The
World Snooker Championship, held at the
Crucible TheatreThe Crucible Theatre is a theatre built in 1971 and located in the city centre of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. As well as theatrical performances, it is home to the most important event in professional snooker, the World Snooker Championship....
in the English city of
SheffieldSheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the city has grown from its largely industrial roots to encompass a wider economic base...
, is the climax of
snookerSnooker is a cue sport that is played on a large baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regulation table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different ...
's annual calendar and the most important snooker event of the year in terms of prestige, prize money and
world ranking pointsThe snooker world rankings are the official system of ranking professional snooker players to determine automatic qualification and seeding for tournaments. They are maintained by the sport's governing body, the WPBSA...
. The current champion is John Higgins.
History
The
first championshipThe 1927 World Snooker Championship was the inaugural World Championship and was organised by the snooker player Joe Davis, who also won the title and went on to dominate this event until after the Second World War. It was hosted at Thurston's Hall in London, and ten people participated in it...
was held in 1927 and
Joe DavisJoe Davis, OBE was a British professional player of snooker and English billiards....
helped to organise the event. Matches were held at various venues, and the final took place at Camkin's Hall,
BirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands county of England. Birmingham is the second-most populous British city, with a population of 1,006,500 ....
. Joe Davis won the event, beating
Tom DennisTom A. Dennis was an English professional snooker and billiards player.Dennis reached the finale of the World Championship in 1927, 1929, 1930 and 1931 but was beaten every time by Joe Davis. The closest Dennis came to defeating Davis was in the 1931 tournament, when the pair were the only two...
20-11. His prize money was £6.10s. The highest break of the tournament was 60 by Albert Cope.
In subsequent years, finals were held at various venues. Joe Davis won every year until 1940. Despite an upsurge in interest in snooker there were only two entrants for the 1931 professional championship. The event was staged in the back room of a Nottingham pub, owned by
Tom DennisTom A. Dennis was an English professional snooker and billiards player.Dennis reached the finale of the World Championship in 1927, 1929, 1930 and 1931 but was beaten every time by Joe Davis. The closest Dennis came to defeating Davis was in the 1931 tournament, when the pair were the only two...
. The fact that he was playing on his own table didn't help as Joe Davis ran out a 25-21 winner for his fifth consecutive victory.
In 1940, Joe Davis just beat his younger brother Fred 37-36. No tournaments were organised during the remaining
warWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
years, and it only resumed in 1946 when Joe Davis won again for the 15th time, a record that still stands. Joe Davis never contested the world championship again, though he continued to play professional snooker. Some have speculated that he did not want to risk losing his unbeaten record.
Walter DonaldsonWalter Donaldson was a Scottish professional snooker player.He turned professional aged just 16, in 1923. He contested many world championships, finally achieving victory in 1947 after Joe Davis had retired from the tournament, and again in 1950...
won in 1947, but it was Fred Davis who dominated the next few years, winning it three times in 1948, 1949 and 1951.
In 1952, as a result of a disagreement between the governing bodies (the Billiards Association and Control Council), and some of the players, two tournaments were held. The
World MatchplayThe World Matchplay tournament was established in the 1950s as an alternative to the Billiards Association and Control Council / World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association professional snooker world championship by some of the professional players following a dispute with the governing body...
, organised by the players and widely viewed as the "real" world championship, continued until 1957. The BA&CC event only lasted one year. Meanwhile the 'official' world championship did attract two entrants in 1952, Horace Lindrum (
AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
) beating
New ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses , and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. The indigenous Māori named New Zealand Aotearoa, commonly translated as The Land of the Long White Cloud...
er Clark McConachy – and it is Lindrum's name that is inscribed on the familiar trophy.
Snooker then went into a period of decline, and no tournament was held between 1958 and 1963. In 1964 it was revived on a challenge basis, a format which lasted until 1968. This meant that matches took place on an irregular basis, sometimes more than once a year.
John PulmanJohn Pulman was an English professional snooker player who dominated the game throughout the 1960s.Pulman first reached the final of the World Matchplay in 1955, losing to Fred Davis. Davis beat him again in the 1956 final, but after Davis retired Pulman won the title in 1957, after which the...
completely dominated during this period, overcoming all challengers in a total of seven matches.
