World Snooker Championships

WORLD C SNOOKER RONNIE CRUCIBILE RETURNS BY NUMBERS CHAMPIONSHIP The number of finals lost by Jimmy White. 2013 ROCKET'S FACTFILE: 10 How many 147 maximum breaks there has been in the 1986 Made his first century break when was just 10. televised stages of the World Championship. Turned professional at 16. Became the youngest player ever to win a ranking tournament aged 17. When he was 19, both his parents were in jail. Controversially played left-handed against Alain Robidoux. Recorded the fastest ever 147 (5 mins 20 seconds). Is a four time World Champion. (2001, 2004, 2008, 1992 1993 X12 The number of finals won by Scottish players in the last 23 World Championships. 1995 1996 1997 The number of frames needed 18 2001 2012). to win the final. 2012 Announced he was taking a break from snooker in 21 Stephen Hendry's age when he beat Jimmy White to win in 1990. November 2012. 2013 Described his return to the Crucible as being like my own reality TV show'. The number of balls on the table at the start of a game. 22 155 980 4,600 18.5m The number of pounds first-round losers will earn this year - more than Ray Reardon picked up for winning in 1975. A maximum break of The TW audience this number CAN who watched Dennis The seating capacity at the Crucible Theatre. Taylor beat Steve Davis on the final black in the 1985 final. theoretically be achieved. WHO'S IN THAT DICKIE BOW? MARK SELBY JUDD TRUMP STEPHEN MAGUIRE The World No I 'Jester "Mr Haircut 100' won The fiery Scot, a double Crucible semi-finalist, once From Leicester' missed the UK Championship an easy black which cost him a £23,500 bonus two years ago and says he wants 'to destroy his opponents. said he wanted to be world champion by the time he was 30 - He's now 32. for a 147 maximum break in China last month. ORLDSNO NEIL ROBERTSON PETER EBDON MARK DAVIS The 2010 champion The 2002 champion He'd be the fourth champion with that surname. The other three have won a combined loves the cameras. does a Tim Henman- The Aussie set a style fist pump to gee himself up, but be remarkable record of II wins from 15 televised finals. warned, 'Ebbo' is colour blind! 24 titles. STRANGER THAN FICTION Dangerous Man-made snooker balls in the 1920s contained elements of gunpowder and could explode at inconvenient moments. SPOOKY Ouch No player has successfully defended his first title in Sheffield, a fact known as the Stephen Hendry managed to win the World Championship in 1994 despite a broken arm. 'Crucible curse' SNOOKER LOOPY - CELEBRITY FANS WHO WILL BE FOLLOWING THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS Shane Filan Ricky Hatton Вохer. Has a different interpretation of a 'big break'. Ronnie Wood Westlife pop star. Has fewer groupies Rolling Stones guitarist. Hung around with Joe now than Peter Ebdon. and Fred Davis in the 1920s. A “POTTED" HISTORY The first championship was in 1927 when matches were held at various venues and the final at Camkin's Hall, Birmingham. 1927 In 1977 the World Championships 1977 CRUCIBLE moved to The Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. Joe Davis won the first event when prize money was just over £6. £6 2 Only two players have successfully defended the World Championship at the Crucible: Steve Davis in 1984, 1988 and 1989, and Stephen Hendry from 1993 to 1996. BETVICTOR