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{{short description|Annual professional snooker ranking tournament}}
{{about|the main professional championship|the amateur event|IBSF World Snooker Championship|the women's championship|Women's World Snooker Championship|the video game series|World Snooker Championship (series){{!}}''World Snooker Championship'' (series)}}
{{Use British English|date=January 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox Snooker tournament
|tournament_name = World Snooker Championship
|image = World Snooker Championship Trophy (retouched).jpg
|caption = World Snooker Championship trophy<br />during the [[2007 World Snooker Championship|2007 event]]
|venue = [[Crucible Theatre]]<br />(since [[1977 World Snooker Championship|1977]])
|location = [[Sheffield]]
|country = England
|establishment = [[1927 World Snooker Championship|1927]]
|organisation = [[World Snooker Association]]
|format = [[Snooker world rankings|Ranking]] event
|prizefund = [[Pound sterling|GB £]]2,395,000
|Recent edition = [[2024 World Snooker Championship|2024]]
|Current Champion = {{flagathlete|[[Kyren Wilson]]|ENG}}
|final year= 
|Final Champion = 
}}

The '''World Snooker Championship''' is the longest-running and most prestigious tournament in professional [[snooker]]. It is also the richest, with total prize money of £2,395,000 in [[2023 World Snooker Championship|2023]], including £500,000 for the winner.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wst.tv/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Tour-Prize-Money-Ranking-Points-Schedule-2022-2023-Season-v1.pdf |title=Prize Money World Rankings Schedule 2022/2023 Season |date=2022-10-02 |website=[[World Snooker Tour]] |access-date=2023-11-28 |archive-date=2022-11-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127184017/https://wst.tv/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Tour-Prize-Money-Ranking-Points-Schedule-2022-2023-Season-v1.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref> First held in [[1927 World Snooker Championship|1927]], it is now one of the three tournaments (together with the [[UK Championship]] and the invitational [[Masters (snooker)|Masters]]) that make up snooker's [[Triple Crown (snooker)|Triple Crown Series]]. The reigning world champion is [[Kyren Wilson]].

[[Joe Davis]] dominated the tournament over its first two decades, winning the first 15 world championships before he retired undefeated after his final victory in [[1946 World Snooker Championship|1946]].  The distinctive World Championship trophy, topped by a Greek shepherdess figurine, was acquired by Davis in 1926 for £19 and continues in use to this day.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Trophies|url=https://wpbsa.com/about-us/history/trophies/|access-date=2021-05-10|website=WPBSA|language=en-GB|archive-date=18 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518172710/https://wpbsa.com/about-us/history/trophies/|url-status=live}}</ref> No tournaments were held between 1941 and 1945 due to [[World War II]], or between 1952 and 1963 due to a dispute between the Professional Billiards Players' Association (PBPA) and the Billiards Association and Control Council (BACC). The PBPA held an unofficial alternative, the [[World Professional Match-play Championship]], between 1952 and 1957. The official championship was revived on a challenge basis in 1964.

The World Snooker Championship reverted to a [[Single-elimination tournament|knockout tournament]] format in [[1969 World Snooker Championship|1969]], beginning what is now known as snooker's modern era. It has taken place annually since then, with every championship since [[1977 World Snooker Championship|1977]] staged at the [[Crucible Theatre]] in [[Sheffield]]. Under a format that has remained largely unchanged since [[1982 World Snooker Championship|1982]], 32 players reach the Crucible each year; the top 16 players in the [[snooker world rankings|world rankings]] qualify automatically, while another 16 players win places through a qualification tournament. Only three qualifiers have ever won the tournament: [[Alex Higgins]] in [[1972 World Snooker Championship|1972]], [[Terry Griffiths]] in [[1979 World Snooker Championship|1979]], and [[Shaun Murphy]] in [[2005 World Snooker Championship|2005]].

[[Stephen Hendry]] and [[Ronnie O'Sullivan]] have each won seven times to jointly hold the record of most world titles in the modern era. [[Ray Reardon]] and [[Steve Davis]] have won six titles; [[John Higgins]] and [[Mark Selby]] four; [[John Spencer (snooker player)|John Spencer]] and [[Mark Williams (snooker player)|Mark Williams]] three; and [[Alex Higgins]] two. Hendry is the youngest champion in the tournament's history, winning his first title in [[1990 World Snooker Championship|1990]] aged 21 years and 106 days. O'Sullivan became the oldest champion in [[2022 World Snooker Championship|2022]] when he won his seventh title aged 46 years and 148 days. O'Sullivan also holds the record for the most Crucible appearances with 32, having taken part in the tournament every year between [[1993 World Snooker Championship|1993]] and [[2024 World Snooker Championship|2024]]. Fourteen [[maximum break]]s have been made in the history of the tournament, [[Cliff Thorburn]] compiled the first in [[1983 World Snooker Championship|1983]], and [[Mark Selby]] the most recent in 2023, which was the first maximum break in a World Championship final. A record 109 [[century break]]s were made at the Crucible in 2022. As of 2024, [[List of World Snooker Championship winners|28 players]] have won the World Snooker Championship.

== History ==

===Professional Snooker Championship (1927–1934)===
{{anchor|Professional Snooker Championship}}
{| class="wikitable floatright" style="font-size:95%"
|-
! Year
! Champion
! Runner-up
|-
| [[1927 World Snooker Championship|1927]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Joe Davis]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Tom Dennis (snooker player)|Tom Dennis]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1928 World Snooker Championship|1928]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Joe Davis]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Fred Lawrence]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1929 World Snooker Championship|1929]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Joe Davis]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Tom Dennis (snooker player)|Tom Dennis]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1930 World Snooker Championship|1930]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Joe Davis]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Tom Dennis (snooker player)|Tom Dennis]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1931 World Snooker Championship|1931]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Joe Davis]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Tom Dennis (snooker player)|Tom Dennis]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1932 World Snooker Championship|1932]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Joe Davis]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Clark McConachy]]|NZL}}
|-
| [[1933 World Snooker Championship|1933]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Joe Davis]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Willie Smith (billiards player)|Willie Smith]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1934 World Snooker Championship|1934]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Joe Davis]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Tom Newman (billiards player)|Tom Newman]]|ENG}}
|}

The first championship was held in [[1927 World Snooker Championship|1927]], where it was known as the ''Professional Snooker Championship''. It was the first professional snooker tournament although the [[English Amateur Championship]] has been contested since 1916. Ten professionals entered including most of the leading [[English billiards]] players.<ref>{{cite news |title=Professional snooker |work=Dundee Courier |date=13 November 1926 |page=13 |access-date=21 January 2016 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000568/19261113/110/0006 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription |quote=Most of the leading billiards players have entered for the inaugural professional snooker championship this season. }}</ref> Matches were over 15 frames with the semi-finals over twenty-three frames and final over 31 {{cuegloss|frame|frames}}. The first match played was between [[Melbourne Inman]] and [[Tom Newman (billiards player)|Tom Newman]] at [[Thurston's Hall]], Leicester Square in London. The snooker was played as an added extra to the main event, a billiards match played over two weeks. The match started on Monday 29 November 1926 and one frame of snooker was played at the end of each session.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=30 November 1926 |page=16 |title=Billiards – Small pocket test}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=7 December 1926 |page=18 |title=Billiards – Newman v Inman}}</ref> The final between [[Joe Davis]] and [[Tom Dennis (snooker player)|Tom Dennis]] was played over four days in early May at [[Camkin's Hall]] in Birmingham. Davis won the first seven frames,<ref>{{cite news |title=Snooker championship |work=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer |date=10 May 1927 |access-date=23 November 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19270510/591/0018 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription }}</ref> and took a winning 16–7 lead on the third day,<ref>{{cite news |title=Billiards – Davis' good lead in snooker championship |work=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer |date=12 May 1927 |access-date=23 November 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19270512/389/0019 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription }}</ref> eventually winning 20–11.<ref>{{cite news |title=Billiards – Snooker pool title won by Davis |work=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer |date=13 May 1927 |access-date=23 November 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19270513/390/0018 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription }}</ref> The highest break of the tournament was sixty, made by [[Albert Cope]] in his semi-final match against Davis, in a dead frame after Davis had won the match.<ref>{{cite web|title=1931 World Professional Championship|url=http://www.globalsnookercentre.co.uk/files/Results/31world.htm|website=globalsnookercentre.co.uk | publisher=Global Snooker Centre|access-date=29 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060517050555/http://www.globalsnookercentre.co.uk/files/Results/31world.htm |archive-date=17 May 2006}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Davis in snooker final |work=Sheffield Independent |date=3 February 1927 |access-date=23 February 2006 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0001464/19270203/234/0009 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

The [[1928 World Snooker Championship|1928 Championship]] was played on a challenge basis, with the other six entries playing-off for the right to challenge Davis in the final. [[Fred Lawrence]] progressed to the final, but lost 13–16.<ref>{{cite news |title=Double for Davis – Chesterfield player retains snooker title |work=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer |date=18 May 1928 |access-date=1 December 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19280518/270/0014 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription }}</ref> The challenge system was dropped in the [[1929 World Snooker Championship|1929 event]]. Davis met Dennis in the final, played in Dennis's home town of [[Nottingham]]. Davis made a new record break of 61,<ref>{{cite news |title=Snooker Championship – Davis leading Dennis by 14 games to 10 |work=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer |date=7 March 1929 |access-date=12 November 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19290307/387/0020 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription }}</ref> on the way to a 19–14 victory.<ref>{{cite news |title=Snooker Championship – Title retained by Davis leading Dennis by 19 games to 14 |work=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer |date=8 March 1929 |access-date=12 November 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19290308/371/0021 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription }}</ref> The same pair met in the [[1930 World Snooker Championship|1930 final]], played for the first time at Thurston's Hall in London, with Davis winning 25–12,<ref>{{cite news |title=Snooker Championship – Won by Davis for fourth successive year |work=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligence |date=24 May 1930 |access-date=17 November 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19300524/600/0022 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription }}</ref> with a day to spare and made a new record break of 79.<ref>{{cite news |title=Snooker Championship |work=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligence |date=21 May 1930 |access-date=17 November 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19300521/517/0018 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription }}</ref> With little prospect of success and little prospect of financial gain, there were only two entries for the [[1931 World Snooker Championship|1931 championship]]. Davis and Tom Dennis met for the fourth time, the event being played in Nottingham. Dennis led 19–16 at one stage,<ref>{{cite news |title=Davis leads Dennis – Final stages of Professional Snooker Championship – Highest break of the match |work=Nottingham Evening Post |date=1 May 1931 |access-date=10 November 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000321/19310501/063/0016 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref> but Davis won nine of the next eleven frames to take the Championship 25–21.<ref>{{cite news |title=Snooker cup retained – Fifth successive victory of Joe Davis – Good fight by Dennis |work=Nottingham Evening Post |date=2 May 1931 |access-date=10 November 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000321/19310502/045/0007 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription }}</ref>

There were three entries for the [[1932 World Snooker Championship|1932 tournament]]. [[Clark McConachy]] met Davis in the final, played at Thurston's Hall. Davis took the title after a 30–19 win,<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=2 May 1932 |page=6 |title=Snooker Pool – Davis retains the Championship}}</ref> and set a new record with a break of 99, missing out on his century after he snookered himself.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=30 April 1932 |page=5 |title=Snooker Pool – The Championship Final}}</ref> There were five entries in [[1933 World Snooker Championship|1933]], with debutant [[Willie Smith (billiards player)|Willie Smith]] meeting Davis in the final, but lost 18–25. There were just two entries in [[1934 World Snooker Championship|1934]], Davis being opposed by Tom Newman, six times World Billiards Champion. The match was held partly in Nottingham before finishing in [[Kettering]],<ref>{{cite news |title=Snooker Champion Final – Joe Davis and Tom Newman – Playing today at The Lounge, Shakespeare Street, Nottingham (advert) |work=Nottingham Evening Post |date=3 April 1934 |access-date=10 November 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000321/19340403/081/0007 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2PI9AAAAIBAJ&pg=5429%2C670373 |title=Billiards – the professional snooker championship |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=6 April 1934 |page=4 |access-date=24 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160208133008/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2PI9AAAAIBAJ&sjid=80gMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5429%2C670373 |archive-date=8 February 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> with Davis winning 25–22.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=r8pAAAAAIBAJ&pg=6166%2C969990 |title=Davis wins snooker championship – Newman defeated by three games |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=7 April 1934 |page=16 |access-date=24 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160208133008/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=r8pAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=tqUMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6166%2C969990 |archive-date=8 February 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Thurston's Hall era (1935–1940)===
{{anchor|World's Professional Snooker Championship}}
{| class="wikitable floatright" style="font-size:95%"
|-
! Year
! Winner
! Runner-up
|-
| [[1935 World Snooker Championship|1935]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Joe Davis]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Willie Smith (billiards player)|Willie Smith]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1936 World Snooker Championship|1936]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Joe Davis]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Horace Lindrum]]|AUS}}
|-
| [[1937 World Snooker Championship|1937]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Joe Davis]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Horace Lindrum]]|AUS}}
|-
| [[1938 World Snooker Championship|1938]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Joe Davis]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Sidney Smith (snooker player)|Sidney Smith]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1939 World Snooker Championship|1939]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Joe Davis]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Sidney Smith (snooker player)|Sidney Smith]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1940 World Snooker Championship|1940]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Joe Davis]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Fred Davis (snooker player)|Fred Davis]]|ENG}}
|}

The [[1935 World Snooker Championship|1935 Championship]] introduced some significant changes. It was the first to incorporate "world" in its name, being called the ''World's Professional Snooker Championship''.<ref name="1935a">{{cite news |title=Billiards – Professional title |work=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer |date=3 November 1934 |access-date=24 November 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19341103/342/0007 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Canadian's bid for Snooker title |work=Dundee Courier |date=20 October 1934 |access-date=20 January 2016 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19341020/167/0009 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription }}</ref> There was also a change in the organisation of the event with the matches being played consecutively at the same venue, [[Thurston's Hall]] in London.<ref name="1935a"/> In the period from 1935 to 1940, nearly all World Championship matches were played there and with good attendances the professionals could make some money from their share of the entrance charges. Because of the importance of gate receipts, all frames were played out, even if a player had already won the match.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}

