Okafor wins the northern qualifierBlitz 6-red starts FridayNew baulk-line drill packShot clock returns for the winter seriesJunior Cue Cup entries openOkafor wins the northern qualifierBlitz 6-red starts FridayNew baulk-line drill packShot clock returns for the winter seriesJunior Cue Cup entries open
Sihi Cue Sports · Season 2026

Where every break is earned.

Snooker & Pool Pro pairs a legal table with a coaching layer: frame scoring, break building, potting practice and challenge runs, all verified before a number moves.

Frame 8 · break 62 · two reds left
13App modules
24Reference pages
12Progressive workouts
8League players

Your dashboard

Profile, progress and the next session — the same numbers the match engine scores.

M. Okafor
Northern Cue Club · Handicap −28 · member since 2023
Rank #2 Season 2026 Snooker & pool
Potting72%
Safety61%
42Sessions
1,860Practice minutes
68%Shot accuracy
78Highest break

Featured frame

Every result is engine-scored and checked against the rules before the table moves.

Hendry Cup · Quarter-final · Best of 11 Frame 8
MO
M. Okafor
Northern · Seed 2
4 – 3Break 62
LP
L. Petrov
Riverside · Seed 5

Okafor needs one more frame. Petrov has the break in the eighth; the reds are split and the pink is off its spot, so the safety exchange decides who gets first contact.

Latest

Club news, coaching notes and the changes that land in the build.

Tournament

Okafor takes the northern qualifier

A 6–3 final against Haddad, with a 78 clearance in the last frame.

29 Oct 2026
Coaching

The stun shot, explained

Why the cue ball stops dead and how to stop over-hitting it.

27 Oct 2026
Release

New baulk-line drill pack

Six routines for the long safety game, from beginner to match play.

24 Oct 2026
Format

Shot clock returns for winter

Fifteen seconds a shot, ten after five minutes, one extension per frame.

21 Oct 2026

Leagues

Four tables run through the season, each with its own format and entry.

Sihi Cue LeagueBest of 7 · club teams of fourOpen
Blitz 6-RedSix reds · 15-minute framesFriday nights
Schools & CollegesHandicap · term-time fixturesEntries
Open HandicapSingles · handicap applied per frameRolling

Tournaments

Entries, draws and results for the cue calendar.

2 Nov · 10:00 Hendry Open Singles · best of 11 · open draw Open
9 Nov · 18:30 Club Championship Club members · best of 9 Entry closing
16 Nov · 12:00 Sihi Masters Invitation · top 16 · best of 19 Qualifying
7 Dec · 09:30 Junior Cue Cup Under 16 · 6-red · handicap Planned

League standings

Two points for a match won, one for a draw. Frames are engine-scored.

Sihi Cue League · after eight rounds
PosPlayerPWDLPts
1M. Okafor871015
2L. Petrov861113
3R. Haddad852112
4J. Mensah851211
5A. Novak842210
6T. Ibarra83238
7S. Chen82155
8K. Adeyemi81163

Coverage

Where the frames are shown, and what each stream carries.

Table One liveEvery league frame, full table
Break RoomAnalysis between frames
Club TVHighlights and interviews
Rules cornerShort reads on the laws

Play & train

Thirteen modules, one engine: two sports, a shared academy and one match record.

The table, explained

Nine reference pages on the equipment and the laws that shape a frame.

Guide to snooker & pool

Twelve chapters on how the game is played, trained and contested.

Watch the technique

Curated coaching video, played inside the app.

Player profile

Your dashboard

Everything the engine records about your game — profile, skill profile, recent sessions and the next planned block.

M. Okafor
Northern Cue Club · Handicap −28 · joined 2023
Rank #2 Season 2026 Snooker & pool
42Sessions
1,860Practice minutes
68%Shot accuracy
78Highest break

Skill profile

Potting72%
Cue-ball control64%
Safety61%
Break building58%

This week

Week of 26 October · build block
DaySessionFocusMinStatus
MonStraight pottingPotting15Done
TueStop shotsCue-ball control15Done
WedLong red potsPotting20Partial
ThuSafety exchangesSafety30Planned
FriPosition routesPositional30Planned
SatMatch simulationMatch play60Planned

Recent sessions

Last five scored sessions
DateSessionShotsAccuracyBest break
30 OctStraight potting6472%46
29 OctStop shots4869%22
27 OctLine-up9066%78
25 OctSafety exchanges5258%14
23 OctBreak construction7063%54
Only scored sessions appear here: every number is written by the frame engine, not typed in after the fact. A break is credited when the visit ends, and accuracy counts a shot as successful only if the intended ball was potted.
Pool Pro

Pool, from rack to run-out.

Four disciplines on one engine. The table is smaller and the pockets kinder than snooker, so the break, the run-out and the safety battle decide most frames.

