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Known as a gentlemen's game, snooker is often associated with Britain. That's where it originated before spreading throughout Europe. Eventually, it migrated to the Eastern Hemisphere — to Lhasa, Tibet — where it's popular with young men today.

By comparison, soccer came to Tibet during the British invasion in 1904. Snooker, a billiards game, didn't arrive until the mid- to late-1980s.

Snooker world champions Mark Selby and Ronnie O'Sullivan have many fans in Lhasa.

In the city on the "roof of the world", a snooker competition recently concluded — just ahead of the Tibetan New Year.

Dechung, who is responsible for the Lhasa Jianying Surpass Billiards Club — the tournament's host — said there were 36 snooker players divided into elite and amateur groups. 

Winning snooker players are awarded medals on Feb 20, 2022 at Lhasa Jianying Surpass Billiards Club in Lhasa, Tibet autonomous region. [Photo by Daqiong/chinadaily.com.cn]

"I liked billiards since childhood. That's why I now run a billiards club and hosted the tournament," Dechung said.

Norbu Dradul, who is responsible of the Tibet Dreamer Sports Culture Development Co, the tournament's co-organizer, said: "It's important to organize this kind of tournament for people so they can improve and learn from each other," Norbu Dradul said.

The finals of the Jianying Surpass Snooker Open of Lhasa, was held on Feb 20, 2022 at Lhasa Jianying Surpass Billiards Club in Lhasa, Tibet autonomous region. [Photo by Daqiong/chinadaily.com.cn]

"I think in the future, we will organize more games like this to make Lhasa a more interesting place," he said. 

He Zhiwei, president of the Tibet Billiards Association, said the region has 400 billiards clubs. Lhasa alone has more than 100, and some 5,000 people in the region are engaged in the billiards business.

"Even though the region does not have a professional snooker player, people are very enthusiastic about billiards," he said. "The regional government and the sports bureau also attach great importance to the development of the sport."

He added that more tournaments can be expected in the future.