There were five entries in [[1935 World Snooker Championship|1935 Championship]]. [[Joe Davis]] beat [[Willie Smith (billiards player)|Willie Smith]] 28–21 in the final.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=29 April 1935 |page=5 |title=Snooker's Pool – Davis retains the Championship}}</ref> Davis recorded the first century break in the history of the championship, 110 in his semi-final match against [[Tom Newman (billiards player)|Tom Newman]].<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=18 April 1935 |page=6 |title=Snooker's Pool – The Professional Championship}}</ref> The break was made in a dead frame but was still regarded as a championship record. The success of the 1935 championship resulted in a record 13 entries in [[1936 World Snooker Championship|1936]].<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=2 January 1936 |page=5 |title=Professional Snooker Championship}}</ref> Joe Davis and [[Horace Lindrum]] met in the final, with Davis having won one of his prior matches 29–2 after taking a winning 16–0 lead;<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=2 April 1936 |page=6 |title=Snooker Pool}}</ref> whilst Lindrum had won his semi-final by the same score, 29–2,<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=23 April 1936 |page=6 |title=Snooker Pool – World's Professional Championship}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Lindrum's century snooker break – Enters final of world title event |work=Dundee Courier |date=22 April 1936 |access-date=12 December 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19360422/040/0004 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref> In the final, Lindrum led 26–24 at the start of the final day and then won the first frame on the last day. However Davis won the last ten frames in a row to win 34–27.<ref name="HSB">{{cite book |last=Everton |first=Clive |date=1986 |title=The History of Snooker and Billiards |publisher=Partridge Press |location=Haywards Heath |isbn=1852250135 |pages=51–53}}</ref>

Qualifying was introduced for the first time in [[1937 World Snooker Championship|1937]]. As the event had nine entries, two players were chosen to play a qualification match. The two were [[Fred Davis (snooker player)|Fred Davis]], Joe's younger brother and [[Bill Withers (snooker player)|Bill Withers]]. Withers won the match 17–14,<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=11 January 1937 |page=7 |title=Snooker Pool – Professional Championships}}</ref> a defeat that Fred put down to ignoring his worsening eyesight.<ref>{{cite book| author=Davis, Fred|title=Talking Snooker|publisher=A&C Black |edition=Second |year=1983|page=13}}</ref> Lindrum played Joe Davis in the final, and led 17–13 at the half-way stage,<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=18 March 1937 |page=6 |title=Snooker Pool – The Professional Championship}}</ref> but Davis recovered to win the match 32–29.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=22 March 1937 |page=6 |title=Snooker Pool – Davis retains the Championship}}</ref> Davis made a break of 103 in the final, the first championship century in live play.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=19 March 1937 |page=6 |title=Snooker Pool – The Professional Championship}}</ref>

Lindrum chose not to enter the [[1938 World Snooker Championship|1938 event]], which Davis also won, beating [[Sidney Smith (snooker player)|Sidney Smith]] in the final.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=31 March 1938 |page=6 |title=The Professional Championship – J Davis beats W Smith}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=11 April 1938 |page=6 |title=Snooker – J Davis wins again}}</ref> The following year, Davis met Smith again in the final, and took a winning 37–25 lead on the final day.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=6 March 1939 |page=6 |title=Snooker – J Davis retains the Championship}}</ref> The [[1940 World Snooker Championship|1940 Championship]] featured the Davis brothers meeting in the final. Joe led 15–10 but then Fred won eleven frames in succession to lead 21–15.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PnZDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2862%2C7338478 |title=Champion's snooker set-back |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |page=12 |date=18 March 1940 |access-date=25 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222082937/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=PnZDAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MpIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2862%2C7338478 |archive-date=22 December 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> On the final day Joe made a 101 break to take a winning 37–35 lead. The spectators cheered for nearly a minute when Joe made his century.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=21 March 1940 |page=10 |title=Snooker – The Championship}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Xis1AAAAIBAJ&pg=6501%2C7579976 |title=Joe Davis retains title – Century break in exciting snooker finish |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |page=2 |date=21 March 1940 |access-date=25 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222163010/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Xis1AAAAIBAJ&sjid=paULAAAAIBAJ&pg=6501%2C7579976 |archive-date=22 December 2015 |url-status=live }}</ref> In October 1940, during [[The Blitz]], Thurston's Hall was destroyed by a parachute mine which demolished the south-western corner of Leicester Square.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Zaepfel |first1=Laura |title=Leicester Square |url=http://www.westendatwar.org.uk/page_id__199_path__0p28p.aspx |website=westendatwar |access-date=30 November 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151208131608/http://www.westendatwar.org.uk/page_id__199_path__0p28p.aspx |archive-date=8 December 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> No tournaments were played during the remainder of World War II.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}

===Post-war era (1946–1952)===
{| class="wikitable floatright" style="font-size:95%"
|-
! Year
! Winner
! Runner-up
|-
| [[1946 World Snooker Championship|1946]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Joe Davis]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Horace Lindrum]]|AUS}}
|-
| [[1947 World Snooker Championship|1947]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Walter Donaldson (snooker player)|Walter Donaldson]]|SCO}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Fred Davis (snooker player)|Fred Davis]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1948 World Snooker Championship|1948]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Fred Davis (snooker player)|Fred Davis]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Walter Donaldson (snooker player)|Walter Donaldson]]|SCO}}
|-
| [[1949 World Snooker Championship|1949]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Fred Davis (snooker player)|Fred Davis]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Walter Donaldson (snooker player)|Walter Donaldson]]|SCO}}
|-
| [[1950 World Snooker Championship|1950]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Walter Donaldson (snooker player)|Walter Donaldson]]|SCO}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Fred Davis (snooker player)|Fred Davis]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1951 World Snooker Championship|1951]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Fred Davis (snooker player)|Fred Davis]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Walter Donaldson (snooker player)|Walter Donaldson]]|SCO}}
|-
| [[1952 World Snooker Championship|1952]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Horace Lindrum]]|AUS}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Clark McConachy]]|NZL}}
|}

The championship resumed in [[1946 World Snooker Championship|1946]] where Joe Davis again met Lindrum in the final. The [[Lindley Hall, London|Royal Horticultural Hall]] in London was converted to a snooker venue, seating 1,250 for the championships.<ref name=times6may1946>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=6 May 1946 |page=2 |title=Snooker – The Championship Final}}</ref> The match was extended from one week to two, allowing up to 30,000 spectators to be accommodated with prices ranging from 5s to £3.<ref name=times6may1946/> Davis maintained a small lead throughout and won, early on the final day, leading 73–62.<ref>{{cite news|title=Joe Davis Holds Championship|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article92693196|access-date=3 November 2012|newspaper=[[The Examiner (Tasmania)|The Examiner]]|date=20 May 1946|archive-date=29 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929171109/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92693196|url-status=live}}</ref> Davis made six centuries in the final, setting new championship records of 133 and 136.<ref>{{cite web|title=May 18 down the years: Davis wins marathon final|url=http://www.espn.co.uk/onthisday/sport/story/154.html|publisher=[[ESPN (UK)|ESPN]]|access-date=22 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225033222/http://www.espn.co.uk/onthisday/sport/story/154.html|archive-date=25 February 2014}}</ref> The event proved a financial success for the players, with Davis receiving £1,800 and Lindrum £550.<ref>{{cite news|title=Davis retains snooker title|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2682450|access-date=3 November 2012|newspaper=[[The Canberra Times]]|date=20 May 1946|archive-date=29 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200929171111/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2682450|url-status=live}}</ref>

In October 1946, Joe Davis announced that he would no longer play in the World Championship, having never lost a match in the championship from its inception in 1927.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=7 October 1946 |page=8 |title=Billiards and Snooker – J Davis retires}}</ref> He did not, in any other sense, retire from snooker, continuing to play in other tournaments and exhibition matches for many years.<ref name="nyti_JoeD">{{Cite news |title=Joe Davis, a Snooker Champion Who Retired Unbeaten, Was 77 (Published 1978) |author= |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=11 July 1978 |access-date=11 August 2021 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/07/11/archives/joe-davis-a-snooker-champion-who-retired-unbeaten-was-77.html |quote= |archive-date=11 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210811151023/https://www.nytimes.com/1978/07/11/archives/joe-davis-a-snooker-champion-who-retired-unbeaten-was-77.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The finalists for the [[1947 World Snooker Championship|1947 championship]], Fred Davis and [[Walter Donaldson (snooker player)|Walter Donaldson]], agreed to delay the final until the autumn so that it could be played at the rebuilt Thurston's Hall. Donaldson got off to a good start, leading 44–28 after the first week<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=20 October 1947 |page=2 |title=Professional Snooker}}</ref> and eventually took a winning 73–49 lead early on the 11th day.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=25 October 1947 |page=2 |title=Donaldson the Snooker Champion}}</ref> The pair met again in the [[1948 World Snooker Championship|1948 final]], Fred Davis and Walter Donaldson again reached the final, with Davis winning 73–49.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=1 May 1948 |page=6 |title=Professional Snooker – F Davis wins the championship}}</ref> They also contested the [[1949 World Snooker Championship|1949]] final, and although Donaldson led 39–33 after the first week,<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=2 May 1949 |page=6 |title=Snooker}}</ref> Davis pulled ahead on the second week and eventually took a winning 73–58 lead.<ref>{{cite news |title=Snooker title for Fred Davis |work=Nottingham Evening Post |date=7 May 1949 |access-date=25 January 2016 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000321/19490507/088/0006 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref> After three finals at [[Leicester Square Hall]] the [[1950 World Snooker Championship|1950]] final moved to [[Blackpool Tower Circus]]. Fred Davis and Donaldson met in the final for the next two years, with Donaldson winning in 1950, 49–42,<ref>{{cite news |title=Donaldson snooker champion |work=Sunday Post |date=19 March 1950 |access-date=25 January 2016 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000566/19500319/106/0019 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref> and Davis in [[1951 World Snooker Championship|1951]].{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}

Following a dispute between the Professional Billiards Players' Association (PBPA) and the [[Billiards Association and Control Council]] (BACC), members of the PBPA boycotted the [[1952 World Snooker Championship|1952 championship]].<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=F1tAAAAAIBAJ&pg=5966%2C3977587 |date=19 February 1952 |page=2 |title=World Snooker Title |access-date=23 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312050745/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=F1tAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=C48MAAAAIBAJ&pg=5966%2C3977587 |archive-date=12 March 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> The BACC thought the championship should be primarily a matter of honour, and financial considerations should come second.<ref name="First Australian Guardian">{{cite news|last=Everton|first=Clive|title=Neil Robertson set to rewrite history as first genuine Australian world champion|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/apr/30/world-snooker-championship-neil-robertson-shaun-murphy|work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=21 May 2012|location=London|date=30 April 2009|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140330222054/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/apr/30/world-snooker-championship-neil-robertson-shaun-murphy|archive-date=30 March 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref> As a consequence of the boycott there were only two entries, Lindrum and McConachy.<ref name="Turner (world)"/> McConachy had played in the recent [[1951/1952 News of the World Snooker Tournament|News of the World Tournament]] but had performed badly, losing all eight of his matches. Although Lindrum did not play in the News of the World Tournament, he had been receiving more generous starts in recent handicap tournaments and had even withdrawn from the [[1950 Sporting Record Masters' Snooker Tournament]] in 1950, complaining about his overly generous handicap.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lindrum withdraws |work=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer |date=4 April 1950 |access-date=26 December 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19500404/070/0003 |via=[[British Newspaper Archive]] |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Lindrum won the championship, reaching a winning 73–37 position early on the tenth day.<ref>{{cite news|title=Horace Lindrum's Snooker Win Easy|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27072791?searchTerm=%22Clark%20McConachy%22%20snooker&searchLimits=|access-date=21 May 2012|newspaper=[[The Mercury (Hobart)|The Mercury]]|date=10 March 1952|archive-date=7 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407235623/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/27072791?searchTerm=%22Clark+McConachy%22+snooker&searchLimits=|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QFBAAAAAIBAJ&pg=4913%2C598872 |title=Snooker and billiards |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |page=7 |date=7 March 1952 |access-date=25 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160208133008/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QFBAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MZIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4913%2C598872 |archive-date=8 February 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===World Professional Match-play Championship (1952–1957)===
{{anchor|World Professional Match-play Championship}}
{| class="wikitable floatright" style="font-size:95%"
|-
! Year
! Winner
! Runner-up
|-
| [[1952 World Professional Match-play Championship|1952]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Fred Davis (snooker player)|Fred Davis]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Walter Donaldson (snooker player)|Walter Donaldson]]|SCO}}
|-
| [[1953 World Professional Match-play Championship|1953]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Fred Davis (snooker player)|Fred Davis]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Walter Donaldson (snooker player)|Walter Donaldson]]|SCO}}
|-
| [[1954 World Professional Match-play Championship|1954]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Fred Davis (snooker player)|Fred Davis]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Walter Donaldson (snooker player)|Walter Donaldson]]|SCO}}
|-
| [[1955 World Professional Match-play Championship|1955]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Fred Davis (snooker player)|Fred Davis]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[John Pulman]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1956 World Professional Match-play Championship|1956]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Fred Davis (snooker player)|Fred Davis]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[John Pulman]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1957 World Professional Match-play Championship|1957]]
| {{flagathlete|[[John Pulman]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Jackie Rea]]|NIR}}
|}

Having boycotted the official championship, the PBPA established their own championship called the [[1952 World Professional Match-play Championship|PBPA Snooker Championship]] which attracted ten entries. Fred Davis and Donaldson were given byes to the semi-final stage, and met again in the final, held at the Blackpool Tower Circus, as Davis won 38–35.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SFBAAAAAIBAJ&pg=1347%2C1469613 |title=Snooker and billiards |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |page=9 |date=17 March 1952 |access-date=26 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160208133008/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SFBAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=MZIMAAAAIBAJ&pg=1347%2C1469613 |archive-date=8 February 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> A second such championship was played the following year, referred to as the [[1953 World Professional Match-play Championship]], with the same finalists. Played at [[Leicester Square Hall]], it was tied at 33–33 at the start of the final session but Davis won 37–34.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=30 March 1953 |page=2 |title=Professional Snooker}}</ref> The pair met in the [[1954 World Professional Match-play Championship|1954]] final, held in [[Manchester]], their eighth successive final. It was the most one-sided of the eight finals, Davis taking a winning 36–15 lead early on the fifth day.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=5 March 1954 |page=3 |title=World Snooker Title}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=6 March 1954 |page=4 |title=F Davis retains World Snooker Championship}}</ref>

Fred Davis met [[John Pulman]] in the [[1955 World Professional Match-play Championship|1955]] final at Blackpool Tower Circus, with Davis winning 38–35.<ref name="day6">{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=q0pAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=clkMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2979%2C2382485 |title=Snooker & billiards |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |page=11 |date=21 March 1955 |access-date=13 December 2015 |archive-date=22 December 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222174038/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=q0pAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=clkMAAAAIBAJ&pg=2979%2C2382485 |url-status=live}}</ref> Davis defeated Pulman again in the [[1956 World Professional Match-play Championship|1956 final]], but did not enter the [[1957 World Professional Match-play Championship|1957 championship]].<ref>Davis, Fred., Talking Snooker</ref> Pulman defeated [[Jackie Rea]] in the final to win his first world title.<ref name="BUST">{{cite magazine |last=Everton |first=Clive |title=snooker 1945–1957: from boom to bust |magazine=Snooker Scene |location=Birmingham |date=October 2019 |pages=19–23}}</ref>

