Why snooker tables are green? Here is the reason about Green Cloth

The game was originally played on grass

With the World Snooker Championships 2023 coming to a gripping close and the final attracting many new fans, people have wondered why snooker tables are often green cloth in colour.

People are only just realising why snooker tables are green for male players and female players- and the answer may not be what you think.

Perhaps the most common answer is that the green cloth bears a striking resemblance to the green of a sports field.

Indeed, there is some truth to that, with snooker, pool and other cue games being direct descendants of the lawn games played hundreds of years ago by the wealthy aristocracy. Think along the lines of croquette.

Many people are unaware of why snooker tables are green

In fact, the first ever lawn game that resembled snooker was played back in the 1340s, before being brought indoors by King Louis XI of France - allegedly the first man to own a pool table.

Billiard games gained popularity and were eventually moved indoors for convenience, with the game becoming miniaturised while the outdoor version became extinct. And so the cloth was made green as a nod to the game originally being played on green lawns.

ACCORDING to the Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Snooker: The game was originally played on grass (?!) "so when the game was brought indoors and played on a table, the green cloth was used so as to make the playing surface look like grass."

The green cloth resembles snooker's origins as an outdoor game

Why do you think snooker tables are green? Let us know in the comments section below

 Yet another theory suggests snooker tables were once varied in colour and were made green as a result of one particular incident.

It states orange was a common colour up until the 1870s, which caused issues due to the difficulty in seeing the exact movements of the ball against the table in certain lighting. That supposedly gave way to many disagreements between players.

And on one occasion during a match between Arthur Terry and Riland Metcalfe in 1871, the former was charged with “occasioning violent harm” against the latter after a dispute.

A green snooker table provides sufficient contrast against the balls

It is claimed Terry was found guilty for his role in the melee but was allowed to leave the court unpunished because the magistrate believed the colour of the table to be partly at fault.

The magistrate recommended that "henceforth the cause of harmonious play would be advanced if the snooker tables were manufactured in standard green, giving strong contrast to the red of the ball."

So there you have it - the shade of green that creates a contrast against the balls allows players to keep up with exactly where everything is, along with being less strenuous on the eyes after long periods.