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The Crucible Curse [ - ] [ + ]

41 Matches

World Championship (16‑28 Apr 1979)
Final Wales Terry Griffiths (a) 24-16 Northern Ireland Dennis Taylor (a) Head to head
Griffiths miscued three times in four shots during the first frame, but won it on the final pink.
The match were close until 17-16.

67-51, 63-54, 37-66, 75-49 (56), 120-9 (120), 106-24, 66-71 (71, 66), 1-91, 45-64, 84-38, 22-66 (57), 60-10, 3-97 (69), 57-66, 89-40, 42-66, 32-83 (70), 69-49, 22-86, 16-92 (92), 94-31, 85-35, 12-84, 76-41 (51), 4-90 (84), 36-66, 94-15, 59-22, 54-67, 73-27, 60-53, 127-2 (64), 51-62, 67-24, 115-5 (71), 104-1, 77-16, 84-43, 117-0 (50+), 92-16 (56)

Referee: John Williams

World Championship (22‑5 May 1980)
Rd 2 England Steve Davis (a) 13-10 Wales Terry Griffiths (a) Head to head
Final Canada Cliff Thorburn (a) 18-16 Northern Ireland Alex Higgins (a) Head to head

Session 1:
52-40, 46-55, 5-69, 47-61, 26-82, 13-98 (93), 74-31 (68), 0-81 (81), 62-9 (62)

Session 2:
49-61, 62-58 (AH 54, CT 53), 86-27 (76), 36-75, 45-63, 75-17, 67-45, 78-38 (57), 95-38 (64)

Session 3:
86-14, 60-21, 18-70, 27-93, 73-43, 51-74, 115-25 (58), 61-73

Session 4:
21-67, 58-47, 100-55 (CT 53), 53-55, 73-41, 57-63, 119-7 (119), 96-9 (51)

Referee: John Street

World Championship (7‑20 Apr 1981)
SF England Steve Davis (a) 16-10 Canada Cliff Thorburn (a) Head to head
Final England Steve Davis (a) 18-12 Wales Doug Mountjoy (a) Head to head

Session 1:
74-40, 71-38, 80-7, 81-1, 92-14, 93-0, 44-77, 9-110, 2-70

Session 2:
81-28, 61-62, 47-57, 73-24, 0-129, 89-9 (81), 39-63, 69-43, 49-98

Session 3:
112-15, 81-34, 29-79, 30-86, 102-9, 15-75, 79-60, 49-57

Session 4:
100-32, 119-8, 62-30, 73-36

Referee: John Williams

World Championship (30 Apr - 16 May 1982)
Rd 1 England Tony Knowles (a) 10-1 England Steve Davis (a) Head to head
World Championship (12‑28 Apr 1985)
Final Northern Ireland Dennis Taylor (a) 18-17 England Steve Davis (a) Head to head
Davis won all seven frames of the opening session to lead 7–0.

The final between Davis and Taylor attracted 18.5 million viewers on BBC2, the programme finishing at 12:23 a.m. after Taylor had won the title. The viewership was the highest for any broadcast after midnight in the United Kingdom, and the most-viewed show on BBC2. The match became known as "the black ball final".

Session 1:
88-50 (SD 50); 93-0 (87); 49-2; 65-38; 95-1 (55); 85-6 (66); 83-20 (58);

Session 2:
121-0 (64, 57); 49-59; 76-27 (57); 48-63; 27-75 (61); 19-99 (98); 1-71 (70); 0-100 (56); 48-77;

Session 3:
25-68 (53); 72-43; 66-58; 45-80; 2-73 (57); 1-80 (55); 64-56; 58-46;

Session 4:
86-13 (86); 43-82 (61); 78-17 (66); 29-84 (70); 4-72 (57); 29-83 (79); 66-6; 81-0; 47-75; 24-71 (57); 62-66

Referee: John Williams

World Championship (19 Apr - 5 May 1986)
Rd 1 England Mike Hallett (a) 10-6 Northern Ireland Dennis Taylor (a) Head to head
Final England Joe Johnson (a) 18-12 England Steve Davis (a) Head to head
The two players had never previously played a professional match against each other.
This was Johnson's only ranking event win in his career and he had never previously won a match at the Crucible.

