# Snooker query **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 10, 2007, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snooker-query/403623 "2007-05-10T23:39:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alive_At_Both_Ends)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snooker-query/403623/21 "2007-05-11T14:37:33Z")
[QUOTE=Roog] You only forfeit the game after three misses are called in a situation where the referee has determined that you have not made a genuine attempt to hit a ball that is on. [/QUOTE] The game is only forfeited in this situation if you could have hit both edges of an “on” ball directly but chose instead to try to hit another ball you were snookered on, and failed three times. Not quite the same thing. BTW, a miss can only be called if the trailing player does not need snookers to win the frame. So you can’t gain an infinite number of points by repeated misses. [QUOTE=Malacandra] The existence of the “free ball” rule means that the theoretical maximum break in snooker is 155, not 147; if your opponent foul-snookers you with all 15 reds still on, you can pot a free ball of your choice, then the black, and then complete a normal 147 break. Last time I looked, this had never been done. [/QUOTE] I recall the commentators mentioning this during the recent World Championship and saying that it \*had \* been done once, but I don’t recall the details. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snooker-query/403623/22 "2007-05-11T16:41:46Z")
[QUOTE=Alive At Both Ends] I recall the commentators mentioning this during the recent World Championship and saying that it \*had \* been done once, but I don’t recall the details. [/QUOTE] 149, 151 and 155 have been reported. 148, by Jamie Burnett in a UK Championship qualifier is likely the highest in a professional match. [cite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highest_snooker_break) If anyone is still reading, here is the best snooker performance ever - a 147 done by a madman who happens to be the most talented player ever… [Ronnie O’Sullivan](http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=145498340249350698) ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2007, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snooker-query/403623/23 "2007-05-11T17:03:40Z")
[QUOTE=Struan] 149, 151 and 155 have been reported. 148, by Jamie Burnett in a UK Championship qualifier is likely the highest in a professional match. [cite](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highest_snooker_break) If anyone is still reading, here is the best snooker performance ever - a 147 done by a madman who happens to be the most talented player ever… [Ronnie O’Sullivan](http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=145498340249350698) [/QUOTE] :eek: Wow. Just wow. I’ve played snooker several times in my life. I’m not a terrible 8-ball and 9-ball player, but snooker is beyond me. I think the first time I played it took us nearly two hours to finish one game. The precision and patience required is simply astounding. And now, to watch a guy make a 147 break in 5:20. Stunning. ---
**Author:** ![Roog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a87d85/32.png) [@Roog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roog)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2007, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snooker-query/403623/24 "2007-05-12T08:04:48Z")
[QUOTE=Alive At Both Ends] The game is only forfeited in this situation if you could have hit both edges of an “on” ball directly but chose instead to try to hit another ball you were snookered on, and failed three times. Not quite the same thing. BTW, a miss can only be called if the trailing player does not need snookers to win the frame. So you can’t gain an infinite number of points by repeated misses. [/QUOTE] You are right, I should have been more precise about that. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2007, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snooker-query/403623/25 "2007-05-13T18:23:52Z")
Checking up those links on the maximum breaks, I noticed the name of James Wattana, Thailand’s greatest exponent. Of course, if Thailand were still known as Siam, he could be announced as “Wattana, Siam”. So it’s probably just as well that the name of the country changed. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/snooker-query/403623.md?page=1)