===Challenge matches (1964–1968)===
{| class="wikitable floatright" style="font-size:95%"
|-
! Date
! Champion
! Challenger
|-
| [[1964–68 World Snooker Championships|Apr 1964]]
| {{flagathlete|[[John Pulman]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Fred Davis (snooker player)|Fred Davis]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1964–68 World Snooker Championships|Oct 1964]]
| {{flagathlete|[[John Pulman]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Rex Williams]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1964–68 World Snooker Championships|Mar 1965]]
| {{flagathlete|[[John Pulman]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Fred Davis (snooker player)|Fred Davis]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1964–68 World Snooker Championships|Sep–Dec 1965]]
| {{flagathlete|[[John Pulman]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Rex Williams]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1964–68 World Snooker Championships|Dec 1965]]
| {{flagathlete|[[John Pulman]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Fred Van Rensburg]]|SAF|1928}}
|-
| [[1964–68 World Snooker Championships|Apr 1966]]
| {{flagathlete|[[John Pulman]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Fred Davis (snooker player)|Fred Davis]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1964–68 World Snooker Championships|Mar 1968]]
| {{flagathlete|[[John Pulman]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Eddie Charlton]]|AUS}}
|}

With the approval of the BACC, the championship was revived on a challenge basis in [[1964–68 World Snooker Championships|1964]].<ref name="Turner (world)">{{cite web |last=Turner |first= Chris |title=World Professional Championship |publisher=Chris Turner's Snooker Archive |url=http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/world.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130416080933/http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/world.html|archive-date=16 April 2013 |access-date=2 May 2011}}</ref> The first contest was played in Burroughes Hall, London in April 1964 between Pulman and Davis, with Pulman retaining the championship after winning 19–16.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=23 April 1964 |page=4 |title=Professional snooker title for Pulman}}</ref> Pulman won two further challenge matches played at Burroughes Hall, beating [[Rex Williams]] in October 1964,<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=19 October 1964 |page=5 |title=Snooker}}</ref> and Davis again in March 1965.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The Glasgow Herald]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=I2NAAAAAIBAJ&pg=3522%2C3724537 |date=22 March 1965 |page=10 |title=Snooker |access-date=24 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160208133008/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=I2NAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=maMMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3522%2C3724537 |archive-date=8 February 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> In late 1965 Pulman and Rex Williams played a long series of short matches in South Africa. Pulman won twenty-five of the forty-seven matches to retain the title. Williams set a new championship record with a break of 142 in the twenty-fourth match.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=17 November 1965 |page=4 |title=World Snooker Record}}</ref> After this series of matches Pulman played the South African [[Fred Van Rensburg]], winning 39 frames to 12.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pWtAAAAAIBAJ&pg=5005%2C743850 |title=Snooker |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=7 January 1965 |page=6 |access-date=27 March 2020 |archive-date=19 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919185846/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pWtAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=e6MMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5005%2C743850 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pmtAAAAAIBAJ&pg=6437%2C908308 |title=Snooker |newspaper=The Glasgow Herald |date=8 January 1965 |page=4 |access-date=27 March 2020 |archive-date=19 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919185846/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=pmtAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=e6MMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6437%2C908308 |url-status=live}}</ref> Davis and Pulman played again for the championship in April 1966. Pulman won four of the seven matches to retain the title.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=23 April 1966 |page=4 |title=Pulman champion}}</ref> Australian [[Eddie Charlton]] challenged Pulman to a 73 frame match in [[Bolton]], played in March 1968.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The Sun-Herald]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=uv1jAAAAIBAJ&pg=1136%2C8541254 |date=28 March 1976 |page=64 |title=Eddie lost game, but revived snooker |access-date=24 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160208133008/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=uv1jAAAAIBAJ&sjid=g-YDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1136%2C8541254 |archive-date=8 February 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> Pulman led 19–17 at the half-way stage,<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Y_lXAAAAIBAJ&pg=6331%2C2289631 |date=8 March 1968 |page=15 |title=Close match in snooker |access-date=24 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160208133008/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Y_lXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=uOcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=6331%2C2289631 |archive-date=8 February 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> and pulled ahead and won the match 37–28.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZvlXAAAAIBAJ&pg=5826%2C3589905 |date=11 March 1968 |page=12 |title=Snooker win to Pulman |access-date=24 January 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160301135415/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZvlXAAAAIBAJ&sjid=uOcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5826%2C3589905 |archive-date=1 March 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Start of modern era knockout tournaments (1969–1976)===
{| class="wikitable floatright" style="font-size:95%"
|-
! Year
! Winner
! Runner-up
|-
| [[1969 World Snooker Championship|1969]]
| {{flagathlete|[[John Spencer (snooker player)|John Spencer]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Gary Owen (snooker player)|Gary Owen]]|WAL}}
|-
| [[1970 World Snooker Championship|1970]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Ray Reardon]]|WAL}}
| {{flagathlete|[[John Pulman]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1971 World Snooker Championship|1971]]
| {{flagathlete|[[John Spencer (snooker player)|John Spencer]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Warren Simpson]]|AUS}}
|-
| [[1972 World Snooker Championship|1972]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Alex Higgins]]|NIR}}
| {{flagathlete|[[John Spencer (snooker player)|John Spencer]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1973 World Snooker Championship|1973]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Ray Reardon]]|WAL}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Eddie Charlton]]|AUS}}
|-
| [[1974 World Snooker Championship|1974]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Ray Reardon]]|WAL}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Graham Miles]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1975 World Snooker Championship|1975]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Ray Reardon]]|WAL}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Eddie Charlton]]|AUS}}
|-
| [[1976 World Snooker Championship|1976]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Ray Reardon]]|WAL}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Alex Higgins]]|NIR}}
|}

For [[1969 World Snooker Championship|1969]], the championship reverted to being run as a knockout tournament. This is regarded as the beginning of the modern era for snooker.<ref>{{cite magazine |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Tough first round for Pulman |magazine=The Billiard Player |page=4 |date=August 1968}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=John Higgins eyes more crucible titles |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/snooker/5276218/John-Higgins-eyes-more-Crucible-titles.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/snooker/5276218/John-Higgins-eyes-more-Crucible-titles.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-status=live |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=London |date=5 May 2009 |access-date=13 April 2020 |url-access=registration |quote="the modern era, which began in 1969 when the World Championship became a knockout event."}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Eight professionals entered, four from the 1950s and four new professionals. The first match, played in late 1968, saw the end of [[John Pulman]]'s reign as champion, beaten by one of the new professionals, [[John Spencer (snooker player)|John Spencer]]. Spencer led 24–18 after the final afternoon session and clinched the match by winning the first frame in the evening with a ninety-seven break.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=23 November 1968 |page=5 |title=Spencer beats Pulman}}</ref> Spencer and another of the new professionals, [[Gary Owen (snooker player)|Gary Owen]], met in the final at the [[Victoria House, London|Victoria Halls]] in London. Spencer won the seventy-three frame final 37–24. Spencer lost to [[Ray Reardon]] at the semi-final stage of the [[1970 World Snooker Championship|1970 Championship]]. Reardon went on to win the final against John Pulman to win his first title.

The next world championship was held in Australia in late 1970. For the only time there was a group stage with nine players, with the top four moving on to a knock-out stage. Ray Reardon and John Spencer met in one semi-final with Spencer winning easily. The other semi-final was between two Australians, [[Warren Simpson]] and [[Eddie Charlton]]. Simpson caused a major upset by beating Charlton.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=29 October 1970 |page=17 |title=Spencer on brink of final}}</ref> In the final in Sydney, Spencer led throughout and won the six-day final 37–29.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=9 November 1970 |page=13 |title=Spencer regains snooker final}}</ref> [[1972 World Snooker Championship|1972]] saw the emergence of [[Alex Higgins]]. Winning his two qualifying matches, he beat John Pulman, [[Rex Williams]] and then Spencer in the final to win the title at his first attempt.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=28 February 1972 |page=7 |title=Snooker – Higgins makes final flourish}}</ref> At {{Age in years and days|1949|03|18|1972|02|26}}, Higgins was the youngest world champion. Previously only [[Joe Davis]] had won the title while under the age of 30, being {{Age in years and days|1901|04|15|1927|05|12}} when he won in 1927.

The [[1973 World Snooker Championship|1973 Championship]] marked a change in format, with the tournament played over two weeks at a single venue rather than over an extended period. Sixteen played in the first round, the eight winners playing eight seeded players in the second round. In the semi-finals, defending champion Alex Higgins lost 9–23<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=24 April 1973 |page=13 |title=Snooker – Higgins loses world title}}</ref> to Eddie Charlton while Ray Reardon beat John Spencer 23–22. In the five-day final Charlton led 7–0 after the opening session<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=25 April 1973 |page=13 |title=Snooker – Charlton takes the lead}}</ref> but Reardon led 17–13 after two days. The match continued to be close but Reardon pulled ahead on the final day to win 38–32, for his second title. The [[1974 World Snooker Championship|1974 Championship]] followed a similar format but with somewhat shorter matches and event reduced to ten days. Sixty-year-old [[Fred Davis (snooker player)|Fred Davis]] beat Alex Higgins in the quarter-finals before losing to Ray Reardon. Reardon met [[Graham Miles]] in the three-day final. Reardon led 17–11 after two days and won comfortably 22–12.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=26 April 1974 |page=9 |title=Snooker – Reardon's third world title}}</ref>

The [[1975 World Snooker Championship|1975 Championship]] was held in Australia. Twenty-seven players competed including eight from Australia, sixteen from the United Kingdom, two from Canada and one from South Africa. Ray Reardon beat John Spencer and Alex Higgins to reach the final where he met Eddie Charlton. The final was held near [[Melbourne]] but matches were held in many locations, the semi-finals having been held in [[Canberra]] and [[Brisbane]]. In the final, Reardon won ten of the twelve frames on the second day to lead 16–8<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7f9jAAAAIBAJ&pg=4530%2C7802705 |date=29 April 1975 |page=15 |title=Charlton further behind |access-date=8 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312104338/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7f9jAAAAIBAJ&sjid=W-cDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4530%2C7802705 |archive-date=12 March 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> but Charlton won the first nine frames on the third day to lead.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7v9jAAAAIBAJ&pg=2961%2C7927674 |date=30 April 1975 |page=11 |title=Charlton pulls back to 19–17 – 9-frame blitz |access-date=8 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312103911/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=7v9jAAAAIBAJ&sjid=W-cDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2961%2C7927674 |archive-date=12 March 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> Reardon then led 23–21<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NvpjAAAAIBAJ&pg=4443%2C88177 |date=1 May 1975 |page=19 |title=Charlton takes lead in snooker |access-date=8 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312104331/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NvpjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YeYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4443%2C88177 |archive-date=12 March 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> before Charlton won eight frames in a row to lead 29–23, needing just two of the last nine frames to win. However Reardon then won seven frames in a row to lead again and, although Charlton levelled the match at 30–30, Reardon won the deciding frame.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=N_pjAAAAIBAJ&pg=761%2C216470 |date=2 May 1975 |page=13 |title=Reardon clinches it in the last frame |access-date=8 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312104333/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=N_pjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=YeYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=761%2C216470 |archive-date=12 March 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[1976 World Snooker Championship]] was held at two venues; half the draw was held in [[Middlesbrough]] and half in [[Manchester]], which also hosted the final. Alex Higgins won three close matches to reach the final, where he met Ray Reardon. Reardon led 24–15 at the start of the last day and, winning three of the first four frames, took the title 27–16, his fourth successive title.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=24 April 1976 |page=15 |title=Snooker – Reardon's a class above rest}}</ref> There were a number of problems during the tournament including the standard of the tables.<ref>{{cite web |last=Nunns |first=Hector |title=Before the Crucible |url=http://www.inside-snooker.com/snooker/2014/4/8/before-the-crucible |publisher=Inside Snooker |access-date=29 January 2016 |date=8 April 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160204210827/http://www.inside-snooker.com/snooker/2014/4/8/before-the-crucible |archive-date=4 February 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> This was the first year the championship was sponsored under the cigarette brand [[Embassy (cigarette)|Embassy]].

===Crucible era starts (1977–1980)===
{| class="wikitable floatright" style="font-size:95%"
|-
! Year
! Winner
! Runner-up
|-
| [[1977 World Snooker Championship|1977]]
| {{flagathlete|[[John Spencer (snooker player)|John Spencer]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Cliff Thorburn]]|CAN}}
|-
| [[1978 World Snooker Championship|1978]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Ray Reardon]]|WAL}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Perrie Mans]]|RSA|1928}}
|-
| [[1979 World Snooker Championship|1979]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Terry Griffiths]]|WAL}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Dennis Taylor]]|NIR}}
|-
| [[1980 World Snooker Championship|1980]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Cliff Thorburn]]|CAN}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Alex Higgins]]|NIR}}
|}

In 1977, the championship moved to its new home at the [[Crucible Theatre]] in [[Sheffield]], where it has remained ever since. The [[1977 World Snooker Championship|1977 championship]] featured sixteen competitors: eight seeded players and eight qualifiers. [[John Spencer (snooker player)|John Spencer]] beat defending champion [[Ray Reardon]] 13–6 in the quarter-finals,<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=25 April 1977 |page=8 |title=Snooker – Reardon out of form in quarter-final}}</ref> and met Canadian [[Cliff Thorburn]] in the final. The two players were closely matched throughout, the score being tied at 9–9 after the first day and 18–18 after the second.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=30 April 1977 |page=6 |title=Snooker – Thorburn equal to the task}}</ref> Spencer led 22–20 after the first session on the final day, and pulled ahead to win 25–21 in the final session of the match. 
[[File:World Snooker Championship trophy before the Crucible.jpg|left|thumb|The World Snooker Championship trophy in front of the [[Crucible Theatre]]]]
Defending champion John Spencer lost to [[Perrie Mans]] in the first round of the [[1978 World Snooker Championship|1978 championship]]. The 1977 runner-up Cliff Thorburn was defeated 12–13 in his quarter-final match against [[Eddie Charlton]], who won the last five frames.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=24 April 1978 |page=8 |title=Snooker – Reardon rallies to lead at end of the day}}</ref> However, Charlton then lost to Ray Reardon in the semi-finals; he was ahead 12–9 after the first three sessions of the match, but Reardon won all seven frames of the fourth session to win 18–14.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=26 April 1978 |page=9 |title=Snooker – Reardon reaches final}}</ref> Mans met sixty-four-year-old [[Fred Davis (snooker player)|Fred Davis]] in the other semi-final, defeating him 18–16. Reardon won the final 25–18 to claim his sixth world title.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=2 May 1978 |page=6 |title=Snooker – Confusion over two world events feared}}</ref> He became the oldest World Champion, aged {{Age in years and days|1932|10|08|1978|04|29}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Records.html |title=Various Snooker Records |access-date=21 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130210111343/http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Records.html |archive-date=10 February 2013 }}</ref> The first seven World Snooker Champions all won a championship when in their forties; the last of these was Reardon. It would be another forty years before a [[wikt:quadragenarian|quadragenarian]] won the title again, as [[Mark Williams (snooker player)|Mark Williams]] won the [[2018 World Snooker Championship|2018 championship]] aged forty-three.