24-85, 60-49, 0-108 (108); 14-111 (107); 70-0; 68-36; 74-14 (52); 13-66; 4-108 (84); 1-76 (53); 27-64; 72-20 (72); 95-22; 63-37; 76-8 (75); 0-137 (81); 85-26; 57-44; 66-11; 86-36 (61); 35-84 (52); 31-73; 70-40; 7-100 (100); 69-9; 52-63 (JJ 51); 49-32; 64-38 (54); 83-40; 86-27 (64)

Referee: John Street

World Championship (18 Apr - 4 May 1987)
Final England Steve Davis (a) 18-14 England Joe Johnson (a) Head to head

128-0 (127), 53-61, 69-74 (SD 55), 2-71 (50), 77-1 (69), 83-12, 57-66, 69-8 (60), 82-35 (66), 79-5, 15-118 (101), 77-25, 91-0 (84), 44-76 (73), 88-7 (51), 6-70, 34-68, 69-0 (69), 80-0, 81-24, 68-24, 52-66 (SD 52), 77-0, 22-75 (62), 53-70 (JJ 52), 44-76 (62), 59-73, 104-0 (64), 113-6 (73), 91-33 (53), 34-77, 78-0 (78)

Referee: Len Ganley

World Championship (13‑29 Apr 1990)
Final Scotland Stephen Hendry (a) 18-12 England Jimmy White (a) Head to head
Aged 21 years and 106 days, Hendry became the youngest Snooker World Champion, so far.

37-78, 73-13 (72), 48-85, 71-49, 79-14, 60-27, 0-86 (82), 87-27, 64-75 (67), 57-68, 77-46, 99-4 (66), 52-63 (62), 88-0 (53), 1-76, 108-1 (108), 100-0 (66), 104-5 (104), 73-4 (58), 81-0 (81), 50-87 (82), 17-75, 72-63 (72), 0-109 (51), 97-6 (57), 0-127 (87), 124-0 (108), 13-69 (51), 90-27 (81), 101-1 (71)

Referee: Len Ganley

World Championship (20 Apr - 6 May 1991)
QF England Steve James (a) 13-11 Scotland Stephen Hendry (a) Head to head
Final England John Parrott (a) 18-11 England Jimmy White (a) Head to head
Parrott took an early 7–0 lead.

Session 1:
97-0 (97), 96-34 (75), 82-0, 75-24, 88-6 (88), 79-16 (74), 117-0 (117), 26-87, 32-67, 77-0, 77-63 (70), 88-28 (85), 49-69, 2-82 (71), 6-64 (55), 120-8 (112), 0-136 (92)

Session 2:
60-70, 51-50, 8-75, 58-55, 59-4, 55-68 (JP 67, JW 55), 91-8 (52), 112-8, 0-103 (58), 74-13 (59), 42-89, 76-24

Referee: John Williams

World Championship (18 Apr - 4 May 1992)
QF Scotland Alan McManus (a) 13-12 England John Parrott (a) Head to head
World Championship (19 Apr - 5 May 1997)
Final Ireland Ken Doherty (a) 18-12 Scotland Stephen Hendry (a) Head to head
Doherty won the only world title of his professional career and the first player to win world championships at junior, amateur, and professional level. He became the second player from outside the United Kingdom to win the title in the modern era, following Cliff Thorburn in 1980. Doherty remains the only world champion from the Republic of Ireland.

Hendry's defeat in the final was his first loss in the World Championship since 1991, which ended his record of 29 consecutive Crucible victories.

