The Difference Between Snooker and Pool
By
Will Brown
Contributor Updated: 05 November 2024
Will Brown Contributor
William Brown is a Content Writer with strong expertise in US and global gambling industry trends. Having covered the local sports betting market since the repeal of PASPA in 2018, William approaches his gambling guides with passion and diligence. He is a keen player of online slots, blackjack, and a regular sports bettor.
Billiards, or cue sports, are staples of bars, clubs, and recreation centers around the world, with pool and snooker in particular widely popular among amateur players due to their accessibility. However, the names of both games are frequently but incorrectly used interchangeably, and some may not realize that there is a difference between snooker and pool. In this guide, we’ve looked at the distinct characteristics of each game from their table sizes and equipment to their rules.
Intro to the Differences in Pool and Snooker Rules
This guide seeks to answer the question, “What is the difference between snooker and pool?” To do this efficiently, we’ve begun by looking at the origin of both games. We have then broken down the differences according to their major characteristics, beginning with the table size.
From there, we’ve discussed the variations in the equipment such as the cues and balls, before delving deeper into the rules and gameplay differences. To round out the guide, we’ve discussed some of the most prestigious professional competitions for each sport that bettors should keep an eye out for.
- Pool and Snooker Origins
- Table Size Differences
- Ball and Cue Differences
- Rule and Gameplay Differences
- Professional Billiards Competitions
The Origins of Pool and Snooker
To fully comprehend the difference between pool and snooker games, it’s helpful to look back to the origins of both games, as these are surprisingly varied. The game of pool is the older of the two and dates back to the 1400s in Northern Europe. Like most billiards games, it evolved from outdoor lawn games such as croquet.
These were moved indoors onto tables, likely due to the weather constraints of these cold climates in Winter. The name “pool” originates from the collective betting that was pooled together in the rooms where the game was played. Various forms of pool emerged over the years, with modern variants including eight-ball and nine-ball games. Pool is the most popular billiards game in the USA.
Snooker is relatively young compared to pool. It was invented in India in the 1800s by British Army officers, with its name believed to have come from slang referring to first-year cadets. Snooker quickly became popular in Britain and throughout its colonies, and was long considered a “gentleman’s sport”.
As this guide will explore, the pool and snooker rules are quite different and appeal to different types of players. Generally speaking, pool tends to be more popular with players, though snooker tends to be more popular as a spectator sport. Therefore, it’s important to know the difference between the two, especially if you want to bet on snooker tournaments online.
Pool Table vs Snooker Table Comparisons
Perhaps the most notable difference between pool and snooker is the size and setup of the tables. When looking at the pool table vs snooker table, there is considerably more surface area for playing on a snooker table than in pool. This impacts the gameplay and strategies for each sport.
Pool tables can be between seven and nine feet in length, then in competitive play, they tend to be nine feet long and 4.5 feet wide. Pool tables have six pockets, with one in each corner at one at the midpoint of each longer side. Pool tables are clothed with a faster, shorter-napped fabric that allows for faster ball movement.
In comparison, snooker tables are much larger, with full-size snooker tables measuring 12 feet long by 6 feet wide. This means that the difference between snooker and pool tables is almost twice the amount of surface area for snooker tables. There are six pockets on snooker tables laid out in the same way as pool, though these pockets are smaller and more rounded.
The cloth on a snooker table is slower and has a higher nap, which affects the speed and movement of the balls. These elements amount to a much different gameplay experience for the two games, with pool’s smaller table and faster cloth permitting more dramatic play and snooker’s larger table and slower cloth facilitating more precise and strategic action.
Difference in Playing Equipment
For those asking the question, “Is snooker the same as pool?”, your answer will immediately be answered after comparing the numerous differences in the equipment used for each. The balls and the cues are tailored for each game’s specific rules and the tables they are played on.
In pool, the number and type of balls will vary depending on whether eight or nine-ball games are played. The most popular variant is eight-ball pool, which is named after the black eight-ball in play. There are 16 balls in total for eight-ball pool: a white cue ball, seven solid-colored balls, seven striped balls, and a black eight ball.
Pool balls are typically 2.25 inches in diameter and weigh roughly 6 ounces. Pool cues are around 57 inches long and weigh between 18 and 21 ounces. Snooker utilizes more balls but they are smaller than standard pool balls. A snooker set consists of 22 balls: 15 red balls, one each of yellow, green, brown, blue, pink, and black, and a white cue ball.
Snooker balls are 2.07 inches in diameter and weigh around 4.75 ounces. Snooker cues are typically longer than pool cues, measuring around 59 inches. However, they are slightly lighter, weighing between 16 and 18 ounces. As the next section will describe, the differences in equipment are integral to each game’s specific rules.
Differences in Rules and Gameplay
The real differences between the games truly start to shine in the variation of the pool and snooker rules. While both games are similar in that they require players to strike balls into pockets with the cue, there are significant differences in the gameplay. Therefore, each requires different strategies to win.
In eight-ball pool, the balls are divided into two groups: solids and stripes. The first ball that a player strikes into a pocket will assign that ball group to them. The aim is to pocket all of the assigned balls, then the eight ball, before the other player. Players can hit any ball on the table with the cue ball as long as their assigned ball is hit first.
In snooker, players must pocket a red ball before attempting to pocket a colored ball. Red balls are worth one point, while colored balls are worth between two and seven points. After a colored ball is pocketed, it is returned to its starting position and a player must pocket another red.
This continues until all red balls are pocketed. After this, the colored balls must be pocketed in a specific order. There is an intricate scoring system and requirement for careful strategy, which means that snooker games can last several hours.
Aside from the duration difference between snooker and pool games, there are differing fouls and penalties. In pool, a foul usually results in their opponent allowing to place the cue ball anywhere on the table and a deduction of points. In snooker, fouls tend to result in penalty points awarded to opponents.
Because of the fast-paced nature of pool, the game tends to require a more offensive style of gameplay, while snooker requires more of a delicate blend of offensive and defensive actions. The pool table vs snooker table difference is integral to this varied approach.
The Top Professional Billiards Competitions
For some time, pool competitions had an underground and informal nature due to their roots in gambling culture. It has since become a legitimate professional sport, with several major tournaments offering substantial cash prizes and prestige. The World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) is the major organization that governs international competitions and rankings.
The World Nine-ball Championship and the US Open Pool Championship are both run by the WPA, attracting top players from around the world. The American Poolplayers Association (APA) is a governing body for amateur pool competitions in the USA and runs the world’s largest pool tournament held in Vegas each year.
Due to its origins as a gentleman’s sport, snooker’s professional scene is more formal and developed, with games overseen by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA). This runs the World Snooker Tour, a series that culminates in the World Snooker Championship.
This prestigious event is held annually at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England, and attracts millions of viewers. Major tournaments are regularly broadcast on major television networks, with snooker players earning more fame than professional pool players. Despite this, both games continue to captivate players and spectators around the world for different reasons.
