Billiard games seem easy to learn only on the surface. In reality, they require considerable dexterity skills, a keen eye, and a steady hand. Apart from classic billiards, snooker – a variety in which the game is played mainly for colors – enjoys great popularity. What is snooker? What is the game about and how to improve your skills?
Snooker, as mentioned earlier, belongs to the family of pool games
. The game is played on a table with dimensions of 3.6 m by 1.8 m. The playing area is made up of six pockets known as the scales. The game can involve either two players or two teams. The snooker table should be made of high quality wool cloth and mahogany frame. Importantly, 22 balls are required for this type of pool game, including:
– 15 red,
– 6 colored (yellow, green, brown, blue, pink, black – in order from the lowest to the highest score, where yellow is worth 2 points and black 7),
– 1 white.
To pocket the balls you also need a cue stick, which may be of different lengths. Its size depends mainly on the player’s preference, but it should not be shorter than 91 centimeters. The game also allows auxiliary objects, among which are a cross, an extension, a cap and a cradle.
The game of snooker seems complicated, but upon closer inspection you will find that it is simple. The difficulties lie elsewhere, but this is covered later in this text. The game is based on alternating red and colored balls – after the red ball the player declares the color with which he intends to hit the target. Depending on whether it is time to pocket a red ball or a colored ball, the red ball is the first to be contacted by the white ball. If it hits another ball, the opponent gets the right of way and extra points.
In snooker, a maximum of 147 points can be scored in one go at the table, which very few players manage to do. To do this, a player would have to alternate hitting the red ball and the black ball into the hole, without choosing another color.
Basic knowledge of snooker ?⚫️
To be able to introduce you to your passion and the related work of a sports psychologist, it is worth…
Published by Dream Big – Kacper Papiernik Sports Psychologist Friday, February 28, 2020
Each snooker match consists of games known as frames. The organizers usually specify the maximum number of games that can be played, usually an odd number so that there is no possibility of a tie. The winner is the player who gets the most of them through good stroke planning, tactics and a bit of luck.
Snooker is an extremely technical and demanding game. First of all, it is important that the player knows how to set up the bridge. It consists in placing the hand on the table and slightly lifting the thumb. This creates a groove between the thumb and the index finger, and this is where the club will move.
Before each stroke it is extremely important to adopt the correct posture. Right-handed players should slightly bend the right knee, while the left knee should be fully straight. This technique allows the player to have full control over the stick. If the player manages to master it, he should not have much problem with the proper guidance of the club.
Featured Image: Pixabay
