List of world snooker champions

The World Snooker Championship Trophy

The World Snooker Championship snooker tournament founded in 1927 and since 1977 played at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England. The event is played over 17 days in late April and early May, and is chronologically the third of the three Triple Crown events of the season since 1977–78, when the UK Championship was first held. The event was not held from 1941 to 1945 because of World War II or between 1958 and 1963 due to declining interest.

The governing body that organises this event is the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Prior to this in 1968, the world championship was organised by the Billiards Association and Control Council (BACC), except for a few years when the Professional Billiards Players' Association (PBPA) staged their own event, the World Professional Match-play Championship.[1]

The best player at the World Snooker Championship was Joe Davis, who won 15 consecutive titles between 1927 and 1946. The record in the modern era, usually dated from 1969 of a knock-out tournament format, rather than a challenge format, is held by Stephen Hendry, who won the title 7 times between 1990 and 1999.

Champions

Format Organiser
Knockout tournament BACC
Challenge event with defending champion receiving a bye to the final † BACC
World Professional Match-play Championship ◊ PBPA
Challenge matches ‡ BACC
Knockout tournament (modern era) WPBSA

List of snooker World Champions[2][3][4][5][6]
Year Winner Runner-up Final score Season Venue
1927   Joe Davis   Tom Dennis 16–7 n/a Camkin's Hall, Birmingham
1928   Joe Davis   Fred Lawrence 16–13 n/a
1929   Joe Davis   Tom Dennis 17–12 n/a Lounge Hall, Nottingham
1930   Joe Davis   Tom Dennis 25–12 n/a Thurston's Hall, London
1931   Joe Davis   Tom Dennis 25–21 n/a Lounge Hall, Nottingham
1932   Joe Davis   Clark McConachy 25–18 n/a Thurston's Hall, London
1933   Joe Davis   Willie Smith 25–18 n/a Joe Davis Centre, Chesterfield
1934   Joe Davis   Tom Newman 25–22 n/a Lounge Hall, Nottingham and Kettering
1935   Joe Davis   Willie Smith 28–21 n/a Thurston's Hall, London
1936   Joe Davis   Horace Lindrum 34–27 n/a
1937   Joe Davis   Horace Lindrum 32–29 n/a
1938   Joe Davis   Sidney Smith 37–24 n/a
1939   Joe Davis   Sidney Smith 43–30 n/a
1940   Joe Davis   Fred Davis 37–36 n/a
1941–1945: No tournament[a]
1946   Joe Davis   Horace Lindrum 78–67 n/a Royal Horticultural Hall, London
1947   Walter Donaldson   Fred Davis 82–63 n/a Leicester Square Hall, London
1948   Fred Davis   Walter Donaldson 84–61 n/a
1949   Fred Davis   Walter Donaldson 80–65 n/a
1950   Walter Donaldson   Fred Davis 51–46 n/a Tower Circus, Blackpool
1951   Fred Davis   Walter Donaldson 58–39 n/a
1952   Horace Lindrum[b]   Clark McConachy 94–49 n/a Houldsworth Hall, Manchester
1952   Fred Davis   Walter Donaldson 38–35 n/a Tower Circus, Blackpool
1953   Fred Davis   Walter Donaldson 37–34 n/a Leicester Square Hall, London
1954   Fred Davis   Walter Donaldson 45–26 n/a Houldsworth Hall, Manchester
1955   Fred Davis   John Pulman 38–35 n/a Tower Circus, Blackpool
1956   Fred Davis   John Pulman 38–35 n/a
1957   John Pulman   Jackie Rea 39–34 n/a St Helier, Jersey
1958–1963: No tournament[c]
1964   John Pulman   Fred Davis 19–16 n/a Burroughes Hall, London
