Playing Pool with a Snooker Cue

Ty-Tanic

Ty-Tanic

Ty-Tanic Makes U Panic
Silver Member
I was just wondering if anyone likes playing with a snooker cue over a pool cue when playing 9-ball, 8-ball ect. I would like to get into the game of snooker and want to eventually get a snooker cue. I was wondering is there any good in-between cues that you can use for both snooker and pool that would work well? That way you can get comfortable with one cue for both games. I have seen a couple of pros play 9-ball with a snooker cue but I assume they are normally snooker players so they are more comfortable with that style of cue.
 
Snooker cues suck for playing pool. A lot of snooker players start off using their familiar cue on the pool table, but they all switch to pool cues once they start taking it seriously. As for pool cue on the snooker table, I've used a z-shaft playing snooker with no problems, but you'll look like an idiot and you won't get that sweet, stiff hit that comes with an ash snooker cue.
 
My pool cue is a one price John Parris cue with a 10.75 mm tip. It plays fantastic. I've tried OB, Predator, and Mezz cues in the past and they feel too whippy to what I'm used to and don't have the right sound when you hit a ball...thats petty I know but I much prefer the sound of a snooker cue. 10.75mm is a little too big to play snooker with for me, so if you're going to buy a snooker cue go for a 9-9.5mm tip and don't use it on a pool table.
 
Cues normally relate to the weight of the balls.

Compare the cues for:
English Eight Ball - 1 7/8 "
Snooker - 2 1/ 16"
Pool - 2 1/4"
Russian Pyramid - about 2 5/8"

As balls increase in weight, shaft size increases, cue weight increases.

So playing pool with an 11 mm snooker shaft is probably OK, but playing with a 9 mm snooker shaft or an 8.5 mm English Eight Ball shaft would probably feel a bit weird. :grin:
 
11- 12mm is a good crossover tip size IMO. I have owned and played with a few pool cues that were capable of moving the balls around on a snooker table. However, I would never try using a snooker cue for pool. When you get down to 9 or 10 mm tips, it just feels like crap (to me at least). Play with a half joint cue and have a pool shaft and a snooker sized shaft. I've not owned a high end snooker cue, so what works for me might not work for some. If you have the funds spoil yourself and buy separate cues! Otherwise, one cue with different shafts should work well.
 
you have good information but . . .

Ty-Tanic said:
I was just wondering if anyone likes playing with a snooker cue over a pool cue when playing 9-ball, 8-ball ect. I would like to get into the game of snooker and want to eventually get a snooker cue. I was wondering is there any good in-between cues that you can use for both snooker and pool that would work well? That way you can get comfortable with one cue for both games. I have seen a couple of pros play 9-ball with a snooker cue but I assume they are normally snooker players so they are more comfortable with that style of cue.
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You have good information already but I doubt many of them have played pool with a snooker cue for very long. How good a snooker cue is or isn't for playing pool depends a lot on your style and I'm sure the new fast cloth and cushions have made it work better. However, if you like to play three rail shape just for grins cause you like to watch the cue ball roll around the table a snooker cue isn't for you playing pool. If you prefer to play a close tight game and stun the cue ball left or right six inches for the next shot, not five and a half or six and a half inches, it may be for you.

I have played a lot of snooker with a pool cue. I have played a fair amount of pool with a snooker cue. I can tell you it is a lot easier to play snooker with a pool cue than pool with a snooker cue. However, if you persist and learn to play pool with a snooker cue you may find it highly rewarding, I did.

Hu
 
I'm sorry but I can't agree with playing snooker with a pool cue is easier. For a start you can't really pick out much of the cue ball if you like to have your chin on the cue, the tip, even on say a Z2 is far far too big. I play with a 10.5mm Parris cue for pool, and even that would be too big for snooker, in fact I found it was too big for snooker hence why it became my pool cue. I've never had any issues going 3, 4 or 5 rails with a snooker cue, nor have I had issues with deep screw or extreme side.

