Not to mention 2/3 of the sets are played with massive balls and pockets, as compared to snooker table/balls. Snooker isn’t a game that relies on the power shots of 8-ball. Shots only possible because the balls are easier to sink. Check out Ronnie O'Sullivan’s TV show where he plays some 8-ball if you want a real laugh

Dan Kelly But do remember mate in pool it really is pretty easy to make a shot down a cushion (or 'rail') with no real thought or difficulty in the shot - as long as it's vaugley on target the pocket size will just calmly let it in. In Snooker, pots where the ball is near the cushion are so difficult. The pockets in Snooker are never going to let anything in if you don't hit it into the middle of the already tight pocket

Are you aware that despite the increase in ball size the pockets are so big that the ball can move away from the side rail and still go in? They are huge. It’s very difficult to miss. Basically if you can pot off the break your pretty much on for the win.

It’s like assuming a tennis player could be good at badminton. Two entirely different games. I disagreev

Good match show more match play

+EvelcyclopS Is there a particular point to this remark? Such as in phenomenally impressive for someone who never played Snooker, since there weren't any tables to practice on where he came from? But even with cue sports having become more international, how many racks of 9-Ball, let alone Straight Pool would one expect a Snooker player to run on average? How many games of One Pocket would one win in a challenge match against one of the greats, such as Efren Reyes, if any? But it's true that it's fun to see players do well on foreign soil - diversity is good for all cue sports. As a matter of fact, I remember being happy at the time that Steve Davis fared a little better against Mizerak in their Fiat Challenge. That the latter would do similarly well in Snooker as the Snooker pros did in pool wasn't really a surprise at all - except to those who didn't know players like the Miz (who, ironically, was increasingly past his prime in the eighties, yet still a threat). The big guy was smoothness personified, a joy to watch. I sure miss him…

+LeonFleisherFan a 50 break in skillet is a much more sizeable challenge than any in pool though. Any amateur snooker player has had break and runs and even myself have had some sizeable straight pool breaks, but your typical pool player just would t have the cue all control and cue action to live with the tiny pockets in snooker. We see a lot of snooker players playing pool, but not many pool players making it over to snooker.

EvelcyclopS I see where you're coming from now. Pray tell, what's your favorite Snooker player's high run in Straight Pool? Or consecutive balls in One Pocket, or racks in 8-, 9- or 10-Ball? It seems you're only acquainted with the difficulties of your favorite cue sport. No one is contesting that 50 in Snooker is a nice run (even I can do that, and I've played Snooker only a couple times in decades), but remember it's roughly the equivalent of a rack of Straight Pool, without the advantage of every second ball being re-spotted for ease of pattern/position play. The problem is that a rack of Straight Pool won't win anyone a game, nor half a game, nor anything for that matter…

+LeonFleisherFan I watched Steve Davis play a nice straight pool game, think he scored above 80. Certainly a lot of skill to set up for the break. But I've played a lot of pool, in many forms (American 8,9 ball, poker, straight, one pocket) also English pool too which is a great game. In my opinion a 50 break in snooker is really a lot harder than most pool games. Would agree with you that straight pool is probably the toughest challenge as far as pool goes (perhaps one pocket?) but still the positioning in straight pool is more simple. Anyway, love this mizerak guy, seems like a lovely bloke.

+EvelcyclopS To avoid misunderstanding, I admire and understand Snooker and love watching great players/performances. It's not that we pool players underestimate the difficulties playing Snooker (even if, thanks to the larger playing surface, position play is much easier than on a pool table, and thanks to the re-spotting of the so-called "colors", the pattern play so repetitive, it's much easier to grasp and put to practice). But the fact alone that any given shot may seem easier to execute on a pool table doesn't mean that superior pocketing skills make a great player. One only needs to watch Jimmy's pattern play in 8-Ball here to realize the difficulties lie elsewhere.

English pool is. Blackball rules.

+11rockiton What a great pool player does: run out, regardless… Beauty!

he plays the game casually.. but has all the talent

yeah, when I heard him say that I almost fell out of my chair. The 3.5 x 7 ft tables in the U.S. are a joke and I won't cheapen myself to play on them. 4 x 8 is bad enough. But 3 x 6 ft pool tables I thought they were an urban legend.

Little advice, don't buy a cue from a sporting goods store.

i had to buy what i could afford for under $40,i read reviews on other wholesale online billiard websites ppl saying cues were warped,but ive been practing with with the cue,its improving ,put a better tip on it

+ericou812 Do u shoot 9 ball for $cash$ by any chance??

no,but bar uptown is a pay table,on wedsday night its free pool,,group of guys play 9 ball for money,i dont like playing for money a beer maybe,i play for the love of the game

+ericou812 Well that's cool. I can't play for no $$, because I don't want any tips given for free, and I don't focus-- pick up bad habits, and ultimately get thrown outta my competitive stroke. Never a good thing.

Jozef Slepcik event Jennifer barretta Jennifer barretta

Sure you did buddy. Sure you did.

+AngrierGorilla Total give-up stroke, and it ends up winning him a game… Jimmy White, needless to say, has always been a people's favorite, but the fact alone that he'd lose patience instead of using his incredible talent to try and overcome a seemingly lost cause, is disheartening to see. The problem, of course, is that his superior pocketing skills couldn't overcome his ignorance of 8-Ball pattern play. Pool may look easy, but watching him is a healthy reminder that it's not…

LeonFleisherFan Totally agree!

"BCA tournament rules" are clear about what is a "foul" shot, the legal positions of a "ball-in-hand", and how to perform a "push out" (the three things most players seem to get backwards, and then perpetuate.) -- there is no "slop" in 8-ball, there's also no "kitchen". (BCA = "Billiards Congress of America") see also ISBN10:1592287441 ISBN13:978-1592287444

+Shaun Wilson Back then, there was a kitchen in 8 & 9-ball. The BCA only recently amended the rules for 8-ball a few years back. The BCA adopted the Texas Express rules for 9-ball in late 80s-early 90s or so. Before that, in 9-ball, in the event of a foul on the break, the 1st shot after the break was from the kitchen and the 1ball spotted if it crossed the head string.

Interesting to learn, thanks. I've only been playing since 1996 or so, and I used to play by "the old rules" until someone corrected me. I always assumed that "the kitchen" wasn't ever a legitimate play as a result.. it's always good to know if and when things changed I suppose.

BCA changed the rule in 1987 so I guess they are playing the "new" rule here - cheers!

They continued shooting after pocketing with the wrong pocket. That's slop.