The [[1979 World Snooker Championship|1979 championship]] was won by [[Terry Griffiths]] who had only turned professional seven months prior to the tournament, and needed to win two qualifying matches to reach the Crucible.<ref name=times30apr1979>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=30 April 1979 |page=28 |title=Snooker – Final flourish by Griffiths}}</ref> Griffiths was trailing 16–17 against Eddie Charlton in the semi-final, before eventually winning the match 19–17 at 1.40&nbsp;am.<ref name="Than and Now: Griffiths">{{cite web |title=Then and Now: Terry Griffiths |url=http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/04022010/58/terry-griffiths.html |publisher=[[Eurosport]] UK |access-date=10 June 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007052303/http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/04022010/58/terry-griffiths.html |archive-date=7 October 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He then beat [[Dennis Taylor]] 24–16 in the final, winning the record first prize of £10,000.<ref name=times30apr1979/> Canadian [[Bill Werbeniuk]] made a break of 142 in his quarter-final match against [[John Virgo]], equalling the championship record set by [[Rex Williams]] in South Africa in 1965.

In the [[1980 World Snooker Championship|1980 championship]], the number of participants was extended to twenty-four players. Those seeded from nine to sixteen each met a qualifier in the first round, the winner meeting one of the top eight seeds in the second round. Several changes were made to accommodate the extra matches, including a reduction in the number of frames played in the final, to a maximum of thirty-five. Cliff Thorburn met [[Alex Higgins]] in the final. The match was level at 9–9 after the first day and again at 13–13 after the afternoon session on the second day. During the evening session, the score was tied once again at 16–16, before Thorburn made a 119 clearance in frame thirty-three and a break of fifty-one in frame thirty-four to win the championship.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=6 May 1980 |page=9 |title=Snooker – Thorburn wears out the Higgins machine}}</ref>

===Steve Davis years (1981–1989)===
{| class="wikitable floatright" style="font-size:95%"
|-
! Year
! Winner
! Runner-up
|-
| [[1981 World Snooker Championship|1981]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Steve Davis]]|ENG}}{{sup|†}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Doug Mountjoy]]|WAL}}
|-
| [[1982 World Snooker Championship|1982]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Alex Higgins]]|NIR}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Ray Reardon]]|WAL}}
|-
| [[1983 World Snooker Championship|1983]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Steve Davis]]|ENG}}{{sup|†}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Cliff Thorburn]]|CAN}}
|-
| [[1984 World Snooker Championship|1984]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Steve Davis]]|ENG}}{{sup|†}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Jimmy White]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1985 World Snooker Championship|1985]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Dennis Taylor]]|NIR}}
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Steve Davis]]|ENG}}{{sup|†}}
|-
| [[1986 World Snooker Championship|1986]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Joe Johnson (snooker player)|Joe Johnson]]|ENG}}
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Steve Davis]]|ENG}}{{sup|†}}
|-
| [[1987 World Snooker Championship|1987]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Steve Davis]]|ENG}}{{sup|†}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Joe Johnson (snooker player)|Joe Johnson]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1988 World Snooker Championship|1988]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Steve Davis]]|ENG}}{{sup|†}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Terry Griffiths]]|WAL}}
|-
| [[1989 World Snooker Championship|1989]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Steve Davis]]|ENG}}{{sup|†}}
| {{flagathlete|[[John Parrott]]|ENG}}
|}
{| class="wikitable floatright" style="font-size:85%; width:15%"
|-
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | † [[Steve Davis]]
|}

Despite being the number thirteen seed, [[Steve Davis]] was the favourite for the [[1981 World Snooker Championship|1981 championship]].<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=7 April 1981 |page=10 |title=Snooker – Davis can beat the system}}</ref> He won a close match 10–8 against [[Jimmy White]] in the first round and defeated three past world champions to meet fourteenth seed [[Doug Mountjoy]] in the final. Davis won the first six frames but was only leading 10–8 at the end of the first day. He led 14–12 at the start of the final evening session and won the next four frames to win the match 18–12.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=21 April 1981 |page=1 |title=Champion at 23}}</ref> At 23&nbsp;years old, Davis was the second-youngest champion. Mountjoy set a new championship record with a highest break of 145 during his semi-final match against [[Ray Reardon]].<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Then and Now: Doug Mountjoy |url=https://www.eurosport.com/snooker/profile-doug-mountjoy_sto2140935/story.shtml |work=Eurosport |date=3 December 2009 |access-date=27 April 2020 |archive-date=1 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401180258/https://www.eurosport.com/snooker/profile-doug-mountjoy_sto2140935/story.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[1982 World Snooker Championship|1982 championship]] was extended to thirty-two players with sixteen seeded players and sixteen qualifiers. There was a surprise in the first round when [[Tony Knowles (snooker player)|Tony Knowles]] beat defending champion Steve Davis 10–1.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Hafez |first1=Shamoon |last2=Philips |first2=Owen |title=World Snooker Championship: Stephen Hendry & Steve Davis relive Crucible classics |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/52294986 |work=BBC |date=17 April 2020 |access-date=27 April 2020 |archive-date=22 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200422205555/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/52294986 |url-status=live }}</ref> In the semi-finals Jimmy White was ahead 15–14, and led 59–0 in the thirtieth frame, but missed an easy red with the rest. His opponent [[Alex Higgins]] then made a sixty-nine clearance and won the deciding frame and the match 16–15.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=15 May 1982 |page=18 |title=Snooker – Remarkable fight back by Higgins}}</ref> Higgins met Ray Reardon in the final. The score was 15–15 before Higgins won three frames in a row to win the championship, finishing with a clearance of 135, denying Reardon the chance to win a seventh world title.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=18 May 1982 |page=24 |title=Snooker – How ice cool champion froze during his winning break}}</ref>

[[Cliff Thorburn]] made the first [[maximum break]] of the World Championship in [[1983 World Snooker Championship|1983]] during his second-round match against [[Terry Griffiths]]. The importance of this achievement at the time is demonstrated by the fact that play was stopped on the other table. This was the break that gave the World Championship one of its most iconic words of commentary, "oh, good luck mate" on the final black, courtesy of [[Jack Karnehm]]. Thorburn beat Griffiths in a final-frame decider, a match that finished at 03:51, the latest-ever finish for a match at the Crucible. Thorburn then also won his quarter-final and semi-final matches in the deciding frame; exhausted, and deflated by the news that his wife had suffered a miscarriage, he faced a one-sided final against Steve Davis who won 18–6.<ref>{{cite news |last=Pye |first=Steven |date=30 April 2014 |title=How Steve Davis won his second World Snooker Championship in 1983 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/that-1980s-sports-blog/2014/apr/30/world-snooker-championship-1983-steve-david-cliff-thorburn-147 |work=The Guardian |access-date=27 April 2020 |archive-date=2 December 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201202160224/https://www.theguardian.com/sport/that-1980s-sports-blog/2014/apr/30/world-snooker-championship-1983-steve-david-cliff-thorburn-147 |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[1984 World Snooker Championship|1984]] final was between Steve Davis and Jimmy White (in his first final). Davis led 12–4 after the first day but White won seven of the eight frames on the final afternoon. Davis led 16–12 at the evening interval and, despite a comeback from White, Davis won 18–16.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=8 May 1984 |page=25 |title=Snooker – Davis retains world title after enthralling battle with White}}</ref>

In the [[1985 World Snooker Championship final|1985 final]], also known as the black ball final, [[Dennis Taylor]] beat Steve Davis 18–17 on the final ball of the final frame, in one of the most closely contested matches of all time. It finished at 00:19 and, with an audience of 18.5&nbsp;million, it remains the most-watched programme in the history of [[BBC Two|BBC2]], and holds the record for a post-midnight audience for any channel in the United Kingdom.<ref name="BBC 1985 bbf">{{cite news|title=1985: The black ball final|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/snooker/2953933.stm|publisher=[[BBC Sport]]|access-date=4 May 2011|date=18 April 2003|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130928235825/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/snooker/2953933.stm|archive-date=28 September 2013}}</ref> Davis met sixteenth seed [[Joe Johnson (snooker player)|Joe Johnson]] in the [[1986 World Snooker Championship|1986]] final. Johnson led 13–11 at the start of the evening session and won five of the first six frames to win 18–12.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=6 May 1986 |page=40 |title=Johnson defies odds to win}}</ref> Johnson had trailed 9–12 in his quarter-final against Terry Griffiths but won the last four frames to win 13–12. Johnson and Davis met again in the [[1987 World Snooker Championship|1987]] final although, on this occasion, Davis was the winner by a score of 18–14.

Steve Davis and Terry Griffiths met in the [[1988 World Snooker Championship|1988]] final. The score was 8–8 after the first day but Davis pulled ahead on the final day and won 18–11.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=3 May 1988 |page=42 |title=Davis is on top of the world for fifth time}}</ref> Davis made his seventh successive final in [[1989 World Snooker Championship|1989]], meeting [[John Parrott]]. Davis led 13–3 after the first day and won the first five frames on the second day to win the match 18–3.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=2 May 1988 |page=44 |title=Davis sweeps to title as Parrott crumbles}}</ref>As of 2023, Davis' victory in 1989 is the biggest winning margin in a World Championship final and one of only three occasions where the final has been won on the Sunday afternoon, with a session to spare. Davis won £105,000 for his 1989 victory, a new record.

===Stephen Hendry dominates (1990–1999)===
{{More citations needed|date=April 2020}}
{| class="wikitable floatright" style="font-size:95%"
|-
! Year
! Winner
! Runner-up
|-
| [[1990 World Snooker Championship|1990]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Stephen Hendry]]|SCO}}{{sup|†}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Jimmy White]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1991 World Snooker Championship|1991]]
| {{flagathlete|[[John Parrott]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Jimmy White]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1992 World Snooker Championship|1992]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Stephen Hendry]]|SCO}}{{sup|†}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Jimmy White]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1993 World Snooker Championship|1993]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Stephen Hendry]]|SCO}}{{sup|†}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Jimmy White]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1994 World Snooker Championship|1994]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Stephen Hendry]]|SCO}}{{sup|†}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Jimmy White]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1995 World Snooker Championship|1995]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Stephen Hendry]]|SCO}}{{sup|†}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Nigel Bond]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1996 World Snooker Championship|1996]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Stephen Hendry]]|SCO}}{{sup|†}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Peter Ebdon]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[1997 World Snooker Championship|1997]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Ken Doherty]]|IRL}}
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Stephen Hendry]]|SCO}}{{sup|†}}
|-
| [[1998 World Snooker Championship|1998]]
| {{flagathlete|[[John Higgins]]|SCO}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Ken Doherty]]|IRL}}
|-
| [[1999 World Snooker Championship|1999]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Stephen Hendry]]|SCO}}{{sup|†}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Mark Williams (snooker player)|Mark Williams]]|WAL}}
|}
{| class="wikitable floatright" style="font-size:85%; width:15%"
|-
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | † [[Stephen Hendry]]
|}

In 1990, [[Steve Davis]] failed to reach the final for the first time since 1982, losing in the semi-finals 14–16 to [[Jimmy White]]. Davis’ seven consecutive crucible finals to this day has yet to be equalled. In the final [[Stephen Hendry]] beat White 18–12 becoming, at {{Age in years and days|1969|01|13|1990|04|29}}, the youngest ever world champion.<ref name="CUESPORT">{{cite book |last1=Hayton |first1=Eric |last2=Dee |first2=John |date=2004 |title=The CueSport Book of Professional Snooker: The Complete Record & History |publisher=Rose Villa Publications|isbn=978-0954854904}}</ref>{{rp|58}}<ref name="McFarlanMcWhirter1990">{{cite book|author1=Donald McFarlan|author2=Norris McWhirter|title=The Guinness book of records 1991|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yPfPrgK21okC|page=298|year=1990|publisher=Guinness|isbn=978-0-85112-374-5|access-date=26 April 2020|archive-date=11 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201211155509/https://books.google.com/books?id=yPfPrgK21okC|url-status=live}}</ref>

Hendry was the number one seed in the 1991 tournament, but lost in the quarter-finals to [[Steve James (snooker player)|Steve James]]. The final was between [[John Parrott]] and Jimmy White, Parrott winning 18–11.<ref name="CUESPORT" />{{rp|60}}

In 1992, Jimmy White became the second player to make a [[maximum break]] in the world championship, during his 10–4 first round win over [[Tony Drago]].<ref name="CUESPORT" />{{rp|63}} Defending champion John Parrott beat [[Eddie Charlton]] 10–0, the first<ref name="CUESPORT" />{{rp|62}} of only two whitewashes in the Crucible era (the second being by Shaun Murphy over Luo Honghao in 2019). Stephen Hendry met Jimmy White in the final. White led 14–8 but Hendry won ten frames in a row to win 18–14.<ref name="CUESPORT" />{{rp|63}} Eight seeded players were knocked out in round one in 1992, a record which was equalled in 2012 and 2024.

[[James Wattana]], from Thailand made history in 1993 - becoming the first Asian player to reach the semi-finals, where he lost to Jimmy White. The final was one-sided, with Stephen Hendry beating White 18–5 with a session to spare, the last time (as of 2023) that the final has been won without needing a fourth session. Total prize money reached £1,000,000 for the first time.

Jimmy White reached his sixth final in 1994, meeting Stephen Hendry for the fourth time. Hendry led 5–1 but White won six frames in a row to lead 7–5. Thereafter the match was always close and eventually went to a final frame. In the deciding frame, White had the first opportunity to finally win the title that had eluded him but missed a black off the spot when among the balls, after which Hendry made a break of fifty-eight to clinch the title. [[Fergal O'Brien]] made a century in his first frame at the Crucible, the only player ever to do so.

In 1995, Hendry and White met in the semi-finals, where Hendry won again, making a maximum break during the match. In the other semi-final [[Nigel Bond]] beat unseeded [[Andy Hicks]]. The final was initially close until Hendry won nine frames in a row to take the score from 5–5 to 14–5. Hendry eventually won 18–9. Hendry made a record twelve century breaks during the tournament.

The [[1996 World Snooker Championship|1996 tournament]] saw [[Peter Ebdon]] reach the final, beating Jimmy White, Steve Davis and [[Ronnie O'Sullivan]] on the way. He met Stephen Hendry in the final. Ebdon led 4–2 in the early stages but Hendry eventually won 18–12 to win his fifth successive title. There were forty-eight century breaks during the final stages, a new record.

Ronnie O'Sullivan made the fastest maximum break in snooker history in 1997 - in the first round of the championship - taking just five minutes and eight seconds. The final was between Stephen Hendry and Irishman [[Ken Doherty]]. Doherty led 15–7 before Hendry won five frames in a row. Doherty then won the next three frames to win 18–12, ending Hendry's winning run of twenty-nine consecutive matches.