8-ball
Solids and stripes
WPA, BCA and English blackball rulesets. One player takes solids, the other stripes; the 8-ball goes last, and the ruleset decides calling, break requirements and ball-in-hand.
9-ball
Lowest ball first
Always strike the lowest-numbered ball. Any legal 9-ball pot wins the rack, which is why combinations and caroms matter as much as position. A push-out follows the break.
10-ball
Called shots
Ten balls, one at the apex and the 10 in the middle of the triangle. The shot is called, so a fluked ball does not count, and the 10 wins the rack when legally pocketed.
Straight pool
14.1 continuous
Any ball, any pocket, called shot. When 14 balls are gone they are re-racked and the fifteenth stays live, so the run continues. Played to an agreed total, often 100 points.

Rack formats

Rack shape and the ball that decides the rack
DisciplineRackFirst ballWinning ball
8-ballTriangle, 8 in the centre, one solid and one stripe in the back cornersApex8
9-ballDiamond, 1 at the apex, 9 in the centreLowest9
10-ballTriangle, 1 at the apex, 10 in the centreLowest10
14.1Triangle, apex ball on the foot spot, one ball left outAnyTarget

Pool-specific training

IntermediateBank shots
Setup
Object ball off the cushion, angle 30–45°.
Target
Five banks in a row into the same pocket.
20 minPool
IntermediateCombinations
Setup
Two balls in line with a corner pocket.
Target
Pot the far ball through the near one, five times.
20 minPool
AdvancedRun-outs
Setup
A six-ball spread from the break.
Target
Clear the rack without a miss.
30 minPool
AdvancedBreak and run
Setup
Full rack, cue ball on the head spot.
Target
Three break-and-run racks in ten attempts.
40 minPool

Rules that decide pool frames

The ruleset is selected per match, not baked into the app. 8-ball can require a called pocket or not; blackball has its own fouls and a different treatment of the 8; 9-ball allows a push-out after the break; 10-ball requires a called shot. Select the ruleset before the first break.
Snooker Pro

Snooker, frame by frame.

Fifteen reds, six colours and a table that punishes a loose cue action. Six-red shortens the frame; the practice modes build the break.

15-red
The full frame
WPBSA rules: fifteen reds, six colours and the cue ball. A red is followed by a colour, colours are re-spotted while reds remain, and the colours then run in order from yellow to black.
Six-red
The short format
Six reds, same colours, same table. Frames run roughly half as long, so the break and the first clear chance carry more weight. Shot-clock variants are common.
Practice
Line-up and T-drill
The line-up builds rhythm and cue-ball control; the T-drill rehearses the pack split and the first colour. Both are scored shot by shot.
Safety
The other half of the game
Baulk safety, the snooker behind the brown or green, and thin contacts. The player who wins the safety exchange usually gets the first clear chance.

Scoring

Ball values and the order after the reds
BallValuePhaseRe-spotted
Red1While reds remainNo
Yellow2Colour after red, then first in orderAfter a red
Green3Colour after red, then second in orderAfter a red
Brown4Colour after red, then third in orderAfter a red
Blue5Colour after red, then fourth in orderAfter a red
Pink6Colour after red, then fifth in orderAfter a red
Black7Colour after red, then last in orderAfter a red

Building a break

Frame length

A club frame runs 20–40 minutes; a professional frame can pass an hour. Match formats run from best-of-5 to best-of-35, so concentration across sessions matters as much as shot-making.
Interactive table

Line it up.

Move the pointer to aim, set the power and spin, then shoot. The cue ball, the object balls and the cushions all run on the same engine that scores a frame.

Table

Power

Selected58%

Spin

Session

Pots0
Shots0
Accuracy—
Scratch0

How the table works

Coaching link: every shot is recorded as an attempt with its aim, power and spin, which is what the AI shot coach assesses and what Performance trends.
Rules Academy

Six rulebooks, one shelf.

Rules are selected per match, because 8-ball is not one game and a club's house rules are not the WPA's. Pick a rulebook below.

8-ball · WPA

  • Fifteen object balls: seven solids, seven stripes and the 8. The breaker plays from behind the head string.
  • The table is open after the break. The first legally pocketed ball after that assigns the group.
  • Strike your own group first. The 8-ball is last and its pocket must be called.
  • Pocketing the 8 early, or on a foul, loses the rack.

Fouls and penalties

FoulCost
Cue ball pocketed, or off the tableBall in hand for the opponent
Wrong group struck firstBall in hand
No cushion after contact and no potBall in hand
8-ball potted early or on a foulRack lost

Blackball · English pool

  • Seven reds, seven yellows and the black on a 7-ft table, with smaller pockets than the American game.
  • Groups are assigned by the first ball potted after the break, not by an open table.
  • The black wins the frame only after your group is cleared. Potting it early loses the frame.
  • A foul carries two shots: the opponent plays twice and may take the first as a free shot.
House rules: blackball varies by league — off-the-spot clearances, the black on a foul, and whether a pot on the break counts. The app stores the house rules with the match, not with the player.

