The moment came early in his quarter-final match against Ryan Day on 20/3, when O'Sullivan snookered his opponent. The Welsh player's unsuccessful escape shot resulted in O’Sullivan being awarded a free ball, a key factor that allowed him to surpass the sport's usual scoring limits.

English player Ronnie O'Sullivan competing against Xiao Guodong (China) in the second round of the Snooker World Grand Prix 2026 in Hong Kong on 5/2. Photo: Xinhua/AP

In snooker, the typical maximum score for a single break is 147 points. This is achieved when a player pots all 15 red balls, each followed by a black ball, before clearing the remaining colored balls. However, the free ball rule allows for an additional red ball to be scored in specific situations, creating the possibility to exceed the 147-point mark.

Seizing this rare opportunity, O’Sullivan chose the green ball as his free ball, scoring one point. He then potted the black ball, raising his total to 8 points, before officially commencing his scoring run with the red balls. From that point, the English player displayed his class with a nearly flawless scoring streak. He cleared all 15 red balls, combining 13 black balls and two pink balls, before finishing by clearing the remaining colored balls on the table.

In total, he achieved 153 points, the highest score ever recorded in a single break in professional snooker. The previous record was Jamie Burnett's 148 points at the 2004 UK Championship qualifiers, also made possible by a free ball situation. For over two decades, no one had come close to the theoretical maximum of 155 points, which a player can only achieve by fully utilizing a free ball and maintaining a perfect scoring sequence.

Despite this, O’Sullivan's 153-point break was not the optimal method. Instead of combining all 15 red balls with 15 black balls, he used the pink ball twice, which reduced his total score compared to the maximum possible.

Footage of O'Sullivan's 153-point break.

Even if not theoretically perfect, O’Sullivan’s performance is a memorable moment in snooker history. The record-breaking break also set the stage for O’Sullivan's dominant 5-0 victory over Ryan Day, securing his spot in the semi-finals. He had previously shown consistent form with decisive wins in the tournament, despite playing less this season.

After the match, O’Sullivan posted a short video on social media platform X to thank his fans. "That moment was amazing", he shared. "I am really happy to have done this. Thank you to everyone who has always supported me".

At 50 years old, he was not entirely satisfied even after breaking the record. In his career, O’Sullivan has achieved 17 maximum breaks of 147 points, the most in history, and has set many other records, including the fastest 147 break. He also co-holds the record for 7 world championships, alongside Stephen Hendry in the current era.

The World Open, with a prize fund of 1.1 million USD, took place in Yushan County, Shangrao City, Jiangxi Province, China, from 16/3 to 22/3, following a knockout format. In the World Open semi-finals, O’Sullivan will face home player Wu Yize. The other semi-final featured Thai player Thepchaiya Un-Nooh and English opponent Judd Trump.

Xuan Binh (according to ESPN, Daily Mail)