In 1998, Stephen Hendry lost to Jimmy White in the first round of the championship. Doherty reached the final again meeting 22-year-old [[John Higgins]]. Higgins won 18–12, making five centuries in the final. In total there were fifty-nine centuries during the tournament of which Higgins made fourteen, both records.

Stephen Hendry won his seventh and final world title at the [[1999 World Snooker Championship|1999 tournament]], the most in the modern era until being equalled by Ronnie O'Sullivan in 2022. In the final he beat [[Mark Williams (snooker player)|Mark Williams]] 18–11. In the semi-final between Hendry and O'Sullivan each player made four century breaks including a run of four centuries in four consecutive frames, two by each player. The eight centuries were a record for a world championship match.

===The class of '92 (2000–2013)===
{| class="wikitable floatright" style="font-size:95%"
|-
! Year
! Winner
! Runner-up
|-
| [[2000 World Snooker Championship|2000]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Mark Williams (snooker player)|Mark Williams]]|WAL}}{{sup|†}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Matthew Stevens]]|WAL}}
|-
| [[2001 World Snooker Championship|2001]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Ronnie O'Sullivan]]|ENG}}{{sup|†}}
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[John Higgins]]|SCO}}{{sup|†}}
|-
| [[2002 World Snooker Championship|2002]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Peter Ebdon]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Stephen Hendry]]|SCO}}
|-
| [[2003 World Snooker Championship|2003]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Mark Williams (snooker player)|Mark Williams]]|WAL}}{{sup|†}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Ken Doherty]]|IRL}}
|-
| [[2004 World Snooker Championship|2004]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Ronnie O'Sullivan]]|ENG}}{{sup|†}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Graeme Dott]]|SCO}}
|-
| [[2005 World Snooker Championship|2005]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Shaun Murphy]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Matthew Stevens]]|WAL}}
|-
| [[2006 World Snooker Championship|2006]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Graeme Dott]]|SCO}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Peter Ebdon]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[2007 World Snooker Championship|2007]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[John Higgins]]|SCO}}{{sup|†}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Mark Selby]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[2008 World Snooker Championship|2008]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Ronnie O'Sullivan]]|ENG}}{{sup|†}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Ali Carter]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[2009 World Snooker Championship|2009]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[John Higgins]]|SCO}}{{sup|†}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Shaun Murphy]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[2010 World Snooker Championship|2010]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Neil Robertson]]|AUS}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Graeme Dott]]|SCO}}
|-
| [[2011 World Snooker Championship|2011]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[John Higgins]]|SCO}}{{sup|†}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Judd Trump]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[2012 World Snooker Championship|2012]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Ronnie O'Sullivan]]|ENG}}{{sup|†}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Ali Carter]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[2013 World Snooker Championship|2013]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Ronnie O'Sullivan]]|ENG}}{{sup|†}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Barry Hawkins]]|ENG}}
|}
{| class="wikitable floatright" style="font-size:85%; width:15%"
|- style="background:#e5ffe5;"
| † [[Class of '92 (snooker)|Class of '92]] players
|}

The period from 2000 to 2013 was dominated by three players, who were all born in 1975 and turned professional in 1992, dubbed the "[[Class of '92 (snooker)|class of '92]]": [[Ronnie O'Sullivan]] won five times in this period, [[John Higgins]] three times and [[Mark Williams (snooker player)|Mark Williams]] twice. Higgins had also won in 1998; Williams would win again in 2018 and O'Sullivan went on to win in 2020 and 2022.

In [[2000 World Snooker Championship|2000]] [[Stephen Hendry]] was beaten 10–7 in the first round by Crucible debutant [[Stuart Bingham]]. In his semi-final, Mark Williams trailed 11–15 to John Higgins but took six frames in a row to win 17–15. In the final, Williams met fellow Welshman [[Matthew Stevens]]. Stevens led 13–7 but Williams made another comeback to win 18–16, becoming the first left-handed champion. 2000 was the first time (and, as of 2023 the only occasion) where the final was contested by two Welsh players.

Ronnie O'Sullivan won his first world championship in [[2001 World Snooker Championship|2001]], defeating John Higgins 18–14 in the final. O'Sullivan led 14–7 before Higgins won four frames in a row. O'Sullivan looked likely to win the title in the 31st frame as he led 17–13 and 69–6, however he missed a red in the middle pocket and Higgins won the frame with a break of 65. Higgins made a break of 45 in frame 32 but O'Sullivan then made an 80 break to take the title.<ref>{{cite news |newspaper=The Times |date=8 May 2001 |page=5(Sport) |title=Snooker: Embassy World Championship Final – O'Sullivan holds nerve to claim ultimate reward}}</ref>

Stephen Hendry beat defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan 17–13 in the semi-final of the [[2002 World Snooker Championship|2002 Championship]], Hendry reaching his ninth final. [[Peter Ebdon]] beat Matthew Stevens 17–16 in the other semi-final. Stevens led 16–14 but Ebdon won the last three frames, including a 138 total clearance in the penultimate frame. The final went to the deciding frame where Ebdon made a break of 59 and clinched the title. There were a record sixty-eight centuries in the tournament, including a record sixteen by Stephen Hendry who made five centuries in the semi-final and a further four in the final.

Mark Williams won his second World title in [[2003 World Snooker Championship|2003]] by defeating [[Ken Doherty]] 18–16 in the final. Prize money peaked in 2003 with the winner receiving a record £270,000 and the thirty-two Crucible players getting at least £15,000. Ronnie O'Sullivan made the fifth [[maximum break]] in the World Championship during his first round match against [[Marco Fu]] becoming the first player to score two 147s in the event; however O'Sullivan was defeated 10–6, becoming the first player to make a maximum break and then go on to lose the match.

Ronnie O'Sullivan won both his quarter final and semi final matches with a session to spare in [[2004 World Snooker Championship|2004]]. This included a 17–4 victory over Hendry in the semi final, which was the biggest ever semi-final victory, replacing Hendry's 16–4 win over [[Terry Griffiths]] in [[1992 World Snooker Championship|1992.]] O'Sullivan went on to win his second world title by defeating [[Graeme Dott]] 18–8 in the final, despite Dott having led 5–0. 

[[Shaun Murphy]] won the [[2005 World Snooker Championship|2005 championship]] by defeating Matthew Stevens 18–16 in the final. Murphy was only the second qualifier to win the World Championship, after [[Terry Griffiths]] in 1979. Murphy won two qualifying matches and then five matches at the Crucible to take the title. Murphy was also the lowest ranked player ever to win the World Championship.

Graeme Dott beat Peter Ebdon 18–14 in the [[2006 World Snooker Championship|2006]] final. The match finished at 00:52&nbsp;am, the latest finish of a World Snooker Championship final. This was the first Championship sponsored by a betting company after the banning of tobacco sponsorship. Dott won £200,000 for his victory with the thirty-two Crucible players getting at least £9,600, both significant reductions on the 2003 prize money. In the last round of the qualifying competition [[Robert Milkins]] had the first 147 break made during qualifying for the championship.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2006/mar/15/snooker |title=Maximum break earns Milkins minimal reward | work=The Guardian |access-date=25 February 2016}}</ref> Despite his maximum, Milkins lost to [[Mark Selby]].

The [[2007 World Snooker Championship|2007 Championship]] was won by John Higgins who beat qualifier Mark Selby 18–13 in the final. The match finished at 00:55&nbsp;am, even later than the 2006 final and setting another record for the latest finish in the final. Shaun Murphy came back from 7–12 down to win his quarter-final match against Matthew Stevens,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.worldsnooker.com/tournament_news(id18688)-61.htm |title=Stevens Hit For Six as Murphy Prevails |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080113023019/http://www.worldsnooker.com/tournament_news%28id18688%29-61.htm |archive-date=13 January 2008 |website=WorldSnooker.com |date=2 May 2007}}</ref> but lost in the deciding frame of his semi-final to Mark Selby.

The [[2008 World Snooker Championship|2008 Championship]] was won by Ronnie O'Sullivan who beat [[Ali Carter]] 18–8 in the final. Both O'Sullivan and Carter had made maximum breaks earlier in the tournament, the first time there had been two 147 breaks in the same World Championship. It was O'Sullivan's third maximum in the Championship. Although the 147s were made on consecutive days, they were made in different rounds: O'Sullivan made his maximum during a 13–7 defeat of Mark Williams in round 2 - a defeat which put former two-time champion and world number 1 Williams out of the top 16 for the following season - Carter made his 147 during his win over Peter Ebdon in the quarter finals. As a result, the prize money for a 147 was shared between both players. O'Sullivan defeated Stephen Hendry 17–6 in the semi final with a session to spare. After tying the first session 4–4, O'Sullivan completed an 8–0 whitewash over Hendry in their second session, and won the first frame of session three, meaning that O'Sullivan had won twelve consecutive frames from 1–4 down to 13–4 in front. At one point O'Sullivan scored 448 points without reply. This was the first time Hendry had lost every frame in a full session at the Crucible.

John Higgins won his third world title in [[2009 World Snooker Championship|2009]], beating Shaun Murphy 18–9. [[Michaela Tabb]] refereed the match, becoming the first woman to do so in a World Championship final.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/snooker/7998235.stm |title=Tabb named Crucible final referee |publisher=[[BBC Sport]] |access-date=17 April 2010 |date=14 April 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131214010344/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/snooker/7998235.stm |archive-date=14 December 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> There were a record eighty-three century breaks in the Championship, well ahead of the previous highest of sixty-eight. Stephen Hendry won his 1000th {{Cuegloss|Frame|frame}} at the [[Crucible Theatre]], the first player to do so.<ref>{{cite news |last=Yates |first=Phil |date=25 April 2009 |title=Mark Allen spoils the party for Ronnie O'Sullivan at the Crucible |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/apr/25/ronnie-osullivan-mark-allen-snooker |work=The Guardian |location=London |access-date=11 December 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160308060055/http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/apr/25/ronnie-osullivan-mark-allen-snooker |archive-date=8 March 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref> The championship included the second longest ever frame at the Crucible which lasted seventy-four minutes fifty-eight seconds between [[Stephen Maguire]] and [[Mark King (snooker player)|Mark King]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Turner|first=Chris|title=Various Snooker Records|url=http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Records.html|work=cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk|publisher=Chris Turner's Snooker Archive|access-date=23 April 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130210111343/http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Records.html|archive-date=10 February 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Crucible frame is a slow-burner; shorts sport.|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-198519178.html|publisher=[[Coventry Telegraph|Coventry Evening Telegraph]] at [[HighBeam Research]]|access-date=23 April 2014|date=27 April 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611130127/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-198519178.html|archive-date=11 June 2014|df=dmy-all}}{{Subscription required}}</ref>

The [[2010 World Snooker Championship|2010 Championship]] was won by [[Neil Robertson]] who beat qualifier Graeme Dott 18–13 in the final, becoming the fourth non-U.K. winner of the title after [[Horace Lindrum]], [[Cliff Thorburn]] and Ken Doherty.

John Higgins won his fourth world title in [[2011 World Snooker Championship|2011]], beating [[Judd Trump]] 18–15 in the final. 21-year-old qualifier Trump became the youngest finalist since Stephen Hendry in 1990. Trump had beaten [[David Gilbert (snooker player)|David Gilbert]] in the qualifying competition and then defeated defending champion Neil Robertson in the first round.<ref>{{cite news|last=Ashenden|first=Mark|title=Champion Robertson felled by Trump|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/snooker/13104533.stm|publisher=[[BBC Sport]]|access-date=17 April 2011|date=16 April 2011| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110417035754/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/snooker/13104533.stm| archive-date= 17 April 2011 | url-status= live}}</ref>

Ronnie O'Sullivan won his fourth world title in [[2012 World Snooker Championship|2012]], defeating Ali Carter 18–11 in the final. On the opening day Hendry made his third maximum break at the Crucible, equalling Ronnie O'Sullivan's record.<ref name="Hendry maximum break">{{cite web |title=Sensational Hendry Scores 147 |url=http://www.worldsnooker.com/page/NewsArticles/0,,13165~2743663,00.html |website=worldsnooker.com |publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] |date=21 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120423174044/http://www.worldsnooker.com/page/NewsArticles/0%2C%2C13165~2743663%2C00.html |archive-date=23 April 2012 }}</ref> He announced his retirement from professional snooker following his loss to Stephen Maguire in the quarter-finals.<ref name="Hendry retires">{{cite web | url=http://www.worldsnooker.com/page/NewsArticles/0,,13165~2756991,00.html | title=The Greatest | publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]] | date=2 May 2012 | access-date=19 May 2012 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510171559/http://www.worldsnooker.com/page/NewsArticles/0%2C%2C13165~2756991%2C00.html | archive-date=10 May 2012 }}</ref> Aged {{Age in years and days|1995|03|08|2012|04|22}}, [[Luca Brecel]] became the youngest player to compete at the Crucible.<ref>{{cite web|title=Snooker-Boss hails record number of Asians in world championship|url=http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/21042012/2/snooker-boss-hails-record-number-asians-world-championship.html|publisher=[[Eurosport]] UK|access-date=21 April 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140421103236/https://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/21042012/2/snooker-boss-hails-record-number-asians-world-championship.html|archive-date=21 April 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

Defending champion Ronnie O'Sullivan retained the title in [[2013 World Snooker Championship|2013]] despite having played only one competitive match all season.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/snooker/22429642 | title=Ronnie O'Sullivan unsure over defending world snooker title | publisher=[[BBC Sport]] | access-date=7 May 2012 | url-status=live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507094513/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/snooker/22429642 | archive-date=7 May 2013 | df=dmy-all }}</ref> He defeated [[Barry Hawkins]] 18–12 in the final to win the title for the fifth time. He broke Hendry's record of 127 career Crucible centuries, finishing the tournament with 131. He also became the first player to make six century breaks in a Crucible final.<ref name=bbcfinal>{{Cite web | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/snooker/22421611 | title = Ronnie O'Sullivan beats Barry Hawkins to retain World title | first = Ben | last = Dirs | access-date = 6 May 2013 | date = 6 May 2013 | publisher = BBC Sport | url-status = live | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130506023217/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/snooker/22421611 | archive-date = 6 May 2013 | df = dmy-all }}</ref>

Between 1998 and 2020, seventeen of the twenty-three finals featured at least one class of '92 player.

