Snooker is played on a much larger table than pool, with six pockets around the rails.

The longer version

The playing surface is roughly twice the area of a pool table, and that scale is what makes positional play dominate: with twenty-two balls spread over a large cloth, potting one and leaving the cue ball in the wrong place can end a break. Pockets are cut with rounded jaws and are tight relative to ball size.

A bigger cloth also means the nap of the woven wool matters, because the direction of the fibres bends a slow ball off line, so players aim off and strike differently depending on direction. Cloth is brushed one way for this reason. The six pockets sit at the corners and midpoints, a layout shared with pool but scaled up along with the cushion height.

Where this entry sits

Facts here look at the rules, equipment and odd histories behind familiar sports and games, from balls and rackets to cards, boards and playing fields. Expect small details about scoring quirks, stadium design and the long story of the Olympic Games. The full list sits on the Sports and Games page, where every entry is listed in order.