Ronnie O'Sullivan stunned Mark Selby with a remarkable comeback to secure his place in this year's Maplin UK Championship final.
The crowd favourite fought back from 5-3 down to triumph 9-8 in their semi-final clash at the Telford International Centre.
But in a special end to the match the Rocket clinched a famous victory with a magnificent 147 maximum break.
It was his second total clearance of the season and equalled Stephen Hendry's record of eight maximums in professional snooker.
His break was also the 60th 147 recorded in professional snooker and 37th at a ranking event.
O'Sullivan will now pocket £30,000 in additional prize money for his effort if it is not bettered, £25,000 for the maximum and £5,000 for the high break prize.
Selby actually started the semi-final better and a composed break of 74 won the opening frame.
O'Sullivan, twice a world champion, had a chance in the next frame but broke down on a break of 45 and Selby went 2-0 up with a run of 42.
Last year's Crucible finalist pocketed a 99-break to edge further ahead before O'Sullivan reduced his arrears by pinching the next frame with an excellent break of 81 to trail 3-1 at the mid-session interval.
The resumption saw Selby pull 4-1 ahead after he clinched the fifth frame 71-63 on the final pink ball but O'Sullivan responded with breaks of 78 and 51 to make it 4-3.
Selby extended his lead ahead of the concluding session with a superb 60 break and following the resumption restored his three-frame cushion with a break of 42.
O'Sullivan hit back to win the next two with breaks of 75 and 76, only for Selby to go 7-5 ahead with a composed run of 65.
A break of 78 saw O'Sullivan win the next frame, before he won the 14th frame 80-1 to level matters for the first time in the match.
And it got even better for the two-time world champion as Selby broke down on a break of 28 in the next frame, Sullivan pocketing a 63 run to gain his first lead.
Selby won the next with a break of 60 to force a final frame but victory was secured when the 32-year-old O'Sullivan won the 17th and deciding frame with his special 147 clearance.
‘My snooker wasn't great, but I've cheated in a way. We've played 16 poor frames, but everyone is going to talk about the 147,’ said O'Sullivan afterwards.
‘I took a shortcut. I'd much rather have won 9-3 and played a solid game of snooker, but at least I've given the crowd something to smile about.
‘He had the upper hand, he's a tough player and a tough competitor. I was losing it midway at 6-3 down, I was struggling out there, but I had to find a way of staying focused.
‘I thought at 8-8 'I've got my chance'. I'm going to go out in a blaze of glory here.
‘I felt the butterflies which was nice. I was on a break of 40 and the balls opened up really nice. It was a really special way to finish the match.’
Selby was upbeat despite the result, saying: ‘I had a good chance at 7-5 but after that the match changed around.
‘It was a brilliant end to the match. It's disappointing to lose but it was a break from Ronnie. He seems to have his head on this week.
‘I wouldn't change anything I've done this week, but I'm beginning to wonder whether I'll win a tournament. It just wasn't to be, but you can't do anything about that.’
