What is Snooker?
[[File:German Masters Snooker Final (DerHexer) 2012-02-05 28.jpg|thumb|Snooker table with the 21 target balls]] '''Snooker''' is a [[cue sport]] played by two players. It is popular in the [[United Kingdom]], the [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] and parts of [[Asia]]. It is played on a large (12 by 6 feet) table that is covered with a smooth green cloth called [[baize]] and has holes (called pockets) in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. The players use long thin sticks called [[cue]]s to strike a white ball (the cue ball). The cue ball must always be hit first when attempting a shot at the target ball. There are 22 coloured balls. One white ball, and 21 other balls to try to put in the pockets. There are 15 red balls (worth 1 point each) and a yellow (2 points), green (3 points), brown (4 points), blue (5 points), pink (6 points) and black ball (7 points).<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://wpbsa.com/wp-content/uploads/WPBSA-Official-Rules-of-the-Games-of-Snooker-and-Billiards-2020.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2024-01-16 |archive-date=2020-08-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807130223/https://wpbsa.com/wp-content/uploads/WPBSA-Official-Rules-of-the-Games-of-Snooker-and-Billiards-2020.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> Each target ball must be aimed or 'potted' into one of the pockets in order. A red ball first, and then any other colour then a red ball again. This happens until only the coloured balls are left. The colours then have to be potted in the following order: yellow, green, brown, blue, pink and black. The player who scores more points wins the game or 'frame'. A match consists of an agreed number of frames. Big events in snooker are the [[World Snooker Championship]], [[UK Championship (snooker)|UK Championship]] and the [[Masters (snooker)|Masters]]. Professional players play on the [[World Snooker Tour]].<ref>https://wst.tv/triple-crown-winners-to-wear-new-icon/</ref> The best-known snooker players are the seven-time world cha