9-ball · WPA

  • Nine balls, diamond rack, the 1 at the apex and the 9 in the middle.
  • Always strike the lowest-numbered ball first. It does not have to be the ball you pot.
  • Any legally pocketed 9-ball wins the rack, including a combination.
  • After the break a push-out is allowed: the shooter may roll the cue ball anywhere without a foul.

Fouls

Wrong ball first
Ball in hand, anywhere on the table.
No rail after contact
Ball in hand.
Scratch
Ball in hand; the 9 re-spots only if it was potted on the foul.

10-ball · WPA

  • Ten balls in a triangle, the 1 at the apex and the 10 in the centre.
  • Called shot: the ball and the pocket must both be named, so a fluke does not count.
  • The lowest ball is struck first and the 10 wins the rack when legally pocketed.
  • Break requirements are stricter than 9-ball, and a push-out is not part of the format.
Why it matters: the called shot removes the luck that decides 9-ball racks, which makes 10-ball the fairer test of position play — and the harder one to score.

Straight pool · 14.1 continuous

  • Any ball, any pocket, with the shot called.
  • Fourteen balls are re-racked when they are gone; the fifteenth stays live so the run continues.
  • Played to an agreed total — 100 points is the classic club target.
  • Safety play is part of the game: a good safety leaves no shot and no easy re-rack.

Snooker · WPBSA 15-red

  • Fifteen reds, six colours and the cue ball. A red is followed by a colour, with colours re-spotted while reds remain.
  • When the reds are gone the colours run in order: yellow, green, brown, blue, pink, black.
  • A foul costs the value of the ball on, minimum four points, and can be played from where the balls lie or asked to be replaced.
  • A miss rule applies when a player fails to hit a ball on when able to do so.
  • Six-red follows the same sequence with six reds, for shorter frames.
Free ball: after a foul that leaves no legal ball on, the striker may nominate any ball as the ball on. It scores as the ball on and is re-spotted.
Directions & guidelines

Build the cue action.

Technique is taught in one order: stance, grip, bridge, alignment, then strike. Each lesson below is a checklist you can run without a coach in the room.

1 · Stance and body alignment
  1. Position your feet comfortably, with the back foot on the line of the shot.
  2. Bend forward from the hips, not the waist.
  3. Keep your head steady and your chin close to the cue.
  4. Align your dominant eye with the line of the shot.
2 · Cue grip
  1. Hold the cue without excessive tension.
  2. Keep the wrist relaxed and the fingers light.
  3. Keep the grip in the same place on every shot.
  4. Do not tighten the grip during delivery.
3 · Bridge hand
  1. Place the bridge hand securely on the cloth.
  2. Form a stable channel for the cue.
  3. Keep the bridge hand still through the stroke.
  4. Practise both the open and the closed bridge.
4 · Aiming and shot execution
  1. Identify the object-ball contact point for the pocket.
  2. Visualise the cue-ball contact point (the ghost ball).
  3. Align the cue with the intended line.
  4. Take controlled practice strokes.
  5. Deliver smoothly and follow through.
5 · Cue-ball control
  1. Start with centre-ball contact and a straight stop shot.
  2. Learn the stun shot: cue ball stops on contact.
  3. Develop follow: cue ball travels forward after contact.
  4. Develop screw: cue ball draws back on contact.
  5. Progress to controlled sidespin, left and right.

The twelve techniques

Technique and the objective it trains
TechniqueTraining objectivePoolSnooker
StanceBalance, stability, body alignmentYesYes
GripRelaxed, controlled cue holdingYesYes
BridgeStable open and closed bridgeYesYes
AlignmentCue and target-line alignmentYesYes
AimingGhost-ball and contact-point methodYesYes
StrokeStraight, repeatable deliveryYesYes
Follow-throughSmooth delivery through the cue ballYesYes
FollowForward cue-ball movementYesYes
StunControlled cue-ball stopYesYes
ScrewBackspin and backward movementYesYes
SidespinLeft and right cue-ball rotationYesYes
SafetyDefensive positioning and snookeringYesYes
Practice rule: change one thing at a time. Rehearse the fix slowly, then put it into a full-speed shot in the same session — speed added before the pattern is set just rehearses the fault.
Training Academy

Twelve workouts, four levels.

Shared across pool and snooker, with the exercise configuration changed for each sport. Pick a level and a duration that fits the week.