===Mark Selby and the veterans (2014–2022)===
{| class="wikitable floatright" style="font-size:95%"
|-
! Year
! Winner
! Runner-up
|-
| [[2014 World Snooker Championship|2014]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Mark Selby]]|ENG}}{{sup|†}}
| style="background:#fff9e5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Ronnie O'Sullivan]]|ENG}}{{sup|‡}}
|-
| [[2015 World Snooker Championship|2015]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Stuart Bingham]]|ENG}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Shaun Murphy]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[2016 World Snooker Championship|2016]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Mark Selby]]|ENG}}{{sup|†}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Ding Junhui]]|CHN}}
|-
| [[2017 World Snooker Championship|2017]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Mark Selby]]|ENG}}{{sup|†}}
| style="background:#fff9e5;" | {{flagathlete|[[John Higgins]]|SCO}}{{sup|‡}}
|-
| [[2018 World Snooker Championship|2018]]
| style="background:#fff9e5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Mark Williams (snooker player)|Mark Williams]]|WAL}}{{sup|‡}}
| style="background:#fff9e5;" | {{flagathlete|[[John Higgins]]|SCO}}{{sup|‡}}
|-
| [[2019 World Snooker Championship|2019]]
| {{flagathlete|[[Judd Trump]]|ENG}}
| style="background:#fff9e5;" | {{flagathlete|[[John Higgins]]|SCO}}{{sup|‡}}
|-
| [[2020 World Snooker Championship|2020]]
| style="background:#fff9e5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Ronnie O'Sullivan]]|ENG}}{{sup|‡}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Kyren Wilson]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[2021 World Snooker Championship|2021]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Mark Selby]]|ENG}}{{sup|†}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Shaun Murphy]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[2022 World Snooker Championship|2022]]
| style="background:#fff9e5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Ronnie O'Sullivan]]|ENG}}{{sup|‡}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Judd Trump]]|ENG}}
|}
{| class="wikitable floatright" style="font-size:85%; width:15%"
|-
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | † [[Mark Selby]]
|-
| style="background:#fff9e5;" | ‡ [[Class of '92 (snooker)|Class of '92]] players
|}

[[Mark Selby]] won the world title in [[2014 World Snooker Championship|2014]] by beating defending champion [[Ronnie O'Sullivan]] 18–14 in the final having trailed 5–10. Selby won a record £300,000 for his victory; the prize exceeding the previous highest of £270,000 in 2003, although prize money for first-round losers remained at £12,000.

Selby lost 9–13 in the second round of the [[2015 World Snooker Championship|2015 Championship]] to Crucible debutant [[Anthony McGill]]. [[Stuart Bingham]] won the title, defeating Ronnie O'Sullivan 13–9 in the quarter-finals, [[Judd Trump]] 17–16 in the semi-finals, and [[Shaun Murphy]] 18–15 in the final to win the first world title of his twenty-year professional career.<ref>{{cite news|title=England's Bingham wins maiden world title|url=https://news.yahoo.com/englands-stuart-bingham-wins-world-championship-final-220641308.html|publisher=Yahoo News|date=4 May 2014|access-date=4 May 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150505021138/http://news.yahoo.com/englands-stuart-bingham-wins-world-championship-final-220641308.html|archive-date=5 May 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref> At the age of 38, Bingham became the oldest player to win the title since [[Ray Reardon]] in [[1978 World Snooker Championship|1978]]<ref name="Reardon1978">{{cite news|title=Bingham beats Murphy in dramatic Crucible final|url=http://www.espn.co.uk/snooker/story/_/id/12820453/stuart-bingham-beats-shaun-murphy-18-15-dramatic-world-championship-final-crucible|publisher=ESPN|date=4 May 2014|access-date=4 May 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150505003853/http://www.espn.co.uk/snooker/story/_/id/12820453/stuart-bingham-beats-shaun-murphy-18-15-dramatic-world-championship-final-crucible|archive-date=5 May 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref> (although this achievement would subsequently be surpassed by 43-year-old [[Mark Williams (snooker player)|Mark Williams]] in 2018, 44-year-old O'Sullivan in 2020, and 46-year-old O'Sullivan in 2022). The tournament set a new record for the most century breaks made at the Crucible, with eighty-six.

Defending champion Stuart Bingham lost 9–10 against [[Ali Carter]] in the first round of the [[2016 World Snooker Championship|2016 Championship]]. Mark Selby defeated [[Ding Junhui]] 18–14 in the final to claim his second world title. Ding was the first Asian player to reach a World Championship final. There were eighty-six century breaks made during the Championship, equalling the record set in 2015. A new record of ten centuries in a professional match was set in the semi-final between Ding Junhui and [[Alan McManus]], with Ding also setting a new record of seven centuries by one player in a World Championship match. Mark Selby and [[Marco Fu]] set a new record for the longest frame of snooker ever played at the Crucible, seventy six minutes eleven seconds.

Prize money for the [[2017 World Snooker Championship|2017 Championship]] was a record £1,750,000 with the winner receiving £375,000. Prize money for first-round losers was a record £16,000, exceeding the £15,000 players received in [[2003 World Snooker Championship|2003]]. In a high-quality and tightly contested semi-final, defending champion Mark Selby beat Ding Junhui 17–15 in a repeat of the previous year's final.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mark Selby finally sees off Ding Junhui in Crucible classic to make final|url=http://www.eurosport.com/snooker/world-championship/2016-2017/world-championship-latest-updates-as-mark-selby-looks-to-stretch-lead-against-ding-junhui_sto6147473/story.shtml|website=Eurosport|date=29 April 2017|access-date=29 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170503073018/http://www.eurosport.com/snooker/world-championship/2016-2017/world-championship-latest-updates-as-mark-selby-looks-to-stretch-lead-against-ding-junhui_sto6147473/story.shtml|archive-date=3 May 2017|url-status=live}}</ref> Selby met [[John Higgins]], in a repeat of the [[2007 World Snooker Championship|2007]] final. Higgins was the second oldest Crucible finalist at {{Age in years and days|1975|05|18|2017|05|01}}; only Ray Reardon had been older.<ref>{{cite news|title=Selby sees of Ding to seal place in final|url=http://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/the-dominion-post/20170501/282187945916769|access-date=1 May 2017|work=The Dominion Post|date=29 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180416012623/http://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/the-dominion-post/20170501/282187945916769|archive-date=16 April 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> Selby trailed 4–10 during the second session but then won twelve of the next fourteen
frames to lead 16–12. Higgins won the next three frames but Selby took the title 18–15, becoming champion for the third time in four years, joining Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, and Ronnie O'Sullivan as the only men to have successfully defended the title since its move to the Crucible.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mark Selby beats John Higgins to defend his World Championship title|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/39773552|access-date=1 May 2017|publisher=BBC Sport|date=1 May 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170501170926/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/39773552|archive-date=1 May 2017|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=World Snooker Championship 2017: Frame scores, complete results & highest break|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/39592145|access-date=1 May 2017|work=[[BBC News]]|date=1 May 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170501053749/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/39592145|archive-date=1 May 2017|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In [[2018 World Snooker Championship|2018]], two "class of '92" players, [[Mark Williams (snooker player)|Mark Williams]] and [[John Higgins]], met in the final. Their rivalry dated back to the late 1990s, although only three of their meetings had been in the World Championships, all in semi finals, in 1999, 2000 (both won by Williams 17–15) and 2011 (won by Higgins 17–14). The match was closely contested, Williams coming out on top by 18–16 to win the World Championship for the first time since 2003, setting a new record for the longest gap between World Championship victories. He won £425,000.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Williams wins world title for third time|language=en-GB|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/44032024|access-date=2020-09-09|archive-date=9 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109030328/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/44032024|url-status=live}}</ref>

Higgins reached the final again in 2019, only to be beaten 18–9 by [[Judd Trump]], who won £500,000. Their final set records for the most century breaks in a professional match, with 11, beating the previous record of 10 set in the 2016 semifinal between [[Ding Junhui]] and [[Alan McManus]]. It also set a record for the most centuries in a Crucible final, bettering the previous record of eight, set in 2002 when [[Stephen Hendry]] played [[Peter Ebdon]], and equalled in 2013 when O'Sullivan played [[Barry Hawkins]]. Trump set a new record for the most centuries by a player in a world final, achieving seven to better O'Sullivan's six centuries in the 2013 final.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Brilliant Trump wins first world title|language=en-GB|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/48178462|access-date=2020-09-09|archive-date=8 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190508190124/https://www.bbc.com/sport/snooker/48178462|url-status=live}}</ref> This ties with the most centuries by a player in a crucible match, set by Ding in 2016 in the semi-finals. The tournament also recorded a record 100 century breaks.

The 2020 championship was postponed as a result of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], finishing on 16&nbsp;August instead of the originally planned date of 4&nbsp;May.<ref>{{cite web |title=World Snooker Championship rescheduled to start on 31 July |first=Shamoon |last=Hafez |work=BBC Sport |date=22 April 2020 |access-date=22 April 2020 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/52313778 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200422132258/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/52313778 |archive-date=22 April 2020 |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Ronnie O'Sullivan]] made a record 28th consecutive appearance at the Crucible and won the championship for the sixth time, beating [[Kyren Wilson]] 18–8 in the final, and collecting prize money of £500,000.<ref>{{Cite news|title=O'Sullivan wins sixth world title|language=en-GB|work=BBC Sport|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/53795792|access-date=2020-09-09|archive-date=19 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200819113004/https://www.bbc.com/sport/snooker/53795792|url-status=live}}</ref> It was O'Sullivan's 37th ranking title, passing the record of 36 ranking titles won by Stephen Hendry. [[John Higgins]] made the first 147 break at the Crucible since 2012, earning him the £15,000 highest break prize plus an additional £40,000 bonus for achieving a maximum.<ref>{{Cite web|title=John Higgins makes maximum 147 break at World Snooker Championship|url=https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/snooker/news/12243/12043532/john-higgins-makes-maximum-147-break-at-world-snooker-championship|access-date=2020-09-09|website=Sky Sports|language=en|archive-date=7 April 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407235620/https://www.skysports.com/more-sports/snooker/news/12243/12043532/john-higgins-makes-maximum-147-break-at-world-snooker-championship|url-status=live}}</ref>

At the [[2021 World Snooker Championship|2021 event]], O'Sullivan was knocked out in the second round by [[Anthony McGill]] in a final-frame decider. [[Judd Trump]] and [[Neil Robertson]] both fell in the quarter-finals. Selby met Murphy in the final, and won 18–15.<ref name="bbc final">{{Cite web|last=Sutcliffe|first=Steve|date=3 May 2021|title=World Snooker Championship final: Mark Selby wins fourth world title|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/56972835|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504000609/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/56972835|archive-date=4 May 2021|access-date=4 May 2021|work=BBC Sport}}</ref>

At the [[2022 World Snooker Championship|2022 event]], O'Sullivan equalled Steve Davis's record of 30 Crucible appearances.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Ronnie O'Sullivan's career statistics and records as he equals Stephen Hendry's tally of seven World Championship titles |url=https://www.sportinglife.com/snooker/news/ronnie-osullivans-career-statistics-and-records-as-he-equals-stephen-hendrys-tally-of-seven-world-championship-titles/200458 |access-date=2022-05-05 |website=www.sportinglife.com |language=en-GB}}</ref> The [[Class of '92 (snooker)|Class of '92]] — O'Sullivan, Higgins, and Williams — all reached the semi-finals for the first time since 1999.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-28 |title=Higgins And Williams Complete 'Class of 1992' Semi-final Full House |url=https://www.thesportsman.com/articles/higgins-and-williams-complete-class-of-1992-semi-final-full-house |access-date=2022-05-05 |website=The Sportsman |language=EN}}</ref> O'Sullivan defeated Trump 18–13 in the final to win his seventh world title, equalling Hendry's modern-era record.<ref>{{Cite news |title='It's just a number' - O'Sullivan on seventh title |language=en-GB |work=BBC Sport |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/snooker/61301395 |access-date=2022-05-05}}</ref> Aged 46 years and 148 days, he became the oldest world champion in the tournament's history, surpassing Reardon, who was aged 45 years and 203 days when he won his last title in 1978.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-05-03 |title='A miraculous work of sports Pulp Fiction' – How Ronnie O'Sullivan defied time to cement legacy as snooker GOAT |url=https://www.eurosport.com/snooker/world-championship/2021-2022/a-miraculous-work-of-sports-pulp-fiction-how-ronnie-osullivan-defied-time-to-cement-legacy-as-snooke_sto8909868/story.shtml |access-date=2022-05-05 |website=Eurosport |language=en}}</ref> O'Sullivan also surpassed Hendry's record of 70 Crucible wins, setting a new record of 74.<ref name=":0" /> The second-round match between Selby and [[Yan Bingtao]] featured the longest frame ever played at the Crucible, at 85 minutes.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2022-05-03 |title=Story Of The 2022 Betfred World Championship |url=https://wst.tv/story-of-the-2022-betfred-world-championship/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220503114413/https://wst.tv/story-of-the-2022-betfred-world-championship/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 May 2022 |access-date=2022-05-05 |website=World Snooker |language=en-US}}</ref> Dott made a maximum break in the qualifying rounds,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-04-11 |title=Dott Crafts World Championship Maximum |url=https://wst.tv/dott-crafts-world-championship-maximum/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220411112632/https://wst.tv/dott%2Dcrafts%2Dworld%2Dchampionship%2Dmaximum/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=11 April 2022 |access-date=2022-05-05 |website=World Snooker |language=en-US}}</ref> and Robertson made a maximum in his second-round match against Lisowski, becoming the eighth player to make a 147 at the Crucible.<ref name=":1" /> A new record of 109 century breaks was set at the Crucible stage, one more than the 108 made the previous year.<ref name=":1" /> Williams made 16 centuries during the event, equalling the record for the most centuries in a single championship set by Hendry in 2002.<ref name=":1" />

===New generation breaks through (2023–)===
{| class="wikitable floatright" style="font-size:95%"
|-
! Year
! Winner
! Runner-up
|-
| [[2023 World Snooker Championship|2023]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Luca Brecel]]|BEL}}{{sup|†}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Mark Selby]]|ENG}}
|-
| [[2024 World Snooker Championship|2024]]
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | {{flagathlete|[[Kyren Wilson]]|ENG}}{{sup|†}}
| {{flagathlete|[[Jak Jones]]|WAL}}
|}
{| class="wikitable floatright" style="font-size:85%; width:15%"
|-
| style="background:#e5ffe5;" | † New Champion

|}

During the [[2023 World Snooker Championship|2023 event]], play in a first-round match between [[Robert Milkins]] and [[Joe Perry (snooker player)|Joe Perry]] was suspended when a male protester wearing a [[Just Stop Oil]] T-shirt ran into the arena, climbed onto the table and covered it in an orange powder. A second person tried to attach themselves to the second table but was removed by security.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/65305903 |title=World Snooker Championship 2023: Play stopped by Just Stop Oil protesters at the Crucible |publisher=bbc.co.uk |date=17 April 2023 |access-date=17 April 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/protesters-joe-perry-stephen-hendry-mark-allen-bbc-b2321403.html |title=Protesters force stoppage at World Snooker Championship |last=Staniforth |first=Mark |date=17 April 2023 |access-date=17 April 2023}}</ref> [[Luca Brecel]] became the first continental European to win the title, having never previously won a match at the Crucible; after close victories in the first two rounds (over Ricky Walden 10–9 and [[Mark Williams (snooker player)|Mark Williams]] 13–11), he overturned a 10–6 deficit to beat O'Sullivan 13–10 in the quarter-finals, pulled off an even bigger comeback from 14–5 down to beat [[Si Jiahui]] 17–15 in the semi-final, and finally defeated Selby 18–15 in the final to win his first world title.