1964   John Pulman   Rex Williams 40–33 n/a
1965   John Pulman   Fred Davis 37–36 n/a
1965   John Pulman   Rex Williams 25–22[d] n/a South Africa
1965   John Pulman   Fred Van Rensburg 39–12 n/a
1966   John Pulman   Fred Davis 5–2*[e] n/a St George's Hall, Liverpool
1968   John Pulman   Eddie Charlton 39–34 n/a Co-operative Hall, Bolton
1969   John Spencer   Gary Owen 37–24 1968–69 Victoria Hall, London
1970   Ray Reardon   John Pulman 37–33 1969/70
1971   John Spencer   Warren Simpson 37–29 1970–71 Chevron Hotel, Sydney, Australia
1972   Alex Higgins   John Spencer 37–32 1971–72 Selly Park British Legion, Birmingham
1973   Ray Reardon   Eddie Charlton 38–32 1972–73 City Exhibition Hall, Manchester
1974   Ray Reardon   Graham Miles 22–12 1973–74 Belle Vue, Manchester
1975   Ray Reardon   Eddie Charlton 31–30 1974–75 Nunawading Basketball Centre, Melbourne, Australia
1976   Ray Reardon   Alex Higgins 27–16 1975–76 Wythenshawe Forum, Manchester
1977   John Spencer   Cliff Thorburn 25–21 1976–77 Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
1978   Ray Reardon   Perrie Mans 25–18 1977–78
1979   Terry Griffiths   Dennis Taylor 24–16 1978–79
1980   Cliff Thorburn   Alex Higgins 18–16 1979–80
1981   Steve Davis   Doug Mountjoy 18–12 1980–81
1982   Alex Higgins   Ray Reardon 18–15 1981–82
1983   Steve Davis   Cliff Thorburn 18–6 1982–83
1984   Steve Davis   Jimmy White 18–16 1983–84
1985   Dennis Taylor   Steve Davis 18–17 1984–85
1986   Joe Johnson   Steve Davis 18–12 1985–86
1987   Steve Davis   Joe Johnson 18–14 1986–87
1988   Steve Davis   Terry Griffiths 18–11 1987–88
1989   Steve Davis   John Parrott 18–3 1988–89
1990   Stephen Hendry   Jimmy White 18–12 1989–90
1991   John Parrott   Jimmy White 18–11 1990–91
1992   Stephen Hendry   Jimmy White 18–14 1991–92
1993   Stephen Hendry   Jimmy White 18–5 1992–93
1994   Stephen Hendry   Jimmy White 18–17 1993–94
1995   Stephen Hendry   Nigel Bond 18–9 1994–95
1996   Stephen Hendry   Peter Ebdon 18–12 1995–96
1997   Ken Doherty   Stephen Hendry 18–12 1996–97
1998   John Higgins   Ken Doherty 18–12 1997–98
1999   Stephen Hendry   Mark Williams 18–11 1998–99
2000   Mark Williams   Matthew Stevens 18–16 1999–2000
2001   Ronnie O'Sullivan   John Higgins 18–14 2000–01
2002   Peter Ebdon   Stephen Hendry 18–17 2001–02
2003   Mark Williams   Ken Doherty 18–16 2002–03
2004   Ronnie O'Sullivan   Graeme Dott 18–8 2003–04
2005   Shaun Murphy   Matthew Stevens 18–16 2004–05
2006   Graeme Dott   Peter Ebdon 18–14 2005–06
2007   John Higgins   Mark Selby 18–13 2006–07
2008   Ronnie O'Sullivan   Ali Carter 18–8 2007–08
2009   John Higgins   Shaun Murphy 18–9 2008–09
2010   Neil Robertson   Graeme Dott 18–13 2009–10
2011   John Higgins   Judd Trump 18–15 2010–11
2012   Ronnie O'Sullivan   Ali Carter 18–11 2011–12
2013   Ronnie O'Sullivan   Barry Hawkins 18–12 2012–13
2014   Mark Selby   Ronnie O'Sullivan 18–14 2013–14
2015   Stuart Bingham   Shaun Murphy 18–15 2014–15
2016   Mark Selby   Ding Junhui 18–14 2015–16
2017   Mark Selby   John Higgins 18–15 2016–17
2018   Mark Williams   John Higgins 18–16 2017–18
2019   Judd Trump   John Higgins 18–9 2018–19
2020   Ronnie O'Sullivan   Kyren Wilson 18–8 2019-20
2021   Mark Selby   Shaun Murphy 18–15 2020-21
2022   Ronnie O'Sullivan   Judd Trump 18–16 2021-22