The championship reverted back to a knockout tournament in 1969. That year it was won by
John SpencerJohn Spencer was an English professional snooker player who dominated the game in the 1970s along with Ray Reardon. Spencer was born in Radcliffe .-Career:He started his snooker career at the age of 15...
, but it was
Ray ReardonRay Reardon, MBE is a retired Welsh snooker player. He dominated the sport in the 1970s, winning six World Championships in that decade...
who was to dominate over the coming years, winning six times between 1970 and 1978.
1976 was the first year the championships were sponsored by the cigarette brand Embassy. The following year, the event moved to the
Crucible TheatreThe Crucible Theatre is a theatre built in 1971 and located in the city centre of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. As well as theatrical performances, it is home to the most important event in professional snooker, the World Snooker Championship....
in
SheffieldSheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, the city has grown from its largely industrial roots to encompass a wider economic base...
,
UKThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
, and the
BBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation, usually referred to by its abbreviation as the "BBC", is the longest established and largest broadcaster in the world...
started providing major
televisionTelevision is a widely used telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images, either monochromatic or color, usually accompanied by sound. "Television" may also refer specifically to a television set, television programming or television transmission...
coverage. The Crucible provides a unique atmosphere to the tournament, both for spectators and live
televisionTelevision is a widely used telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images, either monochromatic or color, usually accompanied by sound. "Television" may also refer specifically to a television set, television programming or television transmission...
viewers. The venue seats fewer than a thousand people with the front row of seats only a few feet from the players. This was about the time snooker started attracting very large television audiences, and for most fans the Crucible is synonymous with snooker. The most successful players at the Crucible are
Steve DavisSteve Davis, OBE, is an English professional snooker player. He has won more professional titles in the sport than any other player, including six World Championships during the 1980s....
, who won six times in the 1980s, and
Stephen HendryStephen Gordon Hendry, MBE is a Scottish professional snooker player. In 1990, he was the youngest-ever snooker World Champion, at 21. He has won the honour on six subsequent occasions. He was also snooker's world number one for eight consecutive years, between 1990 and 1998, and also in 2006-07...
, who won seven times in the 1990s. Recently, the tournament has been more open, with six different players winning in the 2000s. The most famous final occurred in 1985, when
Dennis TaylorDennis Taylor is a retired snooker player, and current BBC snooker commentator. Taylor is well known for his sense of humour and his trademark over-sized glasses...
beat
Steve DavisSteve Davis, OBE, is an English professional snooker player. He has won more professional titles in the sport than any other player, including six World Championships during the 1980s....
18-17 in one of the most closely contested matches of all time (see
1985 World Snooker Championship finalThe 1985 World Snooker Championship final was played on the weekend of 27/28 April 1985 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England. It was contested between defending world champion Steve Davis and Northern Irishman Dennis Taylor, appearing in his second final...
for details). It finished at 00:19 but was superseded as the latest finish first by the 2006 final (00:52 BST), then the 2007 final (00:55 BST).
In 2004, the championship offered a total of £1,378,920 ($2,665,589) in prize money, including £250,000 ($483,274) for the winner and £125,000 ($241,637) for the runner-up. A further £147,000 ($284,165) was on offer for a 147 break, though no player achieved this.
Recent
United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
legislation has placed restrictions on
tobacco advertisingTobacco advertising is the advertising of tobacco products or use by the tobacco industry through a variety of media including sponsorship, particularly of sporting events. It is now one of the most highly regulated forms of marketing...
, including sponsorship of sporting events. Embassy had a special dispensation to continue snooker sponsorship until 2005. The Championship is currently sponsored by BetFred.com after
888.com'888.com' is owned by 888 Holdings and operated by Cassava Enterprises, based in Gibraltar.Created in November 1995, although not housing any games of its own - this site is the gateway to practically all 888 have to offer: slot machines A.K.A fruit machines, blackjack, baccarat, roulette, craps,...
pulled out of their five year sponsorship deal after three years.
On 15 April 2009 the World Snooker Championship website announced that Betfred.com would be the new sponsor of the World Championship for the next four years.
On 27 April 2009, it was confirmed that the World Championships would stay at the Crucible for at least another five years (until 2014).
