What Is Snooker?

Snooker is a game similar to billiards, but with different rules and more balls. The rules of snooker are relatively simple. It begins with a player attempting to use a cue ball to knock a red ball into a pocket, which allows them to knock one of the many colored balls into a pocket. This action, known as a pot, gives them a certain amount of points depending on the color of the ball. Once the player fails to hit a red ball, or misses their subsequent shot of a colored ball, they then pass the turn to their opponent, who attempts to do the same thing. Colored balls are returned from the pocket back onto the snooker table until all the red balls are pocketed, which then leaves only colored balls for players to pot.

One wins a frame in snooker by accumulating more points than their opponent. Once all the balls in play are pocketed, the total points earned from pocketing colored balls are added to discover who the winner of the frame is. This process is continued every frame until the players reach the pre-defined frames, such as the best of five.

During a professional snooker match a player will have to win a 'Best of Nine,' which is means that a player has to win five out of nine frames in order to win the match. World Championships tend to play longer matches, such as the best of nineteen in qualifying rounds or the best of eighteen, which can last up to thirty-five frames. These matches are often played over the course of two days due to their length.

Snooker is played on a snooker table, which is similar to a billiards table because it has six pockets in the same placement as a pool table - one in the center of either side cushion and on in each corner of the table. A regulation snooker table, however, is twelve by six foot, which is much larger than the regulated nine foot by four and a half feet for a billiards table.

Smaller snooker tables are available in various sizes in style, so one doesn't have to buy the huge regulation size if they don't have the room to play properly with it. More compact options include folding snooker tables and dining tables that can be converted into snooker tables while not in use.

Once the balls are positioned on the snooker table, a player attempts to knock a red ball into a pocket using only a single strike from the tip of the cue. If they are successful in knocking the red ball into a pocket they are then granted the chance to shoot a colored ball into a pocket. If they successfully hit a colored ball into a pocket, the player then scores a certain amount of points depending on the color of the ball. The colored ball is then returned to it's correct position on the snooker table, and the player then attempts to knock another red ball into a pocket in order to gain the chance to hit another colored ball. This process continues until the players fails to knock the desired ball into a pocket, which brings about the opponent's turn. The game goes on like this until all the red balls are potted and only the colored balls are left on the snooker table. When this is achieved any colored ball that is potted is left in the pocket.

A common term used while playing snooker is a break, which refers to the number of points a player as gained during one consecutive play at a table - not including fouls. A "maximum" or "147" break is when a player pots all reds with blacks and then pockets every colored ball on the table, in which the player would earn 147 total points, or the maximum amount of points possible.

Matthew Kerridge is a huge snooker fan and enjoys playing the game. If you would like further information about any type of snooker table or are searchingfor a trusted snooker table company please visit http://www.topofthecue.com

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