For some, it’s quite easy to get mixed up between pool and snooker, however they are two very different sports. They both stemmed from the original billiards, but have been developed in different ways and hold a different purpose. Typically in places such as pubs, arcades and social pubs, you would be more likely to be able to play a game of pool than snooker. This is perhaps because pool is a little easier and not as many people are as aware of the rules of snooker and the different ways you can have fun with it. Furthermore, pool is a slightly shorter game so it’s more convenient to some. However, snooker is actually a more popular sport in the UK than pool in terms of it being played professionally and watched by huge audiences.
What’s the difference?
In both snooker and pool, you can play various games with different objectives and aims, and you can also play with more than two people. However we have explained the general rules of each below to clarify how they differ from one and other.
Pool
Really, pool is a little bit more simple than snooker, and perhaps a more popular game for people to enjoy as it’s easier for them to understand. Pool can be played with up to 15 balls, including the white ball to aim with, the black ball to determine the winner at the end, and half and half spots and stripes. It starts with the break at the beginning and the first person to pot a spot or stripe determines which they are playing for. Each player then has to aim to pot one of their group into the pockets, and the winner is determined by who pots the black ball after potting all of their group first.
Snooker
Snooker is slightly more complicated and works by scoring points. There are 15 red balls which are all worth one point when you pot them. As well as this, there are six different coloured balls and each of these are worth a different number of points between two and seven. Whilst paying the game and taking shots, players must alternate between the red balls and the coloured balls each time they shoot in order to gain the most points. The game is divided into frames, and the winner of the whole match is determined by who has achieved the highest score of frames.
We hope this has cleared things up a little! Here at Grange Valley Amusements, we currently provide pool tables for hire as one of our services. If you are the owner of a pub or social club, or anywhere that you feel a pool table would really appeal to your customers and be something for them to enjoy, let us know! We know from experience that having some kind of gaming facility, like a pool table in your facility, can be a great move and really liven the place up a bit. If this sounds like something you’re interested in and you’d like to take one of our pool tables to hire, don’t hesitate to contact us on 01925 232 172 or send an email to grangevalleyamusements@hotmail.co.uk and we will get back to you with the necessary response and options available!
