JUDD TRUMP reckons he could nab a £100,000 break bonus if he makes an “amazing run” at the Crucible next month.
The Juddernaut hit his 80th century of the season – a 142 break in frame two – as he eliminated Gary Wilson 4-2 from the first round of his ‘home’ tournament, the World Grand Prix in Hong Kong.
Judd Trump is aiming to nab a £100,000 bonus only seen twice before[/caption]
The World Snooker Tour has a six-figure incentive on the table for anyone who compiles 100 centuries during the 12-month campaign.
Trump has four ranking events left to achieve the rare feat, which has only happened twice before in the professional ranks.
In the 2013-14 season, Australian left-hander Neil Robertson became the first player to make 100 centuries in a single season, finishing with a record 103 centuries, and then Trump got 102 in throughout 2019-20.
Trump, 35, said: “In the last 32 or last 16 of these tournaments it’s very difficult to make century breaks against the top players.
“It’ll go down to the wire. I’d have to have an amazing run at the World Championship. Maybe it would come in the final.
“That’s how tight it would be if I was to get it. At the moment, it’s on the backburner. I’m not really thinking about it.
“But when I come to the World Champs, it would add a little bit of excitement for everyone around the game.”
Trump, who lives in Hong Kong after moving over from the UK, has been handed a nightmare draw next against his best mate Jack Lisowski, who beat China’s Zhang Anda 4-2.
The world No.1 – who was not watched by his figure skating girlfriend Maisy Ma – said: “I didn’t know it was Jack until I looked on Twitter and saw I’d play him if I won.
“So, I was a bit disappointed. He’s someone I’d rather avoid until the final. But it’s a great setting for both of us to play in.
“It’s difficult. I have to go out there and try to forget that and try my best, see what happens.”
This is the first ranking event held in Hong Kong for 35 years and the Kai Tak Arena in Kowloon City can hold up to 5,000 fans.
Trump, the 2019 world champion, said: “It was a great reception to walk into that kind of atmosphere.
“It gives you a buzz. A bit of added pressure applied as you want to get that first game out of the way.
“There’s big prize money, a great arena, a great city. It’s turned into a major tournament.
“Hong Kong is an incredible place. Even before I contemplated living here, I had always said how much I loved coming here. Everybody that I have spoken to says the same.
The rules of snooker
THE aim of snooker is to clear the table of all balls – and achieving it in an incredible 147 break is the ultimate goal.
The rectangular table features green baize, a baulk line and semi-circle, known as the D.
It has six pockets, four in each corner and two midway down both long sides.
There are 15 red balls which are arranged in a triangular shape.
There are also six colour balls, and the white cue ball.
Each colour sits on its own designated spot at the start of the game.
While red balls are worth one point when potted, the colours all have a different value.
In ascending order these are:
- Yellow – two points
- Green – three points
- Brown – four points
- Blue – five points
- Pink – six points
- Black – seven points
The first player will cue off and must hit at least one of the red balls in the triangle.
If they pot a red, they can then continue by potting a colour.
However, if no red is potted then their opponent will play the next shot – going for a red first.
Each player must first pot a red ball when it’s their turn to play. If nothing is pocketed it is the other player’s turn at the table.
After each red is potted they must then follow with a colour, then a red, then a colour, and so on.
Whilst there are still red balls on the table, the potted colour balls are returned to their designated spot.
Once all the red balls are pocketed, the player at the table must pot the colours in the order as outlined above.
If they miss then their opponent will have the opportunity to clear the table.
A 147 is a maximum break when all reds are potted by one player in one stint at the table.
In order to achieve 147, the player must pot all 15 reds with 15 blacks for 120 points.
They must then clear all the colours, concluding with the black for 27 points.
During play the rules state that the cue must only touch the white cue ball.
The cue ball also must hit the correct colour ball – reds or colours in order.
If it hits the incorrect colour then a foul is called.
If the cue ball fails to hit any ball or is pocketed it is also a foul.