Top performers of the modern era
The 'modern' era is considered to start in 1969, when the championship reverted to a knock-out tournament format from a challenge format. In the modern game, the best record is that of
Stephen HendryStephen Gordon Hendry, MBE is a Scottish professional snooker player. In 1990, he was the youngest-ever snooker World Champion, at 21. He has won the honour on six subsequent occasions. He was also snooker's world number one for eight consecutive years, between 1990 and 1998, and also in 2006-07...
, who has won seven times to date.
Steve DavisSteve Davis, OBE, is an English professional snooker player. He has won more professional titles in the sport than any other player, including six World Championships during the 1980s....
won six times in the 1980s, as did
Ray ReardonRay Reardon, MBE is a retired Welsh snooker player. He dominated the sport in the 1970s, winning six World Championships in that decade...
in the 1970s.
| Rank |
Name |
Nationality |
Winner |
Runner-up |
Semifinalist |
147s |
Appearances |
| 1 |
Stephen HendryStephen Gordon Hendry, MBE is a Scottish professional snooker player. In 1990, he was the youngest-ever snooker World Champion, at 21. He has won the honour on six subsequent occasions. He was also snooker's world number one for eight consecutive years, between 1990 and 1998, and also in 2006-07...
|
|
7 |
2 |
12 |
2 (1995, 2009) |
24 |
| 2 |
Steve DavisSteve Davis, OBE, is an English professional snooker player. He has won more professional titles in the sport than any other player, including six World Championships during the 1980s....
|
|
6 |
2 |
11 |
0 |
29 |
| 3 |
Ray Reardon Ray Reardon, MBE is a retired Welsh snooker player. He dominated the sport in the 1970s, winning six World Championships in that decade...
|
|
6 |
1 |
10 |
0 |
19 |
| 4 |
John Spencer John Spencer was an English professional snooker player who dominated the game in the 1970s along with Ray Reardon. Spencer was born in Radcliffe .-Career:He started his snooker career at the age of 15...
|
|
3 |
1 |
6 |
0 |
18 |
| 4 |
John Higgins |
|
3 |
1 |
6 |
0 |
15 |
| 6 |
Ronnie O'SullivanRonald Antonio "Ronnie" O'Sullivan , nicknamed "the Rocket" due to his rapid playing style, is an English professional snooker player. He has been World Champion on three occasions , and is second on the all-time prize money list with career earnings of over UK£6 million, behind only Stephen Hendry...
|
|
3 |
0 |
8 |
3 (1997, 2003, 2008) |
17 |
| 7 |
Alex HigginsAlexander Gordon Higgins , best known as Alex "Hurricane" Higgins, is a retired professional snooker player from Northern Ireland, who was twice World Champion and runner-up on two occasions.-Life and career:...
|
|
2 |
2 |
7 |
0 |
19 |
| 8 |
Mark Williams |
|
2 |
1 |
4 |
1 (2005) |
13 |
| 9 |
Cliff ThorburnClifford Charles Devlin Thorburn, CM is a retired professional Canadian snooker player...
|
|
1 |
2 |
6 |
1 (1983) |
19 |
| 10 |
Peter Ebdon Peter "Ebbo" Ebdon is an English professional snooker player and former world champion renowned for his remarkably focused, determined style of play.-Career:...
|
|
1 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
18 |
| 11 |
Ken DohertyKen Doherty is an Irish professional snooker player. He is the only player ever to have been world amateur and world professional champion . He was also World Under-21 champion in 1989.-Career:...
|
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
0 |
16 |
| 12 |
Dennis TaylorDennis Taylor is a retired snooker player, and current BBC snooker commentator. Taylor is well known for his sense of humour and his trademark over-sized glasses...
|
|
1 |
1 |
5 |
0 |
21 |
| 13 |
Terry Griffiths Terrence "Terry" Griffiths OBE is a retired Welsh snooker player and current snooker coach and pundit. He won the World Championship in 1979, and reached the 1988 final. He has also won the UK Championship and Masters...
|
|
1 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
19 |
| 13 |
John Parrott John Parrott MBE is an English professional snooker player.He won the World Snooker Championship in 1991, defeating Jimmy White in the final. Two years earlier he had lost 18-3 to Steve Davis, the heaviest final defeat in modern times...
