, Bradman, Ruth, Jordan, Pele, and Shumacher.
Saying Bradman is a good comparison, his batting average (99) was so good no-one since has got anywhere near him. Ronnie in snooker is the same greatness, and will be forever remembered in the same way Bradman is. 18:29
Nice. I would add Warne to that as well.
Everything leaves Tyler speechless 😂
@@Gavin-e9f
His wife too ?
americans are to brainless to play snooker it requires skill and in a way you need to count
Hence his game name mate. Ronnie the rocket O'Sullivan. Great reaction dude😊
Those times are long gone. No price money like this anymore for years for a 147.
Last year they offered a prize of 147 grand if anybody scored 2 147's in three certain tournaments. Some scored one but nobody managed two!!
When Ronnie's in the mood watching him playing is an absolute treat
The snooker programme Pot Black was first broadcast on BBC2 in July 1969. My Dad loved it so we all watched it. My Dad was a billiards player so he appreciated the skill. Unfortunately we had a black and white tv not a colour one but you soon got used to the different shades you could pick out in black and white. I think the tv coverage made sn-OO-ker enormously popular and it remains so today. There are players from all over the world. A UA-cam of trick shots would probably interest you - get searching!
Required watching for us in my house when I was little!
For most players even at a pro level maximum breaks are maybe a once in a career thing. To do it as quickly and nonchalantly as Ronnie does here is really very special. He's the GOAT.
The three fastest (And most entertaining)players were Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins, Jimmy 'Whirlwind' White and Ronnie 'Rocket' O'Sullivan.
Don't forget Steve 'Interesting' Davies! 😀
There used to be some real entertainment watching the snooker back in the day, “cocaine” Kirk Stevens didn’t used to hang around either, then old Bill Werberniek guzzling about 15 pints of lager and smoking about 40 fags a match, Cliff “The Grinder” Thorburn take about 3 hours a frame……used to love it back then.
Ronnie is the most naturally gifted snooker player of All time. A true master.
"For those of you watching in black and white, the pink is just behind the brown".
😂😂😂. Got it👍 😉wink😉 wink.
🔞👉👌 🌸🕳️💩🕳️
😂😂😂. Got it👍 😉wink😉 wink.
🔞👉👌 🌸🕳️💩🕳️
😂😂😂. Got it👍 😉wink😉 wink.
🔞👉👌 🌸🕳️💩🕳️
That was a classic- and yes my dad had a black and white TV
Wrong, the pink is placed at the tip of the triangle which is composed of 15 red balls and the black ball is directly behind the triangle.
Strictly speaking, you have to sink a red (1 point) then go for any other colour (yes colour, we're British). Yellow=2, Green=3, Brown=4, Blue=5, Pink=6 and Black=7. As long as you can keep 'potting' a red then a colour, you stay on the table, racking up your score. Miss a shot or play a foul shot (by missing your intended pot, missing the ball completely or hitting/potting a wrong ball accidentally) and your opponent steps up. As you said, 147 is the maximum, made up of all the reds plus a black each time. If you can't make a shot, the plan is to play a safety shot, putting the white in an impossible position for your opponent (usually up the other end of the table) or obscuring a valid shot by putting it behind another ball, which is called a 'snooker'. Hence the old term 'being snookered' when being blocked in your planned action.
To show just how fast he played: He potted 36 balls in 308 seconds, which is just over 8.5 seconds per pot.
That puts it into perspective. Wow!
I grew up with a snooker table in our dining room, it was 6ft, akin to a pool table. It's a beautiful sport. Relaxing to watch, and when someone perfectly clears the table..❤
It is pedantic to say so, but most pronounce it snoo-ker not snook-er. Brilliant video, great commentary. Ronnie is a legend. All time greatness.
@@CliveSimmons-b9b
please be pedantic... (🤞🤭🤞)
"I love it when a plan comes together!"
So do I 👍
@@pedanticlady9126
👍🙂🏴💕🇬🇧🤭🖖
All the pots were standard for a player like him, it was the pace and pin point positioning that made it special. He was never out of position. that's the rarest thing to see in a 147.
There’s a video on UA-cam where all the balls are set up for a 147. Halfway through the break he asks the ref what the prize is for a maxi… the ref didn’t know so he had to check. Ronnie wasn’t happy with that prize so on the last red, he pots the pink and clears up… Legend
There was also a time when he asked after the first red and black because he just felt he could get one lol.