Alan Chamberlain refereed his first and only World Championship final. He was the first referee since Jim Thorpe in 1984 to officiate a debut final. All finals up to this year were officiated by either John Williams, Len Ganley or John Street.

Session 1:
67-7, 5-117 (117), 0-106 (106), 77-13, 78-9 (69), 75-51, 69-11 (59), 0-122 (122)

Session 2:
12-76, 89-32, 62-55, 57-43, 65-13, 85-50 (50,85), 47-74, 60-28 (52)

Session 3:
23-70 (58), 71-24 (70), 4-110 (92), 86-0, 85-16 (52), 59-45, 0-137 (137), 12-75

Session 4:
30-61 (51), 0-114 (110), 57-61, 82-23 (61), 69-19 (50), 71-49

Referee: Alan Chamberlain

World Championship (18 Apr - 4 May 1998)
Final Scotland John Higgins (a) 18-12 Ireland Ken Doherty (a) Head to head

34-73(59), 80-20(53), 86-7, 71-1(71), 113-0(66), 73-52(52,55), 130-0(130), 0-89(89), 0-112(112), 7-66, 18-97(58), 66-2(51), 103-4(103), 86-5, 138-0(64,74), 70-82, 39-90(69), 89-0(89), 6-61(55), 130-0(130), 0-90(86), 1-99(59), 58-48, 44-82, 60-14, 128-0(128), 71-58, 41-78, 66-16, 119-8(118)

Referee: Lawrie Annandale

World Championship (17 Apr - 3 May 1999)
SF Wales Mark J Williams (a) 17-10 Scotland John Higgins (a) Head to head
World Championship (15 Apr - 1 May 2000)
Final Wales Mark J Williams (a) 18-16 Wales Matthew Stevens (a) Head to head

62-50; 34-28(77); 33-56; 103-23(103); 18-65; 76(57)-61; 123(123)-0; 75-35(65)
64-24; 91-37(78); 59-21; 117-0(111); 114-7(114); 79(59)-6; 73-22(73); 68(63)-0
133-0(108); 66-48; 106(106)-0; 55-54; 81(80)-0; 34-79; 46-71; 37-79
77(77)-33; 67-0(67); 6-75; 74(67)-0; 120-16(120); 13-61; 66-70(52); 60-29; 76(56)-8; 21-73

Referee: John Newton

World Championship (21 Apr - 7 May 2001)
Rd 2 Northern Ireland Joe Swail (a) 13-12 Wales Mark J Williams (a) Head to head
Final England Ronnie O'Sullivan (a) 18-14 Scotland John Higgins (a) Head to head

92(88)-41; 0-92; 81(81)-0; 79-0; 56-47; 0-135(135); 90-28; 71(70)-0
49-72(60); 49-36; 2-53; 50-68; 99(99)-0; 100(100)-12; 22-108(107); 99(99)-0
81(81)-26; 12-78(65); 139(139)-0; 85(85)-0; 133(86)-0; 33-65; 21-67(65); 0-98(98)
19-68(50); 68-0; 78(78)-43; 8-67(62); 5-101(87); 68(68)-60(60); 69-71(65); 80(80)-45

Referee: Eirian Williams

Watch a summary on YouTube.

World Championship (20 Apr - 6 May 2002)
SF Scotland Stephen Hendry (a) 17-13 England Ronnie O'Sullivan (a) Head to head
Final England Peter Ebdon (a) 18-17 Scotland Stephen Hendry (a) Head to head
Hendry's 16 century breaks made during the tournament bettered the previous record for single events of 14 set by John Higgins in 1998.

94-0, 140-0, 73-1, 71-16, 0-126, 40-73, 4-119, 36-65
134-0, 56-67, 68-9, 70-68, 77-14, 69-13, 4-70, 89-33, 69-32
0-126, 0-108, 21-66, 36-89, 67-43, 0-110, 0-97, 1-127, 58-65, 103-22, 62-26
30-74, 73-21, 111-0, 39-78, 85-4, 52-62, 72-14

Referee: John Williams

Watch the 1st session on YouTube.

