Now that you are familiar with the American rules of snooker, let's take a look at the differences between the American and international rules. International snooker is the most popular version of the game worldwide, while the American rules are a simplified version of those rules. If you're playing the game in the United States, why bother to learn the international rules? Well, maybe just for a little extra challenge … why not?

As you've learned already, international snooker is usually played on a table that is 6 feet by 12 feet, so, again, you'll have to readjust your skills and thinking if you've been playing American snooker on the slightly smaller table.

The balls are almost identical in size, with the international snooker object balls just a hair smaller than the American object balls. The object balls are comprised of the same colors with the same point-scoring values and they are racked in the same way. What is called the “on-ball” in the American version is referred to as “ball-on” in the international version.

If your cue touches the cloth on a massé shot, you get a double foul, meaning your opponent receives 14 points. Be careful!

The opening table layout is the same, with the color object balls on the D-zone, the blue ball in the center of the table, the red balls racked in a triangle, the pink ball placed at the apex of the racked balls, and the black ball at the base of the rack, near the foot rail.

The point-scoring system is the same as are the rules for the opening break and fouls.

Remember, since you are playing on a larger table, some of the play areas are of different sizes and dimensions: the balk line (or “baulk line” in the international version) is 29 inches from the head rail and the D-zone radius is 11.5 inches. Even these slight changes on the bigger table will force you to readjust your techniques to accommodate the differences.

In international snooker jump shots are illegal, so don't try any of your fancy new skills here.