Snooker World Championship Trivia

1. The first time the Crucible Theatre was host for the snooker world championship was in 1977. Who was the first winner there?

From Quiz The Crucible Theatre: Home of Snooker

Answer: John Spencer

Before the Crucible Theatre became the annual host of the snooker world championship the event was held at different locations. In 1977 John Spencer beat Cliff Thorburn in the final (25-21) to become the first 'Crucible' world champion. Spencer had already won the world championship twice before (1969 and 1971). Ray Reardon won the world championship the next year, his sixth and final title. He had won the title before in 1970 and from 1973 till 1976 when it was held at other venues. John Pulman was knocked out by Spencer in the semi-finals. He was world champion from 1957 till 1968. In those years the champion was crowned in a vastly different way than today. Pulman won a knock-out tournament with only four contestants in 1957 and could hold on to his title for so long because the world championship wasn't held between 1958 and 1963. From 1964 till 1968 the world champion had to defend his title in a series matches where he was challenged by various opponents. Pulman won all seven of those challenge matches until the knock-out system was reintroduced in 1969.

From Quiz Ronnie O'Sullivan: Round One Mayhem

Answer: Alan McManus

Alan McManus is the only player of the four that is Scottish, and the only one that has won the Masters. Despite an incredible first season as a pro, Ronnie could not overcome the experienced McManus.

From Quiz Snooker World Champions

Answer: Stephen Hendry

This was Hendry's first world championship. He then won in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1999. Davis won in 1981, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1989. John Parrott won in 1991. Jimmy White never won at all.

From Quiz Embassy World Championships

Answer: Mick Price

Ronnie completed the maximum without chalking his cue once.

From Quiz The Crucible Theatre: Home of Snooker

Answer: Terry Griffiths

After beating two opponents in qualifying matches Terry Griffiths went on to the final where he beat Dennis Taylor 24-16. He became the first qualifier to win the world championship and the first to win in his debut year at the Crucible Theatre. It was his first and only world championship title. He reached the final again in 1988 but lost out to Steve Davis 18-11. Doug Mountjoy and Cliff Wilson are both Welsh former professional snooker players.

From Quiz Ronnie O'Sullivan: Round One Mayhem

Answer: UK Championships

After defeating Dennis Taylor in round one, he played John Parrott in the second round. Parrott thrashed him 13-3. Ronnie was aged just 17 when he won his maiden ranking tournament, the UK Championships in 2003, by defeating Stephen Hendry in the final.

From Quiz Snooker World Champions

Answer: 2004

'The Rocket' won his first two titles in 2001 and 2004. Peter Ebdon won in 2002, Mark Williams in 2003, and Shaun Murphy in 2005, beating Matthew Stevens 18 - 16.

From Quiz Embassy World Championships

Answer: Bill Werbeniuk

The match on the adjoining table was stopped and the curtain raised to allow the crowd on the other side could see. Sadly Cliff found out shortly after that his wife had lost their child.

From Quiz The Crucible Theatre: Home of Snooker

Answer: Alex Higgins

Alex Higgins ("Hurricane Higgins") had already won the title ten years earlier, before the Crucible Theatre was the permanent host for the world championship. In the 1970s he was one of the best players, if not the best, but his urge to please the crowd and his high risk (fast) style of playing meant he often lost out to more tactical players. In the 1982 world championship semi-final he beat Jimmy White in a game of the highest standards. In the final he beat Ray Reardon 18-15 to take his second, and last, title. From then on it went steadily downhill for Higgins. His addiction to alcohol and gambling and his explosive personality got the better of him. More often than for his snooker he was in the news for his wild personal life and for getting in trouble with snooker officials. In 1990 he threatened to have Dennis Taylor shot and again assaulted an official, for which he was suspended for the next season. After the incident he appeared drunk at the press-conference where he announced his retirement from the sport. After he had sat out his suspension he continued to play though; the misbehaving continued as well. By 1999 he was destitute and diagnosed with throat cancer. He went back to his hometown Belfast where he lived from exhibition tournaments, playing for small amounts of money. He managed to beat the cancer but in his weakened state he contracted pneumonia of which he died in 2010. Alex Higgins was nicknamed 'Hurricane Higgins' and sometimes 'the whirlwind' and will always be remembered as one of the great natural talents of the sport.

