American MIND BLOWN By Ronnie O'Sullivan Fastest 147 in History (Snooker) 

Your opponent in snooker would be absolutely rootin for you to get the 147. If there are 2 tables in play, the other table would pause play, in respect / awe & watch. That is the Gentlemanly nature of the game.

Ronnie was 21 when he did this. He won his first ranking title when he was 17 years and 358 days old, a record he still holds. He is regarded by many to be the most naturally gifted player the sport has seen

What is astonishing about this is the speed at which he does it. To illustrate this the BBC once did a comparison. They played this break side by side with Cliff Thorburn's 147 from 1983. By the time Thorburn potted the final black Ronnie had completed his 147, celebrated in front of the crowd, shaken hands with his opponent, gone back to the dressing room, changed clothes and left the arena.

I’m a 76 year old woman, I love Ronnie, he’s controversial. He’s a one off. I love your reactions by the way. You give Americans a good name.

i wish more americans were like you, very openminded its refreshing

Ronnie’s cue ball control is like no one else. Simply the best there has ever been.

He plays left handed when needed like it's the most natural thing

Ronnie is the GOAT. Happy you have found snooker, it’s both relaxing and stressful lol.

When you can appreciate the skill and artistry in a 20 minute safety battle, then you will be a true fan.

My dude, he doesn't just have the cue ball "stay in the general area". He sets it up perfectly for the next shot every time. How the cue ball moves after making contact with the other balls is never a coincidence or random luck. He probably has at least the next 4-5 shots already planned at all times.

One of the things I love most about Ronnie is that he is a poster child for non-toxic growth and masculinity. He's had terrible problems with mental health and his home life and has been open and honest and his recovery is inspiring

I am 53 now. An eye injury ended my snooker decades ago but along the way i loved my snooker and luckily I had a job where the company had a sports and social club onsite...(2 snooker tables). I played every day that i was there at luchtime and stayed over after work. I ended up destroying the snooker team without knowing until the team captain introduced himself and asked if i would like to play for them. I had no idea league snooker existed. So i said hell yes. Now im playing 30+ hours a week on a fast lively table with very tight pockets. I went to the British Legion to meet up with my dad, the pockets were buckets and i just couldnt miss. Used to tell my mates that my snooker has improved, always flew over their heads until i played my best mate. Beat him 10-0 inside 2 hours.

It's been great seeing you discover about Snooker for the first time. As a Brit, I grew up loving it. You were right to start by watching Ronnie's 147 as this is one of the most iconic moments in the sport's history. The other would be the final frame of the 1985 world championship, which is probably the most famous frame in the whole history of Snooker and something people still talk about. In the final were Steve Davis, who ruled the 80s and had already won a few World Championships by this point, and Dennis Taylor (the one with the funny glasses), the underdog who had never been world champion before. The final takes place over 2 days, first person to get 18 frames wins. It got off to a predictable start, with Davis winning the first 7 frames in a row. At 7-0 down, it would be very hard for Dennis to get back in the match. Yet something switched, and Dennis put in one of the best comebacks ever, and an epically long match which culminated in a 17-17 final frame decider, in the early hours of the morning. 18.5 million people in the UK stayed up to watch it. The final frame then went down to the very last black ball. There's never been a final quite like it since. Search this for the clip: The Black Ball Final | 1985 World Championship | Dennis Taylor vs Steve Davis Ronnie's 147 showed the flashy, fast, exhillerating, genius side of snooker. This 1985 clip shows a completely different side... tension, nerves, exhaustion, and dogged perseverence under unbelievable pressure. Enjoy :) WST 375K subscribers Subscribe

The most difficult thing in Snooker is, that the peckets are so small. A ball barely fits inside a pocket, in pool the pockets are huge in comparison.

Ronnie O'Sullivan pretty much holds all the records that matter in snooker. And yeah, he's still officially ranking world number 1. He's a complicated character, and has issues, but when he's on form (still, at 48 years old) and he's not moaning about how uninterested he is in playing snooker (and how he'd rather be out running a marathon instead), his preternatural ability to play snooker is just incredible to watch.

Hello. I'm from Portugal, but I have been following snooker for more than 30 years now. Welcome. Every time you are watching snooker, always remember the player has 2 simultaneous goals; pot the ball he's aiming and position the cue ball for the next ball. We used to say, " the difficulty is making it simple". Also, the other guy being there waiting without points is rather natural in snooker. Even if 147's are quite rare, winner shots are not. Great players do it 30 or 40% of the time they go to the table and the opponent can reply only in the next frame.

