List of world snooker champions

The World Snooker Championship Trophy

The World Snooker Championship is an annual snooker tournament created in 1927 and now (since 1977) played at the Crucible in Sheffield, England. The tournament is played during seventeen days in late April and early May, and is chronologically the third of the three Triple Crown events of the season since 1977/1978, when the UK Championship was first held. The event was not held from 1941 to 1945 because of World War II and 1958 to 1963 due to declining interest.

The governing body that currently organises this event is the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Prior to the WPBSA assuming control of the professional game in 1968, the world championship was organised by the Billiards Association and Control Council (BACC), except for a few years when the players staged their own event (the Professional Matchplay Championship) following a dispute with the organisation.

The most successful player at the World Snooker Championship was Joe Davis, who won fifteen titles between 1927 and 1946 and with this also holds the most consecutive titles won. The record in the modern era is held by Stephen Hendry, who won the title between 1990 and 1999 seven times. The current champion is John Higgins, who has won the title four times.

Champions

Joe Davis was the first World Champion and holds the record for most world titles with 15 in a row.

Stephen Hendry won 7 world titles in the 1990s and holds the record for the most titles won at the Crucible Theatre.

Steve Davis dominated the 1980s and won the world title six times.

John Higgins has won the World Championship four times and is the current champion.

Ronnie O’Sullivan is the only multiple time World Champion in the modern era who has never lost a World Championship final.

Alex Higgins won the World Championship in 1972 and 1982.

Mark Williams won the World Championship in 2000 and 2003.

Dennis Taylor won the world title in 1985 on the last black of the deciding frame.

John Parrott won the world title in 1991.

Shaun Murphy is the lowest ranked World Champion ever.

Graeme Dott won the world title in 2006 in one of the latest finishing finals.

Neil Robertson was the first Australian player to win the World Championship at the Crucible in 2010.

Main articles: World Snooker Championship and Professional Matchplay Championship

Format	Organiser
Knockout tournament	BACC
Defending champion received a bye to the final †	BACC
Professional Matchplay Championships ◊	Independent
Challenge matches ‡	BACC
Knockout tournament (modern era)	WPBSA

^[1][2][3]

Year	Winner	Runner-up	Final score	Season	Venue of final
1927	Joe Davis	Tom Dennis	20–11	n/a	Camkins Hall, Birmingham
1928 †	Joe Davis	Fred Lawrence	16–13	n/a	Camkins Hall, Birmingham
1929	Joe Davis	Tom Dennis	19–14	n/a	Camkins 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 Billiard Hall, Nottingham
1932 †	Joe Davis	Clark McConachy	30–19	n/a	Thurston’s Hall, London
1933	Joe Davis	Willie Smith	25–18	n/a	Billiards Centre, Chesterfield
1934 †	Joe Davis	Tom Newman	25–23	n/a	Lounge Billiard Hall, Nottingham
1935	Joe Davis	Willie Smith	25–20	n/a	Thurston’s Hall, London
1936	Joe Davis	Horace Lindrum	34–27	n/a	Thurston’s Hall, London
1937	Joe Davis	Horace Lindrum	32–29	n/a	Thurston’s Hall, London
1938	Joe Davis	Sidney Smith	37–24	n/a	Thurston’s Hall, London
1939	Joe Davis	Sidney Smith	43–30	n/a	Thurston’s Hall, London
1940	Joe Davis	Fred Davis	37–36	n/a	Thurston’s Hall, London
1946	Joe Davis	Horace Lindrum	78–67	n/a	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	Leicester Square Hall, London
1949	Fred Davis	Walter Donaldson	80–65	n/a	Leicester Square Hall, London
1950	Walter Donaldson	Fred Davis	51–46	n/a	Tower Circus, Blackpool
1951	Fred Davis	Walter Donaldson	58–39	n/a	Tower Circus, Blackpool
1952	Horace Lindrum[a]	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	39–21	n/a	Houldsworth Hall, Manchester
1955 ◊	Fred Davis	John Pulman	37–34	n/a	Tower Circus, Blackpool
1956 ◊	Fred Davis	John Pulman	38–35	n/a	Tower Circus, Blackpool
1957 ◊	John Pulman	Jackie Rea	39–34	n/a	Jersey
1964 ‡	John Pulman	Fred Davis	19–16	n/a	Burroughes Hall, London
1964 ‡	John Pulman	Rex Williams	40–33	n/a	Burroughes Hall, London
1965 ‡	John Pulman	Fred Davis	37–36	n/a	Burroughes Hall, London
1965 ‡	John Pulman	Rex Williams	25–22[b]	n/a	South Africa
1965 ‡	John Pulman	Fred Van Rensburg	39–12	n/a	South Africa
1966 ‡	John Pulman	Fred Davis	5–2[b]	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	n/a	Victoria Hall, London
1970	Ray Reardon	John Pulman	37–33	n/a	Victoria Hall, London
1971	John Spencer	Warren Simpson	37–29	n/a	Sydney, Australia
1972	Alex Higgins	John Spencer	37–32	n/a	Selly Park British Legion, Birmingham
1973	Ray Reardon	Eddie Charlton	38–32	n/a	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	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	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
1979	Terry Griffiths	Dennis Taylor	24–16	1978/79	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
1980	Cliff Thorburn	Alex Higgins	18–16	1979/80	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
1981	Steve Davis	Doug Mountjoy	18–12	1980/81	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
1982	Alex Higgins	Ray Reardon	18–15	1981/82	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
1983	Steve Davis	Cliff Thorburn	18–6	1982/83	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
1984	Steve Davis	Jimmy White	18–16	1983/84	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
1985	Dennis Taylor	Steve Davis	18–17	1984/85	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
1986	Joe Johnson	Steve Davis	18–12	1985/86	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
1987	Steve Davis	Joe Johnson	18–14	1986/87	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
1988	Steve Davis	Terry Griffiths	18–11	1987/88	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
1989	Steve Davis	John Parrott	18–3	1988/89	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
1990	Stephen Hendry[c]	Jimmy White	18–12	1989/90	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
1991	John Parrott	Jimmy White	18–11	1990/91	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
1992	Stephen Hendry	Jimmy White	18–14	1991/92	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
1993	Stephen Hendry	Jimmy White	18–5	1992/93	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
1994	Stephen Hendry	Jimmy White	18–17	1993/94	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
1995	Stephen Hendry	Nigel Bond	18–9	1994/95	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
1996	Stephen Hendry	Peter Ebdon	18–12	1995/96	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
1997	Ken Doherty	Stephen Hendry	18–12	1996/97	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
1998	John Higgins	Ken Doherty	18–12	1997/98	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
1999	Stephen Hendry	Mark Williams	18–11	1998/99	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
2000	Mark Williams	Matthew Stevens	18–16	1999/00	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
2001	Ronnie O'Sullivan	John Higgins	18–14	2000/01	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
2002	Peter Ebdon	Stephen Hendry	18–17	2001/02	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
2003	Mark Williams	Ken Doherty	18–16	2002/03	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
2004	Ronnie O'Sullivan	Graeme Dott	18–8	2003/04	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
2005	Shaun Murphy	Matthew Stevens	18–16	2004/05	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
2006	Graeme Dott	Peter Ebdon	18–14	2005/06	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
2007	John Higgins	Mark Selby	18–13	2006/07	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
2008	Ronnie O'Sullivan	Ali Carter	18–8	2007/08	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
2009	John Higgins	Shaun Murphy	18–9	2008/09	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
2010	Neil Robertson	Graeme Dott	18–13	2009/10	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield
2011	John Higgins	Judd Trump	18–15	2010/11	Crucible Theatre, Sheffield