Joe Davis (1927–40 & 1946)
Stephen Hendry (1990, 1992–96 & 1999)
Steve Davis (1981, 1983–84 & 1987–89)

Statistics

Multiple champions

Snooker World Champions multiple times
Player Total Years Status
  Joe Davis 15 1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1946 10/7/1978
  Fred Davis 8 1948, 1949, 1951, 1952*, 1953*, 1954*, 1955*, 1956* 16/4/1998
  John Pulman 8 1957*, 1964 , 1964 , 1965 , 1965 , 1965 , 1966 , 1968  25/12/1998
  Stephen Hendry 7 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999 active
  Ronnie O'Sullivan 7 2001, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2020, 2022 active
  Steve Davis 6 1981, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1989 retired
  Ray Reardon 6 1970, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978 retired
  John Higgins ¤ 4 1998, 2007, 2009, 2011 active
  Mark Selby ¤ 4 2014, 2016, 2017, 2021 active
  Mark Williams ¤ 3 2000, 2003, 2018 active
  John Spencer 3 1969, 1971, 1977 11/7/2006
  Walter Donaldson 2 1947, 1950 24/5/1973
  Alex Higgins 2 1972, 1982 24/7/2010
Key
  Challenge match
* World Professional Match-play Championship
¤ Player competed in 2019

Champions by country

Champions by country (since 1969)
Country Players Total First title Last title
  England 10 25 1969 2022
  Scotland 3 12 1990 2011
  Wales 3 10 1970 2018
  Northern Ireland 2 3 1972 1985
  Canada 1 1 1980 1980
  Ireland 1 1 1997 1997
  Australia 1 1 2010 2010

Champions by country (all-time)
Country Players Total First title Last title
  England 13 56 1927 2022
  Scotland 4 14 1947 2011
  Wales 3 10 1970 2018
  Northern Ireland 2 3 1972 1985
  Australia 2 2 1952 2010
  Canada 1 1 1980 1980
  Ireland 1 1 1997 1997

List Of World Snooker Champions Media

Notes

  1. Due to World War II
  2. Due to a disagreement with the Billiards Association and Control Club and the Professional Billiards Players' Association (PBPA), Lindrum and McConachy were the only players to compete, with most professional players playing in the World Professional Match-play Championship instead. As a result, Lindrum's title win is sometimes ignored, with Cliff Thorburn (Canada), Ken Doherty (Republic of Ireland) and Neil Robertson (Australia) usually regarded as the only non-United Kingdom World Champions.[5]
  3. Due to lack of interest there was no championship organised between 1957 and 1964. It was agreed between the Professional Billiard Players Association and the BACC that the championship would be contested by having the reigning champion play in challenge matches. This was the case until the 1969 Championship.[7] The agreement in 1964 was that there should be a minimum sidestake of £50 involved, that matches could be of any duration agreed by both participants, and that the challenger would be responsible for finding a suitable venue.[8]
  4. The title was decided over a series of matches rather than frames.[9]
  5. The title was decided over a series of matches rather than frames.[9]

References

  1. "World Snooker Title". The Glasgow Herald: 2. 19 February 1952. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=F1tAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=C48MAAAAIBAJ&pg=5966%2C3977587. 
  2. Turner, Chris. "World Professional Championship". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. Archived from the original on 16 April 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2011.
  3. "World Championship – Roll of Honour". Global Snooker. Archived from the original on 22 February 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2013.
  4. "Hall of Fame". Snooker.org. Retrieved 24 February 2011.
  5. 5.0 5.1 "History of the World Snooker Championship". worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  6. "Embassy World Championship". Snooker Scene. Archived from the original on 24 January 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2012.
  7. Everton, Clive (1985). Guinness Snooker: The Records. Enfield: Guinness Superlatives Ltd. pp. 55–56. ISBN 0851124488.
  8. "Professional Snooker". Billiards and Snooker (the Billiards Association and Control Council) (January 1964): 13. )
  9. 9.0 9.1 Everton, Clive (1981). Guinness Book of Snooker. Enfield: Guinness Superlatives. p. 65. ISBN 0-85112-230-2.