Fun fact, and bearing in mind the prestige of achieving a 147, Ronnie o sullivan once purposely missed the final black of a 147 break in protest at the prize money being too low! Usually it is £147k! ronnie is the goat.

For sheer tension, you must watch the final frame of the 1985 World Championship between Denis Taylor and Steve Davis. Best of 35 frames, it was tied at 17-17 leading into the last frame. Davis was the Ronnie O'Sullivan of his era and firm favourite. Shown live on TV it went past midnight, and still achieved record viewing figures. While the standard of play wasn't quite 147 level, the tension was unbelievable and the match is still talked about now, almost forty years later.

I'm glad you're seeing snooker for what it is - a real exercise in precision and self-discipline at the table. Ronnie is a bit of a maverick both on and off the table. Snooker is a part of the social and cultural fabric of the UK. For anyone growing up in the 70s and 80s, snooker was a big thing on TV. We only had 3-4 channels and the World Championship was watched by millions. Even with 100s of channels now, snooker is still watched by large audiences. And you're right, it's very therapeutic to watch it. There's something calming about watching it, but it also can be very exciting.

Ronnie is the most naturally gifted player to ever play the game. His tablecraft and control of the white ball are so good he rarely has to make difficult shots. It is very therapeutic watching him play, you're right about that.

147 break is really impressive. Next you should watch a more normal frame with tactical shots and safety shots. That's when things get interesting.

They don't call Ronnie the 'Rocket' for no reason, the speed and precision of his play is a joy to behold. This is how you play the 'pot the balls' aspect of snooker, you should check out the 'difficult to get out of' hardest shots safety play aspect of the game. Playing the cue ball off of several cushions to hit the object ball and avoid the rest of the balls.

Danny Baker was interviewing Ronnie when he was 11 and asked him how big he wanted to be, Ronnie thought for a bit and said 5 foot 10. It was so sweet 🙂

To put into perspective just how good Ronnie is, He started playing left handed shots against another pro, The guy complained that he was being disrespectful so the snooker authority asked him to play a former world champion using just his left hand and Ronnie won 3-0 He wasn't doing it to be disrespectful he's just that talented. The game you're watching happened 27 years ago and Ronnie is still number 1 in the world and the current world champion.

Damn you quick as hell, yesterday ppl recommended 147 by O'Sullivan and today you delivered the reaction hahaha

The way he controls the cue ball is poetry! Love it! You cannot help but be in awe at how he does that so fluently!

I watched this live on TV, and in my eyes, it's the most remarkable sporting achievement of all time. It's impossible to explain how difficult it is to score a maximum in snooker, but to do it in 5 minutes is absolutely mind-blowing. Ronnie is simply the best, and most naturally-gifted snooker player of all time.

The thing about snooker is your flicking through the channels looking for something to watch,you come across snooker and 2 hours later your still watching it!

Now you've got to watch Alex Higgins greatest clearance from 1982

The man is a genius. No other word for him. He plays as well left-handed as most of the professionals in the sport. Other players cab do what he does but it's the speed of thought in this. All natural.

So happy to see you enjoy the sport properly

Ronnie is a legend. Watching him clear the table is something else, especially how he sets up for the next shot. Sheer talent.

Ronnie is the best player ever this is nearly 30 years ago and he is currently the world number one and he has won more ranking events than anyone else this season.

I'm glad that you have discovered the fine gentlemanly sport of snooker. There have been many exceptionally talented players in history but Ronnie is on another level. A handy hint for you is to listen to the commentators. They do an excellent job of explaining the rules, options, scoring, strategies etc etc and will teach you the game in no time.

4:20 not only that... every time he hits the queueball he gives it enough spin to line up the next shot perfectly every single time

New subscriber here, glad you have discovered the graceful (and often temperamental) game of snooker! 🎱 A quick recommendation you will enjoy - "When Ronnie O'Sullivan called a 147 on the first black." Truly shows the greatness of the man's ridiculous ability. Loved the video man, cheers to Merica 🇺🇸 from Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 UK 🇬🇧

Thanks Ian. Ronnie O'Sullivan has knocked up many 147's. We used to get 'Pot Black' on TV here in Australia. I've always loved Snooker. Billiards, on a 12×6 table takes skill as well. 3 balls on a big, big table. 👍🇦🇺

I remember the first 147 I ever did ( you NEVER forget that ). I was at a local snooker hall with my Dad...by the time I had finished I had all the other players standing and watching...then My Dad took me over the road to a local pub...and bought me a double Scotch ! I was 16 years old lol.

