Getting good grip from your cue tip is essential to performing consistently accurate shots. Here is our guide to the best snooker chalk currently available in the UK.
Using this you can decide which brand is best for you…
Our Top-Rated Snooker Chalk
While using the best snooker chalk may not sound that important compared to your choice of cue or tip, it’s actually one of the most vital bits of equipment. That’s why you see the professionals chalking their cue before almost every shot!
Top Pick: Triangle Pro Snooker Chalk – Green, 12 Cubes
Pros:
- Well-known chalk brand
- Used by some professionals
- Good adherence to the cue tip
Cons:
- Can result in so-called ‘kicks’
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Historically, Triangle chalk has been at the top of the game for a long time (that’s starting to change now – see our number 2 pick).
It has a good density which helps it stay stuck to the tip of your cue. That means less mess, less regular chalking of your tip, and the chalk lasts longer.
It also contains added ingredients that help to increase friction. This is important when curing as it allows more control and greater levels of spin, though in truth, only the best players may notice these benefits.
Overall, it wins our top pick for the best snooker chalk because it really is an excellent product at a very affordable price, making it a solid choice for virtually anyone.
#2: Taom Premium Green Snooker Chalk Version 2.0 – Single
Pros:
- Used by most of the players on the pro circuit
- Helps reduce ‘kicks’
- Lasts twice as long as other chalk
Cons:
- Premium quality comes at a premium price
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Taom chalk is fast becoming the Rolls Royce of the snooker world, and for good reason.
It was invented by Toni Ursin, a Finnish product developer who was specifically looking for a solution to the kicks and bad contacts that often blighted the professional game.
The result is Taom chalk, a product so effective at doing this that the vast majority of professional players now use it as their chalk of choice. Many top players rave about how few kicks they have had since swapping to the chalk.
That’s starting to make Taom chalk look like one of the most revolutionary products to come to snooker in decades.
It works because it has superb adherence to the tip. That means very little chalk gets on your hands, the table, or most importantly, the balls.
The added advantage is you don’t need to chalk your cue as often and so it’s claimed that Taom chalk lasts twice as long as any other chalk.
That goes a small way to making up for the price difference, but this is still an incredibly expensive chalk, given you can pick up half-decent chalk for around 50p per cube.
For that reason, Taom is only our second pick for the best snooker chalk. In terms of quality it wins hands down, but the high price point means it’s only worthwhile for serious players.
- No More Miscues
- No More Kicks or Bad Contacts
- Lasts almost twice as long as other competitors
#3: Master Billiard & Snooker Chalk – Green, 12 Cubes
Pros:
- Good value chalk
- Comes in a handy box
Cons:
- Can be quite messy
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Our third pick for the best snooker chalk is this box of 12 green chalks from Master.
You can probably see in the image that this chalk isn’t quite as well-formed as some of the others, the edges don’t look quite as clean cut.
That’s because this is a softer chalk that’s more prone to cumbling than some others. That means increased mess which can lead to more kicks and bad contacts.
Other than that, it’s not actually a bad chalk at all. It performs well enough and is reasonably priced.
#4: Pioneer Pool & Snooker Chalk – Blue, 12 Cubes
Pros:
- Good value chalk
- Comes in handy box
Cons:
- Blue chalk shows up more on the table
- Can increase likelihood of kicks
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Coming in fourth in our list of the best snooker chalk is this box of 12 cubes of Pioneer chalk.
Personally, we prefer green chalk over blue since blue chalk tends to show up more on the table after shots.
However, you could argue that’s a good thing as you can see where chalk has fallen and brush it away to help stop the balls picking it up.
Whatever you prefer, this chalk performs reaonably well and is fairly priced.
- 12 Pack of Blue billiard chalk.
- Tournament quality Pioneer brand chalk.
- Great value pack of 12 cubes.
#5: ClubKing Pool & Snooker Chalk – Blue, 12 Cubes
Pros:
- Low price makes it a budget option
Cons:
- Blue chalk shows up more on the table
- Adherence to the cue tip could be better
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If you’re of the mindset that chalk is chalk and you’re not taking the game seriously enough to warrent spending much money on it, our 5th and final pick of the best snooker chalk is for you.
It’s blue, which means it will show up on the table more. The fact it doesn’t have the best adherence to the tip we have ever seen makes this problem worse.
However, it is cheap. We are talking around 30p per cube.
If price is your only real concern, this is the best option for you.
- Box of 12 Pieces of High Quality Blue Billiard Pro Cue Chalk
You Might Also Need:
Using the best snooker chalk you can find is one thing, but no matter what level you’re at – the chalk will only do its job if your cue tip is in good shape. Here are some accessories you should consider…
Snooker Chalk Holder Pouch
Avoid chalk dust collecting on your cue and case by storing your chalk in a pouch. Also helps to prevent damage to the chalk and can be hooked on your pocket or waistline for easy access during play.
