If you’ve found this page, you’re probably wondering ‘what’s the difference between snooker and pool?’ Although they may seem similar, the two games are very different, and hard to confuse once you know the basics of each.
What is pool?
Pool is usually played with one black ball, 7 yellow balls, 7 red balls and a white cue ball, but it can vary depending on the type of game. Pool is played on a table with 6 pockets.
What is snooker?
Snooker is played with 15 red balls, 6 coloured balls and 1 cue ball - they are all slightly larger than pool balls. Snooker tables are larger than pool tables, but the 6 pockets on a snooker table are smaller than those on a pool table.
Already, we can see some of the major differences, one being the number of balls in play. Keep reading to find out more about the different games.
The difference in rules
Pool is a type of billiards game that is played with pockets. There are multiple variations of pool, but in the UK, the classic game (8-ball pool) involves 7 yellow balls, 7 red balls, a white ball and a black ball. The red and yellow balls are put into a pool triangle, with the black ball in the top centre. The white ball is placed at the opposite end of the table, and the triangle is removed.
The first player starts by hitting the white ball with their pool cue, aiming to break the triangle of balls at the other end. If one of the coloured balls goes in a pocket, this is now their colour and they can try to pot another one in, using the white ball. Their go ends when they fail to pot a ball, pot the white or opponents colour ball or the ball comes off the table. If the player pots the black ball before the end, they have lost. Once all a player’s coloured balls are potted, they must pot the black ball to win.
Snooker is a much more complicated game. The aim is to strike the white cue ball so that it strikes the coloured and pink balls in turn and causes them to fall into one of the six pockets. Points are awarded for legally potting balls in accordance with the rules outlined below, or when the opponent commits a foul.
The yellow, green, brown, blue, pink and black snooker balls, each worth a different number of points, are all placed in a specific position on the table. The 15 red balls are placed in a triangle towards the edge of the table. Players take turns using the snooker cue to hit the white ball, in order to pot a red ball.
If they successfully pot one, they can then attempt to pot a coloured ball for points, in the specific order of yellow (2), green (3), brown (4), blue (5), pink (6), black (7). Between each coloured ball, they must pot a red ball. After each player’s turn, the red balls stay in the pockets but the coloured balls return to their original positions. The winner is the player with the most points at the end.
The difference in tables
UK standard pool tables are 7ft in length, but come in 6ft and 8ft too, (unlike American pool tables, with their standard tournament table size being 9ft). UK pool tables use napped felt, which causes friction and slows down the balls.
Snooker tables are usually lower-set and bigger than pool tables, but their pockets are smaller than those of pool tables. A standard full-size UK snooker table measures 12 ft × 6 ft, which is double the length of a 6ft pool table. Snooker tables use a similar cloth to pool tables.
The difference in accessories
UK coloured pool balls come in at 2”, but British cue balls are only 1 1/17”. Pool cues differ between UK and America, but UK cues are usually 8-9 mm wide at the tip.
Snooker balls are 2⅙”, which is slightly smaller than pool cue balls. Smaller balls are needed to fit in smaller pockets. Snooker cues are about the same length as pool, though some have a slightly smaller tip.
Browse our website to buy beautiful, handcrafted tables like the 7th Mahogany Tulip Leg Snooker Pool Table and the 6ft Mahogany Turned Leg Snooker Pool Table by Padmore.
Can you play snooker on a pool table?
Technically – yes. However, you will need to make some preparations first. You will need to very carefully draw the snooker ‘D’ shape at one end of your table, making sure to be very careful. Some players may choose to buy spot stickers and mark out where the coloured balls should go. You will need to buy your own set of snooker balls, as these are vastly different to pool balls.
For more information, call us at 01462 743803 or email us at [email protected]. We are always happy to help with any and all questions you might have!