The Differences Between Pool & Snooker

Although pool and snooker both have their roots in the same game, billiards, they have evolved into very different games today. The game of billiards was invented sometime in the 14th or 15th century and was at first played along the ground. "Table billiards" only began to be played in the 16th century, and continued to evolve with time and new technologies. Variations such as pool and snooker began to appear in the 19th and early 20th centuries, when rules also became standardized. There are a number of different versions of pool, the most popular being eight- and nine-ball.

Table and Cues

The regulation (or tournament) size for a pool table is 4.5 by 9 feet. The regulation size for a snooker table is 11 feet, 8.5 inches by 5 feet, 10 inches. Pool table sizes, however, often vary according to the size of the room they are kept in; snooker tables do not. Standard pool cues measure 58 inches. Snooker cues can vary in length, but must measure at least 3 feet.

Balls

Eight-ball pool is played with 15 balls numbered 1-15, 1-7 in "solid" colors, 9-15 "striped" (white with a colored stripe), and a black "8-ball." It can also be played with 7 red and 7 yellow balls and a single black ball. Nine-ball pool has 8 solid and colored balls and a "9-ball." Snooker is played with 21 balls, 15 red, 1 yellow, 1 green, 1 brown, 1 blue, 1 pink and 1 black. Both games use a white "cue-ball".

Object

The object of both versions of pool is to be the first to "pot," or "pocket," all of their balls --- each players' group is determined by the first ball pocketed by either player who from then on plays that group --- followed by the "8" or "9" ball. The first player to do this wins the frame. The object of snooker is to score more points than your opponent over the course of the frame. Each colored ball is assigned a points value: red is 1, yellow is 2, green is 3, brown is 4, blue is 5, pink is 6 and black is 7.

Table Setup

The starting position for the "break" in pool has the cue ball placed in the center at one end of the table, and the balls placed in a triangle with stripes and solids alternating and the 8 or 9 ball at the center. The starting position for snooker has the cue ball placed at the breaking player's discretion behind a demarcating line at one end of the table and the reds in a triangle at the other. The colored balls are placed on their designated spots around the table.

Foul Shots

In pool, when a foul shot like pocketing an opponent's ball is committed, the opponent is able to place the cue ball anywhere on the table, at his discretion, for his next shot. In snooker, 4 points are awarded to the opponent.