Ronnie is a legend in the game, the GOAT. What a lot of people don't realise is that he's really really good playing left handed too.

I've been to the crucible the home of snooker and seen Ronnie the GOAT at work. Still being amazing - he says he doesn't care , but really he says that to keep the pressure off. Snooker is such a a mental and tough game , but O'Sullivan makes it look EASY - that's why he's the greatest of all time 🎉🎉

Snooker *is* really therapeutic. And great to watch at night. When I came home after going out, it was either Bob Ross or Snooker 😂

I've grown up with a 9ft pool table in my fathers house. We spent quite a bit of time playing, as it was our usual activity whenever we spent time together. I"d consider myself above average when it comes to pool. Ive tried Snooker twice.... I couldn't sink anything anywhere at all. It was infuriating. Ever since, I adore those snooker dudes. They are insane. Love to watch you discover this absolute beaut of a sport. A couple of things I want to make you aware of, as they are hard to notice initially: In Snooker the Balls are quite a bit smaller than they are on the kind of pool table most of us grew up playing. As you've already found out, the table is quite a bit bigger however (pooltables in pubs and bars are often 6ft in lengh, whilst official pool competitions (8 and 9 ball) are played on a 9ft table.) Here the table is 12ft long. Combine that with the smaller size of the balls and you increase the difficulty in comparison to pool exponentially. Also, most significant: the pockets have rounded corners, as you can see if you take a closer look. Pool tables have the corners angled, meaning pocketing any ball is much easier, as the balls generally bounce towards the pockets, as long as you're close enough. With them being rounded here, the balls tend to bounce out and away from the pocket, if not hit perfectly.

Ronnie is the best to ever pick up a cue. He's also just as good with his left hand!

I love snooker, because it so great to watch when someone just clears up the whole table, but also it's great to watch the tactical play when the frame just keeps going and going.

The truly difficult aspect to master in snooker is cue ball control, i.e where you leave the cue ball after potting. Players like Ronnie here aren't just playing to get the cue ball in a general area, they are playing to get it on a dime sized area, it's literally that level of precision and control, which is mind-blowing. Especially once you learn about how difficult it is to make the pots and applying side/spin etc.

Every shot of Ronnie’s record breaking 147 is just fantastic, pure poetry in motion. The best 5m and 8s of snooker ever seen. Such rapid clean striking of the balls, cue ball wonderfully in control and I never get tired of seeing this. Steve Davis 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 made the first televised 147 maximum in the LADA Classic in 1982 then a year later in 1983 Canadian 🇨🇦 Cliff Thorburn made the first 147 in the World Championships at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield against Welshman 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 Terry Griffiths. Thorburn went on to the final, where he was soundly defeated 18-6 by Steve Davis.

Not only is the table bigger and the pockets smaller but the balls are smaller too. It's all more precise than pool. It is very relaxing to watch on a lazy Sunday. And very difficult to play down at the local club. Getting a break going at all is good going (red and a colour).

To be the person in the crowd who caught the chalk must treasure that to this day.

Ronnie has done this many times since, but I do remember watching this one live on tv . The Rocket is awesome

When you hear ronnie talking about this 147, he says he maintains it was all on instinct, didnt stop to think about what he was going to do, and if you notice, he barely chalks the cue as well. The man is the most naturally gifted player of them all and is simply the greatest snooker player, still winning big tournaments as a 48 year old.

The heyday of snooker was really the 1970s-1990s. There were some truly amazing players and great characters (look up Hurricane Higgins). The clip you've commented on was one of the best examples of 'flow' that I've ever seen - someone completely in the zone, completely focused, just at one with the table and doing what he absolutely loved. Thank you for reminding me of this.

Man I love your content, I’m from the uk and love to see you genuinely try to understand sports and ‘uk’isms’ which other Americans can’t seem to fathom. Keep up the good work my man

The reason why snooker became so popular on tv was that when David Attenborough was in charge of BBC 2 and was transitioning it to colour he wanted something that was easy to watch and colourful. The Snooker Tournament that was on at the time fitted the bill perfectly and opened up the sport to millions of viewers and advertisers alike.