From Quiz Ronnie O'Sullivan: Round One Mayhem

Answer: Normally right-handed, O'Sullivan played left-handed at times

Ronnie played left-handed during frame 12 after realising in practice earlier in the week that he was just as good left-handed as he was right-handed. This is a skill he has since he learned to use it to his advantage, but at the time it was outrageous as nobody had ever done it before. Afterwards, Robidoux accused him of being disrespectful. Ronnie countered that he was better with his left hand than Robidoux was with his favoured right hand. O'Sullivan reached the semi-finals for the first time in 1996 despite all that and lost to Peter Ebdon, who was to become a player that Ronnie did not relish playing in later years.

From Quiz Snooker World Champions

Answer: Ken Doherty, 18 - 12

John Higgins beat Ken Doherty 18 - 12. Hendry beat Williams 18 - 11 in 1999. Williams beat Matthew Stevens 18 - 16 in 2000. O'Sullivan beat Higgins 18 - 14 in 2001.

From Quiz The Crucible Theatre: Home of Snooker

Answer: Cliff Thorburn

Thorburn made his maximum break in the second round match against Terry Griffiths. Thorburn won that match (13-12) and went on to reach the final, which he lost to Steve Davis (18-6). Jimmy White made the second maximum break at the Crucible Theatre in 1992, in his first round match against Tony Drago.

From Quiz Ronnie O'Sullivan: Round One Mayhem

Answer: He made a 147 break

Ronnie not only made his first 147 at the World Championships, but beat the time for the fastest 147 (five minutes and 20 seconds). This was the fourth maximum break in World Championship history. The previous ones were made by Cliff Thorburn, Jimmy Whit,e and Stephen Hendry. Ronnie was knocked out, however, in the very next round by Darren Morgan 13-12.

From Quiz Snooker World Champions

Answer: Nigel Bond

Stephen Hendry beat Nigel Bond in the 1995 final with a score of 18 - 9.

From Quiz Embassy World Championships

Answer: 18 - 3

It was the largest ever defeat in the World Championship. Parrott was exhausted having put all his efforts into reaching the final. He won it two years later.

From Quiz The Crucible Theatre: Home of Snooker

Answer: Dennis Taylor defeated Steve Davis

It looked like it would be an easy win for Davis in the 1985 world championship as he won the first eight frames to take an 8-0 lead. Taylor took the next frame and then started an amazing comeback to trail 9-7. However, Davis kept the lead until he came within one frame of victory (17-15). Taylor took the next two to level 17-17. In an unnerving final frame both players felt the tension and missed balls they wouldn't miss otherwise. Again Davis was in the lead all the time but couldn't make a winning break. Eventually the black ball was to decide the outcome of the final. Taylor took an amazing gamble trying to play a 'double' (potting the ball via the opposite cushion) but missed. After a couple of safety exchanges it looked like the title would go to Davis with a relatively easy cut in left bottom pocket but, surprisingly, Davis missed. Taylor came back to the table and finally potted the black to become the 1985 snooker world champion. It was Taylor's one and only world championship. In 1986 Davis reached the final again, and lost again, this time to Joe Johnson. Davis won the next three years though. In total Steve Davis won the snooker world championship six times (1981, 1983-84 and 1987-89).

From Quiz Ronnie O'Sullivan: Round One Mayhem

Answer: David Gray

In this incredible match, O'Sullivan managed five century breaks and Gray made four. Gray went on to be crushed in round two by Dominic Dale, 13-1. Of the other three players, only Chris Small has won a ranking event but it was not the Scottish Open, it was the LG Cup in 2002.

From Quiz Snooker World Champions

Answer: 1979

This was Griffiths' only world championship, beating Taylor by 8 frames. Dennis Taylor would become champion in 1985. Cliff 'The Grinder' Thorbun won in 1980. 1978 was Ray Reardon's year, and 1981 was Steve Davis' first of 6 world championships.

From Quiz Embassy World Championships

Answer: Dennis Taylor

He won it at his first attempt, having been a plumber until he turned professional.

From Quiz The Crucible Theatre: Home of Snooker

Answer: Hendry won ten frames in a row

With two more frames to play in the third session of the 1992 final White was leading Hendry 14-8. White lost the two remaining frames of that session but still had a comfortable 14-10 lead going into the fourth and final session. However, Hendry unleashed hell and played perfect snooker to win the next eight frames and pull of an astounding 14-18 victory. White and Hendry had met before in the final, in 1990, when Hendry won 18-12 to win his first championship and become the youngest ever snooker world champion. They were to meet again in 1993 and 1994. White reached the final six times and lost them all. Apart from the four epic finals against Hendry he lost out to Steve Davis in 1984 (18-16) and to John Parrott in 1991 (18-11).

