My favorite sporting activity (aside from football) is snooker.

Description of the game

It is a cue based sport that is played on a rectangular table mostly adorned in a green (sometimes blue) fabric known as baize. On the table, there are six pockets or holes, one at each of the four corners and one in the middle of each long side.

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The gameplay involves the use of twenty-two balls: a cue ball (the white ball), fifteen red balls, and six other balls which are referred to as "the colors" (brown, green, yellow, blue, pink, and black). Individual players or teams use a cue stick to strike the white cue ball to pot the other balls in a pre-determined sequence, accumulating points for each successful pot and for each foul committed by the opposing player or team. The player with the most points wins an individual frame of snooker. A snooker match ends when a player completes a set number of frames. Basically, the faster you pot balls in the sequence which was agreed before the commencement of the match, the closer you are to winning.

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Brief history of the snooker game

History documents the first players of this game as the British Army officers who were stationed in India, in the second half of the nineteenth century.

Army officer Sir Neville Chamberlain, who in the course of his military career was deployed to Ootacamund, Madras, and Jubbulpore, created a system of rules that merged black pool with pyramids in 1875, giving snooker its name. Snooker was a well-known insult used to refer to unskilled or newly enlisted military members. Snooker was primarily played in the United Kingdom in the early 20th century, where it was regarded as a "gentleman's sport" until the early 1960s. From there, it gained popularity as a pastime activity on a national scale and eventually started to spread abroad.
When the Billiards Association and Control Club was founded in 1919, the game's standardized regulations were officially introduced. The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association now oversees snooker as a pro sport.

Attractions behind my choice

i. Playing snooker boosts concentration

Snooker involves a lot of increased concentration, which helps you develop the habit of paying attention to your regular activities as well. In this game, the player is generates a high level of focus which is then directed at cueing the cue ball (white ball), hitting the cue ball at the proper angle, leaning properly at the table, and anticipating the angular velocity the cue ball will move at after being hit. Your mind will become more alert and your ability to concentrate will keep improving because all of this requires extra focus and attention to detail. One game of snooker also helps you focus better on everyday tasks or other long term goals.

ii. Helps to tone up your body

Any physician will indeed advise you to take occasional quick strolls. Additionally, a game of pool requires walking around the pool table for the duration of the gameplay. The body receives advantages in form long kilometer of walks as a result. The best part is that by moving around the pool table, you burn fat and consume fewer calories. Furthermore, unlike a continuous walk or run, this doesn't put you under stress while still providing the same benefits. Playing snooker not only helps you lose weight, but it also works your muscles and improves body balance. Snooker requires a lot of mobility, which tends to make the body agile. Additionally, it will tone the muscles in the legs and back.

iii. Helps in the development of real life skills

A recent study found that playing snooker also fosters the development of life skills. It was noted that the gamers are more grounded and rational thinkers who don't panic readily in stressful situations. They maintain composure and focus on the important information to get through a crisis. Their thoughts become sharper as a result of playing this game. The game's mathematical calculations and players' analysis of the target (the cue ball) all help the mind process information more quickly. This game stimulates a player's creativity, spontaneity, and problem-solving abilities, all of which help develop critical thinking abilities.

iv. Helps in the development of social skills

Nowadays, in the era of social networking, having a good conversation is rather challenging. However, playing pool allows you to have fun with people of any age, whether it be your child, a business colleague, or members of your family. Because anyone, regardless of age, can play this game. Additionally, anyone at the snooker table has an equal opportunity to play. You can gain a range of social and health benefits from playing pool. Consequently, you get a very satisfying experience.

Improving the international acceptance of the game of snooker

I would admit the game of snooker is not one that enjoys a high rate in terms of viewership when compared with sports like football, basketball or even tennis. However, I see no reason why snooker can't be at least close to their numbers in terms of fan base numbers.

Comparing statistics of international snooker tournaments over the years, there has been visible improvement in the viewership numbers and more can still be done. In 2021, the Snooker world championship hit a viewership number of about 4.1million live viewers, higher than anything that has ever been recorded.

It is my believe and my submission that a level of aggressive evangelism, aimed at making people understand the benefits accruing from regular snooker play can drive up the numbers, in terms of playing and viewership. Snooker is a very interesting game that does not require the level of fatigue most sporting activities require and gives the same benefits in terms of exercise and the feeling of the spirit of sportsmanship.

Why I prefer snooker to other sports

For the same rationale that some people despise snooker, I enjoy it. Snooker is a challenging sport that occasionally makes you insane. Snooker is on a different level from many other recreational activities, such as exercising, playing chess, or running a marathon. Although difficult to explain, it is!

Snooker may appear straightforward but when you get down to play it, it’s incredibly simple to miss the straightest shots. To determine the proper angle and velocity, you must be quite precise. When you first learn to play snooker, a break of more than ten is an amazing accomplishment. You also need to get good at controlling the cue ball.

You can't help but love snooker for a number of reasons, including the green baize, the brightly colored balls on the table, the fervent spectators, the incredible sportsmanship displayed by professional snooker players, the rapidly expanding competition each season and year, and the cool, collected atmosphere.

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Snooker is the sport it is now thanks to individuals like Ronnie O'Sullivan, Alex Higgins, Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, Judd Trump, among others. The beautiful game of snooker will be here for a long time yet.

I am nominating @a-isaac and @ifecollins to join this contest