|
|
1 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
23 |
| 15 |
Joe Johnson |
|
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
8 |
| 15 |
Graeme Dott Graeme Dott is a professional snooker player from Larkhall in Scotland. He won the 2006 World Championship, which was his first ranking title after four previous runner-up spots...
|
|
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
11 |
| 15 |
Shaun MurphyShaun Murphy is an English professional snooker player who is the reigning UK Champion, and the 2005 World Champion.Murphy is noted for his widely acclaimed cue action and his consistent long potting...
|
|
1 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
7 |
| 18 |
Jimmy WhiteJames Warren White, MBE is an English professional snooker player, best known as Jimmy White. Nicknamed the "Whirlwind", White is a multiple World Championship finalist, appearing in six World Championship finals without ever winning the title - although he won the 1980 amateur World Championship,...
|
|
0 |
6 |
10 |
1 (1992) |
25 |
| 19 |
Eddie Charlton Edward Francis Charlton AM was a top-class Australian snooker and billiards player. He remains the only player to have been world championship runner-up in both snooker and billiards without winning either title.Charlton was born in Merewether, New South Wales, Australia and came...
|
|
0 |
2 |
8 |
0 |
21 |
| 20 |
Matthew Stevens Matthew Stevens is a Welsh professional snooker player. Turning professional in 1994, Stevens has won two of the game's most prestigious events, the Benson and Hedges Masters in 2000 and the UK Snooker Championship in 2003. He has also been the runner-up in the World Snooker Championship on two...
|
|
0 |
2 |
5 |
0 |
11 |
| 21 |
Gary Owen |
|
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
7 |
| 21 |
John Pulman John Pulman was an English professional snooker player who dominated the game throughout the 1960s.Pulman first reached the final of the World Matchplay in 1955, losing to Fred Davis. Davis beat him again in the 1956 final, but after Davis retired Pulman won the title in 1957, after which the...
|
|
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
11 |
| 21 |
Nigel Bond Nigel Bond is an English professional snooker player. He was ranked within the top 16 from 1992 to 1999. After a season outside the top 32, he regained his place there. At 43 years old, he is the second-oldest player in the 2008/2009 rankings top 32...
|
|
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
15 |
| 24 |
Warren Simpson Warren Simpson was an Australian professional snooker player.In 1971, he reached the final of the World Snooker Championship, losing 37-29 to John Spencer which was played in Sydney, Australia in November 1970.He died in 1980 and had diabetes for years....
|
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
| 24 |
Graham Miles Graham Miles is a retired English snooker player.Miles turned professional in 1969. He first gained recognition in 1974, when he reached the final of the World Championship. Although he lost 22-12 to Ray Reardon, this turned out to be the highlight of his career...
|
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
12 |
| 24 |
Perrie Mans Pierre "Perrie" Mans is a retired professional snooker player from South Africa, who first won the South African professional championship in 1965, and went on to win it 19 times in total....
|
South Africa South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
13 |
| 24 |
Doug Mountjoy Doug Mountjoy is a retired Welsh snooker player, who reached the peak of his fame in the 1980s. Although he only won two ranking titles, he did so in successive tournaments - and while in his mid 40s...
|
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
17 |
| 24 |
Mark Selby Mark Selby is an English professional snooker and pool player. Runner up in the World Snooker Championship 2007, he was the 2006 WEPF World Eight-ball Champion...
|
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
5 |
| 24 |
Allister CarterAllister Carter is an English professional snooker player, who lives in Tiptree . He reached the final of the World Championship 2008, his first major final...
|
|
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 (2008) |
7 |
Note: Active players are shown in bold.
General records and statistics
- The greatest number of wins of all time is fifteen, by Joe Davis
Joe Davis, OBE was a British professional player of snooker and English billiards....
. This was in an era when there were few professional players and far fewer matches required to win, and is unlikely to be beaten.
- The first 147 in the championship was achieved by Cliff Thorburn
Clifford Charles Devlin Thorburn, CM is a retired professional Canadian snooker player...
in 1983. Ronnie O'SullivanRonald Antonio "Ronnie" O'Sullivan , nicknamed "the Rocket" due to his rapid playing style, is an English professional snooker player. He has been World Champion on three occasions , and is second on the all-time prize money list with career earnings of over UK£6 million, behind only Stephen Hendry...
