Allen Makes 147 in Cheltenham

Mark Allen made the fourth 147 break of his career during his third round match with Ben Mertens at the Unibet British Open on Thursday.

Allen’s perfect break came in the second frame and put him 2-0 ahead. The key moment of the maximum came after nine reds and blacks, as he ran out of position but then played a clever double to a centre pocket on the tenth red, allowing him to go on and complete the 147. He will earn the £5,000 high break prize in Cheltenham if the break is not equalled this week.

The Northern Irishman becomes the 16th player to make four (or more) 147s and it’s his second maximum of 2024 as he made one in the Masters in January. It’s the 205th 147 in snooker history and third of the season.

“To make a 147 with a good crowd in that arena is very special,” said Allen. “On 72, I thought about playing safe but I was willing to take the risk of going for it, because the balls were all there. The buzz of a 147 is very different to winning a tournament. Obviously winning a title is more important, but on a maximum the adrenaline builds up all the way through.”