Snooker and cue sports

[Marcus Darkwood]

As the World Championships of Snooker is on at the moment, I thought this was a good time for this post.

Do you play snooker, or perhaps another cue sport like pool or carom billiards? Or do you enjoy following the matches on TV? Do you have a favourite player?

Unfortunately, I have no talent for sports on my own, but I've been fiercely into snooker as a fan for several years now. So much that the sport becomes one of the main joys in my life whenever a major tournament is on. While I might not watch every match, I at least try to keep up with news and results, and watch as much of the action as I can while still making time for my other activities.

I think what I love about snooker is that there is such a huge contrast between the "stylish and elegant" appearance of the sport, and the intensity of mental pressure and emotion that is also part of the game. As a fan, when I truly want my favourites to win, it can also be a very intense sport to watch. Every time they're about to take a shot, I fear that they'll miss or go out of position or leave the opponent a chance, while simultaneously hoping and wanting with my whole heart for things to go well. Not to mention if it's the opponent on the table, racking up points, all while I'm mentally panicking about their momentum and how it'll affect the rest of the match, or the end result.

[Anne-Marie Gagne]

I've never played nor watched snooker but I love playing pool. Both 8-ball and 9-ball. I'm not that good at it honestly but I have fun and that's all that matters haha. I do enjoy watching the tournaments when I catch them on but I never actually go looking for them.

I also really enjoy the trickshot competitions people do as well. Those are really fun to watch haha.

[Janne Halla]

I love snooker and billiards! I'm better at the latter, especially the 8-ball. I usually play 8-ball American style (though I've dabbled in the British version as well).

When I'm out with friends, and coworkers or doing amateur nights, we play house-rules 8-ball no rotation. House rules just mean we have one or two rules or fouls we stick to, but since the game usually involves amateurs, we go easy on them, especially for end-game stuff. Namely, if the 8 ball is pocketed in the first half of the game, we just put it back, or if a person who just started accidentally pokes the cue ball so it moves a centimeter or two, we don't count that as a move. Things like that.

I most enjoy 8-ball rotation, though, it provides just enough challenge to be interesting. I usually play that in our town/bar leagues.

I also tried carom billiards, but I'm not that good at it, to be quite honest.