From Quiz Ronnie O'Sullivan: Round One Mayhem

Answer: 10-2

Although Hicks succumbed easily against O'Sullivan, he had beaten Steve Davis in the final qualifier to reach the World Championship Finals, and thus ending Steve Davis' run of consecutive appearances at the finals. O'Sullivan went on to lift the trophy by beating Dave Harold, Peter Ebdon, and Joe Swail before defeating John Higgins 18-14 in the final.

From Quiz Embassy World Championships

Answer: Nigel Bond

Nigel Bond beat the surprise package of the tournament Andy Hicks in a dramatic semi-final encounter.

From Quiz The Crucible Theatre: Home of Snooker

Answer: Black

White was leading the deciding frame 24-37 and only needed that black and 24 more points to win frame, match and championship. However White succumbed under pressure and missed the apparent easy black from its spot. Hendry came to the table to clean up and win his fourth title, dealing White with another heartbreaking defeat. It was White's last appearance in a world championship final. Jimmy White is generally considered the best snooker player never to win the world championship. This probably makes the missed black ball in the '94 deciding frame the most significant miss in the history of snooker. Hendry went on to win seven world championships (1990, 1992-96 and 1999) and retired from the sport at the end of the 2012 season.

From Quiz Ronnie O'Sullivan: Round One Mayhem

Answer: Make a 147 break but lose the match

Ronnie lost the match 10-6 but picked up the prize for making the 147 and highest break. Stephen Hendry became the second player to score a 147 break and lose the match when he lost to Shaun Murphy 13-11 in the second round of the 2009 World Championships. A 155 break is technically possible if a foul is committed at the start of a frame that yields a free ball. If a black is potted following that free ball then that extra eight points would make a 155 break possible. Ronnie did concede a match against Stephen Hendry at the UK Championships in 2006 with the scoreline at four frames to one. He was fined and docked ranking points for this action.

From Quiz Snooker World Champions

Answer: 18 - 17

In a final of 35 frames, they were equal at 17 - 17 with one last frame to go. Peter Ebdon won that frame to clinch his first world championship.

From Quiz Embassy World Championships

Answer: pink

Even Hendry showed disappointment at the miss. The amazing match was poised at 12-12, but the miss turned the match and Hendry pulled away to win and go on to take the championship.

From Quiz The Crucible Theatre: Home of Snooker

Answer: Ronnie O'Sullivan

Ronnie O'Sullivan made his lightning quick maximum break in the first round against Mick Price, whom he defeated 10-6. O'Sullivan couldn't hold on to this great form and lost in the second round against Darren Morgan (13-12). The 1997 world championship was won by Ken Doherty, who surprisingly defeated Stephen Hendry in the final (18-12).

From Quiz Ronnie O'Sullivan: Round One Mayhem

Answer: Stephen Maguire

Highly rated qualifier Stephen Maguire was unlucky enough to draw Ronnie O'Sullivan in round one in both 2004 and 2005. In 2004, Ronnie won 10-6 and went on to win the tournament by beating Graeme Dott in the final 18-8. In 2005 it was a much closer match with Ronnie ending up victorious 10-9. Ronnie trailed 9-7 in this match considered by many to be the match of the tournament. Ronnie fell in the quarterfinals that year to his nemesis Peter Ebdon by a scoreline of 13-11. During that match, O'Sullivan made gestures indicating that he was bored with proceedings as Peter Ebdon appeared to stretch gamesmanship to its limit by slowing down the match to disrupt Ronnie's rhythm. Ebdon denied this afterwards.

From Quiz Embassy World Championships

Answer: £3,500

It was won by Ray Reardon who took his fifth title. Incidentally the winner of the 2002 final claimed £250,000.

From Quiz The Crucible Theatre: Home of Snooker

Answer: Shaun Murphy

Shaun Murphy was the first qualifier to win the world championship since Terry Griffiths' victory in 1979. However, unlike Griffiths he didn't win it at his first attempt as he had already qualified twice before (2002 and '03, two first round knock-outs). On his way to the final he defeated four seeded players: Chris Small, John Higgins, Steve Davis and Peter Ebdon. He played Matthew Stevens in the final, who was the clear favourite. But not even Stevens could stop Murphy from winning 16-18.

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