Statistics

Multiple champions

Title defended in a challenge match

Professional Matchplay Championship title[d]

Competed in 2011

Player	Total	Years
Joe Davis	15	1927, 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1940, 1946
Fred Davis	8	1948, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1956
John Pulman		1957, 1964, 1964, 1965, 1965, 1965, 1966, 1968
Stephen Hendry	7	1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1999
Ray Reardon	6	1970, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1978
Steve Davis		1981, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1989
John Higgins	4	1998, 2007, 2009, 2011
John Spencer	3	1969, 1971, 1977
Ronnie O'Sullivan		2001, 2004, 2008
Walter Donaldson	2	1947, 1950
Alex Higgins		1972, 1982
Mark Williams		2000, 2003

Champions by country

Country	Players	Total	First title	Last title
England	10	47	1927	2008
Scotland	4	14	1947	2011
Wales	3	9	1970	2003
Northern Ireland	2	3	1972	1985
Australia	2	2	1952	2010
Canada	1	1	1980	1980
Republic of Ireland	1	1	1997	1997

Notes

• ^a Due to a disagreement with the Billiards Association and Control Club, Lindrum and McConachy were the only players to compete, with most professional players playing in the Professional Matchplay Championship instead. As a result, Lindrum's title win is often ignored, with Cliff Thorburn (Can), Ken Doherty (Ire) and Neil Robertson (Aus) usually regarded as the only non-British World Champions.^[3]
• ^b The title was decided over a series of matches rather than frames.
• ^c Stephen Hendry became the youngest World Champion at the final on 29 April 1990, aged 21 years, 106 days.
• ^d The Guinness Book of World Records does not acknowledge the Professional Matchplay Championship results in its records, so accordingly only lists Fred Davis as having won the World Championship three times, and John Pulman seven times.

References

1. ^ Turner, Chris. "World Professional Championship". cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk. Chris Turner's Snooker Archive. http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/world.html. Retrieved 24 February 2011. 
2. ^ "Hall of Fame". WWW Snooker. http://www.snooker.org/Trn/hof.asp?pEvent=World. Retrieved 24 February 2011. 
3. ^ ^{a b} "History of the World Snooker Championship". worldsnooker.com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. http://www.worldsnooker.com/page/BetfredcomWorldChampionshipTournamentsArticle/0,,13165~2306123,00.html. Retrieved 30 April 2011.