World Championship (19 Apr - 5 May 2003)
QF England Paul Hunter (a) 13-12 England Peter Ebdon (a) Head to head
World Championship (16 Apr - 2 May 2005)
Final England Shaun Murphy (a) 18-16 Wales Matthew Stevens (a) Head to head
Murphy's first ranking event final and the first time that a qualifier won the championship since Terry Griffiths in 1979. Murphy aged 22 years and 265 days is the second youngest winner of the event after Stephen Hendry in 1990. Stevens had previously reached the final of the 2000 World Snooker Championship (losing 16–18 to Mark Williams).

67-30, 0-98 (54), 20-103 (60), 68-55, 29-65, 22-61, 76-34 (56), 46-56, 53-58 (SM 52), 38-70, 125-0 (125), 79-6 (66), 12-105 (80), 5-86 (86), 103-9 (84), 58-68, 78-22 (51), 84-11 (56), 5-64, 80-60 (80, 60), 137-0 (137), 64-57, 20-88 (52), 131-1 (107), 72-35 (55), 0-95 (95), 81-4 (64), 68-37 (68), 1-83 (68), 85-35 (64), 0-124 (124), 1-71 (52), 97-0 (97), 83-28 (83)

Referee: Eirian Williams

Watch the entire match on YouTube.

World Championship (15 Apr - 1 May 2006)
QF England Peter Ebdon 13-7 England Shaun Murphy Head to head
Final Scotland Graeme Dott 18-14 England Peter Ebdon Head to head

79-12(63); 62(62)-53(52); 91(56)-9; 48-70; 71(56)-20; 67-31(61); 78(59)-6; 20-53
20-53; 16-63; 66-25; 124-6(89); 47-72; 65-51; 5-61; 16-92
75(56)-0; 100-0(78); 67-44; 75(62)-41; 90(65)-31; 49-70; 117-22(117); 51(51)-66
67-29; 70-38(66); 65-59; 84-0(84); 78(66)-16; 99-17; 69(68)-61(51); 31-70

Referee: Jan Verhaas

World Championship (21 Apr - 7 May 2007)
Rd 1 England Ian McCulloch 10-7 Scotland Graeme Dott Head to head

67-43, 37-64, 17-71 (61), 63-1, 41-74, 37-58, 65-61 (56), 85-32 (51), 62-57, 58-46, 28-59, 67-31, 68-20 (63), 8-101 (85), 110-17 (110), 20-85, 71-24

World Championship (17 Apr - 3 May 2010)
Final Australia Neil Robertson 18-13 Scotland Graeme Dott Head to head

10-87 (80), 65-55, 1-93, 35-62, 68-56 (62,52)
62-56, 24-73 (57), 47-74, 66-5 (61), 90-6 (90)
79-72 (respotted black; GD 72), 79-53 (79), 52-11
4-71 (56), 27-70 (53), 113-23 (70), 23-87 (79)
69-56, 82-1 (82), 31-66, 89-12 (51), 2-116 (112)
12-81, 116-13 (55), 36-83 (57), 69-15 (55), 63-49
53-78, 74-23, 58-10, 94-1 (53)

World Championship (16 Apr - 2 May 2011)
Rd 1 England Judd Trump [24] 10-8 Australia Neil Robertson [1] Head to head

13-91 (72), 77-44, 56-51, 2-79 (79)
122-0 (122), 0-127 (127), 65-7, 76-39 (54), 0-100 (100)
54-64 (T 54), 78-17 (70), 58-59 (R 58), 1-90 (90)
67-1 (67), 75-24 (75), 65-25, 53-72 (T 53), 84-0 (83)

World Championship (19 Apr - 5 May 2014)
Final England Mark Selby [3] 18-14 England Ronnie O'Sullivan [1] Head to head Details 
Selby trailed 5-10.

