Snooker

Snooker is a cue sport played on a large rectangular table with pockets at each of the four corners and in the middle of each long side. It is played with twenty-two balls: a white cue ball, fifteen red balls worth one point each, and six coloured balls: yellow (2 points), green (3 points), brown (4 points), blue (5 points), pink (6 points), and black (7 points).

The object of snooker is to score more points than your opponent by potting balls in the correct sequence. Play typically begins with the player attempting to pot a red ball. If successful, they must then nominate and attempt to pot a coloured ball. If successful again, they alternate between potting red balls and nominated coloured balls until all the red balls are off the table. Players then must pot the coloured balls in the ascending order of their value (yellow through black). The player with the highest score at the end of the frame wins.

A "snooker" occurs when a player is unable to hit the ball they are legally required to hit in a straight line, due to obstruction by one or more other balls. The player is said to be "snookered." Penalties are incurred for fouls, such as hitting the wrong ball first or potting the cue ball. These penalties award points to the opponent.

Snooker originated in the latter half of the 19th century among British Army officers stationed in India. It gained popularity in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries and has since spread internationally. Professional snooker tournaments are held worldwide, with the World Snooker Championship being the most prestigious. The sport requires a high level of skill, including cue ball control, tactical thinking, and concentration.