Not sure if you've heard of the Mosconi Cup (9-ball) but in the first few years that they really tried to promote it on tv over here they had some snooker legends representing Europe including Jimmy White, Alex Higgins, Steve Davis and Ronnie O'Sullivan. Ronnie was playing both right and left handed and the snooker boys made that cueball dance. It could be worth checking out.

It's wonderful you mentioned that watching this was a little therapeutic. If you watch any more snooker in future, you'll notice that even the commentators speak in a very calm and measured way for the most part to add to that therapeutic atmosphere.

Over the years there have been many challenge Ronnie to be number one and often succeed, but Ronnie has outlasted them all. The GOAT probably

It’s hard to comprehend just how difficult this is. Ronnie makes it look so absurdly easy, but it’s one of the toughest things to achieve in sport. His cue control is inch perfect.

first pro match at 16, he is 48 now and hold holds countless records and milestones, as of this year he is ranked #1 and a new record will fall as he is expected to take home the most prize money of any pro player in a single season. I have seen tournaments where opponents crumble at the mere prospect of facing him, they just turn to jello. In thirty-two years, his institutional knowledge is so great I swear he wins with muscle memory alone.

The excitement in the crowd whenever someone approaches the 147 is always infectious. As a long time fan of the sport I’ve grown to appreciate the skill in safety shots and escapes than potting balls. I highly recommend checking out the best safety shots of all time.

An incredibly difficult game made to look childishly easy. He can play both left and right-handed pretty much equally well, which always blows my mind. One of my favourite sporting moments ever.

You should check out Alex Higgins The impossible break.

If you liked that snooker you should have a look at English billiards it's played on the same size table with only 3 balls and the highest break was Maid by Walter lindrum 4137 points with out a miss

He was totally in the zone .. classic 147/ break 😁

Snooker was a sport I watched religiously growing up back in the day. I still remember the once record breaking Stephen Hendry years and seeing this amazing 147 match live :-)

There is also footage on YT of Ronnie's first ever tv appearance playing snooker in 1990 when he was just 14.

You gotta watch the classics like o'sullivan vs higgins. There are a lot of great matches between the two.

Another Ronnie O GOAT statistic: Ronnie has the record for most 147's in professional play with 15, and the unassailable record of "Century" breaks with 1,243 in competition and his nearest rival for the record is 260 behind at 983 centuries.

I actually stood up and gave a standing ovation, never seen this before. Unbelievable, as you say too, it was very calming

Ronnie has got to be one of the most successful athletes ever. How many others have stayed competitive enough to consistently win championships in their field for 30+ years?

Hi Ian Greetings from a snooker loving Aussie I don’t think this record will ever be broken. One of the most amazing 147s you will ever see. The top players in the world are pretty to watch. A player called Neil Robertson is the most successful ever Australian player.

I am not a great snooker fan, but in anybody's language that was a masterclass. A sublime talent.

Fair play for giving these things a go. Hope you start enjoying it.

They call him Ronnie the rocket. I have see him live in Prague. Hi is amazing 😍😍😍 Hi was the first player witch can play same quality if play with left and right hand. Hi is GOAT in snooker. 💪💪💪

He has just recently become both the youngest and the oldest player to win the UK Masters

Hi. Portuguese here. First video i watch from you was the football rules and then this. Men love your reaction. You are thinking right. Hug from Portugal

He's the best to ever do it, no one will argue that. He's still around today, winning tournaments. A more dominant, naturally-gifted, genius-level sportsman over so many years you will never find, and may never find ever again.

Ronnie O"Sullivan is a living legend👌

glad to see you're impressed, you should try it sometime. the first year can be a bit frustrating

Hi, my Dad taught me to play snooker when I was old enough to enter a bar. The first time I stepped up to the table, surrounded by older players. The thing that shocked me, as it did you. Looking down that enormous table ! What you've got to appreciate is the main two important things. Setting up your next two or more shots. Also, with the distance shots. If you are slightly out, by the time it's travelled the length of the table. It's way out when it arrives at the bottom. It really is a great sport. Give it a go !! Oh, by the way. The reason why most people have a pool table. It fits most homes and small bars !😊🤔👍

Just came across your video. I've seen this frame so many tines now it's awesome. I'm literally the only one in family other than my late dad who likes snooker. The general basic rules to win a frame is pot all the balls or enough so there's not enough points left on the table to beat you. Start with a red then any colour then red then any colour and so on till the last red then you must pot the colours in order of yellow 2points green 3p brown 4p blue 5p pink 6p black 7p each red is 1p Snooker matches can be intense especially with some good safety play and just their vision to see the shots is amazing to watch. Fantastic sport imo and my most favourite frame of snooker has to be ronnie 1000 century. Give that one a watch. You'll never see anything like that again for a frame of snooker

And remember these are 12 foot tables not 6ft pool tables.....really hard to play

In Australia back in the 60's, 70/80's used to be a TV show called 'pot black', Eddie Chartan was big back then, it made Snooker very popular in Australia.

