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Frequently Asked Questions
This document is designed to be used as a reference
to both the newsgroup
news:alt.Sport.Snooker and the Global Snooker Centre
website.
1) What is the Global Snooker
Centre?
2) When was snooker invented and by whom?
3) What are the basic rules of snooker ?
4) Where can I find the full, official rules?
5) How do I play the game/ where do I get help?
6) What are the measurements of the table?
7) How much space do I need for a snooker table?
8) How do I find out when snooker is on television?
9) Who are the past World champions?
10) What are the best breaks at the World championships?
11) Where can I find video tapes of matches?
12) Where can I find out about Ladies snooker?
13) How do I find somewhere to play?
14) How do I find someone to play against?
15) Where can I get tickets for tournaments?
16) Where can I contact players on the web?
17) Where can I find pictures of players?
18) What are the current world rankings?
19) Can I find out how many maximums have been made in competition?
20) What is the theme tune to Pot Black?
21) What are snooker balls made of?
22) How were the first snooker tables made?
23) How is it possible to get a break over 147?
1) What is the Global Snooker Centre?
The Global Snooker Centre is the concept that whatever
their association to the games of Snooker or Billiards, everybody
is a member of one Global club. The newsgroup alt.sport.snooker
and the Global Snooker Centre web site were both set up to bring
together people from around the world, providing an interchange
of news, views and information.
Both the newsgroup and website are primarily devoted
snooker, but English billiards and other cue sports are also well catered for.
i) Newsgroup - Anybody is welcome to participate,
ask questions, create discussions, provide news from your club,
home town, country etc, in fact wherever you are in the world. We
are all members of one giant snooker family, and the philosophy
behind the Newsgroup is that we all participate, whether a player
- at any level - or a fan , administrator, you are an integral part
of the world fabric of snooker - a sport watched and played by countless
millions, with enormous growth expected in tournaments - see who
won and lost in their local leagues, find out how your favourite
player did. Visit the world's first snooker newsgroup at news:alt.sport.snooker.
There are other newsgroups catering for pool disciplines: alt.sport.pool
and rec.sport.billiard and also country specific cue sports sites:
fr.rec.sport.billiard, a new group predominantly in French; sfnet.harrastus.biljardi
a Finnish newsgroup and hkforum.sport.snooker, based in Hong Kong,
mainly in Chinese script.
ii) Website - The reasoning behind the website was
originally as follows: to personalise the Newsgroup - with pictures
and profiles of some of the contributors, to provide an outlet for
pictures and other attachments which can't be posted to Usenet,
to provide a one-stop Click for other useful snooker/billiards sites,
to provide a further outlet for all aspects of snooker - particularly
those not covered in any detail eg Ladies Snooker, Player Links,
Billiards, to provide global interactivity between all snooker
aficionados
- one global snooker family.
GSC has now evolved into the largest independent
cue sports website in the world. It brings you all the latest
results, live scoring, news, photographs and information on every
aspect of snooker from the top of the professional game down to
grass roots beginners. GSC is now a Cue Sports Portal, embracing
site of special interest embracing various aspects of the game.
2) When was snooker invented and by whom?
Although there are several schools of thought about
the evolution of snooker the generally accepted history was written
by Clive Everton for the Benson & Hedges Yearbook:
"In 1875 Colonel Sir Neville Chamberlain was
a young subaltern with the Devonshire regiment stationed at Jubbulpore.
During the rainy season the officers' long afternoons were spent
at the mess billiards table where the parent game (billiards) was
less popular than various round games which were better suited to
more than two players and to which it was easier to add a modest
gambling element. 'Pyramids', perhaps snookers most obvious forerunner,
was a game played with fifteen reds, initially placed in a triangle,
with the apex red on what is now the pink spot but which was then
known as the pyramid spot. Each time a player potted a red, all
his opponents paid across the agreed stake money per ball. In 'life
pool', each player was given a cue-ball and an object-ball (e.g.
white on red, red on yellow), the second players object ball being
the first players cue-ball and so on. The object was to pot ones
specified object-ball three times. Each time a player's ball was
potted, he lost a life and had to pay an agreed stake. When he had
lost three 'lives' he paid an extra sum for a 'star' (or extra life)
and when that was gone he was 'dead'. When only one player remained
he scooped the kitty.