@@CMc-v7z yeah that was with Jan the ref and even Jan was shocked he was being asked. And it delaid that match for a good 5 10 mins b4 I tell Ronnie it was a shit prize of 5k. But he still did the 147 for the fans and Jan
And said in the interview after with a smirk on his face that pink there was the correct shot. 😂
I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE ONE WHERE HE ASKED WHAT THE PRIZE WAS AFTER POTTING THE FIRST RED.
Growing up watching Ronnie play was what got me into watching snooker. Incredible. I think I read/ heard somewhere that he spoke to the ref before hand saying he wanted to do this so wanted them to place the black in a speedy manner as they usually take a bit longer to do it.
Some small facts:
The first part of the game alternates the red balls and the other balls. Once all red are pocketed, there is a strict order in which to pocket the remaining balls. The other balls give different amount of points of two to seven in the order of yellow (2), green, brown, blue, pink and black(7)
A 'snooker' is when you place the cue ball in such a position where the opposing player cannot directly hit their target ball (hitting a non target ball is a penalty)
One foot must always be touching the floor unlike pool whe you can lie on the table. There is an extra long cue for really long shots and a cross cue to use as support.
Back in the day when there were only 4 channels of TV in the UK, the Snooker World Championship Final was watched live by 18 million people. That's nearly half the adult population of the UK at the time (1980s). It is completely addictive and so pleasing to watch. Extremely popular in CHINA incidentally.
I walked a girl home that night. This match was on when we arrived at her parent’s house. Still haven’t kissed her.
Snooker..."oo" in the middle.. , not "snucker". 😑 unless you're Welsh, that is.
Why can you say snucker if you're Welsh and not if you're American?
Well I have Welsh in me and it's still snooker
Or Americorn!
Snuup dogg
Glad someone mentioned that 🤣 kills me when he says snooker. 🤣
Red x 15 = 1 point each
Yellow = 2 points
Green = 3 points
Brown = 4 points
Blue = 5 points
Pink = 6 points
Black = 7 points
Pot all the reds. After each red you can pot a colour to the value of that ball - obviously black has the highest value so ideally you want black each time if possible
You keep playing until you miss, then your opponent comes to the table
Once all the reds have been dispatched, you have to pot the colours IN ASCENDING order of value. Ie. Yellow, green, brown, blue, pink & black LAST !
Obviously the highest break possible is to pot every red with the black ie 1 + 7 repeat 14 times, then the coloured balls IN ORDER
That is a 147 break 👍
There is another break that is possible in snooker of 155 which has never been telivised but if an opponent fouls when no reds are potted and leaves all reds covered so both sides of a single red can not be stuck a free ball could be taken potting this would count as a red and then black followed by a normal 147 would score 155.
To move the White ball around like he is doing is called putting English on the cue ball.
Yup 😉
only in America it is
No it's not, that's a term Americans use in pool. In snooker it's called putting 'side' on the ball or spin. They'll play a shot with top spin, or left hand side etc etc.. As snooker came from England, they're hardly going to say putting 'English' on a ball, when they're English themselves . The term originated from an English salesman who travelled the States selling billiards table and equipment, so as he demonstrated various shouts putting spin on the ball, the spin got known as English as it was this English man showed the all the shots
@@davidmellish3295
Nope...it English.
That's what we call it up here in Canada and that's what we were taught by the English.
It's called English when you play pool...... but isnt in snooker....... this is snooker
Many do not understand just how big a snooker table is especially in comparison to a pool table. The size difference is astronomical.
The spacial awareness needed. Understanding of the power needed the amount of spin on a ball. The speed of a ball lost when bouncing off the cushion.
Just to hit a ball in a straight line is exceedingly more difficult. Pool is such a walk on the park compared to snooker.
A snooooker table is 12feet long. And 6 feet wide it is the same size as 4 pool tables put together. That's how big it is.
If a pool player hits the numbered ball with the white ball and his aim is off by2 or 3 degrees it won't make much difference and will still go into the pocket, but if on the much larger snooker table, the player's aim is off by 2 or 3 degrees it will never go into the pocket.