== Format ==
[[File:World Championship Snooker 2 tables 3.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|The two-table setup at the [[2019 World Snooker Championship|2019 event]]]]The televised stages of the World Championship have used the same format since [[1982 World Snooker Championship|1982]], with the exception of a change to the semi-final format that was introduced in 1997. The main competition is a [[single-elimination tournament|single-elimination (knockout) tournament]] with 32 players, contested over 17 days ending on the first Monday in May, which is [[May Day#United Kingdom|May Day bank holiday in the United Kingdom]]. Of the 32 players, 16 are [[Seed (sports)|seeded]] automatically into the main draw and the other 16 need to earn a place through a qualifying competition, which takes place immediately before the main competition but at a separate venue. The reigning world champion receives a direct entry and is the number one seed in the draw. The other 15 direct entries are based on the latest [[Snooker world rankings|world rankings]], these players being seeded according to their world ranking positions. As the defending champion is usually a player that is ranked in the top 16, it is normally the top 16 ranked players that receive a direct entry to the main competition (if the defending champion is outside the top 16, then the top 15 ranked players receive a direct entry in addition to the defending champion).

Before 1982, there were a number of different formats used for the championship. In 1980 and 1981, 24 players competed in the final stages at the Crucible; the top eight seeds had a [[Bye (sports)|bye]] in the first round while seeds 9 to 16 played in the first round against eight qualifiers. From 1977 to 1979, the first three years at the Crucible, there were only 16 players in the final stages, eight seeds playing eight qualifiers in the first round. For information on the players involved, see [[list of players to appear in the World Snooker Championship]].

The length of the matches varies per round as follows: the first round is played as the best of 19 frames, spread over two sessions of play; the second round and the quarter-finals are the best of 25 frames, played over three sessions; the semi-finals are the best of 33 frames, played over four sessions on three consecutive days of play; and the final is a maximum of 35 frames, over four sessions on two consecutive days of play. For the first 12 days of the tournament, until the end of the quarter-final stage, two tables are set up in the arena to allow two matches to be played concurrently. For the last five days of the competition (the semi-finals and final), only one table is used.

From 1980 to 1996, the semi-finals were played as the best of 31 frames, and this was changed to the best of 33 frames from 1997 onwards. Since first becoming a 17-day event in 1982, the World Championship has nearly always ended on the first Monday in May, with five exceptions. In 1982, the tournament ended on Sunday 16 May, and it ended on the last Sunday of April in 1985, 1990 and 1995; in all of these cases, the event started on a Friday rather than a Saturday. The fifth and most recent instance of the tournament starting on a Friday was the [[2020 World Snooker Championship|2020 edition]]: because of a delay caused by the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], the main competition was played over 17 days from Friday 31&nbsp;July to Sunday 16&nbsp;August.

Several changes to the qualifying system came into effect for the 2015 championship. All living world champions would be extended an opportunity to play in the qualifying rounds. The top 16 seeds would still qualify automatically for the first round at the Crucible, but all non-seeded players would have to start in the first of three qualifying rounds. Previously players seeded 17 to 32 only had to win one qualifying match to reach the final stages. The overall championship would increase from 128 to 144 players, with the additional places made available to former world champions and players from emerging countries.<ref>{{cite web|title=World Snooker: Stephen Hendry and other champions could return|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/snooker/27130513|publisher=[[BBC Sport]]|access-date=24 April 2014|date=23 April 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140425181726/http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/snooker/27130513|archive-date=25 April 2014|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

In 2020, another significant change was made to the qualifying competition for the World Championship. Whereas in previous years, the qualifying rounds were played like a mini-tournament (with all seeded players playing an unseeded player in the first round), with the 16 "winners" being the qualifiers to go to the main draw using traditional knockout format, the new system involved seeding the players based on their world ranking. Players seeded 1–32 (representing 17–54 in the world rankings) would join the qualifying later than those who were seeded lower, or unseeded. The lowest-ranked and those who were invited as amateurs played in Round 1, with the winner moving on to play in Round 2 against a seeded player from 55 to 91 in the world rankings. In addition to the format change, the 2020 qualifying round became the first qualifying tournament to be broadcast on television in the history of snooker. Previously, only the Judgement Day round was broadcast on [[World Snooker]]s' social media platforms.<ref>{{cite web|title=Eurosport to Televise Betfred World Championship Qualifying Rounds|url=https://wst.tv/eurosport-to-televise-betfred-world-championship-qualifying-rounds/|publisher=World Snooker Tour|access-date=20 June 2020|date=19 June 2020|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all|archive-date=22 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200622040247/https://wst.tv/eurosport-to-televise-betfred-world-championship-qualifying-rounds/}}</ref>

Since the 2020 tournament was held during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Rounds 1–3 were played as a single session best-of-11 frames match, with only the "Judgement Day" final round played with the usual best-of-19 system. This change to the length of matches persisted into the 2021 and 2022 championships for the same reasons.<ref>{{cite web|title=EIS Sheffield to host the Qualifying Rounds for the Betfred World Championship|url=https://wst.tv/eis-sheffield-to-host-the-qualifying-rounds-for-the-betfred-world-championship/|publisher=World Snooker Tour|access-date=17 June 2020|date=16 June 2020|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all|archive-date=16 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616160009/https://wst.tv/eis-sheffield-to-host-the-qualifying-rounds-for-the-betfred-world-championship/}}</ref> From 2023, the match length of the qualifying rounds reverted to the previous incarnation of best-of-19's, but the seeded format remains in place.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://wst.tv/best-of-19-for-world-qualifiers-from-2023/ | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220512133033/https://wst.tv/best-of-19-for-world-qualifiers-from-2023/ | url-status=dead | archive-date=12 May 2022 | title=Best of 19 for World Qualifiers from 2023 | date=12 May 2022 }}</ref>

== Winners ==
{{Main|List of World Snooker Championship winners}}

===World Championship Finalists===
From its foundation in 1927, the world snooker championship was dominated by [[Joe Davis]], who won each of the first 15 tournaments before retiring undefeated in 1946. In 1952, a dispute between the BACC and the PBPA led to the formation of the [[World Professional Match-play Championship]], whose winners are generally acknowledged as world champions. No championship was held between 1957 and 1964, when it was revived on a challenge basis until 1968.

The 'modern' era is considered to have started in [[1969 World Snooker Championship|1969]], when the championship reverted to a [[Single-elimination tournament|knock-out tournament]] format from a challenge format.{{cn|date=February 2023}} Since then, the best record is seven wins, by [[Stephen Hendry]] (1990–1999) and [[Ronnie O'Sullivan]] (2001–2022). [[Ray Reardon]] won six times in the 1970s, while [[Steve Davis]] won six times in the 1980s.{{refn|<ref name="cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk">{{cite web|last=Turner|first=Chris|title=World Professional Championship|url=http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/world.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130416080933/http://www.cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/world.html|archive-date=16 April 2013|work=cajt.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk|publisher=Chris Turner's Snooker Archive|access-date=24 February 2011}}</ref><ref name="Global Snooker">{{cite web|title=World Championship – Roll of Honour|url=http://www.global-snooker.com/professional-tournaments-archive-world-championship-roll-of-honour.asp|publisher=Global Snooker|access-date=18 March 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222034318/http://www.global-snooker.com/professional-tournaments-archive-world-championship-roll-of-honour.asp|archive-date=22 February 2012}}</ref><ref name="Snooker.org">{{cite web|title=Hall of Fame|url=http://www.snooker.org/Trn/hof.asp?pEvent=World|publisher=Snooker.org|access-date=24 February 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190728220548/http://www.snooker.org/trn/hof.asp?pEvent=World|archive-date=28 July 2019|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="World Snooker list">{{cite web|title=History of the World Snooker Championship|url=http://www.worldsnooker.com/page/BetfredcomWorldChampionshipTournamentsArticle/0,,13165~2306123,00.html|work=worldsnooker.com|publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]]|access-date=30 April 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110315202302/http://www.worldsnooker.com/page/BetfredcomWorldChampionshipTournamentsArticle/0%2C%2C13165~2306123%2C00.html|archive-date=15 March 2011|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=snookerscene>{{cite web|title=Embassy World Championship|url=http://www.snookerscene.co.uk/page.php?id=36|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130124071753/http://www.snookerscene.co.uk/page.php?id=36|archive-date=24 January 2013|publisher=Snooker Scene|access-date=9 May 2012}}</ref>}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="font-size:100%; text-align: center;"
|-
! Name
! Sport country
! Winner
! {{nobreak|Runner-up}}
! Finals
! {{nobreak|Semi-final}}<br />or better
! Appearances
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|Joe|Davis}} ||align=left| {{ENG}} || 15 || 0 || 15 || 15 || 15
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|Fred|Davis|dab=snooker player}} ||align=left| {{ENG}} || 8 || 6 || 14 || 20 || 31
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|John|Pulman}}<ref>[[John Pulman]] won the (unsanctioned) [[World Professional Match-play Championship]] in 1957 and defended his title in BACC sanctioned challenge matches seven times between 1964 and 1968, effectively making him world champion eight times over an 11-year period.</ref>
| align=left| {{ENG}}|| rowspan="" |8 || 3 || 11 || 16|| 28
|-
| align=left| '''{{sortname|Stephen|Hendry}}'''||align=left| {{SCO}} || 7 || 2 || 9 || 12 || 27
|-
| align=left|'''{{sortname|Ronnie|O'Sullivan}}''' ||align=left| {{ENG}} || 7 || 1 || 8 || 13 || 32
|-
| align="left" | {{sortname|Steve|Davis}} || align="left" | {{ENG}} || 6 || 2 || 8 || 11 || 30
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|Ray|Reardon}} ||align=left| {{WAL}} ||6 || 1 || 7 || 10 || 19
|-
| align=left| '''{{sortname|John|Higgins}}''' ||align=left| {{SCO}} || 4 || 4 || 8 || 11 || 30
|-
| align=left| '''{{sortname|Mark|Selby}}''' ||align=left| {{ENG}}||4 || 2 || 6 || 8 || 20
|-
| align=left| '''{{sortname|Mark|Williams|dab=snooker player}}''' ||align=left| {{WAL}} ||3 || 1 || 4 || 7 || 26
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|John|Spencer|dab=snooker player}} ||align=left| {{ENG}} ||3 || 1 ||4 || 6 || 18
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|Walter|Donaldson|dab=snooker player}} ||align=left| {{SCO}} || 2 || 6 || 8 ||10||13
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|Alex|Higgins}} ||align=left| {{NIR}} || 2 || 2 || 4 ||7||19
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|Horace|Lindrum}}<ref>In 1952, most professional players boycotted the official world championship and instead played in the rival World Professional Match-play Championship. Lindrum and [[Clark McConachy]] were the only two players to contest the official championship that year and Lindrum's title win is not always recognised. </ref>||align=left| {{AUS}} || 1 || 3|| 4 || 6 ||7
|-
| align=left| '''{{sortname|Shaun|Murphy}}''' ||align=left| {{ENG}} ||1 ||3 || 4 || 5 || 22
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|Cliff|Thorburn}} ||align=left| {{CAN}} || 1 || 2 || 3 || 6 || 19
|-
| align=left| '''{{sortname|Judd|Trump}}''' ||align=left| {{ENG}} || 1 || 2 || 3 || 5 || 15
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|Peter|Ebdon}} ||align=left| {{ENG}} || 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 || 24
|-
| align=left| '''{{sortname|Graeme|Dott}}''' ||align=left| {{SCO}} ||1 || 2 || 3 || 3 || 20
|-
| align=left| '''{{sortname|Ken|Doherty}}''' ||align=left| {{IRL}} ||1 ||2 ||3 || 3 || 19
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|Dennis|Taylor}} ||align=left| {{NIR}} || 1 || 1 || 2 || 5 || 21
|-
| align="left" | '''{{sortname|Kyren|Wilson}}''' || align="left" | {{ENG}} ||1 || 1 || 2 ||4 || 10
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|John|Parrott}} ||align=left| {{ENG}} ||1 ||1 ||2 || 3 || 23
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|Terry|Griffiths}} ||align=left| {{WAL}} ||1 ||1 ||2 ||3|| 19
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|Joe|Johnson|dab=snooker player}} ||align=left| {{ENG}}|| 1 ||1 || 2 || 2|| 8
|-
| align=left| '''{{sortname|Neil|Robertson}}''' ||align=left| {{AUS}} ||1 || 0 || 1 || 3 || 19
|-
| align=left| '''{{sortname|Stuart|Bingham}}''' ||align=left| {{ENG}} ||1 ||0 ||1 || 3 || 18
|-
| align=left| '''{{sortname|Luca|Brecel}}''' ||align=left| {{BEL}}||1 ||0 ||1 || 1 || 7
|-
| align=left| '''{{sortname|Jimmy|White}}''' ||align=left| {{ENG}} ||0 || 6 || 6 || 10 || 25
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|Tom|Dennis|dab=snooker player}} ||align=left| {{ENG}} ||0 || 4 || 4 || 6 || 7
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|Eddie|Charlton}} ||align=left| {{AUS}} || 0 ||3 || 3 || 8 || 21
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|Rex|Williams}} ||align=left| {{ENG}} || 0 || 2 || 2 || 5 || 17
|-
| align=left| '''{{sortname|Matthew|Stevens}}''' ||align=left| {{WAL}} ||0 ||2|| 2 || 6 || 18
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|Sidney|Smith|dab=snooker player}} ||align=left| {{ENG}} ||0 || 2 || 2 || 6 || 9
|- 
| align=left| {{sortname|Willie|Smith|dab=billiards player}} ||align=left| {{ENG}} ||0 || 2 || 2 || 4 || 8
|-
| align=left| '''{{sortname|Ali|Carter}}''' ||align=left| {{ENG}} ||0 ||2 ||2 ||3|| 20
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|Clark|McConachy}} ||align=left| {{NZL}} ||0 ||2 || 2 || 3 || 4
|- 
| align=left| '''{{sortname|Barry|Hawkins}}''' ||align=left| {{ENG}} || 0 || 1 || 1 || 5 || 18
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|Jackie|Rea}} ||align=left| {{NIR}}||0 ||1 ||1 || 4 || 10
|-
|-
| align=left| '''{{sortname|Ding|Junhui||Ding Junhui}}''' ||align=left| {{CHN}} ||0 || 1 ||1 || 3 || 18
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|Tom|Newman|dab=billiards player}} ||align=left| {{ENG}} ||0 ||1 ||1 || 3|| 10
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|Nigel|Bond}} ||align=left| {{ENG}} ||0 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 15
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|Perrie|Mans}} ||align=left| {{flag|South Africa|1928}} ||0 || 1 ||1 ||2 || 13
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|Gary|Owen|dab=snooker player}} ||align=left| {{WAL}} ||0 ||1 ||1 ||2 || 7
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|Fred|Lawrence}} ||align=left| {{ENG}} ||0 ||1 ||1 ||2 ||6
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|Doug|Mountjoy}} ||align=left| {{WAL}} ||0 ||1 ||1 || 1 || 17
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|Graham|Miles}} ||align=left| {{ENG}} ||0 ||1 ||1 ||1 || 12
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|Warren|Simpson}} ||align=left| {{AUS}} ||0|| 1 || 1 || 1||  4
|- 
| align=left| '''{{sortname|Jak|Jones}}''' ||align=left| {{WAL}} ||0 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||2
|-
| align=left| {{sortname|Fred|Van Rensburg}} ||align=left| {{SAF|1928}} || 0 || 1 || 1 || – || –
|}
* Active players are shown in '''bold'''.
* Only players who reached the final are included.
* '''Appearances''' relates to appearances in the final stages, excluding qualifying match.
* In the event of identical records, players are sorted in alphabetical order by family name.