The player’s turn at the table ends if they play a foul shot.
Players are also penalised if they touch any ball on the table with their person.
“There is so much to do, so much to see. The place is buzzing. There’s a lot of energy in Hong Kong.
“Especially when the weather is good. There’s a whole mix. Everybody who comes here loves it.
“Maybe Ally Pally is one of the only real venues in the UK where you feel the razzmatazz and how big the tournament is. Hong Kong is the sort of place where you dream to play snooker.”
Maverick star Lisowski, 33, has to put aside their friendship, too, as he needs to win two matches to book his place in the Players Championship in Telford this month.
The world No.25 from Cheltenham, who may have to go through World Championship qualifying again, said: “Judd will not be easy. I’ll try my best and go again on Thursday.
“I’m playing well and my attacking is good but my safety and defensive play is questionable.
“I played a good safety shot in the last frame. Hopefully I can finally put it all together. I’m doing the hard stuff well. Potting and scoring. That old safety doesn’t come easy for me.”
Scotland’s snooker legend John Higgins, fresh from winning the World Open in Yushan, beat Ali Carter 4-3 but he did not score a single break above 50.
List of all-time Snooker World Champions
BELOW is a list of snooker World Champions by year.
The record is for the modern era, widely considered as dating from the 1968-69 season, when the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) took control of the sport.
The first World Championships ran from 1927 – with a break from 1941-45 because of World War II and 1958-63 because of a dispute in the sport.
Joe Davis (15), Fred Davis and John Pulman (both 8) were the most successful players during that period.
Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan share the record for the most titles in the modern era, with seven each.
- 1969 – John Spencer
- 1970 – Ray Reardon
- 1971 – John Spencer
- 1972 – Alex Higgins
- 1973 – Ray Reardon (2)
- 1974 – Ray Reardon (3)
- 1975 – Ray Reardon (4)
- 1976 – Ray Reardon (5)
- 1977 – John Spencer (2)
- 1978 – Ray Reardon (6)
- 1979 – Terry Griffiths
- 1980 – Cliff Thorburn
- 1981 – Steve Davis
- 1982 – Alex Higgins (2)
- 1983 – Steve Davis (2)
- 1984 – Steve Davis (3)
- 1985 – Dennis Taylor
- 1986 – Joe Johnson
- 1987 – Steve Davis (4)
- 1988 – Steve Davis (5)
- 1989 – Steve Davis (6)
- 1990 – Stephen Hendry
- 1991 – John Parrott
- 1992 – Stephen Hendry (2)
- 1993 – Stephen Hendry (3)
- 1994 – Stephen Hendry (4)
- 1995 – Stephen Hendry (5)
- 1996 – Stephen Hendry (6)
- 1997 – Ken Doherty
- 1998 – John Higgins
- 1999 – Stephen Hendry (7)
- 2000 – Mark Williams
- 2001 – Ronnie O’Sullivan
- 2002 – Peter Ebdon
- 2003 – Mark Williams (2)
- 2004 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (2)
- 2005 – Shaun Murphy
- 2006 – Graeme Dott
- 2007 – John Higgins (2)
- 2008 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (3)
- 2009 – John Higgins (3)
- 2010 – Neil Robertson
- 2011 – John Higgins (4)
- 2012 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (4)
- 2013 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (5)
- 2014 – Mark Selby
- 2015 – Stuart Bingham
- 2016 – Mark Selby (2)
- 2017 – Mark Selby (3)
- 2018 – Mark Williams (3)
- 2019 – Judd Trump
- 2020 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (6)
- 2021 – Mark Selby (4)
- 2022 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (7)
- 2023 – Luca Brecel
- 2024 – Kyren Wilson
Most World Titles (modern era)
- 7 – Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O’Sullivan
- 6 – Ray Reardon, Steve Davis
- 4 – John Higgins, Mark Selby
- 3 – John Spencer, Mark Williams
- 2 – Alex Higgins
