Whether you’re a die-hard fan of either snooker/pool (American), one can certainly appreciate the respective difficulties that arise in playing both cue sports. While at initial glance they can seem like two custom game modes under one umbrella there are some points which can display how different they actually are. Consider this a bit of a fact source for both sports where everything mentioned is far too specific to warrant their own Short posts.
Pool balls are slightly larger and heavier than those used in snooker. Where snooker balls are around 52.5mm in diameter, pool balls are around 57mm; snooker balls generally weigh around the 140g mark and pool balls are approximately 160-170g. Due to these differences, pool cues tend to be slightly heavier to accommodate these changes. Pool cues are a little heavier on the grip end while snooker cues are weightier towards the tip to support the smaller tip sizes on a snooker cue. Snooker cues are geared towards accuracy when potting, while pool cues are built around power and position.
The cloths used in snooker and pool games can also differ. There are numerous manufacturers for cue sport table cloths but the main characteristic that separates between the two games are that snooker table cloths have a slightly fuzzier texture, in that you can feel the fibres quite distinctly. While it may seem that this can cause a bit of friction, wear and tear can smooth the surface over time. Compared to a pool table cloth, which is flatter, smoother and you can’t feel the fibres like you can on a snooker table; it results in some speedy match play.
Played on a smaller 9ft table, pool requires fewer balls to play and depending what game you’re playing, you must pot balls in a specific order. Other rules it must abide by is the option to play a push out shot and the requirement for a ball to make contact with a cushion (or rail). This doesn’t exist in snooker but failure to do so results in a ball in-hand foul which could effectively mean an immediate lost frame in pool, given the freedom to place the cue ball and the size of the pockets.
A shot commonly used in pool but something you will rarely see in snooker (unless by fluke) is a bank (or kick) shot. This is when you hit cushion first before potting a ball. Something which understandably is done more in pool due to the pocket and ball sizes, but still requires a tremendous knowledge of the angles on their table; see Efren Reyes’ Z-Shot to be amazed.
Due to the length of the table and slim-sized pockets, snooker requires a much stricter technique to play. Precision and accuracy are staples of snooker, more so than their pool counterpart, where lining up a shot and cue action is more forgiven. Developing a stable cue action and technique will help to do well in snooker but those skills can be transferred comfortably to a pool game where attention could be focused towards understanding its rules and concentrating on the respective positional aspect.
Having played both cue sports, you can get great enjoyment out of playing both. This isn’t a post to say that one is better than the other because they both have their merits. It just depends how much time you have and what kind of mood you’re in as to which game you would choose to play.
‘Snooker’s probably like trying to win The Open or Augusta; Pool’s probably like playing crazy golf…One’s a bit of fillet steak and one’s a bit of mashy ham’ – Ronnie O’Sullivan when asked the differences between snooker and pool.