Are you up for a game of snooker? In the United States, there are plenty of people who have not heard of this fantastic game based on billiards. All over the rest of the world, players choose snooker as the game of choice in billiards halls and pool rooms. And on the telly in England, it is the most watched sports program. So Americans are somewhat behind in recognizing this game.
Snooker started as a simple variation of pool. Called "pyramid pool" by regulars, the game was basically a variation on the "life" and "black" games of pool. The popularity of snooker really began to gain steam when Sir Neville Chamberlain, a regiment soldier in India, modified it around 1875. Soldiers in the English military enjoyed the game, and its popularity continued to grow until had reached its modern prestigious spot in England.
Newcomers may find it a bit intimidating to learn snooker, but the actual rules are not that complicated. Perhaps the most difficult part is setting the table properly:
* Snooker tables are full sized billiards tables measuring 6 feet by 12 feet.
* Snooker balls make up a set of 22. Fifteen red balls are the minions of the game, while the white cue ball is used to strike with. And one ball of each of 6 colors: blue, brown, black, pink, green, and yellow.
* Place the green, brown, and yellow balls side by side at one end of the table. Give them a gap of about six inches. In the exact center of the pool table goes the blue ball. Pink goes between the blue ball and the far end of the table. There is a special marked spot for the black ball, and it is about 13 inches from the top cushion.
* The 15 red balls are grouped into a triangle, with the aid of a racking device, and then are placed just behind the pink ball. Come close to the pink but don't touch it.
Now let's play snooker! The "break" is a sharp strike by one player into the group of red balls. From then on, when a red ball is sunk into a pocket, the player is allowed to follow up with an attempt to sink any of the six colored balls. Each colored ball has an assigned number of points: yellow is two points, green next at three points, brown brings four, blue is good for five, pink is six, and finally black is worth seven points. When a colored ball is counted, retrieve the ball and carefully place it back on the table in its original spot for further play.
Snooker also comes in several different varieties, which are fun to try after one has mastered the main game. Snooker is not dreadfully hard to learn, but the rules can drag down newcomers somewhat, so it is always best to find an expert who can explain the rules and show you how to count the points and replace the balls onto the table.
For more than a century, snooker has been a beloved sport in England and many other countries. And with good reason! It is fun, easy to play, and yet demanding of skills as one progresses. If you already own a regulation sized pool table, why not get a set of snooker balls, and add a new game to your repertoire?
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Author Barbara Miller is a columnist for a variety of web magazines, on travel tips as well as fishing sports recreation subjects.
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