Most people are unable to tell the difference between snooker and pool game tables. Both games are played on the table, but the differences are determined by the number of balls, table size, and pockets, cues, and height. The games appear under cue sports, a wide selection of games played with specific apparatus including billiard balls, cloth-covered table, and a cue stick. Cue sports are classified into three categories, namely snooker, pocket billiards, and carom.
The three classes consist of a specific set of games that differ from each other; Carom and Pocket billiards differ in that the latter has pockets along with the table. Snooker and pool are categorized under pocket billiards with the difference in popularity, historical significance, apparatus specification, rules, and regulations of playing the games.
Snooker is a game that involves thinking, contemplating, and applying a slow pace, and its emphasis is on strategic positional play. On the other hand, the pool emphasizes pressure and not accuracy involving risky bank shots. Players interested to learn more about these games can read snooker and pool reviews by browsing the best game tables.
The gameplay of Snooker and Pool
The snooker table is played with 22 balls: 15 red and with no numbers, one white cue ball, and six numbered balls, i.e., one ball of yellow, green, brown, blue, pink, and black. Also, bridge sticks, scorecard, chalk for cue tips, and cue stick are required. Potting a red ball followed by one of the six other colored balls in that order leads to the accumulation of points. After being sunk the red balls remain off the table while the rest colored balls are replaced in the designated position.
The game consists of two players and a referee whose role is to officiate the match from the start till the end and announce the player’s score at the end of each match.
In a pool game, the number of balls differs from game to game depending on the specifications outlined in the play. The game consists of 16 balls, from which eight are colored balls having numbers one to eight, seven balls with colored stripes consisting of numbers 9 -15, and a white cue ball. Sixteen balls are used to play an 8-ball pool game where players start by claiming their respective suits of balls varying in design or color. A player strives to pocket their claimed suit before pocketing the eight ball while monitoring the opponent’s attempt to pocket their suit.
The player should avoid pocketing the 8-ball early in the game accidentally. An agreement before the game starts to determine the number of points to be scored in a Straight pool. Therefore, the player must keep announcing the target pocket and the intended object ball ahead of each shot. Scoring one point by a player results from a successful pocketing.
The significant differences in the features of Snooker and Pool
Pockets – Pool tables have drop pockets that act as receptacles for holding the balls. Modern tables have a ball return system allowing automatic channeling of balls into a collection on any side of the table. Snooker has smaller pockets due to its relatively smaller size balls, spaced farther apart due to the larger table size.
Cloth Speed – A tightly–woven worsted wool cloth known as baize, which is traditional green in color, is used to cover the table beds. The speed and magnitude of friction are determined by the nap and thickness of this cloth. More speed and responsiveness result from the cloth on the larger table, which is thinner than smaller tables, which is more nappy and thick. The snooker table larger size makes the cloths relevant speed higher than that of the pool tables with a more thick nappy cloth and is small.
Markings – A snooker table has specific markings representing the balk area drawn parallel to the tables` shorter side. The colored object balls are to be placed in the given drawing marks. In a pool table, it is different because it doesn’t bear such markings.
Cue Sticks – It involves employing the general rule of physical mechanics in a stick and ball game; the stick should have a calculated weight of 3.5 times greater than that of the ball. It results in the sizes of balls and sticks that are directly proportional. Balls in a pool game are large and heavy, which makes the stick have a large volume. A flexible shaft and a bigger tip are needed to execute a big thrown more giant balls properly. Snooker games have strong and stiff cues because players are more concerned with accuracy. On the other hand, pool cues are less and can easily be carried around, dismantled, and stored.