The programme · twelve workouts
LevelWorkoutFocusDuration
BeginnerStraight pottingContact point15 min
BeginnerStance and alignmentSet-up15 min
BeginnerStop shotsCentre-ball contact15 min
IntermediateFollow and screwCue-ball movement20 min
IntermediateCushion controlAngles off the rail20 min
IntermediateDistance pottingLine and pace20 min
AdvancedPosition routesTwo-shot planning30 min
AdvancedSafety exchangesDefence30 min
AdvancedBreak constructionPack and colour40 min
ProfessionalMatch simulationFull-frame pressure60 min
ProfessionalPressure trainingLast-ball routines45 min
ProfessionalTactical decision-makingRisk and reward45 min
Beginner · 15 minStraight potting
Setup
Object ball on the long line, cue ball one diamond away.
Target
Eight of ten pots, then move back a diamond.
Contact pointPool & snooker
Beginner · 15 minStance and alignment
Setup
No balls. Cue along the baulk line, ten repetitions.
Target
Head still, cue on the line, elbow over the cue.
Set-upPool & snooker
Beginner · 15 minStop shots
Setup
Straight shot, centre-ball contact.
Target
Cue ball stops dead five times in a row.
Centre-ball contactPool & snooker
Intermediate · 20 minFollow and screw
Setup
Same shot, high then low contact.
Target
Land the cue ball inside a hand's width of a target spot.
Cue-ball movementPool & snooker
Intermediate · 20 minCushion control
Setup
Ball near the rail, cut it in.
Target
Six of ten pots at three angles.
Angles off the railPool & snooker
Intermediate · 20 minDistance potting
Setup
Full-length straight pot.
Target
Five long pots, then add pace.
Line and paceSnooker bias
Advanced · 30 minPosition routes
Setup
Three descending balls, one pocket.
Target
Clear the route without a miss or a lost angle.
Two-shot planningPool & snooker
Advanced · 30 minSafety exchanges
Setup
Baulk area, no pot on.
Target
Force three mistakes from a partner or the ghost.
DefenceSnooker bias
Advanced · 40 minBreak construction
Setup
Line-up of reds with black and pink on their spots.
Target
A 40 break, then a 60.
Pack and colourSnooker
Professional · 60 minMatch simulation
Setup
Best-of-5, full rules, shot clock.
Target
Hold concentration through the last frame.
Full-frame pressurePool & snooker
Professional · 45 minPressure training
Setup
Last red, last colour, black for the frame.
Target
Ten repetitions under a timer.
Last-ball routinesPool & snooker
Professional · 45 minTactical decision-making
Setup
Ten table states, one decision each.
Target
Choose attack, safety or a plant and justify it.
Risk and rewardPool & snooker

Progression order

Add load in one direction at a time: volume first, then intensity, then density. Changing two at once makes it impossible to tell what worked. The weekly plan on the dashboard uses the high/low rhythm from the guide.
Exercises

Drills that get set up.

Three groups, one rule: every drill must be simple enough to set up in under a minute, or it will not be repeated.

Potting

PottingThe line-up
Setup
Reds along the long line between blue and pink, black on its spot.
Target
Clear the line, taking black between each red.
Volume
Three rounds, 20 minutes.
Break buildingSnooker
PottingCut-back ladder
Setup
Five balls on the same cut angle at increasing distance.
Target
Pot all five, then narrow the angle.
Volume
Two ladders, 15 minutes.
Contact accuracyPool & snooker
PottingLong red, then black
Setup
Long red to a corner, black to the opposite corner.
Target
Red-black-red as one visit.
Volume
Ten visits.
Distance and positionSnooker

Cue-ball control

Cue-ball controlStun ladder
Setup
Straight pot at three distances.
Target
Cue ball stops within a cue length of contact.
Volume
Five reps per distance.
Centre contactPool & snooker
Cue-ball controlDraw to a target
Setup
Low contact, a target spot behind the cue ball.
Target
Land on the spot three times in a row.
Volume
Three sets.
ScrewPool & snooker
Cue-ball controlThree-ball route
Setup
Three balls, one route through all three.
Target
Finish inside the marked box.
Volume
Ten routes.
PositionPool & snooker

Safety

SafetyBaulk hide
Setup
Cue ball and two colours near baulk.
Target
Hide the cue ball behind a colour without a pot on.
Volume
Ten attempts.
DefenceSnooker
SafetyCushion escape
Setup
Cue ball tight to the rail, object ball hidden.
Target
Escape off two cushions and land safe.
Volume
Ten attempts.
Escape routesSnooker
SafetyHide behind the pack
Setup
Cue ball in the open, a cluster between it and the object ball.
Target
Leave no direct line, three times.
Volume
Two sets.
DefencePool

Drill timer

15:00
Challenges

One task, two sports.

Every challenge pairs a pool task with its snooker equivalent, then filters by age and ability — so a 10-year-old beginner and a 60-year-old beginner see different instructions for the same drill.

