Snooker is Fun to Learn and Play Match?
by Colette Thyman
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 began as a simple variation of the game of pool. It was originally called "pyramid pool", and was merely a different version of "life" or "black" games already in use. In 1875, Sir Neville Chamberlain modified the game, and it took off in popularity. English soldiers loved to play the new game, and it enjoyed a steady increase in popularity up to the present day's peak in modern England.
Learning to play snooker can seem complex to beginners, but the basic rules are fairly simple. The most complicated step is setting the table:
* 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.
* 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.
Once the balls are properly set, the game can begin. The breaking player strikes the triangle of red balls. When a player sinks a red ball, he or she is then free to shoot and sink any one of the six colored balls. The yellow ball is worth two points, the green is worth three, the brown ball is worth four, the blue is five, the pink is six, and the black is worth seven points. When a colored ball has been sunk, the point is scored and the ball is retrieved and re-spotted on the table.
When you have mastered the basic rules of snooker, you can try one of the many varieties of game play. Although newcomers can easily play snooker, it is a game that's typically reserved for more experienced billiards players. Therefore, it's best to have an experienced snooker player explain the rules to you.
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?
About the Author
Author Barbara Miller contributes to a variety of web magazines, on travel tips as well as fishing sports recreation themes.This and other unique content snooker articles are available with free reprint rights.