===Champions by country===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|-
!Country
!Players
!Total
!First title
!Last title
|-
|align="left"|{{flag|England}}
|14
|58
|1927
|2024
|-
|align="left"|{{flag|Scotland}}
|4
|14
|1947
|2011
|-
|align="left"|{{flag|Wales}}
|3
|10
|1970
|2018
|-
|align="left"|{{flag|Northern Ireland}}
|2
|3
|1972
|1985
|-
|align="left"|{{flag|Australia}}
|2
|2
|1952
|2010
|-
|align="left"|{{flag|Belgium}}
|1
|1
|2023
|2023
|-
|align="left"|{{flag|Canada}}
|1
|1
|1980
|1980
|-
|align="left"|{{flag|Ireland}}
|1
|1
|1997
|1997
|}

==Sponsorship==
Except for two championships played in Australia, all championships from 1969 to 2005 were sponsored by tobacco companies. In 1969 and 1970 the championship was sponsored by John Player under the brand [[Player's No.6]]. The [[Gallaher Group]] sponsored under the brand Park Drive from 1972 to 1974, while from 1976 to 2005 [[Imperial Tobacco]] sponsored under the brand [[Embassy (cigarette)|Embassy]]. Legislation in 2003 placed restrictions on tobacco advertising, including sponsorship of sporting events. Embassy received special dispensation to continue snooker sponsorship until 2005.

From 2006 to 2022, all championships were sponsored by betting companies. In 2006, [[888 Holdings|888.com]] took over sponsorship of the event under a five-year deal,<ref>{{cite web|title=Snooker: Steve's Defeat Is a Right Sickener|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Snooker%3a+Steve%27s+defeat+is+a+right+sickener.-a0140900447|work=[[Daily Record (Scotland)|Daily Record]] |date=16 January 2006|access-date=10 April 2022|df=dmy-all|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220410222657/https://www.thefreelibrary.com/Snooker%3A+Steve%27s+defeat+is+a+right+sickener.-a0140900447|archive-date=10 April 2022|url-status=live|via=TheFreeLibrary.com}}</ref> but it pulled out after just three years.<ref>{{cite web|title=Huge financial blow hits snooker|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/snooker/7544214.stm|publisher=[[BBC Sport]]|access-date=11 September 2014|date=6 August 2008|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150128183913/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/other_sports/snooker/7544214.stm|archive-date=28 January 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref> [[Betfred]].com was the sponsor from 2009 to 2012,<ref>{{cite web|title=Top gambling sites|url=https://2bet48.com/|access-date=27 October 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151110013414/http://2bet48.com/|archive-date=10 November 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref> followed by [[Betfair]] in 2013,<ref>{{cite web|title=Betfair Sponsor World Championship|url=http://www.worldsnooker.com/page/WorldChampionshipEventArticle/0,,13165~3121136,00.html|website=worldsnooker.com|publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]]|date=25 March 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130402161339/http://www.worldsnooker.com/page/WorldChampionshipEventArticle/0%2C%2C13165~3121136%2C00.html|archive-date=2 April 2013}}</ref> [[Dafabet]] in 2014,<ref>{{cite web|title=Dafabet To Sponsor World Championship|url=http://www.worldsnooker.com/page/NewsArticles/0,,13165~3720833,00.html|website=worldsnooker.com|publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]]|date=19 March 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140327090843/http://www.worldsnooker.com/page/NewsArticles/0%2C%2C13165~3720833%2C00.html|archive-date=27 March 2014}}</ref> and Betfred again from 2015 to 2022.<ref>{{cite web|title=Betfred to sponsor World Championship|url=http://www.worldsnooker.com/page/NewsArticles/0,,13165~4558235,00.html|website=worldsnooker.com|publisher=[[World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association]]|date=13 March 2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150317013400/http://www.worldsnooker.com/page/NewsArticles/0,,13165~4558235,00.html|archive-date=17 March 2015|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Betfred extends World Snooker Championship deal until 2022|url=https://www.sbcnews.co.uk/marketing/2020/08/17/betfred-extends-world-snooker-championship-deal-until-2022/|website=SBC News|date=20 March 2021|df=dmy-all|access-date=20 February 2021|archive-date=24 February 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210224230350/https://sbcnews.co.uk/marketing/2020/08/17/betfred-extends-world-snooker-championship-deal-until-2022/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Online car retailer [[Cazoo]] signed a multi-year{{quantify|date=May 2023}} deal to sponsor the tournament from 2023.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wst.tv/cazoo-to-become-title-sponsor-of-world-snooker-championship/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220509090221/https://wst.tv/cazoo-to-become-title-sponsor-of-world-snooker-championship/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 May 2022 |title=Cazoo To Become Title Sponsor Of World Snooker Championship |date=9 May 2022 |website=wst.tv}}</ref>

==Television coverage==
Before the world championship moved to the Crucible in 1977, TV coverage was very limited. In the 1950s, the [[BBC]] occasionally showed snooker on [[black and white]] television, including 30-minute programmes of the 1953 and 1955 finals, with commentary by [[Sidney Smith (snooker player)|Sidney Smith]].<ref>{{cite web |title=BBC Two Television – 27 March 1953 – Snooker: World Match Play Championships Final |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctv/1953-03-27#at-21.00 |website=[[BBC Genome Project]] |publisher=[[BBC]] |access-date=3 February 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207230637/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctv/1953-03-27#at-21.00 |archive-date=7 February 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=BBC Two Television – 18 March 1955 – World Professional Snooker Championship |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctv/1955-03-18#at-21.00 |website=[[BBC Genome Project]] |publisher=[[BBC]] |access-date=3 February 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207220900/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctv/1955-03-18#at-21.00 |archive-date=7 February 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Despite the launch of ''[[Pot Black]]'' in colour in 1969, there was little coverage of the World Championship. There was some coverage of the 1973, 1974 and 1976 world championships in Manchester on two Saturday afternoon ''[[Grandstand (TV series)|Grandstand]]'' programmes during those three years. Commentary was by [[Ted Lowe]].<ref>{{cite web |title=BBC Two Television – 21 April 1973 – Grandstand |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1973-04-21#at-12.30 |website=[[BBC Genome Project]] |publisher=[[BBC]] |access-date=3 February 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207222713/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1973-04-21#at-12.30 |archive-date=7 February 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=BBC Two Television – 24 April 1976 – Grandstand |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1976-04-24#at-12.30 |website=[[BBC Genome Project]] |publisher=[[BBC]] |access-date=3 February 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207223829/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1976-04-24#at-12.30 |archive-date=7 February 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>

[[BBC]] TV coverage for the first Crucible championship in 1977 was increased but was limited to highlights of the semi-finals and some coverage of the final on ''Grandstand'' and a late night highlights programme. The commentator was Ted Lowe with the highlight programmes presented by [[Alan Weeks]].<ref>{{cite web |title=BBC Two Television – 29 April 1977 – Snooker |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1977-04-28#at-21.30 |website=[[BBC Genome Project]] |publisher=[[BBC]] |access-date=3 February 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207231235/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1977-04-28#at-21.30 |archive-date=7 February 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=BBC Two Television – 30 April 1977 – Snooker |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1977-04-30#at-12.30 |website=[[BBC Genome Project]] |publisher=[[BBC]] |access-date=3 February 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207223632/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbcone/london/1977-04-30#at-12.30 |archive-date=7 February 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=BBC Two Television – 30 April 1977 – Snooker |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1977-04-30#at-23.10 |website=[[BBC Genome Project]] |publisher=[[BBC]] |access-date=3 February 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207224918/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1977-04-30#at-23.10 |archive-date=7 February 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> The 1978 championship was the first to have daily BBC TV coverage with 14 nightly highlights programmes as well as Saturday afternoon coverage on ''Grandstand''.<ref>{{cite web |title=BBC Two Television – 17 April 1978 – Snooker |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1978-04-17#at-22.00 |website=[[BBC Genome Project]] |publisher=[[BBC]] |access-date=2 February 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207163829/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1978-04-17#at-22.00 |archive-date=7 February 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Ted Lowe commentated while the programmes were presented by [[David Vine]] and Alan Weeks.<ref>{{cite web |title=BBC Two Television – 27 April 1978 – Snooker |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1978-04-27#at-23.30 |website=[[BBC Genome Project]] |publisher=[[BBC]] |access-date=3 February 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207225151/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1978-04-27#at-23.30 |archive-date=7 February 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> In 1979, TV coverage was extended to include an early-evening "Frame of the Day"<ref>{{cite web |title=BBC Two Television – 16 April 1979 – Snooker |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1979-04-16#at-18.50 |website=[[BBC Genome Project]] |publisher=[[BBC]] |access-date=2 February 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207165428/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1979-04-16#at-18.50 |archive-date=7 February 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> as well as live coverage of parts of the final. David Vine was the presenter while the commentary team was extended to include [[Jack Karnehm]] and [[Clive Everton]].<ref>{{cite web |title=BBC Two Television – 26 April 1979 – Snooker |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1979-04-26#at-14.30 |website=[[BBC Genome Project]] |publisher=[[BBC]] |access-date=2 February 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207163845/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1979-04-26#at-14.30 |archive-date=7 February 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> In 1980, TV coverage included daily live coverage for the first time.<ref>{{cite web |title=BBC Two Television – 22 April 1980 – Snooker |url=http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1980-04-22#at-15.10 |website=[[BBC Genome Project]] |publisher=[[BBC]] |access-date=2 February 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160207165117/http://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/bbctwo/england/1980-04-22#at-15.10 |archive-date=7 February 2016 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Coverage of the final was interrupted to bring live coverage of the [[Iranian Embassy Siege]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Weir|first=Stuart|title=World Snooker: Everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask about the Crucible.|url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/World+Snooker%3A+Everything+you+wanted+to+know+but+were+afraid+to+ask...-a0115205701|work=[[Sunday Mail (Scotland)|Sunday Mail]] |date=11 April 2004|access-date=10 April 2022|df=dmy-all|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220410223031/https://www.thefreelibrary.com/World+Snooker%3A+Everything+you+wanted+to+know+but+were+afraid+to+ask...-a0115205701|archive-date=10 April 2022|via=TheFreeLibrary.com}}</ref>

David Vine continued to be the main anchor for the BBC's TV coverage until 2000, with [[David Icke]] as prominent deputy presenter from 1984 to 1990, then [[Dougie Donnelly]] and occasionally [[Eamonn Holmes]] through the 1990s. For some years, commentary was primarily by Ted Lowe, Clive Everton and Jack Karnehm although [[John Pulman]], [[Vera Selby]] and others were used. In 1986 [[Jim Meadowcroft]], [[John Spencer (snooker player)|John Spencer]] and [[John Virgo]] were used as summarisers. From 2002 to 2009, the BBC coverage was hosted by [[Hazel Irvine]] or [[Ray Stubbs]]. Irvine took over as main anchor in 2010 with highlights presented by Rishi Persad. 

In February 2013, the BBC announced that Persad had been replaced by [[Jason Mohammad]], who later stepped down from those duties after the conclusion of the 2020 tournament and was replaced by [[Seema Jaswal]]. Persad returned as deputy presenter, joined in 2023 by Catrin Heledd from BBC Wales. Commentators have included [[Willie Thorne]], [[Dennis Taylor]], John Virgo, [[John Parrott]], [[Steve Davis]], [[Ken Doherty]], [[Stephen Hendry]], [[Terry Griffiths]] and [[Neal Foulds]].{{citation needed|date=August 2021}}

{{as of|2023}} the BBC holds the broadcast rights to the tournament until 2027,<ref>{{cite news|title=World Snooker Tour extends BBC broadcast deal to 2027 |date=22 April 2022
|url=https://wst.tv/world-snooker-tour-extends-bbc-broadcast-deal-to-2027/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220428142529/https://wst.tv/world-snooker-tour-extends-bbc-broadcast-deal-to-2027/|url-status=dead|archive-date=28 April 2022|publisher=World Snooker Tour|access-date=15 May 2022}}</ref> which will be the 100th anniversary of the tournament and the 50th anniversary of its move to the Crucible Theatre.

Since 2003, [[Eurosport]] has provided coverage of the snooker season, with commentators including Philip Studd, David Hendon, [[Joe Johnson (snooker player)|Joe Johnson]] and Neal Foulds. For the World Championship, additional commentary from Phil Yates and [[Dominic Dale]] is provided. [[Alan McManus]] previously provided commentary for Eurosport before moving to the BBC, but now provides punditry services only to Eurosport’s coverage of the event. In the past{{when|date=May 2023}}, Eurosport provided televised coverage of both tables via [[Eurosport 1]] and [[Eurosport 2]] but has since{{when|date=May 2023}} cut back by only showing the "main" match of the session on Eurosport 1, with the other table available via the Discovery+ and Eurosport Player streaming services.{{citation needed|date=August 2021}} Eurosport currently{{when|date=May 2023}} has the right to show the tournament until 2026.

==See also==
{{portal|Cue sports}}
* [[Crucible curse]] – A "curse" for all first-time winners of the event, since it moved to the Crucible Theatre
* [[List of snooker ranking tournaments]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{Official website}}
* [https://www.pabsa.org/events/ snooker world championships 2023]


{{World Snooker Championship}}
{{World snooker champions|nocat=yes}}
{{Snooker tournaments}}
{{Cue sports nav}}
{{Main world championships}}

[[Category:World Snooker Championships| ]]
[[Category:Recurring sporting events established in 1927]]
[[Category:1927 establishments in England]]
[[Category:World championships in snooker]]
[[Category:Snooker ranking tournaments]]
[[Category:Snooker competitions in England]]
[[Category:Sports competitions in Sheffield]]
[[Category:International sports competitions hosted by England]]
[[Category:Annual sporting events in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Triple Crown (snooker)]]

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