The Evolution and Global Rise of Snooker as a Sport

Snooker is a cue sport that traces its roots back to the latter half of the 19th century. The game evolved from the older cue sports of English billiards and pool. Snooker gained popularity among British Army officers stationed in India, and the first official set of rules was established in 1882 at the officers’ mess of the 11th Devonshire Regiment in Jabalpur.

The objective in snooker is to use a cue to strike the white cue ball and pot the other balls in the correct sequence, accumulating points for each successful shot. There are 15 red balls, each worth one point, and one each of yellow (2 pts), green (3), brown (4), blue (5), pink (6) and black (7). A player must first pot a red ball, then a “colored” ball, alternating between reds and colors until all reds are potted. The colors are then potted in ascending point value.

Points can also be scored in snooker by playing a “snooker”, where the opponent is left in a position where the ball they must play next is obstructed by another ball. Escaping a snooker often results in a foul and points to the opponent. Accumulating the highest score through a combination of potting balls and snookering the opponent is the path to victory in this strategic game.

The early 20th century saw leading English billiards players begin to gravitate towards snooker. Joe Davis, a key figure and pioneer in the sport’s early growth, won the first World Snooker Championship in 1927. The World Championship and other professional tournaments grew in prominence after the 1960s. The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) was formed in 1968 to regulate the professional game.

In the modern era, snooker has become a mainstream sport and television staple in Britain. Players like Ray Reardon, Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry elevated the sport from the 1970s through 1990s. In recent decades, Ronnie O’Sullivan has compiled a record 7 world titles and is widely considered one of snooker’s all-time greats.

With international broadcasts in Europe, the Far East and beyond, professional snooker has grown into a global sport. Top tournaments now offer millions of pounds in prize money, and skilled international players from places like China, Thailand and Australia have expanded snooker’s worldwide reach and competitive landscape.

Key Takeaways:

• Snooker evolved from English billiards in the late 1800s, gaining popularity with British officers in India
• Players score points by potting balls in the correct order, alternating between reds and colors
• Leaving the opponent “snookered” can result in fouls and additional points
• The World Snooker Championship began in 1927, with the WPBSA formed in 1968 to oversee the pro game
• Televised snooker has made it a mainstream British sport since the 1970s
• With international growth and multimillion pound tournament prizes, snooker has become a global sport