How about a game of snooker? A surprisingly high number of people in North America have not heard of or played this great billards variation. In the rest of the world, most people choose to play snooker in billiards rooms and pool halls. And in terms of televised sports in England, snooker is one of the most highly viewed programs. It's time snooker got more applause in North America, too.

Snooker began as a simple variation of the game of pool. It was originally called "pyramid pool", and was merely a different version of "life" or "black" games already in use. In 1875, Sir Neville Chamberlain modified the game, and it took off in popularity. English soldiers loved to play the new game, and it enjoyed a steady increase in popularity up to the present day's peak in modern England.

Newcomers may find it a bit intimidating to learn snooker, but the actual rules are not that complicated. Perhaps the most difficult part is setting the table properly:

* Snooker requires a standard, full-size billiards table that measures 12 feet by 6 feet.

* A standard set of snooker balls is required. This set of 22 balls includes 15 red balls, 1 each of pink, yellow, brown, blue, black and green balls, and 1 white cue ball.

* Place the green, brown, and yellow balls side by side at one end of the table. Give them a gap of about six inches. In the exact center of the pool table goes the blue ball. Pink goes between the blue ball and the far end of the table. There is a special marked spot for the black ball, and it is about 13 inches from the top cushion.

* A triangular rack or form is used to place the 15 red balls, which go directly behind the pink ball. Don't touch the pink ball with the point of the triangle, but come as close as possible.

Once the balls are properly set, the game can begin. The breaking player strikes the triangle of red balls. When a player sinks a red ball, he or she is then free to shoot and sink any one of the six colored balls. The yellow ball is worth two points, the green is worth three, the brown ball is worth four, the blue is five, the pink is six, and the black is worth seven points. When a colored ball has been sunk, the point is scored and the ball is retrieved and re-spotted on the table.

There are also varieties of snooker that you can try out after you have mastered the basic game. As you can see, snooker is not terribly complex, but it can still be a drag on the fun part of the game for newcomers trying too remember all the rules, so it is best to have an experienced player explain the snooker rules to you.

Snooker has been a much beloved sport in England for more than a century, and with good reason. It is a fun game, that is easy to play, yet offers many skills challenges as one progresses. If your house already has a regulation-sized pool table, make sure you purchase a set of snooker balls and instructions soon, and add this fantastic game to your family's activities.

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Barbara Miller writes for several web magazines, on recreation and recreation facility themes. Get a unique version of this article from our snooker article directory