Please save my ears, it isn’t snucker it’s snoooooooker, oooo as in pooooool. Please say it right.
Thank you he does my head right in with the way he says things wrong. For God sake it snooker Tyler
When he says snucker I keep thinking of the chocolate bar snicker 😂😂😂
Just like in swimming pull? 😂
Happy to see you enjoying Snooker. My Particular favourite 147 was also by Ronnie, in the 2008 World Championship. Not nearly as fast as this one (which is widely regarded as among the safest records in all sport). However, the problem solving, cue power, potting, positional play . . . It is off the scale. The Shot from black to "cannon" the red and pink (with barely any angle, and at pace) freeing them both up and landing on the other . . . Probably the best shot I've ever seen. And I've seen a lot. I recommend you cover it 🙂
Ronnie was the first player to score a career 1000 century breaks. That one is also on YT. Amazing showmanship.
Ronnie is just very naturally gifted and once he gets in the zone, he's unbeatable.
That 5min 147 will never be beaten.
Steve Davis was the first person to hit a perfect 147 on televised snooker back in 1982 and was well known for achieving this great feat in snooker 🎱. 🎉😊❤
The only difference is that it most likely took Steve Davis an hour or so to achieve his 147.
Ronnie has 15 147s on live TV. Ronnie is a legend in the UK. I was 17 when he made this everybody in school was talking about it , it's a popular sport in Ireland where I live .
Rules are to pott a red ball (worth 1 point each), then another colour (worth 2-8 points in order yellow, green, brown, blue, pink, black- I think) then back to another red and another colour etc until all reds sunk, finally all remaining colours in order, so maximum score is black after each red, then remaining colours finishing again with black. Miss a pot, turn passes to your opponent, max score when all balls potted wins. Wikipedia compares the rarity of a Maximum break to a perfect strike run of 300 points in 10 pin bowling- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maximum_break
In snooker the points per colour is
Red-1 yellow-2 green-3 brown-4 blue-5 pink-6 black-7
For a 147 you do red, black in that order till reds are gone then after the last black, you go yellow, green, brown, blue, pink, black, hope that helps
Enjoyed your reaction vid, thanks.
Ronnie was ' in the zone'. it's a wonderful feeling in sport when you have that touch, feel and play execution going perfectly. You can almost switch off and go on auto pilot, relying on your practice and experience. Additionally, the tactical aspect of the sport is mind-boggling.
I never tire of watching this frame. It still gives me goosebumps every time I watch it.
Watch it again. Look out for odd bounces that seem to break the laws of physics - that's spin. That's Ronnie ("The Rocket") setting up the next shot.
When he walked around the table, he was looking 3 or 4 shots ahead, wondering how he was going to break up the pack.
And the endgame, when all the colours are on their spots, don't worry, professionals practice that time and time again, so he was on familiar territory.
One other thing: when setting up their next shop, professionals think in terms of the area they want the cue ball to end up: which side of the target ball they want to be,and judge the weight and the spin from that.
And Ronnie is a pure genius at that.
He said in an interview much later, he was so nervous, just for the match, he was playing in fear! and that is what he produced! he has had quite a turbulent life, but he is literally the greatest player to ever pick a cue up, and still is, and if you know your snooker history there have been some amazing players, but he eclipses all of them, by quite a lot! an absolute legend of the sport. and a top bloke on top of that too! I doubt this will ever be beaten, not in a professional tournament, no way! the skill level is off the charts!
Huge table, tiny pockets, and small balls are just a part of the difficulty of this game, it is all about que-ball control and positioning, and Ronnie is one of the best at that, you will ever see.
I saw this 147 live on tv at the time, but this was not my favorite match by Ronnie, the one that sticks to my mind the most is a match he actually lost.
He played against a legend of snooker, Steve Davis, and he was owning Steve hard and was ahead like 17 to 11 or so in a best of 35 frame match, he only needed one more frame to beat Steve (it was either semi finals, or the finals, not sure on that), and this is when the legend showed Ronnie how to play safety shots to win the fight.
Steve, who was on the attack to catch up up till that moment, decided to change his tactics and started to play more conservatively and when the occasion called for it, he'd execute perfect safety shots, forcing Ronnie to play exceedingly more difficult shots and forcing him into making mistakes.