Session 1:
0-77 (69), 26-64, 0-102 (102), 69-28,68-47
8-80 (63), 72-36, 54-66
Session 2:
24-99, 47-70 (52), 27-67 (63), 82-25 (55)
96-45, 0-131 (131), 0-85 (85), 84-10 (58)
78-9 (62)
Session 3:
81-35 (55), 77-23 (52), 84-7 (74), 89-29
38-76 (50), 70-67
Session 4:
0-100 (100), 67-24, 64-39, 90-4 (56), 0-79
47-66, 131-0 (127), 87-14 (87), 62-56

Referee: Brendan Moore
Watch the final moments on YouTube

World Championship (18 Apr - 4 May 2015)
Rd 2 Scotland Anthony McGill [32] 13-9 England Mark Selby [1] Head to head Details 
McGill missed the black in frame 8 for a respot
Final England Stuart Bingham [10] 18-15 England Shaun Murphy [8] Head to head Details 

Session 1:
44-103 (68), 51-69 (59), 5-74 (65), 105-0 (105)
68-15 (56), 0-90 (90), 55-7, 73-30 (65)

Session 2:
57-74 (74,57), 1-106 (106), 14-121 (121), 41-97 (51), 76-1 (76), 129-7 (123), 113-0 (89)
0-76 (76), 67-22 (53)

Session 3:
87-4 (87), 68-40 (51), 112-0 (112), 95-23 (50)
4-80 (59), 87-0 (87), 0-84 (84), 86-7 (57)

Session 4:
6-73, 102-6 (102), 55-75 (75), 29-68 (64)
0-76, 80-56, 68-3 (55), 88-1 (88)

Referee: Olivier Marteel (his first worldsfinal)

Bingham's 123 in frame 14 took this year’s century tally to 84 which beats the record from 2009. It ended on 86.

Bingham had a chance of a 147 in frame 20 but missed the difficult last red and ended on 112.

Frame 31 lasted more than 64 minutes. Bingham won it to lead 16-15.

Bingham wins the last three frames to win the World Championship for the first time. He is the third oldest champion at the Crucible.

World Championship (16 Apr - 2 May 2016)
Rd 1 England Ali Carter [31] 10-9 England Stuart Bingham [1] Head to head Details 
Bingham became the 17th player who couldn't defend his first world title at the Crucible Theatre
World Championship (20 Apr - 6 May 2019)
Final England Judd Trump [7] 18-9 Scotland John Higgins [5] Head to head Details 

Session 1:
66-1 (51), 72-45 (63), 0-139 (139)
105-0 (105), 8-70 (69), 0-74, 0-101 (101)
103-4 (103)

Session 2:
1-125 (125), 66-0, 139-4 (135), 67-45
118-0 (114), 65-30, 95-28 (71), 70-20 (58)
85-19 (70)

Session 3:
0-113 (113), 35-60 (59), 101-0 (101), 72-0 (71)
126-0 (126), 16-92 (67), 11-79 (70), 104-0 (104)

Session 4:
94-0 (94), 63-1 (62)

Referee: Leo Scullion

Higgins missed the 15th black on the way to a maximum in frame 18. Watch on YouTube.

Trump missed the 14th red on the way to a maximum in frame 25. Watch on YouTube. It was the record 100th century break of the event. The players also beat the record for most centuries in a match at the Crucible with 11.

Trump becomes the 21st player to be crowned world champion. It was his second World final, eight years after the first one lost to the same John Higgins.

This was the eighth World final for Higgins and the fourth time he finished runner-up.