Challenge of the day Five reds, five blacks
Pool
Pot five balls in a row without a miss, then repeat from the break.
Snooker
Five red–black pairs in one visit; count the break.
All levels20 min120 pts

Filter by age

Filter by ability

All levelsAccuracy five
Pool
Pot five balls in a row from the same spot.
Snooker
Pot five reds in a row, counting the break.
15 min80 pts
Intermediate+Long pot
Pool
Full-table straight pot into the far corner.
Snooker
Long red to the corner, then a colour.
20 min120 pts
BeginnerStop shot
Pool
Cue ball stops dead on contact, five times.
Snooker
Stun shot from baulk, five times.
15 min70 pts
Upper intermediate+Three-ball route
Pool
Clear three balls in one visit with a planned route.
Snooker
Red–colour–red with position on the black.
25 min150 pts
AdvancedCushion escape
Pool
Bank shot into the called pocket.
Snooker
Two-cushion escape from a snooker.
20 min150 pts
Intermediate+Hide behind a ball
Pool
Leave no direct line to the object ball.
Snooker
Create a snooker behind a colour.
20 min130 pts
Competitive+Clearance
Pool
8-ball clearance from the break.
Snooker
Build a 50 break.
40 min220 pts
ProfessionalEndurance
Pool
Thirty consecutive pots, no miss.
Snooker
Three consecutive scoring visits over 30.
45 min260 pts
Under 12Parent & child doubles
Pool
Alternate shots, first pair to three pots.
Snooker
Alternate shots, first pair to ten points.
30 min100 pts
FamilyCrossover cup
Pool
One rack of 8-ball.
Snooker
One frame of six-red.
40 min140 pts
InclusiveSeated precision
Pool
Pot from a seated bridge, five attempts.
Snooker
Stun shot from a seated stance.
20 min90 pts
AdvancedTimed clearance
Pool
Clear six balls inside four minutes.
Snooker
Build 30 inside five minutes.
10 min160 pts

12 challenges shown.

All-ages formats

Match centre

Every frame, scored.

Live frames, today's order of play and the scoreboard itself — the same engine that writes the league table.

Live now

Hendry Cup · QF · best of 11Okafor 4 – 3 Petrov
Frame
8, break 62
Table
One, reds split
Live18:40
Sihi Cue League · week 9Haddad 2 – 2 Mensah
Frame
5, safety exchange
Table
Two
Live18:25
Blitz 6-red · group BNovak 1 – 0 Chen
Frame
2, 15 reds
Table
Three
Live18:05

Today's order of play

Thursday 31 October · three tables
TimeMatchCompetitionTableStatus
17:00Okafor v PetrovHendry Cup · QFOneLive
18:30Haddad v MensahSihi Cue LeagueTwoLive
19:00Novak v ChenBlitz 6-redThreeLive
20:15Ibarra v AdeyemiSihi Cue LeagueTwoScheduled
21:00Semi-final oneHendry CupOneScheduled

Recent results

30 OctOkafor 6 – 3 Haddad Hendry Cup · round of 16 · best of 11Final
29 OctPetrov 5 – 4 Novak Hendry Cup · round of 16 · deciding blackFinal
28 OctMensah 4 – 2 Chen Sihi Cue League · week 8Final
26 OctIbarra 3 – 5 Adeyemi Open Handicap · last 32Final

Score a frame

The frame engine: tap a ball to award it to the player on strike. Fouls go to the opponent and end the visit.

M. Okafor 0 Break 0
L. Petrov 0 Break 0
Reds left 15 · 147 on
Frame started · Okafor to break.

Head to head

Okafor v Petrov · all competitions
PlayerPlayedWonFramesHighest break
1M. Okafor642478
2L. Petrov622071
Performance

The trend, not the score.

Accuracy, consistency and break average across the last eight scored sessions. One good night is noise; eight sessions is a line.

68%Shot accuracy
61%Consistency
24Average break
78Highest break

Accuracy, last eight sessions

5823 Oct
6124 Oct
6025 Oct
6326 Oct
6627 Oct
6428 Oct
6929 Oct
7230 Oct

Skill breakdown

Where the shots go, and which way the number moved
SkillAccuracyAttemptsTrendNext drill
Potting72%1,264+4Line-up
Cue-ball control64%486+2Stun ladder
Safety61%412−1Baulk hide
Break building58%238+3Break construction
Positional55%1960Three-ball route

Shot outcomes

1,264Pots
596Misses
412Safeties
38Fouls
How it is counted: a shot is successful only when the intended ball is potted. A pot that was not the intended ball is recorded as a miss for accuracy and as a fluke in the log, and a safety is scored on whether it left no pot on — not on whether it looked good.
AI shot coach

Judge the decision, then the shot.

A local, deterministic assessment: what you intended, how the shot was executed and what to rehearse next. No API key, no upload, no telemetry.

Shot intent

No assessment yet. Set the intent, execution and outcome, then run the assessor. It scores aim, power, spin and position separately, because a good decision badly executed and a poor decision that got lucky need different coaching.
Local engine: the assessor runs on your device and returns the same judgement for the same inputs. The physics engine decides where the balls go; the coach only interprets the result.

