Snooker
hese rules change from time to time and often cause controversy. A particularly contentious area is the size of the six pockets. Although the table dimensions, ball size and weight, cue length, position of the lines and spots are specified in detail, no dimensions are given for the pockets. Perhaps this is to give tournament organisers some latitude to provide pockets that are sized to suit the skill level of the participants.
Neville Chamberlain in Jubbulpore, India, Creating the Sport of Snooker in 1875
Pocket size on the Club table would not have been a problem for then World Champion Steve Davis, who was in Hong Kong in 1983, along with fellow professionals Doug Mountjoy and Tony Meo, the three of them playing an exhibition match at the Club. In 2016, as part of the major renovation and remodelling of the Club, the snooker table was moved from its popular original home in a dedicated room in the Bistro to its current location in the multi-purpose Pat Loseby Room within the Sailing Centre. Snooker is classified by the Club as an “other sport” along with squash, golf and 10-pin bowling. The number of players has varied over the years, but it is fair to say that only a tiny minority of the Club’s 6,000 or so active members ever pick up a cue, which is
something we are keen to change. Booking is easy, just contact Reception within three days of your intended playing date. There is no charge to play. Aside from the small group of frequent players, we know there are others using the table. We’d like to know who you are but, because of the privacy laws, we can find out only if you tell us, so that we can add you to the contact list. Then you will receive fairly frequent updates from the convenor with information on forthcoming Club snooker evenings, matches against other clubs, attractive free offers, etc. (Just kidding there!) If we can round up enough players we can stage the Open Club Championship for Don Day’s trophy again; it’s not been played since 2016.
Just email snooker convenor Gordon Robinson at snooker@rhkyc.org.hk We look forward to hearing from you.
JUNE 2021 AHOY! |
41
Other Sports
Sources mostly agree that snooker originated in India among bored British soldiers in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Sir Neville Chamberlain is credited with formally creating it by combining the two games of black pool and pyramids, with rules issued by him in 1875. Snooker was apparently a derogatory moniker for a first-year inexperienced army recruit, but it is not clear why this term was adopted for the new game. Nowadays the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association controls the game and issues the official rules.
