British Open Snooker: Information and a Potted History

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The British Open is one of professional snooker’s longest-running and most decorated competitions having first been held in 1985.

A ranking event, the tournament counts towards qualification for Players Series events and is open to all professional tour card holders. 

Held every season following its inauguration, the British Open did not feature in the 2005/06 campaign and remained off the calendar until the 2021/22 term when it was revived with a different format. 

It has always been staged in England, although several locations have hosted the event: Derby, Plymouth, Newcastle, Telford, Brighton, Leicester, Milton Keynes and Cheltenham. 

The competition featured a random draw in the early 90s, a concept that was re-introduced and has been used since its reboot in 2021. 

No player has successfully defended the British Open. 

In 2022, the trophy was named The Clive Everton Trophy.

Credit: Getty Images/Paul GilhamCredit: Getty Images/Paul Gilham
Credit: Getty Images/Paul Gilham | Getty Images/Paul Gilham

British Open Snooker: Most successful players, stats, stories, best finals 

Stephen Hendry and John Higgins are the most successful players in British Open history with four titles each, although Hendry also has two runner-up finishes to Higgins’ one. 

Mark Williams (three times), Jimmy White (twice) and Steve Davis (twice) are the other multiple-time winners of the event. Nine players have been one-time British Open champions, including Ronnie O’Sullivan in 1994 when he claimed his second ranking title a few months after his breakthrough at the UK Championship. 

The British Open has produced several one-time ranking event champions: Silvino Francisco, Tony Meo, Bob Chaperon, Nigel Bond and Fergal O’Brien. Canadian Chaperon’s victory in 1990 – having defeated Alex Higgins 10-8 in the final – is one of snooker’s unlikeliest ranking event triumphs.  

A plethora of memorable and historic finals have been witnessed at the British Open. At the inaugural staging in 1985, South Africa’s Francisco faced Canada’s Kirk Stevens in the first ranking event final between two non-British players. Francisco collected £50,000 for his win, which at the time was the richest first prize in professional snooker history. 

In 1992, White established a 7-0 lead against James Wattana in the title match before the Thai battled back to trail 8-7. However, The Whirlwind managed to cross the line, 10-8, for his second British Open crown. Earlier in the same tournament, Wattana compiled a maximum 147 break, although joy quickly turned to shock and sadness when he was told afterwards that his father had been murdered back home in Thailand following a shooting. 

There was an all-teenage final in 1995 between Ronnie O’Sullivan and John Higgins. Their first meeting in a ranking event final, Higgins prevailed 9-6. 

A year later, defending champion Higgins was involved in one of the most dramatic finals in snooker history when he met Nigel Bond. The encounter went to a deciding frame where the Scot looked set to retain the title when he led 69-0 with just 67 points remaining. However, Bond mounted a charge, laid a successful snooker and got back into the frame. Following a thrilling exchange on the final pink, Bond potted it before slicing in a thin black from distance to snatch the win in exhilarating circumstances.  

O’Sullivan and Hendry served up a treat in the 2003 final as both players produced three century breaks each. At one point between the two, they constructed centuries in five consecutive frames.  

Having trailed 5-3, Hendry recovered as he claimed six of the next seven frames for victory.

British Open Snooker: Roll of Honour, Locations and Winner’s Prize Money

1985: Silvino Francisco 12-9 Kirk Stevens (Derby) | £50,000

1986: Steve Davis 12-7 Willie Thorne (Derby) | £55,000

1987: Jimmy White 13-9 Neal Foulds (Derby) | £60,000

1988: Stephen Hendry 13-2 Mike Hallett (Derby) | £60,000

1989: Tony Meo 13-6 Dean Reynolds (Derby) | £70,000

1990: Bob Chaperon 10-8 Alex Higgins (Derby) | £75,000

1991: Stephen Hendry 10-9 Gary Wilkinson (Derby) | £75,000

1992: Jimmy White 10-7 James Wattana (Derby) | £75,000

1993: Steve Davis 10-2 James Wattana (Derby) | £50,000

1994: Ronnie O’Sullivan 9-4 James Wattana (Plymouth) | £36,000

1995: John Higgins 9-6 Ronnie O’Sullivan (Plymouth) | £60,000

1996: Nigel Bond 9-8 John Higgins (Plymouth) | £60,000

1997: Mark Williams 9-2 Stephen Hendry (Plymouth) | £60,000

1998: John Higgins 9-8 Stephen Hendry (Plymouth) | £60,000

1999 (April): Fergal O’Brien 9-7 Anthony Hamilton (Plymouth) | £60,000

1999 (September): Stephen Hendry 9-5 Peter Ebdon (Plymouth) | £62,000

2000: Peter Ebdon 9-6 Jimmy White (Plymouth) | £62,000

2001: John Higgins 9-6 Graeme Dott (Newcastle) | £92,500

2002: Paul Hunter 9-4 Ian McCulloch (Telford) | £52,000

2003: Stephen Hendry 9-6 Ronnie O’Sullivan (Brighton) | £52,000

2004: John Higgins 9-6 Stephen Maguire (Brighton) | £30,000

2021: Mark Williams 6-4 Gary Wilson (Leicester) | £100,000

2022: Ryan Day 10-7 Mark Allen (Milton Keynes) | £100,000

2023: Mark Williams 10-7 Mark Selby (Cheltenham) | £100,000

2024: Mark Selby 10-5 John Higgins (Cheltenham) | £100,000

Credit: Getty Images/Alex PantlingCredit: Getty Images/Alex Pantling
Credit: Getty Images/Alex Pantling | Getty Images/Alex Pantling

British Open Snooker 147 Breaks

1992: James Wattana 

1994: David McDonnell (qualifying rounds for the 1995 event) 

1999: Jason Prince (qualifying rounds for the April edition) 

1999 (April edition): Graeme Dott 

1999 (September edition): Stephen Hendry 

2003: John Higgins 

2021: John Higgins, Ali Carter 

2022: Mark Selby 

2024: Mark Allen

Ten maximum 147 breaks have been made throughout British Open history. 

John Higgins is the only player to achieve this feat more than once in the tournament - nearly 18 years apart. His second in 2021 came in the first frame of his round one match against Alexander Ursenbacher. Incredibly, following his opponent’s break-off, Higgins potted a long red with his first shot and proceeded to complete perfection with his opening visit to the table. 

Stephen Hendry made history when he crafted the first maximum 147 break in a ranking event final en route to defeating Peter Ebdon 9-5 in the 1999 (September edition) British Open title match. 

David McDonnell, Jason Prince and Graeme Dott all hit their first maximum 147 breaks in professional competition during the British Open. 

On two occasions, two 147s have been made during the same British Open installment. In the 1999 April edition, Prince struck one in qualifying in the January before, followed by Dott’s at the main event. This was the first time in snooker history that more than one 147 had been made in the same ranking event. 

In 2021, two were produced at the main event – by Higgins, and four days later, Ali Carter.

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