Postcard from Bishkek

Sir Neville Francis Fitzgerald Chamberlain KCB KCVO KPM was a British Army officer, (and later Inspector-General of the Royal Irish Constabulary – he resigned in the aftermath of the 1916 Easter Rising in Ireland), who is credited with inventing of the game of snooker while serving in Jubbulpore (Jabalpur), India in … on 17th April, 1875.

Snooker is one of a series of “cue” sports often referred to generically as Billiards.  A wooden cue stick is used to strike balls, (made variously from clay, bakelite, celluloid, crystallite, ivory, plastic, steel and wood), around a table covered in Green beize, with the aim of hitting them into pockets, (holes arranged around the sides of the table.

Snooker may be a relatively modern invention but Billiards has a log history; it is mentioned several times in Shakespeare’s plays and the body of Mary, Queen of Scots was wrapped in the cloth from her billiard table and many famous over the years have been aficionados of the game.

It was popular among British officers serving in India and Chamberlain’s innovation was to introduce coloured balls into the game, which he dubbed snooker; a derogatory nickname given to first-year cadets studying at the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich that Chamberlain had heard about from a young Royal Artillery subaltern visiting the mess.  It is said that he retorted to a fellow player who had failed to pot a coloured ball: ‘Why, you’re a regular snooker’.  While explaining the term to his fellow officers Chamberlain, to mollify the officer concerned, remarked that they were all ‘snookers at the game’ and the name snooker or snooker’s pool immediately stuck.

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Snooker is just one form of cue games, (or Billiards – as cue sports are often generally referred to), are popular here in Kyrgyzstan and there are many venues  with Billiard tables, (one directory I consulted listed 63 different clubs and halls, but I am sure that’s not an exhaustive list); dedicated Billiard halls and clubs, cafes, saunas … and even a dedicated hall in the Sports Palace … and in many of the resorts around Lake Issyk Kul … although most Westerners may find that the balls tend to be larger than in Snooker, Pool or other versions of the game.

One of the appeals of the sport is that it can either be played on an informal basis, as a relaxing way of spending time – hence the variety of venues where tables can be found, or as a serious competitive sport.  There are a number of National competitions and a number of talented local players, (of all ages), travel to championships abroad.

Perhaps one of the famous players is Adukhan Madumarov, the former Vice Prime Minister, Parliamentary Speaker, TV presenter and three times the National Billiards Champion.

Kyrgyzstan also plays host to a number of international competitions. Last year, for example, Bishkek hosted the World Championship on the basis of the combined pyramid – with 98 competitors from 22 countries, including 20 from Kyrgyzstan.  This year, the World Billiards Championship will be held in Kyrgyzstan, according to the President of the Federation of Billiards, Tursunbai Bakir uulu.  The tournament will be held for the Moscow pyramid and although the details have yet to be finalized, it will probably take place in Issyk-Kul during August. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tags: Sport