'Black pool' was a development of pool in that a
black ball was added. When a player had potted his allocated ball,
he could attempt the black. If he was successful, each of his opponents
paid across an additional sum and he could then attempt the nearest
ball. Joe Davis spent many of his youthful hours playing a similar
game, 'pink pool'. Black pool was the preferred game among the Devonshire
officers but it was Chamberlain's inspiration gradually to add other
coloured balls so that snooker came to be played with fifteen reds,
yellow, green, pink and black. Blue and brown were added some years
later.
These new colours produced a game whose variety (and
variety of monetary forfeits) immediately caught on. the concept
of break-building was much in the future and even the point values
of the balls were not established until a little later; but it was
in these casual and almost chance beginnings that the game undoubtedly
had its origin. When interviewed in 1938, Chamberlain recalled that
the 'Devons' one afternoon received a visit from a young subaltern
who had been trained at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. In
the course of conversation, the later happened to remark that a
first year cadet at Woolwich was referred to as a 'snooker' with
the implication that this was the status of the lowest of the low.
The original word for cadet had been the French 'neux' which had
been corrupted to 'snooker'.
Chamberlain said :'The term was a new one to me but I soon had the
opportunity of exploiting it when one of our party failed to hole
a coloured ball which was close to a corner pocket. I called out
to him: "Why, you're a regular snooker!"
'I had to explain to the company the definition of
the word and to soothe the feelings of the culprit I added that
we were all, so to speak, snookers at the game so it would be very
appropriate to call the game snooker. The suggestion was adopted
with enthusiasm and the game has been called snooker ever since.'
3) What are the basic rules of snooker?
Snooker is played with 22 balls which are positioned
at the start of the game as shown in the diagram.
The cue-ball, which is used alternatively by both
players , can be placed anywhere in the 'D' for the first shot but
must then be played from where it comes to rest after each shot
except after an in-off or if it is forced off the table, in which
case the next player must again play from the 'D'.
Points are scored by potting and by receiving penalties from foul
strokes. Each player must first attempt to strike a red (value 1).
When he pots a red he must then play at a colour, the values of
which are: black (7), pink (6), blue (5), brown (4), green (3),
yellow (2). The player should nominate the colour he is attempting
when it is close to another colour and not obvious which ball has
been chosen.
If a colour is potted, it is replaced on its own spot, another red
is then attempted and so on until all the reds have been potted.
The colours are then potted in order (yellow, green, brown, blue,
pink and black) until only the cue-ball remains on the table. Failure
to strike a red involves a penalty of four points (the minimum penalty
for any shot) but the penalty is increased to 5,6 or 7 if, instead
of a red, the cue-ball strikes blue, pink or black. An in-off is
a foul carrying a penalty of four points, or more if the ball hits
a higher valued colour before entering the pocket. Failure to strike
a nominated colour also carries a penalty of four points, or more
if the ball involved is of higher value. If, for example, green
is nominated but pink is struck, the penalty is 6. If pink is nominated
and green is struck the penalty is also 6. Penalties often result
from snookers.
A snooker occurs when the balls are so placed that
a player cannot strike the ball he is due to play without hitting
a cushion or making the cue-ball swerve. If a player is snookered
on the reds after a foul shot by his opponent he may nominate any
coloured ball as a red. This is known as a free ball. If he pots
it he scores one and can then nominate a colour in the usual way.
If no red remains, a free ball is valued at a number of points equal
to that of the lowest value colour remaining and the colours are
then taken in sequence. For the purpose of this rule, a player is
deemed to be snookered if he cannot directly hit both sides of the
object-ball he is due to play (the exception to this rule is when
one or more reds a preventing a player striking a particular red.)
Foul Shots After any foul shot, whether he is entitled to a free
ball or not, a player can ask his opponent to play again.
A foul is committed in both billiards and snooker
if: a) a player's cue-tip strikes the cue-ball more than once in
the same stroke b) a ball is forced off the table c) a player plays
with both feet off the floor d) a player plays before all the balls
have come to rest e) a player strikes or touches a ball other than
with the tip of his cue f) the cue-ball jumps or an intervening
ball If at the end of a frame the scores are level, the black is
replaced on its spot and the player winning the toss of a coin has
the choice of whether he or his opponent takes first shot at it
from anywhere within the 'D'.
4) Where can I find the full, official rules?
The full, official rules are available from the
WSA
website. They are also available in referee John Street's official
book and the Sussex referees web page -
http://www.refs.org.uk/
and
the Official IBSF website, all links accessible from the GSC website.
5) How do I play the game/ where do I get help?
