The masters snooker tournamanent is held once a year at wembley in the UK around the first week of January where live snooker is played.This was previously called Benson and Hedges Masters.In 2010 it commences on 10th Janaury where all the worlds best premier snooker matches are played in a tournamament of wonder minds and stategies, where the worlds best players show there talent.The so called Benson and Hedges Masters or Masters as its called now is my favourite tournamant by far and one of the most exciting.
Despite its age, snooker is a very popular game around the world and there is still a huge range of places that sell snooker tables and snooker accessories. Even billiards is still popular but not as much as snooker.Very often the problem comes when thinking of buying a snooker table because there are so many different types and they often get confused with pool tables. The main difference between a snooker table and pool table is mianly its size; pool tables are a far smaller. Snooker balls tend to be smaller as well and the pockets are less round. Because of this, if you want a proper game of snooker it needs to be on a snooker and not a pool table thats for sure.
If you want to purchase a table of your own, here are some tips and tricks that will ensure you buy a good quality table. Before you start looking for one it's wise to measure the area in which you wish to put the table. Remember to make sure you have extra footage around the edge of a table to allow for good cueing. Some cues are 6ft long so this can add quite a lot to the space required. It is possible to get snooker tables of all sizes but if you are serious about playing the game to a high standard you will want to get a full size table which is 12ft in length and 6 ft wide. If you take into account cueing space you are looking at room that measures 22ft x 16ft and this excludes furniture such as other draws etc
Slate size is critical and essential when assessing the quality of a snooker table so please purchase one which has a slate that is at least 1" thick seriously. This will prevent it breaking and also provide a much better playing surface. Previously this slate is covered in a green cloth although it is possible to get other colours around now.
Make sure you check exactly what the table comes with before you buy it as this will put you in a better position for comparing prices of different tables. Some retailers will throw in extra items such as cues, scoreboards or even balls so it pays to ask the question. Be sure you are comparing like for like when considering two tables.
Snooker tables are verey valuable and need alot of care and attention but can provide hours of fun for the whole family to enjoy. It sometimes pays to spend a little bit more on a more lasting table that will last forever, but it will likely remain in a good condition for years to come.
When it comes to 8-ball billiards the essential difference between snooker and 8 ball billiards is the balls. They are very different colors and are used in both games. In snooker, there are 15 red balls and 6 colored balls whereas the 8-ball billiards is played with total 15 balls among which 7 are solid and 7 of them are stripped and one black ball. There is also a fundamental difference in the way these both games are played.
The winner of the 8-ball game is decided upon who ever pockets all of their balls first, either stripped or solid and at the end pockets the eight ball. In some games of the 8-ball billiards, the winner is decided rather quickly, based on whoever pockets the black 8-ball first. This is a one hit win and decides the match in an instant. On the other hand, snooker is a game that decides the winner on the basis on of points they gained by pocketing the balls. The player with the most points wins the game of snooker.
In live snooker, you have to pocket all of the red balls first. When you pocket a red ball, you have to pocket a colored ball as well. Otherwise your turn to play will end and you will have to wait for your opponent to take his turn at the red balls. Most players try to maximize their score by pocketing the black ball after pocketing a red ball.
To play snooker, you just grab any cue that is in the snooker hall and check if it is straight, after that you don't really pay attention to it. But if you are going to be serious about the game you need to get your own cue. Choosing a snooker cue should be an enjoyable experience with all those colours and shiny lacquer they look really cool. But just a few things to consider before you rush out and buy that cue.
Firstly, don't go cheap, you will soon regret it, spend at least £40 or more and get a decent cue with a good quality tip (most important) and make sure it has a brass ferrule (or other metal or plastic) at the tip end of the cue as this prevents you damaging the cue when you change the tip. And get a 3/4 split cue as this is the most convenient for adding extensions to. Also make sure it will take a smart extender or something similar and check with your supplier as the screw threads are not standard.
After that, choose the colour and wood that you like, most snooker cues come in ash and a few in maple, it really doesn't matter which wood you choose. Now you are good to go, but one more thing, make sure you get a cue case as well, that your cue will fit. This will protect your cue from knocks when carrying it around and I would get a hard case as well as that gives you some protection from the cue being bent or broken better than a soft cue case will.To play snooker you must have the right cue its essential.
OK so you have your nice shiny new cue, now what? Practice with it , you have to grow into your cue so you can get the feel of it. No two cues are the same, even when they are the same model, you have to get used to the foibles of the cue and get used to the feel of it, it is rarely going to feel right just out of the box, you have to persevere and feel the contact so you know where that cue ball is going.
What weight and length of cue should you go for? There is a saying in snooker that your cue should come up to just below your shoulder when stood on end, in reality it doesn't much matter, the standard length of 57 inches should be fine for just about anyone unless you are exceptionally tall or exceptionally short.
As for the weight, the average cue weight is 17 - 18 ounces, and I suggest you start with one of that weight, it is probably true that a lighter snooker cue gives you better feel for a shot and a heavier cue is better for those power shots. But at the end of the day it is what you feel is right as regards weight and you probably won't be able to judge that until you have been playing for some time. So i hope you enjoy your snooker and pick the right cue