Snooker
Snooker is played with one white cue ball and 21 object balls: 15 reds worth one point each and six colours worth two to seven. A player pots a red and then a colour in turn until the reds are gone; the colours are then potted in order. A foul gives the opponent at least four penalty points.
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How long
Frames of 15 reds and six colours; matches are the best of a set number of frames
Lengths are from the rule book.
The big events, and why they matter
- 1World Snooker ChampionshipThe best-known title in the game, played at the Crucible in Sheffield.Yearly · Holder: Wu Yize beat Shaun Murphy
- 2UK Championship and the MastersWith the World Championship, the Triple Crown.Yearly · Holder: 2025, York: Mark Selby beat Judd Trump 10–8
- 3IBSF World Snooker ChampionshipThe amateur world title, where India has a strong record.Yearly · Holder: Michał Szubarczyk beat Ali Alobaidli 5–2
- 4World Women's Snooker ChampionshipThe women's world title.Yearly · Holder: Wu Yize beat Shaun Murphy
India
No Indian player has reached a final of the professional World, UK or Masters events. At the IBSF championship India has four men's titles (Omprakesh Agrawal 1984; Pankaj Advani 2003, 2015 and 2017) and the 2025 women's title (Anupama Ramachandran) [the three pages].
- World Snooker Championship: No Indian finalist
- UK Championship and the Masters (snooker): No Indian finalist
- IBSF World Snooker Championship: Four men's titles (Omprakesh Agrawal 1984; Pankaj Advani 2003, 2015 and 2017) and the 2025 women's title (Anupama Ramachandran)
Countries to know
India and the nations that have done best, biggest titles first.
- IndiaCue sports at the Asian Games: 5 golds, 4 silvers, 6 bronzes (latest 2010)
- ChinaWorld Snooker Championship: 2 titles (latest 2026); Cue sports at the Asian Games: 8 golds, 4 silvers, 4 bronzes (latest 2010)
- Chinese TaipeiCue sports at the Asian Games: 8 golds, 5 silvers, 8 bronzes (latest 2010)
- PhilippinesCue sports at the Asian Games: 4 golds, 4 silvers, 1 bronze (latest 2010)
- Hong KongCue sports at the Asian Games: 4 golds, 3 silvers, 3 bronzes (latest 2010)
- JapanCue sports at the Asian Games: 4 golds, 3 silvers, 4 bronzes (latest 2010)
Who runs it
| Rules made by | World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA), Official Rules of the Games of Snooker and English Billiards, May 2022 update |
| International federation | WPBSA for the professional game and the International Billiards and Snooker Federation (IBSF) for the amateur game |
| In India | Billiards and Snooker Federation of India (BSFI): recognised, on the MYAS list for 2026 as "Billiards and Snooker" |
Where and when it is played
On a table 11 ft 8½ in by 5 ft 10 in with six pockets. The big events: the World Snooker Championship, the UK Championship and the Masters (an invitational) every year, and the IBSF World Snooker Championship for amateurs.