Snooker has become boring and predictable. (not as much as pool though which is child's play by comparison) The solution is to change something, and for me that something are the snooker balls themselves. I propose replacing them with potatoes.

Every potato is different to every other potato. They have knobs, bumps, indents, and variations in weight and actual roundness.

The new balls would not of course be real squishy potatoes, as they could never stand up to being struck by a cue, and instead would be carefully fashioned exact replicas made out of rock hard resin (or whatever it is that snooker balls are made from). Only more of less round potatoes would be chosen, and each set would be quite unique, meaning that no player could ever totally predict the exact trajectory of any of the potato 'balls'.

This would mean that snooker games became interesting again, with formerly easy shots ending up missing completely. New names would be used too. Instead of the existing colours there would Kerr's Pinks, Maris Pipers, Roosters, or any other excellent varieties of the modern spud.
-- xenzag, Oct 12 2015

A few potatoes more https://www.homemad.../know-your-potatoes
Have spud, will travel [xenzag, Oct 12 2015]

Rooster Potatoes http://albertbartle...uk/potatoes/rooster
Most excellent taste. [xenzag, Oct 13 2015]

Ooh, or sphericons. (+)
-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Oct 12 2015


// whatever it is that snooker balls are made from //

Elephants.
-- 8th of 7, Oct 13 2015


'I don't see no horns on you ball, so you must be made from an elephant'
-- xenzag, Oct 13 2015


Probably not potatoes because there needs to be some predictability for sporting fun. Very nice idea for deeper human skills with the thought, action complex.

Maybe see-thru balls with a variety of off centre weights.
-- wjt, Oct 13 2015


Rekoons neerg nworc
-- calum, Oct 13 2015


Why "Rooster" if the Idea involves potatoes instead of, say, hard-boiled eggs?
-- Vernon, Oct 13 2015


You clearly are unaware of the potato variety called Rooster.
-- xenzag, Oct 13 2015


Or fill the table with mashed potatoes, and use regular balls. The irregular surface will do the job.

You could theoretically use elephants to mash the roosters.
-- pashute, Oct 13 2015


I wonder how long it would take for expert players to get so they can accurately predict the movement of these. I bet it would happen. That would be amazing to watch [+] And in the meantime it would b a great equalizer for non-experts.

Regarding the idea of mashed potatoes on the surface, that doesn't sound so great, but an uneven surface could be. Just give it some fairly subtle hills and valleys. Since those might be hard to see accurately, draw accurate contour lines on the surface to match. All the slopes should be gentle enough that a ball rolling downhill would take no more than twice as long to stop. Otherwise you just end up with all the balls piled in valleys.
-- scad mientist, Oct 13 2015


Having heard a few roosters, usually about two in the morning, I'd advocate using real birds.
-- normzone, Oct 13 2015


Monopole pool balls. Imagine sinking oppositions balls using a path that curves and only touches via a changing magnetic field intensity.
-- wjt, Oct 17 2015


Put more Irish on it would take on delicious layers of meaning.
-- 4and20, Oct 18 2015



random, halfbakery