He kept to this strategy and ground down Ronnie's lead frame by frame, till he reached 17-17 and needed 1 more frame to beat Ronnie and take home the win.
By this time he had gotten inside Ronnie's head and needless to say, he had broken him and Steve won the final frame and the match.
The reason i find that to be one of the greatest games is not only because Steve Davis showed he still had that masterclass in him, but more so because this match was the key teaching moment for Ronnie, making him go from a great player (which he already was) to an amazing player destined to become a snooker legend (he is).
After that match you saw Ronnie grow in his safety play, he actually started to "practice" it in matches as well, he most definitely had took the lesson from the old fox and made it his own.
If Ronnie is switched on during a match.. there is nobody who can beat him, other than he himself.
Most Scottish people have tiny pockets and small balls.
A 147 is like a hole in one at the Masters. This was also performed at the world championship!
Lovely video this, great passion for the game.
This game is like playing pool on a football pitch, untill you have played on this table you can't imagine
You have to appreciate the size of the table and the tightness of the pockets to understand how impressive this truly is.
after each red you can pot any colour (for a 147 max you need to pot the black ball after every red for maximum points) when all the reds are down the colours must be potted in sequence (yellow, green, brown, blue, pink & black)
Professionals know how to put back spin and 'side' on the white ball, to put it in a position for the next shot - looking three and four shots ahead. These guys practice every day.
In snooker, in effect you have to go red-colour-red-colur-red-etc. Potting a red ball is worth 1 point. A colour is one of the six balls (yellow -2 points, green-3, brown-4, blue-5, pink-6, black-7. If you pot a red ball it stays in the pocket. If you pot a colour it returns to the table. Once you've potted the last red, you may pot a colour and it returns to the table. But after that, if you pot a colour it stays potted, and the colours must be potted in order.
The point is not, as with pool, to pot any 8-ball, but to score enough points to pull ahead of your opponent.
There's more to it than that; unless you watch a full match of say best of 35 frames, you won't understand it.
His white ball control is what makes this fast. He makes the pots easy, and gives natural paths for the white to make the next pot easy (or as easy as possible...its very hard. Similar to golf in a way)
It looks easy because his positional play is so good. He sets up relatively easy shots time after time, by appearing to have the white ball on a string. I was 8 when this happened and at 35 I'm still watching him.
The Crucible is a theatre in the city of Sheffield, which has hosted the Worlds forever.
Ronnie is amazing and still going. Not only is he the GOAT he can play just as good with either hand.
Loved Ronnie since he came onto the scene. And he has come close to his fastest 147 loads of times. Ronnie is the best when you consider he is suffering through depression and has not enjoyed most of his games because of it not resulting in bad scores. His ability had shown throughout his carees
Thing to remember about snooker that's easy to overlook in this video with just one player doing all the action, is that it's a competitive game, played in a "best of X frames" format. He's not just playing to win the current frame, he's playing fast like this to try to utterly crush his opponent's confidence of winning any of the next frames either.
Also where he speeds up at the end and you say the shots are harder... slightly the reverse is true. The sequence of coloured balls after the final red is potted is fixed, and the most static and practiced parts of the frame for any player. Where at the start each shot was unique and new, once he'd got the white up to the top end of the table mostly where he wanted it, it was all mostly shots he'd done tens of thousands of times before and he could rely more on muscle memory.
Watched this match live at my grandma's house when I was 12 years old on an old tv with an aerial made out of a makeshift coat hanger and wire, i am now 40 in 3 days and it is still a record time for a 147 break 27 years later. It is still amazing to watch now and i have lost count of how many times I have seen it 😂😮
The genius of the 147 comes from 16:10 the setup of the next shots. Snooker players will think shots and shots ahead to make the shot easier.
The 147 prize is varies per tournament.
The first televised 147 was cliff thorburn. A Canadian.
Last 20 years it happens more often but a snooker table is big and pockets are smaller than pool.
147s are still fairly rare and always as exciting but with improved play, tables and contidions they are much more common. When this happened it was still really rare, but O'Sullivan and his peers really made it a much more common thing (thinking Higgins & Hendry in particular)
A simple reason ronnie is so quick is because he knows exactly where he wants the white ball to end up and has the ability to put it there ready for his next shot, most snooker players in general play 2 or 3 shots ahead in there mind