A recent history of maximum breaks at the UK Championship

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There’s nothing snooker fans love more than a maximum break. Even as the game has evolved and 147 breaks have become more commonplace, there is still something very special about seeing one. There is perhaps no greater example of perfection in sport than a maximum — it requires pinpoint precision for 36 shots and a cool head as the pressure builds towards the break’s crescendo.

With the UK Championship currently in full flow, and as fans of the sport peruse the UK Snooker Championship odds, we’ve already been lucky enough to witness a 147 from Gary Wilson in round one. It’s the 19^th maximum we’ve seen in the history of the prestigious ranking event, with Wilson joining an elite list of players who have scored a perfect break at the tournament previously.

There isn’t enough time to go through every maximum, so let’s take a look at the most recent six examples, starting with arguably the most impressive of all…

Neil Robertson (2015, Final)

Any maximum break at the UK Championship is a special achievement, but to do so in the final is something else. Neil Robertson made history in 2015 by becoming the first player to make a 147 in the final of the UK Championship, with the break helping him on his way to a 10-5 win over Liang Wenbo to seal the title.

It started with a long red into the green pocket, which nestled in beautifully and allowed the Australian to craft his break from there. It was clear early on that Robertson fancied the maximum, and despite having to play a tricky plant at one point, along with a difficult red to the right middle, he held his nerve to send the York crowd into raptures.

Mark Allen (2016, Last 64)

The following year, Northern Ireland’s Mark Allen was the man to make a 147 at the UK Championship — his first in competitive competition. Facing Rod Lawler in the second round, the balls opened up beautifully for Allen, and he duly kept his composure to dispatch the lot.

Barry Hawkins (2019, Last 128)

We were made to wait three years to see another maximum break at the UK Championship, with Barry Hawkins ending the drought with a sensational effort against Gerard Greene in the first round. An audacious three-ball plant to the left middle pocket got Hawkins up and running, and from there he continued the break in his usual laid-back style. A tricky pink was duly potted, leaving an easy black to seal the maximum.