Have you ever seen a snooker table in North America?

[earlysunsets2]

I always get the impression that nobody in the US especially has ever even heard of snooker. I prefer playing pool myself, but only because i'm useless at snooker.

Over the years, very few professional snooker players from the American continents at all. The ones that spring to mind are Cliff Thorburn and Kirk Stevens, who are both Canadian and both were top players in the 1980s mainly. There's been several other Canadian pro's too over the years that haven't quite hit those heights. Why Canada had a few world class players at one point, but no longer does, i have no idea.

Most of the pros are from the UK (12 out of the current top 16 in the rankings), with a decent amount from China and then the odd one or two from places as far flung as Belgium, Australia, Thailand and Iran. Most of the big tournaments are held in the UK, so that doesn't help overseas players. Most of the non-UK pros live in the UK most of the year to cut down on travelling.

Snooker is incredibly difficult, but the pros make it look so easy. I've been a decent pool player, played for teams and had times when i can reel off 3 or 4 frames without missing a pot. But snooker is so much harder. The tables are about twice the size, i can barely see the length of the table, never mind pot balls that far away! The pros just knock them in like they're over the pocket.

It's not small fry, the winner of the World Championship currently gets £500,000. And that's only 1 tournament out of a pretty full calendar. You'd expect more players from around the world to pop up, with that kind of money involved.

[Jonathan Sensei]

A couple of times at a few local bars.

[Rumpelcrutchskin]

It`s always been mostly UK thing with most of the heavy hitters being from there. I never really liked pool but I like to watch snooker sometimes to relax.

[Out Of Bubblegum]

Not that I know of.

[Raoul]

Had a snooker table in our conservatory growing up and it was amazing. Sadly had to leave it behind when we moved which upset me but I did continue playing at my local clubs with friends and still try to though we go in for some pool mostly nowadays. It's definitely something you need to start at a young age and keep at if serious about it. The skill cap for snooker is much higher obviously but keeping a high level of consistency in every match is the real challenge.

[Enterprofilenamehere]

Pool tables are pretty common (and I've played a couple times and am familiar with the rules) but not snooker tables.

[Tsubame ⭐]

Few people play Snooker in North America. I have got a pool table, and do have a Snooker set. When I offer to play Snooker, everyone either does not know what it is or just laughs.

What people play here are 8 or 9 ball pool, or something along these lines.

[Affronter]

Yes.

[Q-T_3.14.exe]

What the difference between that, a billiard table and a pool table?

[Fajita Jim]

Only in Canada but they also play that weird bowling with the pins tied to the ropes.

[76561198356019466]

Originally posted by Fajita Jim:

Only in Canada but they also play that weird bowling with the pins tied to the ropes.

And in the U.P. we play pretty much everything Canada does.

[Fajita Jim]

Originally posted by tiny E:

Originally posted by Fajita Jim:

Only in Canada but they also play that weird bowling with the pins tied to the ropes.

And in the U.P. we play pretty much everything Canada does.

All I know is they had this huge arcade near the Queens theater in Toronto full of pinball machines and someday I'm going back.

[Grendalcat]

Is that the huge pool table with no pockets? If so, an arcade I frequented long ago had a couple of them, along with regular pool tables.

Edit: I just checked and it's called a carom table. So I have seen a couple of them.
Is snooker just an oversize pool table then?

[Q-T_3.14.exe]

Originally posted by Rupika:

Originally posted by Q-T_3.14.exe:

What the difference between that, a billiard table and a pool table?

Snooker table is much bigger. I'm not sure about billiards, but maybe even bigger.

Really? Just the size? There must be more.

[Jonathan Sensei]

Originally posted by Q-T_3.14.exe:

Originally posted by Rupika:

Snooker table is much bigger. I'm not sure about billiards, but maybe even bigger.

Really? Just the size? There must be more.

Snooker is played with 15 pink numberless balls, 6 numbered object balls, and 1 cue ball, while Pool is played on a table with 6 pockets, with 9 to 15 object balls, and in addition, a cue ball.

Etc.

https://tribilliards.com/information/billiards-vs-pool-vs-snooker.html

[Q-T_3.14.exe]

Originally posted by Jonathan:

Originally posted by Q-T_3.14.exe:

Really? Just the size? There must be more.

Snooker is played with 15 pink numberless balls, 6 numbered object balls, and 1 cue ball, while Pool is played on a table with 6 pockets, with 9 to 15 object balls, and in addition, a cue ball.

Etc.

https://tribilliards.com/information/billiards-vs-pool-vs-snooker.html

Very informative. Thank you.