(1997, 2003, 2008) and Stephen HendryStephen Gordon Hendry, MBE is a Scottish professional snooker player. In 1990, he was the youngest-ever snooker World Champion, at 21. He has won the honour on six subsequent occasions. He was also snooker's world number one for eight consecutive years, between 1990 and 1998, and also in 2006-07...
(1995, 2009) are the only players to achieve the feat more than once; they are also the only players to lose the match they were playing after scoring a 147. Jimmy WhiteJames Warren White, MBE is an English professional snooker player, best known as Jimmy White. Nicknamed the "Whirlwind", White is a multiple World Championship finalist, appearing in six World Championship finals without ever winning the title - although he won the 1980 amateur World Championship,...
(1992), Mark Williams (2005) and Ali Carter (2008) are the other players to have made a maximum break at the World Championship.
- O'Sullivan's maximum in 1997 was, at 5 minutes 20 seconds, the fastest ever recorded in the professional game.
- The 2008 Championship
The 2008 888.com World Snooker Championship took place between 19 April and 5 May at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield. Ronnie O'Sullivan became the champion for the third time after beating Ali Carter 18-8.-First round:...
was the first ranking tournament to produce two 147 breaks in the latter stages. They were scored by Ali Carter and Ronnie O'SullivanRonald Antonio "Ronnie" O'Sullivan , nicknamed "the Rocket" due to his rapid playing style, is an English professional snooker player. He has been World Champion on three occasions , and is second on the all-time prize money list with career earnings of over UK£6 million, behind only Stephen Hendry...
.
- In 2009
The 2009 Betfred.com World Snooker Championship took place between 18 April and 4 May at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.This was the first time that the World Snooker Championship had been sponsored by Betfred.com....
, Stephen HendryStephen Gordon Hendry, MBE is a Scottish professional snooker player. In 1990, he was the youngest-ever snooker World Champion, at 21. He has won the honour on six subsequent occasions. He was also snooker's world number one for eight consecutive years, between 1990 and 1998, and also in 2006-07...
completed his 9th 147 break in frame seven of his quarter-final against Shaun MurphyShaun Murphy is an English professional snooker player who is the reigning UK Champion, and the 2005 World Champion.Murphy is noted for his widely acclaimed cue action and his consistent long potting...
. This was also the 9th 147 made at the Crucible TheatreThe Crucible Theatre is a theatre built in 1971 and located in the city centre of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. As well as theatrical performances, it is home to the most important event in professional snooker, the World Snooker Championship....
. Furthermore, it was the third in two years.
- Fergal O'Brien
Fergal O'Brien , who grew up in Bayside, Dublin is an Irish professional snooker player. He has won one ranking title and reached two other major finals, and spent 3 seasons as a top 16 player.-Career:...
is the only player to score a century in his first frame at the Crucible, which he did in 1994.
- The longest ever frame at the Crucible lasted 1 hour, 15 minutes, and was played between Stephen Maguire
Stephen Maguire is a Scottish professional snooker player from Glasgow.-Career:Maguire almost qualified for the 2000 World Championships, leading eventual semi-finalist Joe Swail 9-6 in the final qualifying round before losing 10-9 , but first served notice of his true potential by knocking out...
and Mark King in 2009.
- Stephen Hendry
Stephen Gordon Hendry, MBE is a Scottish professional snooker player. In 1990, he was the youngest-ever snooker World Champion, at 21. He has won the honour on six subsequent occasions. He was also snooker's world number one for eight consecutive years, between 1990 and 1998, and also in 2006-07...
was the youngest ever champion when he won in 1990 aged 21.
- In the 2009 Championship, Stephen Hendry
Stephen Gordon Hendry, MBE is a Scottish professional snooker player. In 1990, he was the youngest-ever snooker World Champion, at 21. He has won the honour on six subsequent occasions. He was also snooker's world number one for eight consecutive years, between 1990 and 1998, and also in 2006-07...
won his 1000th frameA frame is a structural system that supports other components of a physical construction.Frame may also refer to:-Engineering & construction:* Framing , a building term known as light frame construction...
at the Crucible TheatreThe Crucible Theatre is a theatre built in 1971 and located in the city centre of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. As well as theatrical performances, it is home to the most important event in professional snooker, the World Snooker Championship....