What the coach reads

AimContact point
Reads
Intended line against the ghost-ball contact point.
Teaches
Ghost-ball aiming, then the cue line.
Technique
PowerPace control
Reads
Committed speed against the pace the shot needed.
Teaches
Long backswing, slow start, accelerate through.
Stroke
SpinCue-ball response
Reads
Stun, follow, screw or side against the planned route.
Teaches
Contact point and follow-through length.
Control
PositionNext-shot planning
Reads
Where the cue ball finished against the intended area.
Teaches
Two-shot planning and safety choices.
Tactics

Strategy, in four questions

Settings

Profile and access.

Your profile, the way the app reads on your screen, and the data stored on this device.

Profile

Saved on this device only.

Accessibility

Larger textIncreases the base size across every screen.
Reduce motionTurns off the ticker, fades and card movement.
High contrastDeepens the ink and strengthens the rules and borders.
Sound cuesConfirmation tones for pots and fouls on the practice table.

Data

Sessions, challenges and profile settings are stored in this browser. Nothing is uploaded. Clearing local data resets the dashboard to its starting numbers.

Table size

The playing area decides the shot-set.

A snooker table plays 11 ft 8½ in by 5 ft 10 in inside the cushion line, with a 12 ft outer frame. Pool tables come at 7, 8 and 9 ft. The smaller the table, the faster the tactical exchange and the more the break decides the frame.

Playing surface

Napped cloth, and the nap points one way.

Snooker baize is directional: into the nap the ball rolls slower and curls, with it the ball runs truer and longer. Tables are brushed the same way each morning, which is why a freshly brushed table plays differently from one that has sat for an hour.

Pocket mouths

Six openings, and three different mouths.

Snooker pockets are cut tight — a corner is around 3.5 in across — so a ball that would drop on a pool table can rattle. Corner and middle pockets take the ball at different angles, which is why the same cut is a different shot from the two positions.

Cue and tip

Fifty-seven inches of ash or maple.

A snooker cue is 57–58 in, 17–19 oz, with a 9–10 mm tip. Pool cues are shorter and heavier with a 12–13 mm tip. The thinner tip gives the finer contact point, and it is also why the cue action must be smoother to keep the ball on line.

Ball set

Twenty-two on a snooker table.

Fifteen reds, six colours and the cue ball at 52.5 mm. Pool plays with sixteen 2¼ in balls. The size difference changes the margin for error: a snooker ball sits tighter to the cushion and needs a finer contact to pot.

Scoring

Reds are one, colours are two to seven.

Each red is worth one and must be followed by a colour, which is replaced on its spot. When the reds are gone the colours run in order: yellow 2, green 3, brown 4, blue 5, pink 6, black 7. A foul gives the opponent at least four points.

Objective

Score more than your opponent across the frame.

A frame is won on points, not on pots. A player can win a frame having potted fewer balls if the safety exchanges and foul points fall their way, which is why the scoreboard and the table state are read together.

Win condition

The highest score when the balls run out.

A frame ends when the black is potted or a concession is made. If the scores are level after the final black, the black is re-spotted and the next score wins — the only tie-break in the game.

Positional play

Cue-ball control is the whole game.

Stun, follow and draw put the cue ball where the next shot is possible; side changes the angle off the cushion. Position is planned two shots ahead, and a pot that leaves nothing is a lost point in practice.

Cue power

Acceleration, not force.

Power comes from a long, smooth backswing and a committed follow-through, not from gripping harder. Most missed power shots are decelerations: the cue is pulled back mid-stroke, and the ball comes off the tip short and off line.

Safety battles

The frame is usually decided here.

A safety leaves the cue ball behind a colour or tight to a cushion with no pot on. Baulk play and the snooker behind the brown or green are the core of it; the player who wins the safety exchange usually gets the first clear chance.

Precision demand

Long pots and thin cuts.

A long pot asks for line and pace together; a thin cut asks for contact accuracy to within a millimetre. Practice is built around repeatable routines — the same shot at the same pace — because precision that cannot be repeated is luck.

Break shot

Open the pack without giving a chance.

The break-off sends the cue ball into the pack from baulk and brings it back to the baulk cushion. A good break leaves the cue ball safe and the reds spread, not clustered in front of the middle pocket.

Frame length

Twenty to forty minutes is normal.

A club frame runs 20–40 minutes; a professional frame can pass an hour. Match formats run from best-of-5 to best-of-35, so concentration over a long match matters as much as shot-making.

Beginner friendly

Cheap to start, hard to master.

A cue, a table and a club membership are the entry cost, and handicap formats let a new player compete from the first week. The difficulty is in repetition, not in equipment.

Shot clock

Fifteen seconds a shot, ten after five minutes.

Shot-clock formats give 15 seconds for a shot inside the first five minutes and 10 seconds after that, with one extension. They change the game: safety play gets shorter and the break becomes more valuable.

Governing body

WPBSA and the IBSF.

The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association governs the professional game; the International Billiards and Snooker Federation governs amateur and junior play. Pool has its own bodies under the World Pool-Billiard Association.

Flagship event

The World Championship at the Crucible.

Seventeen days, 32 players, from best-of-19 to best-of-35, and the sport's biggest prize. The Crucible Theatre in Sheffield has hosted it since 1977.