Your right about the pockets, I found that smaller the table the bigger the pockets and bigger the table like in snooker the pockets are a lot smaller, especially the professional tables like the one Ronnie was playing. Still your are looking at the greatest to have ever played the game and still playing and winning, just amazing to watch.

ronnie has made 15 competitive play 147s..but in my opinion his best 147 by far is whem he played Mark King..Ronnie asked the rf wat the prize was for a 147 after making the 1st black..he went on to clear the table..stopped at 140 and left the black as he really didnt need to make it..he shook marks hand..after which the ref asked rionnie to sink the black for the 147 for the fans..he did...Ronnie has won 5 major tournaments so far this year..and hopefully he will go on to win his 8th World Title..he is without a doubt the best to ever hold a snooker cue..i been following ronnie since he turned pro..hehas always been a force to be rekoned with

He is the best, he can play left-handed right-handed as well

i THINK that was his 1st 147 aswell! he is deffinately the most talented player to ever pick up a cue. hes 48 and STILL winning basically whenever he feels like it

This is a brilliant reaction video. It is normal for us to see the wonder of great snooker players but it is even better seeing the wonder through the eyes of someone who is not familiar with the sport

I've watched this video dozens of times over the years. And will continue to do so. My enjoyment here is doubled by your enjoyment and amazement. I also find watching Ronnie in full flow therapeutic. Have a look at Kirk Stevens' 147. And also Jimmy White's break in the next frame. Especially the last pink and black... Snooker bliss.

Your knowledge is good for just getting into it. Ronnie is the best to ever do it. He is still winning the best tournaments going today. Unbelievable

He was playing a game one day and I'm not sure if he'd only potted a red or a black as well, but he asked the referee if there was a prize for getting a 147. The referee had to enquire about it while he continued playing and sadly had to inform him that there wasn't. He still scored a maximum.147. Sheer brilliance.

Pure natural talent for the game of snooker. That break will never be broken in our lifetimes, not even Ronnie could do it now.

Snooker isn’t just about being able to pot balls well, but also to be able to control the cue ball and look 3/4 shots ahead and plan. Ronnie is supremely gifted at all of these things.

I love the way you 'get' the game. I have seen plenty of people react to this break and although they are impressed they don't really get how hard it is and what is going on. You seem to understand the impeccable 'cue ball control' Ronnie is demonstrating in the break and how he is planning his shots in advance. That he does it at such speed is pure wizardry. The most impressive part for me is how he plans and reads cannons. He assesses the bunch of reds. Works out the best place and from what direction (and at what pace) to hit the reds and has it all planned out 2,3 or 4 shots in advance.

Just for your own entertainment I recommend you find Ronnie's appearance on Top Gear. He was challenged to clear the table before The Stig did a lap of the TG track. But without him knowing they got his car keys and The Stig thrashed Ronnie's own car around the track. That must have been so distracting. Love your attitude and appreciation, a like and a sub earned!

Really enjoyed, how much fun you had watching. Ronnie's record 147 gives me goose bumps as well. Would love to hear about your own impressions on Snooker, when you try it for yourself. You love the huge table - try it - it IS huge. Go try it and have some fun. Don't be frustrated if it's not working out like Ronnie ;-) Cheers from Germany

Ronnie O is by far and among his peers considered to be the GOAT, and most definitely of the "Modern" era of the sport.

Absolute pleasure to watch and listen to your reaction / commentary. So pleased you appreciate this precise and addictive sport. I do hope you find a snooker table and give this incredible game a chance to become a part of your life. Loved your enthusiasm...

Ronnie has his own YT channel where he talks to other great players often while playing informally. A pretty good way to familiarise yourself with snooker history.

Great Video Dude. And I Also Like Your Background. 😃👍.

There have been several prominent Canadian snooker players, and they all pronounce "snooker" the way you did, so you're all good, my man.