Snooker

Snooker is a cue sport played on a large table with fifteen red balls, six coloured balls and a white cue ball. Players score by potting a red, then a colour, then a red, and so on.

Guides

• Rules and scoring: ball values, breaks, fouls and how a frame is won
• Table sizes and markings: dimensions, spots and room size
• Leagues and handicaps: how club matches work
• Snooker glossary: shots, terms and slang
• Season calendar: the Triple Crown and key dates for 2026/27

The game in brief

Table	12 ft by 6 ft, full size
Balls	15 reds, 6 colours, 1 cue ball
Unit of play	The frame
Highest standard break	147
Minimum penalty for a foul	4 points

Club and league snooker

Most players meet the game in a snooker club or a social club with one or two tables. League matches are usually played between teams over a set number of single frames, often with handicaps so that players of different standards can compete.