One thing I have had issues with is the tip. I go through a tip every few weeks. I use Elkmaster tips and they need a lot of shaping with the big heavy cue ball. You can use a layered snooker tip which would last longer but I'm not a fan of the Kamui Black snooker tips.

Like with any cue, you don't want a cheap one. Preferably you want one that's hand made and from Britain. They can get pricey so it comes down to whether the price is worth tying something new. If you get a cheap crappy cue from china then you will hate it and could miss out ever trying a nice quality made snooker cue.
 
style

Pidge said:
I'm sorry but I can't agree with playing snooker with a pool cue is easier. For a start you can't really pick out much of the cue ball if you like to have your chin on the cue, the tip, even on say a Z2 is far far too big. I play with a 10.5mm Parris cue for pool, and even that would be too big for snooker, in fact I found it was too big for snooker hence why it became my pool cue. I've never had any issues going 3, 4 or 5 rails with a snooker cue, nor have I had issues with deep screw or extreme side.

One thing I have had issues with is the tip. I go through a tip every few weeks. I use Elkmaster tips and they need a lot of shaping with the big heavy cue ball. You can use a layered snooker tip which would last longer but I'm not a fan of the Kamui Black snooker tips.

Like with any cue, you don't want a cheap one. Preferably you want one that's hand made and from Britain. They can get pricey so it comes down to whether the price is worth tying something new. If you get a cheap crappy cue from china then you will hate it and could miss out ever trying a nice quality made snooker cue.
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I suspect you are quite right about playing snooker with a pool cue if you play with snooker stance and form. I was playing on the snooker table to improve my pool game and used a pool cue and pool style. My game was already advanced enough that I used angles far more than side and follow far more than draw so I didn't find much issue with the big shaft and tip.

Anyway, I'll stick by what I said with the caveat that this is what I found playing with a pool stance all the time. When I played pool with a snooker cue I played with my regular pool stances, same story when I played snooker with a pool cue.

I didn't know what a snooker stance was until a few decades later!

Hu
 
Thank you guys for all the information. I am still thinking about getting a snooker cue or possibly just having a Ash wood shaft made for my regular playing cue. We shall see what happens.
 
Ty-Tanic said:
Thank you guys for all the information. I am still thinking about getting a snooker cue or possibly just having a Ash wood shaft made for my regular playing cue. We shall see what happens.
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I've played for a bit of money at snooker, pool, and carambole.
I got a snooker cue, a pool cue, and a carom cue.
I recommend using the right tool for the job.

You can hit a green from 80 yards with a three iron.....
....but a man with a pitching wedge will rob you.
 
pt109 said:
You can hit a green from 80 yards with a three iron.....
....but a man with a pitching wedge will rob you.
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Wise words..

If you have a $1000 pool cue, it would be better to get a $100 snooker cue to start with and work up than using your $1000 pool cue and expecting the same results.

I have all three btw (snooker, pool and e8b cue)
 
I have a Titlist Snooker cue at home that I shoot with a lot now. I replaced the tip and that's it.

It is great for 14.1, really
 
Ty-Tanic said:
I was just wondering if anyone likes playing with a snooker cue over a pool cue when playing 9-ball, 8-ball ect. I would like to get into the game of snooker and want to eventually get a snooker cue. I was wondering is there any good in-between cues that you can use for both snooker and pool that would work well? That way you can get comfortable with one cue for both games. I have seen a couple of pros play 9-ball with a snooker cue but I assume they are normally snooker players so they are more comfortable with that style of cue.
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Recently i have been playing snooker and pool with a 10 mm tip i like it a lot, just have to be careful when you are near a rail or jacked up.
 
naji said:
Recently i have been playing snooker and pool with a 10 mm tip i like it a lot, just have to be careful when you are near a rail or jacked up.
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I didn't want to start a whole other thread so I am bumping this one. I got my snooker cue a little over a month ago and have been playing exclusively with it (besides my break shot). To my surprise my game has gone up by 2 or 3 balls. I have also been working a ton on my fundamentals as well. I have switched between the two a couple of times and I seem to play more consistent and accurate with my snooker cue. I went from shooting 60-70 percent to shooting 80-90 percent. Maybe its the smaller tip that makes me focus more or something but it was not what I was expecting. Anyone else prefer to use a snooker cue to play pool. BTW the tip I play with is 10mm.
 
