Why is there a flat on a snooker cue?

These days, the flat part is most useful for being able to feel the orientation of the cue in your hand, so that you can use it the same way every time. That's important for a consistent hit, particularly because the leather tips used for snooker tend to compress and deform non-uniformly over time.

What is the flat bit on a snooker cue for?

Even today's cues still have that flat part – the only feature that remains from the old mace. These days it is just a place for the manufacturer to put his badge, although some players use the flat part to line up the shot as the grain in Ash shafts has an arrow configuration and can be an aid to sighting.

What is the difference between a snooker cue and a regular cue?

The tip normally measures about 8-9 mm wide. Yes, American cues are usually a little thicker with a larger tip (12-13 mm) to accommodate the larger cue ball. Conversely, snooker cues are thicker and made sturdier with a tip that measures 9-10 mm. As for sturdiness, a cue's shaft is rated based on its deflection rating.

Why are snooker cues one piece?

Many players trust one-piece snooker cues over their two and three-piece counterparts because they prefer the sturdy feel of one continuous piece of wood as they hit the balls on the table.

Why do snooker players rest their chin on the cue?

Resting the chin on or just above the cue helps a snooker player achieve proper visual alignment for their shot. Top players practice their shot alignment obsessively, dialing it in so that their heads and eyes are perfectly positioned to visualize the line of the shot.

Snooker Cue Advice - Snooker Cue Tips

Why do pool players wear gloves but not snooker players?

The closed-loop, which involves the index finger and thumb forming a ring around the cue creates more of a surface for the cue to run against, which increases the chances of cuing through friction. Wearing a glove negates this impact as they often absorb the sweat and give a consistent running surface.

Why is snooker so addictive?

'I think a lot of snooker players have to have an addiction to kind of cope with playing snooker because it can be a really mentally demanding sport. 'Some people it's drink, food, gambling, play computer games. It's just a way of trying to cope with the demands of being a professional snooker player.

Why is snooker cue so expensive?

There is a big difference in the manufacture process. Making a Hand-spliced cue is a longer process and often involves extra splicing and includes more exotic woods. The cheapest cues that many suppliers sell are not spliced at all and are in fact painted to look like they are spliced.

Is snooker a mental game?

What snooker players don't realise is that snooker's four mental skills are as important and as difficult as snooker's four physical skills of technique, cue action, aiming, and positional play.

What is the stick in snooker called?

A cue stick (or simply cue, more specifically billiards cue, pool cue, or snooker cue) is an item of sporting equipment essential to the games of pool, snooker and carom billiards. It is used to strike a ball, usually the cue ball .

Is it legal to use snooker cue in pool?

So if you're only casually enjoying English pool whilst focussing on your Snooker game, feel free to play English pool with a Snooker cue. There are marginal caveats to using a Snooker cue to play English pool - Namely a very slight loss of precision over shooting where an English Pool Cue would deliver.

What snooker cue does Judd Trump use?

Judd Trump uses a John Parris cue.

Why not use a snooker cue in pool?

Additionally while the tip is only slightly smaller the difference in ball sizing means that using a snooker cue to hit pool balls increases your chances of miscuing and imparting unwanted spin on the cue ball (and ultimately object ball as well).

Should a snooker cue tip be flat?

You seldom want to hit the ball right in the middle, you don't want to miscue, and you want to have precise control of the spin. Therefore, a rounded tip is better than a flat tip. You shape the tip with a tip scuffer, a file, a piece of sandpaper, and other similar abrasive tools.

How can you tell a good snooker cue?

The best quality snooker cues are made of maple wood or ash wood. There are many other types of woods which you can choose from, including rosewood and snakewood which are used in more luxurious cues. Different types of wood will have different grain lines, colours and feel.

Why do snooker cues have brass ferrules?

In short, the ferrule protects the tip end of the cue from splitting, due to the continuous impact it receives. Historically, the ferrule had been made from brass which players have gotten accustomed to given how they rarely change cues over their careers.

Why isn t snooker mixed gender?

There is no such thing as the 'men's tour' in snooker. Snooker is a rare example of a sport that can place men and women on the same field of play to compete equally and the WST is fully inclusive and open to players of any gender who are able to qualify for it through one of several qualification pathways.

What is the snooker controversy?

Triple Crown winners Yan Bingtao and Zhao Xintong are the highest-profile names caught up in the sport's biggest corruption scandal. Following a three-month investigation by integrity chiefs, the 2021 Masters champion Bingtao, 22, has been charged with “fixing matches on the World Snooker Tour and betting on snooker”.

Is snooker becoming less popular?

To conclude, while Snooker may not be at the height of its popularity in the UK, it still remains one of the most popular sports in the country, with widespread participation and viewership.

Is snooker tougher than pool?

Snooker is a hugely more sophisticated and skilled game than pool. The table is far larger, there are many more shots, many more strategies and many more positions. What is pool snooker?

Is snooker much harder than pool?

The best pool players are very skilful but I'd argue that snooker is harder, given the size of the table. On a pool table the smaller surface area and closer proximity of the pockets means good eyesight is seldom an issue.

What is the most expensive cue in the world?

The Intimidator is the most expensive pool cue in the world and raises the bar to a whole new level of prestige. This sensational cue is a 3D piece of art that features four bladed wings that can rip a table to shreds. The focal point is a Genuine Italian Obsidian Gemstone Sphere at the base.

Why do Americans not play snooker?

Why don't Americans play snooker? Just never been much of a tradition of it in the U.S. By the time snooker was developed in British-ruled India and spread from there, straight pool had already become established as the cue sport of choice in America.

Is snooker corrupt?

Snooker is not exceptional in terms of match-fixing risk.” Sportradar's 2021 annual report on betting corruption and match-fixing recorded 903 suspicious matches in 10 sports, across 76 countries – a record over the 17 years it has monitored sports integrity.

What country is snooker most popular?

Historically, snooker has been an English sport, even as it grew in popularity in countries like Ireland, Scotland, and Australia. Initially created in 1875 by a British officer stationed in India, snooker quickly grew to be a beloved sport in the UK.