Williams started playing snooker at an early age and scored his first century when he was 13. He won his first junior event when he was 11 and it was then that he realised that he wanted to pursue a career as a snooker player. He was encouraged to play by his father Dilwyn, who was a miner. When he was 15 he did a 12 hour shift down the mines. Williams was also a promising Amateur boxer being undefeated in 12 fights as a schoolboy, but he decided to pursue his snooker career instead. He turned professional in 1992 and finished his first season ranked 119th, and within three seasons was ranked in the Worlds top 16, breaking into the 16 for the 1996/1997 season. Williams` first ranking tournament win came in January 1996 when he claimed the Welsh Open title, beating John Parrott 9–3 in the final. After failing to qualify for the 1996 World Championship he won the first ranking event of the new season – the Grand Prix – in October 1996, beating surprise finalist Euan Henderson 9–5 in the final. In 1997 he also won the British Open, beating Stephen Hendry 9–2 in the final. He also beat Hendry in the final to win his first Masters title in 1998, winning on the final black 10–9 after recovering from 6–9 down, in a thrilling final. At the 1997 World Championship he was drawn against Terry Griffiths, the latter's last appearance at the Crucible as a player, he eventually beating his coach 10–9 on the black but lost 8–13 to Hendry in the last-16. In 1998 World Championship he reached the semi-finals, and the next year was runner-up to Hendry.
At the World Cup Williams was partnered with Matthew Stevens to represent Wales, and they reached the semi-finals, but lost 1–4 against China. Williams then reached the final of the Australian Goldfields Open, but lost 8–9 against Stuart Bingham, after leading 8–5 at one point of the match. Williams also lost from in front in the final of the next major ranking event, the Shanghai Masters. His run to the final included a 6–5 win over Neil Robertson in the semi-final, and he led Mark Selby 9–7 in the final, but lost the last three frames to lose 9–10.
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