Dave Gilbert Makes Fantastic Historic 147th 147
David Gilbert has racked the 147th 147 at the Championship League at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry.
The 37-year-old former International Championship runner-up beat the Chinese no 1 Ding Junhui to it this week, as last week Ding fell short of making snooker history at the Masters. Ding’s 122
However Gilbert made the break on a much smaller stage at the Championship League, which is synoymous with players making 147s.
Gilbert’s 147 is the second maximum of his career and is the eighth maximum of the season with Ronnie O’Sullivan making his 15th career maximum this season, among others.
147s used to carry a whopping prize of £147,000 in the early days but the prizes for a maximum now are more modest – as they are more frequent now and carry a roll over if no makes one in a particular tournament.
At the Masters, Stephen Hendry the 7 times World Champion suggested that a maximum should carry a special gift prize such as a watch per se, to mark the significant achievement.
Six-times World Champion Steve Davis made the first televised 147 in 1982 and got a Lada car. According to Wikipedia, a player who makes the highest break from Groups 1 – 7 only get £500! In the winner’s group of the Championship League, the prize is £1000.
A 147 involves potting 15 reds, 15 blacks and the six colours, 36 pots of perfection. Watch Gilbert’s historic break below at 13 mins into the match against Stephen Maguire…
