POOL vs. SNOOKER - Equipment, Rules, and Fundamentals Differences

dr_dave

dr_dave

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FYI, I just posted a new video that I created with respected snooker coach Nic Barrow that looks at all differences and comparisons between the sports of pool and snooker. Check it out:


Contents:
Supporting Resources:
As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments, questions, complaints, and requests.

Enjoy!
 
The few times I’ve played around on a snooker table with my CF pool cue, I found the deflection to be huge with the snooker balls. Any English to speak of and I had no chance to make the ball. This was to the point that I found it easier to make balls on the snooker table with pool balls than snooker balls.

I really need to try with a good snooker cue.
 
GideonF said:
The few times I’ve played around on a snooker table with my CF pool cue, I found the deflection to be huge with the snooker balls. Any English to speak of and I had no chance to make the ball. This was to the point that I found it easier to make balls on the snooker table with pool balls than snooker balls.

I really need to try with a good snooker cue.
Click to expand...

CB weight makes a big difference with CB deflection. More shaft endmass and less CB mass both give more CB deflection.
 
That was very informative dr dave…..👍….thanks
Nic demonstrated a nice pendulum stroke 👍
I am sure its not the stroke he practices much
 
bbb said:
That was very informative dr dave…..👍….thanks
Click to expand...

I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for watching.

bbb said:
Nic demonstrated a nice pendulum stroke 👍
I am sure its not the stroke he practices much
Click to expand...

I was very impressed with how well Nic was able to demonstrate all three stroke types (piston, pendulum, and "J") with ease.
 
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Somewhere in the video it would be useful to mention the difference between international snooker (12' tables, 2 1/16" balls, cue ball only has to contact the object ball for a legal hit, ...) and American snooker (10' tables, 2 1/8" balls, something has to contact a rail after cue ball contacts the object ball for a legal hit, cloth often non-nap, foul values simplified to 4 points for most fouls, ...).

Would let the audience know the difference and that what you are talking about is the international snooker usually seen on TV -- not what they will often find in the USA pool halls. So, "snooker" may mean different things depending on where someone learned it and American snooker feels more like “snooker‑flavored pool” than true UK snooker.
 
WoodyJ said:
Somewhere in the video it would be useful to mention the difference between international snooker (12' tables, 2 1/16" balls, cue ball only has to contact the object ball for a legal hit, ...) and American snooker (10' tables, 2 1/8" balls, something has to contact a rail after cue ball contacts the object ball for a legal hit, cloth often non-nap, foul values simplified to 4 points for most fouls, ...).

Would let the audience know the difference and that what you are talking about is the international snooker usually seen on TV -- not what they will often find in the USA pool halls. So, "snooker" may mean different things depending on where someone learned it and American snooker feels more like “snooker‑flavored pool” than true UK snooker.
Click to expand...

Interesting! As a Canadian I knew that many American “snooker” tables were 10”, but I had never heard of these rules.
 
WoodyJ said:
Somewhere in the video it would be useful to mention the difference between international snooker (12' tables, 2 1/16" balls, cue ball only has to contact the object ball for a legal hit, ...) and American snooker (10' tables, 2 1/8" balls, something has to contact a rail after cue ball contacts the object ball for a legal hit, cloth often non-nap, foul values simplified to 4 points for most fouls, ...).

Would let the audience know the difference and that what you are talking about is the international snooker usually seen on TV -- not what they will often find in the USA pool halls. So, "snooker" may mean different things depending on where someone learned it and American snooker feels more like “snooker‑flavored pool” than true UK snooker.
Click to expand...

Good point. I should have at least briefly mentioned "American Snooker" in the video.
 
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dr_dave said:
CB weight makes a big difference with CB deflection. More shaft endmass and less CB mass both give more CB deflection.
Click to expand...

Mark Selby, who just won the big snooker event in China, talked afterwards about his new cue. He said is old cue had gone down to 8.5 mm after many years of repairs and his new cue was back up to 9.2 mm. He said it took him a while to adjust to the greater deflection (although I don’t think he used that word).
 
Professional pool players play with either Predator or Cuetec cues and only a few make good money. Snooker players play with $60 cues and some make millions.
 
Logandgriff said:
Professional pool players play with either Predator or Cuetec cues and only a few make good money. Snooker players play with $60 cues and some make millions.
Click to expand...


Lots of snooker players play with cues like these John Parris cues - in the range of $1,000.

Parris Collection - Cues - Products

www.parriscues.com www.parriscues.com

Or you’ve got cues like these:
acfa75c582baccf85b10716cd4ed8f5f.jpg
 
You mentioned snooker cues having brass ferules. Recently most of the top pros have moved to titanium ferules in an attempt to reduce deflection (it's the first time I've really heard low deflection cues discussed in snooker).