, against Ding JunhuiDing Junhui is a Chinese professional snooker player. A prolific breakbuilder when on form, it took him only five seasons to compile a century of centuries, a record he shares with Ronnie O'Sullivan....
.
- Horace Lindrum
Horace Lindrum was an Australian professional snooker and carom billiards player. He was the great grandson of Australia's first billiards champion, the grandson of the great billiard coach, Frederick William Lindrum II, and nephew of Frederick WIlliam Lindrum III and Walter Lindrum...
of AustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the continental mainland , the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans...
, who won in 1952, Cliff ThorburnClifford Charles Devlin Thorburn, CM is a retired professional Canadian snooker player...
of CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, who won in 1980 and Ken DohertyKen Doherty is an Irish professional snooker player. He is the only player ever to have been world amateur and world professional champion . He was also World Under-21 champion in 1989.-Career:...
of IrelandIreland is a country in north-western Europe. The modern sovereign state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned on 3 May 1921. It is a parliamentary democracy and a republic...
, who won in 1997, are the only champions from outside the United KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of Ireland, and many small islands...
. Lindrum's official title is often discounted, as most of the best players did not compete.
- Surprise winners at the Crucible include Joe Johnson
Joe Johnson is an English former professional snooker player. He is most well known as the surprise winner of the 1986 World Championship.He reached the final of the World Amateur Snooker Championship in 1978, losing to Cliff Wilson...
and Shaun MurphyShaun Murphy is an English professional snooker player who is the reigning UK Champion, and the 2005 World Champion.Murphy is noted for his widely acclaimed cue action and his consistent long potting...
, who won in 1986 and 2005 respectively against odds of 150-1 each, and Terry GriffithsTerrence "Terry" Griffiths OBE is a retired Welsh snooker player and current snooker coach and pundit. He won the World Championship in 1979, and reached the 1988 final. He has also won the UK Championship and Masters...
, whose 1979 victory came in only his second professional tournament.
- Jimmy White
James Warren White, MBE is an English professional snooker player, best known as Jimmy White. Nicknamed the "Whirlwind", White is a multiple World Championship finalist, appearing in six World Championship finals without ever winning the title - although he won the 1980 amateur World Championship,...
has reached six finals, but has never won. The closest he came was 18-17 in 1994 against Stephen HendryStephen Gordon Hendry, MBE is a Scottish professional snooker player. In 1990, he was the youngest-ever snooker World Champion, at 21. He has won the honour on six subsequent occasions. He was also snooker's world number one for eight consecutive years, between 1990 and 1998, and also in 2006-07...
, on his 32nd birthday.
- Ronnie O'Sullivan
Ronald Antonio "Ronnie" O'Sullivan , nicknamed "the Rocket" due to his rapid playing style, is an English professional snooker player. He has been World Champion on three occasions , and is second on the all-time prize money list with career earnings of over UK£6 million, behind only Stephen Hendry...
is the only finalist in the modern era to have never lost in a final.
- Ken Doherty
Ken Doherty is an Irish professional snooker player. He is the only player ever to have been world amateur and world professional champion . He was also World Under-21 champion in 1989.-Career:...
is the only player to have won the world title at junior, amateur and professional level.
- Stephen Hendry
Stephen Gordon Hendry, MBE is a Scottish professional snooker player. In 1990, he was the youngest-ever snooker World Champion, at 21. He has won the honour on six subsequent occasions. He was also snooker's world number one for eight consecutive years, between 1990 and 1998, and also in 2006-07...
holds the record for the longest unbeaten run at the Crucible TheatreThe Crucible Theatre is a theatre built in 1971 and located in the city centre of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. As well as theatrical performances, it is home to the most important event in professional snooker, the World Snooker Championship....
. He won the Championship every year between 1992 and 1996, and continued unbeaten until the 1997The 1997 Embassy World Snooker Championship took place at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield between the 19th April to the 5th May 1997.- Notable Moments :* The semi-final matches were 'best of 33' for the first time, having previously been 'best of 31'....
final.
