What's the greater achievement?

[Stat Brother]

Everyone is also conveniently forgetting that a snooker table in the wild is at least 5 times the size of the tables breed in captivity and used on the TV.
Whereas a dartboard is just a dartboard.

 

[beefypigeon]

By an absolute mile the 147 is the greater achievement.
Not only have you got to make 36 completely unpredictable shots, but the opportunity simply has to present itself. The run of the balls will dictate to a large degree whether it can be achieved in any given frame, and you need to also be lucky and avoid the dreaded 'kick'.
I played Snooker for years at a fairly competent level, and the best break I could muster was 65, still not quite enough to guarantee a win a frame!

The 9 dart finish, which is still a massive achievement, requires 9 perfect darts to be thrown. The majority of these are all aimed at the exact same target. I expect that all professional players will have achieved this feat in practice before plenty of times.

 

[SussexSeahawk]

The reason why I would say a 9 darter is harder, is that every single leg of darts is a failed 9 darter and that's not the case for a 147. If you gave MVG 100 attempts at a 9 darter, and Ronnie 100 attempts at a 147, Ronnie is easily the favourite.

If in every snooker frame players attempted to go for a 147, it would be a significantly more common occurrence.

 

[Buzzer]

How often do 9-dart finishes occur in competitions and likewise 147 finishes?

Although intuitively it feels like a 147 is significantly more difficult, isn't that the answer to look at the occurrences by the professionals?

 

[hans kraay fan club]

How often do 9-dart finishes occur in competitions and likewise 147 finishes?

Although intuitively it feels like a 147 is significantly more difficult, isn't that the answer to look at the occurrences by the professionals?

147s in pro snooker, are still rare:

Maximum breaks have gradually become more commonplace in professional snooker. Only 8 maximums were achieved in the 1980s, but 26 were attained in the 1990s and 35 in the 2000s. Thus far in the 2010s, over 50 maximums have been achieved. The landmark 100th official maximum break in professional competition was achieved by Mark Selby at the UK Championship on 7 December 2013

Phil Taylor alone, has thrown eleven televised 9-darters

 

[Buzzer]

147s in pro snooker, are still rare: no more than 10 a YEAR:



9-darters seem to happen ALL the time.

Then that proves the argument pretty conclusively.

 

[Hamilton]

Not much chance in the darts scenario. You've got the potential for a tonne of balls in the way when it comes to snooker.

 

[ManOfSussex]

On the subject of 147's, world number 31 and Sussex's best snooker player hit one himself on Tuesday night in a non-ranking event - http://www.hastingsobserver.co.uk/news/st-leonards-ace-hits-maximum-147-break-to-win-final-1-7767017

 

[Coldeanseagull]

Pretty good going as they are only worth 13!

I make that 15 with pink and black as you have to pot a red in between the colours. Just don't go being all clever and say it's the last two scoring balls on the table

 

[Dorset Seagull]

I make that 15 with pink and black as you have to pot a red in between the colours. Just don't go being all clever and say it's the last two scoring balls on the table

It was the last two scoring balls on the table.........but you do have a point

 

[crodonilson]

Then that proves the argument pretty conclusively.

Yes but how many legs of darts does a professional darts player throw, compared to how many frames a snooker player would play?

 

[Hillian1]

My barometer for this is:

I have hit 2 consecutive 180's then a treble 20 and missed the treble 19

My highest break in Snooker is 9.

Ergo, a 147 is much harder.

 

[Simster]

9 darters are not to be sniffed at, but as has been said, they are far more frequent than 147s. The 147 is much harder. Anyone who has ever played on a full sized snooker table will know how difficult compiling any sort of break can be. My highest (back when I was GOOD and played regularly at the snooker centre in Winchester) was in the 40s. And I used to go and play an awful lot after VI form and then at weekends.

And I know 147s are box office, but often the best snooker breaks aren't maximums anyway. Marco Fu built a 140 yesterday and I defy you to find a better example of break building than that. It was absolutely brilliant.

 

[Bodian]

I broke my thumb over Christmas, so can't even grip a dart - but I can hold (and use) a cue. So at the moment a 147 is far more likely. (Although given that my highest break is about 20, not really likely at all)