Chang Bingyu completes record 147 break with 'one of finest pots ever' at UK Snooker Championship as Luca Brecel and Chris Wakelin suffer early exits

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Chang Bingyu produced the first 147 of his career to set a new maximum seasonal record for the sport in UK Championship qualifying in Wigan. The world No. 74 produced his career landmark clearance in the seventh frame against 2004 UK winner Stephen Maguire, which included an epic final black. Despite his brilliance, it was not enough to deny the Scot a 6-5 victory in a marathon battle.

Best-ever black to seal a 147? Watch as Bingyu makes history at UK Championship

Video credit: TNT Sports

Chang Bingyu brought up a new 147 record in the modern history of snooker with the first maximum of his career during UK Championship qualifying in Wigan.

Only two days after Liam Pullen made a 147 on Saturday to equal the record 15 achieved across the sport last season, 23-year-old Chang celebrated his moment in the sun against former UK champion Stephen Maguire at the Robin Park Leisure Centre.

Chang began the break with a thumping long red, but had to work hard to finish off the 233rd maximum in the history of the sport, as he came up short on the final pink off the blue to right middle.

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Despite slamming in the pink at pace with plenty of top spin, the world No. 74 was left with a brutally tough cut on a mid-range black to the top left-hand pocket, and needed to use the rest to complete the historic break.

And it was a mixture of joy and relief as the black disappeared with the white ball almost diving down the green pocket, such was the tough potting angle on the black.

Despite being warmly congratulated by his opponent for his landmark clearance in the seventh frame to lead 4-3, it was Maguire who had the final say in completing an epic 6-5 win at 12:28am in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Chang will earn a share of £15,000 highest break prize with Pullen, but could pick up £147,000 if he makes another maximum in World Championship qualifying in April.

Pullen nails outrageous double during 147 break in UK Championship qualifying

Video credit: TNT Sports

"That really was a pleasure to watch," said Phil Yates on commentary. "You know, there have been 233 maximums in professional competition. I would guess that is one of the finest pots ever to complete one."

David Hendon agreed with such an assertion, and said: "That is a shot he will remember for the rest of his life. Unbelievable. When he was clearing up, you couldn't really envisage he would finish there.

"As we said, he was a bit too straight on the pink, tried to force the white around the angles. Didn't really get close to the black. What nerve! My word! And what skill to knock it in."

Chang returned to the main tour this season after a two-year ban for his role in a match-fixing probe, and reached the last 16 of the Saudi Arabia Masters in August before losing 6-5 to Ronnie O'Sullivan.

He might be wondering how he lost to Maguire after also rolling in 137 and 101 against the Scot, who opened with a 138, but never led again until seeing out the victory.

He was in good company in departing the tournament with former world champion and 2021 UK finalist Luca Brecel, who has dropped to 40th in the rankings, losing 6-3 to world No. 106 Ian Burns, who will face Maguire on Wednesday afternoon for a spot in the last 32 in York.

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Video credit: TNT Sports

Elsewhere, world No. 17 Chris Wakelin suffered a shock 6-3 defeat to Mitchell Mann while Robert Milkins, down at a lowly 56 in the standings, suffered a blow to his prospects of retaining his tour career after he was edged out 6-5 by Daniel Wells on the final colours.

Meanwhile, Chang is due to return to action against Pullen in the first round of the Shoot Out in Blackpool on December 11, while Maguire again provides the opposition in his tournament opener at the Scottish Open in Edinburgh four days later.

It was fellow Chinese player Fan Zhengyi who produced the first maximum of the campaign against Xu Si at the Championship League in Leicester on July 17, the first 147 of the 16 and counting recorded so far this season.

O'Sullivan, Aaron Hill and Thepchaiya Un-Nooh have twice compiled 147s this term, with the record total from 2024/25 incredibly matched in only four months and eight days.

O'Sullivan also celebrated a historic double against Chris Wakelin in the semi-finals of the £2.3 million Saudi Arabia Masters in Jeddah in August, worth a whopping £147,000 bonus and a share of the £50,000 high break prize with Un-Nooh.

O'Sullivan also became the first man in history to hit two maximums in the same session of a match, and extends his position as the leading 147-maker of all time with 17 since his iconic first against Mick Price at the 1997 World Championship, the fastest in history at five minutes and eight seconds.

The total of 16 maximums made in under five months is eight more than the entire total for the 1980s, and is now only 10 short of the 26 total witnessed in the 1990s.

Six-time world champion Steve Davis famously made the first televised 147 at the Lada Classic against John Spencer in January 1982, his solitary competitive maximum with over half of the 233 running total made in the past 15 years.

Qualifying for the 49th UK Championship takes place between November 22-27 in Wigan before the main event is staged at the Barbican in York from November 29 to December 7, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

Snooker's maximum men in 2025/26

16. November 24, 2025: Chang Bingyu v Stephen Maguire (UK Championship)
15. November 22, 2025: Liam Pullen v Kaylan Patel (UK Championship
14. November 4, 2025: Zak Surety v Aaron Hill (International Championship)
13. October 7, 2025: Aaron Hill v Huang Jiahao (Xi'an Grand Prix)
12. October 7, 2025: Judd Trump v Ng On Yee (Xi'an Grand Prix)
11. October 2, 2025: Gary Wilson v Artemijs Zizins (International Championship)
10. September 17, 2025: Ali Carter v Aaron Hill (English Open)
9. September 14, 2025: Aaron Hill v Yao Pengcheng (English Open)
8. September 2, 2025: Zhou Yuelong v Julien Leclercq (Xi'an Grand Prix)
7. August 25, 2025: Thepchaiya Un-Nooh v Pang Junxu (Wuhan Open)
6. August 24, 2025: Xiao Guodong v Mink Nutcharut (Wuhan Open)
5. August 15, 2025: Ronnie O'Sullivan v Chris Wakelin (Saudi Arabia Masters)
4. August 15, 2025: Ronnie O'Sullivan v Chris Wakelin (Saudi Arabia Masters)
3. August 10, 2025: Thepchaiya Un-Nooh v Jordan Brown (Saudi Arabia Masters)
2. July 29, 2025: Zhang Anda v Ding Junhui (Shanghai Masters)
1. July 17, 2025: Fan Zhengyi v Xu Si (Championship League)

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Watch and stream the 2025/26 snooker season, including the UK Championship, live on TNT Sports and discovery+

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