How about a game of snooker? A surprisingly high number of people in North America have not heard of or played this great billards variation. In the rest of the world, most people choose to play snooker in billiards rooms and pool halls. And in terms of televised sports in England, snooker is one of the most highly viewed programs. It's time snooker got more applause in North America, too.
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 requires a standard, full-size billiards table that measures 12 feet by 6 feet.
* A standard set of snooker balls is required. This set of 22 balls includes 15 red balls, 1 each of pink, yellow, brown, blue, black and green balls, and 1 white cue ball.
* The green, brown, yellow balls are placed at one end of the table, with a 6 inch gap between them. The blue ball goes in the dead center of the table. Pink splits the distance between the blue ball and the end of the table cushion on the far side. The black ball gets its own special spot, marked about 13 inches from the far 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 the game can begin! One player "breaks" by striking the cue ball into the group of red balls. Whenever a player sinks a red ball, she or he is then allowed to try to sink any one of the six colored balls. There are points assigned to each colored ball: black is worth seven points; pink is worth six; blue counts five; brown is worth four; green counts for three; and the yellow ball is good for two points. After a colored ball is sunk, the points are added to the total, and the ball is retrieved and spotted back in its original spot on the table.
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?
