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How to Play Snooker on a Pool Table

When we buy a pool table, we embrace ourselves for the hard-hitting and plenty of practice on the table. Sometimes, when we are practicing different ways of gameplay, we can encounter another form of cue game such as snooker.

Snooker is a form of cue sports which involves the play with snooker cues and different colored balls. You can say that snooker is very much like a pool but with a few changes in the rules and of course the tables are different and the equipment.

But can we play snooker on a pool table?

My answer is YES, you can easily do this if you have a pool table and you want to play snooker on it. All you need is a permanent marker, drawing pen and a snooker marking stick and knowledge about game of snooker and you are READY TO GO. You must remember to purchase the smaller version of snooker balls to match the small pool table and pockets.

Play Snooker on a Pool Table

It will require a few changes, but that’s all. Although I must say here that the quality of the game might get a little low for those who are crazy snooker fans, but it is totally playable.

Today I will be covering this issue of how you can play snooker on a pool table. To many, it will seem impossible, but that is exactly why I am guiding you about it.

Conversion of The Pool Table into Snooker Table:

This is the very first thing to be done. You can always play snooker on your pool table by converting the pool table into a snooker table.

You can do that by simply drawing a few lines and dots and D according to the rules of snooker on the pool table. You will require a few things which are easily available in the market. You can do this by yourself, or you can ask for help from any professional.

I will recommend you to go and talk about this conversion with a professional snooker table owner or any snooker club owner. They will guide you properly about the rules and markings on the table.

If you are not going to any such club where the main focus is the snooker, then take the help from the internet or books. They will provide proper guidance.

You can convert any pool table of any size into a snooker table. Let’s not forget here that snooker table is much larger than the pool table, so this obvious fact will definitely come in to play, but it will not stop you from playing this wonderful game of snooker.

If you have an English pool table then it is much better than others because English Pool Tables have almost same features when it comes to their pocket in comparison to the snooker table; not exactly same but almost.

But this does not mean that you cannot play snooker on any other pool table. Of course, you can. But keep this thing in your mind that the size of the table will get almost half, and snooker shots will be played in a much different way.

You will get to use different techniques, and the usage of mechanical bridges will come in to use more often.

Things You Require:

For the conversion of the pool table into a snooker table, you will need a few things which are easily available in the market or even the normal carpenters’ shops. What you will need are;

1. Permanent Marker:

Color of the felt decides what color of marker should be used. It is recommended to use permanent black marker for the light colored clothes or felts, and use of white tipped pen for the dark colored felts.

2. Drawing Pen:

Drawing pen is required to mark the basic lines or the balk line on the table.

3. A Snooker Marking Stick:

It is a type of stick which has holes in it to mark the different size of D on the table.

It has 6, 7, 8 and S typed on it, and it has holes beside each number or letter on one side of the scale. It also has a pivoted hole at the other end.

How to Use Them:

What you have to do it to draw a balk line on the pool table keeping in mind the rules of snooker. When you have drawn that with the help of the drawing pen, you should move towards the real task which is the marking of the D.

This is what defines the table fit for playing snooker even if the table is a pool table.

You place the marking stick on the balk line and hold the pivot end of the marking stick with the drawing pen held in it. Now place the other marker of your choice in respect to your felt in the appropriate hole on the marking stick and draw a D. The stick will have a hole for 6-foot table, 7-foot table and so on.

You must make sure that the pen and your marking stick is in place securely otherwise you may risk double lines or non-accurate mark or line on the cloth.

It will not go back, and then that permanent look of mixed and rugged lines will not look pretty or neat on your table. So, do make sure that everything is in place and nicely held against the table.

Snooker Ball Size:

One of the major issues comes when the balls are involved. Snooker has large and many balls so you must have the smaller version of the snooker balls.

Many pool table dealers also provide an extra set of snooker balls of small size for the ease of the purchaser if they ever want to play snooker on their pool table.

Usually, the snooker ball size is 2 1/6 inches in size. This size of the ball is ideal for the perfect snooker table, but when you are planning to play on a much smaller table which will be having small pockets, then you must purchase the balls in a smaller size that is 2 inches. It is very much the same in size as any English pool ball.

This size of the snooker ball is also available in the Aramith set of balls which is easily available in the market. You must purchase this and then you are all set to play snooker on the pool table.

Now a very important part to be told here; Snooker is a game which involves not 15 but 22 balls so yes, the small pool table in respect to a large snooker table, will definitely get crowded but a tough little sight can be avoided if you are willing to play snooker on a pool table.

Playing Pool on a Snooker Table:

Many people asked this question about whether you can play pool on your snooker table or not.

Then my answer is yes, you can play. Of course, the soul of the game cannot be achieved when you are playing on a different table which is almost twice the size of a regular pool table. But it is achievable.

What you have to do is to do the exact same thing explained above but in reverse. What I mean is that you will have to mark the snooker table with the help of the markers and the marking stick according to the rules of pool and then get the right size of the pool balls and play according to the rules.

It is that simple and easy. I must say here that the real pleasure of the game is not achieved, but it is worth the effort and time and fun.

Conclusion:

As I mentioned earlier, playing snooker on a pool table or playing pool on a snooker table is not that difficult as many people have assumed. It is rather a fun fact when you have any one table, and you surprise your friends or even yourself with a totally new version of the game on the same table.

It will make you get comfortable with both game rules. Sure, it will take you some time to get connected to such ways but what the heck. You will be playing snooker on the pool table or the vice versa.

About Maryam Shaw

Hello Everyone! I am Maryam, the reason behind creating this website is to help people with the detailed information and reviews about sports products