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3 In 1 Cue Tip Shaper, Scuffer & Aerator
Before applying chalk you need to ensure your cue tip is in good condition for the chalk to bind to it properly. This handy pocket-sized tool does the job.
- eSynic Popular 3 in 1 Snooker Cue Tip Shaper*----:Our eSynic Multifunctional 3-In-1 Cue tip Shaper Tool that Shapes, Scuffs and Pokes Cue Tip help you to Have Better Ball Control.
- 100% Brand New & High Quality*----: This Snooker Pool Cue Tips Shaper is Made of Stainless Steel,The pool cue accessories With Marked End to Give you Direction to Which End Performs which Action.
- Easy to Operate*---: Our eSynic Proferssional Pool Cue Shaper Tool is in Ergonomic Shape. You can Shape Your Tip at Ease with Little Cue Tip Tool. To the Dome Curvature you Want and Compressed for Better Chalk Retention.
Snooker Cue Balm
To prevent your cue from drying out and warping, you’ll need to replenish the moisture in the shaft occasionally. This cue balm rehydrates, smooths and protects your cue.
- GOOD FOR YOUR CUE.. GOOD FOR YOUR GAME !!
- FEEDS, PROTECTS, SMOOTHS ALL WOODEN SHAFTS
- CALMING ESSENTIAL OILS AROMA
Frequently Asked Questions
The best snooker chalk isn’t necessarily the one that helps you play better, not is it necessarily the cheapest one on the market. It’s about finding a balance between value and quality.
Naturally, the better the player you are, the more you may value quality, whereas if you just play occasionally for fun, the price might be more important.
But, what else is there to know about snooker chalk? Here are some frequently asked questions…
Which chalk is best for snooker?
The best chalk for snooker is one that has been specially formulated for the unique demands of the game.
Taom chalk, for instance, was developed specifically to overcome the many kicks and bad contacts that were being seen in the game. Triangle chalk is one of the longest standing brands and was the go-to choice for many professionals up until recently.
However, the best snooker chalk is one that gives you the blend of value and quality that you’re looking for.
What chalk do snooker professionals use?
Historically, chalks such as Triangle were used by professional snooker players. However, the last few years has seen a major switch to a newly developed chalk called Taom.
Available in different versions, Taom was developed to help reduce the number of kicks and bad contacts in the game.
Given, at the top level, a single kick can cost you an entire frame, that’s obviously been very appealing to the pro players.
So much so, in the 2021 World Championship, all 4 semi-finalists were using a version of Toam chalk.
How good is Taom chalk?
Put simply, Taom chalk is very, very good. Snookers players are creatures of habit. Once they have found something that works for them, they tend to be very reluctant to risk changing it.
It’s quite remarkable, then, that so many professional players have switched chalk brands to Taom, after it was developed to help reduce kicks and bad contacts.
That shows that this Taom deserves its place as one of, if not the, best snooker chalk around.
What is the new snooker chalk?
The new snooker chalk you’ve been hearing a lot about (especially from Shaun Murphy in commentry) is called Taom.
Invented by Toni Ursin, a Finnish product developer, it has been carefully formulated and tested to help reduce the number of kicks and bad contacts seen in the game.
While it doesn’t cut them out completely, it does significantly reduce them, leading to the rise in popularity of the chalk, despite its hefty price tag.
What has replaced chalk in snooker?
Nothing has replaced chalk in snooker. Well, we say nothing, another type of chalk has replaced the standard choice of chalk in the game.
That chalk is Taom, which has been developed to help prevent kicks and is thought to last twice as long as other snooker chalk.
How long does Taom chalk last?
The manufacturers claim that one Taom chalk lasts twice as long as the next best snooker chalk on the market.
This is due to its superior adherence qualities that mean your cue tip doesn’t need chalking as much, as often.
Do professional snooker players still use chalk?
Yes, absolutely. All professional snooker players still use chalk. It’s just that most of them have now switched to a new brand of chalk that has only recently become available.
That new brand is called Taom and has quickly become the main go-to chalk for a significant number of the top pros.
Why? Because it’s been made to reduce the likelihood of kicks. All indications are that it does an excellent job of this with most pros saying they’ve barely had a bad contact since swapping to the chalk.
Why do snooker players use so much chalk?
Chalk is vital to performing shots exactly as intended. When a cue tip strikes the cue ball, it needs to be delivered in a true straight line in order to maintain complete accuracy.
By chalking the cue regularly, you improve the amount of grip/friction the cue tip has while striking the cue ball.
This prevents the cue from slipping along the surface of the ball and imparting unintentional side that can throw a shot off.
Therefore, regular chalking helps to prevent errors caused by inadequately prepared equipment.
How often should you chalk your cue?
Most professionals will chalk their cue after every shot, at at least every other shot. Though it does depend on the type of shot you are playing.
If you need to impart a lot of spin, or play a shot with a lot of power, it’s important to chalk your cue thoroughly before taking the shot.
That’s because the friction it creates when making contact with the cue ball will help decide how accurate the shot is.
The Best Snooker Chalk