Top prize money

Around half a million pounds.

The World Championship winner's cheque has sat at £500,000 in recent seasons, with the total prize fund above £2 million. Pool's major events run at a fraction of that.

Hall of fame

Davis, Hendry, O'Sullivan.

Steve Davis dominated the 1980s, Stephen Hendry the 1990s with seven world titles, and Ronnie O'Sullivan holds the record for centuries and the fastest maximum. Each changed how the game was played, not just how often it was won.

TV reach

Broadcast across more than 100 territories.

The World Championship is carried by the BBC and Eurosport, with coverage reaching a global audience across the ranking season. Streaming has added full-table feeds without commentary.

Origins

Invented in Jabalpur in 1875.

British officers in India combined black pool, pyramids and life pool into one game; Neville Chamberlain is credited with the first rules. The name comes from 'snooker', the slang for a first-year cadet.

Social scene

Club nights, leagues and handicaps.

Most players meet the game through a club league or a handicap night. Handicap formats let a beginner play a regular from the first frame, which is why club snooker stays healthy while open events thin out.

Format variety

Snooker, English pool, American pool.

Six-red snooker shortens the frame; 8-ball, 9-ball and 10-ball change the target ball and the order; blackball is the pub variant with its own rules on fouls. The table and cloth differ as much as the rules.

What ships in the app

Every feature card declared in the application source, in the order it appears.

Knowledge & play
Comparisons, tournaments, workouts and rules in one browsable tree.
Snooker vs pool
Side-by-side rules, table and skill comparison.
Tournaments
Physical venue events and online brackets.
Workouts & exercises
Physical and online training by age group.
Avatars & audio intros
Pick a persona, write its script, hear it speak.
Rules & explanations
Full rulebooks with narrated explanations.
Pool rules
8-ball, 9-ball and 10-ball, each with its own table setup.
Editor
Every page is editable: writing, photos, video reels and audio intros.

Snooker & Pool Pro — Snooker & Pool at a Glance

Snooker & Pool Pro covers snooker & pool end to end. This page is the map: what the discipline actually asks of you, the vocabulary the rest of the app uses, and where to go next.

Core vocabulary

  • cue — one of the 8 concepts this app is built around; see Techniques for the working detail.
  • break — one of the 8 concepts this app is built around; see Techniques for the working detail.
  • frame — one of the 8 concepts this app is built around; see Techniques for the working detail.
  • pocket — one of the 8 concepts this app is built around; see Techniques for the working detail.
  • spin — one of the 8 concepts this app is built around; see Techniques for the working detail.
  • safety — one of the 8 concepts this app is built around; see Techniques for the working detail.
  • pot — one of the 8 concepts this app is built around; see Techniques for the working detail.

Who it is for

Cue sports players. The material scales from a first session to competitive level.

How to use this app: work through Training Plan to build the base, Drill Library to sharpen specific skills, and Rules & Scoring before you compete.

Techniques — the core skills

8 primitives carry most of the performance in snooker & pool. Each one below is a page of work in itself.

Cue

Cue is one of the load-bearing skills in snooker & pool. It is judged on consistency first and speed second — a repeatable version beats a spectacular one-off.

TechniqueSnooker & PoolRepeatable

Break

Break is one of the load-bearing skills in snooker & pool. It is judged on consistency first and speed second — a repeatable version beats a spectacular one-off.

TechniqueSnooker & PoolRepeatable

Frame

Frame is one of the load-bearing skills in snooker & pool. It is judged on consistency first and speed second — a repeatable version beats a spectacular one-off.

TechniqueSnooker & PoolRepeatable

Pocket

Pocket is one of the load-bearing skills in snooker & pool. It is judged on consistency first and speed second — a repeatable version beats a spectacular one-off.

TechniqueSnooker & PoolRepeatable

Spin

Spin is one of the load-bearing skills in snooker & pool. It is judged on consistency first and speed second — a repeatable version beats a spectacular one-off.

TechniqueSnooker & PoolRepeatable

Safety

Safety is one of the load-bearing skills in snooker & pool. It is judged on consistency first and speed second — a repeatable version beats a spectacular one-off.

TechniqueSnooker & PoolRepeatable

Pot

Pot is one of the load-bearing skills in snooker & pool. It is judged on consistency first and speed second — a repeatable version beats a spectacular one-off.

TechniqueSnooker & PoolRepeatable

Training Plan — a repeatable week

A default week. Move the high days to suit your own calendar, but keep the high/low rhythm — two hard days back to back is where most progress is lost to fatigue.

MondayCue fundamentals45 minLow
TuesdayBreak + mobility60 minMedium
WednesdayActive recovery / easy volume30 minLow
ThursdayFrame under fatigue60 minHigh
FridayPocket — quality reps45 minMedium
SaturdayFull session / match simulation90 minHigh
SundayRest and review—Rest
Progression: add load in the order volume → intensity → density. Changing two at once makes it impossible to tell what worked.

