Wrestling, Formula 1, soccer — you name it, all these sports have been dominating and taking over the Kingdom ever since it dove headfirst into diversifying its economy. Today, a new addition to the Saudi sporting world brings a whole new flavor.
Saudi Arabia is hosting its very first snooker event, a cue game centered around strategy, similar to billiards, and very popular in the UK and China. Dubbed the “Riyadh Season World Masters of Snooker,” the game will take place from March 4 to 6 at Boulevard Arena in the capital, Riyadh.
So, What Is Snooker?
Snooker is a game played on a table and includes 15 red balls, 6 colored balls, and 1 cue ball, unlike pool, which is usually played with 1 black ball, 7 yellow balls, 7 red balls, and 1 white cue ball. The aim of snooker is to use the cue ball to pocket the other balls in a specified order.
Why Is It Coming To Saudi Arabia?
As with all the other sports that are currently dominating the Kingdom, introducing snooker is going to attract snooker players, fans, and the like to the country, once again boosting its tourism and placing it on the map as a global sporting destination.
“Snooker is watched and played by millions around the world and we look forward to welcoming some of the greatest players and snooker fans to our country and showing them what Saudi Arabia and Riyadh Season has to offer,” Turki Alalshikh said in a statement published January 18.
Who Is Attending?
Some of the world’s top snooker players will be attending the major event, including the English Ronnie O’Sullivan, renowned as one of the most talented players in the world. Joining O’Sullivan, the 2019 World Champion Judd Trump and 2023 World Champion Luca Brecel will also be in attendance.
What Is Going To Be Different About This Tournament?
As with any snooker game, the tournament will adhere to the current World Snooker Rules, with a new surprise added. In the Saudi tournament, a 23rd ball, referred to as the “Riyadh Season” ball, will be included.
This special ball is worth 20 points and can only be cued when players complete a maximum break. By introducing the “Riyadh Season” ball, the maximum score any player can get will jump from 147 to 167 in total.
Knowing that this is yet another major sporting event joining the Kingdom, we can’t wait to see how it’ll unfold and how the Kingdom will once again propel forward toward achieving its vision.
