THE GAME OF SNOOKER.
The art of practical billiards for amateurs. By major-general A. W. Drayson. 1889
THE GAME OF SNOOKER.
The rules of the game of snooker are the copyright of Messrs. Burroughes & Watts, from whom they may be obtained.
This game, which is not as yet generally known, or much played, is an amusing extension of the game of pyramids. In addition to the fifteen balls forming the pyramid, a certain number of the pool balls are placed on the table in the positions given below.
When a player has pocketed one of the pyramid balls, then and then only he must play at one of the pool balls. He is not allowed to strike a pool ball until he has pocketed a pyramid ball; should he strike a pool ball before he strikes a pyramid ball, his adversary has credited to his score as many points as the pool ball would count to the striker who pocketed it according to rule.
The balls used at “snooker” are,-
The Black which counts 7
The Blue which counts 6
The Pink which counts 5
The Brown which counts 4
The Green which counts 3
The Yellow which counts 2
The black is placed on the spot where the red is placed at billiards. The blue is placed at the point of the pyramid of red balls. The pink is placed on the spot in the centre of the table; the blue on the left spot of the baulk; the green in the centre of baulk, and the yellow on the right-hand spot of baulk.
When any one of these pool balls is pocketed, it is replaced on its own spot.
When a player has pocketed a pyramid ball, he must play at a pool ball. If each pool ball is covered by a pyramid ball, the player is said to be “snookered.” He may, if he can, strike any one of the pool balls by first striking a cushion. He must, however, name which ball he intends to hit. If, for example, he states he intends to hit the pink, and misses it, 5 is added to the score of his adversary. If he name the black as the ball, and miss it, 7 is added to his adversary’s score; and so on.
As a pool ball can be played at only after a pyramid ball has been pocketed, and the pool ball is replaced on the table, a game of snooker occupies fully as long, if not longer than two games of pyramids, and in public or club-rooms should be charged for accordingly.
When all the pyramid balls have been pocketed, each player plays in succession on the yellow ball, until this ball is pocketed; then on the green, until the green is pocketed, and so on until the black is pocketed, when the game is finished.
Very large scores may be made at this game; for example, if one player after he had held a pyramid ball, was always successful in pocketing the black, and if he held the whole fifteen pyramid balls, each of which counts one, he would score fifteen ones, and fifteen sevens, making a total of 120. If also he held the whole of the pool balls after the pyramid balls had been pocketed, he would add 27 more to his score, making 147. If his opponent made a few losing hazards off the black or blue, each of these would count 7 or 6 to the score of 147, and a very large difference would exist between the score of the two players. This fact should be remembered when playing snooker for any stakes. At a game of pyramids at shilling lives and half a crown on the pool, the most a player could lose would be 17s. 6d., but similar stakes at snooker might cause a loss of over £7 in one game.
One of the great amusements of this game is, by accuracy in strength, to place the white ball so close behind a pool ball that the next player cannot hit a pyramid ball, he being “snookered” from all of them. If he fail to strike a pyramid ball, this failure counts one to the adversary. If, however, in attempting to strike a pyramid ball off a cushion, he strike a pool ball, his adversary is credited with as many points as the pool ball that is struck would count if pocketed by rule.
A player whose ball is then “snookered” may not give a miss by just touching his ball, and leaving his adversary the same stroke; he must play out. If a player were allowed just to touch his ball, and lose one point, his adversary might do the same, and the game would come to a standstill. Consequently, a player who is “snookered,” must play his ball so that his adversary has a fair chance of hitting a pyramid ball. If a player is sufficiently skilful to play his ball so as to place it behind another pool ball he may do so, but the stroke is dangerous, for if his ball touch the pool ball, his adversary’s score is increased, and perhaps the white ball may not be snookered.
With bad hazard strikers this game becomes somewhat tedious, more than an hour being occupied before it is completed; but with good players it offers every opportunity for a display of hazard striking, and of strength, and gives the better player even a greater advantage than he would have at a game of pyramids. Those who have never tried the game, will find that it presents many features of interest.