Why is snooker played in silence?
Snooker is played in almost complete silence. This unwritten rule allows players to maintain their highest level of concentration.That means no clapping or shouting out as players are taking a shot.
'Quiet please'
There are the obvious parallels - the hush when a swimmer is about to dive off the starting blocks, or when a player serves during a tennis match - but none quite the same as snooker."You almost daren't breathe heavily because you think you are going to put them [players] off", said BBC Sport's Jamie Broughton, who is at the Crucible Theatre.The Crucible, the venue of the World Snooker Championship, has a capacity of just 980."The strength is its atmosphere, we call it 'claustrophobic intimacy'. You could lean over and touch a player, it really is intense," Broughton adds.
Why is silence so important?
Silence is not only tradition, but key to maintaining concentration during a match, as World Championship semi-finalist Ian McCulloch told us."Snooker is one of the hardest sports in the world, technically. It's such a game of precision. If people are heckling it is hard to keep those levels of concentration."Before each session, spectators are reminded to switch their phones off by the master of ceremonies at the Crucible, Rob Walker.
When should you clap, then?
The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) - snooker's governing body - makes no reference to silence or applause in the sport's rulebook., externalBut it is etiquette to not clap or make noise before the shot is completed - when the ball has dropped into the pocket.Tournament organisers can remove audience members from the Crucible should they be seen to cause 'nuisance or annoyance', external - and we have seen several examples of this at previous World Championships.
'It's a different set up to the darts'
The lively atmosphere at darts tournaments, with chants often ringing across the crowds, provide a stark contrast to the Crucible audience."It [snooker] is a different set up. You can't have people shouting out. Darts players are conditioned to play in a different environment," Broughton tells us.McCulloch added: Tthe traditional darts environments are pubs, which are habitually noisy".Then there's alcohol. Spectators at the Crucible are not allowed to drink alcohol in the auditorium, in contrast to the darts where fans will often drink when watching games.
Snooker Shoot Out
There is one exception to the rule - Snooker Shoot Out - a single-frame tournament with a maximum frame length of 10 minutes, and players facing a shot clock. The audience is not required to be silent during play, to help create a lively atmosphere.This article is the latest from BBC Sport's Ask Me Anything team.
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