The game of snooker pool is fast gaining favour

Weekly Times & Echo (London), Sunday 18 December 1898

The game of snooker pool is fast gaining favour amongst players generally, and the need of a recognised code of rules is very greatly felt. Much diversity of opinion is expressed on points arising in the game, and various rules are cited in support of the several views taken by the players. The framing of a comprehensive code should not be a difficult matter, more particularly as the game itself is only a happy combination of the principles of pool and pyramids, both of which games have fairly well established laws of their own. The Billiard Association would be fulfilling a very useful function if they would extend their attention to framing a workable set and give the seal of authority to them.

The game consists exclusively of winning hazards, and is played with twenty-two balls, made up of fifteen red as in pyramids, six pool balls coloured respectively black, blue, pink, brown, green, yellow, and the white cue ball. At the commencement of the game the fifteen red are placed as in pyramids, the black on the billiard spot, the blue at the point of the pyramid of red balls, the pink on the centre spot of the table, the brown on the left-hand spot of the D, the green on the centre spot, and the yellow on the right-hand spot of the D. Any number of players may take part, the order of play being arranged as in pool. The object is to pot a red ball alternately with a pool ball. Thus after pocketing a red ball the striker must play at one of the pool balls, the red counting 1, the yellow 2, green 3, brown 4, pink 5, blue 6, black 7.

When any one of the pool, or coloured balls as they are more often described, is pocketed it is replaced on its own spot. After a few strokes when possibly the balls are scattered about the table, the player after he is fortunate enough to pocket a red may find himself “snookered,” that is all the pool balls may be covered, and as stated he has to hit a pool ball at his next shot, it will be necessary to strike a cushion and rebound on to the coloured ball. Of course, if the player miss or strike a red ball first he loses points to each player, corresponding to the value of the pool ball. When all the red balls have been taken each player plays in succession, as in ordinary pool, on the yellow ball until that is pocketed; then on the green until that is pocketed, and so on until the remainer of the pool balls are holed.