I use a (cheap) snooker cue to play pool. [on a 9ft american table] - I'm a C minus player on my best day prolly. lol doh.
(I don't play snooker too often nowadays [on a 12ft english table]

I can accept some of the described issues of using a pool cue for snooker. (cue is fat / large - balls are small)

But what are the issues / disadvantages again when using an ash (stiff?) snooker cue (10mm) ?
Its harder to "move" the pool cueball around the 9ft table using a snooker cue because ... ???

Sorry if my questions are a bit noob'ish.

Thanx
Cheers.
 
Ty-Tanic said:
I didn't want to start a whole other thread so I am bumping this one. I got my snooker cue a little over a month ago and have been playing exclusively with it (besides my break shot). To my surprise my game has gone up by 2 or 3 balls. I have also been working a ton on my fundamentals as well. I have switched between the two a couple of times and I seem to play more consistent and accurate with my snooker cue. I went from shooting 60-70 percent to shooting 80-90 percent. Maybe its the smaller tip that makes me focus more or something but it was not what I was expecting. Anyone else prefer to use a snooker cue to play pool. BTW the tip I play with is 10mm.
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Where do you play in Portland?

What snooker cue did you get?

Much as I love my Mike Woodridge snooker cue, I'm still intrigued by the thought of getting a snooker shaft from Schuler. But not intrigued enough to drop $170.

I have a snooker cue, a billiard cue, and a few pool cues, which together allow me to rise to the same level of mediocrity at multiple games.
 
Ty-Tanic said:
I didn't want to start a whole other thread so I am bumping this one. I got my snooker cue a little over a month ago and have been playing exclusively with it (besides my break shot). To my surprise my game has gone up by 2 or 3 balls. I have also been working a ton on my fundamentals as well. I have switched between the two a couple of times and I seem to play more consistent and accurate with my snooker cue. I went from shooting 60-70 percent to shooting 80-90 percent Maybe its the smaller tip that makes me focus more or something but it was not what I was expecting. Anyone else prefer to use a snooker cue to play pool. BTW the tip I play with is 10mm.
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I've used a 10mm tip for pool for 10+ years - it's hollow for squirt reduction, yet stiff hitting with a conical taper. Besides being very low squirt, it aids and encourages precision and focus. I'm not at all limited in the kinds of shots or amount of force I can produce with it . The only thing I don't do is break with it.

pj
chgo
 
Scaramouche said:
So playing pool with an 11 mm snooker shaft is probably OK, but playing with a 9 mm snooker shaft or an 8.5 mm English Eight Ball shaft would probably feel a bit weird. :grin:
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I've got a US table and an E8B table in my garage.

Sometimes I'll use my 9mm E8B cue if I'm forced into a 20 inch bridge, so I can use BHE.

I wouldn't want to play a long session with it, or try any power shots as the elkmaster tip would be lucky to survive a session... so might the thin brass ferule.

I watched a pro-snooker mate Johl Younger make the last 16 or last 8 (He won $16k) in the Japan US$800k event in about 2001 I think. He used his 10mm snooker cue and had hardly played the game prior to that. Johnny Archer just got him in a race to 11. He got smashed on the breaks btw.

His cue would make a bit of a rattle when forced to play a firm draw.

Colin
 
Andrew Barlow finished 3rd in the U.S. Amateur Championship in 1998 using a 1-piece snooker cue. I don't know the tip size.
 
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