Snooker The sport has become increasingly popular in China. The origin of snooker dates back to the latter half of the 19th century. In the 1870s, billiards was a popular activity amongst British Army officers stationed in India and several variations of the game were devised during this time. One such variation originated at the officers' mess of the 11th Devonshire Regiment in 1875, which combined the rules of two pocket billiards games, pyramid and life pool. The former was played with fifteen red balls and one black positioned in a triangle, while the latter involved the potting of designated coloured
Power Snooker the most points overall, irrespective of frames. A 20-second shot clock is imposed on each shot, while additional variants also include power plays, balls and zones, awarding bonus points. The first tournament using the Power Snooker format was played at The O in London on 30 October 2010. Eight players competed for a first prize of £35,000. The format has been sanctioned by, but organised and promoted independently from the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) which organises the traditional format of snooker. Barry Hearn stated the hope "that Power Snooker will emulate the success of Twenty20 cricket as