Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12' × 6') baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. It is played using a cue, one white ball (the cue ball), 15 red balls (worth 1 point each) and 6 colours: a yellow (2 points), green (3 points), brown (4 points), blue (5 points), pink (6 points) and black ball (7 points). A player wins a frame of snooker by scoring more points than his opponent, using the cue ball to pot the balls in the manner described below. A match consists of an agreed number of frames. Snooker is particularly popular in English-speaking and Commonwealth countries, and the Far East.

History

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The game of billiards dates back to the 15th century but snooker is a more recent invention. In the late 19th century billiards games were popular among British army officers stationed in India, and players used to experiment with variations on the game. Due to the fact that billiards was a two-player game, multi-player variations such as life pool (where different coloured balls were use as cue and/or object balls, depending on the situation or number of players) and pyramid pool (fifteen red balls racked in a triangle where each player received a point per ball potted) became popular. Black pool was a form of pyramid pool that took the black ball from a life pool set so a player could pot a red then the black for more points. The most commonly accepted story is that, at the officers' mess in Jabalpur some time in 1875, a Colonel Sir Neville Francis Fitzgerald Chamberlain suggested adding coloured balls to black pool so that the variation featured fifteen reds, a yellow, green, pink and black (blue and brown were added some years later). The word 'snooker' was army slang for a first-year cadet. During a game a cadet missed a shot and Chamberlain said to him: "Why you're a regular snooker!" After explaining the meaning to his fellow peers, Chamberlain added that they were perhaps all snookers at this game. The term was adopted for the new variation and has been in use ever since.Billiards - The Official Rules & Records Book, US ISBN 1558211896 British billiards champion John Roberts travelled to India in 1885, where he met Chamberlain. Chamberlain explained the new game to him, and Roberts subsequently introduced it to England.

Snooker championships date back to 1916. In 1927, Joe Davis helped establish the first professional world championship, and won its prize of £6.10s (£6.50, equivalent to about £200 or $348 today). He went on to win every subsequent world championship until 1946, when he retired from tournament play. The trophy he donated all those years ago is still awarded to the world champion.

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Everyone wants snooker doddles today. Jeez.
kristinadeckert (kristina deckert) Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:00:51 -0000
Everyone wants snooker doddles today. Jeez.
looking for another free UK VPN service for iplayer...want to watch the last of the snooker finals, damn it #vpn
a_random_bloke (Richard Brown) Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:59:19 -0000
looking for another free UK VPN service for iplayer...want to watch the last of the snooker finals, damn it #vpn
Thu 17th Dec: Snooker, Killarney, Ireland , day 1 Six Red World Champs http://tinyurl.com/ydtjlp6
livesportontv (livesportontv.com) Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:45:05 -0000
Thu 17th Dec: Snooker, Killarney, Ireland , day 1 Six Red World Champs http://tinyurl.com/ydtjlp6
Fri 18th Dec: Snooker, Killarney, Ireland , day 2 Six Red World Champs http://tinyurl.com/y8sc5cg
livesportontv (livesportontv.com) Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:45:04 -0000
Fri 18th Dec: Snooker, Killarney, Ireland , day 2 Six Red World Champs http://tinyurl.com/y8sc5cg
@Hoecs You got snooker? I'm gonna have to change my mode of ailment. Wonder what they offer for say, embarrassing superglue accident victims
MaisieKillilea (Maisie Killilea) Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:34:57 -0000
@Hoecs You got snooker? I'm gonna have to change my mode of ailment. Wonder what they offer for say, embarrassing superglue accident victims
Back from snooker, helping my mate fix his laptop (again)
littlepaul000 (Paul Moscrop) Tue, 15 Dec 2009 21:13:32 -0000
Back from snooker, helping my mate fix his laptop (again)

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