8AimGeometry

Pool and Snooker Equipment

Most of what matters in equipment is set by the game: snooker uses 52.5 mm balls on a 12 ft table and cues with tips of about 9 to 10 mm; pool uses 57.15 mm balls on 7 to 9 ft tables and cues with tips of about 12 to 13 mm. Where a rulebook sets a number, these guides quote it; where it does not, they say so.

The guides below cover cues and tips, then balls, tables and pockets.

Cues and Tips3 articlesTables and Balls2 articles

Cues and Tips3 articles

How snooker and pool cues differ, how tip size and hardness change a shot, and looking after the tip.

Snooker Chalk & Cue Tip Maintenance — Stop MiscueingMost miscues trace to a worn tip or wrong chalk. The 4 tip-care habits, the difference between major chalk brands, and when to re-tip.Snooker Cue vs Pool Cue: Tip, Length, Weight and JointAbout 9.5 mm against 13 mm at the tip, ash and brass against maple and fibre, one-piece or 3/4 joints against a centre joint, and whether you can use one for the other game.Cue Tip Size and Hardness: What Actually Changes a ShotA softer tip does not give more spin. Typical tip sizes for pool, snooker and UK pool cues, what diameter and hardness really change, tip shape, layered tips and when to replace.

Tables and Balls2 articles

Ball sizes and weights for every game, and table and pocket sizes.

Chinese 8-Ball Table Size and Pockets: Heyball vs PoolThe same 9-foot playing area as a pool table, but pockets about 85 mm wide against 114–118 mm. Dimensions, pocket sizes to scale, what they do to your aiming margin, and room size.Pool and Snooker Ball Sizes: mm, Inches and Weight ChartPool 57.15 mm, snooker 52.5 mm, UK pool 2 in with a smaller cue ball, carom 61–61.5 mm. Every size and weight with its rulebook source, drawn to scale.
Other games
Snooker20 articlesPool20 articlesAll guides

FAQ

Can you use a snooker cue for pool?

You can, but it is not the usual choice: a snooker cue's 9 to 10 mm tip is made for 52.5 mm balls, and pool players with 57.15 mm balls mostly use 12 to 13 mm tips. See snooker cue vs pool cue.

Are snooker balls smaller than pool balls?

Yes: 52.5 mm against 57.15 mm, about 8% smaller across. See pool and snooker ball sizes.