The snooker world is full of curious unknowns, myths and questions difficult to answer. Why sometimes white is white and sometimes suffers chickenpox? Why are so great snooker tables? Why Americans listed balls and instead the French and the British did not? In today’s article I will try to answer 10 of these billarísticas curiosities, although I moved that some are a mystery.

By David Muñoz

1- Why the English call “Inglés” for the purpose?

What for us is pull “effect” (hit the white on one side), for the Anglo-Saxon world is to use “side spin” or “Inglés”. The first makes sense because it is the literal translation, but the second not so much. It is named for Jack Carr, an English teacher, who discovered the mid-nineteenth century putting chalk could throw a side of white without miscue and was the first to use effects.

2- White measures and weighs the same as the other balls?

In pool competition, yes. Measures and weighs the same. But it is normal in bars or arcades white different as a (usually larger), to separate it from the other balls when it falls into a pocket. English or blackball pool, the white is smaller than the yellow and red.

3- What are the red dots of white?

There are many types of white: the classic, which has a red circle, magnet … And the most famous of all is suffering from chicken pox. Why this white has 6 red dots? The main reason is to allow the viewer (and players) see better rotation and the effects of white. Some say that the set Aramith TV so that it differed from the yellow ball, but not proven.

4- Why are so great snooker tables?

Good question for which there is no clear answer. If you know, get us out of doubt in the comments. My friend Guillermo Garcia points out an interesting idea: it measures 12 feet to differentiate themselves from other forms of pool and to establish itself as the measure queen.

5- If you do lack are two shots?

Pool bar often play with this rule of two shots, but not used in the international regulation of American pool. Blackball they do exist in both shots and chances that have influenced the pool at recreational level.

6- What you are made billiard balls?

Earlier ivory. Now phenolic resin. Here you have all the details of the anatomy of a billiard ball.

7- Why the four ball sometimes and sometimes pink lilac?

Most games billiard balls are the same color , but the set Aramith Pro Cup TV has some differences over the rest: the tones are clearer and balls 4 and 12 are roses instead of lilacs. It is so that in televised matches are not confused with 2/10 (blue) or black.

8- Why Americans put numbers on the balls and the rest?

Look, the pool is the only one that is played with numbered balls. In snooker, there are only blackball or carambola colors. Why? Again, there is no clear answer. Americans wanted to count from 1 to 15 but really enough to differentiate as smooth and striped.   

9- Why Snooker mats remain green and pool are blue?

As a matter of tradition (most respects snooker and therefore keeps the green on cloth) and also to prevent chalk stains on the mat. In American pool most often used blue chalk, so the cloths are blue. In snooker, chalk with green cloths are green.

10- How do you calculate shots per band snooker players?

The pooleros and caramboleros we chop diamonds, but snookeros go blind. How do they do to calculate band shots and anticipate the bounce of white? ¿Pure intuition? It has much merit. I do not know the answer so who knows what get us out of doubt in the comments.

Are you more curious billiard happen? There to get bored!