| If
you want to see what can be done with a bunch of balls
and a snooker cue then Sheffield is the city for you.
Snooker is a form of billiards, which was developed in
India in the 19th century by Sir Neville Chamberlain,
a British soldier stationed out there. Eventually the
game made its way back to UK shores and the first world
championship was held in 1927.
Today the World Championship is a major event on
the snooker calendar, and since 1977 they have been held
at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre [map].
Every April all the top players from around the world
gather in Sheffield to compete, supported by a multitude
of snooker fans. In fact the event is usually a sell out
for the venue months in advance.
As well as the fans who get to watch the game live, there
are around 32 million additional television viewers,
making this is one of the most watched sports in the UK.
Over the years the Crucible has seen some excellent games
and some outstanding champions, most notably Englishman Steve Davis who has won the event six times, and
Scotsman Stephen Hendry who has won seven times.
If you want to give the game a go for yourself then there
are several venues across Sheffield where you can practise
your snooker skills from sun-up to sun-down.
Rileys Pool and Snooker Club [map] on Lescar Lane is open all hours of the day and night
so whenever you are ready for a game, they are ready for
you. With 20 snooker tables to choose from, a big screen
and an on-site shop, you’ll only need to pop out
for the occasional bite to eat.
You’ll also find a Rileys [map] on Birley Moor with 16 snooker tables, two English pool
tables and nine American pool tables.
Abbey Snooker [map] is another option for exercising your cueing talents.
Here you’ll find 14 full size tables available until
11.30pm every day of the week. You will need to join to
use this club, however membership is only around £10
a year.
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