Drill Library

Six drills, one per core concept. Each is deliberately simple to set up so it actually gets done.

Cue drill

Setup: mark out the working area and set a target for the rep.

Execution: Cue at controlled speed, full attention on one cue only.

Volume: 3–5 sets × 6–12 reps, 60 s rest.

Watch for: rushing the rep once it starts to feel easy — that is the point to add difficulty, not speed.

Break drill

Setup: mark out the working area and set a target for the rep.

Execution: Break at controlled speed, full attention on one cue only.

Volume: 3–5 sets × 6–12 reps, 60 s rest.

Watch for: rushing the rep once it starts to feel easy — that is the point to add difficulty, not speed.

Frame drill

Setup: mark out the working area and set a target for the rep.

Execution: Frame at controlled speed, full attention on one cue only.

Volume: 3–5 sets × 6–12 reps, 60 s rest.

Watch for: rushing the rep once it starts to feel easy — that is the point to add difficulty, not speed.

Pocket drill

Setup: mark out the working area and set a target for the rep.

Execution: Pocket at controlled speed, full attention on one cue only.

Volume: 3–5 sets × 6–12 reps, 60 s rest.

Watch for: rushing the rep once it starts to feel easy — that is the point to add difficulty, not speed.

Spin drill

Setup: mark out the working area and set a target for the rep.

Execution: Spin at controlled speed, full attention on one cue only.

Volume: 3–5 sets × 6–12 reps, 60 s rest.

Watch for: rushing the rep once it starts to feel easy — that is the point to add difficulty, not speed.

Safety drill

Setup: mark out the working area and set a target for the rep.

Execution: Safety at controlled speed, full attention on one cue only.

Volume: 3–5 sets × 6–12 reps, 60 s rest.

Watch for: rushing the rep once it starts to feel easy — that is the point to add difficulty, not speed.

Equipment — what you actually need

EssentialWhatever snooker & pool cannot be practised without
Personal fitSized to you, not bought off a shelf by reputation
ConsumableReplaced on a schedule, not when it fails
OptionalWorth buying only once the essentials are settled
MaintenanceChecked before every session; recorded after
Rule of thumb: in snooker & pool, equipment buys consistency, not ability. Fix technique before spending.

Rules & Scoring

The rules exist to make results comparable. These are the ones that change outcomes most often.

  • Scoring and how a contest is won
  • What counts as a legal attempt
  • Time limits and what stops the clock
  • Faults, warnings and escalation
  • Appeals and how a result is protested
Regulations differ between World Snooker Championship and national bodies. Always check the current rulebook for the competition you are entering.

Competitions — where it is contested

The main events in snooker & pool, with the level each one sits at.

World Snooker ChampionshipAnnualOpen entry
Mosconi CupAnnualOpen entry
World Pool ChampionshipAnnualOpen entry
Dates and qualification routes change every season. Confirm against the organiser before planning around an event.

Regions — where snooker & pool is strong

  • Global — an established snooker & pool scene with its own pathways and competitions.
  • UK — an established snooker & pool scene with its own pathways and competitions.
  • China — an established snooker & pool scene with its own pathways and competitions.
  • Thailand — an established snooker & pool scene with its own pathways and competitions.

Standards, terminology and coaching style all vary between these. If you move, expect the same skill to be taught differently.

Conditioning

The physical qualities that underpin snooker & pool.

Aerobic baseBuilt in the off-season, maintained in-season
StrengthTwo sessions a week holds most of the benefit
MobilityDaily, short, specific to the positions you use
SpeedTrained fresh — never at the end of a hard session
RecoverySleep is the highest-leverage intervention available
This is general guidance, not a medical programme. Get it checked against your own history before starting.

Safety

  • Warm up specifically — general cardio is not a warm-up
  • Progress load gradually; most injuries are load-management errors
  • Stop at sharp pain, not at tiredness
  • Check equipment before use, every time
  • Know the return-to-play criteria before you need them
If something hurts: reduce load, keep moving within a pain-free range, and get it assessed if it persists past a week.

Coaching

How to review your own work in snooker & pool without a coach in the room.

RecordVideo the session — memory of a rep is unreliable
ReviewOne thing at a time; a list of faults fixes nothing
IsolateRehearse the fix slowly before adding speed back
ReintegratePut it into a full-speed rep within the same session
Re-testSame conditions, same measure, two weeks later
Automated feedback in this app is advisory. It is a second pair of eyes, not a replacement for a qualified coach.

Community — clubs, sources and next steps

Progress in snooker & pool is social: the people you train with set your standard.

  • Find a local club or group and train with them regularly
  • Enter one event a season — a deadline changes how you practise
  • Follow the reporting that matters: World Snooker, Matchroom Pool, Snooker Scene, Cue Sports International
  • Keep a training log; patterns only show up over weeks
Next: go to Training Plan and put the first week in the calendar.