Obviously a FAQ can be of little assistance in the
way of diagrams and pictures. There are a number of links to National
governing bodies on the GSC website. Sending an enquiring e-mail
to your governing body should get you a list of national/regional
coaches. Many countries now run their own Coaching Foundations.
Individual or group coaching is far better, and much more likely
to show rapid improvement, than reading from a web or book page.
Check out the Global and National Links on the GSC site for local
information. You can also contact the WSA to enquire about the services
of one of the WSA Official Coaches. Write to
WPBSA,
Albert House
111-117 Victoria St
Bristol BS1 6AX
Telephone 0117
317 8200.
6) What are the measurements of the table?
The Standard Table sizes are as follows in Imperial
and Metric measures.
a) The playing area within the cushion faces shall
measure 11ft 8 1/2 inches (3500mm) x 5ft 10 inches (1750mm) with
a tolerance on both dimensions of +/- 1/2 in (3mm).
b) The height of the table from the floor to the
top of the cushion rail shall be from 2ft 9 1/2 inches to 2ft 10
1/2 inches (850mm to 875mm).
c) Baulk-line and baulk. A straight line drawn 29
ins (700mm) from the face of the bottom cushion and parallel to
it is called the Baulk-line and the intervening space termed the
Baulk.
d) The "D" is a semi-circle described in
Baulk with its centre at the middle of the Baulk-line and with a
radius of 11 1/2 ins (292mm). 1/6th the width of the Playing area).
e) Four spots marked on the centre longitudinal line
of the table. i) the Black spot: 12 3/4 ins (320mm) from the point
perpendicular below the face of the top cushion. ii) the Centre
spot: Midway between the centre pockets and equidistant from the
faces of the top and bottom cushions. iii) the Pink spot: Midway
between the centre spot and the face of the top cushion. iv) the
Brown spot: Middle of the Baulk-line.
f) Pockets These can vary! Official templates are
supplied, under licence from the WSA, by E.J. Riley & Co. The
variation in pockets normally comes from the drop of the slate,
rather than the pocket openings. The deeper the slate is built into
the pocket, the tighter a pocket effectively becomes. All tables
used in WSA World Rankings tournaments have to conform to the official
templates. You will often hear views expressed that "our"
club tables are tighter than the TV tables, they've been templated.
Maybe, but I've played on both and the only time I've come across
tables that play tighter than the TV Match tables is when playing
on old "Billiards" tables, where the middle pockets in
particular can be excessively tight.
7) How much space do I need for a snooker table?
For a 12 x 6 ft snooker table you will need 16 1/2
ft x 22 1/2 ft (5.0m x 6.8m approx.). Between two tables you need
at least the length of a cue to allow for all sizes of player and
varying stances. If you are putting a room in your house, don't
forget to allow extra space for seating and leg room for spectators.
8) How do I find out when snooker is on television?
There isn't an easy answer to this. Checking TV schedules
of your local and/or national stations is your best bet. However,
the BBC show these 'big 4' events;
World Championship (April/May)
UK Championship (November)
Benson and Hedges (February)
Grand Prix (October)
Regal Welsh (January) - BBC Wales
Regal Masters (October) - BBC Scotland
These events are well established in the BBC's sporting
calendar and should be for a long time to come yet. More events
such as Seniors Pot Black have been filmed for future transmission
by various TV companies around the world. Keep your eyes open. Sky
shows (or has shown): Scottish Open, Premier League,
British Open, German Invitation, Trick Shot World Championship, Mosconi
Cup and other 9-ball events. BBC Wales broadcast the Welsh Open, RTE in Ireland cover the Irish
Masters and RTE Teletext is online so you can check their listings. Eurosport gave
extended coverage of the 2001 Embassy World Championship across Europe
and it is hoped that they will be televising more snooker in the
future. Local TV in China, Hong Kong and Thailand cover Major events
in the Far East. Several European countries receive coverage of
their domestic snooker events, for instance Holland. ESPN in America
covers a lot of US 9-ball pool, especially the Women's game.
9 ) The answer to this question can be found in the
History section of the GSC website.
10) The answer to this question can be found in the
History section of the GSC website.
11) Where can I find video tapes of matches?
www.amazon.com is useful if searching for videos.
There is a link on the GSC website. Snooker Scene magazine often
advertise current commercially available tapes and private sales.
Anybody wanting UK viewers to tape matches for them, beware: The
US and Canada use a different VHS format to Europe which will result
in watching three hours of static when the tape is returned! The
USA Snooker Association has formed a collection of tapes converted
to USA format. Contact Michael Collins for details. Also check out
Roger Lee's historic site for compilations of old archive and rare
billiards and snooker video footage. Hermund's www snooker marketplace
might prove a good source. Also check out
www.ebay.com for the auctions of
snooker collectibles.
