Snooker

The maximum break in professional snooker is 147 points, achieved by potting all 15 reds each followed by a black, then clearing all six colours in sequence. Some exhibitions have seen a 'maximum-plus' break of 155 if a free ball is used before the first red, but 147 remains the recognized maximum in professional competition.

Ronnie O'Sullivan holds the record for the most official competitive maximum 147 breaks in professional snooker, with well over a dozen to his name. His first came at the 1997 World Championship in just five minutes and 20 seconds, which remains the fastest recorded maximum break.

A snooker table starts with 22 balls: one white cue ball, 15 red balls worth one point each, and six coloured balls—yellow (2), green (3), brown (4), blue (5), pink (6), and black (7). The reds are arranged in a triangle, and the colours are placed on their designated spots around the table.

Professional snooker is governed by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), which oversees rules, player membership, and the integrity of the sport. The World Snooker Tour, which operates the professional circuit, is the commercial arm that runs ranking events including the World Snooker Championship held annually at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.