World Championship (31 Jul - 16 Aug 2020)
QF England Kyren Wilson [8] 13-9 England Judd Trump [1] Head to head Details 
World Championship (15 Apr - 1 May 2023)
Final Belgium Luca Brecel [9] 18-15 England Mark Selby [2] Head to head Details 

Session 1:
77-0 (77), 79-39, 90-28 (90), 38-94 (54)
90-23 (67), 71-55, 9-66 (62), 70-6 (70)

Session 2:
0-134 (134), 126-14 (99), 12-96 (96), 50-67
72-4 (72), 67-19 (67), 1-76 (61), 0-147 (147), 48-71

Session 3:
113-24 (113), 73-0, 101-35 (101), 141-0 (141)
35-86 (63), 56-78 (MS 54), 119-0 (119), 60-40

Session 4:
67-0 (67), 20-78 (78), 36-50, 0-122 (122)
0-81 (50), 0-95 (52), 66-2 (51), 112-0 (112)

Referee: Brendan Moore (his third World final)

This was Brecel's first world title and fourth ranking title. He's the first player from continental Europe to win the title.

147 by Selby in frame 16. It's his fifth maximum and the 189th in pro snooker. It's the 14th at the Crucible but the first in a final. The maximum was the second of the tournament after Kyren Wilson's 147 in the first round. Watch on YouTube.

World Championship (20 Apr - 6 May 2024)
Rd 1 England David Gilbert [31] 10-9 Belgium Luca Brecel [1] Head to head Details 
1st session Brecel 6-3 up.

Brecel suffered from a throat infection. Gilbert was 9-6 down
Final England Kyren Wilson [12] 18-14 Wales Jak Jones [44] Head to head Details 
This was Jones' first WC final. His previous best was the quarterfinals (2023)

It was Wilson's second WC final. He was runner-up to O'Sullivan in 2020.

Session 1 (7-1):
129-0 (129), 87-35 (52), 76-14, 109-7 (66)
84-0 (62), 125-4 (125), 90-11 (90), 11-72 (65)

Session 2 (11-6):
18-75 (75), 0-80 (52), 129-0 (125), 78-41 (60)
22-74, 122-0 (122), 32-68, 0-90 (90), 66-64 (JJ 64)

Session 3 (15-10):
39-72 (64), 0-67 (59), 67-7 (50), 83-0 (83)
23-105 (90), 22-74 (73), 106-1 (87), 81-9

Session 4:
67-35, 16-105 (105), 80-73, 8-88 (67), 0-96 (96)
22-82, 71-4

Referee: Paul Collier

Wilson needed a snooker to steal the last frame of the second session (frame 17) to go 11-6 up. The frame was decided on the last black ball.

Jones was on a 147 he missed the 13th Red break ended on 96

Kyren Wilson Becomes World Champion for the 1st Time

Re-spotted black in frame 28 (73-73), won by Wilson.

World Championship (19 Apr - 5 May 2025)
Rd 1 China Lei Peifan [39] 10-9 England Kyren Wilson [1] Head to head Details 
Final China Zhao Xintong (a) 18-12 Wales Mark J Williams [6] Head to head Details 

Session 1:
141-0 (51, 77), 100-38 (100), 47-44, 28-66, 77-49 (57)
71-61 (61 MJW), 119-0 (104), 95-0 (83)

Session 2:
0-86 (86), 8-65, 85-9 (71), 74-0 (56), 14-62
0-72 (72), 96-23 (96), 71-63 (71, 63), 43-71

Session 3:
76-5, 18-66, 65-7 (58), 85-45, 104-1 (52)
14-84 (66), 79-26 (67), 63-36

Session 4:
30-101 (101), 1-62, 6-96 (96), 0-73 (73), 110-8 (87)

Referee: Desislava Bozhilova

Zhao is the second Crucible finalist and the first winner from China. He started in the first qualifying round.

Williams (50) was the oldest ever Crucible finalist.

World Championship (18 Apr - 4 May 2026)
QF England Shaun Murphy [8] 13-10 China Zhao Xintong [1] Head to head Details 

Zhao potted three reds in one shot in frame 10. Watch on YouTube.