1982 World Snooker Championship

Tournament summary

• The previous three world champions, who were also the top three seeds, were all defeated in the first round: defending champion Steve Davis lost 1–10 to Tony Knowles, 1979 champion Terry Griffiths lost 6–10 to Willie Thorne and world number 1 and 1980 champion Cliff Thorburn lost 4–10 to Jimmy White.
• Higgins reached the final after an epic 16–15 semi-final victory over Jimmy White. Trailing 14–15, and 0–59 down in the 30th frame, Higgins saved himself with a memorable clearance of 69 and then won the decider for a place in the final. The final between Higgins and Reardon was a repeat of the 1976 final, which Reardon won 27–16. From 15–15, Higgins won the next three frames and clinched the title with a break of 135 in the final frame. A tearful Higgins summoned his wife and baby daughter from the audience to celebrate with him.
• Jim Donnelly became the first Scottish player to play at the Crucible. He lost in the first round 5–10 to Ray Reardon.
• This was the first tournament in which the top eight seeds had to play in the first round, taking the tournament from 24 to 32 players. This format still remains today.

  Prize fund

• Winner: £25,000
• Runner-up: £12,500
• Semi-final: £7,000
• Quarter-final: £3,500
• Last 16: £2,250
• Last 32: £1,250
• Highest break: £2,500
• Maximum break: £10,000
• Total: £110,000

  Main draw

Century breaks

• 143, 122, 112, 106 Willie Thorne
• 135, 118 Alex Higgins
• 126, 102 Jimmy White
• 111 Kirk Stevens
• 100 John Virgo