Marco Fu hits rare 148 break after being given a free ball – one week after completing a six-minute 147 maximum
- A break of more than 147 occurs when the player receives a free ball at the start of the frame, and only a handful of players have ever achieved the feat
- Fu was playing a practice match against Hong Kong teammate Chau Hon-man, who himself scored a 147 earlier in the year
Hong Kong’s Marco Fu Ka-chun followed up his fastest 147 maximum break by going one point better – completing a rare 148 during a practice match on Sunday.
The 42-year-old Fu was given a free-ball chance by his opponent Chau Hon-man, who fouled early in the frame to give Fu a “16th red”. Fu, who scored a televised 147 at the 2015 Dafabet Masters, went on to clear the table in one go and achieve his highest-ever break.
“It is quite rare because you need a free ball to start the break,” said Hong Kong Sports Institute head coach Wayne Griffiths. “It’s not unusual to get a free ball but going on to clear the table and make a total like that, then it is very, very rare.
“It has been done once in competition. Marco is very pleased with what he did. To come back after his 147 and score 148, he is enjoying a good spell. Chau himself scored a maximum 147 earlier this year so he is also in good form.
Watch Marco Fu’s 147 at the 2015 Defabet Masters.
Griffith said a maximum 155 break can be scored if a free ball is involved. In 2004, Scottish player Jamie Burnett made the first recorded 148 in competition on his way to victory over Leo Fernandez in a UK Championship qualifying match in Prestatyn.
According to snooker.org, Jamie Cope recorded a 155 break in a practice match in 2006 with witnesses. In 1995, Malta’s Tony Drago scored 149 in a practice match against Nick Manning.
A normal maximum break of 147 involves potting 15 reds, the black 15 times and then the colours in sequence. A scenario for a 16th red is created when an opponent fouls and leaves their rival snookered, allowing the player to choose any other colour as a “red”.
Fu, a former top 10 player, and his Hong Kong teammates are patiently training hard in the hope of eventually returning to the world tour.
With the United Kingdom experiencing a major surge in Covid-19 infections, the Hong Kong players have been advised against travelling to the country where almost all the ranking events are being played this season.
