The most recent snooker celebrity to attempt a smaller table is Jack Lisowski, but even the six-time major finalist found it challenging to get used to the new regulations and permutations.
When Jack Lisowski made his nine-ball pool debut, the snooker great required a quick refresher on the rules.
Played on a smaller baize, nine-ball follows the same rules as the sophisticated billiards-based sport that has been around since 1875. The balls must be pocketed in a certain order before playing the final nine-ball, which is fittingly colored gold with black trim.
The winner of the Americanized nine-ball pool is the one who sinks the last ball. This is in contrast to British pool, where players choose between spots and stripes, or alternatively red and yellow.
One other variation that sets it apart from snooker is that each shot must result in at least one ball bouncing off the cushion; if not, the ball is passed to the other player.
Lisowski, who was making his debut at the Copper Box Arena, was matched up in the first round against fellow Brit Dan Suh, although the left-handed cueist need a friendly reminder of the new regulations.