- John Parrott
John Parrott MBE is an English professional snooker player.He won the World Snooker Championship in 1991, defeating Jimmy White in the final. Two years earlier he had lost 18-3 to Steve Davis, the heaviest final defeat in modern times...
is the only player to have recorded a whitewash in the final tournament. He beat Eddie CharltonEdward Francis Charlton AM was a top-class Australian snooker and billiards player. He remains the only player to have been world championship runner-up in both snooker and billiards without winning either title.Charlton was born in Merewether, New South Wales, Australia and came...
10-0 in the first round in 1992The 1992 Embassy World Snooker Championship took place at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield between the 18 April and 4 May 1992.Stephen Hendry was the eventual winner of the 1992 Embassy World Championship after an 18-14 win over Jimmy White. At one point, White led 14-8 and was a red and colour away...
.
- Since the tournament has been held at the Crucible only two players have successfully defended a world title: Steve Davis in 1984, 1988 and 1989, and Stephen Hendry 1993-1996. No player has successfully defended their first title
The Crucible Curse is a phrase widely used in professional snooker. The term refers to the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, venue of the World Snooker Championship since 1977, and the fact that no first-time champion has ever successfully defended his title there the following year, hence the...
in the modern era.
Media Coverage
BBC Coverage used to be hosted from its inception in 1976 until 2000 by
David VineDavid Martin Vine was a British television sports presenter. He presented a wide variety of shows from the 1960s onwards.-Early life:...
with commentary by the like of
Ted LoweTed Lowe is a retired BBC snooker commentator. He was instrumental in the game's rise in popularity in the 1980s. His hushed tones led to him being dubbed 'Whispering Ted Lowe', and originated from the fact that he often recorded his early commentaries from within the crowd, meaning that he had to...
. Since 2000 the BBC Coverage has been hosted by
Hazel IrvineHazel Irvine , is a television presenter from the United Kingdom. Educated at Hermitage Academy in Helensburgh, she achieved an M.A. in History of Art at the University of St. Andrews, and competed in golf, netball and athletics at university level...
or
Ray StubbsRaymond "Ray" Stubbs is a broadcaster and former footballer. He currently works for ESPN, presenting live Premier League and Scottish Premier League matches, having joined the satellite sports channel from the BBC in 2009....
or more recently with Richie Persad when Hazel or Ray is unavailable. Commentary is by a raft of ex-pros and current pros including
Willie ThorneWilliam Joseph Thorne , best known as Willie Thorne, is a former English professional snooker player and now a commentator.-Life and career:...
,
Dennis TaylorDennis Taylor is a retired snooker player, and current BBC snooker commentator. Taylor is well known for his sense of humour and his trademark over-sized glasses...
,
John VirgoJohn Virgo is an English former professional snooker player and more recently a snooker commentator and TV personality.-Career:John Virgo turned professional in 1976...
,
John ParrottJohn Parrott MBE is an English professional snooker player.He won the World Snooker Championship in 1991, defeating Jimmy White in the final. Two years earlier he had lost 18-3 to Steve Davis, the heaviest final defeat in modern times...
,
Steve DavisSteve Davis, OBE, is an English professional snooker player. He has won more professional titles in the sport than any other player, including six World Championships during the 1980s....
,
Ken DohertyKen Doherty is an Irish professional snooker player. He is the only player ever to have been world amateur and world professional champion . He was also World Under-21 champion in 1989.-Career:...
,
Clive EvertonClive Everton , is a English veteran BBC snooker commentator, journalist and author. He began his BBC career on the radio, but has been commentating on the television from the 1978 World Championship through to the present...
,
Terry GriffithsTerrence "Terry" Griffiths OBE is a retired Welsh snooker player and current snooker coach and pundit. He won the World Championship in 1979, and reached the 1988 final. He has also won the UK Championship and Masters...
and
Neal FouldsNeal Foulds is a former English professional snooker player and is now a commentator on the sport. He earned a little over £1 million in prize money, but later went bankrupt. He compiled 76 centuries in his career.-Career:...
. The BBC will continue to televise this event (along with three other tournaments) until 2011. IMG Media (initially as TWI) have produced the BBC's Snooker coverage since 1998.
EurosportEurosport is a European sports satellite and cable network, available in 59 countries and broadcasting in 20 different languages. It is owned and operated by the TF1 Group....
also provide coverage of the event.
External links