12) Where can I find out about Ladies snooker?
Check right here on GSC for contact details, rankings,
calendars of events and links to other sites. The Chairman of the
World Ladies Billiards and Snooker Association is Mandy Fisher.
Mandy Fisher,
Chairman,
26, Wellbeck Road,
Wisbech,
Cambs, PE13 2JY.
13) How do I find somewhere to play?
Most national and regional associations have lists
of clubs on their sites or can easily be e-mailed to anyone interested. WWW snooker has a list
of venues at Snoohoo, Venues.
In the UK a good source of information is www.yell.co.uk the online
Yellow Pages, where you can search for Snooker Clubs anywhere in
the UK.
14) How do I find someone to play against?
The newsgroup is one place to find people in your
area, or wherever, to play against. There are a lot of people who
read but don't post so nobody really knows who is out there. Watch
out for posts advertising listings on websites. Until that happens,
use the age old formula of joining a club, being friendly with the
members and asking for a game. Practising alone on the table next
to the bar guarantees that someone will ask you for a game, it always
happens to me anyway! Another option is through your national and
local associations and particularly the local leagues.
15) Where can I get tickets for tournaments?
Make enquiries about bookings at the WSA, or
contact the venues direct.
16) Where can I contact players on the web?
www.110snooker.com is one place to go. Watch out
for information on how to chat to the 110sport players.
Also visit sites such as www.wheelsinmotion.net to post enquiries
directly to the Wheels in Motion Players. If you want to write to
a player, you can either write c/o their Management Stable, send
a letter c/o a venue where they're playing, or send your letter,
enclosed in a envelope to the WSA to forward on. Don't forget to
put the required postage on and if you want a reply always enclose
a stamped addressed envelope.
17) Where can I find pictures of players?
Eric Whitehead has the most comprehensive collection
of snooker pictures anywhere on the web (probably anywhere in the
World). He has been the leading snooker photographer for more than
20 years and has been the mainstay of the snooker press and publications
in the UK and abroad, also publishing books under his own name.
His site can be found at; www.snookerimages.co.uk.
Always remember though that any pictures you see on
Eric's, GSC or any other site are copyright protected.
You may not use or reproduce the pictures without prior arrangement
with the owner.
18) What are the current World rankings?
The world rankings are published at the end of each
season but the best way to keep up with current form is to read
the provisional rankings which are updated after each tournament.
The latest rankings are kept up to date on
www.worldsnooker.com
and of course on GSC.
19) Can I find out how many maximums have been made
in competition?
Yes, check out the GSC history pages for the latest
list of 147s.
20) What is the theme tune to Pot Black called?
The theme tune to Pot Black is "Black and White
Rag" by Winifred Atwell.
21) What are snooker balls made of?
Ivory was always the material most favoured in the
manufacture of billiard balls and although a composition type was
available, they did not gain preference in championship play until
the late 1920's. There was a problem with some early types of composition
ball, which had a tendency to 'explode'!
The composition included the same material that
had been developed for the making of gun powder! Now, of course,
ivories have disappeared and all recognised competitions are played
with composition balls made of a cast phenolic resin and they must
meet specifications laid down by IBSF and WPBSA.
22) How were the first snooker tables made?
The first tables were made entirely from wood. Slate
beds were introduced in 1826, and the construction changed drastically
in order to accommodate the additional weight. The now familiar,
very solid framework with eight legs appeared and this design has
remained virtually unaltered with the exception of the use of modern
materials. Some tables are 'enclosed' on the underside of the table
to give the impression that it is mounted on a plinth. It was not
until 1892 that the measurements of the table were standardised
by the Billiards Association. After the introduction of slate, the
next major improvement was the replacement of felt cushions with
natural rubber in 1835. This was superceded by synthetic rubber
ten years later.
23) How is it possible to get a break over 147?
This can only happen if, at the start of the break,
the player has been awarded a "free ball", following a
foul by his opponent. The free balls acts as an extra red, after
which you can take the black, thus adding an extra 8 points to your
possible score. The highest recorded break starting with a free
ball is by Wally West, a well known London Amateur, who compiled
a break of 151.
Global Snooker Centre FAQ was compiled by Martin Wilson, Martin
Bell, Chris Turner and Janie Watkins.
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