The first time I went to a 9 ball tournament I was shocked when I saw the ref brushing tables between matches. Coming from a snooker/English pool background I'd always been taught you brush the table with the nap of the cloth. Then I see a guy brushing the cloth in a circular motion, thought the ref was an absolute idiot that was going to ruin playing conditions until somebody explained to me it was a napless cloth. I always considered the nap of the cloth when potting into side/middle pockets (for some reason it was more noticeable then than other shots), but never realised the effect it had on playing with side until I watched this video. I always avoided side on a snooker/English pool table as much as I could as I often missed, think I just discovered why!

You mentioned players holding the flat part of the snooker cue so it is at the top. That's what I always did and felt most natural. But 7 time world champion Stephen Hendry has mentioned on his youtube channel he held the flat bit sideways and I think a few other pros have mentioned doing the same (idea feels alien to me).

Noticed someone else has posted a thread with Ko Pin Yi discussing the difference between Hey Pool and American pool tables. Feel like they cover quite a lot of similar ground to your video.

Anyhow enjoyed this video and could have done with the terminology lessons when I started watching 9 ball. Most of the terminology differences I don't really have a preference between the English or U.S version, but I can never get used to you guys calling the middle pockets the side pockets, to me it makes no sense. If I'm looking from the short rail/top or bottom of the table, then there are 3 pockets on one side and 3 pockets on the other. If I'm looking from the side then the only pockets that aren't on the side are the 2 you are calling the side pocket. Will die on the hill middle pocket is better terminology than side pocket. Do like you calling cannons caroms though, sounds more classy :D

Anyhow enjoyed the video.
 
uk_9_ball_convert said:
You mentioned players holding the flat part of the snooker cue so it is at the top. That's what I always did and felt most natural. But 7 time world champion Stephen Hendry has mentioned on his youtube channel he held the flat bit sideways and I think a few other pros have mentioned doing the same (idea feels alien to me).

.
Click to expand...

As I’m sure you know, his cue for those 7 world championships was a cheap cue. I think he said it was a bit warped and he could deal with an up and down warp but not a side to side. So I wonder if he held the cue that way so the warp would be up and down?
 
GideonF said:
As I’m sure you know, his cue for those 7 world championships was a cheap cue. I think he said it was a bit warped and he could deal with an up and down warp but not a side to side. So I wonder if he held the cue that way so the warp would be up and down?
Click to expand...
yeah might be related, but think he still holds his cue like that even now he's got a fancy John Parris cue (though I suppose old habits die hard)
 
The most ironic difference? MR controls both, in snooker they have snooker people running it, maintain traditional rules, traditional ball colors, traditional cloth color, and they play on and with the best equipment available.

In pool, well we got Emily, complete rule changes, equipment pocket size changes, non traditional ball colors, non traditional cloth colors, and for most of their events, play on shite low rent tables and bargain priced balls. All you need to do is offer Em a large sum of money and your crap can instantly become “The official (fill in the blank) of the WNT”.

So in synopsis I’d say a direct lack of respect from MR for pool is the greatest difference.
 
uk_9_ball_convert said:
You mentioned snooker cues having brass ferules. Recently most of the top pros have moved to titanium ferules in an attempt to reduce deflection (it's the first time I've really heard low deflection cues discussed in snooker).

The first time I went to a 9 ball tournament I was shocked when I saw the ref brushing tables between matches. Coming from a snooker/English pool background I'd always been taught you brush the table with the nap of the cloth. Then I see a guy brushing the cloth in a circular motion, thought the ref was an absolute idiot that was going to ruin playing conditions until somebody explained to me it was a napless cloth. I always considered the nap of the cloth when potting into side/middle pockets (for some reason it was more noticeable then than other shots), but never realised the effect it had on playing with side until I watched this video. I always avoided side on a snooker/English pool table as much as I could as I often missed, think I just discovered why!

You mentioned players holding the flat part of the snooker cue so it is at the top. That's what I always did and felt most natural. But 7 time world champion Stephen Hendry has mentioned on his youtube channel he held the flat bit sideways and I think a few other pros have mentioned doing the same (idea feels alien to me).

Noticed someone else has posted a thread with Ko Pin Yi discussing the difference between Hey Pool and American pool tables. Feel like they cover quite a lot of similar ground to your video.

Anyhow enjoyed this video and could have done with the terminology lessons when I started watching 9 ball. Most of the terminology differences I don't really have a preference between the English or U.S version, but I can never get used to you guys calling the middle pockets the side pockets, to me it makes no sense. If I'm looking from the short rail/top or bottom of the table, then there are 3 pockets on one side and 3 pockets on the other. If I'm looking from the side then the only pockets that aren't on the side are the 2 you are calling the side pocket. Will die on the hill middle pocket is better terminology than side pocket. Do like you calling cannons caroms though, sounds more classy :D

Anyhow enjoyed the video.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input. I’m glad you enjoyed the video.

I do like “carom” better than “cannon.” I also like “combo” better than “plant.” What is the origin of “plant” in snooker.
 
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